Delicious, crunchy, raw crackers made with a vegetable/herb medley, chia seeds, sesame seeds and flax seeds. A great alternative to processed crackers and much cheaper than raw crackers that are sold in stores!
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by Alison Jolicoeur
July 9, 2011

It is that time again in the Northeast, when we spread our seeds, planting the fruits of this year’s garden.  If you have even the smallest bit of arable space, now’s the time to use it as skyrocketing prices for staple items such as corn, wheat and soybeans have caused global food prices to rise 36% just in the past year.  Contributing to the rising cost of food is the recent increase in oil prices to over $100 a barrel, putting the squeeze on people across the nation. (read more)

by Alison Jolicoeur
May 18th, 2011

According to a recent study published in Neurogastroenterology & Motility, the presence of bacteria in the gut plays a significant role in the early brain development of mice. Although the authors say it’s too soon to make the same claim for the human brain, there is a lot we can we learn from this study.

Germ-free mice exhibited more “risky” behavior than mice with normal gut bacteria. Gene profiling revealing areas of the brain most affected by the lack of gut bacteria were those of learning, motor skills, and memory. (read more)

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by Alison Jolicoeur
April 22nd, 2011

Earth Day is a time to celebrate planet earth, our only home. However, the earth has endured much abuse this past year, suffering from two major environmental catastrophes, the BP oil spill and the crisis at Fukushima, the latter of which is still out of control despite attempts to downplay the severity of the situation in the mainstream media.

As a mother, I am deeply saddened by these events and I’m left wondering what kind of world we will be leaving to our children. It can be overwhelming when one begins to realize just how toxic our world has become, (read more)

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by Alison Jolicoeur
April 7th, 2011

Although water covers 70% of the earth, fresh, clean, drinkable water, is another story. Yes, water has presented a dilemma to me for a long time. After a decade of living in New York City, trying to avoid the chlorine and fluoride flowing from my tap, I got accustomed to drinking bottled water.

There are many reasons for not wanting to rely on bottled water, beyond the money it takes out of my pocket. When one takes into account the bigger picture, it’s not hard to see that there are even greater costs. (read more)

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by Alison Jolicoeur
March 30th, 2011

The Public Patent Foundation filed suit yesterday in a Manhattan federal district court, on behalf of more than 50 farming organizations and farmers, against Monsanto Company. Organic Seed Growers & Trade Association et al. v. Monsanto addresses the issue of patent infringement, and whether Monsanto has the right to sue a farmer if their intellectual property (patented, genetically modified seeds) inadvertently ends up in their fields. (read more)

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I have a passion for good food, and I suspect many of you share this affinity. Not only do I love the ways in which food stimulates the senses, but I also believe that certain foods have amazing nourishing and healing properties. As Hippocrates stated, “Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food.” It is for this reason that I find our current food situation in the world so troubling. It is my hope, in this article, to inform you of new processes involving pasteurization, irradiation, and genetic engineering, and how these processes may affect your health and the health of the planet. (read more)

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