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E Coli and the United States

March 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

E coli can be a big problem for American grocery stores and if they want to keep their customers safe they have to inspect all of their foods. E coli is a bacteria that lives inside your intestines that breaks down certain food particles that you can’t digest naturally. The bacteria can be passed from feces to food from poor hygiene practices. Most of the infected victims could have saved themselves from contamination if they had just practice safe food handling practices.

You can fight the spread of E coli by washing your all your produce very well before consuming it. You should also wash your hands when you handle food to eat or prepare. E coli can be found on the produce that you are about to eat or on any surface that the produce has touched. This is why it is so important to keep a clean prep and cooking area in your kitchen. Bacteria can spread very quickly in uncontrolled cooking areas and can make many people sick with just one infected surface.

Some of the produce that has been detected to have E coli has come from undeveloped nations like Mexico. When the produce crosses the border it gets inspected by a health food inspector for any signs of infected produce. There is a lot of produce that passes across the border into the United States and most of the food does not have a chance to get inspected. The only way you can protect yourself from E coli is to wash everything you eat and all the surfaces that it touches. To prevent the spread of E coli you must also wash your hands regularly.

 

 

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You Can Change Rising Food Prices

March 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

As the price of oil climbs higher our food will start to cost more as well, because of our way of farming. We don’t use tools or bulls and oxen to farm our land, we use machinery that runs on fuel. The machinery we use today uses large amounts of fuel to do everything the farmer used to do. Plowing the land, planting crops, and even sowing the fields are all done by machinery. Not only do the farms rely on oil, but so does our way of transporting the produce.

There are millions of semis on the roads transporting produce all of the country every day of the year and there is no stopping in sight. Trains are a cheaper way of transporting produce around the country, but trains cannot go everywhere that semis can.  This kind of system works well, but there is a problem it’s all dependent on oil. If we can’t find another way of producing and transporting our crops then we will be in serious trouble in the near future.

The price of oil will rise even more there is no question about that, the question is can the American people afford higher priced foods? There is no straight answer for this question, but there is an answer to higher food prices. We start growing our own food and start trading what we made with each other to get what we need. This is a very simple concept, but no one wants to do it, because of convince at the grocery store. If we are to protect ourselves from hunger we need to start thinking more about the future and less about our accounts.

 

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The Way We Farm Is Going to Change

March 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The good old days of farming by hand seem to be gone from us, but that could change in the near future. In the past farmers used to raise and sow their crops by hand and with hand tools. As time went by and new farming techniques were being invented, farmers started to use more advance equipment like the plow to ready the soil faster. Later farmers started to use animals like oxen and bulls to drive their plows across their fields. These techniques are not widely used in America and we now depend on diesel operated machinery to do the farming for us.

There are a lot of mouths to feed in America and if we want our food for cheap then we have to use the machinery. This kind of thinking will destroy our country if we don’t put it into check. We can still raise crops the old fashion way for cheap and for millions of people. It’s just easier on the farmer to use farm equipment to do all the work. There is a small group of Americans that use the old practices and they can do it for cheaper than our regular farmers.

The Amish still use beasts of burden and their own two hands to raise and sow crops. The can also do it more efficiently than the regular farmers of America. There way of farming is not slower than the way our farmers do it either. Their secret is right in front of you in fact it is you the Amish use man power to do their work. They can plow, plant seeds, and sow crops just as fast as we can, just by using man power.

 

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There Are Still Available Jobs During the Recession

February 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

While the economy has slowed down a lot in past few years it is not impossible to make money. The economy is so large that your choice in the business sector may not be affected by it. The business that will do best will be the one that is needed by everyone. A mechanic may not feel the down turn, because people need their cars to go to work and do work. His job is very secure and anyone who chooses to go into the auto repair sector will be successful.

Try to figure out what people need to survive and you will find a job or career that has not been affected by the economic fall. All it takes is for you to look in your own life and see what your needs are the things that you cannot go without. You will be surprised how dependent we are on our communities to provide us with the basic needs for life. Anything that is food, water, shelter, or work related probably hasn’t been hit that hard. All of these categories have had slowing in some parts of them, but for the most part they are not going anywhere when it comes to a job.

You might be surprised that appealing to the super rich is still a very good market to get into. In reality the elites of our society are doing very well as the poor get poorer. Extravagant hotels and clothing store are doing better than ever and the elites still have money to spend. If you can get into a job or career providing some kind of service to the elites then you will defiantly be doing well.  All it takes is to use your knowledge of what people don’t need to live and find out where the big bucks are being spent.

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Pesticides Linked to Major Bee Die-off

February 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Honey bee die offs are caused by unknown reasons and some think that it’s because of the pesticides we are using now. Some of the pesticides that we use have been shown to reduce the immunity of viruses in honey bees. There have been several studies performed in Europe and in America that has concluded that pesticides actually do reduce the immunity to bees. The honey bee die offs maybe happening, because of our dependence on pesticides. If this is true we need to find another way to rid our crops of pests instead of continuing spraying them with chemicals that harm the wild life and potentially us as well.

It’s a no brainer that pesticides would have negative effects on honey bees, but if we don’t do something about this problem we could have a hard time razing crops. Honey bees go from flower to flower to collect nectar to eat. Flowers and other plants produce nectar to attract the attention of insects to their flowers. They give a little nectar to spread their pollen to other plants of the same kind. When the honey bees land on the flower the hairs on their legs attract the pollen. When the bee flies off to another flower the pollen is kept on the bee’s hairs to be planted in the next flower. This is a very successful way for plants to reproduce and without the help of bees many of the crops would not get pollinated.

Another point of view on the subject is that the bee die offs may be happening naturally. Major bee die offs happen periodically through the century and may not be linked to pesticides at all. There is no real cause for the die offs except for viruses that infect the bees. Why would the bees not have a stronger immunity to these viruses and why do bee keepers not protect their bees from harm? There must be a much larger reason for the die offs that we are not able to comprehend yet.

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Growing Food From Air

February 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

There are many ways to grow food for ourselves to eat so we don’t have to rely on grocery store products so much. Old techniques for growing crops included finding a clear patch of ground and plowing it to raise crops. As time pasted farmers could substitute poor quality dirt with fertilizer from livestock to make their crops more successful. Then crop rotation came into the picture to put nitrogen back into the dirt with different kinds of crops that was otherwise pulled out year after year. Now we can grow crops without dirt and little amounts of water infused with the necessary nutrients plants need to survive.

Your home garden does not need soil to grow you can use hydroponics it’s a system where plant roots are suspended in water rather than dirt. This kind of growing is great for people that do not have access to high quality dirt. In urban areas of the country it’s hard to find a good patch of ground that is not already claimed by someone else. If a person uses a water medium rather than dirt they can grow plants anywhere they choose so long as the temperature and time of year is right.

Another way of growing crops came from the practice of hydroponics the method of aeroponics is a super water and energy saver. This kind of growing is best for the most limited power supply, water, and no growing condition. This kind of growing is very useful to rocket scientist, because of the weight constraints for a mission to other planets like Mars. You can only put up so many tons of supplies before it gets to be too much. That’s why scientist looked to growing food for the astronauts rather than sending it with them. Aeroponics allows astronauts to grow their own food, while keeping weight constraints low. Rockets don’t need to be filled with good soil, only the raw nutrients plants need and water. There is talk of capturing natural occurring water from Mars and the nutrients to grow plants needed for the mission.

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What is There to do on a Visit to Canada?

February 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Multicultural and bilingual are two terms that best describe Canada. The North American country is clearly split between those of French descent and British. Immigrants who have come to Canada from both of those countries have worked hard to preserve their own customs and serve authentic cuisine.

The French influence is strongest in the Quebec province. This is the only spot in North America where a majority of the people speak French. With over 7 million people in the area, they have fought hard to make Canada a bilingual country with both French and English recognized as official languages. The French influence may be noticed most in the favorite foods of the country. Poutine, the most popular dish in Quebec, it is a combination of fries, curds and gravy. Canada 411, Canada’s local search engine can help you find the best places to eat.

The British influence is huge in Canada as well. Many of the parks and natural attractions are named for former monarchs from England. One of the best views of Niagara Falls is from Queen Victoria Park on the Canadian side. Watching 600,000 gallons of water pour over the Horseshoe Falls every second is one of the natural wonders of the world. Taking the Maid of the Mist boat trip into the Horseshoe Falls is an adventure that you will never forget.

The favorite sport in Canada is hockey. There are a number of professional teams that compete in the National Hockey League from Canada including the Montreal Canadians who have won 24 Stanley Cup titles. Kids grow up playing ice hockey in Canada in the same way that kids in the U.S. play little league baseball and football. Lacrosse is big in Canada as well and is the official summer sport. In the fall, the Canadian Football League is the big draw. There are eight teams which draw more than 4 million fans per year.

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Pesticides Linked to Illnesses

January 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

For organic consumers, the perk of eating foods that do not use pesticides during their growth process is a major perk.  Research, although most has been done recently, suggests that many diseases are linked to pesticide use.  A wide range of illnesses and cancers has been investigated and evidence supports a link between inorganic foods’ growing methods and these sicknesses. As consumers become more aware of this evidence, organic food growers expect to experience an incline in their products’ sales.

Cancers have been linked to pesticide use.  Childhood cancer rates are on the rise.  The most common cancers that may be caused by pesticide exposure are leukemia, brain cancer, lymphoma, and testicular/ovarian cancer.  Adults are also at greater risk when they reside in areas that are known for inorganic farming.  Because of methods used to grow this kind of produce, people encounter airborne pesticides on a daily basis.

Birth defects and problems with reproduction have risen in recent years.  Although documentation of these problems has not been linked directly to pesticide use, scientists suspect pesticides have contributed to these incidents.  Whether through food, direct pesticide contact, or exposure through a variety of farming materials, chlorpyrifos will cause defects in fetuses.  It is the most common pesticide on produce but is also used to kill fleas, termites, and roaches.  The percentage of children with limb reduction defects or cleft palates rises significantly for mothers that reside in areas with heavy pesticide use.

Asthma has been observed in farmers that use pesticides on their produce as well.  Documentation supports the rise in asthmatic symptoms such as heavy and difficult breathing, wheezing, and uncontrollable coughing.  Pesticides can also be present on clothing and household items, so the increase in asthma can occur in family members of farmers or those who have direct contact with pesticides.

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Effects of Global Warming on Crops

January 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Although the Earth’s climate has been relatively stable throughout history, many scientists believe that it is undergoing climate changes that will affect crops, produce, and farming in the future.

For most farmers, the past has proven dates and times that are best suitable for growing crops. They understand where crops grow best in the United States as well as the rest of the world.  Of course, this makes is possible for everyone to follow schedules, stay nourished, and plan for the years to come.

Sometimes, gases that create a “greenhouse effect” on the planet are emitted.  Most people believe these come from cars, exhaust, and other forms of machinery.  Actually, they are emitted from certain types of agricultural activities too.  Types of farming equipment and processing factories give off large amounts of methane gas and other airborne chemicals.  Some scientists do not think the release of larger amounts of carbon dioxide will create an effect on agriculture unless temperatures rise drastically.  As a result of these gasses, however, weather conditions are changing and are expected to become more unpredictable as times goes on.

Closely related, use of these farming tools creates soil that is more incapable of retaining carbon.  Carbon is an essential element for growing crops and breaking down objects in the soil. In addition to this, global warming is expected to increase storms, hurricanes, and other natural disasters on Earth.  Clearly, these types of weather will be a detriment to farming and produce, and may lessen production significantly.  Citrus fruits are expected to have difficulty growing if rain levels are noticeably higher.

On the other end of the spectrum, areas of land that need irrigation to produce crops may also be affected by global warming.  Sometimes, irrigation lowers temperatures just enough to allow produce to flourish.  With higher temperatures, more water is expected to evaporate, leaving less liquid near the crops to cool them.   Plants may die and crop yields could be damaged.

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Seven Cancer-Fighting Foods

January 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Every year, more than 500,000 Americans die of cancer and cancer-related illnesses.  Many doctors believe that by developing and maintaining a healthier lifestyle, most of these diseases can be avoided.  In fact, some foods are used not only in medicine, but as a preventative method as well.  Here are a few of the most common cancer-fighting foods:

1. Mushrooms:  Most people do not think of these small foods as healthy.  Actually, they contain compounds that can help the body fight cancer.  In addition to this, they help build immunity and prevent everyday illnesses.
2. Dark green, leafy vegetables:  This group includes spinach and certain types of lettuces.  They contain a variety of nutrients and antioxidants called carotenoids.  Since they assist the body in ridding itself of free radicals, these foods get a lot of attention from people in an effort to prevent cancer.
3. Blueberries:   These little morsels are the best cancer-fighting agents around.  They contain a large number of antioxidants and are consumed by cancer patients as part of a holistic healing approach.
4. Tomatoes:  Although their best cancer-combating nutrient is digested by the body when they are cooked, tomatoes provide a great amount of antioxidant power.  Lycopene has been documented in prevention of prostate, lung, stomach, and breast cancers.
5. Flaxseeds:  These small seeds resemble sunflower seeds and can be located near the cereal or snack aisles in most grocery stores.  They possess lignans, which block certain cancerous changes to the body and prevent cancer as a whole.
6. Garlic:  An ancient ingredient adored by many, this can help prevent skin, colon, and lung cancer.  Many cooks are happy to know that it has such important cancer-fighting power.
7. Green Tea:  Drinking this type of tea can help the body reduce the number of free radicals and, in turn, prevent cancerous cells from multiplying.  Documentation shows lesser instances of breast and liver cancers in those who drank green tea on a regular basis.

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