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We welcome you to our new improved newsletter where each month we will be adding new topics from Environmentally friendly folk plus our very own English Environmental Nanny will be giving tips to educate your child. We have be added recipe of the month that will be based upon tasty and traditional recipes that use only organic ingredients. I will be giving brief gardening tips to help you as you learn to become a self sufficient grower, the topics will be wide and interesting to follow.
Quote of the month.
"Cultivate an attitude of happiness. Cultivate a spirit of optimism. Walk with faith, rejoicing in the beauties of nature, in the goodness of those you love, in the testimony which you carry in your heart concerning things divine."
--Gordon B. Hinckley
News this month: Things have been increasingly hectic over the last few months what with a major house move and the preparations for new shop, despite it all I still have high hopes and plenty of faith that it will soon be open and ready to go. There is so much to organize and of course health and strength limited, I have to pace myself which I have proven to be not very good at due to my drive of abundant enthusiasm, I am, however, very exited to be working out plans for the very first Amber's Organics shop, the only things left to complete is some painting and adding my line of products. I will be stocking beautiful Amber jars in my exclusive range.
Now into the garden. Plants are growing well, it seems I have found some decent soil here in Clovis, just a few months into planting and the vegetables and fruits are looking healthy and disease free. I am still on stand by with my homemade Pyrethrum spray for any intrusive creepies that aim to ruin the fruits of my labour. I was given a large tin of rescued Toads, they are the new pest control team around the garden, a mighty blessings and a wonderful sight to see. I have had butterflies galore this summer which has been a beautiful addition, also a few bees which I was utterly amazed to see.
In the herbal department many exciting products have been created amongst the frenzy, many new herbals teas, bath soaks, steams, scrubs and soaps have been happily tested and gratefully approved from my every growing support team. My new salves are proving to be almost miraculous in their healing properties, so please take a look.
The seeds section is also growing, and my new vegetable collection is coming soon I hope you will enjoy to browse through my pages, I promise exciting additions. I have a new medical edibles page which will be focusing on health and nutritional foodstuffs from the wilds and from your garden. Weeds and wonders!
All in all things are looking hopeful thanks to you, my wonderful customers that keep encouraging and supporting my cause. Please read my glorious feedback to see how much Amber's Organics is appreciated. It makes me happy to serve.
Your own suggestions are always appreciated so do not hesitate to write to me at my email address. ambersorganics@yahoo.com
RECIPE OF THE MONTH:
A Healthy Nut Milk Shake
If you're a Dairy Queen fanatic, I understand the compulsion. It's hard to beat a soft serve on a hot day or with a hot date.
Unfortunately, most desserts and snacks made with traditional, pasteurized dairy and sugar are anything but healthy for your body.
But don't despair because I have a great alternative for you, an easy and delicious recipe:
Health Nut Milk Shake
3/4 cup almonds, soaked 2-8 hours or
3/4 cup cashews, soaked 1-2 hours
4 dates, soaked 1-2 hours (save soak water)
3-4 peeled frozen bananas
3 cups cold filtered water or apple juice
Optional flavorings:
1 tsp non-alcoholic vanilla extract
2 Tbs raw carob powder
A few fresh berries
1 tsp ground cinnamon
In blender, combine nuts, dates and water or juice until smooth.
Break frozen banana into pieces, add to mixture and blend until smooth.
Add one or more optional flavors if desired.
Pour into glasses. Serves 4.
Amber's Corner. Garden Tip of the month.
Our earth is in trouble, and we've got to save it!
If you throw away 2 aluminum cans, you waste more energy than 1,000,000,000 (one billion) of the world's poorest people use a day.
Making a new can from scratch uses the energy equal to half a can of gasoline.
About one third of what an average American throws out is packaging.
More than 1,000,000,000 (one billion) trees are used to make disposable diapers every year.
In one minute, 50 acres of rainforest are destroyed.
Some rain has a pH of 3 or 4. (which is pretty acidic, considering 7 is neutral, not acidic, and battery acid has a pH of 1). Some fish, such as lake trout and smallmouth bass, have trouble reproducing at a pH of 6, which is only slightly acidic. Some clams and snails can't survive at all. Most crayfish are dead at a pH of 5. You can see how bad this is for the environment.
On average, a person in the US uses energy two times more than a person in Japan or West Germany does, and 50 times more than a person in India.
About 90% of the energy used in lighting a standard (incandescent) light bulb is lost as heat.
Air conditioning uses 10 times more energy than a fan, therefore, it creates 10 times the pollutants.
It takes half the output of the Alaskan pipeline to heat the air that escapes from all the homes in the US during a year.
Cars and pick-up trucks are responsible for about 20% of the carbon dioxide released into the air.
There are about 500 million automobiles on the planet, burning an average of 2 gallons of fuel a day. Each gallon releases 20 pounds of carbon dioxide into the air.
About 80% of our trash goes to landfills, 10% is incinerated, and 10% is recycled.
Since there is little oxygen underground, where we bury our garbage, to help bacteria eat the garbage, almost nothing happens to it. Scientists have dug into landfills and found ears of corn still intact after 20 years, and newspapers still readable after 30.
The average American makes about 3.5 pounds of trash a day.
In a year, the average American uses as much wood in the form of paper as the average resident of the developing world burns as fuel.
26 things we can do to help:
1. Turn off lights.
2. Turn off other electric things, like TVs, stereos, and radios when not in use.
3. Use rechargable batteries.
4. Do things manually instead of electrically, like open cans by hand.
5. Use fans instead of air conditioners.
6. In winter, wear a sweater instead of turning up your thermostat.
7. Insulate your home so you won't be cold in winter.
8. Use less hot water.
9. Whenever possible, use a bus or subway, or ride your bike or walk.
10. Try to buy organic fruits and vegetables if you're concerned about pesticides. (Organic food is grown without man-made fertilizers and/or pesticides).
11. Don't waste products made from forest materials.
12. Use recycled paper and/or recycle it. Reuse old papers.
13. Don't buy products that may have been made at the expense of the rainforest.
14. Support products that are harvested from the rainforest but have not cut down trees to get it.
15. Plant trees, espessially if you have cut one down.
16. Get other people to help you in your cause. Make and/or join an organization.
17. Avoid products that are used once, then thrown away.
18. Buy products with little or no packaging.
19. Encourage your grocery store sell environmentally friendly cloth bags for people to use when they shop, or bring your own.
20. REDUCE, REUSE, & RECYCLE.
21. Compost.
22. Buy recycled products.
23. Don't buy pets taken from the wild.
24. If you have a good zoo nearby, (if the animals are healthy and the zoo takes care of them), support it! Especially if they help breed endangered animals.
25. Don't buy products if animals were killed to make it.
26. Cut up your six-pack rings before throwing them out.
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A good homemade insecticide spray for the garden can be made by adding 1 teaspoon of castile soap to 1 gallon of warm water. For increased effectiveness add a few drops of neem oil, crushed garlic, or hot pepper juice. Test your blend on a few plants to gauge effect before spraying the whole garden, then apply weekly until bugs are gone.
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The English Environmentalist Nanny say's: Feed your children good organic foods, preferably local produce to support local growers and farmers. Smoothies are a great way to get your children interested in natural and healthier eating. Here is an iron filled delicious smoothie for them to make under your watchful supervision.
BANANA MOLASSES SMOOTHIE
5 pitted prunes
1 medium banana, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups low-fat vanilla soymilk
1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
3 ice cubes
Place prunes in small bowl and cover with hot tap water. Let rest for 15 minutes or until plump. Drain. Combine plumped prunes and remaining ingredients in blender and whip until smooth.
SEE YOU ALL NEXT MONTH!
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