Hot Dogs, Bologna and Red Dye, Oh My!
January 20, 2025
Hot Dogs, Bologna and Red Dye, Oh My!
by Jack Kittredge
Although we were disappointed that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did not make it into the finals as an Independent candidate for president last year, Julie and I have been heartened at the prospect of an environmentalist and health freedom advocate like him guiding the direction of our national food and health industries.
Right now, those industries are supposed to be regulated in the public interest. But for too many years we believe the American diet has been contaminated with toxic chemicals and ultra processing by those industries in pursuit of profit. As a result we have national epidemics of chronic illness, diabetes, and obesity among our youth. A stunning 70 percent of them are not able to pass the physical tests required to join the armed services!
Kennedy has not yet been confirmed by the Senate, but already some of the agencies he would oversee (FDA, CDC, NIH and 8 others) are beginning to undo what had been considered “settled science” about food ingredients.
Last Wednesday the Food and Drug Administration announced the banning of synthetic food dye, Red No. 3. The dye is primarily used to give food and beverages a bright-red, cherry-like color. It is used in thousands of foods, particularly ones geared toward children such as candy, cereals, and beverages. However, links to cancer in animals have concerned consumers for years (the links were first discovered in 1980). In addition, it has been associated since 2011 with hyperactivity in children.
New research from Boston scientists finds an increased risk of dementia among those who ate two or more servings a week of processed red meat. It did not find a significant increased risk of dementia from consuming “unprocessed” meat, such as ground beef or sirloin. But the scientists found that eating about two servings per week of processed red meat, which includes some cold cuts, correlated with a higher risk of dementia. In December, scientists advising HHS and the USDA on the updated US Dietary Guidelines recommended they emphasize alternative sources of protein, such as beans, peas, and lentils, over red and processed meats.
It will no doubt take time for the protective aura surrounding ultra processed food to crack open, just like it did for tobacco and leaded gas and PCBs, but these small steps are refreshing. There will no doubt be strong push-back from food and chemical corporations about what they put in what we eat, but it is time for the pendulum to swing back and for us to start eating healthy and natural foods again.
Expressing Gratitude this Week
Jill has been on the staff at Stetson School in Barre, for many years, perhaps ten or more. She started out as one of the staff that brought kids to volunteer on the farm, and then she moved up a notch. She no longer comes out to the farm to chaperone the kids, but importantly is in a place of leadership at Stetson. Jill is a tough love person who is no nonsense and no bullshit, and thus the guys seem to universally love and respect her. One or two times per year Jill and I hone in on a guy who might be a good candidate to work on the farm as one of our staff members, and we are in such negotiations right now. I am not sure that Stetson kids actually go to work as a bona fide staff member anywhere else, but because Jill understands how good the farm is for the guys, and we on the farm always appreciate the guys’ young and strong energy, we have made many successful matches over the years. Over the past week as Jill and I have been working out details, I have been reminded what a true gift she is to these kids who have had a pretty rough go of it as children. Thank you, Jill, for your dedication to this work in the trenches where you always give 100%.
2025 MHOF CSA
There were actually 57 crops in our CSA last year. I will try to cover two of them per week for the next 4 ½ months, to give you a closer look at our offerings.
Lettuce
We gave out lettuce 17 of the 22 weeks of the summer share. It is one of my most favorite crops, and our lettuce was sometimes huge last year. I know that some folks felt a little overwhelmed at times. I promise to give you more modest amounts of it (large shares sometimes got 3 heads and mediums 2) in 2025 But just remember that you can eat salad 3 times per day and it is such a wonderful base for a large number of other fruits, vegetables and herbs.
Chinse cabbage, Bok Choi, Mizuna, and Tatsoi
I will cover together, as they are in a family of Asian greens. These vegetables can be steamed and served with butter and salt for a great side dish, or built into a stir fry, or braised with some tamari and fat of your choice. We offered them 3 times in June and once in October last year.
We are taking shares right now. Here is the form: 2025 CSA Order Form
We have our comprehensive farm 8 ½” by 11” tri-fold completed – thanks to a lot of effort by Amanda. Additionally, we have some nice posters to put around. Please be in touch if you would like us to send you some to pass out, or if you can get by with a pdf to reprint on your own.
Volunteering at MHOF
For now, we are only working Mondays and Fridays, but by April we will be working M, T, W, F, with a 2 ½ hour stint on Saturdays for those who can’t come during the week. Now is a good time to sign up for a season at the farm. Presently we are pruning apple trees, fixing bird houses and cutting, splitting and stacking firewood.
Children’s Health Defense
About three weeks ago I signed up for CHD’s daily text regarding their 10 am Good Morning CHD program. It is a video presentation that I can listen to while working.I have not been let down. Each day has new and interesting information on topics as varied as viruses, EMF, vaccine safety, geoengineering, crypto-currency, fluoride, bird flu, SIDS, how to stay healthy in the winter, etc. You can sign up for text alerts here.
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast – John Kempf
Generations of Regeneration with Benina Burroughs
Interesting podcast about organic almond production with the addition of grazing sheep. Perhaps you won’t raise almonds anytime soon, but this podcast is, as usual, very educational and inspirational also.
Fridges Update
Thanks to the very generous supporters of our farm, we have been very successful in our fundraising to bring in $3600 for eggs and $10,720 to support our share deliveries to the Woo Community Fridges in Worcester. As a matter of fact, we only have $3,795 left to go! Perhaps you live too far away to buy a CSA share for yourself, but would like to support a summer share – $500, or a fall share – $170. Or you can choose to afford a modest contribution.
Or send us a check written to MHSC.
Once we raise the money above, we are planning to fundraise to support regular donations to the Barre Food Pantry!
Food insecurity abounds in our time, especially for high quality regeneratively grown crops.
This Week’s Recipe from Jennifer: Tomato Sauce from Farm-Frozen Tomatoes
I’m delighted to share this enriched tomato sauce made with preserved farm produce, including dried eggplant, kale, and frozen parsley, peppers and tomatoes, straight from MHOF. Paired with baked spaghetti squash from Dan’s farm, this recipe keeps the farm’s bounty alive through winter. It brings me great joy to continue enjoying and sharing these sustainable flavors, connecting us to the land and its nourishing gifts well into January and beyond.
Ingredients:
- 2 bags (approx. 2 gallons) frozen whole, cored tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dried kale from the farm
- 3/4 cup dried eggplant, preserved from the farm
- 1 fresh onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, shredded
- 2 large peppers, chopped and previously frozen
- A handful of frozen parsley from the farm
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp hingvastak (asafoetida blend)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Ghee for sautéing
Instructions:
- Prepare the Tomato Puree: In a blender, combine the frozen tomatoes, frozen parsley, and garlic. Blend until smooth.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot, heat a spoonful of ghee over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and thawed peppers. Sauté until they soften.
- Add Seasoning: Sprinkle in the hingvastak and stir to combine, cooking for another minute.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the tomato puree to the pot along with the dried kale and dried eggplant. Stir to mix everything evenly.
- Simmer: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Let it simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the flavors meld.
- Finish and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot over baked spaghetti squash or your favorite dish. Store leftovers refrigerated.
Now Available at the Farm
Frozen Foods
- Bacon
- Lard
- Applesauce
- Pear sauce
- Peaches
- Cooked Beet puree
- Paw paw puree
- 23 lb. turkeys (3)
- Pork stock
- Chicken stock
- Turkey stock
- Winter Squash
- Pork roasts (7) – 3-4 lbs. each
Fresh
- Eggs
Shelf Stable
- Dried Peaches
- Canned tomato juice
- Canned apple juice
Tinctures
- Bitters combo
- Holy basil
Personal care
- Comfrey salve
- Calendula salve
- Hemp salve
- Lavender soap
- Peppermint soap
More on Gut Health
This is such a breaking topic right now, and here is a very articulate and well-educated expert on the topic.
Ari Whitten interviews Dr. Vincent Pedre
Farm Doin’s
We made pork stock on Monday and Friday and are very happy to say that this task is completed from our 2024 pigs!
All of the trees that we wanted to take down on the west side of Sheldon Road are cut, and mostly split. We have some vine and branch work to complete on this project. Special thanks to Matt, Randy, Jim and the Stetson folks., Now we will cut up three trees that Mike from Redemption Tree and Landscape – redemptiontree@yahoo.com – did an excellent job of taking down. They were too big for us to handle.
We have completed pruning 7 of our biggest apple trees, ticking off three this past week – a winesap, prima and black Ben Davis. The pruning weather was fantastic this week.
We actually love hanging out in the tops of trees
Matt taught Amanda how to drive the tractor this week. Paula is next.
Danny and Stu went shopping for lumber for two new bird houses, and were able to get the lumber all ripped for construction.
Leslie started a new batch of bitters,
and we finished up our CSA poster and Amanda taught us how to record calls on zoom. We will soon be calling and interviewing a few of you.
The chickens are still acing egg laying – averaging 66-67 eggs per day for 69 birds. And they seem to enjoy almost all weather, except maybe the snow.
Aren’t they just the cutest!
Julie
Quick Links
Buy Meat
2025 CSA Order Form
Contact Julie
Products Available Now at the Farm
Become a working shareholder
Donate to the MHSC
Workshops
Buy J and J’s book
Many Hands Make a Farm
https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/many-hands-make-a-farm/
