Healthy Dinner Recipes - Discover How Refreshing and Exotic Salad Can Be When You Add Some Fruit

We all love our salads in summer. You simply don't feel like having hot food when you are already cooking because of the heat. In most cases, we throw things in like tomatoes and cucumber. But did you ever try adding fruit to your salad? You should, it's really amazing!

Fruit is just as healthy as vegetables, and their big advantage is that they often require much less preparation. If you buy organic fruit, many don't need to be peeled. In fact, it's even healthier to use them with the skin. Berries and grapes just need to be washed. That means you can have your salad ready even quicker.

Organic Fruit

A salad with fruit is not only packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber, but also very juicy and refreshing and at the same time light. Try this one:

Exotic Fruit Salad With Cheese And Mango Yogurt Dressing

Ingredients

1 medium lettuce, torn into pieces   1 medium pineapple, cut into chunks 1 mango, sliced 150 g seedless red grapes, cut in half 150 g strawberries, quartered 200 g low fat cheese, cut in 1 cm cubes

For the dressing

200 g low fat yogurt (plain) 50 ml mango juice 2 tsp. lemon juice

Steps

Mix all the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl. For the dressing, mix all ingredients well. Then add the dressing to the salad and mix it in carefully. Serve with whole grain muffins or bagels.

This exotic salad includes three major food groups that are highly important for our daily diet. First of all, of course the salad and fruit which provide you with many vitamins and fiber and also with quick energy in form of simple carbohydrates. Yes, they do contain sugar, but don't worry too much. Fruit sugar has a much less negative impact than table sugar, and because of it being packed into the fruit, you will be full before you have eaten too much.

The cheese and yogurt contain important nutrients like proteins and calcium. Using low fat versions ensures that you can benefit from these without taking in too many fat calories.

And last but not least, the whole grain foods you serve along with your salad. That's fiber and complex carbohydrates that will do a great job in filling your stomach quickly and giving you lasting energy. Plus, they won't be stored as fat, like excess simple carbohydrates are. So, even when you are on a diet, you can still have this salad.

Does that sound great? Then give it a try!

Healthy Dinner Recipes - Discover How Refreshing and Exotic Salad Can Be When You Add Some Fruit

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What Chemicals Are Used With Organic Foods?

If you have done your homework then you already know that organic foods don't contain harmful chemicals. They don't have pesticides, herbicides, or very other chemicals used in the fertilizer. That is all very important information because those are the driving points behind organic food. Knowing you aren't consuming residue from these chemicals is something that you should be very happy about.

The other benefit is that the soil, air, and land aren't being harmed from the growth of them either. With conventional farming methods there are many chemicals used and the do end up on the final product as well as in our environment. However, you may be very curious to find out what chemical organic product do use. You may be puzzled that I even mention it because some people assume that organic food are completely chemical free. That isn't always the case though.

Organic Fruit

The certification process for organic foods is very strict and those guidelines are in place by the USDA. A product has to be 95% organic in nature regarding how it is grown, processed, and handled to earn such labeling. You can be sure those organic growers out there also have to keep careful records and they have to comply with regular inspections. This is all to ensure that products that claim to be organic really are. It is to ensure they aren't using any forms of chemicals that they shouldn't.

With that being said, there are some types of chemicals that are allowed to legally be used for organic products. It is also important to understand these laws vary by country. The USDA only has control of those which are grown in the United States. If you are very interested in the chemicals used for organic foods in specific locations you should be able to find such data online.

Getting the soil to be properly fertilized is crucial step when you want to be able to grow organic product. There are some approved chemicals that allow this to be done without any harm. They include alfalfa meal, blood meal, bone meal, and gypsum. Of course they don't have to be used if you have a compost collection that has been in place and plenty of materials that it offers that can be used as natural fertilizer.

There are certain forms of chemicals used to protect the foods as they grow. Neem is a very popular type of chemical used for organic foods. It comes from trees that are grown in India and it is a type of pesticide that works at a slow pace. It isn't toxic in nature though to humans or animals. Nicotine Sulfate comes from tobacco and it is also a natural pesticide.

One chemical that is very common for organic foods is called Pyrethrum. It doesn't kill insects but it does render them unconscious and dazed. It doesn't have any long term effects on them and it won't harm people if they consume it.

Sometimes sulfur is used for organic foods as a natural type of preservative. This type of food can rot fast due to no wax or other preservatives placed on it. It also helps to give fruits a nice color and to protect against mildew growth. It isn't harmful though to humans or animals. It can be applied as a liquid or in a paste form. This is important for people to enjoy the organic foods longer and to appreciate the way that they look.

Before any chemicals are approved as acceptable to be used with organic foods they are carefully tested. This is why it is a long time span from when one is considered and when it is approved. There are many such chemicals in a testing pattern right now that could be introduced later on for organic food growth and processing.

What Chemicals Are Used With Organic Foods?

Organic food becomes a good choice by more and more people. The Organic Grocer is an online organic food Sydney based retailer. They provide fresh organic fruit and vegetable. They delivery organic food penrith and organic food blue mountains.

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Organic Fruit Baskets Are A Great Gift

Fresh organic fruit baskets are one of the best gifts one can give, as well as receive. These are not only healthy, but are popular and stylish. There are several styles of baskets to choose from and where to find them will depend on you.

Searching on the Internet will give you several ideas for organic gift baskets made with fruit. You can also make your own basket with fresh organic fruit found in the markets. Whatever you decide to do, you will be happy you chose to go with a basket of organic food instead of anything else.

Organic Fruit

How to Pick Out Your Basket

There are several things to keep in mind when picking out or putting together organic fruit baskets. Fresh fruit is one of those well known perishable items. This means that when you are picking out your basket it will need to get to where it has to go fast. If you are building the basket yourself, you will want to buy all the goods to put the nonperishable part of the basket together first. This will allow you to put the basket together except the organic fruit. Once you get the fruit you will want to bring the basket to the person it is for.

If you are choosing to go with a premade fresh fruit organic basket, then you will want to be sure that the one you pick can be shipped immediately and delivered the same day for freshness. In most cases, when buying your basket premade, the store will be sure to have the gift basket delivered from the nearest location to the destination. Picking out your basket is not hard, but should be planned out when using fresh organic fruit, to be certain it does not go bad by a long transport.

Where to Buy Your Basket

There are two places you can buy organic fruit baskets - in person in a store or online. With both options you can choose from premade baskets or design one yourself. The difference is simply location. If you choose to personally shop for your basket, be prepared to travel a bit. You will want to compare prices, be sure that the store can deliver same day, and that they have what you want.

Shopping for organic fruit baskets online is probably the easiest option, as you will not have to travel at all. You will know right away if a store has the type of fruit you want to purchase and if they delivery service in the area you need. You will also be able to compare prices and shipping charges between online retailers that sell fresh organic fruit baskets. You can still choose between building your own fruit basket or a premade one. Simply click on each item that you want to add to the basket and the arrangement you want. The employees in the store will put the gift basic of organic fruit together for you and then deliver it.

Organic Fruit Baskets Are A Great Gift

Julie Murphy writes Organic Food related articles for the Organic Food website www.goodorganicfoodinfo.com

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The Foods That Are Most Affected by Pesticides

Among all foods, some are much more affected by pesticides and other toxins than others. Asparagus, for example, has very little difference between the commercial variety and the organic - although the flavor of the organic might be richer due to the more ideal growing conditions. But others fruits and vegetables contain heavy concentrations of pesticides.

Baby Food

Organic Fruit

Your child at his youngest is being exposed to the same pesticides as adults as the vegetables and fruit used in pureed baby foods are just as contaminated as the ones on the supermarket shelves. In 1995, a study was done on three major brands of baby food and it was discovered that sixteen pesticides were found in half of the samples.

Strawberries

According to a 1995 EWG study, strawberries are the most contaminated fruit in the United States. A single acre of strawberries can receive 500 pounds of pesticides. Worse, in the off-season, strawberries are brought in from outside the country where pesticide restrictions are even more lenient.

Rice

Again, in baby foods, rice is almost always a primary ingredient as there are few allergies to rice unlike other grains. Unfortunately, one major area where commercial rice is grown, Sacramento River Valley in California, has used so many types of pesticides in production, the ground water has become contaminated.

Grains

We are told to eat eleven servings of grains a day. However past studies have discovered illegal pesticides in General Mill's oat cereal, Cheerios, and at least one pesticide in 91% of the wheat tested in a separate study. Use of pesticides on grain is widespread in most commercial organizations.

Milk

The non-nursing baby and young children have a large percentage of their diet comprised of milk. Many dairies, however, inject their cows with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), a genetically engineered hormone used to boost milk production. Antibiotics are also heavily used which can be passed through milk to create problems in all milk drinkers including resistance to the typical levels of antibiotics used to cure common infections.

Processed Corn

Foods made using processed corn such as popcorn and corn chips are among the top fifteen items likely to expose children to dangerous pesticides. As these are favorites of most children for snacks, they should be easily swapped with the organic variety.

Bananas

The favorite food of many babies and adults alike is likely to contain benomyl which is linked to birth defects and chlorpyrifos, a neurotoxin. Costa Rica is a major exporter of bananas to the United States. In that country, bananas account for only 5% of farmland, but use 35% of the country's pesticides.

Other Fruits and Vegetables

Pesticides have also been discovered and documented in green beans, apples, peaches, nectarines, kiwi fruit, grapes and raisins. Studies have been done on both the fruit or vegetable found in the market and the contamination has been found in baby food samples as well.

The Foods That Are Most Affected by Pesticides

Organic foods: Organic vegetables lowers children's exposure to pesticides.

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What Causes Eczema - Vary This Vegan Process for Eczema Cure

There is a very powerful way of eating which heals all diseases and provides the body with all the nutrients it needs to function. It obtains all nutrients from organic, fresh plant foods.

It is called the vegan system and followers eat fresh organic fruit, fresh organic vegetables, grains and an assortment of nuts and dried fruits. It is a system of eating that is over 3,000 years old and has thousands upon thousands of followers.

Organic Fruit

Eating this way creates a healthy alkaline environment inside your body in which diseases and illnesses cannot survive. All the bad foods such as refined carbohydrates, bad fats, processed foods, junk foods etc. are totally eliminated from the diet.

A vegan diet is designed to increase disease resistance, prolong life and increase energy and vitality.

Raw vegans regard good health and vitality as standard and they are consistently aiming for perfect balance of mind, body and spirit.

People who have followed the raw vegan way of life include: Sir Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, Ghandi and Bernard Shaw, to name just a few.

Foods have a particular purpose. They either renew and build your cells, they regulate all bodily processes or yield much needed energy.

Following this method can be very challenging. You can still heal your eczema and develop a healthy and invigorating lifestyle by adapting this vegan system.

Instead of obtaining all your foods from 100% raw foods, you can achieve very positive results from say, between 65 and 75% raw foods.

You can obtain excellent health and vitality from eating 65% of your foods from raw fruits, vegetables and grain.

What Causes Eczema - Vary This Vegan Process for Eczema Cure

If you want to learn how you can start healing your eczema today go to: http://www.CureYourEczema.com

Discover the 8 steps to transform your skin with raw foods at: http://www.CureYourEczema.com/Articles/EczemaDiet.htm

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Fruit and Vegetable Fast Weight Loss Tips

More and more people are doing a fruit and vegetable fast. And why are they doing it? Because it works so well for getting slim and healthy.

When I did it I lost over 13 pounds in only 2 weeks. Read this short article and see how you can do it too.

Organic Fruit

Fruit and Vegetable Fast

It seems like weight loss plans that include fruits and veggies are all the rage.

Some of them are really hard to follow and make things more complicated than they need to be. Truth be told fasting on fruits and vegetables for weight loss is pretty simple.

To lose the weight quick like me, follow these few tips to get better results.

1- Keep fresh washed seasonal organic fruit ready. Keep a bowl on the kitchen counter. Have some fruit at your desk at work. So when you are hungry you will have something satisfying and tasty readily available. Personally, I find bananas are one of the best fruits to take in the car or on the go.

2 - You can get ready-to-eat pre-packaged produce at your grocer. They are handy in a pinch if you are short on time. Carrot sticks are great.

3 - Do you like sweets? Me too! You can eat fruit for dessert or anytime your sweet tooth is calling. You can easily make banana ice cream with a fresh strawberry sauce that is naturally sweet and nutritious. So, don't feel like you can't enjoy dessert while doing this plan - because you can! I could not live with out my daily desserts and you don't have to either.

Fruit and Vegetable Fast Weight Loss Tips

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Natural Make-Up: Organic Ingredients Make a Better Product

What makes an ingredient natural? More and more leading make-up companies are responding to the demands of today's educated market and offering their customers make-up containing natural and organic ingredients. Women - and more and more men - are realizing the benefits of leaving behind the man-made ingredients used in cheaper cosmetics and looking for the quality and results that come from natural make up. Cosmetics that have been made using quality ingredients - natural products close to the original state, and, whenever possible, organic certified.

One of the most popular ingredients you find in any natural make-up is almond oil. It is excellent for dry, rough skin and very sensitive skin. You will see it used as a base in massage oil, body lotions and many many bath products. Because it is so gentle it can be used on even a baby's skin. Almond oil is a natural moisturizer and protects then skin beautifully- making it a great choice for those is drier climates. Adding a few drops of your favourite essential oil, such as rose oil or lavender to almond oil makes wonderful massage oil.

Organic Fruit

Using natural and organic certified products only serves to enhance the healing qualities of natural ingredients. Reputable companies will not indulge in cheap mass produced ingredients such as petrochemicals, lauryl sulphate, parabins, laureth sulphate and low grade alcohol. Alcohol, which is used as a preservative is still an ingredient - but only food quality and plant derived - such as beet root. Fragrance and colors are never artificial - artificial scents and additives are to be avoided when looking for a true natural make-up.You will see the ingredient grape seed extract in a myriad of products. It has restorative properties and is a valuable ingredient in natural make-up - especially face creams and moisturizers. Grape seed extract comes from the tiny seeds of red grapes. Grape seed is extract is rich in anti-oxidants - in fact there are more antioxidants found in grape seed than in vitamins C and E. Grape seed extract will help maintain the skins' elasticity and is a key ingredient in any face cream.

Another ingredient listed on many cosmetic and natural make-up labels is Lemon Oil. You will most often find this in bath and body products, massage oil, lotions and foot care. Lemon oil is derived from a cold pressing of lemon peel. In quality natural cosmetics the oils will come from certified organic fruit. Lemon oil is believed to have energizing properties- often leaving the user feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Rose oil, sometimes called rose otto, is a popular ingredient found in many natural make-up and skin care lines. Be sure it is "rose oil" and not "rose essence", which in most cases is synthetic. Synthetic rose oil has no healing benefits or therapeutic value. Rose oil is often used in skin care because of its gentleness - it is suitable for almost all skin types - especially dry or very sensitive skin. It's also a much sought after ingredient in natural make-up because it has been attributed to the relief of depression, anxiety, spasms, tension, stress and menopausal problems. You will often see rose oil used in many bath products because of the relaxing and calming effect it has on the user. Rose oil's delicate scent is thought to increase perception and for this reason and it is believed to have aphrodisiac properties.

Natural ingredients, organic certified ingredients are important to the quality and effectiveness of the products you put on your skin. When you are choosing a natural make-up, look at the labels and try and get a better understanding of what you are putting on your skin - and what is being absorbed into your body. Knowing what is safe and what is effective will help you make better decisions about the products you buy. Using natural sources such as plants and herbs rather than synthetic man-made chemicals is always a better choice. Look for high-quality ingredients, ingredients that are not synthetic and are certified organic on the products you buy.

Natural Make-Up: Organic Ingredients Make a Better Product

LJ Bronart is freelance writer in Toronto, Canada. She hopes to promote the organic products and the use of more natural make up.

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Organic Fruit Delivery

If you are looking for a great way to get some smiles from friends or family this year, why not consider ordering from an organic fruit delivery service? There are several ways that foods like this can be sent to people that you care about finding the ones that are closest to those that are to receive the fruit is simply a matter of some research on the internet. Many flower stores are now allowing you to order over the web and have the flowers sent where ever you like, this is now starting to pop up with small gift shops that offer these fruits as well.

Organic fruit delivery is something that can be very heart warming. You will appreciate the fact that you send a healthy tasty gift to someone, rather than a basket filled with chocolate or other sweets. The organic fruit is going to show them that you love them and care enough to offer the best.

Organic Fruit

Parties

If you are trying to find the best thing to send to parties, why not think about organic fruit delivery? You can order a large fruit basket or several baskets that will be sent to the party and this is an excellent contribution. People love the taste of fresh fruit people love the taste of fresh organic fruit even more. This is an excellent choice to offer up for that special day be it a graduation party, an anniversary or even a wedding. The ordering process would be simple as all you need to do is know what you would like to include, and let the delivery service do the rest. This is an excellent gift option and one that will always go over well.

Organic fruit delivery is an idea that will make people happy regardless of the occasion. You will find that the cost of the delivery is not as high as you might expect, so this may allow you to send a couple of gift baskets of fresh organic fruit to several people. This would make an excellent Christmas gift, or it can be part of the offerings for a buffet style get together during the holidays.

Hospital Stays

No one likes to be stuck in the hospital these days, why not surprise someone special that is down with an organic fruit delivery? If you are hearing that they are not enjoying the stay or the food for that matter, a great gift basket of fresh fruit just may be what the doctor ordered. You will be able to get baskets in a variety of sizes and configurations and this will make it possible for you to find something that will make that hospital bound people in your life happy. Easy delivery options will make it easy to get the fruit to the patient and you will not have to worry about it arriving on time.

Good ideas can start with organic fruit delivery today. You have a plethora of options to be had in regards to what you wish to do with the fruit and how you would like it sent. This makes the entire idea an excellent choice for not only the holidays, but for those days that someone just needs a smile.

Organic Fruit Delivery

Julie Murphy writes Organic Food related articles for the Organic Food website www.goodorganicfoodinfo.com

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Effective Organic Gardening Pest Control For Fruit - Bearing Trees

Pests are certainly the most unwanted and unwelcomed boarders in your fruit trees. They feed on the foliage and fruits making them look very unattractive and inedible. Severe infestation can even cause grave damage and destroy the trees. Some resort to using chemical-based pesticides to eradicate these pests, but these types of pesticides can cause adverse effects on the trees, especially on the flavor and quality of the fruits. But hope is not lost, because there are a number of organic ways to rid your fruit trees of these pests while making sure that the fruits they bear remain toxic-free and safe to eat.

Here are some of the most common fruit tree pests and the organic ways to deal and control them:

Organic Fruit

One: Codling Moth. Control adult codling moths by sticky-trapping them with pheromone baits. During winter, young larvae are usually hiding in fallen fruits or under loose barks. Spray trees with horticultural oil in early spring before the leaves appear to kill the larvae. You can also use corrugated cardboard around tree trunks to confuse and trap the larvae. Destroy the cardboard once they have crawled inside and replace it regularly.

Two: Plum Curculio. To control the adults, shake the tree to knock the pests off and collect the insects that have fallen by spreading any old sheet underneath the tree. Make sure to remove and destroy all infested fruits and plant debris that have fallen to the ground because they usually hide larvae or overwintering adults. Cultivate the soil to help check and kill the pupae. Chickens eat these insects so encourage them to feed around the trees.

Three: Spider Mite. During mid until late summer, randomly select ten to fifteen leaves for each tree and checking them for the presence of this mite. Leaves from lower shoots and water sprouts are the ones that are usually attacked. If there is an average of six to ten spider mites per leaf, it means that the tree is infected. Wash the leaves with a strong blast of water or better yet, a solution of soapy water will help control this pest. Use dormant oil in early spring, or use light horticultural oil or insecticidal soap in summer. A number of beneficial insects prey on this pest and attracting them near the trees is another good solution.

Four: Borers. First off, borers can be prevented from infecting a tree. Trees become vulnerable once they're wounded. Prevent trunks from scarring or cover existing wounds will protect young trees from borers. If prevention is no longer possible, then it's time for control. Dead bark, wilted stems, sawdust piles are the common signs of infection. If these signs are evident, check for larvae by cutting the affected stems open and manually pulling out the larvae and killing them. Beneficial nematodes may be injected into the stems to help kill off the remaining larvae. For severely infested stems, remove and destroy them immediately. If infestation is grave, remove the tree to prevent other trees from being infected.

Five: Thrips. Spraying neem oil, horticultural oil and organic soap solution during evenings can help control thrips once they infested the tree. It will need several applications before the pest is finally eliminated. Lacewings and other beneficial insects feed on this pest and encouraging them around the trees can make the job easier.

Six: Oriental fruit moths. Cultivate the soil around infested trees to expose larvae and kill them off. Then use traps to attract adult males and prevent them from mating with the females. Introduce beneficial insects, such as parasitic wasps, and spray horticultural oil to eliminate this pest.

Effective Organic Gardening Pest Control For Fruit - Bearing Trees

Garden pests are inevitably part of every garden. If you want to know more about Organic Gardening Pest Control, you can check out Nova's The Organic Home Gardening Secrets site: http://theorganicgardeningsecrets.com.

Nova Person, with her 20 years of experience in gardening, has learned how to effectively and safely control pests from destroying her garden, without using harmful pesticides. She compiled these, along with many other useful organic gardening tips on a 21-part newsletter that she gives away for free on her site.

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Low Cost Garden Tips For Growing Organic Vegetables and Fruit

Many people seem to think that growing organic vegetables and fruit is time consuming and costly. Whilst developing such a garden can take a little while, that investment in time is far outweighed by the fulfillment that comes from eating fresh healthy produce at very low cost.

Here are some tips to assist you in your development of a low cost garden.

Organic Fruit

Low cost garden tip 1: You can make a compost pile for next to nothing - use recycled materials like timber, chicken wire, old hay bales, etc. Look around at what's free. You can put almost anything into your compost pile - leaves, grass, wood clippings from your local area, coffee grounds from local cafes, shredded paper - anything biodegradable except animal by-products.

Low cost garden tip 2: For your hard landscaping (paths, steps and borders) use recycled materials and be surprised by how much money you can save. Check with your neighbors or local construction sites for old bricks, stones or timber that you can use.

Low cost garden tip 3: Use what you have (or scrounge) and you will be surprised at what is possible! Plant seedlings right in egg shells (those not headed for the compost pile), or use any small containers or egg cartons.

Low cost garden tip 4: If you having trouble with weeds in your garden beds, use old newspapers, cardboard or carpet under mulch to smother them. They will eventually break down and provide organic matter in the garden. This is much better than spending money on commercial weed mats.

Low cost garden tip 5: Are you having problems with pests on your fruit and vegetables? Don't use commercially produced insecticides and poisons (no-one wants to eat produce that has been treated with chemicals), make your own!. Coffee grounds will deter snails and slugs, and your own white oil (soap, vegetable oil and water) will work on scale. Mix an emulsion with chili and water, or use molasses with water as another spray for caterpillars. You will save money and also preserve your health.

Low cost garden tip 6: Hook up with a Gardening Buddy and you can share seeds, tools, buy cheap bulk products that you can split (such as potting mix) and share machinery rental fees. Join a local garden club or check with your local council to see what programs are available in your area.

Low cost garden tip 7: Expand your plant horizons by finding alternative ways to get new plants - look for plant swaps, garden club plant sales, exchange plants with a friend or arrange a neighborhood plant exchange. Always be on the lookout for seasonal bargains and check for end of line clearances - you can find your plants in some unusual places.

Remember that growing your own food is part of a return to times when we were all a lot healthier and spent less money on junk food. Do something important for yourself, your family and the environment at very low cost - get growing organic vegetables and fruit!

Low Cost Garden Tips For Growing Organic Vegetables and Fruit

Tee Rogers is passionate about gardens, from both aesthetic and practical perspectives. She designs and develops gardens which extend and complement the natural environment in which they are located, and avidly attends to her organically grown fruit and vegetables. If you are interested in learning more about organic gardening, please visit her recommended blog.

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How To Grow Organic Kiwi Fruit - One Of The Top 10 Super-Foods

Kiwi Fruit - are brimming with vitamin C and potassium. The skin is packed with flavonoid antioxidants (I place whole kiwi fruits in my juicer so I benefit from the skin without the fuzzy texture). Another benefit is that it fruits in late autumn (fall) when other fruits are scarce.

Kiwi Fruit (Actinidia deliciousa) is a fruiting vine that was introduced from the Yangtze Valley in China around 1900 and was originally known as the Chinese gooseberry. This deciduous vine can grow as big as 9 metres (30 feet), so training and pruning is a must.

Organic Fruit

Cultivation

Kiwi fruit can only tolerate moderate frost through winter. They grow well in fertile, moist soil in a sheltered and sunny position. During summer you must make sure that they receive plenty of water and organic fertilizer high in nitrogen.

Plant your cuttings from autumn to late winter or buy potted plants from a reputable nursery to make sure you have both male and female plants. For you plants to fruit you will need to have at least one male vine closely planted to several female vines.

You need to provide a strong trellis, pergola or other study support for the vines to climb over.

Fruiting

Kiwi fruit plants flower from late spring to early summer, depending on the cultivar you have chosen. They have broad, white petals, with the male flowers also sporting gold stamens. The fruit follows in late summer through autumn (fall). They will vary in shape and size depending on the cultivar you're growing.

Pruning

Given the right conditions Kiwi Fruit plants can be very vigorous. The long twisting canes can grow as thick as your thumb in just one season and can become thickly intertwined.
During winter when the vines are bare you will need to prune them back to a single branch along each trellis wire. You can use the cuttings to create more plants.

The best way to grow kiwi fruit is espaliered along a wind protected wall in a sunny position. Start by erecting your horizontal wires about 45cm (18inches) apart.

1. When you've got your vine in the ground place a thin stake near the centre of the vine.

2. Secure the stake to the wires to support the leading shoot, then tie the main shoot to the stake so that you have a vertical shoot.

3. Train a pair of side shoots along each of the horizontal wires. When they have reached the length required, pinch out the tips.

4. Allow side-shoots to grow at about 50cm (20inch) intervals, pinching them back to five leaves or so. These should fruit the following season.

5. In summer shorten side-shoots to five leaves beyond the maturing fruit. Cut bare laterals back to five leaves in mid-summer.

6. Around mid-winter prune your fruiting laterals to two or three buds beyond where the last fruit was borne. With older vines, cut back three-year-old fruiting laterals to a dormant bud near the horizontal arms.

Harvest your fruit as it ripens and store in the refrigerator. They should keep well for up to six weeks.

How To Grow Organic Kiwi Fruit - One Of The Top 10 Super-Foods

Hi, I am an avid organic gardener and am known by my friends as the recycling queen. I live on a small country property in South Australia.
It is my mission to encourage as many people as possible to start organic gardening ( I know you'll become addicted). This will improve both our individual lives and the wellbeing of our personal and global environments.
Anyone can grow their own healthy food with Organic Gardening. Click here to get started now! Happy Organic Gardening, Healthy Living...
Julie Williams
http://www.1stoporganicgardening.com

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How to Make an Environmentally Friendly Food Gift Basket

Giving an eco-friendly or environmentally friendly food gift basket is a great way to help the environment. Whether you buy the gift basket or make it yourself, the environment will be better off for it. Think recycled paper (100% post-consumer, waste/process, chlorine-free paper,) organic where possible, living foods, recycling and composting. Just follow these simple instructions for making your gift basket.

First of all, decide on what food theme you'd like for your environmentally friendly gift basket. Some ideas are: organic fruit, organic foods, organic vegan, organic vegetarian, living foods or wheatgrass gift basket.

Organic Fruit

Once you've decided on the theme for the environmentally friendly gift basket, decide whether you'll be using organic items or products, organic hardy fruits, organic pre-packaged or homemade foods, or fair trade items like coffee and chocolates.

Next, decide on what items will go into the environmentally friendly gift basket.

For an organic fruit gift basket you'll want to use organic, hardy fruits that will hold up well like: apples, pears, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, fuyu persimmons, pineapples, pomegranates, kiwis, baby kiwis, mango, papaya, nasturtiums, pansies or other flowers. These fruits will eventually decompose so take that into consideration.

For an organic food gift basket some ideas are: fruits, vegetables, herbal teas, specialty teas, shade-grown fair trade coffees, fair trade cocoas, fair trade chocolate, trail mix, packaged raw nuts, nuts in the shell, a quality nutcracker, hardy fruits, healthy snacks, organic popcorn, homemade foods, homemade jams, cinnamon sticks, vegan, vegetarian or raw food cookbooks, your favorite vegan, vegetarian or raw food recipe printed neatly on a 3x5 card made of recycled paper, books about organic foods, health, nutrition or energy bars, small bamboo cutting boards, bamboo skewers, non-plastic cooking tools, non-plastic, wooden eating utensils, edible nasturtiums, or other flowers for decoration.

For an organic living foods gift basket some ideas are: raw food 'uncookbooks', your favorite raw food recipe printed neatly on a 3x5 card made of recycled paper, packaged raw food crackers, raw food cookies, homemade or pre-packaged raw food brownies, jar of organic tahini, jar of organic almond butter or cashew butter or macadamia butter, jar of organic olives, jar of raw sauerkraut, jar of raw dressing, jar of raw salsa, or a jar of raw, unfiltered farm honey (keep in mind some raw food vegans don't eat honey.)

For an organic wheatgrass gift basket you can use: wheatgrass growing supplies, organic soil, wheatgrass seeds, books about wheatgrass or wheatgrass growing, or books by Ann Wigmore.

Now that you've decided on the theme and what items to use it's time to put your environmentally friendly food gift basket together.

For gift containers you can choose from: fair trade baskets, wooden baskets, wooden bowls, fiber baskets, straw baskets, locally made pottery, buckets, non-aluminum, non-Teflon cooking pots and pans, large tea pots, potted plant holders, wire baskets, large pasta bowls, large popcorn bowls, clay pots, colanders, fabric gift bags, used baskets and containers from Goodwill Industries and Salvation Army stores or anything recyclable.

For gift basket liner you can use: shredded newspaper, organic cotton tea towels, organic cotton dish towels, organic cotton hand towels, colored recyclable napkins, organic cloth napkins, or fabric pieces.

For gift basket filler, if needed, you can use: crumpled newspaper comics, straw or use your imagination.

And for gift basket wrap and tie you can use: recyclable paper, butcher paper, newspaper, newspaper comics, or reusable brown paper bags. Also check with the Salvation Army or Goodwill Industries stores for inexpensive recyclable wrapping paper. Tie with jute or raffia twine for a simple rustic look or leave the gift basket unwrapped.

Now the instructions for putting your friendly gift basket together - first start with your chosen container. Place the liner inside and add the basket filler. Arrange the items with the tallest in back. If needed, fill any holes with organic wrapped candies or crumpled shredded recycled paper. Cover with wrap and tie with jute or raffia twine. Don't forget the personalized, recycled card. If you're using a homemade card include a great, happy, positive uplifting, spine-tingling favorite quote or saying. That's it! You should have a fine-looking eco-friendly, environmentally friendly food gift basket!

How to Make an Environmentally Friendly Food Gift Basket

Helen Hecker heads Twin Peaks Press a 25-year-old PR, marketing, publishing,co., publishes “Helen’s Hecker’s Biz Hotline” for small/home biz/entrepreneurs, publishes books/gift basket DVDs, “Helen Hecker’s Health Secrets Hotline,” websites include http://www.howtomakebeautifulgiftbaskets.com

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How To Grow Organic Olives - One Of The Top 10 Super-Foods

Olives - are a great source of vitamin E, producing an antioxidant effect and they are also concentrated in monounsaturated fats. Olives also have some beneficial active phyto-nutrient compounds including polyphenols and flavonoids. Some of the benefits you can expect from including olives in your daily diet include: protection from heart disease; cellular protection from free radicals; anti-inflammatory benefits; improved gastrointestinal health. When buying olive oil, always choose extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil, for maximum health benefits.

Olives (Olea europaea) are long-lived evergreen trees with leathery, narrow leaves and tiny, off-white flowers that are followed by the fruit. Olive trees have been cultivated through-out the Mediterranean for thousands of years. The fruits are too bitter to be eaten fresh. Processing is done by treating the olives with sodium hydroxide or a brine solution, before pickling them or preserving in their own oil.

Organic Fruit

Cultivation Olives do well in temperate zones providing the winters are cool enough to bring about flowering. The summers need to be long and hot to be sure that fruit will development and mature. Olive trees will survive in poor soils and conditions, but you will encourage better yields and stronger plants if you choose a well-drained, fertile soil and water well while fruits are forming.

Propagation Olives are one of the many fruiting trees that don't grow true to type. They take between four and six years to start fruiting, coming into good production at about ten years.

And considering your tree may very well still be around in a few hundred years time, it's much wiser to buy named varieties from your local nursery or take heel cuttings in winter. Or you can try taking a 40cm / 18inch length of hardwood and push it directly into the ground. First you will need to decide if you are wanting table olives, or olives for oil. Then choose a variety that suits your needs.

Fertilizing Provide the tree with certified organic fertilizer. If your tree develops any signs of nutritional problems (small / malformed leaves, mottling, paleness of colour, or poor quality fruit) it may indicate nutrient deficiencies. These can usually be corrected by applying the right organic mix. Use compost to replace the majority of lost nutrients from fruiting. You can under-plant a green manure crop with leguminous plants such as sub clover or Broad (Fava) beans which help fix Nitrogen to the soil from the atmosphere. Wood ash, used in moderation, helps provide for the olive's high need for Potassium. You may also need to apply zinc.

Pruning There really isn't much need for pruning of olive trees in the home garden, other than a light pruning to keep them a tidy shape and encourage more new wood, which means more fruit.

How To Grow Organic Olives - One Of The Top 10 Super-Foods

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Cheap Organic Food

Is it even possible to put the words "cheap" and "organic" in the same sentence? And if so, where and how can you get this cheap organic food?

Let's face it. Organic foods are great, but they can sometimes run you more money than your current grocery budget may allow. Before you go and spend your whole paycheck on organic food, you may be wondering if these foods are really worth the money and all the hype. My answer is a resounding YES! Organic food is food grown or raised without the use of synthetic (chemically formulated) pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or fertilizers. This method of farming allows foods to grow in nature as they were intended. Consider that conventional farmers in the United States spray 2 billion pounds of pesticides a year on crops to compensate for poor farming practices. And do you know where those pesticides end up? In our food supply! Aside from pesticide contamination, conventional produce tends to have fewer nutrients than organic produce. On average, conventional produce has only 83 percent of the nutrients of organic produce. Studies have found significantly higher levels of nutrients such as vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorus, and significantly less nitrates (a toxin) in organic crops. When I first discovered that organic foods might be the missing link to my weight loss and health efforts, I had just graduated from college and was living in a miniature, very expensive apartment in New York City that I could barely afford. In other words, I was broke with a capital B. How in the world was I going to spend the big bucks on organic food? Let alone pay my rent on time? Here is how I mastered the art of "finding cheap organic food":

Organic Fruit

1. I stopped buying processed "non foods". Most protein shakes, "health" bars, and processed foods are actually pretty expensive and when you completely eliminate them from your grocery list, you will save hundreds of dollars. Take a good look at the price of sugar cereals, packaged cookies and cakes, and frozen TV dinners. You will see how the prices of these foods quickly add up. That same amount of money can be better spent on a week's worth of organic produce.

2. When I started eating reasonable portions, the food was not that expensive. When I really took a look at how much I was eating and how much I was supposed to be eating, I clearly had mistaken myself for a 200 lb sumo wrestler. I had portion distortion to say the least and eating less meant spending less!

3. I sought out the local farmer's markets. The prices were so much better and I always got fresh food in season. And, honestly, if the price of cherries was the equivalent of diamond earrings, I would choose a different fruit. Go for the apples, pears, or bananas. Variety is good anyway so choose the fruits and veggies without the diamond prices.

4. I transitioned my kitchen and my whole house slowly. I probably did not have a complete organic kitchen until 3 years later. Not the ideal, but I did the best I could. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither was my organic palace. Do the best you can, start with a few items and then go from there.

5. Buy organic foods "selectively". The following foods have been shown to have the highest levels of pesticide residue, so they should really always be purchased organic:

Fruit:

Peaches Apples Strawberries Nectarines Pears Cherries Red Raspberries Imported Grapes
Vegetables:

Spinach Bell Peppers Celery Potatoes Hot Peppers
Animal Products

*Always look for animal products (meats, poultry, and dairy) that have no added antibiotics and growth hormones. Ingesting meats that have been injected with these harmful substances is equivalent to eating the hormones and antibiotics themselves. Very dangerous!

The following foods tend to be lower in pesticide levels so can be purchased conventional if necessary:

Fruits:

Pineapples Plantains Mangoes Bananas Watermelon Plums Kiwi Fruit Blueberries Papaya Grapefruit Avocado
Vegetables:

Cauliflower Brussels Sprouts Asparagus Radishes Broccoli Onions Okra Cabbage Eggplant

There is no material item that comes close to matching "feeling good" about yourself. Take a look at where you're spending your money now and figure out how to cheaply fit organic foods into your budget (even if it's a slow transition). I promise that if it was doable for me, it's doable for you too!

Cheap Organic Food

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The Benefits of Organic Fruit Juice

Fruits make up an essential part of our daily diet. One of the best ways to get part of your daily intake is to drink fruit juice. Juice makes it easy to take in all or part of your daily intake.

However fruit juice is only as nutritious as the fresh produce that go into the juice. These days with mass farming and hydroponics it is often hard to know where the produce that goes into your drink comes from. Manufacturers are not impelled to disclose what sort of herbicide and pesticides they use on their crops, so we as the consumers are left to take the chance. The effects on herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers that are ingested through fruits on our bodies are widely unknown as alot of the more recent chemicals used on crops have only been around for several years and their long term health effects are not well documented. The use of chemicals on cash crops is basically to control insects pests, fungal diseases and weeds. They are effective in controlling those problems and are used on a large scale, but at what cost?

Organic Fruit

Recently there has been a strong movement into organic farming. Organic farming essentially means that no man made chemicals are used on the crops. This often means that more work needs to go into the product to make them economically viable. For example in terms of preparing nutrient rich soil, rather than using chemical fertilisers on low nutrient soil which makes farming easier but which also results in a lesser grade product.

Anyone that grows their own vegetables at home without chemicals knows the difference in quality between supermarket and homegrown fruit. Supermarket purchased tomatoes for example, in the last few years, really only vaguely resemble what a true tomato should be. Often they are lacking in colour, smell and flavour, as if sometimes it seems they have been 'engineered' to maximise size and weight at the cost of nutritional content and flavour. Whereas a good home grown tomato should have a very strong delicious tomato smell without even breaking the skin, they should be positively bursting with flavour and be firm to the touch which makes them a lot easier to cut into slabs when cooking. Not only that but they will have substantially greater nutritional value.

In order to get the most out of the fruit juice you drink it is really worth trying to buy organically certified produce. Organic certification is an industry standard that guarantees that no chemicals have been used and no compromises have been made on quality or flavour.

The Benefits of Organic Fruit Juice

For more information on Organic Fruit Juice [http://www.organic-fruit-juice.com] please be sure to visit [http://www.organic-fruit-juice.com]

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Why Organic? It's Natures Way!

"We never know the worth of water till the well is dry." ~Thomas Fuller,

Keep Chemicals Out of the Air, Water, Soil and our Bodies!

Organic Fruit

"Pesticide use raises a number of environmental concerns. Over 98% of sprayed insecticides and 95% of herbicides reach a destination other than their target species, including non-target species, air, water and soil. The World Health Organization and the UN Environment Programme estimate that each year, 3 million workers in agriculture in the developing world experience severe poisoning from pesticides, about 18,000 of whom die. According to one study, as many as 25 million workers in developing countries may suffer mild pesticide poisoning yearly." Source: Wikipedia

Follow the Prince of Wales!

When Charles, The Prince of Wales, took over the Highgrove farm early in the 1986, he said he was appalled by the loss of Great Britain's wildflower meadows, the hedgerows and chalk grasslands to "agriculture-industry." The Prince decided to convert the old farm to a completely organic system to demonstrate the environmental and commercial benefits. He started the work to make the farm and gardens into organic showplaces with a hope to inspire others to preserve England's rural landscape.

Highgrove is today, not only a successful working farm, but it's a flagship for the benefits of an organic, sustainable form of agriculture in England.

We can see almost all over the world that the agriculture-industry is creating "monocultures" that lack diversity and robustness. The results are a poisoned ecosystems, contaminated food chains, empty aquifers, contaminated water sources, destroyed biodiversity and health problems.

Let's hope the Royal Wedding in England this spring will make organic products more "in". Let's hope it will be the start of a new organic and green revolution. We need a major change from unsustainable, increasingly unaffordable and petroleum-based and toxic fertilizers and pesticides, to organic regenerative farming systems that sustain and improve the health of our world population, our soil and our environment.

In 2008 only 0.6 % of USA's cropland were organically farmed.

Overall, certified organic cropland and pasture accounted for about 0.6 percent of U.S. total farmland in 2008, according to United State Department of Agriculture. I could not find numbers for 2009 or 2010

The main arguments against buying organic products are:
More expensive. Bad quality. Hard to find. How can we trust they are organic? Reports tell us organic products are no better than non-organic.

1. More Expensive!

Most organic food do cost more but not much. Higher prices are due to more expensive farming practices.

Ask yourself, what is more important than your own health, your family's health, the nature and your children's future? Make a calculation - find out how much money you spend on your house, car/petrol, sport equipment, clothing, shoes, accessories, cosmetics, electronics, holidays, pleasure and more... Maybe you could do without some of it and use the money to invest in your own health and the environment?

2. Bad quality!

The apple test! This is a true story. I bought a green big and polished beautiful and "perfect" looking non-organic apple. I was not going to eat it; I was going to make a test. I placed it in my window sill to see how long it took before it was poor and rotted. One week passed, two weeks, several weeks and months. I can't remember exactly how many months, but it was more than half a year. Need I say more?

Is the look of the apple more important than the health effects? It is a natural process that all "live" food gets poor and bad. One major reason that it often is bad already in the shop is not because it is organic but because it often sits longer on the shelf before it's sold. I would much rather buy an organic apple with some spots on than a perfect polished apple "prepared" to be stored for months.

An apple a day!

An apple a day In the chemically grown environment will bring the doctor into play!

An organic apple a day will keep the doctor away!

Apples are the second most commonly eaten fresh fruit, after bananas, and they are also used in the second most popular juice, after oranges. But apples are also one of the most pesticide-contaminated fruits and vegetables.

3 Hard to find!

I agree that it can be hard to find organic products. I have to call the shop a day or two in beforehand to order my organic fruit and vegetables as they don't have it normally. And even then I have problems to get what I want. In some shops they don't even take orders for organic products unless you buy a whole case. But why is it hard to find? If you look for something organic and don't find it - do you ask the store personnel if they can get it for you? If we all start asking for organic products each time we go to our grocery store it will not take long before they start to bring in organic products.

4. How can we trust it is organic?

If you look for the seal that says it is certified organic you can feel safe in most cases. Of course we will find fraud and deception in this business as in all others. If you buy non-organic you can trust they are non organic. What do you have to lose? Go here to learn how Certified Organic Seals looks like.

5. Reports/studies tell us that organic products are no better than non-organic.

How can it be better to eat food produced using pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, breeding hormones, artificial colors and additives? The answer should be obvious. Do we need reports and studies to understand that?. Read the first section about pesticides once more.

And don't forget the soil. I have been growing vegetables organically for 15 years. Fill your hands with organic soil, it's alive!. Then fill your hand with soil from a conventionally monoculture - it's dead!

Why Organic? It's Natures Way!

Why organic? Because it's nature's way!

This article is a follow up on my article: Why Organic?

Happy Natural Life!

Kristin

Mona Kristin Jensen is the owner of Happy Natural Life. She wants her Website to be a place where you can find inspiration, information and Eco-friendly products to live a happier and healthier life, more in harmony with yourself and Mother Nature. Her motto is "Be yourself and be happy, never stop dreaming".

12 tips on healthy living

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What Are the Requirements For Organic Foods?

There are many requirements that the USDA has in place when it comes to organic foods. Under these guidelines products have to be grown a certain way in order for them to get the right certification. It is illegal to label foods as organic in nature without that certification in place. The guidelines are quite strict and the cover many areas including how the food is grown, how it is processed, and all of the handling throughout those processes.

This is all in place because the term organic can be interpreted many different ways. By clarifying them the way the food industry is held to certain standards that they must abide by. The USDA continues to evaluate products and to strive to make sure that their guidelines are covered. Those entities that intentionally don't follow the guidelines can be fined.

Organic Fruit

There is a loophole though that you want to become aware of. It allows those entities that sell less than ,000 annually in organic foods to not have the certification in place. However, they are supposed to be following the same strict guidelines so make sure you know how you are buying products from and their reputation. For example if you buy them at a farmers market and you are told that they only offer organic foods they may not have the certification to back that up.

When an entity earns a certificate from the USDA stating that they have been approved to label foods at organic, they aren't necessarily 100% organic. That is what most people assume though. Instead it means that they have to be at least 95% organic in all of the areas. When you are reading the labels make sure that you keep that in mind. You will find many labels that clarify that they are 100% organic and that is why they do so. They want consumers to know they have gone the distance and aren't falling short.

Another type of labeling that you need to be aware of are those that state they are made with organic ingredients. While they may be that doesn't mean they are up to the same level as you are expecting from them. For a product to carry that particular label they have to be at least 70% organic in nature.

There are other terms out there that you will see but they don't mean the foods are organic. When you see words such as hormone free or all natural it can indicate that they are good products in some ways. Yet it doesn't mean that they haven't used other methods of growing the foods that the USDA deemed unworthy of the seal of approval to be considered as an organic type of food.

You have to become an avid label reader as many producers know that they can charge more for organic foods than conventional ones. They also know there is a demand for them. While they can't put a label on it that it is organic when it isn't they know how to use wording to get consumes to assume things. While this is legal it doesn't seem very ethical.

Yet we all known when it comes to marketing people are going to do what they can to sell a product. Being an informed consumer is your way to ensure that you don't fall for these types of marketing and pay too much for items that in reality aren't completely organic. By taking the time to read what the labels say and understanding what they mean you can put the ball back into your own court.

What Are the Requirements For Organic Foods?

Organic food becomes a good choice by more and more people. The Organic Grocer is an online organic food Sydney based retailer. They provide fresh organic fruit and vegetable. They delivery organic food penrith and organic food blue mountains.

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10 Tips For Growing Tomatoes

Growing your own tomatoes can be both fun and healthy. Keeping your plants organic by using only organic fertilizers and pesticides will result in better health for you and your whole family. Once you have grown your own tomatoes and see the difference in what you get from your own garden vs the grocery store you will never go back. Here are 10 important tips when growing your own tomatoes from seeds.

Don't Crowd the Seeds When Growing Tomato Plants from seeds, you want to leave enough room for the plants to branch out. To many plants placed too close together will inhibit there growth. Once the seeds grow and the first true leaves appear transplant each plant to 4 inch Pots. You will do this in about two weeks. Tomatoes Love Light If you are growing your plants indoors you will want to use grow lights. The plants will require 12 to 14 hours of light a day. Place your grow lights about 2 to 3 inches from the plants. Tomatoes love the light so you will want to plant them in the sunniest part of your garden. A Cool Breeze is Nice Tomatoes love to sway in the breeze. When growing them indoors it's a good idea to put a fan on them twice a day for 10 to 15 minutes. This helps to promote strong stems. Tomatoes Love the heatWhen you get ready to plant your seedlings in the garden warm soil is the best method. You can place black plastic or weed block in the area prior to planting. This will heat the soil. You should do this 1 or 2 weeks before you plant. This warm soil will promote earlier production. Plant them Deep When you plant your tomatoes plant them deep. Plant them up to the first leaves. Tomato plants will grow roots right out of the stems and this will give a good root system for your plants. You can also dig a small trench and lay the plant sideways. Don't worry the plant will grow toward the sun and come out straight. I like to use tomato cages to help support my plants once they have grown tall. It's a good idea to put the cages into the ground first so that you don't end up puncturing a healthy stem. Mulch is Good Placing Mulch around the plants is good as it keeps the soil born diseases from splashing up on the stems. Mulch also retains the water and helps to conserve water. Since tomatoes like the soil warm mulch can also cause the soil to be cooler so using a black rubber mulch works better for the warm loving plants like tomatoes. Since I grow only organic tomatoes I use no mulch or only organic materials for my mulch. Remove the bottom Leaves Once the plants grow to about 3 inches tall remove all the leaves from the stem up to about 1 inch from the soil. This will help prevent fungus from developing at the base of your plants. Spraying your plants weekly with compost tea also seems to be effective at warding off fungus diseases. Prune/Pinch Gives More Tomatoes Pinch and remove suckers that develop in the crotch joint of two branches. The crotch joint is where the branch joins the stem or two branches split. They won't bear fruit and will take energy away from the rest of the plant. But go easy on pruning the rest of the plant. You can thin leaves to allow the sun to reach the ripening fruit, but it's the leaves that are photosynthesizing and creating the sugars that give flavor to your tomatoes. So take it easy with those pruning shears. Timely Watering Tomatoes like regular watering. You never want the plants to begin to wilt before you water. Timely watering is a must. Water the plants deeply and regularly especially while the plants are developing. If you miss a watering don't over water to compensate. This will cause root rot and eventually kill your plants. When fruit begins to ripen cutting back on the watering will cause the sugars to concentrate and give a sweeter tomato. Don't cut back too much though or the plant will drop it's blossoms and fruit. Getting them to Set Tomatoes There are two varieties of tomatoes determinate and indeterminate Determinate tomatoes are varieties that grow to a fixed mature size and ripen all their fruit in a short period, usually about 2 weeks. Once this first flush of fruit has ripened, the plant will begin to diminish in vigor and will set little to no new fruit. Determinate tomato varieties are often referred to as "bush" tomatoes, because they do not continue growing in size throughout the growing season. They are generally smaller than indeterminate tomatoes, with most growing to a compact 4-5 feet. Pruning and removing suckers from determinate tomatoes is not recommended. Despite their compact size, staking or caging is still recommended, since the concentrated fruit set can contribute considerable weight to the branches. Many paste or Roma tomatoes are determinate varieties. Some others bred to be determinate include: Celebrity, Mar-globe and Rutgers. Growing determinate variety tomatoes makes good sense when you want a large amount of tomatoes all at one time, to make tomato sauce for example. Indeterminate tomatoes are actually vines that continue growing in length throughout the growing season. Also referred to as "vining" tomatoes, indeterminate tomato varieties will also continue to set and ripen fruit until killed off by frost. Tomato growers seldom allow tomato plants to actually vine. Indeterminate tomato plants will require substantial staking or caging to support what can become a large (6-10') heavy plant. However, tomato plants can easily be grown as a hanging vine. This eliminates the need for support, keeps the fruit up off the ground and permits the plant to grow in an open manner, allowing sunlight to reach throughout the plant. The majority of tomato varieties are indeterminate including most heirlooms and most cherry types. Other indeterminate tomatoes include: 'Beefsteak', 'Big Boy' and 'Brandy-wine'. Early producing varieties like, 'Celebrity' and 'Early Girl', are also indeterminate. However since they tend to mature earlier and die back before the end of the season, they are sometimes labeled semi-determinate. Heirloom tomatoes are all indeterminate varieties and the plants get so large and heavy they can break the stakes holding them. You can get indeterminate type tomatoes to set fruit earlier by pinching off the tips of the main stems in early summer.
In conclusion: Growing your own tomatoes is both easy and healthy. Start early in the season, follow these 10 simple steps and enjoy the best tasting tomatoes you have ever eaten.

Organic Fruit

10 Tips For Growing Tomatoes

Glen Barnhardt is an Internet Marketer and Programmer, a lifestyle which allows him free time to grow his own organic fruits and vegetables. Glen studies gardening, health and nutrition and advocates organic farming.

To find out more about growing your own fruits and vegetables you can visit his Best Organic Gardening Secrets Blog here: http://www.BestOrganicGardeningSecrets.com

You can also learn about organic gardening by following Glen on Twitter: http://twitter.com/OrganicGardenr where he tweets about his daily gardening experiences.

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Container Growing

Container growing is a great way to grow many vegetables, most herbs and some fruits too, especially for the organic gardener. This is particularly suitable if you have limited outside space or your soil conditions and or weather are not suitable for growing vegetables and fruit in the garden normally.

If you are new to gardening or want to encourage your children, container growing is a great place to start. Seeing those first shoots rise from the surface is both fun and rewarding and for those who are unable to or cannot dig a garden, an easy way to grow your own organic food.

Organic Fruit

This simple method of growing is cheap any pot or vessel is suitable. Providing it has a whole in the bottom for drainage, which is very important or your plants will become waterlogged and die. A bigger container is better, particularly for growing larger vegetable or fruits. Before you do anything make sure the container is well scrubbed and washed especially if it has been used before, pests and disease will destroy your new planting so take special care.

With Container Growing you can get a head start from normal planting season outside and without the added expense of a greenhouse or cold frame. Sow your seeds in the warm indoors in early spring and move them out slowly as the weather warms up, during the day at first, taking them in at night when frost is at risk.

Always use a new organic compost and soil mixture, do not be tempted to save money and use existing soil from an old container that has been used before. It is unlikely to have any good nutrients left to help your new plants grow, and will almost certainly contain pest or diseases to. After planting feed with a good organic fertilizer on a regular basis to ensure you get the best harvest.

When starting out with Container Growing small crops are best, salad leaves, lettuce, herbs and strawberries grow well. Organic tomatoes and peppers are also worth growing along with some fruits which will do well on a sunny balcony or terrace. Try growing the foods that you and your family enjoy most, it will make the whole experience that more rewarding and worthwhile especially for young children.

When growing fast maturing crops like lettuce or salad leaves, it is okay to grow something else in the same compost afterward, but not from the same family for example not lettuce after lettuce. Just clear out the roots and debris add a little more soil and sow your next crop, ideally something like spring onion or dwarf beans after lettuce.

Since container gardening conditions are very different from those found outside in a normal kitchen garden, where crops grow freely in the ground, a different regime is required in order to succeed. The way you grow your crops will also depend on weather they are a seasonal planting on something you intend to grow on such as a small fruit tree like a fig tree or similar that will do well in a container.

Keeping your container crops well watered is vital to ensure a plentiful crop and healthy plants, containers plants will quickly use up water especially in hot weather and will need a constant supply. If your planning a vacation makes sure someone is on hand to take over the watering or you will return to dead plants with no fruit.

When you are growing your own organic fruit and vegetable in containers you know where it has come from, nothing is fresher than picking it straight from the plant and eating it. No chemicals or pesticides have been used, it is as fresh and healthy as nature intended. Nothing is more worthwhile than growing your own food it is something you will enjoy and a great hobby for the whole family and something that will also save you money too!

Container Growing

Mike alias Organic Dad keen gardener and lover of all things green. Find other great information on Organic Gardening at http://www.organicdad.co.uk/

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Organic Gardening Gifts Online

Organic gardening gifts online are plentiful and, with a bit of imagination, can be found in highly unlikely places. You can, of course, give organically grown flowers - a bunch of roses or a wildflower bouquet. You can give an organic live plant, nicely displayed in a natural basket. You might even give a gift of organic tea.

Organic gardening gifts online don't stop there, though. As the popularity of organic gardening grows, the number of gifts for the gardener also grows.

Organic Fruit

Organic Gardening Tools

Organic gardening calls for tools that chemical gardening does not. Anyone doing organic gardening will enjoy receiving unique tools. For example:

1. Compost Container: Small-scale organic gardening does not require a large compost pile. A compost container, made from recycled plastic, can recycle kitchen waste into organic compost without a compost pit or pile.

2. Worm Factory: This organic gardening gift is another efficient way to compost. Just put worms, their bedding, and some scraps of food in the worm factory's bottom bin. Stack other bins on top, with more food scraps in each. As the worms finish their meal on the first floor, they move upward to get more food. Their castings in the bottom tray, an excellent organic fertilizer, can be harvested. A handy spigot on the bottom tray drains off compost tea.

3. Compost Crank: If your gardener does use a compost pile or pit, a compost crank makes a good organic gardening gift. He or she will simply have to crank the corkscrew tip into the pile and pull out to aerate the pile.

Earth-Friendly Organic Gardening Tools

Organic gardening gifts online also include some regular tools that are earth-friendly. Think of mowing the lawn with a push mower to reduce pollution. While pushing, wear lawn aerator shoes to keep the lawn aerated so that nutrition and water get down where the roots can use them. Someone who is "into" organic gardening will also appreciate a tree and shrub root irrigator kit. It saves water while being sure organic fruit trees and shrubs receive deep watering.

Ergonomic Organic Gardening Tools

Organic gardening requires more work than chemical gardening. Ergonomic tools will be appreciated by an organic gardener. Sets of ergonomic tools with a convenient canvas bag can be found at many online gardening supply stores.

We found a unique organic gardening gift online - an ergonomic gardening tool called a detachable ergonomic gardening tool set. One handle can be used with every tool in the set.

A wearable gardening stool lets your organic gardening friend rest feet and back while gardening. Even with hands full, the stool is always available.

Organic Gardening Seeds or Seedlings

Organic gardening gifts online include organic seeds or seedlings, too. A home window garden kit set we saw would be a great gift for an organic gardener. Each set has four window garden cans, with everything you need to grow organic seedlings on a window sill. You add water and sunlight, and transplant the plants when they are big enough.

Any organic seeds or seedlings would be a good organic gardening gift. Herbs are always nice - fragrant and useful.

Organic Gardening Books

A book or two on organic gardening is a good idea, especially for the beginner. Find a beautiful and informative book, and your organic gardener will spend happy hours reading.

Organic Vegetables Mail Order

An ongoing gift of organic vegetables by mail order is also good. Find one of the online organic sites that ship via next day in the U.S.

Just for Love

One organic gardening gift we found online would be fun to give, especially to someone you love. The "Amazing Message Plant" comes in its own planter, ready to grow. The recipient pops the lid, waters the plant, and places it in a sunny location. As it grows, the plant reveals the message "I love you" on its leaves.

Can't Decide What to Buy

It can be hard to choose just the right organic gardening gift. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes. If you can't decide what to buy, check online gardening supply retailers for gift certificates. You can often get them in denominations of or . Order one or more, and place them in a nice organic gardener's greeting card.

Organic Gardening Gifts Online

©2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about organic gardening at http://www.organicspringtime.com. Anna is posting new articles regularly on that site, each article dealing with some facet of organic gardening. If you want information on locating organic vegetables by mail order, you won’t want to miss Anna’s article on the subject.

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These Organic Facial Masks Will Bring Out the Best in You

This collection of homemade organic facial masks is sure to please. Note that citrus ingredients are better for taming oily skin and that you can always substitute another fruit in place of a citrus fruit if you have dry skin.

Bananas are best for dry skin, but you may find that substituting an apple may work better in certain recipes (like the citrus delight mask). Remember to always use organic ingredients so that your skin is not absorbing more chemical toxins.

Organic Fruit

The Citrus Delight Mask

This mask for oily skin is a luxury in exfoliation, scent, and moisture; a true skin treat and quite tasty, too. Because of the way the natural chemicals in the foods work together, this mask should be mixed just before use. Attempts at storage greatly reduce its effectiveness. Mix your lemon and cream cheese and apply liberally to a clean face, staying away from your eyes. Lie back and relax for 15 minutes, rinse well with warm water.

Ingredients
1 organic lemon, peeled, seeded, and mashed
3 ounces organic cream cheese, softened

The Herbal Honey Mask

This mask delivers essential nutrients as well as infusing your skin with moisture. Mix the following ingredients well and use immediately after use for optimal effects. This mixture can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 10 hours. Apply to a clean face (away from eyes) and let sit for 20 minutes, rinse with warm water. Although the mask is edible, it does not taste good!

Ingredients

Leaves from 2 small bunches fresh organic parsley (cleaned and chopped extremely fine)

2 tablespoons organic honey

3 drops organic lavender essential oil (may be a scent of your choice)

1/2 teaspoon 5000 IU Vitamin E oil

1/4 cup organic yogurt

The Hydration Mask

This is a quickly made 2 step mask that is excellent for dry skin. Mix ingredients and apply to clean face (away from eyes). Let sit for 15 minutes and remove with warm water.

Ingredients
Your favorite organic cream moisturizer
1 or 2 tablespoons organic honey

The Mean Green Mask

The skin softening effects of avocado have been known for centuries. This is an easy, inexpensive mask you can make which combines benefits of two of nature's best kept skin secrets. Mash the avocado and honey together immediately before use as this mask does not do well with storage. Apply to a clean face (away from eyes), allowing it to sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Ingredients

1 large ripe organic avocado, peeled and sliced

1 1/2 tablespoons organic honey

The Pore Stomping Mask

A little known secret is that tomatoes are excellent pore reducers. This trick should not be used if you have allergies to tomatoes. Peel a tomato and mash well. Apply to a clean face (away from eyes) and let sit for 15 minutes. Cleanse as usual.

Ingredients

One small/medium tomato

The Secret Banana Mask

Bananas and cream make this mask one of the most nourishing and hydrating masks you can use. Bananas hoard away tons of great things for your skin, especially for dry and/or aging skin. For use as an anti aging organic skin care, this mask should be applied 3 to 4 times per week.

Mix all ingredients immediately before use. You want the mixture to be a very thick cream. If it seems too runny, add a bit more oat flour. Apply to a clean face and allow mask to sit for 25 to 30 minutes.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons fresh organic cream (heavy)

1 organic banana

1 1/2 tablespoons organic honey

1 1/2 tablespoons organic oat flour

The Very Berry Mask

This incredibly fresh mask is sheer organic temptation for your skin. The raspberries' natural acids refresh and invigorate your skin to give you a beautiful, healthy glow. Blend all of the ingredients except oat flour on high for 30 seconds, pour into bowl and add oat flour to firm the mixture (it should be a very thick cream). Apply to a clean face (away from eyes) immediately after mixing, allow the mask to set for 30 minutes, and rinse with warm water.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons organic cream (heavy)

2 tablespoons organic honey

2 table spoons organic oat flour

4 drops organic lavender essential oil

1/2 cup organic raspberries

These Organic Facial Masks Will Bring Out the Best in You

Keep YOURSELF looking great with these great Free Beauty Tips from http://www.NaturalElements.co.uk In just seconds you can access over 36 Beauty topics that will keep you looking younger and more radiant. You can now get the very latest information on Organic Skin Care by subscribing with RSS

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Healthy Food Is Not Boring Food

A proper diet consists of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. They are rich in vitamins and minerals for our bodies to sustain the wear and tear that it goes through each and every day. Right now, organic fruit & veg are making a statement in the food section because there are no pesticides or harmful chemicals used in growing those produce. It's grown the natural way which is why consumers get the right amount of nutrients in each product. However, some people still have hesitations in buying organic food because they've garnered the thinking that healthy food is boring. This doesn't have to be the case.

Healthy food does not necessarily mean boring tasteless. In fact, they can be as delicious as the regular ones sans the bad elements. Organic fruits and vegetables can be whipped up to be more appetizing and delectable. You just need to be creative, open and willing to experiment and work with new recipes. Because of the growing demand of organic food in Australia and the rest of the world, more and more recipes have been shared for everyone to use. You can use them or you can create one that will satisfy your taste buds. It's all a matter of experimenting and being open to the possibility that healthy food is delicious too.

Organic Fruit

If healthy food was as bland as we think it is, how do vegans survive? It can't be as bad as we think it is. In fact, I've known a lot of vegans who are happy and contented with their lifestyle especially their food. They feel lighter and healthier. You can mix and match these fruits and vegetables and incorporate them onto any recipe you want and it'll come out healthy and delicious.

Another great thing about this is that most stores offer fruit and vegetables delivery right at your door step. You are assured of fresh and chemical-free produce without the hassles of actually going to the store. Switch to healthy food now and have those organic fruits and vegetables delivered so you can start cooking and eating.

Healthy Food Is Not Boring Food

Organic Delivered offers fruit and vegetables planted, cultivated and harvested in the most natural way without the use of any pesticides and other harmful chemicals. http://www.OrganicDelivered.com.au delivers your chosen fruit and vegetables right at your doorstep.

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Food for Pregnant Women - 6 Quick and Tasty Solutions

Morning sickness, fatigue and the changes taking place in a pregnant woman's body can sometimes make food shopping a torture. Fortunately, there are some fast and tasty options when it comes to food for pregnant women.

Why Organic Fruit is Good Food for Pregnant Women
Keeping the fruit bowl full of crisp apples, summer stone fruit or bananas is a great way to encourage mom to get her needed fiber and nutrients. Easy to grab when on the go, fruit offers complex carbohydrates that should be combined with a good source of protein so as to avoid sugar spikes.

Organic Fruit

Skip the fruit juices though, they are little more than sugar water disguised as something healthy.

Home Made Trail Mix
Mix raw walnuts, almonds and cashews with small amounts of organic dried berries that have not been sweetened. Stash it in a zip top bag and keep supply in your purse, car or desk at work.

Not only does this provide a quick snack, the nuts are full of heart healthy fats, and berries are naturally sweet and loaded with antioxidants and fiber.

Sprouted Grain Tortillas
Scramble a couple of eggs, add some veggies and roll it all in a sprouted grain tortilla and you have a fabulous, tasty and quick lunch. Spread some raw almond butter on a tortilla and roll it up for an easy, protein-rich snack.

Roll up a wrap with leftover chicken from last night's dinner with some raw spinach leaves and a bit of tahini and you have a nutritious meal that can go anywhere. Sprouted grain tortillas offer an endless list of meal ideas.

Organic Eggs
Is there anything eggs can't do? They are great food for pregnant women, as long as they are organic. Keep a few hard boiled eggs in the fridge for quick snacks, a protein boost on a salad, or to slice onto a tortilla.

Organic eggs are rich in choline which promotes baby's brain development and omega-3 fats that also help with brain and vision development. They are cheap and easy and offer top notch protein to help all those little cells to grow.

Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are great at soothing a sweet tooth craving and they offer plenty of carotenoids. Carotenoids are converted into Vitamin A in our bodies. Unlike the vitamin A you might get from liver, this form only converts as much as we need, eliminating the very real risks of eating too much. Additionally, sweet potatoes offer vitamin C, folate and fiber, all essential to both mother and baby.

Premixed Salad Greens
If you are willing to do a bit more work, get a bunch of different dark greens, wash them, and bag them together. Spinach, kale, chard and other greens contain high levels of A, C and K vitamins.

K is essential to clotting, C helps you to absorb calcium and iron better, and A helps form healthy skin and supports eye function. With your greens all ready to go, making a salad is a super easy task.

Preparing easy to eat food for pregnant women doesn't take much more effort than making any other type of meal. There are plenty of ways to fix creative, nutritious meals will help you all reach the finish line successfully.

Food for Pregnant Women - 6 Quick and Tasty Solutions

Are you in charge of shopping? Food for pregnant women should be as easy as it is tasty. Help your baby grow and thrive by offering mom things that will make good choices simple. Visit http://www.whattoeatwhilepregnant.com for the answers to see you through your pregnancy.

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