Howdy! Welcome to the 66th issue of the Mad Cowboy Newsletter.

In this issue we're delighted to provide a preview of our upcoming interview
with the amazing vegan firefighter/author, Rip Esselstyn, in the form of two of
his favorite recipes. Rip's the son of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and has built
upon his father's remarkable research via some very practical and easy-to-do
ways in his diet/exercise/lifestyle book, "The Engine 2 Diet."

Moving on further, we'll note a study indicating that fish oil doesn't help your
heart via Omega-3, some new finds about the benefits of broccoli, results of the
largest study of red meat eaters in history, and more indications that high-fat
food inflames your circulatory system. You'll learn about the "Ask a Vegan"
booth in New York, some vegan survival tips, resources for learning about animal
rights/issues, and the consequences off going veg for just one day.

Continuing in this edition, we've got some gourmet viewing experiences in our
Vegan Digital Theater, some details stats and studies showing that our
industry-produced produce is definitely less nutritious than it used to be, some
great links about the White House Garden (including remarks by Michelle last
week during the first major harvest), and a list of 8 ways to eat locally...
some new resource links have been added to "Quick Bytes" and don't miss some of
the articles during the "Mad Cow Info Round-Up."

... as always, a tip of the hat to our new subscribers: y'all can browse past
issues at the Mad Cowboy Newsletter Archives:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/

Best wishes for this start of a new summer and may your gardens be bountiful,
healthy, and inspiring!

Mark, MC editor/webmaster

[personal vegan blog:
http://www.soulveggie.com


***********************************************
TABLE OF CONTENTS:

00: Quote(s) from Howard
01: A Mad Cowboy Invite to AR2009
02: The Vegan Mind-Bender Contest Winner/Challenge!
03: Recipes from "The Engine 2 Diet" by Rip Esselstyn
04: Mad Cow Info Round-Up
05: Fish Oil No Help, Brocc Talk, Largest Meat Study, Fat Inflames
06: Ask a Vegan, Vegan Survival Tips, Learning AR, 1 Day Veg
07: Vegan Digital Theater
08: Food Less Healthy, White House Veggies, 8 Ways to go Local
09: Quick Bytes
10: Closing Thoughts
************************************************
*00: Quote(s) from Howard
************************************************

"When your health is a five alarm disaster the Engine 2 diet could turn you into
a survivor. Fire fighter Rip Esselstyn is a real hero when it comes to learning
how to eat a healthy diet. Read Engine 2 before it's too late to postpone a date
with the undertaker."

---- Howard Lyman, and author of: "No More Bull!" and "The Mad Cowboy"


************************************************
*01: A Mad Cowboy Invite to AR2009
************************************************
[Animal Rights 2009 is the largest animal issues conference of the year. Always
a fun, informative, great networking, and memorable experience. This year, it
will be held in Los Angeles, CA.

Howard is issuing a special invite: mention "The Mad Cowboy" when ordering your
ticket, and you'll immediately get $20 discount on your registration.

You can learn more about AR2009 at the following website:
http://www.arconference.org/


************************************************
*02: The Vegan Mind-Bender Contest Winner/Challenge!
************************************************
LAST ISSUE'S MAD COWBOY VEGAN MIND-BENDER:
"Americans get most of their calories from which of the following top five
sources?"

(a) soda (b) potato chips (c) pizza (d) pastries (e) hamburgers

["A list of the top five sources of calories that Americans consume begins with
soda -- 7 percent of the total -- and includes pastries, hamburgers, pizza and
potato chips." from:
http://www.oregonlive.com/living/index.ssf/2009/02/a_better_diet_eat_less_meat_w\
r.html

Congratulations to Mary Meyer of Chino Hills, CA for correctly guessing "(a)"
and winning the luck of the draw. She'll receive a year's subscription to
"VegNews." Congratulations, also, to Joanne Mitchell, of Rochester,NY, who was
also among those answering "(a)." She'll receive the Organic Cotton Shopping
Bag.


THIS WEEK'S VEGAN MIND-BENDER:
"Each year, the United States suffers from diet-related health issues (heart
disease, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure) that end up costing roughing
how much?"

(a) around $90 billion (b) more than $120 billion (c) near $200 billion
(d) just under $300 billion

Please e-mail guesses to: webmaster@... with the word "contest" in
your subject line by NLT July. 20th, 2009. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS
(U.S. domestic only). It will not be sold nor given out to anyone but VegNews
and Ethical Planet for the freebies only.

[Many thanks to Joe Connelly, Editor, VegNews, who has offered a FREE one-year
subscription to a winner chosen at random those submitting the correct answer to
each MC Newsletter's Contest. Our thanks to Joe, and you can learn more about
VegNews at:

http://www.vegnews.com or e-mail: editor@... or call 1.415.665.6397]

[Many thanks, also, to Fran Horvath, of Ethical Planet for offering a FREE
organic cotton shopping bag to the 2nd place winner. You can learn more about
her online (and offline) stores at:

http://www.ethicalplanet.com


************************************************
*03: Recipes from "The Engine 2 Diet" by Rip Esselstyn
************************************************
[In the next issue of "The Mad Cowboy Newsletter" we'll be featuring excerpts
from and links to a special Mad Cowboy interview with none other than vegan
Texas firefighter Rip Esselstyn (and son of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn) about his
life, unique diet/lifestye book, "The Engine 2 Diet," and more. As a preview,
here's two of Rip's fine recipes:

MIGHTY MUFFINS

(Makes 6 large muffin or 1 enormous loaf)

3 cups oat bran
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons sweetener
Juice of 1 lemon
1 large apple, grated
6 brown bananas, lightly mashed (leave some chunks)
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped or halved
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 375º.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Squeeze the juice of the lemon onto the combined apple and bananas.
4. Add walnuts, raisins, and water.
5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients into one bowl.
6. Pour into sprayed muffin tins and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown
on top.

Variations:

Bake the batter in a loaf pan, and enjoy hearty slices instead of muffins.

Add three thinly sliced pears or 1 cup of 70 percent pure cocoa chips.


E2 BASIC DRESSING (Rip's favorite)

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Juice of 1 orange, lime, or lemon
1 tablespoon agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup
1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon wheat germ
Water to desired consistency

1. Whisk the ingredients together in a bowl.

[A neat video of Ripp Esselstyn on CBS's morning news show:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/26/sunday/main4969460.shtml
[Rip's Website:
http://www.theengine2diet.com/


************************************************
*04: Mad Cow Info Round-Up
************************************************
"SPAIN REPORTS FIFTH HUMAN DEATH FROM MAD COW DISEASE:" (03/06/06): "The
Spanish government late Friday confirmed the country's fifth fatality from the
human variant of mad cow disease, a woman who died in the northern city of
Santander in January. The health ministry said laboratory tests confirmed that
the woman had Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) as the human variant of bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, is known..."

[Edited from:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.4551d686e92aef7d469e52855803872b.511\
&show_article=1


"LINK FOUND BETWEEN ALZHEIMER'S, MAD COW PROTEIN:" (02/26/09): "The latest in
a recent flurry of clues on the workings of Alzheimer's disease comes from Yale
University researchers who found a link between the disorder and the prion
protein, which can cause mad cow disease and other maladies. The Yale team
found that the prion protein, whose normal function is to maintain brain health,
may contribute to nerve damage if it becomes entangled with a protein fragment
that scientists consider a chief suspect as a cause for Alzheimer's disease...

[Very edited from:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/26/MNC7164VHL.DTL


"CHINA ADOPTS FOOD-SAFETY LAW, CREATES CABINET BODY:" (02/28/09): "China's top
legislative body passed the country's first food-safety law, establishing a
cabinet-level commission to direct regulations after a series of scandals
undermined consumer confidence... The law reflects efforts by the Chinese
government to reassure domestic consumers and international importers that its
food and products are safe after a series of scandals, including chemical
tainted milk that sickened 300,000 children last year. The law is meant to cut
down on regulatory overlaps and conflict and boost the legal liability of
producers... China has about 500,000 food makers, including 2,600 large
companies that account for about 72 percent of the market... Milk formula
tainted with melamine, a chemical used to produce plastics, killed at least six
children in China last year and sickened hundreds of thousands. China has
responded by sentencing two dairy executives to death and organizing
compensation for families of injured children.

[Edited from:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aLl6L18VKc5I&refer=asia


"FDA CHART: SIMPLIFIED PEANUT PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION PATTERN:" (03/05/09): "The
FDA recently released this "simplified" chart that illustrates the journey of
peanut butter products — and salmonella — from the Peanut Butter Corporation of
America to the consumer. (You can also download the PDF.) The distribution
chain, starting with a raw product, is so multi-layered that the we can only be
impressed by the enormity of the FDA's job of tracking down sources of
contamination and then issuing the necessary recalls. As an FYI: As of February
9, 2009, over 1,800 products have been recalled and more than 250 brands
affected. Frighteningly, the chart says, "Actual distribution patterns may be
more extensive and complex than what is illustrated here."

[From:
http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/03/fda-chart-simplified-peanut-product-distributi\
on-pattern/


"U.S. FOOD SAFETY NO LONGER IMPROVING:" (04/10/09): "After decades of steady
progress, the safety of the nation's food supply has not improved over the past
three years, the government reported Thursday. And, it said, in the case of
salmonella, the dangerous bacteria recently found in peanuts and pistachios,
infections may be creeping upward. The report, from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, demonstrates that the nation's food safety system,
created when most foods were grown, prepared and consumed locally, needs a
thorough overhaul to regulate an increasingly global food industry, top
government health officials said Thursday... The report is likely to deepen
tensions between the F.D.A. and the Department of Agriculture, which have long
been rivals in overseeing food safety...

... Roughly 76 million people in the United States suffer foodborne illnesses
each year, 300,000 are hospitalized, and 5,000 die, according to C.D.C.
estimates. Children younger than 4 are sickened by food more than those in any
other age group, but adults over age 50 suffer more hospitalizations and death
as a result of food-related infections...

[Very edited from:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/health/policy/10food.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc\
=rss


"FARMED FISH MAY POSE RISK FOR MAD COW DISEASE:" (06/15/09): University of
Louisville neurologist Robert P. Friedland, M.D., questions the safety of eating
farmed fish in today's Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, adding a new worry to
concerns about the nation's food supply. Friedland and his co-authors suggest
farmed fish could transmit Creutzfeldt Jakob disease--commonly known as mad cow
disease--if they are fed byproducts rendered from cows. The scientists urge
government regulators to ban feeding cow meat or bone meal to fish until the
safety of this common practice can be confirmed.. Friedland said. "Fish do very
well in the seas without eating cows," he added...

[Edited from:
http://www.kypost.com/news/local/story/Farmed-Fish-May-Pose-Risk-For-Mad-Cow-Dis\
ease/kKXNAOM6YEmY4CT43-Ei4Q.cspx


"MBC STAFFERS [SOUTH KOREA] INDICTED OVER MAD COW REPORT:" (06/18/09):
"Prosecutors indicted four MBC program directors and a scriptwriter of a current
affairs program, Thursday, for distorting facts with the intention to exaggerate
the risk of mad cow disease associated with American beef. The five, working on
for PD Notebook, were indicted without physical detention on charges of
defamation and interference with business. They responded by saying the
indictment was a serious infringement of freedom of the press. The indictment
came a year after the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
asked the prosecution to investigate the program for defamation on June 20. The
program about U.S. beef and the risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE),
or mad cow disease, was aired on April 29. The program was crucial in triggering
the months-long candlelit vigil against a decision to import American
beef..."[Edited from:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/06/113_47079.html


"BSE-INFECTED CANADIAN CATTLE STILL A RISK:" (06/16/09): "Canada is still
finding cattle infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Its mid-May
announcement is the 10th case of BSE or mad cow disease since the U.S. ban on
Canadian cattle was lifted. The finding reinforces the strong objection of
Ranchers, Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America. Last
week, R-CALF USA once again appealed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to
reconsider import restrictions on Canadian cattle. R-CALF USA contends that
USDA's key assumptions about allowing the importation of cattle over 30 months
of age were wrong, and that USDA grossly underestimated the prevalence of BSE in
Canada..."


[Edited from:
http://americanagriculturist.com/story.aspx?s=24230&c=9


************************************************
*05: Fish Oil No Help, Brocc Talk, Largest Meat Study, Fat Inflames
************************************************
"PAYING A PRICE FOR LOVING RED MEAT:" (04/28/09): "... a new study of more
than 500,000 Americans has provided the best evidence yet that our affinity for
red meat has exacted a hefty price on our health and limited our longevity. The
study found that, other things being equal, the men and women who consumed the
most red and processed meat were likely to die sooner, especially from one of
our two leading killers, heart disease and cancer, than people who consumed much
smaller amounts of these foods.

Results of the decade-long study were published in the March 23 issue of The
Archives of Internal Medicine. The study, directed by Rashmi Sinha, a
nutritional epidemiologist at the National Cancer Institute, involved 322,263
men and 223,390 women ages 50 to 71 who participated in the National Institutes
of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study... The increase in mortality risk tied to
the higher levels of meat consumption was described as "modest," ranging from
about 20 percent to nearly 40 percent. But the number of excess deaths that
could be attributed to high meat consumption is quite large given the size of
the American population.

Extrapolated to all Americans in the age group studied, the new findings suggest
that over the course of a decade, the deaths of one million men and perhaps half
a million women could be prevented just by eating less red and processed meats,
according to estimates prepared by Dr. Barry Popkin, who wrote an editorial
accompanying the report..."

[Very edited from from the superb article which mentions other significant
dietary studies at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/health/28brod.html?em

[Original 500,000 person study cited:
http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/169/6/562?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&h\
its=10&RESULTFORMAT=1&author1=sinha&andorexacttitle=and&andorexacttitleabs=and&a\
ndorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&fdate=3/1/2009&\
resourcetype=HWCIT


"FISH OIL DOESN'T HELP HEART ATTACK PATIENTS IN BIGGEST STUDY:" (03/30/09):
"Omega-3 fatty acids, abundant in the organs of oily fish including salmon and
sardines, didn't help heart attack patients prevent another cardiac event, a
study found. The report, presented today at the American College of Cardiology
in Orlando, Florida, contradicts previous smaller studies that suggested a daily
supplement may help ward off repeat heart attacks, strokes and death. After
taking a gram of purified fatty-acid supplements each day for a year, patients
in the latest research, the biggest of its kind, fared no better than those who
were given olive oil..."

[Edited from:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601124&sid=aB4C9HPuuLaA&refer=home#


"HIGH-FAT DIETS INFLAME FAT TISSUE AROUND BLOOD VESSELS, CONTRIBUTE TO HEART
DISEASE:" (02/28/09): "A study by researchers at the University of Cincinnati
shows that high-fat diets, even if consumed for a short amount of time, can
inflame fat tissue surrounding blood vessels, possibly contributing to
cardiovascular disease. These findings will be published in the Feb. 20 edition
of the American Heart Association journal Circulation Research. Neal Weintraub,
MD, and colleagues examined adipose tissue—or fat—surrounding the coronary
arteries of humans. The researchers found these fat cells to be highly
inflamed, suggesting that they could trigger inflammation of the blood vessels,
an important component of atherosclerosis... "This is independent of weight
gain or blood lipids—cholesterol levels," says Weintraub, senior author of the
study and chair of the cardiovascular diseases division at UC. Weintraub says
that high fat diets contribute to atherosclerosis—or the hardening of
arteries—in a number of ways. "Elevated blood lipids—or cholesterol levels—can
worsen with the intake of high fat diets, and this is known to contribute to
atherosclerosis," he says. "However, many patients who consume high fat diets
do not exhibit abnormal lipid profiles but still develop atherosclerosis
nonetheless..."

[Edited from:
http://healthnews.uc.edu/news/?/8163/


"BROCCOLI MAY WARD OFF SERIOUS STOMACH AILMENTS:" (04/05/09): "Eating 2.5
ounces a day of broccoli sprouts appeared to reduce the risk of stomach ulcers
and probably stomach cancer in a Japanese trial. Gastric cancer thus joins a
long list of malignancies for which studies have shown a reduced risk associated
with a diet that contains broccoli -- including cancer of the esophagus,
bladder, skin and lung, among others... "H. pylori is a known carcinogen," Fahey
said. "The fact that we were able to reduce the effects of an infectious agent
that is also a carcinogen gives us hope that if someone were to eat broccoli
sprouts or broccoli regularly, it would reduce levels of H. pylori and, over a
period of many years, reduce the chance that they would get that cancer. It is
not proven, but the results are highly suggestive."

... Zeisel said. "People who eat more broccoli tune up their liver and other
cells to destroy cancer-causing agents," he said... Just two or three ounces a
day of cooked broccoli would have a protective effect, he [Fahy] said. Zeisel
added that people who try the pill-taking shortcut might well lose any benefit.
"It's probably a combination of ingredients in the plant that is responsible,"
he said. "When you try to extract them out to make a pill, it usually doesn't
work."

[Edited from:
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/hscout/2009/04/06/hscout625758.html


************************************************
*06: Ask a Vegan, Vegan Survival Tips, Learning AR, 1 Day Veg
************************************************
"ASK A VEGAN:" (06/17/09): "You know the booth Lucy sits behind in the Peanuts
strip, doling out advice? Well, one of the wacky geniuses up at Woodstock Farm
Animal Sanctuary thought, Why not do the same thing, but instead of advertising
that the doctor is in, invite people to ask a vegan? So a couple of months ago,
Joy Askew and I headed to Union Square Park and set up a booth with the words
"Ask a Vegan" emblazoned across the top. We covered the table with animal rights
& veg literature and Woodstock FAS brochures, and we waited. Finally people came
over and started to, well, ask us questions (one of the most popular being, "So
what should I ask you?"). And we've been at it ever since, every other Saturday,
weather permitting... Joy and I are usually in the park for about four hours
from 12:30 on. Look for us this Saturday (if the rain holds off) on the 14th
Street side of Union Square Park, across from Whole Foods and inland from the
green market and street vendors. And bring your burning questions!

[Great post from the always interesting "SuperVegan" Blog:
http://supervegan.com/blog/entry.php?id=1297


"SURVIVAL TIPS FOR NEW VEGANS:" (06/19/09): "If you're thinking of adopting a
vegan diet, or maybe incorporating a few vegan meals into your routine each
week, congratulations! This change can result in many personal benefits, but can
also seem a little daunting. You might wonder how hard the change will be, or
how to deal with dining out. Here are a few things I've learned about becoming
vegan that might help you with a smooth transition.

Explore vegan recipes... Make a plan for how to deal with food rituals...
Learn more about your main reason for becoming vegan... Educate yourself about
vegan nutrition... Be prepared with snacks... Stock a few quick meals for
those harried weeknights... Identify Vegan-Friendly Restaurants... Have fun!.."

[Edited from a pleasant post with many more useful ideas and several good
resource links of note:
http://thevitalvoice.com/node/3694


'WHERE DO I TURN TO LEARN ABOUT ANIMAL RIGHTS?':" (06/22/09): "A few readers
have asked me who they should trust when it comes to learning about veganism,
donating their money, or whatever may be their current step towards animal
rights. All animal rights people and organizations are not the same and we
shouldn't support any individual entity based solely on their presence on Google
or how many resources they have. The differences between animal rights
ideologies are considerably great; sometimes so great as to delineate life and
death, freedom and oppression. The point is: be a skeptic. Who should I trust?
What does animal rights mean? At the end of this article, I will provide a few
recommendations to individuals and organizations who offer an alternative, more
thorough approach to animal rights. This term, "animal rights," however, is
often misused as a methodology of animal welfare..."

[Very edited from the excellent article with fine resource links:
http://www.examiner.com/x-4198-Vegan-Examiner~y2009m6d22-Where-do-I-turn-to-lear\
n-about-animal-rights


"THE STARTLING EFFECTS OF GOING VEGETARIAN FOR JUST ONE DAY:" (04/02/09):
"I've written extensively on the consequences of eating meat -- on our health,
our sense of "right living", and on the environment. It is one of those daily
practices that has such a broad and deep effect that I think it merits looking
at over and over again, from all the different perspectives. Sometimes,
solutions to the world's biggest problems are right in front of us. The
following statistics are eye-opening, to say the least.

If everyone went vegetarian just for one day, the U.S. would save:

- 100 billion gallons of water, enough to supply all the homes in New England
for almost 4 months;

- 1.5 billion pounds of crops otherwise fed to livestock, enough to feed the
state of New Mexico for more than a year;

- 70 million gallons of gas -- enough to fuel all the cars of Canada and Mexico
combined with plenty to spare;

- 3 million acres of land, an area more than twice the size of Delaware;

- 33 tons of antibiotics.

If everyone went vegetarian just for one day, the U.S. would prevent...

...My favorite statistic is this: According to Environmental Defense, if every
American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetarian foods
instead, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a
million cars off of U.S. roads. See how easy it is to make an impact?

[Very edited from the statistic-packed essay at:
http://www.alternet.org/water/134650/the_startling_effects_of_going_vegetarian_f\
or_just_one_day/


************************************************
*07: Vegan Digital Theater
************************************************
VIDEO/AUDIO: VEGAN WORLD RADIO: "Our show has been on the air for six and a
half years in the middle of cattle country, Houston, Texas. We hope to go into
national syndication in 2009. Vegan World Radio airs Mondays from 10-11am CT
and can be heard live or later in archive at:

http://www.kpft.org/

and on the Internet at:
http://veganworldradio.org/


VIDEO: VIRTUAL CHICKEN BATTERY BOX: "Battery Box: a device used to
intensively confine egg-laying hens on factory egg farms to reduce the cost of
housing, feeding, and collecting eggs from chickens, causing them great misery."

[Check out the incredible 3D animation in this ground-breaking approach to
activism (with stats) at:
http://www.animalvisuals.org/empathy/virtualbatterycage/

TRAILER: FOOD FIGHT DOCUMENTARY:
"Food Fight is a fascinating look at how American agricultural policy and food
culture developed in the 20th century, and how the California food movement has
created a counter-revolution against big agribusiness."

[Filled with lotsa info, too:
http://www.foodfightthedoc.com/foodfight.html

[Food Fight "clip" reel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkAALmty650

GRAPHIC: STICKERS FOR THE ORGANIC GARDENER:
http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/MoreBugsGarden


TRAILER: FOOD, INC., DOCUMENTARY:In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts
the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized
underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of
our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is
now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of
consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers
and our own environment...

Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation),
Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food: An Eater's
Manifesto) along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield's
Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms' Joel Salatin, Food, Inc. reveals
surprising—and often shocking truths—about what we eat, how it's produced, who
we have become as a nation and where we are going from here."

[Some good resource, activist suggestion, blog, and more at:
http://www.foodincmovie.com/


************************************************
*08: Food Less Healthy, White House Veggies, 8 Ways to go Local
************************************************
"INDUSTRIAL FARMING IS GIVING US LESS NUTRITIOUS FOOD:" (06-07/09): "The
commercially grown vegetables, fruits and grains that we are eating today are
significantly less nutritious than these foods were 100 years ago, or even just
30 years ago. We now have solid, scientific evidence of this troubling trend.
According to a new report from the Center for American Progress...

-1938 and 1990.

-Likewise, a study of 45 corn varieties developed from 1920 to 2001, grown side
by side, found that the concentrations of protein, oil and three amino acids
have all declined in the newer varieties.

-Six minerals have declined by 22 to 39 percent in 14 widely grown wheat
varieties developed over the past 100 years.

-Official U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient data shows that the
calcium content of broccoli averaged 12.9 milligrams per gram of dry weight in
1950, but only 4.4 mg/g dry weight in 2003.

... What can we do? Vegetables and fruits are our richest sources of many
vitamins and minerals. It seems likely that those of us who grow food gardens
(or shop at farmers markets) will get more nutrient-dense foods if we grow (or
pay a premium for) older, lower-yielding heirloom varieties. Odds are good that
heirloom varieties may be more nutritious than current supermarket fare. Plus,
using organic methods such as moderate amounts of slow-release fertilizers
should help us get maximum nutrition from our homegrown produce. And most
important of all, Davis points out that the nutrient declines in processed foods
are much deeper and broader than the declines in fresh, whole foods.

You can review the full study by requesting "Declining Fruit and Vegetable
Nutrient Composition," HortScience, 2009; 44:15, at your local library.

[Very edited from the disturbing article with a lot more statistics than
presented above at:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/Nutrient-Decline-Industrial-F\
arming.aspx


"OBAMA, OBAMA, HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?:" (04/09/09): "Well, if all goes
well, it will be producing fresh herbs and vegetables by next month -- and
cheaply, said First Lady Michelle Obama, on day one of planting in the new,
1100-square-foot White House Kitchen Garden. "It hasn't cost us more than $200
to plant this," Mrs. Obama told about 20 fifth and sixth graders from Bancroft
Elementary School -- some of whom guessed it would cost upward of $5,000. These
were the same kids who helped launch the garden last month and today their job
was to help Mrs. Obama, about a dozen kitchen staff and others to plant some of
the approximately 55 items the garden will eventually contain.

"In a few months, hopefully right around the time you get out of school, you can
come and help us harvest the fruits and vegetables, and come into the White
House with all of our chefs and start doing a little cooking," the First Lady
promised the kids...

[For a neat PDF diagram of the White House Vegetable Garden:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/files/wh_kitchen_garden_diagram_04.09.09\
.pdf

[Edited from the blog entry with more descriptive info on the Garden at:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/04/obama-obama-how.html

[See also: "Don't Let Pesticide Lobby Scare You:"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/06/AR2009050601105.\
htm


"REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY AT THE WHITE HOUSE GARDEN HARVEST PARTY:"
(06/16/09): ... I want to just welcome everybody here in the First Lady's Garden
at the White House, and I just wanted to say a few words to make sure that we
all really understand why we're here and what we've accomplished, because today
is really the culmination of a lot of hard work. I mean, we -- I'm really proud
of you all, you kids, all the Bancroft kids, for sticking with this process and
for joining us here today at the harvest party. This is our reward for all that
hard work, and we -- and I want the media here to give these kids a round of
applause. Put your pens down! (Applause.) We're really proud of you guys for
sticking with us.

The planting of this garden was one of the first things I wanted to do as First
Lady here at the White House. It was something I had talked about a long time
ago. And with the help of you guys, you helped to make this dream a reality.
And as you could see when we went down to the garden, can you imagine how
thriving that garden is, just how much food grew from a few little seeds and
some plantings? So this was a big dream of mine for a while, and it's been so
much fun working with you all.

But I also thought that this would be a fun and interesting way to talk to kids
about healthy eating and nutrition. The President and Congress are going to
begin to address health care reform, and these issues of nutrition and wellness
and preventative care is going to be the focus of a lot of conversation coming
up in the weeks and months to come. And these are issues that I care deeply
about, especially when they affect America's children..."

[Very very edited from the marvelous and insightful remarks (and interactions
with kids) at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-First-Lady-at-the-Whit\
e-House-Garden-Harvest-Party/


"8 WAYS TO JOIN THE LOCAL FOOD MOVEMENT:" (04/01/09): "...1. From Lawn to
Lunch... 2. Eat Your Vegetables... 3. Party with Your Preserves... 4. Glean
Those Fields Clean... 5. Shop Outside of Supermarkets... 6. Start a Community
Garden... 7. Plant a Row for the Hungry... 8. Share Your Table...

[Very edited from the useful article with embedded resource links and expanded
ideas for each suggestion at:
http://www.alternet.org/environment/134329/8_ways_to_join_the_local_food_movemen\
t/?page=entire


************************************************
*09: Howard's Schedule
************************************************
July 8-12 Summerfest Johnstown PA

August 21-23 5th annual Vibrant Living Expo
Fort Bragg, CA
info@...
707-964-2420

Oct 2: Veg Society of SF, San Francisco, CA

Oct 9-10: Buffalo, NY


************************************************
*10: Quick Bytes
************************************************
AGRICULTURE:

[Useful resource and for networking:
http://www.kitchengardeners.org/

[SUPERB CSA (community supported agriculture) interactive resource:"
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/csa/

BLOGS/PODCASTS:

["Vegan Daily Blog:"
http://www.yourdailyvegan.com/

["Organic Consumers: Read, Blog & Meet-up!:"
http://organicconsumers.org/chat/index.php

[The Mad Cowboy Newsletter Editor's Vegan Blog:
http://www.soulveggie.com

[Podcasts, radio:
http://www.veganradio.com/

[Robin Robertston's "Vegan Planet:"
http://veganplanet.blogspot.com/

["The FatFreeVegan Blog:"
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/

["The Vegan Lunch Box Blog (PETA & Bloggy Award-winning:"
http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com

[Bryanna Clark Grogan's Blog:
http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/

["Raw Vegan Blog and Podcasts:"
http://www.rawveganradio.blogspot.com/

["Recommended Blogs & Websites for Food & Farming Information:"
http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_563.cfm

NEWSLETTERS/GROUPS/LISTS/FORUMS:

[The FatFree Vegan Yahoo Group List:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fatfree_vegan/

[Farmed Animal Net:
http://www.farmedanimal.net/

[VegNews Monthly Newsletter:
http://www.vegnews.com

[FARMUSA's MeatOut Monday Newsletter:
http://meatoutmondays.org

[VegMichigan's PlantPeaceDaily Newsletter:
http://www.plantpeacedaily.org/newsletter.html

[PCRM Membership News and Info:
Send e-mail to: membership@...

[Vegetarians In Paradise Newsletter:
http://www.vegparadise.com

[International Vegetarian Union Newsletter:
http://www.ivu.org/news/index.html

["In a Vegetarian Kitchen: (Nava Atlas):"
http://www.vegkitchen.com

["International Organization for Animal Protection:"
http://www.oipa.org/

["VeggieBoards:"
http://www.veggieboards.com

RECIPES:

[Over 10,000 veg'n recipe links:
http://www.madcowboy.com/02_VegRecipes.html

["Over 1,000 International (regional) Vegetarian Recipes:"
http://www.ivu.org/recipes/regions.html

[PCRM Recipe Archives:
http://www.pcrm.org/health/recipes/recipe_archive.html

[Almost 2,000 searchable fat-free veg'n recipes:
http://www.fatfree.com

[Award-winning searchable veg'n recipe database:
http://vegweb.com/

[Constantly wonderful site of vegan recipes:
http://www.fatfreevegan.com/

[Some stunning recipes:
http://vegandad.blogspot.com

VEGAN

[Nana's Vegan Cookies online!:
http://www.healthycrowd.com/


************************************************
*11: Closing Thoughts
************************************************

"...the proper amount of animal products in your diet is …zero."

--- Howard Lyman

[You can read a recent article about Howard here:
http://www.examiner.com/x-6753-Philadelphia-Nutrition-Examiner~y2009m6d22-Vegan-\
cowboy-Howard-Lyman-takes-on-agribusiness