Newsletter - May 12, 2021

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Video: Hydroponics in the Mirror of Aliveness

Dear brothers and sisters,

In this video we celebrate growing fruits and veggies in chemical soup. They call it hydroponics. This sort of agronomy is typically done in a greenhouse, the crops are  isolated from the entire ecosystem—soil, flora and fauna, as well as all insects, birds, and other plant life. This is a mockery of ecological balance and  biological diversity.                        

On the other hand, when plants are grown in soil, the breakdown of organic matter by microbes and invertebrates releases most of the nutrients plants need, particularly the micronutrients. The soil is a biological network, an amazing and diverse ecology. Living soil is teaming with micro organisms such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes. These microscopic organisms interact with the plant roots allowing plants to absorb nutrients from the soil. The root ball of the plant is the gut or intestinal tract of the plant. It houses microbes just like the human gut does.            

Organic farmers build fertile soil by adding organic matter from crop residues, animal manure, and cover crops and provide the conditions that allow the organic matter to decompose and form humus.

The use of cover crops, compost, natural sources of minerals and grazing animals  improves the organic matter content and biodiversity in the soil. This is the fundamental process of regeneration that makes organic agriculture truly sustainable, able to grow food over the long term. No such regeneration occurs in soil-less systems such as hydroponics.                                                         

Lets look closer. Fruits and vegetables grown hydroponically under LED lights and in the most controlled of environments are fundamentally different  from those grown under natural conditions; they are deficient in life energy.

Hydroponics disrupts the ecosystem; it tears apart  the relationship between soil, flora, fauna, insects and birds. Contrast  this with a family farm where the farmer is the true husbandman of his soil, plants and animals. He labors continuously to augment the fertility of his topsoil which  gives life to all.

The organic label will still assure you that an item has not been contaminated with pesticides, artificial fertilizers or GMOs. But it is of no help in knowing whether or not a fruit or vegetable is grown in living soil or a lunarscape. That tomato-has  it been grown  in rich, black soil by a family farmer, or has it been grown by a technician in a lab coat, in chemical soup?

We urge you to support the Real Organic Project. They are family farmers who are standing up for truly alive organic agriculture.By healing this American earth they are helping all of us  be more vital and alive.

Jesse Schwartz PhD
President
Living Tree Community Foods

Video: Do THIS to Kickstart a Weed-Free Straw Bale Garden! by GrowVeg

Opportunities at Living Tree Community Foods

Bookkeeper - We are seeking a bookkeeper.  Someone with at least 3-5 years experience.  Extensive QuickBooks experience is a must. Preferably with a college degree in business or accounting.

Sales Manager - We are seeking a sales manager; ideally with 3-5 years of experience in the food industry. Perfect for someone in empathy with alive, organic foods.

Internship - If you are contemplating a career in the organic food industry, why not begin with an internship. Work side by side with us in sales and marketing. We also offer hands-on experience in making nut butters, oils and chocolates.

For more information, write to us and send a resume to jesse@livingtreecommunity.com

Recipe: Lime Cheesecake Bites (Dairy-Free, Low-Carb, Paleo, Vegan)

recipe image from remote site

Smooth and tangy LIME cheesecake in a bite-size treat you can feel good about. No dairy, no sugar, no gluten! Easy to make with no baking.

Ingredients

Crust

Filling

  • 3/4 cup raw cashews
  • 1 cup fresh spinach - 1 big handful
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cashew milk - or almond milk
  • 3 Tbs cashew butter - sub almond butter for keto
  • 3-4 Tbs lime juice
  • 2 1/2 Tbs Lakanto powdered monkfruit - or 5 Tbs homemade powdered monkfruit or coconut sugar, to taste
  • 1 Tbs lime zest - divided (~3 medium limes)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • pinch of pink salt
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil - melted

New! Items For May

It's back! We are delighted to be offering it to you again.

Living Tree Community Foods California Heritage Olive Oil is rich in antioxidants. We invite you to rejoice in its robust, sharp flavor. Experience how its pungency enhances the flavors of food.

Our California Heritage Olive Oil has a high available biophenol content: 605 ppm (parts per million) compared with 222 ppm for most extra virgin olive oils. In other words, its biophenol content is 2.7 times the average. Very high phenolic content and excellent stability should provide long shelf life of over a year as well as beneficial health value. This olive oil has, along with its bitterness and pungency, mineral and green vegetable organoleptic characteristics.

Tibetan Black Barley - Alive & Organic

Living Tree Community Foods Raw Organic Tibetan Black Barley is provided by Oregon Grain & Bean, with this crop grown on an organic farm in Idaho. Tibetan Black Barley, with its bran intact, retains its firm, plump texture during cooking, making it perfect in soups, stuffings and stews. It’s also great when mixed with other grains due to its somewhat chewy, contrasting texture.

May Victory Garden Sale

10% off this month’s featured items (Remember, if you buy 3 or more of any Living Tree manufactured product, you get an additional 10% off!)
Milk of Paradise – Cashew & Macadamia Butter – Alive and Organic

Living Tree Community Foods Organic Milk of Paradise Cashew and Macadamia Butter is created in Berkeley, California from a combination of organic nuts. Starting with cashews, we’ve added Hawaiian macadamia nuts to create a profoundly rich and delicious combination. The flavors of the nuts are accentuated by our organic Hawaiian Native Forest Honey and pink crystal salt. It is produced slowly, in small batches, to give it a wondrous, creamy texture.

“Call Of The Wild” White Clover Honey – Alive & Organic

Living Tree Community Foods raw, alive and organic Clover Honey has a rich, buttery flavor. Try on a slice of apple or pear. Blend into almond or coconut milk. Lends itself to alive confections like chia seed pudding.

Cacao Nibs – Alive & Organic

Living Tree Community Foods raw, alive and organic cacao nibs come from Ecuador. They are of fine quality. They have a fragrance that will intrigue and a taste that will delight.

Video: GMOs: Engineering the Nature out of Humanity, Webinar Replay with Dr. Zach Bush

Video: Top Herbs For Longevity And We Need Sleep From 10 PM To 2 AM, Plus Socialization by Dr. Gabriel Cousens