Year: 2016

Posted on by

Celebrate, Grieve, Hope and Pray: Names

On Wednesday, 11/2, we want to celebrate, grieve, hope and pray with all the people that you and we know who are battling cancer, won the battle over cancer, as well as for those who lost a loved one to cancer.

For those of you who would like to join us in prayer this Wednesday, these are the names of people we have been asked to pray for.

Note: If you know someone who is battling cancer, and would like them to be added to our prayers, please click here to submit their name anonymously, or email mike@klesickfarms.com or direct message us on Facebook.

Updated 11/2/16

  • Ron
  • LeeAnna
  • Kelly – just finished radiation treatment and we are hoping he will be cancer free with no relapses. We are hoping for recovery from pain and other symptoms and the ability for him to get back to doing the things he loves.
  • Carol – 5 time cancer survivor and Granite Falls Food Bank Angel. Servant with a grateful heart.
  • Sean – male breast cancer survivor. Diagnosed at 37.
  • Cheney – Completed treatment for stage 2 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma last Wed. My last PET scan was clear, thank You Lord. Would like prayer for continued good health and peace of mind knowing that God has got this.
  • Joyce – 88 years old and still tough – Thank you for your prayers.
  • Paul – my husband has been cancer free for 2.5 years, this is for all those who have not been as blessed as us.
  • Sandy – I am sending in my own name. As a rule I generally stay clear of putting myself in a position of talking about my breast cancer experience but last year at this time I was in the middle of radiation treatment for stage 1 breast cancer… and this October, I am confident and hopeful that I have this thing beat!! I am extremely thankful to my sweet family most of all!! My husband, son and daughter. Throughout my treatment, I tried keeping things as normal as possible but they were my rock and prayer warriors!! My friends who helped me keep the faith and kept me VERY busy and distracted. But most of all… it was my faith that gave me guidance, peace and strength! In my loneliest moments and most fearful times… God ALWAYS sent me signs of His faithfulness to me. I also did an inventory of my life and overall health. Today I am nearly 50 pounds less then I was over a year ago. I have changed my eating habits and exercise regularly. It’s been a challenge and a blessing!! God bless Klesick!! We were customers years ago!”
  • Christina – wife, mother of 3, 43 years old. Battling stage 2 breast cancer.
  • Janice
  • Lori
  • Rick – battling skin cancer.
  • Tibor – battling prostrate cancer.
  • Tami
  • John – receiving treatment indefinitely for sarcoma.
  • Charlie – battling brain cancer.
  • Billy
  • Diana – Recently diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.
  • Sam – He is a young boy fighting leukemia. He thought it was in remission, yet it returned.
  • Dan – He is fighting throat cancer. Doing both chemo and radiation right now. Please pray for physical, emotional and spiritual healing.
  • Susan – Breast cancer, has had surgery, currently going through radiation Please pray for Gods healing hand upon her and strength.
  • Carole
  • John
  • Dan – just found out he has lung cancer.
  • Joe – has prostate cancer that has spread to his lungs. Still he continues to fight to live his life to the fullest possible.
  • Lloyd – has prostate cancer AND rectal cancer which has spread to his lungs and bones. He has decided not to pursue further surgery, but continues to take medications.
  • Janet
  • Cindy and Wendy – Both of these beautiful women are in a fight for their amazing lives and l believe that they will win with their positive attitudes and the many prayers being sent to them and all the beautiful people who are fighting to live! Much love to everyone and thank you for organizing the prayer group!!!
  • Laura
  • William
  • Connie – battling cancer. Chemo has been hard on her. Please pray for complete healing.
  • Brad
  • Kimberly – Our daughter is 30 years old, with numerous serious health issues. Thank you for including her.
  • Hospice Patients – I am a hospice nurse and unable to provide specific patient names due to privacy regulations. But would love to have my patients lifted up in prayer.
  • Barnetty – fighting breast cancer.
  • Rebekah – has been battling cancer for some time and seems to be at a very critical time right now. I know she has been blessed by people who have provided her with Klesick Boxes of Good.
  • Jeff – Battling esophagus cancer. 2nd surgery to fix his throat cancer.
  • Al – battling Glioblastoma (similar to pancreatic cancer)
  • Bill – Bill is my uncle and had prostate cancer in his early 70’s. He is now 88 and the cancer has metastasized to his liver. He is going through chemo and has lost 40 pounds. His energy is good, but he needs prayers to battle the treatments and the disease.
  • Mary
  • Michelle – Stage 4 breast cancer. Single mother of three. Youngest daughter just turned 6.
  • Wendy
  • Veronica
  • Doreen
  • Vanessa
  • Michelle
  • Janice – diagnosed with breast cancer last month and went through bilateral mastectomies last week. She is waiting to find out the staging and if any further treatment is needed.
  • Chloe – 18 yr old, diagnosed with cancer days before graduating high school.
  • Phil – my father in law and is fighting stage 4 renal cell carcinoma. Please pray that he accepts Jesus before his final day! Thank you
  • Stacy – Stacy is a beautiful woman who was recovering from a divorce and getting her life back on track when she was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. She has dealt with a lot and could use a break.
  • Dan – Battling liver cancer.
  • Teresa – My mother in law just spent the last year undergoing treatment for breast cancer. I would appreciate a prayer for her continued healing. Thank you!
  • Randon – fighting Stage 4 Esophageal Cancer. The cancer has recently spread to other organs and we recently just started him on the more aggressive chemo.
  • Beth – she has battled cancer for several years and is getting weaker. Our prayer is that she will come to know Jesus.
  • Carol – I visit her in the nursing home. She has faith and always welcomes extra prayers.
  • Patti
  • Sam – 12 year old fighting leukemia for the second time.
  • Monica – Just diagnosed last Thursday.
  • Jake – 12 year old fighting bone cancer again after being cancer free. Has lost his leg.
  • Judy
  • Bella – 5 year old girl fighting Leukemia.
  • Sandy
  • Jenny – diagnosed originally with stage 3 colon cancer was 4 months shy of my 5 year remission mark and it came back with a vengeance in September 2012 and spread to both lungs making it stage 4. I’m still fighting I refuse to quit and I have to much to live for God has proven that to me over and over!
  • Debbie – stage 4 doing treatment as we speak for resourcing breast cancer in her bones.
  • Sabrina – mom of 3 girls and is fighting stage 4 colon cancer.
  • Cindy
  • Kathe
  • David – Dad had lung cancer/brain. The brain tumor is gone. But still on diagnosed in May 2016 with stage 4. He is on maintenance chemo for the lungs after chemo and radiation treatment. And still in pain in the ribs. His father died from the same thing. Both smokers. But dad quit 8 years ago. Wishes he would have quit sooner/ not started.
  • Peggy – This is her fifth time she has battled cancer. This time it is breast cancer that has metastasized to her shoulder that she has a fracture in. She is 63.
  • Monica – my mom is starting her treatment for Malt Lymphoma this week and we would love for you to lift her up in prayer. She is the rock of our family and we still need her! Thank you!
  • Lola – Lola is our dog, and she is my daughters best friend. She was diagnosed with cancer several months ago at which time she had a malignant lesion removed. Lola has several new lesions and a vet appt. on Nov 1st. The bill is already over $1000, and we would appreciate prayers. Im into miracles…so am asking for one! Thank you so much.
  • Tiffany – mother of three young children with stage 4 breast cancer.
  • Taylor – (26) was diagnosed with Nodular Melanoma, an aggressive skin cancer which has spread to his lymph nodes. In August Taylor had surgery to remove the affected lymph nodes, but a recent scan revealed that the cancer has spread to his liver and lung. Taylor began immunotherapy on October 18th and has now been in the hospital due to complications from that treatment since October 23rd. He is currently in the ICU fighting for his life. Pray for Taylor, specifically that his liver will return to normal function and begin to clear the toxins from his body. Also pray for his family members–parents, siblings, wife and baby girl (2 1/2 months).
  • Karen – Breast cancer; fairly recent diagnosis. Please pray specifically now that the Lord would spare her the neuropathy that is a common side affect of treatment.
  • Louise
  • Kim
  • Sharon
  • Dave – a lifelong friend, 54, he has stage 4.
  • Thomas – Boeing worker fighting cancer.
  • Terry – is in end stages of prostate cancer, suffering a lot of pain. Please help his mother, children and siblings draw strength and courage and for Terry to be more comfortable and to draw closer to our Lord through Jesus Christ. God bless the Hansen family.
  • Daisy
  • Kathy – recurrence of Hodgkins lymphoma.
  • Anja – just had a double mastectomy.
  • Lloyd – my father has battled (3) types of cancer within the past five years. He is currently enduring maintenance chemo for lung cancer. He is a Norwegian warrior with a great outlook and attitude! His family and faith carry him every minute of every day. God has blessed us richly. Thank you for organizing this thoughtful event for our beloved friends and family. God bless you all!
  • Tracy – She is a wonderful person battling stomach cancer. Has found they cannot kill the cancer only treatment to prolong her life. Please pray for her!
  • Robert – Agent orange rare blood cancer.
  • Zillah – colon cancer.
  • Carol – cervical cancer.
  • Vernelle – prostate cancer.
  • Dorothy – A very sweet and giving woman who runs the women’s Gospel Shelter in Monroe.
  • Dennis – struggling with chemo.
  • Sylvia – Sylvia is my dear friend and mentor. She has the kind of faith that can move mountains. A little over two years ago Sylvia discovered she had Ovarian cancer and a long journey to destroy that cancer ensued. She has undergone multiple surgeries to remove the affected areas of her body and endured many weeks of chemo. Just shy of being 2 years cancer free, her doctors discovered more cancer, different cancer in her spleen. She has now endured more surgeries and in the middle of her chemo for this fight. I know this is harder on her, on all of us, because we just don’t understand why again Lord? Please pray for relief from the effects of chemo, for her strength and for the rock that is her husband, Bobby.
  • Pamela – I have had two different DNA caused Bone Marrow cancers for now starting my 18th year. Please pray that I will continue to live for my husband, two children and four grandchildren and continue to be as happy as I can be. Thank you for your prayers. I need them.
  • Leta and James
  • Christine – she has been fighting CML Leukemia for 13 years with no cure so far. She has a fantastic attitude even though she goes in for treatment every week.
  • Laurie – https://www.facebook.com/spirit1053/videos/10153489300679506/
  • Song – He is married with three young children, has been diagnosed with stomach cancer, loves the Lord and believes in the healing power of God.
  • Lotti
  • Ron
  • Peggy
  • Beverly
  • Ruth
  • Vivian
  • Eiko
  • Patrick
  • Allison
  • Dan
  • Diana
  • Jeanne
  • Olivia
  • Leah
  • Dillon
  • Tish
  • Kristy
  • Mike
  • Chris
  • Trina
  • Cheney
  • Kandace
  • Pam
  • Monte
  • Greg
  • Jerry
  • Louise
  • Lynn
  • Sam
  • Maureen
  • David
  • Andrea
  • Marla
  • Theresa
  • Debbie
  • Robert
  • Noel
  • Larry
  • Jerry
  • Barry
  • Roy
  • Delicia
  • Sherri – was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer late this summer and is in the hospital at this time very sick. Her prognosis is very serious but we believe in a God of miracles. Thank you for including her in your prayer.
  • Jan – passed away (pray for comfort for husband Dick.)
  • Cari (survived by sister Mindy)
  • Mel “Bobo” – My brother-in-law Mel was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in June of this year. On Sunday, October 23rd, he died at home. He was only 58 and left behind his wife (my sister), 5 kids and 5 grandkids. His sweet grin and kind, mischievous spirit are missed so much already.
  • Scott – Scott is my dad. His wife (my mom) passed away a year ago from colon cancer. If you would pray that he find Jesus through this.
  • Trista – Wife & Mother of a baby boy. Diagnosed with breast cancer and is now on round two of chemo.
  • Duane Atkins – Fighting Esophigal Cancer
  • Jack – My father-in-law was recently diagnosed with colon cancer. He is having surgery on Nov 28th. Won’t know until after the surgery if chemo or radiation will be needed. Thank you for your prayers.
  • Tami – Breast cancer, single Mom, on the mend. Sister.
  • Andrew – Battling a rare cancer who has two young children and a loving wife. He is a wonderful dad and friend. Battling a rare cancer who has two young children and a loving wife. He is a wonderful dad and friend.
  • Stephen
  • Glenn – Jan 24 1929 to October 19 2016. Mds
  • Don – Battling stage 4 colon cancer
  • Sarah and Rob – Husband and wife couple both with new cancer diagnosis. Rob was recently diagnosed with brain cancer and has undergone brain surgery and radiation. Sarah is having surgery for thyroid cancer the beginning of November. They have two young children under 5 years old.
  • Mary – My friend Mary was diagnosed with colon cancer almost five years ago. She has had multiple surgeries and is still on chemo. Her cancer markers are now going up again. We’ve been friends for decades. Thank you for praying.
  • Joel – My 32 year old son is going through chemo for stage 3 colon cancer.
  • Kelly – Was diagnosed with stage four oral cancer just before summer time. He went through a major surgery and an intense round of radiation. I pray for comfort, strength and healing.
  • Lynn
Posted on by

Thanksgiving

What! It’s time to be thinking about Holidays? Do you ever think how we eat our way through the calendar? November – Thanksgiving; December – Christmas; January – New Year’s Day and the Super bowl (Go Hawks!).

If we are not intentional about what we eat, the Grocery Manufacturers of America (GMA) will be. The GMA has a plan for the holidays: more sugar, more GMO’s and more processed packaged foods. It is almost as if celebrating is akin to more CALORIES and not good ones, either. But how does the “intentional” part work itself out? Well, has Thanksgiving moved for the last 152 years? NO! it is always on the 4th Thursday of November. But every year millions of Americans are going to buy the same sugary, GMO laden foods and wonder why on Friday after Thanksgiving the bathroom scale has moved the wrong direction and that they don’t feel all that great either! It’s probably because sugar is fleeting and the aftermath is lasting.

One blogger encouraged their readers to wear pants with elastic to dinner so they won’t be as uncomfortable when they over eat! Okay, we are all probably going to indulge a little with our family and friends. Maybe this year we should plan for the indulgences by eating more intentionally NOW! Start moving the scale in the right direction now, so that when Grandma offers/expects you to have another piece of pie, you will have created some margin for Thanksgiving. I can hear it now, “No thank you. The pecan, pumpkin and apple pies tasted great. Three pieces is plenty, really.” 🙂

Be intentional now or be intentional later. We are all going to have to be intentional at some point. Here at Klesick Farms we like to say, “Eat Better, Feel Better.” It even works in November.

How to Eat Your Box

We are adding a new section to our Newsletter this week. We are calling it “How to Eat Your Box”. Original, eh? Anna, my millennial menu planner, felt like people just aren’t cooking and she wanted to provide some helpful tips. Eating well is not mystical or complicated. With just a few techniques you can be “Zen” master in the kitchen. In fact, most fruits and vegetables are easy to use and are at their healthiest when minimally cooked or prepared. Check it out here on the blog.

Thanksgiving Donation Program

We are making our Holiday Donation Box for Thanksgiving available for ordering this week. Last year, our Box of Good Food Family donated 156 boxes of high quality, super nutritious food to area food banks. Please consider donating one or more boxes to a family in need. You place the order, we pack it, deliver it and a food bank volunteer gets it to a family in need. Super simple, super effective!

Farmer/Health Advocate, Tristan

Posted on by

Hope

Hope is a necessary ingredient in the battle against cancer. We must believe that healing is possible and hope is an underlying cornerstone for healing to happen. Without hope, hopelessness is left and we can’t have that; we must have hope.

Since we started sharing about cancer this month, the ground swell of support and compassion has been huge.

Last week, I met Leah, a cancer survivor and single mom of two at the Snohomish County Healthy Aging Conference. Whenever I attend a conference or event, I always bring a box of good food to use as a raffle item. And you know what? Leah’s name was drawn.

At the same time, a young couple from our church just received the heart-breaking news that their under 1 y/o daughter Vivian has leukemia. Ugh! I can’t even imagine the thoughts, fears, and despair that is wracking that family.

As Breast Cancer Awareness Month comes to an end, I would like to continue our cancer conversation and shift it to one day next week. On Wednesday, 11/2, we want to celebrate, grieve, hope and pray with all the people that you and we know who are battling cancer, won the battle over cancer, as well as for those who lost a loved one to cancer.

To do this, we need your help. We need you to send in the names of individuals and families that are fighting cancer. You can share as much of your/their story with us as you feel comfortable. Because sometimes it is helpful to just write down how you are feeling and get your thoughts out.

We are also just as happy to have you share a first name, because on 11/2, when our Klesick Farms team gathers to pray, we know that God already knows the details and we just want to agree with you for healing from cancer and hope to be rekindled in yours and their hearts.

Each of you are also welcome to join us on 11/2 and pray for the individuals and families who are fighting cancer. We will send Facebook and email reminders about the 11/2 details, but for now please click here to submit a name for prayer anonymously, or, email mike@klesickfarms.com the names of anyone you know fighting cancer or DM us on FB so we can gather a list of people to prayer for healing and hope.

Farmer/Health Advocate,

Tristan

 

Recipe: Garlic Butter Mushroom and Spinach Spaghetti

Ingredients:

Olive oil 8 oz package mushrooms, sliced 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced 2 tablespoons butter 1 bunch spinach, washed, ends cut off Lemon juice, to taste Salt and pepper, to taste 1 package spaghetti Feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

Directions:

1. Boil a large pot of water and cook pasta until tender. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water.

2. While pasta is cooking, heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat then add the oil. Fry the mushrooms until deeply golden and cooked through. Add the garlic and butter and fry for another 30 seconds-1 minute, until the garlic is a light golden color. Turn off the heat then add the spinach, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Add the cooked spaghetti and a splash of the cooking water. Stir the pasta into the sauce and add more water if necessary.

4. Serve with feta cheese.

Recipe adapted from simply-delicious-food.com

 

Know Your Produce: Gold Beets

You may be most familiar with the red beet, but beets come in a variety of colors. One variety is orange, known as the gold beet. A descendant of a sea vegetable, golden beets are a nutrient-rich food high in fiber and potassium. The beet greens are more nutritious than the beets, containing twice the potassium and high in beta carotene and folic acid.

The difference between the red and the orange beet is the pigment compound. Red beets are rich in betalain pigment while orange beets are rich in b-xanthin pigment. Though their pigment color differs, their nutritional benefits are the same.

Steaming and roasting bring out the best flavor that the beet can offer. The skin must be peeled, which is easiest after it has cooked, as it simply slips away from its flesh. Beets pair well with cheese, bacon, apples, fennel, citrus, potatoes, shallots, vinegar, walnuts, smoked and cured fish. Beets will keep, refrigerated, for up to a week or longer if their tops are removed.

Posted on by

Cancer, Continued

I have been using my blog as a platform to talk about cancer the last few months joining our voice to the national campaign making October Breast Cancer Awareness Month. All those pink ribbons are a rallying point for all cancers.

Breast Cancer has the dubious distinction of being the #1 incidence of Cancer for women. For 2016 the projection is for 247,000 new cases or 29% of the 844,000 new cases of all cancer. #2 incidence for women getting Cancer in 2016 is claimed by Lung and Bronchus Cancer, 106,000 or 13% of all new cases of cancer for women.

However, when we look at the number of moms, sisters, and daughters who will die from cancer this year, ironically, breast cancer is #2 on the list of deaths related to cancer for 2016. Lung and bronchus cancer will claim more lives. In 2016 72,000 (26%) women will die from lung and bronchus cancer and 40,450 (14%) will pass from this life to the next from breast cancer. The total projected deaths for women with cancer in 2016 is 281,400.

For Men the #1 diagnosis for cancer in 2016 is prostrate cancer at 181,000 (21%) followed by lung and bronchus cancer at the rate of 118,000 (14%). And similar to the death rates for women, lung and bronchus cancer will claim more lives in 2016 86,000 (27%) and prostrate cancer at 26,000 (8%) of the 314,000 deaths for 2016. You can find more information about cancer statistics estimates for 2016 here www.cancer.org

Bottom line: these are not statistics! They are moms, dads, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends and co-workers–people who are loved and who love. Some of them have lost their battle. Others are just beginning their battle.

If you know anyone fighting this disease, please refer them to us. We would consider it an honor to stand with them in 1) prayer, and 2) by discounting their boxes of good. We believe that these two things are essential to healing–prayer and a diet that’s rich in nutrition primarily from fruits and vegetables.

You can also purchase one of our $30 fruit baskets as a gift either for someone who is fighting cancer, or for any reason (a thank you for a teacher, a birthday gift, anniversary, or just because.) For each fruit basket we deliver, Klesick Farms will donate $5 towards our Healing through Nutrition program. We use these funds to discount the boxes of good for people fighting cancer.

Also, for the rest of October we will be donating $5 for every new customer and returning customer that signs up. Tell your friends and help me discount a box of good for a local family battling cancer.

Thank you,

Tristan, Farmer/Health Advocate

 

 

 

Featured Recipe: Roasted Delicata Squash & Onions

Ingredients:

2 delicata squash 1 medium red onion, sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 °F.

Cut squash in half lengthwise, then crosswise; scoop out the seeds. Cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Toss with onion, 1 tablespoon oil and salt in a large bowl. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet.

Roast, stirring once or twice, until tender and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes.

Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, rosemary, syrup and mustard in a small bowl. Toss the vegetables with the dressing.

Recipe from eatingwell.com

 

Know Your Produce: Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables, often overshadowed by its green cousin broccoli. This is one vegetable that deserves a regular rotation in your diet, however, as it contains an impressive array of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other phytochemicals. For instance, it contains sulforaphane, a sulfur compound that has been shown to help kill cancer stem cells, thereby slowing tumor growth. Some researchers believe eliminating cancer stem cells may be key to controlling cancer.

Cauliflower can be eaten raw or cooked. Raw, it is best eaten accompanied by a dip or cut up and added to salads. When cooked, it can be eaten as a side dish, alone or topped with a sauce, such as gratin, hollandaise, or Mornay.

When storing, cauliflower should be left unwashed. Store in the refrigerator, with stem side down, in an open plastic bag or use a perforated plastic bag. This will avoid excess moisture, which causes the cauliflower to deteriorate faster.

 

 

Posted on by

Cancer

It would be great if no one ever had to hear those words again. Not from a doctor, a spouse, a mom, a dad, a friend, or a FB post.

I remember making a delivery to a customer’s home. I knew she was fighting cancer and would spend a few minutes visiting with her each delivery. Then one day, she wasn’t home at the time of delivery. Do you ever have that foreboding sense in your spirit? I did, she was gone, moved from this life to the next. It still brings me to tears just writing this.

Another time, a longtime customer had stopped deliveries, and I followed up with a call to check in. There was no answer, so I followed up with an email. I got a reply, “Marty died”. I did have a chance to connect with her husband, but what can you say to someone who has lost their wife, the mother of their children and his best friend.

I hate cancer, I hate what it does to people, I hate what it does to families, the carnage it leaves behind can be ruthless, it certainly is no respecter of persons.

If you are battling cancer, please call us, let us pray with you, let us put a Healing Through Nutrition discount on your deliveries. Please let us partner with you and partner with you in your healing by discounting your boxes of good food.

You are one of the reasons we call our boxes “a box of good”. We don’t care why or how you got cancer, we just want to help you battle this disease with high quality organic fruits and vegetables, help you make one less trip to the grocery store, and have one less thing to think about.

What if I don’t have cancer? Be thankful, but you can help others who do? For the next 3 weeks we are offering fruit Gift Baskets with Pink Ribbons for $30 delivered to you or directly to the person you want to bless.

1. Buy one for a friend or family member who’s battling cancer.

2. Or, just buy one or more as gifts. These will make great gifts for anyone, birthday, anniversary, or just because!

And not only will Klesick Farms deliver your fruit baskets, I will donate $5 for each basket sold toward our Healing through Nutrition program and apply a discount to folks fighting cancer. Order today and we will do the rest.

 

Farmer/Health Advocate

Tristan

Posted on by

Save the Date

Hey Klesick Farm Community!

We are hosting a brand new event. We are calling it: Inspire: A Community Be Healthy Event. This will be a health fair focusing on good food, wellness, fitness, naturopathic, homeopathic, chiropractic, etc. There will be cooking demonstrations, educational classes, and vendors. This is going to be a lot of fun and super informational.

There are two ways to participate:

1. Plan to come, learn and share: Saturday January 14th (2017) from 11am – 4pm at the Lynnwood Convention Center. Bring the whole family and bring the neighbors, too.

2. You can also participate as a vendor. If you have a health business, follow the links below and sign up. We only have 30 vendors spaces available. Follow the link below.

Vendor information:

Klesick Farms is pleased to invite you to participate in. This unique one-day event is to be held at the Lynnwood Convention Center on January 14, 2017 from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm – and is open to the entire community. For additional information and to register, click here.

Who Should Participate?

* Suppliers of products and services for individuals, families and professionals to support journey to wellness.

* Publishers and distributors or books, video and curricula for wellness and fitness.

* Outdoor and indoor play and fitness equipment companies.

* Resources for families and teachers for children’s wellness and fitness.

* Health coaching services for individuals, families and professionals.

* Farm to table, organic non-gmo food providers.

This is going to be a great community event, so plan to come and join us!

Farmer/health advocate,

Tristan

 

 

Recipe: Baby Bok Choy with Cashews

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil 1 bunch chopped green onions, including green ends 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 pound baby bok choy, rinsed, larger leaves separated from base, base trimmed but still present, holding the smaller leaves together 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil Salt 1/2 cup chopped, roasted, salted cashews

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add onions, then garlic, then bok choy. Sprinkle with sesame oil and salt. Cover, and let the baby bok choy cook down for approximately 3 minutes. (Like spinach, when cooked, the bok choy will wilt a bit.)

Remove cover. Lower heat to low. Stir and let cook for a minute or two longer, until the bok choy is just cooked.

Gently mix in cashews.

Recipe adapted from simplyrecipes.com

 

Know Your Produce: Parsnips

Parsnips are related to carrot and celery and have a slightly celery-like fragrance and a sweet and peppery taste. They have a high sugar content and in the 16th century, Germans realized the high sugar content of the parsnip and used it to make wine, jams, and flour.

If the parsnip root gets cold, either before or after the harvest, its flavor will be much sweeter. Parsnips are a good source of folate and Vitamin C, and one bite, no matter how they are prepared, will convince you of their fiber content.

You can steam and mash parsnips like potatoes, but their best flavor is emphasized by roasting or sautéing. If you have very large parsnips, trim out the woody, bitter core before or after cooking.

Parsnips are generally a good substitute for either carrots or potatoes in most recipes, although they have a slightly stronger flavor. Herbs are especially nice with parsnips including basil, dill, parsley, thyme, and tarragon.

Posted on by

Toothless GMO Food Labeling Bill Becomes Law

Note: I have covered the DARK Act in a previous newsletter, but wanted to share the perspective of the Cornucopia Institute. The folks at the Cornucopia Institute are advocates the heart and soul of organics and small to medium sized organic farms. In the ever increasing “get bigger or get or get out” model of American business and Agriculture, the Cornucopia stands up and for farmers like myself and consumers like you who support us. Real change comes when concerned people make intentional choices for their families and their communities.

As I have shared in the past, we are the solution: you and I making good food choices, and sending less of our food dollars to companies that promote and use GMO’s in their products.

Organic is better for our health and better for the environment,

Tristan

 

 

Toothless GMO Food Labeling Bill Becomes Law; Corporate Elites Betray Organics

BY WILL FANTLE

The looming July 1 implementation date for Vermont’s first-of-a-kind, historic GMO food ingredients labeling law pushed Monsanto and other corporate giants in retailing, biotechnology, and agribusiness into overdrive as they ramped up pressure on Congress to negate the state law.

Labeling opponents wisely identified Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, as the key to crafting what they described as a “compromise” bill. Stabenow’s bill was able to move enough Senate Democrats to join with an already solid block of Republicans to muscle through its swift passage.

Ardent GMO backer, Senate Agriculture Chair Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) called it “the most important agriculture vote in 20 years.” When signed into law by the President in late July, it preempted Vermont’s new law, mandatory GMO seed labeling requirements in two states, and dozens of related local ordinances.

But what has been rightly called the DARK Act would not have been possible without the behind-the-scenes machinations of the Organic Trade Association (OTA), a few of its most powerful members, and two corporate-funded non-profit organizations – Just Label It (JLI) and the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

JLI, founded by Stonyfield Yogurt chairman Gary Hirshberg, and the EWG signaled their support for an agribusiness-supported alternative to actual GMO labeling, Quick Response (QR) codes, those inscrutable Rorschach-like images found on some product packaging.

The scanning of these speckled black squares with a smart phone and the appropriate app can provide more product information. These QR codes were sold as a solution to food labeling requirements and became an integral part of the Stabenow Bill. Millions of Americans are now discriminated against by not having smart phones and/or sufficient data plans.

The full Senate vote was only made possible when its backers invoked an obscure procedural gimmick that hadn’t been used in more than 40 years to push it forward.

Its next hurdle would be a cloture vote, a 60-vote threshold required to halt a filibuster and debate on a bill and force a final vote on the Senate floor. By early July grassroots organic and pro-labeling forces were mobilizing to fight the cloture vote.

The nation’s largest consumer organization, Consumer Reports, along with the Organic Consumers Association, the Center for Food Safety, Food and Water Watch, Cornucopia, and dozens of others were publicly calling on the Senate to reject the bill, hundreds of thousands of their members flooding Senate phone lines.

Key Senators also spoke out against the bill. And the Food and Drug Administration – the primary agency overseeing food labeling – issued a damning assessment of the bill’s many deficiencies.

Behind the scenes, the OTA and its leadership quietly worked for passage. This activity persuaded enough reluctant Democratic Senators to ignore what had become a loud call for rejection from fellow Senators, 286 public interest organizations, thousands of phone calls from the public, and broad condemnation by the organic community.

Along with executives from companies like Stonyfield, Organic Valley, Smuckers, WhiteWave, and Whole Foods, OTA lobbyists assured Senators that “the majority of the organic industry supported the Stabenow Bill.”

One senate staffer told the bill’s opponents that OTA’s lobbying convinced 15-20 senators who might have opposed the bill (and had opposed an earlier version of the DARK Act) to instead support it.

The corporate-organic industry sell-out facilitated a successful cloture vote that passed by a 65-32 margin. Senate and House passage of the actual bill followed shortly.

Aside from overriding state and local laws, what are some of the DARK Act’s other fundamental deficiencies?

• There is no requirement for on-package labeling of GMO foods.

• As many as 100 million Americans lack the ability to find out product specifics by not being able to access QR codes.

• The biotech-friendly USDA – not the FDA – is charged with creating the law’s actual labeling rules over the next two years.

• The bill leaves totally unclear what will be considered a GMO food and/or ingredient. According to the FDA, most foods typically thought of as being produced or made with GMO ingredients will not be covered by the bill’s narrow definition of genetic engineering. The USDA might raise the threshold for incidental GMO contamination from the currently accepted .09% to as high as 30% while still calling that non-GMO!

• The bill suggests that the USDA harmonize its ultimate definition of genetic engineering with the organic law’s definitions – something that could create a huge loophole into organic’s current strict prohibitions on GMO technology.

“The passage of this law will deny, for the foreseeable future, the right of most American’s to know what is in the food they are eating,” observes Cornucopia’s senior farm policy analyst, Mark Kastel. “It is vitally important that we double down on our efforts to protect the integrity of the organic label, the marketplace alternative to untested GMO technology.”

The Cornucopia Institute and a number of our allies in this fight are researching joining forces in a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of some of the aspects of this draconian piece of legislation.

 

This week’s guest blog & newsletter post from The Cornucopia Institute.

Posted on by

Snohomish Farm-Fish-Flood Initiative: Finding Common Ground

Published in the Everett Herald, Sun Sep 11th, 2016 1:30 am

Since the retreat of the Vashon Glacier 13,000 years ago, the area that is now Snohomish County has been one of the best places on earth to live. A rich tribal salmon culture flourished here for millennia; settlers came for timber, fish, and fertile farmland; cities grew up around natural ports on our protected inland sea.

But the “resource lands” of Snohomish County – the farms, forests, natural habitat, open space and parks – that make this such a productive and beautiful place to work and live are facing historic challenges. An additional 200,000 people are expected to move here within 30 years; a changing climate – bringing droughts, floods, reduced snowpack, and sea level rise – is impacting agriculture, fish, forests, and communities; salmon runs are crashing; and the political and economic demands upon farmers, tribes, agencies, and developers are unprecedented.

Despite this complex landscape, groups are coming together in the spirit of “collaborative conservation” to work towards win-win solutions. The recent Farm-to-Table dinner hosted by the Sustainable Land Strategy (SLS) Agriculture Caucus, Snohomish Conservation District, and the Snohomish County Farm Bureau brought together a remarkably diverse 75-person group that included tribal leaders, flood control and drainage districts, big and small farmers, conservation groups, and high-level government officials, from County Executive Dave Somers to Puget Sound Partnership Director Sheida Sahandy and the Conservation Commission’s Mark Clark. On a pastoral 100 year-old farm on the banks of the Snohomish River, individuals shared their stories and their fears, listened to others’ perspectives, and experienced first-hand what exactly is at stake.

For over six years, the Snohomish County Sustainable Lands Strategy (SLS) has been providing a multi-stakeholder forum for identifying “net-gains” for simultaneously preserving and enhancing agriculture and salmon habitat.

The SLS, and similar regional “multi-benefit” initiatives like the public-private Floodplains by Design partnership between TNC, Ecology, and the Puget Sound Partnership, are based on the premise that science, collaboration, and coordinated investment can begin to bring together historically opposed groups, and address fish-farm-flood needs in a comprehensive way.

The benefits of this approach are beginning to emerge. The SLS brought together Lower Skykomish farmers, Tulalip Tribes, and other stakeholders to utilize reach-scale assessments and GIS maps to overlay potential habitat restoration areas, flood mitigation and drainage projects, and water quality sites. The Stillaguamish Tribe worked with the City of Stanwood, the Stillaguamish Flood Control District, and farmers to create a package of seven multi-benefit projects that received full funding under the Washington State Legislature’s Floodplains by Design program.

The SLS and its partners are also developing innovative models around conservation easements and the purchasing of development rights, incentives for stewardship practices, and climate resiliency planning.

In recognition of the efforts to advance this collaborative conservation model, and the national significance of our resource land base, the President recently designated the Snohomish basin as one of four focus areas under the federal Resilient Lands and Waters Initiative. The timely potential for positive impacts within our communities and ecosystems has never been greater or more imperative. We are all coming to the table with different needs but a common agenda: the long-term stewardship of these lands, and of our future.

Tristan Klesick, Klesick Family Farms, SLS Co-Chair

Terry Williams, Tulalip Tribes, SLS Co-Chair

Monte Marti, Snohomish Conservation District Manager

Posted on by

If only I had been paying attention…

This has been a remarkable farm season. The weather has been neither too harsh nor too kind. We have had to irrigate very little and the crops have grown well.

It has been a crazy three weeks. We just finished harvesting green, yellow and purple beans. Originally, I had planted two different plantings, with a fairly healthy gap between them. The cool weather in May/June essentially slowed one planting down and so the later planting caught right up. It is sort a like when the outgoing tide meets the incoming tide and everything rises at that moment!

Thanks for eating green beans. We picked over 2,000 lbs. and our customers ate most of them. I can say most of them because green beans are one of those crops that gets “grazed” on a regular basis. They might not be as sweet as raspberries, but when beans are on, they are the preferred snack at Klesick Farms!

This week is a little quieter from our farm. Italian prunes and chard in most boxes; walnuts, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini and peppers in smaller quantities. Then there are the cucumbers. This year we planted a new variety called Silver Slicers. They are a white-skinned cucumber and super delish! I planted about 100 seeds at two different times and, oh my word, those little cucurbits make cucumbers faster than rabbits make rabbits, if you get my drift. They are the most productive cucumber I have ever grown.

Ironically, I would have never grown these, if I had been paying attention. Early in the spring I was talking with Ada, my seed representative from High Mowing Organic seeds. We were talking back and forth about what varieties grew well in greenhouse environments and did well in last year’s seed trials. We decided on Manny, a beautiful smooth green-skinned cucumber. Ada also mentioned that Silver Slicers did really well in the trials, too. Because I am always willing to try a new variety, I ordered and split the plantings.

Well, since Ada and I were talking about cucumbers, it didn’t dawn on me that the Silver Slicers were not GREEEEN! Imagine my surprise when they starting “setting” fruit that was white! Talk about a mini heart attack! My mind raced through all the prep work, the fertilizer blend, weather patterns, and I asked myself, “What was wrong? How come they are not green? Is my soil deficient in nutrients?” Thankfully, a quick check-in with Ada calmed my mini crisis. She assured me that the Silver Slicer is a white-skinned cucumber.

I am now so thankful for that oversight. The world has plenty of green cucumbers, so I will make the Silver Slicer a staple for Klesick Farms and we can all enjoy them this year and next!

Thanks for eating locally grown food. You are making a difference one bite at a time for your health and the health of our community.

Farmer Tristan

 

 

Recipe: Mexican Style Grilled Corn

Ingredients:

3-5 ears of corn, husked 6 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste ½ teaspoon chili powder, or to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper Cotija or feta cheese

Directions:

Prepare a grill, with heat medium-high and rack about 4 inches from the fire. Put corn on grill and cook until kernels begin to char, about 5 minutes, then turn. Continue cooking and turning until all sides are slightly blackened.

Mix together mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder and some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more lime juice or chili powder if you like. Serve corn with chili-lime mayo and sprinkle with cotija or feta cheese.

Recipe adapted from cooking.nytimes.com

 

Know Your Produce: Plums

Domestic plums are crimson to black-red with a yellow or reddish flesh; they are in season May through October. High in vitamin C, plums are packed with disease-fighting antioxidants. They’re sweet and delicious—which is why highly desirable things are called “plum.”

Store: If too firm to use, place in a closed paper bag at room temperature for one to two days. Once ripe, plums can be kept in a plastic bag in the refrigerator up to three days. Refrigerating plums before they’re ripe results in a mealy texture, so allow firm fruit to ripen at room temperature up to 2 days.

Prep: Remove the pit by slicing all the way around the fruit, starting at the stem end. Rotate each half and the pit should come free.

Use: Plums pair well with both sweet and savory foods and make an excellent accompaniment for cheese, chocolate, and dessert wines.

Posted on by

Why???

I am not surprised that the Senate and House of Representatives cast their votes to send the DARK (Deny Americans the Right to Know) Act to President Obama to sign, but I am saddened that President Obama signed it, and so willingly!

Essentially, for all of its purported good, it does nothing to protect the health of Americans and will not cause any meaningful information to be labeled on foods manufactured using GMOs. The DARK Act is wasted time and energy and is meaningless legislation that does nothing for America’s health or environmental crises. It does allow corporations an escape hatch when it comes to GMOs and more than a few elected officials to “pat” themselves on their backs. The biotech farms and grocery manufacturers of American lobbies are powerful—they wield heavy swords. The congressional and presidential backbone to stand up and protect the environment or our health doesn’t get any of them reelected.

Well, common sense tells me that something is amiss. What is amiss is that our food supply is over processed and laden with empty calories, and the DARK Act does nothing to help consumers (sometimes called constituents) get better information to make more informed healthy food choices. I understand the game. However, it would have been nice if Congress would have changed the rules and required real information through legislation, but they didn’t! Shocking (wink, wink)! It’s sad, but that’s okay, I can live with it. Congress can do all the grandstanding they want. Monsanto, the sugar lobby, and the GMA can spin and spin to their hearts’ content on how their products are safe. That is what they have always done. It is good for their profits, though not good for your health or the environment. The only things that have changed are: 1) the aforementioned companies and lobbies will no longer have to spend millions of dollars of their profits to fight labeling laws state by state and 2) the states, which is you and me, now have less control.

The fact that Congress even remotely toyed with passing a GMO labeling bill tells me that healthy-minded consumers have been putting the “hurt” on some multinational food and chemical companies. All we need to do is keep the pressure on their profit streams and continue to not support their products with our dollars. So in essence, the game hasn’t changed and the players are still the same. It is still us against them.

As for the Klesick family? We are going to continue to support companies that are committed to organic and GMO-free principles. I am not confused or deceived by their advertising or the new DARK Act passed by Congress.

Let’s continue to work together by saying “Yes” to better food companies and we will continue to change our food system for everyone just by eating. The last time I checked, you are free to eat whatever you want, so let’s exercise that freedom one bite at a time.

We are changing the food system!

Farmer Tristan

 

 

Recipe: Roasted Beets and Carrots with Rosemary Butter

Ingredients:

1 bunch beets, greens removed, peeled and cubed

1 bunch carrots, greens removed, peeled and cubed

3 tablespoons butter or ghee

3 garlic cloves, mashed

½ teaspoon dried rosemary

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Place the beets in a large mixing bowl, and the carrots in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. (Mixing the roots separately keeps the carrots from turning pink from beet juice.)

3. Place the butter or ghee in a microwave-safe coffee mug and add the garlic. Microwave until the butter is melted. Stir in the dried rosemary.

4. Pour half of the melted butter mixture over the beets, and pour half over the carrots. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss each of the root vegetables to coat them with the butter mixture.

5. Dump the beets into the baking dish with the carrots.

6. Roast for 55 minutes, stirring halfway through.

7. Serve.

Recipe adapted from paleomg.com

 

 

Know Your Produce: Starkrimson Pears

Starkrimson pears are a summer pear variety that is excellent for fresh eating and salads or paired with a strong cheese like blue cheese or goat cheese. The striking crimson color of Starkrimson pears makes it a great choice for coloring up a green salad.

Unlike most other fruits, pears ripen from the inside out, so by the time they are soft on the outside the inside flesh may be overripe and mealy. Leave unripe pears at room temperature in order to induce ripening. To speed up the ripening process, place pears in a brown paper bag. This traps ethylene (a naturally occurring gas) which pears produce as they ripen. To determine if a pear is ripe, check the neck of the pear daily. Apply gentle pressure with your thumb to the stem end of the fruit. Once it gives slightly to pressure it is ripe and ready to enjoy.