Christina Rodriguez and son Joe—alias Joe the Farmer—celebrate their locally grown, “fresh picked the same morning” organic strawberries entering Whole Foods Market Hillcrest.
Fresh picked the same morning they are delivered, locally grown organic strawberries are delivered on Sunday mornings to Whole Foods Market, Hillcrest, 711 University, San Diego.
Photo by: LeslieGoldman
“The Berries are part of an Enchanted Garden project to champion local growers and vendors, fulfilling part of Whole Foods Markets
Green Mission to support local farming,” said Leslie Goldman, The Enchanted Gardener.
The berries will continue to be sold through the strawberry season.”The season is over, when the weather heats up,” said Joe Rodriquez, alias Joe the Farmer. The Rodriguez family is fourth generation California farmers.
Why Buy Local or Regional?
Today, much of our food, conventional and organic alike, is traveling literally thousands of miles from farm to fork. Along the way, food loses its nutritional value, burns fossil fuels, and contributes to global warming. Local foods provide exceptional taste and freshness, strengthen our local economy, and support endangered family farms.
Organic & Farmer's Markets & Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs)
See http://www.sandiegoroots.org/markets .html for a listing and valuable links; thanks goes to SAN DIEGO ROOTS Sustainable Food Project for their ongoing efforts to educate the public and support our local farmers and economy.
The Blue Butterfly campaign
The Blue Butterfly is a symbol of a healthy Earth. Butterflies, like children, are sensitive creatures that thrive in environments free from chemicals and pol-lution. This campaign will provide critical health messages to help families make more informed choices to reduce toxins—starting with their “5 Easy Steps to a Healthier Home.” See http://www.checnet.org/5steps.asp
So how about that “apple a day, keeps the Dr. away”? A recent study findings appearing in the latest issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine has revealed apples' protective ways. Eric Gershwin, professor of allergy, rheumatology and immunology and his colleagues at the UC Davis School of Medicine have discovered one way in which flavonoid-rich apples inhibit the kinds of cellular activity that leads to the development of chronic diseases, including heart disease. They showed that the flavonoids in apples and apple juice can inhibit signals in the nuclear factor (NF) kappa B pathway that would otherwise damage or kill cells in the body.
EVENTS & CLASSES:
Live Acoustic Music—Fri. Nights 5:30–7:30 pm, FREE, O.B. People's Deli. No cover. 619-224-1387 http://www.obpeoples food.coop
Latino Food Fair: Thurs. June 1, 3-7 pm, Whole Foods—La Jolla, 858-642-6700.
GLUTEN-FREE DAY: Sat. June 3 , Whole Foods-Hillcrest. Danna Korn, author of Gluten-Free Living for Dummies , will be presenting an educational and engaging talk from 10–11:30 am. From 11:30–noon you can tour the store's aisles to discover classic favorites and learn of the latest new gluten free products available. Product demos and samples will be ongoing from 11 am–3 pm; 619-294-2800.
TIERRA MIGUEL Volunteer Day on the Farm, June 3: Experience and learn about growing organic food. See http://www.tierramiguel.org or call (760) 742-1151
2 nd Annual Morse Terra Nova School Garden fundraiser dinner, June 5 , 5 to 8pm. Hosted by S.D. Roots Sustainable Food Project and/at Region Restaurant; featuring guest chefs. Call 619-299-6499 for more info and reservations, $35. http://www.regionrestaurant.com
“Controlling Blood Sugar for Health, Weight & Balance” free seminar at Jimbo's: 6:30-8 pm, Thurs. June 8 in the Carlsbad store; 760.334.7755, and Wed. June 14 in the Escondido store, 760/489-7755. Reservations required. Call 760-334-7755. Valerie Hall is a nutritional consultant, specializing in diabetes management and education for the past nine years.
“Spring Bounty” organic, vegetarian and whole-food based cooking class ~ Sun. June 11 ; 3-5:30 pm, presented by Jyoti-Bihanga Vegetarian Restaurant, 3351 Adams Ave. Join Teekhnata, a contract teacher at the Optimum Health Institute, to make: Cuban Black Beans with Plantains, Red and Yellow Salsa, BBQ Tempeh and Peaches, Spring Pesto Pasta, and Spicy Polenta with Savory Succotash. This class is also vegan. Cost: $30 early reg., $40 after June 8. For info and to register: 619-516-3543
“Achieving Your Weight Loss Goals” Mon. June 12, 7:30-8:45 pm. Valerie Hall, Nutritional Consultant presents this free lecture. Whole Foods—La Jolla, 858-642-6700.
Wheat-Free/Gluten-Free Food Fair, Thurs., June 15, 3-7 pm, Whole Foods—La Jolla, 858-642-6700. A tour of the aisles to show some of the store's wheat free gluten free products starts at 4 pm from Customer Service .
“The Natural Approach to Fatigue and Stress” Seminar Tues. June 20, 6:30—8pm at Jimbo's Carmel Valley store. John Dunn N.D. will discuss herbs, supplements, homeopathy and diet, providing an integrated approach to restore your health. This event is free. Reservations required, by calling 858-793-7755.
“Around the World” Free Healthy Cooking Classes at Jimbo's Naturally! Wed. June 21 , 6:30—8 pm, at all store locations: Carmel Valley, Escondido and Carlsbad, Watch recipes preparation and sample the tasty results. No reservations are necessary. The dishes will be: Panda's Delight Stir Fry (vegan), Samosa with Coconut Chutney (vegetarian), Sake-Steamed Sea Bass with Cilantro. Call for more info or visit http://www.jimbos.com
Annual Lavender Days Festival, June 24-25, 10 am—5 pm. Admission is FREE. This 2 day event has been planned to offer entertainment, education, cooking and sensory stimulation, with demos on both Saturday and Sunday. See http://www.thelavenderfields.com. The Lavender Fields® is a certified organic farm that features 6 acres of growing fields with 16,000 lavender plants in more than 30 varieties.
Jennifer Joe is an advocate of Organics, non-profits, sustainable practices and values, as well as a food enthusiast originating from her long-time S.D. restaurant family background. Contact her at imagineerit_jj@yahoo.com