Antigo, Wisconsin, Farmers' Market. Buy Fresh. Buy Local. Support Local Growers And Artists.

Welcome to the Antigo Farmers Market!
*Help support your local growers and artists*
Buy Local. Buy Fresh. Buy Handmade.

Canopy Gardens

~Live entertainment~
Beautiful music by Carol & Laura Schafer
on August 30, 2008.


Julie Bauknecht
Artist/Illustrator
http://www.juliebauknecht.com
Creative Hands-Art Studio/Frame Shop
715-623-2993




Would love to hear about your farmers' market experience!
Feel free to post your comments below. No registration required. Simply click on the word 'comments' below at the end of this photo blog.

Steph's Produce
Bures Organic Dairy Farm

Igl Farms

Organic Potatoes
(715)627-7888
'Certified Organic Spuddies'; Red, Russet and Yukon Gold potatoes

Learn more about the Igl farm here:
http://www.sustainusa.org/familyfarmed/profile_iglfarms.html

Stay healthy with garlic!
Click on link to see how garlic may be able to keep you healthier.
http://gogreenwithceleste.blogspot.com/2008/08/why-garlic-may-be-able-to-help-you-be.html

Pure Honey
Produced by Dennis SchuhThe Health Benefits of Honey:
http://gogreenwithceleste.blogspot.com/2008/08/what-are-health-benefits-of-honey.html

Pioneer Women Works
Glass Etching*Home-Made Soaps*Pinecone Fire-Starters

Home-Made soaps by Pioneer Women Works
715-571-3543 or 715-253-3897
Missy Pla & Robin Rivard
Check out these beautiful handmade mittens!
*Just in time for Christmas and the winter months ahead*
Stop by the market or call 715-571-3543 to order.

Jamie Myers & Mary Turnbull
Phlox Gardens Art Glass Studio
http://phloxgardensartglass.com/?110020
715-623-5950
or
715-216-0951


These pieces are amazing!
Necklaces, earrings, bracelets.
Treat yourself. Treat someone special.

Barbel Kohm

Zucchini: Healthy side dish recipe here

Healthy Children By Amy Todisco

By Amy Todisco

www.greenlivingnow.com

Aren't there laws to protect our children from foods contaminated with toxic chemicals? Yes, but they aren't enforced. The Delaney Clause, found in Section 409 in the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, states, "No substance found to cause cancer in man or animals may be added to food." Unfortunately, the Environmental Protection Agency still allows many toxic chemicals into our food system. Why? Because they claim that the benefits outweigh the risks.

In 1993, two studies ("Pesticides in the Diet of Infants and Children", by the National Academy of Sciences, and the Environmental Working Group's study, "Pesticides in Children's Foods") gave us evidence that pesticides used in food production are dangerous to human health, most especially children. According to the book, The Safe Shopper's Bible, "both (studies) concluded that infants and children are at high risk for future cancers because of their exposure to carcinogenic pesticides, quite apart from neurotoxic, teratogenic, and other toxic effects."

There are several factors that make children more vulnerable than adults. First of all, the majority of pesticide studies are conducted using adult male bodies. Secondly, the pesticides are tested one at a time. Consider the fact that pesticides rarely occur by themselves, for instance multiple pesticides may be used on a fruit or vegetable. Pound for pound, children eat more fruits and vegetables than adults do. They have less detoxifying enzymes than adults, making it more difficult for them to break down the toxic chemicals in their bodies. They breathe faster and have immature organs. Their playing habits put them into contact with toxic chemicals more frequently (down on the carpet and pesticide laden lawn, or hugging pets doused with anti-flea and tick products, or wearing chemical collars).

At this time in history, following the events of September 11th, 2001, it is imperative that we do everything that we can to keep our children and ourselves healthy. The added anxiety, grief, and stress that we are all experiencing takes it's toll on our bodies. One way that we can counteract those factors is by eating whole (ideally local) certified organic foods.

Here are ten more reasons to choose certified organic foods:

1. Protect Future Generations
   Children receive 4 times the exposure of adults for at least 8 widely used cancer-causing pesticides in food. The food choices you make now will impact your child's health in the future.
2. Prevent Soil Erosion
   The Soil Conservation Service estimates that more than 3 billion tons of topsoil is eroded from U.S. croplands each year. That means that soil is eroding 7 times faster than it is built up naturally. Soil is the foundation of the food chain in organic farming. In conventional farming, the soil is used more as a medium for holding plants in a vertical position while they are doused with synthetic chemical poisons and fertilizers.
3. Protect Water Quality
   Water makes up two thirds of our body mass and covers three fourths of the planet. Despite its importance, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that pesticides (some cancer causing) contaminate ground water in 38 states, polluting the primary source of drinking water for more than half of the country's population.
4. Save Energy
   Modern farming uses more petroleum than any other single industry, consuming 12 percent of the country's total energy supply. More energy is now used to produce synthetic fertilizers than to till, cultivate, and harvest, all of the crops in the U.S. Organic farming is still based on labor-intensive practices, such as: weeding by hand, rotating crops, and green cover crops, rather than synthetic chemicals.
5. Keep Chemicals Off Your Plate
   Many of the pesticides approved for use by the EPA were registered before extensive research linking these chemicals to cancer and other diseases had been established. Now the EPA considers that 60 percent of all herbicides, 90 percent of all fungicides, and 30 percent of all insecticides are carcinogenic. The bottom line is that pesticides are poisons designed to kill living organisms, including humans.
6. Protect Farm Workers Health
   A National Cancer Institute study found that farmers exposed to herbicides had a 6 times greater risk than non-farmers of contracting cancer. In California, reported pesticide poisonings among farm workers have risen an average of 14 percent a year since 1973, and doubled between 1975 and 1985. Pesticides poison an estimated 1 million people annually.
7. Help Small Farmers
   Most organic farmers are small in scale and 48 percent gross less than $15,000 per year. Join an organic community supported agriculture (CSA) group, and/or purchase from organic farmers at farmer's markets and farm stands.
8. Support A True Economy
   The price of organic food represents the true cost of raising healthy food. Conventionally grown food does not reflect the hidden costs borne by taxpayers, like hazardous waste disposal and cleanups, environmental damage, pesticide regulation, health insurance hikes, etc. In 1988, nearly $14 billion in federal subsidies were given to conventional growers. Why?
9. Promote Biodiversity
   Between 1950 and 1970, the practice of planting large plots of land with the same crop, year after year (monocropping), initially tripled farm production. The bad news is that this lack of diversity of plant life has left the soil lacking in natural minerals and nutrients. In an attempt to replace the nutrients and ward off the increasing number of pests, chemical fertilizers and toxic pesticide use has increased. In fact, between 1947 and 1974, crop losses due to insects have doubled.
10. Better Taste and More Nutrition
    Researchers from the University of Copenhagen recently reported that organically grown produce has higher levels of nutrients, like vitamins and secondary metabolites (which are thought to lower the risk of cancer) as compared to conventionally grown produce.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Amy Todisco is the owner and President of Green Living Now, LLC. She was the Founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit, the Consumer's Healthy Home Center (CHHC). CHHC was created to hire independent toxicologists to test a variety of household products for their potential inhalation health effects, and recommend the safest choices to consumers. Amy closed down the nonprofit to create the Green Living Now web store as she felt she could positively impact and inspire more people with the store.

Amy is also a professional life coach (Catalyst 4 Change Life Coaching) and is creating a group teleclass on several topics of green living, beginning with organic food on a budget. She's also created three green living ebooks that are going on sale by 8/1.

Contact Amy here: amy@greenlivingnow.com
www.greenlivingnow.com

Buy Local Food to Reduce Food Miles

Author: Davinos Greeno

You would think that the UK and USA does not produce any food, if this is the case then where has the billions of pounds gone that our two governments pay in farmers subsidies?

By buying food from abroad, developing countries get to market their produce world-wide and we get out of season food all year round. Everyones happy except the environment. Food transportation across the globe is making a significant contribution to climate change. Just look at the following examples:

Food in the UK travels 65% further than it did two decades ago

Heinz ketchup eaten in California is made with California-grown tomatoes shipped to Canada for processing and returned in bottles

In one year, the port of New York City exported $431,000 of Californian almonds to Italy, and imported $397,000 of Italian almonds to the US

Examples are from www.newint.org

What is local food and how can it help?

For many, local food is interpreted as unprocessed food, to be transformed by the consumer or a local shop rather than by the food industry. The food originates from as close to home as possible such as on a regional or national level. As such, local food reduces or eliminates the costs of transport, processing, packaging, and advertising. The go local food movement is currently flourishing with over 15% of people buying food locally and this number continues to rise as the number of farmers markets and local vegetable box schemes increases.

The benefit of locally grown fresh food is that it can be consumed almost immediately after production leading to an increase in food quality and taste as it may be sold fresher and usually riper. Also, the need for chemical preservatives to artificially extend the shelf-life can be reduced or eliminated.

Buying local food does not necessarily mean giving up all food coming from distant countries, but rather favoring local foods when available. Why buy apples from South Africa when you can buy British apples? But often buying food produced abroad can be cheaper (yes, cheaper) than locally produced food due to the subsidies the farmers receive and economies of scale from these large plantations.

It is also argued that national borders should preferably not be used to define what is local and instead measurements made in miles. The growth of Sat Nav systems maybe able to help in calculating the exact number of food miles that food has undertaken. For people living in, say, the south of England, food produced in northern France is more local than food produced in Scotland as it is closer. The local food movement in the European Union has been furhter complicated and hindered by EU rules requiring items produced in the EU, including food, to be marked as products of the EU, rather than as products of any particular country. The instinct of customers to buy nationally produced food in the name of patriotism was deemed to be a barrier to free trade and anti EU.

Studies need to be undertaken so that people can have faith and knowledge that the food that they are buying is actually reducing their carbon footprint on the earth. For example, we need to assess whether it is likely to be more environmentally friendly for tomatoes to be grown in the hot climate of Spain and transported to the UK than for the same tomatoes to be grown in greenhouses in the UK requiring huge amounts of electricity to light and heat them.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/buy-local-food-to-reduce-food-miles-84447.html

About the Author:
Davinos Greeno works for the organic directory This green directory lists 100s of Organic Food and Drink Companies and Eco Jobs and Ethical Companies

Farmers Market of Wausau, Wisconsin

*Moonshadow Farms vibrant display*

Beautiful Berries

Have you ever seen such beautiful strawberries?

Picked these today ourselves at a local berry farm in Wisconsin.

Health Benefits of Organic Foods and Why it is Important to Buy Organic Foods

Author: Darin Steen

In the last 25 years I have been asked thousands and thousands of fitness related questions. Invariably the most prominent question is, with their hand patting their tummy, how do I lose this? My answer is the same every-time. Eat less (portion size in each setting), eat more often with protein and carbs combined together, and eat higher quality less processed foods.

Eating higher quality food on the surface seems easy. No junk food, right. That's not enough anymore we must have more information because the quality of the food we are eating is at an all time low. The big food companies have laced everything with chemicals and preservatives so it will last longer so they can make more money. God did not intend for all those altered substances to be in our body. Thus, we are seeing many new diseases that seem to have no cause. I will tell you what the cause is; it's the artificial sweeteners, artificial fats, chemicals and preservatives that we are putting in our mouth. We are what we eat.

When you understand that your body is in a constant state of regeneration, then the term "you are what you eat" takes on a whole different meaning.

Bear with me if this is old info, but it is very important. Every cell in your body will be dead and gone in approximately one year. Your skin, your bones, your muscles, your organs, and even the atoms and cells that make up your DNA are in a constant state of degeneration and regeneration. Common sense will tell you that when we put in a higher quality nutrients, the by product will be higher quality regenerating cells.

It has even been proven that the cells that make up a diseased part of the body like a tumor or a cancer are totally dead and gone within 14 months. So, if we can take in a very high quality nutrition, lower our stress levels, and visualize healing, there is a chance to regenerate healthy cells to replace diseased cells. This is a very touchy subject as I believe there is a time and a place for western medicine which tends to use pharmaceuticals as a band aid to cover up the symptoms of a sickness or disease. But I think that they should be used as a last resort only after more holistic approaches have been exhausted. If you are at these crossroads, I highly suggest that you consult with a specialist like Deepak Chopra in Toronto (1.800.333.4453)

Is expensive organic food worth it? On the surface, it does not seem that the extra cost and the inconvenience of purchasing more often (because quality organic food spoils faster) is worth it. But I ask you, how much does it costs to get cancer, or to have a heart attack.

It totally amazes me that we are so driven that we lose our health to make money and then we turn around and spend all our money trying to get our health back. It does not have to be this way.

Some of the latest groundbreaking medical information out from some of the leading holistic practitioners in the world are realizing that the traditional western medical professionals have totally missed the boat. And I firmly agree with this new info that has all kinds of proof showing us that 95% of all disease and illness is environmental. We bring it on ourselves by lowering our immune system with an unhealthy lifestyle.

Even the American Cancer Society (ACS) is finally conceding that cancer is 60% environmentally inflicted. Which means it is our lifestyle. This is important stuff because cancer has recently passed heart disease as the #1 killer in Americans under the age of 85.

This is amazing information considering that the ACS's ties to the pharmaceutical industry runs very deep. Obviously there is more money in treating cancer than preventing it. But even the ACS can not ignore the obvious.

Modern medicine is a platform for profit, not health. I know I could get myself into trouble on this topic (and I have in our local newspapers), but this is a topic close to my heart. I know that there are a lot of well intentioned MD's out there, but for the most part, their hands are tied. The corruption happens much higher up.

Example- Diabetes is such a profitable business that physicians will put pre-diabetic patients, with only marginally high blood sugar, onto diabetes drugs before even trying weight loss and exercise. As discussed in chapter 1, Type II Adult onset diabetes is one of the easiest cured diseases when the individual is given the correct information.

The American Institute of Cancer's most recent press release (Nov. of 2007) reports clear evidence that excess body-weight drastically increases the risk of most cancers.

The report also found that there are certain lifestyle changes that will reduce your risk of getting cancer. Some of the health benefits of organic foods is below:

Be as lean as possible within the normal range of body weight

Be physically active as part of everyday life

Limit consumption of "energy-dense foods," foods that are high in calories, fat and sugar. Avoid sugary drinks

Eat mostly foods of plant origin, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans

Limit intake of red meat and avoid ALL processed meat

Aim to meet nutritional needs through diet alone, without dietary supplement

Please read the last line again.

YES, ORGANIC FOOD IS WORTH IT! LOOK AT IT AS AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR VITALITY.

When you eat food that is not organic, what you are eating is loaded with poisons and chemicals. Companies that produce food for the masses have one thing in mind, quantity not quality. They will do what ever they have to do to get as much food as they can from point A (the ground that is depleted of ) to point B (your mouth). They are trying to prolong the shelf life of the natural food so that you have a chance to purchase it.

The longer the shelf life of the food that you eat, the shorter your shelf life will be. If it came out of the ground and rots, it is good for you!

These companies are loading there foods with toxins and poisons, it has been sprayed with pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides. Most of the foods on the shelves of a traditional grocery store have been injected with chemicals. The fertilizers that their farmers use are all poisons and chemicals. The fertilizers get into the roots of the plants and end up inside the fruit, and the fruit itself can't even bare fruit. Most of the fruit now days is made from hybrid seeds that produce fruit that can't even germinate and reproduce its own kind. It can't even sustain its own, how is it going to sustain you in the long run. Bottom line, when you eat the cheaper food that is produced for the masses, it is like eating an apple that has been sprayed with Raid. And no, washing it off doesn't help because it is inside the apple and in the skin. The chemicals and preservatives that the national food companies use are 100's of times more powerful than Raid.

IS ORGANIC FOOD REALLY BETTER?

Yes! I am not going to bore you with the details of the most recent tests that are coming in (but they are coming in) showing that genuinely grown organic food has 50% more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than foods produced for the masses. You should buy organic foods!

I realize that it may not be realistic to eat organic food 100% of the time. But at least now you have some food for thought (J). My experience is that it is something that you must grow into. What has worked for my family is a commitment to organic food 25% of the time. Once you can prove to yourself that you can feel the difference than you can grow into eating organic food more often.

The organic food industry is now a $14 Billion dollar a year business in the United States so big business is getting more involved. The quality and meaning of the organic label is undergoing a fast decline. Companies like Wal-Mart are pushing the limits on what can be called organic and are even trying to deceive people with organic signs and stickers in their stores.

BUY LOCAL! If you want the freshest, most nutrient rich foods available, buy close to home. Farmers markets, community supported agriculture programs, food coops are your best bet. I highly suggest that you google search "high quality organic food/farmers market/your city and state" and go visit these farms or markets. Some of these farmers may not be able to afford or want to get certified to sell organic but just because they are not certified does not mean that their produce is not the highest quality. With a little bit of leg work, you will soon be able to find high quality organic food close to home. Like I have done you may be able to set up delivery points with a couple of farmers to add a little bit of convenience.

Finding high quality organic food close to your home is not as difficult as it sounds. The bottom line is look for farmers who are practicing sound organic farming principles and are producing small amounts of food.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/health-benefits-of-organic-foods-and-why-is-it-important-to-buy-organic-foods-428502.html

About the Author:
To view pictures, stats, and testimonials of well over 80 clients that graduated from Darin's "FATLOSS LIFESTYLE" program go to: TestimonialsMake it a great day, Make it a great week, Make it a great Life!! Your friend in fitness, Darin L. Steen at: Fat Loss

The Farmers' Market: Think Globally, Act Locally

Author: Douglas L. Bishop


There’s probably no better place to practice the environmental awareness credo of “think globally, act locally” than at your local farmers’ market.

Here you will find lots of locally produced edible goodies, be they fresh vegetables grown organically at nearby farms, or freshly baked breads, cakes, muffins, pies, or cookies from the still-warm ovens of local kitchens.

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of patronizing the farmers’ market.

First of all, the foods you get here will be fresher. Your local farmers are able to grow varieties that are bred for flavor and tastiness rather than varieties that are grown for their ability to withstand long periods of time in shipping and on the shelf. Many of the varieties of produce distributed to the large grocery store chains are picked and packaged long before they have started to ripen. Tomatoes and squash that you purchase in the big stores cannot possibly be at their peak of quality in terms of ripeness, freshness, and taste if they have spent more time on the road than Willie Nelson before they are even in place for your inspection and selection.

Being able to talk with the farmers who have grown the food is also a big plus in terms of finding out about their cultural methods. Do they use chemicals, pesticides, or genetically modified seeds? What is their background and how do they feel about organic farming and its effects on safe food production? Knowing where your food comes from and how it is grown and handled can be key in helping to ensure the health and well-being of your family, especially since we are dealing today with so many health issues that we still don’t fully understand, diseases that may be chemically or environmentally related or induced by the additives and preservatives in the foods we consume.

Buying locally also helps the local economy. Paying the local growers for their produce gives them money to spend and pump back into the community businesses, while it allows them to continue in their livelihood of providing more healthy foods for the people of that community. The circle of life continues.

Shopping at your local farmers’ market can even help the environment. The more locally grown food we consume, the less need there will be for foods hauled in from across the continent in large trucks spewing unhealthy emissions into the atmosphere. Also, in consuming more locally grown foods, less packaging material will have to be produced and discarded. Many times, live plants (which convert carbon dioxide to oxygen) are sold at the farmers’ market too, both annual flowers and vegetables as well as potted plants and hanging baskets of live and growing flowers.

Finally, shopping at the farmers’ market is just plain fun. Quite often, the markets have special days or festivals celebrating a particular kind of vegetable or food, complete with samplings and recipes for preparing these healthy foods. Other times, there is live musical entertainment or activities for the kids. Why not load up the family and have a learning adventure finding out about the nutritious locally grown foods and fun available at your local farmers’ market?

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/the-farmers-market-think-globally-act-locally-405257.html

About the Author:

The son, grandson, and great-grandson of farmers and gardeners, Douglas L. Bishop, the chief editor of gardenvoice.com, was born and raised on a small farm in east Tennessee. Much of his love for and his knowledge of gardening came from those early days. He received a degree in Forestry from the University of Tennessee and has worked in some aspect of horticulture or landscape management all his life. Visit the Garden Articles and Landscaping Advice on GardenVoice.com for more information.