Face the Current | Issue 36

Issue 36

fAce the current Savoring Flavors of Australia & Appalachia

Rising Trends: Goatscaping Farm Stays and Weddings

Bee-Hind the Buzz About Apiculture

Forest Foraging

+ Borneo’s Floating Markets

Fuel for an inspired life.

Understanding

Food as Medicine

fAce the current Issue 36

A PUBLICATION OF

TEAM Co-Editors in Chief Sasha Frate Ainsley Schoppel Ty Johnson Design Director Sema Garay Contributors Tim Barnsley Lisa Guy Meghan Pearson Patricia Awyan Lehman Allen Williams, PhD Tom Hegen

JOIN THE MOVEMENT Face the Current is creating a ripple effect of positive change in the world by fuelling the relentless discovery, education, and exploration of current and emerging information and perspectives. Driven by creative minds, a deeprooted love of learning, and a great appreciation for our natural connection to the land and the food that sustains us, Face the Current is proudly uniting with others who are equally passionate about what they do. With a quickly growing team and a global community of incredible people who believe in living life to the fullest, Face the Current is encouraging and inspiring others to unearth their potential and reconnect with the bounties of our beautiful planet.

@facethecurrent @thegrandreturn

thegrandreturn.com @ecofarmfinder

ecofarmfinder.com AWARDED #1 BEST PRINT MAGAZINE AND #1 IN MAGAZINE INSERTS IN A 7 STATE REGION OF THE US WEST COAST! Cover Image Credits: • Front cover. Tobias Hägg • Back cover: Tobias Hägg

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ADVERTISEMENT AND SPONSOR INQUIRIES hello@ecofarmfinder.com

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table of CONTENTs

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12 08. The Artistic Sustenance of Borneo’s Historic Floating Market 12. Wyoming Hospitality and Wild Adventure: Scenic Stays at Historic Darwin Ranch 20. Discovering a Taste for Australia’s Diverse Regional Cuisine, with TV Host and Adventure Foodie, Hayden Quinn

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26. From Passion to Profession: The Atmospheric Evolution of Professional Photographer, Tobias Hägg 32. Saunas, Sentos, Banyas, and Hammams: The Origins and Science Behind Heat Therapy 36. The Culinary Art of Heritage with Lauren May: Traditional Appalachia for a Modern-Day Kitchen

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44. Where Romance Meets Rustic: Farm Venues Reign Supreme in the World of Modern Weddings FACE the CURRENT MAGAZINE

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48. Ancient Egypt’s Queen Bee: Neith Weaves the Fabric of Our Reality 52. What’s the Buzz About Apiculture? Going Bee-Hind the Hive with Nature’s Hardest Workers 60. Finding Family and Food: Nourishment in Nature The Grizzly Forager Way 76. Have You Herd? Grazing Goats are the Green Way to Go in Land

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Management 80. Food as Medicine 88. Phytonutrient Advantage: Building Better Beef Through Regenerative Farming Practices 94. Preserving the Magic: Eight Techniques to Extend Your Local Seasonal Bounty

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M A D E S A F E® CE R T I F I E D

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REEF SAFE

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W I L DCR A F T E D & O RG A N I C

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G LU T E N F R E E

ANNMARIE SKIN CARE Imagine a skin care company that was founded to prove that ingredients straight from nature will deliver results… and work better than anything out there. This became Annmarie and Kevin Gianni’s purpose, after discovering in 2008 that the skin care industry is riddled with questionable practices and toxic ingredients.

In 2009, Annmarie and Kevin launched Annmarie Skin Care with a well-versed team that had years of experience uncovering the dubious practices in the industry, like chemical derivatives in socalled natural ingredients, and other shortcuts and oversights. These investigations have helped Annmarie Skin Care build a foundation in ethical sourcing, natural ingredients, and safe processing to ensure high-quality, alive products that deliver the results that customers can count on, without any of the toxic chemicals.

Annmarie Skin Care sources organic and wildcrafted ingredients that are pesticide-free and go through minimal processing. This has always been a top goal when developing formulas, whether for the beautifying herbs in their proprietary herb infusions or for the unique, nourishing oils and CO2 extracts that are added to the products.

Today, Annmarie and Kevin bring their love for skin care full circle. They now reside on their very own farmlet, full of organic gardens planted to Grow.

Gather. Give. You can catch the Giannis handgrowing food, plants and herbs that are shared with the local community, as well as make their debut into more recent Annmarie Skin Care products that embody a pure, seed-to-skin experience.

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FEATURED: ANNMARIE GIANNI Annmarie Skin Care’s co-founder, picking homegrown herbs on her farmlet, Moss Creek Farm.

Photo by Abby Cole Photography

We Do Things Differently: Our Energized Botanical Infusion Process A selection of the herbs used in Annmarie Skin Care products are hand picked in the wild, where they grow naturally—this is the definition of wildcrafted. By using wildcrafted herbs, they know that no commercial farming methods have been used and that the plants are hearty, vibrant, and full of skin-nourishing nutrients.

Each Annmarie Skin Care formula has a unique blend of herbs combined specifically for that product—its purpose and the skin type it’s intended for. These hand-selected herbs are then infused into organic aloe vera and skin-nutritive oils at a low heat (never over 95°) to extract these herbs’ beneficial properties. These botanical infusions are left to steep for up to 30 days while being energized by crystals before serving as a potent base for all Annmarie Skin Care formulas.

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Moisturizer with over 13 different nourishing oils and CO2 extracts

Clean your face without stripping the moisture Aloe Herb Cleanser is a calming, pH-balanced, gentle cleanser infused with organic aloe vera, coconut oil, and beautifying herbs.

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Anti-Aging Facial Oil is brimming with antioxidant-rich oils—chia, goji berry, and broccoli—that deliver intense moisture to keep skin supple and dewy.

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If you’re not happy, we’re not happy and we’ll gladly refund your purchase.

Visit annmariegianni.com/facethecurrent

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The Artistic Sustenance of

Borneo’s Historic Floating Market Article and Images By Tom Hegen

The food traders at the Floating Market in Banjarmasin, Borneo, practice one of the most traditional, unique, and satisfying methods of exchanging goods.

Every morning before sunrise, the merchants embark on their traditional wooden vessels that have been used for centuries by the local communities living along the small canals and rivers of South Borneo. The boats are creatively transformed into floating mini-markets, loaded with fresh products, spices, and cooked food.

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Laden with an array of these appealing delicacies, the merchants gracefully navigate the boats and showcase the artistry and care they put into presenting their goods. The products are arranged with precision, creating a visually appealing display.

Traders take great pride in their offerings, and often specialize in specific dishes or ingredients they have used and perfected over time. By passing down their knowledge and skills from one generation to another, each merchant ensures the continuation of local food traditions while fostering cultural identity.

The vessels gather on the main river and float downstream as the merchants exchange one item for another and sell to the local community as well. The river acts as a natural conduit for transportation and trade, allowing the traders to reach a wider customer base.

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Observing the merchants at work is akin to witnessing a harmonious dance—the rhythmic exchange demonstrates the fluidity of skill perfected over years of experience.

The ways in which the merchants value their products, customers, and each other transcends mere commerce and embodies the essence of human connection and shared experiences. More importantly, it highlights the significance of personal interactions and the potential for empathy, understanding, and cooperation in our daily lives.

The Floating Market’s existence relies on the interplay of various elements: the river, the boats, the merchants, and the customers. Each component is interconnected and reliant on the others to create a vibrantly functional system that continues to sustain generations.

ymore info: www.tomhegen.com www.ecofarmfinder.com

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Wyoming Hospitality and Wild Adventure:

Scenic Stays at Historic Darwin Ranch

By Ainsley Schoppel Twenty-five miles down a dirt road in the Wyoming wilderness lies the most remote guest ranch in the lower fortyeight states. Stunning horses and a collection of one-hundred-year-old cabins pepper the beautiful green river valley that is Darwin Ranch.

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Once you’re settled into a cabin, you can spend your days riding and hiking across secluded mountain ridges. With unparalleled access to the remoteness of the Bridger-Teton Forest and the Gros Ventre wilderness, Darwin offers you the freedom to create your own adventures.

A Wyoming homestead, Darwin Ranch actually draws inspiration from safari lodges of East Africa and offers unparalleled experiences with unforgettable hospitality. A 160-acre island inside a vast expanse of public land, Darwin Ranch is one of the few surviving American forest homestead operations that has not been subdivided, and it has a long history of guest ranching in the western lifestyle that dates to the turn of the century. At its outset in 1901, Darwin Ranch was home to a fur trapper

and trader named Fred Dorwin. (A misprinted document early in the twentieth century led to the ranch’s current name.) In the 1920s, the ranch began hosting guests from across the country as a “dude ranch” operation, and its characteristic timber architectural style became a familiar nod to homestead design. The enduring appeal of Darwin Ranch and its contributions to the history of the mountain west earned it a recent nomination for the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, Darwin Ranch is run by mother and son, Kathy Bole and Oliver Klingenstein. Kathy handles bookings, cabins, lodge operations, and the kitchen, and Oliver oversees the physical infrastructure, hydropower system, rotational grazing program, guest recreation, and the horses. Oliver’s lifelong love of horses and all things western helped fuel his studies in Environmental History, and his training as an EMT and farrier also bolsters his ability to manage a remote guest ranch. www.ecofarmfinder.com

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As a guest at Darwin Ranch, you’ll find comfortable and intimate accommodations. With hand-built log cabins and beautifully blended modern styles, you’ll be sure to enjoy the timeless comforts of cozy beds, wood burning stoves, private baths, and all the modern conveniences of ranch-generated electricity. Darwin offers three free-standing cabins— Spruce, Moose, and Deer—each with a screened-in porch and a newly renovated bathroom. Perched on a wooded hill, Spruce is the most secluded cabin with rustic comfort and a stunning porch, and Moose cabin stands at the southern edge with a spectacular view up-valley and a front porch overlooking the main meadow. Both cabins have a cozy king bed that can be easily converted

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to two beds, and Moose cabin contains an extra day bed. Deer cabin is set on the banks of Kinky Creek and feels the most removed from any activity. With a porch overlooking the babbling creek, Deer cabin gives its guests a perfect view of grazing horses. Sheep cabin is the Darwin homesteading cabin, and its adjoining bathroom is connected to the building via a deck. If you’re visiting the ranch with a bigger group, the Elk cabin is a recently renovated cozy cabin with four individual rooms under one roof.

With private baths, wood stoves, and shared porches, this option is sure to comfortably accommodate everyone.

Once you’re settled into a cabin, you can spend your days riding and

hiking across secluded mountain ridges. With unparalleled access to the remoteness of the BridgerTeton Forest and the Gros Ventre wilderness, Darwin offers you the freedom to create your own adventures. World-class hiking is accessible from every porch, and whether you’re looking for a simple meadow stroll or a daylong endeavor scaling ridgelines to unparalleled views, Darwin Ranch has you covered. Trails from the ranch lead to remote peaks, alpine meadows, and glacial lakes, and you’ll journey over hidden mountain passes and along roaring rivers. The Gros Ventre Range has remarkably clear hiking routes that can be undertaken on foot or in combination with a horseback ride.

In fact, Darwin Ranch offers guided rides that will immerse you in the wilderness for several hours or entire days.

For beginner riders learning the basics, to more advanced riders who will have the opportunity to reach far-flung alpine lakes and peaks, Darwin offers riding experiences for all levels. Darwin also remains one of a few ranches that still allows some guests to ride without a guide, and guests will be assessed for this opportunity during guided rides early in their stays.

The ranch can also comfortably accommodate six hunters per week when the season is right for elk, deer, moose, and bighorn sheep. Darwin

provides a guide for each pair of hunters and has the facilities to care for all game acquired throughout the week. If angling is more your speed, you can dip your line in the Gros Ventre River and try your hand at fishing! The ranch provides remote access to the pristine Upper Gros Ventre River which is protected by Wyoming’s Wild and Scenic designation. The native Snake River fine spotted cutthroat trout continues to thrive in a healthy fishery alongside the native Rocky Mountain whitefish. Darwin Ranch offers day trips to high mountain lakes and rivers by foot or horseback, where you can wade-fish throughout the entirety of the season. To preserve the natural populations, all

anglers at Darwin Ranch practice catch-and-release fishing with barbless hooks, so bring your cameras to capture the memories!

After a long morning of hiking and fishing, a leisurely float down the Gros Ventre River is a fantastic way to unwind. Swim, nap, or throw your line in as you float back to the ranch on inflatable tubes or kayaks. If you crave an adventurous romantic getaway, or you want a basecamp for further exploration, the Upper Falls Camp lets you see practically unexplored sections of the range while enjoying great food, high-quality walled tents, and comfortable cots with foam mattresses in camps that sleep six.You can book this with or without a guide, but due to limited

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pasture, horses are not provided to ride at the Upper Falls Camp.

And don’t count out the winter months at Darwin Ranch! With guided alpine tours, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, and skate skiing, you’ll have no shortage of fun activities from which to choose. To begin a winter stay, you’ll meet your guides where the pavement ends at the Forest Service boundary. After you pack your gear on tow sleds and have a quick tutorial on riding snowmobiles, you’ll begin your hourand-a-half trek to Darwin, taking in the peaceful beauty of winter over the Wind River Range as you go. Once at the ranch, you can choose your daily activities, pack a lunch and thermos of hot coffee, and spend the day in the sparkling wild.

Like every ranch, Darwin has a lodge that is the hub of the entire operation.

With the kitchen, dining room, piano bar, spacious living room, lounge, and a porch overlooking the river, guests can congregate in the lodge and relax by the fire or stop in for coffee and meals throughout the day. If anyone is looking for a peaceful spot to read, play board games, or have a cup of tea, the lodge’s living room is the perfect setting. A wood-fired sauna and hot tub are located outside the lodge, offering picturesque opportunities to unwind and relax after a ranch day. As the day turns to evening, visit the lodge for cocktail hour, family-style dinner, fireside conversations, and a little music and dancing.

As any hungry cowboy or ranch hand will tell you, good food is essential to morale.

Darwin recognizes that quality food is the result of many good relationships, and they showcase the full range of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem’s culinary offerings. From leg of lamb from Ishawooa Mesa Ranch—Darwin’s sister ranch—to heirloom legumes from neighbouring farms, Darwin’s kitchen creates dishes bursting with the natural flavours of the landscape. The team even makes their own yogurt and harvests vegetables from Ishawooa Mesa Ranch and Shoshone River Farm for mouthwatering salads. With healthy, made-from-

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With healthy, made-from-scratch, vegetableforward, casual, and ever-changing menus, Darwin always looks to reflect the bounty of the season. In keeping with the environmental connection, Darwin is also committed to sustainable practices, and harvests and sources locally whenever possible. Following sustainable and integrated agricultural practices, Darwin raises beef and pork at their sister ranch and sources other products from farms and businesses in Park, Teton, and Sublette Counties.

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scratch, vegetable-forward, casual, and ever-changing menus, Darwin always looks to reflect the bounty of the season. In keeping with the environmental connection, Darwin is also committed to sustainable practices, and harvests and sources locally whenever possible. Following sustainable and integrated agricultural practices, Darwin raises beef and pork at their sister ranch and sources other products from farms and businesses in Park, Teton, and Sublette Counties.

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Being off the grid also means that Darwin Ranch is working towards a zero-waste future. Committed to preserving, protecting, and sharing the land, Darwin maintains the lightest possible footprint and operates using holistic pasture management. Darwin also wants their guests to learn about the wonders of the location and broader ecosystem by engaging in conversations about the privileges, responsibilities, and complexities of recreating in a wilderness area.

You can experience the wild with

or without a guide in a loosereined atmosphere of curiosity, learning, and self-challenge, and you can gain confidence in the rugged backcountry, learn about local plant life, and dive into horsemanship with Darwin’s team of wranglers.

The ranch has even adopted several range-savvy horses and three burros through the local Mustang Training Program that operates through the Bureau of Land Management Wild Horse and Burro Program, and they also train mustangs on-site.

In fact, Darwin Ranch manages their pastures through a rotational grazing program. Over-grazed pastures require good stewardship, and over seven years, Darwin has implemented a grazing pattern that helps replicate the way wild animals graze. Instead of turning their horses and burros out loose every night, the animals are corralled into a large, enclosed pasture. By eating in one spot for a night or two before moving on to a new section, they never return to the same section all

summer long. This style replicates a migrating animal herd and has been incredibly effective in bringing back native grasses to the land. When pastures do need some reseeding, chemical fertilizers are never used and Darwin only plants native grass seed specifically designed for the high alpine Gros Ventre area.

A stay at Darwin Ranch offers all the comforts you could ever desire and all the wild adventures you could possibly imagine. With individualized service, Darwin helps you plan your

stay to be challenging or leisurely, gentle or rugged, independent or guided—whatever you’re looking for, Darwin Ranch can bring it to life. So, venture out to the mountain west and explore the wild at Darwin Ranch—your seat by the fire is waiting.

ymore info: ecofarmfinder.com/darwin-ranch

Being off the grid also means that Darwin Ranch is working towards a zero-waste future. Committed to preserving, protecting, and sharing the land, Darwin maintains the lightest possible footprint and operates using holistic pasture management. Darwin also wants their guests to learn about the wonders of the location and broader ecosystem by engaging in conversations about the privileges, responsibilities, and complexities of recreating in a wilderness area. www.ecofarmfinder.com

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Discovering a Taste for Australia’s Diverse Regional Cuisine, with TV Host and Adventure Foodie, Hayden Quinn Interview by Tim Barnsley| Introduction by Ainsley Schoppel Hayden Quinn is a surfer, lifeguard, marine biologist, and Australia’s favourite foodie. He is best known for appearing on Series 3 of MasterChef Australia and as a judge on Nine Network cooking program, Family Food Fight. Quinn has also authored two cookbooks, Dish it Up and Surfing the Menu.

Hayden is currently shining on Australian screens in Taste of Australia with Hayden Quinn. In this series, Quinn travels the country, from Darwin to Hobart, Sydney to Albany, the Red Centre to Tropical North Queensland, and even to the Northern Beaches. During his journeys, Hayden meets a diverse range of people and uses his warmth and connection to share their

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stories. He’s also not shy to jump into some amazing food adventures along the way, rounding up sheep, catching crayfish, diving for abalone, baking bread, and pulling up marron pots...

And, discovering recipes crafted from local produce means that Quinn has no shortage of amazing food to share!

Outside of his foodie adventures, Hayden is also co-owner of The Cube Gym and Studio Maybe; host of South African television program Hayden Quinn South Africa; a partner in Kooks Wines; a regular contributor to Delicious magazine; and an ambassador for Starlight Foundation, Qantas, Jeep, Uncle Tobys, and Australia.

Face the Current caught up with Quinn to talk about all things Australian cuisine, including experiences with producer-to-table sourcing, the continental variety he’s discovered through his travels, top recommendations for Australian dining, and even his favourite postsurfing meal.

The beautiful thing about Australia is that we have such a diverse landscape with a host of growing seasons across the year, many of which overlap and allow us to be growing incredible produce across the whole year—and with these locations come amazing destinations. Taste of Australia is about food, but it is also about the regional destinations that support these growing areas and the fun things you can do in the regions. The “taste” part of the show title was always there to give the show more legs than just food—it was about getting a taste for what a region or area has to offer.

You created the show Taste of Australia! What motivated its creation, and what is it about Australian cuisine and destinations that inspired you to create it?

Taste of Australia was always about creating conversations around food and where our food comes from as Australians, and importantly, the interesting characters and stories that get our food from the grower to the kitchen table. I have always been fortunate to have had a connection to where our food comes from, but many people don't have that chance to get out on farms, on the water, or in the field, and I wanted to be able to be that conduit between the farmer/producer/fisherman/artisan and the everyday person at home enjoying the show. The beautiful thing about Australia is that we have such a diverse landscape with a host of growing seasons across the year, many of which overlap and

allow us to be growing incredible produce across the whole year—and with these locations come amazing destinations. Taste of Australia is about food, but it is also about the regional destinations that support these growing areas and the fun things you can do in the regions. The “taste” part of the show title was always there to give the show more legs than just food—it was about getting a taste for what a region or area has to offer.

What have you learned from producing and starring in multiple seasons of Taste Of Australia?

Ninety percent of the work is in the planning, prep, and funding; ten percent is the shooting, on-the-road side of TV (basically all the fun stuff!).

It’s a bit like science: a tiny portion of it is out in the field doing the good stuff and the majority is made up of time behind the computer!

How does your environmental background in marine biology interplay with your role on Taste of Australia?

It’s funny, I finished my degree so long ago now (graduated in 2008), but the main reason I wanted to study a bachelor of science was because of an innate curiosity that I have for the world. I wanted to learn more about the ocean—a place I love so much and spend so much time in and around. This same curiosity flows into what we do with TAHQ (Taste of Australia Headquarters)— you have to be curious about the world, you have to be invested in the story, in the person, and in the produce, and if you are not, then it just isn't genuine and it will never come across to the viewer at home.You want to be the eyes, the ears, the nose, and the emotions of the people at home who are trying to live that experience with you through the TV. www.ecofarmfinder.com

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What motivated you to open The Cube Gym, and what has your experience been like stepping in this direction from your involvement with food to fitness?

The Cube Gym came about very organically (well, organically with a lot of hard work thrown in! haha).

We started the “gym” in a backyard in Collaroy, just a bunch of guys and girls training hard on makeshift equipment, outside in the elements, keeping fit and healthy, and being overseen by Lewis McLean (my business partner and managing director of the business). We did this for three years or so outside and each winter it would start getting quite cold and wet and dark, so one year we decided that we needed to find a more permanent space for our crew to come together. Lewis, Sam and I all chipped in to find a warehouse in Brookvale. That was back in 2014, and now nearly ten years later we have had two moves, three locations, and an amazing 1,300 sq meters of functional training space, allied health services, pilates, recovery, ice baths, sauna etc. We have nearly four hundred members, and it has been amazing to see the community and the gym grow over the years.

Many lives have been changed; many goals set and achieved. There have been marriages and babies, and all while providing people with evidence-based training that is based in functional movements (movements you would naturally do every day) in a group-based setting. For me, the gym has always been somewhere I go to relax, connect, push myself and create balance in what can be a busy life (and so I can keep eating all that delicious food I love)!

Your TV work has taken you to all corners of Australia. Can you share some examples of unique cultural or culinary practices that you discovered, and how

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they may have inspired your own work?

One of my favourite experiences was up in the Northern Territory just outside of Darwin where we caught and cooked a saltwater barramundi and I met with some local Indigenous apprentice chefs. They took me through a traditional way of cooking the barra wrapped in paperbark and

cooked in the ground covered with coals. It was delicious and such a fun way to cook and connect with the food that you are cooking (plus it was a classic bloody hot day in the NT and we were all sweating over the fire, laughing and having a great time!) To then finally be able to eat this amazing fish we had just caught was pretty special.

Not only that, but one of my favourite things about Australia is that we are an incredibly multicultural society with people, cultures, and cuisines from all over the world. And, couple that with having some of the best produce in the world, it really isn't hard to get inspired or excited about trying new things.

we only got one flat tire, but along the way we met some incredible people, stayed in some interesting lodgings and got to experience parts of Australia that most people never would.

Can you share your most unique travel experience in Australia?

How did that impact you?

Someone that loves and respects their food and understands that food isn't just something that hits the table at a restaurant—there are more steps to a meal before it gets there.

The list is long, but one of my favourite travel experiences was when we drove from Sydney to Uluru in the Northern Territory via Brisbane and then back down through South Australia to Sydney.

It was a mammoth mission as we were shooting in some pretty remote locations for Taste of Australia but it was amazing. We drove the Plenty Highway into Uluru and for those that know it, that highway isn't for the faint of heart (haha)! Luckily

What does it mean to you to be a “foodie”?

We read that you live by the motto, “live life, eat well, travel far”. What advice would you give to someone who wants to live that lifestyle? What about someone who wants to do it consciously/sustainably?

I would say don’t let anything hold you back. If you have a dream then live it, work hard to achieve it, visualise it, surround yourself with

people who will make it happen and put yourself out there in the world.

Do whatever you can to live life, eat well, and travel far!

Taste of Australia showcases some beautiful on-farm and farm-to-table types of experiences. What does “farmto-table” mean to you?

Farm-to-table can have many different levels. There is the ultimate, where everything you are eating is grown on the property, and then you have places that will only take food from a certain distance away from the farm.You can push it right back to someone at home that will happily buy from the local market, source their meats from a butcher that can give them the full run of where the beef, lamb, or pork has come from, and I think they all play a part and are all important (and each gets easier to achieve for a normal person).

One of my favourite things about Australia is that we are an incredibly multicultural society with people, cultures, and cuisines from all over the world. And, couple that with having some of the best produce in the world, it really isn’t hard to get inspired or excited about trying new things.

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A favourite experience of mine with farm-to-table was actually over in the U.S. at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York state. It’s such an amazing and highly acclaimed restaurant (where a friend of mine, Kylie Miller, is one of the boss chefs!) and as part of your meal, you do a farm tour.

The guide shows you all the different produce and animals before you sit down to enjoy the meal from the farm. It was an incredible and very, very special experience!

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after the day to track my sleep, alcohol, exercise, and sugar. Haha it seems weird, but it’s good to keep on top of it, and I love looking back on my old journals—I’ve been keeping them since about 2004 and they are like little time capsules.

As an avid surfer, can you share your favorite post-surf meal (or go-to food grabs)?

Do you incorporate any meditation/mindfulness, and/or spiritual practice into your daily life?

Haha this is a bit of a classic, but I love a roast chicken roll with tomato and pasta salad. It may sound a bit weird, but I promise it is a cracker and definitely a summer favourite of mine after a surf!

Not actively, but I find that my meditation comes in the form of exercise. Being out on a run, being in the ocean, focusing totally on a big gym session—that is my form of meditation. I do a nightly journal where I write down my thoughts

Being immersed in the ocean world as a marine biologist and surfer, what can you tell us about best practices for responsibly sourcing seafood—often choppy waters to navigate for most consumers!

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Yes, it is always a bit tricky, but I think the most important thing is to buy local. In Australia, look for the signs/tags at the fishmonger that will clearly have “Australian Product” or “Australian Caught”.

What is your all-time favorite Aussie meal that you learned to cook from Mum? She is going to die if she reads this (and she is definitely going to!), but it’s a bit of a classic and really simple fare: curried kidneys. Nothing flashy there, and it’s certainly throwing together simple and sometimes under-utilized ingredients in offal (lambs kidneys are amazing). It’s spiced out with some classic Keens curry powder and served on toast for a filling breakfast. It may seem wild, but I bloody love it. It reminds me of home and simple food, and it has that nostalgia that I think we all sometimes crave. The best meals

aren't always the most expensive or the fanciest, but they’re the ones shared with the best people in familiar settings—we tend to love those the most.

What would you recommend as “must visit” culinary spots in Australia?

Now this is a very hard question! We are a very lucky country when it comes to food, but topline I will give it a crack!

Restaurant: Bennelong is inside the Sydney Opera House.

It’s fancier fare and amazing food—try the yabbie pikelets!

Farm-to-Table: I always love Three Blue Ducks at The Farm Byron Bay—it’s a classic must-visit when in the Northern Rivers. Dazza and the team make amazing food utilising local, regional ingredients and “the Farm” experience is great for kids and adults alike.

Vineyards: My two favourites, and maybe it is because they are both good friends and amazing wine makers, but I would say Usher Tinkler (Hunter Valley, NSW) and Bub

and Pooley/Pooley Wines (Coal River Valley, TAS)—both have amazing cellar door experiences. Usher Tinkler is set inside an old church and does the most amazing wine and salami tasting, and Pooley cellar door has an incredibly European feel to it with amazing pizzas out of the woodfired oven.

Farms: One of my best-ever farm stays was at Waterloo Station. They have a variety of accommodation types for differing group sizes, and the property is amazing! There are lots of fun things to do on the property and around the area. In fact, when I was there, we went sapphiring and I found some sapphires in the local creek!

I have a heap of other travel inspiration and restaurant suggestions over on my website!

ymore info: www.tasteofaustraliawithhaydenquinn.com.au www.haydenquinn.com.au

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From Passion to Profession: The Atmospheric

Evolution of Professional Photographer, Tobias Hägg

Interview by Ty Johnson |Introduction by Ainsley Schoppel Based in the outskirts of Stockholm, Sweden, Tobias Hägg is a world-renowned photographer and videographer known for his powerful and atmospheric landscape photography that captures beautiful details and stunning patterns. Also known as Airpixels, Tobias travels to the farthest corners of our planet to preserve timeless moments from unique perspectives. He is extremely passionate about landscapes, adventure, and the great outdoors, and has produced, directed, and featured in commercial content all around the world. He is also an ambassador and visionary for Polarpro—an elite and innovative camera company.

Hägg’s work has been published and exhibited globally, and has been featured in prestigious publications including National Geographic, BBC, Condé Nast, The Telegraph, and the Daily Mail. He is also one of fourteen photographers named in Masters of Drone Photography, and has served as a judge for the Skypixel awards—one of the biggest photography competitions in the world.

For Tobias, nature is the most powerful and beautiful subject matter on Earth. Through his unique lens, Hägg works to showcase the environment and his hopes for a better future for our planet. Face the Current connected with Tobias to discuss his top travel highlights, how he turned his passion into a career, and some steps we can all take to preserve the beauty and symmetry of the natural world around us.

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Your photography and videography capture the beauty of natural landscapes in an extraordinary way. When did you discover your passion for visual arts, and can you describe the process of turning your love into a career?

Thank you for your kind words. I’ve always been drawn to the beauty of the natural world and have had an appreciation for visual arts since I was young. However, it wasn’t until my teenage years that I picked up my first camera and discovered my passion for photography. As I started taking more and more photos, I found myself constantly seeking out new ideas and exploring different techniques to capture their beauty. I also began experimenting with videography, using it as a way to further showcase the breathtaking landscapes I was capturing. Over time, my passion for visual arts grew into a career. I started by sharing my work on social media which led to opportunities to work with brands and organizations who appreciated my unique style and vision. I also honed my skills through workshops, networking, and collaborating with other creatives in the industry. Turning my passion into a career hasn’t been easy, and it’s taken a lot of hard work, dedication, and perseverance.

However, I am grateful every day to be able to do what I love and to share the beauty of the natural world with others through my photography and videography.

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You travel to the furthest corners of the world in search of timeless moments and unique perspectives. Are there any specific moments which stand out in your mind as most memorable?

Yes, I have been fortunate enough to travel to some of the most remote and beautiful corners of the world in search of unforgettable moments to capture through my lens. Every trip has its own charm but two trips that stand out in my mind as particularly memorable are my travels to Greenland and Namibia. In Greenland, I had the opportunity to explore some of the most stunning and untouched landscapes on Earth.

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I remember witnessing a massive glacier caving into the ocean. The sheer size and power of the icebergs that form and the sounds of the ice crashing into the water is something that I will never forget. Another highlight of my trip to Greenland was when I had the chance to spend some days on an island with a local family of Uummannaq. I was welcomed and accepted into their family home and it was just amazing to experience how they live and ask all the questions of how it is to live in such a remote place of the world.

Coming there for a small amount of time versus spending your whole life out here is completely different and it was a great experience just hearing both sides of it—the good and the bad.

In Namibia, I was struck by the raw beauty of the desert and the incredible wildlife that call it home.

One of the most memorable moments of my trip out here was when I witnessed a cloud inversion coming over the desert, and being in a helicopter at the time just showcased everything so much better. Overall, both of these trips were incredibly memorable and reinforced my passion for exploring the far corners of our world.

What have you learned from the symmetry and patterns of nature that can be carried over into a productive/positive outlook on life?

One of the key lessons that I have learned from the symmetry and patterns of nature is the importance of balance. Just as the natural world is made up of delicate ecosystems that rely on a balance of different elements, our own lives require a balance between work and play, rest and activity, and other important aspects of our daily routines. By striving for balance in our lives, we can reduce stress, increase happiness, and achieve greater productivity and success.

Nature is full of symmetry and patterns that have fascinated and inspired artists and scientists for centuries. As a photographer and videographer who spends a lot of time in nature, I have come to appreciate the beauty and significance of these natural patterns, and have found that they offer valuable insights that can be carried over into a positive and productive outlook on life.

One of the key lessons that I have learned from the symmetry and patterns of nature is the importance of balance. Just as the natural world is made up of delicate ecosystems that rely on a balance of different elements, our own lives require a balance between work and play, rest

and activity, and other important aspects of our daily routines. By striving for balance in our lives, we can reduce stress, increase happiness, and achieve greater productivity and success.

Another lesson that can be learned from the symmetry and patterns of nature is the value of resilience. Just as natural ecosystems are able to withstand and recover from external forces such as storms or wildfires, we too can learn to be resilient in the face of challenges and adversity. By adapting to change and maintaining a positive attitude, we can overcome obstacles and achieve our goals.

Just as every plant, animal, and element of the natural world is

connected and dependent on one another, so are we as human beings connected to one another and to the world around us. By recognizing and honoring these connections, we can build stronger relationships, foster a sense of community, and work towards a more sustainable and harmonious future.

You are one of fourteen Masters of Drone Photography, and are an honored judge in the Skypixel awards (the biggest drone awards in the world).

How does it feel to share your expertise with similarly passionate individuals, and what is your favorite part of being an honorary judge? www.ecofarmfinder.com

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Just as every plant, animal, and element of the natural world is connected and dependent on one another, so are we as human beings connected to one another and to the world around us. By recognizing and honoring these connections, we can build stronger relationships, foster a sense of community, and work towards a more sustainable and harmonious future.

It is truly an honor to be recognized as one of the fourteen Masters of Drone Photography and to serve as an honorary judge for the Skypixel awards. As someone who is passionate about both photography and videography, I take great pride in being able to share my expertise and knowledge with similarly passionate individuals from around the world.

One of my favorite parts of being an honorary judge is the opportunity

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to see the incredible creativity and ingenuity of the other drone photographers and videographers.

The entries submitted to the Skypixel awards are truly amazing, and it is inspiring to see how others are pushing the boundaries of what is possible with drone technology.

As a judge, I also appreciate the responsibility of helping to recognize and reward excellence in the field of drone photography and videography.

Being able to provide constructive

feedback and recognition to other talented artists and creators is incredibly rewarding, and it is a privilege to be able to play a role in shaping the future of this exciting and rapidly-evolving field.

As someone with a heart for the environment and a desire for a brighter future, how do you envision collective action shaping a future for all?

As someone who deeply cares about the environment and the future of our planet, I believe that collective action is essential for creating a brighter and more sustainable future for all. In order to address the urgent environmental challenges facing our world, we need to work together and harness the power of collective action to bring about meaningful change. One of the key ways that collective action can shape a better future is by promoting awareness and education around environmental issues. By raising awareness and educating people about the importance of sustainability and conservation, we can inspire more people to take action and make positive changes in their daily lives.

What are actions that are approachable for anyone/ everyone to take towards the preservation of our natural world?

As someone who deeply cares about the environment and the future of our planet, I believe that collective action is essential for creating a brighter and more sustainable future for all. In order to address the urgent environmental challenges facing our world, we need to work together and harness the power of collective action to bring about meaningful change.

A few examples would be: 1. Reduce your carbon footprint.

2. Educate yourself and others.

3. Support sustainable businesses.

4. Conserve water.

If you could share one piece of advice based upon your life experiences, what would it be?

It would be to embrace your passions and follow your heart. Pursuing what you are truly passionate about, whether it be a career, a hobby, or a personal goal, it can bring immense joy, fulfillment, and purpose to your life.

Life is too short to settle for anything less than your best and most authentic self.

ymore info: www.airpixelsmedia.com IG: @airpixels www.ecofarmfinder.com

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Saunas, Sentos, Banyas, and Hammams: The Origins and Science Behind Heat Therapy

By Ty Johnson Commonplace amongst both Western and Eastern medicine practitioners, heat therapy is a major component of the sauna experience.

Despite totally different perspectives of the human body, experts from all around the globe recognize the unique and powerful ability of heat treatments. High temperatures signal your body to increase blood flow, thus speeding the healing process. Saunas, sentos, banyas, and hammams all utilize heat therapy in

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different cultures around the world.

Some of the many forms of heat treatment include steam rooms, steam baths, and hot rocks or towels.

For example, hot rocks or towels are great if you want to pinpoint the treatment of an injury and apply more of your body’s healing focus to that region. The warmth will soothe and relax your muscles, and help to relieve any tightness or tension that is present.

While the Finnish sauna experience may be the most similar to that of the Western sauna experiences, the practice and use of saunas is common globally, and standards and traditions built around the sauna experience differ between countries. Japan, Russia, Finland, Iceland, and Turkey each possess their own unique behaviors regarding the use of saunas and heat treatment in their cultures.

Let’s take a closer look!

Japanese Onsen and Sento Usually called onsen or sento, hot baths are extremely common in Japan. Baths serve multiple purposes including healing, cleansing, and socializing. Onsen use natural hot springs to create bathing houses. Sento, scattered throughout the streets of Japan, are public bathing houses that do not use spring water. The tradition of public bathing goes all the way back to the Heian Dynasty (794-1185). Although the tradition is old, modern sentos offer state-of-the-art healing practices including electrical pulse baths.

Russian Banya The Russian banya has been an integral part of the culture for centuries. A traditional banya is a Russian sauna or steam room, although some more closely resemble a bath house. Sauna rocks on a wood stove heat the room, and soft tree branches, or venik, are used to clean the body during the sauna experience. There is often an individual working the banya who will assist in the practice.

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Finnish Sauna The sauna culture in Finland is by far the most popular sauna culture in the world. Heat therapy is a crucial element of daily life in Finland, and saunas have been around for thousands of years. Resembling modern, contemporary saunas, Ancient Finnish saunas were made of wood with a stove known as a kiuas used to heat the space. Saunas are perfect for those seeking an escape from cold temperatures, and the climate of Finland has helped to solidify the importance of saunas in the country’s culture.

Icelandic Sauna Iceland has a strong outdoor culture including heat therapy provided by natural pools.Volcanic activity in the region naturally heats mineral-rich water pools across Iceland—a favorite tourist attraction. The world-famous Blue Lagoon is even popular with locals. Iceland saunas and spas are somewhat rare in North America, but they tend to mimic the natural settings of Iceland.

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Turkish Hammam A Turkish hammam, also referred to as a Turkish bath, is a Middle Eastern tradition. Considered a form of public bathing, cleansing, and relaxation, hammams have been around since the fifteenth century Ottomon Empire. The Roman style of public bathing merged with the Islamic style and resulted in the hammam. Traditionally, a Turkish hammam begins with a room to warm the body before the participant moves to another room to wash and cleanse. The final room is cooler to lower the temperature of the body.

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The scientific evidence and research supporting the use of saunas is incredible, and the historical and cultural relevance only deepens the experience. With your own sauna, you will experience healing cultural practices from all over the world in the comfort of your own home!

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Use code: FaceTheCurrent to save up to $600 with Sunlighten Saunas www.ecofarmfinder.com

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The Culinary Art of Heritage with Lauren May: Traditional Appalachia for a Modern-Day Kitchen

By Sasha Frate | Introduction by Ainsley Schoppel In a contemporary rarity, Lauren May’s regional family tree traces back two hundred years. That’s a long time to live, love, and grow in one spot, but for the May family, Central Appalachia has everything they have ever needed. Stretching from Eastern Tennessee to Northern Pennsylvania, Central Appalachia is one of the world’s best examples of intact, diverse forestry and well-connected freshwater systems. And, it provides a bevy of delightful seasonal ingredients anchored in generation-tested recipes.

With her familial roots and a BA in Business Administration, Lauren May is perfectly poised with her company, Must Love Herbs, to share everything she knows and loves about the region she calls home.

Using her website and popular social platforms, May shares Appalachian heritage, folkways, gardening tips, foraging adventures, and recipes. By connecting daily with native plants and her own tea and vegetable gardens, May creates stunning recipes that are as beautiful to look at as they are delicious to eat. Face the Current was thrilled to chat with Lauren about her unique heritage, seasonal recipe inspiration and food styling, the ways in which we can connect more with our food, and why slowing down in life is the way to go.

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Appalachia is a very culturally rich area: we have our own dialect, music, art, and way of cooking. Our mountains are very protective in many ways—they have protected us from a lot of outside influence.

We have bluegrass music, soup beans and cornbread, folk art of many varieties, and an unmistakable dialect.

We’re also a rich storytelling culture.

Growing up and living connected to an area that is rooted by one’s family for over two hundred years seems less common these days. And, with so much movement and fast-paced living, it’s also rare to find people maintaining a “true heritage”.

What has kept you rooted in the area your whole life?

I think a lot of this has to do with how I was raised. Our family has always been very connected. My grandparents were actively involved in all aspects of my life, and I lived next door to them growing up. We took care of my great grandmother in the years before she passed. We traveled a lot when I was a child—I was never sheltered! I got to see the world, but it truly never had that sweet feeling of home.

I also believe that the longer your family resides somewhere, the more drawn to that area you may become.

To know that my great great great grandmother Melvina saved her wages to buy the plot of land that my family still lives on makes me very protective of that land. She was a pioneer in a time when women didn’t just go out and buy land on their own—that’s something to be proud of.

How would you describe Appalachia, and what does “true heritage” of this area mean to you?

Appalachia is a very culturally rich area: we have our own dialect, music, art, and way of cooking. Our mountains are very protective in many ways—they have protected us from a lot of outside influence over the years. Before we had the highways systems we have now, roads in and out of Appalachia were rough to travel—even going to the next biggest city was a day’s trip. Now, the largest city is a two and a half hour

drive away—still a good distance, but manageable.

All of this is to say that we have such a rich heritage because it is very much our own. We have bluegrass music, soup beans and cornbread, folk art of many varieties, and an unmistakable dialect. We’re also a rich storytelling culture. Each family has their own stories passed down from generation to generation. One of my family's stories is a ghost story called “Pricey Dale”. There is a crack in the hill across from where my great grandmother's house stood, and the children of the family were told about Pricey and how she dwelled in that crack. But even when sharing a memory, it is often embellished and exaggerated in a glorious way to entertain those around you. It really brings about a connection and passes the time nicely while rocking on a quiet front porch watching the garden grow. www.ecofarmfinder.com

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You mention that you grew up in gardens, and today you create a sense of wonder with your own.

It sounds dreamy! You hold such joy and regard for the plants you love, and it can be seen in your food and presentations. It makes food and gardening feel magical!

While “BigDaddy” (maternal grandfather) has been a source of inspiration for your gardening, what has inspired your incredible recipe curations and food styling?

The wonder I felt as a child is really my source of creativity. I feel like as adults we are just trying to bring that sense of awe back into our life and the lives of others. I had a wonderful childhood, filled with barefoot runs through the garden. Hiking and foraging in the hills with my German Shepard “Sissy” is something my heart holds onto, too.

That golden glow that would shine through the trees, the smell of the rich Appalachian dirt, the crunch of leaves underfoot—they are all layers of magic!

That’s something I try to convey with my work. To me, Appalachia is and always has been magic. I want people to feel that.

Your garden herb focaccias and cakes are like magical garden scenes in themselves! How do these “scenes” change with the seasons?

Each bake is made with what I have blooming in the garden at that time. This makes each bake unique as each year I grow different things to accompany my tried and true favorites. I often let what is in the garden tell me what it is I will bake. Do I have an abundance of anise hyssop? Well, that sounds like a delicious cake! Is nettle in abundance? I think that sounds like a great pasta ingredient! For me, it’s all about using what you have to its fullest potential.

Can you share one or two of your favorite recipes that you consider to be representative of Appalachia?

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Appalachian Stack Cake Cake with Cooked Apple & Bourbon Sauce Ingredients: • 5 cups all purpose flour • 1 cup dark brown sugar • 3/4 cup molasses • 2 large eggs • 1 cup buttermilk (full fat) • 2-3 cups apple butter • 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger (dried), 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) Preparation: ● Preheat oven to 350°.

Prepare your baking pans by greasing with butter (or Crisco) and lining the bottoms with parchment paper. (6” pans divided into 7 layers/pans, 8” pans divided into 5 layers/pans, 9” pans divided into 4 layers/pans.) ● In a large bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Sift together.

Set aside. ● To your stand mixer bowl, add the butter, sugar, and molasses.

Cream together until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time.

Mix until fully incorporated. ● With your mixer set to low, start to add the dry ingredients (flour mixture) slowly. Alternate between the dry ingredients and the buttermilk until both are fully incorporated. ● Turn off your mixer and equally divide batter into prepared pans. Bake for approximately 2030 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (The cake will also pull away from the edges of the pan.) ● Remove cakes from the oven and cool in pans for 30 minutes.

Remove from pans and allow to cool an additional 30 minutes on a wire rack. While cakes cool, start on the Apple & Bourbon Sauce.

Apples & Bourbon Sauce: 4-5 cups dried apples 2 cups dark brown sugar 1 1/2 cups water 3 tbsp butter 1/3 cup bourbon ● Add the apples, brown sugar, water, and bourbon to a heavybottomed, high-sided pan. Stir to evenly coat apples. ● Cook on medium-low for 20 minutes, covered. Stir as needed.

Apples should become soft and pliable. ● Add the butter and cook on low for an additional 1015 minutes uncovered. Stirring frequently. Sauce should thicken to a consistency similar to a syrup. ● Remove from heat and allow

to cool.

Once cakes have cooled, begin building your cake. ● Place a spoonful of apple butter on the middle of the cake plate. Place your first cake layer down on top of it. ● Add a thin, even layer of apple butter on top of the cake and then a thin layer of apples. (Try to reserve as much apple “sauce” as you can to pour over the finished cake.) ● Repeat by adding another layer on top of the cake, apple butter, apples. Do this until desired cake height is achieved. ● Finish the top of the cake by adding a layer of apple butter, a heaping pile of apples, and the sauce from the pan. Enjoy! www.ecofarmfinder.com

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Jumbo Buttermilk Biscuits Ingredients: • 4 cups self rising flour • 1 tsp salt • 12 tbsp butter • 2 cups whole buttermilk + a splash more if needed!

Preparation: ● Preheat oven to 425°. Add all the dry ingredients together. keep the butter in the fridge for as long as possible, then grate 12 tablespoons into the mixture.

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● Once blended, add the buttermilk and mix together. (If you find it’s too crumbly, just add a splash more buttermilk. It should be a sticky dough.) ● Flour a surface and turn the dough out of the bowl onto the floured spot. Thoroughly flour your rolling pin and the top of the dough. ● Fold the dough over itself several times, flouring the top of the dough between each fold. Roll the dough out to approximately 1 inch thickness.

● Cutout biscuits with a round cutter (or any shape you’d like).

If you don’t have a biscuit cutter, you can use a knife and cut square biscuits. (Make sure the dough is cold. If you think it got too warm, you can put it in the freezer for a bit once you’ve cut them out.) ● Put them in a greased cast iron pan or baking dish, making sure they are closely arranged.

Bake them for 12 minutes or until the biscuits have some browning on the top. Enjoy!

When you don’t have the time to garden, bake, or make your own, then utilize your local farmers, grocers, and bakeries! You can get lovely, big heirloom tomatoes and make a galette with pie crust from your grocer! You could get a plain cake from your local bakery and decorate it with edible flowers you grew in pots on your balcony! Adding these simple touches can make life feel more magical without all the time spent in the kitchen!

Homemade “from scratch” foods can be more timeinvolved, but the payoff is huge in so many ways. Not all foods have to be elaborate, but it looks like you’re always going the extra mile! Do you have any tips or tricks for making homemade garden and farmto-table cooking “efficient” and approachable for the more “fast-paced” lifestyles/work-life schedules?

This one is hard to answer. I am such an advocate for a slower paced

lifestyle. I see baking as therapy, so for me, the longer I spend baking, the more soothing it is. It’s a time when I can slow down and keep my mind on one simple task—it’s when I feel the most like myself. However, I realize that’s not how everyone feels. Baking can actually be an anxiety-inducing endeavor for many. When you don’t have the time to garden, bake, or make your own, then utilize your local farmers, grocers, and bakeries!

You can get lovely, big heirloom tomatoes and make a galette with pie crust from your grocer! You could get

a plain cake from your local bakery and decorate it with edible flowers you grew in pots on your balcony!

Adding these simple touches can make life feel more magical without all the time spent in the kitchen!

Speaking of time, Michael Pollan has said, “Time is the missing ingredient in our recipes-and in our lives.” How has adding the connection (and time) to growing your own food (and knowing your grower for other sourcing) enriched it further for you? www.ecofarmfinder.com

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Having a strong connection with your food and where it comes from gives you a greater appreciation for it. Knowing all the hours I put into growing that squash makes the casserole that much more special. It’s not only nourishing your body, but also your mind.

You’ve also spoken about how valuable it is for you to “slow down” and you’ve even said, “In a world that feels heavy, the biggest self-care you can grant yourself is the ability to slow down. Slow down and enjoy what is dear to you. For me, it is my loved ones, my sacred space (my home), and my garden.” Does this speak to the concepts of “slow living” and “slow food”?

And do you think there can be

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a shift from the prestige of busy equating to “successful” in life, towards “balanced slow living” equating to “successful”?

I have a strong hope that this is the direction we are moving in. The pandemic was awful, but I think it gave us an appreciation for slowing down. We were all halted from our regular routine and were forced to pause. I’ve seen so many people say that they just can’t go back to living the way they did before. To me, being able to afford a slow and simple life is the ultimate success; to live life for yourself and your family on your own terms. Everyone has different ideals though, and I am just proud of those that are striving for whatever it is they truly feel is success!

Can you share some of your favorite ingredient swaps from traditional recipes,and any unique additions you like to incorporate into treats or snacks for added health perks?

Many recipes that you see in local church cookbooks call for canola oil. That’s one ingredient that I have gotten away from more recently. I still use it, but less so. I have been going way back to the original Appalachian roots and using locally made butter and milk. I get locally sourced eggs, too! These ingredients really make baked goods rich while having the benefits of using “less” refined and traveled ingredients. Now, I also love using coconut oil as a replacement in baked goods or even walnut oil!

Everything is a balance.

You’ve made some really fun and festive seasonal food crafts, and some are edible and others are not-for-consumption (like Christmas ornaments)! What is one of your all-time favorites that you’ve made, and can you share a sneak peek or “teaser” of any you’re planning for the coming holidays?

Oh, I’m making something very special for a magazine! It’s a themed gingerbread house that I’ve not seen anyone do yet! That’s something I can’t divulge too much about yet though, but stay tuned! This year I am planning on foraging and making my own wreaths and garlands from locally foraged winter flora, and I’m excited about how they will turn out! I’m also planning to make a winter dairy cottage from foraged forest finds!

ymore info: www.mustloveherbs.com IG: @mustloveherbs www.ecofarmfinder.com

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Where Romance Meets Rustic: Farm Venues

Reign Supreme in the World of Modern Weddings

By Ainsley Schoppel Farms, ranches, and vineyards are utilitarian—each building, vehicle, machine, gravel driveway, tool, crop, and weathervane serves a purpose. Whether it’s for livestock or crop cultivation, farms are agricultural operations that keep the planet fed. Though farming and ranching is labour-intensive and practical, it can also be very beautiful.

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Remember to check with local craft breweries, vineyards, and distilleries if you’re looking to bring a local feel to your cocktail hour and bar!

And it seems that more and more engaged couples think so, too.

The past decade has seen a trending shift in the style of weddings. Simpler, more casual wedding ceremonies and receptions are taking the place of formal affairs, and more couples are seeking the rustic warmth of farm, ranch, and vineyard weddings.

And, since rural wedding sites offer ceremony locations and barns or tents for receptions, the entire wedding day can be spent overlooking rows of grapes, rolling fields, idyllic ponds, and grazing livestock.

Last year set a record in the U.S as 2.6 million couples exchanged their vows and said, “I do.” In a fifty-fourbillion-dollar-a-year industry in the U.S, and five billion dollars in Canada, the average wedding in 2023 costs $29,000. A survey of 12,000 couples married last year showed that fiftyseven percent chose a wedding

location within thirty miles of their home. And, for the first time, farms and barns tied with banquet halls as the top reception location. Ecofriendly and sustainable wedding-day elements have also seen a rise in popularity, with twenty-seven percent of couples making it a priority on their day. Twenty-five percent of couples also incorporated locally sourced items including flowers, food, and wedding favours.

Seventy-seven percent of couples get married in the summer and fall—gorgeous farming seasons that showcase blooming growth and colourful harvests. Thanks to the seasonality of farming, barn weddings offer the perfect array of natural backdrops for photographers and videographers to capture treasured memories.

Since December is the most popular month for engagements, with most lasting around a year, it’s no surprise

that October tops the list for wedding months. This year, three out of the top five most popular wedding days will occur in October, with farms and barns remaining the most popular locale. For winery weddings in California, it is always important to consider the seasons in Napa and Sonoma counties! If you’re looking for lush, sunny vineyards with a low chance of rain, choose a wedding date in May through October. The cooler months are October through April, so if you’re looking for a winter or spring wedding, opt for an indoor location or a tent with heaters.

With the rise in popularity of rural nuptials, nearly eighty percent of couples reported that their 2023 ceremony and venue will be held at the same location—perfect for farms, ranches, and vineyards. Additionally, www.ecofarmfinder.com

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Because couples love wedding dates with matching numbers, this year’s most popular wedding date was September twenty-third. If you’re in the market for a 2024 farm or winery wedding, keep in mind that August twenty-fourth will be popular!

about twenty percent of couples this year opted for a destination wedding—considered any locale outside a couple’s hometown— and only half were international locations. With the trending preference for barn weddings, it even seems that more couples are willing to travel the extra mile for the farm of their dreams.

With relaxed vibes and peaceful settings, many couples also prefer more casual attire for their guests at a farm, ranch, or vineyard. With men in dress pants and buttoned shirts, and women in summer dresses and sandals, farm weddings mean comfort for all. And this, of course, means comfort food, too. Farm and ranch weddings are the perfect spot to dig into some macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, and barbeque dishes, and with abundant local produce, fresh greens and healthy sides are sure to brighten up any barn buffet.

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When it comes to décor, the casual atmosphere of farm and winery weddings is a welcome backdrop for wildflowers, extra greenery, and more free-flowing bouquets and centerpieces. Some couples incorporate lanterns, dried wheat, pampas grass, succulents, and tin and wooden accents.You can also match your musical preferences to the venue, choosing country, indie, or classical music to highlight the farm or winery’s charming feel during your ceremony and reception.

Farms, ranches, and vineyards offer so many beautiful and natural benefits to couples and their guests, but they also help farmers to supplement their agricultural income. After land payments, equipment purchases, seasonal worker payroll, and management and production of crop yields, many farm families quite often need to seek out additional

revenue streams. The most common alternative options are seasonal agritourism, hunting leases, local markets, and weddings.

In Canada, a recent British Columbia ruling by the agriculture ministry lets farmers supplement their incomes by hosting tours, festivals, and weddings on Agricultural Land Reserve land—if they are “small-scale”. This means that farms must be classified as such, run by a farmer, and have their own parking. Events must not interfere with any farming activities, and no new permanent facilities are allowed to be built. No more than one hundred and fifty people can attend any one event, and farms can host up to ten events per year. Similar rulings have been made in regions across North America to preserve the natural landscape, meet the agricultural needs of the people, and satisfy the demands of the event industry.

Thank guests for coming to your farm or ranch wedding with homemade preserves, honey, soap, candles, or seed packets!

In fact, the Utah Farm Bureau (UTB) thinks that the rising popularity of barn weddings in the state can help raise awareness of everything that farmers and ranchers do. Matt Hargreaves, the communications director of the UTB says, “Farmers are looking for additional ways to share their farms with others. It can help the bottom line, but it also helps to build understanding with those who don’t farm. Understanding helps our industry.” An all-day event like a wedding offers guests the opportunity to have a closer look at a working farm and helps the public to overcome any agricultural stereotypes. Farm guests can readily learn about water conservation efforts, outstanding animal care, and the complexity of growing healthy crops.

So, if you’re looking for somewhere rustic, relaxed, and rural to say, “I do”, don’t hesitate—book a farm, ranch, or vineyard wedding near you. Take a drive down a long dirt road, surround yourself with family and friends, and let your future begin on the farm. www.ecofarmfinder.com

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Ancient Egypt’s Queen Bee:

Neith Weaves the Fabric of Our Reality

By Patricia Awyan Lehman

Bees are significant symbols of wisdom, fertility, and the sacred feminine. The geometric design of their honeycomb reflects the fabric of the universe, just like the dress or “veil” of the ancient Egyptian goddess, Neith. Images of Neith in

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a dress show a beehive pattern— the foundation of the sacred interconnected geometric symbol, Flower of Life. Also spelled Nit, Net, or Neit, she is the first and prime creator of the universe and great mother of the sun. Emerging from

pre-dynastic times, Neith’s temple in the Nile Delta at Sais was called “The House of the Bee”, and it was said that she wove the world into being on her loom. All vibrating patterns of life and breath are fractally connected to the finely woven fabric of her womb.

Later determined to be a goddess of war and hunting, Neith’s symbol consists of two crossed arrows over a shield. Arrows are ancient symbols of rays or bursts of light emerging from stars or suns. It is from these arrows of light that incredible sacred geometric patterns that give birth to our conscious awareness are formed throughout the heavens. Neith’s arrows have a profound significance because the

crossing of any two lines creates a portal between two opposing fields of energy. French Egyptologist Schwaller de Lubicz introduced a concept that he called “the principle of the crossing”. According to Robert Lawlor’s foreward in Schwaller de Lubicz’s book, The Temple in Man, “This crossing was not a sterile, mental, numerical manipulation, but a symbol for the process by which things enter into corporeal existence.

All birth into nature requires a crossing of opposites. It can be a crossing of vertical and horizontal lines which give birth to the square, the first measurable surface; or male and female giving birth to a new individual; or warp and weft creating a fabric; or light and darkness giving birth to tangible forms; or matter and spirit giving birth to life itself.”

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Honeybees orient to the Earth’s magnetic field. They contain magnetite—ferromagnetic crystals— in the front of their abdomens that enable them to detect magnetic fields. It also helps them to regulate their internal clocks and to guide them as they build combs within the hive. It has been suggested that the queen bee harnesses the magnetic field to promote a harmonic and unified communal effort to create and maintain her domain and its inhabitants. Much like a queen bee, Neith is the “Queen of the Heavens”—she provides a safe haven for seeds of consciousness to be birthed into the rhythmic dance of life.

The Eye of Horus (a symbol representing protection, health, and restoration) can visualize and experience the splendor of universal oneness that is often described by those who have worked with plant medicines and/or have had neardeath or astral experiences. It is a moment of complete unity with the Source, and awakening from such an experience will ultimately transform the participant forever. Those that earn the sharp eye of the hawk also gain its incredible powers of vision,

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and the ability to feel. When this happens, they can navigate currents to create an environment of resonant and harmonic balance, much like the worker bees who can feel their queen’s breath of love and light waves.

Relating to her function as a spinner and weaver of destiny, Neith was also associated with spiders. In this sense, she can be equated with the Babylonian, Ishtar, and the Greek goddess, Arachne, later known as Minerva by the Romans. The Hopi and Navajo portrayed the

Spider Grandmother in this role as a creative force of nature. In the Hopi creation myth, Spider Grandmother KokyAngwuti imagines the world into existence through the conscious weaving of her webs.

“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” — Chief Seattle, 1854

Proclus (412–485 AD), a Greek Neoplatonist philosopher, wrote that the innermost sanctum of the temple of Neith—her cult center in Sais of which nothing now remains—carried the following inscription: “I am the things that are, that will be, and that have been. No one has ever laid open

the garment by which I am concealed.

The fruit which I brought forth was the sun.” Neith weaves the ultimate fractal and holographic pattern of all life as an incredible exhalation and inhalation of a breath of divine light. It can’t be any other way. Time is the illusion. How we experience it

is always of our own choosing, and the cycles will play themselves out despite those choices. Learn how to navigate the currents of Neith’s hive, and you can achieve harmonic and resonant bliss in any given moment.

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What’s the Buzz About Apiculture?

Going Bee-Hind the Hive with Nature’s Hardest Workers

By Ainsley Schoppel Warm days of spring and summer shine with blooming flowers, full trees, chattering birds, chirping insects, and most importantly, buzzing bees. Without bees, eighty percent of all flowering plants wouldn’t be pollinated, and many ecosystems wouldn’t have enough food and variety to sustain a diverse array of wildlife. And since one in three bites of food is thanks to the pollination of bees, that means humans, too.

While bees naturally make their hives in rock crevices, hollow trees, and other cavities above and below ground, their populations need some outside help to sustain the amount of pollination required to feed the planet. And the delicious side-effect of pollinating bee colonies is nature’s natural sweetener, honey.

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Generations of cultures have been practicing beekeeping, or apiculture, for centuries. From the Latin word “apis” meaning “bee”, apiculture is quite literally the culturing, management, and care of honeybees, specifically for the purposes of production and collection of honey and wax.

Apiculture provides farmers and hobbyists with a variety of other bee products, crop pollination services, and the opportunity to sell bees to other beekeepers. The honeybee itself has played an important role in the development of human traditions, society, and agriculture.

From prehistoric cave drawings depicting honey gatherers in Asia, Europe, Australia, and Africa, we now know that civilizations relied on the honeybee for crop pollination and honey production. In fact, the earliest record of honey gathering is a 15,000-year-old painting in the Cave of the Spider near Valencia, Spain. This painting shows a woman on a cliffside gathering honey from a bee’s nest using a rope ladder.

Other similar paintings show people gathering wild honey, often from nests in high cavities including trees and rock cliffs.

Today, beekeeping is big business.

Bees are commercially bred in apiaries—an area in which a lot of beehives can be placed. Usually this means apiaries are established in pastures with a multitude of flowering plants. The most prolific beehive design is the Langstroth hive which is made up of wooden boxes and individual wooden frames that can be easily removed to harvest wax and honey. This type of hive can also be inspected to ensure the colony is happy and healthy, and it can be moved to other locations with relative ease.

Because the U.S is home to massive fruit, nut, and berry farms, migratory beekeeping and its

It’s common practice for hives to be moved throughout a growing season so that the bees can forage for nectar from the highest yielding flowers.

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pollination services are apiculture’s most profitable branches. Over the course of a region’s main growing season, hundreds of thousands of hives are transported to large agricultural centers via transport trucks. Since the U.S is home to so many large-scale monoculture operations, it’s impossible to keep up with native pollinating insects alone. Each February, over 800,000 acres of Californian almond groves are pollinated by honeybees, which is necessary since California is responsible for producing eighty percent of the world’s almonds.

This means that about half of the

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total honeybee population in the U.S—more than a million colonies of honeybees—is brought to Californian almond fields! Thanks to these bees, the U.S produces about 2.3 billion dollars in almond crops, yielding an average of 1.5 billion pounds of nuts per year. This particular crop is entirely dependent on honeybee pollination, so remember that next time you have some almond milk or chocolate covered almonds!

Other major seasons for commercial beekeepers include the pollination of the alfalfa crop in the mid-west, berries in the north-east, and the

citrus market in Florida. The U.S is also the world’s second-largest apple producer, producing 2.7 billion dollars each year. For apples, pollination is the most critical event in their yearly production cycle, necessary to transition apple flowers into fruit. The pollen produced on one apple tree must be transferred to the flower of another tree, and while many insects are pollinators, including wasps, butterflies, flies, and beetles, ninetyseven percent of apple blossom pollinators are bees! Without them, most of the flowers would die without a chance to produce an apple.

Founded in 1958 as a small family operation, Billy Bee has grown to become Canada’s largest honey business. As the world’s sixth largest honey producer, Canada collects honey from July to August, and thanks to long, warm summer days and a vast supply of nectar-producing forage crops, Canada yields twice the world’s average per hive.

When it comes to avocados, the U.S is the world’s largest market, with California producing about ninety percent of the nation’s crop.

Even though avocados are a partially self-pollinating crop, a report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service has indicated that honeybees are responsible for ninety percent of an average avocado crop. Blueberries follow this trend, with ninety-five percent of blueberry plant pollination occurring thanks to honeybees— pretty impressive for a 593-milliondollar business.

For many of today’s beekeepers,

pollination contracts with large agricultural operations serve as a major source of income, with the resulting honey as a secondary product. In Canada, thanks to massive farmlands in the central provinces, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba produce eighty percent of Canada’s honey crop. Most exported Canadian honey goes to Japan and the U.S, and if the demand necessitates, Canada imports the most honey from New Zealand and Brazil.

package bees—a few pounds of worker bees and a mated queen.

These imported bees rapidly replace over-winter queen and hive losses to ensure beekeeping operations can operate at full capacity during the warm months. Most imported queen bees come from California and Hawaii, although Italy, New Zealand, Australia, and Chile have all been certified safe as well. Package bees, however, only come from Australia, New Zealand, and Chile.

To supplement domestic supplies of bees each spring, Canadian beekeepers import queen bees and

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secondary product: beeswax.

Beeswax is used in many industries, including cosmetics, polishing, and pharmaceuticals. It is also a coating for cheese, a food additive, and an ingredient in candles. Honeybee venom can also be commoditized as it contains a mixture of proteins that can potentially be used as a prophylactic to combat HIV in humans. While some farms primarily produce honey or are sustained by bee contracts, other produce or flower farms opt to have their own apiary to pollinate crops. In doing so, they harvest and sell the honey, wax, and other hive-products as a source of secondary income.

Even though these natural workers truly never stop, they always have time for visitors! Many honey farms offer seasonal bee agritourism, where guests can get up-close and personal with the hives. As a visitor, you can sample and buy local products, including terroir honey, artisanal honey vinegars, mead varietals, raw and creamed honey, soaps, royal jelly, candles, and bee pollen. Some communities, like Simcoe County in Ontario, Canada, have created honey trails—a winding exploration of community producers, markets, gift shops, and even resorts, that showcase the proliferation of the region’s sweetest treat. One of these Simcoe County communities is Beeton—a small hamlet named after the “Bee King'' of Canada, D.A. Jones. Jones established a thriving honey business in 1880 and produced 70,000 pounds of honey from four hundred colonies that year. He became the first commercial honey producer in Canada, and his legacy lives on in the county’s continued connection to apiculture.

It's no secret that bees are critical to the health of environmental ecosystems and to the agriculture industry. However, since the second half of the twentieth century,

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Ask your local beekeeper and you may be able to find beekeeping 101 workshops or community-funded opportunities to plant a pollinator garden bed at your home or place of business.

agricultural bee pollinators have faced mounting threats from ecological disturbance and panglobal transmission of pathogens and parasites. Concurrently, to meet global food demand, the number of pollinator-dependent crops is increasing. Unfortunately, a widespread bacterial disease called American foulbrood is destroying entire colonies of bees.

But thanks to three FDA approved antibiotics, apiaries are beginning to get this devastating honeybee disease under control. Even still, because of vanishing environmental supports, prolific use of herbicides and pesticides, and the emergence

of harmful hive diseases, scientists have estimated that one in six bee species is regionally extinct, and more than forty percent are vulnerable to extinction.

In fact, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is now something all apiarists are aware of and are working to prevent. Since the initial detection of CCD in 2006, honeybee keepers have been losing approximately thirty percent of their hives every year.

Although it’s not yet fully understood, CCD appears to be a destructive amalgamation of several drivers of collapse, including parasitic mites, increased viral levels, and pesticides.

CCD can be diagnosed if there is a

sudden loss of a colony’s worker bee population with very few dead bees found near the colony. When this happens, the queen and brood young remain, and the colony has abundant honey and pollen reserves. However, without the worker bees, the remaining colony members eventually die, and the bee colony collapses.

While this paints a picture of a bleak future for our bees, crops, and ecosystems, science is working hard to restore a healthful balance to our planet’s most important pollinators.

Researchers like Paul Stamets—an American mycologist and author of nine books on mushrooms—have discovered some natural solutions

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Consider planting maple, redbud, and black cherry trees— bees love them!

to bees’ biggest threats. Due to an increase in monocultured landscapes and a decrease in biodiversity, bees have lost access to many sources of nutrition that benefited them in the past. Because of this, the immune systems of bees seem to be too low to ward of CCD by themselves.

Stamets has found that extracts from mushroom mycelium—the vegetative or root structure of mushrooms— may prove to be a powerful support to bees as they face more environmental challenges. In 2015, researchers had honeybees drink an assortment of mushroom mycelium extracts. The results indicated that the extracts provided essential nutrition that had an immune benefit for the bees. When the colony was nutritionally supported, hive-health

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improved.

So, scientists and apiarists aside, what can the average person do to help bee colonies? Stamets has created a patent pending BeeMushroomed FeederTM; a delivery system for the mushroom mycelium extract. This easy-to-hang feeder will make the nutritive food easily available to bees in your yard and neighbourhood and will help to sustain their health in a natural way.You can also plant a bee garden with pollen and nectar-rich flowers in a range of shapes, colours, sizes, and bloom times. These can be in larger beds, flowerpots, window boxes, and even mixed into vegetable gardens. Look for native plants as often as possible since many bee species have evolved to feed on native flowers.

No matter what you plant in your home garden, avoid using pesticides and herbicides. If you must use a pesticide, choose a targeted organic product, and do your best to avoid applying it when flowers are blooming.You can also join a global movement to help collect data on bees, as regular people are now being recruited to participate in data-driven activities for scientific research. For instance, you can help to document the species found in your community by using an app like iNaturalist to upload photos of bees for scientists to identify and map.

And because bees get most of their nectar from tree blossoms, be sure to care for and plant trees in your yard and community. Trees are also an essential bee habitat as resin and

leaves provide nesting materials for the colonies, and wood cavities make superb shelters.

After all that foraging for nectar, pollinating, and honey-making, bees work up quite a thirst! Help them find a drink by filling a shallow bird bath or bowl with clean water and arrange pebbles and small stones inside so that they break the surface tension. Bees will land on the rocks to take a refreshing drink! And since many bees, including bumblebees, live in nests underground, consider leaving a bare, mulch-free, welldrained, sunny, and protected section of your yard for bees to create and access any underground nests. Bees also live in hollow plant stems, so wait until the spring to cut back dead flower stalks, leaving stems

eight to twenty-four inches high to provide overwintering homes for cavity-nesting bees. Teachers and community groups can even access free resources including guides, lessons, and activities to help the next generation become bee stewards and learn about the importance of nature and bee preservation.

Finally, because local beekeepers work hard to nurture their bees and support local farmers’ crops, the easiest way to show your appreciation is to buy locally! Find a honey farm near you and explore the honey varieties, beeswax items, soaps, lotions, and other apiary products right outside your door. And since local honey is made from local flora, eating it may help with any seasonal allergies that come knocking in the

spring and fall—even more reason to find your friendly neighbourhood beekeeper!

While the microscopic work of pollination is something we can’t easily see, every full orchard and farmer’s field should serve as an obvious reminder that bees are working hard for our benefit every day. And even if we can’t have our own backyard apiary, we can all do our part to use our yards, garden beds, and flowerpots to help support local bee populations. Just like bees in a hive, we can work together to make a big difference with our small actions. We might not have any honey to show for our efforts, but knowing we’re helping to ensure a bountiful planet for generations to come sure is sweet. www.ecofarmfinder.com

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Finding Family and Food: Nourishment in Nature The Grizzly Forager Way

By Sasha Frate | Introduction by Ainsley Schoppel John, a photographer and trainer, and Christina, a clinical psychologist, moved to rural Northumberland, England shortly before starting their family. With baby Arthur in tow, they began a new life together that connected them to the natural world around their new home, and to the bounty of food and adventures right outside their door.

As firm believers in the necessity of a hands-on connection to nature, John and Christina are confident foragers who seek to teach their own children about the health benefits and magical fun that foraging can provide. A fun and valuable pastime, foraging has strong ties to regional folklore, traditions, and sustainable living practices.

It also teaches children about lifecycles, seasons, and how much fun it is to be out in the wild.

When John and Christina realized that the general public was often hesitant and fearful around the topic of foraging, they created The Grizzly Forager—a free educational resource website for new and experienced foragers. The site provides safety information, identification tools, and even some delicious recipes sure to inspire many family-friendly meals. Now with a massive following on their social channels, John and Christina have even co-written a practical book for foragers, and have also released Foraging Threads—a family clothing line highlighting fun, quirky, and colourful designs.

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John took a moment out of the forest to speak with Face the Current about all things foraging, including the “golden rules”, robust identification practices, delectable foraged dishes, the benefits of the foraging lifestyle, and some of Arthur’s most prized forest finds.

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Passion is lifted from the earth itself by the muddy hands of the young; it travels along grass-stained sleeves to the heart. If we are going to save environmentalism and the environment, we must also save an endangered indicatorspecies: the child in nature.

—Richard Louv

Foraging and wildcrafting are not common practices. How did your family get into this, and what led you to teach these practices to your children at such a young age?

My wife, Christina, and I have always liked the outdoors, and shortly after university, we converted an old van into a motorhome to travel around the Highlands of Scotland and other parts of the UK over weekends and for summer breaks. Both of us had limited knowledge of foraging, having only gathered blackberries and raspberries with our parents and grandparents when we were children, but we started to dabble whilst on the road and visiting the forests and woodlands of the UK, gathering chanterelles, bilberries, elderflower, and raspberries.

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When Arthur was born, we had just moved to rural Northumberland and knew we wanted him to have a nature-inspired upbringing, spending a lot of time outdoors in the forest.

Foraging was really just a natural extension of this. He'd join us on our berry-picking forays in a baby sling from day one, and by around eighteen months old, it gave us so much joy watching him toddling around gobbling the bilberries straight from the bushes! His purple fingers and mouth and happy face were all we needed to see to know he loved it!

When Arthur was three, the simultaneous arrival of both COVID-19 and Sybbie (little sister) meant that Arthur and I suddenly had a lot more time on our hands.

Lockdown of course led to many people developing new or deepening existing hobbies and skills, and for me, it was certainly a time when my foraging knowledge grew. Arthur was unable to attend nursery, so to give

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my wife and Sybbie some one-on-one bonding time together, I decided to take him out into the forest with me every day— that was when foraging really became a great shared passion between the two of us.

You made a major move from life-in-the-city to a very remote hamlet “in the middle of nowhere to give Arthur a childhood like no other, surrounded by nature, the forest, and the wild moorlands of Whitelee Moor Nature Reserve and Northumberland National Park”. What were some of the challenges with making this move, and what have been some surprising benefits as your lifestyle shifted with the new environment out of the city?

When we found out we were having Arthur, we were living in the city and knew we wanted to move somewhere more rural at some

point, probably around school age, but we had no intention of moving quite yet.

However, me being me, I got excited and started looking at estate agents’ websites, just to idly be able to imagine what our future home might be like. As luck would have it, I spotted a lovely house for sale, and when we saw that it was not far from one of our favourite camping spots in the forested uplands of the Cheviot Hills, we knew we had to book a viewing—still believing it to just be idle dreamery. But we fell in love with the house and location instantly and knew, even before leaving the viewing, that we needed to buy it. As we drove onto the drive for the first time, I believe the exact words were “Oh no, we’re going to have to put an offer in, aren’t we?” We moved in three weeks before Arthur was born and it was a completely new chapter for the three of us!

Stepping out into the garden in the morning with a coffee in hand to watch the mist roll-in over the hills and lake and down into the forest is nothing short of magical.

The air is different; the smell of moss, pine needles, and mycelium fills your lungs with every breath; the calls of owls and cuckoos echo through the trees, and the star-filled night sky never fails to take our breath away. We wanted a nature-inspired lifestyle for the kids, and stepping out of your front door directly into the forest certainly achieves that. The most notable benefit, I have found, is one of wellbeing.

Living so remotely certainly has its challenges—you can’t just nip out to the shop if you’ve forgotten milk, so you have to be a bit more organised and prepared. Going to work involves quite a long commute, so days start early and end late—not good if you are not a morning person!

As the kids grow, we do find ourselves driving them around a lot to social events or activities, and as they get older, I imagine we may feel like it would be nice if they could be less dependent on us for transport.

Both Christina and I remember freely going to friends’ houses on our bikes from a fairly young age, but that is definitely not possible from here.

Being so high above sea level, the local area can also be affected quite badly by ice and snow, and once or twice we have found ourselves completely snowed-in and isolated

from available amenities for a number of days at a time. We also had to make do with terrible satellite internet for the first five years of living here, which made working from home quite difficult and watching Netflix impossible (shock horror!), and we quite often experience power cuts! In 2021, when a powerful storm called Arwen hit the UK, we were without water, central heating, or power for twelve days in the middle of winter! Thank goodness for the woodburner.

I’m often asked, given all these challenges, if moving back to (or at least a little closer to) the city would be better for us, and our response is always a resounding, “No!” There are challenges, yes, but absolutely nothing can beat living and raising children in a place like this. Stepping out into the garden in the morning with a coffee

in hand to watch the mist roll-in over the hills and lake and down into the forest is nothing short of magical.

The air is different; the smell of moss, pine needles, and mycelium fills your lungs with every breath; the calls of owls and cuckoos echo through the trees, and the star-filled night sky never fails to take our breath away.

We wanted a nature-inspired lifestyle for the kids, and stepping out of your front door directly into the forest certainly achieves that. The most notable benefit, I have found, is one of wellbeing. At the end of a work day, you can leave behind the hustle and noise of the city and return home to a place of tranquility and beauty.

Stresses melt away as the forest envelops you, and you can more readily tap into the joy and happiness that exists from just being in the present moment there, watching the kids play around the trees. www.ecofarmfinder.com

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The Grizzly Forager is a site that’s all about foraging with kids, but might you say that the art of foraging is in a way an experience that makes even the adult feel like a kid again—like a scavenger hunt adventure in nature?

Absolutely, yes! The thrill of the hunt and the pure excitement of finding that elusive plant or mushroom is such an amazing experience, no matter how old you are! I have also found that foraging with kids brings out the inner child in me, and in those moments where fun, rather than foraging, is being had (such as mid-foray tree climbing, wild swimming, or rolling down grassy meadow hills), one cannot help but join in! Spending time with kids is a wonderful mental tonic for an adult, and we can learn so much from them when we choose to be in the present

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moment with them.

Your son Arthur has somewhat become the face and spokesperson for The Grizzly Forager, sharing educational and fun information on foraging experiences. It is so heartfelt and precious to see him educating on mushroom and plant parts and how to assess whether something is edible!

What inspired you to lead the mission and messaging with your children as the voice (and face)?

This sort of happened organically. My passion is photography, and a primary function of The Grizzly Forager has always been to document our foraging adventures in the forest with beautiful pictures that inspire other parents to do the same. Being behind the camera meant that I never featured in the shots, and so people became accustomed to just seeing

Arthur and Sybbie, rather than me.

The more recent videos happened in the same way—Arthur was recording a video message for one of his foraging friends, Ester, telling her all about what he’d found in the forest that day. After we’d recorded it, he asked if he could record another one for The Grizzly Forager followers, and it sort of escalated from there!

I think the recent success of The Grizzly Forager on social media has been down to this, though. What better way to demonstrate how accessible and fun foraging can be for the whole family than to let a child tell you? The videos are quite unique and seem to appeal to a very wide audience: parents, grandparents, people in the education sector, foragers, and many others! I think having Arthur and Sybbie narrate and explain our finds gives people confidence. The main identification

Spending time with kids is a wonderful mental tonic for an adult, and we can learn so much from them when we choose to be in the present moment with them.

points are explained in a very easyto-understand format by a child (and clarified or expanded upon where required by me in captions and comments), which helps them to be inspired, for themselves and their children. I also think it feels very wholesome and nostalgic to see a little boy and girl engaging so enthusiastically with nature on social media, which may be a warm and pleasant counterpoint to some of the other content that seems to be prevalent on the web.

mum, so we call it pfifferling soup), and watching him wolf it down and ask for seconds is always a highlight of the summer months!

What are Arthur’s favorite things to forage (and why)?

Arthur has always been a thoughtful and inquisitive little boy, and when he finds something interesting, he will go all in with his love of it. This makes identifying new finds, or learning about a particular genus of plant or mushroom very exciting for him (and for me!). He also loves foraging for non-edible things and has quite an extensive collection of abandoned

Arthur’s favourite things vary and change throughout the seasons, but one constant favourite of his is mushrooms, particularly chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius). He absolutely loves chanterelle soup (we have some German heritage through Arthur’s

As with most kids, sweet summer berries are also a great favourite with both Arthur and Sybbie, and we often set out to collect a basketful to make a warming crumble with custard.

But in truth, more often than not we end up with most of the berries being eaten en route and not enough coming home!

nests, pine cones, fossils, and animal bones, including quite a few skulls.

Foraging feeds your body, your intellect, and your soul.The benefits are numerous! Can you share some examples of the benefits you’ve experienced firsthand?

Foraging has so many wonderful benefits that it’s so hard to choose which has had the most impact for me, and for us as a family. It is good for our physical and mental wellbeing, for our learning and development, for our feelings of connection; the list goes on and on! If I have to choose, the most significant benefit for me has been for my mental wellbeing, which I would define as my general satisfaction with life, or my overall happiness. Foraging encourages me to connect with my family like never before—we spend so much quality www.ecofarmfinder.com

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time together, building relationships and bonds through a shared outdoor passion. It also encourages me to be a little bit healthier; to feel rewarded from learning and developing my skills and knowledge; to be kinder to myself, to others, and the natural world around me; and to be present and in the moment with my family, with no distractions or external pressures.

I generally associate the benefits of foraging with time; time spent in the forest, time spent with my family, time to learn new things, time to play like a child, freezing time in photographs, and appreciating time by being in the moment. Time is one of those things that, if we’re lucky enough to be able to look back on our life from a deathbed, we would undoubtedly wish for more of, but foraging is teaching me to appreciate the time that I’ve had and the time that I’ve got, and how to spend that time being happy. This is what makes foraging magical on so many levels for me. I hope that’s not too philosophical!

What does foraging stewardship mean to you?

Foraging encourages me to connect with my family like never before—we spend so much quality time together, building relationships and bonds through a shared outdoor passion. It also encourages me to be a little bit healthier; to feel rewarded from learning and developing my skills and knowledge; to be kinder to myself, to others, and the natural world around me; and to be present and in the moment with my family, with no distractions or external pressures.

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To me, Foraging Stewardship primarily means foraging responsibly and sustainably. The act of entering green spaces and removing wild food for personal consumption carries with it a great responsibility. If we don’t respect and care for the places where we forage, the land and the other forest inhabitants that also rely on the foods we take will consequently suffer. This requires us to follow a set of rules, which I commonly refer to as “The Forager’s Code” (see below). As a father, I also see Foraging Stewardship as a responsibility to the art of foraging itself. So, passing my knowledge and skills on to my children and others—either in person or via The Grizzly Forager—is also a way of ensuring the continuity of the Stewardship.

The Forager’s Code 1. Respect Nature Respecting the natural world has to be at the forefront of a forager's mind.

Just as you care about where your shop-bought food comes from, as a collector of nature's harvest, you must also respect and care for the place that your wild food comes from. This is vital if you or your children wish to return here in the years to come and find it unchanged, still beautiful, and remaining productive and fruitful.You must leave no trace of your visit and never do anything that will endanger the forest or its inhabitants, like start uncontrolled fires; drop litter or plastics; deliberately destroy habitats; or disturb nests, warrens, or dens.

2. Collect From Plentiful Sources As nature lovers, we really want plant and mushroom populations to thrive, which is why it's really important to only harvest from plentiful sources of wild edibles. If there is an abundance of a particular species, then go ahead and fill your basket, but if there are only one or two small specimens, it's best to leave them be and let them do their thing. This allows them to establish a better foothold in the area and increase the population, providing you with more diversity in the years to come.

3. Leave Plenty Behind A whole host of creatures depend on plants and mushrooms, including the delicious edible varieties that we favour. Birds, squirrels, mice, insects, caterpillars, butterflies, bees, and moths—to name just a few—rely on the abundance that nature provides, so it's really important that we don't completely decimate an area of wild food. It's also easy to forget that the parts that we like to eat serve an essential purpose to the plant, as well—from leaves providing energy from the sun; flowers attracting pollinators; and berries, seeds, and

Foraging Stewardship primarily means foraging responsibly and sustainably. The act of entering green spaces and removing wild food for personal consumption carries with it a great responsibility. If we don’t respect and care for the places where we forage, the land and the other forest inhabitants that also rely on the foods we take will consequently suffer. This requires us to follow a set of rules, which I commonly refer to as ‘The Forager’s Code’. www.ecofarmfinder.com

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mushroom fruiting bodies creating new populations the following season.

When we over-harvest, we interfere with important life cycles. We therefore have to only take what we need and leave plenty behind for the wildlife (and other foragers!).

4. Don’t Harvest Rare Species Some edible plant and mushroom species are very uncommon and only appear in certain locations at certain times of the year. A prime example in the UK is the lion's mane fungus, Hericium erinaceus. This species is extremely rare in the UK and is listed on the Red Data List of Threatened British Fungi. As such, it should never be collected. Other types of plants and mushrooms, although not on the endangered Red Data list, may still be rare, so it's vital that we always have a good field guide to aid our identifications.

5. Minimise Damage As already mentioned, we must not undertake any activities that may harm the beautiful natural environment and delicate ecosystems that exist in our green spaces. This includes littering; intentional or reckless damage of trees, plants, or mushrooms; or disturbing nesting birds or other wildlife. A common issue with foraging is trampling.

Often in our eagerness to get to a harvesting location, we trample the ground around a plant or mushroom.

This may damage the underground mycelium networks or root systems and prevent it from fruiting or flowering the following season.

Sticking to paths is the best course of action, but if we do go "off-road", we should always take care where we are walking so as not to cause damage when we find something of interest.

Being a green ninja is key—we should always leave no trace of our visit, and always respect the green spaces we love.

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Do you have any advice on how people who haven’t experienced foraging could get started with this stewardship (and safety) in mind?

nettles, working your way up as your skills and confidence grow. It’s better to think of it as a progressive learning journey, rather than something you study first, then do afterwards!

Foraging is seen as an activity that requires pre-existing expert knowledge, and this can often be seen as a barrier for the average person.

But in reality, this isn’t the case at all.

Whilst there are a lot of foragers and mushroom hunters we may see online with an almost encyclopeadic knowledge of wild foods, that certainly isn’t a prerequisite for getting outside and starting to forage things for supper. The key is to understand and follow some basic key safety rules to keep yourself (and your children) safe, and with these in place, learn as you go along, starting with very simple and safe foods, such as blackberries, dandelions, and

Many people are already foragers but just don’t realise it! If you’ve successfully foraged for blackberries, apples, or elderflowers, then you’ve already started a foraging journey.

And provided you follow the golden rules of foraging and a robust identification process (see below), you can quite quickly develop familiarity and confidence with a whole host of wild foods.

Giving people a place to start was one of the reasons I started The Grizzly Forager website. It contains lots of preliminary information about foraging safely and responsibly and its child-friendly nature means

that the vast majority of the wild food finds featured on the site are safe introductions to the world of foraging, even if you don’t intend to do it with kids. I’d also recommend buying a few good books and field guides that are relevant to your geographical location, joining Facebook groups to help you learn more from a friendly community (I help to run FORAGE:UK), and maybe attending a few foraging walks with an experienced forager/ teacher. Using plant and mushroom identification apps can be helpful as part of an identification strategy, but one should never rely solely on an app for an ID, as they can quite often make mistakes. To be safe, it is best to always double and triple-check any suggestions the app gives you against good field guides, books, and/or reputable foraging websites. www.ecofarmfinder.com

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Golden Rules of Foraging: 1. Never eat, or let your kids eat, something that you cannot identify with one-hundred percent certainty.

Use robust ID methods. If there is any doubt at all, do not eat it. If you are contemplating eating a yellow mushroom because you think it’s a chanterelle, then don’t. Wait until you know it’s a chanterelle!

2. Be responsible for your own and your children’s safety at all times. Never take unnecessary risks with wild food, supervise your children and manage their behaviour.

3. Be actively aware of your surroundings at all times. Understand the dangers in your area, including wildlife and geographical dangers such as roads, rivers, and ravines.

4. Know what to do in an emergency. If something goes wrong, always ensure you have a plan of action and you are able to contact emergency services. Always make sure someone knows where you are at all times and has a means of contacting you.

Robust Identification:

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Sources—Always use multiple reputable sources for verifying a find, such as field guides, books, reputable websites, other foragers, and apps. Never rely on just one source.

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Features—Look at all the key identifying features of your find and compare them to those listed in your sources. If there are differences or discrepancies or doubts, then you cannot be one hundred percent certain.

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Lifecycle—Try to look at finds at all stages of growth and compare these to your sources.

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Be Patient—Remember that young specimens may not have all the key identifying features, such as flowers or seeds.You may need to return to your find later in the season to properly verify it.

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Aside from being a food source, what are some of Arthur’s favorite activities to make/do with foraged items?

Arthur enjoys lots of nature-inspired activities, some of which we do whilst on forays into the woods alongside foraging. He particularly loves making mushroom ink for drawing and painting from shaggy inkcaps (Coprinus comatus), making crowns or wands for Sybbie out of willow and wildflowers, or finding just the right piece of wood for a staff, sword, or even bow and arrow.

Arthur has always been an animal enthusiast and so the highlights of any trip to the forest for him is always to find evidence of animals. Spotting a snake or a toad, or catching a glimpse of a fish or a bird of prey is the greatest thrill! But he also

loves finding and identifying (and sometimes collecting!) animal bones, eggshells, feathers, and footprints. A trip into nature rarely ends without pocketfuls of interestingly shaped or attractively coloured rocks, bits of bark and sticks, and occasionally fossils and shells from the beaches— things that many kids like doing! The Grizzly Forager ethos is all about getting kids outside and into nature, and although it’s predominantly about foraging, I think it’s important to include other fun outdoor activities to keep kids entertained and enthralled with nature.

You claim to not have chef backgrounds, but your recipes are incredible and have a very gourmet look to the meals you create! I think there’s something about those special ingredients

and added touches that can really create a professional feel, and it is an enriching and beautiful experience to have with our food. What are some of the family’s favorite recipes that feel gourmet and extra special to you?

We are certainly not chefs! Although, I do think my wife and I can at least cook to some degree! One of the things I have noticed about cooking with wild food is that it makes the whole process feel a bit more special.

A sense that because “effort” has gone into sourcing, cleaning, and preparing the ingredients—often as a family—it makes the eating of it somehow “better” in some way! It’s quite a lovely feeling, to know you (and nature!) played a big hand in sourcing and creating it. www.ecofarmfinder.com

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There are a few recipes that feel very gourmet to us. A firm family favourite is pickled wild mushrooms in olive oil, which often surprises a lot of people as one doesn’t tend to think of mushrooms as something to pickle.

It is an italian-inspired antipasti dish that we’ll often serve as a starter or as a snack on crusty bread for wintery nights in, watching movies by the fire.

Another wonderful pickle is wild garlic (Allium ursinum) buds in a sweet pickle brine, which is just devastatingly moreish. Just be sure not to kiss anyone for a few days after!

We also love making sweet, infused fruit vinegars from wild berries, which is fantastic drizzled over a salad or fresh mozzarella cheese. I think a lot of the time it’s the simplest dishes with only a few, well-balanced components that really allow the

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foraged ingredients to shine!

When it comes to gourmet though, nothing is fancier than using those sought-after mushrooms that are well known around the world for being very special, like ceps (Boletus edulis), chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius), the prince (Agaricus augustus), and maitake (Griffola frondosa). Adding these to any dish just elevates it above anything you can buy from a supermarket. My particular favourite is a simple pie made from wonderful wild mushrooms like these. Pies are a very wholesome thing to make— simple, hearty, and often showstopping, too, if you take the time to decorate them with the kids!

You offer a lot of great resources such as “golden rules”, types of equipment, safety rules, and even a foraging calendar (because understanding where

to forage is as important as when). Can you explain a bit on what “The Countryside Code” entails?

The Countryside Code is a government-backed initiative aimed at visitors to the UK’s National Parks, waterways, coasts, and countryside. It was created in the 1950s and details various ways that visitors can protect these areas and the people that live and work there.

The code focuses on three key areas: Respect Everyone, Protect the Environment, and Enjoy The Outdoors. It also suggests numerous ways that visitors can ensure the continuing beauty and accessibility of the UK’s green spaces, including closing gates on agricultural land, sticking to paths, not starting uncontrolled fires, leaving no trace of a visit, and controlling pets when around livestock.

One of my favorite captions is on a video post you shared of a spider crawling up your daughter’s arm. She then calls the spider “marvelous”—an uncommon response from a kiddo-spider interaction.You go on to say, “When you embrace foraging you become something more than just a visiting hunter-gatherer to the forest. You become part of the forest itself, experiencing oneness with the other inhabitants in seeing how each organism there is dependent on the actions of others. You are exploring, appreciating, and sharing nature's bounty with the rest of the forest’s inhabitants, not as an outsider, but as a part of nature itself.

All of the residents of the forest, from the mighty oak to the tiny spider deserve our attention and consideration, our kindness, and our love, because as Sybbie so innocently puts it, they are marvelous!”

Fostering this type of connection and interconnectedness with nature is priceless! What is your ultimate goal with The Grizzly Forager as a source of inspiration?

I started The Grizzly Forager because I kept getting asked about how I was going about the task of teaching Arthur, and later Sybbie, how to forage safely. I think seeing kids with mushrooms and other wild foods has a strange, conflicting impact on people. On the one hand, I believe they think it’s really wonderful and inspiring and something they would love to do, but on the other, they see a lot of risk, particularly with mushrooms, which are traditionally viewed with distrust by western societies. It was fairly evident from the start that there was an appetite for the wholesome act of getting out into nature with their little ones, but www.ecofarmfinder.com

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there was also a major “risk” barrier in place that also needed to be addressed if people were to actually go out and do it!

As a father, forager, a photographer, a risk and safety management professional, and a trainer, I felt that I had a pretty unique set of weird and wonderful skills to be able to get this message across. I had the kids, the foraging knowledge, the ability to inspire with beautiful photographs, and the skills to properly risk-assess situations and educate others at the same time—a bit of a perfect storm!

First and foremost, The Grizzly Forager’s main goal is to be a source of inspiration for parents. Foraging with Arthur and Sybbie has been one of the most amazing, life-enriching things I have ever done, with almost limitless opportunities to learn, develop, have fun, and just generally create family-centric happiness. I want other parents to experience that, and know that they absolutely do not have to be experts to do so safely!

As time has progressed, other goals have also naturally developed, such as the importance of raising natureinspired kids as future stewards and custodians of our green spaces, advocating safe and responsible foraging practices, and combating ingrained societal mycophobia through education about these amazing organisms. More and more though, I have become aware that it’s bigger than all of that; it’s about changing the way we see our relationship with nature and the natural world.

I’ve too often come across kids (and even adults!) who have never seen blackberries or bilberries, have difficulty knowing the difference between an acorn and a pine cone, and who have never seen frogspawn, let alone held or kissed a frog! For many, fruit is something you buy in plastic punnets from supermarkets, and animals are something you admire on TV or keep as a pet. And a

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We humans seem to have lost our connection, our relationship, with nature and the world that gave rise to us.

But when you’re out there, in the woods, in the hedgerows, on the hills, immersed within nature, your position changes.

When the food you gather is shared with the bird and the wood mouse, and the bench you eat it on is a tussock of moss, teeming with life, you become one with the wider system. You are no longer apart from, but a part of the whole. This awareness and the appreciation for our position within the natural world is a gift that allows children to grow into adults who recognise their responsibility, not on a head but rather a heart level, who want to protect out of love.

spider is a pest, a nuisance, and more often than not something creepy to be scared of when it invades your home. We humans seem to have lost our connection, our relationship, with nature and the world that gave rise to us.

But when you’re out there, in the woods, in the hedgerows, on the hills, immersed within nature, your position changes. When the food you gather is shared with the bird and the wood mouse, and the bench you eat it on is a tussock of moss, teeming with life, you become one with the wider

system.You are no longer apart from, but a part of the whole. This awareness and the appreciation for our position within the natural world is a gift that allows children to grow into adults who recognise their responsibility, not on a head but rather a heart level, who want to protect out of love.

Nature has the power to enrich the lives of us all, but especially children, who will approach Her with an open mind and heart. It can calm, soothe, and excite all at the same time, make children see how small and yet how amazing they are, and be a place

where they can be free to be whoever they are while connected to a much greater whole. But it can only do this if children are out there and allowed to explore and to open their eyes to all Her wonders. And if The Grizzly Forager can inspire just one family to explore further, to connect with nature more deeply, then Arthur, Sybbie, and I have achieved what we set out to do.

ymore info: www.thegrizzlyforager.co.uk IG: @thegrizzlyforager FB: @thegrizzlyforager www.ecofarmfinder.com

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magazine

Have You Herd? Grazing Goats are the Green Way to Go in Land Management

By Ainsley Schoppel

Unless you live on a property that is completely hardscaped or managed by an outside maintenance company, land management chores are most definitely on your to-do list! For some regions with limited or no

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snowfall, this means cutting the grass and tending to bushes, trees, and garden plants year-round. Not only can this be labour-intensive, but it can also be expensive, damaging to the environment, and time-consuming.

A growing trend in the landscaping sphere is expanding sustainable and more environmentally friendly options for home and business owners to explore—and that’s where a herd of hungry goats comes in.

While grazing, goats provide a source of manure fertilizer which they work into the soil with their hooves.

Grazing also improves soil health by incorporating carbon and other nutrients from decomposing plant-life back into the land, creating more fertile soil and helping to reduce water runoff and erosion.

Because of the contents in the goats’ digestive system, goats’ natural fertilizer can also act as an herbicide that will help to prevent the spread of weeds.

With hungry goats around, you can say goodbye to seasonal fertilizer schedules and chemical weedkillers.

Despite the common myth, goats are not garbage disposals—they are grazing animals that prefer dense weeds and brush-filled landscapes, and they will also eat grass if it’s on the menu. Using a herd of goats as part of a weed and brush management practice offers several benefits that traditional landscaping simply cannot.

While grazing, goats provide a source of manure fertilizer which they work into the soil with their hooves.

Grazing also improves soil health by incorporating carbon and other nutrients from decomposing plantlife back into the land, creating more fertile soil and helping to reduce water runoff and erosion. Because of the contents in the goats’ digestive

system, goats’ natural fertilizer can also act as an herbicide that will help to prevent the spread of weeds.

With hungry goats around, you can say goodbye to seasonal fertilizer schedules and chemical weedkillers.

Goats are also excellent at accessing difficult terrain that landscaping machinery cannot safely tackle. These nimble munchers cause minimal disruption to the topsoil, but they do pack it down slightly—this is especially great for banks and sloped ground where access is challenging and erosion is more likely. Goats can even help remove invasive plant species that are difficult for humans to access but necessary to eliminate.

Another fantastic ecological benefit

of goats is their ability to boost biodiversity. Grazing goats can increase the biodiversity of an area upwards of 40% since their manure adds nutrients to the soil that is attractive to insects and other animals. While they graze on one food source, goats will trample other surrounding plants, making it difficult for any one plant species to propagate to the point of landscape dominance.

And, with a growing concern around the increase in large-scale wildfires, goat grazing can help to deposit moisture-dense organic matter into the soil and reduce the amount of flammable vegetation in fields and forested areas. In doing so, goats can help to cut down grass and www.ecofarmfinder.com

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brush fires that often fuel larger, catastrophic blazes. In fact, fivehundred goats in California’s Simi Valley helped firefighters protect the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in 2019 when a wildfire that burned over 1,800 acres descended upon the institution. Their big appetites helped to keep the fire within thirty yards of the building and protected priceless historic artifacts.

As if these environmental benefits weren’t enough, goat scaping is also a more cost-effective solution than traditional landscaping and excavation services. In most cases, goat scaping does not require post-landscaping

debris hauling.You also won’t need a crew of specialized workers—in fact, goats are often more efficient than their human counterparts, with sixty goats able to clear one acre of vegetation in just a few days. And with the current cost of fuel, goats offer a welcome reprieve from the pump! Traditional landscaping and excavating machinery requires fuel, maintenance, and charging time, but a good night’s sleep is all a herd needs to tackle their next land maintenance assignment!

The possibilities are endless when it comes to the implementation of goat grazing. Herds can help homeowners

with poison oak, erratic blackberry bushes, ivy, and otherwise overgrown properties. Goats are also perfect for sensitive areas such as wetlands and water retention ponds, including locations where city regulations require only green management solutions. If goats grazed at more local parks and schools, we’d be better assured that our children are playing on healthier, chemical-free playgrounds and fields. Commercial businesses can even benefit from grazing goats as a low-cost method to safely maintain swales and natural areas, while demonstrating to their surrounding community that they are actively contributing to a

The possibilities are endless when it comes to the implementation of goat grazing. Herds can help homeowners with poison oak, erratic blackberry bushes, ivy, and otherwise overgrown properties. Goats are also perfect for sensitive areas such as wetlands and water retention ponds, including locations where city regulations require only green management solutions. If goats grazed at more local parks and schools, we’d be better assured that our children are playing on healthier, chemical-free playgrounds and fields.

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greener world. And by partnering with local farms and ranchers—or by purchasing the services of a goat rental company—local businesses can work together to strengthen community bonds.

Even with these impressive environmental, financial, and private sector benefits, grazing goats are simply an entertaining, relaxing, and educational experience to behold! In the U.S, goats are often only seen on farms or in petting zoos, so observing a herd in your neighbourhood or at your local business park is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the animals and the benefits of grazing. Local businesses can even use social media, press releases, and community events to advertise their use of goat scaping and to share other conservation projects they’ve undertaken or are bringing to the community in the future.

Goats are certainly adorable, but raising your own requires a lot of work and dedication. If you want to enjoy the company of goats without the daily chores, start a property maintenance schedule with grazing goats! To be sure you’re ready to begin and that the goats have a safe and healthy buffet, request a quote from your local farmer or goat owner and have them sweep your property for plants that could be poisonous to the goats before they get to work. If you don’t have a fence on your property, a temporary portable one will be provided by the goat owners, and then you’re ready to have grazing goats on your land!

So, the next time your landscaping chores start to pile up, give your weed trimmer and hedge clippers a rest, say “goodbye” to chemical herbicides, check your local listings for grazing goat rentals near you, and trade the drone of machinery for quiet, happy chewing!

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magazine

Food as Medicine

By Lisa Guy, Naturopath

The age-old adage “you are what you eat” holds more truth than most people realize. Food has a profound impact on our health and well-being, and its role as medicine cannot be overstated. Let’s explore the concept of “food as medicine”, and shed some light on what it

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means, how it can act both preventatively and curatively, and the crucial factors that determine its quality as a medicinal resource.

So, what does “food as medicine” mean?

’Food as medicine’ may be an emerging concept in the Western world, but it has existed for centuries as the cornerstone of health for many cultures around the globe. “Food as medicine” is a concept that underscores the idea that the foods we consume have the potential to influence our health in profound ways.

It goes beyond just providing energy and sustenance—it’s about using food strategically to prevent and even treat various health conditions.

“Food as medicine” may be an emerging concept in the Western world, but it has existed for centuries as the cornerstone of health for many cultures around the globe.

“Food as medicine” is a concept that underscores the idea that the foods we consume have the potential to influence our health in profound ways. It goes beyond just providing energy and sustenance— it's about using food strategically to prevent and even treat various health conditions. It emphasises the therapeutic potential of a wellbalanced and nutritionally-rich diet, and the importance of choosing good quality foods that are nourishing and beneficial for our physical and mental health. In essence, food becomes a powerful tool for promoting optimal health and well-being.

The quote, “Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food” is often attributed to Hippocrates,

the ancient Greek physician and “Father of Western Medicine.” This quote emphasizes the notion that the choices we make in the foods we consume can deeply influence our state of health. By making wise dietary choices, we can prevent illness and support our body's natural healing processes. It has become a timeless and influential aphorism that continues to inspire individuals and healthcare professionals to prioritize healthy eating as a means of preventing and treating various health conditions.

chronic diseases including diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases; and increased longevity (1, 2).

FOOD AS A PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE:

Antioxidants help protect the body's cells from oxidative stress and damage caused by harmful free radicals. By neutralizing these free radicals, antioxidants contribute to overall health and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and aging-related conditions.

Healthcare providers worldwide widely recognise the significant impact that a well-balanced, nutritious diet has on an individual's health.

Access to proper nutrition is associated with strengthened immune systems; improved cardiovascular and cognitive health; reduced risk of

A diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, good quality proteins and healthy fats provides essential nutrients that support the body's natural defence systems. These nutrients include vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals, which play a pivotal role in preventing chronic diseases and supporting optimal health and well-being.

Antioxidant-Rich Foods

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Antioxidants, particularly phytochemicals like flavonoids, carotenoids and polyphenols found in fruits, vegetables, and green tea, have been linked to a lower risk of certain types of cancer (3-5). Antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene have been found to help reduce the risk of heart disease by preventing the oxidation of LDL “bad” cholesterol, which is a key factor in the development of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).Vitamins C and E, along with compounds like beta-carotene, can also protect the skin from UV radiation and oxidative stress, helping to maintain healthy and youthfullooking skin.Vitamin C and zinc are essential for a well-functioning immune system; they help the body produce immune cells and enhance its ability to fight infections.

Further, antioxidants such as lutein

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and zeaxanthin are beneficial for eye health—they help protect the eyes from oxidative damage and reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

To maximize the benefits of antioxidants in your diet, aim for a diverse range of colourful fruits and vegetables, as different antioxidants are found in different foods. These naturally occurring compounds are found in many foods and beverages including berries, dark green leafy vegetables, beetroot, tomatoes, pomegranates, citrus fruits, kiwi, papaya, guava, mangoes, avocado, green tea, and black grapes.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods Certain foods can either trigger or dampen inflammation in the body.

Eating a wholesome diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods, spices, and herbs, and avoiding processed refined

foods is important for preventing inflammation, reducing the risk of chronic disease, and promoting longevity.

Chronic inflammation is at the root of many health problems, including heart disease, autoimmune disorders, type-2 diabetes, and depression.

Certain foods contain specific nutrients and phytochemicals, such as vitamin C, E, A, beta-carotene, quercetin, and omega-3 essential fatty acids, all of which have potent anti-inflammatory properties. Some of the top anti-inflammatory foods include avocados, extra virgin olive oil, chia and flax seeds, oily fish like salmon and sardines, green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, pineapple, berries, blackcurrants, kale, broccoli, anti-inflammatory herbal teas (licorice, rosehip, and chamomile), and turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon.

Anti-Cancer Foods Certain foods contain bioactive compounds such as glucosinolates, anthocyanins, curcumin, betaglucans, and lycopene. These have anti-cancerous properties, and incorporating these foods into your diet can be a proactive and preventative approach to reduce the risk of certain cancers and/or support cancer treatment by slowing the growth of cancer cells. Some of the top cancer-fighting foods include cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and kale), berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries), turmeric, garlic, green tea, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, certain medicinal mushrooms (shiitake, maitake), and citrus fruits.

Fibre-Rich Foods Fibre is a nutritional powerhouse when it comes to the concept of “food as medicine—it's an essential

component of a healthy diet with a wide range of health benefits.

Incorporating sufficient fibre into your daily meals will add bulk to your stool to alleviate constipation. Fibre binds to toxins and waste products in the digestive tract, helping to remove them from the body more efficiently.

Fibre is also important for reducing high cholesterol levels and lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease; it slows the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, preventing rapid spikes in blood sugar levels. This helps to stabilise blood sugar levels and improves insulin sensitivity, which is crucial for diabetes management and prevention. Eating fibre-rich foods is satisfying and can support weight loss goals by helping to control appetite and prevent overeating.

To reap the health benefits of fibre, aim to incorporate a variety of high-fibre foods into your diet to ensure you get a broad spectrum of nutrients and fibre types.

This includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and psyllium husks. It's recommended that adults consume between 25 to 30 grams of dietary fibre per day.

Prebiotic fibres are a type of dietary fibre that are non-digestible by the human body but serve as a source of nutrition for beneficial gut bacteria. These fibres are essentially food for probiotics, which are the beneficial bacteria that reside in our gastrointestinal tract. Prebiotic fibres help increase the population of beneficial gut bacteria while inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria. This balance supports a healthy gut microbiome, and a healthy gut microbiome plays a vital role in supporting gut health, immune function, and even mental health.

Prebiotics are found in fibre-rich foods such as green bananas, onions, garlic, soybeans, Jerusalem artichokes, ground flaxseeds, and whole grains like whole oats and barley.

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Foods to Enhance Mental Health The concept of “food as medicine” extends to mental health, as the food we eat can have a profound impact on our mood, cognition, and overall mental well-being. A well-balanced diet delivers vital brain-boosting nutrients that help regulate brain chemistry and reduce the risk of mood disorders. Specific amino acids such as tryptophan, tyrosine from protein sources, and vitamins and minerals (including omega-3 fats, B6, folate, B12, zinc, magnesium, and iron) received through a healthy diet are needed to produce neurotransmitters including serotonin and dopamine which regulate mood. Deficiencies in these neurotransmitters are associated with the development of depression, anxiety, and insomnia.

Chronic inflammation is associated with several mental health conditions, including depression.

Certain foods, such as those high in saturated fats and sugar, can promote inflammation in the body, while anti-inflammatory foods like fruits, vegetables, and omega3-rich fish can help reduce it.

Omega-3 fatty acids in particular, found in fatty fish, chia, flaxseeds, and walnuts, have been linked to improved mood and reduced risk of depression (6). These beneficial fats are essential for brain structure and function.

Emerging research has shown a strong connection between the gut and the brain, known as the gut-brain axis (7). A healthy gut microbiome, influenced by diet, can support mental health. Consuming a diet rich in fibre, probiotics, and prebiotics can promote a diverse and beneficial gut microbiota, which can have a positive impact on mood and mental well-being.

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FUNCTIONAL FOODS: Functional foods are a pivotal component of the “food as medicine” paradigm. These foods go beyond basic nutrition and offer specific health benefits when consumed as part of a balanced diet. Functional foods can either be whole or fortified foods and contain essential nutrients along with unique, protective compounds such as antioxidants, probiotics, prebiotics, and omega-3 essential fatty acids. A diet that includes plenty of functional foods is one of the best protectors against chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and stroke.

Examples of natural functional foods, often referred to as superfoods, include foods high in antioxidants such as purple berries, cruciferous veggies, spirulina, chlorella, medicinal mushrooms, fermented foods, green tea, turmeric, ginger, garlic, and bone broth. Medicinal mushrooms are a good example of a functional food and have been used for centuries in traditional medicine systems, particularly in Asia, for their healthpromoting properties. The most valuable and well-studied medicinal mushrooms include shiitake, reishi, cordyceps, turkey tail, maitake, lion’s mane, and chaga. These mushrooms have a myriad of health benefits including strengthening the immune system and promoting longevity. They have been found to enhance cognition and memory, increase stamina and energy, reduce inflammation, and promote adrenal and nervous system health. Many of these mushrooms also offer protection against cancer, type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

HEALING THROUGH SPECIFIC DIETS: Several specific diets align with the concept of “food is medicine” by focusing on using food as a means to promote good health and manage and prevent specific health conditions.

The Mediterranean diet has been associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease and certain cancers, due to its rich array of antioxidants, fibre, and healthy fats (8, 9). This diet is characterized by a high consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. It also includes moderate amounts of good quality protein, such as fish and poultry, and emphasizes the use of healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil.

The DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is designed to help lower high blood pressure and reduce the risk of hypertensionrelated health issues. The DASH diet may also contribute to the reduction of LDL cholesterol, a type of cholesterol associated with heart disease. High blood pressure and elevated LDL cholesterol levels represent two significant risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

Foods in the DASH diet are rich

in the minerals potassium, calcium, and magnesium. It encourages the consumption of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products while limiting sodium intake, sugar, and processed foods.

Plant-based diets, such as vegan and vegetarian diets, emphasize the consumption of plant foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds while avoiding or minimizing animal products. These diets have been linked to various health benefits, including lower cholesterol levels, improved heart health, and reduced risk of certain chronic diseases (10).

The Ketogenic diet is a lowcarbohydrate, high-fat diet that has been used to manage conditions like epilepsy and, more recently, cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease (11, 12).

It demonstrates how altering macronutrient ratios can affect the body's metabolism and provide therapeutic benefits.

The FODMAP diet (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols) is used to manage gastrointestinal conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

It involves the restriction of certain types of carbohydrates (FODMAPs)

Fortified functional foods are novel foods that have been formulated to contain compounds or live microorganisms that have a possible health-enhancing or diseasepreventing value. www.ecofarmfinder.com

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Pasture-raised chickens may have higher levels of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin E, vitamin A, and selenium, due to their more varied diet and healthier living conditions. Pastureraised eggs have been found to be richer in vitamins D, A, and E, as well as antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients are essential for eye health, and immune function. that can trigger digestive symptoms in sensitive individuals. This diet illustrates how specific foods can either exacerbate or alleviate particular health conditions.

the consumption of nutrient-dense foods like bone broth, fermented foods, and non-starchy vegetables while eliminating processed foods and certain carbohydrates.

The Anti-Inflammatory diet focuses on consuming foods that can help reduce inflammation in the body.

It includes foods like oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, berries, leafy greens, nuts, and seeds while minimizing processed foods, sugary beverages, and trans fats. The goal is to alleviate inflammation and help reduce the risk of chronic inflammatory conditions.

The MIND diet (MediterraneanDASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) is a dietary plan designed to promote brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. It combines elements of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, emphasizing foods rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and other nutrients that are beneficial for the brain. The MIND diet encourages the consumption of leafy greens, berries, nuts, whole grains, fish, poultry, and olive oil while limiting red meat, butter, and sugary and processed foods. Research suggests that following the MIND diet may help support cognitive function and reduce the risk of age-related brain disorders (13).

A Low-Glycaemic diet involves choosing foods that have a lower impact on blood sugar levels. It emphasises complex carbohydrates with a low glycaemic index (GI), such as whole grains, non-starchy vegetables, and legumes. This diet can be beneficial for managing blood sugar levels and preventing type 2 diabetes.

The GAPS diet (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) is designed to address gut health and its potential connection to neurological and psychological conditions. It involves

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A gluten-free diet eliminates gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. It is essential for individuals with coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity

to follow a gluten-free diet to prevent gastrointestinal symptoms and longterm health complications.

IMPORTANCE OF FOOD QUALITY: When considering “food as medicine”, prioritising food quality is essential. A diet rich in high-quality, organic whole foods can provide higher levels of essential nutrients and antioxidants compared to poor-quality processed foods.

By choosing organic produce, you are not only reducing your exposure to potentially harmful chemicals but also increasing your intake of nutrientdense foods. When you buy organic you can have peace of mind that your food has been grown or manufactured without the use of damaging synthetic chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, or GMOs (genetically modified organisms).

Organic farming methods prioritise soil health, biodiversity, and sustainable practices, which leads to produce that is more nutrient-rich. Some studies suggest that organic fruits and vegetables have higher levels of certain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Grass-fed organic meat and chicken offer several potential health benefits compared to conventionally raised animals. Grass-fed meat and chicken are richer in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are essential for brain health and cardiovascular function. Animals that are allowed to forage on a diverse diet in a pasture tend to have meat with higher levels of these beneficial fats. Pasture-raised chickens may have higher levels of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin E, vitamin A, and selenium, due to their more varied diet and healthier living conditions.

Pasture-raised eggs have been found to be richer in vitamins D, A, and E,

By choosing the right foods and prioritizing their quality, we can harness the remarkable healing and preventive powers of food. as well as antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients are essential for eye health, and immune function. Organic animals are also grown without the routine use of antibiotics and synthetic hormones.

This can reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance and limit exposure to hormones that can disrupt the endocrine system.

Wild fish is a healthier option compared to farm-raised fish.

Wild fish feed on a natural diet of algae, plankton, and other marine organisms. This natural diet can result

in fish having a more nutrient-rich profile including higher levels of omega-3 fats. Wild fish also generally have lower levels of contaminants such as antibiotics, pesticides, and synthetic chemicals.

Locally grown, in-season produce is typically more nutritious than produce found in supermarkets that has been picked before ripeness and then transported long distances.

Produce grown closest to where you live, that is vine-ripened and organic, is always the freshest, healthiest, and most nutritious choice.

References: 1.

2.

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Seema Puri, Majida Shaheen, Bhanvi Grover.

Nutrition and cognitive health: A life course approach. Front Public Health. 2023; 11: 1023907.

Rosa Casas, sara Castro-Barquero, Ramon Estruch, et al. Nutrition and Cardiovascular Health. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2018, 19(12), 3988; Muhammad Imran, Freshteh Ghorat, et al. Lycopene as a Natural Antioxidant Used to Prevent Human Health Disorders. Antioxidants (Basel). 2020 Aug; 9(8): 706.

Hui Chang, Lin Lei,Yun Zhou, et al. Dietary Flavonoids and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer: An Updated Meta-Analysis of Epidemiological Studies.

Nutrients 2018, 10(7), 950.

Mohd Farhan. Green Tea Catechins: Nature’s Way of

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Preventing and Treating Cancer. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Sep; 23(18): 10713.

Gelinda Deacon, Christine Kettle, et al. Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the treatment of depression. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2017 Jan 2;57(1):212-223.

Marilla Carabotti, Annunziata Scirocco, et al.

The gut-brain axis: interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous systems.

Ann Gastroenterol. 2015 Apr-Jun; 28(2): 203–209.

Fung TT, Rexrode KM, Mantzoros CS, Manson JE, Willett WC, Hu FB. Mediterranean diet and incidence of and mortality from coronary heart disease and stroke in women. Circulation. 2009 Mar 3;119(8):1093-100.

Lopez-Garcia E, Rodriguez-Artalejo F, Li TY, Fung TT, Li S, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Hu FB. The

By choosing the right foods and prioritizing their quality, we can harness the remarkable healing and preventive powers of food.

Whether you're looking to prevent illness, manage an existing condition, or simply maintain overall health, remember that the choices you make at the dinner table can be your most potent form of medicine.

ymore info: www.artofhealing.com.au

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Mediterranean-style dietary pattern and mortality among men and women with cardiovascular disease.

AJCN. 2013 Oct 30;99(1):172-80.

Julia Clem, MD. A look at plant-based diets. Mo Med. 2021 May-Jun;118(3):233-238.

Daniela D Weber, Sepideh Aminzahel-Gohari, et al.

Ketogenic diet in the treatment of cancer - Where do we stand? Mol Metab. 2020 Mar;33:102-121.

Ethan Ali Tabaie, Akshay Jakkidi Reddy, et al. A narrative review on the effects of a ketogenic diet on patients with Alzheimer's disease. AIMS Public Health. 2022; 9(1): 185–193.

Martha Clare Morris, Christy C Tangney, et al. MIND diet slows cognitive decline with ageing. Alzheimers Dement. 2015 Sep;11(9):1015-22.

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Phytonutrient Advantage:

Building Better Beef Through Regenerative Farming Practices

By Allen R Williams, Ph.D. Research Team: Dr. Stephan Van Vliet, Dr. Alan Franzlubbers, Dr. Fred Provenza, and Colleagues.

Research conducted by a science team headed up by Dr. Stephan Van Vliet had a goal of performing deep metabolic and nutritional profiling of grassfed beef samples submitted by a number of farms in various regions of the U.S. Nutritional profiling included fatty acids, amino acids, phytochemicals, vitamins, and oxidative stress markers. To fully understand the contributions of soil health parameters, plant species diversity, and the actual

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absorption of nutrients in the animal’s gut, researchers collected and analyzed soil, plant, and animal fecal data. Additionally, beef samples were analyzed for their complete nutritional profile. This data provided significant insight into the nutritional composition of meat and the metabolic health of the animals.

The data is benchmarked against the average values for typical feedlot grain-fed beef samples. The grain-fed beef samples were collected from

feedlots in the Nutrient Density Project database.

This nutritional research trial is among the most comprehensive nutrition trials ever conducted.

Most nutritional research starts and ends with the actual food products that people consume. This research examined the soil that grew the plants the animals ate, the plants themselves, the fecal matter of the animals, the end-product, and human clinical trials.

Outline of data collected: • Soil – Physical, chemical, and biological characteristics • Plants – Diversity, phytonutrient profile, everything the animals were observed eating • Fecal Matter – Collecting samples from fresh manure patties • End Product – Grass-fed beef compared to conventional feedlot beef • Human Clinical Trials

Phytonutrients include classes of nutritive compounds such as carotenoids, terpenes, phenols, and tocopherols— scientific words for nutrients that are profoundly important to our lifetime health. All diseases and disorders start with inflammation in the body. If we can routinely consume foods that are high in phytonutrients, we are able to effectively reduce inflammation and greatly improve our overall health.

What are Phytonutrients?

Phytochemicals are naturally-occurring bioactive compounds derived from plants that have powerful antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects in both animals and humans. Numerous studies have found that phytochemicals play a key role in the prevention and management of many chronic diseases.

Phytonutrients include classes of nutritive compounds such as carotenoids, terpenes, phenols, and tocopherols— scientific words for nutrients that are profoundly important to our lifetime health. All diseases and disorders start with inflammation in the body. If we can routinely consume foods that are high in phytonutrients, we are able to effectively reduce inflammation and greatly improve our overall health.

Key Benefits of Phytonutrients: ● Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in the cells of our body ● Scavenging of reactive or toxic chemicals from our body ● Enhances the gut absorption of essential nutrients and their stability in our body ● Acts as selective growth factors for beneficial gastrointestinal bacteria ● Encourages and facilitates beneficial oral, gastric, and intestinal bacteria ● Inhibits deleterious (bad) intestinal bacteria www.ecofarmfinder.com

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Key Findings from Prior Research: ● Higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and CLAs in our diet ● Improved cardiovascular health ● Improved mitochondrial/energy metabolism ● Positively impacts our gut microbial population diversity which improves health and metabolism ● Powerful anti-inflammatory effects linked to reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease and cancers ● Reduced oxidative stress and increased anti-tumor activity ● Significantly higher vitamin E; vitamin C; vitamins B3, B5, B6 ● Higher in favorable fatty acids, such as Omega-3 and CLA

Key Steps in the Research Process: ● ● ● ● ● ●

Sample collection at the farm. This included soil samples, plant samples, fecal samples, and beef samples after animals were harvested Sample processing to prepare for analysis Mass-spec analysis of the samples using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry Individual metabolite identification (actual phytonutrients) Bioactivities and pathway analysis Data interpretation of: amino acid metabolism, phytonutrients, fatty acid metabolism, vitamin and nucleotide metabolism, microbiome metabolism.

These key steps are scientific terms for a very in-depth analysis—far above and beyond any prior nutritional analysis ever attempted.

What scientists have found is that plants produce a broad array of health-altering phytonutrients as a biochemical response to sunlight, rainfall, nutrients, other plants, and the herbivores that eat them. When the animals eat these plants, the phytonutrients are effectively incorporated into the meat and fat.

● Decreased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease

What scientists have found is that plants produce a broad array of health-altering phytonutrients as a biochemical response to sunlight, rainfall, nutrients, other plants, and the herbivores that eat them. When the animals eat these plants, the phytonutrients are effectively incorporated into the meat and fat.

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Presentation of Research Findings by Nutrient Category: Phytonutrients

The research results revealed that fresh forages contain anywhere from five times to more than twenty times the total phytonutrients and antioxidants than the typical total mixed ration. Additionally, the antioxidants that were found in the total mixed rations were derived predominantly from hay in the ration and not the corn.

This results in significantly higher antioxidants in grass-fed meats compared to grain-fed meats. Interestingly, soilproduced metabolites (produced by diverse soil microbial populations) were found in significant quantities in the grass-fed beef. Since feedlot cattle are fed a TMR diet, they cannot benefit from these soil metabolites.

When compared to soils in conventional corn fields, soils in diverse pastures had significantly higher soil organic matter, total exchange capacity, zinc, iron, phosphorus, and potassium. When oxidative stress indicators were measured, it was found that these indicators were significantly higher in the feedlot cattle compared to the cattle finished on pasture. This explains why health issues are significantly lower in grass-fed cattle compared to feedlot cattle.

● Hippurate – Has strong antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects. Associated with improved gut microbial diversity and improved metabolism. o Grass-fed beef is 57% higher in hippurate than grain-fed feedlot beef. ● Cinnamoylglycine – Powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Decreases risk of Parkinson’s disease and various cancers. o Grass-fed beef is 65% Higher in cinnamoylglycine compared to feedlot beef. ● Ergothioneine – Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Helps to protect against an array of diseases and disorders. This compound is produced by soil fungi and microbes, so the healthier the soil the more ergothioneine in the meat. o Grass-fed beef is 59% higher in ergothioneine compared to feedlot beef. ● 4-Ethylphenylsulfate – Strong anti-fungal activity, so it confers fungal disease protection. It also has benefits in producing a pleasant fruity taste (flavor profile) to the meat. o Grass-fed beef is 85% higher in 4-ethylphenylsulfate than feedlot beef. ● Histidine Betaine – Antioxidant and antiinflammatory. Produced by soil fungi and microbes, so highly dependent on healthy soil. o Grass-fed beef is 67% higher in histidine betaine compared to feedlot beef. ● Dimethyl Sulfone – Antioxidant and antiinflammatory. Found in native plant species. o Grass-fed beef is 71% higher in dimethyl sulfone compared to feedlot beef.

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Vitamins ● Alpha-Tocopherol (Vitamin E) – Antioxidant that is key in regulating cell function and provides immunity against a number of disease-causing organisms.

Important for immune function, heart function, eye health, and muscle function. Found in fresh forages that animals eat. o Grass-fed beef is 64% higher in vitamin E compared to feedlot beef. ● Vitamin A (Retinol) – Essential nutrient that plays a key role in vision health, cell growth, cell division, reproduction, and immunity. Carotenoids are a precursor to vitamin A and are found in abundance in fresh forages. o Grass-fed beef is 34% higher in vitamin A compared to feedlot beef. ● Vitamin C – Anti-viral and antioxidant properties. o Grass-fed beef is 33% higher in vitamin C compared to feedlot beef. ● Vitamin B3 (Niacin) – An essential nutrient.

Important for lipid and cholesterol metabolism in our body. Provided by fresh forage. o Grass-fed beef is 25% higher in niacin compared to feedlot beef. ● Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) – An essential nutrient and potent antioxidant. Important for glucose metabolism, nerve function, immune function, brain function, and red blood cell function. It is found in legume forages (clovers, native legumes). o Grass-fed beef is 27% higher in vitamin B6 compared to feedlot beef.

Fatty Acids ● Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) – An important omega-3 fatty acid with antioxidant and antiinflammatory benefits. Helps lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, and liver disease. Improves brain function. Found in the plant precursor ALA, so highest in animals eating fresh forages from diverse pastures.

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o

Grass-fed beef is 50% higher in EPA compared to feedlot beef. ● Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA) – Essential fatty acid for our diet. Potent omega-3 fatty acid that helps reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and improves healthy brain function. Can be found in fresh forages from cattle grazing on pastures. o Grass-fed beef is 69% higher in ALA compared to feedlot beef. ● Arachidic Acid – Associated with decreased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. o Grass-fed beef is 52% higher in arachidic acid compared to feedlot beef. ● Heptadecanoic Acid – Associated with lower risks of cardiometabolic diseases. o Grass-fed beef is 36% higher in heptadecanoic acid compared to feedlot beef. ● Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) – Anti-cancer and anti-obesity properties. Rich in meat from animals eating fresh forages. o Grass-fed beef is 75% higher in CLA compared to feedlot beef. ● Omega 6 to Omega 3 Ratio (O6:O3) – A lower O6:O3 ratio is considered highly beneficial for our daily diet. Higher omega 6s in our diet leads to significant inflammation and an array of diseases and disorders. The American Medical Association and American Heart Association recommend an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in our diets of 4:1 or less. The typical American diet is a ratio of 20:1 or higher. Grass-fed beef is a great way to lower omega-6 consumption and increase omega-3 consumption. o Grass-fed beef has a ratio of 2:1 omega 6 to omega 3 compared to a ratio of 11:1 to over 50:1 in feedlot beef (the ratio in feedlot beef varies dramatically depending on the ration the cattle are fed in the feedlot). The problem with feedlot beef is that the consumer has no idea whether they are consuming beef that is 11:1 or over 50:1.

Oxidative Stress Markers ● Homocysteine – Higher homocysteine levels in the body are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Lower levels reduce this risk and improve metabolic health. o Grass-fed beef is 67% lower in homocysteine compared to feedlot beef. ● 4-hydroxyl-nonenal-glutothione (4-HNE) – Higher levels of 4-HNE are an indicator of oxidative stress and increased risk of metabolic disease. Lower levels are desired. o Grass-fed beef is 20% lower in 4-HNE compared to feedlot beef. ● Malate – Higher levels indicate metabolic health benefits for the animal. o Grass-fed beef is 53% higher in malate compared to feedlot beef. ● Palmitoylcarnitine – Higher levels are associated with improved cardiovascular health. o Grass-fed beef is 46% higher in palmitoylcarnitine compared to feedlot beef. ● Linolenoylcarnitine – Higher levels are associated with improved cardiovascular health. o Grass-fed beef is 50% higher in linolenoylcarnitine compared to feedlot beef.

Summary In numerous nutrient categories, grass-fed beef is found to be significantly better for our health when compared to commodity feedlot beef. When looking at important phytonutrients, vitamins, fatty acids, and oxidative stress markers, grass-fed beef is superior to commodity grainfed beef. This has significant health implications when considering our lifetime diet and resultant health status.

As discovered through rigorous research and data sampling, the application of regenerative principles and practices are resulting in healthy soil, healthy plants, healthy animals, and healthy foods. The depth of this research shows that regenerative agriculture is not only beneficial to our ecosystems, but also to our own health.

Very few farms have the depth and breadth of data to substantiate health benefit claims. By submitting to this extremely rigorous research conducted by independent scientists, we now know that farms with greater biodiversity and soil health parameters are able to deliver food you can trust.

ymore info: understandingag.com

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Preserving the Magic: Eight Techniques to Extend Your Local Seasonal Bounty

By Meghan Pearson As the sunny days of summer gradually give way to the mellower hues of autumn, gardeners and farmers’ market foragers find themselves with a familiar conundrum—a bountiful harvest that begs to be consumed, given away, or preserved! While I have not yet a garden of my own due to a recent international move and home renovation, I have been watching my mother collect endless baskets of goodies from her raised beds for months now, and we’ve barely kept ahead of the harvest. Even with five of us under one roof this season, there’s no way we could consume the amount of berries, tomatoes, zucchini, and basil coming from the earth!

Of course, half the joy of cultivating a garden is the abundant yield it offers, and shopping at farmers’ markets gives you the opportunity to purchase large quantities of local, fresh produce.Yet, the challenge remains: how can we extend this blessing of flavors and colors well beyond the warmth of the season?

Thankfully there are many simple and superb techniques that transform the ephemeral beauty of summer into a yearround culinary adventure.

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1. Freezing Frozen in time, flavors preserved—that's the magic of freezing. While not the most long-term method of preserving, this age-old technique ensures your seasonal treasures remain intact, ready to grace your meals for up to a year after harvest.

From blanched vegetables (this step is recommended for many fruits and vegetables in order to retain as much flavor, texture, and nutrition as possible) to whole berries, the freezer becomes a portal to a future where summer's vibrant palette is your constant companion.

2. Dehydrating/Drying Drying foods is another ancient preservation technique; a nod to our culinary heritage. As a raw vegan chef, my dehydrator has seen a few miles! Many fruits and herbs can be simply dried by the sun as their natural sugars and acids guard against spoilage. But when it comes to vegetables, food dehydrators are the best route—especially in climates where humidity and temperature fluctuations conspire against outdoor drying. Dehydration keeps much of a food's nutrition intact; a natural choice for the health-conscious. And don't miss the chance to experiment— blending or mixing ingredients before drying opens the door to innovative dishes; a hallmark of raw food cuisine (think raw crackers, breads, cookies, and more). While dehydrators are convenient, your oven is a great option, too! Many vegetables like beets, onions, carrots, and cucumbers can transform into delightful snacks when dried low and slow. Crafting your own "sun-dried" tomatoes adds a punch to soups, casseroles, or pastas. www.ecofarmfinder.com

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3. Canning Canning is a method of preserving food by sealing it in sterile, air-tight glass jars. Foods can be pre-cooked or raw, plain or composed in a full recipe when canned, but many canning methods do employ the use of heat to sterilize and seal the jars, so some cooking may occur. With a shelf life of up to five years when canned safely and properly, this is a top choice for my mom and me when it comes to saving up for winter!

5. Sauces and Soups While not an official preservation technique, homemade sauces, soups, stews, and chilis are another way to use up a boat load of your bounty all at once!

Just about any vegetable from the garden or market can be the star of a soup or stew, including potatoes, onions, zucchini, tomatoes, leek, asparagus, and peppers! Toss in a few handfuls of your overgrown basil or mint to really taste the season! Or, add them to a green goddess dressing or light and tasty vinaigrette.

6. Pickling/Fermenting The magic of pickling and fermenting lies in its transformational power. We’ve pickled everything from sweet peppers to green beans, and fermented the old standby cabbage and even cauliflower!

These techniques reduce spoilage by increasing either the vinegar or the natural alcohol content of foods, making them inhospitable to unfriendly molds and bacteria.

When fermenting, the bonus side-effect is all the gut-friendly probiotic content. From cucumbers to onions, seasonal produce is reborn in tangy and tart delights.

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7. Oil Packing By using oil to preserve gems from the farmers’ market or your garden, you create ingredients that elevate your dishes to gourmet status. Tomatoes, garlic, olives, peppers—each infusion is a brushstroke of culinary creativity. This approach is a bit nuanced, but the results are decadent and can be stored in the fridge for three to four months.

8. Bonus: Seed Saving Preserving seeds is a tribute to food culture. Heirloom crops owe their existence to dedicated gardeners who carefully saved seeds for the future. Many Indigenous groups have also turned to seed preservation to protect their cultures and important crops. The resurgence of open-source seeds, independent seed companies, and seed exchanges makes it easier to find locally adapted seeds. By preserving seeds, you continue your garden's story and the proliferation of locally harvested produce for generations to come.

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