McOrganic

“What?!” you say.

It’s true.

McDonald’s is going organic!

The fast-food giant is jumping on a healthier bandwagon these days … replacing sodas on its Happy Meal menu boards with juice and milk; adding apple slices, Go-GURT and Cuties Clementines to its menu; printing fun nutrition facts on its Happy Meal boxes; testing healthy salads with ingredients like kale and quinoa; and unveiling plans to phase out antibiotics in its chicken products and source only cage-free eggs.

And this month, McDonald’s debuted its first hamburger made entirely with organic beef at over 1,500 locations in Germany. The “McB” burger makes a test run through October and November, sporting Lollo Bionda lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, red onion rings, Edam cheese and sauce in addition to the organic patty. Later in the month, the same locations will test a  “Long McB” burger—organic beef, arugula, Maasdam cheese, red onion rings, tomatoes, and spicy sauce on a sunflower seed bun.

Long McB, McDonalds

McBetter!

 

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    Wow, I had not heard this good news! FINALLY, there has been a lot of pressure from the public to make fast food healthier. I hope that McDonalds will be able to source out local produce and meat as well so that more famers will have an income stream they can count on. Thank-you Deutschland for taking that leadership role and giving McD fans an opportunity to see that healthy can out perform Junk food!!

  2. I’s about time! And if the big fast food giant can do it then everyone can do it. This is good news- only wish I was in Germany as that McB sounds delish.

  3. Krista says:

    Way to go! I am glad to see that they are going organic! I wonder how long tell it will take off in the United States. I do feel though that McDonalds has pressure to be healthier because of the wrath they receive for “making” people obese. Maybe this is a way to make their company look better as well as appeal to both fast food junkies and healthy people who just want a quick meal on the go.

  4. At least they are trying. In our small town it’s one of our very few “restaurant” choices.

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Boston Hits an Organic Home Run

The Boston Red Sox hit one out of the park.

But this home run wasn’t hit on the well-known diamond at the oldest baseball stadium in the country, Boston’s Fenway Park, which my daughter and her family just happened to visit last summer.

Think higher. The next time you watch a Red Sox pop fly soar high into the sky, take a gander at the stadium rooftop. That’s where Fenway Park’s new urban garden grows. Fenway Farms made its debut this summer, sporting 5,000 sq. ft. of garden rows that will produce more than 4,000 lbs of organic produce each year. The produce will be used at Fenway Park’s concession stands and restaurants during events, and also provide tools to educate local kids about healthy eating and environmental stewardship, giving the term “farm team” a whole new meaning.

photo, greencitygrowers.com

Talk about a grand slam!

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    This is so cool! Don’t you just love it when people get creative and shake things up?

  2. The wave of the future is rooftop gardening in urban areas, kudos for them.

  3. Deborah McKissic says:

    Wow, that is a grand slam for growing and eating local! Rooftop gardens are becoming a big thing…Baker Creek’s Heirloom Gardeners magazine has had several articles on rooftop growing…what a great use of space! I love to garden and belong to kitchen gardeners international…a group dedicated to gardeners around the world…to help teach that you can garden anywhere! I have a girlfriend who gardens on her tiny apt. balcony…..tomatoes, herbs, and flowers…but, on top of her apt. building is a huge roof top garden, which is wonderful….hmm…my rooftop on my tiny cape cod house is like the top of the letter “A”…but, I do have an acre of yard and a lot of gardens…and, I am afraid of heights….no climbing up my roof….

  4. Bonnie ellis says:

    Great looking family Meg. Glad you had some baseball fun.

  5. Krista says:

    How awesome is this. It’s amazing what people can do with growing gardens on roof tops. I love that they plan on using the produce in their concession stands and restaurants. This would be a good way to promote healthy eating among their fans. What do you suppose will happen with the traditional game day hot dog? It’s also nice that they plan to involve children in the process and help them learn the importance of eating healthy at a young age. I hope this will inspire others that live in urban areas to grow gardens themselves. Even if that means on their roof top!

  6. Debbie says:

    I love this! What a neat ( beautifully planted ) roof-top garden! Missed seeing Meg and family this time around, ( we were on vacation too ) but it’s so great to see they had fun in bean town and discovered Fenway Farms!
    Hugs to all,
    Deb

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Tree Down

I’m remodeling …

my farm.

I’ve learned to avoid deadlines whenever possible, so I’m remodeling my farm for …

however long it takes. I must say, re-doing my B&B is a kick in the pants. I’m lovin’ that part. I didn’t love all the digging associated with new underground sewer/water/electricity. Mud mounds abound-ed!! One of the changes I had to make that was a tad sad was a 120-year-old pine tree that was rotten in the center and needed to go.

tree_9141

 

tree_9128

tree_9162

tree_9205

tree_9226

tree_9241

tree_9268

tree_9272

tree_9275

tree_9278

The end result? Lots of firewood.

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    I see my favorite little store/turned house garage in the background in one of the photos! Big trees feel like friends and it is so sad to have to lose one. Like us, aging steals their vigor and strength and they begin to lean and struggle. Still, it is hard to see the tree removed. Hopefully, in it’s place can be planted something new that will, in 100 years, be as tall and lovely as this tree had been. I am thinking there truly will be some great warm fires over at the outdoor kitchen near sewing room cabin:D Perfect for lots of hobo dinners, s’mores, and Apple Pie Sunday gatherings in the crisp Fall air!

  2. Karlyne says:

    It’s always sad to see a tree go, but I’m sure you’ve planted one or two (in better places?) to replace your downed giant!

  3. Kristi Wildung says:

    I was sad to see it go, but now I actually like it better 🙂

  4. CJ Armstrong says:

    It is sad when a lovely tree has to go! But, like Winnie says, perhaps lots of firewood for the “Plum Pit” fires!
    CJ

  5. Dolly says:

    I know you are sad about the tree. 120 years old what a life. If only the trees could talk.

  6. bonnie ellis says:

    So sorry The tree had to go. Could you use the top as a Christmas tree this year? Everything has a cycle. We have a 60 foot beautiful gingko tree that must come down because of the stinky seeds it produces in the fall and everything smells awful. I will cry when that tree comes down.

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Peppy Partners

Photo by Alex.der.2 via Wikimedia Commons

Running, playing, dipping and dodging …

High-energy dogs look like a lot of fun in photos and dog-food commercials, but when it comes to family life, many owners find they just can’t keep up with constant canine craziness. As a result, a whole lot of peppy pups end up homeless. A chosen few are lucky enough to become “conservation dogs.” But what about others?

Happily, the “performance dog gear” aficionados at Ruffwear recently realized the potential for perfect partnerships between active people and energetic dogs. Ruffwear partnered up with the national no-kill shelter advocates at Best Friends Animal Society to launch the Ruff Adventure Dog Adoption Service. Ruffwear will contribute $50,000 to the effort to cover adoption and travel fees for dogs adopted from Best Friends’ sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, to their new homes anywhere in the U.S.

“Ruffwear customers are adventure-loving, outdoor-oriented folks who believe dogs make the best running, paddling, hiking, and camping partners,” explains Bark, the dog-culture magazine. “Many of the adoptable dogs at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary are also fresh air-seeking, high-energy individuals who would LOVE to find an outdoor adventure partner for life. Throughout the year, Ruffwear will be highlighting a few hand-selected dogs and playing match-maker between these active dogs and Ruffwear fans looking for their new best furry friend.”

If you’re an adventurous gal looking for a perfect “out there” partner, this might be the opportunity to find a new friend …

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    There are many creative ways today to rescue dogs and cats and turn the situation into a mutually beneficial relationship. It is really wonderful to see animals have a second chance at a good home.

  2. This just brought tears to my eyes- kudos to the Ruffwear folks for thinking of this win-win solution !

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pumpkin planter

OMG

In this case, I mean, “Oh, marvelous gourd!”

Photo by Eranb via Wikimedia Commons

Of course, I’m talking about the pumpkin (it is October, after all).

Yeah, yeah

You’re no doubt wondering what more can be said.

Been there, carved that.

Painted that.

Embellished that.

Baked that.

But, my dear, I ask you, “Have you planted that?”

(You roll your eyes—of course, you’ve planted pumpkins, too.)

But that’s not what I mean.

I guess I should ask, “Have you planted IN that?”

Ah-ha!

I thought not.

That’s why I must share this wonderful video tutorial I found from Westwood Gardens in northwest Arkansas:

Now, go on and check THAT one off your list.

Photos? Post ’em on the Farmgirl Chatroom.

 

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    These are gorgeous pumpkin planters. How clever! I love how it makes for a natural container that works perfect for the season and a fun way to use all of those beautiful colorful gourds.

  2. Just too cool, beats hypertuffa anyday!

  3. Cindi says:

    Oh boy!!! I have a couple of friends that are crazy for succulents. What a great idea! And easy enough for even me 🙂

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Recycle your what??

Here’s an idea I bet you’ve never considered …

Bra recycling.

Photo, circa 1900, via Wikimedia Commons

Okay, so maybe you’re not a big bra wearer (no pun intended)—lots of farmgirls are going without these days—but I’ll bet that most of you have some old wire-rimmed contraptions laying around at the bottom of a drawer somewhere.

Am I right?

Well, if so, Kathleen Kirkwood wants them. Of course, she wants the ones without wires, too—stretch, lace, cami, padded, training, but no gel or water cups, please.

Wait a minute … what?

Intimate apparel designer and QVC maven Kathleen Kirkwood wants your used bras.

Seriously.

The thing is, Kathleen knows bras. Like, lots of bras. She has been designing them, in one form or another, since the early ’80s. But a few years ago, as she was handling a huge shipment of bras from Hong Kong, she had one of those light-bulb moments.

“I thought, we have to start recycling bras,” she recounted to Mother Nature Network. “Let me go back to New York and find a company that does this. I’ll put it on my hang tags so I can be this super-cool designer. But lo and behold, there was nothing going on.”

The more she researched, the more she felt compelled to fill this gaping niche.

According to MNN, “Some 500 million bras—made of toxic materials such as polyurethane foam, which off-gases dangerous VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and doesn’t biodegrade for centuries—are tossed into U.S. landfills each year or are incinerated.”

Long story short, Kathleen got ‘er done. In 2010, she founded B.R.A. (Bra Recycling Agency), which transforms old bras into—you’ll never guess this one—red-carpet cushioning.

I’ll let Kathleen show and tell you in her original “test pilot” recycling video …

Now you can say you learned something new today. Find out more about B.R.A. (including Bra Recycling e-Kits) at BraRecyclingAgency.com.

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    This is such an incredible project. Who would have known that bras were toxic in addition to being so uncomfortable?

  2. bonnie ellis says:

    I couldn’t do it anyway even if it were healthy because I wait too long before buying more and they get really raggedy. Oops, I told too much!

  3. Gaye says:

    This is great! Although I’ve always donated them, and told unuseble items are recycled I do question if it’s done safely or even at all. This is definitely more sure.

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