This Ain't No Butterball

Though this wasn't Violet's first Thanksgiving, it was the first time she got to partake of the food that defines the occasion. So we put extra care into the menu this year, particularly with respect to the centerpiece of the meal: the turkey.

Turkey breeds (and breeding) are not a subject I'd put much thought into until I read Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle this summer. An account of Kingsolver's own family's year of living as "locavores," the book brought ideas about eating locally - and more specifically, eating heritage and heirloom varieties of local produce and livestock - into the sphere of my interest in healthy eating. Starting with our T-day turkey.

The turkey on the typical American Thanksgiving table is a Broadbreasted White turkey. If you're not familiar with the Broadbreasted White (I wasn't), it's a type of turkey bred specifically to get really big, really fast. So big that, if it weren't slaughtered before it was one year old, its legs would collapse under the weight of its disproportionately large breast. Breeders of Broadbreasted Whites breed not only for this deformity, but also for complete docility (they're too heavy to fly, and a less placid bird might be frustrated by this inability) and sadly, stupidity. Ignorance is bliss, right? These turkeys are so stupid they've been reported to drown when looking up too long when it's raining. Their ridiculous size and absolute idiocy prevent them from being capable of breeding themselves, so they must be artificially inseminated and the hatchlings raised in incubators.

Ew. Nothing about that sounds natural. There are alternatives, but not many . . . and if they aren't supported, not for long. Already 99 percent of the 400 million turkeys Americans consume each year are Broadbreasted Whites. We wanted to find a local farmer raising a more natural breed of turkey in a natural, pastured setting rather than a cage. Enter Jack, at Homegrown Poultry in New Plymouth, Idaho.

I reached Jack through a contact I met at our Saturday Farmer's Market, and he had just what I was looking for - an Heirloom Bronze turkey, bred without test tubes and raised by an actual turkey in an actual pasture (until it could fly out of said pasture and required retrieval from the neighbor's several times a week). Purchasing our Thanksgiving bird from Jack served several purposes: supporting a local farmer, preserving a heritage breed, and providing a pasture-raised, organic turkey for our daughter's first Thanksgiving.

Violet very much enjoyed Jack's turkey along with stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams, green beans and carrots; she polished off a healthy portion of each, and was ready for seconds. We offered her a taste of both pumpkin and chocolate pie for dessert, and true to form, she turned up her nose at both. The rest of the crowd was less discriminating with respect to the sweets but also seemed satisfied with the bird. More gamebird than corn-fed couch potato, it was chewier than our traditional turkey, but still moist and even more flavorful. We'll be back, Jack!

Love is Having a Fluffy Behind: Cloth Diapers Are Making a Comeback

“Love is patient, love is kind . . . love is having a fluffy behind.” So goes the saying in today’s cloth diapering community. After decades of dedication to disposable diapers, more and more parents are coming back to cloth. But the choice to cloth diaper is still far enough from the mainstream to inspire many raised eyebrows.

The even more common response we encountered whenever we announced our intention to cloth diaper Violet before she was born was a slightly patronizing smile, accompanied by the standard, “wait until the baby is here.” (Read: you’re never gonna go through with this.)

She’s over a year old now, and is still exclusively in cloth. Which might surprise some of the skeptics, but what they may not have considered is that cloth diapers have come a long way from the folding and pins so many of us picture when we hear "cloth diapers." There are several styles of cloth diapers available today, all of them easier to use than most people imagine.

Of course, however convenient cloth diapers may have become, they do require more of an effort than their disposable counterparts; there’s just no shortcut to the additional loads of laundry. So why do we do it?

The environmental impact of cloth vs. disposable diapers is the most widely recognized reason to choose cloth. Approximately 18 billion disposable diapers end up in landfills each year; they are the third largest source of solid waste found in landfills. It’s estimated that it takes somewhere between 250 and 500 years for a disposable diaper to decompose.

Concern for the environment does provide us with incentive to cloth diaper our daughter. But the even more compelling, though less talked-about, reason is that we believe it’s better not just for the environment, but for her. Disposable diapers contain several toxic chemicals that we’d rather not have next to her skin for two or more years.

Dioxin. Traces of dioxin, a by-product of the paper-bleaching process used in manufacturing disposable diapers, have been found in disposable diapers. Dioxin is a carcinogenic chemical that has been banned in most countries (but not the U.S.). It has been shown to cause liver damage, immune suppression and genetic damage, in addition to cancer.

TBT. Tributyltin (TBT) , which has also been found in disposable diapers, is an extremely toxic substance which can cause hormonal problems and damage the immune system.

Sodium Polyacrylate. This stuff makes up the clear gel that makes disposable diapers “super absorbent” (beads of it are often found on a disposable-diapered baby’s bum). Sodium polyacrylate was also used in tampons until it was removed in 1985 when it was linked to Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). Equally alarming, employees in factories manufacturing sodium polyacrylate have been discovered to suffer from reproductive problems, fatigue, weight loss, and slow-healing wounds.

Disposable wipes caused us no less concern. Many physicians recommend not using disposable wipes until a baby is at least two weeks old because the chemicals in the wipes are too harsh for newborn skin. Since that didn’t sound like something we wanted to use on our baby’s skin at any age, we’ve opted for cloth wipes since she was born. Natural cleansing solutions are available for use with cloth wipes – we’ve opted to keep it simple and stick with pure water.

Even the thousands of additional loads of laundry our diapering decision has already created for us haven't dissuaded us from continuing to keep Violet in cloth. (For those concerned about water waste, don't - our HE machine keeps that to a minimum. And the resources, including water, involved in the manufacturing, distributing, and washing of cloth diapers don't even compare to those involved in the manufacture and distribution of the number of disposables a baby would go through in its diapering lifetime.) And while there have been a few hiccups in the process (buildup leading to leaks, one persistent yeast rash), we've figured out how to resolve all of those and prevent recurrence. It's absolutely been worth the effort, and we're looking forward to continuing Violet in cloth. Check back for more on cloth diapers, including our favorite diapers and accessories, in future posts!

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How Does Your Garden Grow?

See for yourself! This is currently the most prolific section of our garden. The corn is crazy tall, and heirloom and grape tomatoes (to the right of the corn) are exploding, though still green. But the summer squash (in front, from left to right: scallop squash, yellow squash, zucchini and lemon cucumbers) is already ripe, and we're inundated with it.

Zucchini is featured frequently at our house right now, with the most recent rendition Stuffed Zucchini with Potatoes and Peas. Also on the menu this week: zucchini, black bean and corn enchiladas and zucchini-based faux crab cakes (I'm told Old Bay seasoning makes these vegetarian cakes taste just like the real thing . . . we'll see).

The peas were somewhat short lived. We picked a bowlful about a month ago, and then the plants promptly died. Beans were equally disappointing this year; though the plants we have continue to thrive, only a few ever came up - despite three rounds of planting from different seed packets.

Our formerly lush potato plants have also begun to shrivel up and die, which I understand is an indication that the potatoes themselves are ready to harvest. We'll dig one up this weekend and see. I did pull up an onion last weekend, and they still have some growing to do. Carrots and celery will be ready soon, and peppers are just coming on. We're big pepper people, we like 'em both hot and sweet, so we're looking forward to that crop.

And for dessert . . . last night I tasted our first homegrown blackberry. Yum!

Hey Baby, Nice Ride

Violet and I have been doing our part to reduce our share of fuel consumption this summer by doing much of our commuting to daycare and work by bike. We converted the Chariot from its cross-country ski set up to bike trailer this spring, outfitted our girl with her very first helmet, and hit the asphalt.

We’re fortunate enough to live within a mile of Violet’s daycare, and can ride the whole way there without ever venturing off of our quiet neighborhood streets. After dropping Violet off, I swing back by the house to drop the trailer off and then ride just one more mile to the office. Even in 100 degree weather, it’s often more comfortable than the car, which hardly has a chance to cool off in the time it takes us to get where we’re going.

Best of all, this arrangement provides me with what is essentially the only exercise I can fit in right now. And while I get a little bit of a workout, Violet is comfortable (the Chariot is quite the cushy ride) and happy just watching the scenery go by. Maybe by the end of the summer, we will have even saved a few gallons of gas.

Working Toward Becoming BPA-Free: This Stuff's Not Just in Your Water Bottle

Of course becoming parents changed our lives. Who knew it would also change our water bottles? But our increasing awareness of risks associated with exposure to BPA (inspired, of course, by Violet) led us to do exactly that. Our Nalgene bottles have been replaced by shiny new Siggs (non-leaching aluminum water bottles), and that was just the beginning.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic resins (all number 7 plastics are polycarbonate and contain BPA), epoxy resins, and other products. Numerous studies have shown BPA to cause serious health effects, including cancer, diabetes, infertility, and behavior disorders, even at low doses. Mainstream media has covered the growing concerns over BPA and other toxins (like PVC and pthalates) in plastic - particularly plastic water bottles and baby bottles - extensively as of late. What isn't discussed as often are the other common items contaminated by BPA: for example, baby formula, canned food, and dental sealants.

According to Center for Disease Control (CDC) data, people are routinely exposed to unsafe levels of BPA from such sources. Not surprisingly, babies and children are the most vulnerable; their bodies' immature detoxification systems allow increased exposure to BPA which, according to the National Toxicology Program (NTP) brief on BPA could impact developing reproductive systems, hastening puberty and even leading to breast/prostate cancer, and affect behavior in children. It's scary stuff, and probably can't be avoided entirely, but there are alternatives to many of the major offenders.

Baby bottles. Most plastic baby bottles contain BPA, which is of particular concern because heating items containing BPA has been shown to increase the rate at which it leaches from the plastic by 55 times. Canada has actually banned baby bottles containing BPA from the market there. We have always used glass Evenflo bottles for Violet, but I understand there are BPA-free plastic bottles out there, too.

Sippy cups/water bottles. Most plastic sippy cups also contain BPA. Though Violet is still figuring out the sippy cups thing, her choices are BPA-free: a Safe Sippy and a Thinkbaby trainer cup. Other good options we intend to explore for her: Kleen Kanteen and a Sigg kid's bottle. Both Kleen Kanteen and Sigg make BPA-free water bottles for big people too (stainless steel and aluminum, respectively).

Food storage containers. Toxins in plastic food storage containers may leach into the food inside. This, too, is more likely if the container is heated, but even ordinary use and washing is sufficient to break down the plastic and allow leaching to occur. We avoid all number 7 plastics for our food storage, and all of Violet's food is kept and heated in glass. We're working toward replacing the rest of our Tupperware and Rubbermaid containers with glass storage pieces like Pyrex as well.

Canned food. Though the public eye has been focused recently on our exposure to BPA from plastic, BPA is also found in the lining of metal cans, where it leaches into the food or drink inside; independent studies have shown that exposure to BPA from such sources is significant. The EWG tested 97 canned foods and found that of all the foods tested, chicken soup, infant formula and ravioli had the most concerning levels of BPA: “Just one to three servings of foods with these concentrations could expose a woman or child to BPA at levels that caused serious adverse effects in animal tests.”

Though fresh, whole foods are always our first choice, we do rely on certain canned food staples like beans and tomatoes. Where other forms of items like these (for example, dried beans) aren't available or practical, we've switched to Eden Organic for almost all of our canned goods - they package their foods in a BPA-free can.

Dental sealant. Yes, that mysterious substance most of us have somewhere in our mouths contains BPA. And it's leaching out into our heads. What to do about that is less clear, as there don’t appear to be any safer options available for treating cavities. In a recent discussion with my dentist on the subject, I managed to talk my way out of a filling and into a crown. I guess that’s one way to avoid additional exposure to BPA, but I’m not sure I’d recommend it.

Our Own Private Produce Section (Or, We Try Our Hand(s) at Organic Gardening)

Having determined that we wanted to feed Violet organic food as much as possible, we were presented with the question of the best place to obtain it. We're fortunate in that we have several options where we live, including the local Co-op and the Saturday Farmer's Market, as well as the standard grocery store. But, we thought, why not grow as much of it ourselves as we can, and just shop to fill in the gaps? Maybe because with an infant and trying to get a new business off the ground, we didn't need to take on one more project. But we did it anyway.

The garden was something of an impulse this year, so at the end of March when we began working on it, we were scrambling. To start things off, we pulled up the sod in the strip in front of and on the east side of the garage, and tilled the ground there. Eric built 4 garden boxes to fit the space: two 2 x 8 boxes, one 4 x 12, and a 3 x 3 x 3 x 8 trapezoid to fill the half circle already curbed in front. We also purchased and assembled a fifth box that came with a frame to support a greenhouse cover or shade cover.

We filled each of the beds with composted soil we had delivered, and Eric rigged up an intricate irrigation system of drip hoses that allows us to water each bed individually. Although April in Boise is too cold to plant most crops, the greenhouse bed gave us the opportunity to get a few things going. We planted some salad basics there (spinach, lettuce, mixed greens, and carrots) as well as cilantro, and tomato and pepper seeds we planned to move once they were started.

That done, we moved on the the section of the yard along the back fence, which happened to be occupied by a beautiful (cough, cough) water feature that never served any purpose other than to cultivate a rich bed of algae each summer. Tearing that out was quite a task - I even got to swing a sledgehammer for the first time. Once we cleared the space, Eric built another 5 beds: four 2 x 12 beds and one 1 x 5 for herbs.

Planting took place throughout this process, as some crops (like spinach, lettuce and other greens) could withstand colder temperatures. Even Violet participated, and everything was in by mid-May: peas, beans, onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, spinach, lettuce, arugula, mixed greens, tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers (hot and sweet, and lots of them), yellow squash, zucchini, scallop squash, cucumber, butternut squash, sweetmeat squash, black futsu squash, Melonette Jaspee De Vendee squash, corn, raspberries, blackberries, marionberries and tayberries.

It looked like things were really taking off, particularly in the greenhouse bed, until we saw upon closer inspection last weekend that much of what was thriving was weeds. They were rampant in two of the beds, but the others appear to have been spared any significant infestation. We logged some hours last weekend weeding, and are hoping we have things under control now. Pests aren't a huge problem yet, but we're actively researching organic methods of pest control to prepare ourselves for what's probably coming. (Ladybugs are one option I think sounds like fun!) It does take more effort to grow food organically, but the benefits make it absolutely worth it.

As of this past weekend, the peas, potatoes and onions are thriving, carrots and celery appear to be progressing, and corn and squash are starting to pop up. Tomatoes have been transplanted, and the bare spots in the two weed-ravaged beds replanted with quicker-growing greens. About a week ago, we were able to cut our first homegrown salads! As for the rest of the crops, we'll have to wait a while. And weed . . .

On Eating Organic

While we started thinking about what kind of food we wanted Violet to eat early on, intending for her to be exclusively breastfed for at least six months bought us some time to study up on nutrition before we had to make any decisions about what to put on her plate. (Multiple health care organizations, such as the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the American Academy of Pediatricians and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommend delaying introduction of solid food, including cereal, until at least six months.)

I found myself fascinated as I explored for the first time the vast expanse of information available on diet/nutrition. I plowed through several books on the subject: The Omnivore's Dilemma, by Michael Pollan; Eat to Live, by Joel Fuhrman; From Here to Longevity, by Mitra Ray; and The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell; and of course continued my research online through various websites and forums. It will remain an ongoing process, I'm sure, but we have reached at least one initial conclusion: organic is important. And for Violet, it's very important.

We all know that most of the produce we buy has been doused with pesticide. The movement toward organic food (produced without pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, bioengineering, or irradiation) has been growing, but many people still aren't sure whether eating organic is really necessary, or just another marketing gimmick. Commercial growers and pesticide manufacturers imply that consumption of pesticide residue in produce is "safe" because "there is no conclusive evidence of harm to humans." However, as explained by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the lack of evidence regarding harmful effects long-term, low dose exposure to pesticide is not a result of studies proving pesticides safe - it simply hasn't been studied at all.

Government regulations on pesticide use are instead based on testing of high doses of pesticides in adult animals. But even if those regulations provide sufficient protection to adults (and I wouldn't count on it - remember, government regulations permitted the use of DDT once, too) they do not address the unique effects of pesticide consumption in infants and children. A study conducted by the National Research Council, Pesticides In the Diets of Infants and Children, confirmed that the toxicity of pesticides is different in infants and children than in adults, and found that "little work ha[d] been done . . . to "investigate the effects of pesticide exposure on neurotoxic, immunotoxic, or endocrine responses in infants and children."

There is no dispute that the infants and children are the most vulnerable to the toxic effects of pesticides. Children's developing organ systems, including the brain, nervous system, and endocrine system, can be damaged by exposure to toxins in amounts that would be tolerated by an adult. While we may not know exactly how harmful the pesticides used in growing our food might be, pesticides are toxic by nature - it doesn't seem like much of a stretch to conclude that their effects, however mild, can't be good for a growing little body.

An organic diet has been proven to decrease - immediately and dramatically - overall pesticide exposure in children. One study showed this to be particularly true for organophosphorus (OP) pesticides, a group of pesticides known to cause neurologic effects in humans, the residue of which has been detected in many fruits and vegetables. We may not be able to prevent Violet from being exposed to pesticides and other chemicals, but we can make every effort to limit that exposure where we can - and her dinner seemed like a good place to start.

Admittedly, organic produce - all organic foods - are more expensive than their conventional counterparts. But what's more important than providing our baby girl with the best, and safest, food we can find? In addition to being free from pesticides, organic produce has been shown to have higher nutritional content. There are better places in the budget to cut back than her health.

So far, Violet's menu of solid foods has been limited to fruits and veggies. We hope to keep her eating whole foods as much as possible, for as long as possible. (Within reason of course. We're not expecting her to go off to college never having experienced such culinary delights as the McDonald's french fry, or Ben and Jerry's. We're not cruel!)

The jury's still out on the extent to which meat, dairy and other animal products will be a part of her diet, but where they do show up we'll absolutely insist on organic. Organic meat, dairy, and eggs are even more important than organic produce, for a whole host of reasons, not the least of which is the added dangers associated with the antibiotics, hormones, and other drugs found in non-organic animal products. But that's another post for another day.