My organic living “Aha!” moment was at a cocktail party, when I began debating the use of synthetic hormones in dairy cows with a sales representative from a dairy pharmaceutical company.

A simple glass of milk signifies an important shift in my lifestyle and beliefs.

This recent conversation started like polite chitchat often does: I asked the man about his line of work, and he replied that he was a salesman in the dairy industry.

I replied with a generic response, and he continued describing the products he sells. “Have you ever heard of rBST?”

My eyes widened. Of course I had heard of recombinant bovine somatotropin  (rBST), also known as recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH). Didn’t the labels on every carton of milk, pint of ice cream and block of cheese I purchase proudly proclaim that the cows that produced the milk were not treated with rBST?

Without the usual hesitations of social convention, I plunged into a frank and uncomfortable disagreement with someone I had just met. I began debating this man — who grew up on a dairy farm and was well versed in the nuances of that industry — about why I buy milk from cows that have not been treated with synthetic hormones or antibiotics.  For the first time, I realized how passionate I am about organic living.

Organic milk: The “gateway drug”

I am not (yet) a long-time organic consumer. I began buying some organic food less than a year before this conversation and made the switch to organic milk some months after that. I understood that I didn’t want pesticides on my produce (and later came to understand that I don’t want pesticides in our ecosystem or the endocrine systems of farm laborers, either), but it took me more time to understand why I should buy organic milk.

When I did make the switch, part of it was because I wanted to support farmers who raise their cows as sentient beings, not machines. Part of it was because I looked at the beautiful Iowa cornfields surrounding me and could only see the sinister connections between genetically modified seed companies like Monsanto, subsidized corn and feedlot operations.

And part of it was because I learned how the overuse of antibiotics in livestock is leading to antibiotic-resistant bacteria — like the aggressive, community-associated MRSA infection that nearly cost my healthy brother his leg a few years earlier.

With organic milk, it’s about what isn’t in the carton. Organic Valley is a farmer-owned co-op and my preferred brand for milk and other dairy products, but finding a local dairy supplier also is a great option.

So, I became an organic milk consumer. I’ve heard milk is the “gateway drug” for buying organic, and, in my case, it proved true. I was already buying as much produce organic as I could, but once I was spending a premium for organic milk, buying organic cheese, meat and even olive oil became a higher priority.

Money talks, but so do I

Still, I was a reliable consumer but not yet an advocate. Friends might see organic milk in my refrigerator, but I never tried to convince them to buy organic. It wasn’t until I met the pharmaceutical sales rep that I spoke up, and since then, I’ve been less quiet about my beliefs among friends and family.

Every time we buy organic, we are supporting a set of beliefs and practices – envisioning a food system that protects our environment and values quality over quantity. Money has a loud voice, but if we want to see change, we have to tell people why.

What organic issues are you passionate about?

About the author: Katie coordinates social media for Frontier, Simply Organic and Aura Cacia — which means her head is usually spinning with Web content ideas and her iPhone rarely leaves her sight. When she’s not giggling at the latest memes or researching social media trends, Katie loves to run, read multiple books at once, and experiment in the kitchen.

1. The business of buying and selling or bartering commodities.
2. An act or instance of trading…an exchange of property usually without use of money.

Cardamom is grown on small farms, in steep, rugged terrain. Our cardamom is grown by a group of farmer co-ops in Guatemala, who are part of our Well Earth program.

I always thought that a trade was inherently a fair exchange. A person couldn’t get something great in exchange for junk. Nor could the trade work if one person took advantage of the other: in the lunchroom during grade school, I couldn’t get a friend’s tater tots for anything less than my chocolate pudding desert with graham cracker crust (my mushy, cold, cooked-to-oblivion green beans just wouldn’t do.)

But the word “fair” doesn’t show up anywhere in Webster’s definition and, now that I’m grown, I see the darker aspects of humanity tainting the act of trading. In so many trade situations, there are hidden disadvantages for one party, such as the subsistence coffee berry picker in Guatemala getting only a penny or two out of that $6 latte you buy every morning on the way to work.

The fair trade movement

Unless we’re sociopaths, our consciences guide us in knowing what a fair trade of goods or services for profit is. As individuals, our humanity compels us to adhere to an unwritten and inherently understood code of fairness when we deal with others. And even though the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that corporations are individuals, it doesn’t mean that those corporations will behave with a noble, individual conscience. In the corporate mind, ill-gained profit from unfair trade practices often has a tendency to be measured as a good thing because it leads to increased profitability.

The fair trade movement provides a healthy and growing countermeasure to this unfair trade. It consists of any number of concurrent production, buying and selling businesses, federations and certifying organizations that collectively promote models of progressive capitalism, featuring aspects of social consciousness and economic justice for all of the parties involved. You’ve probably heard of some of them: Fairtrade International, FLO International, Equal Exchange, etc.

Women in Madagascar processing vanilla beans, which we source from a Well Earth supplier.

Beyond the associated fair trade organizations themselves, progressive companies are developing their own internal versions of fair trade exchanges as well, such as Frontier’s very own Well Earth program. Although there may always be a bit of controversy and competing definitions and programs of fair trade, the growing economical subset of fair trade is a good thing.  We can all feel good about the movement in general and exercise our buying clout to learn more and support all of the players in the fair trade economy, from the third-world farmer to the economy-driving successful business on the other.

Get involved
If fair trade is important to you, join us to support World Fair Trade Day 2013. While World Fair Trade Day is May 11, this collection of events takes place May 4-19 in venues all over the country by individuals, groups and businesses that “demand a world where all trade is fair.” Please get involved along with us by visiting ftrn.org for more information and a schedule of events near you.

How will you mark World Fair Trade Day?

About the author: Tom is communicator of natural living for Frontier, Simply Organic and Aura Cacia brands. In other words, he’s a very imaginative copywriter. A local boy, raised on a farm just down the road from the company’s headquarters in Norway, Tom enjoys drawing, plant hoarding, cooking and living the simple life in the beautiful state of Iowa.

Not to worry! We’ve researched how to ripen an avocado quickly — and added other must-know facts about avocados here:

1. There are close to 500 varieties of avocados.

2. Avocados are actually fruits, and are often eaten with sugar or as an ice cream flavor for dessert in Brazil.

3. An avocado ripens in 5 stages, from light green to ripe. Keep these in mind when you choose your avocado at the store.

4. To speed up the ripening process, you can store your avocado in a closed paper bag. This isn’t an instant-fix for a firm avocado, but, with a bit of planning ahead, you’ll be ready to scoop out the plant’s soft, green flesh and mix it with tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro, spices, lime and whatever else your signature guacamole recipe includes.

5. If it is ripening too quickly, toss it in the refrigerator.

6. Once it’s ripe, this is how to peel and slice your avocado.

7. Don’t throw that pit away — use it to grow your own avocado tree!

8. This year, it’s estimated that Americans will consume 87.3 million pounds of avocados on Cinco de Mayo.

9. Fresh guacamole is best when — you guessed it — fresh! Mix up your guacamole just before your guests arrive, or treat them to a tableside guacamole-making experience.

10. One of the yummiest uses of your avocado is to make guacamole grilled cheese:

The avocados you love in guacamole are also fantastic in this grilled cheese sandwich, developed by Karen Arkin, a finalist in the 2012 Simply Organic and Organic Valley Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Recipe Contest.

For more ideas about how to further enjoy avocados and other Mexican favorites, check out our recipe page and Cinco de Mayo party planner.

The internet is full of answers to life’s questions. Some have clear answers: “What’s the weather going to be today?” (Cold and rainy, if you spent April in the Midwest.) Others are much more complex: “Is organic better for my family?”

We certainly don’t have all the answers (not even close!), but to help you out, we have answers for five everyday questions in this month’s webfinds:

Reducing waste can be simple.

1. Is organic better? A middle school student took on this question after she witnessed her parents debating the topic. She worked with researchers at a local university to design an experiment that shows organic is better — for fruit flies, at least.

2. How can I reduce waste? To celebrate Earth Month, the Bulk is Green Council (of which Frontier is a part) raised awareness of how you can reduce packaging waste by simply buying certain items in bulk.

3. How can I make my work day more pleasant? This month, our Aura Cacia Aromatherapy brand launched a new website devoted to helping you Choose Calm in everyday situations, including your workplace. Check out the essential oil quick tips and recipes, and enter for your chance to win a trip for two to the Wanderlust Festival.

4. How can I get my kids to eat healthier? For one young girl, the answer was learning how to cook. In her TedxKids@BC talk, 10-year-old Hallie Thomas inspired us to spend time in the kitchen with kids, reminding us that “learning to cook is the most direct way to good health.”

5. What should I get my mom for Mother’s Day? For those who plan ahead, Buzzfeed offered us 22 ideas for gifts for stressed-out moms. While perfect for Mother’s Day, we think these DIY projects are a good gift idea for anyone, anytime!

About the author: Katie coordinates social media for Frontier, Simply Organic and Aura Cacia — which means her head is usually spinning with Web content ideas and her iPhone rarely leaves her sight. When she’s not giggling at the latest memes or researching social media trends, Katie loves to run, read multiple books at once, and experiment in the kitchen.

Good Colorado sauce begins with your dried chili peppers.

By Tom Havran

Overused words like “authentic,” “traditional” and “real” are proffered like bottomless bowls of genetically modified corn chips and watery salsa to describe the corporatized Mexican food that is so sadly pervasive in America these days. (I weep for what Taco Bell has done to Mexican food.)

For your Cinco de Mayo party this year, honor the true culinary spirit of Mexico by making Colorado sauce. My recipe below employs native ingredients with a simple method that will lend Mexican flavors and aromas to an endless array of dishes – from enchiladas to rice and beans.

Of all cuisines, Mexican is my favorite (which is why I’ve made Colorado sauce on countless occasions), and at no other time of the year does it seem less honored or more insulted than when it’s hijacked as part of the Americanized take on Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

Every May 5th, we don our cheap sombreros, fake “bandito” mustaches and gather at the local “Mexican” eatery to get boozily obnoxious on overly sweet margaritas, canned beans and gallons of oozing Colby Jack cheese. The people of Mexico, their culture and the food they have given the world deserve a lot more respect.

The staple crops that have come out of Native American culture, and especially Mexico, since before pre-recorded history have changed the way the world eats. Can you imagine your diet without corn, beans, chili peppers, tomatoes, squash, pumpkins or potatoes?

Sauce Colorado (sauce that is the color of red) is a rich, smoky, savory and densely-flavored condiment that you will surely recognize as the essence of real Mexican flavor. Even if you’ve never made or tasted it, you will perceive its authenticity immediately; Colorado sauce has a soul and a spirit of identity that is so palpable (and palatable!) that it is revelatory and attitude-changing.

After you’ve had Colorado sauce, you’ll find you can’t cook Mexican food without it, and you’ll certainly think twice before donning those ridiculous party sombreros or drinking that bottled margarita mix. Viva Mexico!

Colorado (Red) Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

4 dried New Mexico chili peppers

2 dried ancho chili peppers

1 dried chipotle chili pepper

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, cut and sifted

½ teaspoon ground cumin seed

½ teaspoon ground coriander seed

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

3-4 cups of warm water in a mixing bowl

4 cups seasoned broth or stock of choice (vegetable, chicken, etc.)

Directions:

1. Inspect peppers and wipe clean with a slightly damp towel, remove stems and most of the seeds, tear into large pieces.
   

   Dried New Mexico, ancho and chipotle chili peppers.

2. Peel garlic cloves, crush them under the side of a knife blade; set aside with peppers.
3. Heat a large, dry pan over medium heat. When hot, add peppers and garlic. Toast for 7-10 minutes while constantly tossing. Do not allow ingredients to scorch.
4. Place the toasted peppers in of bowl of warm water to soak for 15-20 minutes.
5. Remove chilies from soaking water and place in food processor with garlic, vegetable oil, cumin, coriander and 1 cup of the soaking water.
6. Turn on food processor and add enough of the broth or stock in a stream until a smooth sauce forms. Continue processing until all of the peppers are fully pureed. Add more soaking water or stock if the sauce becomes too tight.
7. For an especially silky texture, use a spatula to push the sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a pan. Add Mexican oregano and salt to taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary and simmer until sauce reaches desired consistency.
   

   You can’t match the smells that will fill your kitchen as your Colorado sauce simmers.

Suggested uses for your Colorado sauce:

1. Use as a sauce for your favorite Mexican dishes – enchiladas, huevos rancheros, quesadillas, tacos, nachos, tamales, etc. Here, we used it with simple bean, cheese and cilantro enchiladas.
2. Use as the authentic (no tomatoes allowed!) base for chili soup or chili con carne dishes.
3. Thin with additional seasoned stock or broth to create a braising liquid for chicken, pork, beef or stewed frijoles.
4. Use as a base for barbeque sauce, mole or marinade.
5. Use as an unexpected flavor in barbequed baked or refried beans.
6. Fork into cooked rice.
7. Add a dash to your Bloody Mary.
8. Fold a bit into chili con queso or drizzle over bubbling queso fundido.

About the author: Tom is communicator of natural living for Frontier, Simply Organic and Aura Cacia brands. In other words, he’s a very imaginative copywriter. A local boy, raised on a farm just down the road from the company’s headquarters in Norway, Tom enjoys drawing, plant hoarding, cooking and living the simple life in the beautiful state of Iowa.

My organic living “Aha!” moment was when I experienced the difference between real, farm-fresh eggs and those from factory farm, caged hens.

The chicken coop from my childhood still stands at my parents’ Iowa farm today.

Me at age 9

Around 1971, at age 9 or so, my first set of chores was to tend a flock of laying hens (leghorns) in the ramshackle chicken coop on the farm that I grew up on. I remember their snowy white feathers, bright yellow legs and jiggling red combs as they scurried and scratched about around my legs. This, my first lesson in taking responsibility consisted of many tasks: feeding and watering the birds, cleaning and changing their bedding, gathering and washing the eggs.

Decades before organic agriculture and food certification programs became official regulated policy, my chicken-tending chores were essentially an uncertified organic process on our traditional family farm. With little or no herbicides, pesticides, antibiotics or hormones my dad grew the grain that he ground into the feed that I fed the chickens. The leghorns were free to range all over the farm and into the garden, supplementing their rich diet with insects and greens.

When we wanted a snack, my mom would let us fry ourselves an egg from those hens and I’ve never had a better egg since. The shells were hard, thick and not prone to breaking. They made a loud, satisfying crack on the rim of the skillet. The yolks were an intense golden yellow color that bordered on orange and they formed a nearly perfect half sphere sitting in the hot oil. The whites were heavy and firm, holding together nicely in an oval, wholesomely-gelled mass around the yolk. The eggs were easy to fry and flip, and delicious to eat — intensely flavored, the yolks creamy, rich and silky, the whites firm with a pleasant, toothsome chewy-ness.

Not only does the chicken coop still stand, but my mother still has the old cast iron frying pan that my eight siblings and I used for our snacks.

Years after my childhood, I came to know non-organic eggs that came from factory caged hens that never saw the sun or breathed fresh air. Because these birds were, and still are, kept alive with powerful supplements, antibiotics and highly modified monotypic diets, the eggs produced are terrible. The shells are thin, weak and crumpling; the yolks anemic, pale yellow and prone to breaking; and the whites thin, watery and running all over the skillet. Worst of all, the flavor is insipid and barely detectable, so remarkably different than the wonderful eggs I grew up on.

So, remembering what an egg was meant to look and taste like, and how a chicken is meant to be raised and cared for, came to be my organic living “Aha!” moment. My experience growing up on a true Iowa family farm has proved more powerful than politics, ideology or any food industry influence and has brought me to the profound realization of the importance of organic, responsible, REAL food.

What was your organic living “Aha!” moment?

Read about another organic living “Aha!” moment here.

About the author: Tom is communicator of natural living for Frontier, Simply Organic and Aura Cacia brands. In other words, he’s a very imaginative copywriter. A local boy, raised on a farm just down the road from the company’s headquarters in Norway, Tom enjoys drawing, plant hoarding, cooking and living the simple life in the beautiful state of Iowa.

From Thanksgiving to National Margarita Day, the meaning of a holiday is different for each of us. This is true for Earth Day (which is Monday, April 22, by the way): For some, it’s a celebration of the planet we inhabit; for others, it’s a yearly wake-up call that we are rapidly destroying it. Either way, we’ve found six ways to incorporate love for the Earth into your everyday activities.

1. Buy in bulk. Frontier is a member of the Bulk Is Green Council, which exists to educate consumers on the environmental and financial benefits of buying bulk foods. Take the council’s Earth Month pledge to buy bulk food once a week throughout April. By the end of the month, you’ll probably want to make it a habit!

Frontier tallgrass prairie in Norway, Iowa in mid-summer.

2. Spend time outside. Wandering around in places like our tallgrass prairie gives you a greater appreciation for nature and more motivation to protect it.

3. Go organic. There are a number of reasons for choosing organic food, body care products and even clothing. Not only will it decrease your exposure to potentially harmful pesticides, eating organic supports an agriculture system that’s healthier for the planet.

4. Reuse and recycle. Obviously. It’s one of the easiest things we can do to decrease waste. It’s also an accessible first step for learning to be more conscious of how our actions affect the environment, particularly if you’re a recycling skeptic.

5. Know your source. Support local, organic agriculture when possible. For food that isn’t grown locally — or for body care, clothing or other items — learn about where your purchases come from, and support companies with sustainable sourcing practices.

6. Look around your kitchen. Cleaning products, cookware, water use and even your remodeling plans can all be sources of toxins and waste. Even small changes can make your kitchen greener.
How do you celebrate Earth Day every day?

About the author: Katie coordinates social media for Frontier, Simply Organic and Aura Cacia — which means her head is usually spinning with Web content ideas and her iPhone rarely leaves her sight. When she’s not giggling at the latest memes or researching social media trends, Katie loves to run, read multiple books at once, and experiment in the kitchen.

Image courtesy of Holistic Moms Network

By Katie Shatzer

We anticipate few events throughout the year as much as the first truly spring day. Sunshine, warmer air and the promise of new growth all around quickly erase our memories of winter’s short daylight hours, brutal snowstorms and inevitable bouts with illness. On the Internet, we anticipated spring through handy tips for how to clean up your diet, your beauty routine and your home for spring.

Check out our favorite web finds from March, then get outside and enjoy the fresh air!

1. Understanding where your food comes from is an important step in moving away from processed foods. In March, Holistic Moms Network focused their monthly Holistic Living Challenge on the theme, “Get to Know Your Food!” If you missed the March challenge, you can join in on April’s challenge, centered around helping someone you know go green.

2. As you get to know your food and clean up your diet, you might question what difference eating organic food makes. Mother Earth Living examined how organic affects you, society and the planet in its article “Why Eating Organic Is Still Smart.”

3. Brush up on your cooking techniques with videos from Co-op Kitchen by the organization Co-op, Stronger Together. One of our favorites: a tutorial on blackening salmon.

4. Spring cleaning can involve harsh chemicals, but it doesn’t have to. In an Alignyo article about natural cleaning, Aura Cacia Aromatherapist/Educator Charlynn Avery recommended three essential oils for safe and effective cleaning.

5. Another area that could use a good clean-up is your beauty routine. An article from MindBodyGreen provided five quick fixes for eliminating toxins, including using essential oils rather than synthetic fragrances.

What spring cleaning did you undertake this month?

About the author: Katie coordinates social media for Frontier, Simply Organic and Aura Cacia — which means her head is usually spinning with Web content ideas and her iPhone rarely leaves her sight. When she’s not giggling at the latest memes or researching social media trends, Katie loves to run, read multiple books at once, and experiment in the kitchen.

By Alan Miles

My life changed in 1971 when I walked into New Pioneer Co-op at 518 Bowery Street in Iowa City.

New Pioneer Co-op opened in Iowa City in 1971. It was after walking through this door, at 518 Bowery St., that I first encountered organic living.

It wasn’t that I suddenly saw the whole truth about natural and organic food in that moment, of course — it was more a butterfly effect from a seemingly minor event that reverberated across decades and almost every aspect of my future life.

That day, my outlook on food was broadened and deepened. Starting with brown rice and vegetables I hadn’t heard of, I saw new possibilities for cooking. Stir-fries became one of my staples.

I began spending time with others who shared my interest in natural food, and my awareness of environmental and political issues related to food grew. Books like Silent Spring and Diet for a Small Planet moved onto my must-read list and I became committed to organic gardening.

Here I am sometime around 1971, when my awareness of environmental and political issues related to food began to grow.

One of my new relationships became life-long. Shortly after my wife, Karen, and I were married, she became manager of a natural food co-op whose membership included a number of people who worked at Frontier Herbs. Soon she was hired to work at Frontier. A year later, I followed, and I have been here ever since, mainly writing about organics, natural products and sustainable living.

I’m convinced that the offhand decision to stop by that food co-op to see what was going on 40-some years ago had more of an effect on my life than many of the carefully assessed “big” choices about colleges, residences and such that I made. And I’m really glad that first New Pi store caught my eye – and opened my eyes to the richness of a natural and organic lifestyle.

Where did your organic living story begin?

About the author: A Frontier employee since before the co-op had computers (over 30 years), Alan explores ideas and issues related to a sustainable lifestyle — from cooking and culture to social and environmental responsibility. He enjoys Shakespeare, but not as much as college basketball. Alan is a family man, liking nothing better than spending time with his wife of 33 years, his four kids and four grandkids.

When it comes to blending perfumes, essential oils are a tried and true way to incorporate nature into your own signature scent. Homemade perfume is easy to make and isn’t as expensive as department store perfumes – plus, it can be made with ingredients that are friendly to our bodies and our planet.

Blend patchouli, sweet orange and ylang ylang essential oils for a sweet, floral homemade perfume.

Once you understand the basics, experiment with making your own blend or try one of our recipes below.

Choosing your aroma

To make a great perfume, get to know your aromatic preferences.  Are you prone to florals?  Do you like earthy or musky aromas?  Are you drawn to light citrus aromas?  What smells the best to you and on you?  Once you figure out what you like, choose recipes that combine your favorite aromas.

Choosing your base

Start with your base. For a perfume, use a base of a grain alcohol (I have found high proof vodkas to be the best) and let the blend sit for a minimum of two weeks and up to six weeks before use.

If you’d like a body oil instead, use a carrier that is light and readily absorbable with little to no odor of its own. Some great choices include grapeseed, sweet almond or apricot kernel oils. Once you add your essential oils to the oil base, let it sit for a minimum of three days to allow the aromas to blend together.

While some essential oils used in perfumes are more expensive, they can be used to make a lot of perfume. For a more affordable option, you can use Aura Cacia Precious Essentials™, which are diluted in jojoba oil already. However, I’d recommend using an oil base rather than alcohol in this case.

Regardless of the base you choose, shake the blends as they sit and “marinate” to mix the components well.

Perfume (alcohol-based) Recipes:

Sweet Floral Perfume Blend

Exotic Perfume Blend

Spicy Cologne Blend

Perfume Oil Recipes:

Rich Floral Perfume Blend

Fresh and Sweet Perfume Blend

Musk Perfume Blend

About the author: Charlynn Avery, aromatherapist and educator for Aura Cacia, is on a quest to change the way we look at health and healing in the U.S. She has spent her career practicing and teaching in the arena of holistic health and wellness as a licensed massage therapist, and currently holds additional certifications in Holistic Nutrition, Thai Massage, Life Coaching and Hypnotherapy. Although she loves natural healing, she loves spending time in nature even more. An avid traveler both for work and pleasure, she can often be found getting her U.S. National Park Passport stamped or reading a good book in an airport.