hey, roosters! my mom sent over a link to the jam labelizer yesterday, and i was so excited- it’s brilliant! choose from several designs, fill in your info and either print or save them- simple as that! and, it’s free!

here are a few i made up in just a few minutes. now you’ll have no excuse for not having the cutest jam ever. xox!

wrap up: {canning} {jam} {jelly} {labelizer} {labels} {make your own}

oh yes, this exists. and i think it’s pretty amazing! i discovered it over on le petit pot, and you can visit this post for purchase information and more lovely photos. i think this would make for some pretty darling presents, labels and packages, don’t you? plus, it’s so cute! :)

all photos: le petit pot

wrap up: {coharu} {japanese} {labels} {packages} {pretty tape} {print} {printer} {washi tape}

whether your packaging etsy orders or sending love notes, everyone enjoys a little added touch of finesse to their package! besotted brand offers a modern variety of ways to dress up your packages, with everything from flag labels and thank fresh, clean, besotted brand, labels, packages, supplies, craftingyou stamps to mini clothespins and parcel twine. i just love their fresh and clean style, don’t you?

wrap up: {besotted brand} {crafting} {labels} {modern} {packages} {supplies}

i was tempted to title this post ‘gmo’s and what you need to knows’, but you get the idea. :) there’s been a lot of buzz around gmo’s (genetically modified organisms) lately and rightly so, it’s a very important subject! GMOs are in as much as 80% of conventional processed food and today i hope to give you the essential information on what they are, what you need to know about them, and how you can avoid them. let’s go!

what is a GMO?

GMO’s, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants or animals that have been created through the gene splicing techniques of biotechnology. this (very experimental) technology merges DNA from different species which creates an unstable combination of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes that cannot naturally occur in nature, or even in traditional crossbreeding.

but why?

virtually all commercial GMOs are engineered to withstand the direct application of herbicides and insecticides (brilliant, right?). Nope. not only do none of these practices offer increased yield or enhanced nutrition, a growing body of evidence connects GMOs to health problems and environmental damage.

are GMOs safe to eat?

most nations do not consider GMOs safe to eat. in nearly 50 countries around the world (including australia, japan, and the european union) there are heavy restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs. in the u.s. however, the government has approved GMOs based on studies conducted by the same corporations that created the GMOs in the first place.

are GMOs labeled?

unfortunately, no. even though polls consistently show that americans want to know which foods contain GMOs, the biotech lobby has succeeded in keeping this information from the public.

what do GMOs do to the environment?

in short, a lot. over 80% of all GMOs grown worldwide are engineered for herbicide tolerance. as a result, the use of toxix herbicides (think roundup) has increased by 15 times since GMOs were introduced. GMO crops are also responsible for things like ‘super weeds’ and ‘super bugs’ which can only be killed with more toxic poisons. a major concern is that we don’t really know what the long-term effects will be, but we do know that once released into the environment, they cannot be taken back.

so, which foods might be GMO?

there are several foods that are especially at high risk for being GMO. they are:

- alfalfa
- corn
- flax
- rice
- sugar beets
- yellow summer squash
- canola
- cotton
- papaya
- soy
- zucchini
- milk*
- meat*
- eggs*
- honey and other bee products*
* these are also a major risk because of potential GMO contamination in feed and other inputs.

how can i avoid GMOs?

in the u.s., GMOs are in as much as 80% of conventional processed food (think cereals, snack bars, snack boxes, cookies, processed lunch meats, crackers, etc).

-  purchase organic foods as much as possible. they will not contain any GMO’s (though there is potential for cross contamination from other GMO crops).
- look for the non-GMO project label.
- shop brands that participate in the non-GMO project, see a list of them here.

what else can you do?

- tell the fda to label genetically modified foods! sign the petition here.
- tell grocery store CEOs to refuse monsanto’s GMO sweet corn- sign the petition here.
- know what’s most important to buy organic by using this guide.
- know your labels - part 1 and part 2!

thank you to the non-gmo project for this great information, pictures and excellent resource guide!

wrap up: {environment} {food} {genetically modified organisms} {GMOs} {heath} {labels} {non-gmo project}

whether we’re ready for it or not, summer is coming towards an end, but one of they many joys of fall is getting ready to harvest and preserve our seasons yummy produce. when i saw these summery kitchen labels from felix doolittle, i immediately thought about how pretty they would make a cupboard or how lovely they would make a gift of your garden’s goodies.

with chef medallions, baker’s labels and oval kitchen labels, they are perfect for sharing garden goodies, canning, making jams and throwing parties! they all feature a gorgeous watercolor illustration by felix (he paints them almost to scale with a very tiny brush!) and come with personalization in a cute little tin, aren’t they lovely?
make sure to cruise by their notecard collections as well! i’ve found that if i have pretty notecards within reach, i’m much more likely to write my friends and family, something that i’ve been trying to a lot more of lately!

wrap up: {canning} {fall} {felix doolittle} {gardening} {harvest} {kitchen} {labels} {preserve}

today i wanted to do a follow up to our first labels post last week and talk about a few of the more specific labels that we tend to run across nearly every time we go to the store. what do they all really mean? hopefully, this will help clear up some of the confusion between what’s misleading and what’s good information.

free range. the “free range” food label can be found on meat, dairy and eggs, but this progressive way of farming is not always as it seems. what consumers may not know and won’t see on their “free range” foods is that the USDA regulations only apply to poultry. therefore, “free range” beef, pork and other non-poultry animals were fed grass and allowed to live outdoors, but their products are not regulated by the USDA. another misconception consumers have about “free range” is that these products are also organic. unless it’s labeled free range AND organic, free range animals may be fed non-organic feed that could contain animal byproducts and hormones.

fresh. the “fresh” food label can be very misleading to consumers, by making them think their chicken was killed the day before, or their “freshly squeezed” orange juice was prepared that day. the label “fresh” simply means that it was not frozen or is uncooked, but many of these products are allowed to be chilled, kept on ice or in modified atmospheres to keep them from spoiling.

white calf

all natural. the “all natural” stamp is one of the most abused and misleading food labels used by food manufacturers today. many of these so-called “all natural” products use citric acid, high-fructose corn syrup and other unnatural additives, but still get to bear that positive label. always check the ingredients list to know exactly what’s in your food.

whole grains. chances are you’ve seen the label, “made with whole grains,” pop up on bread, crackers or rice products now more than ever. the reality is that many of these whole grain products are actually made with refined wheat flour and maybe a small percentage of whole grains. in order to check the validity of the whole grains label, check out the listed ingredients. unless “whole grains” is one of the first ingredients on the list or if you see “enriched wheat flour,” it’s likely that your product contains a small percentage of whole grains.

farm fresh eggs

cage free: the label “cage free” does not mean there are any standards or auditing mechanisms behind it. As the term implies, hens laying eggs labeled as “cage free” are uncaged inside barns or warehouses, but generally do not have access to the outdoors. They have the ability to engage in some of their natural behaviors such as walking and nesting. there is no information regarding what the birds can be fed. forced molting through starvation is permitted, and there is no third-party auditing.

free range: while the USDA has defined the meaning of “free range” for some poultry products, there are no standards in “free range” egg production. typically, free range egg-laying hens are uncaged inside barns or warehouses and have outdoor access. They can engage in many natural behaviors such as nesting and foraging. however, there is no information on stocking density, the frequency or duration of outdoor access, or the quality of the land accessible to the birds. there is no information regarding what the birds can be fed. forced molting through starvation is permitted, and there is no third-party auditing.

apples with peanut butter and granola

certified organic: the animals must be allowed outdoor access, with ruminants—cows, sheep and goats—given access to pasture, but the amount, duration and quality of outdoor access is undefined. animals must be provided with bedding materials. though the use of hormones and antibiotics is prohibited, surgical mutilations without any pain relief are permitted. these are requirements under the national organic program regulations, and compliance is verified through third-party auditing. currently, there are no federal or state programs to certify aquatic animals, including fish, as organic.

certified humane: the animals must be kept in conditions that allow for exercise and freedom of movement. as such, crates, cages and tethers are prohibited. outdoor access is not required for poultry or pigs, but is required for other species. stocking densities are specified to prevent the overcrowding of animals. all animals must be provided with bedding materials. hormone and non-therapeutic antibiotic use is prohibited, while surgical mutilations without any pain relief are permitted. compliance is verified through third-party auditing. 

were you familiar with the meaning behind these labels? i knew many of them, but still learned quite a bit about the specifics while doing research for this post. to me, this is a great testament to eating local if at all possible. talk to your farmers, ask for a visit, and see what the animals are like and what the growing conditions are like for your fruits and veggies. it’s easy to have fun getting to know where your food comes from, and if you have children, what a fun lesson for them to learn!

resources: eggindustry, meat and dairy labels

wrap up: {all natural} {food} {free range} {fresh} {labels} {simple living}

LABELS. they are everywhere, yet there still needs to be more. they can be overwhelming, confusing and even misleading! today i’m going to introduce several labels that you should keep an eye out for and support. next week we’ll discuss some that can be a little misleading, or confusing. are you ready?
 

organic. certified by the us department of agriculture to meet standards that don’t allow the use of most conventional pesticides, genetic engineering, and routine use of antibiotics and growth hormones in livestock. visit the usda website to learn more.

fair trade. fair trade partnerships seek to offer better trading conditions to, and secure the rights of, marginalized producers and workers, especially in developing counties. certification by the fair trade labeling organization international guarantees that a product’s fair trade claims have been independently audited and verified.

local. there are no consistent standards for use of the term, which may refer to a region, a state or the immediate ridgeline or watershed. it may also be applied to product that are made locally but of imported ingredients.

clean. foods certified by organizations like scientific certification systems to have met voluntary standards in one or more areas of potential concern, including pesticide residues, food pathogens, industrial contaminants and heavy metals, and food safety procedures and practices throughout the food supply chain.

fair labor. currently two organizations certify safe and fair ag labor practices in the u.s.: scs certified and safe ag employer. criteria include equitable hiring, and employment practices, safe workplace conditions, workers right to organize, worker housing, child labor, and access to health, education and transportation services.

sustainable. sustainable food certification programs address an array of social and environmental issues that go beyond ‘organic’, including safe and fair working conditions, healthy and humane care for livestock, reduced pesticide use, reduced water and non-renewable energy use, and enhanced soil health. visit the food alliance to learn more.

wrap up: {food} {labels} {local} {organic gardening} {simple living} {sustainable}

{live love eat balloons by anek}

if you follow me on the old twitter thang, you might know that my mister recently decided to start eating vegan. i’m a supporter of both all things healthy and him, so it made me excited, but quickly made me wonder, ‘what does this mean for me’? since i’m the cook, it certainly has some heavy implications for our dinners at home. but remembering why i think being vegan is such a good idea in the first place, i quickly decided to at least give it a try. why not? i find myself emotionally attached to dairy (but no longer meat, as i gave that up a long time ago). but isn’t that kind of strange? why are we as a culture so attached to dairy? no other culture in the world is! i think i can live without it. especially with all the yummy alternatives there are these days.

but i immediately started being self-conscious of what people would think. i didn’t want to tell anyone. more important then them just thinking i was a real quack, i didn’t want them to judge me. saying your vegan these days comes with a pretty hefty toll. people judge. and hard. i can just hear them saying, “you say you’re vegan but you’re wearing leather shoes?” and then immediately dismissing me. i don’t think that’s fair.

in fact, i still plan on eating honey. local, raw, organic honey. it’s good and incredibly good for you (remember?).

i still own some leather shoes and david will still wear is favorite leather belt. we’re not perfect. we drive a big nasty car that only gets 20 miles to the gallon. i’m not proud of that, but you know what? i am proud of what we ARE doing. and i’m proud of each and every little thing that you are doing.

why are people so often negative to people who are trying to do good? i guess what i’m saying is that i don’t like labels. vegetarian, raw foodist, vegan, paleo, locavore, freegan, pescatarian, fruititarian (just google these for some fun reads). if you can stick to it, great. but i think by labeling ourselves, we sign ourselves up for failure- and maybe (just maybe) even to be judged by others.

i’m interested in being the healthiest i can be. does that most closely resemble a vegan diet? yes. will it always? probably not. might i get chickens again and eat gorgeous, local and organic eggs right from my own back yard? probably.

i want to celebrate the good things. i want to lift up every conscious decision we as human beings make- no matter how great or how small. i’m proud of anyone who cares, even if it’s just by a little.

so what do you do? i want to hear about it. do you have meatless mondays at your house? did you bike to work? pee in the shower to save water? did you pass up one burger from a fast food restaurant last week? did you buy something organic? support a local farm?

even if it’s one decision, one time- i think it makes a huge difference and i want to know about it. i want to celebrate you.

on the flip side: even though you’re a vegetarian, did you eat a piece of meat last week? confession time! are you vegans hiding honey in your cabinets? any paleo’s out there still eating chocolate? i know you’re out there, so fess up! i’ll start in the comments section.

i want to start erasing labels and removing stereotypes from those of us who are just trying to do some good. we’re not perfect. i want to acknoledge the greatest gift we have on this earth- the ability to make our own decisions about what we will and will not put in our mouths.

i want to celebrate you!

i’ll ‘meat’ you in the comments section.

wrap up: {celebrate} {conscious} {decisions} {diet} {food} {labels} {vegan}