The Importance of School Lunches

Hello again!  We hope everyone will join us this week for another “delicious episode” of Pathfinder Produce.  We’ll be open in Edmeston this Thursday, May 11, from 1 to 5 p.m., and our Morris Market will be at the UMC Hall on Friday, from noon to 5 p.m.  We look forward to seeing you!

We’re in the last few weeks before our Splash Path 5K and Fun Walk, which is set for Saturday, May 20.  Early registration ends on Wednesday, May 10, so cruise on over to splashpath.racewire.com to take advantage of our low pricing (fees increase slightly on Thursday).  We’re very pleased with the great community support and sponsors we’ve had signup this year, and we extend our heartiest thanks to all who make Splash Path such a fun and inclusive event. 

Despite the return of wet and chilly weather here at Pathfinder Village, our Dash to the Splash crew has kept on-pace with their training regimen.  Last evening, everyone went to Pathfinder Gym to train, and it was a lot of fun … we played music as we walked and jogged; a few of us decided to skip and gallop to change things up, and there was even an impromptu game of tag!  (Yup, I got tagged a few times … who says you can’t play games when you’re 50+)!!!!

For those of you training alongside the Dash Crew, here’s the regimen for Week 7:

5 min Brisk Walk 22 min Jog 3 min Walk

5 min BW 25 min J 3 min W

Repeat Day 2

***

There was a poem that was very popular in the 1970s called Children Learn What They Live. This poem by Dorothy Law Nolte, which was displayed in many schools and pediatric offices, told of how the environment in which a child grows in will influence what kind of adult he will become.

There is also an adage that says, “You are what you eat.”

This brings me to the topic of school meals. The National School Lunch Act was signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1946. It provides low or zero cost meals in over 100,000 schools, and in 2012 served over 31 million children.

School breakfast and lunch programs are very important in giving access to nutritious food to children of all income levels. School meals are a great resource for busy parents who can save time by not packing lunches every day and still know their children are eating well.

These meals become critical for parents who struggle to make ends meet. According to Kids Count Data Center, in 2015, 23.3% of children and youth in Chenango County and 19.9% in Otsego County were living below the poverty level. For many of these children, school meals are their only access to nutritious food. Good nutrition is important, not only for physical health, but for brain development and mental acuity. Think about it: did you ever try to concentrate when you were extremely hungry?

In 2010, the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act was passed, raising the nutritional standards for school meals— meals featured less sugar and sodium, more whole grains, etc.  After all, our knowledge of food science has improved since 1946. This act met with some resistance, and some parents and others who plan and prepare the meals were skeptical that children would eat by the new standards.

I think that children are more adaptable and flexible than we give them credit for, and that the real challenge is to get Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers, who were raised on white bread and other convenience foods, to change their mindsets. Children are quite often taught, however unintentionally, to be picky eaters. So learn together, or get your children (or grandchildren) to teach you about different foods. You may find that whole grain bread or pasta is delicious, and that using other flavor enhancers than salt has delightful outcomes.

So this is where the poem at the beginning comes in. If adults can change their thinking for the sake of their children, then everybody benefits. Perhaps by extension, children who live with people who try new things will become adventurous eaters.  Children who live with people who try healthier foods will learn to eat well.

One other thought: In recent days the USDA has eased some of new school lunch regulations, but that doesn’t mean that school districts are obliged to follow suit. If it is important to you to maintain healthy meals in your schools, speak up. Attend school board meetings, study the school budget, encourage gardening projects, and write letters to your school district, legislators, and the USDA.  Grass roots change can make a difference, can help our kids eat better, and teach them to participate in their communities.

Until next time, teach your children well!

Martha (and Lori)

Pricing Adjustments this Week :)

We’ve had some adjustments to our Pathfinder Produce prices this week. We hope to see you this Thursday at the Village Commons, or on Friday at the UMC Hall in Morris.

• Cumbers, Seedless - $.96 each
• Grapes, Green - $3.39/lb.
• Lemons - $.30 each
• Lettuce, Iceberg - $3.27/head
• Oranges - $.45 each

Thank you for your patronage of “the little market that could!”

Enjoy your day!

Lori

The Buzz

We hope everyone will come on down to our delicious Pathfinder Produce

markets, this Thursday, at the Pathfinder Village Commons, from 1 to 5 p.m., and again on Friday at the Morris UMC Hall, 17 Church St., Morris, from noon to 5 p.m. We've got such a great selection of fresh, tasty items for you to serve to your family at every meal.

Our Dash to the Splash folks are now in Week 6 for their training program, steadily working towards completing their 5K at Splash Path, which is set for Saturday, May 20, starting at 9 a.m. There's just a few more days to take advantage of our early registration … prices go up slightly this coming Saturday. Sign up today at splashpath.racewire.com … it's ever so easy, and you'll be glad you did. It's such a tremendous event in support of community wellness and inclusion programs.

Here's this week's Dash regimen, for those who are joining in with this fun fitness activity:

5 min Brisk Walk 10 min Jog 3 min BW 10 min J 3 min Walk

5 min BW 10 min J 3 min BW 10 min J 3 min W

Repeat Day 2

***

Several years ago, Pathfinder made a walking trail just east of the Village from the proceeds from one of our earlier Splash Path 5K events. We will be adding several fitness stations very soon, as well as benches and other amenities, through funds raised at last year’s Splash Path, and through additional support from our Edmeston Rotary Club and Rotary District #7170. The new equipment will add to everyone's enjoyment of the community trail, which is open to the public during daylight hours. (Stop at the kiosk just past the Streck Health Center to read and follow the basic rules of the trail: Among these are to carry a cell phone with you.  Also, “if you carry it in, please carry it out.”).

This past Saturday, I enjoyed walking the trail with some Pathfinder friends. As we walked we discussed some of the things we were seeing -- everything from pheasants to bunnies, from birch trees to bees.  About midway through our walk, we were joined by some students from Hamilton College, Clinton, who are members of the liberal arts school's HAVOC program in support of community volunteering and engagement. Everyone had a great time on our walk, and then headed to the gym for more fun activities.

We saw both honey- and bumblebees collecting nectar along the trail as we walked, and we talked about bees’ importance in the environment. Our discussion tied into some things I've been seeing on my Facebook feed over the past few months: Cheerios and now the Alt-National Park Service pages had lately offered seed packets for wildflowers, in support of helping honeybee populations. Honeybees, which are vital for pollinating our agricultural crops, have been decreasing due to changing land use patterns, mites, viruses and other causes that result in hive losses.

Honeybees do well visiting any number of flowering plants, including goldenrod, Black-eyed Susans, asters, sunflowers, and lavender, among others. Many of these species are native to our area; if you're not allergic to bees, it may be fun and helpful to plant some wildflowers nearby to support both wild and domesticated bees. (If you get seed packets from a company or group, just make sure that the seeds are not for invasive species to your region).  There also appears to be a growing trend in urban beekeeping, but one would need to be very careful to protect one's hives and neighbors from unwanted interactions.

I've also been seeing some cool things on people getting into beekeeping.  One college friend's octogenarian mom is starting her own backyard hives, using a common wooden-frame set-up. I saw another way to use mason jars to collect honey, as shared on this Makezine article, but the article doesn't really explain how one harvests the honey. I would guess once the jar is full of comb, you would remove it from the hive, replace it with a new sterilized jar, and shoosh away any remaining bees.  Back at the house, one would empty the jars, cut or crush the comb, and strain thoroughly. One should always remember, too, never to give honey to babies under 12 months. (Also, one should check local apiary regulations; some states require inspections for beehives.).

One recent innovation I read about that was funded through crowd sourcing is a new Flowhive system that combines high tech with functional design, and allows apiarists to harvest honey without disturbing the bees inside the hive. More information is at their website; and you can buy these very pricey hives at their online store.  (I did see several articles that were critical of the new hives; one author indicated that nature’s combs are superior, and had concerns about how the plastic comb may affect bee health and honey quality).

If I decide to try my hand at beekeeping, I'll keep you posted. Until next time, enjoy walks among the flowers, and save the bees.

Lori

Tips on Ticks

Life’s a treat, and so are the great produce finds at Pathfinder Produce, our weekly markets held on Thursdays from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Pathfinder Village Commons, and on Fridays, noon to 5 p.m. at the UMC Hall, 17 Church St. in Morris.  We hope you’ll stop by this week to check out our great deals.

Our Dash to the Splash training program participants are really starting to stretch their training now.  If you’re following along, our program for Week 5 is:

5 min Brisk Walk 5 min Jog 3 min BW 8 min J 3 min BW 5 min J 3 min Walk

5 min BW 5 min J 3 min BW 8 min J 3 min BW 5 min J 3 min W

Repeat Day 2

Splash Path is scheduled for Saturday, May 20, and you can learn more about this family fun paint walk and run at our website or at our Facebook event page.  It’s really easy to register at splashpath.racewire.com; early registration fees are available through May 5 (next Friday); after that, prices for each age bracket go up just slightly. We’re grateful to our many community sponsors and business partners who “step up to the Splash” each year, which help keep our costs for this event low.  Sign up today, it’s such a blast!

***

“If you lie down with dogs, you’ll get up with fleas.”

Although this adage is about how one is affected by the company one keeps, it’s true in the literal sense as well.  It’s that time of year when we all need to be on the lookout for fleas and ticks, those nasty (and I mean nasty) little blood suckers.  If you have pets, kids, or live with people who go outside but may not be careful about checking themselves, you need to be vigilant against parasites.  This is prime tick season … as I found out Sunday.

Our dog is a beautiful-yet-lunk-headed eight-year old lab who does what labs do … she loves to explore around the pond's edge and go in the high grass. Last week, I noticed after petting her that I had one of the little tick nasties crawling on me.  I felt something moving on my skin, looked at it, and then quickly got a latex glove on my hand, captured it, and plopped it in a container of rubbing alcohol to kill it.  I hadn’t felt a pinch, and had no outward signs of being bitten, so I thought I was safe from catching Lyme.  The very next day, I went to the vet's to make sure we had flea and tick medicine on hand … enough for six months … so that Della wouldn't be host to these unwelcome guests.  (Our vet recommends a year-round regimen as ticks and fleas can survive into colder months).

However, that wasn't an end to the story … somehow one of the awful little beggars crawled on my son this weekend, either while he was walking outside, or he picked it up from the dog. He felt a sharp pinch, and then after a short while, investigated.  Mr. Tick was small, partly embedded in his thigh …  to his credit he quickly yelled for parental support.

I didn't have one of the tick-removal tools on hand (guess what I'm getting later today?), so I used a pair of pointy tweezers as close to the skin as I could get. I tweezed and popped Mr. Tick into a pill bottle full of rubbing alcohol, and dabbed the place where it had latched on with some antiseptic. Not wanting to leave anything to chance, we hopped in the car … “Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to urgent care we go.”  (Caution: Don’t ever squeeze a tick between your fingers to remove or kill it).

So, 31 miles and 40 minutes later, we arrived at the clinic. The medical staff quickly looked at my son’s leg, asked questions about how it happened, and so on. They said their clinic didn't really require the specimen; but they were pleased that we had removed the tick as quickly as possible, and had gotten it out as close to its mouth as we had.

“Not every tick starts to feed as it latches on, and not every tick has Lyme disease,” explained the attending nurse. “What happens, if the tick is infected, is it regurgitates some of its stomach contents back into the wound as it becomes full. That’s how it infects the host with Lyme disease.”

The FNP prescribed one dose of a general-use oral antibiotic, which they recommended be taken within 72 hours of the bite. They also told my son that he needs to keep the area clean and prevent infection, and to make sure that he reports any rashes, fevers or flu symptoms, joint pain, head ache or nausea that may occur within two weeks.

So, in as much as this probably won't be our last episode this season, I'm planning now to make sure we're ready for the next nasty attack:

1.    Della will get her meds on schedule, including the renewal of her Lyme inoculation in July.

2.    We’ll keep the grass well-mowed within our yard and field.

3.    We’ll keep up on the vacuuming, in case any critters fall off of the dog and end up on the floors.

4.    I’ll get some of those tick-removal tools, and maybe have a “kit” ready to go with a latex glove, plastic baggie (to put the tick in).

5.    Anyone who goes walking will use some repellant, like permethrin, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus, to discourage any hitchhikers. (DEET, which I’m not a fan of, may or may not be effective; different websites say different things).

6.    If we're going in deep grass or brush, we'll wear long pants tucked into long socks, or put some rubber bands (gaiters) around the bottom of our pants.  Light colored clothing is recommended to make it easier to see anything that maybe crawling on you.

7.    We’ll be sure to check ourselves when we come in from mowing, brush cutting, fire wood chopping, etc.

More tick prevention suggestions are at these links:

http://www.livescience.com/46160-how-to-avoid-tick-bites.html

http://www.stopticks.org/prevention/

https://www.facebook.com/nanswope/posts/10207133157499606

Until next time, be careful – it’s a jungle out there!

Lori

Earth Day & Eliminating Food Waste

Hello!  We hope everyone will join us for this week’s scrumptious Pathfinder Produce markets, Thursday afternoons at the Village Commons in Edmeston, and Friday afternoons at the UMC Hall in Morris.  We’ve got the freshest flavors around, and a terrific variety of fruits and veggies!  Try us once and you’ll be sold!

We’re one month out until our big SPLASH PATH 5K and Fun Walk, Pathfinder’s family fun and inclusive paint run and walk that is scheduled for Saturday, May 20.  All the details are available at our website and on our Facebook event page.  Registration is quick and easy at splashpath.racewire.com.  Thanks go out to all our 2017 Splash Path Sponsors!

This is our fourth annual Splash Path, and funds are being raised to promote community wellness and inclusion.  The day promises to be so much fun!  We’ll host a great raffle auction, kids’ activities, vendor exhibits and there will be a chicken barbecue as well.  Zoe Curtis of Zoe Fitness will be here for a 9:30 a.m. ZUMBA WARM-UP party, and our maintenance guys are getting out our “color cannon” just to add to everyone’s Splash Path good time!  We welcome runners and walkers of all ages, fitness levels, and abilities … sign up before May 5 to enjoy our very affordable pricing.

As a lead up to Splash Path, our Dash to the Splash participants have been continuing their progress in building strength and stamina to prepare for their race/walk.  If you are following along where you live, our folks have this routine for this week:

Day 1 (Mon.)	Day 2 (Wed.)	Day 3 (Fri. or Sat.)
5 min Brisk Walk (BW) 5 min Jog (J) 3 min BW 5 min J 3 min BW 5 min J 3 min Walk (W)	5 min BW 8 min J 5 min BW 8 min J 3 min W	Repeat Day 2

***

Eliminating Food Waste

Saturday is Earth Day, a day on which we should focus on how we can protect our planet.  As a lead up to Earth Day, Pathfinder School has been participating in A Bag's Life, which focuses on recycling plastic bags so that they don't wind up in landfills or our oceans.  In a month, we have collected and recycled almost 2,000 bags! Our students and staff members have all gotten on board with this program and its important message.  It has even inspired us to start thinking in other environmentally friendly ways.

Something that doesn't always come to mind when we think about “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle” is food--but it should. It has been estimated that about one third of the food produced worldwide gets wasted. In the United States, we waste 20 pounds of food per person, per month. This isn't smart for the environment OR our wallets!

Recently, the United States Environmental Protection Agency released an article that explains the pros of being food-waste conscience, and lists some tips on how to get started on reducing food waste each day.

The benefits of preventing food waste are straight forward: Being more aware of your family's food needs, perhaps by planning out meals for the week, will save money and food resources. As the old adage goes, “Enough is as good as a feast!”

Plan meals before grocery shopping to ensure you won't overbuy--stick to your list! Store food correctly--don't let those fresh fruits and veggies spoil on the kitchen counter if they would keep longer in the fridge, and vice versa! Finally, if food waste cannot be avoided, consider composting food scraps so that they don't wind up in the garbage. 

Learn more about how you can help by clicking the link below:

http://www.worldfooddayusa.org/food_waste_the_facts

Until next time -- consume wisely, conserve when you can, and enjoy Earth Day!

Maura (and Lori)

A Look at Type 2 Diabetes

We invite everyone to come to our fresh and convenient Pathfinder Produce markets this week, where we feature a wide variety of healthy, yummy fruits and vegetables. Our market staff is ready to help you with your family's produce needs, so you and your family may enjoy some of the best flavors around.  Our market in Edmeston is on Thursdays, from 1 to 5 at the Pathfinder Village Commons, and we’re in Morris at the UMC on Fridays, from noon to 5 p.m.

Our Dash to the Splash crew is going strong on its 8 week journey to take part in Splash Path, our fun 5k paint walk and run that will take place on Saturday, May 20. The Dash folks are now up to their third week in training, which means they will follow this regimen:

Mon. (Today)	Wed.	Fri. or Sat.
5 min. brisk walk (BW) 1.5 min. jogging (J) 1.5 min. BW 3 min. J 3 min. BW 3 min. J 3 min. BW 3 min. walking (W)	5 min. BW 3 min. J 1.5 min BW 5 min. J 2.5 min. BW 3 min J 1.5 min BW 5 min J 3 min W	Repeat Wed.

There's still time to sign up for Splash Path, so we encourage you to join in the fun.  Sign up at splashpath.racewire.com using the quick and easy online registration form.

***

Recently, National Public Radio has featured a number of stories highlighting the diabetes epidemic that is now affecting Mexico's population. According to reports, about 14% of the adult population has been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and their healthcare system isn't prepared to support that many diabetics. NPR indicated this dramatic rise has taken place over two decades, and is attributable to diets that are now higher in sugar and fat levels.

The NPR article further adds that, “A study in 2015 showed Mexico to be the leading consumer of junk food in Latin America, consuming 450 pounds of ultra-processed foods and sugary beverages per person each year.” To combat this epidemic, the Mexican government is now imposing taxes on sweetened drinks, has worked to place healthier foods in schools, and has prevented young children from being targeted by junk food ads.

Type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes, happens when one’s body resists the way insulin regulates the metabolism of sugar, or doesn’t produce enough insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels.  While there is no cure for Type 2 diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic, by eating well, exercising, and in some instances taking meds or relying on insulin, the condition can be managed.

Americans are hooked on sugar and fat too – news stories from a year ago indicated that Americans now get most of their calories from highly processed foods: “In a study published in the journal BMJ Open, scientists led by Carlos Monteiro at University of Sao Paolo found that nearly 60% of an American’s daily calories come from ultra-processed food, which Monteiro and his colleagues defined as food that contains ingredients such as flavors, colors, sweeteners and hydrogenated oils, emulsifiers and other additives that you wouldn't cook with at home.”

The USP study also pinpointed, for the first time, that this type of processed food is the main source of added sugar in the U.S. diet. Meanwhile, the report shows, “Americans get less than 1% of their daily calories from vegetables.”

Not surprisingly, these statistics are reflected in the rise in Type 2 diabetes in the U.S., where between 9 to 12% of the population is diagnosed, and where it is now the seventh leading cause of death each year. This compares to less than one percent of Americans who had Type 2 diabetes in 1958, a time when most relied on unprocessed or minimally processed ingredients.

So what can we do to protect and improve our health? Essentially, we have to become better consumers, more self-reliant, and cook more at home.

According to the website, 100 Days of Real Food, we should follow this list as much as possible:

1.    Read ingredients labels. If something has unfamiliar, unpronounceable ingredients, you may not want to buy that item.

2.    Increase your consumption of whole foods, especially fruits and veggies.

3.    Buy your bread from a bakery, or make your own if you can. (Think how much bread you eat each week!)

4.    Select whole grain breads, pastas, and cereals. Read the ingredients to make sure the product is made with only 100% whole grains, and not whole and processed grain blends.

5.    Avoid store-bought products containing high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and those with other forms of sweeteners listed among the top three ingredients.

6.    Don’t order off the kids’ menu when eating out: Try assembling side items, like baked potatoes and whatever vegetables your kids will eat, or try sharing some of your meal.

7.    Visit farmers’ markets for local fresh produce.

8.    Lastly, “eat all the junk food you want as long as you make it yourself.”  By eating sweets and fatty foods only as often as you are willing to make them at home, you will automatically reduce your consumption.

Other advice is found through the growing Slow Foods movement … you can find ideas at their blog at https://www.slowfoodusa.org/slow-food-usa-blog.

Until next time, eat well and be well!

Lori

Versatility in a Small, Deep Purple Package

Spring is FINALLY in the air!  During this season of transition, we’re here at Pathfinder Produce to help you and your family with your fresh fruit and veggie needs.  We hope that you may join us this week, Thursday at the Village Commons in Edmeston from 1 to 5 p.m., and again on Friday, at the UMC Morris, from noon to 5 p.m.  Our friendly and attentive crew will be looking for you!

We also want to encourage all our friends and neighbors to sign up for Splash Path, Pathfinder Village’s colorful and lively 5K and Fun Walk, which is taking place here at the Pathfinder campus on Saturday, May 20.  This year’s event will raise funds for community wellness and inclusion projects.  You can learn more details at either the Pathfinder Village website, or at our online registration page at splashpath.racewire.com. 

Splash Path registration fees are kept low, to encourage family and group participation, and we welcome walkers and runners of all abilities and ages.  If you are a student looking for a great community service project (for Scouts, school organizations, other youth groups) this is a great thing to be a part of.  If you’re older and want to connect with your community in a meaningful way, we hope you’ll sign up and join in all the fun!

In this week’s “Tales from the Veggie Bin,” my colleague, Martha Spiegel, sings the praises of the humble-yet-oh-so-yummy black bean.  Enjoy!

***

Although Pathfinder Produce features many of your fresh fruit and veggie favorites, there’s no reason that one shouldn’t explore other readily available veggies, like dried peas and beans, which are absolutely delicious and kind to the budget.  Of all the legumes that I have tried, versatile black beans are my hands-down favorite. 

Black beans are native to the Americas, are most commonly found in Latin American cuisine, but are used all over the world. The beans are also known as turtle beans, and are not actually black but very dark purple. This becomes most evident when you see the deep color of the water when you rinse them. You can apparently save the soaking liquid from dried black beans to dye yarn, although the finished product will be a shade of blue.

Black beans are excellent for digestive tract health, and according to an article in World's Healthiest Foods,  they even surpass other legumes in this area. A single serving of turtle beans has nearly 15 grams of fiber, as well as 15 grams of protein. This means they are also beneficial for blood sugar regulation and cardiovascular health. They also contain potassium, folate, vitamin B6, and phytonutrients.  These little guys have a lot going on!

I love them best in Mexican dishes, but they are also great as a simple side or even cold on a salad. One quick way that I prepare them is to mix them (hot or cold) with some plain Greek yogurt and a bit of salsa; adjust the proportions to suit your own taste. I also really love a hot bowl of black bean soup. (This is just one quick and easy recipe—a quick Google search will give you many others, so click around and find one you like!)

I have also heard that they are a great way to sneak some nutrition into brownies, but I haven’t been daring enough to try that yet!  Perhaps that’s a baking adventure to try with my grandkids sometime.  Other tempting black bean items may be found at this link at the Brit + Co website.

A couple of notes about using canned vs. dry beans: If you are using canned beans, be sure to rinse them thoroughly to reduce the sodium content. If you are using dry beans, be sure to boil them at the start of the cooking phase (after soaking and rinsing) to eliminate naturally-occurring toxins. For more information about canned vs. dry, see this article from the Healthy Eating section in the San Francisco Chronicle and this one from The Bean Institute.

Until next time, eat well and be well!

Martha (and Lori)