Cory Ritterbusch

WHY are Americans getting fatter and fatter? The simple explanation is that we eat too much junk food and spend too much time in front of screens — be they television, phone or computer — to burn off all those empty calories.

Unfortunately, behavior changes won’t work on their own without seismic societal shifts, health experts say, because eating too much and exercising too little are merely symptoms of a much larger malady. The real problem is a landscape littered with inexpensive fast-food meals; saturation advertising for fatty, sugary products; inner cities that lack supermarkets; and unhealthy, high-stress workplaces.

In other words: it’s the environment, stupid.

“Everyone knows that you shouldn’t eat junk food and you should exercise,” says Kelly D. Brownell, the director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale. “But the environment makes it so difficult that fewer people can do these things, and then you have a public health catastrophe.”

Dr. Brownell, who has a doctorate in psychology, is among a number of leading researchers who are proposing large-scale changes to food pricing, advertising and availability, all in the hope of creating an environment conducive to healthier diet and exercise choices.

To that end, health researchers are grappling with how to fix systems that are the root causes of obesity, says Dee W. Edington, the director of the Health Management Research Center at the University of Michigan.

“If you take a changed person and put them in the same environment, they are going to go back to the old behaviors,” says Dr. Edington, who has a doctorate in physical education. “If you change the culture and the environment first, then you can go back into a healthy environment and, when you get change, it sticks.”

Indeed, despite individual efforts by some states to tax soda pop, promote farm stands, require healthier school lunches or mandate calorie information in chain restaurants, obesity rates in the United States are growing. An estimated 72.5 million adults in the United States are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last year, about 27 percent of adults said they were obese, compared with about 20 percent in 2000, as reported in a C.D.C. study published this month. And, the report said, obesity may cost the medical system as much as $147 billion annually.

So what kind of disruptive changes might help nudge Americans into healthier routines? Equalizing food pricing, for one.

Fast-food restaurants can charge lower prices for value meals of hamburgers and French fries than for salad because the government subsidizes the corn and soybeans used for animal feed and vegetable oil, says Barry Popkin, a professor of nutrition at the Gillings School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“We have made it more expensive to eat healthy in a very big way,” says Dr. Popkin, who has a doctorate in agricultural economics and is the author of a book called “The World Is Fat: The Fads, Trends, Policies and Products That Are Fattening the Human Race.”

The inflation-adjusted price of a McDonald’s quarter-pounder with cheese, for example, fell 5.44 percent from 1990 to 2007, according to an article on the economics of child obesity published in the journal Health Affairs. But the inflation-adjusted price of fruit and vegetables, which are not subject to federal largess, rose 17 percent just from 1997 to 2003, the study said. Cutting agricultural subsidies would have a big impact on people’s eating habits, says Dr. Popkin.

“If we cut the subsidy on whole milk and made it cheaper only to drink low-fat milk,” he says, “people would switch to it and it would save a lot of calories.”

Health experts are also looking to the private sector. On-site fitness centers and vending machines that sell good-for-you snacks are practical workplace innovations that many companies have instituted.

On a more philosophical level, innovative companies are training managers not to burn out employees by overworking them, says Dr. Edington of the University of Michigan.

“Stress comes up. It can lead to overeating and obesity,” Dr. Edington says. At companies that see employee health as a renewable resource, he adds, managers encourage employees to go home on time so they can spend more time with their families, communities or favorite activities. “Instead of going home with an empty tank, you can go home with the energy that we gave you by the way we run our business,” he says.

CORPORATE-SECTOR efforts aren’t entirely altruistic. It’s less expensive for businesses to keep healthy workers healthy than to cover the medical costs of obesity and related problems like diabetes. For employees at I.B.M. and their families, for example, the annual medical claim for an obese adult or child costs about double that of a non-obese adult or child, says Martin J. Sepulveda, I.B.M.’s vice president for integrated health services.

I.B.M. has been promoting wellness for employees since the 1980s. But in 2008, it began offering a new program, the Children’s Health Rebate, to encourage employees to increase their at-home family dinners, their servings of fruits and vegetables, and their physical activities, as well as to reduce their children’s television and computer time.

In addition to helping prevent obesity in children, Mr. Sepulveda says, the program is aimed at employees who might neglect to exercise on their own but would willingly participate as part of a family project. Each family that completes the program receives $150.

All of these ideas sound promising. But the architecture of obesity is so entrenched that policy makers, companies, communities, families and individuals will need to undertake a variety of efforts to displace and replace it, says Alan Lyles, a professor at the School of Health and Human Services at the University of Baltimore.

And American efforts can seem piecemeal compared with those in Britain, where the government has undertaken a multipronged national attack, requiring changes in schools, health services and the food industry.

Britain now places restrictions on advertising fatty, sugary and salty foods during children’s shows, for example. And by 2011, cooking classes will be mandatory for all 11- to 14-year-old students in the nation. The hope is to teach a generation of children who grew up on prepared foods how to cook healthy meals, and perhaps to make eating at home — instead of at the local fried fish-and-chips shop — the default option.

Learn How to Meet the Increasing Demand for Healthy Food

June 29th, at 6:30 P.M.

Elizabeth Community Center

Elizabeth, IL

Chris Bedford – Northern Michigan

Chris produces advocacy films that help farmers take advantage

of the current demand for locally grown healthy food. Learn how

to reach more customers and take advantage of farmer’s markets.

Chris Kirkpatrick – Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation

Chris will explain the advantage of placing your farmland into

an easement that preserves it for future generations of family farmers.

Hosted by HOMES

Helping Others Maintain Environmental Standards

For more information, call:

815-745-9013 or 815-858-2173

Beginning with the registration process, I was impressed by the organization and quality of this conference when compared to the dozens I have attended in the past 15 years. Surprisingly, for a venue where I have seen large concerts, the La Crosse Center seems a bit small for the nearly 3,000 attendees but not uncomfortable. However, this group has learned how to cater to the masses. As a reflection of the Midwest farmer, conference organizers are very hospitable offering daycare for young children, teen activity’s, movie screenings, live music at night, a seed exchange and a great book sale. However, the main attraction for the attendees is a diverse collection of educational opportunities through the form of workshops, speakers and 400+ exhibitors of products and services. There is also a more intimate learning experience held the day before called ‘Organic University’ to boot.

I visited with many of the exhibitors, including our very own Ann Dougherty. At lunch I sat at a table that consisted of: A grain farmer who is celebrating 40 years of growing organic, a farm implement inventor, a market farmer from Wisconsin, a global producer of sweet corn and a conference volunteer. Again, diversity was well represented here. The lunch and dinner options are top shelf as far as large conferences go. Of course these are organic meals here and not your average efficiency staples. Fridays lunch I had beef, mushroom and barley stroganoff, salmon casserole, wheat berry salad and cream of potato soup. All with Organic Valleys’ milk and your leftovers (if any) are scraped into buckets in the dinning hall to later be composted.

Yes this is a top-notch conference but one must remember that this is for producers of organic products and not for the organic food consumer or advocate. Mentioning the benefits of organic would simply be preaching to the choir here. If you go, try to carpool as parking proved to be difficult. Although it is a three-day conference you can choose single day options or pay at the door for a slightly higher fee if you decide to go on late notice. Attendees received a cute mason jar mug with a screw cap lid for refilling, an information packed program and access to loads of information.

I recommend this conference to anyone in this group who wants to grow the majority of their food, those who are already producing on a large scale, those who want to take their organic more seriously or are thinking of marketing an organic product. The drive from Northwest Illinois takes 2 1/2 hours on the scenic Highway 61. The 22nd annual will be held on February 24 – 26, 2011.

Cory Ritterbusch

http://www.mosesorganic.org/ More info here

Patty and I like to think that we have a secret cherry brandy recipe. And in all modesty, it is excellent. And sadly, already we are beginning to run out. We were overly generous over the holidays. We imbibed a wee bit too much ourselves and we shared a bottle or two with friends.

Unfortunately, we could have had more but we split the harvest and used some for Patty’s equally famous cherry pies. Yes! They are that good. But we’ve learned our lesson—next year, one or two pies, and the rest goes straight from our cherry tree to the wine cellar.

Here is the recipe. We know it is cheating a bit. Only the cherries are local, but we’re convinced that the local cherries give the finished product its unique taste.

Enjoy with our compliments.

Chuck and Patty

Cherry Liqueur

1 1/2 lbs. sour cherries, with pits, no stems

1 1/2 – 2 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups vodka

1 cup brandy

1. Mix vodka, brandy and sugar in a glass bowl, stir well.

2. Cut each cherry slightly to open, leave pits in

3. Place cherries in 2 sterile wide-mouth quart jars.

4. Pour liquid mixture over cherries, stir and cap with tight lids.

5. Shake several times for 2 weeks.

6. Put in cool dark place for at least 3 months.

7. Strain through mesh and discard cherries.

Rebottle

Variations: For more “almond” flavor, pit all or part. Place pits in clean cloth and hit with hammer. Put broken pits and cherries in jar.

Sugarless: 1 cup apple juice concentrate instead of sugar.

Seriously, you’ll love ‘em. This dish is so popular that it now appears on gourmet restaurant menus. This summer when you’re at the farmers’ market and you see cauliflower, instead of saying. “Oh yeah, been there done that”, pick up a couple. You’ll be amazed. Or try growing them.

I’d also like to suggest that you try growing sweet potatoes. They’re so easy. Just plant the slips in hills, keep them weeded and give them enough room for the runners to spread out. And as you also know from growing them on a window sill, they’re beautiful.

Recipe
4 cups of cauliflower florets
a little melted butter (South Beach makes it fake butter spray)
1 ounce of milk or half & half
pinch salt and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Steam or microwave the cauliflower until soft. Drain well and puree in a food processor adding the butter and half & half, then salt & pepper to taste.
Serves 4

“Most people share at least the following traits: they want to be healthy; they like animals; and they value clean air and water. Yet relatively few Americans connect those concerns with their food. As more people start making the link (especially if they’ve seen graphic video footage of industrial animal operations), many decide it’s time to stop eating foods from factory farms. This is a guide for doing just that.”

Read the article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nicolette-hahn-niman/avoiding-factory-farm-foo_b_353525.html?igoogle=1

The book Ms. Niman wrote earlier this year is titled, “Righteous Porkchop: Finding a Life and Good Food Beyond Factory Farms.”  Has anyone read this yet?  Would it be a good book discussion for one of our meetings?

Emily

Organic Dairy Tour

Yesterday (October 18) Simply Local Food members had a great meeting. We toured Koesters organic dairy farm. It was a very informative day.

Not only did we see how organic milk was prepared for market, we also saw some very healthy organic chickens and a great farming family who are very connected to their products. We learned alot about organic food production and some of the challenges that organic farmers can face. Of course we enjoyed an excellent local meal, as usual. We discussed some of the downfalls with our current food delivery system and what we can do locally to help.

Thank you to the Koesters for hosting our meeting and to Organic Valley for their sample products.

A Happy Cow

Cory Ritterbusch

Cory

It’s still to early to tell if that is indeed their purpose and agri-business has not had time to shoot holes in it yet. But for now, it is good momentum from the feds.

Check it out here: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/knowyourfarmer?navid=KNOWYOURFARMER

Cory

Maurie Grafton

And Badger Hill Farms

For a Farmer’s Dinner

Thursday, September 24, 2009

At 7:00

Our Chefs’ will demonstrate a four course menu featuring the bountiful produce of Badger Hill Farms.

We will highlight farm to table relationships, growing practices, and cooking techniques for utilizing the freshest in local produce.

We will also feature Rushing Waters Trout for dinner.  The menu is dictated by what our growers bring to us.

Dinner includes:

4 course cooking demonstration of local produce

1 beer, wine, or non alcoholic drink

$35 tax and gratuity not included

Reservations Required, Limited Seating

815.777.8030 www.oneelevenmain.com

Taken from Jeanne Carpenters great blog Cheese Underground.

Cory

We discovered what you may know already–There is a local orchard with 35 apple varieties just east of Thomson, south of Argo Fay. Nice folks running it, with a Gays Mills connection. Very exciting, at least from where I sit.

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
Maurie Grafton

Patty and I have been eating asparagus from the garden for over a month. Every time we think, “ This is it, we can’t eat anymore, eneogh is enough, already!” Patty finds another great recipe. Or we’re amazed that once it’s on the plate even if it’s just steamed, it still taste magnifique!
Last night, we had our first garden dinner. Open-face radish sandwiches with a little Chardonay, and strawberry shortcake with real cream. Not all local, but we’re getting there.
Recipe:
Rye or pumpernickle bread
Fresh from the garden, thinly sliced French Breakfast Radishes (grown from Seed Savers seed, Iowa)
Organic Valley Butter
Cedar Grove Organic Mild Ceddar Cheese
Salt to taste
White Wine
For Dessert:
Fresh from the garden strawberries
Organic Valley Whipping Cream
Homemade from scratch Shortcake
Tonight it will be all of the above and our first lettuce and green onions.

Chuck

Patty and I have been eating asparagus from the garden for over a month. Every time we think, “ This is it, we can’t eat anymore, eneogh is enough, already!” Patty finds another great recipe. Or we’re amazed that once it’s on the plate even if it’s just steamed, it still taste magnifique!

Last night, we had our first garden dinner. Open-face radish sandwiches with a little Chardonay, and strawberry shortcake with real cream. Not all local, but we’re getting there.

Recipe:

Rye or pumpernickle bread

Fresh from the garden, thinly sliced French Breakfast Radishes (grown from Seed Savers seed, Iowa)

Organic Valley Butter

Cedar Grove Organic Mild Ceddar Cheese

Salt to taste

White Wine

For Dessert:

Fresh from the garden strawberries

Organic Valley Whipping Cream

Homemade from scratch Shortcake

Tonight it will be all of the above and our first lettuce and green onions.

Chuck & Patti

Read the article here.

Cory

Monday, June 15th, 5-8pm in Doudna Hall at UW-Platteville.

Call April at 608-342-1314 for information