EARTH DAY, EVERY DAY

It is true we need a day, a title, a label, an event to remind us that it is Earth Day. Tomorrow, April 22, 2017 is Earth Day around the world and on this day we are not simply recognizing that we live on the most amaaaazing planet, we are coming together to protect what we must hold most dear.

Be a part of it.

Wendell Berry urges us "...make the effort to know the world and learn what is good for it."

There are many simple and profound, outward and inward, above and beyond ways that we can praise the earth and be grateful for the beauty of our lives on a planet we call Home.

Put your bare feet in the water, your palm upon the bark of tree, your nose inside a flower. Look up, spin around. Climb a tree, sink in mud, pick something from the garden, pop it straight in to your mouth, then let it linger on your tongue. Dance and sweat and French kiss, feel alive. Think about the food you eat and why you eat it. Get to know your farmer. Eat a beautiful meal that you made yourself. As we join together on a day that has its own title, our thoughts and deeds and focus are on this beautiful Mother Earth. Take deep, deep breaths and imagine clean air and the breath of the universe upon your skin and beyond tomorrow, flooding the lives of future generations.

“We have lived our lives by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. We have been wrong. We must change our lives so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption, that what is good for the world will be good for us. And that requires that we make the effort to know the world and learn what is good for it. ”

— Wendell Berry

WASTE NOT WANT NOT: SAVE THE CARROT TOP!

Ever wonder what to do with carrot greens when those fluffy tops are lobbed off ? Carrot tops are more often discarded - thrown away, used as compost, or chicken feed [lucky chicks] - but carrots greens are not only edible, they are highly nutritive, rich in protein, minerals and vitamins. Their nutritional profile is similar to their roots and provides vitamins A, B6, C and K, folate, manganese, niacin, potassium, calcium, and thiamin, but they contain 6 times the vitamin C of the root. Yup, just like turnip greens, carrot tops are even more LOADED than the root and tuber.

Greens are among the top vegetable sources for Vitamin-K which plays a role in bone health, limits neuronal damage in the brain, and is used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. 

When joined together, Vitamins A and C are ready to kick ass when it comes to protecting our cells. Vitamin A keeps skin and mucous membrane cells healthy and that means they are more resistant to fighting off cancers and diseases caused by viruses.

The fresh green leaves contain 100% of daily-recommended levels of Vitamin C and work in many B-complex groups that are essential to metabolism. Vitamin C acts as a natural antihistamine when fighting colds and allergies; aids in collagen production; has anti-oxidant properties that fight against cancer and protects cells from damage and mutation; and best of all, it helps to keep our eyes and hearts healthier so we can see and feel the beauty that is all around us. 

WHEREVER YOU GO, GO WITH ALL YOUR HEART

It was another amazeballs Saturday.  Juice traffic had a nice and steady rhythm. I want to savor this early season, this slow time to build up to the high season, to grow new muscles so that I am stronger when it gets super-busy this summer. For now, it's time to take it slow and enjoy getting to know everyone. That's what I call Happy Hours. 

Sue and Ron Smith visited the juice bar for the first time. They were spending an afternoon together doing something meaningful - taking a leisurely day trip from East Hartford to White Gate Farm because they had read Pauline's newsletter.  

While Sue shopped the market, Ron and I spent some time looking "under the bonnet" of the Nutrifaster. The celery threads were getting caught up in the machine and pushing it off balance. Ron is a mechanical engineer and explained the Physics behind the imbalance and well, we talk about LOTS of stuff at the juice bar - even Physics, another reason to love what I do.  

Ron is an avid bicyclist who rides thousands of miles each year and he and his wife are the picture of good health. As I was making a juice for Sue we were all chatting away while the Nutrifaster whirred...and then I stopped jamming celery into the machine and spun my head away from the machine and toward Ron...

What would you say if a man you just met said "...and that was the first time I died..."?

I'd say his heart was in the right place. On February 1, 2017 Ron Smith’s heart stopped seven times according to doctors. Luckily, he was in the right place at the right time and an amazing team at UConn Health saved his life...seven. times.  That life-changing, mind-blowing, "heart-stopping" event happened only two months ago and Ron is absorbing how his profound experience has altered his life and his way of thinking. He says,

"I try to pay things forward in life, but I don’t think there’s anything I’ve done, or will ever be able to do, that equals what the UConn Health team did, for how phenomenally they saved my life.  I am very humbled and appreciative.”

Apart from Luck and some mighty divine intervention, there were two key things that saved Ron's life: The UConn Health Team AND his choice to listen to his body and get his symptoms checked out. He didn't ignore the signs or simply "push through" them and that is the first, and most important step in Self-Care and living a healthy life.  

Ron has always been a very active person who exercises, eats right and even reads food labels. Yet, still he suffered from poor heart health.  He shares his story to raise awareness so that others may learn new ways to approach their own health. To read more about Ron's experience, follow this link and wherever you are, Go on, love yourself enough to listen to your body and listen to Confucius, too - "wherever you go, go with all your heart".  We love you!

KALE IS NOT A FOUR-LETTER WORD

KALE IS NOT A FOUR LETTER WORD. Of course we know it is, but...I love four-letter words, like "Love" and "Lyme" and "Kale," so I'll take it as a good sign, a very good sign, that my gut is craving more Tuscano Kale from @Baylee Rose Drown at Upper Pond Farm. Forget that I love anything with "Toscano" in it, just think of those leafy early spring greens sauteed in gorgeous olive oil from our trees in France at Lou-Coudon Estate Rental along with some garlic from White Gate Farm. NumNum. So simple, so delish. and that's it. Friends, follow links and encourage everyone you know to get to know their local farmers and buy a CSA share! Community Supported Agriculture is not just good for every one, it's good for your community and for Mother Earth. Check out this useful Site: Small Farm Central . We love you!! 

SUMMER SHOTS and JUICY DARLINGS

We grew some new muscles this summer. It was HARD WORK and A LOT of heavy lifting but we loved every day of it. Here are some snap shots to share with you There are some Juicy Darlings missing from this summer montage but they will soon be added! xx We love you, Carolann and Vicky.

WHEN THE MARKET ENDS with THANKS

It's not often I find myself at a loss for words...but right now THANK YOU are the two right words for this moment, the last day of the farmers market. My son and I moved to Old Lyme in June and we got juicin'! We set up a juice stand and haven't stopped since. It's been a wonderful way to get to know a community through its farmers and makers and the people who support them. Allott and our dear friend Vicky and I have LOVED, LOVED, LOVED getting to know so many of you over the past four months and we can't wait to see more of you. So please stay tuned for future plans: The Lyme Juice Company will pop up again and hopefully we'll pop up just when you need a burst of something delicious, nutritious and made with LOVE. To all of you who have stopped by the stand and supported us in our first weeks and months here, thank you. Thank you for welcoming us here and for enjoying a healthy break with us. Thank you, Lyme Farmer's Market, for being a beautiful stomping ground. Allott and I have loved being in the field with all of you.  xx

HAPPY FACES: Inside and Out

INSIDE OUT. Skin covers approximately 18 square feet of a body. It’s our largest organ and our first line of defense when it comes to fighting off disease, infection and the toxic build up that comes at us from all directions in the outside world.

Our skin also works from the inside out to rid our body of impurities.

Keeping your skin clean and your pores clear on the outside not only rids the epidermal layer of pathogens that colonize there but it also allows the body to expel waste from the inside out.

Today's take-away: Healthy skin comes from proper skin care, inside and out. Here are some key rules to follow

• Know your skin. If you can’t figure it out, ask some one who can
• Use products that work well with your skin and do not contain harmful ingredients. Choose products you can trust. What’s in your cleanser, toner, and moisturizer? Can you pronounce it? If not, then you might not want to put it on your skin
• Make sure to have regular facials, especially when seasons change
• Eat the right things - Here are some autumn fruits and vegetables that you can eat for optimum skin health: Apple, Beetroot, Carrot, Lemon, Pumpkin seeds [packed with zinc which is vital to the creation of new skin cells and helps to control oil production], Sweet potato, and Tomato
• Check with your doctor or nutritionist and ask if adding a supplement is right for you. Biotin [B7] is a co-enzyme that plays a key role in maintaining healthy hair, nails and skin. It keeps us looking young and is often added to beauty products… but that’s a bit of a gimmick because Biotin is not effectively absorbed through the skin. It’s better to consume foods in which Biotin can be found such as eggs, avocados, cauliflower, berries, fish, legumes, mushrooms and …organ meats [Go on, be brave].

LET'S FACE IT. Summer is over and we’ve changed swimsuits for sweaters. September is a month where we add layers of long sleeves and evening wraps but it's also a month to take off some layers - the layers of summer. Sun, sweat, make up, sunscreen and chlorine all build up a thick layer of summer fun on your skin. No matter how fun summer was, it’s time to come clean. Clear it all away, scrub off those layers. As part of healthy skin care, make time for yourself and book an appointment for a facial. I check in with Patti Davidson at Faces for a deep-cleansing and exfoliating Decleor facial.

HAPPY FACES – The Lyme Juice Company is adding a new juice this week to aid good skin health and create a glowing autumn for your largest organ - your skin. HAPPY FACES will be made from organic beets, carrots, lemons, apple, and spinach. Come on over and show us your HAPPY FACES at The Lyme Farmer’s Market - Saturdays from 9-12:30 until October.

LET'S POP UP TO THE PARTY - Lyme Juice Bar at Your Special Event

LET’S POP UP – The Lyme Juice Bar can POP UP at your home for your fabulous house party. or POP UP at your corporate event. Lyme Juice can POP UP and juice for you and your guests at your wedding or POP UP on the morning after your big day. Or just POP UP to the party and get juicy making locally grown artisanal cocktails. Your guests will LOVE the delicious, FRESH and healthy flavors we make. Email Carolann@goodgirlgogogo.com and let’s figure out the juicy details together!

The Lyme Juice Company makes hand pressed juice with organic produce from Upper Pond Farm and other local farmers every Saturday at Lyme Farmers Market 9-12:30 from June to October. 

Lyme Juice believes that you’ve got to use it or lose it, so we make sure to use everything up…

We source fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers and our delicious organic pulp goes back to a local farmer to feed farm animals or to use as compost. Some of the pulp also goes straight to the Lyme Juice Kitchen where we are always busy developing and testing new delicious gluten-free recipes for chips and muffins and crackers. Come visit us at The Lyme Farmers’ Market and see what we’ve made. It changes each week to match seasonal crops.

To keep things fresh and ALIVE, the produce that we don’t use at the market on Saturday gets made into apple sauce [our Green Apple and Ginger is DELISH] and pies [apple and pear, oh yeah!]. We also make Chicken ‘n Vegetable and Vegetarian Starter Kits - we do all the shopping and chopping for you - All you need to do is add it with your own spices to your soup, curry or slow-cook pot. 

Just wait until you taste Vicky’s Witchy Broth - there’s magic in them bones! Her healthy collagen-dense bone broth is made from local, grass-fed cows and sells out quickly - make sure you place an order at the beginning of the week.  Call us. We love you! Xx Carolann and Vicky.

UP BEET: A HAPPY JUICE

The Lyme Juice Company is adding UP BEET to its menu this week. Upper Pond Farm in Lyme, CT will be picking some beets for us on Friday to bring fresh to market on Saturday morning.

UP BEET will be made from organic beets, carrots, orange, apple, lemon and ginger. We can’t wait to see your happy UP BEET faces when you taste it!

Beets are loaded with good things and are associated with numerous health benefits, including improved blood flow, lower blood pressure and increased exercise performance. The pigments that give beets their rich color are called betalains. Betalains function both as antioxidant and as anti-inflammatory.

Beets are very low in saturated fat and cholesterol, a good source of vitamin C, iron, and magnesium as well as an excellent source of dietary fiber, folate, potassium, and manganese.

Manganese? Yes, please! Manganese is an essential trace element that supports healthy bone development. It is anti-inflammatory and a co-enzyme in metabolic activity. Dr Axe writes about Manganese noting that it:   

• helps to prevent osteoporosis and arthritis
• is important to antioxidant and enzyme function
• helps to maintain cognitive function
• fights diabetes
• supports lung health
• balances calcium levels
• balances iron levels
• reduces PMS symptoms

Only note of caution is that beets are high in sugar. They are usually well tolerated but contain oxalates and FODMAPs in the form of fructans, short chain carbohydrates that feed the gut bacteria. FODMAPs can cause unpleasant digestive upset in sensitive individuals, such as those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. If you are on a strict diet you might want to check with your doctor or nutritionist to make sure that the anti-inflammatory benefits outweigh its high sugar/fructans content.

GET JUICY!

Lyme Juice Co – Our Juicy Pop-Up is ready to bring GREEN and MIGHTY GOOD to your special event.

LET'S POP UP - The Lyme Juice Company is ready to bring GREEN and MIGHTY straight to your special event. We can pop up at your home with a cleansing detox for the morning-after your fabulous house party. We can pop up and make something healthy and green to go with your beautiful wedding. Or we can just pop up to the party and get juicy making locally grown artisanal cocktails. Email us and let’s figure out the juicy details together!

The Lyme Juice Company makes hand pressed juice with organic produce from Upper Pond Farm and other local farmers every Saturday at Lyme Farmers Market 9-12:30 from June to October. 

Lyme Juice believes that you’ve got to use it or lose it, so we make sure to use everything up…

We source fresh vegetables and fruits from local farmers and our delicious organic pulp goes back to a local farmer to feed farm animals or to use as compost. Some of the pulp also goes straight to the Lyme Juice Kitchen where we are always busy developing and testing new delicious gluten-free recipes for chips and muffins and crackers. Come visit us at The Lyme Farmers’ Market and see what we’ve made. It changes each week to match seasonal crops.

To keep things fresh and ALIVE, the produce that we don’t use at the market on Saturday gets made into apple sauce [our Green Apple and Ginger is DELISH] and pies [apple and pear, oh yeah!]. We also make Chicken ‘n Vegetable and Vegetarian Starter Kits [we do all the shopping and chopping for you]. You just add it with your own spices to your soup, curry or slow-cook pot. 

Just wait until you taste Vicky’s Witchy Broth - there’s magic in them bones! Her healthy collagen-dense bone broth is made from local, grass-fed cows and sells out quickly - make sure you place an order at the beginning of the week.  Call us. We love you! Xx Carolann and Vicky.

THE LYME JUICE COMPANY

The Lyme Juice Company makes hand pressed juice with organic produce from local farmers and Upper Pond Farm every Saturday at Lyme Farmers Market 9-12:30 June-October.

The Lyme Juice Co also does pop-up stands for special occasions - corporate and private events and weddings, too. We'll make it nice and juicy for you and your guests.  

Any questions, please email us at carolann@goodgirlgogogo.com. We LOVE making you healthy and happy. xx