Q. Dear Umbra,<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I am enthusiastic <\/p>\n I cook and freeze <\/p>\n Looking into <\/p>\n Many thanks,<\/strong> A. Dearest Judith,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One big <\/p>\n I’m personally <\/p>\n That said, <\/p>\n And if all <\/p>\n Dryly, <\/p>\n Q. Dear Umbra,<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I pay a hefty <\/p>\n Judith S. <\/p>\n Q. Dear Umbra,<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n So I’m hearing a <\/p>\n Virgil T. <\/p>\n A. Dearest <\/p>\n I “Cage free” means only that the hens are not housed in cages. We all know that <\/p>\n “Free range,” on the other hand, only applies <\/p>\n So what to <\/p>\n Cluckily, <\/p>\n Q. Dear Umbra, <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Last week, one of <\/p>\n I couldn’t help but <\/p>\n Inquiring <\/p>\n Peter C. <\/p>\n A. Dearest <\/p>\n Aw, <\/p>\n Regardless, <\/p>\n However, it <\/p>\n Dog-earedly, Related Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n From tobacco to climate change, ‘merchants of doubt’ undermined the science<\/a><\/p>\n Ask Umbra’s pearls of wisdom on stress<\/a><\/p>\n A prominent political reporter digs into the obesity epidemic<\/a><\/p>\n
\nabout growing my own food in my small garden and I am looking for ways to
\npreserve my produce for use out of season.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nsome things and have done some canning, but this year I thought I would make
\nthings easier with the tomatoes and try drying them.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\npurchasing a dehydrator (the weather here in the Midwest doesn’t lend itself to
\nsun drying) the only ones I have found so far are made of plastic. This doesn’t
\nsound very healthy or helpful to me. What would you recommend?<\/strong><\/p>\n
Judith W.
Springfield, Ill.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nvirtual scoop of compost to you (the garden equivalent of a hearty pat on the
\nback, methinks) for growing your own food in any quantity and one more for making the most of your crops by
\npreserving some of the bounty for later use.<\/p>\n
\na huge fan of canning. It makes me
\nfeel all Little House on the Prairie.
\nBut since you’re up for alternate methods of preservation, here’s my two cents.
\nI get that sun drying may not be the best option in Springfield, Ill., but don’t
\nrule out the power of the sun just yet. I found a pretty easy DIY solar food
\ndehydrator how-to on ecobites.com<\/a>, which only requires a couple of boxes, a
\npane of clear glass, some black paint, and cloth for a screen. It would save you
\nbuying an electric dehydrator and it would save on energy costs too. I’d also recommend
\nDry
\nIt—You’ll Like It<\/a>, a great little guide to drying fruits, veggies,
\nmeat, and fish at home without an elaborate dehydrator set-up. (Plus, the title
\nmakes me giggle every time I see it.)<\/p>\n
\nif you’d rather go the electric route, I wouldn’t worry too much about the
\nleaching problem. For preserving fruits and veggies, dehydrators are generally
\nset around 115 degrees, well below the temperature at which some plastics leach
\npotentially harmful chemicals like BPA, so there’s not a huge risk there, especially
\nwith reputable models—I’ve heard good things Excalibur. (Here’s its spiel
\non the safety<\/a> of its plastic models). Stainless<\/a> steel dehydrators are another option, though they’re quite a bit pricier.
\nWhichever one you choose, be a conscientious consumer and ask questions: What
\nare the food-contact surfaces made of? Does the dehydrator contain BPA? Is
\nthere an adjustable temperature option?<\/p>\n
\nelse fails, stuff yourself silly with fresh tomatoes and can the rest.<\/p>\n
Umbra<\/p>\n
\npremium for cage-free eggs, about $3.69 per dozen. I have become very skeptical
\nabout “green” claims by agribusiness. Exactly what do they mean by
\n“cage-free”? I can’t believe Land O’Lakes has employees running around the
\nchicken yard gathering eggs. Thank you.<\/strong><\/p>\n
Silver Spring, Md.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nlot of companies boast about their “free-range chicken,” but someone
\ntold me it’s not necessarily good for you. Which is it? Thank you. <\/strong><\/p>\n
Miami<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nJudith and Virgil,<\/p>\n
\nwould like to be able to assure you that “cage free” and
\n“free range”<\/a> chickens are frolicking around on an open plain, but alas the
\nterms mean very little. But there’s an unless, so stick with me here.<\/p>\n
\nthe mere absence of cages does not equal free and happy chickens. Cage-free
\nchickens may never even go outside.<\/p>\n
\nto chickens that are going to be eaten. So “free-range” eggs, unless you personally
\nknow the producer, are probably a scam. The U.S. Department of Agriculture does
\nhave regulations around the term “free range” when it’s applied to chickens
\nthat are raised for meat. As you can see on the USDA’s Food Safety and
\nInspection Service website<\/a>, “producers must demonstrate to the agency
\nthat the poultry has been allowed access to the outside” in order to use
\nthe free-range label. The USDA says producers must provide data and evidence
\nshowing that their chickens have true access, not just an open door for 45
\nminutes a week or something. But the agency doesn’t conduct regular field inspections.
\nNot exactly the chickens running wild that any of us were picturing.<\/p>\n
\ndo if you still want to eat chicken and eggs? Buy local, know your purveyor, and
\nask lots of questions. If they’re not able to give you the answers you want,
\nthen mosey along. Remember that buying locally farmed chickens and eggs will
\nalso cut down on transport emissions—a double bonus. So scour your neighborhood for
\nlocal farms selling pastured poultry and eggs, <\/strong>or forgo them altogether.<\/p>\n
Umbra<\/p>\n
\nmy students gave me great praise by lauding me as “the greenest
\nperson” she knew. Then she told me
\nhow she bought a Kindle and wasn’t buying any more books.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nwonder if, in fact, using a Kindle or some similar device (iPad anyone?) is
\nmore environmentally wise or not?
\nSurely, it takes a lot of energy to create, power, and dispose of such a
\ndevice? <\/strong><\/p>\n
\nprofessors want to know! Thanks!<\/strong><\/p>\n
Macomb, Ill.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPeter,<\/p>\n
\nstudents say the darndest things. (But is she currently failing your class?) You
\nmay, in fact, be the greenest person she knows. Or perhaps you’ve been ill
\nrecently.<\/p>\n
\nas I’ve noted before<\/a>, don’t
\nbeat yourself up if you really want to buy an e-reader. However, the New York Times recently ran a terrific
\nop-chart<\/a> (love a good op-chart) on the eco-impact of books vs. e-readers
\nlike the Kindle and iPad. Books came out ahead of e-readers in terms of materials
\nand manufacture, with e-readers edging out books in terms of transportation. So
\nhow many books would you have to read on your e-reader to break even? According
\nto the chart, “with respect to fossil fuels, water use and mineral consumption,
\nthe impact of one e-reader payback equals roughly 40 to 50 books. When it comes
\nto global warming, though, it’s 100 books; with human health consequences, it’s
\nsomewhere in between.” Perhaps to the chagrin of publishers, authors, and
\ne-reader manufacturers everywhere, I’d have to concur with the NYT chart that the most eco option is to take a walk to your local library.<\/p>\n
\ndoes provide me with a keen opportunity to point out that you could amble down
\nto said library (or press a bunch of buttons on your e-reader) to get the
\nnext Ask Umbra’s Book club<\/a> selection, Diet for a Hot Planet<\/a> by Anna Lappé. Our discussion kicks off May 11, so hop
\nto!<\/p>\n
Umbra<\/p>\n