North Berwick Farmer's Market Opens Again on Fridays 3-6 pm.

North Berwick Farmers' Market

We have a few new vendors: Buddha's Burning Buns, East Moosefart Estates, Black Mountain Farm, Sweet Thyme Farm, Second Break...fast Farm, Oak Woods Farm.
As always we accept SNAP and double the value of your dollar up to $20.
This year we will be raffling off goodies from our vendors and coffee from Carpe Diem Coffee at 4:30 every week.
Come give our new vendors a warm welcome and our regular vendors a warm welcome back!

Interesting Article on Monsanto vs. Oakhurst Dairy, published in the Bangor Daily News

Published in the Bangor Daily News, Thursday April 30, 2015

Oakhurst, Monsanto gird for federal court battle

By SHARON KILEY MACK, BDN Staff        

BANGOR – A trio of Monsanto representatives was in Bangor Thursday morning lobbying on behalf of the chemical giant’s federal lawsuit to force Oakhurst Dairy to change its milk jug labels, a federal court case that will come to trial in January.
The landmark lawsuit centers on whether – as new and controversial ingredients enter the food supply – a producer has the right to make truthful statements about what a product does not contain, right along with what it does contain.
Oakhurst’s label tells the truth. But Monsanto contends that, although truthful, the label is misleading and prompts consumer skepticism that undermines the company’s lucrative markets.
Monsanto sued Oakhurst on July 3, claiming that a label on Oakhurst milk jugs that states “Our Farmers’ Pledge: No Artificial Growth Hormones” is hurting the multinational chemical company’s relationship with dairy farmers and misleads consumers into thinking that there is something wrong with milk produced with artificial hormones.
Monsanto is the only producer of Posilac, or recombinant bovine growth hormone, a drug injected into milk cows every two weeks to boost production. About one-third of the United States’ 9 million dairy cows are given the hormone.
Dr. Jennifer Garrett of Monsanto said Thursday that “healthy, comfortable cows are those producing more milk. Posilac helps cows make about 1 gallon more a day. It is a very natural process.”
Opponents, however, have concerns that the artificial hormones are harmful to cows, that they make cows produce milk that is chemically and nutritionally different from natural milk, and that they could induce higher rates of cancer in humans. Based on these concerns, Canada and the European Union have banned the hormone. The United States, Mexico and Brazil are the only countries where it is permitted.
Stanley Bennett II, president of Oakhurst, on Thursday reasserted his stand against changing the label. “We don’t feel we have any obligation, nor will we be required or bullied into somehow qualifying our standards,” he said.
“Our customers have told us in no uncertain terms that they don’t want artificial growth hormones in their milk. Our label is an accurate and honest attempt to communicate to consumers what we are trying to do. It is our obligation to our customers.”
This is the third such suit filed by Monsanto against dairy processors regarding labeling issues. The two other suits, one in Texas and the other in Chicago, were settled out of court.
Although the details of those settlements are confidential, Brian Robert Lowrey, director of industry affairs for Monsanto, said that both dairies changed their labels after the settlement.
Many opponents of artificial growth hormones have labeled the Oakhurst lawsuit a “David versus Goliath” battle (Monsanto had $4 billion in sales last year, compared to Oakhurst’s $85 million), one in which Monsanto hopes to obtain a victory that would provide a precedent to fight similar labels across the country.
Not so, the Monsanto representatives maintained. “When Oakhurst began expanding their market into the Boston area, and only after a great deal of consideration, we felt we had to take action,” said Janice M. Armstrong, Monsanto’s director of public affairs.
Several other milk producers in New England – including Hood and Garelik – have similar labels but are not being sued. When asked if those companies also would be sued, Armstrong said she could not predict future litigation.
Since the suit was filed, Bennett said, his company has been inundated with letters, e-mails and other gestures of support, and has had an increase in sales. Ralph Nader, the Green Party candidate for president in the last election, contacted Oakhurst in August to offer free legal help through his foundation, which supports freedom of speech.

Please access the Bangor Daily News at www.bangordailynews.com
 

Go Ahead, Eat Those Eggs!!! They're Not as Bad as You Thought!!!

Tooling around town, I'm thrilled to see that there are so many people keeping chickens. From a coop full, to a few back yard birds scratching in the newly thawed earth, eggs are GOOD for you!!
A new study from Diet Analytics says the following!!!
And just sayin'........Farm FRESH eggs have only about 1/3 the cholesterol of commercially produced eggs, about 8 times the vitamin B content, and 1 1/2 times the protein.
So while you're out and about in Lebanon today, look for free ranging hens and a sign saying "Eggs For Sale" and drop in and buy your fill!!

From the pages of Diet Analytics......July 18, 2014.....Eggs are often quickly dismissed for having high cholesterol levels. Despite their bad reputation, eggs are actually a nearly perfect food from both a convenience and health standpoint. Notably, eggs contain a spectrum of nutrients and even help with maintaining healthy levels of the good kind of cholesterol: HDL. Pair this with the fact that they are by far the most versatile food you can find in your pantry, and it begins to become clear why eggs are a veritable superfood. This egg-sposé of the incredible edible egg discusses the truly remarkable qualities that this food possesses. Nutrients In a single egg, you get about 10% of your suggested daily intake of vitamins A, B5, B6, B12, and B2, and around the same amount of folate, phosphorus, and selenium. Whether you are starting your day out with an egg or two, or you use them throughout your day in any of their endless applications, you are helping yourself get all of the nutrients you need without the need for supplements or special recipes. Also, eggs pack in over 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of unsaturated fat (that’s the good kind) and only 77 calories per egg. This means that eggs can help fill you up with nutrients, curbing your appetite and preventing overeating. Cholesterol Put simply, the myths you’ve heard about eggs being bad for people with concerns about their cholesterol are largely false. Yes, each egg contains 212 mg of cholesterol, but this is not a bad thing, necessarily. Instead of going directly into your blood, your body, which normally produces cholesterol through the liver, recognizes the new cholesterol and adjusts its own production accordingly. In most people, this means that eating eggs has no actual effect on cholesterol levels in the blood. What’s more, eggs boost the good HDL cholesterol and regulate the levels of LDL cholesterol. This is because they bind the small LDL molecules into larger clusters that are easier for the body to process. Versatility Besides in the thousands of breakfast and brunch recipes that call for eggs, they are also the centerpieces in countless more recipes for all courses from all around the world, from Eggs Benedict to Egg Drop Soup. When they aren’t taking center stage, though, eggs are the binders in meatballs, meatloaves, and meat patties of all kinds. They are the thickeners in sauces and dressings, the topping for your salad or the filling for your sandwich. Eggs can be used in all parts of almost any diet, so don’t be afraid to embrace and enjoy them!