<h2>Its Still Bakery Month - A wonderful selection for you</h2> <p>The smell and taste of fresh-baked bread can be a truly special part of everyone's day. This January its <strong>Bakery Month</strong> and we have assembled four of the very best bakery options for you to fill your pantry, three of them based right here in Edmonton. Read below for an overview of your choices including a very generous promotion from our newest addition, Bon Ton Bakery. Once again, they are offering 250 loaves of complimentary organic whole wheat bread for our members to try this week. These bakers are committed to the finest quality ingredients, the best hand-rolling and kneading practices, and the best quality flour in our city. Lets welcome Bon Ton to our food family by overwhelming them with orders.</p> <div><h2>Non GMO or Organic?</h2> </div><p>Following on from my posting last week about the <a title="CBC reports of residue testing on organic product" href="/this-week-at-the-The-Organic-Box-archive-item.aspx?id=1595" target="_blank">CBC reports of residue testing on organic product</a>, this week I wanted to talk about our principles on the topic of Non-GMO versus Organic.</p> <p><strong>Certified Organic means Non-GMO</strong></p> <p><a title="Section 1.4.1(a)" href="http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/ongc-cgsb/programme-program/normes-standards/internet/bio-org/principes-principles-eng.html" target="_blank">Section 1.4.1(a)</a>of the Canadian Organic Standard prohibits the use of any Genetically Modified Products in organic production. Each year all producers are required to sign a declaration sta<span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px; FONT-SIZE: 12px">ting that they do not use these products. We are required to submit extensive documentation and records to our inspector evidencing that there is no reasonable chance that genetically modified products have been introduction into the production system. A producer who is unintentionally contaminated will immediately lose their certified status and will need to restart the transition process. You can trust that in Canada, a product that is certified organic is GMO-free.</span></p> <p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px; WIDTH: 289px; HEIGHT: 150px; FONT-SIZE: 12px" title="No GMO" alt="No GMO" src="/uploadedImages/009_-_This_Week/No_Gmo.png" width="289" height="150" /></p> <p><strong>Organic is about Soil, Inputs and Sustainable Farming</strong></p> <p><a title="As a grower, distributor, retailer and parent" href="/this-week-at-the-The-Organic-Box-archive-item.aspx?id=1286" target="_blank">As a grower, distributor, retailer and parent</a>, my largest concern with GMO is that it enables the large scale and indiscriminate application of chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. These chemicals accumulate in the ecosystem, and even if there is only a small trace amount on a single food item, it builds over time in the soil, the water table, the atmosphere and our bodies. I would prefer to avoid this outcome.</p> <p>I know from our own experience that organic methods are just as effective as chemical in controlling pests, and do not have the unintended consequence of developing the 'super bugs' and 'super weeds' that require ever higher levels of chemical application. I try to imagine in my mind and extrapolate what agriculture looks like in 250 years based on the chemical trajectory we are on today and I worry that we may be able to produce quality products today with these methods, but in 10 generations what will be the chemical levels required to control these ever evolving pests, and how much nutrition in the food will come from the soil as opposed to the chemical fertilizers and other inputs we add. I have trouble reconciling this in my mind. But I do know that if I continue to grow as we have been growing for the last 10 generations, it is sustainable and will be a viable food system for the next 10 generations.</p> <p>It is also important to remember that GMO technology also enables some variants to produce <a title="BT Toxin" href="http://www.google.ca/search?q=bt+toxin" target="_blank">BT Toxin</a>themselves - this process can continue after you have ingested raw food and it is in your digestive system. As you digest this food, the cells can continue to produce the toxin inside you, which your body then ingests. This is far different from residues that can be washed away. </p> <p><strong>The Ongoing Arctic Apple debate</strong></p> <p>Myself, my wife Miranda, and our team in BC are Organic Apple farmers in the Creston Valley. The<a title="Arctic apple" href="http://www.cban.ca/Resources/Topics/GE-Crops-and-Foods-Not-on-the-Market/Apple" target="_blank">Arctic apple</a>poses a real threat to our certification status. Studies by our local horticulturalist have shown that even though we keep hives on my farm for pollination I get pollinators from as far away as Lister visiting my trees. Lister is over 8 km away including traversing a river. Help us protect the future of Organic apple production in our country by making your views on the Arctic Apple known to our government. We don't need a non-browning apple. Genetic changes to food merely for cosmetic reasons are not needed in our society.</p> <p><strong>Joining the Non-GMO Project</strong></p> <div><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: white 15px solid; BORDER-LEFT: white 15px solid; BORDER-TOP: white 15px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: white 15px solid" title="Non_GMO_Project" alt="Non_GMO_Project" align="left" src="/uploadedImages/009_-_This_Week/non_gmo_project.jpg" /><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px; FONT-SIZE: 12px">This month we joined the </span><a title="Non-GMO Verification Project" href="http://www.nongmoproject.org/find-non-gmo/search-retailer-endorsers/" target="_blank">Non-GMO Verification Project</a><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px; FONT-SIZE: 12px">as a supporting retailer. I think it is very important to understand that Certified Organic is still the only way to truly know that your food is GMO Free and has no synthetic pesticides, herbicides, sewage sludge or other prohibited substances used in its production. However, the Non-GMO Project is a new and emerging way to identify products that have been verified to be free of GMO ingredients. It is an excellent way to know that highly processed foods such as cereals, soups, snacks or others are GMO-free. <a title="Media reports" href="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-03/what-gmo-free-cheerios-means-for-cereal-rivals" target="_blank">Media reports</a> about the introduction of new variants of some traditional breakfast cereals sends the message that this issue is actually important enough to consumers for the large agribusiness and food processing companies to move in this direction. Look for the Non-GMO Project logo on many of the processed items we sell.</span></div><p></p> <p><strong>We're Ready for 2014</strong></p> <p>Our team, our vans and our warehouse is ready for 2014. We're so excited about the coming year and everything it offers. It will be our fifth year since opening and looking back on the growth we've experienced and the way our growing community has worked with the Edmonton community to bring a new way of getting food in your fridge is so gratifying for Miranda and I. We are grateful for everyone's support and have made a significant impact on the organic food industry in our province. Thank you for your support. It is truly appreciated.</p> <h2><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 12px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal">At The Organic Box we are always growing, always looking for ways to get better, and always trying to find ways to fill more of your shopping basket with Alberta and BC food producers. We can do it! You are helping!</span></h2> <p>Havea Great Week!</p> <p>Danny.<br />Founder, The Organic Box.</p> <h2>FeaturedProducts and Producers:</h2> <table cellspacing="15" cellpadding="0" bgcolor="#edf0e9"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" align="center"><img title="GFBreadDeal" alt="GFBreadDeal" src="/uploadedImages/009_-_This_Week/GFBreadDeal.jpg" /></td> <td><h2>A FreeBox of Cereal!!</h2> <p>Bakery Month continues here at The Organic Box. We are becoming a premier source for the best in organic baked goods. With our great local suppliers in Prairie Mill and Bon Ton, and now our gluten free breads that we have available from Silver Hills Bakery. Silver Hills has helped us put together this great promotion to launch the new cereals from One Degree Organics... </p> <p><strong>When you buy a loaf of Gluten Free bread from Silver Hills, you will receive 1 box of Gluten Free cereal from One Degree Organics... FREE of charge. *</strong></p> <p>We are really excited to have this promotion available for you. It will operate as a bit of a lottery so you can be pleasantly surprised as to the variety of bread and cereal that you'll receive. </p> <p>Silver Hills Gluten Free Bread:<br />Omega Flax<br />Chia Chia</p> <p>One Degree Gluten Free Cereal:<br />Brown Rice Cacao Crisps<br />Brown Rice Crisps<br />Ancient Maize Flakes</p> <p>* Limit of one per customer. </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" align="center"><img title="cocomilk" alt="cocomilk" src="/uploadedImages/009_-_This_Week/CHOCCOCO-2.jpg" /></td> <td><h2>New Chocolate! </h2> <p>We have some of the best chocolate on the planet. Seriously good stuff. And with Valentines Day on the horizon it is time to start thinking about all of that deliciousness. In particular, the <strong>Coconut Milk Chocolate Bar </strong>from Organic Fair. </p> <p>It's a milk chocolate bar that doesn't actually have any milk in it! It's non-dairy, made with smooth coconut oiland sweetened with coconut sugar. Plus the chocolate is direct trade, bean-to-bar crafted... no blending, pure chocolate, no fillers, just yumminess. </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" align="center"><img title="mixedmushrooms" alt="mixedmushrooms" src="/uploadedImages/009_-_This_Week/photo 3 (2).jpg" /></td> <td><h2>Mixed Mushrooms</h2> <p>Mushrooms are the best, but there are sooo many different types. So we made a plan with Michael Aventi at Mona Foods to design a mixed mushroom box. This gives you a great variety of mushrooms to try out, and some of them you've probably never seen before. </p> <p>This mixed mushroom box has a 1/4 lb of oyster mushrooms, 1/4 shiitake mushrooms, and 1/4 beech mushrooms. </p> <p>We think you'll love it, and may it inspire you to try new recipes. Think gourmet mushroom soups, rich stir fries, and sauteed goodness. Especially with green beans. </p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
