BOOK REVIEW: What Would Buddha Say?

BY BARBARA ANN KIPFER

Really—rather than just blurt out our anger, our annoyances, and our frustrations to those around us, how would it feel to have an understanding of and an arsenal of “1,501 RIGHT SPEECH TEACHINGS” to pull upon as a response?

Acting, thinking and then speaking like the Buddha might be life changing for our relationships with those around us.

OUR WORDS COUNT.  Our words are a very powerful reflection of our inner selves; hopefully of our authentic selves, and this book give us the speaking tools to make sure we can express ourselves at the highest levels of “Right Speech.”

BOOK REVIEW: The Homegrown Paleo Cookbook

BY DIANE ROGERS with ANDREW RODGERS

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When a book has a preface written by Joel Salatin, of Polyface Farm, a foreword by Robb Wolf, New York Times Best Selling author of The Paleo Solution and endorsed by the likes of Michelle Tam, Allan Savory, Emily Deans, Andrew Gunther, YOU CAN ASSUME that it is a fantastic book!

There are over 100 delicious Farm-to-Table recipes and the book is filled with gorgeous photographs.

The last quarter of this huge book, called “Basic Cooking Methods and Recipes,” contains pages with photos labeled with topics like, KOMBUCHA, KEFIR, FISH & MEAT STOCKS, HOW TO MAKE MAYONAISE, BBQ SAUCE, CRÈME FRAICHE, HOW TO RENDER LARD,, MAKE BUTTER, CAN TOMATOES AND COOK MEAT.

There are “how-to’s” on the preparation of stocks, soups and stews, meats, and the care of cast iron skillets and pots.

The section on LIVING is the capstone to this beautiful and oh-so-useful book.

You’ll come away with useful info for homesteading whether in the city, the country or the burbs!

Info for the whole family includes:

  • How the Paleo Diet is not only great for human health but also for the environment.
  • Helpful guides like “10 Questions to Ask Your Farmer” so that you can be a better-informed food shopper.
  • Skills and knowledge to have your own backyard chickens, goats, bees and more.
  • How to build healthy soil and start your own organic vegetable garden.
  • 100 seasonal, farm-to-table recipes, all photos shot right at the farm.
  • Creative and fun projects like making beeswax candles and goats milk soap

 

Our (illustrated) Father's Day Gift Guide

In addition to being a wonderful manager and integral part of our grocery department, Alex is also a gifted illustrator! We asked her to put together some of her favorite products for our "Fathers Day Gift Guide" and then put her drawing talent to work! Whether you're celebrating a father, husband, or just an amazing man in your life, we've got gift ideas for everyone on your list!

Illustrated by Alex Salvi © 2015

Illustrated by Alex Salvi © 2015

Simple Facial Oil by Little Barn Apothecary: Made with cold-pressed hemp oil and essential oils of lavender and frankincense, this clean blend is the perfect go-to moisturizer for a man on the go! Little fuss, and it'll keep his beautiful skin nourished throughout the day!

Bee-Sweetened Marshmallow by Apotheker's: Hard-working dudes deserve a (bee-sweetened) treat! Give the father(s) in your life a reason to remember the sweetness of childhood - maybe he'll even remember to share.

Bergamot + Teak Candle by Manready Mercantile: These "man-dles" make the perfect gift for those fathers who deserve some "me time". The deep and manly scent, comprised of clean soy wax and essential oils, will fill the room and inspire relaxation.

Big Trouble by Counter Culture Coffee: This delicious year-round blend is a fantastic gift for the coffee connoisseur (read: snob) father(s) you love. Paired with a burr grinder and a Chemex pour-over, he'll be set to make the perfect cup of coffee every morning before the kiddos wake up.

Chicken Bar by Epic Bars: If the father(s) in your life love the great outdoors, give him a stock of protein bars to take on the next hike! These delicious chicken bars from Epic are as manly as they come - full of good protein and fats to keep you going while chasing after little ones (or mountain lions).

Set of Three Handkerchiefs by Sustainable Threads: Every dude deserves a high-quality, attractive set of pocket squares for the next dress-up occasion. These beautiful handkerchiefs are perfect for the season of weddings, graduations and galas, whether he's shedding tears of joy or mopping up beads of sweat from breaking it down on the dance-floor. 

BOOK REVIEW: Darkness Before Dawn: Redefining the Journey through Depression

A collection of the essays of 19 “exceptional and compassionate” authors and teachers of psychotherapy, Buddhism, and spiritual practices this book brings the personal experience of depression to inform these writings.

These are not the usual self-help essays, but rather the wisdom of self-knowledge and the personal experience of depression from these writers/teachers.

BOOK REVIEW: Full: How I Learned to Satisfy My Insatiable Hunger and Feed My Soul

Burdened by food and self-esteem issues?  Then this book is for you!

This author comes to a point in life where she wants OUT from under the burden of an “unhappy relationship” with food. Kimber begins to love her body, feed her soul and transform her life through the practices of yoga and mediation and the cultural understanding of Buddhism. 

The first step in her journey was to learn to love herself, accept her body and to let her own heart strivings guide her forward.  She worked to include her own body in the “circle of what is beloved.”

Sweet Marshmallow Root: Althaea officinalis

By Steph Zabel
Herbalist, Ethnobotanist and Educator

Marshmallow root, as the name implies, was once included as an ingredient in the original sticky-sweet marshmallow candy. Alas, commercial marshmallows no longer contain this herb, but you can still make your own "real" ones at home! Check out the recipe below...

For centuries mallows have been used for food - both the leaves and the roots are edible. Marshmallow is closely related to other beloved plants such as cotton, hibiscus, and okra.

Beyond its food uses, marshmallow is a gentle medicinal plant. The nutritive and sweet root imparts a unique mucilaginous quality when extracted in water. Marshmallow has a high concentration of polysaccharides that impart a viscous and soothing quality to the liquid in which it is extracted.

Mother's Day Gift Guide

Finding the perfect gift for the mom(s) in your life doesn't have to be work! We've put together a few of our favorite products that are sure to put a smile on her face and some pep in her hard-working step. 

Illustrations by Jessica Casler © 2015

Illustrations by Jessica Casler © 2015

Pukka Womankind Tea
This beautiful blend of herbs is perfect for bringing balance and bliss into your morning routine. Made with fragrant vanilla, hibiscus and rose, tangy sweet cranberry, earthy beetroot and licorice, and soothing chamomile and shatavari, this tea makes a wonderful gift for that strong, beautiful mama in your life. 

Niche Boston succulent
Springtime calls for P L A N T S! We've been getting regular deliveries of these beautiful succulents, cacti, ferns and terrariums from our favorite urban garden shop across the river, Niche Boston. Complete with beautiful ceramic and metal pots, they make an excellent gift for the green thumb woman in your life. 

100% Pure Mascara
This incredible mascara from 100% pure comes in colors like blackberry and dark chocolate - and they smell amazing, seriously! This company uses the cleanest

Urban moonshine joy tonic
Mothers of all kinds are the hardest workers! It can be a challenge to take time for herself when caring for so many others. This wonderful formula from the expert herbalists at Urban Moonshine in Burlington VT "promotes a positive mental attitude and promote a relaxed feeling when overworked or overwhelmed." A great gift for that powerful woman in your life. 

Weleda Evening Primrose Body Oil
This luxurious organic oil makes a fantastic massage oil, belly balm, or overall body moisturizer. Evening primrose, olive, wheat germ, sea buckthorn and jojoba seed oils deliver essential fatty acids and omegas 3, 6, 7 and 9 to help restore and moisturize skin. Its rich, velvety texture offers a nourishing treatment that leaves skin healthy, firm and renewed. Perfect gift to help that special mama relax and rejuvenate!

Schmilk Chocolate
Let's just get one thing straight. Chocolate = Love. Show your favorite mamas that you love them with the gift of something sweet! This vegan milk chocolate from Schmilk leaves absolutely nothing wanting - rich, creamy, lightly sweet and completely delicious. 

Thesis Rose Candle
We can't get enough of this lightly scented, completely beautiful candle from local body care company Thesis. Made with soy wax and essential oils and housed in amber glass, the candle will burn for many hours, giving off a soft glow and filling the room with the delicious scent of rose petals.

Oats / Avena Sativa: A Tonic Herb That Nourishes & Calms

By Steph Zabel
Herbalist, Ethnobotanist and Educator

Oats are incredibly nourishing, especially for the nervous system. When used in the “milky” stage they feed nervous tissue and help to restore normal nerve function and vitality. This is one of my absolute favorite herbs since it is so gentle but so powerful, and makes a noticeable difference for anyone who is stressed, overly sensitive, depleted or worn out. To me, they are a prime remedy for most city-dwellers

Maribeth's Wholesome Spring Blend Tea

Our herbalist-in-training on staff, Maribeth, created this wonderful tea blend to help us transition physically and mentally into springtime! The perfect beverage for a warm(er) day like today!

Ingredients: Nettle Leaf, Dandelion Root, Oatstraw, Lemon Balm, Red Clover, Raspberry Leaf, Calendula

As the weather warms and the plants stir under melting snow, so do our spirits return after a harsh north east winter. As the earth transitions, so do our bodies emerge to flow with the rhythms of Spring. Our inner fluids begin to move just as the sap runs through the veins of the tree. Our lymph system and organs of elimination are in need of support as we release the stagnation of winter.