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| Gary Hirshberg |
The President’s
Pasture —
a message from Gary
Last month we told you about our newest products: lowfat, nonfat and whole organic milk. We started working on this offering about a year ago in partnership with HP Hood, one of the oldest milk companies in America. Hood wanted to partner with us as a way to enter the organic milk category, and we saw this partnership as a wonderful way to increase our purchases and support of organic family farms. At the time we began planning this project, there was plenty of organic milk to be found, but as you may have heard, things have changed radically in the last few months.
Starting in the fall, all of the purchasers of organic milk across
the country, including the biggest players - Stonyfield, Organic Valley
(Our milk supply partner) and Horizon found ourselves facing severe
supply shortages. Our new milk line is only a "drop in the bucket"
in terms of total milk usage, but the timing has been rough as we
have had to limit the expansion of this line until more farmers and
cows can be converted to organic later this year. For nearly a decade,
we have been steadily converting our products with the goal of becoming
100 percent certified organic, and in early 2004, we had converted
our 32-ounce nonfat quarts to organic. However, the sudden milk supply
crunch forced us to temporarily convert these quarts back to All Natural.
Today, around 80 percent of Stonyfield's products are certified organic.
Read more about organics.
So, why is there a milk shortage? Our good friend George Siemon, CEO
of our organic farmer partner cooperative Organic Valley calls it "the perfect storm." First, consumers are buying
more organic than ever. Second, the price paid to non-organic farmers
for their milk has recently risen. And, it now takes longer for conventional
farmers to convert to certified organic, so fewer farmers have been
willing to go organic. Third, the cost of organic feed is at an all
time high. Farmers, therefore, are feeding their cows less grain,
which decreases their milk production. More consumer demand, fewer
new farmers, and less milk from the cows all add up to one challenge
for us--not enough organic milk to make our yogurt! Yes-we're facing
a shortage. But, we're whole-heartedly convinced that in the long
run, more organic milk is good for the planet, good for you, and good
for the future of family farms. So we'll keep at it-- and if you're
a dairy farmer interested in going organic, give us a call!
Gary Hirshberg
|
EARTH ACTIONS
Before winter ends, check out these tips from the
Rocky Mountain Institute
Are you anticipating the end of winter with glee because of the high
cost of heating your home? We've just invested a little bit of our Profits
for the Planet funds in The
Rocky Mountain Institute, for a series of guides about energy and
how the average homeowner can cut energy use and costs. Home heating costs
can average $480 a year. Well-insulated, tightly constructed homes are
your best bet, while making some small changes to reduce heat loss makes
a big difference even in older, leaky homes.
Check out the RMI website
and download your free home energy guides. In the meantime-before winter
truly ends---run through this quick efficiency checklist if you're heating
your home with a furnace or boiler:
- Seal leaky ducts
- Insulate supply and return pipes
- Manage the pilot light
- Clean or change air filters
- Install radiator reflectors
- Clean registers
- Ensure thorough servicing
- Install a vent damper
- Install zone control radiators
- Install a programmable thermostat
HEALTH & WELLNESS WATCH
Don't ditch the dairy when trying to lose weight
The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans were revised in January 2005.
They now recommend three servings of milk products per day to help promote
bone mineral density and to add to a nutrient-dense diet. Eating three
servings of yogurt a day in a reduced-calorie diet provides the calcium
and protein needed for strong bones and can support weight loss. Dairy
calcium can help people lose more weight by burning more fat than just
by cutting calories alone. Recent research showed that when obese people
on a weight-restricting diet included 1200 to 1300 mg of dairy calcium
daily, they lost 64 percent more body fat and 70 percent more weight than
those on a low calcium diet. Learn more about calcium
and fiber
and the new dietary
guidelines.
SPOTLIGHT ON ORGANICS
Organic produce may boost antioxidants
 |
You all know that organics are produced without toxic
and persistent chemicals-no pesticides, no fertilizers-the things
we can live without. New research now shows that organically grown
vegetables and fruits probably offer more antioxidants than the
same fruits and vegetables grown the "conventional" way, according
to The Organic
Center and its State of Science Review. |
| |
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
recently revised its nutritional guidelines to recommend an increase
in the amount of fruits and vegetables we all eat-from five to nine
servings a day. One goal of that recommendation is to increase average
consumption of antioxidants, which are thought to help prevent cancer.
Consuming organic produce with skins or peals intact helps retain
more antioxidants, while conventionally grown produce is often skinned
or pealed to avoid pesticide residues. Read the
complete study then check out our Practical
Guide to Understanding Organics to learn more. |
WHAT'S UP DOWN ON THE FARM?
The Bovine Bugle
 |
Speaking of organics, you can catch up on the daily life
of running an organic dairy farm by visiting The
Bovine Bugle, our web log (or blog) written by Jonathan Gates,
one of many farmers whose milk ultimately ends up in Stonyfield
Farm yogurts. |
RECIPES
We cook with culture.
|
We're heading toward Spring, honest! Try these tasty treats as
you look for ways to lighten up your menu.
|
 Lemon
Cheesecake
This velvety
cheesecake has just the perfect amount of lemon to make for a light
and refreshing holiday treat.
Ingredients
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup of butter, melted
2 8-oz packages cream cheese (room temperature)
8-oz Stonyfield Farm Lowfat Luscious Lemon yogurt (from 2 6oz cups)
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
For the crust, mix the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter together. Press the mixture onto the bottom of an ungreased 8- or 9-inch spring form pan and chill.
Preheat the oven to 300°F. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, cream together the cream cheese and sugar. Open both cups of yogurt and mix fruit up from the bottom of the cup. Add the eggs, vanilla, 8 ounces of lemon yogurt and mix until combined. Spoon the mixture into the crust.
Place the cheesecake on the middle rack of your oven. Be sure to include a pan of water on the lower rack. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes being careful not to open the oven while the cheesecake is baking. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool for 30 minutes in the oven with the door ajar. Remove the cheesecake and continue to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, garnish with fresh blueberries or any other of your favorite fruits.
Yields
8 servings
Nutrition Facts
Calories 150; Calories from Fat 25; Total Fat 2.5g; Cholesterol 25mg; Total Carbohydrate 19g; Protein 16g; Calcium 10; Fiber 2g
 Spring
Pea Soup
This is one of the most refreshing and easiest soups to make. It can be
prepared from start to finish in less than 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 medium size onion, diced
1 10 ounce bag frozen peas
3 cups of vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1 cup plain Stonyfield Farm Yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Using a medium size pot, brown onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat. After browning, add frozen peas, bay leaves and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves and pour contents into a blender, puree until smooth - although be careful to avoid burning yourself with the hot liquid when turning on the blender. Return the soup to the pot, gently stir in yogurt, salt and pepper. Serve warm and garnish soup with croutons, fresh peas, or pea shoots if available.
Yields
4 servings
Nutrition Facts
None
Click here
for more delicious recipe ideas.
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