The Organic View

Many people think that when the summer is over, garden season is over too.  In the colder climates, now is the perfect time to think about sewing cold weather crops and flowers. Fall is the time to plant mums, perennial sunflowers, sedums, asters and ornamental grasses. Pansies and other cool weather tolerant annuals such as ornamental kale are perfect because they light up the autumn and winter landscape, even with snow on the ground. These perennials, with careful selection, can offer instant beautification now and bloom again year after year.

Let’s not forget that as the fall season approaches there is also a whole different approach to plant maintenance. Plants, as a rule, need fewer nutrients because they are heading towards winter dormancy. This is also the time of the year to work on turf as well as prepare for spring flowers. While there are so many plants to choose from, it all boils down to what your objective is as well as your budget.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to Horticultural expert, John Peter Thompson, who is President of the National Agricultural Research Alliance (http://www.NARA-B.org ). John Peter will talk about cold weather crops, perennial selection and fall maintenance of your garden. Stay tuned!

What would you do if your child needed a kidney operation and you were a single mother with only a few dollars to your name? This is exactly what happened to a woman named Zhena Muzyka. After a great deal of thought, she decided that she would start her own business using her vast knowledge of aromatherapy, a passion for tea, her Gypsy grandmother’s teachings and a small collection of money from friends & family to make things happen.

Initially, what began as a very small one woman shop soon grew into a very successful business. Zhena formulates organic, fair trade, Biodynamic tea blends and herbal tisanes to both improve both health and vitality. Zhena uses flowers, herbs and spices in medicinal form to enhance her flavor forward blends with aromatherapeutic health benefits, creating a following of loyal women who love her pure flavors and exotic combinations. Taking Fair Trade to the next level, Zhena's Gypsy Tea is engaged in self coined 'Direct Trade' model, one based on personal, long term, reciprocal relationships with the plantations that grow ther to tea to ensure reliable prices, a secure supply and a steady source of income for the communities whose livelihood depends on an otherwise volatile global tea market.  Working directly with small growers and out of the way tea gardens, Zhena personally visits her tea gardens in Sri Lanka, India, China and Africa to ensure their fair trade dollars are put to work to provide healthcare, guaranteed maternity leave, childcare, literacy, better working conditions, and autonomy, with a focus on women and children, a cause near to hear heart and based on personal experience. With the goal of alleviating poverty in developing nations through fair trade, Zhena has become a purveyor of hope in the guise of a successful, triple bottom line business. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to Zhena Muzyka.  Stay Tuned!

One of the main reasons why people stop eating a strictly plant based diet is because it is hard to eliminate dairy and meat from the foods that we have enjoyed throughout our lives. Especially when you are first making the transition, it can be very frustrating to buy vegan foods much less knowing what to buy.

In The Complete Guide To Vegan Food Substitutions by authors, Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman, you will find a myriad of easy to find substitutions that can be used in your favorite recipes. Now, more than ever, there is no need to sacrifice taste or stick to a very bland basic diet due to lack of options.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to authors, Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman. Stay tuned!

Our coral reefs are the rainforests of the sea! Millions of creatures are being killed illegally by a $330 million trade that is rapidly growing to supply precious coral to the jewelry industry and for exotic home decor.

“Too Precious to Wear” is a SeaWeb.org campaign that works with the jewelry and design industries to create demand for coral conservation. The campaign strives to reduce threats to corals by recruiting influential fashion and design leaders as leading voices for coral protection.

 In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to Dawn M. Martin, President and Chair of the Board of SeaWeb.org. Dawn M. Martin, joined SeaWeb in 2004, first as its Executive Director and then was appointed the organization's President and Chair of the Board. For more than 25 years, Martin has utilized creative communication strategies to advance policy and conservation goals. Previously she has served as Chief Operating Officer for Oceana, Associate Deputy Administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Political Director for American Oceans Campaign.

80 uncommon solutions for everyday parenting problems.

 

There are some children who are a sheer pleasure to be around and then there are others who have a penchant for mischief. For the last 60 years, comic strip lovers who adore Hank Kethcham’s Dennis The Menace have enjoyed the humorous antics of a boy who always manages to get into trouble regardless of his parents’ efforts. Hollywood has capitalized on this with movies such as Problem Child, Nanny McPhee to reality TV shows like Nanny 911.

We have all seen kids out there that act out. Clearly, they are the ones in charge of their parents as they demonstrate bad behavior, especially in public places like supermarkets, restaurants and parks. Some parents, who are at the end of their rope, will try anything in hopes of getting their kids to listen. The bottom line is this: children that demonstrate bad behavior are tough to handle because they tend to disobey rules or orders.

What if you could use your child’s uncooperative behavior to positively reinforce good behavior? In the book, Dr. Riley’s Box of Tricks,80 uncommon solutions for everyday parenting problems,this is exactly what Dr. Douglas Riley instructs troubled parents to do.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to Dr. Douglas Riley, EdD, who is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than thirty years of experience working with children, adolescents, and parents.

After Hurricane Katrina pummeled Louisiana, people are now taking every precaution when it comes to making sure they are safe and have enough food but what about your landscape? There is a tremendous amount of rainwater runoff that can devastate lawns, plants, trees and shrubs.  Are there steps a homeowner can take to utilize this water or divert it from covering your yard?

What can you really do when it comes to hundred mile an hour winds that can easily tear apart delicate foliage? Is there anything that can be done to protect valuable trees, shrubs and other plants from the damage inflicted from debris? Can you salvage vegetables and fruit that are close to being ripe?After the storm, how do you create a plan to restore the damage and begin anew?

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to Horticultural expert, John Peter Thompson, who is President of the National Agricultural Research Alliance (http://www.NARA-B.org ). John Peter will talk about how to you can prepare for severe inclement weather . Stay tuned!

Without a doubt, New York City is the capital of the world and when people think about this great city, they often forget that it is also the home of one of the most prestigious botanical gardens in the world,The New York Botanical Garden! The NYBG is steward of a 250-acre site National Historic Landmark landscape that is actually located in the borough of the Bronx and offers breathtaking outdoor and indoor gardens, natural forest that has been untouched and an assortment of activities for all ages.

The New York Botanical Garden is the only botanical garden in the world with major new facilities for its library, herbarium, and research laboratory—all opened within the last seven years.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to Todd Forrest, Vice President for Horticulture and Living Collections, The New YorkBotanical Garden.

Todd Forrest is responsible for the Horticulture Division’s programs and activities, including overseeing the grounds, all 50 gardens and living collections, flower shows and exhibitions, and a staff of 80 managers, curators, gardeners, and community horticulturists. In addition, he advises on long-term strategy for the Garden’s 250-acre landscape. An expert advocate for historic trees, forests, and urban landscapes, Forrest is also an instructor of ornamental woody plants and has written many articles and interpretative materials. He joined The New York Botanical Garden in 1997, first as an intern and then as a research assistant, before becoming a vital part of the horticulture staff in 1999. Previously, Forrest worked at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. A graduate of WesleyanUniversity, he has a Master of Forest Science degree from Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

As the “green” sector rapidly expands, there are many investors seeking the right opportunity to not only make the world a more environmentally friendly place but to make more “green” from their investment.

In actuality, the green trend has been growing now for about 25 years, but has only recently become mainstream due to environmental activism. While many people are seeking out opportunities that will make them feel good, the reality is, many of these franchises are actually not a good fit. What steps do you need to take in order to determine whether or not a green franchise opportunity is for you? What is the best way to find a viable franchise opportunity in the green space that will work with your limitations? What kind of due diligence is required? Is it even possible to invest wisely in such an extremely unstable economy?

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to franchise expert, Todd Weiss. Todd, a chartered financial analyst, is a nationally acclaimed franchise expert and is well known on social media for his advice which can be found at www.ToddWeissCFA.com. In 2011, his blog was named one of the top franchise blogs by FranchiseHelp.com. Todd is the CEO of Sunshine Consulting, Ltd and is also, the Vice President of Ellipse Fitness, which is a cutting edge fitness franchise. He has relationships with over 300 franchise concepts and is on the advisory board of the Franchise Broker’s Association, in which he was named Consultant of the Year in 2009. If you are looking to make a wise investment in the green franchise space, stay tuned for some great advice from Todd Weiss!

Sheepish- Two Women, Fifty Sheep & Enough Wool to Save The Planet!

Farm life is not an easy one and doesn’t offer any recognition for outstanding work performance or for perfect attendance. For Catherine Friend, it is a job that has become exhausting, especially after almost two decades. In the book, Sheepish, Catherine comically writes about her life on the farm and how she finds a new perspective about farm life, especially with sheep. She also writes about the advantages of having sheep as the planet’s “self-propelled lawn mowers” and the scary truth behind “wrinkle free” clothing. Catherine also describes a new perspective about what it really means to be “sheepish”—and how it might not be such a bad thing after all.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to author, Catherine Friend Stay tuned!

Most Americans typically start their mornings with a piping hot cup of coffee to jump start their day. However, energy drinks or “functional beverages” have since taken the place of coffee in a market that has literally exploded!  Back in 1997, the energy drink market emerged, growing to about $400 million per fiscal year by the year 2001. By 2005, it had reached about $4 billion and continues to rapidly grow at an annual rate of approximately 12%. It is now anticipated to reach over the $9 billion mark this year.

Wherever you go, there are ads for energy drinks that are offer an instant boost when your body is just about to conk out due to work, school, athletics or simply the need to keep up with the late night party crowd. While these drinks may give your body a jolt, these type of specialty beverages contain a lot of artificial ingredients that can often do more damage than good.

There is a company, however, that has addressed this need and has opted to explore this rapidly growing market by offering the purest ingredients that are not only certified organic but are Fair Trade too! Steaz energy drinks decided to extend their existing line of fine organic tea beverages by taking things to the next level and offering a line of organic functional beverages.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to Steve Kessler, CEO of Steaz, who will talk about the things you should know about energy drinks and why organic matters! Stay tuned!