Today's discussion is centered around Zinc. I wanted to deviate a bit from the scheduled subject and touch on this for several reasons. For example, the other day I attended an annual farm machinery auction that takes place in this area. What I observed was somewhat disturbing. I know that in the past I looked pretty rough, health-wise, and perhaps I was in rough shape. But over the past few years, I have taken measures to change the direction that I was headed. I am sure my particular health challenges contributed to the observations of others, but I did have some issues outside of those, but, now I feel like they are getting under control so as I do feel great and a number of people have told me that I am looking like I might actually live. I must have looked pretty rough. So I will use my story a little bit to discuss what I have learned from my self and from others during the past 5 or so years.

So what was so disturbing to me at the auction? Aside from some obvious trends...

So as we are approaching the time of the year when the weather doesn't know what it is supposed to be doing, from appearances, but in reality, it does, so all is well, even though it drives us insane. But the good thing about it is that it gives us a little more time to get up and ready for our gardening project.

So what does a Balanced Diet have to do with the soil in the garden? What you need to do is consider the soil to be as you are, you need a balanced diet to be healthy and to function. The reason why we are looking at the soil in the garden area in this light is that the soil is full of all kinds of living organisms that require a balanced diet, much as we have the same requirement. So when we feed the soil we are actually feeding all of those little creepy crawly things that we might be able to see, not only them but untold numbers of little tiny ones that we can't see. They require all kinds of diets. Many of them depend on other creepy-crawly ones for their diet. I don't...

Leiann asked me to do a write-up for all of you with this particular item that you received.

   Neroli water, as we will call it from here on out, is one of the more widely used distillate waters of all of the ones that are used. Neroli water is used in a number of different food products as an aromatizer. For the most part, it is used in a number of North African cuisines as well as a few Middle eastern areas for an ingredient in their cuisines.  It is also used in Mexican Wedding Cakes and some specialized foods in the US. Since I am not much of a cook, I can't give you any real unique ways and amounts to use in your cooking. But I am sure that most of you are very good at making creative dishes, so I think you can cover that aspect. It is also used as a freshener for people's hands before dining at some high-end facilities in some countries. But that practice is sort of going by the wayside.

   Neroli water is also used as a medicine in some...

A few weeks ago I mentioned here that Leiann and I were going to a Farm and Food Conference. It was held in Cedar City, Utah and we have been in attendance for the past 3 days. I was asked to post here after each day's activities that went on that day. But as things happened, it moved a little faster than I could keep up with, so I didn't do it. So tonight I wanted to make mention of it and make note of a few highlights.

The First day I was supposed to attend a certification class that was related to the FSMA, aka; Food Safety Modernization Act. I have made mention of this Federal Level series of "policies" that have been signed in to law. This is a massive overhaul of the laws regarding food production in the US. I mean this is massive and has far-reaching effects on many aspects of food production and even the serving and selling of food. Our friends in the great white north also have their version of this law with similar far-reaching effects. Anyway, the people that were doing...