Good Reads- Baby Carrier Chart, Sitting Babes, Rethinking Oral Healthcare

For those interested in delving into babywearing:

A helpful baby carrier comparison chart by Onya

And a couple other interesting ones:

Sitting Babies Up- The Downside

Rethinking Oral Health Care: A Homemade Toothpaste Recipe for Remineralization

Good Reads- Saving Seeds, Mason Jars, Spring Photo Tips

Happy Friday! Have a great weekend and please enjoy the following reads from some lovely fellow bloggers.

Do You Save Seeds?

31 Ways to Use a Mason Jar

Spring Photography Tips

More Great Reads: Your Children Want You, 5 Best Natural Antibiotics

Not our usual Good Reads day, but wanted to get these out to you sooner than later.

Your Children Want YOU

The 5 Best Natural Antibiotics and Antivirals

Good Reads- Einstein, Car Salesmen and Education

Usually I do Good Reads on Friday, however, today is my daughter's birthday so we have lots of fun things planned and I have been amiss in getting these shared with you anyways! Enjoy the following and have a beautiful day.

Einstein May Never Have Used Flashcards...

Confessions of a Car Salesman

The Assault on Public Education

Good Reads: BPA, Levaquin, Easy Iron-Rich Baby Recipes, etc.

Here are some links to things I've been reading recently. Hopefully I will get to writing on the last 3 this coming week!

Roundup and Birth Defects Study released

Did ya'll catch this study that was released by Earth Open Source?

Roundup and Birth Defects - Is the Public Being Kept in the Dark

It's a very thorough look at what's gone on in the European Union regarding experimentation and regulation. Right up there with the PCB fiasco pretty much.

More and more people are becoming aware of what's happened to our food source over the last few decades. The fox entered the hen house for sure and our regulatory agencies have long been bought out by corporations. In the age of so much readily available information and rapid communication, it's my hope that we can organize, demand and change.

Over the past several weeks(while I wasn't blogging) I tagged more GMO type articles to share with those of you that may be interested. Hopefully some you haven't seen. Knowledge is power! Decide for yourself.

Cancer cause or crop aid? Herbicide faces big test

US subsidizes Brazil's cotton to protect Monsanto's profits

Toxics in our kids' foods: Where is the FDA?

Scientists warn of link between dangerous pathogen and Monsanto's Roundup(***warning***sad picture of late term bovine spontaneous abortion)

(About the PCB situation I refer to) Monsanto Hid PCD Pollution for Decades

Health Scandal of the Decade- Monsanto's GMO Perversion of Food - I *really* like this one for explaining what's going on and why we should be concerned.

Good Reads: GMOs, Medela and Bravado

Why You Need to Take the GMO Threat Personally- Not Academically
Eco-Farming Crops Yield More than GMOs...
I pretty much eat, sleep and breathe GMO information.

Medela Pumps Light Breasts on Fire, FDA is Mad
My opinion of the FDA and it's effectiveness aside, the more I learn about Medela the more frustrated I become. This was the first thing I read about the pumps loosing their suction- which is exactly what happened to mine. I thought it was something I did wrong. Next time we're in the market for a pump definitely going Ameda!

Bravado Sells Out for the Big Bucks
Sigh.

Good Reads: Poultry Industry, NBA Players, Worm Bin

Poultry Industry Smother Immigrant Farmers and Abuses Antibiotics

I considered just posting the above link, because I feel it to be another extremely important read. The subject matter really is applicable to many things we consume today. Or in general, the way the majority of American Consumers have been trained to think. Cheap has a hidden cost. Whether it's in a lesser quality product or jobs sent overseas, it has a cost. What are you willing to pay?

Players Chip in to Save Coach's Life after Clippers Decline Medical Coverage

I'm not a sports person at all. But this is a good read.

How to Start a Worm Bin

We hope to get one of these up and running this year! When we do, I'll be sure to share the process with you. Anyone can do this regardless of space!

Good Reads- Local Harvest Newsletter

Today's Good Reads is a simple one, because I hope that more are encouraged to read. I think it that important. This line in particular struck a chord with me: 


'When "But I paid for that!" moves me to the phone, and "But that's not right!" doesn't, that is a problem.'

Local Harvest News- Feb 24, 2011 newsletter

Have a great weekend!

Good Reads: (Mostly) In the Kitchen

A handful today on some good topics:

How to Tell if a Product is Really Organic


Simple Steps for a Greener Lifestyle- Add More Vinegar


FDA Urged to Prohibit Carcinogenic 'Caramel Coloring'


Newly Identified Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals Leach into Food Packaging

Happy Green Living!

Good Reads: Chocolate

I'm not sure where I first learned about The Dark Side of Chocolate. Chocolate is a food group in my house, even my 3 year old prefers it over other special treats. But after discovering the human struggle behind how some of it gets to me- especially the thought that someone's kidnapped child might have been involved- I no longer blithely grab whatever is available.

As with any crop production, there are also concerns about sustainable practices. Meet Your Sustainable Chocolate Farmers is a great article to read on efforts being made in Ghana.

Not sure where to find Fair Trade Chocolate? Check out this link here.

(Guittard is my favorite- both bittersweet for cookies and milk drops for plain eating- and available at my local grocery!)

Good Reads- All about Gardening

Gardening is obviously in the forefront of my mind with Spring around the corner- so today's (belated) Good Reads Friday is all about gardening. We have one on GMOs. Have you been keeping up with what Monsanto has pushed through our government? Very troubling. I'm embarrassed to claim Vilsack as an Iowan.
Protect Your Home Garden from New GMO Threats

Also have one today that links to a fun blog on gardening in a small space. Even if you have copious amounts of space, these techniques can really help to make the best use of your space and maximize harvest.
Intensive Gardening Methods- A Learning Series for the Small Space Gardener

Lastly, there's a great little article from Organic Gardening on cold frames that I wanted to share. My mom used a cold frame at our house growing up. I'd love to build one, too, just as soon as I figure where it would go.
Cold Frames

Hope everyone had a lovely Saturday! As always, feel free to link to something you enjoyed reading this week, as well!

Good Reads: Nutrition, BPA lined cans alternative

Just a handful today! A couple of really great ones on nutrition plus hope for canned goods. Read on!

8 Reasons Carbs Help You Lose Weight

How to Ride Strong on a Vegetarian Diet (I'm not vegetarian, but we do try to eat little meat)

Eden Foods Finds a Better Solution to BPA Lined Cans

Read anything good lately? Please share!

Good Reads: Recycling, Pampering, Shopping Guides

I have so many things to share! I'm trying to put them together by subject, but there might be a few others mixed in. Enjoy and learn!

http://earth911.com/- This is a great resource for recycling and information on everything 'green.'

http://healthychild.org/blog/comments/10_ways_to_pamper_yourself_naturally/- Frugal, natural ways to pamper mama!

http://summertomato.com/how-to-find-real-food-at-the-supermarket-flowchart/- This is funny and true!

http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/SG-printDec2010.pdf- Confused about GMOs? I'll have to do some research on them myself. But I found this helpful.

http://food.change.org/blog/view/epa_may_ban_triclosan_a_carcinogen_in_antibacterial_soaps#share_source=blog-top_fb- Stop using that antibacterial stuff post haste!

Good Reads: Breastfeeding and Babies

Lots of great links I forgot to post last Friday- This lot is mostly on breastfeeding issues. Really excellent reads!

The Problems With Medela- Just West of Crunchy ***VERY interesting read if you have a Medela pump(I do).

Similac: Fox in the Nurses' Henhouse- Just West of Crunchy ***I can relate but mine was not a night nurse and it wasn't a helpful offering, it was a threat to give my daughter a bottle if she didn't nurse x amount of time.

Ground Breaking Research Proves We Can Save Newborn Lives at Scale- Huffington Post

Childhood Rates Improve but US Falls Further Behind- Health Leaders' Media ***An older post from May, but still a great reminder.

As always, feel free to link to me something you read that was interesting!

Good Reads: All for the kids!

Here are some great reads for the kids this week:

Valentine's Craft

http://blog.frecklebox.com/Blog/bid/51838/Fun-Valentine-Crafts-for-Kids

Indoor Snow Activity

http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/outdoors/indoor-snow-activities-136540

2011 Parenting Predictions

http://www.drgreene.com/blog/2011/01/05/dr-greene%E2%80%99s-parenting-predictions-2011

Read anything good lately?

Good Reads: Food Dyes, Quiet Time, EPA and Bees, Fire Retardants Part 1

Here is a run down of what the Crazy Green Mommy has been reading the past week! Good Stuff!

Smart Guide to Food Dyes

No nap? Try Quiet Time, 1,2,3!

WikiLeaks Uncovers EPA Cover-up of Bee Issue

Your Home: Toxic Chemicals, Fire Retardants Part 1: Brominated

Please feel free to leave a link in the comments with something you've read and found interesting, too. I'll try to add it to my list.

Good Reads: Toxic Flame Retardants, Avoiding Phthalates, Avoiding High Fructose Corn Syrup, Recipe for Cough Syrup

Here are a few things I've been reading this week and last:

Toxic Flame Retardants (series to come)

How to Avoid Phthalates in 3 Steps

Four Reasons to Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup

And a cool sounding recipe for homemade cough syrup!

Read anything interesting lately? Link me to it! I love reading anything and everything!

Good Reads: Composting, Midwives, Etsy and Bloggers, Shari Criso, Facebook guidelines!

Here are a few links to some of the things I've read this week:

Crazy Green Mommy reads

There have been some really awesome thing I've read this week that I'd like to share with those similarly interested:

14 Tips for Using Less Heat this Season -Check out the awesome comments some people left. No heat in MI??

365 Days of Kale -Woman after my own heart!


Jada Roo Can Do -Really fantastic ideas for toddlers. Thanks to Beth for introducing me to Andrea's blog.


Alice Water's Crusade for Better Food -Interesting! I like the term, 'slow food.'