New York City Coalition Against Hunger
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Dear Friends,  We are finally back home after our week’s trip on the East Coast. I would like to share with you a series of serendipity encounters, that expanded our connection with those who are working to save our earth. There are so many great individuals that labor for the betterment of humanity’s condition. Four more can be added to our list—NYCCAH, Amnon, Q and even the country of Belgium. But change is hard work and often goes against the typical status quo. It is why I am encouraged to meet with such wonderful human beings. NYCCAH As you know from last week’s newsletter, on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday we were in New York City from whence I shared with you my unplanned meeting on Monday with Joel Berg, who heads the New York City Coalition Against Hunger (NYCCAH). The three signed copies of his book —“Is America Hungry?” were given to two “workers for change” I met with—very influential peers within our holistic community. The final book I awarded to a New York psychiatrist, Joanne Ahola MD, who was the first one of you to identify the amazing creature in last weeks Newsletter— an Indian rhinoceros. Amnon On Tuesday night we traveled to the home of my brother-in-law in Burlington County New Jersey, where we stayed until Sunday for the Rosh Hashanah Holiday. I knew that Amnon had installed solar panels on his roof, and that from these twenty-two panels he is able to supply all his electrical energy needs (for light, heat, air conditioning, appliances and hot water), but what I didn’t know was that he was able to sell back to the State his excess energy! I also learned that Burlington County is the greenest county in the United States. They have been very active in formulating a comprehensive energy plan which emphasizes energy conservation and efficiency. Not only do they have more homes generating their own sustainable energy, but many businesses have outstanding recycling programs—such as the Burlington Coat Factory that has a certified recycling professional (CRP) on staff, and last year recycled over 3,876 tons. This represents $250,000 in avoided landfill disposal fees. Amnon informed me that the County has the country’s most advanced methane capturing plant at the site of the County’s landfill, creating millions of dollars in revenue each year. Amnon said that New York City’s energy needs could be met by just capturing the methane gasses emitted by their massive landfill on Staten Island. That it is absolutely doable! Just imagine the free energy for every citizen in this great city. Why is it not being done??? Q Burlington County is farm country, and in my morning run last Saturday I came upon this amazing farm—Fernbrook Farm, that seemed to be open to the public, so I jogged in to this gorgeous 230 acres of fruit trees, pastures, vegetable gardens, cows, pigs, chicken, goats, sheep—you get the picture. A lady was feeding the goats so I stopped and introduced myself, and of course petted the goats. Her name was Suzi Kuser, and she was the owner, who along with her husband Larry Kuser (Q) owned the farm. They are the third generation of Kusers farming this property. The farm includes more than 60 acres of woods, two streams and two ponds. I was able to schedule for later that afternoon an interview with her husband at their home— and took Amnon with me. We sat out on their back porch and had a wonderful two hour conversation. In next week’s newsletter I am going to share with you part of the transcript of our interview with Q. He said some very important things. The centers of commerce on their farm encompass four areas— the Wholesale Nursery, The Education Center, The CSA and the Bed and Breakfast. Check out their two websites—Fernbrook Farms and Fernbrook Farms CSA. Both are very inspiring. More on this next week. Belgium On Sunday afternoon we took the monorail train from Burlington to the Newark Airport for our return flight home. We met a young couple from Belgium and chatted for an hour about the differences between USA and Belgium. We asked them about their country’s social policies—taxes, welfare, medicine, schools, languages, etc. It turned out that they, and most of their working citizens, pay up to 54% of their income in taxes. From that all of their country’s people get free education—at all levels including higher degrees, in all of their Universities. They said that their educational system was rated as one of the best in Europe. All costs for medical expenses were covered for all their population, by these taxes. All of their poorer citizenry receive each month enough money from their government for food and housing. No person is without the basics of food, shelter, education and medical care. They themselves spoke four languages—Flemish, French, German and English, as most of their countrymen do. The husband of the couple was himself in the green energy business, working for a Suez company based in Belgium. In sounded like a very enlightened country, perhaps they have some elements that would be useful for our country to incorporate. Well, we are back in Seattle and it is always good to be back home. Sincerely yours, Seann Bardell Clinical Note: Therapeutic Foods are real foods—concentrated. One capsule of our garlic takes 4 to 5 cloves of garlic to fill. One capsule of our Wild Blueberry Freeze Dried Extract takes a cup and a quarter of these little blueberries to fill. The High ORAC Synbiotic Formula is virtually a bowl of fruit in each capsule! The purpose is for doctors to be able to give their patients the power of real food, consistantly, so that the body’s natural healing, rejuvinating pathways, begin to function optimally. The Last Quiz Answer: This giant is the massive Indian One-horned Rhinocerus, emerging from the elephant grass. Weighting around 4800 pounds, it is the second largest of land herbivores. The Indian Rhinoceros can run at speeds of up to 25 mph (40 km/h) for short periods of time and is also an excellent swimmer. It has excellent senses of hearing and smell, but relatively poor eyesight.
Our share of the Helsing Farm CSA crop is getting heavier each week. It is the height of the harvest. We can’t eat it all and are sharing with our community.
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