Celebrate the Day of the Dead with Taza Chocolate!

Thanks armadilo60!

Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday that honors loved ones who are deceased. Some traditions include fabulous altars to offer flowers, favorite foods, candies and drinks, while others involve candlelight processions or elaborate parades. At Terressentials we are honoring Dia de los Muertos on November 2 by taking 15% of all our Taza Mexican Stone Ground Chocolate. It sure is a good time to be alive!

A State of Happiness

With the recent government shutdown it seems as though our representatives in government reside more often than not in a stalemate, promoting personal party agendas rather than making productive policies that will benefit citizens. In an country that is driven by profits, what can we expect when those individuals making policies follow a profit motivated model of governance.

Imagine a nation where, instead of judging economic development in gross national product, development is gauged on gross national happiness. Instead of conglomerate chemical companies controlling food production, a national organic agricultural standard is mandatory. Seems like a lofty fantasy doesn't it?

Thanks Kyle Taylor!

                                                                

In Bhutan, this is reality. Government officials in Bhutan have banned pesticides altogether striving to create a healthy environment and population. Policies like a national organic agricultural standard are possible because the government's priority in Bhutan, rooted in Buddhist philosophy, are to first make the people happy. National development is evaluated based on the overall happiness of its people rather than profit and material production. 

 So how can we push for implementation of policies like those in Bhutan such as a national organic standard? Every time you purchase a product you are submitting a vote and companies are taking note! Collectively we can communicate that we demand authentically organic foods and personal care products. By buying organic we are making an investment in the future of the environment and our health. Often times it feels as though our representatives aren't listening, but if we make simple choices everyday to benefit ourselves and others, a small drop can make a huge ripple.

The Season of Gratitude

This is my favorite time of year in the garden. The tucking of garlic cloves into the ground in October marks the end of crop planting for the year. The weeds and insect pests have slowed their assault, and the rains have resumed after the late-summer dry period, so the fall crops are thriving. The harvest of greens and root vegetables continues until the really cold weather sets in. The slower pace allows for reflection on the growing season and appreciation of all the beauty and bounty that the garden has given through the year.

My favorite way of expressing gratitude to the garden is planting cover crops. Fall-planted cover crops – usually a mix of grains and legumes – germinate and grow throughout the late fall and hold the soil in place through the winter. (Bare soil might be washed away by winter storms.) The cover crop plants also take up nitrogen, phosphorus, and other essential elements remaining in the soil, holding in reserve valuable nutrients which might otherwise leach away. Next spring and summer, I will mow the cover crops and till them in. They will act as a “green manure,” nourishing the soil and supplying nutrition for the crops that follow.

I plant cover crops in the most low-tech way possible, tossing out rye, wheat and winter peas by hand and chopping the soil with a metal rake to lightly cover the seeds. With the rhythmic motions of tossing and chopping, and with no noisy machinery to distract me, my mind naturally reflects on the previous inhabitants of the beds I'm working on – the planting (so long ago, it seems!), weeding, and harvesting of the vegetables that sustained me during the spring and summer. The hardships are mostly forgotten, and I'm grateful for the nourishment and the bounty that I was able to share with my community.

Thanks oosp!

Most of us in the U.S. think of Thanksgiving as a day to gather family together and eat a huge meal, not necessarily composed of foods produced by ourselves or our neighbors. But Thanksgiving is rooted in the celebration of a successful growing season and an abundant harvest. It comes at a time of year when cold temperatures, long nights, and quiet have replaced the frenetic activity of spring and summer. The conditions are perfect for introspection, reflecting on the months gone by, and thanking the powers that be and all the beings around us for all we've been given. And for resting . . . because planning for the next growing season will begin again in a few short months!

Red Ape Cinnamon at Terressentials

We are spicing things up at Terressentials! We are adding an extra burst of flavor and heat from a spice we love, cinnamon. You will quickly notice the difference in taste with this fragrant and sweet, certified organic cinnamon. We will be offering three Red Ape Certified Organic Cinnamon Shakes.

Red Ape Cinnamon Sugar Shake:

A blend of organic cinnamon and organic evaporated cane juice that is premixed and ready to shake on oatmeal, toast, your favorite fruits, or when baking cinnamon buns and snicker doodle cookies. This shake will save you time--the mixing is already done for you!

Red Ape Vanilla Cinnamon Shake:

This shake is a blend of organic vanilla, organic cinnamon and organic evaporated cane juice for a unique vanilla-cinnamon taste. Great added on breakfast foods like pancakes, muffins and waffles. Try a shake in your favorite cup of hot chocolate for a different, but delicious taste.

Red Ape Cinnamon Rasta Shake:

Here's where things get spicy! The Rasta Shake is a gourmet blend of all organic Jamaican spices and organic cinnamon to give a real burst of heat. Shake on rice, salads, meats, casseroles and soups . This will really add a spicy hot flavor to any dish.

If you would like to put a little spice in your life, stop by Terressentials and try our Red Ape Certified Organic Cinnamon Shakes. Watch for our next newsletter where I'll be sharing recipes using Red Ape Cinnamon Shakes.

Holiday Wish List

 Thanks LifeSupercharger!

Are you “hard to buy for?” Do you wish a certain someone knew how much you coveted that scarf/handbag/pair of earrings you saw on your last Terressentials visit? Have you shared your favorite scent of Terressentials body wash or lotion with anyone who was listening and paying attention? If this sounds like your life, and it certainly sounds like mine, we may be able to help.

Terressentials is starting a customer Wish List. Visit us and we will record all of the organic and fair trade selections that you make from our beautiful and interesting inventory. Give us the email address of anyone who could benefit from knowing your wishes, and we will notify them for you. As a reward for completing such an arduous task, we will enter your name in a drawing. All Wish List participants will have four chances from November to December to win an item on their wish list with a retail value of up to $50!

Stop in to our Terressentials 100 East Patrick St. store in downtown Frederick and dream big!