I am further blessed to be working with such a passionate, informed, curious and dedicated group of people in our business. Everyone -- from our CEO, Asher, to the practitioners in our clinic, to the participants in our curriculum, to the customers at our store and to the amazing support people in our business -- has been a joy to work with this year.
Our world has a long way to go before we get a clean bill of health. With your help, we will find the creativity and strength to make this beautiful world a healthier, happier, more just place. We can do this.
With gratitude,
Tom
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We are seeking an experienced customer support representative to join our team! Are you passionate about providing excellent customer service and making a positive impact with every interaction? Are you equally committed to improving customers’ health and wellness? If the answer is yes, you may be the candidate we are seeking.
About Us
Cowan Brands consists of four family-owned companies in the health food and alternative health and wellness industries. The Cowan brands are inspired by the work of Dr. Tom Cowan, a well-known holistic medicine doctor, author and public speaker, whose life mission is to be a healing force in the world; working to improve human, ecological and economic health and wellness.
Dr. Cowan’s Garden (www.drcowansgarden.com) makes and sells beyond organic vegetable powders to help people easily diversify their vegetable consumption, pantry staples featuring a wholesome selection of nutrient-dense grains and legumes and pasture products such as ghee and pasture-raised meats. We sell direct-to-consumer through our website, social media and Amazon. We support farmers using regenerative farming practices by bringing their produce to a wider audience through our products and platform.
Dr Tom Cowan LLC (www.drtomcowan.com) is dedicated to the work and treatments developed by Dr. Thomas S. Cowan over his decades of experience in the alternative medicine field. Our mission is to provide a collaborative forum for the exchange of knowledge, products and practices that enable us to forge a new world together, governed by the relentless pursuit of truth, and in support of the five aspects of holistic health: physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual; a world that is clean, safe, joyful and meets the true needs of all living things.
New Biology Clinic LLC (www.newbiologyclinic.com) has a mission to provide caring and individualized support to help people take charge of their own health and wellness journey. We offer individual or family membership services and provide private health consults as needed, plus a growing list of membership enrichment benefits, such as webinars on health topics, group fitness sessions and more.
New Biology Curriculum LLC (www.newbiologycurriculum.com) Is dedicated to offering premium online learning opportunities, to practitioners and others, that answer questions like, “What makes us sick and how do we heal and live to our fullest potential?” using facts, critical thinking, and adherence to proper scientific methods based on the New Biology Philosophy established by Dr. Cowan. We welcome anyone who wishes to join us: M.D.s, natural healers, and other curious minds.
Customer Support Representative Job Responsibilities
Compensation
$28,000-$32,000 annually, commensurate with skills and experience
Benefits
Medical
Employment Type
Full Time/Remote
Optional In Person Work Days Available
Customer Support Representative Qualifications / Skills:
Education and Experience Requirements
What Year One Will Look Like
Interested? Apply Now:
Send your resume, cover letter and all other inquiries regarding this opportunity to terri@drtomcowan.com.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Dr. Cowan’s Garden is equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.
Currently, I have two dogs and four chickens, and although the chickens are great, they don’t compare to my canine buddies. The chickens are fed organic scratch and/or pellets, oyster shells, scraps, garden goodies and occasional treats like worms, fruits, nuts and seeds. The dogs, however, receive my personal culinary attention.
Ever since I have been making food and treats from scratch, their coats have been shinier, eyes are brighter, noses more moist, energy levels have increased and they genuinely appear happier. Not all of us are animal lovers, but all of us know animal lovers; this is why I’m sharing my “I Love My Dog-Food” and “Doggy Tookies (aka dog cookies)” recipes.
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Animals have always captured my heart. From the first (and only) time I attempted to pet a wild squirrel, to just a moment ago when I fed my dogs Chunk and Spooky their breakfast; I have found my life to be more joy-filled when animals have been a part of it.
Currently, I have two dogs and four chickens, and although the chickens are great, they don’t compare to my canine buddies. The chickens are fed organic scratch and/or pellets, oyster shells, scraps, garden goodies and occasional treats like worms, fruits, nuts and seeds. The dogs, however, receive my personal culinary attention.
Ever since I have been making food and treats from scratch, their coats have been shinier, eyes are brighter, noses more moist, energy levels have increased and they genuinely appear happier. Not all of us are animal lovers, but all of us know animal lovers; this is why I’m sharing my “I Love My Dog-Food” and “Doggy Tookies (aka dog cookies)” recipes.
Feel free to improvise the main food recipe. You may add seasonal vegetables that are canine safe and/or substitute accordingly. But be careful, there are foods that are dangerous to dogs, and making sure what they consume is safe is, of course, an owner’s responsibility.
The main food recipe is for a big batch, so if you have a small dog, halving the recipe would do. This recipe freezes great, so when I make it, I usually keep about five days’ worth in the fridge and freeze the rest.
One of the best parts of my day is calling Spooks and Chunks into the kitchen with the word “Breakfast” and watching them wiggle with delight as I assemble their bowls, sipping my coffee while I observe them devour their delicious dishes. I hope you find great satisfaction, gratitude and loving affection while you do the same.
Want to put a smile on your face? Prepare the treats and, when it’s time, loudly proclaim “Want a Tookie?” Your furry friends will come a runnin’ and eagerly display their skills in anticipation of your scratch, made-with-love, Tookie treats.
RECIPE LINKS:
Check out I love my Dog-Food here.
Check out Doggy Tookies (aka dog cookies) here.
We are seeking a graphic designer/video editor to join our marketing team and directly support our Creative Director on various design projects in support of our marketing efforts! You will work closely with our Marketing team to create deliverables (graphics, web pages, photography, packaging, videos, etc.) according to specifications, as well as provide original creative ideas/comps. This role will support the design and creative functions for the three Dr. Cowan brands: Dr. Cowan’s Garden, Dr. Tom Cowan and the New Biology. The successful candidate for this position will have fresh ideas, be open to learning more, create impressive designs and have a keen eye for detail. Our ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment and is skilled in the latest design and video editing trends, responsive web and mobile best practices.
]]>We are seeking a graphic designer/video editor to join our marketing team and directly support our Creative Director on various design projects in support of our marketing efforts! You will work closely with our Marketing team to create deliverables (graphics, web pages, photography, packaging, videos, etc.) according to specifications, as well as provide original creative ideas/comps. This role will support the design and creative functions for the three Dr. Cowan brands: Dr. Cowan’s Garden, Dr. Tom Cowan and the New Biology. The successful candidate for this position will have fresh ideas, be open to learning more, create impressive designs and have a keen eye for detail. Our ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment and is skilled in the latest design and video editing trends, responsive web and mobile best practices.
About Us
We are three family-owned companies in the health food and alternative health and wellness industries. The Dr. Cowan brands are inspired by the work of Dr. Tom Cowan, a well-known holistic medicine doctor, author and public speaker, whose life mission is to be a healing force in the world, working to improve human, ecological and economic health and wellness.
Dr. Cowan’s Garden (www.drcowansgarden.com) makes and sells beyond organic vegetable powders to help people easily diversify their vegetable consumption, and kitchen staples featuring a wholesome selection of nutrient-dense grains and legumes. We sell direct-to-consumer through our website, social media and Amazon. We support farmers using regenerative farming practices by bringing their produce to a wider audience through our products and platform.
Dr. Tom Cowan (www.drtomcowan.com) is dedicated to the work and treatments developed by Dr. Thomas S. Cowan over his decades of experience in the alternative medicine field. Our mission is to provide a collaborative forum for the exchange of knowledge, products and practices that enable us to forge a new world together, governed by the relentless pursuit of truth, and in support of the five aspects of holistic health: physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual; a world that is clean, safe, joyful and meets the true needs of all living things.
New Biology (www.thenewbiology.com) includes the New Biology Clinic, a membership-based program that provides virtual wellness consults on demand, as well as group and one-on-one movement training sessions, webinars and other benefits. Newly added, our New Biology Curriculum is an education center for practitioners and others to learn and practice the principles of the New Biology, an alternative medicine discipline focused on natural healing as nature intended.
Graphic Designer Job Responsibilities
Compensation
$32,000-$38,000 annually, commensurate with skills and experience
Benefits
Medical, Dental
Employment Type
Full Time Remote
Travel to on-site shoots/events as needed (several times per year if needed)
Graphic Designer Qualifications / Skills:
Education and Experience Requirements
What Year One Will Look Like
Interested? Apply Now:
Send your resume, portfolio, and all other inquiries regarding this opportunity to fred@flocomm.com.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Dr. Cowan’s Garden is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.
We are seeking a highly organized Social Media Coordinator with excellent communication skills to join our team and support our social media presence! You will work closely with our Social Media Manager to execute our social media plan across multiple channels, including helping to create and publish engaging content that includes compelling text, graphics and video, ensuring all channels are up-to-date and brand-focused. The successful candidate for this position will be creative, organized and flexible, and fully competent in the latest digital technologies and social media trends.
]]>We are seeking a highly organized Social Media Coordinator with excellent communication skills to join our team and support our social media presence! You will work closely with our Social Media Manager to execute our social media plan across multiple channels, including helping to create and publish engaging content that includes compelling text, graphics and video, ensuring all channels are up-to-date and brand-focused. The successful candidate for this position will be creative, organized and flexible, and fully competent in the latest digital technologies and social media trends.
About Us
We are three family-owned companies in the health food and alternative health and wellness industries. The Cowan Brands are inspired by the work of Dr. Tom Cowan, a well-known holistic medicine doctor, author and public speaker, whose life mission is to be a healing force in the world, working to improve human, ecological and economic health and wellness.
Dr. Cowan’s Garden (www.drcowansgarden.com makes and sells beyond organic vegetable powders to help people easily diversify their vegetable consumption, pantry staples featuring a wholesome selection of nutrient-dense grains and legumes and pasture products such as ghee and pasture-raised meats. We sell direct-to-consumer through our website, social media and Amazon. We support farmers using regenerative farming practices by bringing their produce to a wider audience through our products and platform.
Dr. Tom Cowan (www.drtomcowan.com) is dedicated to the work and treatments developed by Dr. Thomas S. Cowan over his decades of experience in the alternative medicine field. Our mission is to provide a collaborative forum for the exchange of knowledge, products and practices that enable us to forge a new world together, governed by the relentless pursuit of truth, and in support of the five aspects of holistic health: physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual; a world that is clean, safe, joyful and meets the true needs of all living things.
New Biology (www.thenewbiology.com) includes the New Biology Clinic, a membership-based program that provides virtual wellness consults on demand, as well as group and one-on-one movement training sessions, webinars and other benefits. Newly added, our New Biology Curriculum is an education center for practitioners and others to learn and practice the principles of the New Biology, an alternative medicine discipline focused on natural healing as nature intended.
Social Media Coordinator Job Responsibilities
Compensation
$29,000-$36,000 annually, commensurate with skills and experience
Employment Type
Full Time Remote
Occasional travel for conferences and other company business may be required (NC resident preferred)
Social Media Coordinator Qualifications / Skills:
Education and Experience Requirements
What Year One Will Look Like
Interested? Apply Now:
Send your resume and all other inquiries regarding this opportunity to tricia@drcowansgarden.com.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Dr. Cowan’s Garden is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.
As we enter our seventh year, I find that I have a lot to be grateful for and a lot to look forward to. Through the years, I had often thought that it sure would be nice to have access to grass-fed A2/A2 ghee, but it just wasn't possible to come by. I would chide myself for being lazy and not making it myself, but for whatever reason, it just never happened.
]]>Now, thanks to the efforts of a wonderful farmer, an astute entrepreneur and our team at Dr. Cowan's Garden, I am eating the best-quality ghee anywhere with no more effort than sending an email. The same story goes for Three-Beet Powder, Sea Vegetables Powder, Burdock Root Powder or Ashitaba Powder, all now part of my daily diet and made with the same care and quality as if I made it myself. Yes, occasionally, I still chide myself for not getting fresh seaweed, drying it in our dehydrator and powdering it myself, but, to be honest, I am happy to be lazy about some things. But — and this is the key — I can be lazy about food only when I know that the quality does not suffer. If the food quality were to suffer, then I would make it myself or do without.
In essence, that is what we are offering at Dr. Cowan's Garden. We know that our customers will not and should not tolerate any compromise in food quality. We know this because we won't tolerate it either. I am simply not going to eat GMO popcorn, feedlot beef, or conventionally grown rice, and neither should you. Our health is everything; it is what allows us to live our lives to the fullest and fulfill our destinies.
It is our solemn promise to all our friends and customers that we won't compromise on quality. If a product is one we ourselves wouldn't eat, we won't sell it. We are growing and thriving thanks to all of you and to our shared commitment to simply do what is right, as that's the only way forward.
All the best,
Tom
I have often mentioned that one of the fundamental missions of our family businesses is to help foster and promote entrepreneurs who create their own lines of healthy foods or healthcare products. One such entrepreneur is Meredith Sharp, owner and founder of Tallow LLC, who is the next guest on my podcast.
]]>I have often mentioned that one of the fundamental missions of our family businesses is to help foster and promote entrepreneurs who create their own lines of healthy foods or healthcare products. One such entrepreneur is Meredith Sharp, owner and founder of Tallow LLC, who is the next guest on my podcast.
A glaring omission in the healthcare product field are skin care products that truly nourish — without chemical additives — the largest organ of our body. The difference here is to nourish our skin, rather than use pharmaceuticals or even "natural" ingredients to suppress skin symptoms.
True nourishment recognizes that we take in some nutrients — for example, sunlight — primarily through our skin. In other cases, the skin can be a vehicle to facilitate the absorption of nutrients into our bodies. Meredith, partly to address her own chronic skin conditions, did a deep dive into skin nourishment. What she came up with is both a concept of how to nourish one's skin, as well as actual products that use pure, grass-fed, grass-finished tallow, herbal infusions, and other natural ingredients such as pure turpentine.
I'm delighted to present to our listeners her philosophy and practice of skin nourishment. Join me in listening to this interesting interview here. Learn more about our new Tallow Skincare Collection here.
Best,
Tom
Whenever I am at a health-food store or food expo, I look for products contained in Miron jars. That is how I found the Raw Revelations line of herbal extracts, which I used extensively in the last few years of my medical practice. I have consistently found that any product stored in Miron jars seems to work better, and I have come to the conclusion that any company that has taken the time and expense to put their products into Miron jars is at least worth investigating.
]]>This is the case with Andreas Seed Oils. I don't use any cooking fats other than butter and ghee, lard and tallow, coconut oil and the best olive oil. It's not that I don't think that plants could concentrate healing compounds in their oils; it's that the extraction methods used to obtain these oils almost always ruin the beneficial properties of the oil.
For example, the common designation "cold-pressed" means only that no external heat was added in the extraction process. The grinders can get extremely hot, but because they're not an external source of heat, the product still counts as a cold-pressed oil. As far as I know, all commercial seed oils such as corn, safflower, sunflower, etc., even if organic, are produced in large grinders that heat the oil, can add microscopic metallic "shards" to the oil, and, in general, denature anything that would have been healthy in the final product. Animal fats, coconut oil and olive oil don't need this type of extraction so end up being the healthiest fats to eat.
The entire rationale for Andreas Seed Oils is that Andreas Wecker starts his process with the finest organically grown plants. Using a no-heat, no-grind process, he simply presses the oil out of the plant. No heat, no metallic shards, no denaturing of the essential oil, no toxic rancid oils in our food. To further preserve these healing essential oils, he stores them only in Miron jars, which both excludes harmful wavelengths of light and allows energizing wavelengths to penetrate the oil. I think of Andreas' seed oils not so much as cooking oils, although they can be used for cooking, but more as essential-oil therapy.
I add a teaspoon of Flax Seed Oil l to all our salad dressings. I take one to two droppers a day of Coriander Seed Oil for its warming, enlivening effect. I use the Kava Oil as a medicine for helping with sleep, and I recommend it to people who are temporarily agitated.
These are not the usual seed oils, which should be completely avoided. These are therapeutic, essential compounds concentrated by the plants in their warming oils so that we can warm our hearts and lives.
Best,
Tom
As our company, Dr. Cowan's Garden, celebrates its sixth year with our annual anniversary sale, it's helpful for me to reflect on the original intention, goals, and dreams for our new venture.
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As our company, Dr. Cowan's Garden, celebrates its sixth year with our annual anniversary sale, it's helpful for me to reflect on the original intention, goals, and dreams for our new venture.
My intention was simply to do something meaningful with my family. We have all experienced how difficult it is in our world to develop deep and enduring connections with those in our lives, including, at times, our own family members. One of the reasons might simply be that we don't have anything meaningful to do together; instead, we just visit. In former times, people's lives were dependent on their family bonds, their connections with neighbors, and the wider community. It was a matter of survival to have people around to help with the fields, raise the barn, care for the children, and raise the animals. Today, we outsource many of those needs to strangers or technology.
I believed that starting and growing a business that reflected our values would help us forge and strengthen these bonds, born out of tasks that simply needed to be done. So far, that goal has born fruit as my two sons, Asher and Joe, have taken on the job of creating a vibrant and dynamic business.
Next, the work itself had to be meaningful, meaning, I wanted it to contribute to people's lives. For me, having spent my whole adult life in a kind of quest to bring to myself and others the best possible food, the choice of what type of business was obvious. Its mission was to provide the quality of food that can be found almost nowhere else. In the beginning, that meant growing and processing the vegetables ourselves. As time went on, it meant forming partnerships with small entrepreneurs who share this commitment to food quality.
This commitment has led to forming alliances with small biodynamic farmers who grow our vegetables, foragers who collect our sea vegetables, small farmers and businesspeople who raise the meat we sell and make our ghee, nut butters, grains and legumes. For me, my most gratifying endeavor is to create the conditions that support a young, enthusiastic farmer or food processor in making a living doing what they love. Sharing their food with our beloved customers, sharing their stories and building a new, quality-based economy is truly sacred work. This is what Dr. Cowan's Garden is about, bringing the sacredness, the quality back into our lives, our food and our work. You, our customers, are the engine of this transformation, and for this I am grateful every single day.
With love,
Tom
Animals would love to get their “hands” on these nutrients, but first they need to be unlocked from the protection of the seeds. This situation is the fundamental dilemma of the consumption of food from plant seeds. On the one hand, seeds are among nature’s most nutrient-dense foods. On the other hand, these same nutrients are encased in packages that makes them inedible, potentially even toxic.
Luckily, humans and other animals have worked out a solution to this riddle. Consider the squirrel. Squirrels typically don’t eat the nuts they collect until they have been buried in the earth for some time. Burying the seeds stimulates the seeds to germinate, which unlocks the nutrients in the seeds and breaks down their anti-nutrients. Once the seed has germinated, the squirrels dig up the seeds and partake of a now perfect food. Squirrels probably forget where some of the seeds were buried, and these grow up to be the new trees. In essence, then, the squirrels are acting as the planting agents for the trees. Squirrels get perfect food; the trees get free propagation help.
Humans can be as intelligent as squirrels if we put our minds to it. We can also take raw seeds, bury them, or, in our case, soak or sprout them. Once they have germinated and converted the anti-nutrients to valuable food, we can grind them or make them into products. The toxic (to us) seeds then become a valuable foundational food for humanity. This is the principle behind our soaked, sprouted and minimally processed nut and seed butters. Properly prepared seeds are one of nature’s most nutrient-dense, nourishing foods. They are a food enjoyed by everyone, but especially children, and form a valuable addition to any healing diet.
Best,
Tom
As our product line at Dr. Cowan’s Garden begins to widen, we are exploring the concept of foundational foods. Everyone needs a source of healthy fats. While this is particularly true for women and children, no human being can truly thrive on a no-fat diet.
]]>With fat consumption, the quality of the fat is everything. Animals store toxins and unwanted chemicals in their body fat, and the fat in the milk of mammals is a frequent source of these unwanted chemicals. Although few truly pristine sources of food exist today, we believe we have found a source of ghee, the clarified fat from cow’s milk, that is as pure a fat as there is.
Ghee is an ancient food, revered in Indian culture and the practice of Ayurvedic medicine. Herbs and other medicines were often dissolved in ghee, and the ghee was the vehicle for the absorption of the medicine. Ghee is loaded with fat-soluble vitamins and health-giving essential fatty acids. Traditional Indian culture’s homunculus, or universal medicine, was the daily consumption of a big helping of ground turmeric dissolved in warmed ghee. Ghee is safe for those who are lactose intolerant as the lactose is removed during the cooking process. It is tolerated by almost everyone, safe for almost everyone, and nutritious for almost everyone. Along with lard, butter and coconut oil, ghee is the most used fat in our household.
Our ghee comes from 100 percent grass-fed pastured animals. The animals are tested to have the A2/A2 genetics, meaning, no potentially harmful opiates are in the ghee. Our ghee is hand made in small batches, using traditional processing techniques that preserve that natural goodness in the fat. It can be used raw or in virtually any cooking technique because of its high-heat stability. Ghee is a foundational food, one that we are thrilled to be able to offer our wonderful friends and customers.
Best,
Tom
Among the many amazing things in the world is the fact that doing good for ourselves is often the exact thing that does good for the plants, animals, and the rest of the world around us. For as long as there have been men and women, one of our main occupations has been animal husbandry. Shepherds and goat herders populate all our myths, stories of creation, and tales of how we arrived where we are today. Tending and caring for animals is the quintessential sacred job.
]]>
Among the many amazing things in the world is the fact that doing good for ourselves is often the exact thing that does good for the plants, animals, and the rest of the world around us. For as long as there have been men and women, one of our main occupations has been animal husbandry. Shepherds and goat herders populate all our myths, stories of creation, and tales of how we arrived where we are today. Tending and caring for animals is the quintessential sacred job.
This "job," done properly, tunes you into a world that is alive with meaning, emotion, joy, and sorrow — sometimes all in the same day. No one who takes the tending of animals seriously could ever conceive of senselessly slaughtering animals, using them for lab experiments, or simply not doing everything in their power to care for animals as best they can. Caring for one's animals means understanding the nature of your animals, not some preconception or "scientific" understanding of what is best. Caring for animals is an act of communion; again, it's one of the most sacred acts we can do.
That is why when it comes time to slaughter our animals, so that we may be nourished, it must be done in the spirit of humility and gratitude. And, this is the key, to use every single part of the animal for our nourishment (or the nourishment of other animals) honors the being and spirit of that animal. All indigenous peoples follow this dictum, all predators in the wild follow this guideline. An animal that sacrifices its life to give us food, to give us life, MUST be honored. They must be eaten nose to tail, including the organs, bones, sinews, and everything else.
In most traditional medical schemes, we find the theory that life is a flow of energy, sometimes called prana or chi, and that this energy is concentrated and emanates from our internal organs, such as the liver, kidney, and heart. It is the same with our animal friends. They are living energy beings also with the energy circulating from and concentrating in their internal organs. Simply put, this is where life concentrates.
It should be no surprise that the nutrients follow the energy and that the organs would be the most concentrated source of nutrients. Conventional science bears this out, confirming what anyone watching a pride of lions eating an antelope sees. Always, the organs are eaten, never just the meat. This is the strategy of nourishing ourselves and honoring the sacrifice of our beloved animals. Eating the organs of an animal is a sacred act.
In our house, we eat liver or some other organ preparation at least once a week. We dry liver and make it into a powder, we feed our kittens ground liver and heart from local pastured cows. We try to remember the sacrifice of animals, and we are grateful that they help us live. We are connecting with the long history of mankind, the shepherd of his flock, humbly tending his amazing animal friends.
]]>This week we celebrated the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year. Many of us have undoubtedly felt this absence of light in our lives. We have experienced lots of trying news, relationship challenges and hard decisions, probably more so than usual at this solstice. This sense of the constriction of the light and outer warmth is also mirrored in the fact that we have less fresh food to eat during this time of the year. It's harder to get out and play, to go to the beach, to even go for walks. Everything just seems a bit heavier and more challenging.
]]>However, it is this very time of year that all great spiritual traditions have spoken about the coming of the light into the world. This is not only a metaphor and a spiritual truth, but also a mirroring of what is to come in our outer world. Spring will come, the days do start to get longer, and warmth will return. We can keep this kind of resurrection image in our hearts. If we can deeply listen to the stirrings in our heart, maybe, just maybe, these difficulties and breaches we all experience in our lives can be warmed through and healed. Maybe, just maybe, we can commit ourselves to listening to others, even — maybe most importantly — to those with whom we disagree. Maybe we can find a way to listen in a new way, a way that attempts to understand the struggles, challenges and pains the other is feeling. Maybe, if we do this, we will learn something about ourselves.
This is a difficult request. It's difficult to ask of others, it's hard to ask of myself. But whoever put on their gravestone the words, "I avoided all the difficult challenges in my life"? Our company, Dr. Cowan's Garden, has been graced this year with continued success and prosperity because of the support and encouragement of our wonderful friends and customers. We are trying to add light — vibrant food, connection with the land and organic farmers — to all our lives. I am blessed to be part of this venture, and I have you all to thank. So, thank you from the deep well of my being for all your support and encouragement. Together we can do this.
With gratitude,
Tom
As we launch our exciting partnership with Joel Salatin and Polyface Farm, I want to share why I believe animal foods should be a part of every person's diet for optimal long term health.
One can attempt to address which foods are the healthiest for human beings in many ways. Some people look at pH levels, some at nutrient levels, some point to peer-reviewed science that claims health benefits from eating a certain diet. Others share stories about what happened to them when they adopted a particular diet. For me, the dietary compass I use and have used for decades is the work of Weston A. Price. The brilliance of Price's work is that he asked a simple yet profound question: Do any groups of people in the world have perfect teeth and perfect health for generation after generation? Like the story of the guy with the lantern searching the world for an honest man, Price searched the world for people, both "primitive" and "modern," with perfect health. He found 14 such groups with perfect dental health and perfect physical and mental health. All 14 groups included animal products in their diet, without exception. In fact, Price decried that he was unable to find any healthy groups of people that didn't eat a liberal amount of animal products--specifically, animal fats--in their diets.
I have known about the work of Weston Price for more than 40 years. His research was a big part of why I decided to become a doctor. I was convinced that food was integral to our health, physically, socially, and economically. I set out in my career to be a food doctor. Forty years later, I have yet to see credible evidence that any group of human beings can live generation after generation with optimal health and completely avoid animal products. As far as I can tell, this has never been done.
The type of animal products included in the diets of the people Price studied varied widely. Sometimes it was meat, sometimes dairy products, sometimes creatures from the seas. Always, they ate the entire animal, always they used the organs and bones of the animals, and always they seemed to eat as much animal fat as they could get. Again, there are no exceptions.
For those who wish to correlate this epidemiological evidence with the findings of our anatomy and physiology, I suggest reading Lierre Keith's wonderful book, "The Vegetarian Myth." She explains in detail the reasons human beings are meant to eat animal products, from a variety of perspectives, including ecological and spiritual. Simply put, whether we consider the health of the individual, the society, the ecology, or the spirit, including animals in our diet is imperative. The raising and consumption of animals seem to be a part of how we live out our destiny as caretakers of the earth and all its creatures. It is an integral part of the human experience.
The choice of which animal products to include in your diet and how much, as compared to plant food, is very individual. The guidelines for this should be entirely based on the quality of the animal products you can obtain, what you can afford, and how you feel eating a particular type of animal product. All animal products consumed, like all plant foods, should be grown, harvested, and processed in the healthiest, most humane way possible. That means only pastured meat, eggs, and dairy products, only raw milk or fermented milk products, only wild, not farmed fish, and on and on. More guidelines can be easily found by consulting the Weston A. Price Foundation.
I am excited and honored that we are partnering with Joel Salatin and his crew. They are true pioneers in bringing real, healthy animal foods back into the modern diet. This is one simple step in righting the ship of our world that is listing so badly at this time.
With gratitude,
Tom
This process of staying connected, staying with what you know to be real, will help grease the wheels of communication and reconnect you to gratitude, with the spirit of giving thanks. We at Dr. Cowan's Garden have an immense amount to be grateful for this year, for we get to work for a company that is doing good work in the world. We get to bring real food, grown by hard-working organic and biodynamic farmers, to our wonderful, supportive customers. We get to meet and talk about what foods are best for people to eat, to store, to have in their homes and pantries. We get to participate in the real world of feeding people.
Above all, I want to personally thank all of our friends, supporters and customers. Without you, I wouldn't have the life that I have, I wouldn't be able to construct my dream garden and work with my sons.
Be well, my friends. Keep in touch, and happy Thanksgiving.
With love,
Tom
]]>Pumpkins and spicy peppers are in season and I am very happy about it! I could honestly eat pumpkin in some form or another at every single meal of the day, while it is fresh, and not get tired of it.
-Joe
Pumpkin Curry Pot Pie
Gnocchi w/ Pumpkin & Sage Sauce
Polenta w/ Fried Shishito Peppers, Eggplant, & Haddock
Pumpkin Chili
Pumpkin Sourdough Grilled Cheese
Ciambella Alla Zucca
Many of our gardens are overflowing with more fruits and vegetables than we know what to do with. If you don’t have a garden, your local farmer’s market will be teeming with tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash, and melons right now. So pick some up, bake some muffins and share a salad with your friends. But be prepared, you’ll most likely get asked to do so again, again and again.
These muffins freeze brilliantly. I have several dozen in our spare freezer that we will enjoy all winter long. I’m sure in a few weeks, there will be several dozen more.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (use convection, if possible)
- Best prepared at least one day in advance
This canned tomato sauce inspired by an Italian Grandmother is as simple as it gets, for a good reason. Using tomatoes as a base, you can create endless scrumptiousness, such as Marinara, bolognese, vodka, pizza and clam sauces, vegetable juice, cioppino, Manhattan chowder, gazpacho, and more.
As seen in the photo, my tomatoes (most likely) are greener than yours. I wanted to photograph the process so that you could visually journey from garden to kitchen to jar, but decided against it because most tomatoes are ripe and ready to go. So, let’s get our tomatoes on.
Heirloom plum/paste tomatoes are ideal because they are less watery and denser. Incorporate a wide variety of tomatoes for a more flavorful sauce.
Inspired Tomato Sauce - produces roughly 7 quarts of sauce
You will need:
Instructions:
Preparing the Canner:
Sterilize jars and lids
Tip: If you have extra sauce, freezing is always an option.
Terri’s Tasty Marinara
You will need:
Optional: Terri’s Tasty Meaty Marinara
1 to 2 pounds ground venison or grass-fed/finished beef. (I usually use about 1 and a half pounds, sometimes more, because we prefer a meaty marinara.)
Instructions:
Director of Operations
Kvass is a very basic fermented drink that is traditionally made with rye bread and flavored with fruit, vegetables, or herbs. I make a lot of rye bread, especially during the summer months so I don’t need to add a starter culture to my jars. The starter, mostly composed of rye flour, is entirely sufficient to get the fermentation going. At this point, I am simply choosing things from my weekly CSA to ferment or dehydrate. Beet Kvass is an easy choice since I love a glass mixed with sparkling water or made into borscht. I am also going to attempt a loaf of 20% rye bread with Beet Kvass as the liquid instead of water.
3-4 large red, chiogga, or gold beets, rinsed and chopped
2 tbsp salt
28 oz water
1 32 oz mason jar
1 bread towel
String
Optional: 1 tbsp starter or yogurt whey
The traditional human diet in most areas of the world consisted of a wide variety of plant foods. I arrived at this conclusion from decades of investigating the dietary habits of the healthiest people who have ever lived.
Typically, indigenous peoples shaped their landscape to include many different perennial plants that could be used as food sources. These foods included pine nuts, acorns, wild greens, mushrooms and roots. They also typically had “garden” beds where they grew the annual plants that we are familiar with. These plants included cereal grains, squash, beans and many others. The final source of plant food was foraged and cultivated herbs, used mainly for seasoning and medicines.
Using the native people in California as an example, the typical indigenous diet included more than 100 different plants eaten throughout the year, the majority of which were foraged wild and perennial plants. Sadly, most Americans have never eaten a wild or perennial vegetable, with the exception of a few common examples, such as rhubarb or asparagus. This phenomenon can only mean that, from a phytonutrient perspective, the typical American diet is woefully inadequate in these valuable disease-fighting nutrients.
Interestingly, the plant, like the human being, has three “spheres” or parts. Just as the human being has a head or nervous system, a rhythmic or chest system, and a metabolic/limb region, the plant is divided into root, leaf/stem and flower/fruit regions. In essence, the plant is an upside-down person, with its sense organs fixed in the soil and its reproductive system reaching to the sky. A healing and complete vegetable diet takes advantage of this correspondence between the plant and human, meaning, each day we eat roots, leaves and fruits. This was the inspiration behind our Threefold blends. Each of these vegetable powders contain roots, leaves and fruits in an easy-to-use form (see photo above).
Diversity, in the form of wild and perennial plants and using all parts of the plant, is the inspiration behind Dr. Cowan’s Garden. That and finding the absolute best-grown or sustainably foraged examples of those plants and processing them in a gentle way, mimicking the way we prepare foods in our own kitchens, is the essence of what we do. After five years of being open for business, we are committed to these core principles as we attempt to bring to you the best vegetable products possible.
Best,
Tom
Human beings are increasingly at risk for becoming what has been called “Homo Fragilis Domesticus.” This interesting and appropriate description refers to the fact that as time goes on, we are becoming increasingly domesticated and fragile, and these two things clearly go hand in hand.
Animals and plants that live in the wild have a tough life and one that is in harmony with the world around them. They are seamlessly integrated into their place in the cosmos, but this integration is not without its challenges and risks. Humans, for understandable reasons, have decided this path of integration and “wildness” is too dangerous. We live in climate-controlled houses, drive climate-controlled vehicles, rarely even go outside, almost never go to wild places untouched by human hands, and, finally, eat food that is bred to survive only in controlled environments (or, heaven forbid, made in a lab). This approach is not the way to robust health on any level. Health and strength and resilience are borne of challenges, they come with risks, and they come with a possibility of joy as a result of connection with nature that is not found in any other experience.
This connection with the wildness in the plant/food world was the essence of the reason for founding Dr. Cowan’s Garden. Our plan was to help people integrate wild and perennial plants into their daily diet. We personally attempt to integrate wild foods into our diet every day: wild mushrooms, wild fish, wild animals (game), foraged plants and many others. We understood that finding wild plants, a key source of phytonutrients that these plants must make to survive, is not easy for everyone. Our mission was to find foragers of chaga mushrooms, sea vegetables, wild ramps, cholla buds and other wild and perennial plants to make it possible.
At this time of the year when our gardens are flourishing and our plates our full of home-grown vegetables, it is easy to forget that we still need that dash of wildness, bitterness and earthiness. That is our goal, to help you make this possible and to foster a connection with the land and the nature around us.
On a practical note, we now have one of my favorite wild vegetables, Wild Ramp Powder, available in pouches. Stock up on our line of wild vegetables as a wonderful addition and complement to the abundance from your garden.
Best,
Tom
I find one of the biggest blessings of summer is the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables. Whether perusing a farmer’s market, local farm stand or nearby orchard, it’s inspiring to see what’s growing locally, and then deciding what I’m going to preserve. The month of July is a bountiful one, with gardens growing a plethora of veggies, and orchards offering their first fruits. Here in Michigan, we grow some of the highest quality cherries available, and this blog will be focused on what to do with the cherries that we’ve picked.
There are two cherry types, sweet and tart. Tart are generally used for pies, sweet are best eaten fresh, and both types can be preserved. Whether it’s Yummy Cherry Pie Filling (freezer recipe) or a perfectly balanced Simply Delicious Cherry Chutney (water-bath canning), we can enjoy this delicious fruit all year long, using the proper techniques.
YUMMY CHERRY PIE FILLING
This recipe is great for beginners. Since the filling is frozen, there is no need for water-bath preservation. Yields approximately 8-9 pints.
Ingredients:
17 cups tart cherries
5 cups organic cane sugar
10 tbsp corn starch
Containers for freezing (I recommend Stasher food-grade silicone storage bags, OXO Smart Seal Containers, or Souper Cubes Freezing Trays with Lids)
Directions:
My favorite ways to use Yummy Cherry Pie Filling:
SIMPLY DELICIOUS CHERRY CHUTNEY
Items needed:
Water-bath canner, canning jar lifter, wide mouth funnel, lid lifter, canning bubble popper, Ball canning jars (8-ounce)
Preparing the Canner:
Simply Delicious Cherry Chutney Recipe
Adapted from “Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving” Edited by Judi Kingry and Lauren Devine). Makes about six 8-ounce jars.
Ingredients:
4 1/2 tsp whole allspice
1 cinnamon stick, broken
10 cups frozen red tart cherries (pitted) partially thawed and coarsely chopped; or freshly picked sweet black cherries, rinsed, pitted and coarsely chopped.
2 large apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 1/2 cups finely chopped red or sweet onions
1 cup white vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cup raisins
Directions:
Uses for Simply Delicious Cherry Chutney:
As much as I love cooking, I don’t want to spend more time in the kitchen than is necessary, which means I’m always on the lookout for shortcuts. This quick recipe might save you a bit of time, but still deliver on the taste front.
We are all accustomed to the idea of preparing food in advance. My freezer is stuffed with bones for making bone broth, already prepared meals that I’ve forgotten about, and dubious looking ice cubes. Other less suspicious items include frozen trays of butter balls, made with ashitaba, wild ramp, and salt and pepper. The seasoning changes slightly depending on what I’m cooking, but on the whole, it’s a basic seasoning I use for simple dishes like rice or scrambled eggs.
When I’m cooking rice, and I want to season it with salt, pepper and other seasoning, I’ll use one of the frozen butter balls; the already mixed herbs melt into the dish with ease. Instead of reaching for the same seasoning that I use all the time, it makes sense to have it already prepared.
Ever since I discovered ghee - also known as clarified butter - I’ve been using it in pretty much all of my savory dishes, as well as some hot drinks. It’s deliciously creamy and fragrant beyond belief. The smell reminds me of butterscotch fudge.
Ghee has a high smoke point, which makes it a popular choice for many authentic Indian recipes such as curries and my absolute favorite, peshwari naan, a deliciously sweet and nutty Indian flatbread. Ghee also features heavily in Ayurveda cooking, as well as Ayurveda body treatments. It nourishes all the tissues of the body, aids digestion, and supports a balanced metabolism. There are many ways to use ghee to upgrade your cooking, but I mainly use it for curries, scrambled eggs, and the occasional cake recipe; the taste is simply delicious.
Utterly Butterly Balls
Ingredients:
6 Tbsp butter at room temperature
1 tsp Dr. Cowan’s Ashitaba Powder
1 Tbsp Dr. Cowan’s Garden Wild Ramp (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste.
Directions:
Tips:
If you’re using trays, it’s easier to gently heat the butter mixture first. It’s quite fiddly trying to scoop room temperature butter into an ice cube tray.
I store the butter balls in a tightly sealed container or a Ziploc bag, and keep them in the freezer for easy access.
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If I had my way, every dessert menu would be a tasting menu. I’d choose 3 or 4 plates without anyone batting an eyelid. But alas, that’s simply not your average dining experience. This recipe is for those who like to enjoy more than one delicious treat at a time, without feeling guilty. It’s guilt free and full of naturally raw, wild, and minimally processed ingredients like fiber-rich chia seeds, baruka nuts, beet powder, coconut butter, turmeric powder, bee pollen, cacao, and sweet spices like cinnamon and lucuma (optional). With a little ingenuity, you might be able to eat all the colors of the rainbow in one mouthful.
]]>Trifling With Chia is perfect for those moments when you have decision fatigue. What should I eat? Trifle or chia? Now there’s no need to choose; you can enjoy the best of both puddings.
If I had my way, every dessert menu would be a tasting menu. I’d choose 3 or 4 plates without anyone batting an eyelid. But alas, that’s simply not your average dining experience. This recipe is for those who like to enjoy more than one delicious treat at a time, without feeling guilty. It’s guilt free and full of naturally raw, wild, and minimally processed ingredients like fiber-rich chia seeds, baruka nuts, beet powder, coconut butter, turmeric powder, bee pollen, cacao, and sweet spices like cinnamon and lucuma (optional). With a little ingenuity, you might be able to eat all the colors of the rainbow in one mouthful.
Chia seeds may be popular but, like quinoa, can be quite bland unless you add interesting flavors to make it sparkle with personality. I made the chocolate base with a combination of mostly raw cacao and raw coconut butter. (Fun side note: you can use the chocolate base to make chocolate truffles if you make them into small bite size balls and put them in the fridge to harden.)
For this recipe, you might want to try adding extra flavors like orange essential oil, maca, or lucuma powder, which has an incredibly delicious butterscotch aroma. Lucuma ice cream is a popular delicacy in places like Peru, and I can see why. The subtle sweetness of lucuma powder lends itself well to recipes like ice cream, as well as other desserts that require a hint of sweetness. Other ingredients include baruka nuts, and a honey mixture that consists of bee propolis, royal jelly and bee pollen; more on this later; first, baruka nuts.
In the last several months, I’ve replaced my regular variety of nuts with wild baruka nuts. I’m pretty sure my obsession with baruka nuts is the reason for the increase in my weekly grocery bill. Known as the healthiest nut in the world, with apparently more fiber and fewer calories than any other nut, baruka nuts are loaded with 3x the anti-oxidant power of other nuts, according to the exotic superfoods hunter, Darren Olien. I’ll probably grow tired of them one day, but for now, they’re a keeper.
The same can be said with my favorite raw honey, which contains a heavy dose of medicinal bee propolis, royal jelly, and bee pollen. This golden treat is usually reserved for recipes like raw desserts and smoothies, basically anything that doesn’t require any heat.
Although this dish is a dessert, I can happily eat it as part of a nutrient dense breakfast or a satisfying afternoon snack. I generally stick to the basic recipe because it’s less work. If I have people over for a bite to eat, I’ll make an effort to create decadent layers. Although it takes more time, I think it’s worth it if you want an eye-catching dessert.
5 oz plain yogurt (142 g or 1 single serving container)
2 Tbsp chia seeds
3 – 5 Tbsp filtered water
Pinch of salt
1 tsp maple syrup or preferred sweetener
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of cinnamon
5 oz plain yogurt (142 g or 1 single serving container)
2 Tbsp chia seeds
3 – 5 Tbsp filtered water
Pinch of salt
1 tsp raw honey or preferred sweetener
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp bee pollen
Pinch of Dr. Cowan’s Garden Turmeric Powder
5 oz plain yogurt (142 g or 1 single serving container)
2 Tbsp chia seeds
3– 5 Tbsp filtered water
Pinch of salt
1 tsp raw honey or preferred sweetener
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp Dr. Cowan’s Garden Three Beet Powder
½ tsp pomegranate powder (optional)
½ cup baruka nuts (baka nuts) or 10-15 of preferred nuts
3 Tbsp raw coconut butter (coconut manna)
½ cup raw unsweetened shredded coconut
1 Tbsp Dr. Cowan’s Garden Three Beet Powder
1 Tbsp coconut oil or cacao butter, melted
4 Tbsp raw cacao powder
1 tsp bee pollen
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp maca or lucuma powder (optional)
2-3 tsp raw honey or preferred sweetener
Pinch of salt
2 drops orange essential oil (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
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Homemade dressings are one of the easiest, and cost-effective ways to upgrade the nutrient content of any dish, such as a plate of cooked vegetables, crudité, or eggs. There’s little room for error if you follow one of the golden rules of cooking: taste as you go. This is one of the reasons why dressings will always be firm favorites in our household.
Whenever I make a dressing, I always taste it to make sure the flavors are complimentary and well balanced. Sampling your food as you go gives you an opportunity to adjust the seasonings to your liking. I always err on the side of caution when making a Green Goddess dressing, especially when dealing with strong-tasting ingredients like anchovies, Dr. Cowan’s Pepper Salt, or lemon, for example. You can always add more of an ingredient, but it’s harder to reverse the damage, if for example, you add too much salt or garlic.
On this occasion, even though I only used one clove of garlic, it turned out to be quite strong, so I increased the amount of lemon juice to balance out the flavor. Lemons help dilute the strong taste and smell of garlic. I learned this during my juicing phase, when I used to chug down shots of freshly squeezed garlic with lemon juice. I like the taste of garlic, and enjoy its benefits, but I don’t want to reek of garlic each time I consume it.
The quality of your ingredients determines the quality of your dish to a large extent. When I buy avocados, I go out of my way to get “up close and personal.” I make sure they’re not too hard or overly ripe. For this recipe, you want deliciously ripe and creamy avocados. If you can’t find any, you can buy hard ones, and leave them to ripen in a paper bag over a couple of days or so. Needless to say, the creamier they are, the better your dressing will taste. Sour cream or mayonnaise also adds some creaminess to this recipe.
Store bought dressings became a thing of the past when I discovered how to make homemade dressings, soups, and sauces. In fact, I stopped buying any item from the store that I could easily re-create at home, like nut butters, bone broth, strawberry jelly etc. At times, it feels like an effort to make dressing and other such items. But after a while, when you get accustomed to the difference in taste, it makes you think twice about reaching for a shelf-stable jar or dressing with potentially questionable ingredients.
2 medium size ripe avocados
1 tsp Dr. Cowan’s Ashitaba Powder
1 small garlic clove
1 tsp anchovy paste (optional)
1 tsp Dr. Cowan’s High-Protein Leaf Powder
¼ cup freshly packed mint laves
2 Tbsp sour cream or mayonnaise
1 Tbsp olive oil (optional)
1 stalk celery (optional)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
¼ cup basil leaves
¼ cup chives (optional)
¼ teaspoon Dr. Cowan’s Pepper Salt
¼ tsp salt to taste
By Joe Cowan
Director of Operations
Rhubarb has been growing in wonderful abundance in our garden. One of the leaves is almost as big as my computer desk, and the stalks are bright red with a superb tartness. For this recipe, I am using maple syrup and lemon, and I will be freezing it for use later on this fall and winter. The early preservation recipes need to be quick and easy, since most of my time is absorbed by maintaining the garden and optimizing productivity.
12-15 large stalks of rhubarb, chopped
2 cups maple syrup
2 lemons, juiced
By: Joe Cowan, COO & Co-Founder, Dr. Cowan’s Garden
For the past couple of months, I have been working on refitting handles for worn out gardening tools and workshop tools. I started with an old splitting maul that I had broken splitting wood last fall. Purchasing the new handle was a far less expensive solution than replacing the axe entirely. However, a finished handle still cost more money than I wanted to spend (~$30). I have enough handle tools, and a few power tools at this point, that I can easily make a rough version and develop the skill to make much better versions in the future.
A ball-peened hammer and a joiners mallet were the next projects, both of which were pretty rough and took a lot longer than they should have. The look achieved was really pleasing, and the tools are fun to use. I found another larger ball-peened hammer for $2 at a flea market, and I corrected a few mistakes that I had made in the past. I also added some ergonomic features to the handle, and spent the extra time finishing it to an even nicer level. I have honed my skill set with five or six smaller projects similar to these, and can confidently cut and shape new handles for nearly any tool or gardening implement.
The reasons for doing this are more than economical. Sure, you can buy an old hammerhead or gardening tool head at a nominal cost, but the skills you can acquire and the enjoyment of using a tool made by you is unparalleled. Now, add the fact that the wood was cut down by me or my neighbor, and is completely free of pressure-treating chemicals or toxic finishes. Tools made using your own materials become extremely special and fun. With a big fence post mallet or a nice ergonomic ball-peened hammer, I have never been more keen to search for little projects with which I can use them.
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One of my favorite powders, Wild Ramp Powder, is back in stock. The core mission of Dr. Cowan’s Garden is to offer easy-to-use vegetable foods that are difficult and sometimes impossible for most people to obtain. Humans are at risk of being overly “domesticated,” the inevitable result being poor health on many levels. One way to combat “excessive domestication syndrome” is to regularly eat wild foods.
Although some people are able to forage themselves to secure a steady supply of wild foods, most of us need to rely on expert foragers and people who can turn these wild foods into nutritious and delicious additions to your diet. Wild ramps are a perfect example of this marriage.
Our company contracts with foragers who sustainably harvest the wild ramps for us in the only time of year they are available, which is early spring. They are then sent to be slowly dried and stored in our Miron jars.
Wild ramps are the ancestors of such well-known foods as garlic, onions and leeks. They are members of the lily family but have emphasized nutrition and phytochemicals instead of beauty. All the onion-family plants are known for supporting heart health, normalizing the circulation and blood pressure, and aiding detoxification. Personally, I eat wild ramps whenever I can get them fresh and include Wild Ramp Powder in my diet the rest of the year.
All the best,
Tom
]]>I recently came across a review article about the fundamental properties of the plant Angelica Keiskei, known to us as ashitaba. Although many of you know that I harbor great skepticism of many, if not most, medical studies, this one certainly catches my attention because of its impressive list of beneficial effects attributable to ashitaba.
My basic criticism of papers like this one is that, although they purport to show that ashitaba has anti-diabetic or anti-thrombotic effects (meaning, it prevents blood clots), these conclusions are almost always based on the analysis of the chemical constituents in the plant, and then the effects of these chemicals on human biochemical pathways are theorized. Although I wouldn’t say such studies have no relevance, I would much rather see studies showing what happens to a group of diabetics or people with clotting disorders who either do or don’t take ashitaba. For me, such a study would address both biology and life, rather than studying life as if it were a chemistry experiment. The reality is that the chemicals are the result of life processes, not the cause.
With that caveat, it does seem as if the ashitaba plant, the only edible plant in the Angelica family, is able to improve the metabolic functions of humans who regularly ingest it, whether in the form of fresh plant, powder or tea. “Metabolic function” refers to our ability to efficiently use food, oxygen and the abundant free energy available in our world, mostly from sunlight, and convert that into usable fuel. The more efficiently we do that transformation, the fewer waste products we produce in creating our fuel, and the healthier we are.
We need nutrients, particularly in bioavailable mineral form, to help in these transformations. Ashitaba is an abundant source of these trace minerals and chemicals, such as its well-known chalcones, which seem to catalyze the transformation of food into energy. As a result, we have more energy, feel better and seem to age less quickly.
I use about a half-teaspoon of our biodynamically grown Ashitaba Powder in my daily morning soup. We are working on creating flavorful ashitaba tea blends, so stay tuned (see how to make tea with our powder below). We are just beginning to really know this amazing gift from the plant world.
We always enjoy coming across new suggestions on how to use ashitaba. This one comes from the book "Making Plant Medicine" by Richo Cech, published in 2000 by HerbalReads.
"The growing (ashitaba) plant demonstrates an incredible life-force and vigor, and seems to impart these qualities to its medicine. Native to Hachijojima in Japan, ashitaba has been traditionally used as a rejuvenating food for at least five centuries, endowing the inhabitants of this island with good health and long life.
"This chlorophyll-rich herb contains substantive concentrations of Vitamins K, B1, B6 and B12, E and C as well as carotene, calcium, potassium and protein. When consumed fresh, these assimilable nutrients are delivered along with a great deal of dietary fiber, which helps scour toxins out of the system.
"The herb has a normalizing influence on blood pressure, blood sugar and high cholesterol. It helps repair nerve damage, cleanses the colon, and acts to detoxify the liver. Ashitaba is used in treating eczema and psoriasis, disorders of the gastrointestinal system, hepatitis, cancer, anemia and chronic fatigue. In-vivo tests have shown strong antibiotic activity against drug-resistant staphylococcus.
"Use a teaspoonful of ashitaba leaf and stem (Dr. Cowan's Garden Ashitaba Powder) stirred into one-third cup of cold water. After the powder is moistened, fill the remainder of the cup with boiling water. Stir, sip and enjoy — sludge and all."
Also check out our Ashitaba Granola recipe here
Best,
Tom
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