The Organic View

Honeybees are critical to our existence because they are the most important pollinators. The honeybee is responsible for pollinating more than ¾ of our agricultural food and without them, life as we know it would diminish. There is a disease called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) which has been baffling bee keepers and scientists alike. While there is no known cure at this point, there are also many hypotheses about the actual cause. Many environmentalists, organic advocates and apiary experts, however, have clearly connected the dots between the negative impact of genetically modified crops such as corn, wheat, rice and soybeans and the agricultural pollution caused by pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, etc. to the contributing factors causing CCD. Author and Master Beekeeper, Gunther Hauk has been a teacher, lecturer, biodynamic gardener and beekeeper for more than thirty-five years. He co-founded the Pfeiffer Center in Chestnut Ridge, NY in 1996 and Spikenard Farm, Inc., (www.SpikenardFarm.org)a non-profit honeybee sanctuary in 2006 which is located in the Floyd, VA. Over the last three decades, he has given many workshops on the successful use of biodynamic principles in gardening and sustainable beekeeping methods throughout the United States. In his book “Toward Saving the Honeybee” (2002) he calls for a radical change from current approaches to beekeeping. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, Gunther Hauk will discuss his book and explain the radical change needed in bee keeping to prevent Colony Collapse Disorder and the further decimation of honeybees.

More and more people are discovering that they have an intolerance for wheat and seek gluten free products. For some that have diseases such as Celiac’s disease, there is no choice in the matter. Gluten free foods are a staple. The problem is, most of the gluten free foods taste like cardboard and are very expensive. Is it possible to find gluten free foods that are appetizing and won’t empty your wallet? In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to Nicole Hunn about how you can get gluten free without going broke! Stay Tuned!

  Parents love to talk about their kids but when it comes to certain subjects, such as autism, many parents choose not to be so vocal because of the mindless criticism or negative comments others will make. For Kim Stagliano, talking about her children is never an issue. In fact, she gets very personal about her own life raising not one but three daughters with autism. Typically, people focus on the negatives but tend to forget the positives. In her best -selling book, All I Can Handle, I’m No Mother Teresa (A Life Raising Three Daughters With Autism) Kim candidly and humorously discusses everything from: the challenges of potty training her daughters ( and somehow finding poop everywhere in the house); dealing with financial woes from layoffs- one Christmas she was so broke that they did not have enough money to buy presents for the kids; what it is like to deal with doctors (some of whom told her there was nothing wrong with her kids); making time for intimacy (she talks about how they manage to make time for each other and almost got divorced over a round of golf); to some of the typical problems parents deal with that can just push you over the edge ( she described the panic attack she had when she lost one of her daughters at Disney World) Kim Stagliano is a nationally recognized advocate for people with autism who uses humor to educate. Although Autism typically affects boys 4 to 1 over girls, all three of Kim’s daughters have Autism. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Kim Stagliano about her life, raising three daughters with Autism. Stay tuned!

  When it comes to education, people tend to think of the basics: reading, writing and arithmetic. Due to the obesity issue with kids, there has been a great deal of emphasis on the importance of sports and fitness. People think that sports can also offer children opportunities to inevitably play in major league clubs, the Olympics, etc. and therefore athletic programs should not be cut. Unfortunately, when it comes to music, not much thought is given as it is often the first to go when it comes down to budget cuts for extra-curricular programs. However, music is something that is such a critical component of our lives. It has been used as a form of communication and is also found throughout nature. Indeed, it is a critical component to well being and can literally change the course of one’s life. Such is the case with newly discovered artists such as Susan Boyle, Kelly Clarkson, etc. There is a non-profit organization that is on a mission to change this called Little Kids Rock. It was founded by some of the greatest names in the music world. LKR currently reaches over 74,000 kids across America! When it comes to making sure every kid gets a first-rate education, music matters! LKR believes that learning to play a musical instrument can be a transformative experience in students’ lives, with the power to inspire the creativity and confidence that are critical to success in school and beyond. They are devoted to restoring and revitalizing music education in U.S. public schools. They bring free musical instruments and music instruction to underserved schools across the country. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will be joined by the legendary rock drummer, Liberty Devitto (known for his tenure with Billy Joel) to discuss his work with Little Kids Rock! Stay tuned!

  With the pressure on the United States to develop alternatives to fossil fuels and eliminate our dependency upon foreign oil, there is a race to tap into the natural resources available on our own soil. In the last decade, new technologies in hydraulic fracturing have opened up domestic shale gas and oil reserves. But the drilling boom has brought with it serious concerns over the health and environmental impacts of an industry that uses large volumes of toxic chemicals in close proximity to communities. As the natural gas development progresses, environmentalists, activists, scientists and citizens continue to press for regulation and corporate accountability. There also have been concerns over the tactics being used to stifle the opposition which are extraneous and unprecedented. Sharon Wilson, the Gulf Regional Organizer from EARTHWORKS’ Oil and Gas Accountability Project recently attended an industry PR conference where she recorded representatives from the natural gas industry recommending using the US Army/Marine Insurgency Manual and also admitting that they employ ex-military Psy Ops personnel in selected neighborhoods. Although the recording of this oil executive has been played on cnbc.com and other media outlets it still has not received the national attention it should. Regardless, it does put the spotlight on a global concern regarding the amount of control corporations have within the United States. This in turn lends itself to supporting groups who are demanding immediate reform as regulations are put into place to enforce responsibility. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will be joined by special guest Sharon Wilson, who will discuss the impact of fracking, the tactics being deployed and why the public needs to be more informed. Stay tuned.

  There is a growing body of evidence from both science and practical experience that the systemic pesticides are having a disastrous effect not only on honeybees and other pollinators but are wreaking wide-spread damage to the environment. Anyone who is not familiar with these systemic pesticides makes light of the issue at hand. However, as more credible information is published it is more difficult for the devastation caused by these chemicals to be ignored. There is a study which has been conducted by Purdue scientists about the role of systemic pesticides in bee losses which will soon be published in PLoS ONE (The Public Library of Science (PLoS) which is a non-profit organization of scientists and physicians committed to making the world's scientific and medical literature a freely available public resource.) Tom Theobald, President and founding board member of the Boulder County Beekeepers' Association has been working towards getting the registration process of these systemic pesticides reformed.  Tom is also the owner of the Niwot Honey Farm. Tom was the last County Bee Inspector in the state of Colorado, a position created in 1891 and retired in 2000.

  Imagine your life at twenty years old. Now imagine it with cancer. This was the bewildering situation Dr. Sandra Steingraber faced as a college student. However, instead of allowing the diagnosis to devastate her, she went on a mission to gather as many answers as she could as to why she and other members of her adoptive family had developed cancer in the first place. She was determined to find out what really needs to change in order to prevent other people from going through what she had. Living Downstream  An Ecologist’s Personal investigation of Cancer and the Environment, takes a very close look at the actual relationship that cancer has in conjunction to the environment, genetics and lifestyle as a combination. Dr. Steingraber shares her own personal story of being a bladder cancer survivor and addresses the scientific findings that have emerged in the dozen or so years since the book’s original publication—including the role of endocrine disruption, chemical mixtures, prenatal exposures, and epigenetics. She also shows how developments in green energy will benefit not only the environment but human health. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to Dr.Sandra Steingraber about her story and how people can empower themselves to bring about change. 

  Tis the season for those familiar smells of fresh holiday cookies baking in the oven. For people who have food sensitivities to gluten, freshly baked cookies were often something that wasn’t easily enjoyed due to the limitations of available products and recipes. However, thanks to Roben Ryberg’s best-selling book, The Ultimate Gluten-Free Cookie Book  there are a myriad of choices that take can take you down memory lane with a selection of over 100 original easy-to-make recipes that include gluten-free cookies, bars, brownies, holiday treats and more. The book also provides tips and explanations for the novice gluten-free baker including: what going gluten-free really means, criteria for choosing the right flour, advice for preparing your kitchen before baking and even a breakdown of the expenses involved. Roben has twenty years of experience with gluten-free cooking and baking. She is the founder and former owner of Miss Roben’s Gluten-Free Foods and the author of Gluten-Free in 5 Minutes and You Won’t Believe It Is Gluten-Free! In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will be joined by special guest Roben Ryberg to discuss how easy and economic it is to make holiday cookies that not only taste amazing but are gluten-free! Stay tuned!

  Wild Rice, Zizania palustris (found (primarily) in areas west and north of the Great Lakes) is an aquatic cereal grain that grows "wild" in isolated lake and river bed areas located primarily within the continent of North America. It is also native to ecologically similar regions located on the continent of Asia (Zizania latifolia). This evolutionarily ancient grain has been found in layers of the earth dating back some 12,000 years. In addition to its role as an important food staple for ancestral peoples, it has provided a unique habitat for fish and waterfowl for thousands of years. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer, talks to organic wild rice farmer, Tracey Wheeler from Naosap Harvest. This past October, Naosap was nominated for a Manitoba Food Matters Golden Carrot Award. This award recognizes businesses and individuals who are working towards a more just and sustainable food system in Manitoba. Naosap Harvest was very excited to win in our category as a Northern Community Food Champion. If you want to learn about how wild rice is grown, harvested, great recipe tips and some of its interesting history, stay tuned!

    Today’s world is drastically changing. With the number of people losing jobs, losing their homes and losing faith in our leadership, many people seem to have given up hope. Perhaps is a matter of perspective. Could it very well be that our perspective is “while we often hear that seeing is believing, actually believing is seeing.” If we as human beings accept defeat as the reality nothing can or will change. However, that is not the case and there is hope. Throughout history, we can and have taken action. There are many people who are collectively working together to see what they feel is just become reality. It is not an easy battle but it is one that we can win. In the book, EcoMindChanging the Way We Think, to Create The World We Want, Frances Moore Lappé explores the way people as a society view the problems we are facing and offers solutions as far as how we can work together to make the necessary changes we need. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer, talks to the legendary environmentalist, possibilist and author, Frances Moore Lappé about her thought provoking book, EcoMindChanging the Way We Think, to Create The World We Want. Stay tuned! 

Beekeepers are very interesting people. They are a bit quirky, methodical and typically have an odd sense of humor. While there are a myriad of programs that teach beekeeping management, each beekeeper tends to have his or her own method of managing hives, often learning things the hard way, which is not necessarily a bad thing! In CONFESSIONS OF A BAD BEEKEEPER, author, Bill Turnbull humorously writes about his experiences as a first time beekeeper and shares his successes and mishaps. If you have ever wanted to learn about beekeeping or are a beekeeper, this is one book you will truly enjoy! In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to author, Bill Turnbull about his book, CONFESSIONS OF A BAD BEEKEEPER, What Not to Do When Keeping Bees (With Apologies to My Own). Stay tuned! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: BILL TURNBULL is the longtime co-host of BBC Breakfast, Britain’s most-watched morning TV show. After freelancing in New York for five years, he joined the BBC Radio’s Today program in 1986 and moved to Breakfast Time in 1988, before becoming a correspondent for BBC News. In this time he covered a wide range of stories and reported from over thirty countries, including the United States, where he was the Washington correspondent from 1994 to 1998.

  When you are hungry, people will often reach for something that is healthy and satisfying. Unfortunately, if you suffer from allergies or sensitivities it is not that simple. For people who require gluten-free foods, sometimes finding foods that are safe can be a challenge. While there are so many recipes available, time is also a big issue, especially if you have a hectic schedule. In the best-selling cookbook,  Gluten-Free In 5 Minutes by Roben Ryberg, you now have a myriad of choices that take just a few minutes to create something satisfying and delicious! In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will be joined by special guest Roben Ryberg talk about how you can quickly prepare foods that are Gluten-Free In 5 Minutes! Stay tuned!

  When people think of vegan food, they often think it is going to contain the stereotypical granola, bean sprouts and tofu. However, there are a lot of plant based dishes that can be deliciously prepared with a splash of alcohol! In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will be joined by special guest John Schlimm to talk about the never ending happy hour that takes place inside the world of The Tipsy Vegan!

  The holiday season has arrived and with it come all of the favorite holiday appetizers, entrees and desserts! For most people who love good food, it really is the most wonderful time of the year as fond memories return with each bite of a favorite holiday food. However, for those suffering from allergies to wheat, attending dinner parties and get-togethers can be a nightmare.  So, what do you do? Have a gluten-free makeover, of course! Author, Beth Hillson, founder of Gluten-Free Pantry and president of the American Celiac Disease Alliance has assembled over 175 Recipes in her best-selling book, Gluten-Free Makeovers-from Family favorites to Gourmet Goodies- Made Deliciously Wheat Free! Beth was diagnosed with celiac disease over thirty years ago and has been helping people to “substitute boldly and eat well” through her use of “recipe DNA” the ratio of wet to dry and fat to flour. With this new understanding of recipes, readers are not only able to enjoy Beth’s diverse compilation of favorites ( including Grandma’s Babka, Potato and Cheese Pierogi, Pumpkin Orange Marmalade Cake and even Brownies called “magnifique” by the infamous Julia Child!) but they are able to give their own beloved dishes a gluten-free makeover as well. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will be joined by special guest Beth Hillson to talk about how you can give your holiday fare a gluten-free makeover! Stay tuned!

  Throughout the entire show, previously featured guests will be calling in to offer inspiration and talk about what they are thankful for. This 2 annual event is going to be covered LIVE from Coast to Coast! June Stoyer, the host of The Organic View Radio Show will be in New York on the East Coast and will be joined by her “GFF” (Good Food Friend) Dennis Weaver, on the West Coast. Many of you will remember Dennis, Founder and Good Food Guide for Change Your Food - Change Your Life!™ Also featured will be our Good Food Ambassador, Organic Jazz Singer, Ellen Livesay, who will perform LIVE! If you love martinis, make sure you grab your favorite glass and get ready to learn how to make the BEST “Mar-TEA-nee” this Thanksgiving holiday!  June will also talk about some of her favorite award winning recipes that will help you to celebrate your holiday organically! If that isn’t enough, June and Dennis will also go down the entire list of the “Best Products of 2011”! Who made it? Who didn’t? Tune in to hear who’s on the list!