Perfectly Delicious Maple-Vanilla Granola

From the first moment I tasted maple sugar I have been addicted to its sweet, complex flavor. I honestly don’t remember the first time I tasted it, but I’m assuming it was either a maple leaf or little figure made from the sugar, or perhaps it was the syrup. I do remember riding in a car to Chagrin Falls, Ohio, out in the countryside away from the heat and noise of Cleveland, to purchase maple candy and syrup. I was eight years old and my mother, brother and I were traveling from California to Cleveland, New York and Connecticut to spend the summer with family.

We were given circular, half-inch thick disks of maple sugar candy the size of cookies. It was fabulous – sweet, sticky and so, so good!

We looked forward to maple sugar candy in our Christmas stockings, syrup for French toast and pancakes. Even as an adult, I asked for maple sugar for Valentine’s Day. But I can honestly say that I never truly appreciated the complexity of maple syrup until I was in Montreal in 2003 and visited a sugaring farm in the countryside southeast of the city.

It was an excursion with the International Association of Culinary Professionals so our hosts provided us with far more than a little hot maple syrup tossed onto snow to impress us.

We sat at a long table for a syrup tasting. First, we were served a pale golden yellow syrup, the first tapping of the trees. The “maple” flavor we attribute to the syrup was actually very subtle. Instead, there was a delicate, grass-like quality to the syrup, or maybe it was the tree itself that I tasted. I remember being astonished, and for the first time I really understood what my friend Sandra, who lives in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, had told me.

Sandra said that the syrup that travels around our country from Vermont or Canada is actually from the second or third, maybe even fourth tapping of the trees. The true delicacy, the one that locals who really know maple syrup crave, is this first tap. When sugaring time approaches, locals come to the cabins or farms with containers to get this remarkable syrup.  And this is only when it’s available as, if there is too much rain, it will be paler and the delicate flavor will be impaired. Some years, like this year, there is very little syrup of any grade as the necessary conditions were ruined by an unseasonal heatwave and way too much rain.

We then tasted the additional grades used by the sugaring experts, an experience not unlike tasting olive oils or even wine. At the end of the tasting, we dined on a biscuit-like dumpling boiled in maple syrup, maple sugar pie and other confections. And yes, we did get the maple-on-snow experience as well, though by then, I was pretty sugared-out.

All of the above is the backdrop for where I’m going with this blog, which is using maple syrup in cooking and baking. Actually, I’m devoting two or three blogs to the subject as I’m on a maple jag, thanks to Sandra’s having just gifted me with syrup, sugar and butter. I’m in heaven.  Just so you know, as Grades A and B are  best for baking, you’re not deprived if you live far the maple sugar producing regions of the US or Canada.

Over the last two years, I have become a big fan of a particular granola made by 18 Rabbits. It is a heady blend of rolled oats, with lots of nuts and seeds, cacao nibs (one variety), sweetened with maple syrup and flavored with butter. It’s lightly sweet, my personal preference. The issue is that my market sold it bulk for $8.99 a pound. Most customers apparently preferred the sweeter, less expensive varieties. We stopped carrying it about eight months ago.

We had a packaged version on the shelf that I wasn’t crazy about which was $8.99 for 12 ounces — even more expensive. Then I discovered that our biggest competitor carried the variety I like for $7.69 a package; I all but disguised myself and went there at night to buy it. Finally, however, I decided that I could save a lot of money and disguises if I’d just knuckle down and make it myself.  Today I did, and guess what? It’s better than the 18 rabbits maple granola! Lucky for you, I’m happy to share my secrets!

My suggestion, as always, is to use the very best ingredients you can afford if you want stellar results. Get really fresh seeds and nuts. No rancid stuff that has lost its nutritional value. Use good butter. Grade A maple syrup is a little lighter in flavor than Grade B; use whichever you want.

For those of you who may question coconut oil or butter, they actually are not bad for us. Coconut oil has been taken off the “don’t eat” list by nutritionists as it has been scientifically proven that its saturated fat is not bad after all. In fact, coconut oil contains medium chain triglycerides, which can help prevent plaque from building in the brain and it protects against Alzheimer’s disease. Clean, organic butter in small doses is also now on the okay list as it has been proven that inflammation, not cholesterol, causes heart problems.  Remember, scientific information on nutrition is just moving out of the dark ages.

Here’s the recipe for Maple Granola

For making parfaits, whether for brunch or dessert,  I recommend Greek yogurt as it is thick and won’t get runny. Feel free to use either low-fat or full-fat. For dessert, you could even substitute creme fraiche for some of the yogurt.  Maple Brunch or Dessert Parfaits

Stop Breast Cancer by 2020 — Is It Possible?

230,500 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States in 2012.  40,000 will die from it.   This means that 124 women per 100,000 will be diagnosed with breast cancer.  For women born now,

Lots Of Pink, But Where Is The Cure?

Yesterday, when I started this blog, my plan was to write one article as it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and this is a very personal cause for me. 

The Vanilla.COMpany Turns Ten: Celebrating a Miracle

How do we measure time?  Years, decades, significant events, transformative experiences?

I’ve been pondering this over the past few weeks  for a couple of reasons. 

Sending Help and Hope to the Horn of Africa

Did you know that five dollars will feed a Somali for two weeks? That there are reliable organizations that donate 100% of their money directly to the people?  Here’s a simple way that you can be a philanthropist and make a huge difference!

Unless you’ve been on holiday for the last two months and haven’t seen a paper or TV, you already know that the worst drought in 60 years is forcing thousands of desperate people to walk long distances from rural villages to refugee camps or big  cities  in a frantic search for food and water.  Over 11 million people in Somalia alone are in need of immediate help.  Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djbouti, Kenya and Northern Uganda are also faced with starvation as rains haven’t arrived for over two years.

This is not an easy time anywhere in the world, but those of us in industrialized countries at least have resources for food and water.  Our brothers and sisters in the Horn of Africa not only have no resources, they are also facing the ravages of a failed state-turned violent in Somalia, and ineffective, corrupt governments in most of the other countries.

It’s easy to be caught in our own stories.  We’re busy, we’re stressed, we’re worried about work, our families, ourselves.  Many of us would like to help but we’re living on a tight budget.  Others of us would happily donate if we know that our money will actually reach the people in need.

There are a number of agencies that I feel are very reliable and where help is arriving.  One is the International Rescue Committee and another is the UN Human Rights Commission

However, there are smaller, grassroots organizations where no one takes a salary and 100% of your donations go directly to food, supplies, tents and medical care.  The African Future is a group of Canadian Somalis who are working directly with people in Somalia. They are in partnership with Somalis in the United States and are together collecting donations for refugees. My friend Ubax Gardheere is a member of the Seattle Somali community and working with The African Future.  Send $5.00 to feed a Somali child for two weeks!  That’s less than a sandwich and a soda!

Hope Without Borders was started in 2005 by friends Lance and Julie Parve.  Lance is a civil engineer and member of Engineers Without Borders.  Julie is a nurse practitioner working in clinics with Somali Refugees in Wisconsin.  In the 1980s they volunteered for two years at a hospital in Somalia and have remained committed to providing training and assistance in creating sustainable projects in Eastern Africa, especially in Somalia and Kenya.  They underwrite all of the work they do and all donations go directly for medical supplies, tools, equipment and other needs.  Currently they are raising funds for tents, medicines and other urgently needed supplies for refugee camps.

We’re all riding on this small space ship together.  What happens across the world from us affects us as well.  Whether you can afford $5.00 or $5,000, you may be saving the life of a future doctor, scientist, social worker, teacher or world leader.   If you have been reluctant to send money to an organization over concern that it will be used appropriately, you now have the connection to four groups where your money will be wisely applied.  Again, it’s theafricanfuture.org  or hwb-usa.org  in case you didn’t click through on the earlier links.

Thank you for reading this and for your support to our African brothers and sisters!

Ten Canned Goods to Avoid

I feel as if I’m a harbinger of doom as my blogs increasingly address serious issues that we are faced with daily.  On the other hand, I can’t keep still, as the only way we can protect ourselves is by speaking out.  So today it’s about Bisphenol A, most commonly referred to as BPA, a plasticizer that is ubiquitous in our lives.

A plasticizer is a chemical that makes rigid plastics more pliable.  BPA has been found in everything from plastic baby bottles (which caused a huge uproar and a ban on these bottles in some states), to IV bags and tubing used in hospitals everywhere and even in the liners in canned foods.

The danger inherent in BPA is that it is a hormone disruptor (synthetic estrogen) that has been linked to breast cancer and many other serious health issues.  Even more disturbing, nearly 95 percent of all Americans have it in their systems according to a recent CDC report.

One of the most common items that exposes us to BPA is canned food. Now, raise your hands, how many of you don’t crack open a can of food every now and again?  Albacore? Beans? Coconut Milk?  I’ve been a big fan of coconut milk and, given that I cook for one most of the time, I opt for canned beans instead of making them from scratch.

Canned goods containing foods that are acidic (canned tomatoes), salty (fried onion rings) or fatty (fish, coconut milk) are the most dangerous as BPA is more likely to leach from the linings of cans containing these products. Scary, isn’t it?

Janet Gray, Ph.D is a Board Member and Science Adviser for the Breast Cancer Fund has posted information on their site, which includes a list of the ten canned foods to avoid as well as a link to a petition to Congress to remove BPA from canned goods.

As a survivor of Stage IV breast cancer, I strongly urge that you sign the petition, avoid canned goods that could be harmful to your health, and please tell your family and friends to do the same. We all deserve to have healthy food options!

Dollars For A Doctorate: Theresia Ndirangu

Theresia Ndirangu with Mary and Teresia Waweru, girls she raised

Theresia Ndirangu is a single, 42-year-old Kikuyu woman from Kenya with both the focus and determination to succeed at anything she believes in, despite having faced staggering hardships.  Her goal is to earn her Masters and PhD degrees in applied Human Nutrition.  It is Theresia’s dream to receive her degrees, then return to Kenya and work with an international organization in support of tribal women farmers.  As between 60 and 80 percent of the farmers in developing countries, especially in Africa, are women, this is a critically important goal both for Africa and for the world.

Theresia was graduated second in her class with honors in 1993, earning a degree in General Agriculture at the University of Nairobi.  She worked as a secondary school teacher for four years and has been employed by the Ministry of Agriculture as an extension officer since 1997. She trains women farmers and extension staff in sustainable agricultural practices and is currently teaching home economics, focusing on food production, health and nutrition.  This work is extremely important as the Masai and other nomadic tribes are now farm-based but with neither farming nor nutrition experience or skills.

Theresia has been accepted to Oxford Brookes University for work on a Masters degree in Applied Human Nutrition, and was to begin coursework in September 2010.  However, she was unable to find a scholarship in time to begin studies.  She has been granted permission to defer studies until September 2011 and has paid one thousand pounds toward securing her place at the university.  In 2009, the government of the Netherlands sponsored her for a short course in their country.  She has a passport and is permitted to travel internationally.

Theresia and I have been connected since 2005 when I launched the International Tropical Farmers Network, an online group that connected farmers, scientists, social scientists and others working with tropical farmers worldwide.  After being unable to secure a scholarship, she asked for ideas for a way to continue her education.  Given all that Theresia has done for women in Kenya, and given how much more she could offer if she receives a PhD, I am committed to helping her get through a year at Oxford.  I have no doubt that she will receive scholarships to complete her education once she is there.

The following is a more in-depth look at Theresia’s background and why she is so deserving of getting to Oxford.

Theresia was born in 1969 in Nyandarua District in central Kenya.  Her mother was the second wife of an illiterate man who made his living as a driver for the Ministry of Labor.  Theresia was the eldest of five children; when her father’s first wife died, he mother assumed the responsibility of raising six more children.  The family lived in poverty.

Theresia was not only quick in school but at a very young age, she learned to sew, knit, cook and manage a household.  When she wasn’t at school, she cared for her siblings.  She was always in the top ten in her class.  In the evenings she joined her older stepbrother to study together and he often coached her.  As her parents frequently could not afford paraffin for the lamps, they often studied by firelight.  He encouraged her to go to university then get a good job and was a great inspiration to her.  Her English teacher was also an inspiration as he told her she was university material.  Her mother encouraged her as well, saying that only educated people could get good jobs.

When Theresia was in seventh grade her father nearly killed her mother. The domestic violence was so bad that her mother fled with her five children and no funds or way to support them. She finally got work as a casual laborer. Her maternal grandmother then had a stroke and was paralyzed so Theresia’s mother was responsible for her as well. It fell to Theresia to manage the other children while her mother worked.

In secondary school Theresia excelled enough to complete her coursework in two years and was accepted into Nairobi University. Her goal was to be an agricultural officer as she wanted to bring food security to families like her own, the majority of Kenyans, who are very poor.

After obtaining her degree she got a job as a biology and agriculture teacher in a secondary school. Given that her mother, despite being illiterate, was determined that Theresia get through school, Theresia gave back by paying for the education of her siblings. (School is currently free in Kenya, but this is very new. Most African countries charge all children from fourth grade on for entry fees, uniforms, books and desks, which is why there is such a low rate of educated children.)

Despite the fact that Theresia earned very little, she paid the school fees for the children of parents who could not send their children to school in the community where she taught and she also provided food. She says, “It used to move me when I saw very bright children at home for weeks due to lack of school fees and others having no hope of evening meals. At times I could just give them the food I had bought for myself. Sometimes I could give them a grant for the fees and at other times a loan. Then, in 1997 I got my current job, which provided me with enough income to support two girls.”

The girls that Theresia raised (in addition to her own siblings and the children she helped while working as a teacher) are Mary and Teresia Waweru. Theresia says, “I learned of the problems this family was going through when Mary was in class two of her primary education. The children would go for up to three days at a time with one cup of porridge a day. Sometimes their mother went without food so the children could eat…. Mary was expected to go to school and do as well as the others, but during break Mary had no energy to play. She often stopped to sleep on her way home from school for lack of energy, only to have no dinner at night. I took the two girls and raised them, coaching them at night so they could catch up in school. I did without all luxuries such as shoes or a new dress to save the life of those girls and mold their future so that one day they might be able to save a life or two themselves…. I would take them to see their parents for the December holidays.”

Mary and Teresia are now 19 and 17. Mary just missed the entrance to the University of Nairobi by a few points; hopefully she will be given a second chance. Teresia has just taken her exams for level 12.

With the additional schooling, Theresia will be in a position to expand on a national and even international level, the work she already does with women farmers. Through her career, she has found that the women have no knowledge of nutritional foods and which crops will best sustain their families. “I teach them how to prepare the foods, food preservation, the nutritional value of the food, value-added crops, and kitchen gardening. Additionally, I train them in crop production and conservation agriculture.

“I also teach them baking and cake decoration as an income-generating activity. I mostly work with groups of women and encourage them to start income-generating activities in addition to caring for their families so that they will always have a way to support their families.

“Finally, I teach about HIV/AIDS and necessary nutrition for the affected and infected. I trust that one day in the future, together with teaching nutrition and health, I will mobilize funds to support the children – especially girls – from disadvantaged families who cannot afford to support their education. With proper education, girls can achieve so much.”

There is a well-worn axiom that is especially true in developing countries: If you want something done, ask the women. Women are determined to care for their children and their communities. This is why it is crucial that Theresia Ndirangu gets the necessary funds for a year at Oxford. I have no doubt that given this opportunity, she will receive a scholarship to complete her training and to achieve her goals for the women of Kenya and other African countries.

Please join me in raising the dollars for Theresia’s doctorate. Entry fees are $18,000. She will also need airfare, health insurance and living funds. We may be able to place her with a family to save housing fees. Raising $25,000 is not an overwhelming task, especially considering the impact her education will make on the lives of African women.

Send a dollar — or more — to Patricia Rain, P. O. Box 3206, Santa Cruz, CA 95061. If sending a check, please write it in my name as I don’t have an account set up in Theresia’s name.

Tell a Friend: One dollar is less than a cup of coffee. If everyone sends one dollar, Theresia will get to Oxford!

Launching A Non-Profit and Foundation

A few years ago I thought about launching a non-profit for the benefit of farmers and the promotion of pure vanilla.  Between running my business, moderating The International Tropical Farmers Network, a Google group I launched for farmers, scientists and others interested in the issues of the vanilla industry and/or tropics, and being in aggressive chemotherapy for a year, my plate was so overflowing that I realized it wasn’t realistic to try to shove one more thing onto it as everything would end up on the floor, including me.

Then a couple of weeks ago a business adviser suggested that I revisit the idea and to also hit the speaking circuit again.  My first reaction was that it would be wonderful but, between working at New Leaf Market full time and running a business, my plate was still pretty darn full.

But the idea is taking hold.  I considered the usual suspects that might keep me from proceeding.  You know them — fear, lack of experience, the possibility of failure.  All the scary stuff inside us that makes us procrastinate or back off.  Were any of those demons applying the brakes to my idea?  Maybe.

On the other hand, I have taken on bigger and scarier things.  Things like Stage IV breast cancer.  If I could manage cancer as a single woman while also running a business, could a non-profit really be that difficult?

I’ve taken my first step by publicly declaring my intention.  World Pulse is an online and print magazine about women.  They have articles about social entrepreneurs from around the world and the work they are doing.  Some projects are as basic (though equally important) as setting up a well or launching businesses with micro-loans and some are about non-profits that are moving mountains.  A very interesting site that I suggest you visit.

World Pulse announced a month ago that they are running a contest again, soliciting stories from women.  This year they requested stories about miracles, moments that were pivotal in our lives, perhaps transformative, no matter how apparently simple the miracle might appear.

At first I felt I was too busy to enter and that I would be wise to stay focused on what I believed was important.  Then World Pulse sent out a “Last Call for Submissions” this last week and suddenly I was pulled in.  My grandsons and family were supposed to come down on President’s Day but the boys had colds.  Unexpectedly I had a completely unstructured day in front of me to use however I chose.  I decided to enter the contest.

Winning isn’t the point for me, though if I do win, the money will be used to follow my intention.  I felt that writing about my miracle might inspire others faced with apparently insurmountable challenges.  And it gave me the opportunity  to  write that my intention is to launch a non-profit and a foundation this year. Posted in public on a major web site! And Facebok.  And my blog.

Here’s my entry:  My Story:  The Miracle of Prayer

Please feel free to post a comment under my submission and/or to this blog.  I can use ideas, thoughts, support and help from those of you who may be experienced in either of these ventures.

I wonder, do any of you have an intention you would like to make known to the world?  It’s the first step toward realizing a goal.  If so, please share!

Why Write About Sun Block?

It seems a little strange to write about sunblock on a site featuring vanilla.  On the other hand, it’s pretty warm and sunny in the tropics!

Truth is, I was inspired when I read an article about a new product put out by Beach Buff that has been endorsed by Jean Michel Cousteau’s (son of Jacques Cousteau) foundation, Ocean Futures Society.

Reef Safe Sun Care is remarkable in that the products biodegrade in less than 90 days in sea water and fresh water. No evidence of toxicity to micro organisms and other sea life was detected.  This is unique among sunscreens.  Further, only about three percent of the sunscreen came off in the water as opposed to an average of 25 percent with other sunscreens.

Researchers estimate that  4,000 to 6,000 metric tons of sunscreen washes off swimmers into the oceans every year. Chemicals such as Octocrylene, Butylparaben, Octylmethoxycinnamate, and Benzophenone-3; present in non-biodegradable sunscreen brands, accumulate in the oceans. These toxic chemicals do not break down easily and are harmful to marine life, especially coral reefs.  Given that coral reefs worldwide are seriously taxed due to global climate change, this is especially hopeful news.

Before receiving Cousteau’s endorsement, Reef Safe sunscreens were subjected to a comprehensive series of independent laboratory tests to support and authenticate the biodegradability of the lotions.

It not only passed with flying colors, Cousteau has named it the official sun care of Ocean Futures Society.  In exchange, Reef Safe will donate a portion of every bottle sold to support Ocean Futures’ worldwide efforts of preserving the ocean for future generations.

Here’s the best part — you can easily “go green” and make a difference for our planet, whether you are sunbathing by the sea, white-water rafting, or bathing in a tropical waterfall.  By using Beach Buff’s Reef Safe Sun Care products, you’ll protect your body from harmful chemicals as well as protect our precious water resources.  And to top it off, your purchase will help with continued ocean research!  Sounds like a great win/win for everyone.

Vandana Shiva — Anti-GMO Crusader in India

Rodale Institute published the following article about Vandana Shiva.  I have copied it here for you to read:

By Dana Blinder and Leah Zerbe

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RODALE NEWS, BETHLEHEM, PA—Sometimes, protecting the future means going back to your roots…and back to the soil, to the seeds. That’s how Vandana Shiva, PhD, world-renowned physicist and relentless eco-crusader, is leading the charge to save her country from a corporate GMO takeover. (GMO refers to genetically modified organisms; crops that have extra genes inserted into them in the lab.) Shiva, who studied in Canada to earn her doctorate in particle physics, took her knowledge back to her home country, India, where she leads the attack against GMO pollution. There, she launched Navdanya, a seed-saving organization that has helped save thousands of plant varieties from going extinct.

Shiva speaks of “freeing the seeds,” which in turn frees farmers from reliance on failed biotech agricultural methods that are expensive and require increased use of dangerous pesticides because pests and weeds are growing resistant to chemical warfare. Growing GMO crops is also expensive. So far, 200,000 Indian farmers have committed suicide, overcome by the insurmountable debt they’ve accumulated after switching from traditional, sustainable farming to corporate, chemical, GMO-based “farming.”

Shiva spoke with Rodale.com before her Tuesday-night speech to a packed crowd at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in which she made connections between GMOs and antibiotic-resistant superbugs, unprecedented chronic global hunger, and biopollution.

What are the biggest dangers that GMOs pose to our environment and our health?

Vandana Shiva: They actually increase the toxification of our food system, even while claiming to be an alternative to chemicals. If you look at what has been achieved in the last two decades, you have herbicide-resistant crops and you have Bt-toxin crops. The former was intended to control weeds, the latter to control pests. What you have instead is the creation of super-weeds, which has increased the usage of herbicides and the creation of super-pests, which has increased the use of pesticides sprays. We have monitored the Bt cotton in India, 13-fold more pesticides are sprayed on Bt cotton.

That’s the first problem, but the second problem is now you have the toxins built into the plants. With the Bt toxin you’ve taken the genes that produce a toxin and put them into the plant. And because it’s such a clumsy technology, you don’t just put a toxic gene into the plant, you have to add antibiotic-resistant markers to separate the cells that absorbed the gene from those that didn’t. And because no plant wants an alien gene in it, like no organism wants an alien element, what you have to add is a viral promoter to pump up the expression of the gene.

So for every GMO you have three lethal transformations: A toxic gene whose impact you don’t know; antibiotic resistance markers—which already is a problem, given that antibiotic resistance is emerging both with farm animals and human beings; and if you have antibiotic resistance markers, you’re going to have gene jumping. I think the whole issue of the H1N1 virus, the fact that it had genes for three influenzas, human, chicken, pig—all of these crossings are becoming possible because of the crossing of genes across species barriers.

Are we getting closer to eliminating or reducing GMOs, or are things getting worse?

VS: There is proof we are making progress if you look at data in the U.S. It’s not just those who don’t like GMOs who are turning away from them, it’s farmers who went for GMO planting who are realizing it’s more costly, they’re losing more, you’re better off in GMO-free agriculture. Monsanto shares are coming down, and the acreages they expected are coming down. I think because a false promise was sold with GMOs, I do believe we have a GMO-free future ahead.

What has been the experience with GMOs in India, and are there lessons for the U.S. and other countries to learn from it?

VS: The first GMO bought to India by Monsanto was in 1997/1998, Bt cotton. They put huge ads in the newspapers saying how they were going to bring this miracle seed. I know the laws of my country and checked with environmental administrator, and found Monsanto did not ask for approval, although we have an environmental protection act stating any deliberate release of GMOs must go under environmental assessment. Just like they have dismantled any bio-safety laws in the U.S., they thought they could just walk into India and do the same.

I filed a case. And we stopped them until 2002, when they managed to get approval. What we’ve seen from 2002 to 2010 is a very high epidemic of farmer suicides, which started when Monsanto started to control the cottonseed. Today, Monsanto has 90 percent control over the seed supply of cotton, in a land where we use to have 1500 varieties, including open-pollination varieties. That’s how fast this monopoly can emerge. The cost for cotton seeds rose from 7 rupees a kilogram to 3,600 rupees, 2,400 of which was a royalty share.

It’s a big issue in India. Because the technology is a failed technology, the pesticide usages have increased, farmers are in debt, and it’s that indebtedness that has pushed 200,000 Indian farmers to suicide. Our studies show 84 percent are directly linked to debt caused by Bt cotton.

The next product Monsanto tried to launch this year in February was Bt eggplant. We have 4,000 varieties of eggplant; it was domesticated in India. We built up a movement from 2006 when the trial started. We’ve compelled the government to relook at the approval when it was granted. The environmental administrator held public hearings around the country, and after hearing people, farmers, citizens, scientists, he called for a moratorium.

I think the lessons India has for the U.S. is first it has to have bio-safety regulation. Also, there has to be democracy. Every time there is talk of democracy violated in China, I think of the democratic violations when people are denied their right to know and denied their right to choose. Monsanto is working right now to prevent labeling laws in India, which have been drafted and are there, and they’re preventing them. I don’t think you can have a product where a company says, “I’m pushing it on you, destroying your alternatives, and I’m preventing you from knowing what’s in it.” Especially when it’s food, it’s not even the clothing we wear, it’s food that goes in us. I think this food fascism must end. The kind of movements India has built on food democracy, I’d like to see in the U.S. I think in the U.S. we need far more community seed banks far more open-source seeds, especially now that the GMOs are failing, we can’t leave the farmers without options.

Do you find it difficult to avoid eating GMO food? What advice do you have for avoiding it?

VS: In India, the only crop that has been genetically modified is cotton. We’ve prevented in our movements any food crop from being genetically modified.

In the U.S., because the main crops genetically modified are soy and corn, I think the best way to avoid them is to avoid processed food. I think there are such delicious alternatives. People should promote local markets and organic food; that’s where you can ensure you’re not being imposed with a GM diet.

I think de-industrializing our food system has to be the next human leap. We’ve been made to believe seed doesn’t give rise to seed, so buy GM seed. You can’t bake your bread or set your yogurt, everything has to be industrial. If we don’t de-industrialize our food system, we’re going to be killed by obesity, diabetes, and everything else.

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