Here’s to Making this 4th of July an Organic Day to Remember

Whether you are at the beach, grilling in the backyard or camping this 4th of July, one thing is for sure. It is time to celebrate! So get your patriotic game face on and smile.

Here’s Why:

• With over 313 million people, the United States is one of the world's most ethnically and culturally diverse countries.  One of our national mottos is “E Pluribus Unum” which means Out Of Many, One.
• The US economy is the world's largest national economy. 
• The USA has a thriving arts community that produces history lessons like THIS.
• The US is home to the Organic Consumers Association that fights for food rights! Check it out! 
• Organic farming is increasing in the US! In fact, Organic farming has been one of the fastest growing segments of U.S. agriculture for over a decade.

Here’s How You Can Partake in an Organic 4th of July:

1. Buy Organic Food - The US organic movement won’t continue to grow unless we support it. Buying local, organic meat, dairy, produce, body and grocery products helps support the farmers we need to even have organic in the first place!

2. Drink Organic Wine - Wines made with organically grown grapes support sustainable agriculture like the organic foods we eat. You are what you drink as well!

Food and Wine Pairing that can’t be beat. From Etica Wines

Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon and Grilled Kabobs

Ingredients

• 3 pounds organic beef top sirloin steak, cubed, 1.5 inches thick

• Olive oil

• Sea salt

• Fresh ground pepper

• 2 organic yellow onions, chopped in to quarters

• 1 organic green bell pepper, chopped in to quarters

• 2 organic red bell peppers, chopped in to quarters

• 1 package organic whole mushrooms

• 1 pint organic cherry tomatoes

• 1 organic yellow squash, sliced 1/2 inch thick

• 6 long metal skewers

Directions

• Preheat the grill to 375 degrees.

• Alternate meat and vegetables on skewers. There’s no wrong way to make kabobs so have fun with it. Once the meat and vegetables are on the skewers, brush each side with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

• Cover and grill approximately 20-25 minutes, flipping often to ensure that the meat and vegetables are cooked evenly. Steak should be cooked through to medium. Decrease heat and time for medium rare steak or increase time for well done steak. For a vegetarian alternative, forgo the steak and add more veggies! 

3. Drink Organic Beer - Like wine and food, buying organic beer is crucial to the organic agriculture system in the US. Organic hops, malt and barely help create a healthy addition to some great-tasting libations. Check out a couple of our favorites: New Belgium’s Mothership Wit and Peak Organic’s IPA.

4. Make Organic Iced Tea - As a beverage connoisseur, at least I think I am, and having grown-up in Texas, I know a great iced tea when I taste one. Hands down, the best iced tea I’ve had this year was made from Teatulia’s white tea. I love it so much I am writing a blog post on it! 

Local Denver organic tea company, Teatulia sells USDA certified single garden tea from Northern Bangladesh. Naturally farmed, eco packaging and a high-quality product make Teatulia one great tea. 

5. Use Organic Protection - Sun and lip protection that is. Here’s some information about the local Colorado companies that do it right!

Goddess Garden:  Goddess Garden Natural Sunscreen is sheer, non-greasy and easy to apply so you can use it everyday. It protects and nourishes your skin without any harsh chemicals and is packed with the purest certified organic ingredients, vitamins and antioxidants. Their everyday Natural Sunscreen is gentle enough to use on kids yet effective enough to protect the whole family from the sun. Rated By the Environmental Working Group As a Best Sunscreen in 2011!! 

Zambeezi:  You’d have to go deep into the forests of central Africa to find a region wild and pure enough to produce organic beeswax. And that’s where you’d find the good folks at Zambeezi hard at work creating their lustrous lip balm, made with wild harvested mungongo, an edible nut long used by the local Zambians as a moisturizer. With precious organic essences, Zambeezi is a luscious lip balm with a wild gingery lemongrass flavor. By supporting Zambeezi, you are not only enjoying a great product. You are also bringing jobs and income to rural African villages, and creating sustainable alternatives to destructive logging and mining in the pristine Miombo forests of Zambia.

Pangea:  Pangea Organics incorporates all natural preservatives such as antioxidant rich, performance ingredients including: SDA 38 B Organic Lavender Alcohol (which also increases efficacy), Vitamin E, and Rosemary Essential Oil instead of using petrochemicals and parabens. Ecocentric Bodycare:
Always Beneficial, Never Artificial.

6. Support Local, Organic Colorado Businesses! Choose Colorado’s Best Organics™or Boulder’s Best Organics™ gift collections for your mid-summer birthdays, “Thank You” or Just Because gifts. Support USA-Made!

Have a great 4th!

Photo Credit: Alaska Photography