We're feeling a little low, deflated, and violated at G4U this week. Warm wishes, offers of help, and hugs have come our way since the fire at the farm and vandalism at the store. Thank you all. It does help to know you're out here routing for us.

Here's some much needed, light relief in the way of a few green/food/cultural funnies.

I'll start with a road sign erected on the streets of my college town, Swansea, Wales. All signs in Wales have to be bi-lingual, English and Welsh, by law. The English translation of the welsh text on the sign reads, "I am not in the office at the moment. Please send any work to be translated." What actually happened was that the sign company sent text to be translated by e-mail and what came back (in Welsh) was an e-mail reminder that the translator was out of the office. When proofing signs, the person really needs to be able to speak Welsh!

Here's my favorite quote from American treasure, Langston Hughes: "Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air and you." - Langston Hughes

I always thought a yard was three feet, then I started mowing the lawn.- C.E. Cowman

What is small, red and whispers? A hoarse radish.

I garden, therefore I weed.

I was a vegetarian until I started leaning towards sunlight.- Rita Rudner

The best way to garden is to put on a wide-brimmed straw hat and some old clothes. And with a hoe in one hand and a cold drink in the other, tell somebody else where to dig.- Texas Bix Bender

Crabgrass can grow on bowling balls in airless rooms, and there is no known way to kill it that does not involve nuclear weapons.- Dave Barry

Checking the menu in a Welsh restaurant, a customer ordered a bowl of vegetable soup. After a couple of spoonfuls, he saw a circle of wetness right under the bowl on the tablecloth. He called the server over and said, "It's all wet down here. The bowl must be cracked." The server said, "You ordered vegetable soup, maybe it has a leek in it."

What is the difference between boogers and spinach? You can't get your kids to eat spinach.

A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows.- Doug Larson

If April showers bring May flowers,what do May flowers bring? Pilgrims.

Laughter is brightest, in the place where the food is.- Irish proverb

Don't dig your grave with your own knife and fork.- English Proverb (Ouch - trust the English to apply maximum impact with few words and a smile!!!)

What do you call a country where the people drive only pink cars?A pink carnation.

The act of putting into your mouth what the earth has grown is perhaps your most direct interaction with the earth.- Frances Moore Lappé

It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.- Lewis Grizzard

I'm on a 90 Day Wonder Diet. Thus far, I've lost 45 days.

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.- Doug Larson (I'm vegetarian, and even I agree with that one!)

When eating bamboo sprouts, remember the man who planted them. - Chinese proverb

One of the disadvantages of wine is that it makes a man mistake words for thoughts.- Samuel Johnson

Never fall out with your bread and butter. - English proverb

This meal is the labor of countless beings;let us remember their toil.- Zen meal chant

A Welsh lad came home from school and told his Mam he had been given a part in the school play. 'Wonderful, 'replies his Mam, 'What part is it?' The boy says, 'I play the part of the Welsh husband.' Mam scowls and says, 'Go back and tell your teacher you want a speaking part.'

Rhys: Doctor, I can’t stop singing the Green, Green Grass of Home. Doctor: That sounds like Tom Jones syndrome. Rhys: Is it common? Doctor: It’s not unusual. I grew up in the same village as Tom Jones - Treforest, South Wales, UK. I used to shelter from the rain during my paper round as a kid in the red telephone box on Laura Street (where Tom Jones grew up). Tom Jones later bought this telephone box and relocated it to his home in the USA. The telephone box made it to the States before me!

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G4U Farm Set On Fire, Vandalism at G4U Store

Around 9:30pm last night (Sunday March 30), the Good For You Farm on Route 9 in Lewes, was set on fire. This follows vandalism to the Good For You Farm truck parked overnight at the Good For You Market on Route 9, Lewes, 3 weeks ago. The truck's fuel line was cut, plus other damage, totaling $500.

The fire department was called to the farm, 3 fire trucks in total. It appears the shed was attempted to set on fire, it is saturated with gasoline. The front part of the field was set on fire. Thankfully the fire department responded very quickly, and the wind was blowing away from our neighbor's home.

It appears that the fire may have been set intentionally, although we are awaiting an official report from the State Fire Marshall and they have not ruled intentional damage yet.

Unfortunately, G4U will have to install video surveillance cameras at both locations.

Someone out there may not like the G4U business, or may not understand the context of running a business. Heck, you may not even like me personally. Or it just may be random damage. However, we are taking this very seriously. It is not infeasible at this time of year that we have staff working at the farm and the market in the evening. Someone may get hurt if this continues.

If anyone has any information relating to these events, please call the State Fire Marshall, Deputy Galaska, or Deputy Magee, on (302) 856-5600, or e-mail dale.magee@state.de.us

You can also call G4U on (302) 684-8330, or e-mail goodforu@comcast.net

Thank you, Andy.

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A while back, someone whom I respect immensely, but with whom I do not get along with (let's leave it at that, it's a small town!), accused me, "You're not a foodie, are you, Andy?" It stopped me in my tracks.

Foodie. Honestly, I had to run and google it! Here's a link to the awesome Wikepedia for a definition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foodie

There's a saying, "Judge people not so much by what they say, but by what they do." I would add a subtext. Go easy on them when they screw up, or take longer than you're in the mood to wait for. Cranky, me? Yeah, I am, kinda. It's been a long week and everyone seems on edge. Please do not adjust your picture, normal service will resume soon.

So here's the rub. Two issues bothered me with the foodie thing. I'm sure my accuser did not mean the former, but definitely the latter:

1. I dislike exclusion: closed groups of any kind who do not openly welcome everyone. High School never truly goes away - it resurfaces like a bad taco. The term foodie, I thought, was kind of like a closed group. Being accused of not being one, stung. It meant I was not in the club. I own a food market, don't I belong in that club? Exclusion goes against everything I'm aiming for with Good For You. Really I should have named the business, "Good For Everyone!"
2. G4U Market is more than health food. We are a great food market. My accuser, I believe, was challenging me, "If you're running a food market, then, waddya know, buddy?" G4U exists to bring choices into our, somewhat rural beach community; choices that we're more familiar with from our metro areas to our west and north. I don't say this to tell everyone how great we are. I say this to remind everyone of what we can do for you. From day 1 when we opened the doors at the Good For You Market I wanted this business to be a food market that has great food, plus the crunchy wierd stuff you see at your food co-ops in urban areas. Where else are we going to buy that at the beach? However, we're a small business, with a tight budget and we cannot do it all at once. It's taken me 2 years to finally find decent cheeses and suppliers in the Philadelphia and Washington DC areas for products you just cannot find at the beach. Now we have decent cheeses. Now we've added delivery. Now we sell direct to customers and to other businesses so you can find our great cheeses and produce at your favorite restaurant.

Being accused of not being a foodie made me look at the store from a customer's standpoint. I now walk the store, recipe, or magazine article in hand - can I find enough ingredients at the G4U Market to make that recipe, or a knowledgeable person who can suggest a substitution? Does a passion for food drive the G4U staff to know how to combine these ingredients, track down hard to find items, set up a demo on baking with Agave Nectar, or whole grains, facilitate a cheese club or gluten free club or vegetarian/vegan club? There is a reason I work so hard to keep a chef on staff at the G4U Market. Not because chefs are difficult to work with, no. It's a complicated line of business to be in - prepared meals/pastries. Chefs helps us all get better at, well, being foodies. You go Chef! Good for you!
Ever seen people like me at the market? I'm the guy at the fish counter at Whole Foods Market, grilling the fish guy (no pun intended!). I want to know everything about that salmon. Where did it come from? Why is it that color? Why does the recipe I'm following suggest this particular herb with it? Can I see the salmon's resume? Does it come from a good family? Whole Foods Market are geniuses at what they do. There's a reason they're a sponsor of Bravo's Top Chef program. They are a model for us at G4U. I started this business because, having moved here full time from Baltimore, I got fed up of driving back to the city twice a month for groceries, cleaning products, and the like. Indulge me, if you will. Listen to others at the dinner table, or happy hour, how many people are doing the same thing? What does that say to our local stores? There's much more for me, in being a food retailer than sticking it on the shelf and crossing your fingers until the product hits the sale rack, and gets dropped for a blander product. I'm fed up of tasteless bread or cheese, over priced olive oils that I haven't a clue why the recipe is calling for. I'm tired of driving to the city for someone who knows which type of sea salt to use in a recipe and which type to throw on your food before serving.
Why do I love to use the phrase, "What's up foodies?" I'm intentionally poking fun at the 'seriousness' of it all. We all eat, right? There's nothing wrong with passion for food. Indeed, the opposite - apathy is sad. Good food, sustainably grown/produced, knowledgeably made and sold is just too important for our health and our planet's health.
Truth is, I am a foodie, I just didn't know it! I'm a foodie when I grill the fish guy at Whole Foods Market. I'm a foodie when I'm thumbing through the seed catalogs planning out my veggie garden for the season. I'm a foodie when I'm meeting with a vendor negotiating pricing on a new food line we're about to carry. I'm a foodie when I quiz the staff on olive oils. I'm a foodie when a customer stumps me with a question on some ingredient I've never heard of. The customer is a foodie when they tell me what it is so we can work to bring it and run a cooking demo with it. I'm a foodie even when I get home at 10pm after a long day and grab that frozen pizza because I'm too tired to cook. Thankfully we have a chef on staff and I can now grab a prepared meal so I don't have to cook at 10pm! You are a foodie reading this blog right know, even if you're grabbing a hand full of potato chips (please, baked, organic corn, rice, or potato!). Sorry, did I make you spill your soda? It's rude to point.
At G4U, the door to the foodie club is well and truly open, off its hinges and in the recycle bin. Hopefully it'll make a nice dinner table around which to share great food.
Thank you un-named local person, with whom I do not get along. I appreciate your input and thank you for your push to make me better at serving our community. We make an impact on others even when we don't think so. We really are all connected, even if we do not get along!

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This is a rare comment from me, Andy Meddick, owner of G4U Market and Micro-Eco Mini-Me Market Garden Farm.

"You're Welcome." How often we say that and don't even think about what we're saying. You're Welcome. YOU ARE WELCOME - EVERYONE.

I'm breaking a golden rule I have - stay out of community politics and focus on the mission of the G4U business: providing healthy, organic, natural, local, and sustainably sourced food, and great ingredients to our community. From Gourmet to Everyday. G4U: So Much More than a Health Food Store!

By community I mean everyone: regardless of age, gender, gender identity, physical ability, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, sports team, follicular status. Did I leave anyone out? E-mail me (with your contact information!) and let me know you shop at the G4U Market: mailto:g4umarket@gmail.com You are all welcome. Remember we all have to eat. G4U is a food market and market garden farm, providing food that tastes the way it should do. This is our mission and platform. Politics is not our platform. You are missing the point of this business if you try to pull us in that direction.

Again, we all have to eat. We all deserve access to fairly priced, chemical-free food, clean water, clean air, a patch of healthy soil on which to grow our own veggies. The best way to support our community is to support the businesses on which our community depends. Apparently it is NOT OK to some of our community for G4U to advertise on a certain local talk radio station, but it IS OK to listen to it. How else did you hear our ads? I'm not suggesting boycotting the radio station. They are performing a community function too. Bullying me into dropping my ads, or boycotting my business is not the most productive way of supporting a cause. Fight back if someone is mobilising in a direction you do not agree with. Call the radio station and add your voice to the conversation. Call your elected officials. Please do not use my business to express a political concern. Take the fight to the legislature. We have a wonderful gift in this country: the freedom to vote. I am very proud to be Welsh by birth, and American by choice. Do I exercise my right to vote? You betcha!

Again, remember I serve all of our community. We all have to eat. Why eat bland, over-processed, over-priced food elsewhere? Go local with G4U Market and Farm and you will be better fed, and better for it.

Now I need a massage. I'm fired up and ready for a rally when I should be focusing on our great new cheese line! Help me meet my mission and the whole community benefits.

Whoop-de-doo, Andy.

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There's lots of things I don't understand, even at the lovely age of 44. Why, for instance, was Cher trying to turn back time on an aircraft carrier? Why on a week when I watch what I eat and get on that awful treadmill thing, do I gain 2 pounds and last week when I wallow in my, 'busy-ness,' I loose 3 pounds? Why does the dog always hit the rug when there is much more hardwood floor available to pee/poop/throw-up on? Why does spa music make me tense ? I said SPA, not SKA! I have to clarify because it seems my funny accent comes through in the blog too. While I reach for the Biokleen Bac-Out Foaming Cleanser, any thoughts?

So, today, I'm contemplative. It's another 'day off' - continuing our renovations at the store while we're closed. Painting, treadmilling, data entry on the G4U website. What do these have in common? Well they would not be a few of my favorite things. Yes, they are all activities that quiet the pace of my week and force me to focus. Focus is something I do while doing something else. At least that's the way it feels running a business. But this is not the full answer...

While I'm painting, all sorts are going through my unfocused mind as my eyes focus just 3 inches from the wall. "Organic Garden" and "Caramelized Onion" colors start to look an awful lot like green and brown at that zoom-in. Who dreams these 'colors' up anway? I've gone from Cher to Dorothy Spornak, to Edith Bunker, to Miss Slocombe, to community organic gardens, to farmer's markets, to G4U Market (so not just a 'health food store') and ended up with the solution to what was bothering me in the outset, "If you're not welcome at the club, quit complaining, form your own club, and welcome everyone!"

So I make the most of what quiet time I can creatively find. I get my best and brightest ideas while painting, treadmilling, data entry. Hmm, even gardening and I like gardening. So, with my Systems Analyst training not going to waste, I look for patterns. What do these things have in common? They're my 'meditation' if you will. What's yours?

If anyone out there, other than my LSS (Long Suffering Spouse) can follow this stream of consciousness, connect the dots. Find the idea/issue that was picking at me when I first got up the ladder this morning. Then e-mail me your answer: goodforu@comcast.net The first correct answer (or the idea I like best), gets you a free half hour massage with our new G4U Tenant: Robb Leech of Fusion Massage: http://www.fusionmassagestudio.vpweb.com/

Clue for Miss Marple: end at the start and don't Miss Understand.

Until next time, support your local businesses, support your local farmers markets, pay attention to creative new talent and mentor those individuals. They may turn out to be our club leaders tomorrow. Wise is the person who recognizes and encourages talent in others. Why paint outside the box when you can just remove the box to begin with? A little pain now is major gain later!

Whoop-de-doo, Andy!

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Tom and I were out in public dressed as cows last Saturday. You may have seen us manning (cowing - what's the correct

adverb?) the Good For Moo Milk Bar by Good For You Market at the Rehoboth Beach Chocolate Festival organized by Rehoboth Beach Main Street ( http://www.downtownrehoboth.com/ ).

The Good For Moo Milk Bar by Good For You Market is a great crowd-pleaser and attraction, with milk types for all diets. If you'd like us to bring it to your special event, then please call or e-mail me: (302) 684-8330 mailto: goodforu@comcast.net .

In the G4U style, the Good For Moo Milk Bar is organic, natural, environmentally responsible, quirky, and a boat load of fun! We hustled like crazy. We're never shy of selling our great products because, well, we know they're great products! We use our products ourselves, and, above all, they're (all together now), "Good For You (Moo)." We're bursting with enthusiasm for what we do, and all the products we work hard to source and can never wait to tell everyone about them. Life is so varied, and so much fun, don't be shy folks, step on foward and join in!

We got so many great questions about the different kinds of milk we were selling that, long before the cows came home, and our cow suits were packed away for the next event, a blog entry was already forming. If you couldn't make it to the Chocolate Festival, have forgotten what type of milk you tasted, or are wondering where you can get more, here's our Good For Moo Milk Primer! Milk 1o1 with no test to study for.

We had 15 different kinds of milk with us at the Milk Bar, many of which Good For You is the only store in this area carrying. Be careful with the non-dairy milks if you're considering them for infant formula since many are typically unsuitable for infant formula. Always check with a qualified medical practitioner and nutritionist first. All of these milks can be bought in our store and on our website (http://www.good4uorganic.com). Of course we carry more than 15 kinds in store, but a cow can only carry so much ("They lack opposable thumbs, Greg"). Drum roll Tom, please:

1. Cow Milk (2%, whole, whole chocolate). The best organic, 100% grass fed milk we've ever tasted. It's by Natural By Nature, a small dairy based in Newark, DE: http://www.natural-by-nature.com/ The milk is sourced from family organic dairy farms in Lancaster County, PA: the Lancaster Organic Farmers Cooperative. It's the 100% grass-fed herd that makes the difference in the flavor. Cows are not meant to eat grain. Grass contains higher levels of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (an Omega-3), beta-carotene, Vitamins A and E. Hence the milk from grass fed cows contains higher levels of these nutrients too and the milk is sweeter, and richer. The cows are less stressed, are not pumped with drugs, and so happy, naturally healthy, cows do make better milk! Natural By Nature Milk is also a low-temperature pasteurization so it's as close to raw as state laws allow. Store milk should not have several weeks shelf life - it is the high-heat pasteurization that allows this and affects the flavor and nutrition accordingly. We have a good relationship directly with the Natural By Nature dairy, supporting small, local farms and allowing highly competitive pricing.

2. Goat Milk. The brand we brought Saturday was a private label brand - "Albert's Choice" through Alberts Organics. Sourced from goat herds in New Jersey. We also carry an excellent brand by Meyenberg. Why Goat Milk? It is easier to digest than cow milk and this is a good option for those who have difficulty digesting cow milk. Nutritionally, goat milk contains 13% more calcium, 25% more vitamin B-6, 47% more vitamin A, 134% more potassium, and three times more niacin. It is also four times higher in copper. Goat's milk also contains 27% more of the antioxidant selenium than cow's milk. However, cow milk contains five times as much vitamin B-12 as goat's milk and ten times as much folic acid meaning it must be supplemented with folic acid if using for infants and toddlers. Taste-wise, goat milk is an acquired taste, a raw, earthy sweetness, which in my opinion is better suited to baking and cooking, but is very popular with our customers for drinking. If you like goat cheese, you'll like goat milk.

3. Almond Milk (Chocolate and Vanilla). Yes, made of almonds, not dairy. A great option for those lactose-intolerant. The brand is Blue Diamond (http://www.bluediamond.com/index.cfm?navid=53). We carry the shelf-stable and the new, fresh (refrigerated) versions. The fresh version is a better deal, a much better flavor, and you can re-seal the carton. The brand is also gluten-free. Almond milk is naturally sweet, and has a good thickness making it a perfect drinking milk. It does not separate when heated making it a good choice for baking and cooking also. The fresh Chocolate Almond milk is our best seller and in our opinion is a better flavor than the dairy or soy chocolate milks. I use the Vanilla Almond milk regularly for baking and in my bread machine. Substitute a cup or two of the water for the milk and you'll get a great, sweet, dense teatime/brunch toasting bread.

4. Coconut Milk (Original and Vanilla). Yes, made from non-GMO (non-genetically modified) coconuts, not dairy. Organic is not so relevant for coconuts. They are rarely sprayed and have a very thick outer skin and shell. The brand we have is "So Delicious" ( http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/ ) It is the first fresh (refrigerated) coconut milk we have found and it is, "So Delicious!" This is the thick, white, coconut milk, not to be confused with the thin, clear, coconut water. It has the same saturated fat content as whole cow milk. However, the fat is a medium chain fatty acid, a so called, "good fat" and easier to digest for many people. The texture is very similar to a full fat, whole cow milk and heats well, making it a good drinking and cooking/baking milk. It is not overly coconut in flavor. The original is mildy sweet and the vanilla a rich, ice-cream kind of flavor. It's also gluten free and vegan. This is flying off of milk shelves at the store, and not because I dropped it, either!

5. Hemp Milk (Chocolate and Vanilla). Oh boy, this one always raises a few eyebrows! Hemp milk is a non-dairy milk, made from the edible seeds of the cannabis sativa L plant. Before the Feds swoop, let me assure you, it's not that kind of cannabis plant! It's a relative in the same family. Anyone have a wierd relative, they'd prefer not to have at the Thanksgiving table? Hemp and marijuana are both varieties of cannabis sativa L, hemp is grown for food and fiber, and contains only trace amounts of THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the psycho-active component of marijuana. It is not marijuana! You will not get high, you do not need a drug test! Hemp seeds have a delicious, rich, nutty sunflower flavor. Hemp seeds are a complete protein, containing all 10 essential amino acids, rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids, and are one of the few, plant-based sources of gamma-linolenic acid (GMA). Hemp milk is great on cereals, for beverages, smoothies, salad dressings and marinades, cooking or baking. It is a little thinner than cow milk. I favor the chocolate over the vanilla, but both are good. It's also gluten free and vegan. The brand we brought Saturday is Living Harvest (http://www.worldpantry.com/). Manitoba Harvest (http://www.manitobaharvest.com/) is another excellent brand.

6. Oat Milk. A brand new product! This was a firm favorite at the Chocolate Festival. The brand is "Oat Dream" (http://www.tastethedream.com/). Oat Dream Non-Dairy Beverage provides a unique flavor offering a thick and creamy consistency. Oat Dream is a great way to start your day and a good source of fiber. It's a great choice for those who cannot tolerate dairy. We have Original and Maple Brown Sugar varieties. It's a matter of personal taste, but I think the Original is still the best. It's a little thinner than dairy milks, but a good enough flavor and texture to drink by the glass.

7. Rice Milk. The brand we carry is by Rice Dream ( http://www.tastethedream.com/ ). Again, this brand is available in shelf-stable and fresh (refrigerated) form same as the Almond Milk. The fresh version is a better deal, a much better flavor, and you can re-seal the carton. We had the Original with us. Rice Milk is typically a harder sell. You either like the consistency, or not. It's much thinner than cow milk, closer to a fat-free milk consistency. It is a good drinking milk because of the good flavor, however. Another great option for those intolerant of dairy, gluten free and vegan. I like it. I love the slightly nutty, sweet flavor. It definitely tastes like rice. Do not expect a cow milk type milk and you will like it too.

8. Soy Milk. Another controversial milk since a lot of people are becoming concerned over the pervasivenes of soy in our diets. There is also conflicting information out there on the role of plant-based estrogens (phyto-estrogens) in our diet, versus animal or human-based estrogens. Again, you either love or hate soy milk. Vilified as, 'beany', and true for some varieties. I personally like the Organic Valley Soy milks and these were the varieties we brought to our milk bar ( http://www.organicvalley.coop/ ). Obviously Organic Valley is a certified organic brand, which means no chemicals and prudent land-management practices. The biggie however, is no GMO soy beans (genetically modified organisms). No "Frankenfoods" here. A good, heavy, creamy milk. We have Original, Original Unsweetened, Chocolate, and the Silk Brand Lite-Chocolate. Silk is not organic, but the soybeans are responsibly sourced from non-GMO crops ( http://www.silksoymilk.com/ ).

Until next time, what's your milk moustache made of? Whoop-di-doo, Andy.

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