Scott Horsfall is Chief Executive Officer of the California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement (LGMA). The LGMA verifies that Californias handlers of lettuce, spinach and other leafy green products are following a set of accepted food safety standards on the farm. The LGMA was formed in February of 2007, and Horsfall joined the organization in May of that year as its first CEO. From 2002 through 2006 Horsfall was CEO of the Buy California Marketing Agreement, the organization designed to promote sales and consumption of locally-grown produce. Joining the California Grown campaign as Chief Operations Officer in 2002, Horsfall oversaw the creation of its marketing programs, and was promoted to CEO in 2003.

Prior to joining California Grown, Horsfall was President of the California Kiwifruit Commission (CKC), a position he held from 1997 to 2002. The CKC implements marketing and research programs on behalf of the states 400+ kiwifruit farmers.

Horsfall began his career in California agriculture with the California Table Grape Commission, Fresno, CA, where he served most recently as Vice President, International Marketing. At the CTGC, Horsfall oversaw an annual $3.5 million export promotion program. During his tenure grape exports increased over 600% in 14 years. He has served on several industry boards and committees. He served as chairman of the United States Agricultural Export Development Council (USAEDC), was a member of the Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee (ATAC) for fruits and vegetables and is a past chairman of the Produce Marketing Associations International Trade Conference.

Horsfall has a MA in international relations from California State University/Fresno and a BA in communications from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

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In Move to Expand into Organic Food, Campbell's Buys Pacific Foods - FoodSafetyTech (blog)

In case there are any doubts left after the recent jump into 100-plus-degree weather, summer is officially here. Fortunately, the heat is accompanied by the bounty of the Yakima Valley: cherries, berries, peaches, apricots, hops and all the rest.

With the abundance of produce, another question arises: Buy organic or not?

Reasons for eating organic vary from person to person, but they generally focus on personal health and safety and environmental sustainability. And organic production continues to increase worldwide, with Washington state making a strong showing: The state accounted for more than 90 percent of all U.S. organic apples and sweet cherries produced in 2015, along with more than 80 percent of organic pears.

But growers and agricultural experts say there are some common misconceptions about what organic truly means.

Organic production has a lot of benefits, yet it does not completely ensure that the product is food safe, said Mike Roy, president of operations at Roy Farms, which has 450 acres of organic hops, apples and blueberries.

For smart, safe grocery shopping, here are some facts about organic production, focusing on produce.

PERCEPTION: Organic produce is perfectly safe to eat, as is.

REALITY: Organic production really addresses pesticide and herbicide residue levels, Roy said. However, many environmental factors are still out of farmers control: A lot of these things like listeria outbreaks, E. coli, salmonella those arent necessarily addressed through organic certification.

The risk of pathogens affects organic and conventional produce.

One of the things to keep in mind on all fresh produce is, theres no kill step. None of the produce is cooked, as opposed to meat, which is usually heated to high enough temperatures to kill nasty bacteria, said Jon DeVaney, president of the Washington Tree Fruit Association.

Fruits and vegetables are grown out of doors ... they sit in open bins at the store, where people handle them, he said. The expectation should never be that fruits and apples are completely devoid of bacteria. You should always wash your food.

As for which products are best to eat organic, thats a personal preference, local growers say.

Theres a popular dirty dozen list that grades foods on how contaminated they are, though its decried by conventional produce growers.

Many consumers make choices based on a foods protective skin, says David Granatstein, sustainable agriculture specialist with the Washington State University Extension in Wenatchee.

The core purchasers of organic food only buy organic products; if they dont have an organic option, they usually wont buy that product, Granatstein said.

But another group of purchasers does more of a risk-assessment process when deciding, he said: If theyre buying a banana, the risk of pesticide residue after they peel it seems much smaller than the risk on a bell pepper, for example.

Customers also consider how much of a product theyre consuming, and whos eating it: If youre feeding yourself versus your 2-year-old baby, you may have a very different process, he said.

PERCEPTION: Organic farms dont use pesticides or chemicals.

REALITY: Everything is made up of chemicals water, air, beer, chocolate.

The National Organic Program keeps a National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances for organic crops and livestock, which can change from year to year.

Generally speaking, organic production uses nonsynthetic or natural substances and prohibits synthetic products, but there are some exceptions for specific uses as long as the substances do not contribute to contamination of crops, soil or water.

A few of those synthetic exceptions are chlorine-based products, copper sulfate, lime sulfur and peracetic acid.

While organic farms are careful to apply only approved substances, they are vulnerable to pesticide drift from other farms, even from far away.

A farmer could be spraying pesticides 200 miles away, but if the winds are right, it could end up being rained onto an organic field, contaminating the crop.

They have allowance for that, Granatstein said. Unless you live in a bubble, in a greenhouse, youre out in the real world. You cannot guarantee 100 percent protection.

Instead of conventional insecticides, farms may employ predators to take care of nuisance insect populations: Roy said their farms have released lacewings, predatory mice and ladybugs, as well as hawks to go after birds that eat the blueberries.

Fun tidbit about the ladybugs: While they do help get rid of aphids, Roy said they also farm aphids, keeping the population at a certain level to maintain their food source. For that reason, Roy Farms had to fire ladybugs as crop protectors.

PERCEPTION: Organic means small mom-and-pop operations

REALITY: Often, but not always. Organic farms come in all sizes, including big industrial operations, just like conventional farms.

As of January, Yakima County was home to nearly 100 certified-organic farms, orchards and ranches producing certified-organic crops or animal products, according to the state Department of Agriculture.

Of those, 60 were listed with less than 30 acres of organic production, including 27 with less than 10 acres. A few even reported less than 1 acre.

On the other hand, 23 Yakima County farms were listed at more than 150 acres each. Zirkle Fruit reported more than 3,200 total acres of organic crops spread among 10 ranches.

In 2015, organic farms in Yakima County reported $55.9 million in sales, up 36 percent from 2013, according to Washington State University data.

Achieving organic certification is at least a three-year process, as fields and orchards must go exactly three years without being sprayed with non-approved pesticides or herbicides before the crop can be considered organic.

Growers have to submit a detailed plan to the U.S. Department of Agricultures National Organic Program citing which substances they will use on their crops, making sure they comply with national regulations.

One aspect of organic farming that is now being adopted by mainstream farming is its lessons in soil health and sustainability, Granatstein said.

Organic systems tend to store more carbon in the soil, he said, which is good for the soil and the atmosphere; and there tends to be greater biodiversity in organic systems.

Climate resilience farms are able to weather adverse conditions, drought or flood, he said. All the extremes tend to be buffered when you do improve the soils.

Thats where much of Roys interest lies: The environmental benefits of organic systems, and ways to go beyond purely organic systems to achieve even greater balance and sustainability.

Organic certification doesnt look at energy use or carbon footprint, Roy said.

I do think theres a better undefined system that needs to be fleshed out in future years, he said. Something that is truly sustainabile for the environment and for production.

Link:

Digging deeper into organic produce myths vs. reality - Yakima Herald-Republic

By MIKE HIBBARD

mhibbard@fltimes.com

PENN YAN There were 392 certified organic farms in New York state in 2005.

That number had jumped to 1,050 by 2015, and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer said there are certainly more today as consumer demand continues to increase for organically grown food.

While Schumer applauded that exponential growth during a visit to Penn Yan on Friday, he said that demand has created an issue that is hurting local and New York farmers organic fraud.

Organic farming is a great industry, but its under threat. Like every industry, you are finding people who want to cut corners, Schumer said at the Birkett Mills, which has been in business since the late 1700s and milling organic grain for about 20 years. That is what we are finding now.

Schumer was joined by Penn Yan and Yates County officials, Birkett Mills staff including company President Jeff Gifford, and local organic farmers. Together they called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to work with the Office of the Inspector General to immediately address organic fraud.

Schumer pointed to the efforts of Klaas and Mary-Howell Martens, pioneers in New York state organic farming who started the movement about 20 years ago in the Penn Yan area. They own Lakeview Organic Grain and attended Fridays event.

Birkett Mills has been around since 1797, when George Washington was president. A lot of our farmers depend on Birkett Mills, he said. Klaas and Mary-Howell Martens are like the George Washingtons of organic farmers in the Finger Lakes.

Agriculture is the backbone of upstate New Yorks economy. Increasingly, organic produce and products are becoming lucrative for producers across Yates County, enabling them to bring jobs and investments to the region. But these producers are threatened by foreign imports that illegally mislabel products and undermine New Yorks farmers. I am demanding that the USDA redouble their efforts and work to stop these producers in their tracks, Schumer added. Consumers must know that when they purchase a product that says certified organic, that they are getting what they paid for. The threat of phony organics entering our domestic market could undermine that confidence.

Schumer pointed to last months Washington Post investigative piece that revealed proof of fraudulent grain shipments being sold in the United States. The report exposed a shipment of 36 million pounds of non-organic soybeans and corn shipped from Ukraine and Turkey to California that were illicitly labeled as USDA organic when they reached the U.S.

The scam reportedly boosted soybean prices by $4 million, while deceiving American consumers and hurting U.S. organic producers. Of the 36 million pounds, more than 21 million pounds had already reached farms and mills by the time authorities acted.

Schumer added that the USDA is aware of dozens of overseas producers who are putting fraudulent organic certificates on their products and selling them at inflated prices. At least two of them are Chinese.

Someone slapped an organic sticker on these products and no one caught it. If consumers stop trusting the organic label, this whole industry here is in jeopardy, he said. There are consumers who buy organic products, like my daughter, who believe in them. USDA is supposed to be the cop on the beat, but they havent been doing enough. Its time for USDA to strengthen its oversight.

According to the 2014 USDA Organic Census, New York state is the third largest state in the nation in the number of organic farms, fourth in the number of organic farm acres and seventh in annual sales. Schumer said the USDAs efforts have not stemmed the tide of non-organic imports and the agency must work with the Office of Inspector General to determine new, innovative ways to address the issue.

Since the 1990 passage of the Organic Foods Production Action, the USDA has had the sole responsibility of certifying that products grown domestically and internationally meet organic standards. When a product is labeled organic, that means that farmers produce the food with methods that maximize soil health, conserve water and reduce air pollution.

Certified organic farms cannot use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or hormones.

Read the original here:

Fighting organic fraud - Finger Lakes Times

Stress and anxiety can strike almost everyone at some time or another and this can be made worse bynot getting enough sleep, having unwanted thoughts, and by having the wrong mindset.

Stress creates a surge of hormones in your body, which then causes your body to produce cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones will help you deal with any pressure or threats and this response is known as theflight or fight response.

The adrenaline that is produced will cause your heart rate to rise, as well as your blood pressure and you will have extra energy.

Cortisol is the stress hormone and will temporarily increase energy by triggering the release of glucose into the bloodstream, which will help you to fight or flight.

As your body responds to stress, it will regulate itself so that your hormone levels fall and with it, your heart and blood pressure will go back to normal.

We actuallyneed some stress on a daily basis, because it is actually what motivates us. However, when there is too much or too little stress, it can become a problem.

If you lack of stress, then your body will be under-stimulated and on the other hand, if you have too much stress then stress hormones will constantly be released. These can cause headaches, high blood pressure, and stomach issues. Having too much stress can also increase the risk of stroke or heart attack.

Not only are therephysical problems caused by stress, it can also cause mental issues like depression, anxiety, anger and more.

What Can Relaxation Do?

There is something called therelaxation response, which is a state of deep rest that has been designed to change our physical and emotional responses to stress.

With relaxation, we are able to reduce the stress that we feel, which will then counteract the effects of stress like anxiety.

The relaxation response will also help to lower your blood pressure, improve blood circulation; lower your heart rate and more. It will also give you a better sense of well-being.

However, triggering therelaxation response is not always that easy, but here are proven ways that you can relax and fight the effects of stress.

Proven Ways to Relax

If you are looking forways to relax, then take a look at these great ideas, which will help to trigger the relaxation response and will also help to lift any stress that you may have.

Buy a Plant

Nature is able to improve our well-being and having a little green around can actually improve our moods. House plants will help to purify the air and also calm you down. Just being around plants can help induce the relaxation response.

Turn Your Screens Off Before You Go to Bed

Your melatonin production is affected by TV and computer screens, which will in turn mess with your sleep. You should thenavoid screens before you go to bed, so that you can get into a better sleep rhythm and getting a good nights sleep will also help you to feel more relaxed and refreshed.

Listen to Classical Music

Any music that you love will automatically make you feel better, but classical music will help to slow your heart rate, decrease your stress levels and lower your blood pressure. So, put on some Mozart or try Weightless by Marconis Union, which is thought to be the most relaxing song.

Drink Green Tea

Green tea contains L-theanine, which reduces stress. And by adding honey, you can counteract free radicals and reduce inflammation.

Make Yourself Laugh

You can watch a funny movie; have a fun time with a friend or anything that makes you laugh. Laughter is a great stress buster and those that chuckles have lower levels of cortisol, which will then increase the response to stress.

Have a Piece of Chocolate

A piece of dark chocolate can help with stress, as it releases the happy chemicals, which are called beta endorphins.

Try Yoga

Yoga is a great stress reliever because it involves controlled breathing, as well as exercise. Also, there are poses that will relax your muscles to help reduce depression, anxiety, and tiredness.

Have a Banana

Potassium helps to regulate blood pressure and some may find it beneficial to eat a banana when they are stressed. It will help you recover from stress more quickly.

Practice Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is still being studied in terms of its benefits, but there are many essential oils that will help you to relax and combat stress. You can diffuse essential oils via a burner or you can create a room mist or body spray. Another great way to use essential oils is in a bath. Of course, soaking in a bath anyway is relaxing.Recommending an oil or two for relaxation is easy as there are so many. You can try rose, lavender, chamomile, vanilla, or geranium.

Chew Gum

Chewing gum can lower cortisol and improve your mood. In times of multi-tasking, it can improve your alertness and reduce your stress.

Exercise

Exercise is agreat stress buster as your body will release mood elevating hormones like endorphins and in return, reduce cortisol and adrenaline.

There are a number of ways that you can relax and relaxation is a must to be able to combat too much stress. You need to be able to reduce your stress and relax for your own physical and mental well-being. What do you do to relieve stress?

Read more here:

You Get Stressed If You Don't Rest: The Science Behind Relaxation and Anxiety - AlterNet

Mysuru, July 10:- Science Ashram, a city-based hands-on science education centre is conducting Young Innovator Hunt 2.0 shortly.

The first Young Innovator Hunt(YIH) was conducted last year and students from National Public School, Excel Public School,Pushkarni,Podar Intl. School, SVEI , Hari Vidyalaya, Acharya Vidya Kula, Rotary Brindavan, TLC, East West InternationalSchool, JSS Public Schools and a few government schools in and around Mysore city participated.

Like last year, this year too, Science Ashram has posed a scenario from Anglo-Mysore War II, wherein a British battalion was defeated.

The primary reason this battle was won was because of the scientific approach towards problem-solving and high order thinking skills used. This reasoning of Tippu Sultan gave rise to missile technology.

NASA has displayed a painting of this battle scene in their centre in the US. This was recognized by late Dr Abdul Kalam at Wallops Flight Facility, the base for NASAs Sounding Rocket Programme. The participants will be narrated this story and will be asked to devise an innovative solution assuming that they are in the times of Tippu Sultan and are fighting against the British from the island town of Srirangapatnam.

This type of problem/scenario-based question is known as project based learning. It creates immense curiosity-making children self-directed learners.

Each participant, as a token of appreciation, is given a fidget spinner from Science Ashram. The winnersare given an opportunity to visit ISRO and HAL along with the Science Ashram team. Interested Schools may contact Science Ashram: 99808 78105 or [emailprotected] (MR/KK).

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Science Ashram to hold Young Innovator Hunt 2.0 - citytoday

This desire to visit India wasnt terribly original for me. I had watched the movieEat, Pray, Loveand read the book (twice). There is a scene where Julia Roberts character says to her friend (and I paraphrase): I used to have a hunger for my life. And its just gone.

It didnt take much more than that to set me off on a quest to find that hunger again lest I forget that I was hungry at all. At first I cried. A lot. And then I booked the very next flight I could, visa permitting, to Mumbai.

But nothing can prepare you for India. No guidebook, no expert traveller advice, no hazmat suit, and definitely no cognitive processing. India is all about heart and being with your true feelings. We are readying for landing and the plane is circling the great city of Mumbai (or Bombay, if youre with Salman Rushdie). The night is dark. The world is different here. Its magical. I cant touch it. I cant describe it, but I can feel it.

I gather my small bag and hop into the nearest yellow-and-black rickshaw. Without a word, the driver takes off, dashing through the crowds of people, the dust and the life I have just uncovered. As we bounce over potholes, the Bollywood jingles amplify as the stereo underneath me vibrates. The gods are all with us tiny statues of Ganesh (my elephant friend) and Hanuman (my monkey friend) stare at me from the dashboard. Theyre crowned with flowers and shiny raffia, which creates some kind of talisman that will either make us drive faster or protect us from crashing. Perhaps both?

The next few days flash by as I immerse myself in the local culture. Roaming the streets of Mumbai, I feast at street carts frequented by the locals. I visit a movie house to see a new Bollywood dancing hit we stand to the national anthem before the showing. I walk along the citys beaches and promenades, and ride on Parmarth Niketan Ashram the back of strangers motorbikes in the organised chaos of the city. Its humid, but the wind from the ocean finds you when you need it most.

A quick flight to Dehradun airport, north of New Delhi, delivers the quiet mountain life. Stillness after the hustle and bustle of the city. I take a taxi to Rishikesh, to be found in an area called Swargashram, which means heavenly abode. Then the river, the great Mother Ganges, is what first comes into sight, its eternal movement evident, the giving of life obvious. I walk over the bridge cautiously, and follow the signs that read Parmarth Niketan Ashram.

Founded in1942 by Pujya Swami Shukdevanandji Maharaj, the ashram attracts people from all over the world, but locals too. Everyone has a single goal, much like my own: the need to take stock of their lives.

The pink palace invites you in with a giant statue of Shiva (in male destroyer form), sitting up straight in the water, facing the ashram, as if always in meditation. I check into the ashram, as you would a hotel. I have a shower in my basic, clean, room. I attend ayogaclass with a man thats over 100 years old, doing gentle asanas. I sit cross-legged on the floor in a communal dining hall, eating dinner with my right hand. I dream of the gods.

Mornings start with a yoga class before light comes to the ashram. In the semi-darkness, I walk to the big halls with their cold floors, to set up yoga mats for the other students and my teacher. Its aboutholding the position, and doing the ultimate mind work.

Meditationand chanting (in Hindi) are practised to learn to shut off the senses and go straight to the heart the head needs to be absent. The hardest part of my day is right here, of course. Body and mind have been taken care of nurtured, if you will. And therefore its time to rest the eyes, to allow the mind to process all of this newfound wisdom.

The days dont vary much, and this is the point. Your day, without your phone or even a book, becomes a rhythm. Your body carries you. Eventually my heart starts to open, my mind is clear.

I spend a few weeks, enjoying my day-to-day existence and finding pleasures in small, almost menial things, such as my daily seva (cleaning as service to others) of washing yoga mats and sweeping. I feel a deep sense of peace. It doesnt come cheap: silencing the monkey chatter of my mind has come at the price of early mornings, hard studying (which includes letting go of so many of my Western ideals), and endless yoga andbreathing(pranayama) classes that arent easy.

I run into the ashrams director one morning and beam as I share how content I feel and how happy I am. She smiles quietly at me. Well, she says. Its easy here at the ashram. What else are you going to do?

At first I am stunned. Easy? This?

And then she adds: When you leave next week and go back into the real world, that is when the work starts. Off with my egos head.

She tells me to stand in the freezing-cold water of the Great Ganga that moves down the Himalayas at a rather rapid pace, until I let everything that ever held me back from my truth completely go.

Wearing just my underwear, I stand in the water meditating. I stand for a long time. A. Very. Long. Time. I lose myself, my ego, my religion, and every judgment I have ever had about myself. I watch with my minds eye as the water takes it all away. I emerge from the water next to the statue of Shiva (now my mirror). I am no longer the version of myself I held so dear. I am no longer the persona of myself. I emerge with a hunger for this life and I am finally a witness. A witness of myself.

Book accommodation and yoga programmes online at the ashrams website:www.parmarth.com.

From Johannesburg and Cape Town, Turkish Airways flies via Istanbul to Delhi (with a quick hop to Dehradun). For more information and to book flights, tryturkishairlines.com.

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I Went Back To The Motherland For A Yoga Retreat Nothing Could Prepare Me For This - Longevity LIVE

A group of Muslim women led by social activist Nazneen Ansari sought blessings of Baba Balakdas, Chief priest of Patalpuri Mutt here, on the occasion of Guru Purnima on Sunday. The women offered a flower and angvastram to Baba as a mark of respect to him.

Ansari along with other Muslim women, including Khursheeda, Nazma Parveen, Nargis, Shabana Bano, Nisha, Rizwana and Asman presented a copy of Aarti of Lord Ram she penned in Urdu. While other women presented angvastram to Baba.

Moreover, Guru Purnima was celebrated across the city with religious fervour. Pupils visited their respective gurus and offered prayers to them. Gurus offered blessings to their pupils. In Vidya Mutt, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati gave his blessings to devotees. At Baba Keenaram Ashram, Peethadhishwar Baba Siddharath Gautam Ramji offered blessings to the pupils.

A few foreigners too sought blessings of their gurus. The celebrations continued all through the day. The devotees from far flung areas visited their gurus. Pupils of Baba Adgadanad visited him at his ashram in Shakteshgarh. Many visited Garhwa Ashram and sought blessings of chief priest Baba Sarananand. Many others sought blessings of Sankatmochan Temple chief Vishwambhar Nath Mishra.

Original post:

Muslim women seek priest's blessings on Guru Purnima - Hindustan Times

How many of us crave for something more?

As I grow older, I am increasingly confronted with an underlying feeling of emptiness within myself.

Its often in the stillness of the night under the shadow of darkness, in the moments before going to sleep, that we become most aware of this deep emptiness. We are confronted with this feeling that there is something we are missing, a craving for something beyond our mundane lives.

In todays society, we try to fill this inner emptiness through external means. We are enamored with narratives of friends, fortune, and fame. As a result, we structure our lives to make the most money, to have the best body, to get the most attention. We even post our successes on social media in hopes of receiving external validation for that which is internally unfulfilling.

This starts when we are young. As toddlers, whenever we are cranky, fussy or sad, we are almost immediately shown TV screens and iPads, reinforcing a mentality of seeking external stimulation whenever we feel the slightest internal discomfort. Again, as we enter into adulthood, we emulate similar behaviors seeking newer jobs, cars, relationships whenever we encounter that internal dismay.

Hence, despite being in an era of all the newest advances in technologies and being part of the most connected generation, we have more than 300 million people around the world who are affected by depression. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, it is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Today we have access to all kinds of knowledge, entertainment, and external stimulation that people in the past could have only dreamed of, and yet still we remain empty and unfulfilled.

So what is it that we are missing?

Engaging purely externally, we have forgotten about the world that is within ourselves, we have forgotten the home that is within our hearts. When I first started meditating, that is the one truth that I began to realize. The emptiness that I was feeling was a craving to feel whole again, a craving to find a home within.

We may spend our entire lives trying to fulfill that craving externally, but it is one that can only be fulfilled by what we already have within ourselves.

To me, in its very essence, that is what yoga is about. In Sanskrit, the word yoga translates to union.

Union with what? With that which is within.

While so much of our lives have become externally focused, yoga is a practice and a philosophy to bring us inwards, to reunite with the original source of fulfillment within ourselves.

So, take a step with me, and try meditation as an opportunity to re-connect with yourself. Take that craving for something more and use yoga and meditation as an opportunity to step back, close your eyes, and feel whole once more.

About the Why Meditate? Series

I began to meditate over three years ago in June of 2013 and have been teaching heartfulness meditation ever since July of 2015.For over three years, Ive had people ask me about how I meditate, why I meditate, and above all, how meditation has helped me. So I am starting theWhy Meditate? Series,aseries of blogs hoping to give an introspective and versatile taste of the many answers to that very question.

To follow this series and to get future posts directly in your inbox,subscribe now!

This post was originally published on the Heartfulness Blog.

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Meditate For: Feeling Whole (Why Meditate? Series) - HuffPost

From well-known ice cream shops like Ben & Jerrys to hidden dessert gems, Athens is full of vegan desserts to indulge a sweet tooth. Vegan options within these dessert places range from fully vegan menus to rotating vegan options, which change weekly.b

The Grit is renowned for being one of the only 100 percent meat-free diners in Athens.

Within a fully decked-out display case in the front, The Grit offers vegan options such as a Chocolate Death cake, homemade strawberry and vanilla vegan ice cream, vegan cupcakes, cookies and even fruity pies such as the vegan apple lemon nut crumble.

This locally owned bakery and cafe offers in-house made vegan desserts that pair great with a fresh cup of coffee. From vegan pumpkin bread with orange frosting to gluten-free and vegan pumpkin muffins to vegan banana and walnut bread, these fresh-out-of-the-oven desserts are decadent and homey.

Not to mention five percent off items for all bikers, walkers, or bus-takers!

Vegan ice cream flavors are finally offered to us from this well-known brand.

Both P.B. & Cookies and Caramel Almond Brittle are non-dairy flavors made with almond milk.

Though the waffle and cake cones at Ben & Jerrys are not vegan, the sugar cones are. Beat the heat this summer with a milkshake with almond milk (skip the whipped cream) or a double scoop in a cup or sugar cone.

Cinnaholic is an award-winning gourmet cinnamon roll place with an entirely vegan menu.

Pick any frosting flavor from marshmallow to chai and pair that will any topping combinations you could hope for. The wide variety of toppings include options such as vegan, in-house made cookie dough, various fruits, and even Newmans Own Oreos.

Ike & Jane is a locally owned bakery and cafe that offers various vegan sweet treats.

All made from scratch, goodies like vegan zucchini bread and chocolate cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting can be snagged from this bakery. Since the vegan baker usually comes in on Thursday, a good tip is to swing by on Fridays for the most available vegan desserts.

Visit link:

Five vegan dessert spots in Athens to satisfy your sweet tooth - Red and Black

Makana Aerobics and Fitness Club (MAFC) held its second annual aerobics marathon recently. The program was well attended by aerobics clubs from districts including Alfred Nzo, Joe Gqabi, Buffalo City Metro, Chris Hani, O.R Tambo district and Amatole District. One aerobics club travelled from Bloemfontein to take part.

Sarah Baartman District was represented by Makana Aerobics and Fitness club (MAFC).

The Health and Fitness program started with a 5km fun run with the assistance of Makana Traffic officers who escorted the athletes. The fun run was followed by the eight hour aerobics marathon.

Athletes seen during the eight hour aerobics marathon. Photo: Supplied

The days programme was jointly assisted by Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Makana Municipality, Coca- Cola Company, Metropolitan Insurance Company, Pick n Pay Supermarket and other local businesses including Mfana Ndini Braai place, Nyama Rama Butchery, taxi industry.

The aerobics marathon (comprising five Hi-lo, Cater Box, Step Aerobics, Functional and Team),attracted 86 people, with 10 finishers in the fun run.

Some of athletes in the recent fun and sport. Photo: Supplied.

The event was well attended and MAFC think it served the purpose for which it was intended. We hope that next year when the event of this nature takes it will attract more enthusiasts than it did, said organiser Luzuko Mampofu.

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Eight hours of aerobics - Grocott's Mail Online