Graduate School Isn’t For Everyone

Now this first question is critical before considering going back to school. Do you really want to go? First, do you have the drive and determination to do homework again (if you take your work home with you…this may not be so different). Second, do you have adequate experience in the field to bring a working perspective to the classroom and your learning? Now this is something that is underrated in many graduate programs, but knowing your field, the players, and how it presently works can help you get a lot more out of school than if you are fresh out of…well, school. Lastly, will having your graduate degree position you to get jobs that you really want? Masters are typically for people who still want to work with other people, but require a specialized knowledge in a particular field. PhDs will typically place you in more Siloed environments that depend largely on knowledge  and academics (not in all cases of course). Now some graduate degrees will overqualify you for positions, others will prepare you for them, so knowing the level, not necessarily the position, that you want to work at and grow from can help you decide.

Now those words of caution out of the way, graduate school can be a phenomenal learning adventure for people of all ages, and help propel you into your career and life goals.

Graduate School Rankings for MBAs, The Social Way

So who is really doing what? How do I pick a good school? What if I want the University’s values system to match my own? Well, if you are looking into MBAs then check out the Aspen Institutes Rankings titled “Beyond Grey Pinstripes“. They rank schools by relevant courses, student exposure, for-profit impact, and faculty research. So you can get a glimpse into the more “social responsibility” aspects of the schools and know what they are noted for with a few clicks of a button (and lots of search features). This is one of the few social rankings developed for graduate schools, so MBA perspectives should definitely give this the once over. There are other rankings available for other disciplines through various bodies, but this was the only site that focused on lifelong learning to prepare students for their whole career.

MBAs are Good, MFAs are Good, and M.#$@s are Good Too

In Daniel Pink’s Book, A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, he stated that MBAs were a thing of the past and MFAs and other Masters Degrees are just as valuable at today’s top organizations. So don’t feel like an MBA is your only option if you are more creatively inclined. This book speaks about the transitions that our society has undergone over the course of civilization. Our latest phase ruled by the Knowledge Worker (think IT development and the like) is now being shipped overseas and can be replicated by computers and the life, so it is pushing us into a new phase ruled by the Conceptual Worker. These workers are more artistic, intuitive, and creative with skills that cannot be exported or replicated. So follow your instincts, not the market if you are considering going back to school.

There are also a great deal of certificate programs, executive education programs, and other untraditional graduate-level learning courses available that are worth looking into if the ‘piece of paper’ isn’t the main thing you are after.

Why all this talk about school?

Because today’s economic climate has resulted in a huge spike in returning students with no where else to turn. With such high rates of unemployment, many people are seeking the X Factor skills, the skills that will make them invaluable and in-disposable within an organization. Yet being sure that your skills, your passion, and your gut instinct are all aligned for this major decision is important, otherwise you could become just another MBA graduate who is overqualified for entry-level work, underqualified as a mid-career professional, and perfectly qualified for Knowledge Worker ‘work’ that has already been shipped overseas.

So proceed with caution, passion, and a whole lot of instinct. Best of luck to all currently in graduate school, those considering going, and those who have made it through! And remember that social values, environmental justice, and economic equity are not so far off for some ‘business’ schools out there, so take time to find just the right match to lead you toward your goals.

The thing that bothers me the most about this study is that it really has nothing pertaining to organic products.  I think this study reflects more on the way we read labels.  All nutritional information is clearly labeled on the packaging of every products.  If a consumer incorrectly reads the label, then I think that is the fault of the consumer.  The product by no means changed the nutritional label to deceive consumers.

It’s a shame that organic products could be taking a hit because of this study.  The use of deceiving labels is used by all products and there is no reason that organic products should have been singled out.  I bet you if a product had said “All-Natural” or a similar claim, there would have been similar results.

What are you thoughts of this study?

The listings are first by State and then by County, so you can plan for trips or find somewhere right in your own City. They provide a brief write-up, contact information, and hours if applicable to help you plan your “U-Pick” adventure. If you know of any great You Pick farms that aren’t listed, you can submit new listings right on their website. And make sure you check out those descriptions, you might find some added bonuses like hay rides, corn mazes, and other fun farm surprises.

Find a Pick Your Own farm near you!

(Photo Credit)

Photo by lapomme.

Get your Groove on! There are forms of exercise that speak to each of us. Whether it is becoming a top triathlete or showing the World your crazy dance moves, we all have a work out groove. The good news comes a plenty when it comes to exercising. First, when we exert physical energy we get endorphins in return, which makes us happier people. Second, exercising can be a social event, meaning making more friends, meeting more people, and gaining a larger sense of community. And what better news is there than to know that some health care providers will reward you for your physical activity prowess? From discounted rates to free gym membership, health care providers are jumping on board with healthy and active lifestyles.

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry. Our food choices dictate a great deal about how we feel, how we interact with others, and just how long and healthy our lives will truly be. Now you don’t have to become a local, seasonal, organic fanatic like myself to make a very positive change in your eating habits. First, stay away from processed food as much as possible. Why? Because the additives can be quite harmful. From carcinogens to things that are just plain hard to digest. Processed food comes from machines, not nature, meaning that our bodies may or may not be adapted to digest and utilize the food’s nutrients. Next, try to cut out as much Fast Food as possible. You can go so far as to join the Slow Food Movement or you can simply plan ahead and pack a lunch. This easy step will save you money first of all. It may not seem like it at first, but spending money on a meal versus money on versatile ingredients for several different meals can make a difference. It also spares you from the global supply chain of food. Food that is transported from long-distances or stored for long periods of time lose their nutrients quickly, so by the time they reach your plate you are getting half or less of the original plant nutrients. This partnered with a good glass of local or fair trade wine will make you quite merry and healthy indeed, just ask the French.

Live a Long and Happy Life. You may think that the span of your life is beyond your control. Which of course to an extent is true. Yet studies, like the one recently completed in Italy, found that the more strenuous exercise an individual participates in, the longer their body is able to survive. Essentially, cells in our body die at a very rapid and common rate. Getting a good work out that makes you sweat actually keeps some cells from dyeing, meaning that your body and its health are preserved longer. This partnered with good eating habits that make nutrients readily available for your system to take in and utilize will make you one healthy machine. And if that doesn’t make you happy, then consider this:

Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.
~Abraham Lincoln

So get your exercise groove on, especially with the advent of beautiful weather. Partner that with some delicious, healthy, and fresh food along with a glass of wine and enjoy life!

As a food critique for the day, I wanted to uncover how a hippster restaurant presented their week of Farm to Table meal offerings. Could they jumpstart people into thinking more about where their food comes from outside of the grocery store? Would it encourage a localized change in the hip crowd’s diet? Would organic food grow in demand so much that the local farms wouldn’t be able to keep up? I had to know.

So I dressed in my hippiest of clothes, wrangled in a few friends who enjoy a good meal, and sat down to see what incredible things would unfold before my eyes…

First, they handed us menus, regular menus. Then upon looking at the reservation the hostess casually asked “you’re here for the farm thingy, arent’ you?” Hmm, not the inspired tone I was hoping for, but I smiled and said yes. She dug out some “special menus” just for us.

First Internal Question: Why were we the only ones graced with the Farm to Table menu? Why weren’t there big letters on their artsy chalkboards proclaiming that this week was Farm to Table week, and by goodness Earth Day too? Why wasn’t everyone given this oh-so-special menu when they sat down?

Hold it in. I’m sure she’s new! That’s why, she just didn’t know, and even though Earth Day is, well tomorrow, I am sure they meant to write something special on the chalkboards in celebration of this monumental event of our Earth. But you know how life gets away from us sometimes.

I perused the delicious menu for Farm to Table items, vegetables and pork and even a little chocolate bread pudding at the end. What to choose? The waitress informed me that I wouldn’t have to choose, you either get the whole Farm to Table meal or you don’t. Well, that was easy, I guess. So began our three course meal! Of course, I wanted to know where a few things were from, and if they were organic or just local. So I asked the waitress a question or two. She suddenly became a deer in headlights, not quite sure why I would ever want to know the answer to these questions. Apologetically, she said she could ask. They didn’t have much of an answer. So much for knowing your farmer.

Second Question: If you were hosting a Farm to Table meal, and someone called ahead to tell you that they had been asked to write about it, would you prepare your staff? Would you prepare your staff even if someone didn’t tell you they were going to write about it?

So my hopes of learning about the journey of our food was slightly deflated, but I would not be let down. I came here to eat deliciously local fresh food, and I plan on doing just that. And it is a good thing too, because it was “delectable” as food critique, Nick, would say. We kicked things off with a micro-salad of greens we couldn’t identify, and let’s be honest the waitress had had about enough of my “outlandish” questions regarding food sources, so we let it remain a surprise. Round two came in with a hot plate of potatoes, pork, and some garnish. It disappeared instantly. Then the final round rang in as my personal favorite, a chocolate bread pudding. How was it local and/or sustainable? Not a clue, and they didn’t seem to know either.

Third Question: Would you use beauty, in any form, to disguise a lack of knowledge?

No, I am not addressing Hollywood. Honestly, I was disappointed that the restaurant was able to garner free press for something they had not taken time to promote internally. The food was in fact delicious. Where it came from, it’s story, or why the restaurant wanted to participate in the Farm to Table week across the City, an absolute mystery.

Mystery Diner #1 (aka Nick) Rating: 3.5 Stars
Mystery Diner #2 (aka Irish) Rating: 4 Stars
Mystery Diner #3 (aka Yours Truly) Rating: 3 Stars

Knowing how to cook food is one thing, and an admirable thing. Knowing where your food comes from, now that really is something. Something so special that I don’t take it for granted, and am disappointed when others do.

So instead of ending on a sad note, let’s move forward with how we can help champion the local food movement:

1) Ask your favorite restaurants if they do, and if they are willing to source some food locally. Connecting them to resources like Local Harvest and the Eat Well Guide along with showing them that there is demand for local food can help make eating out more sustainable.

2) Shop locally! Supporting your local farmer’s really is important, and during tough economic times, keeping money circulating in your local economy becomes increasingly important. For every $1 spent at a local business, 68 cents or more stays in that local economy.

3) Do not be fooled by “fancy talk”. I went in hoping for the best, and left feeling like I had a lot of work to do if I truly do want to be the change I hope to see in this World. Holding these companies accountable is important though. I later contacted the manager to review the experience with her in place of causing a scene at the restaurant. My hope is that dialogue, in place of dissapointment, will help them move forward.

Now I spoke with other Farm to Table restaurant goers who attended known eco-friendly restaurants, and their reviews were off the charts. It looks like mainstream restaurants have a lot to learn from their sustainable neighbors. Onwards with our own efforts to make dining, and food, a cultural experience once again.

A big and special thanks to Nicole, the Community Food Security Coalition, and the movie FRESH for all of their efforts to create communities of action nationwide.

This study that was funded by the U.K Food Standards Agency, was conducted on foods grown over the last 50 years.  It concluded that produce grown organically and conventionally have comparable contents of many major vitamins and minerals include nitrogen, vitamin c, magnesium, potassium and more.  In meats, there was no difference in any nutritional content.  This is another blow for organic products because of the bad press already receive in America for allowing non-organic ingredients to be used in something labeled organic.

Many US food organizations think that the studies our outdated and newer studies show that there is in fact a difference between the two.  Regardless of the nutritional content, I think that many people buy organic foods because they were not treated with pesticides or dangerous chemicals like conventionally grown foods usually are.  It gives people a feeling that they are putting foods into their body that they know are safe to eat.

I decided to do a quick poll to determine how you feel about this study.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Photo by astralpup.

All About Oatmeal

Oats are the basis of making oatmeal which is a type of cereal grain grow specifically for its seed. Oats can grow in conditions that other crops just cannot survive. In order to get a product that can be consumed by humans, the outer hull must be removed. The result is the inner part of the oat that is called an oat groat. These oat groats are processed further to get all of the oat products that we have available on the market today.

Steel Cut Oats

Steel cut oats are simply oat groats that have been cut up into several smaller pieces which look similar to rice. They require a longer period of time to cook, normally around 30 – 45 minutes because they are more dense. Steel cut oats are less processed and thus contain some of the oat bran still intact.

Rolled Oats

Just as the names suggests, rolled oats are flattened oats by steaming and rolling oat groats. Rolled oats are the typical Quaker Oats “Old Fashion” variety of oats, but usually don’t contain much if any of the oat bran. This allows for a much quicker cooking time, usually 5-10 minutes.

Quick Oats

These are simply rolled oats that have been cut up and steamed to allow for a quicker cooking time. Quick oats often are used in “Instant” varieties and should be avoided. These instant products usually have added sugar and other ingredients that don’t add anything to your oatmeal.

Which variety to buy is up to you, but just know that rolled and steel oats are the most nutritious.

Health Benefits

Oats contain high levels of many nutrients including magnesium, selenium, protein and high levels of fiber. One of the major benefits to eating oatmeal on regular basis is to prevent heart disease, diabetes as well as lower cholesterol levels. Oats in particular contain high levels of a particular type of fiber that has been shown to lower cholesterol levels and help prevent heart disease. They also contribute to stabilizing blood sugar levels which can really help people with type 2 diabetes.

Buying Bulk Oats

Most people usually buy the small packets of instant oats because they cook within minutes and are sweeter. These types of oats are not only more expensive, but they are contain large amounts of unnecessary sugar. On top of that, those packets are so tiny that I just don’t know how anybody would be filled by eating such a small amount ( but that’s just me ).

The best way to buy oats is in bulk quantities and avoiding instant varieties to maximize nutritional benefit and minimizing cost. Whether you buy in bulk bins at many natural food stores or buying bulk at wholesale stores like Costco or BJs, you will be saving. I want to do a quick cost comparison to find out how much you could possibly save when purchasing bulk over instant packets.

A typical box of instant oatmeal costs approximately $3 for 10 packets weighing about 13 ounces, making each packet cost about $.30. When you buy oatmeal from bulk bins or wholesale stores, you usually get get it for under $1 a pound. That makes the savings for a pound of oatmeal in bulk bins verses the small packets at $2 per pound. Imagine the savings if you go through the small packets of oatmeal and especially if you have kids. Say you buy a package of 10 oatmeal packets every week. You could save over $100 just off of this simple change. Even if you add in other ingredients to flavor up the oatmeal, you will still be saving huge. In addition, you can control how much of the ingredients you put in your oatmeal.

Those instant packets can be convenient especially if you are constantly on the run or like taking them to work. Why not make your own? It’s really simple. Just take the rolled oats you bought and put them in a reusable container or zip-lock back and put in any dry ingredients you want to flavor the oatmeal with.

Storing

Be sure to store oatmeal in a tight sealed container to make sure that it does not go rancid, especially when buying large quantities. They can keep fresh for about 2 months.

Recipes

There are many ways you can cook up your own oatmeal and I wanted to share what I put in mine every morning.

Banana Nut Oatmeal

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Few drops of vanilla
• 1/2 banana
• Handful of walnuts or your favorite type of nut.

Over medium-high heat, bring the milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon to a boil. Add the oats once boiling and cook for approximately 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Either cut up or mash the banana and put into oatmeal after complete. Top with nuts.

You can also make this in the microwave that will have a slightly shorter cooking time.

Share your recipes

Please share all of your oatmeal recipes.