To celebrate Miradorís opening one year ago, we will be having our second annual harvest party from 2:00 to 6:00 on Saturday, September 30. There will be vegetarian food from Daydream Café, raw food provided by local raw food ìdivaî Stacie Cohen, fresh-baked whole-grain bread and drinks, all with a harvest theme and all organic.

Also, on the day of the party, all non-sale items will be 20% off.

We have received some inquiries from people in other areas of the state and country about some of our products (many of which are hard to find in chain stores), so starting sometime in early November, Mirador will have an online store.

Although there are lots of big ecommerce providers ready to offer cheap services, we have decided to go with a Bend company, Empire Net (www.empnet.com). They have been real helpful and flexible in getting us going with this venture. They are providing us with an ecommerce software package and a secure server for the ecommerce transactions.

We love our store and really enjoy our interaction with our customers, but, as most small businesses are finding out, competing against chain stores is very difficult, so we hope the added revenue we get from our online store will help keep our physical store alive.

Come visit us online at http://www.mirador-pdx.com/store starting in November!
 
 

Some months ago I received several calls from people seeking out organic cotton kitchen towels. We didnít have them but it got me thinking about the idea so I set out to find some. Easier said than done. There are organic cotton products out there, but I didnít see anyone working in the kitchen towel area. Just recently in a very round about way I was put in touch with a woman who is doing this as her business. Her company, Designer Organics, also offers organic cotton wash clothes and all of her work is very nicely done. So weíre pleased to announce that we now have organic cotton kitchen towels from $6.00 to $9.50 and wash clothes at $3.00

This search led me into some interesting sites on the internet, one of which was an The Organic Cotton Site (http:// www.simplelife. com/ organiccotton) from which Iíve taken the following:

• 25% of all pesticides globally are used on growing cotton.
• There are 400 pesticides on the market that were registered before being tested to determine if they caused cancer, birth defects or wildlife toxicity.
• It takes 10 years to ban a pesticide in the U.S. using current procedures.
• There are 107 active ingredients in pesticides found to cause cancer in animals or humans.
• Of those 107 active ingredients, 83 are still in use today.
• 14 million people in the U.S. routinely drink water contaminated with carcinogenic herbicides.
• 90% of municipal water treatment facilities lack equipment to remove these chemicals form drinking water.
• Last but not least, consider our own polluted Willamette River becoming a superfund site in part because of pesticides.

There is much more to consider on pesticides than I have room for here, but these stats alone give pause. Like so much in life, economics are at work here and the more organic cotton gets supported, the more will be grown and weíll see prices come down.

--Lynn

Mirador had its first year anniversary on July 22 and we thought it appropriate to take this column of Viewpoint to describe why we started Mirador and what we hope to accomplish.
Mirador is the culmination of many years of trying to figure out what we wanted to do ìwhen we grew upî. We both wanted to work for ourselves somehow, and we experimented with several other enterprises over the years. These enterprises lacked one thing or another, and as we did our ìtea ceremoniesî several times a week, we often discussed ideas of what to do and what it was we wanted out of a business. We realized that we had several goals that needed to be fulfilled. These are discussed below, not necessarily in order of importance.
 

• We wanted to have a retail business. We spent a lot of time (and had a lot of fun) going to the various areas in Portland that have become revitalized with lots of local businesses in the last few years and really enjoyed the variety and creativity these people put into their businesses, as well as being able to talk with the owners as we browsed. We wanted to do our share to keep and hopefully increase locally-owned businesses in the area.
• We wanted a business that could provide us with a living. We have no desire to be rich and have consciously reduced our needs and wants the last few years, so whatever business we had would not have to make a lot of money, but we do want to be able to support ourselves without the help of outside jobs.
• We wanted a business that would not sell more useless junk, but products that would enrich and empower peopleís lives in some way, and especially to help people get more connected to their Life. And we wanted a store that focused on products that we felt passionate about and reflected our interests in life.
• We wanted to be able to sell items made by independent craftspeople, as locally as possible, which supports the people making these items in their endeavor to be independent, is more environmentally friendly due to less long-distance shipping, and keeps money in the local area rather than sending it to a corporate headquarters somewhere.
• We wanted to be a business that would be a part of the community and not exist in isolation of our customers, other businesses and organizations, and the political, ethical and physical environment in which we live and work. So we wanted to create an atmosphere where people felt comfortable just hanging out and talking, or browsing through a book or magazine and sipping a cup of tea. We also wanted to support local organizations, participate in political and neighborhood issues, do our best to be good citizens of Portland, and to operate with little negative (and hopefully some positive) impact on the environment.
• We wanted an ìhonestî business; one that would treat its customers as valued equals, rather than as someone to extract money from. We wanted our customers to trust us, so we knew that we would always be truthful with our customers. We wanted them to be satisfied with what they buy and feel free to return anything that they are dissatisfied with without questions. We also wanted to extend our trust to them and not do things like asking for ID to pay by check.
• We were determined to ìhave a lifeî while running our business. We enjoyed our leisure time and, while we knew we would have to give up a lot of it to start our business, we also knew that it we had to balance the work with some play if we wanted to remain sane.
• We were determined to do without conventional financing if at all possible. Not only did we not want to give our hard-earned money to corporate banks, we also did not want the emotional burden of loan payments (we were fortunate enough to have some savings and inheritance money)
   

We realize that our goals are altruistic, many would say foolish, in this day where people who start businesses are already planning their next eight locations and go begging to venture capitalists for millions of dollars. But we have a vision for a better and more livable world and feel like instead of waiting for someone else to create it, we have to and want to do our part. And it seems to us that we need to act in accordance with our beliefs and feelings as much as we can, and to keep striving to ìwalk our talkî.

So Mirador is integrated into our livelihood, our spiritual work, our political work, our cultural work. In other words, it is part of, but not separate from, our lives as individuals and as a couple.

Or course, we have succeeded in our goals to varying degrees, but we will continue to strive to make Mirador a beneficial place for our customers, our community and us.
 

--Steve & Lynn

Mirador is very pleased to announce that on October 12 we will offer a class taught by natural foods chef and consultant Kristin Suratt. Kristin has been in the natural foods field for over 20 years and studied with the esteemed Ann Wigmore of the Hippocrates Health Institute. The class will encompass the importance of including raw and living foods in our diet, as well as basics on a number of key aspects of raw foods preparation such as sprouting, making nut and seed cheeses, pates, dips and more.

Fee for the class will be $20. It will run from 6-9 pm. Please call 503.231.5175 to preregister.

-- Lynn

Vendor Spotlight

The Trillium Artisans program promotes the economic empowerment of women and families in Outer Southeast Portland through enterprises that create meaningful work while restoring the environment. The artisans operate family friendly, home-based businesses making premium arts and crafts made from reclaimed and recycled materials.

Trillium Artisans has an innovative approach to business in that it has a triple bottom line ? it equally values it's people, the planet, and profit for all. Trillium Artisans is a program of Neighborhood Pride Team, a women-run community development corporation. The artisans are working hard to transform the program into a member-owned marketing cooperative. This integrated business approach is at the forefront of establishing sustainable local businesses in economically distressed areas. Their store is located at 9119 SE Roster Road. They are on the internet at www.trilliumartisans.org.
Mirador is pleased to be carrying some products made by the Trillium Artisans and to be working with them on developing some new ones. Come check out the great wooden toy trucks from reclaimed lumber and the lovely scented sachet ornaments.

--Lynn

Product Spotlight

Homeopathy is a bit of a mystery in terms of how it works but it is beautifully simple too. It is based on the principle of ìlike cures likeî, in other words, the very substance that in a large dose would cause a problem will in a minute dose inspire a healing reaction.

Homeopathy was developed by German physician Samuel Hahnemann 200 years ago, in an effort to offer an alternative to the bloodletting and purging going on in medicine at the time. Hahnemannís gentle therapy took hold in Europe and spread to the US where by the beginning of the 20th century there were 22 Homeopathic hospitals. This was a threat to the allopathic physicians in this country and the AMA was formed to combat the popularity. By 1940 the practice was in major decline in the US but is now going through a renaissance, and for good reason. Homeopathic remedies are very safe, virtually without side effects and are prepared from natural sources.

It has been said that the Homeopathic remedy of Arnica has done more to publicize Homeopathy than any other remedy. It has been very helpful to me and to some of my massage clients, so I can understand this very well. Arnica can be a remarkable aid for a number of conditions. It is particularly useful for incidents of injury and shock. Many injuries are a shock to our system; that reaction is something to contend with as well as the physical reaction, and Arnica will work on both.The first time I used Arnica it was given to me by a Osteopathic Physician because I actually had had a bad fall, right on my tail bone. It might have been a couple of weeks after the event and I was seeing her for craniosacral therapy (Iíll talk about this great therapy some other time). She suggested the Arnica and I was amazed the next day how much my discomfort had lessened. I was probably over the shock by then but I still had considerable pain and the Arnica helped.

Now if I bump into something, fall (Iím really working on not falling these days) or prior to a filling, I take my Arnica. Yes, before and after dental work, surgery, broken bones and sprains are candidates, too. Obviously for a break, youíve seen your health care provider but this is something extra you can do. Think of Arnica for trauma or overuse of muscles. In general, the sooner after an incident Arnica is used the better, but, as in my experience, it can be helpful even later.

This information is not meant to take the place of consulting with a medical practitioner.

Part of the mystery of Homeopathics is they donít always work, so at times there will be no noticeable improvement. It is certainly worth trying for situations described, easily available and inexpensive. It is one of the 20 Homeopathic remedies offered at Mirador.

--Lynn

ProductSpotlight

If you like to make desserts or baked goods with apples, youíll love the Back to Basics Apple Peeler. Not only does this tool peel apples, it also cores and slices them, all in one operation! I can prepare enough apples for apple crisp or pie in ten minutes -- and that includes preparation and clean-up! Last year we bought a bunch of freshly-harvested apples, ran them through the apple peeler, put them in the dehydrator and had several jars of delicious dried apple slices!

You just push the apple onto a pronged holder, turn the crank and three separate blades peel, core and slice the apple. The apple is actually sliced into one long spiral -- but one chop with a knife through separates the spiral into lots of half-circle slices. Or slice down one side of the apple and get circles!

This device also peels potatoes, although in my experience doesnít do as good a job (the ends donít get peeled as well) and I havenít peeled potatoes for 30 years anyway. There is also a attachment kit that will make curly fries, potato or onion rings and zucchini spirals.

--Steve

Book Review

The authors of this book are two pierced and tattooed young women from British Columbia who have been experimenting with vegetarianism and veganism for years. The result is this book, chock full of information, recipes and vegan alternatives to traditional ingredients.

The recipes include chapters on beverages, breakfasts, soups (see recipe below), sauces, entrees, breads and desserts. There is a section on vegan ìeggsî, mayonnaise, jerky and other ìodds and sodsî. Another chapter focuses on vegan kids -- how to feed them vegan foods, recipes they can make and some just plain fun things they can do in the kitchen, such as a papier-maché. The final chapter is on natural alternatives to household cleaners, health and beauty products and pet care (including treats such as Carob-chip Oatmeal Crunchies).

This book has a lot to offer, with a lot more than just recipes in it. Our only quibble with it is that some recipes use margarine and vegetable shortening as a butter substitute; these products contain hydrogenated fats, which are extremely harmful to our bodies (try using a cold-pressed oil or a non-hydrogenated margarine like Spectrum Spread instead).

4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 butternut squash, peeled & cubed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup vegetable stock or water
5-8 tomatoes, diced
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup soy milk
In a large soup pot, sauté the garlic, ginger and squash in oil on low-medium heat until garlic is soft. Add stock, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently, until squash is soft (15-20 minutes). Blend half the vegetables with the milk in a blender. Return to soup and simmer 5 minutes more. Garnish with croutons and green onions.

--Steve

Organization Highlight

EarthSave includes people from all walks of life taking informed action to heal their lives and our planet. We encourage a responsible approach to restoring balance, kindness, and health to our society. Our mission is to promote food choices that are healthy for people and the planet. We educate, inspire and empower people to shift toward a plant-based diet and to take compassionate action for all life on earth.

The EarthSave Portland / Vancouver Chapter comes under EarthSave International, a nonprofit organization with chapters in the United States, Canada, and Australia. We believe in the power of people to change this world into a workable, sustainable and joyful place. EarthSave helps everyone contribute to the best of their ability, and share in creating a positive future. Our chapters strive to enable everyone to work together for the benefit of all.

EarthSave began as a grassroots movement. When John Robbins published Diet for a New America in 1987 he had not conceived of EarthSave. The message of Diet for a New America (and later May All Be Fed) is so profound that many readers were inspired to make a difference in their lives by making the world a more humane place and supporting each other in change. And so EarthSave was born in December, 1988, as a national clearing house for information. The first groups began forming in late 1989 in California.

Imagine a world where the land is fertile, the water is clean, the air is fresh and all are fed. In this world, nature is treated as a community, not a commodity, and our food is healthy for us as well as for the planet. We all wish for this ? but how do we get there from here? One simple step is to move toward a plant-based diet, because our food choices profoundly affect the whole web of life on Earth. The good news is that the healthiest way to eat is also the most economical, the most compassionate and the least destructive. Whatís best for us personally is also best for the planet.
EarthSave is dedicated to helping create this world by showing the powerful impacts of our ordinary eating habits, and by promoting positive alternatives. We encourage sound nutrition, conservation of resources and sustainable agriculture. We show how an animal-based diet, and the factory farming that underlies it, causes enormous resource depletion and pollution of the natural world, suffering for the animals, and danger to our own health.

We are sensitive to embracing EarthSaveís principle of inclusivity by respecting people for who they are. We do not tell them how to live their lives but let them know what concerns us and why, and share our lives as an example. We are all in this together ? all things are connected. We strive to be non-judgmental, to accept people wherever they are on the food-choice continuum, from eating a standard American meat-based diet to pure veganism. We point out that most people are in transition, wanting to make changes in their food choices.

EarthSave is an inclusive health and environmental education organization. People come to EarthSave and plant-based food choices for many reasons -- for their health, for the environment, for the animals, or for spiritual considerations. We are not a vegetarian organization. We are also not an animal rights organization. This sometimes provides a challenge, as many may feel strongly about one or more issues and wish to convince others of their views immediately. Our role, however, is to provide clear, reliable facts and information so the listeners can come to their own conclusions.
EarthSave is open to all people who embrace our basic message that what we eat affects our own health and that of the planet. We provide a safe place for everyone, no matter where they fall on the food-choice spectrum. One of EarthSaveís purposes is to empower individuals to take responsibility for their own choices. We are here to educate and support people.

For more information, visit the chapter website at http://portland.or.earthsave.org or call our answering service at 503.224.7380 to learn about our activities in this community.