 By: Amy E A few months ago I was grocery shopping in one my my favorite local grocery stores, Windfall Market, and I cam across boxes of popcorn I had never seen or heard of before. Right from the get go I was intrigued by the delicious sounding flavors I read on the boxes. I debated on whether to purchase at first because there are only 2 bags in each box and costed approx $5 in Windfall. But after reading the box and the ingredients I decided to pick up a box of the Parmesan & Rosemary Quinn Popcorn. The idea of a organic GMO free popcorn (which is hard to come by as most of our corn crops are GMO) that tasted delicious and was all around a better alternative not just for me and my family but also the environment and small business really intrigued me further! As soon as I got home, I opened the box and got it started. It is not your typical popcorn making process. You place a bag (which has no bad plastics and chemicals on it-yay!) into the microwave and popped away. When it was done I poured the expeller pressed sunflower oil into the bag. then I opened up the 2 additional smaller pouches and poured in the parmesan (from rBGH free milk) and rosemary. The Tiny One and I sat down to watch some Frozen (for the hundredth time) and enjoy our treat and boy were we surprised! This popcorn is seriously out of this world awesome! I immediately knew this was money well spent! I don't think I will ever be able to go back to eating other popcorn ever again. I returned again and again to my grocery store to pick up other flavors. During the winter frequently brought them into work with me and shared with my co-workers who LOVED them! Even my parents could not get enough and every time they visit, they almost always sneak a pack from me! Currently they have the following microwave popcorn:
And recently they added Popped popcorn (which I have not tried yet but am salivating at the thought of kale and sea salt!!! Quinn Popcorn began as a result of the two owners, a husband and wife team named Coulter & Kristy (yay mom & dad businesses!) brought their son Quinn home from the hospital. They set out on a mission to clean up the old microwave popcorns and transform into a healthy snack that people can actually feel good about! They have removed all chemical coatings from the bag so there is no PFOA, PFCs, plastic liners, etc soaking into your bloodstream or your littles. The bag is greases proof and even compostable! In terms of their ingredients they never use GMO corn, preservatives, or artificial ingredients. The popcorn is organic. The cheeses are rBGH-free. The maple comes from Vermont. The expeller pressed oils are high in omega-3′s. I haven't told you the best part yet! Knowing where your food comes from is fundamental, and it’s about time snack companies open up. At Quinn Popcorn they have decided to MAKE A STAND! You can enter your batch number of popcorn on their Farm to Bag Page to learn where each ingredient comes from. Complete transparency. This has never been done in snacking before! They want to bring you the best bag of microwave popcorn you have ever had and trust me when I say it really is! After having such a great experience with Quinn Popcorn, I reached out to the company to share with them just how much I loved it. I really wanted to be able to share with others how good it was and how much better of a alternative this snack is to the regular options of popcorn there are. I asked the company if they might be willing to send me some boxes so that I could include it in a review I was already going to do so that a lucky fan could share this life changing popcorn with me! They were happy to oblige and now ehre we are. So today we are giving away 3 boxes of Quinn Popcorn: Olive Oil & Herbs, Vermont Maple & Sea Salt, and Parmesan & Rosemary! Please make sure to visit them, connect with them, support them! Quinn Popcorn is a company that is passionate about their products and they don't sell out-we really need more people like this in the world-it gives us all hope that the future will be bright! Which flavor of Quinn Popcorn are you MOST excited to try? Quinn Popcorn Giveaway!
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 Post written by Pure Pest Management of Chatham. When enjoying the beautiful outdoors on Cape Cod, the last thing families want to deal with are pesky mosquitoes. Not only are the bites irritating and sometimes painful, but the diseases they transmit can be life threatening –especially to young children. The team at Pure realizes the importance of mosquito control, but has been concerned that the community is using chemicals and toxins that are harmful to both humans and the environment. That’s why we assembled a list of simple, natural ways families can reduce the mosquito population on their properties safely and responsibly. Eliminate standing or slow moving water sources. Mosquitoes lay eggs in stagnant or slow moving water. They can also breed on leaf litter that is likely to collect water. Check your gutters, tires, kids’ toys, and empty kiddie pools after use. Grow repelling plants in your garden. Citronella, horsemint, marigolds, ageratum, and catnip are natural mosquito repellents and also have other beneficial properties like attracting honeybees and other pollinators to your garden. Learn more about these plants from EarthEasy.com. Avoid outdoors during dusk until dawn. Just when you want to enjoy an evening barbecue, mosquito activity reaches its peak. If you can’t avoid being outdoors, wear long pants and sleeves to protect yourself from mosquito bites. Keep gutters clean and unclogged. Be sure your downspouts drain properly, without leaving puddles in the drainage area. Remove leaves or debris that may collect standing water. Install or repair screens. Do not let mosquitoes enter your home. Make sure windows and doors have tightly-fitted screens and make sure there are no holes mosquitoes can get through. Use an off-the-shelf or homemade natural insect repellent. From repellent soaps to essential oils, you can repel mosquitoes without the use of DEET and other harmful chemicals. Here is a great list from The Daily Green. Create a breeze. Mosquitoes are considered “weak flyers” so set up a fan where you are sitting to disrupt the airflow and blow mosquitoes away from you and your family. Neatly trim plants and keep your lawn mowed. During the day, mosquitoes like to rest in cool, shaded areas often in plants. By keeping plants on your property neatly trimmed and your lawn mowed, mosquitoes have fewer places to rest and are more likely to leave your property. If your mosquito problem seems uncontrollable, then it is a good time to consider an organic property treatment. These treatments are often applied routinely throughout the season or can be sprayed prior to an event to reduce or eliminate the mosquito populations. Organic treatments are safe for humans, pets, and the environment. When considering an organic solutions provider, be sure to ask if the product is mixed with chemicals like Permethrin or DEET. If so, these treatments are NOT organic. Mosquitoes infected with West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEE) have already been found in Massachusetts this year. Even though no human cases have been reported, this is the best time to be proactive by educating yourself, your family, and your community. Speak with your doctor about the signs and symptoms of mosquito-borne illnesses, and take the necessary precautions to keep the outdoor environment around your home safe. We hope you have a fun and safe end to your summer! 
 By: Emily When Stan and Cynthia began the Green Harvest Organic Farmer’s Market three years ago they were attempting to fill a gap in the availability of purchasing locally-harvested organic produce in the area. Since then, the market has expanded to include year-round artisans and vendors, all of whom honor the market’s philosophy of sustainability. The uniqueness of this market compared to other farmer’s markets in the area is the addition of artisans selling everything from handmade greeting cards to screen printed shirts and jewelry. So bring the kids, get something for lunch, stock up on your organic produce and then spend some enjoyable time talking with the artists.  My first stop was Treasure by the Sea, where I got to meet Joe and Jeanne. They have a wide variety of jams and jellies, some familiar (strawberry rhubarb) and some unique (autumn berry). They make every effort to wild pick the fruit used to make their jams and all of the recipes have been handed down from Jeanne’s English family. They are obviously doing something right because she has been invited to participate in the 2014 American Made event hosted by Martha Stewart in New York City. Stop by and taste the autumn berry jam. I really enjoyed how you could taste the fruit as some jams are just too sweet for my taste preference.  Next I had a lovely conversation with Roberta and Mark Sherwin of Atlantic Artworks (formerly Sherwin Studios). Roberta was a scientific illustrator and Mark worked as a master engraver prior to embarking on their joint effort of creating screen printed shirts by hand. Many of the designs use Roberta’s illustrations and they are simply stunning. They offer printed shirts in both adult and children’s sizes so I couldn’t help but pick up a t-shirt for my son, who after spending several days at the beach this season is currently obsessed with all marine life. The shirts are printed with soy-based inks and Mark assured me that they use citrus-based cleaners to wash the screens (all of which he makes!). What I loved most about the designs (and Roberta is quite prolific, there were so many beautiful ones to choose from) is that they are true works of art that are pleasing to look at, but they also happen to accurately depict the animal. They accept both cash and credit cards (so you can stock up on gifts!).  My next stop was Mother Turtle Herbals. For those readers not yet familiar with Jennifer DelSignore’s shop, you are missing out. She really is the poster child for the Green Harvest Market, as she first began selling her hand made, natural skin care products here. Jennifer began making her own skin care products when her son (did I mention she has five kids?) developed a strong sensitivity to artificial
dyes. Boy was I glad she accepted credit cards! I stocked up on a shampoo bar (perfect for packing in your carry-on luggage since it is solid), some lavender and rosemary soap (a gift), and a push-pop style tube of non-nano zinc sunscreen combined with a variety of herbs and oils known to deter bugs. The sunscreen was a huge hit with my son who has a tendency to forcefully resist my attempts at sunscreen application. In the past I have tried having him “help” by applying the lotion himself, but that resulted in me being covered in several toddler-sized handprints of lotion and both of us in tears. This push pop is great because I was able to push it up just enough to dispense the appropriate amount of sunscreen, and he had full control of rubbing it on his arms and legs. It was rather easy to rub in too (especially for zinc-based lotion). Jennifer’s selection of products is impressive and now that I have had some time to try out a few I can say with confidence that I will be a repeat customer. These are just a few of the vendors you can interact with. I had a nice chat with Marie at Cape Cod Saltworks, which is harvesting sea salt the old fashioned way. I sampled some gluten-free (and delicious) crackers at the White Lion Bakery (which will soon be stocked on shelves in Whole Foods) and had an enjoyable time learning all about the container gardening systems for sale at Victory Garden. So, in addition to hitting up the market for organic fruits and veggies you can get fresh eggs, wild harvested jams, unrefined sea salt harvested right here on Cape Cod, gluten-free baked goods (which also happen to be free of refined sugar), and a nice variety of organic soups, sandwiches and brick oven pizza. The Green Harvest Organic Farmers' Market & Artisans' Fair is held every Tuesday from 12-4 at the Cape Cod Fairgrounds (formerly called the Barnstable County Fairgrounds) located at 1220 Nathan Ellis Hwy, East Falmouth. You can sign up for their newsletter to get a weekly listing of which vendors will be participating by sending an email to: greenharvest@comcast.net. Green Harvest Organic Farmers' Market & Artisans' Fair - Tuesdays: noon - 4 p.m. through October 15, then Sundays: noon - 3 p.m. thru December 15, 2013. Main parking lot of Cape Cod Fairgrounds (formerly Barnstable County Fairgrounds), Route 151 at the Falmouth/Mashpee line (GPS 1220 Nathan Ellis Hwy, East Falmouth). Foods: Local, organic & sustainably grown veggies, greens, herbs & fruits; herb & flowering plants; dried herbs & herbal teas; farm-fresh eggs; wild picked local berry jellies & jams; local honey; organic soups, sandwiches & pastas; organic olive oils & vinegars (in Autumn); organic baked goods (gluten-free/paleo); granola snacks for the kids; organic fruit tarts; sea salt from Cape Cod; organic/fair trade coffees; organic brick oven pizzas, green and solar energy options, more to come... Artisans will be with us the full season this year! Handcrafted soaps with fresh-picked botanicals, plants & herbs; organic skin care balms & herbal toners; varied handcrafted jewelry including wire-wrapped selenite crystal & bead, fused & dichroic glass; fabric & knitted wares, felted & woven Shetland fleece rugs/wall hangings; hand painted greeting cards & stationery; paintings; clutch & pouch purses; organic cotton baby blankets & hats; More to come! Bring the kids & the doggies!! Come support your local farmers, artisans and vendors! SHOP LOCAL! Please join our EMAIL LIST for weekly updates at GreenHarvest@comcast.net and follow their Facebook page for posts and pictures! 
 This past Sunday, a fellow Cape Cod Mom and I decided to brave a lengthy drive from isolated Falmouth up to Yarmouth Port to checking out Hawk's Wing Organic Farm! We were intrigued by the promise of fresh strawberry picking at prices better than local markets! Most local farms usually have you pay a membership fee to belong and then you have to stand in line when you go to get your bracelet or some other method before you can pick and buy your own produce, but not this farm! Although they are a CSA, which you can pay to belong to, they also allow anyone to come by for FREE and pick their own items. So even if you don't belong as a member, you can still enjoy the farm and animals! Hawk’s Wing Farm is a local family-owned Cape Cod CSA farm and orchard, located on 4 acres and nestled in a pocket surrounded by 300 acres of Yarmouth conservation land, that seeks member-supported contributions to support the farms efforts to raise naturally grown, organic fruit and vegetables. They have planted 1,000 apple trees, 8 varieties, and peach, pear, and cherry trees. There is a 96’ greenhouse and another 90’ hoop house so they can grow organic produce year round!  We decided the long drive would be worth carpooling together so we could tag team the napless toddlers who were testing their exhausted mothers. So we plugged the address into our GPS and off we went. The GPS did bring us there however it was deceiving to find since it is actually located in a neighborhood called Hawk Wing Estates. We drove past a few times because we didn't think that it was back in the nieghborhood. After driving up the dirt driveway and being waved on by owner and farmer, Billy Snowden, we were enthusiastically greeted by farm dog Buddy!
 Overall this trip was a great learning experience, a fun free outdoor activity for the kids, and we were able to get our own strawberries and produce that are chemical free! Everything about this farm is a learning and tactile experience, sure to please any child! To be able to go into the pen and pet he goats and experience the chickens first hand was a great experience. It was also fun to expose the kids to the farm experience it was reassuring to know they could pick fruit and pop it right into their mouths without fear of outside substances on it
So if you are looking for something to do, take the drive and visit Farmer Billy, Buddy the dog and the farm. I recommend wearing comfy sneakers and long pants (incase you want to kneel while picking), and bringing a friend. The prices are definitely comparable, only $4.50 for a pint of strawberries, which you get more of since they are smaller in size. Farmer Billy also recommended making our own spread with the bruised and less desirable ones sincethey are just as sweet. Last night I whipped up a little spread myself and this morning, my son and I enjoyed some jam toast with our eggs and blueberries! It was amazing! If you want to know more about this hidden freebie, check out their website at: http://hawkswingorganicfarm.com/ or visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/hawkswingorganicfarm And please make sure you tell Farmer Billy that you heard about his farm from Cape Cod Mommies! If you know of ahidden freebie on Cape Cod that you want Cape Cod Mommies to visit, please email us at info@ccmommies.com |
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