Archive for the ‘informational’ Category

Wheatgrass Vs. Mosquito Bites

Monday, June 1st, 2009

MelissaThe Internet is full of claims about the different uses of wheatgrass, other than drinking as a healthy juice.  It’s hard to know what is actually factual and what is malarkey.  We decided to do some experiments here at the Rhibafarms office.  Our first experiment is to see if wheatgrass juice will relieve insect bites.

Melissa in our office was haveing an itch frenzy from her recent mosquito bites.  That is her over to the right, looking frustrated with her mosquito bites.  We juiced up some wheatgrass and applied it to a bandage.  The bandage was taped onto her skin and left for about an hour.  Melissa reported imediate relief and the itching subsided for about 6 hours! 

Looks like this experiment was a sucess and itch relief can be added as another arrow into wheatgrass’s quiver of uses.  Next post we will be taking up the challange of wheatgrass as a breath freshiner.  Stay tuned.

mosquito_bitemosquito_bandage

Wheatgrass Juice with no Juicer

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

grass_and_blenderOne of the biggest investments when getting into wheatgrass is the juicer.  Quality wheetgrass juicers start at about $300.  That’s a pretty big investment for beginners.  While doing some searching, I found an interesting method for juicing wheatgrass with a common household blender.  We did an experiment with it here at RhibaFarms.

First we cut some grass in one inch increments and put it in the blender.  Next we added a cup of water to help with the blending process.  We blended in 10 second bursts, so the blender wouldn’t heat up too much and blended until it was mostly all liquid.  The next step can be done a few different ways, we placed a coffee filter over a container and poured a portion of the freshly blended juice in.  We let the juice strain out, and then squeezed the remaining out by hand.  You can also use a sieve or what most people use is a nut milk bag to strain the juice from the remaining fiber.

add_waterNow you have a cup of green juice and you observant readers will remember that this juice is mostly water.  The best way to drink wheatgrass juice is as pure juice.  So the next step was to cut more grass for the blender, then we added our freshly strained juice back into the blender.  The idea is to keep doing this until the whole flat is juiced, that way the juice is as pure as you can get it using the blender.  Pour yourself a shot and the remaining juice you don’t drink can be frozen and used through out the week.

In conclusion, this may not be the best way to juice wheatgrass but it is a great way for people to get into wheatgrass and will do until you decided to fully commit and spend the money on a juicer.  The best part is that it is completely free, assuming you already own a blender.  Try it for yourself and let us know how it works out.

blenddrink

Take a tour of RhibaFarms

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

greenhouseHave you ever wanted to check out a greenhouse?  Or maybe you enjoy our products so much that you want to see where it all comes from.  Regardless of your reasons, RhibaFarms has an open invitation to anyone who would like to take a tour of our greenhouse and learn about how we grow.  Teachers, bring your kids over to learn a little bit about plants and growing in Arizona.  Call Sue at 480-226-4638 to set up a time or send an email over to info@rhibafarms.com

hangingracks

When should you buy organic

Monday, May 4th, 2009

Buying organic is becoming more and more of a priority for all of us.  Even with all the benefits of organic fruits and vegetables, price is still a big factor when food shopping for you and your family.  The biggest concern with organic vs. non-organic is the use of toxins and pesticides.  To help you decide when you should most definitely buy organic, use this list below compiled with research from The Environmental Working Group.

Produce with the most pesticidesproduce_1

  • Peaches
  • Apples
  • Bell Peppers
  • Celery
  • Nectarines
  • Strawberries
  • Cherries
  • Kale
  • Lettuce
  • Grapes
  • Carrots
  • Pears

Produce with the least pesticides

  • Onionsmore produce
  • Avocados
  • Sweet Corn
  • Pineapple
  • Mango
  • Asparagus
  • Sweet Peas
  • Kiwi
  • Cabbage
  • Eggplant
  • Papayas
  • Watermelon
  • Broccoli
  • Tomatoes
  • Sweet Potatoes

The labels stuck on most produce can further help you in selection of quality food.  Produce that has a 4 digit code is grown in the conventional method with pesticides.  If the produce has a 5 digit code starting with the number 9, that means it is organically grown.  Be careful, because a 5 digit code starting with the number 8 means that the produce has been genetically modified. 

Today’s produce market is so complex with all the choices between organic, non-organic, imported, and local.  We hope this information makes things a little easier on your next trip to the market.   If you happen to buy any RhibaFarms produce you can rest assured knowing that it is never grown with any pesticides or toxins.