Local, Organic, Sustainable Farms like Leras Family Farm
My kids and I had the pleasure to spend a day at the Leras Family Farm in Santa Rosa last Tuesday. We had a total blast! We played with the two baby calves with Zak (intern), fed slop to the Red Waddle pigs, amusingly watched 24 piglets forage and root on their acreage, studied Danielle the intern making cheese, picked basil, berries and grapes, drank their kombucha and chased and played with their beautiful soy-free, free range chickens in two coups.
Thanks for Dave, WAPF chapter leader in Berkeley for helping to set up!
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| Mike Leras with my d Hannah and I |
FARMACY
What's so awesome about the ecology and environment of an organic farm like Michael Leras is not only the inclusive recycling of all the nutrients from produce and leftovers but the completeness of the system: animals + plants. It's a true farmacopeia of happiness nutrients that every brain, gut and body needs.
Michael and his family go to Three Stone Hearth in Berkeley for families to pick up their fresh products like soy-free eggs, pork, grassfed beef, etc every week on Wed night and Saturdays.
Antidepressant Microbes In Soil: How Dirt Makes You Happy
"Soil Microbes and Human Health: Did you know that there’s a natural antidepressant in soil? It’s true. Mycobacterium vaccae is the substance under study and has, indeed, been found to mirror the effect on neurons that drugs like Prozac provide. The bacterium is found in soil and may stimulate serotonin production, which makes you relaxed and happier. Studies were conducted on cancer patients and they reported a better quality of life and less stress.
Serotonin has been linked to such problems as depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and bipolar problems. The bacterium appears to be a natural antidepressant in soil and has no adverse health effects. These antidepressant microbes in soil may be as easy to use as just playing in the dirt.
Most avid gardeners will tell you that their landscape is their “happy place” and the actual physical act of gardening is a stress reducer and mood lifter. The fact that there is some science behind it adds additional credibility to these garden addicts’ claims. The presence of a soil bacteria antidepressant is not a surprise to many of us who have experienced the phenomenon ourselves. Backing it up with science is fascinating, but not shocking, to the happy gardener.
Mycrobacterium antidepressant microbes in soil are also being investigated for improving cognitive function, Crohn’s disease and even rheumatoid arthritis." Read more HERE