Today, I’m highlighting a few TLC items for the hardworking pops in your life.

1. Goatboy soaps - These all-natural soaps are made from goat’s milk in Connecticut. The small batch process all started in an attempt to help the owner’s son have a soap that didn’t irritate his ultra-sensitive skin. And they come in a variety of manly scents too. The soap is supposed to be great for dry or irritable skin (it’s working for me, so far). Available online and at some farmer’s markets in Connecticut including the Sandy Hook Village Farmer’s Market on Sunday.
2. Every Man Jack Beginner’s Luck Kit - It’s surprising how much comes in the Every Man Jack Beginner’s Luck Kit. Shave gel, face wash, face lotion, body wash, and three body bars — plus a small bag to hold it all. The scent? A fierce mint. The products are made from vegetable extracts, not chemicals and things you cannot pronounce. Each container has it’s own wacky question like “Will this make me look like a model?” and tongue in check answer “Sure — if you are one.” They also each say “Please recycle.” Take it as a good sign . . . men’s face care with a conscience. Available at Target and through the link above. See above for a photo
3. 100% Recycled Envirope Hammock - After a hard day of yard work, there is nothing more relaxing than laying in a nice hammock and reading a good book. This white hammock is 100% recycled and comes mostly from old soda bottles. Get the family size so the kids can climb on with dad too . . . You know . . . Hop on Pop. Available online.

Check back tomorrow for more gift ideas . . .

Therein lies the dilemma: Is it better to make fresh baby food with grocery store produce, since the growing season in the northeast U.S. isn’t yet in full swing? Or is it better to buy organic, GMO-free baby food from the store? If this was the Fall, there would be no question: I would make her food with produce that we picked ourselves at local pick-your-own farms.

Premade baby food has the convenience factor on its side. And before you think “but it’s so expensive to buy organic,” it’s not. Target sells Earth’s Best, and it’s comparably priced to the regular Gerber line.

Organic produce at the grocery store, on the other hand, is premium priced. And who knows where it comes from? That’s a problem, I think.

But then I also feel like I could be cheating my daughter by not making her food like I did my son’s food.

What would you do? Organic premade? Or homemade organic with grocery store produce?

Photo courtesy of Earth’s Best.

For the past year, I’ve been working on greenifying our lives. Safer cleansers, natural (non-antibacterial) soaps, and less waste. It’s been a tough undertaking — reusable dryer sheets just didn’t do it for us. And the ones we tried - Method - still had waste when all was said and done: the sheets themselves, the plastic container they came in, and the plastic bag I had to keep them in to keep them fresh. But don’t get me wrong, we love most of the Method stuff we use.

We also have yet to give up Fantastik. Although we use Method cleaners for almost everything, the natural cleaners just weren’t enough for getting the kitchen spotless. We tried Mrs. Meyers and others as well. But ultimately, we still keep some Fantastik handy for tough spills. We do love Mrs. Meyers for dish soap though.

Our garbage is still going into plastic bags because I haven’t found an acceptable alternative (that the garbage man will accept too) yet.

We have, however, tried to cut back on waste and succeeded. I purchase less and try to avoid unnecessary purchases. We don’t always succeed, but we sure try.

And just recently, I invested in some reusable bags. At about $1.40 at Stew Leonard’s, they were a good deal (and no shipping, since I bought them in-store). I’ve also picked up two bags that snap closed for easy transporting at Target - a smaller one for $1 and a larger one for about $1.50. These are handy to keep in the diaper bag for unexpected purchases. In fact, the day after I bought them, I used the large one for a purchase. I was shocked to find that it’s as large as a shopping bag from a department store. Nice. The smaller one is about the size of a standard plastic grocery bag.

It took me almost a year to get these bags. Why? I debated the merits of buying some very pretty bags I saw on Amazon and other places. I considered whether the store ones would be good enough and if I would mind advertising for them like that . . . ultimately, I decided that my own indecision was doing nothing good for the environment. Even if I purchased these four bags and bought designer ones later, I would have spent only a few dollars in the meantime and saved many plastic bags - a shopping trip pre-reusable usually netted 5-6 plastic bags. Now, everything fits into two or three canvas bags.

Am I going to buy the expensive designer ones? Probably not. My canvas ones have nice, sturdy bottoms and are easy . . . I don’t really need to spend more money on bags that are pretty . . . I managed to shop for 20-some-odd years without designer shopping bags, why start now?

Thoughts?

I was forwarded an email from Ariane Daguin of D’Artagnan, a fine food purveyor in New Jersey, about a proposal that’s supposedly going to be introduced to the New York City Council in the next week or so.

Here’s a sampling of the email:

Your help is urgently needed BEFORE Tuesday to stop the ban of foie gras forever!

Alan Gerson, NYC downtown councilman, is introducing a ban on foie gras this week. To keep access to foie gras possible. please read the foie gras facts below and call, email, or fax your New York Councilman and all the New York State Legislators you know, to tell them to put a stop to the anti-foie gras campaign BEFORE Tuesday, November 28.

Contact your councilman today at http://www.nyccouncil.info/constituent/

(This site allows you to look up your personal district representatives and get their email addresses and phone numbers.)

I did a little searching and while I didn’t learn anything about a New York City ban on Foie Gras, I did discover that there is a lawsuit in state court in New York brought by animal rights activists that is seeking to halt the production of foie gras all together. According to the New York Sun:

The lawsuit, if it succeeds, could spell the end of foie gras production in America, a goal animal rights groups have long sought. The two Sullivan county farms that are defendants in the suit are the only foie gras producers in the country, other than a Northern Californian foie gras farm that may shut down under a California state law banning the industry.

The suit comes on the heels of Chicago’s recently imposed ban of the delicacy, which comes from the fattened liver of force-fed ducks and geese.

Foie gras is fattened duck or goose liver (hence why animal rights people are bucking - the animals are overfed to make the liver fatty). It’s a French delicacy that is supposed to be rich and buttery.

Specifically this is what is affected by the recall:

* 1-pound approximate weight packages of “Falter’s Purity Brand, SMOKED PORK NECK BONES.” Each package bears the establishment number “EST. 21054″ inside the USDA mark of inspection, as well as the package code, “9-19.”

* 1-pound approximate weight packages of “Falter’s Purity Brand, SMOKED PORK JOWL.” Each package bears the establishment number “EST. 21054″ inside the USDA mark of inspection, as well as the package code, “10-27.”

* 3-pound packages of “Falter’s Purity Brand, (JUMBO) FRANKFURTERS, SMOKE FLAVORING ADDED.” Each package bears the establishment number “EST. 21054″ inside the USDA mark of inspection, as well as the package code, “10-28.”

* 10-pound box of “JAROLD’S, COOKED ITALIAN SAUSAGE.” Each package bears the establishment number “EST. 21054″ inside the USDA mark of inspection, and may also bear the package code, “9-19-2006.”

This is the latest in a spate of recalls that has the eating community on edge. From infant formula to alfafa sprouts, we are cautioned to be careful with what we eat these days.

The product from Bolthouse Farms of Bakersfield, Calif., was identified by the FDA as Bolthouse Farms Carrot Juice, 450 ml and 1-liter plastic bottles, with “best if used by” dates of Nov. 11, 2006, or earlier.

The latest botulism case involved a woman in Florida who was suffering from paralysis, a symptom of botulism. People experiencing that or other symptoms _ double vision, droopy eyelids, altered voice and trouble with speaking or swallowing _ should seek medical attention, the FDA said.

The FDA has said that it’s likely that Bolthouse Farms isn’t at fault and that consumers failed to properly refrigerate the juice.

The New York Times reported Saturday that half-gallon containers of the milk have already made their way onto the shelves of 1,200 of the company’s stores.

Harvey Hartman, president of the Hartman Group, a market research firm working with Wal-Mart on its organic initiatives, said Wal-Mart�s own brand of organic milk will mean a lot more will be sold in the United States. �They�re creating incremental users because they�re removing one of the big inhibitors to buying organic, which is price,� he said.

Last year, organic milk sales increased by 25 percent from the year before and Mr. Hartman predicts that Wal-Mart�s brand could lift annual growth to as much as 35 percent. Currently, organic dairy represents 3.5 percent of all dairy products sold in the United States, according to the Organic Trade Association.

The organic milk is produced by Aurora Organic Dairy, a large scale organic dairy farm that supplies several chain retailers. They operate one of the largest dairy operations in the country, according to the Times. But not everyone is pleased with these developments, which will help bring more organics to an obtainable level for the masses.

The controversy turns on how closely Aurora adheres to the principles behind the organic food movement. Many organic farmers say grass feeding is essential for organic dairy production because it is part of a cow�s natural behavior. Milk from grass-fed cows, they say, is also higher in beneficial fatty acids than milk from cows fed grain, making it more nutritious.

At Aurora�s Platteville operation, about 40 miles north of downtown Denver, 4,000 cows are put on grass only when not being milked or when they are nearing the end of a lactation cycle. That totals about two to three months a year. The rest of the time they stay in dirt-lined outdoor pens where they eat from an ample trough filled with a mixture of hay, silage, corn and soybeans.

Clark F. Driftmier, head of marketing at Aurora, said the company planned to reduce the number of cows in Platteville to 1,000 by next summer so all the animals could graze. In addition, he said, the number of acres of pasture at the Texas farm will triple by next spring.

In any case, these days, teens are flocking to coffeehouses � their new hangout of choice.

Coffeehouses have been around and well-known since the ’60s, but several in the area are quickly being discovered as fantastic places for students, teenagers, and people of any age to hang out, study, and of course, drink a cup a joe.

Internet accessibility, the ability to study, chat or just chill, and the availability of fun drinks all contribute to this growing trend that has been reflected in the increased number of coffeehouse popping up everywhere. And not to mention that the coffee cup, and it’s cute little corragated sleeve are fall’s hottest accessory.

“This is about having a place that’s not home to hang out with your friends,'’ said Harry Balzer, vice president of the NPD Group, a market research firm that tracks America’s eating habits.

There are more than 21,000 coffee bars nationwide, according to the Specialty Coffee Association of America, up from about 5,000 just 10 years ago.

And as a natural progression, the number of teens ordering these beverages is on the rise, experts say.

The National Coffee Association says younger coffee drinkers are becoming a larger percentage of the occasional coffee drinker segment as the category of cold coffee beverages continues to grow.

NPD Group, a market research firm based in Port Washington, N.Y., has statistics showing the number of teens drinking coffee in cafes or restaurants has increased 12 percent since last year, on top of a 15 percent rise the year before.

So what’s the buzz about coffee and coffee houses?

“Let’s face it, the jolt from the caffeine is a strong attraction. Besides, it makes teens feel older, classy and sophisticated,” says Nick Tournis, the proprietor with Peter Kazanas of the newly opened Pop Culture Coffee House in Crown Point.

Coffee houses are considered a positive teen trend. “I’ll meet you after class for a cup of coffee,” is fast replacing “How about grabbing some nachos and a Coke?”

But some health experts are concerned that the sometimes high-caffeinated, high-fat and high-sugar could negatively impact teens� waistlines.

Group Health’s Dr. Jeffrey Lindenbaum tells parents that since most teens have just one or two espresso-based drinks a day, it’s not enough to be concerned about in any case. And for the record, coffee doesn’t stunt kids’ growth. The real dangers are for heavy drinkers, who may be vulnerable to osteoporosis because caffeine hampers bone-building.

But for most kids, sugar and fat are a bigger deal. The 570 calories in a Grande Mocha Malt Frappuccino is comparable to the calorie load in a Big Mac.

But lest we forget, unlike the Big Mac, a Grande Mocha Malt Frappuccino can be ordered as a non-fat or soy or other lightening specification. Coffees come in a wide variety of customizables that let teens, and us adults too, control what nutritional values we get from them.

Free Press columnist Mitch Albom says he is “very humbled and flattered” Starbucks chose his forthcoming novel, “For One More Day,” to launch its book program.

Starbucks announced in April that it was seeking movies and books to promote along with the music it sells in stores. On Monday, it selected “For One More Day,” Albom’s second novel, as the first title it will feature in its program. The novel, to be published by Hyperion on Sept. 26, will appear in Starbucks stores from the first week in October through the second week of November.

“It’s a small book,” Albom says. “They could hold it in one hand and a latte in the other.”

For the uninitiated, Starbucks already sells a variety of tea and coffee paraphernalia in addition to CDs and DVDs. In April, they announced that they would be expanding those offerings to include books and movies.

The big push with this though is that Starbucks is donating a dollar for every book sold to a charity that focuses on childhood literacy.

With the author’s permission, Starbucks will donate a dollar from every copy of the new book sold to Jumpstart, a national nonprofit early education organization that focuses on literacy and targets at-risk preschoolers entering kindergarten.

“Today’s announcement reflects our new and ongoing commitment to offering our customers the unique opportunity to discover books as part of their daily coffee routines,” said Ken Lombard, president of Starbucks Entertainment.

With a Starbucks already on every corner, it leaves one to wonder� what�s next? Photo processing?

The Seattle Times� Carol Pucci recently highlighted Fairburn Farm culinary retreat and guesthouse in Vancouver Island, British Columbia, where local produce is chosen in the afternoon and transformed into an amazing dinner.

It’s three hours before chef Mara Jernigan’s guests are to sit down to dinner at her Fairburn Farm culinary retreat and guesthouse, and she’s literally picking the ingredients for the meal as she walks through a neighbor’s garden as casually as she might browse the aisles of a supermarket.

“How are the zucchini flowers?” she asks Armande Daugenet, a sturdy French woman dressed in shorts and work shirt. Daugenet runs Cali Farm in the Cowichan Valley, an agricultural area 45 minutes north of Victoria, where rural wineries and artisan food producers are attracting tourists more interested in sipping champagne than English tea.

Daugenet bends down and clips a few yellow blossoms. Jernigan inspects them as she mentally composes her appetizer. She’s thinking about frying the flowers in a light tempura batter and stuffing them with goat cheese and lemon thyme.

Into her basket go fat fava beans. She takes scissors from her pocket, snips some cilantro and asks about the beets. Daugenet pulls a half-dozen out of the ground, and Jernigan thinks out loud about how she’ll combine them with the quail eggs she bought on impulse an hour earlier from a Czech man who runs his delivery truck on used olive oil.

Back at Fairburn Farm, where Jernigan, 43, is the inn’s chef and manager, a half-dozen overnight guests await dinner. She trades her red jacket for chef’s whites and heads for the kitchen where she starts cooking the duck breasts she bought earlier in the afternoon from another local farmer. A half-hour later, she makes a last-minute run through her garden for pea shoots, radishes, raspberries and herbs.

This sort of farm to table experience is another market for local farmers to sell their produce and thus earn money so that they can keep farming. For consumers, it provides an extra fresh eating experience.

According to a Massachusetts newspaper, The Republican, the idea of eating locally started an area wide event, “Fresh, Local and On the Menu.”

Organized by Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, a non-profit organization located in South Deerfield, the day is designed to raise awareness of local farms and their harvests, and the restaurants that support them. Many of the restaurateurs participating in the event say it emphasizes their own philosophies about food: if it’s locally produced, it tastes better.

In states like North Carolina and New Hampshire there are similar initiatives to help farmers connect their produce with local restaurants.

Here are a few of the sustainable restaurants I’ve located on the web:

The Farm Restaurant - Port Austin, Michigan
They cook using herbs and produce from their garden. A cooking school is also held there.

Summer Jo�s - Grants Pass, Oregon
In their words:

From farm to table, we present a lovingly crafted menu featuring the organic produce grown here with the finest quality meats and seafoods skillfully prepared in our from-scratch open kitchen. These innovative dishes use herbs from our gardens and local wine to create a distinctive Rogue Valley cuisine. The menu changes with the seasons, and there are always specials.

Joe Huber Family Farm Restaurant - Starlight, Indiana
Produce from their farm is used in the restaurant when in season.

Hershey Farm Restaurant - Strasburg, Pennsylvania
Their vegetable gardens supply the restaurant with seasonal produce for a good portion of the year.

Shelbourne Farms, The Inn Restaurant - Shelburne, Vermont
This Inn sits on Lake Champlain in Vermont and uses seasonal produce from their own gardens and local farms in their restaurant.