Wonder how the oil spill has impacted the fishermen who provide the gulf seafood for our stores? This snapshot of Florida fisherman Greg Abrams and oysterman Tommy Ward offers a realistic look at how our gulf fishermen have been severely affected. Abrams and his crew catch grouper and red snapper off the gulf coast. They fish in deep waters in areas that have seen no effects of the spill, and the waters are tested regularly by the government. Ward’s family business has been growing oysters in the calm clean waters of Apalachicola Bay for several generations. Still, both have seen sales plummet 80% since last season. Watch a day in the life of these hard working fishermen, hear how much they believe in and stand behind their product, and see what it means to have “salt in your blood.”

Join fourth-generation cattleman Will Harris and “Fan Favorite” Chef Kevin Gillespie on Will’s ranch, White Oak Pastures, as they discuss what makes grass-fed beef so unique.

Will explains, “White Oak Pastures works in cooperation with nature to produce premium quality beef that is healthy, nutritious, and good to eat. Care is given to ensure that all of our production practices are economically practical, ecologically sustainable, and that the animals are always humanely treated.”

Established in 1866, White Oak Pastures is comprised of 18 different farms in and around Southwestern Georgia. Will grazes the five thousand-plus cattle on 100% Georgia native sweet grasses. With the help of a loan from Whole Foods Market’s Local Producer Loan Program, Will recently built an on-farm processing facility designed for low-stress animal handling while also minimizing the environmental impact.

True to our commitment to support our local communities, we partner with grass-fed producers from across the country. Grass-fed beef from White Oak Pastures is available in our stores in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and in Washington, D.C. and Princeton and Marlton, New Jersey.

Want to know where the grass-fed beef in your local Whole Foods Market comes from? Just check our Grass-fed Rancher Partners page. And don’t forget to pick up some grass-fed beef in our stores to give it a try yourself! We’ve got recipes and cooking tips along with the whole scoop on the benefits of grass-fed on our Grass-fed Beef page.

Most people don’t raise turkeys so the only way they have any indication of the real cost of sliced turkey on a sandwich is the price at the store. Well, our turkey standards prohibit animal by-products in feed and require space for normal turkey behavior. So isn’t it worth it that when a turkey is raised with these standards its meat costs more?

Let’s breakdown a turkey sandwich to see how our health-saving sandwich-making suggestions stack up. Then you can decide for yourself if it’s worth it. Of course, we think it is.

• BREAD: Seeduction™ bread (get a coupon in The Whole Deal in-store guide) or whole wheat sandwich bread made without artificial dough conditioners and preservatives is about 14¢ more per sandwich compared to leading conventional brand whole wheat sandwich bread.
• MUSTARD: Organic Mustard helps you avoid exposure to pesticides with your sandwich and is less than 2¢ more per serving. Read the rest of this entry »

UPDATE: Congratulations to Birdie in Southern California for being comment #1838, which was randomly selected to win the Labor Day Gotta Haves. Thanks to everyone for sharing the great memories. We hope every has a memorable Labor Day this year!

What’s on your “Gotta Have” list for Labor Day festivities? Here’s ours:

• Grass-fed beef. Get the scoop on grass-fed and try these burgers!
• Smokey Blue cheese – topping a burger or on its own.
• Heirloom tomatoes. So many ways to slice ‘em.
• Sprouted grain buns. Trending up.
• Veggie burgers. Satisfy all your guests.
• Side salads. Potato, coleslaw, pasta or grain.
• Homemade sangria. Our fave recipe.
• Fruit kabobs. Tasty treats for everyone.
• Ice cream cookie sandwiches – decadent.
• Biodegradable plates, forks, spoons and knives.

To celebrate the end of summer, we’re giving away a bag filled with all of the ingredients needed for these “gotta haves” – enough for a Labor Day party for 8 to 10. Fun! We’re also throwing in a $50 gift card so you can load up on your favorite condiments — think ketchup, mayo, mustard, pickles, relish — and any other gotta haves for a perfect end-of-summer party.

To enter, simply share a little about your most memorable summer. Maybe it was the summer you learned to drive, or the year you took that sightseeing road trip with the family. Maybe it was a summer spent as an exchange student or the summer consumed with learning about young love. Share the year if you dare date yourself!

Whatever it was, let us know in the comments below by August 31st and we’ll choose one lucky commenter at random to receive a blowout Labor Day Gotta Haves package.

One catch: since many of these items are perishable (like awesome grass-fed ground beef!), to be eligible for the prize you must be able to pick up your winnings from one of our stores. We’ll notify the winner by email on September 1st, and you can pick up your prize from September 2nd through the 5th at your local Whole Foods Market store.

So, let’s hear it! What was your most memorable summer?

This is an encore presentation of a podcast from two summers ago.

Many people “go natural” when they have a baby, but what about later on? If raising your kids “green” has proved to be a challenge, tune in for simple ways and reasons to choose natural products. This highly respected eco-entrepreneur talks about makeup, deodorant, toothpaste and supplements from her own mothering experience. Lynda Fassa is the founder of Green Babies, the oldest existing organic cotton clothing company on the planet, and author of Green Babies and Sage Moms.

Hey to all the college newbies out there. As a college senior, I remember so clearly what you are going through right now. You’re all done moving in, your parents waved goodbye and now you’re on your own. You make your own decisions, set your own bedtime, and choose what you want to eat and when you want to eat it. Exciting!

Unfortunately, it’s WAY too easy to make bad choices about food at college. Fast food is prevalent, dining halls encourage overindulging, and it can be challenging to make a healthy meal for yourself when all you have is a microwave and tiny fridge in your dorm room. Read the rest of this entry »

Did you know that Sara Bareilles’ new album is coming out? Well, it is and we are sponsoring a preview listen for you!

The album is called Kaleidoscope Heart and you’ll be able to find it in our stores starting September 7th. Jimmy Dunne (President of Inspire, a music and branding company we partner with) describes Sara’s sophomore album as: “Everything we hoped for. Declaring independence in her new hit single, “King of Anything,” she’s playful – even a little feisty. As always, Sara paints in the most vibrant, entertaining hues, with remarkable authenticity and depth.” Read the rest of this entry »

Baldwin Family Farms – Yanceyville, NC

The herd of Charolais cattle at Baldwin Family Farms enjoys grazing the nutrient rich pastures of an 800-acre multi-generational farm.  Founders, V. Mac and Peggy Baldwin, practice a unique form of winter and summer grazing that allows the cattle to graze year round and produce high-quality, grass-fed, lean beef throughout every season.

It’s back-to-school time! Early mornings, hectic schedules, piles of homework and after-school munchies are all on the menu! Let’s face it: Kids function better with a healthy balanced diet, so I say let’s kick off the school year with a healthy resolve: super simple, delicious and truly nutritious kid-snacks!

When it comes to feeding growing children, every bite counts. That means snacks are just as important as a well-balanced meal. But for many kids, the word snack conjures up images of sugary treats, candies, chips and soda – all less than optimal! Take heart, it’s entirely possible to enjoy the convenience of munching foods without all the refined sugar, hydrogenated fats and artificial additives. In the same way that a good healthy meal is well-balanced with proteins, carbohydrates and healthy fats, the same goes for snacks. They should be fun and easy, and not require too much time in the kitchen. Here’s a list of items to keep on hand for building healthy snacks: Read the rest of this entry »

In the lead up to Labor Day – the last big grilling event of the summer – our Whole Foods Market meat teams are pulling out all the stops to introduce you to our grass-fed beef rancher partners. Over the next two weeks, we’ll be posting a ton of information out here on our Whole Story blog – talking all about grass-fed beef, our rancher partners, how to cook it and all kinds of exciting secret stuff that they’ve told me I can’t talk about until next week.

To start out, let’s talk about grass-fed in general. Did you know that grass is the most natural diet for beef cattle? Their digestive systems have the ability to convert grasses, legumes and herbaceous plants into protein. Raising cattle on grass returns to more traditional animal production methods. Read the rest of this entry »