musedhome-blog - Tumblr blog

[musedhome-blog]

USDA: Staying Relevant in the American Food Revolution

In many cases the general population does not have a fully accurate perception about what purposes the United States Department of Agriculture serves. It seems as though it is simply a stamp on food and beverages to indicate it is safe to consume. At an ever increasing rate, however, the food and beverage industry has been exposed for allowing very dangerous and unhealthy products to reach the homes of millions of unsuspecting people without much intervention or reassurance. As a result, Americans have decided to take a proactive approach by turning to an alternative, but more sensible and traditional source for food.

It is evident that each generation brings in a new more innovative way of living, and millennials tend to marry old and new ideas that allow for a more sustainable and healthy way to consume in this revolution. According to the National Gardening Association, “35% of all households in America, or 42 million households, are growing food at home or in a community garden” in order to supplement the amount of foods no longer being consumed from typical grocer’s market chain stores. More and more we learn that our spending trends are the highest motivating factor in deciding how our world is shaped. There are entire industries that continue to thrive and those that collapse all based on the way Americans consume. The healthy trend in food consumption is no different. We can see the implications of it when we learn that Wal-Mart stores are closing at alarming rates yet we see the rise of farmer’s market style grocery stores like Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Trader Joe’s. These merchants are known for offering products made from natural and organic ingredients with minimal processing, non-genetically modified, and without artificial flavoring or colors. Americans are looking for this type of product to be readily accessible and affordable, so instead of relying on the marketplace to offer all the right products at the right prices, we are simply producing them ourselves! This evolution from the McDonalds’s era is a much needed one as we find ourselves less and less healthy as a result of our diets. Thankfully, this is no secret to health professionals within the USDA so there is much opportunity for the agency to increase its visibility and value to the general public as we embrace health altogether.

How can the USDA stay relevant as more Americans turn to home gardening as a significant food source?

The turmoil that plagues the White House is indicative of the need for agencies like the USDA to remain steadfast in their efforts to have a positive impact on the consumption of food and beverages. The most effective way for the organization to penetrate the culture and support current trends is to make efforts more public in ways that Americans will have a clear understanding of available resources and allowances. Programs that promote what people already want to consume, make the most sense and will assist in boosting the economy as we all tend to follow these trends collectively in support of smarter choices.

Being able to verify the quality of a product is especially valuable when considering food and beverage products. Any type of system that can be applied nationally to farming, gardening tools, and supplies would encourage Americans to get involved in the trend or to make even more positive changes to their current self-sustaining eating habits. Having total transparency to ensure that Americans are well informed is the best way to maintain trust and influence over the ways in which we consume at large.

Who is responsible for the shift and why are they relying on gardening instead of traditional grocers markets?

According to the National Gardening Association, the millennial generation can be accredited for this shift in food and beverage expectations as they “nearly doubled their spending on food gardening, from $632 million in 2008 to $1.2 billion in 2013.” They have taken full advantage of the age of information and allowed it to help them make more comprehensive decisions around not only what to consume but why. People under the age of 34 have decided that home grown food is safer, has better quality, and is cheaper than the processed, sugary, salty, and chemically treated products that have been shown to have some terribly scary ingredients and production methods.

Information that normally would be kept concealed has been in primetime news and even documentaries that have seen monstrous success like the Netflix production titled “What the Health?” This constant stream of enlightening reality concerning our general health and its relation to food has likely been the single most important factor determining the direction of our habit forming. It is likely that we will see a completely reimagined standard for how we produce and consume food as a result of these dynamic changes.

What does that say about the USDA and its efforts to meet the needs of Americans?

We all want to believe that the Federal Government has our best interest at heart but it all comes down to the cause and effect relationships established between us. In order for the food and beverage industry to become a safe and healthy place to guide our consumption, we must know that our leaders have our actual needs in mind while making grand statements about their own integrity and concern for the greater good of our families. While some direction may have been lost, it is never too late to display resilience in good will. It is evident that the USDA has a long record of promoting healthy lifestyles, however the efforts become distorted from a lack of education and funding for the masses to become involved. All Americans are in need of self-sustaining, healthy food options and the USDA has a major role and responsibility to see it through.

If government officials expect for Americans to continue supporting the mission of agencies like the USDA, it would be imperative for us all to see real actions moving in the direction of our true intention to be healthy and self-sustaining. We have made clear statements as we move the economy in the direction we see for our own future and our government is capable of supporting us as we do so.

How can current incentives and programs be used to support more Americans who desire to make better, more nutritious choices for their families?

Programs like Farm to School that provide grant funding for schools to serve locally grown produce have plenty of room for expansion as more and more people support sustainability. The goal would be to raise awareness on the existence of these options as some school districts would be likely to implement some type of garden space even without funding assistance. The USDA does a great job at reaching out to the community so optimizing the impact of that contact would result in huge improvements and results.

Other resources offered by the USDA are the Local Food Directories that assist with locating Community Supported Agriculture or Community Farms. Making this information commonplace would be an essential component in promoting the healthy, self-sustaining, and affordable destination every American is aiming for.

Written by: Sharese Roberts in an effort to get her dream job!

Sources: https://garden.org/learn/articles/view/3819/ http://ecogardenhouse.com/blog/research-americans-growing-food/ https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/06/15/farm-school-grows-usda-grants https://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/community-supported-agriculture

[musedhome-blog]

When you're confident for a reason! #atlantabusinessconsultant #gotthejuice #gottakeepgoing

[musedhome-blog]

Freelancing business card designs. Hit me up for a quote. #lowprices #professionalbusinesscards #freelancedesign #entrepreneurs #youngprofessiinals

[musedhome-blog]

Our #yardsale was so successful we're doing it again! If you have a thank you card from our first one, take $50 off any Mused Home service of $150 or greater. Check our website for details on the next yard sale and other community events from Mused Home!

[musedhome-blog]

Increase your sales potential! This networking event will be packed with information, opportunity, and fun! Come on out with your business cards and enjoy the evening for free!

[musedhome-blog]

Come see us at our yard sale today! Flakes Mill & Flat Shoals is the intersection. Follow the green balloons!

[musedhome-blog]

Flyers going up all over the community! Call Mused Home now for a consultation for any of our home services or visit our website. #linkinbio #Yardsale #dekalbcounty #atlantarealtors

[musedhome-blog]

When everything else around you died but you withstood the cold and chose to live! Somebody shout 🙋

[musedhome-blog]

The numbers are in! Professional home staging has been proven to effectively increase the value of a property and get it off the market significantly faster! Visit our website to hire us today 💰💸 #linkinbio #atlantarealestate #atlantarealtors #makethatsale

[musedhome-blog]

Visit our website for more information!

[musedhome-blog]

undefined

[musedhome-blog]

#realtor #atlantarealtors #atlantarealestate #linkinbio

[musedhome-blog]

Some men have the touch and some don't. Call us when you give up!

[musedhome-blog]

5 Ways to Balance Your Act

Attempting to balance work life and entrepreneurship has been a challenge for years. I am finally becoming introspective enough to grasp things that contribute to me being stuck in a space of discontent. I was very sure that I wanted to build my own business and become free from my desk, but I had no clue the amount of work I would need to accomplish progress.

Five years later, I have developed a few best practices that usually help me get into a space of creativity and productivity. They have been successfully pushing me toward my ultimate goal of freedom and independence.

I am still balancing employee responsibilities from working a job and everything that comes along with business ownership so my days are jam packed with brain swelling thoughts that tend to cram into my head. Sometimes they are so heavy I feel like I can see the words from my thoughts creating a pile-up and getting stuck right in the front of my brain! Needless to say this list of habits have been a necessity for sanity as my life moves through transition.

1.       Much like any person looking to be more productive, I do my best to have a note taking apparatus with me all the time. My phone seems to be my little pocket assistant but she keeps me distracted at times so I often revert to a pen & pad. My home must be full of paper torn at the corner from me having an idea that would have escaped if I didn’t write it immediately.

The trick to note taking for me is simply keeping track of all the notes. I refined my practice even more by using “sticky notes” on the wall in my home office. This helps me to visualize my tasks and prioritize them in order of importance.

2.       Since I am still working a regular job, I cannot achieve a morning ritual because I am summoned to my desk by 6am every day. So I have adopted an evening ritual that helps me form healthy habits for productivity. I like to reserve wind down time to empty the stress of the day, play with my son, exercise, and love on my husband. This family time is a perfect motivation for me to retreat to my office and put in some work. It just reminds me of what I am working for and the life I am building. With a clear mind, and love in my heart, I kiss them and breathe deep for full immersion into my business thoughts.

3.       Environment determines if I get any work done at all. I am an interior decorator so I wanted to make sure my office was set up for optimum productivity. I made my environment conducive to focus. I have a Bluetooth speaker playing mind music, it’s clean, and full of sunlight which gives me energy to stay alert and centered. I use the notes on my wall to draw inspiration for something to work on.

I am a very empathetic person and my world runs off emotional energy so I have to be in the mood to complete a task. It is definitely not as simple as just getting what needs to be done, done. I feed off creativity and let it run freely.

4.       Focus and creativity can conflict with each other depending on what I need to do so I have to give time to creativity before I can focus in on one task. Once I am able to identify the tasks I want to complete for the day, I am able to simply refer to the creative process to get me through the task in a very focused and deliberate way. For example, instead of fumbling my way through a blog article, I do my best to wait until I have mapped the topic in my mind so I can simply write it out without getting writer’s block.

5.       Ending the night is usually an internal fight for me, especially when a task cannot be completed in one sitting. I am passionate about what I do so finding a point where it is okay to stop is like trying to stop a waterfall from wetting the ground beneath it. I have adopted the practice of doing a “mind dump” where I mentally summarize any progress made for the day, and where I need to pick up the next day. I continue writing these things down anywhere within reach and allow my mind to release it in order to prevent it from staying on in my mind like a neon light.

Once I have dumped my thoughts into my phone or notepad, I can trust that the panic over getting things done can hold off for the night.

These rituals have little to do with my job but they were developed in order to cope with having a job while starting a business or making the transition to self-employment. I am an ever evolving woman so I will share more tips as I explore what makes me more effective and efficient. Did you identify with any of these insights? Visit my website www.musedhome.com and follow the musedhome blog to receive more articles on a wide range of topics. I am on social media everywhere so find me and lets talk!

[musedhome-blog]

Sometimes you need a change in your environment to prompt a change in your mind #youdeserveamusedhome #homeservices #staging #styling

[musedhome-blog]

How can you afford to hire a staging professional? Hire one who treats #thrift stores like Neiman Marcus

[musedhome-blog]

How often do you cleanse your home aside from disinfect sprays and sponges? We top off our home services with this practice upon request... For free!