EARTH DAY is rapidly approaching - I am blessed to live in a beautiful and comparatively un-touched part of Colorado. I can walk out my door and listen to a myriad of birds who have started to sing their hearts out in the past few weeks. I can look East and gaze at Mt Blanca who loves to take on a new look from day to day, and takes my breath away each and every time I see her. I can soak in the joy of my six year old showing me the first lady bug of the season. Will there still be lady bugs for my grandchildren to see?

This time of year, we find ourselves stopping to "smell the roses," but can we smell the apples? Remember the days when you used to be able to walk into a grocery store and actually smell the produce? Take a sniff the next time you are out getting your groceries. Can you smell anything? If you closed your eyes and used your senses, could you tell where you were? I'm not sure that I could. According to a study comparing vegetables from 1940 to 1991, copper levels have declined 76%, calcium by 46%, iron by 27%, magnesium by 24% and potassium by 16% (Thomas 2003). Similarly, Donald Davis in 2004 report that when assessing 43 garden crops comparatively from 1950 to 1999, there was a significant decline in protein, calcium, phosphorous, iron, riboflavin, and vitamin C. Not only is this affecting the plants humans eat as fruits and vegetables, it also affects the plants animals eat. Today as compared to 50 years ago, beef contains up to 50% less iron and copper (Thomas 2007).

What does Spring look like in the SLV? It looks like a long, hopeful, stroll towards the warmth and green of summer....with a whole lotta wind, snow, and mud along the way...just to make things interesting. Even though the transition can be arduous, there are moments of great joy in the midst. Today was one of those. John looked out the dining room window today and remarked, "Well well...I can see green in the field today! I looked for it yesterday and I couldn't see it....but today I can!". Green is no small thing around here. It marks the beginning of inspired eating for our cows....and inspired planning/planting for our rancher. Pasture is at the heart of what we do.

Meat labeling practices are, at best, perplexing. We hope this will shed some light on some commonly held questions and concerns.