New Moon Risings

The holiday weekend pushed back the release of this month issue of Activ8, but it’s up, it’s ready and as always it’s interesting.

The Pagan Environmental Survey is one every self-professed nature loving pagan should take not so much for the person conducting the survey, but for your own betterment.  Answer honestly and you’ll get more out of his survey than he will.

In The Sustainable Path, our new article this month, Rob Barton explains why buying for your health and comfort actually has an environmental effect.  Buy smart and you, your family and the environment will be better off for it.

Since I raved about the quality and flavor of grass fed beef last month, I included a link to an online retailer for folks who may not have organic farms or ranches near them.  Really, give it a try, the difference is stunning.  A few other links made it in to the Food & Beverage section, I need to start grabbing a snack before I create A8.

I must have been hungry when I sat down to create this month’s issue of Activ8…it’s all about food, food I can get my hands on right away and by that I mean local food.

It being the summer months, most of us are lucky enough to have farmer’s markets close enough for us to buy directly from the growers and WOW what a treat that is!

On our last trip to one of our local farmer’s markets (we have 4 within 20 minutes!) I asked the woman behind the stand for the largest zucchini she had, but I could never have imagined the size of the zucchini she would come out with. It was over 12 inches long and easily 6 inches in circumference. I had planned to make stuffed zucchini but between myself and my husband, it took us 3 meals to eat the whole thing and it was as delicious as it was large. Did I mention that it was only $1! Stunning, especially when you consider that our local mega-market charges $1 per pound and this thing was easily 3-4 pounds!

At the Flying J Farm stand, where we purchased pasture-raised beef, we were invited to visit the farm and attend the Ohio Green Living Fayre (to be held Sep. 3 in Johnstown, for fellow Ohioans). The steak we bought was juicy and flavorful, but best of all it was farmed under humane and organic practices.

Another stop at a plant stand, where all plants are raised organically, had us purchasing a licorice basil, something we never knew existed. Not only is the aroma and flavor excellent, the grower explained the plant’s requirements and I am proud to say that it is bushy and healthy and going to seed as we speak so we will have licorice basil far into the future.

So what are the benefits of buying directly from the grower?

You know how your food was grown/raised.

You support small, local farms that may otherwise sell their land to developers.

You avoid the energy consumption required to transport food thousands of miles

You build relationships with some of the friendly and most knowledgeable people around.

You get to experience foods, plants, heirloom varieties and flavors you may never have been aware of.

If you haven’t already, check out Activ8 for more info on eating locally and on the upcoming Eat Local Challenge. New links were added too, so be sure to check them out and surf to some great sites!

It is not often that I mix religious views with political or social action but with Independence Day drawing near in the US I began pondering freedom, specifically religious freedom and so that became the topic of Activ8’s July Issue.

Our new article Military Pagans (US) is a reprint of a recent Stars & Stripes article that explores the experiences and beliefs of pagans serving overseas in the US military. An interesting read and a look into yet another aspect of pagan life.

With thoughts of freedom on my mind, I was so please to see the Pagan Religious Rights Rally will be held in Washington DC this July 4. If you are unable to attend in the capital, as we are, there is a version of the ritual available for download. We will be conducting the very same ritual at our home to coincide with the DC ritual. More people, more energy, more change!

The highlight of this issue is our interview with Aghamang Bughaw. Founder of the Shrine of Luntiang Aghama, he works to facilitate learning opportunities and community outreach in his native Philippines. His experiences starting on the pagan path will mirror many of our own but it is the actions that he is taking now to make paganism accesible to seekers in the Philippines as well as his focus on reviving cultural beliefs and traditions that will inspire. It was my pleasure to sit down and speak with Aghamang and I sincerely thank him for his time and it is my honor to call him friend.

Additionally, you will find new links in Pagan Action

The backlog of work left by our taking holiday to attend festival has left us too overloaded to publish a June installment. July’s issue will release as scheduled on the first of the month.

A quick word before I go…Have you heard about LiveEarth? 7 Concerts, 7 Countries, 1 Day! All to combat global warming. Have fun and help at the same time. The US venue is Giants Stadium in New Jersey, the UK event will be held at Wembley Stadium in London