Hershberger: Raw Milk Is His Right

            I first met Vernon Hershberger in 2010 when this mess of milk began.  I was moved to find a farmer who raised organic food for his family and for his co-op of local growers and consumers. Vernon has a small shop on his land in the heart of Wisconsin and I do mean small, but full of the best the human body can obtain to sustain life. Vernon pays his taxes, commits no crimes, has a firm belief in God and just wants his family to grow up as peace-loving citizens who do good deeds for others.

            Vernon and his family are Mennonites in Loganville, Wisconsin, just west of the quaint town of Baraboo. For those who haven't had the privilege of ever visiting Baraboo, the town hasn't changed much since it was a hippie colony in the 1960s and '70s. The area is known for hiking, fishing, camping and everything else the great outdoors has to offer. Mennonites in the area are good farmers. The main difference between Mennonites and the Amish is electricity and engines.

            Vernon raises his milk cows and cattle in an organic way but uses modern tools to accomplish his tasks. His boys and girls work in the fields, barefoot. Vernon raises organic cows from organic birth lines. He doesn't even inoculate his cows for disease. Because he has so few, he says they never get sick.

            Vernon's dairy cows produce healthy raw milk. Some people join his co-op just for the milk that gets delivered across the state. Many clamor for its health benefits and its part in keeping disease and illness at bay. Vernon even puts milk that may be spoiled back into his land to create more grass for his cows to eat. Yes, good farmers feed their cows grass, as was intended, not given corn to get fat. Vernon uses no growth hormones or antibiotics and his land is pristine.

            And yet at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Vernon is a wanted, evil man who is circumventing state law by operating a dairy without proper licensing. You see the Dairy State only believes in pasteurized milk, milk altered by temperature to ensure no e-coli is present. About half the states in the U.S. ban raw milk sales.

            Wisconsin took issue with that and raided Vernon's farm in the summer of 2010. They taped his refrigerators shut and acted as if his organic grocery was a crime scene. The incident, in which Vernon was held at gunpoint in his living room in front of his young family, was captured on video and has been used in two different YouTube presentations for all the world to see.

            This is how Vernon's camp describes the incident.

            "On June 2, 2010, representatives of the DATCP conducted a raid at the Vernon Hershberger farm. DATCP agents intentionally destroyed nearly 300 gallons of fresh milk by pouring blue dye into the bulk tank, claiming the milk was 'adulterated and misbranded' — even though there was no logical, factual, or scientific basis for this conclusion. The milk was unpasteurized, as is all milk on all farms that is stored

in bulk tanks. The agents then placed a holding order on all the fresh, wholesome food in coolers on the property, most of which belonged to members of the Hershberger’s private buying club, and some of which belonged to the Hershberger family. Mr. Hershberger then faced a serious dilemma: allow the wholesome, perishable food to go to waste while he engaged in lengthy administrative wrangling with DATCP or allow the rightful owners of the property to take it from the coolers.

            "Mr. Hershberger followed his conscience and allowed the owners to retrieve their food. Vernon Hershberger’s religious principles prevented him from standing by, while nutritious food rotted."

            After the raid, Vernon went back to selling raw milk and everything else good for you. The state took a lot of heat from the public.  Vernons's wife miscarried that fall, about the same time the state submitted a report for possible prosecution. No agency, state or county, immediately followed up with four state charges for operating a dairy withou proper licensing.

            The state came after him with the full force of the law. He was booked, jailed and told not to sell. Despite a mandate from state court that inspections of his farm be allowed by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), Hershberger turned away three state officlas at his farm on Feb. 9. The refusal of access is in direct violation of the court order issued the week prior at a county hearing stating the Hershberger must abide by the following, "No impeding, obstruction or interference with any Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) inspection."

            The bold move was captured on video and aired on YouTube.

            That only made his group of supporters stronger. Now they plan to use a First Amendment defense to say his religious freedoms were violated by his abiding by God's law to not waste good food, or in this case, milk.

            The state said Hershberger can not sell any food products without a proper license. He claims he is not a business but rather a group-owned co-op. He says he is just the caretaker of the animals and the land. The state also said he may not manufacture or process any dairy products, nor sell any without a proper license. The state said he also may not have anyone else operate his farm or work in any room or building on his property. To that order, he has remained defiant. His workers are the owners of the cows, he says.

            He fights on with a defense team sponsored by donors and thousands of people across the country pledging their support. There is much more at stake here than just Raw Milk Rights. The drama continues Monday, March 18, with a First Amendment Rights hearing in Baraboo at the courthouse. The previous hearings were supported by a large gatherings of supporters from around the country.

            Hershberger will argue that his religious beliefs prevented him from challenging the DATCP. This is what Hershberger says is his right on this Earth. "Scripture contains the following admonition in Matthew 5:38-41: '… And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.' The Bible teaches that we should not be aggressors in court actions by suing people or filing counter claims (“cross bills”, below), even though it is possible by course of law to force off the coat from a man's back. We are not to marvel at the matter, but, in such a case, rather than go to the law by way of revenge, rather than exhibit a cross bill, or stand out to the utmost, in defense of that which is our undoubted right; rather we are to let him even take our cloak also. If the matter be small, which we may lose without a considerable damage to our families, it is good to submit to it for the sake of peace. It will not cost us so much to buy another cloak, as it will cost us by course of law to recover that; and therefore unless we canst get it again by fair means, it is better to let him take it.

            “Thus, Scripture requires me to avoid initiating conflict. I cannot be the aggressor in a lawsuit. I could not request the hearing provided by the administrative rules and referenced on the State’s holding order even though the findings of fact in the order were incorrect, because it would have been tantamount to suing the State and would have violated this Scriptural prohibition on initiating conflict."

            With few exceptions, Wisconsin prohibits the sale of raw milk to the public because it may contain bacteria that cause food-borne illnesses. But raw-milk advocates have repeatedly pressed for state legislation that would legalize the sales.

            There was a bill to legalize sales in Wisconsin in 2010, but then-Gov. Jim Doyle vetoed it when it came to his desk, succumbing to a powerful dairy lobby that usually wins in Dairy Land.

            The FDA alleges that dairy products are among the top contributors to food-borne illnesses and that raw milk is the most dangerous. Dairy products ranked second to leafy vegetables, resulting in 1.3 million illnesses and 10 percent of food-borne-illness deaths from 1998 through 2008. Dairy products reportedly accounted for the most hospitalizations, 16 percent, followed by leafy vegetables, 14 percent, poultry, fruits and nuts. But a CDC study published a year ago claimed the rate for disease outbreaks caused by raw dairy products was 150 times higher than for pasteurized milk. That study said that milk consumption was responsible for 121 disease outbreaks, causing 4,413 illnesses, 239 hospitalizations and three deaths from 1993 to 2006 - and that raw milk products were the cause of 60 percent of the outbreaks.

            Laarge dairy farmers say one of the biggest arguments against legalizing raw milk sales has been the damage that could be inflicted on the state's $26 billion dairy industry should there be an illness outbreak.

            The Food and Drug Administration has the power since 2011 to decide if food or drink is harmful, with credible evidence or not.

            Farmers with children who drink raw milk report fewer illnesses. Others swear by its benefits even to risk contamination.

            Organic milk, although processed, contains valuable CLAs that corn-fed cows lack and provide better absorption of Vitamin D.. But drinking raw milk now is regarded as an alternative lifestyle, something dangers, yet precedes pasteurized milk by thousands of years.

            What constitutes a family farm also is under dispute in Wisconsin. Vernon Hershberger, who owns and operates Grazin' Acres in Loganville, can't form a co-op of people with like minds and tastes.  If you pay a yearly "lease" fee to be part of the co-op, your money goes toward ownership of a cow. Therefore, you are part-owner of the farm and entitled to raw milk. You can also work on the farm to keep costs down. Who, exactly, are they hurting?

            What should be a simple task, selling raw milk to his neighbors, has made Vernon famous, fame he did not seek.

            Who loses? Small farms and people who like and benefit from raw milk.  What we all are losing is our right to consume what we want.

            If, indeed, we truly seek less government intervention in our lives, then people should be able to consume a product they feel is safe. Raw milk is not cocaine. It is not a drug that needs to be regulated. People who purchase raw milk do depend on the local farmer to give it to them without e-coli in it and have to live with their choice if they get sick. People know the supposed dangers and choose to buy raw milk for themselves and their children.

            Our right to choose is being desecrated by more government and powerful lobbies. The rural areas of Wisconsin are dominated by old right-wing republicans who claim they want less goverment interference, and yet, they attack a Mennonite and his family.

            Are there no better ways to spend taxpayer money than to go after a Small Farmer and his merry band of raw milk drinkers? What's next, a wanted poster of Vernon milking a cow?

            See www.vernonhershberger.com for more info.

           

 

Are We Still Big On Obesogens?

          Why don't we hear more about industrial pollutants contributing to America's obesity epidemic? The federal government  -- more than two years ago -- recognized the word "obesegen" labeled first at UC-Irvine, and, yet, not much has been said about the term that describes a toxic cell stored in the fat cells of our body. The problems created by stored toxins can only get worse.

            While that doesn't change that we are a calorie-rich culture that consumes too much sugar, red meat and too many dairy products, environmental toxicity is to blame for a portion of the problem. The pollution our parents and our generation has bestowed upon the landscape is slowing ruining our health. We can't escape it, totally, but we can try to flush as much of it as possible from our system.

            How? Clean water from the proper filtration system installed in your home is the best way. Drinking refined public water from a BPA-laden plastic bottle won't help and their is no such thing as bottled spring water. We need to filter out volatile organic chemicals, heavy metals viruses, parasites and pharmaceuticals from our water, along with e-coli from well water.

            BPAs are considered obesogens, so eliminate plastics for the storage and cooking of foods and liquids. Use glass and stainless steel containers (remember when milk came in glass bottles?)

            Filling up on toxins is one reason why people who diet can't seem to lose weight. Clean water is step one.

            Step two is exercise. We sweat out toxins in a good workout.

            Step three: eat organics to reduce the toxins entering our system.

            Step four: use a simple juice cleanse to help crucial organ function. Drink 100 percent grape juice for the colon, one quart over two days. Drink 8 ounces of cranberry juice in days three and four for the kidneys. Then start using lemon juice daily for the liver -- forever. Also, eat some sauerkraut or drink Kombucha to force the bad stuff through our intestines.

            The term obesogen was coined by Felix Grün and Bruce Blumberg of the UC-I.

A biologist, Blumberg, is sold on the idea and studied the link between industrial pollutants and obesity. Blumberg said he believes chemicals used in plastics, food packaging, pesticides and cosmetics can trigger dramatic increases in body fat. He coined the word for these compounds that corrupt the normal function of metabolic hormones.

            "It makes a lot of sense that chemicals able to reprogram metabolism and favor the development of fat cells could be important contributing factors to obesity,” says Blumberg. “The role of obesogens in fat accumulation raises questions about the effectiveness of just diet and exercise in helping people lose pounds and maintain a proper weight.”

            Industrial chemicals, new chemical compounds, prescription drugs, fluoride, chlorine added to water, BPAs.

            “The causes of obesity are very complex, but if you travel to other places in the world, you’ll notice that this epidemic is predominantly American,” Blumberg says. “Elsewhere, the consumption of prepackaged foods is much lower, food is grown and eaten locally, and people are far less exposed to food additives and chemicals. These are all contributing factors.”

            Remember, there are many food additives that are legal in this country while illegal in the UK and other European countries as well as Australia. Chemical compounds created by man only contribute to environmental poisoning.

 

            Face the truth that environmental poisoning is wreaking havoc on our bodies, young and old. Take the necessary steps to eliminate the toxins and eliminate the weight.

Light on.

Kombucha, the old energy drink

          Perhaps the most intriguing product to jolt the holistic marketplace in recent years is a blast from the past -- Kombucha.

            Kombucha, the old Red Bull, is a fermented tea that is said to have tremendous health benefits, the foremost of which is an abundance of energy without the megavolts of caffeine. Real or myth, the beverage is flying off the shelves in places like Woodman's, Choices Natural Market and Nutrition Works. Some stores sell the "culture" for use in home brew.

            Research is limited on this far-less-dangerous energy drink that has been touted for centuries. The history of Kambucha may have originated in China where it was supposedly known as "Godly Tsche" (tea) during the Chinese Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE). 

            Do we really need research or are centuries of anecdotal evidence enough?

            Kombucha can be easily made at home by fermenting black tea or green tea using a yeast-like substance referred to as the "mushroom" or "mother," and with the help of bacteria, forms the kombucha.  The mass is stored in a ball jar that is best topped with cheesecloth instead of a lid to allow the safest growth. The glass jar is kept on your countertop away from direct sunlight, constant vibration or temperature change.

            The "culture" (often compared to sourdough) mainly contains a symbiosis of aacetobacter (acetic acid bacteria) and one or more yeasts.  The culture itself looks somewhat like a giant scallop growing sideways and acts like a mushroom or "Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast." It slowly expands and can be split into additional jars and used for more tea or cheap gifts.

              All you do is get a culture in a jar and when the juice is ready to be harvested in a week or two, leave a little in the bottom. Then make enough brewed black tea or green tea mixed with sugar to replace what is taken out.  Store the Kombucha blend in a dark bottle in your refrigerator. The addition of flavored teas are helpful to defray the vinegary taste. Kombucha juice is often mixed with fruit juices to soften the taste.  Keep the culture covered in tea and split it by separating the layers and creating a new jar. The contamination rate by the home brewer is low. Those who suffer from immunosuppression should consume commercial kombucha beverages. The porous cloth on top prevents contamination by bugs, dust and other bacteria while allowing the jar to breathe. Liquid from the previous batch will preserve some of the culture.

            The bacteria and yeasts in kombucha may also produce antimicrobial defense molecules and this all-day energy brew also detoxifies the body -- hardly anything magical about it. Those who can't tolerate acidic drinks beware.

            Kombucha contains less than 0.5% alcohol, which classifies it as a non-alcoholic beverage. Older, more acidic kombucha might contain 1.0% alcohol and fizz, depending on brewing time and higher proportions of sugar and yeast.

            Lindsay Lohan made the alcohol content famous when she was filmed drinking it while being court-ordered to abstain from alcohol. Kambucha was pulled from store shelves for several months to change labeling to reflect its mild alcohol content.

            The return of this holistic monster drink was a welcome boost to thirsty retailers and convinced consumers.

            For more info on how to obtain a raw kombucha culture, email me at rgubbe@yahoo.com

 

Enfuego Productions goes organic, biodegradable

Enfuego Productions is now the exclusive U.S. wholesale distributor and retail provider for Maya Solar® Suncare and Batab Ancient Mayan Formula Products.

Batab is a creative fusion of four elements: traditional Mayan healing knowledge; indigenous flora of the Yucatan peninsula; potent minerals of the Chicxulub crater; and modern skin care technology. Our products use organic and exotic ingredients indigenous only in the Yucatan Peninsula, where an asteroid hit the earth 65 million years ago. We utilize these plants and minerals from the Chicxulub Crater to create Batab sunscreens, insect repellent, burn lotion and MayaSolar® bath and body products. Mayans have used the ingredients spawned from the crater for thousands of years to protect and beautify their skin and hair.

Batab carefully cultivates these tropical plants, herbs, spices, minerals, sea salt and seaweed that include ingredients such as achiote, chaya, abeja, beeswax and beta carotene  The Maya Solar bath line includes innovative hair, bath, body and skin products that are all natural and organic. They rejuvenate skin and hair while often repairing damage. Pamper yourself with ancient Mayan wisdom and exfoliate, detoxify, oxygenate and rejuvenate during and after a simple bath or massage.

Batab suncare products are eco-friendly and chemical free with the highest quality of ingredients to protect the skin from sun, accelerate the normal tanning process and bring relief to sun-damaged skin. The emollients of our suncare products moisturize your skin and prevent dryness by the sun with natural UVA/UVB filters. They are biodegradable, safe for ocean use and help prolong the life of pool filters. Our insect repellent is also earth-friendly and one of our best sellers.

All of these products are safe for children and FDA approved. Labeling is in English and Spanish. Labels also are biodegradable. Profits made creating

Maya Solar and Batab products go directly to the Mayan people.

See www.enfuegoproductions.biz to order and www.enfuegoproductions.net for product information.
 

Essiac Four-Herb Formula Healing Tea

         This is the best-kept secret in natural healing.

            A Canadian nurse named Rene Caisse first discovered an amazing herbal tea formula in 1922, when one of the patients in her hospital was cured of cancer!  The patient originally had received the herbal preparation from an Ojibway herbalist. Rene Caisse then devoted over 50 years of her life testing, developing and perfecting that old Indian remedy she called ESSIAC (Essiac is her name spelled backwards). Rene used this Four-Herb Tea to treat literally thousands of cancer patients, and the tea produced phenomenal results. She began to experiment with the Four-Herb formula and found it to be very effective in helping many other ailments as well e.g., chronic bronchitis.

            I have witnessed numerous occurrences where this tea has saved lives. It's also a powerful cleanser  that anyone could benefit by doing once or twice a year. The best formulas are the herbs that come in four bags to brew and steep. Follow the direcations to the letter. The taste of the tea isn't great but you are trying to cure cancer, not drink champagne. The tea, when used properly, can expel years worth of toxins in two weeks.

            Many people now claim that Caisse's Four-Herb Tea has the natural ability to boost their immune systems and to detoxify their bodies, providing them with nearly perfect health; no colds, no flu, no bronchitis. When you make your own Four-Herb Tea formula, you should only use organic Burdock Root, Sheep Sorrel, Slippery Elm and Turkey Rhubarb herbs in the correct medicinal proportions.

        She used it often to help people with serious illnesses. Born in Bracebridge, Ontario, Nurse Caisse prepared her original herbal formula into a drink named Essiac, which is Nurse Caisse's name spelled backward. Despite having no scientific evidence, she claimed it helped cancer sufferers, including those close to her.

            From 1922 to 1978, Nurse Caisse helped thousands of people with her Essiac herbal supplement at her clinic in Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada. Although she refused payments for her services, she accepted donations to help support her clinic. Nurse Caisse dedicated her life to using the Essiac formula and helping the suffering.

            In 1977, Nurse Caisse signed over all her rights to the original Essiac formula to Resperin Corporation Limited. Dr. Charles Brusch of Cambridge, Massachusetts, witnessed the signing of the agreement between Rene Caisse and Resperin attesting that her original herbal formula was never revealed to anyone other than to Resperin. Resperin gave her the assurance that she sought, namely, that Essiac be produced and distributed for the benefit of all. On May 29th, 1995, Resperin transferred the rights to ESSIAC^® and the corporation was voluntarily dissolved. Essiac Products Inc. owned and manufactured the ESSIAC^® herbal formula which was distributed through Essiac Canada International. Today, Essiac Canada International owns the rights to the ESSIAC^® formula and exports it worldwide.

Rene Caisse continues to be loved and remembered for her contribution to naturopathic medicine. Bronze sculptures of Nurse Caisse have been dedicated in her memory in Bracebridge and at the Canadian College of naturopathic Medicine in Toronto. Additional information on the history of ESSIAC^® and Nurse Rene Caisse can be found in the book Bridge of Hope.

 

 

 

The perils of plastics

            They should be known as the evil twins of our environment. BPAs and Phthalates are not only polluting worldwide but are making people fat and killing them of cancer.  As usual, Americans are slow to act on the alarm bells ringing throughout studies and tests that have poured in the last two years. 

            Plastic bags and bottles have garnered a great deal of fanfare calling for their elimination, yet few are moving quickly enough to legislate their elimination.  BPAs were called out for delivering risky residuals in baby bottles and have been banned in most advanced countries.

            Bisphenol A is an organic compound with two main purposes -- to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. Phthalates (thalates) are mainly used in plastics to increase flexibility, transparency and durability. They rub off and find their way into our fat cells.

            The evil twins are not being phased out quickly enough despite an outpouring of studies and research.  The dangers of BPAs surfaced in 2008 after several governments issued reports questioning its safety, prompting some retailers to stop selling products made with this lethal substance. A 2010 report from the FDA raised concerns regarding exposure of fetuses, infants and young children. Canada became the first country to declare BPA a toxic substance. Products containing bisphenol A first surfaced in 1957 and at least 8 billion pounds of BPA are used by manufacturers yearly. Bisphenol A has been labeled an endocrine disruptor, which often leads to cancer.

            "60 Minutes" recently warned of many household items that were taken for granted to be safe. Phthalates are found in fishing lures, caulk, paint pigments, shower curtains, vinyl upholstery, adhesives, floor tiles, food containers and cleaning products. Personal-care items containing phthalates include perfume, eye shadow, moisturizer, nail polish, liquid soap and hair spray.

            The damage done by the evil twins is extensive. Damage to the thyroid and other organs has been documented.  Sheryl Crow proved her breast cancer was caused by heated plastic bottles she drank water from in her car -- a common practice in warm states. Another culprit in delivery is the microwave when plastic wrapping and containers are heated.  The result is a residual in our food.

            The problem is that our bodies are taxed in expelling these residuals when more and more chemicals are added to the physiological mix every day. The effects of hitting ourselves over and over with a hammer have yet to taken to heart by most people.

            While we may choose to not care about polluting the environment with plastic bags and bottles, maybe, just maybe, we ought to think about the effects on humans and animals.  The battle cry for change also needs to be sounded for the danger of epoxy resins used as coatings on the inside of almost all food and beverage cans. Glass is safer and better packaging needs to be invented.

            Scientists and biologists are studying the link between industrial pollutants and obesity. The U.S. government coined a word last September for metabolism-altering chemicals, calling them obesogens. Calories aren't the only cause of obesity in America -- pollutants from plastics share the burden of making it harder to lose weight. Now we know why dieting doesn't always work.  Diet food products are often microwaved. Are we literally killing ourselves trying to lose weight?

            The solution: aluminum water containers, BPA-free plastics, cloth shower curtains, glass storage containers and glass baby bottles. Safer cleaning products and a reduction in personal-care products will help the body eliminate BPAs and Phthalates.

            And one more suggestion: throw your microwave into the street for the junk man to pick up.

TH Foods health snacks

          Quietly doing business in Rockford, Foods has implanted itself as the American standard for rice snacks and other healthy munchables in the United States.

          What started as an idea to supply America with a substitute for fried junk food was introduced by three men in the mid-1980s. They transformed a single idea into a market-dominating global conglomerate owned by foreign interests, run mainly by Americans and eaten in carefully chosen markets worldwide.

          Al Lewin was there from the beginning, and along with partners Glen Smith and Mel Tieszen, started a business in the Rock River Valley that grew and grew but never left. The descendant of that idea, the TH Foods brand, is found in every major food chain across America.

          Not many local residents know or hear the name of TH Foods, but then again, most don't read the package. But the majority of people have heard of Mitsubishi Corporation, which along with renowned Japanese rice snack maker Kameda, now own TH Foods and its niche market of products deemed safe and good to eat.

          Lewin, who moved to Rockford in 1978, Smith, from California, and Tieszen from Chicago, capitalized on a fledgling health snack market to become the kingpins of rice snacks and other "all natural" snacks in America.

          "We were going to make a product low in fat to replace a fried product," Lewin said of the original idea.

          Lewin said he picked the Rockford area for the operations "because I lived here."

          The baking and packaging plant supplies the snacks for store chains and for snack mix packaging under other labels.

          "We're the only rice manufacturer in the country and pretty much control the market and 90 percent of the snack mix market in the U.S. and Canada," Lewin said.

          "I never dreamed it would have gotten this big and a lot of it has to do with Mitsubishi and Kameda resources and equipment along with commodity procurement."

          Kameda is the rice snack leader in Japan and along with Mitsubishi, began investing in Sesmark Foods, the original company name.

          Under the name of Sesmark, the company began operations in 1984 producing  sesame snacks, then wheat snacks. In 1989, Mitsubishi and Kameda started to invest in Sesmark. Within two years, the first rice cracker for retail was introduced. The company began bringing in money through exports in 1995.

          "It started out as an investment in 1990 as we grew," Lewin said of the procurement by Mitsubishi and Kameda. "We were using their resources and technology. "They increased their ownership over the years and in 1998 they took control, now owning 100 percent of the shares."

          Lewin said Mitsubishi has more than 50 percent and Kameda has more than 45 percent of ownership.

          After the purchase, Lewin served as chief operating officer and executive vice president. Lewin has remained with the company on a consulting basis. The company employs 300 people and Lewin said the success has brought him great personal satisfaction.

          "Our business is growing rapidly. We're solid with nice growth. We can't complain," Lewin said. "We made decisions due to trends in the snack food industry. Being in rice is makes perfect sense."

          The steady growth continued throughout the 1990s with the bulk snack program followed by the start of the Mr. Krispers brand of rice chips.

          Then came the health food craze and the acquisition of the Crunchmaster brand with Mr. Krispers Baked Rice Krisps, Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Crackers and Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers. Each of those products followed a trend in what people want, and need, to eat to stay healthy.

          In 1998, the Sesmark brand was acquired by the umbrella Liberty Richter group and the company became Terra Harvest Foods, evolving into the abbreviated TH Foods brand.

          Because TH Foods is not publicly traded, Director of Marketing Jim Garsow and Lewin declined to disclose the company's yearly earnings. 

          "We've been growing at 18 percent a year for the last ten years and those are the plans for the next four years," Lewin said. "We will continue to look at growth and new products and territories."

 The Brands

          The company has showed its awareness for the need of healthy snack foods by offering products for people with complex digestion problems and major health issues. Crunchmaster is the largest individual brand sold today, Garsow said. Crunchmaster products are in every major grocery chain, as well as being staples in Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.

          There are snack food blends available to package under other companies' brand names. There are 27 varieties of snacks that can be blended or sold separately. This division makes up 25 percent of sales and the company holds a 90 percent market share in that area nationwide, Garsow said. The company also sells a chia seed product to Costco and there also are sales to natural food co-ops as well.

          All TH Foods are made at the baking facility in Loves Park.

The Ingredients

          TH foods has devoured a big bite of the ever-evolving healthy snacks business by using technology from Japan, but not the ingredients. TH Foods incorporates the claim, "Our Crunchmaster products aren't just crunchy and delicious. They're healthy and safe for your gluten-free diet."

          The company uses multiple growers from California for the rice and uses South America for other ingredients. All products are classified either organic and/or all-natural. Garsow said the U.S. Department of Agriculture is the certifying agency to audit the suppliers but admitted "organic is a very small part of the business."

          When rice snacks enter the conversation, the public perception is supply comes from foreign-grown products from China, Japan and Thailand.

          Garsow said where the TH Foods ingredients come from has been brought to light more with pollution concerns in the East, particularly the Japanese products grown after the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown.

          "We fielded those concerns," Garsow said. "The technology is what comes from Japan."

          The rice fields that surround Niigata along the coast of northern Japan is where the art of handcrafting, aging, baking (on open grills) and perfecting rice crackers began. TH Foods uses proprietary rice-baking techniques in the "Usuyaki" style, Japanese for thin and flat.

          Crunchmaster crackers are 100 percent whole grain, cholesterol free, low in sodium, low in saturated fat and contain zero grams of trans fat.

          Although all the products except the original chips do contain sugar, it's what they don't contain -- gluten. The baking facility in Loves Park is certified by the Gluten Free Certification Organization. This alternative to wheat crackers opens up a food choice for those with food allergies and diseases such as autism and celiac disease. Celiac disease is a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents it from absorbing parts of food that are important for staying healthy. The damage is due to a reaction to eating gluten. Gluten is the protein part of wheat, rye, barley, and other related grains. Instead, TH Foods uses GMO-free, whole grain and white unbleached rice 

          The sesame seeds used in Crunchmaster products are grown in the U.S. with a special hybrid that was developed to fit the climate in Texas and Oklahoma. The quinoa and amaranth seeds are sourced from the Andean region in South America. The flax seeds are grown in the plains of the upper Midwest and Canada.

          Each of the seeds has distinct tastes and benefits. Quinoa is sometimes called the "mother of all grains," since it contains a balanced set of essential amino acids.

Studies have shown that amaranth seed, like oats, may be of benefit for those with hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

          Studies also have shown that among other benefits, the sesamin in sesame can lower total and LDL cholesterol and raise tocopherol levels. Flax seeds contain high levels of lignans and Omega-3 fatty acids and may help lower cholesterol levels.

          Gluten is a natural protein that is found in wheat, rye, spelt, triticale and barley. Foods made from these grains like pizza, bread, cookies and traditional crackers usually contain gluten.

          It's estimated that one of every 133 Americans have celiac disease, which is a chronic inherited digestive disorder that can cause damage to the small intestine. A no-gluten diet also is recommended for those with autism.

          "We have a core constituency buying gluten-free foods," Garsow said, adding that as much as 18 percent of the population prefers or needs gluten-free products. Other TH Foods products are also milk free, meaning they are also casein free.

          All other ingredients used are natural and all the products are baked. Garsow said the competition uses Chinese, Thai and Japanese ingredients.. TH Foods products, he added, do not use any artificial flavor enhancers.

          The TH verbiage claims, "Our scientists work closely with our chef to insure that each product that we manufacture fits your strict dietary needs and excites your taste buds. We test every production run before shipment to ensure the highest standards of purity. It's our commitment to your health."

          Only in the past few years have those with special dietary needs been able to obtain snack foods without gluten. Healthy snacks that use rice and other seeds to replace gluten grains are no longer hard to find. The oddity is that they are produced right here in the Rock River Valley.

          "We've kept a low profile since the beginning," Lewin said. "But we're bigger than a lot of people think."

          For more information on the company, visit www.thfoods.com or www.crunchmaster.com