Clearing Brush with Goats in the Pacific Northwest

Brush clearing is something you may deal with on a constant basis or rarely, but either way, brush clearing is always difficult and sometimes just a pain in the ass. Blackberry vines, sting-needle, and salmon-berry stocks crowd together and make it almost impossible to walk through.

Instead of using heavy machinery and expensive equipment, use organic methods to preserve the area and leave minimal impact on the environment. My favorite method of clearing real thick brush is to use goats.

Hungry hungry hip..Goats?

Goats can clear thick brush at a very fast rate and only leave behind lit nuggets of fertilizer in the form of poo pebbles. So clearing the land, also puts the nutrients back into the land instead of disturbing it. This is a natural way to clear out think brush and should be taken advantage when possible. That's the other nice part about goats, they can go anywhere!

Agile Experts

Goats are native to mountainous regions and would spend the majority of their lives of cliff sides standing next to hundred foot drops, but their amazing balance, agility and specialized footings keep them surviving. This makes goats especially useful when they area needing to be cleared is inaccessible to machinery or is too steep for workers.

Of coarse you could go the standard route of using clippers, heavy duty weed eaters, or a back hoe. Why waste the time and effort when you can simply build an fence and let nature do the work for you. 

Good vs Bad - Vegetable Showdown

Vegetables are important regardless of your health situation. The minerals and vitamins found in vegetables are vital for proper body composition. What do you consider a healthy source for your vegetables?

There are many varieties of vegetables from potato's to tomato's but not all are made alike. Vitamins, mineral s and protein amounts vary from  plant to plant. This makes variety in your vegetable choices key to a healthy lifestyle. 




These vegetables are starchy and should be avoided

• Potatos
• Yams
• Sweet Potato's

Sorry, potato chips don't count as your vegetables for the day. In general, if you have to cook it in order to make it eatable, it's not very good for you.

Rich in vitamins and minerals

• Artichoke 
• Mushrooms 
• Asparagus 
• Mustard

• Onions 
• Beets 
• Parsley
• Bell Peppers 

• Parsnip 
• Broccoli 
• Peppers (all kinds)
• Brussels Sprouts 

• Pumpkin 
• Cabbage 
• Carrots 
• Radish 

• Cauliflower 
• Rutabaga
• Celery 
• Seaweed 

• Collards 
• Spinach
• Cucumber 
• Squash (all kinds) 

• Eggplant 
• Tomatillos 
• Endive Tomato
• Green Onions 

• Turnip Greens 
• Kale 
• Turnips

• Kohlrabi 
• Watercress 
• Lettuce

By taking advantage of the information available  you can make a healthy meal decision and not sabotage your fitness goals.

Bookmark this page on your computer or smartphone and reference it when your shopping.

For more information on paleo foods to eat and not to eat: 

http://desertcrossfit.typepad.com/Paleo_Food_List.pdf

5 Inexpensive Protein Sources for Lean Muscle

If your goal is to gain muscle mass and strength, you aren't gonna get far without a proper amount of rich protein in your daily diet. In reality, almost everything has protein in it but the best sources are not only have a large percentage of protein but a low percentage of saturated fat and of coarse organic is best for you. 

What about cost?

Food is one of our most expensive bills. We should spend our money wisely on foods that are good for us and make us stronger. These 5 inexpensive protein sources are sure to boost your results.

We can agree that lean, organic meat is the richest source of protein. Nuts, seeds, beans, sprouts, etc all have lots of protein but in most cases this is not the majority of your diet. So I will focus on lean meat in this article.

Chicken, beef, pork, there is so much to choose from but which is best for gaining muscle mass? This comes down to many factors including traces of other vitamins and minerals and of coarse the cost. Sure you can get lean and mean eating lobster and sushi all day every day but that is not only financially not possible for many of us, it will probably get boring over time.

Ignoring exotic dishes and meals, lets focus on 5 different sources.

• Turkey

• Chicken

Turkey and chicken are both abundantly available in the united states and most other countries. Generally white meat is considered to be best for gaining muscle mass or getting lean. Dark meat tends to be saturated in more fat.

• Shrimp

• Tuna

Most seafood is good for you regardless. Amino acids, vitamins, minerals and Omega-3 make seafood too good to pass up. Shrimp is a great source of protein, one that I use often. There is a lot you can do with shrimp and it is very filling. Salmon is nice not only because of protein but also the abundant source of Omega-3 fatty acids.

• Buffalo

Buffalo is the most underutilized protein source that most people don't know about. Buffalo is so low in fat content that fat is usually added in order to make ground buffalo mold able for making burgers. This is similarly done with turkey burger which are frozen so that they hold shape. Fat basically holds burger meatballs together.

With the inexpensive protein sources you should be able to get a handle on your fitness goals. Protein is important for any diet regardless if you are wanting to gain muscle mass or not. Protein requires a lot of energy for your body to break down resulting in more caloric consumption that you would probably think.