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Hi friends! If you've been following along with my daily stories on IG, you know that it's been a crazy few weeks over here. I'm finally and officially certified as a power yoga and yoga sculpt instructor and I am SO excited about it! It's been a ton of work - I've been at the studio nearly every damn for the last 6ish months, since the day we got back from our Honeymoon. I'm exhausted! Plus, I've got my second cookbook in the works and also - the Holidays! So today I'm throwing it back AND recommending a great Holiday gift; This Whiskey Baked Persimmon Bread Pudding is SO good that I released it in my first cookbook, Homestyle Vegan, last year. But cool weather and fresh persimmons are back, and I knew I had to share. And if you still need a gift? My cookbook is on sale and is PACKED with delicious, plant-based recipes! Alright, that's the pitch. Moving on!
Bread pudding is just the worst name. It sounds like a soggy, sweetened, puréed loaf of bread and it deserves SO much more credit than that. This hearty bread pudding is stuffed with spiced, whiskey-baked persimmons and tossed in a rich coconut cream mixture before baking. It's a super impressive looking and tasting treat, and is a great way to explore using sweet, seasonal persimmons. Persimmons not your jam? Try using your favorite stone fruit, instead. Let's bake, babes!
6 heaping cups (375 g) stale french bread, cubed
4 persimmons, halved and thinly sliced
1/3 cup (80 ml) whiskey
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon (14 g) sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1- 14 oz. can (414 ml) full fat coconut milk
1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup (36 g) cornstarch
freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350º. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Place the stale bread cubes into a large bowl and set aside.
In a medium baking dish toss together the persimmons, whiskey, coconut oil, sugar, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom. Bake for 20 minutes, tossing again about halfway through.
While the persimmons are cooking, whisk together the coconut milk, almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and cornstarch in a saucepan. Cook over low-medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens. Once finished, pour the coconut milk mixture and the whiskey baked persimmons over the bread in the large mixing bowl. Mix to combine everything evenly, then pour the mixture into the prepared 9x13 inch baking dish. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes, then bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately!
Serves 6.
Leftovers save well in the fridge up to one week.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
Guys! We're back up and running. ICYMI, the site was down for a couple of day because we're working on a transitioning the blog to a new name. You may've already seen the sneak peek on instagram, but if you haven't, we'll be soon be ditching the name Fettle Vegan and calling the blog Good Saint. More on that in my next post! If you're not already subscribed to our weekly newsletter, now might be a great time - so you don't miss a thing when we switch over! For now, I'm bringing you a sweet, seasonal treat: Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble. This crumble is the BEST. Is it yummy, it is sugar-free, and it is so simple it'll blow your mind. Oh, and did I mention gluten-free? And soy-free? It ticks those boxes too, babes. It's a baked good you can feel good about eating and will feel good about eating because it tastes damn delicious. I did good, guys. And I think you're gonna be really proud of me.
I needed a sweet, simple dessert. I've been BUSY lately! With the site changes and the wedding - posts on THAT coming soon, too! - plus the honeymoon, and now my 200-hour yoga teacher training at CorePower, I've been exhausted lately and playing constant catch-up. I just don't have time for 15-ingredient layer cakes these days! Just 10 ingredient crumbles. 😉 I worked hard to keep the ingredients simple and whole, because I'm all about eating real, wholesome foods these days. Nothing processed, no preservatives, no extra sweeteners. It's summer - you don't need that shit. Whether you pick your own sweet strawberries (I MISS doing that in Maine every year!) or just buy 'em on sale at the grocery store, the secret here is really the rhubarb. It gives such a great tart balance to this easy dish. I highly recommend adding a dollop of coconut whip before serving - it's the perfect topping. Recipe linked below - so let's get cooking!
2 cups fresh rhubarb, sliced
4 heaping cups fresh strawberries, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 cup almond flour
2 cups GF oats
1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener (or sweetener of your choice - sugar works if you're into it, and the ratio is 1:1!)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup softened coconut oil
Coco Whip
2- 15 oz. cans whole fat coconut milk
1-3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
1-3 tablespoons monk fruit sweetener (again, use your fave sweetener here if you prefer!)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch glass baking dish and set it aside.
In a large mixing bowl, toss your strawberries and rhubarb in the lemon juiced chia seeds until evenly coated. In a separate mixing bowl combine the almond flour, GF oats, flour, monk fruit sweetener, baking powder and salt. Add in the softened coconut oil and stir until crumbs begin to form.
Pour the strawberry rhubarb mixture evenly into the greased glass baking dish. Top with the oat + almond flour crumble mixture, distributing evenly. Put the crumble into the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, until crumble topping becomes golden and berry mixture bubbles. Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving. Or eat it straight from the pan while you watch the Bachelorette. I'm not here to judge!
To prepare the coconut whip, simply scoop the firm solids from the cans of coconut milk into a large mixing bowl and toss in the sweetener, milk, and vanilla and whip with beaters until fluffy. Scoop onto your crumble and enjoy!
Leftovers - both the crumble and the ship - stay well, wrapped separately, in the fridge for up to a week.
To reheat, cover with foil and reheat at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes, or until warm in the middle.
Golden Milk: Hot or Iced!
Golden Milk: Hot or Iced!
I'm a little late to the party when it comes to posting about golden milk, but I am OBSESSED. And I had to share this in case any of you haven't been lucky enough to stumble upon it yet. If you're still staring at me like 'What the heck is GOLDEN milk?' then let's back this caboose up a bit; Golden Milk is made from steaming milk and blending in spices, sweetener and vanilla to create a steamer that tastes similar to a chai or spiced tea, but is much creamier due to the milk, and a little warmer thanks to the addition of the turmeric. Golden Milk recipes have kind of exploded online lately, and I was lucky enough to try some at a friends a few months ago, where I totally fell in love with it. We'd also tried an amazing version by Califa Farms at Expo West this year, but it wasn't worth paying $4 a bottle for. So I've started making it myself at home! It's way cheaper and feels good knowing I can make an equally delicious version at home for about a tenth of the price.
I love whipping one up whenever I want a sweet, warm drink or after a workout to help curb next-day soreness. Turmeric is a flavor you may recognize typically from curries, but but pairs perfectly with the sweetness of this drink. On top of being an anti-inflammatory, turmeric also boasts antioxidant and anti-depressant properties, as well as is considered a 'cure-all' spice for overall health and wellness in India. Plus, turmeric naturally whitens teeth! Seriously, just look up everything turmeric does - it's a pretty amazing little spice and something we should all be incorporating a bit more of into our daily lives. Which is why this super simple recipe is the PERFECT way to try it for yourself. Chances are you already have all the ingredients on hand to make it - so what're you waiting for? Cheers to your health!
16 ounces (2 cups) almond or coconut milk
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of black pepper
Heat your almond or coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium heat (do NOT bring to a boil). Add in the maple syrup, turmeric, vanilla and other ingredients, whisking until the spices are completely dissolved. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, until the milk is hot and everything is well combined. Taste and adjust the flavors to your preference, if you like.
Serve immediately OR let the milk cool to room temperature, then serve over ice. Refrigerated leftovers can either be reheated or served chilled over ice as well.
Serves 1-2.
Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated or enjoyed over ice for up a week.
Turmeric STAINS. Badly. Avoid using white dishes to cook or serve in unless you can wash them right after, and if you do get some turmeric stains on your countertop, I've read that vegetable oil and regular cleanser will usually get it off.
Turmeric DOESN'T stain your teeth! It's actually proven to be a tooth whitener, so no need to brush your teeth after drinking unless your prefer it.
Some people make this tea with fresh turmeric, whole cinnamon sticks, and fresh ginger. If that's what you prefer, we support you! Also, use whatever other spices you like - maybe some cloves or cayenne. We just use ground spices because they're convenient and encourage us to actually MAKE this! 😝
Lavender Tea Latte
Lavender Tea Latte
I wanted to post this recipe nearly a week ago for you but first my trackpad on my laptop stopped working and I was forced to travel to the deep dark depths of the Apple Store to get it fixed. As soon as I got it back, my host server was down! Ugh, what a week. We do, however, have some exciting events coming up!
This Friday, June 17th we'll be doing our last Tacolepsy pop-up at Green Bliss Cafe in Fullerton. Starting on July 15th we'll be at Renewable Farms in Anaheim with music, art, and a full outdoor patio under the lights. Oh yeah, and BEER! Its the best way to spend a Friday night for sure, and is totally family-friendly, so make sure you come eat with us. Starts at 6pm and goes until about 10pm!
This Tuesday, July 21st, for Fullerton's Day Of Music, we're working with Wander Outfitters to make and serve vegan chili and cornbread for everyone out celebrating. Stop by to say hi and for a warm bowl of spicy, homemade chili and to see some of our new Plant-Based Adventures merch!
But anyway, back to this recipe. Buying tea lattes costs way too much these days. It's rarely under $5, especially with the up-charge for non-dairy milk. And who can afford that nonsense? Well now you don't need to! This easy-to-make Lavender Tea Latte is like the chai lattes prettier, more summery cousin - and can be made totally caffeine-free! Soothing and sweet, with just the right amount of creaminess, this drink is the perfect morning treat or nighttime sipper.
12 oz unsweetened almond milk
1 lavender tea bag OR 1 tablespoon loose leaf lavender tea in a strainer
1 tablespoon maple syrup, agave or sweetener of choice
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
lavender flowers, for garnish
dollop of coconut whipped cream (optional)
Heat the milk and tea in a medium-sized saucepan until hot, but do not bring to a boil.
Remove the tea bags or strainer and whisk in the maple syrup, ginger and vanilla. Using a milk frother or high speed blender, add your desired amount of foam to the drink. Scoop in a dollop of coconut whip, if you choose, then sprinkle with fresh lavender flowers for garnish and enjoy immediately!
Serves 1
You can use any tea you like in place of the Lavender to create a tea latte. Strong green, fruity black and earthy herbal teas all taste great!
Don't leave the tea to steep in the milk more than a couple minutes after removing it from the heat. It is easy for floral teas like lavender to get bitter if it sits too long.
Potato Leek Gratin
Potato Leek Gratin
If you've hung around here for awhile you probably know that I'm a big potato eater, having grown up in the great state of Maine. I like 'em cooked every which way and eat them way more than I probably should. But screw balance, because potatoes are the star of this dish and they are so, soooo worth it here. We started by slicing up our potatoes really thin, adding leeks cooked in garlic and rosemary, and covering the whole thing in a super cheezy sauce and homemade parmesan. It gets nice and bubbly when it cooks up and packs a ton of flavor. Its an easy dish to whip up and would make a great main or side dish at any meal. I used to love when my Mom would make gratin with dinner, so I'm happy I finally recreated the dish - but with a lot more flavor and a LOT less fat and salt than normal. It's cheezy, oozy-gooey, full of rich, savory flavor and something you're gonna wanna shovel into your mouth as soon as you pull it out of the oven - even Grandma will be impressed. Let's eat!
Looking for more with potatoes? Try our super popular Potato Leek Soup, Celeriac Mashed Potatoes, or Classic Backyard Potato Salad!
2 lbs. gold potatoes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons coconut oil
4 large leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 - 14 oz. can full-fat coconut milk
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup homemade parmesan cheeze, to garnish the top
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Thinly slice potatoes and layer them into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
Heat the coconut oil in a large cast iron pan over medium heat. When melted, sauté the leeks, garlic, and fresh rosemary over medium heat. Season with the salt and pepper and cook until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes. [Take care NOT to burn the garlic + leeks- they don't taste good.] Remove the pan from heat, toss the rosemary stems, and pour the garlic leek mixture over the sliced potatoes in the casserole dish.
In the same pan you used to cook the leeks and garlic, whisk together the almond + coconut milks, nutritional yeast, corn starch, fresh chopped rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens - about 5 minutes. Pour this mixture over the leek and potatoes in the casserole dish and use a spoon to gently smooth it over the top, letting it fill the crevices between the veggies.
Sprinkle parmesan cheeze over the top and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the mixture is golden and bubbling. Serve + enjoy!
Serves 8.
Leftovers save well in an airtight container in the fridge up to a week.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
The weather - even here in Southern California - is finally getting cold and wintery. Okay cold-ish. And not very wintery. But it still makes me want to put on an extra pair of socks, curl up in bed with a warm mug and a good book and call it a night. Ever since I first whipped this recipe up a few weeks ago I've been coming back to this seasonal sipper on the regular because it's rich, chocolatey, and envelops you in sweet, decadent, Holiday-charged hug. Top it with a few marshmallows and DAMN GINA! You're gonna get just as addicted as I am, I just know it.
We also have an option to make it lighter, if super rich, delicious, chocolatey drinks aren't your favorite. Of course, if those AREN'T your favorite kind of drinks, you're probably hanging out on the wrong blog. I should be eating more greens, but I love a good cup of liquid chocolate and I'm not shy about it. Anyway - you probably have all the ingredients for this drink on hand now, and if peppermint isn't your thing you can easily leave it out or substitute a flavored extract you prefer. Do you. And do this drink, 'cause it's damn good.
On that note, Happy Holidays! We'll be back after Christmas with a new recipe, but 'till then, we hope you get to spend your Christmas in whatever way you want to spend it and that you're taste-testing all of Santa's cookies. He doesn't need to eat 'em all anyway.
Looking for a few last-minute Christmas goodies to munch? Check out our Savory Stuffed Mushrooms, milkshake-like Brandy Alexanders, and Gingersnap Buttercream Cookie Sandwiches!
1- 15 oz. can full-fat coconut milk
1 oz. (about 1/4 cup) chocolate chips OR chopped bar chocolate
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
pinch of salt
mint leaves, for garnish
vegan marshmallows, if you like 'em
In a medium saucepan whisk together the milk, sugar, and salt over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the other ingredients and cook until hot - NOT boiling. Pour into a large mug, top with marshmallows and a fresh sprig of mint, and enjoy!
Makes 1 large or 2 smaller mugs of cocoa.
For a lighter cup of hot chocolate, sub your favorite non-dairy milk in place of the coconut milk.
For a plain mug of cocoa, you can leave out the peppermint, or get creative and sub a different flavor like orange or lavender!
Vegan Brandy Alexander
Brandy Alexander
If you're looking for something a little different to sip at the Holiday's this year, we've got your back. This recipe (okay, we tweaked it a bit) has been in Alex's family for a long time. I don't know how long exactly, but long enough to have become the Official Owens' Family Drink of the Holidays! When Alex turned 21 he was given the privilege of learning the recipe and making all the batches that Christmas. Batches alternate between he and his younger brother now, but he still loves making them. He even started making this vegan version after he went completely plant-based a few years ago so he could keep with tradition. I don't think it would be Christmas for him without one! His vegan version tastes super similar to the original since he kept the same 3-2-1 formula as the original, and is a great option for parties where people may have food preferences or dairy allergies. We used chocolate liquor, but you could sub in a coffee liqueur like Kahlua and I'm sure it'd be just as tasty. It's kind of like the less thick, much tastier cousin of eggnog...I think you're gonna like it! Oh, and make sure you have a little fresh nutmeg to grate over the top - it makes all the difference. Cheers!
15 oz. can full-fat coconut milk (OR 15 oz. your choice non-dairy milk, though it will be less thick)
10 ounces chocolate liqueur
5 ounces brandy
1-2 cups ice
freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish
In a high-speed blender combine all the ingredients and blend until desired consistency is reached. The drink should be thick but creamy - like drinkable milkshake texture. Enjoy immediately!
Serves 4.
The alcohol we used is vegan approved by Barnivore. You can use it to look up ANY type of alcohol to see if it's vegan-friendly.
Like we said above, you can substitute whatever non-dairy milk you have on hand here, though it won't be quite as thick as the original.
Pecan Pie Bars
Pecan Pie Bars
When I was in the 4th grade, I had a Southern teacher who always explained to us that "Pee-cans are kept under the bed, and puh-cahns are baked in a pie." She hated when if you said otherwise, and she would tease anyone who disagreed. I hated standing out, so I just agreed. And now that I'm older, I think she was right. Because really, who wants to think about urine when they're talking pie? Anyway, it's something that always stuck with me, something I remember every time I see pecans in any form. And yes, I pronounce it 'puh-cahn'. Because it seems right. But however you pronounce them, you probably like them. Pecans are a rich, earthy nut that pairs well with all kinds of fruit - but like most things, tastes best drowned in a sugary syrup and baked on a crust. Pecan pies are great, but things in mini-form are cuter and easier to share. Plus, at our age we're mostly celebrating Friendsgiving's and less formal family dinners, and pre-sliced goodies are easier to pack into doggy bags for your friends. These bars are super easy to whip up and are as equally as delicious as their round cousin, but better because there's more crust - and that's my favorite part. You're friends will be impressed when you bring these to the table, and even more impressed if you get fancy and top 'em with a bit of homemade coconut whipped cream. But you get it, so I'll shut up while you preheat the oven. Let's bake!
1 cup vegan butter (we used Earth Balance)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegan butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoons coconut cream*
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups chopped pecans
Whipped coconut cream, for serving
sprinkle of ground cinnamon, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To make the crust, cream together the butter and brown sugar in a stand up mixer or with beaters. Add flour and salt and mix until crumbly. Press into a parchment-lined 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
While the crust bakes, prep the pecan topping by whisking together butter, brown sugar, coconut cream, and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium heat until everything melts and combines, about 5 minutes. Once the mixture comes completely together, add the chopped pecans and mix them in. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring occasionally until the crust is finished cooking.
When the crust finishes, remove it from the oven and pour the pecan mixture over the crust. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let cool completely, then slice into 12 (or more) equal squares. Enjoy!
Makes 12 3x3 in. squares.
Coconut cream is the thick white cream layer from the top of a can of full fat coconut milk. We also like using Trader Joe's brand coconut cream.
Leftover bars can be saved in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week.
Mango Lassi
Mango Lassi
The first Lassi, a traditional Indian-style drink made with yogurt, fruit, and spices is said to have been whipped up as early as 1000 B.C. Lassi's are a cooling drink, so people would drink them to beat the scorching heat and help cool down their mouths after a spicy dish. Mango Lassi's tend to be the most common flavor, but they can be made many different ways. Since we're still suffering from a heat wave over here in Southern California while everyone else enjoys crisp fall mornings and changing leaves, I decided to whip up one last Summer-worthy, beat-the-heat treat. We veganized the traditional Lassi recipe and kept it sugar-free, since the mango really adds plenty of sweetness itself. It's a guilt-free drink that tastes great and actually does help cool you down in the heat! I was sippin' glasses full all day yesterday. Also, instead of using water to mix with our yogurt, which is traditionally how a Lassi is made, we used sugar-free homemade almond milk which added a bit more creaminess while still keeping the drink healthy and delicious. Even if you're not suffering a heat wave, this drink becomes the perfect way to use up all the end-of-season mangoes on sale at the market right now in a fun, new way. And the leftovers of your drink can be left in the fridge and enjoyed for up to three days after, though it may need a good stir. Drink up!
3 cups fresh mango
1/2 cup plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt (we used a cashew based yogurt, but soy, almond or coconut should work just fine here)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup ice
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
In a high speed blender combine manage, yogurt, coconut milk, ice and ground cardamom. Split between two tall glasses, or half the recipe for a single serving. Leftovers can be refrigerated up to three days, but it is best served fresh and cool. Enjoy!
Strawberry Cheesecake Squares
Strawberry Cheesecake Squares
It's the hottest time of the year just about everywhere right now, and Southern California is no exception. In fact, most Angelinos will tell you that the past month has included some weird very june-gloom-esque weather. Lots of cloudy, humid mornings leading to sunny, hot afternoons. Basically, every afternoon becomes an excuse for me to run to the grocery store and pick up a pint of DF Mavens Mint Chip (my latest obsession) Ice Cream and then come home and eat it all, justifying that without it, I would be a puddle! The problem? I still kind of puddle out around 3 pm when the heat reaches its peak, but I've also eaten 600 calories worth of ice cream and my daily allotment of sugar. Whoops! This week I'm giving up the ice cream and packed the freezer with these sweet, low sugar Strawberry Cheesecake Squares. They're just the right amount of sweet on top of a chewy date-oat-nut crust, and make the perfect afternoon cool-down treat or late-night snack. They're packed full of good fats from the nuts and coconut milk, and are a nice break from a traditional round cheesecake. Easier to serve + share! Plus, when it's as hot as it has been here lately, you only want to have to pull out a piece at a time because, you know, MELTING. As you can see as proof above (well, and below), things got a bit melty under photography lights in the hot hot afternoon, but it still tastes amazing. If its that hot, keep them in the freezer until ready to serve. Otherwise, you can soften them a bit in the fridge, but since coconut milk/cream is so melty, the cooler the better for these babies. Let's eat!
1½ cups cashews
1½ cups oats
1 cup pitted dates
6 tablespoons melted coconut oil
4 heaping cups strawberries, green tops removed
1 - 14 oz. can coconut cream OR 2 cans coconut milk, refrigerated overnight + liquid drained
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup melted coconut oil
2-4 tablespoons maple syrup OR agave nectar
Soak cashews in warm water for at least one hour. Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or high speed blender. Grease or line a 9x9 inch glass baking dish. Press date & nut mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Refrigerate or freeze to set coconut oil, about one hour.
Blend strawberries, coconut cream, vanilla, coconut oil and maple syrup in a high speed blender until completely combined. Remove crust-filled baking dish from the fridge and fill evenly with the cheesecake mixture. Cover + place in the freezer or fridge to set for at least 3 hours or overnight. When ready, remove from the fridge, cut with a large knife into 12 even squares, and plate. Sprinkle with crushed cashews, fresh strawberries, and a bit of coconut whipped cream, if you like. Since coconut cream can get melty in the heat (like in some of the photos above!), this dessert is best left in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to eat it. It lasts indefinitely covered in the freezer, and makes 12 medium-sized or 15 small cheesecake squares. Enjoy!


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The 2019-20 season is nearly upon us. Defending NCAA champion Baylor starts out near the top, but Oregon and player of the year front-runner Sabrina Ionescu open at No. 1 in espnW's preseason Top 25 rankings.
The Pac-12 occupies three of the top six spots and has five teams in the poll. But the ACC and SEC lead the way with six ranked teams apiece.
Charlie Creme, Graham Hays and Mechelle Voepel voted to determine our rankings; Creme provides the analysis for each team.
1. Oregon
2018-19: 33-5; lost in Final Four
Since Sabrina Ionescu and Ruthy Hebard arrived, the Ducks have twice reached the Elite Eight twice and also advanced to their first Final Four. Ionescu (19.9 PPG, 8.2 APG) returned to Eugene instead of entering the WNBA for one reason: to finish the job and win a national championship. With the ultra-efficient Hebard (16.1 PPG, 67.0 field goal percentage) in the middle and 6-4 junior Satou Sabally (16.6 PPG) creating matchup mismatches on the perimeter, Kelly Graves has the most potent offensive trio in the country. Throw in USC graduate transfer Minyon Moore --who will take the place of the departed Maite Cazorla in the backcourt, allowing Ionescu to play off the ball -- and 6-2 junior Erin Boley (43.0 percent 3-point shooter), and the Ducks could average 90 points per game. How they defend the post in crucial moments might determine if Ionescu fulfills her goal of winning it all.
2. Baylor
2018-19: 37-1; won national championship
What could make the title race that much more interesting is that Oregon's biggest weakness is Baylor's greatest strength. The Lady Bears have a surplus of interior depth, beginning with 6-4 Lauren Cox (13.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG). Healthy after suffering a knee injury in the national championship game last April, Cox will be Ionescu's biggest challenger for every national player of the year award. NaLyssa Smith (8.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG), a 6-2 sophomore who could be ready for a breakout season, 6-foot Aquira DeCosta and 6-3 Queen Egbo give Baylor the kind of talent and size that will be unmatched in the Big 12 as the Lady Bears go for a 10th consecutive conference championship. The key to repeating as national champions will likely be South Carolina graduate transfer Te'a Cooper's ability to play the point the way another grad transfer, Chloe Jackson, did a year ago as the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player.
3. UConn
2018-19: 35-3; lost in Final Four
The bar has been set so high at UConn that going three straight seasons without a national championship seems staggering. Or, perhaps, it put into perspective just how historic winning the title six of the previous eight seasons was. The Huskies aren't the favorite to win a 12th overall, but if a higher-than-normal number of questions are answered, reaching a 12th consecutive Final Four is very much in play. If junior Megan Walker (12.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG) and sophomore Christyn Williams (11.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG) take additional steps forward, Geno Auriemma has two All-America-caliber players. If Tennessee transfer Evina Westbrook (14.9 PPG) is granted immediate eligibility, UConn will have a variety of ballhandling and perimeter scoring options. If Murray State transfer Evelyn Adebayo (18.2 PPG, 11.4 RPG) can transition to a higher level of competition quickly, it softens the blow of losing Napheesa Collier. Crystal Dangerfield (13.4 PPG, 5.9 APG), one of the nation's best and most consistent point guards, is a given if completely healthy from offseason hip surgery.
4. Stanford
2018-19: 31-5; lost in Elite Eight
With so much depth and potential versatility, highlighted by four returning starters and the nation's second-ranked recruiting class, the challenge for Cardinal coach Tara VanDerveer might be finding that perfect rotation. Any combination will almost certainly start with veteran guards Kiana Williams (14.3 PPG, 4.7 APG) and DiJonai Carrington (14.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG). Haley Jones, a 6-1 freshman who was the HoopGurlz No. 1-rated recruit, should also provide plenty of scoring, but her ability to play multiple positions should allow Stanford to experiment with different lineups. Lacie (4.8 PPG) and Lexie Hull (5.6 PPG), along with freshman Hannah Jump will also contribute plenty in the backcourt. Maya Dodson (7.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG) and Nadia Fingall (8.0 PPG, 4.9 RPG) will try to replace the production lost with Alanna Smith's graduation. How much freshman Fran Belibi, a 6-1 forward who has only been playing basketball since the ninth grade, can develop as a low post threat and defensive presence could be the key to challenging Oregon for Pac-12 supremacy.
5. Maryland
2018-19: 29-5; lost in NCAA tournament second round
Coach Brenda Frese is high on her incoming freshmen, but it's her veterans who have felt the sting of consecutive second-round NCAA tournament losses. Led by first-team All-America candidate Kaila Charles (17.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG), the Terps are heavy favorites to repeat as Big Ten champions and are Final Four contenders. Charles' senior classmates Blair Watson (8.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG) and Stephanie Jones (12.8 PPG, 6.0 RPG) are joined by sophomores 6-5 Shakira Austin (8.4 PPG, 9.5 RPG) and Taylor Mikesell (13.4 PPG, 41.1 3-point percentage), who set a school record last season with 95 3-pointers, in the starting lineup. Point guard Ashley Owusu and 6-1 Diamond Miller headline the freshman class and should push for significant minutes.
6. Oregon State
2018-19: 26-8; lost in Sweet 16
This might be Scott Rueck's best team at Oregon State. The Beavers' size and versatility exceeds that of the 2016 Final Four team and puts them in position to challenge Oregon and Stanford in a loaded Pac-12. The foundation rests on veteran guards Mikayla Pivec (15.2 PPG, 9.2 RPG) and Destiny Slocum (15.4 PPG, 4.5 APG), who were both all-conference selections last season, and Aleah Goodman (10.7 PPG, 2.6 APG). Taya Corosdale (6.9 PPG, 7.8 RPG), a 6-3 junior forward, was a big contributor last postseason, but she might have to fight off freshmen Kennedy Brown, who's 6-6, and 6-4 Taylor Jones, who were both high school All-Americans a year ago, and 6-9 Andrea Aquino, who was the top recruit in program history two years ago, for playing time.
7. Louisville
2018-19: 32-4; lost in Elite Eight
Now that Georgia Tech transfers Elizabeth Balogun and Elizabeth Dixon have been declared eligible to play immediately, the Cardinals are the favorites to win the ACC. Balogun (14.6 PPG) gives coach Jeff Walz a bona fide No. 1 scoring option, which he desperately needed after the graduation of Asia Durr, the program's second-leading scorer. The 6-5 Dixon (11.0 PPG) will play alongside seniors Kylee Shook (7.1 PPG, 6.0 RPG) and Bionca Dunham (7.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG) in a frontcourt that might have been a little thin before Dixon's arrival. Junior guard Dana Evans (10.4 PPG, 4.0 APG) and senior guard Jazmine Jones (7.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG) will likely absorb more of scoring load, too.
8. South Carolina
2018-19: 23-10; lost in Sweet 16
Dawn Staley securing the top recruiting class in the country came at the perfect time. She lost seven players from last year's Sweet 16 team, including three transfers. Now that freshman class will have to deliver right away if the Gamecocks are to win the SEC. Aliyah Boston, a 6-5 post player, point guard Zia Cooke and forward Laeticia Amihere were all considered top-10 recruits. The possibility of Boston playing next to the athletic Mikiah Herbert Harrigan (10.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG), who returns to Columbia for her senior season after contemplating a transfer, could provide Staley with a potent and productive frontcourt tandem. Staley would welcome more production from sophomore guard Destanni Henderson (5.5 PPG, 1.6 RPG) to help senior point guard Ty Harris (10.9 PPG, 5.3 RPG) and ease the loss of leading scorer Te'a Cooper, who took her team-leading 11.9 PPG to Baylor.
9. Texas A&M
2018-19: 26-8; lost in Sweet 16
As she proved in last season's NCAA tournament, Chennedy Carter has the ability to shoot the Aggies into almost any game. The country's second-leading returning scorer (23.3 PPG) is probably the best one-on-one player in the game. If Carter plays with more consistency and efficiency, Texas A&M's ceiling gets even higher. And Carter won't have to do it alone. The Aggies also bring back fellow juniors Kayla Wells (15.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG), Aaliyah Wilson (back from injury), Ciera Johnson (12.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG) and N'dea Jones (7.7 PPG, 11.3 RPG) to compete for a title in the most wide-open SEC race in years.
10. Mississippi State
2018-19: 33-3; lost in Elite Eight
As if replacing Teaira McCowan wasn't tough enough, her prospective replacement, Ole Miss transfer Promise Taylor, is still working her way back from an ankle injury and might not be available right away. The Bulldogs' season could depend on Taylor, a 6-5 center who averaged 8.3 PPG and 6.0 RPG while shooting 60.7 percent from the field two seasons ago with the Rebels. Without a healthy Taylor, coach Vic Schaefer might need Chloe Bibby to quickly return from a torn ACL suffered last January. Before her injury, Bibby was the Bulldogs' most accurate 3-point shooter (45.0 percent), and putting her on the floor with two other solid shooters in Bre'Amber Scott (7.1 PPG) and Andra Espinoza-Hunter (9.0 PPG) would allow Mississippi State to offset the lack of inside scoring early in the season. The return of Jordan Danberry (13.1 PPG, 3.5 APG), granted another year of eligibility by the NCAA, gives Schaefer a floor leader to lean upon while the rest of the roster acclimates to new roles.
11. Florida State
2018-19: 24-9; lost in NCAA tournament second round
Last season, the Seminoles were inexperienced, injury-plagued and not very deep (just nine scholarship players) -- and still finished in the top half of the ACC and earned a No. 5 NCAA tournament seed. With everyone on the roster returning and what should be a wide-open conference race, expectations have ramped up in Tallahassee. Kiah Gillespie, a 6-2 senior, led Florida State in points (16.2 PPG), rebounds (9.3 RPG) and 3-pointers (53) and should push for All-America status. Point guard Nicki Ekhomu (15.0 PPG, 4.0 APG) and Nausia Woolfolk (13.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG) are now a veteran backcourt. Coach Sue Semrau expects her freshmen to contribute right away, especially 6-5 River Baldwin, who could give the Seminoles the post threat they didn't have last season.
2018-19: 22-13; lost in Sweet 16
Put the Bruins in another conference and they might be favored to win it. In the Pac-12, they have to battle three of the top six teams in the country. Led by junior Michaela Onyenwere (18.3 PPG, 8.5 RPG) and senior point guard Japreece Dean (14.1 PPG, 4.9 APG), UCLA has the ability to compete with Oregon, Stanford and Oregon State, with its sights set on reaching at least the program's fifth straight Sweet 16. The Bruins will need to improve from the 3-point line, where they shot just 30.6 percent a year ago. The healthy return of junior guard Chantel Horvat, and having Baylor transfer Natalie Chou on the floor, should help. Dean should also get more open looks with the arrival of five-star recruits Charisma Osborne and Jaden Owens.
13. NC State
2018-19: 28-6; lost in Sweet 16
With the success of Notre Dame and Louisville, it's easy to forget that the Wolfpack led the ACC for much of last season, despite some major injuries. Wes Moore was runner-up for national coach of the year, and NC State's 28 wins were the second-most in program history. If healthy, NC State should be in for another big season. The return of point guard Kaila Ealey, who missed all of last season (knee), would allow senior Aislinn Konig (10.7 PPG, 40.7 3-point percentage) to get more shots from 3-point range, her biggest strength. Getting back Grace Hunter (14.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG) to 100 percent -- she was the team's leading scorer before a knee injury in January -- will give Moore a versatile backcourt to put around budding star Elissa Cunane (13.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG) in the middle. The 6-5 center could be one of the best post players in the country as a sophomore.
14. Kentucky
2018-19: 25-8; lost in NCAA tournament second round
Replacing his starting backcourt got easier for coach Matthew Mitchell with the arrival of Arizona State transfer Sabrina Haines and Texas transfer Chasity Patterson (eligible after the first semester), the top-rated high school point guard two years ago. They'll be fitting in around versatile espnW national freshman of the year Rhyne Howard (16.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG), who can produce from anywhere on the floor. No one else on the roster averaged more than 6.9 PPG last season, so improvement from players like forwards KeKe McKinney (4.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG) and Tatyana Wyatt (6.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG) will help determine how relevant the Wildcats are in the SEC race.
15. Texas
2018-19: 23-10; lost in NCAA tournament first round
Last season never really got going for the Longhorns and ended with a disappointing early NCAA tournament exit. Coach Karen Aston has vowed to not let that happen again. It likely won't if her senior backcourt of Sug Sutton (12.7 PPG, 5.4 APG) and Lashann Higgs (13.8 PPG in four games) can stay healthy. Higgs missed most of last year with a knee injury, which proved to be the blow Texas couldn't fully overcome. Senior Joyner Holmes (11.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG) and sophomore Charli Collier (5.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG) have the potential to be a dominant frontcourt duo but have yet to live up to expectations. If they do, Texas will look more like the Sweet 16 program it was from 2015 to '18.
16. Notre Dame
2018-19: 35-4; lost in title game
The core that led the Irish to consecutive national championship game appearances and one NCAA title is gone. Not only did all five starters depart, but Jordan Nixon and Danielle Patterson transferred, and top assistant coach Niele Ivey left for the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. Hall of Fame coach Muffet McGraw might have to rely heavily on youth, namely highly regarded freshmen Sam Brunelle and Anaya Peoples. The early part of the season in which the Irish already have the challenge of playing Tennessee, Michigan and Michigan State before Thanksgiving, will see McGraw blending her two star recruits with transfers Destinee Walker (North Carolina) and Marta Sniezek (Stanford), and returnees Mikayla Vaughn, Abby Prohaska (1.5 PPG, 1.8 RPG), Katlyn Gilbert (coming off a redshirt season due to a shoulder injury), and Danielle Cosgrove. Keeping the 6-3 Vaughn (3.3 PPG, 2.4 RPG) and 6-4 Cosgrove (1.4 PPG, 0.7 RPG) healthy and on the court will be a key to a thin frontcourt and Notre Dame's chances to stay near the top of the ACC.
17. Minnesota
2018-19: 21-11; lost in WNIT second round
Lindsay Whalen's first season as head coach at her alma mater was a bit of a roller-coaster ride, but she was able to turn a 2-7 Big Ten start into a 9-9 finish and a trip to the second round of the WNIT. Despite the loss of top scorer Kenisha Bell, the Gophers should be better this season. Destiny Pitts (16.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG), Taiye Bello (9.7 PPG, 11.9 RPG) and Jasmine Brunson (8.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG) are back. The healthy return of guard Gadiva Hubbard, who averaged 13.6 PPG in 2017-18 but missed all of last season with a foot injury, might be the final piece to getting back to the NCAA tournament.
18. Miami
2018-19: 25-9; lost in NCAA tournament second round
While it didn't have the same national impact as Sabrina Ionescu's decision to return to Oregon, Beatrice Mompremier's decision to forgo the WNBA draft and stay with the Hurricanes was huge. With the return of the 6-4 center, Katie Meier, in her 15th season as Miami's coach, has an ACC contender. Without Mompremier (16.7 PPG, 12.2 RPG), the Hurricanes would have projected to finish in the bottom half of the conference, and it's up to junior point guard Mykea Gray (12.6 PPG, 2.2 APG) to run the offense through the Canes star. Junior Kelsey Marshall (7.8 PPG, 37.4 3-point percentage), who led the Hurricanes in 3-point field goal attempts (179) and makes (67) last season, could be that third scorer.
19. Arizona
2018-19: 24-13; WNIT champion
The past two WNIT champs (Michigan and Indiana) have not only made the NCAA tournament the following year but won first-round games. With all five starters back, the Wildcats are a good bet to make that three in a row and finish in the top half of the Pac-12 for the first time since 2011. Aari McDonald, a 5-6 junior point guard, is the top returning scorer in the country (24.1 PPG). Forward Cate Reese, a Pac-12 all-freshman team selection, was the other double-figure scorer (11.8 PPG), and even more help arrives in Penn State grad transfer Amari Carter, a guard who averaged 10.5 points per game in her three-year Big Ten career.
20. Arkansas
2018-19: 22-15; lost in WNIT third round
For three days at the SEC tournament, the Razorbacks were the talk of college basketball with their run to the conference title game. Their goal this season is to extend the conversation. Junior Chelsea Dungee (20.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG) put herself on the national radar that week and will be one of the top scorers in the SEC this season. Third-year coach Mike Neighbors also has five of his next six top scorers from a year ago back. Guard Amber Ramirez, a former McDonald's All American, is eligible after her transfer from TCU and could be the perfect running mate for Dungee. Ramirez averaged 10.4 points per game in 2017-18.
21. DePaul
2018-19: 26-8; lost in NCAA tournament first round
Despite some heavy graduation losses, the Blue Demons are once again the favorites to win the Big East. With a core group of Chante Stonewall (14.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG), Kelly Campbell (7.5 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 5.1 APG) and Lexi Held (8.3 PPG, 39.0 3-point percentage), DePaul will still play fast, space the floor and shoot plenty of 3-pointers, a stat the Blue Demons led the nation in a year ago (373 of 1,121). Look for sophomores Maya Stovall and Sonya Morris, both St. Louis natives, to play bigger roles.
22. Drake
2018-19: 27-7; lost in first round
The Bulldogs have lost just once in the Missouri Valley Conference in three years and have played in three consecutive NCAA tournaments. With Becca Hittner and Sara Rhine back for their senior seasons, a fourth consecutive year of dominance seems likely. Advancing in the tournament is the one part that is missing. Hittner (19.7 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 40.4 3-point percentage) is the favorite to win the MVC Player of the Year award for the third straight year and leads an offense that was 10th in the country with 80.5 PPG. Rhine (18.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 61.2 field goal percentage) does most of her damage in the paint and is a big reason why the Bulldogs also ranked ninth in the nation in field goal percentage (47.6 percent). The addition of Washington transfer Kierra Collier, who averaged 6.6 PPG as a freshman in the Pac-12, could be the missing piece to more success in March.
23. Michigan
2018-19: 22-12; lost in NCAA tournament second round
The Wolverines hope to avoid another slow start to Big Ten play and give themselves a chance to compete for a top three spot in the conference. After a 3-6 start last season, Michigan transformed into one of the league's best teams. Forward Naz Hillmon (13.1 PPG, 7.0 PRG, 62.8 field goal percentage), last season's leading scorer and rebounder, and guard Amy Dilk (7.2 PPG, 4.4 APG), who led Michigan in assists, are just sophomores. Another jump by 6-1 junior Hailey Brown (7.8 PPG, 4.0 RPG) would give coach Kim Barnes Arico a big boost.
24. Indiana
2018-19: 21-13; lost in NCAA tournament second round
The Hoosiers have a WNIT championship and a second-round NCAA tournament appearance in the last two seasons and could be ready for even bigger things. The top four scorers return, led by junior guards Ali Patberg (15.8 PPG, 4.8 APG) and Jaelynn Penn (13.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG), who form one of the Big Ten's best backcourts. Senior forward Brenna Wise (12.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG) joined them as an all-conference selection and was the Hoosiers' most accurate 3-point shooter. The core, one year older, should help Indiana improve upon last season's 10th-place Big Ten finish. A move into the top three isn't out of the question.
25. Tennessee
2018-19: 19-13; lost in first round
Not everything in Knoxville is new. It just seems that way. After head-coaching stints at Western Carolina (2004-09), NC State (2009-13) and Missouri State (2013-19), Kellie Harper returns to lead her alma mater and will try to inject a different energy into a program that was close to missing the NCAA tournament last March. The roster Harper inherits will look different, too. Only two of the top six scorers from a year ago are back (leading scorer Evina Westbrook transferred to UConn). Junior Rennia Davis (14.9 PPG, 7.7 RPG) will be asked for even more production and Zaay Green (9.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG) might need to make big jump in her second season if Tennessee is to reestablish itself as an SEC contender. Jordan Horston, a 6-2 freshman, was the No. 2 prospect in the country coming out of high school and stuck to her commitment after Holly Warlick's dismissal. She has the potential to be the next Lady Vols star.

subset: commoncrawl


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Holiday Inn Baruna
The beachfront Holiday Inn Resort Baruna Bali is located 10 minutes away from Denpasar International Airport and 15 minutes away from the excitement of downtown, offers a family-friendly stay with fun-filled activities and kid-friendly facilities and amenities.
Features 193 contemporary style guest rooms and suites, which are equipped with a private balcony overlooking the breathtaking Indian Ocean or the lush of natural surroundings, while comfortable chaise lounges allow you to spend long hours to soak up refreshing island breeze.
Making an oath in this beautiful venue either Pool Garden or Spa Garden with Beach view would be a Bali Wedding dream comes true.
Wedding Package Price : US$2,909 nett
Other Rates Currency, Click Here
• English speaking celebrant
• Commemorative Wedding certificate
• Choices venue of Pool Garden or Spa Garden with Beach view
• Elegant Standard decoration of flower gate or pergola, 4 standing flowers, welcome board,
max 50 chairs with white sash, altar table with flower, petals virgin roses or frangipani and flower shower in basket
• Stylish Bridal Bouquet and Groom's Boutonniere
• Photographer for maximum 3 hours before, during and after ceremony with 50 edited photo and
all files share on Google Drive
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• Above package is including Government taxes and our service.
• Price is subject to change without notice. Confirmation of price will be given on each quote


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Chick Flick F-Stop for sale Outfit post Tomato work wear
Work Wear: Rocking the roses8:29 PM
Sometimes you just need one piece that stands out to make the whole look stand out. Trying to avoid being overly girly with all the pink ...
Bag from a random stall in Alabang Town Center
F-Stop top; Tomato watch and black bangles; Playful Fabrics skirt
Chick Flick cut-out booties
How has everyone been? :)
♥ Megann
♥ Megann


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Combine eggs, salt and sweetened condensed milk in a large bowl. Slowly add the skim milk while stirring constantly. Add the vanilla and blend well.
Preheat your oven to 350F
Pour custard into 5 ramekins and sprinkle the tops with nutmeg.
Place the custard cups in a hot water bath (a rectangular cake pan works well) making sure water comes 2/3 of the way up the sides of the cups.
Bake flans for 30-35 minutes. A knife inserted in the center of a flan should come out clean.
Refrigerate the flans for several hours to overnight. Sauce Place sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the cinnamon. Heat until the sauce becomes clear and syrupy. Serve over the flan.
Serve with Caramel Cinnamon Sauce


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Stuffed peppers. Source: Anna Kharzeeva
This piece is part of the Soviet Diet Cookbook, a blog about a modern Russian girl cooking Soviet food. To read more of the series, click here.
This week I decided to strictly follow the advice of Anastas Mikoyan, the Soviet bureaucrat behind the Book, mainly because that piece of advice was to have some wine with dinner. Reading a quote from the book: "Back in 1936…comrade Mikoyan…said: 'some people think and say that we drink a lot of vodka in Russia, and that other countries don't. That opinion is fundamentally wrong… It's because during the tsarist times people were very poor, and they drank not because they were having fun, but because of their woes and poverty…Now life is more fun. When you're happy and full you won't get drunk. Life is fun, which means we can have a drink, but without losing consciousness or harming our health."
The majority of wine in the Soviet Union was from Georgia, the land I'm happily residing in now. Georgian wine did and still does prompt a "sigh, dreamy look away – it's so nice" reaction from Russian of about over 50 years old. The fact that Stalin came from Georgia and liked the wine gave the drink even more respect from the Soviet citizens. I suspect that Soviets didn't add enough fun into people's lives to make them forget about vodka though!
Granny says: "my husband was the head of a laboratory called 'mail box' – there were many 'mail boxes' and they were all secret institutions. I don't know exactly what he did there, but something to do with the space/rocket industry. When his colleagues and post-graduate students came over to our place, they would always bring vodka and cognac for him, and a bottle of semi-sweet red Georgian wine for me."
By the time I came around, there was never any wine on the table even for special occasions. If for some reason there was a bottle, granny would serve tiny silver shot glasses for it. My great-grandmother would gulp hers and demand another one right away – she was in her 90s by then and was allowed. My mom and granny, on the other hand, are terrified of wine and alcohol in general – as far as they're concerned, even a little bit is too much. They'd seen a few people drink in a way that would make them "lose their consciousness and harm their health."
Khrushchev must have agreed with my family, and not Mikoyan, as he decided to fight alcoholism in the mid 1980s and cut out whole vineyards in Georgia, among other places. On a recent trip to Kakheti, the main wine-producing region of Georgia, I was told that complete types of grapes were destroyed and they are now – slowly but surely – trying to get them back, but the process will take many years.
It was at the same place I discovered that Georgians mainly drink white wine, and not red like we're used to. Later a friend said that Georgians joke that if they drank red wine, their veins would explode!
I got so carried away with wine, I almost forgot about the food I prepared, which was yummy: stuffed bell peppers and zucchini. Granny says there weren't many peppers around in the Soviet time, but plenty of zucchini, which would be preserved for winter and made into "dips." I certainly remember stuffed peppers as a kid – the goal was to eat all the rice and meat from the inside and leave the pepper behind – without the adults noticing.
This time I ate the pepper, too, and drank the wine. Although there were no adults around to praise me on the pepper, I hope Mikoyan would have approved the wine.
500 grams ground meat; 1 onion; 3 Tbsp butter; ½ cup cooked rice
Prepare sweet green peppers. Wash them, trim the tops with the stem and clean out the seeds. Put the peppers in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes. Remove from water and drain. Then, fill peppers with a mixture of already prepared ground meat and rice. Pods green sweet pepper wash, trim the tops with stem and clean out the seeds. Lay in a pan, cover with broth, butter and tomato paste and bake in the oven or simmer over a fire for 30-40 minutes. Serve with sour cream.
Fry meat with chopped onion in butter. Add salt, pepper and herbs to taste. Mix meat with rice.
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Marietta woman pleads guilty in social security benefit theft
Associated Press
ATLANTA | Federal officials say a Georgia woman pleaded guilty to stealing almost $200,000 in Social Security benefits over about two decades.
Authorities say 50-year-old Jennifer Wynn of Marietta admitted taking payments that were meant for her mother-in-law after the woman died in 1994.
Wynn kept the dead woman's bank account open and concealed the death by forging the woman's signature on checks.
Prosecutors say Wynn took $195,304 in government benefits in all through the scheme.
Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 13 in Atlanta.


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Battle Erupts Over Insurance Plan for MDs
By E.B. SOLOMONT
A coalition of groups aligned with trial lawyers is denouncing a possible remedy to New York's medical malpractice insurance crisis: a state-sponsored indemnity fund that would pay the future medical bills of injured patients.
In a letter sent to Governor Paterson yesterday, the groups — including the Center for Justice & Democracy, the Center for Medical Consumers, and the New York Public Interest Research Group — criticized the proposal, which they said Governor Spitzer discussed with stakeholders before his resignation. The groups said the fund would relieve doctors, hospitals, and insurance carriers from paying for the future medical expenses of injured patients. Although the size of the fund was not immediately known, it would receive funding from the state's Medicaid program or another state funding mechanism.
Policymakers have been searching for a solution to soaring premiums for medical malpractice insurance that have prompted some doctors to close their practices or move out of state. The latest move by the advocacy groups is a signal that efforts to ease the financial burdens being felt by physicians and hospitals — and, in some cases, passed along to patients, employers, and taxpayers in health care costs — may meet stiff resistance.
"We think it's a crazy proposal, particularly these days when the budget deficit is such a problem in this state," the executive director of the Center for Justice & Democracy, Joanne Doroshow, said.
In the letter, the groups also expressed dismay at being excluded from recent discussions about changes to the medical malpractice system. In a separate letter to Governor Paterson, officials from Consumers Union echoed that concern, writing that the exclusion of some groups from recent discussions did not inspire "confidence that the consumer perspective is being taken seriously."
Yesterday, administration officials dismissed the notion that anyone had been excluded from discussions.
In July, following a 14% increase in malpractice insurance rates, Mr. Spitzer convened a task force to study medical malpractice in New York and to make recommendations for changes. The group – which included representatives from physician, consumer, hospital, and attorney groups – met several times last year.
"The administration is continuing to work with all stakeholders in an effort to develop a workable proposal," a spokesman for the governor's office, Morgan Hook, said.
In recent months, officials have considered a number of suggestions, such as imposing a cap on liability rates, freezing malpractice premiums, and imposing a one-time surcharge on physicians.
Sources said that in a meeting earlier this month, Governor Spitzer floated the idea of a state-sponsored indemnity fund.
Under the proposal, hospitals, doctors, and insurance carriers would no longer be responsible for paying the future medical expenses of injured patients. Rather, a state-sponsored fund would pay those expenses. The fund would be tied to the state's $47 billion Medicaid program or it would receive other state funding, according to a source who attended the meeting. "The state will pick up the medical expenses in some way or another," the source, who requested anonymity because of a confidentiality agreement, said. "It changes the rules of the game drastically."
The source said Mr. Spitzer did not indicate whether he favored the proposal, but the former governor signaled his intention to include a proposal in the final budget.
Groups that signed yesterday's letter said that intention prompted the communication to Mr. Paterson. "You have the budget coming up on April 1, so that was the driving force behind the letter," a spokesman for a coalition of 13 groups called CURE-NY, John Guyette, said. "Obviously, it would be problematic if taxpayers are subsidizing malpractice."
But as Mr. Paterson faces a looming budget deadline, some questioned whether malpractice reform is a main priority for the administration right now.
"This is a huge issue for us, but it doesn't mean it's a huge issue for everybody," the vice president of the Medical Liability Mutual Insurance Company, Edward Amsler, whose company was represented on the task force, said. "If I was a governor of the State of New York with a budget crisis, that's where I'd be focusing right now."
Yesterday, administration officials hinted that recommendations are not likely until after a budget is passed. A spokesman for the state Insurance Superintendent, Eric Dinallo, who chaired the task force, said a proposal is still being worked on.
The governor's spokesman, Mr. Hook, said a medical malpractice overhaul is "still a priority for the Paterson administration," but added, "Obviously, the budget is foremost on his mind right now."
Members of the medical community urged lawmakers to make recommendations soon. Medical malpractice insurance rates, which are set each year by the state's Insurance Department, take effect July 1. However, new rates typically are set in May or June.
"That's six weeks away," a past president of the Medical Society of the State of New York who sat on the task force, Dr. Richard Peer, said. "Everything is sort of suspended right now because of the budget and the change in the governor and everything."


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If you want to protect your investment, then you are asking the right questions. In the Owner's Manual there is a lot of information including startup and shutdown procedures. You should make a checklist that operators need to complete at the end of each shift. Not only do these make sure your grinder is being taken care of, but you can also use them to figure out some of your costs and maintenance needs by including:
· Operator Shift Hours
· Grinder Hour Meter start and end
· Fuel Usage
· Engine oil Added
· Engine Coolant Added
· Hydraulic Oil Added
By including these items you may be able to determine:
· What percentage of the day the grinder is actually running?
· How much Fuel per hour the grinder is using on a particular product?
· If fluid leaks are increasing?
As for the Grinder itself, or most any other piece of Equipment in a Grinding operation, what should be included on a Daily basis?-
1. Hook up and pull the grinder out of the grinding area- Leaving it in place is nothing but a fire hazard that can transfer from equipment to equipment or materials
2. Clean up and remove metal pile that was collected by the magnets on the grinder. Some of this metal may still be hot from being run through the grinder so pile in a safe, debris free area or container is best
3. Clean Loose Debris from atop the Grinder- All this can be is a further potential fire hazard
4. Blow off grinder and engine with an air compressor, even with leaf blower if needed. This includes the radiator, hydraulic cooler, fuel cooler, air filter, etc. Pay particular attention to the engine compartment, exhaust manifolds, turbos, etc. This will keep fire hazards to a minimum and the engine running correctly
5. Clean debris from rotor area and collection area under rotor and run discharge conveyors to empty the conveyor belts
6. Fuel and grease Equipment- This allows the equipment more time to cool while you are still nearby just in case something was to catch fire.
7. Check wear parts and change if necessary. May be too hot to do at the end of the shift but it is the best time to do it allowing more time for rotor area and engine to cool while you are still onsite
8. If a water truck or water supply is near, hose down the rotor area and underneath the engine or bottom of engine compartment. Spraying water onto a hot engine can crack exhaust manifolds, so don't do that, but wet down as many areas as possible. Better safe than sorry.
9. Refer to the Owner's Manual for Hourly Checklist per specific Manufacturers Recommendations
10. Fire Extinguishers- How many? Are they charged? What was date of last inspection?
Most of this end of the day cleanup can be reduced by utilizing the wind on a daily basis:
· Don't set the grinder back up until morning when you know which direction the wind is blowing
· Face the Radiator into the wind when you setup the grinder
· Feed the grinder with the wind blowing dust and fines away from the engine
· Push material to the grinder from a downwind position or from the side to help protect the support equipment also.
· Use dust covers and dust hoods on the discharge conveyors. This will not only stop material from blowing off the conveyors but keep material from getting into the tail pulleys, belts and bearings.
· Use a dust suppression system on the grinder if water is available.
Most all maintenance can be done after the shift so the next work day can get off to a good maintenance free start. Add the particulars of your grinder or shredder to your list and make your operators complete one daily. It not only makes sure your investment is being taken care of, but keeps you informed as to any maintenance items that may need attention and how productive your operation is during the work day.
Questions? Dave Whitelaw firstname.lastname@example.com


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This amazing yearly Life campaign begins once again tomorrow. It will go through November 4th. I find it fitting and profound that it coincides with the last 40 days of such an important election.
All elections are important…we as citizens should all see the great importance and responsibility of voting as an American citizen. Yet, this year we must stand up and take notice.
Therefore I want to challenge each of us to really reflect on the 40 days for Life and combine it with our petition and prayers for our nation.
Can you offer up some sort of extra sacrifice, fast, during this 40 days?
And check out 40 Days for Life's devotional. http://40daysforlife.com/getinvolved.cfm It is powerful!
Will you join me in this devotion? Offer these prayers up for Life…for our Nation…for eyes to be opened.
I plan on adding an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be each morning after the devotional.
Finally join me with a fast during this 40 days. Remember it just has to be something that would be a sacrifice that allows you to lean more on God and spend time with Him rather than the desire for that activity or food or drink…etc.
May we all feel HIS awesome power through our prayer and fasting for LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS! (How fitting if you ask me!)


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Biometrics HITech 2017 and XIV BIC Brazilian Identification Conference
Biometrics HITech 2017 and XIV BIC Brazilian Identification Conference
August 29 – 31, 2017
Brasilia, federal district of Brazil
Brasilia, the federal capital of Brazil, was chosen to host Biometrics HITech 2017 and XIV BIC Brazilian Identification Conference, the biggest and most complete event on biometrics and human identification technologies and techniques of the country.
Following the success of previous editions, the event will present different attractions and gather a highly qualified audience: major companies of the market, their executives and experts, public entities and authorities, fingerprint experts and renowned speakers from Brazil and abroad. It is expected that the event brings more than 35 sponsors, 33 speakers, 600 delegates and 1,000 attendees.
Along the 3 days, the program includes 11 different attractions – such as conferences, business arenas and the exhibition – specially prepared to:
• Contribute to the strengthening and improvement of human identification in Brazil;
• Disseminate papers and studies developed by Brazilian specialists in human identification;
• Discuss the processes of identification in the country;
• Present new solutions and technologies;
• Promote the exchange of knowledge on biometrics, trends, case studies and best practices;
• Intensify the relationship between the public and private sectors;
• Promote new business opportunities for technology providers and important consumer markets for human identification solutions.
Article Topics
biometrics | Brazil | conference | Identity


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U.S. Boats in Cuba Tournament; Cruising Outlook at Essex Boat Expo This Week
For the first time in decades, 11 powerboats from the U.S. participated in last week's 65th International Hemingway Billfish Tournament, which begins on May 25.
The American contingent was organized by PassageMaker friend Bruce Kessler and an outfit called the Florida-Cuba Environmental Group. Kessler is also the original organizer of the bi-annual Fleet Underway to Baja RallyorFUBAR powerboat rally from Southern California to La Paz in Baja, Mexico. For several years he's tried to replicate the rally concept on the East Coast as a Cuba cruise but had been frustrated by a U.S. foreign policy as driven by the ethnic politics of South Florida.
Kessler will be on hand at the International Cruising Boat Expo, a combination of seminars, a boat show and social events in the tradition of TrawlerFest,will be held June 2-7, at Brewer Essex Island Marina. The boat show portion of the Boating Expo runs Thursday to Sunday, June 4-7. Kessler, freshly returned from Havana, will be able to report on the tournament as well as Cheryl and Ron Barr. Cheryl Barr, author of a Yacht Pilot Guide to Cuba, will be presenting "Cuba Cruising" at the event.
For information about TrawlerFest call our dedicated number 954.703.4789 or email us at email@example.com


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Room Description
This is our suite! It's very big and extremely comfortable. It's furnished with original antique pieces and a unique brass king size bed next to a very beautiful fireplace. The suite bathroom is tiled with Italian travertine marble and includes a shower and a Jacuzzi whirlpool bathtub with idromassage! You will also have everything you may need to make your vacation unforgettable: Tv 42″, air conditioning, armchairs with a little table and everything you need to prepare yourself coffee and tea.


text: Wed, 17 Jan 2001 02:39:53 -0800, Simon Marlow <firstname.lastname@example.com> pisze: > Actually the cpp-style pragma is only recognised if the '#' is in the > leftmost column and is followed by optional spaces and a digit. It's > quite hard to write one of these in a legal Haskell program, but not > impossible. It's enough to change Manuel's program to use {;} instead of layout. But it won't happen in any real life program. -- __("< Marcin Kowalczyk * email@example.com http://qrczak.ids.net.pl/ \__/ ^^ SYGNATURA ZASTĘPCZA QRCZAK


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Computers and technology have piqued my interest for a very long time. Even before learning what dysentery and typhoid was in the Oregon Trail adventures, there was a serious interest in computing. Lucky for me, I had grandparents who owned personal computers and was able to learn the basics very early in life. Growing up as the family SME in all things electronics, I was well versed in basic troubleshooting, configuring devices, photo editing, and even basic web design before high school. During high school, I advanced my skillsets a bit more and got into Linux, light programming, cyber security, and networking. Unfortunately, my school district did not allow me to take any networking or advanced programming classes, so I opted for math and sciences, instead. I graduated from high school third in my curriculum.
My high school guidance counselor made it very clear that I was not in the correct curriculum to get into college, so I should apply to technical colleges. I applied to one tech school and the class limit was 26 and I was about the 29th applicant. So, I applied at a former business college in Central PA, that was ramping up their IT programs and was accepted. Graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Information Technology, with a dual minor in Cyber Security and Network Management, in December 2006. Feeling thirsty for more, I enrolled in the same college's graduate program in January 2014 and am finishing up my capstone project. The degree will be a Master's of Professional Studies in Organizational Leadership, with a focus on Information Systems Management.
Professionally, my career kicked off as a Help Desk Technician at the college I attended. My internship took me to a small trucking company, where I was hired on full time until the parent company started taking over the IT department. I went to a rural, multi-hospital health system for about 5 years and was able to hone my infrastructure and leadership skills, and truly get a sense for where I saw myself professionally, long term IT leadership. I then went to a school district to overhaul their entire infrastructure, and back to another multi-hospital health system before ultimately ending up in my current role as a manager of an infrastructure support team of Senior Systems Engineers at a large healthcare software and services corporation.
What keeps me motivated is change. I love being able to walk into an organization, determine what the needs and expectations are, then start getting down to business. The challenge of creating necessary change is what will continue to add fuel to the fire. The business needs are always first and having an eye on long term strategies is a must. Someone has to lead the change, and I have picked up that ball and ran with it quite a few years ago.
For more details concerning my education and experience, please view my LinkedIn profile (link in the Contacts button above).
Personally, my interests include cars, computers, video games, cooking, guns, and hanging out with my family, friends, dogs, and lovely fiance, Stephanie.
Cars. The automotive hobby can be a little obsessive at times. I respect all things automotive, but my passion is late model GM and old school GM muscle. My current line-up consists of my daily driver, a 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS that recently put down 432RWHP and 435RWTQ on a dynojet. Not bad for simple bolt ons. One of my toys is a 1994 Trans Am with a built 355, built drivetrain, big cam/stall, and nitrous plate kit. That is still under the knife. The other toy is my 1987 Camaro IROC which will be a 5.3 LS turbo monster when the T/A is back on the road and stops being a money pit! For more information on my vehicles, feel free to view my FQuick page (see the Contact page via the link above).
Computers. Yes, I still play with computers. I even do a little PC repair from time to time, mostly for friends and through word of mouth. I built a computer in 2008-2009 (i7-950, 660 Ti, 12GB RAM, 240GB SSD w/1TB RAID 1) that still acts as a file server. My current computer is an i7-4790k, GTX 970, 32GB, 240GB SSDx2 RAID 0, H104, in a Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 (black). I really don't use it as much as I should.
Video games. I play games on the PS4 and PC when I have a couple minutes to spare and usually with friends. Minecraft, Battlefield 4, BlackOps 3, GTA V, Fallout 4, racing simulators, sports games (Madden), RTS, etc. Anything fun, really. I still like to swing by arcades and hurt feelings from time to time.
Cooking. I call myself an amateur cook. Having a little bit of experience working in kitchens part-time during high school, I understand what is needed to make things taste good. A couple years ago, I purchased a Blackstone Griddle and am always anxious to try new, non-traditional things with it. Such as making pizza - who does that on a griddle? This guy! Stir fries, burgers/hot dogs, bacon and other breakfast things are super common, but I take it a step further. I truly enjoy cooking, specifically italian, mexican, and asian dishes. In the winter months, I like making stews and soups - usually crock pot creations, from scratch with fresh ingredients, of course.
Guns. I grew up with a major respect for guns. I own quite a few, generally for protection and hunting. It's not a very active hobby of mine, but I like to get it done and blow off a couple rounds from time to time.`


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If you harbour a perversity, then sooner or later porno will identify it
"Some girls are used in nine months or a year. An 18-year-old, sweet young thing, signs with an agency, makes five films in her first week. Five directors, five actors, five times five: she gets phone calls. A hundred movies in four months. She's not a fresh face any more. Her price slips and she stops getting phone calls. Then it's, 'Okay, will you do anal? Will you do gangbangs?' Then they're used up. They can't even get a phone call. The market forces of this industry use them up."
Posted March 20, 2001


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Panax Ginseng Properties
Panax Ginseng
What are the benefits and side effects for Panax Ginseng
Where can you buy Panax Ginseng?
Below we've compiled an index of all the vendors that have Panax Ginseng for sale that we could find.
If we've missed one, please do not hesitate to contact us to have it added!
You can use the filtering options to search for powders and capsules.
Compare are the options and find the dosage you need and get a cheap purchase.
All prices are weekly updated.


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CONVERGENCE By Ellen S.-P.
For the past eighteen years, I've had two distinct ruminations: the first about the number 11 and the second, my sectoral heterochromia. Thanks to Maria Cavali's project, these thoughts have recently converged to reveal the secret of my eyes. Before you read further, I'll warn you that the following contains magical thinking. In no way do I wish to offend. As people of heterochromia, we've had magic thrust upon us, Children of Hags, the offspring of witches, and so I offer up a bit of magic of my own, bent, shaped — and colored — by my imagination:
Rumination #1:
I was just 7 weeks pregnant on 9/11. Jetlagged from my return from Italy the evening of September 10, I woke early to take the subway from Columbus Circle to my job on the corner of 5th Ave and 26th. I was eager to share vacation stories and just a bit queasy from early pregnancy hormones. As everyone who was in Manhattan that day will tell you, there could not have been a more beautiful, bluer September sky–until 8:46am. Only three hours later, confused and terrified, I watched the Twin Towers crumble. I spent those first months of my pregnancy with a toxic black cloud looming above as it smoldered those post apocalyptic days. For months, I heard an endless stream of bagpipes and sirens, the sounds of empty-casket funerals and anxious false alarms that haunted every New Yorker.
Was it any wonder that, in my PTSD daze, I began to see the number 11 everywhere? At first I saw it at the checkout ($20.11), then my clock (3:11), on the expiration date on my milk jug (November 11), on email timestamps, and on and on. Eleven was everywhere. Many years later, I mentioned this odd coincidence to a friend, jokingly so she did not think I was crazy, "You know, I see 11 everywhere." And that night I searched online for the first time "Seeing 11" and discovered I was far from alone. Did you know there is a whole outlier community of "11-seers" who believe this number is a call from the universe, a beckoning to a higher-level awakening? Really? I profoundly doubted the universe was calling for me. I am from New Jersey. Divine awareness and universal peace is not really what we're known for.
The elevens continue. Just two years ago, the address of the only house we could find after a desperate and last-minute search was, you guessed it, #11 on a street in the middle of nowhere.
#2 Rumination:
My sectoral green/brown eyes don't pack the full punch of complete heterochromia. They lack that wow factor. People tend to cock their head and ponder at my lopsidedness for a few minutes until the slow realization that I'm bi-colored is fully digested. After a lengthy quizzical gaze, their comments are clockwork: "Cool. Did you know your eye is two colors?" (um, yes.) or "What's wrong with your eyes?" (um, nothing) or, best of all, "Do you see everything half-brown?" (at which I retort "No. Do you see everything totally _______ (insert their eye color)?")
I have sectoral heterochromia. I'm slightly "off" in every photo I've ever graced. My green/brown eye appears off-centered, even in my wedding photos, which saddened me for a long time. I've had photographers ask if I'd like to "even" out my eyes with a retouch and, on one occasion, a friend recommended I wear colored contacts for a "balanced effect." I always felt that I was not beautiful; I was good enough, but never perfect.
It wasn't until I found the "Heterochromia: Children of Hags" page about three years ago that I thought of researching the "why" behind my two-colored eye. I'll be honest and confess that I did not even know my condition was called heterochromia or that there could even be a community of heterochromiacs (is that what they're called?). Why is my eye two colors? Is the cause a mere half-hearted flip of an ocular gene, an overeager freckle, or is it more? I am the youngest of four, a late-maternal "surprise!" baby. The gene pool was a little shallow and muddled by the time I came along. Could it be that, in my most humble, unplanned cellular beginnings, I was supposed to be a twin and fate chose otherwise? Am I chimera? I've always felt different, slightly disconnected. A missing piece. Is this why?
According to the medieval math philosopher Fibonacci, math is the language of the universe. Nature's patterns are everywhere and binaries bubble inside all life. If my eye is, in fact, an indicator of a long-lost twin hidden inside me, then her cellular footprint remains evident in my two-colored eye. She exists on that same level of 0s and 1s that make up the universe's coded pattern. Was my twin winking at me, leaving me a trail of 11s to find her? Does she look after me, protect me, warn me, prove to me with these 11s that she existed. Exists?
We'd all like to think we're not alone, especially those of us with heterochromia, as our eyes give away our secret at first glance whether we want them to or not. I've chosen to think these 11s, which began appearing after the darkest day of humanity I've ever witnessed, are a message from my primordial twin. Look at us, she is saying, we are one together, twin numbers, twin towers, twin souls. Although my lopsided eyes are not beholders of uniformity and balance, they contain something much more powerful, more profound. They are the opposite of loneliness. They are completion, wholeness, yin and yang fused. And so are yours.
We, the Children of Hags, are beautiful reminders that symmetry is overrated, a superficial illusion. Entropy is swirling in our eyes. We are magical reminders that the universe is so much more. And we are not alone.


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Mor to the story
John Pat Samson has been producing soybean seedstock for so long, he doesn't worry about the beginning or ending of its story. For more than 25 years, he's focused on the middle chapters—growing and harvesting—not the seed's origin or final destination.
"I'm so used to this, I don't really think about the fact that these beans will be growing on someone else's farm one day," Samson said as he harvested a field of MorSoy 3922 seed this past fall near Marshall, Mo. "I just try to raise the best crop I can, keep everything clean, control the weeds and do a good job of combining the beans. That's what I'm concerned about."
He's not alone. Most farmers don't contemplate the complex process of seed production as they get ready to plant each spring. They may not realize that seed's journey begins long before it reaches their farm—from genetic selection, field testing and evaluation to production, harvesting, conditioning, packaging and delivery—not to mention stringent quality control procedures every step of the way.
When it comes to MFA's own proprietary brands of seed, there's even more to the story. That's because MorCorn hybrids and MorSoy varieties are tailor-made for growers in MFA's trade territory and backed by the support and expertise of a highly trained agronomy staff. Plus, that seed is delivered along with all the products, technology and services needed for today's row-crop production.
"The overarching premise in our MorCorn and MorSoy lineups is to have best-in-class products that can compete in the marketplace while performing very well in our geography," said Steve Fleming, MFA Incorporated Seed Division director. "We have a customized approach. Our replicated trial system touches every part of our trade area, so we are really dialed in to the different soils and environments and are able to give growers products that fit their farms."
The seed saga begins during the fall and winter, when Fleming, MorCorn and MorSoy product managers and agronomy personnel meet with the nation's largest genetic providers to select hybrids and varieties that have potential to perform in our region. In the spring, those selections are planted as experimentals in replicated trials across MFA's trade territory and evaluated throughout the growing season. At the end of the season, these plots are harvested with specialized equipment to scientifically measure yield and other characteristics. The accumulated data is used to base decisions on whether a particular hybrid or variety is worthy of joining the product line.
Nearly 40 soybean varieties and 37 corn hybrids were tested in 2017, Fleming said. Out of those, typically only 10 percent advance to the seed production stage. The products that make the cut are grown one season for sales the next. In other words, the seed being produced in 2018 won't be ready for growers to purchase until the spring of 2019.
"We're looking to find hybrids and varieties that make a total package for the farmer," said Tommy Lee, MorSoy product manager. "We have our workhorses and our racehorses and everything in between. We don't just try to sell one or two products. It's a portfolio. That helps a grower spread his risk."
In his previous role as salesman for MFA Agri Services' LaBelle group, Lee said he's seen the popularity of both brands grow among producers. Since the MorSoy and MorCorn lines were launched, they've built a solid reputation for quality across MFA territory, and market share continues to increase.
"It really comes down to performance," Lee said. "We'll run with anybody. MFA brings a full approach to the farm, not only seed but also chemicals, fertilizer and other inputs the farmer needs. When you can bring the whole spectrum to cover that farm, it sets us apart from other seed companies. Nobody else is doing that."
This time of year, Fleming and the MFA Seed Division staff are focused on getting seed orders to MFA locations prior to the spring planting rush. After that, their priority is putting together seed production plans and working with the MFA agronomy team to design replicated trials.
"Once that's done, we get to the fun part—getting to see the new experimentals in the field and comparing them to what's in our current lineup," said Adam Noellsch, MorCorn product manager. "It's pretty neat to watch the product growing in the plots and evaluating what it's doing throughout the season."
MFA works with leading seed production companies in the Midwest to produce the varieties and hybrids that will be offered in the MorSoy and MorCorn product lines. All of MFA's soybean seed is grown in Missouri, while corn is produced here and in surrounding states.
Once MFA's seed staff decides how much of a particular product they want to sell the following year, the production companies contract with a hand-selected group of farmers to grow and harvest those orders. It takes a special kind of grower to produce seed, said Steve Blalock, president of Mid-State Seed, where many of MFA's MorSoy varieties are conditioned and packaged. MFA Incorporated is part owner of this operation based in Marshall, Mo., as well as Cache River Valley Seed in Cash, Ark. MFA also has a longstanding relationship with Bullard Seed Co. in Ashland, Mo.
Seed production requires that all the equipment used to plant and harvest the crop is thoroughly cleaned so there's no cross-contamination of varieties or traits. Once the seedstock is planted, the production companies take responsibility for scouting the fields during the growing season to make sure the crop is meeting expectations. Weeds, insects and disease must be controlled, and harvest must be completed in a timely manner to ensure quality.
The extra effort is rewarded with a premium price, Blalock said. Mid-State works with growers in Missouri to produce between 45,000 and 55,000 acres of soybean seedstock each year.
"There's a lot to it," said Samson, who grew 1,200 acres of seed beans for Mid-State in 2017. "You have to keep everything separate. You have to keep everything clean. You have to flush your combine and grain cart. It takes more time and effort, but the premium makes it worth my while. Plus, I know I have a place to go with my beans, and I don't have to pay for storage."
For MorCorn seed, the process is a bit more complicated, explains Steve Grenier, field production manager in southern Iowa. Seedstock fields must be planted and detasseled according to precise instructions, ensuring the right arrangement and ratio of female and male plants to create the desired hybrids. Throughout the season, field specialists monitor the corn for issues that could jeopardize seed quality. Unlike soybeans, which are harvested just like grain, corn seed is harvested by the ear with specialized picking equipment.
"We provide our growers with the inbred seed, planting instructions and supervision during the entire planting process," Greiner said. "It is critical to make sure the planting is completed correctly. If split planting is not done correctly, male or female seed is mixed or in the wrong row, the seed will not be usable because the purity of that hybrid will not meet standards. Planting is the first step in many to provide a quality product."
That care extends to the conditioning plant. Every truckload of seed—both corn and soybeans—is sampled upon arrival. Those samples are sent to third-party quality control labs to assay such attributes as germination, varietal purity and technological traits. Once the plant gets the go-ahead from MFA to start processing, the seed goes through a series of procedures to clean, sort and package it in bags or mini-bulk containers. Seed is also delivered to farmers in "true bulk" form for loading directly into tenders.
"The conditioning piece of this process is all about taking out the bad stuff and leaving the good stuff," Fleming said. "We set minimum standards with the processors on corn and soybeans, and it's up to those folks to work with their growers to ensure that the quality is maintained."
December, January and February are the busiest processing months, Fleming said. Shipping to stores begins as soon as orders are ready, typically wrapping up by mid-April. During that time, Seed Division personnel also evaluate data from MFA's replicated trials, making new product selections and starting the story all over again.
"We utilize our agronomy Training Camp at Boonville for testing and education, and then we have a replicated trial in all 11 MFA area sales managers' territories," Fleming said. "This work allows us to take the emotion out. A product either performs or it doesn't. It's about as unbiased as I know how to make it. We literally let the data speak for itself. We're not trying to pick favorites. It has to perform."
One of MFA's replicated trials can be found each year on the farm of Brent Foreman near Clarence, Mo. The grower, who farms with his son, Jarrell, raises 1,000 acres of soybeans, 600 acres of corn and red Angus cattle. Beyond the test plots, Foreman said he also includes MorCorn and MorSoy products in his personal row-crop portfolio, not only because of their proven performance but also because they're his cooperative-owned brand.
"I like seeing how the hybrid and variety numbers perform against each other and their competitors, and then I have that firsthand look at the ones I want to plant on my farm," Foreman said. "I trust the MorCorn and MorSoy brands because they're designed to work here in our area, and I see that every year on my farm. I had a MorCorn hybrid this year—4319—that was the best corn we planted, averaging well over 200 bushels, and MorSoy 3944 made over 70 bushels. They're as good or better than anything in the marketplace."
Every chapter in the story of MorCorn and MorSoy seed contributes to that kind of confidence in the brand, Fleming said.
"Growers want to know that they are buying a high-quality product, and when they purchase a bag of MorCorn or MorSoy, that's what they can expect," he said. "We're giving growers access to a broad range of traits and genetics that they know will perform on their farms. It really is all about giving growers more yield, more expertise and more choice."
For more information about MorCorn and MorSoy and to contact your area seed expert, visit www.mfaseed.com.
See MorCorn and MorSoy seed production in action through two new videos below.

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Jim Luff has recently been appointed Marketing Manager of Chosen Payments and its sister company, The Chosen Technology Group. Luff is well known in the ground transportation industry as an operator, a feature writer for LCT Magazine and a consultant to many small operators across the nation. He joined the industry in 1990 as a private chauffeur and in 1993 began a 23-year career as the CEO of The Limousine Scene in Bakersfield, Calif.
Luff will be responsible for marketing management, public relations, corporate communications and the continued partnership between Chosen Payments and the limousine industry for both Credit Card Processing and VoIP Services. He will also develop additional vertical markets throughout the United States and represent the company at regional and national events and meetings.
Luff has been the recipient of many awards such as Humanitarian of The Year, Lancer's Outstanding Safety Award as well as receiving the coveted LCT Magazine, Operator of the Year award. He recently retired from the daily operations of The Limousine Scene but remains involved with the company as an advisor. As a longtime client of Chosen Payments, Luff got to see the ins and outs of the company and had his eye on Chosen for his next venture. Upon retiring Luff reached out to the well-known industry vendor, Jeff Brodsly, CEO of Chosen Payments to discuss opportunities. Luff and Brodsly determined this was a perfect match.
"We are extremely excited to add Jim to our team. It is no secret Jim has built an amazing business and reputation for his hard work, dedication and passion for all things he does. To transfer these great traits to our suite of companies is another move we have made to ensure Chosen continues to be a leader in all we do," says Jeff Brodsly, CEO of Chosen. "After retiring there are many things one can do. BUT, I wanted to do something I was very passionate about. As a Chosen Payments client I experienced how they helped our company become more profitable and I wanted to go out and do that for others. There are not many jobs where you get to make money while saving your clients money, but I found that diamond and am looking forward to many years to come with the Chosen Companies", says Jim Luff"
Luff also serves as a facilitator for Driving Results, an organization dedicated to assisting ground transportation companies grow through educational meetings held throughout the nation. He will continue his longtime association with LCT Magazine as a contributing writer and consultant.