tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617200108421988782024-03-12T22:09:04.115-04:00Green Intensive: Get Outside!This Blog is about sharing stories, thoughts and ideas that bring us into communion with the natural world.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-43125848203664261722014-01-05T23:14:00.001-05:002014-01-05T23:14:14.552-05:00Get Outside--Elk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rka0OglnNmAUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-15730726794260517252013-12-26T21:05:00.001-05:002013-12-26T21:05:56.792-05:00Arrow Making with Ted Fry<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/UpKDsQCoC50" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Keeping the tradition alive. His work tells you that he cares about what he does. Mastering arrow making...I am looking to learn!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-18723071528044036112013-12-24T15:52:00.001-05:002013-12-24T15:52:18.898-05:00Making Wood Arrow Shafts<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4vtLKQZ_CtU" width="459"></iframe><br />
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Eric making it look easy. I am setting up a shop soon with the intention of making arrows.<br />
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Tawfiq! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-92046175872031185302013-01-19T19:28:00.000-05:002013-01-19T20:36:13.733-05:002012 Bow Hunting--What Happens After the ShotHere are a few reflections on a doe I shot in October during the 2012
New Hampshire archery season. When I speak to people about bow hunting
many are surprised to learn that my arrows almost always travel cleanly
through the deer and exit unobstructed. This is known as a
“pass-through” to hunters, and is a shot that one practices in the
off-season. After a pass-through I inspect the arrow, looking for any
cracks or stress marks, and will use the same arrow again if it is
undamaged.<br />
<br />
This pass-through led to an interesting conversation with Sheikh
Abdul-Karim Yahya. Over dinner he mentioned the hadith where the Prophet
(Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Some people will emerge
from [the east] who will recite the Qur’an, but it will not go beyond
their throats. They will pass through Islam as the arrow passes through
game.” Sh. Abdul-Karim said he did not fully understand the meaning of
the phrase “as the arrow passes through game” until he saw these photos.<br />
The most ethical shot when hunting big game is placed directly behind
the shoulder blade. The majority of the animal’s vital organs are
clustered in this area. Thus, a well-placed shot causes hemorrhaging,
and the animal dies due to a lack of oxygen to the brain.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-s5PsEGGepvk/UPMR5n9UKkI/AAAAAAAABf8/_5bjpysfjSg/s1600/Doe+shot+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft" height="313" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-s5PsEGGepvk/UPMR5n9UKkI/AAAAAAAABf8/_5bjpysfjSg/s1600/Doe+shot+1.jpg" title="Deer" width="232" /></a><br />
The
deer in this photo presented a perfect broadside shot at 22 yards. My
arrow found its mark, and after the shot, the deer ran about 40 yards
and expired. I thank my Lord for the bounty of wholesome food that is
pure, and nothing less than a gift from His benevolence.<br />
After the shot, I gathered my equipment and descended from my tree
perch. I followed the blood-trail to the deer and “tagged” it. Tagging
requires that a hunter fill out all appropriate information on his or
her state-issued hunting license. This process allows the state to track
the number of deer killed during a season and provides other important
statistical information, such as the size of the herd, which helps
regulate the deer population.<br />
<br />
The next step is to field dress the deer, that is, removing the
animal’s entrails. Field dressing is always a sobering experience. The
animal’s body is still warm—depending on how quickly you recover it—and
the warmth inside the animal is a stark reminder of the proximity
between life and death.<br />
When field dressing a deer, I make sure the entrails are taken far
away from any place where people or dogs may encounter this “gut pile.”
By leaving the “gut pile” uncovered and not burying it, I am
intentionally allowing it to return to the earth. The entrails will be
eaten by carnivora, rondentia, corvidae, insects, and so on, and after a
short period it will all return back to the soil in one form or
another. This is what the author Tovar Cerulli describes in his book <i>The Mindful Carnivore</i> as a “cyclical system,” nothing is wasted!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cGgR6jQef5E/UPMXQy93ZuI/AAAAAAAABgY/XY-mBjNIniU/s1600/20120925_195954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="aligncenter" height="278" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cGgR6jQef5E/UPMXQy93ZuI/AAAAAAAABgY/XY-mBjNIniU/s1600/20120925_195954.jpg" title="Venison 6" width="209" /></a><img alt="" class="alignleft" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1wg9nmdSxPU/UPMK2TOZKhI/AAAAAAAABfM/B8Xc7H0ksQk/s320/IMG_0377.JPG" title="Carcass" width="320" /><br />
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</div>
<br />
I remove the skin of the deer before beginning the quartering process.
Quartering refers to the removal of the deer’s limbs by cutting off the
two hindquarters and the two front quarters. During this time I also
remove the <a href="http://www.askthemeatman.com/images/deer%20muscle%20pix.gif">backstraps</a> and tenderloins, arguably these are the best cuts from a deer. Speaking from experience, I fully agree with that claim!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://beyondhalal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/croppedleg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="size-full wp-image-1818 alignright" height="278" src="http://beyondhalal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/croppedleg.jpg" title="Hindquarter" width="207" /></a><img alt="" class="alignleft" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5Q1S1JL-M6w/UPMK3n8PNMI/AAAAAAAABfU/cNCOjD3Ko8s/s320/IMG_0378.JPG" title="Venison 5" width="320" /><br />
<br />
This
is my current set up for processing the deer. Not ideal! However, it
gets the job done. I plan on investing in a larger cutting board and
better knives for next season. On the right is the hind-quarter. A
butcher once taught me how to make a “butterfly cut,” which starts at
the top joint of the ball and socket. By keeping the knife pressed tight
against the bone and working it down the full length of the bone, I am
able to open up this large group of muscles. Once the hind-quarter is
opened, I remove top and bottom round (cuts), a rump roast and other
steaks that I use for kababs. The bones are used for stews, and then
boiled down for stock.<br />
<br />
The cuts normally look something like this.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zO3MAycCZQY/UPMK4LxWnGI/AAAAAAAABfg/ksuKLO-aOdY/s1600/IMG_0382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="aligncenter" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zO3MAycCZQY/UPMK4LxWnGI/AAAAAAAABfg/ksuKLO-aOdY/s320/IMG_0382.JPG" title="Venison" width="320" /></a></div>
<img alt="" class="alignleft" height="272" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9c0C6Rd6Z8A/UPMXROCUbDI/AAAAAAAABgU/sSU1Q19zF2w/s1600/20120927_224849.jpg" title="Venison 2" width="203" /><br />
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<br />
In the photo on the right, the top left tray is meat from the
hind-quarters—steaks, stews and kebabs. In the top right tray are bones
that we use for stews and stocks, and we also use the entire neck for
stew as well. The bottom tray (left corner) is meat that we grind into
ground venison. We normally use this for burgers and spaghetti sauces.
Two of my children have a wheat allergy, and we use <a href="http://steamykitchen.com/11285-baked-spaghetti-squash-with-garlic-and-butter.html">spaghetti squash</a>
as a replacement for pastas. The piece of meat in the middle is a
roast, and it’s pretty self-explanatory what we do with that. The meat
on the right is backstrap and tenderloin. We normally broil these cuts
in an oven or grill them after marinating them for a full day or longer.
My wife found this <a href="http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1615,152170-239203,00.html">venison tenderloin marinade</a> that works great with either of these cuts. This recipe will blow you away!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2GPj_6nnDG4/UPMYkeflTbI/AAAAAAAABgw/98vsTHoqnIQ/s1600/PIC_0036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft" height="175" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2GPj_6nnDG4/UPMYkeflTbI/AAAAAAAABgw/98vsTHoqnIQ/s1600/PIC_0036.JPG" title="Meat" width="312" /></a><br />
<br />
I like the backstrap and tenderloin because they cook fast and travel
well. I have even taken them cuts into the field with me and cooked
them on my <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/660163/msr-pocket-rocket-backpacking-stove">Pocket Rocket Backpack Stove.</a><br />
<br />
Industrial meat production is a business shrouded in mystery. The
consumer is locked out, and is rarely offered the opportunity to
actually witness how animals live, how they are slaughtered, and how
they are processed. I find solace in knowing exactly where my meat comes
from, where it lived, what it ate, and how it died. Hunting is my
objection to factory farming; it is my personal response to this
oppressive practice. All of us have choices and we should try our best
to exercise these choices in a way that creates a paradigm shift in
thought and practice.<br />
<br />
As Muslims, our nourishment is directly related to our spiritual
states—we are concerned with what goes in our mouths and what comes out
of them. I hope this helps readers understand what hunting can look
like, and I hope this motivates us to search for what is Beyond Halal!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-87511426630142482102012-10-01T23:26:00.003-04:002012-10-01T23:26:59.327-04:00NY Times: A New Breed of Hunter Shoots, Eats and Tells<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I wrote this in my blog post Sunday September 30th: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"I hunt to feed my family and I want to be clear
about that. However, this should never be confused with the idea that hunters
are not intensely connected to the landscape and everything that lives there. The
time I spend hunting is not about killing something, it is about connecting
with all that is around me and feeling at peace with God's creation, and having
God's creation feel at peace with me. This is what stewardship means to me! It
is real, not some slogan or label that is donned when it is socially
appropriate. It is how I live and what makes me who I am, and it is how
I approach the natural world."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">And Monday October 1st this article came out in the NY Times:</span></span><br />
<br />
<h1 class="articleHeadline" itemprop="headline">
A New Breed of Hunter Shoots, Eats and Tells</h1>
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/02/books/new-breed-of-hunter-shoots-eats-and-writes.html?emc=eta1&_r=0" target="_blank">Who is the most famous hunter in America? If you’re over 30, the first names that come to mind are probably Sarah Palin, Ted Nugent or Dick Cheney. If you’re under 30, the answer is easier. The most famous hunter in America is Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire founder of Facebook. </a><br />
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-40794907944446138522012-09-30T22:36:00.001-04:002012-09-30T22:36:28.801-04:00For the Love of Hunting
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Two weeks ago was opening day of archery season
for Whitetail deer in New Hampshire. For a hunter the nine months between
seasons seems like an eternity. In the off-season there are plenty of
activities that occupy your time, however, nothing is like trying harvest a
deer with your bow. Nothing!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I look at each season as an opportunity to correct
mistakes and missed opportunities from the year before. Its a time when all the
"what ifs" are put to rest and you are afforded another season of
opportunities to better yourself. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">This is the fourth for me in New Hampshire and Vermont.
Four long seasons without taking a deer. During these four years I have
spent many hours sitting in my stands or slinking through the woods
looking for "the shot." And in four years I have only shot at two
deer, and missed both! As one of my friends said, "this ain't Nantucket; there's
not a deer behind every tree." The big woods of New Hampshire and Vermont have
been a challenge for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">My stand sits on the perimeter of an area that was
recently clear-cut. Staying true to who I am, I ran out the night before the
season opened and hung a stand in a huge oak tree situated next to an equally
large eastern hemlock pine. The limbs on the pine provide me perfect cover for
any approaching deer. I took the time to find an area with "a lot" of
acorns. The lack of rain this summer has affected the amount of acorns, making
this year's yield very low. So finding an area with acorns on the ground was a
huge score. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Look for the food and you'll find
the deer.</i> Sounds really easy, but nothing is that simple!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">On Saturday the 15<sup>th</sup>, I got up at 3:40am,
showered, got dressed, and headed out to my stand. I prayed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fajr</i> outside under the stars. Lately, the
mornings have been crisp; I love the cold morning air. There is something
majestic about seeing each breath. Perhaps its the closest we get to the “veil
being lifted.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">As I approached my stand I tried to incorporate
all of the skills that I learned at my time at the Maine Primitive Skills
School—reading the landscape, using wide angle vision, looking for that which
is hidden in plain sight and using the bird’s vocalizations and silences to
understand activity in the woods. I read in a hunting journal that the hunt
actually begins when you leave your home, not when you arrive at your stand. In
other words, the mindset begins when you make your first step towards your
desired goal. Kind of like making your intention in Medina and heading to
Mekkah to perform the Hajj. It’s the intention that brings about the mental
state of consciousness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I walked to my stand with relative quiet. The
forest can be unforgiving at times, amplifying your every movement. About 20 or
30 yards away from my stand I thought I was home free, I had not “bumped” a
deer walking in. Then, there was the sound that every hunter dreads, the
blowing sound of an alerted "spooked" deer! The deer must have been
bedded right behind my stand. After the sound all I heard was the deer running
off alerting any deer in the area that a clumsy hunter was now in the arena!
Immediately that deer becomes the one that got away, and the logical mind
quickly begins to play the "what if” game, running a thousand scenarios
through your head. All you can do is try better next time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">My time in my stand opening morning did not
produce any deer as I had hoped. I spent most of my time engaged in salutations
on the Prophet (peace be upon him), and listening to the alarms of the blue jays.
The blue jay is probably the most reliable bird to alert you to movements in the
forest. It will let you know when both predators and prey are moving about. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I feel that the energy, which is in us, is
detectable by other living animals. I have learned directly from people who
spend a large portion time in the woods and from direct observation that
animals which are prey, have a keen sense of detecting predatory
"energy" as it radiates out from other creatures. So I use the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">salawat</i> to calm myself by bringing about
a state of inner tranquility, which will in-turn be a means of comfort to the
animals as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I sat for about 3.5 hours and did not see a deer.
I climbed out of the stand around 9am. As I got to the ground I saw two does
feeding about 30 yards from my stand. The wind was in my face, so my scent was
not an issue. I sat there for a few minutes observing them. They looked too
young to take; I was looking for a mature doe without fawns. Suddenly, something
scared them. Perhaps an acorn fell off a tree on to her back. Whatever it was,
the deer ran away as if her life depended on it. The morning hunt was now over
for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I came back to my stand for an evening hunt. I
prayed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Asr</i> outside, and made my way
through the woods back to my stand. Seeing the two deer in the morning gave me
hope that other deer would present themselves for a shot at some point. Early
in to my sitting a young doe made her way back to my stand. She remained about
50 yards from my stand and continued to look over her shoulder. This normally
indicates the presence of another deer. Sure enough, a few minutes later a
larger doe walked out. The size of this doe made her one that I would harvest.
I have waited three years and nine months to take a deer in the northeast. And
here was my chance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I sat in my stand and my heart began to pound as
it usual when the time comes to take the life of an animal. I concentrated on
the thikr, and tried to bring the meaning from my tongue to my heart. The two
deer approached each other with a semi-hesitation. Then they did something I
have never seen before. They began to groom each other. Licking each other on
the head, shoulders, back and rib area. It was beautiful! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Given the size and age of second doe I felt she
was too young to be the mother of the littler doe, perhaps they were sisters? I
watched the two deer groom each other for about 30 minutes. It was amazing to
witness! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Watching this expression of affection did
something to me. I felt that I could not take this doe if she came within range
and presented a shot. I felt a sense of closeness to these two deer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I hunt to feed my family and I want to be clear
about that. However, this should never be confused with the idea that hunters
are not intensely connected to the landscape and everything that lives there. The
time I spend hunting is not about killing something, it is about connecting
with all that is around me and feeling at peace with God's creation, and having
God's creation feel at peace with me. This is what stewardship means to me! It
is real, not some slogan or label that is donned when it is socially
appropriate. It is how I live and what makes me who I am, and it is how
approach the natural world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Perhaps God was testing me? Testing me so that I
would know if I was being true to my thoughts and convictions about not
shooting this deer. After 30 minutes the deer separated; one walking off away
from me and the other walking towards me. I am watching this deer walk directly
towards my stand and I begin mentioning the distance between us in my head. I say
to myself, “when she passes that tree she is at 20 yards, and at the stump 10, and
now she’s at 5 yards! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">This deer walked right below my stand. It walked and
smelled the limbs I cut from the beech tree to open up a few shooting lanes
from my stand the night before. She smelled the ground where I had just walked.
And then she looked right in my face, right into my eyes, I tried to lower my
gaze and squint my eyes while she stood 2 yards from my stand. Direct eye contact should be avoided, it will send the animal in to a "fight or flight" mode. She knew I was
there, but, perhaps, she did not know what I was. Perhaps the salutations
created a wall of tranquility that veiled me from her, who knows? What I do
know is that if I wanted to shoot this deer, I could have done so at any time.
But something got in to my heart, which was beyond compassion for that deer.
After our encounter she carried-on down the trail and out of sight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">My mind remained on our encounter. I still don't
quite know what to make of it? What I do know is that it was a great way to begin
my season, seeing deer in both the morning and the evening makes me feel good
about my choice for stand placement. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Hopefully this is only the beginning of many
encounters with deer in this area. Hopefully it is not the last. And
hopefully as I learn more about myself spiritually, the meanings and encounters
will become more profound!</span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-61547595693802607172012-09-26T11:04:00.000-04:002012-09-26T11:04:05.937-04:00Celebrating Eid...American Muslim Culture<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K7WDpwl_fsY/UGMSrlzdG8I/AAAAAAAABT0/mSlGaQTZ4WU/s1600/sunrise+harris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K7WDpwl_fsY/UGMSrlzdG8I/AAAAAAAABT0/mSlGaQTZ4WU/s320/sunrise+harris.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
As the dust settled from Eid we moved immediately in to the school year at Dartmouth and the Waldorf school with my girls. The last thing I remember was making all the preparations for the eidul-fitr service and post-service celebration on campus. And now we have begun the same process for the second eid! The movement of time always amazes me.<br />
<br />
Shortly after the eid I received a call from my good friend Adnan Durrani, CEO of <a href="http://www.saffronroadfood.com/" target="_blank">Saffron Road</a>. He called to wish our family a blessed eid, and hear how things are going in his favorite part of the country (Quechee, VT). I let him know that our eid was great, and we were able to spend time in Boston with friends. My family and I spent time with Nuri and Kristina Friedlander and had an amazing meal at an Algerian restaurant--Baraka Cafe! The kids were happy, a ton of candy, a remote control helicopter buzzed
around our living room, and new faux-jewlery embellished little wrists
and necks. Kind of what you would expect on a "traditional day of Eid."<br />
<br />
I asked Adnan how he spent his eid, thinking it would have sounded like something similar to mine. However, it was not similar at all!<br />
<br />
Adnan and I have had many conversations regarding the American Muslim experience. The beauty about these conversations is that American Muslim culture is constantly developing and we are creating it as we live it.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c-_2t2d4hXA/UGMTJaNmR0I/AAAAAAAABT8/_wOM4Zzgvsc/s1600/adnan+n+harris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c-_2t2d4hXA/UGMTJaNmR0I/AAAAAAAABT8/_wOM4Zzgvsc/s320/adnan+n+harris.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
During my years in Damacus there were many age old traditions around the eid that had formed distinct cultural norms. For example, it was understood that the Syrians always spent the first day of eid with famliy members and then would open their homes to guests on the following days. Or the tradition of placing a green palm frawn at the grave of a deceased family member, and other various customs that are distinct Syrian Muslim culture.<br />
<br />
However, in the States we don't have distinct traditions. Perhaps you will find certain members of the immigrant Muslim community upholding traditions from back home. But as far as established traditions, its still being formed.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pG5m12vD75c/UGMTUH-dmmI/AAAAAAAABUE/AAvj3121RwM/s1600/boat+photo-Adnan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pG5m12vD75c/UGMTUH-dmmI/AAAAAAAABUE/AAvj3121RwM/s320/boat+photo-Adnan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
That's what was special about my conversation with Adnan. His answer to "how was your eid?" was nothing that one would expect about how Muslims would celebrate eid. Adnan had celebrated his eid on a fishing boat off the coast of Block Island, NY with his son and his son's classmate from Columbia University. The catch was filled with <span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Porgies,
Sea Bass, Blues and mainly Striped Bass.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hoPW0s43E9c/UGMTbZcUsPI/AAAAAAAABUM/5OOO6AjPpZQ/s1600/abdul+n+harris+n+bass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hoPW0s43E9c/UGMTbZcUsPI/AAAAAAAABUM/5OOO6AjPpZQ/s320/abdul+n+harris+n+bass.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9qDSHyN8eck/UGMTebf7qeI/AAAAAAAABUU/qogXoVi-dIU/s1600/Abdul+n+Bass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9qDSHyN8eck/UGMTebf7qeI/AAAAAAAABUU/qogXoVi-dIU/s320/Abdul+n+Bass.jpg" width="213" /></a><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
If you know me, then you know that I love the outdoors. And you also know that I am equally excited to get people connected with the outdoors. So when I heard about Adnan choosing to celebrate the eid by heading out to sea for some fishing, I was ecstatic. <br />
<br />
Adnan had mentioned that his son's friend, Abdul, is the current president of the Columbia MSA. A bright young man from the Gulf, with an equal amount of passion for his intellectual and spiritual development. Growing up near the water he had never been on a boat and had never fished! You could not contain the excitement!<br />
<br />
This is what I am getting at! As American Muslims we have every oportunnity to create meaningful, intelligent and beautiful expressions of Islamic tradition. Traditions that are one-hundred percent authentic, with regard to Islamic tradition and one-hundred percent American!<br />
<br />
These are amazing times we are living in. At this moment in history the American Muslim community is blessed with the opportunity to create its own narrative. I am happy that people like Adnan--through <a href="http://www.saffronroadfood.com/" target="_blank">Saffron Road</a>--and many others are carving out spaces in all segments of society that people will be able to recognize as authentic American Muslim culture. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-38306314860277459322012-09-19T09:11:00.003-04:002012-09-19T16:42:13.732-04:00Venison Tagine?<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AdZ6a_DF7No/UFnAmwmCMrI/AAAAAAAABTk/7GMS5a12RtE/s1600/Fall%2BPhoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AdZ6a_DF7No/UFnAmwmCMrI/AAAAAAAABTk/7GMS5a12RtE/s320/Fall%2BPhoto.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The fall is a special time of year in New England. The changes are stark and easily recognizable. The days become shorter; the air has a crispness not felt since early spring and the leaves provide an amazing display of colors that highlight this annual transition.<br />
<br />
Growing up I remember the smell of burning wood as people warmed their homes during the morning chill. Grassy green fields covered in dew glimmered in the soft morning light.<br />
<br />
The fall was also a time when certain foods would return to our home. Nantucket bay scallops, stripped bass and various types of game—rabbit, pheasant and venison all represented the bounties of the fall.<br />
<br />
I remember watching rabbit meat being coated in flour and prepared for frying. Pheasant and venison were mostly broiled and served with traditional sides—canned vegetables, mashed potatoes and an occasional sheet of cornbread. This is how grew up. Probably not very different than many American kids whose families hunted or fished.<br />
<br />
Over the past ten years I have returned to harvesting game in the fall. I have had the blessing of harvesting many deer with a bow and arrow. My wife and I have tried a few different recipes when preparing venison. Some very traditional, and others which incorporated terriyaki marinades and some as simple as rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper. All of them have been a blessing, and we have shared many meals with family and friends.<br />
<br />
However, this year, I plan to attempt a fusion dish. I want to incorporate the delicious Simmer Sauces from <a href="http://www.saffronroadfood.com/" target="_blank">Saffron Road</a> and make it a true East West fusion—I can see Kipling turning in his grave! I am willing to say that not many people have tried a traditional <a href="http://www.saffronroadfood.com/our-products/simmer-sauces/moroccan-tagine-simmer-sauce/" target="_blank">Moroccan Tagine Simmer Sauce</a> with tender fresh venison. This represents a great opportunity to incorporate Saffron Road’s sauces
with a great American tradition--harvesting a North American whitetail.
I can already taste how amazing this is going to be!<br />
<br />
I am inspired by the work of <a href="http://www.saffronroadfood.com/" target="_blank">Saffron Road</a>. They are committed to providing the highest standards of halal foods to the general public. They are making a huge impact on the industry and helping the American Muslim experience find its way to the forefront of our diverse society. <br />
<br />
But why should I limit myself to only their sauces, that would be selling myself short? Thus, keeping in the tradition of true cross-cultural culinary "coolness"--I also plan to begin the meal with Saffron Road, <a href="http://www.saffronroadfood.com/our-products/hors-doeuvre/turkish-figs-goat-cheese/" target="_blank">Turkish Figs & Goat Cheese Hor D’oeurves</a>. Maybe Globalization is not such a bad thing!<br />
<br />
I have to state this publicly; I like to cook, but I am not the best chef in town. So if anyone has any tips or advice, I am more than willing to learn some new culinary possibilities.<br />
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Look for my other posts as I share my time in the woods with my bow.
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-63609525309698408852012-09-12T17:39:00.000-04:002012-09-12T17:39:28.080-04:00Searching for West -- Short FilmThose who know me, know that I love hunting and the outdoors. I thank Mark Seacat and his team for their remarkable work in capturing and sharing with us the spirit of hunting and the beauty of the outdoors!<br />
<br />
Watch...and enjoy!<br />
<br />
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/47989207?color=ffffff" width="500" height="250" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/47989207">Searching for West</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/heliocollective">Helio Collective</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-35158240097948886852012-08-20T14:22:00.000-04:002012-08-20T17:22:27.146-04:00Moose--In your face!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Could you handle this?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-47940504044187112252012-08-06T17:13:00.002-04:002012-08-06T17:37:14.151-04:00Saffron Road...Go Get Some of Halal Goodness!My trip to the Bay was like returning to the comfort of a family member's home. The people and places are all very familiar, and the hospitality is always amazing. And this trip was no different! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8gGwuQk3ht8/UB_tR5xD4qI/AAAAAAAABSo/ivvZaLZz06w/s1600/IMG_0041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8gGwuQk3ht8/UB_tR5xD4qI/AAAAAAAABSo/ivvZaLZz06w/s320/IMG_0041.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from the Muslim Community Association in Santa Clara, CA</td></tr>
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Actually, it was a little different. This summer I was not teaching
Arabic at Zaytuna College. My time in the Bay was spent connecting with
people and informing them about Saffron Road's incredible work.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cslCbhcUPDo/UB_qmT6lHtI/AAAAAAAABR0/0xNAmVUt1k0/s1600/IMG_0050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cslCbhcUPDo/UB_qmT6lHtI/AAAAAAAABR0/0xNAmVUt1k0/s320/IMG_0050.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer Arabic Language students at Zaytuna College</td></tr>
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This trip had me thinking a lot about Ramadan, not only about the physical struggle of fasting. It also made me think about the struggle in following God's command to eat from that which is halal and pure!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s5rQ_K6083Y/UB_rD1FqkFI/AAAAAAAABSI/RFmP6QYsjd0/s1600/IMG_0192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s5rQ_K6083Y/UB_rD1FqkFI/AAAAAAAABSI/RFmP6QYsjd0/s320/IMG_0192.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ramadan is about reduction, and it is through reduction that we find the blessings of God's generosity, grace and benevolence showered upon us like no other time. And it is during this month where the connection between food and spirituality becomes very clear. I have made a conscious decision to eat from that which is halal and pure, and after spending almost the entire month of June on the road visiting the Saffron Road farm and production facility and speaking about this product, I am even more impressed by the vision of this company.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ajXR6cEWQCM/UB_rVYcIEAI/AAAAAAAABSU/NWmM9E5heKE/s1600/IMG_0144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ajXR6cEWQCM/UB_rVYcIEAI/AAAAAAAABSU/NWmM9E5heKE/s320/IMG_0144.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Abbasi family [Hamza will attend Dartmouth in the Fall]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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While on the road Mustafa and I met many people, and consistently from NY to the Bay, people who tried Saffron Road expressed to me that the food was absolutely delicious. However, as the conversation moved beyond taste, it was apparent that people are most impressed with the standards that Saffron Road established in the halal food industry.<br />
<br />
This is the game changer! This is why I leave my family and get on the road and promote this product, because I feel an obligation to inform as many people as I can about halal food that is "mainstream" and has not compromised or abandoned any of the ethical or moral values that are important to everyone of us regarding our food.<br />
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Pertaining to spirituality in the Islamic tradition, a Muslim should be concerned with what comes out of their mouth and what goes in it, because with both are consequences. Being scrupulous in what we eat leads to greater spiritual clarity and it proximity to God. Truly, I am grateful to have a food option like Saffron Road. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gNr816iUNl4/UB_qtdZ649I/AAAAAAAABR8/NMOIqlNcMSM/s1600/IMG_0116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gNr816iUNl4/UB_qtdZ649I/AAAAAAAABR8/NMOIqlNcMSM/s320/IMG_0116.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Future!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When I became Muslim in the mid-nineties there were not many halal food options beyond major cities, and the halal options were very limited, nearly unregulated and not even considering issues around humane, antibiotic free and hormone free products.<br />
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However, in a relatively short period of time all of that has changed. For example, this past weekend I was in Amherst, Mass in the Western part of the state. An area which is relatively isolated, definitely not a bustling hub of Muslim activity. Nonetheless, in "small town America" there are halal food options. This is the type of societal integration that is meaningful, productive and produces lasting relationships. <br />
<br />
It is my sincerest hope that the future will continue to motivate pioneers like the Saffron Road team. All of us benefiting through their foresight and forward thinking.<br />
<br />
The rising tide lifts all boats equally!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-68980724956677336792012-07-10T11:08:00.003-04:002012-07-10T11:08:58.964-04:00Saffron Road--Rocky Mountain High!The first thing you'll hear when you get to Denver is, "we get over 300
days of sunshine!" I loved hearing that! We set up on this beautiful
Friday morning at one of largest Mosques in the metro-Denver area ready to
engage people and tell them about Saffron Road and all the halal goodness that
awaits them. The weather was text-book, clear skies and lots of sun! The Friday
sermon was a great reminder that small actions yield large spiritual returns.
However, when we came out of the mosque the weather had changed, the skies
opened up it poured rain and hailed! Paradoxical maybe, Providential,
definitely!<br />
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<br />
After the sermon we made our way outside to meet the outpouring of
people. As I mentioned before, the moment you see people's eyes light up is
when they learn that the products are certified humane, halal, antibiotic free
and hormone free. The great thing about promoting Saffron Road is speaking from
a position of complete confidence with regard to the integrity of this product.
Oh yeah, it’s not too hard to convince people when the food tastes this good. <br />
<br />
This meeting set the tone for the rest of our time in Denver. People
are super nice, incredibly supportive and ready to partake in halal goodness.<br />
<br />
While in Denver I stayed across the street from Whole Foods mega-store. This
store carried all of Saffron Road's products; of course this meant I had these
options available for my meals as well. Did I tell you how many times I ate
Chicken Tikka Masala and Lamb Saag? That's another story! While in Whole Foods
I met an employee who saw my shirt and asked if I worked for Saffron Road. He immediately engaged me with the shrinking world/global village talk and told me how he thought
Saffron Road was at the forefront of bringing global cuisine to local markets.
His next question: "Do you have any coupons?" I smiled and handed him
a few, he promised me he would "spread the love" with his friends! To
me this is Denver, happy people, supportive and always willing to engage.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
The rest of my stay in Denver was filled with spending time with leaders of
the various segments of the Muslim community. One of the greatest blessings of traveling
in the Muslim community is realizing that the spirit of hospitality is alive and
well. Brunch with the Azim family,
dinner with Waseem Khan, Monir Ludin and the Nawaz family or coffee with
individual members was uplifting and invigorating. Community members opened their hearts and their homes and demonstrated the true meaning of fraternal love and friendship. During one of our meetings a group mentioned that they would serve Saffron Road products at their next community pot-luck dinner. That's amazing! <br />
<br />
One of the most interesting segments of the Denver Muslim community was engaging individuals from the Independent Limousine Drivers of Colorado. This service group "ate up" the information about Saffron Road. Many on the drives eat at least one meal, sometimes two while at the airport. One driver said, "this is great brother, I was tired of eating burritos all the time!" Another driver contacted me and told me that he finally bought his first Saffron Road product and..."it was the healthiest frozen entree I have ever tasted, and its perfect for my bachelor lifestyle!" I am not one to say I told you so, but concerning the taste, you can quote me, "I told you so!"<br />
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<br />
<br />
Food is such an integral part of one’s spiritual being and people have been
waiting for a product they can trust. As someone asked, “where have you been, I
have waiting for this for so long!” Well now you have it, and God willing it
will only get better!<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
I look forward to the hearing feedback
from all the people I met during the Denver trip. Please share your thoughts I will continue to
do the same!<br />
<br />
Much love! <br />
<br />
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-48985190775381946322012-07-09T11:47:00.002-04:002012-07-09T11:47:34.609-04:00Arizona--96 Degrees in the Shade!I like the sun, don't get me wrong! However, 112 degrees was a little too much for this Northerner! You know the heat is problematic when the locals are complaining!<br />
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<br />
I arrived in Phoenix late Thursday evening and my plan was to confirm a meeting with community leaders in Tucson. All went well, and after a light breakfast I headed to Tucson. <br />
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<br />
I-17 South brought me straight into Tucson, and I pulled up to the Islamic Center of Tucson. This mosque is in the middle of the ASU campus, surrounded by the University on all sides.<br />
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<br />
<br />
My contact here was a young man named Jameel, he met me outside and ensured me that the board had approved my presence. I set up a display table under the blazing sun and quickly ran inside to the coolness of marble floors and spiritual tranquility that is found only inside the mosque.<br />
<br />
This week's sermon was a reminder of the virtue of patience and it was right on time, I needed to hear that! After the sermon I made my way outside and began to engage folks telling them about Saffron Road. I can't say this enough, so you will have to bear with me. When I engage the Muslim community the selling point regarding this product is the standard of certified humane antibiotic free, hormone free raising and production! All the lights go on with that phrase. Jameel introduced me to a young man and told me he was a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine and an acupuncturist. Obviously concerned with holistic well-being he listed intently to what I had to say, he remained quite until I reached the point of certified humane, antibiotic and hormone free. He smiled grabbed my hand and said, "that is what I have been waiting to hear! There has always been this mystery behind halal products, without knowing what we are buying how can you trust what you getting? May God bless you in all that you are doing. You have a customer in me!" Priceless!<br />
<br />
Many people took coupons and listened for a few minutes, but the blazing sun was wearing at their cordialness. Next, Jameel introduced me to the Imam. An amazingly spiritual awakened individual with a warm smile and big heart. A gem from Baghdad, classically trained in the tradition of Suffi masters. The first thing he said was, "where have you been? I was expecting you last night, we wanted to take you to dinner and invite you to give a lecture!" I smiled and reminded him that we plan, but God is best of planners. <br />
<br />
From that point on the Imam did not let me leave his side, he invited me to lunch and on route we passed by a Whole Foods. I took him inside to show him our products. He like many others, had made the mistake of thinking our products are in meat section not the frozen entree section. He asked about Costco and told me we should visit one. Back in his car again we headed out.<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
He was nervous that they may not let him in without a membership, I told not to worry "I got you covered." We entered Costco and headed to the frozen entree section. I grabbed two boxes for the Imam and in typical fashion he tried to snatch them from me insisting he would pay. You could say that I "threw my weight around" and the Imam had no chance of getting the boxes out of my hands. At the checkout he tried to cancel my transaction and prevent me from paying. However, he was not successful!<br />
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<br />
<br />
As the day moved on I was constantly looking at my watch, I have a tentative appointment in the evening in Phoenix at the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix. The Imam insisted that I stay for the evening prayer and at least to give a short talk on any subject I wanted. I knew how this would end, after the prayer and talk he would insist that I stay to eat and then he would tell me that it was too late and should stay with him in Tucson and leave in the morning.<br />
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<br />
<br />
Well I was right! He did insist that we ate, however I persuaded him that he not cook a meal, rather we would eat the Chicken Tikka Masala we bought at Costco. He agreed! About six of us headed to the Imam's house and as he put together a salad I took care of the Chicken Tikka Masala. I could hear the group in the other room, is this going to be enough, how will it taste, is 5mins sufficient? I was quietly laughing out loud as I prepared the meals.<br />
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<br />
We sat on floor and broke bread at 11:15pm. I asked the Imam to take the first bite, any fatigue that shown on his face was gone, once he put the first morsel of food in his mouth. He looked at me and confirmed what I already knew, "wow...this is good!" Everyone in the room except me were native Arabic speakers so the rest of the comments and expressions of joy were in Arabic and I don't want things to get lost in translation, so I will let them be! Sufficient to say the Imam told me he will let his congregation know that they need to head out and treat themselves to a bounty of halal goodness!<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-73035166216393436762012-06-22T20:30:00.003-04:002012-06-22T20:30:53.908-04:00Halal Food We Can Trust<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
For the last week I have been in the metro Denver area connecting with Muslim communities and speaking to them about Saffron Road and it provides a halal, certified humane, and organic chicken entree to <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CFUQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.saffronroadfood.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F06%2F10_SR_Rebate_Web.pdf&ei=_AjlT76tNNKA2QXOndjaCQ&usg=AFQjCNFtUKovarFyLxv7L9VIONvWu3ZMvg" target="_blank">COSTCO</a>. The responses have been extremely positive!<br />
<br />
I met with a group of activists that work to build bridges within the greater Denver community, this group is part of a larger community service organization called <a href="http://www.milacolorado.org/" target="_blank">MILA </a>Muslims Intent on Learning and Activism.<br />
<br />
While at their meeting, I began to speak about Saffron Road and what the brand has to offer. As I was speaking the women hosting us stood up and with saying anything began to walk into the kitchen. When she returned she presented me with a 28oz. box of <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CFUQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.saffronroadfood.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F06%2F10_SR_Rebate_Web.pdf&ei=_AjlT76tNNKA2QXOndjaCQ&usg=AFQjCNFtUKovarFyLxv7L9VIONvWu3ZMvg" target="_blank">Saffron Road Chicken Tikka Masala</a> from <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CFUQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.saffronroadfood.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F06%2F10_SR_Rebate_Web.pdf&ei=_AjlT76tNNKA2QXOndjaCQ&usg=AFQjCNFtUKovarFyLxv7L9VIONvWu3ZMvg" target="_blank">COSTCO</a>. She said, "is this what your talking about? We already buy it!" She began to tell her guests ~15 how much she and her husband loved the product. She politely ordered all of her guests to head to <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CFUQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.saffronroadfood.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F06%2F10_SR_Rebate_Web.pdf&ei=_AjlT76tNNKA2QXOndjahttp://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CFUQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.saffronroadfood.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F06%2F10_SR_Rebate_Web.pdf&ei=_AjlT76tNNKA2QXOndjaCQ&usg=AFQjCNFtUKovarFyLxv7L9VIONvWu3ZMvgCQ&usg=AFQjCNFtUKovarFyLxv7L9VIONvWu3ZMvg" target="_blank">COSTCO</a> and get some of this halal goodness!<br />
<br />
The real selling point however, was evident in my ability to answer questions concerning the raising and production of the chickens. Saffron Road products can be trusted! Their products are what they claim to be--halal, certified humane and organic! <br />
<br />
During the trip many Muslims looked at me trying to figure out if I used the words certified humane and organic to describe a halal product. At first I feel bad, because people have been waiting so long for a quality product like this. However, that bad feeling soon fades away, when I see them smiling. Their smiles say two things, they are relived that they have a halal option they can trust, and they are similarly excited about halal products entering mainstream retail markets.<br />
<br />
This is the way forward. Follow the Saffron Road! <br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-88255439116786325162012-06-15T17:52:00.001-04:002012-06-15T17:52:39.722-04:00Saffron Road Takes a Road Trip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.5pt;">Saffron Road Takes a Road Trip</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">Brand to Promote New Halal Products
to Muslim Communities</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Stamford, CT – June
15, 2012</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – In an effort to create more awareness and further their bond with
Muslim consumers, </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/saffronroadfood"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Saffron Road</span></a><sup><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">™</span></sup><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, the packaged food
brand of American Halal Co., is hitting the road to visit multiple Muslim
communities across the West Coast region of the United States. As availability
with retail partners continues to significantly increase on the West Coast, the
Saffron Road team hopes their </span><a href="http://www.saffronroadfood.com/club-halal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Club Halal</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> tour will drive
more awareness of their Halal Certified products, while also encouraging consumers
to go into their local stores to purchase the brand’s products. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Saffron Road CEO, Adnan Durrani, says, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hitting the road with a mobile tour is a first for our brand, and we’re
excited to connect with Muslim communities so directly. I started this company
out of the recognition that there are too few Halal options in the American
marketplace, and we are certainly doing our part to make it easier for Muslim
shoppers to find food products that meet their needs,” </i>continues Durrani.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The brand is partnering with Muslim thought leaders </span><a href="http://greenintensive.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dawood Yasin</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> and </span><a href="http://www.mustafadavis.com/2012/06/the-road-less-travelled-the-saffron-road/"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mustafa Davis</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> to help
communicate their message to Muslim communities in Denver, Boulder, San Diego,
Phoenix and San Francisco. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dawood Yasin, Muslim Advisor of Dartmouth College of Hanover, New
Hampshire says, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Saffron Road has done
all of us a great service by raising the industry standards in Halal food
production. For years people have asked me, “where can I find Halal, humanely
raised, organic beef and chicken?” I could not recommend any brands, as I was
not confident that their products were meeting such standards. Saffron Road has
not only met these standards for the American Muslim community, it has, in
addition to this, also won the support of mainstream retail food vendors.
That’s huge! I am excited to be a part of this Road Trip, and to share with
others my experiences of promoting a Halal brand that I can trust.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Each stop
will include a brief informational session about Saffron Road’s Halal standards,
commitment to ethical consumerism and focus on providing Muslim consumers with
more quality Halal options in convenient grocery stores all across the country.
Complimentary samples of Saffron Road products will also be available, along
with special offers exclusively for attendees. In addition, the tour will
announce details of an important new retailer partnership with select Costco
stores in the area. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Mustafa Davis, Film Director and Photographer from Fremont, California
shares, <i>"The Saffron Road tour is a very exciting initiative for me. In
the past I, myself, have been skeptical of the meat and poultry industry for
many reasons. We live in a time where corporate scandals and mistreatment of
animals dominate the food industry media and so it's very refreshing to see
that Saffron Road has created a brand that embodies ethical consumerism,
all-natural, anti-biotic free products harvested on family owned farms.
After personally visiting the farms, I saw firsthand the amount of care
and concern Saffron Road has not only for the animals, local farmers, and the
environment, but also for maintaining the highest Islamic principles of Halal.
I'm positive that Saffron Road is setting the ethical standard of Halal for the
American Muslim community." </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Saffron
Road markets a variety of Halal Certified products – from frozen gourmet ethnic
meals and chicken nugget items, to broths, simmer sauces and appetizers. All
Saffron Road products are Halal Certified by the Islamic Food and Nutrition
Council of America (</span><a href="http://www.ifanca.org/index.php"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">IFANCA</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">).
Saffron Road’s All Natural Certified Halal entree uses chicken that is
Certified Humane by </span><a href="http://certifiedhumane.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Humane
Farm Animal Care</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">. All of Saffron Road’s livestock are fed 100% vegetarian
feed and are never given Antibiotics or Hormones. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">For more
information on the Club Halal tour visit, </span><a href="http://www.saffronroadfood.com/club-halal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">www.saffronroadfood.com/club-halal</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">About Saffron
Road<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">American Halal Co. markets All Natural Halal Certified food
under the Saffron Road brand. Adnan Durrani, the CEO, and Jack Acree, the EVP,
are serial entrepreneurs having been involved in companies like Vermont Pure
Spring Water, Stonyfield Farms, Inc., Alexia Foods, and Terra Chips. The
Company’s management and Board represent a team of proven entrepreneurs at
building premium food brands. Saffron Road’s mission is to offer All Natural
Halal Certified and Gluten Free foods, which are also holistic, sustainably
farmed, and antibiotic free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Saffron
Road’s products are sourced from livestock which is fed only 100% vegetarian
feed and are humanely treated. The Company seeks to bring its mission to a
higher awakening with the local and global community, embodying a socially
conscious company ethic as well as setting the standard for premium quality
Halal Cuisine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Media Contacts:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Lisa Mabe, Hewar Social Communications, 202.505.2890, </span><a href="mailto:lisa@hewarcommunications.com"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">lisa@hewarcommunications.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kate Pearson, American Halal Company, Inc.,
203.961.1954 x100, </span><a href="mailto:kate@americanhalal.com"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">kate@americanhalal.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For more information about Saffron Road, please visit </span><a href="http://www.saffronroadfood.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">saffronroadfood.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">. You can also join us on Facebook
at </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/saffronroadfood"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">facebook.com/saffronroadfood</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, on Twitter at </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/saffronroadfood"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">twitter.com/saffronroadfood</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> or on Pinterest at
</span><a href="http://pinterest.com/saffronroadfood/"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">pinterest.com/saffronroadfood</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">###</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-91300581464722664002012-06-15T11:56:00.000-04:002012-06-15T11:56:41.262-04:00Partnering with Saffron Road<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5NJ6tzX75_c/T9taWDjo69I/AAAAAAAABPI/fRiBQ-ixn7I/s1600/attachment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5NJ6tzX75_c/T9taWDjo69I/AAAAAAAABPI/fRiBQ-ixn7I/s320/attachment.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">I am excited to announce that I have partnered with the halal food industry's leading brand, </span></span><a href="https://bl2prd0310.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=o-qB6x8180SE-QSQX1q8w292PjKpHc8INDs5v4FUb7S6KD0GT3KgAazYldG_W_1kbjE6ZXDYJX4.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.saffronroadfood.com%2f" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Saffron
Road.</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
Two years ago when the company launched in Ramadan I was in Berkeley
California at Zaytuna College for the summer. I took my family to Whole
Foods and stocked up on
almost all of their frozen entrees. These gluten free dinners were great
meal options for last minute iftars. Needless to say we have been
supporting Saffron Road ever since, by telling communities and friends
about this unique company. </span></span></span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Two years later, I find myself traveling the Saffron Road and taking the show to various communities. I have teamed up with </span></span><a href="https://bl2prd0310.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=o-qB6x8180SE-QSQX1q8w292PjKpHc8INDs5v4FUb7S6KD0GT3KgAazYldG_W_1kbjE6ZXDYJX4.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.mustafadavis.com%2f" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Mustafa
Davis</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
to promote Saffron Road during its new launch in Costco on the West
Coast. During the next few weeks; we will be Blogging, Tweeting and
posting on Facebook our interactions with communities in Denver, Boulder, Phoenix, San Diego and San
Francisco.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Thursday
we arrived in Denver after spending the entire day Wednesday in New
York and Pennsylvania with production plant employees, </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">family
</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">farmers, management staff and </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">humanely raised </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">chickens,
lots of</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> happy </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">chickens!!! This experience has been great! The trip to the
plant and</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">modest family owned </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> farm
</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">in Amish country </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">has only increased my confidence in this company. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Saffron Road offers a great product, but don't take my word for it. Go to the website and use the </span></span><a href="https://bl2prd0310.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=o-qB6x8180SE-QSQX1q8w292PjKpHc8INDs5v4FUb7S6KD0GT3KgAazYldG_W_1kbjE6ZXDYJX4.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.saffronroadfood.com%2fstore-locator%2f" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Store
Locator</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> to find the nearest location that carries Saffron Road products. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">There are many reason</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">s</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
why I support Saffron Road, but in summing it up, it looks like this: </span></span></div>
</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Saffron
Road is committed to embodying a comprehensive meaning of halal</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">I
can trust Saffron Road products and serve them to my family with confidence</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Saffron
Road understands that spirituality and food are linked</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> and embodies this belief in their whole eco-cycle from farm to your table. </span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Saffron
Road is driven by strong </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ethical </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">morals and traditional</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">faith-based </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">values </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Saffron Road is creating greater visibility for the American Muslim community through increased brand presence</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Plainly speaking...their products taste amazing! <br /><br />Go and get you some...you can thank me later!</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">·</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">·</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">·</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/40779337">Diamond Valley Camp: Errol, NH</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user11380926">Dawood Yasin</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-8293775899238472372012-01-04T10:19:00.000-05:002012-01-04T10:19:45.777-05:00Yemen: On the Permaculture Map<span style="text-decoration: underline;">What more can I say...</span>Geoff & his wife Nadia making it happen. Beyond talk there are actions.<br /><br /><a href="http://permaculture.org.au/2012/01/04/yemen-on-the-permaculture-map/">Yemen: On the Permaculture Map</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-24661558338733862262012-01-03T19:33:00.005-05:002012-01-03T21:52:12.729-05:00Zaytuna Summer Arabic Language Intensive--Berkeley CA<div style="font-family: inherit;">
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</style><span lang="EN-AU">Hiking in the Berkeley Hills ZSAI 2008</span> </div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Sakina Grome</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Bismillah Ar-rahman Ar-raheem</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">In the Name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">As part of the first Zaytuna Summer Arabic Intensive program held this year in Berkeley, California, students had the opportunity to participate in many local activities and gatherings. Besides attending classes and regular lectures, students were invited to local mosques, lectures, gatherings and other events taking place within the local Muslim community.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UkXTC6kU7GA/TwOmwpyGm4I/AAAAAAAABO8/2iQX0mcKJC8/s1600/IMG_2784.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693577708706372482" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UkXTC6kU7GA/TwOmwpyGm4I/AAAAAAAABO8/2iQX0mcKJC8/s320/IMG_2784.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 240px;" /></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M1A5O-Clgo0/TwOieCrTTzI/AAAAAAAABOI/uwvztgaZdUI/s1600/IMG_2797.jpg"><br /></a>Throughout the program, our teachers encouraged us to become actively involved in our communities on all levels, to engage with whichever environment we find ourselves in, and to find solutions to the problems around us. There were many ways, they stated, that we could get involved, and they taught us that we are all leaders in one sense or another.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our teacher and imam, Dawood Yasin, offered to lead us on a hike after the morning prayer on a Saturday morning in the Berkeley Hills. Many of us were already waking up to perform prayer and to recite a daily litany in congregation. We performed our prayer as usual, but instead of reciting the litany inside, we decided to read it as a group at the top of</span> <a href="http://www.greenbelt.org/getinvolved/wondersandwanders/berkeley/index.html" target="_blank">Strawberry Canyon</a> <span style="font-family: inherit;">after hiking up.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">The hike occurred early into the course and I remember that it brought many of us together for the first time. It was a great outlet to the week of studying and working hard, while still giving us healthy motivation to keep focusing our attention and efforts towards striving to please Allah.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">It was extremely pleasant to be in such a beautiful natural environment, and the experience even served to reawaken some of us to the bounty of Allah’s creation and our responsibility to care for it. The light that morning was stunning, and the collective witnessing of such a scene served to bring our hearts together and renew our spirits.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">By the time we reached the top, pushing to get through the last stretch, the fog that had previously settled on the hilltops had cleared and as we sat in the remembrance of God under the shade of the trees, we could see all the way out to the bay. When we came down later that morning, there was a definite shift in our awareness and a contentment that filled our hearts. </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-699155798228255922012-01-01T09:42:00.000-05:002012-01-01T09:59:21.750-05:00Reading The SandsIn 2004 I read an article called <i><b>Reading the Sands</b></i>, and was glad to see something positive coming out of the Gulf region regarding the environment and the outdoors. Here is a brief section of the article.<br />
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<span class="pageTemplateBody" id="lBody"><i>When I mention that
tracking schools have been established in the United States in recent
years that keep alive some of the knowledge developed by Native
Americans, Abdulhadi Saleh notes the decline of tracking skills in his
own country, without any such schools on the horizon as yet. Other than
his own thesis, he cannot recall a single recent book in Arabic on the
subject of tracking or desert guiding: In Saudi Arabia, he says, there
are only living practitioners, and their numbers are declining.<br /><br />
“In the past, trackers emerged and were picked for their specific
skills as well as for their character. It was a big responsibility and
an honorable status within any tribe and clan. Trackers were
decision-makers and often leaders,” he explains. “You’ll see their
ability today.”</i>
<b><a href="http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200402/reading.the.sands.htm" style="color: red;" target="_blank">Click here to read the entire article...</a></b></span><br />
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I connected a lot the material in the article with a book I am reading by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Brown_%28naturalist%29" target="_blank">Tom Brown</a> in his book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Browns-Field-Nature-Observation-Tracking/dp/0425099660" target="_blank"><i>Tom Browns Field Guide: Nature Observation & Tracking</i></a> he says, "Nature is far more colorful and fascinating than most of us can imagine. But our minds are so clouded by modern thought patterns ans stimuli that we do not perceive the pure and natural except through a distorting lens."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-36800389357211885172011-12-31T20:50:00.000-05:002011-12-31T20:50:58.549-05:00Queeche, VT Balloon Festival--2010I am posting some old photos from the Queeche, VT balloon festival a few years back. We had a great time OUTSIDE, it was Father's day, and as you can see in one of the photos I got lifted with my G's. Great weather + great company = a great time.
I'll say it again...Get Outside!
<embed flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fdawood.yasin%2Falbumid%2F5692470064154019153%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" height="400" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="500"></embed>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-14424502665166017352011-12-30T23:39:00.000-05:002011-12-31T00:33:50.214-05:00California Dreaming--Yosemite Summer 2011It took me four summers to get to Yosemite, and all I can say is...It was worth the wait! I was fortunate enough to tag along with Yusuf O'Connell and Erin Bliss--seen in some of the photos. We only had 36 hours, it felt like our time was stretched us. What an amazing trip!
I hope to get back there soon, this time...for like a month. Get Outside!<br />
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<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="500" height="400" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fdawood.yasin%2Falbumid%2F5692143758553023793%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-70684207802006345432011-12-30T18:44:00.000-05:002011-12-30T20:29:09.878-05:00X-Mass Day OutsideLast year on X-Mass day we headed out to Occom pond to get on the ice with our skates. It was crazy cold, but that did not stop us from getting outside. When the weather is challenging we experience our surroundings in all situations, warm, cold, hot, windy, rain, or anything else. It's a great reminder of our limited control. What ever condition you find, make it work!<br />
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This year on X-Mass day I headed out with the G's on a short hike. The plan was to build a fire and grill some venison kabobs for lunch. The challenge was to start the fire without matches or a lighter. We did not take it to the the level of a <a href="http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/fire/bowdrill/pmoc/basicbowdrill.html">Bow Drill</a>, but we did use a <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/775077/ultimate-survival-technologies-strikeforce-fire-starter">Steel and Flint</a> set up. They loved it! The temps were a little warmer than last year, nonetheless, it was in the low 20's. There were a few complaints about cold toes and fingers. However, once they started eating, all discomforts were forgotten.<br />
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Don't use the weather as an excuse to remain inside. Remember, there is no bad weather only bad gear and bad preparation!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-761720010842198878.post-32444641864020536932011-11-21T22:48:00.000-05:002011-12-29T00:48:20.732-05:00Bows & Afro's -- There's No Place Like Home!I love New England! For the last few years Northern New England is where we call home. When we moved up here I could not wait for bow season to start. I could not wait to get into these Big Woods and get on the deer. However, three seasons later I am still waiting for it to happen. There are many factors that have impacted my hunting, and to this day I have yet to taken a deer in NH or VT. The 2011 season was no different! Zero, still no deer for me in Northern New England.<br />
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In the early season I had plenty of photos of deer on my trail camera, so I knew deer were frequenting the areas where I hung my stands. Then, all of sudden they disappeared? Perhaps, it is the abundance of acorns that keeps them from traveling far from food these sources, I am not sure? What I do know is that I only saw about 6 more deer over the next 2.5 months.<br />
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The buck in the photo represents an interesting story. On Thursday, November 17th I flew down to Charleston, WV to pick a van I purchased. The plan was to drive back to New Hampshire in two days, pick up my wife and kids and drive to Cape Cod, and catch the ferry across to Nantucket to spend Thanksgiving week with my mother et al...and hunt really hard. While driving back to NH, I saw more deer between WV & NJ in two days, than I have seen in the last three years combined while hunting in NH & VT. <br />
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After arriving on Nantucket Sunday November 20th, I connected with my good friend Patrick Topham, and we looked at a few spots I wanted to hunt in the morning. We saw deer on their feet feeding--always a good sign. The next morning I got up early and headed to Polpis (an area on the Island) in a light rain. Under the cover of darkness I walked into the property slowly and sat on the ground nestled-up in some dense scrub oaks. At first light I began calling, trying to get a buck to respond to my simulated doe bleats. As I waited in silence anticipating a response...nothing! I thought, "here we go again, no deer!" I made a quick decision to change spots and make my way to a stand a couple hundred yards away. <br />
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Creeping across a field I saw these rubs and was stoked--tree rubs are
caused by deer marking their territory, leaving their scent for does,
and strengthening their necks for the ensuing battles. I knew a mature buck was working the area making these rubs, and my hope was that he received my text requesting his company.<br />
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I quietly made my way to the stand and slipped in without bumping any deer. I waited a few minutes for things to settle down, and began to bleat again. Almost immediately I see a deer creeping off the salt marsh walking directly towards me . This deer is completely oblivious to my presence. I remain motionless and let him walk in front of me. When he is 10 yards in front of me, I stop him with a grunt call. I am fixed on him the entire time, holding my bow at full draw. I release my arrow and watch the deer jump straight up and kick out his hind legs. I thought to myself, "did I miss?" The arrow was traveling so fast I could not see it. I watched the deer run off, and in about 3 seconds his front legs collapse, a clear sign that my arrow found its mark. The arrow was perfectly placed, resulting in a complete pass-through. The deer expired right in front of me. My wait for this year's deer was over!<br />
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This deer will provide halal, organic, pure, ethical meat for me, my family and any friends willing to share it with us, and for this gift I thank God.<br />
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I hope some day I can hunt the Midwest, and Kansas is pretty high on my list. However, for now, all I can say is....There's no place like home!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2