Chia Power

Bob's Red Mill

Two pieces of good news from Bob's Red Mill:

News Item #1. At last Bob has added chia to his line of over 50 whole grains, beans, seeds, flours, and meals. $33.49 plus shipping will buy you 4 pounds of black chia seed.

(He say that this is in response to overwhelming customer demand.)

News Item #2. Bob turned 80 last month, and to  celebrate, he gave his multimillion dollar company away---to his employees!

Chia Pet Presidents!

Find out where you can buy one!

Organic Chia Seed Enters US Market

Navitas Naturals has launched what it claims to be the first organically certified chia seed product available on the North American market. Here is their press release, excepted here:

NAVITAS NATURALS ANNOUNCES THE FIRST CERTIFIED ORGANIC CHIA SEED

Novato, CA (April 2, 2009) – Chia seed is an ancient, nutrient-dense superfood that is one of the hottest natural products in the marketplace today. Now, superfoods leader Navitas Naturals  is boosting the interest and confidence of health- and sustainability-minded consumers even more by introducing the first certified organic chia seed to North America. Sustainably harvested in the highlands of Mexico, raw Navitas Naturals Organic Chia Seed is offered in re-sealable 8 oz and 16 oz pouches, as well as bulk quantities for sale to manufacturers.

<snip>

Bonus Recipe for Chia Fresca Breeze
By Kristen Suzanne  - Courtesy of Navitas Naturals
Yields approximately one 12-ounce serving
2 teaspoons Navitas Naturals Organic Chia Seeds
1 cup water
Juice of ½ grapefruit
2 teaspoons raw agave nectar
1 dash powdered ginger
Stir all of the ingredients together in a glass and enjoy.

THIS IS A LINK TO NAVITAS NATURAL CHIA SOLD THROUGH AMAZON. Note that this seed does not appear to be certified as organic. I've applied to become an affiliate, and will post a link to the organic chia as soon as it becomes available.

Please Take My Chia Obama Poll!!

If you want more information, before you vote, check out these links, and the opinions of Amazon reviewers.

Sherry Torkos introduced chia seed on CTV

Also, see her recipes and more information here.

Chia Obama Will Come to New York...

...at least, according David Saltanstall, reporter for The Daily News.

... Chia Obama's maker says he won't cut and run, and he is in negotiations with drugstore chains in the New York market to bring Chia Obama here in the coming weeks.

"As quickly as they can take them, we will send them," said Joseph Pedott, 76, founder of the as-seen-on-TV Chia Pets empire.

In the meantime, Pedott added, Chia Obama is for sale online - in "Happy" or "Determined" poses - for the amazingly low price of just $19.99 (three seed packs included!).

It's already a top seller and "could be the biggest I have ever had," Pedott said.

Pedott said he was stung by suggestions that there was something racist about Chia Obama, which, if left untrimmed, appears to give the 44th President a healthy, if very green, Afro.

"Since when is an Afro racist?" asked Pedott, a Republican who voted for Obama. Owners can trim Chia Obama's "hair" to any length they want, he added.

The presidential bust is also emblazoned "Yes We Can," Obama's campaign slogan, as well as with the words "liberty," "opportunity," "prosperity" and "hope."

"We all need hope," said Pedott.

Chia Obama Collecting Frenzy!

If you bought a Chia Obama at a Walgreens Store in Tampa or Chicago, and  if you kept the receipt, you may be in luck! You can sell it on eBay!

Following the announcement that Chia Obama was being pulled from some stores, the collecting frenzy has begun. Speculators believe that prices will rise over $500!

As of this moment, there are over 50 Chia Obamas being auctioned on eBay, with bids exceeding $70! One, with a receipt, is listed at $500! Check it out!

EDIT: 3 days later and there are now 116 auctions for Chia Obama on eBay.

'Chia Obama' booted from local stores

According to Fox News in Tampa Bay:
Last Edited: Friday, 03 Apr 2009, 5:30 PM EDT Created On: Friday, 03 Apr 2009, 5:26 PM EDT TAMPA -
Some local Walgreen's stores are pulling a supposed likeness of President Barack Obama off their shelves. The 'Chia Obama' will no longer be sold there.
Walgreen's spokesman Michael Polzin explained to FOX 13 that local store managers have the ability to purchase and market products -- like the Chia Obama -- on their own.
But now, the corporate office has asked stores to pull the product from their stores because, he said, it is not appropriate for the company's corporate image.
The Chia Obama is a version of the Chia Pet line, which features a ceramic figure upon which fresh greens are planted and allowed to grow, filling out the likeness of the subject.

Where Does Your Chia Grow?

The Ord Valley in Western Australia has become a prime area for growing chia seed. In the next growing season, it is anticipated that this area will produce 2/3 of the world's chia seed. Here's a link to another Australian chia seed producer: The Chia Company.

View Larger Map

Chia Seed Science - A sprouting experiment-

This last Friday, my colleague Rachel and I presented a Chia Seed Science experience for thirty-two 7th grade students at Thomas Giordano Middle School in the Bronx. This was the outline for the day:

1.      World hunger. Can we help solve it?

2.    A new seed crop has been discovered.

3.    What do we know about this crop?

4.   What can we learn about it, by doing controlled experiments?

Each group of students then set up an experiment to test the effect of salt on the germination of seeds. When this experiment is finished, in about a week, they will be able to conduct their own experiments.