SPIRITUAL FOOD for the NEW MILLENNIUM
Mail Order and Local Spiritual Food
for the body, mind and spirit
Since 1997
SFNM Product list
Organic vs. BioDynamic
Participating Farms
How To Order
Helpful Hints
News and Product Updates
Spiritual Food for the New Millennium merged with the local service formerly called Shanti Yoga Prasad in 2003.
All items are now available by Mail Order or picked up in Bethesda.
Current CSA members may have orders delivered to their pick up site.
Fresh foods may be shipped directly from a farm to your home or to a friend
What is Available
SFNM: Biodynamic and Organic Food List
On this list, we identify our offerings as BD for those that are Demeter certified, BD Preps for those that use the “preparations” but are not BD certified, Organic(which are all certified), or other such as wild-harvested.
Please note, shipping charges are additionalBooks are also available Please Inquire
ORGANIC VS. BIODYNAMIC
The USDA regulations for organic food have caused great concern about the safety of food for human health. Most people do not realize that organic certification now allows an array of hundreds of chemicals.
We are facing this challenge by choosing providers who recognize the spiritual aspect and sacredness of growing food and by getting to know them personally and establishing a farmer / consumer relationship.
Besides Biodynamic, we offer Sattwic Organic food which encompasses other spiritual farms that ascribe to the main principles and practices necessary to obtain “true food”. The ancient teachings tell us of the three attributes of nature: sattwa – pure and luminous, rajas – active and restless, and tamas – inert and dark. Therefore, sattwic food is that which will instill purity, calmness, clarity of mind, etc. in the human being who partakes of it.
PARTICIPATING FARMS
We are not a certification agency but rather a small community committed to supporting spiritual farmers and providing real nutrition to people. In the beginning, we had a Selection Committee of experienced Biodynamic farmers to evaluate each farm, based on questionnaires and personal knowledge of the farm, in order for us to develop a relationship with those farms.
After the Biodynamic certification agency, Demeter, changed its policy and regulations, we found it unnecessary to continue with an independent evaluation process and now rely on their certification of the Biodynamic farms.
Also, over the years, we expanded our offerings beyond Biodynamics. Again, the intention is to support the small farmers/producers who are working for the health of people and the planet and to offer key items people request for a nutritionally balanced diet of unprocessed foods.
NEW FARMS WELCOME
To expand the market of Biodynamic and spiritual food for the sake of consumers and farmers, please spread the word to any farms you know who might be interested in distributing through SFNM.
HOW TO ORDER
By phone: 301-654-4899
By e-mail: Shantiyoga2 [at] schooloflife.org
By mail: SFNM, 4217 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814
Please include name, billing and shipping address, phone, e-mail, items, and quantity.
Orders are taken each week until Friday noon with shipments going out the following week, usually Wednesdays.
Shipping is by Fed Ex ground. (Due to the perishable nature of some products and distances involved, express airfreight is sometimes advised.) Delivery outside the United States is likely to be subject to restrictions.
Fresh food is usually sent directly from the farm. Other items are sent as “care packages” from the School of Life in Maryland and these items may be combined into one shipment.
Prices are set according to what the farmer needs with a small markup and handling fee for administrative expenses. Shipping costs are added as incurred.
Invoices/ statements of charges made are sent separately after the package is delivered. Please pay by check or money order to SFNM.
Credit cards are not currently accepted as we have found this system too costly for our small business.
HELPFUL HINTS
To reduce the cost of shipping, many people plan their orders in bulk or combine orders with others such as family, a school, or neighborhood friends.
Current CSA members may have packages delivered to their pick up sites.
Grains, dried fruit and other not so perishable items may be stored in a cool place for many months.
A gift box of a variety of non-perishable items is a good way to try biodynamic food for the first time or to introduce a friend.
To estimate your shipping charges yourself, go to www.fedex.com/us/ship > Get Rates and Transit Times or call 1-800-GOFEDEX, ask for ground service and give an estimated weight (dimension is not important). The origination zip code for packages from Maryland is 20814 or call for others.
NEWS and PRODUCT UPDATES
To receive periodic announcements of upcoming harvests and new items available, please contact Durga. (Messages are limited to several times a year; the address will not be shared.)
If you are interested in receiving our newsletter.