Channel Your Inner Lorax

Happy Earth Day! This is a holiday that has always been an important holiday to celebrate in my household. I feel like this year, it can't be a more appropriate time with so many headlines in the news of chemical & oil spills, fracking and all the controversy surrounding what is actually in our food supply. It is so important that future generations understand how important it is to live in balance and harmony with our planet. My son may be too little to understand what we're doing today but I feel the exercise is still important, so I'll tell you about my plans for the morning and maybe it will inspire you to incorporate some of these activities into your day, week or even month. It sounds cliche but we really should live our lives as if it were Earth Day every day.

We are starting our morning off by heading to a local farmers market. Not only will be getting some really yummy food from framers and local food artisans (in my neck of the woods there are a lot of Amish food crafters), but we'll also be reducing our carbon footprint and supporting our local farmers. Be sure to remember your reusable shopping bag when you go.

Then we'll enjoy a nice long walk outside (weather permitting) , enjoying all the signs of spring that are finally blooming and appearing all around us. My son enjoys seeing the pops of color and hearing all the birds chirping.

Next we'll be focusing on growing things. Planting a tree is always a popular activity in celebration of Earth Day. We don't have much room for another tree in our yard so we're working on our yard instead.  This is a great day and time of year to plant seeds for your summer garden. This is a perfect activity to get little ones involved and teach them where their food comes from. if you don't have a nice yard to plant in, start a container or windowsill garden.  The kids can have fun painting the pots that their plants will grow in. We're making some keepsake pots like this one to give to our parents' for Mother's Day.  I love the butterfly wings made from little feet.  Little hands also make a great tree trunk and then the kids can paint on leaves of a tree with their fingerprints.

Finally we'll wrap up the day with a nice home-cooked dinner. You can introduce the family to a new vegetarian dish or if your family are meat eaters, introduce them to some grass fed meats, often available at your local farm market. Grass fed beef is not only better for the environment but its better for you as week. Its a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids and it tastes amazing!

However you decide to celebrate Earth Day, I hope you have a happy one.

Hakuna Fritatta & a cup of Jo

Happy Friday all! Sorry I've been a bit more absent than I like lately but all this rain has me working over time in my garden. I had no idea a garden would be so much work. I am happy to say that I am finally reaping a bunch of rewards.  We have a had a ton of rain this summer in Central Pennsylvania and my plants have gotten huge.  There has also been twice as many weeds to pull. I was feeling a bit frustrated because as big as the plants are, I haven't been seeing any veggies yet, but the plants have had a ton of flowers.

 A few weeks ago I talked to a fellow backyard gardener and she explained when you see lots of flowers but aren't getting any fruit there is usually a mineral or nutrient deficiency.  I have been determined to keep my heirloom vegetables 100% organic, gmo and chemical free so I hopped online to do some research and was surprised at the solution I found.

There is one thing that almost every home across the country has and surprisingly enough we consider it trash: coffee grounds.  Coffee grounds are approximately 1.45% nitrogen. They also contain magnesium, calcium, potassium, and other trace minerals. They are great to add to your compost bin to create some really great fertilizer.  You can also give your plants the benefits by simply sprinkling the used coffee grounds around the base of your plants before watering or it rains.  Tomatoes and roses especially like this method.

You can also use the grounds to create a slug and snail barrier. Coffee grounds are both abrasive and acidic, so a barrier of grounds placed near slug-prone plants may just save them from these garden pests

I gave it a try and the garden exploded, especially the zucchini and cucumbers.  Ironically enough, Wednesday was National Leave a Zucchini on Your Neighbors Porch day.  I understand why, because there are is only so much zucchini you can eat at a time when your garden decides to let loose.  I spent yesterday baking zucchini bread and a few other yummy treats to portion and keep in the freezer. After all of that work I wanted an easy dinner (and I still had more zucchini to use up), so I made a frittata.

A frittata traditionally is an open faced omelette that the ingredients are added into the raw egg mixture before it is cooked (instead of being added after the eggs are fried and folded into the middle).  THey typically are cooked over low heat for about 10-15 minutes, although I prefer to make mine in my convection toaster oven.  Here's what I did:
First off, I beat 4 eggs in a glass bowl with a whisk & added in about 2 tablespoons of flour.  Then I folded in  1 1/2 cups grated zucchini, about a 1/2 cup grated carrot and about 1/2 cup shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works nicely)  to the mixture. 

I lined my stoneware baker with a piece of parchment that had been greased and poured the mixture into it. I then baked it at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.  When it was done I lifted the parchment out of the baker and cut it into wedges. Add a nice glass of pinot grigio, a side salad and you've got one quick & easy dinner.

Today the garden harvest madness continues with making tons of pickles and oven roasted tomato sauce.  I'll talk about the cucumbers next week. In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying all the wonderful produce this summer has to offer!

I'm Waging war on cute fluffy creatures

A few months ago I posted about starting my first real backyard garden (as opposed to the container gardening I've been doing the last several years).  This larger than expected undertaking is most of the reason why its been a month since I last posted.  In many ways it has been rewarding. I get some good zen moments weeding and digging in the dirt each day and am having fun watching my future refrigerator contents growing and becoming ripe..... not to mention creating recipes to enjoy them.

Unfortunately two major issues have halted my progress: a large groundhog and a very cute baby bunny. I noticed about a month ago my lettuce plants weren't thriving the way I expected and some of them had been munched down to the stalks.  The following morning I let a loud squeal as I viewed my first groundhog in super proximity. My husband thought it was hilarious. Groundhogs are not something I ever dealt with in Maryland and they definitely are much bigger than I expected.  I had no idea how destructive they could be either (his tunneling seems to be part of the cause of all the moisture in our basement too).

I begged my husband to try to come up with a humane way (most people around here just shoot them) of dealing with our unwelcome garden inhabitants.  They have taken residence under our deck it seems and enjoying each others company as roommates. After finding their entrance routes we tried blocking the area with stones and spraying the area with vinegar. My understanding is that if the groundhog is grumpy he'll go away on his own.

We thought this was working, no major munching for about 2 weeks and then I came out one day and my new broccoli plants had been eaten down to the roots. Apparently the ground hog love broccoli, while the bunny friend has been working on my newly sprouted cabbage leaves. I'm starting to feel a bit like Bill Murray in Caddyshack ( I know he was matchign wits with a gopher but it feels the same), constantly researching and trying new strategies to deter this groundhog as he seems to be getting fatter and my yard is paying the price.

Here are the latest tips I'm going to try I'll let you know how it goes:
1) groundhogs don't like areas with out a lot of cover so I'm making sure the piles of brush from our yard are to be moved elsewhere/ destroyed so its no longer near our garden
2) groundhogs don't like motion or noise so some pretty pinwheels and windchimes will be finding their way into my garden. Scarecrows apparently seem to help as well.
3) I'll be fencing in the lowest of my 4 raised garden beds (which I find frustrating but oh well. The taller beds are too high for the groundhog and bunny to get into, so those plants have escaped the carnage.  Fences should be about 3 ft tall and a foot deep into the ground from all the articles I've read
4) Groundhogs don't like the smell of epsom salts and apparently the plants in question like it. I'll be sprinkling them around hoping it will help deter the groundhog's healthy appetite.

Wish me luck! In the meantime I'll be posting some of my recent food experiment successes. It is summer so I am now officially craving crab and am a bit homesick.  Check out the blog tomorrow for my crab tostada recipe. It was delicious!

Earth Day 2012

Happy Earth Day everyone! This Sunday, April 22nd is Earth day. It is a holiday very near and dear to my heart since I was in middle school and met a  biology teacher, Mr. Thompson, who taught me about conservation and the importance of taking care of our home planet.  On some fronts we've come a really long way since I was a kid: recycling is a standard curbside service at most cities across the country, eating local organic foods is getting increasingly popular and a lot of people are using less energy by switching their light bulbs and major appliances to more energy efficient models.

We still have a long way to go though and everyone's participation and attention to what is happening around our little green planet is so crucial. There are also a lot more of us around, using up the resources even faster. We need to work together to make a much smaller impact so our grandkids won't have to live  a life without the things like water and trees that so many of us take for granted. Want to plan a fun earth day with your loved ones but don't know where to start ? Here are a few suggestions and links to help you on your way.

1) Have a Picnic- whats a better way to appreciate the outdoors than to spend a day outside. A day outside is a great way to enjoy the natural surroundings mama nature has provided for us. It also is a great opportunity to get your family active and moving with a game of frisbee or catch. You can get your kids involved by letting them help plan your menu. This is also a great opportunity to talk to them about where their food comes from.
Another bonus of a picnic is that by enjoying the energy of the sun you will not be raising your electricity bill by staying home watching tv or playing video games.

The nature conservancy is sponsoring a worldwide event called Picnic for the planet. They are trying to break a record. Check out this website to see if there is an event already being hosted in your tow, or you can organize one to join the movement: http://www.nature.org/earthday/attend/index.htm

2) Catch a Flick
If the weather doesn't cooperate and you end up being stuck inside, why not watch a great movie with the family that has an environmental message. Here are a few of my favorites:
1) Ferngully, the Last Rainforest
2)The Lion King
3) Finding Nemo
4) Happy Feet
5) WALL-E

If the kids want to go out to the movies (or you're a big kid yourself) here are two great choices currently in the theatres
1)Dr. Seuss' The Lorax
2) Disney Nature- Chimpanzee

3) Have a special Earth Day Meal
This is a great time to introduce concepts like the importance of eating local and organic foods. Head to your local farm or farmers market to pick out the ingredients for your meal and talk to the people who grew them. You can also talk about going meat free at least once a week and why it is important. You also could find a local grass fed meat farm locally. It is so important for us as a society to start eating a more sustainable diet. 

4) Plant a Tree

Every day we cut down thousands of trees around the world and only a small fraction of them get replanted. This not only destroys the landscapes and creates more desserts, but also depletes our planet of oxygen. Trees also act as natural filters and help clean our air. There are a number of places to buy seedlings online.  Local businesses like hardware stores and nurseries will also have special deals on Earth day to help plant more trees.

5) Help Clean up
Tons of trash is left along our roadways and get into our water supply every day. Spend a few hours with some of your neighbors cleaning up a local park or stream area. Not only will it make the area more beautiful, but it also will be a much safer place for local animals to live.

6) Go on a Hike
get some exercise and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors while you're at it.


7) Where's My Water?
Water is a precious resource on our planet and most of us don't realize how much we waste everyday.Do some exercises around the house to measure how much water you use and then work together with your family to figure out how you can bring that amount down.  A good place to start is http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/sq3.html.  There is also a great ipad app created by Disney called "Where's My Water?" to help explain the concepts to the younger members of your family

8) Head to the Zoo
Zoos are a great way to learn about how our actions every day affect lives of animals all over the world. The kids will be fascinated and who doesn't love pandas or polar bears?!

9) Start a Home Garden
You don't need a big  yard to have a great garden. You'd be surprised at what you can do with containers when space is a luxury.  Start small with a few easy to grow staples like tomatoes, lettuces or culinary herbs. Then you can branch out from there.

And the most important rule of all no matter how you celebrate is to have fun & enjoy your time together!
Remember: Every day is Earth Day. Anything to help our environment is a perfect thing to do on Earth Day and every day. Don't restrict yourself to just one day a year; learn about how you can make a difference to environmental protection all the time. And put it into practice - every day!

Dirt: an easy way to recharge your batteries.

I know you probably read that title and are thinking "Whaaaaat?"
Bear with me, it will all make sense in a second. There was a song by Arrested Development back in the mid 90's (its name currently escapes me) but part of the chorus was "Dig your hands in the dirt. Children play with earth."

It popped up on my ipod the other day and got me to thinking. Yes, the point of the song was how disjointed we are from nature and are engulfed by the mass amount of technology in our lives. this is true. The song actually reminded me of something else though, how powerful and restorative finding a simple way to reconnect can be.

I spent Saturday morning at the Women's Weekend Away, a health & services fair for women in the Harrisburg area. I had volunteered my Reiki services for the morning. When I came home I was so exhausted. I felt rewarded for the people I introduced to Reiki & having helped a dozen or so relax, but I was very drained.

I thought about what would help me relax and was grateful to realize that spring had finally come and I could start working on my garden. This year its a container garden (a very large one) instead of a yard, but the benefits are the same. There is something very rewarding about putting your hands in a pile of earth. There is a reminder that you are connecting to this life force that binds us all and you are helping something else to connect & grow. I tend to take it a step farther and do reiki on my plants and seeds as I am sowing them. Then, come harvest time, I am nourishing myself with that same energy.

You don't have to have a green thumb to try this. Container gardening can be very easy, aloe is very forgiving (and pretty hard to kill) if you're just getting started. I usually find joy in growing culinary herbs, a few medicinal ones and I plant flowers as well. Getting to look out the porch or window and see bright flowers in pots is also away to cheer me up on those gloomy gray days.

So treat yourself and take a few minutes to escape the chaos of technology by planting something. Fun with dirt doesn't mean you have to be four years old, covered in it or make a mud pie. It can be as simple as finding some peace in your life by growing a small plant.