Community Food Project Grant

A grant opportunity has just been released for Community Food Projects, funding that will total up to $5,000,000 for FY2010 in a joint effort of the US Department of Agriculture and Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service!

Primary goals of the project should be:

1. Meet the food needs of low-income individuals;
2. Increase the self-reliance in communities for providing for the food needs of the communities;
3. Promote comprehensive responses to local food, farm, and nutrition issues; and
4. Meet specific state, local, or neighborhood food and agriculture needs including needs relating to infrastructure improvement and development, planning for long-term solutions, or the creation of innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and low-income consumers.

So get those thinking caps on. The deadline is coming quickly (November 19). If you're interested in getting your project off the ground, or looking for some funding to keep it strong, be sure to check this out!

Menu for the Future - Week 1

Last night, our NWEI Menu For the Future course discussed Chapter 1, "What's Eating America." It is an introductory chapter to the culture behind food. The excerpts brought to my attention that I have very little social aspect to my meals. I can, in fact, go days without eating a meal with another human being (no, pets don't count). I worked hard this past week to correct that and go out of my way to experience meals with friends and family. Do you generally eat as a family or with a group? Or do to tend to eat alone?

One last thing... our "circle question" for the week was a fun one and I enjoyed listening to everyone's responses: Share a childhood memory of food. Mine were the fabulous breakfasts my dad cooked for us on Sundays. I can still picture him in front of the griddle working on french toast (my favorite). No one has ever made me french toast like daddy.

How about you? Have a childhood memory of food you'd like to share?

Walkers and Bikers and Veg*ns, Oh My!

SGF Goes to Austin...

Dave and I drove to Georgetown (north of Austin) yesterday to checkout a store that sells wood burning stoves (we're replacing our fireplace with something that will actually heat the house). Anyway, little did I know, Dave (a dedicated meat-eater) had been scoping out vegetarian restaurants in Austin and had plans to surprise me with a special lunch. AWESOME!

After making notes on the stoves we liked best, Dave steered the car south on I35, towards Austin. Our capitol soon worked its magic with views of walkers and bikers galore, getting around town the old fashioned way. Love it!

Finally, we arrived to the spot Dave picked out for our lunch date - Mother's Cafe and Garden. Of course, I wanted to be seated in the garden section, which until the restaurant burned down a couple years ago actually was a garden. Now it was a lovely room with arrangements of plants and even a small fish pond.

Here's where the tough part came into play. Absolutely everything at Mother's is vegetarian and their drool-worthy menu is full of vegan or vegan-izable menu options. Ooh! Choices? I don't get that very often. What to do, what to do?

It definitely took me awhile to pick a meal, so we nibbled on the free chips and salsa that the server brought us with our drinks. I was virtually paralyzed trying to choose between the tofu lasagna, the bueno burger, and the Szechuan stir fry. I mean, really. Who can choose? Seriously, go look at the menu...

Much to our server (and my hubby's) delight, I did finally choose, but only after ogling every one else's food in the room. As you can tell, the bueno burger won out. Here's the description that won my eager little taste buds:

Voted best burger in Austin! Our own recipe of seeds, grains, fresh veggies, and tofu served on our vegan whole wheat bun with lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, tomato, pickle, and purple onion.

Mmmm! And they weren't kidding. It was absolutely delicious!

Dave enjoyed the Monterrey Jack Enchiladas...

Jack cheese and green onions with either ranchero, verde, or spicy nutty chipotle sauce (served with black beans and organic brown rice).

Uh huh. Anyone out there drooling yet?

Wait, there's more!

I did something I never do at restaurants - I ordered dessert. With 5 vegan options on the menu, I just couldn't help myself! Again, I was able to narrow the field down to either Mom's Apple Pie or Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie. Oh, to have the four stomachs of a cow...

I simply couldn't come to a decision, so I took the wimpy way out and asked our waitress what she'd choose. She picked Mom's Apple Pie. Apple pie it is. Sorry it's a little messy in the photo. I had dived into it before I realized we hadn't yet taken a photo. Oh, the cinnimony-ness, the appleliciousness, the yummy (and totally healthy) whole wheat crust.... Drool, baby, drool!

Bellies full, we paid our bill, which I thought was wonderfully reasonable - $25 before the tip (that was 2 meals, a large apple juice for Dave, and our apple pie) and headed home with a few leftovers for later.

If you're ever in the Austin area, be sure to check it out. Perhaps I'll have the stir-fry or tofu lasagna and chocolate peanut butter pie next time. And there WILL be a next time...

Brazos Locavores - October Field Trip Announcement

For fourteen years, the Osth Family has worked the land to provide naturally-grown food to their family and the local community. In addition to their membership in the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market, the Osths offer a weekly newsletter detailing the farm products for sale, then provide weekly delivery in College Station.

Situated forty minutes east of College Station, the Osth Family has generously invited us to visit for a their 88 acre farm. Included in the farm tour will be a demonstration of how they've trained draft horses to work the land, a visit to the developing orchard with bee hives, introductions to the many farm animals that make Osth Family Farm their home (goats, pigs, chickens, cows, dogs, and horses), games for the kids, and refreshments for all.

Osth Family Farm produces a wonderful variety of products including eggs, soap, produce, and farm crafts, all of which will be available for purchase after the tour.

This is not a trip you want to miss, so...

Here's the Scoop:

What: Brazos Locavores Field Trip to Osth Family Farm (North Zulch TX)

Who: Everyone is invited - be sure to bring the kids!

When: Sunday, October 11th (1PM - 5PM)

Where: Meetup at Brazos Natural Foods and carpool out to the farm

RSVP: to brazoslocavores@gmail.com by Wednesday, October 7th (this helps the farm prepare for the number of attendees)

If you have any questions, just let me know. Hope to see you on Oct 11th!

Local diet update - September 28, 2009

It was a VERY cool week in local food! I've been harvesting sweet potatoes, green bell peppers, green onions, and sage out of my backyard. I'm learning to cure sweet potatoes (this is my very first potato harvest) and with any luck, I'll be enjoying them throughout the winter.

The seeds we planted earlier in the month are coming up beautifully and we have plans to put even more veggies in as soon as we clear the sweet potato beds.

I've also been dipping into my pantry and am using up the last jar of cabbage soup from last winter. What can I say? I'm still eating last winter's harvest. Canning is awesome!

Saturday's farmers' market was super busy. Not only was I manning the market's information booth (my usual Saturday station), but I was also filling in as stock-girl for the Leaning Tree Farm booth. I filled in last week too and really enjoy the fast pace of the vendor booths, always at the ready to fill the table bins with crisp veggies from the coolers.

I did manage to get around and check out everyone's harvest. It was another beautiful week in food. Check this out...

This week's Brazos Valley Farmers' Market included:

Veggies and Fruits: red potatoes, yellow onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, cucumber, yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, green beans, a variety of hot and sweet peppers, okra, spinach, herbs, purple hull peas, patty pan squash, dried apples

Baked Goods: yeast breads, sweet breads, cookies, pound cake, cheesecake bars, pecan bars, pies, kolaches, dog treats

Canned Goods: jams, jellies, salsas, pickles, chow-chow, relish, veggies, chutney, veggies

Other Foods: cornmeal, grits, wheat flour, eggs, honey, hot pepper sauce, jalapeno oil, olive oil, locally-roasted coffee

Non-Food Items (hand-crafted): soaps, lotions, bath gels, perfumes, stained glass art, decorative plants, fruit trees, gourds, aprons, greeting cards, decorative spoons, jewelry, candles, pot holders, pillows, stuffed animals, a variety of welded iron work (lawn ornaments, plant stands, knick-knacks, etc)

In light of the 100 Day Challenge I've joined where I'm trying to go 100 days without buying anything (except fruit) for myself, I'll divide up my haul into categories: Dave's food, things I've bartered for myself, and things that were given to me. The bottom line is, I can eat stuff I don't buy during the 100 days, relying on my backyard garden, my pantry full of home-canned goodies, and anything bartered or given to me. Since I don't have a supply of fruit, that's the one exception. Ok. Here what I came home with on Saturday:

Dave's Food - Two carrots, a pound of green beans, and some red potatoes (for a nice steamed vegetable medley); plus a jar of his favorite jelly (grape). Total: $9.00

Bartered Food - I bartered a loaf of my homemade whole wheat bread for that container of local whole wheat flour; I bartered a second loaf of my homemade whole wheat bread for the bag of sweet peppers, eggplant, and zucchini.

Gifted Food - That beautiful yellow onion was a gift from one of the vendors.

Ok. Um, yeah. There's still the humongous tin of olive oil in the photo, right? Ten bottles worth, in fact. So in week #1 of the 100 day challenge, I've already bought something for me that wasn't fruit. Or did I? Does it count if I had ordered it months ago? And actually, aren't olives considered a fruit? Pshew! That was sneaky, but perhaps I'm not cheating after all!

The only missing piece was local fruit, so on Sunday, I biked on over to the produce market for a Texas watermelon (actually just 1/4 of one, which is all I can eat at a time). I'd say our supply of local foods is complete!

As usual, the local diet forecast is looking pretty amazing. Lots of bartered goodies to enjoy this week (including some leftover patty-pan squash from last week), as well as harvests from the backyard, a pantry full of local rice and all-local soups, pasta sauce, and corn. Plus there's the farmers' market veggies I bought for Dave this week and a full supply of local eggs in the fridge. There's even plenty of local honey for me to use in my homemade whole wheat bread.

So what's local in your pantry this week?

Have a great week, everyone! And as always, Happy (and mindful) eating!

Up for a good challenge

I haven't done any of the blog-sponsored challenges for awhile. I figure living a simple-green-frugal (aka alternative) lifestyle on a daily basis is challenge enough. But there have been a couple really cool "challenges" announced that sounded right up my alley, so I've signed up.

Here's the scoop on both:

Buy Hand for the Holidays - In other words, get out of the mall and let creativity be your guide. Crunchy Chicken is host for this holiday challenge, offering just 4 guidelines for gift-giving this season:

1. Hand-make your gifts
2. Buy gifts that are handmade by someone else (like from Etsy or a local craftsperson)
3. Buy it used either from a thrift store, yard sale, Craigslist, Freecycle, etc
4. Barter for your gifts

Having stepped out of the mainstream shopping arena years ago, this should be an easy challenge. I have plans to give my homemade breads and jams, as well as some honey and salsa from the farmers' market. Maybe I'll catch a baking bug and make some of my homemade granola too...

I also make all our holiday cards by hand, rescuing gently used paper from the recycling bin. Sure. It takes a little time, but each card is unique and I have fun doing it.

100 Day Challenge - With only 100 days left in the 2009 calendar (as of September 23), Chile challenges us to make a pact of our own to push our limits. Chile challenges herself to eat for free, using up preserved supplies and strategic bartering to get her through the next few months. So far, other participants are working towards exercise goals, decluttering, and eliminating plastics from daily life. As for little ole me? Like Chile, I'll be eating for free (other than a few dollars a week for fruit) from my own pantry of home-canned supplies, bulk rice, and bartering opportunities.

Are you up for a good challenge? Perhaps you'd like to add a personal touch to this holiday season buy making or purchasing hand-made gifts. Or how about a 100 day challenge of your own? Perhaps to save a little money, simplify life, get that bod into shape, or switch to a vegetarian/vegan diet. It's only 100 days...

You'll find links in the side-bar to both challenges. Will you join me? What challenges are you participating in this fall/winter?

My bike has a right to be on the road, Dang-it! - Setting the record straight

I just got back from the library downtown. All I wanted to do was return a book and movie I'd checked out. Simple, right?

Now, as many of you know, I mostly travel by bike. I don't like to drive, Dave and I only have one car between us anyway, and biking is SO much faster than walking (and let's face it the sidewalks around here are random at best, falling apart at worst). Besides, biking is better for my body, it's better for our pocketbook, and it's better for the environment. I LOVE to bike!

I don't know. I suppose you never completely get used to drivers' rude screams about how bikers should "get off the road" or "get on the sidewalk," but it happens often enough, I've tried to take a zen-like approach and not let it upset my ride.

This morning, however, instead of the driver yelling out the window, I noticed a truck pull up along side me as we were both moving along Wm. J. Bryan Parkway. My first impression was that it must be an officer because I glimpsed a light-bar across the top of the vehicle.

He says to me, "Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to ride on the sidewalk."

Now the old Heather would have gotten on the side walk and just grumbled the rest of the way, frustrated at uneducated drivers.

The current Heather looked the guy in the eye and said, "NO."

I then explained that the Texas Drivers Handbook gave me every right to drive on the road.

He asked me to be safe, and drove off, at which time I noticed that there weren't any markings on his truck to indicate he was "official" in any capacity. In fact, I'm pretty sure the light bar on the top was yellow and not a "police" light-bar.

Either way, how about we set the record straight, because the truth of the matter is that bikes are actually safer on the road than they are on the sidewalk because they are more visible. In fact, studies have shown that bikers are at least twice as safe on the road than sidewalk (studies here and here).

Whether a driver believes that or not is practically irrelevant, however, because the Texas Drivers Handbook, Chapter 9 says, and I quote,

Bicycle Rules for Motorists

1. A bicycle is a vehicle and any person riding a bicycle has all the rights and responsibilities as a driver of a vehicle.
2. Bicyclists are required to ride as far right in the lane as possible only when the lane can be safely shared by a car and bicycle, side by side. Even then, there are certain conditions that allow a bicyclist to take the full lane such as: the person is overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction; the person is preparing for a left turn at an intersection or only a private road or driveway; there are unsafe conditions in the roadway such as fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, animals, potholes, or debris; the land is of substandard width making it unsafe for a car and a bicycle to safely share the lane side by side. When this is the case, it is best for the cyclist to take the full lane whether riding single file or two abreast.
3. Bicyclist are not restricted to the right lane of traffic. One-way, multi-landed streets are one example. Another instance is when the bicyclist is changing lanes to make a left turn. The bicyclist should follow the same path any other vehicle would take traveling the same direction.
4. Motorists should merge with bicycle traffic when preparing for a right-hand turn. Avoid turning directly across the path of bicycle traffic.

Capiche?

Maybe I'm preaching to the choir here, but the next time you feel like yelling at a bicyclist, your energy might be more productive in demanding bike lanes from the city. 'Cause whether you like it or not, we bikers will be on the roads along side your vehicles. So get over it and give us some room!

Market to Table - September 24, 2009

I know. I know. With last week's Market to Table post usurped by the Recipe Index, I owe you two weeks worth of food porn. I promise. You will NOT be disappointed. I've been hard at work in the kitchen. So let's get right to it!

Mexican Soup and Whole Wheat Crackers with Herb Garlic Jelly

This is the mexican soup I made a few weeks back (aka my last canning expedition). I made two different pots of soup that day (one mexican and one italian). Both turned out beautifully.

On the side are some of my whole wheat crackers (whole wheat and honey are local) topped with some of Jammin' Granny's herb garlic jelly (from the farmers' market).

In leu of sharing leftovers (sorry, not a drop left now), I'll share the recipe...

Mexican Soup

• 1 jar of Two Brothers salsa (farmers' market)
• 1 pint of corn (home-canned with corn from the farmers' market)
• 2 cups pinto beans, soaked overnight, but not yet cooked
• 2 large cucuzza squash, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces (from a neighbor's farm)
• okra, cut into bite sized pieces (farmers' market)
• mushrooms, sliced (local - about 40 miles away)
• veggie broth (I use the reserved broth from steaming farmers' market veggies earlier in the week)
• olive oil (farmers' market)
• water (um, yeah, that's pretty local...)
• salt

Saute the mushrooms, okra, and cucuzza with olive oil in a large soup pot. Add salsa, corn, beans, and veggie broth. Add enough water to fill the soup pot. Simmer for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours, seasoning with salt to taste. Enjoy!

Yeah, soup is THAT easy! What are you waiting for?

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Stir-Fry/Stove top Casserole

Seriously, this has to be my most interesting stir-fry yet. I held nothing back. It was Friday. I had a bunch of random veggies in the fridge and I dug every last one of them out to clear the way for Saturday's farmers' market haul. To be honest, the whole thing sounded a bit strange to me as I was cooking it, but as is often the case with local food... it's so good, you just CAN'T mess it up.

I started with the 1/2 quart of leftover mexican soup (salsa, corn, beans, cucuzza, okra and mushrooms) and used it to cook 1/2 cup of brown rice (local). While it was simmering, I chopped up the rest of the sweet potatoes I dug out of the backyard garden, the green and red bell peppers (some from the farmers' market and some from the backyard garden), and the last of the okra and black eyed peas (farmers' market). The veggies were stir-fried in olive oil (farmers' market), covered (but stir occasionally to keep it from burning) until everything was cooked through.

Then I tossed in the stir-fry veggies with the souped-up brown rice and Voila! I wasn't sure I'd like sweet potatoes and rice in the same dish, but it was really good. Ok. Scratch that. It was AWESOME! Clearing out the fridge has never tasted so good!

PB&J and Fresh Veggies

Ok. This one, I threw in for no other reason that it looked really interesting on the plate. That's my homemade whole wheat bread (wheat and honey are local), slathered with my homemade jam (from local blackberries) and some organic peanut butter (not local). On the side, I just washed off some raw okra and sliced red and green bell peppers (all from the farmers' market) for a nice crunch alongside the smoothness of the PB&J. I love easy dinners...

You know, looking back at these photos, I'm totally making myself hungry. Thankfully, I still have plenty of goodies in the fridge and pantry, and of course, I'll be restocking on Saturday at the farmers' market. You gotta love a town where there's no end to the fresh produce - summer, fall, winter, or spring. We're always growing. So what's made it from the market to your table this week?

Happy (and mindful) eating!

CommUnity Conversations with Dr. James McWilliams

Each semester, the TAMU Department of Multicultural Services offers a series of "CommUnity Conversations" hosted over the lunch hour that include a wide range of speakers. Next Tuesday, September 29th, Dr. James McWilliams, Associate Professor of History at Texas State University will be visiting to discuss his new book, "Just Food: Where Locavores Get it Wrong and How We Can Truly Eat Responsibly."

As a member and advocate of the local food movement, I'm really interested to hear what he has to say (and, I admit, perhaps debate a little). The luncheon is free and open to the public. All they ask is that you RSVP your attendance so they order enough food for lunch.

Here's the full scoop:

What: CommUnity Conversation with Dr. James McWilliams

When: Tuesday, September 29 (11:30-1:00)

Where: Rudder 401

RSVP: to either Wanda Martin or Dianne Kraft

Hope to see you there!

For more information on the CommUnity Conversation program, visit their website.

Menu for the Future - A NWEI Discussion Course

I'm really excited! Last night marked the beginning of my second Northwest Earth Institute Discussion Course: Menu for the Future.

If you've never taken one of their courses, be on the lookout for one in your area or better yet, coordinate one yourself. I hosted one last summer (Voluntary Simplicity) and loved it. I'm looking forward to learning even more from the many lessons, wisdom from experts in the field of sustainable food. And with chapter titles like What's Eating America, Anonymous Food, Farming for the Future, You are What you Eat, Toward a Just Food System, and Choices for Change, I'm practically salivating at the possibilities (sorry, pun intended...).

We have a great group of 6 people, which includes my housemate (great for carpooling...). Truly, the best part about these groups are the many perspectives coming together to talk about a single issue. We all learn from each other, broadening our horizons and strengthening our desire to make the world a better place.

Interested in getting involved in one of the NWEI's 8 discussion courses? Check out their website and find (or make your own) group today!

Anyone else out there taken a NWEI course? Which one? What did you think?

Supplementing my compost with Starbucks?

I've heard coffee grounds were great for the compost bin as well as directly on the garden, but not being a coffee drinker myself, I figured we'd just have to rely on other discarded goodies to get that rich beautiful soil.

Now maybe I'm the only one who didn't know this, but yesterday, Chile (of Chile Chews) included a segment on getting free coffee grounds from Starbucks. Really? Immediately, I was on the phone to the Starbucks just a few blocks from my house. I wasn't expecting much since it's just a counter and a couple tables inside the Kroger grocery store. But they said, YES! In fact, they did have a coffee ground bin for gardeners and that I was welcome to stop by. Five minutes later, I was at the Starbucks counter, eager and just a little bit sweaty (geez, what happened to the cooler September temperatures???).

Anyway, they had 3 grocery sacks full just waiting for the next gardener to come along. I was going to leave some for the next person, but the attendant encouraged me to take all 3. They'd just make more, after all.

Next time, I'll be sure to take my bike, because three grocery sacks full of coffee grounds is a little heavy, even for the short 5 minute walk home. But I made it!

After a little research, I decided to put the bulk of the three bags in the compost bin, which adds nitrogen to the compost as well as assists in keeping the bin hot, thus speeding up the composting process. Sweet! I did save just a little of the grounds out to sprinkle at the base of one of the tomato plants just to see if it makes any difference. Stay tuned...

Ok. Seriously. How cool is this? I really think it's neat that you can pick up coffee grounds from from any Starbucks in North America. Not only are they reducing waste by giving those grounds an opportunity to fertilize the Earth (and out of the landfill), but gardeners can get this resource for free. Very cool! Thanks for sharing, Chile!

So how about all you out there... Have you used coffee grounds in your compost bin or directly in the garden? Have you noticed a difference in results? If you apply it directly to the garden, on what plants does it work best? How often do you apply?

For more information on the Starbucks "Grounds for your Garden" as well as nutrient content of the grounds and general tips, visit the Starbucks website here.

Happy Gardening!

Local diet update - September 21, 2009

Gone was the pouring rain and chilled air of the previous week's market. This weekend's farmers' market was sunny, warm, and absolutely gorgeous. The result? Customers were out in droves, many for their first visit to the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market (a special welcome to all you first timers). Vendors were prepared with another absolutely amazing harvest to share with a growing community of local food lovers (and how can you not love local food when it tastes so good?).

This week's Brazos Valley Farmers' Market included:

Veggies and Fruits: red potatoes, purple potatoes, bulb onions, green onion sets, carrots, cucumber, yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, green beans, a variety of hot and sweet peppers, okra, spinach, herbs, purple hull peas, patty pan squash, dried apples

Baked Goods: yeast breads, sweet breads, herb breads, cakes, cookies, cheesecake bars, pecan bars, pies, kolaches, dog treats

Canned Goods: jams, jellies, salsas, pickles, chow-chow, relish, veggies

Other Foods: cornmeal, grits, wheat flour, eggs, honey, jalapeno oil, olive oil, locally-roasted coffee

Non-Food Items: stained glass light catchers, decorative plants, fruit trees, gourds, flowers (for planting), aprons, greeting cards, decorative spoons, jewelry, candles, pot holders, and other decorative items

My personal haul was pretty impressive too. Although I still have honey, brown rice, and home-canned jars of pasta sauce, corn, and soup in the pantry (all local), plus sweet potatoes, green onions, sage, and red and green bell peppers ready for harvest in the backyard... I still came home (whether bought, bartered, or gifted from some very generous market vendors) with eggs, pattypan squash, yellow squash, red potatoes, carrots, grape jelly, and whole wheat flour. Oh, and originally, there was one more carrot, but well, I got hungry about mid-morning...

Anyway, between what I have in stock and what I brought home from the market, we're going to have a very tasty week.

Stir-fries have been back on the menu lately, including the absolute BEST stir-fry I've ever made, so be sure to check out the Market to Table post this Thursday for some drool-worthy photos. The pattypan squash, always ends up one way - I use a vegetable peeler to make strands of squash that get stir-fried in a little olive oil. Once slightly softened, they are a perfect pasta substitute. And with home-canned all-local pasta sauce in the pantry, that pattypan is really speaking to me!

Perhaps the best part about living in Central Texas is that while other farmers' markets are gearing down, prepping to close for the winter months, we're gearing up for another season (with a second season of spring's goodies - like tomatoes and greens) planted and ready to harvest starting in a month or so, soon followed by cabbage, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, etc all winter long! The market never closes here, the goodies just keep on coming. Bring it on, I say. Bring it on!

Hey. Have a great week, everyone. And as always, Happy (and mindful) eating!

What I learned in Africa (well, just a few things)

This is a guest post from the friend I wrote about on Wednesday, Brad Roberson, who spent his summer in Africa building a 400 square meter garden for an orphanage in Kogma, South Africa. His story is a wonderful inspiration on the difference we can make in lives all over the world (and how they change ours as well).

The best part is that there are opportunities for others to volunteer, exchanging room and board for volunteer work. For more information, see the note at the bottom of the post.

THINGS I LEARNED

South Africa is one of Africa's biggest economies. Even though it's still technically “third world,” it's much more developed than most of Africa. As such, what's the biggest health problem facing the poorest people in the poorest region of South Africa (besides HIV/AIDS)? Not hunger. It's obesity, heart disease, diabetes, etc. The last 100 years of scientific advancements in food production have saved billions from starvation & empowered the rural poor to make money through agriculture; I won't discount that. However, those same advancements helped spawn worldwide obesity, even down to the region I was in, because mealie-meal & samp (Google those) are cheap to buy and don't satiate hunger completely – kind of like the problems here with fast food. Samp = french fries in that respect.

I come from a family of vegetable producers in west Phoenix, Arizona – they farm about 200 acres of carrots/radishes/parsnips that sell here in Texas ... internationally too because I saw them in Barbados! They also farm 2 acres of a variety of organic produce set up in a CSA format (Google that, too) by my cousin about 7 years ago. There is a growing organics market for those that can afford it, and my cousin fully believes in the movement, even though he is a “conventional” agriculturalist … interesting. From my experiences in Africa, however, I've found that it's just not practical on a large scale, particularly in the poorest areas of the world, where people don't have the luxury to complain about how their food was produced. On that topic: many people in wealthy nations are quick to blame farmers for their terrible diets, and they fail to realize that it's their own choices that literally feed the cycle with every trip to the drive-thru. Their wallets have spoken: people wanted convenience through quick, cheap, carb-heavy foods & now they're looking for someone to blame for their health problems. I don't think “all organic” is the answer: I think that a diet heavy in fresh vegetables is (help my family business, ha!) No really: better yet, grow it yourself in the backyard. At least it will get you out in the sun; at best it will make you realize how much we take our food system for granted when the rabbits, aphids, and blight attack your cabbage saplings & you're forced to give up & go to the grocery.

But there must be a way to combine the two ideologies … my cousin has inspired that in me. I've found that through my desire to grow my own vegetables & eat the accomplishments, it made me think about how to better manage my diet – understand what I'm eating & why. Go visit a developing country and then come back here – the portion sizes in western restaurants are sickening: but people eat it all … or even worse: they throw half away. Why? Because they order it & pay for it. We must accept responsibility for what we eat in order to save ourselves from senseless gluttony. That framework of thinking should be applied to all areas of life, really.

I'm grateful that this journey turned out to be so successful, in multiple ways. I learned so many things ... I didn't even talk about the children at the orphanage in this note; of course they are the reason for this project in the first place. Some of them have been through such unspeakable evils that you pray to God they don't remember it; my heart goes out to them ... of course, they carry on every day: laughing, playing, screaming, crying, punching, kicking, etc. etc. just like any other child. They don't ask for sympathy or apologies: they would rather play soccer or jump rope or do something fun. I owe my thanks to them, as well, for teaching me that nothing "bad" has ever really happened to me. I've been protected by my cocoon of luxury from some of the very real evils in this world. To complain about, well, anything in my life would truly be an insult to these children.

I miss Africa (stop complaining, Brad, haha)! I'm glad to be back, thankful for the blessings of amazing friends and family, and ready for the next chapter in my crazy life. Thanks, y'all, for reading this.

For more information on the orphanage or volunteering, please visit the orphanage website or email Brad. Thanks for sharing your story, Brad!

Vision-Voice-Veg*n - October Meeting Announcement

The October meeting for the Brazos Valley Veg*n group (Vision-Voice-Veg*n for the Brazos Valley) has been announced and guess who's hosting? Yours truly!

I'll be talking about how I started my garden, how we compost here at SGF, and how you can do it too! Everyone is welcome (vegan, vegetarian, or just plain curious) and attendees are encouraged to bring drinks or veg*n snacks. Here's the scoop:

What: October veg*n meeting

Where: My house (email me for address and directions)

When: Thursday, October 1 (6:00PM)

What to Bring: drinks or veg*n snacks and lawn chairs

Hope to see you here!

For more information on Vision-Voice-Veg*n of the Brazos Valley, contact our fearless leader Slyck Pecena (aka Humble Vegan).

Recipe Index

Looking for a recipe primarily based on seasonal fruits and veggies AND super easy to fix? I've pulled together recipes from my Market to Table posts to put together this "recipe" index.

Not all of the recipes are my own creations, so there are links to some outside sources. This is a compilation of my family's favorites, all here in one spot. The biggest thing to remember is that I make things up as I go along, so feel free to adapt particularly the veggie "recipes" to whatever you have in the fridge. Make your own culinary magic. You'll be surprised at how easy it is!

Also, most of the recipes are vegan (like the soups, stir-fries, etc - basically, anything I eat myself), but there are some non-vegan recipes mixed in here too since I cook for my hubby and extended family too. I've only listed a recipe as vegan when the traditional version has eggs or dairy. If you have any questions, just let me know.

Enjoy the index! I'll add to it as I continue to post recipes and if you'd like to read more about variations on some of these recipes, feel free to peruse my Market to Table series.

Breakfast:

• Blueberry pancakes (vegan)
• Cornmeal pancakes
• French toast
• Granola
• Rice flour pancakes
• Whole wheat pancakes
• Whole wheat pancakes (vegan)
• Yogurt
• Yogurt pancakes

Breads (yeast)/Crackers/Tortillas:

• Bagels
• Challah
• Crackers - whole wheat
• Pizza dough - white flour
• Pizza dough - whole wheat
• Soft yogurt sandwich rolls
• Tortillas - whole wheat
• Whole wheat bread (I also made dinner and sandwich rolls with this same recipe)
• Yogurt sandwich rolls

Want to learn how to make yeast breads? Check out the Fresh Loaf tutorials.

Condiments:

• Jam
• Butter
• Bean dip
• Hummus
• Pesto (vegan)
• Pesto and lemon dressing
• Pesto vinaigrette
• Tomato sauce

Desserts and sweet breads

• Amish Friendship Bread
• Banana cookies - whole wheat (vegan)
• Black and whites
• Chocolate covered cherry delights
• Chocolate eclair cake
• Chocolate pudding
• Cinnamon pecans
• Flourless peanut butter cookies (gluten free)
• High tea lemon cookies
• Lemon creme cake
• Oatmeal cookies
• Pecan chews
• Perfectly chocolate chocolate cake
• Pie crust
• Pumpkin bread
• Pumpkin cookies (vegan)
• Pumpkin pie (can sub 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp cloves, and 1/4 tsp nutmeg for pumpkin pie spice)
• Strawberry pecan shortbread crumble bars
• Sweet potato pie - I use the following reviewer "SL": Use evaporated milk instead of regular milk. Halve the white sugar and replace with brown sugar. Add a 1/4 tsp of cloves and ginger, 2 tbsp of lemon juice, and 1 tbsp flour.
• Vanilla ice cream
• Whipped cream

Drinks:

• Herbal tea
• Rice milk

Main courses:

• Black bean burger
• Casserole, Rice and Veggie (stove-top; aka "Souped-up Rice) (Dress this up with whatever veggies are in season; or for more ideas, peruse theMarket to Table posts. I have tons of different combinations)
• Macaroni and cheese
• Patty Pan "Pasta" Primavera
• Pinto bean burger
• Polenta and veggies in tomato sauce
• Polenta lasagna
• Potato stir fry (Dress this up with whatever veggies are in season. Be creative!)
• Rice and veggie casserole (aka Veggie soup'ed rice)
• Spaghetti squash primavera
• Spinach and rice
• Stir-fry (Dress this up with whatever veggies are in season; or for more ideas, peruse the Market to Table posts. I have a million stir fry versions...)
• Stuffed peppers
• Stuffed tomatoes
• Zucchini ribbons and pasta sauce (just about any squash will work for the ribbons - there's another recipe here using cucuzza)

Side dishes:

• Chilled veggie and wheat berry salad
• Half-smashed potatoes
• Pecan-cranberry salad
• Snappy salted potatoes
• Steamed vegetable medley
• Sweet potatoes

Soups:

• Italian soup
• Mexican soup
• Red potato soup
• Sweet potato soup
• Vegetable soup - Here's another chance to get creative - grab whatever beans and veggies you have and make your own version. The key really is to start with the freshest veggies and let the taste speak for itself.

Simplicity in action

Yesterday, I had lunch with a friend who has recently returned from a summer in Africa where he helped build a 400 square meter garden for an orphanage (these are his personal photos). Interestingly enough, he told me, the greatest culture shock was not adjusting to an African lifestyle, but rather returning to his American one. After living with people who were so happy with so little, the excess and waste of the American lifestyle was shocking. The result is that he has become more mindful about his consumption, realizing that he can get by with less (and in fact, he is happier with less). Needless to say, the experience has radically changed his life and refined his goals.

I shared with him the illustration that Jim Merkel gives us in his book Radical Simplicity (reviewed here), where Merkel encourages readers to imagine the world's resources as a vast buffet with every living creature in line behind you waiting for a share. How much do you put on your plate knowing the rest of the world has yet to partake?

What I have learned is no different than what my friend learned this summer - that the key to happiness lies not in our circumstances (in having or not having), but rather in our interpretation of them (being thankful for what we have, finding joy and indeed satisfaction in simplicity - a child's smile, a friend's hug, a warm sunny day, a soft place to sleep, and good food). The thing is, I KNOW this. Living it is something far different; something with which I struggle.

I'll be meditating on this in the days to come: may I continually be aware of a world in need, living in a manner that makes the world a better place; may I continue to find joy in radical simplicity, giving freely from what I have; may my belly be full, yet always leave behind me enough bounty for all.

Real almonds in almond milk - Really?

Now that I'm making my own rice milk, I'm finishing off my pantry supply of almond milk (another of my dairy alternative favorites). As I sat at the breakfast table Sunday morning, I happened to peruse the front of the almond milk container... "Made with real almonds." Really?

Ok. Seriously, how far has our food system fallen that you market a product by informing the public that it's actually made from real food? Is the public supposed to assume that unless the product says that it's made from food, it's fake?

Really?

All the better that I'll be making my own milk-alternative once my pantry supply runs out...

Local diet update - September 14, 2009

Saturday's farmers market could be described in one word: WET. Surprisingly enough, that didn't keep customers from coming out and getting their share of the best goodies available in the Brazos Valley. You can't tell much from the photos, but I wasn't exactly going to bring my iPhone out when it was pouring (hand-me-down or not).

No one was complaining though as we REALLY need the rain here. In fact, it rained most of last week and the seeds we planted on Sept 6 had broken ground only 4 days later. You gotta love that rainwater!

Right, so back to the farmers' market. It was in fact, a little nippy too. Yeah, I know. Texas in September and I was cold. Go figure. Regardless, 12 vendors came out to brave the weather and share their harvest with the community. Available at this week's Brazos Valley Farmers' Market were:

Veggies and Fruits: red potatoes, sweet potatoes, purple potatoes, bulb onions, green onion sets, carrots, cucumber, yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, green beans, a variety of hot and sweet peppers, chard, okra, spinach, herbs, purple hull peas, black eyed peas, purslane, patty pan squash, dried apples, cantaloupe, pears

Baked Goods: yeast breads, sweet breads, herb breads, cakes, cookies, cheesecake bars, pecan bars, pies, kolaches, croutons, dog treats

Canned Goods: jams, jellies, salsas, pickles, chow-chow, relish, veggies

Other Foods: cornmeal, wheat flour, eggs, honey, jalapeno oil

Non-Food Items: pot holders, decorative plants, fruit trees

Of course, my take-home haul wasn't nearly as impressive, but between buying, bartering, and gifts from generous vendors, I still came home with quite a spread. I picked up pears, green beans, carrots, eggs, sweet peppers, okra, an onion, herb garlic jelly, salsa, and whole wheat flour. Does anyone see a hearty stir-fry in my future? 'Cause that's exactly where that tasty herb garlic jelly is going... unless I make some of my homemade crackers. Hmmm......

But just when you think I'm set, there's plenty of goodies coming out of the backyard garden too. Like green peppers, sage, basil, lambs-quarter, and (pictured here) sweet potatoes. Mmmm!

Then there's the 16 quarts of all-local home-canned soups, and the local rice, corn, and pasta sauce in the pantry. Yeah. I'd say eating locally is going to be a breeze this week. Bring it on!

Until next time, Happy (and mindful) Eating!

P.S. Are you challenging yourself to eat more local foods? What's in season in your neck of the woods?

Growing Good Things to Eat in Texas

Growing Good Things to Eat in Texas (Texas A&M University Press, 2009) is more than a stunning pictorial of the vast and varied farmlands of Texas. It's an opportunity to experience farming the way nature intended. Author Pamela Walker brings readers along for the ride as she travels the great state of Texas, profiling 10 organic farms in their efforts to live and work in step with nature rather than in spite of it as has become typical of modern commercial farming.

These 10 farms, whose products range from fruits and vegetables, to shrimp and meat, and finally to dairy, are merely examples of the extensive efforts being done around the state to farm sustainably. More importantly, they are proof that not only is organic farming better for man and earth, it's also profitable.

Walker, will the help of photographer Linda Walsh, takes you inside the operations of each location where readers meet the family, discover what first attracted them to organic farming (certified or not), and experience the triumphs and challenges of growing organically in Texas.

But like reading Joel Salatin, popular sustainable farming author and owner of Polyface Farms in Virginia, these 10 entrepreneurs are far from the exceptions to the rule. They are meant to be a beacon of hope that sustainable farming is alive and well; that it is meeting the demand of a growing community of mindful consumers; and that real people like you and me are making a difference today, right now.

Whether or not you call Texas your home, Growing Good Things to Eat in Texas is a must read. Both farmer and consumer will find the future of farming within its pages. It is this future towards which each and every one of us must strive, supporting sustainable farming one forkful at a time.

This and other great eco-book reviews can be found at the Blogging Bookworm. Be a bookworm today and check it out!

Market to Table - September 10, 2009

Well, I seem to be on a roll with the whole dynamic dining thing. Meals have been far from routine for 3 weeks straight now and there's no slowing me down. What can I say, local foods are inspiring me now more than ever. But what's not to love? Let's get right to it...

Pancake with blackberry jam and Watermelon

Having finished off the last of my mostly local granola, I was in the mood for pancakes again. Making my whole wheat vegan pancakes is a breeze. Since I've made so many changes to the recipe I use on-line, I'll just publish my own. Let's see...

SGF's Whole Wheat Vegan Pancakes

1 cup of whole wheat flour (local)

1 heaping tablespoon honey (local)

2 teaspoons baking powder

lots of cinnamon

dash of salt

1 cup rice milk (local)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Mix everything up and ladle 1/3 cup at a time over a warm griddle or frying pan. Flip when bubbles start to form on top.

For this batch of pancakes, I decided to splurge and open on of my jars of homemade blackberry jam (made from local berries, of course) to use instead of syrup. Delicious. And you can't beat that Texas watermelon on the side. What a beautiful way to start the day!

Pizza

I ended up making pizza dough twice this week. The first time was to share with a friend and her son on Labor Day. The second was later in the week because, well... because it was so gosh darn good that I wanted to eat it again and I needed to use up the rest of the pasta sauce, right?

I tweaked the dough recipe this time to make a whole wheat version with honey instead of sugar. I'm going to be a recipe queen this week and give you this one too in case you want to give it a shot...

SGF's Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2-1/2 tablespoons honey (local)

1 cup warm water (about 100-110 degrees)

1 to 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour (local)

1/2 cup wheat gluten

1 tablespoon olive oil (farmers' market)

1/2 tablespoon salt

Activate the yeast for 10 minutes in the warm water and honey. Once activated, add 1 cup of the flour, and all of the wheat gluten, olive oil and salt. Knead (I do this in our mixer), adding any extra flour for proper consistency (until dough clears the sides of the bowl). Continue to knead for 15 minutes or until dough passes the window pane test. Then roll it up and place it in a greased bowl overnight in the fridge.

The next day, a couple hours before you're ready to bake, take the dough out of the fridge (it should have doubled in size). Push down on the dough to get out all the air bubbles, then cut it in half (or for my size personal pizza's - 4ths). Leave what you'll be using on the counter and put the rest back in the fridge for later use (it will keep about a week).

Cover the dough with a towel and allow to sit on the counter for about an hour. Then start to shape your dough as round as you can make it (toss it in the air, roll it out with a rolling pin, whatever works...). You'll need to let the dough rest a few times to get a thiner crust (rolling it out, letting it rest, then rolling it out again, letting it rest, etc). Once you get the thinness you want, place it on a greased cookie sheet and let it rest an additional 30 minutes.

Next, go ahead and pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees and start to prep the pizza. First brush some olive oil on the outside rim. Then add sauce, cheese (if you eat cheese), and any topping you'd like. When the oven is hot, pop the pizza in and bake for 8 minutes. Allow the pizza to cool on the counter few a few minutes before cutting and serving. Mmm. Homemade pizza heaven!

When I made pizza with friends on Labor Day, we each prepped our own pizza (mine of course didn't have cheese, nor did the ones I made later in the week), but I had sauteed green peppers and lambs-quarter from my backyard garden for toppings with my homemade pasta sauce (from my backyard tomatoes). You can't beat that for local!

Bean burger

Last, but certainly not least, I finally got around to finishing up the last of the pinto bean burger patties in the freezer. With a little ketchup and one of my homemade whole wheat rolls (wheat and honey are local), the "burgers" were perfect.

If you'd like to try the bean burger, I have two recipes up:

Black bean burger

Pinto bean burger

They're both a little different and the beans and interchangeable. Just make what you like.

And for the meal pictured here, I also munched away on a sweet (and enormous) carrot from the farmers' market (those of you who frequent the market know who grew this carrot and that there isn't a sweeter carrot anywhere).

What a perfect way to end this week's Market to Table post - that carrot symbolizes all that I love about local food - it's fresh, it's whole, it comes from someone I know and trust, and most importantly it tastes incredible. So what are you waiting for? Fall in love with local food. Go check out your local farmers or maybe even grow your own, but go local. It's just better.

Until next time, Happy (and mindful) eating!

The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches

I first heard about The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches: A Practical (and fun) Guide to enjoying Life More by Spending Less, by Jeff Yeager, when it was recommended by fellow blogger, Beany. Like Beany, I was super impressed with the fact that Yeager completed his book tour via bicycle. I mean, seriously? This was definitely a book I needed to read.

As I read through the book, I noticed the theme was wonderfully familiar: Voluntary Simplicity. That's right! Although with Yeager's sense of humor and relaxed manner, he makes being a "cheapskate" (aka living frugally) the cool thing to do - which it is, it's just hard to convince the rest of the consumers of the world. But Yeager shows us just how easy it is... kinda like riding a bicycle.

How about some excerpts?

What I Really Believe: Living on less is a good thing to do. It's the only financial advice that will work for almost everyone. It's about quality of life you cannot buy, a sense of satisfaction you cannot fake, and an appreciation for others that gives life value. It's also about helping save the planet and sharing with those in need. Living on less can be funny, but it's not a joke.

This book is about two things: getting more for less and, even more important, understanding that less is often more. It's about the fact that you probably already have everything you could ever really need or want, if only you'll slow down long enough on the Road to Riches to think about it.

Although I just loved this book (I chuckled my way through most of it), I have one caution. Yeager's books is strictly about being frugal and I believe frugal doesn't always mean it's the right thing to do. For instance, he talks about picking things up at Walmart because it's so inexpensive and warns people that farmers' markets aren't as cheap as they used to be. Even so, sometimes cheap is just cheap. Sometimes cheap detracts from our communities, closes local businesses, and can damage the environment.

So, for those of you taking your very first baby steps into a life of Voluntary Simplicity, this is definitely the book to get you started. But for those of you a little further along in your adventure, it's important to keep in mind that cheap is not always the answer.

Recommended: to anyone looking to simplify life, live more frugally, and laugh while doing it

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

This and tons of other great eco-book reviews can be found at the Blogging Bookworm. Be a bookworm today and check it out!

Meeting the Veg*n Community

Last night was the very first meet-up of the vegan/vegetarian (or veg*n) support group here in Bryan-College Station, TX. I counted 23 people in attendance which is VERY cool for the meat capitol of the world (or so it feels like most of the time).

The Village Cafe (my favorite restaurant for local and organic foods) hosted the event and prepared a special menu of vegan and vegetarian dishes especially for our group. Although I didn't splurge, this special menu also included dessert. Mmmm!

As you can tell from the photo, the atmosphere was incredibly festive. But why not? We were there to celebrate lifestyle choices that have made amazing changes in each of our lives. A few members even testified that a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle saved their lives because of dire health conditions. Now THAT's a reason to celebrate.

We started out with a talk from Slyck Pecena, founder of the group and one of the members who shared with us the health crisis that brought her to a vegan lifestyle (for more on Slyck's journey, check out her blog: Humble Vegan).

Next, each person had an opportunity to share their story and what they hope to gain from the group ranging from recipe exchanges to animal rights activities and everything in between.

The plan for now is to:

1. Start up a blog where locals can go for more information (meeting info, recipes, tips on eating out at local restaurants, etc), and
2. Have routine meetings to share advice/support, learn from others, and enjoy a meal with people sharing the same values of mindful living.

Everything else will stem from there.

Some of the attendees I knew, others I enjoyed meeting for the very first time (including an SGF reader)! I was especially encouraged to learn that not everyone there was a vegan or vegetarian. So if you're interested in attending meetings, know that it is a very welcoming crowd. Feel free to join us!

I'll be sure to post upcoming meeting announcements as they come as well as the blog address as soon as it is launched. The Village Cafe has generously offered to continue hosting meetings, so be prepared to eat well too!

One last thing before I close... Of course, I have to share a photo of my very own vegan meal from the meeting: the Cold Cuke Sandwich (cucumbers and hummus on homemade whole wheat bread) with a side of Asian Slaw (carrots and cabbage in a asian sesame sauce. Mmmm!

A great big thanks to Slyck for putting everything together. The evening was a wonderful success. Hope to see everyone again at the next meeting!

Garden therapy - A backyard garden update (September)

With a drop in temperatures of about 10 degrees (high now in the 90's instead of over 100 every single blasted day... ), we were finally able to do some serious work in the garden. Up until this weekend, we only had 5 of the 7 beds plants and they were less than half full as it was. Let's just say that 10 straight weeks of 100 degree temperatures aren't all that conducive to keeping anything alive.

But with some rain last week bringing in cooler air, it was time to get busy in the garden. So Sunday morning, Dave and I got up early to plant our fall garden. Here's how it looks...

Bed 1: Until Sunday morning, sage was the only thing growing in this bed. The lambs-quarter was doing wonderfully, but being a weed, it's roots were strangling everything else in the bed. So I transplanted it elsewhere so that I could have my raised bed back for other plants. The roots literally extended to all 16 square feet of available space. I had to be careful to keep from killing the sage. Pshew!

I have four tomato plants ready to go in next to the hog panel, but we're holding off planting for a week or so hoping that the spider mites (formerly of Bed 2) won't spread to the new plants. Cross your fingers... The rest of the bed is planted in broccoli (6 transplants for a bit of a head start and 4 from seed).

Bed 2: The tomato plants we had in this bed kicked the bucket. The spider mites got them. So we tore them out, bagged them, and will send them to the city compost facility where they'll fry in the heat. Sorry little mites... As I mentioned in Bed 1, we'll replant new tomato plants elsewhere in the garden (Bed 1 and extra pots in "the orchard.")

The hog panels were moved forward into the bed a few inches so that I could plant snow peas seeds on either side of it and use it as a trellis. The second row (8 squares) is planted in lettuce. The third and fourth rows are a combination of spinach seed and existing green pepper plants from last Spring (one of the few things that survived the heat!).

Beds 3 &4: Something else that braved the heat all summer were the sweet potatoes. Harvest has begun (one potato at a time) and both full beds will be dug up in late September/early October when the potatoes will be cured for storage over the winter. Once we have the space free, we'll plant carrots, bulb onions, kohlrabi, and red potatoes in these two beds. For a look at these beds, full to the brim with sweet potato vines, check out the photo of Bed 6. They are in the background...

Bed 5: This is the only bed not currently full. I'm saving some of the extra space for a crop of green beans that I'll plant at the end of the month (to stagger the fall harvest). Otherwise, I have lots of established basil and green pepper plants from the Spring and added 5 squares of green onions to the one existing square of onions. The basil has long since bolted, but being a wonderful bee attractant, I'm hoping it'll assist in the pollination of the peppers and tomatoes. The peppers, which up until about 1-1/2 months ago had produced NOTHING, are now covered in peppers. Was it the bolted basil or the pot ash I added to the base of each plant? I have no idea, I'm just thrilled to have peppers!

Bed 6: Days ago, this bed was completely empty. Today, we'll it looks empty, but far from it. It's full of cabbage and green beans seeds.

Bed 7: Well, Bed 7 is full of compost and I fear is too "hot" to plant for now. We're using this bed as storage for compost to be added to other beds until it's safe to plant seeds (maybe in the spring).

The Orchard (kind of...): Ok. We originally had an orchard. We do still have one of the four apple trees (the company will send us three more in the spring to replace them). The heat was just too much, but we've now moved them to the side of the house where they get sun, but not full Texas sun.

The gogi berry bushes, which I thought had bit the dust, rose from the dead after a heavy rain last week. Honestly, I was about to pull them to add to the compost bin when I noticed dozens of little green leaves. They're alive!

Unfortunately, that's all that's left of the orchard for now, so we've decided to make use of the extra pots - 2 tomato plants will go into the larger pots and the transplanted behemoth of a lambs-quarter plant from Bed 1 was transplanted to one of the smaller pots. I swear, you can't kill that thing! It looked droopy for all of a day and now it's thriving.

By next month, there should be plenty to see as all those seeds will become beautiful plants in the coming weeks. We got a bit of a late start with the incessant heat, but before long, we'll be just covered in food. Sounds yummy, no?