Simple - Green - Frugal

Taking a break

2010-01-12T14:48:00.004-06:00

Sorry I've been gone for so long with no word. Things have been a little crazy here at SGF, post-holidays. Without going into details, I can say that the new year has brought on many changes, as well as the chance to meditate on the future. You can bet I'm still living an SGF-lifestyle - in fact, I'm biking more than ever (about 20 miles a day), working the info booth at the farmers' market, enjoying lots of local and organic goodies, as well as supporting my favorite locally-owned shops and restaurants.

I hope over the last 21 months, my adventures have encouraged your along your own Simple-Green-Frugal journey. I won't say goodbye for now, as there may be lots to write about in the future. But for the present, I'm going to sign-off for an extended break to concentrate my efforts closer to home, in my local community.

Please peruse the archives, and feel free to email with any questions. Of course, I'll still be reading and commenting around the blogosphere, as well as on my Facebook page, so you'll see me around.

Until next time!

--Heather @ SGF

Biking and Eating Local in Aptos

2009-12-26T13:14:00.003-06:00

Dave and I walked down to the Aptos Farmers' Market this morning. Even the day after Christmas, there were maybe 30 vendors lining the community college parking lot. We didn't buy anything as there's tons of leftovers in my mother-in-law's fridge, but we did take a couple photos along the way...

Here's another of those signs I'd love to take home with me. The signs are everywhere since there are always lots of bikers on the road here in Santa Cruz county, including kids as I mentioned in my last post. A biker can't help but feel at home in a place with so many bike lanes. My favorite bike-friendly observation,

however, is of surfers who have affixed surfboard holders to their bikes to catch those much beloved waves at a moments notice.

So on to the farmers' market. This is for all you Locavores who make that exception in your local diet to include that can't-live-without-it ingredient... salt. Yep! That's local salt there in the jars for $3! Awesome!

Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays!

Holiday 2009 - Shopping in Aptos

2009-12-22T16:19:00.005-06:00

Those of you who have read this blog for any length of time know that I absolutely hate to shop, unless, of course, it's for food. But today, I have to say, I had a wonderful experience.

After a light breakfast, Dave and I walked down the hill onto the town's main street level, lined with small, locally-owned shops. We had a few things in mind to buy while in town - I wanted to pick up some groceries to make bread with the Amish Friendship starter Chile gave me during our visit, meds for Dave as he has a bit of a cold, a book for my mother-in-law, and a pair of hiking shoes for me (the only ones I had were donated months ago because they hurt my feet so much I never wanted to hike - pointless, right?).

It turns out, to accomplish all these goals, not only did we not need the car, but we could shop all-locally owned in the process! Awesome!

Our first stop was to Bookworks (photo above) to purchase a book for Dave's Mom - a book I loved and wanted to share with each of our mothers (click here for the book review). Bookworks is a wonderful bookstore - a place where you want to browse, relax, and enjoy the atmosphere. Unfortunately, its much smaller than it was even last year due to the economy, and no doubt, the increase in big-box stores in the area. I asked the clerk as we entered where we might find the Guernsey book and she immediately knew exactly where it was and smiled at the request (perhaps she read and loved it as much as I did).

We took time to browse - it's just that kind of store, warm and welcoming - and as we were browsing, we noticed a boy, maybe 10 years old, pull up on his bike, enter the store, and politely ask the clerk for a copy of a book he wanted to buy for his father's birthday. Um, can we adopt you? Seriously! He biked to a locally-owned shop (wearing a helmet), was polite as can be, and did it all to buy something for his father's birthday. Maybe it's the holidays, but I have to admit to feeling warm and fuzzy at the scene.

The next stop was for my hiking shoes. Originally, we planned to drive into Santa Cruz to one of the large sports stores, but when I saw Fleet Feet Sports right next door to Bookworks, I wanted to check it out first. Owner Tom Griffen greeted us, welcoming us to his store. We told him what we were looking for and he ushered us to a couple of chairs and gave us the shoe experience of our lives. I'm SO not joking! In fact, Dave decided he wanted to explore the possibilities too. Check this out...

First he measured each of our feet, both standing and sitting, asked us about our foot, knee, and hip health, and had us walk across the store and back to witness first hand our walking tendencies. All this information helped him select the best shoes for our feet. Of course, he explained everything as he went along so that we understood why these steps were necessary (which was GREAT for me since I have so much trouble with my feet and knees and have trouble finding shoes that don't hurt).

He slipped to the stockroom for a moment and brought back 2 selections for each of us. After lacing us up, he took us outside to walk the sidewalk so we could get a good feel for the shoes and he could see again how we walk to assess whether the shoes would suit us long-term. After we tried both shoes, he brought one more set out for each of us, going through the same routine. By the time all this took place, we had to have spent an hour or more with him, as he patiently walked us through the process. Having gone in to buy only one pair of shoes for me, we ended up both getting a pair of shoes that felt great. Honestly, I've NEVER been that comfortable in a pair of shoes. And he wasn't just sharing with us, I also shared with him my love for buying from local sources, told him about Big-Box Swindle (which he seemed VERY interested in), and shared stories of home.

For someone who flat-out HATES to shop, I have to say, this was the most wonderful shopping experience of my life... AND I got a great pair of shoes out of it. Thanks, Tom!

On the way back home, we stopped into the shopping center where a small, locally-owned pharmacy was (to get Dave's cold meds) as well as Aptos Natural Foods (where I visit each and every time I'm in town). If you love healthy food, it's a given you'll love this little store. With one row dedicated to bulk everything (including honey, oil, and cereal), another full of fresh, organic produce (much of it local), and much, much more, it's foodie-heaven. We purchased our needed supplies plus a vegan ginger-spice cookie (for me to enjoy while everyone else is gobbling up cakes and pies at Christmas dinner) and headed back up the hill for home.

As I said earlier, I just hate to shop, but I have to admit, I might just need to adjust my attitude a bit. It was a wonderful morning - the air was crisp and cool, the sun was bright and warm, the walk was invigorating, and my faith in the buy-local movement is strong. Buying local means personal attention, knowledgeable staff, relaxing atmosphere, an enjoyable experience, and three times the amount of money that stays in the community vs. buying at a big-box store. If you're going to make a new years resolution this year, help keep our local communities alive and vibrant and buy local!

Thanks to all those local Aptos businesses who made my shopping day a delight!

Holiday 2009 - Driving to Cali (San Diego)

2009-12-19T23:56:00.008-06:00

Wow! Another amazing day of food and friends! After leaving Chile and family yesterday, we headed West once again, this time with San Diego set on the GPS. Home to another fellow blogger, I was really looking forward to meeting Beany, my bike hero, and her sweetie. And just like the visit to Chez Chile, the visit was wonderful.

Beany is another blogger I've corresponded with for going on a year and a half, now meeting for the first time. I was especially amazed when she and her sweetie sold all of their worldly goods and biked from from Philidelphia across the states, making it to North Texas before renting a truck to take them and their bikes the rest of the way. She is truly an inspiration in living simply, alternative transportation, and both getting involved and making a difference in her community.

The evening began with an incredible dinner and one you can bet I'll be trying to re-create back home! The photo above is a large tortilla stuffed with roasted sweet potato, black beans, tomatoes, cilantro, and onions and grilled quesadilla style in cast iron skillet. It was absolutely delicious and much to my own amazement, yes, I did eat that whole thing! Wouldn't you?

Next we talked about a little of everything (politics, meditation, biking, work...) as we walked, heading to a fabulous little chocolatier, Eclipse Chocolat, for an extra special dessert. Eclipse specializes in natural and organic chocolates with an entire line of vegan-friendly and regular truffles, chocolate bars, chocolate muffins, and chocolate drinks. Although we had Kelsey with us, the staff invited us inside and offered yummy samples. I picked the sea salt nib chocolate, although I also tried the orange peel anise, as well as the blackberry sage. All were wonderful! Did I really eat 4 pieces of chocolate after that big meal? Oink!

The next morning, Beany had a special treat planned - the San Diego farmers' market! And what a market it was! It had to have been 40-50 (maybe more) booths lining the street with loads of fruits, veggies, cheeses, meat, honey, eggs, oils, beans, crafts, and prepared foods. There was even a combo gluten-free and raw vegan booth (see photo). VERY cool! As I wasn't all that hungry for breakfast (after a very wonderful but filling meal last night), I picked up a basket of strawberries for breakfast, which I promptly devoured within the first 5 minutes of our drive out of town. But I also picked up a bottle of avocado oil, a container of dried dates, and a beautiful mango. I love local food!

As it was getting late in the morning and we had a 7-1/2 hour drive (minimum, considering we have to drive through LA) ahead of us, we parted ways with Beany and her sweetie to head back to the open road.

A great big THANKS to the Beanys for sharing their home with us! Come see us soon!

Well, next stop - Aptos California, Dave's home-sweet-home. See ya there!

Holiday 2009 - Driving to Cali (Tucson)

2009-12-19T12:21:00.004-06:00

With just a short drive to Tucson from Van Horn, we took our time on the road (and thankfully didn't have any run-ins with 18-wheelers). Pshew!

The first impression of Tucson was mixed. Tucson is HUGE and we did get a bit lost, BUT there were bike lanes everywhere, the busses had bike racks on the front of them, and even the signs told drivers to "yield to bikes." I teased Dave that we needed to take one of of those signs to mount on the back of my bike back home!

By about 4:00, we were nestled in the alcove that houses Tucson's Community Supported Agriculture pick-up site where fellow blogger Chile Chews volunteers every Friday. Not only were we surrounded by great local food and locals coming to get their weekly supply of farm-fresh veggies (many of whom were bikers), there was live music AND, of course, I had the opportunity to meet Chile.

To finally meet someone I've corresponded with for the last 18 months, was an amazing treat. And to discover that not only do we have many of the same simple-green-frugal goals, but I thoroughly enjoyed her and her hubby's company and hospitality. It was quite a visit! Well, let's get right to it.

Dinner plans were for Lovin' Spoonfuls, an all-vegan restaurant. So that Kelsey could join us, we sat outside in the cool evening air. The tough choice lay ahead. After 14 months of slim pickings at restaurants, it was a bit overwhelming to chose from the menu. Seriously, go check it out. Every last one of the choices is vegan! After ogling all the dinner plates on the way to the counter and reading the menu a dozen times, I finally decided on "Buddha's Delight." Beautiful, isn't it? Also making an appearance at the table were "Linguini with Italian Meatballs," the "Santa Fe Platter," and "Stroganoff Supreme." Everything looked fabulous and, in fact, my meal was wonderful!

We spent the meal relaxing and talking about our lives. To a certain extent, you get to know each other on-line, but I found that there was so much more to explore in person. And speaking of exploring, after dinner, we walked the Winterhaven Festival of Lights (see photos here). Of course, it changes a little every year, but it's a truly amazing display of lights. Road are blocked for pedestrian only access, allowing us to wander around an admire the unique decorations that ran for blocks.

Later in the evening, back at Chez Chile, we curled up in cushy chairs, exchanged local holiday gifts, and talked more over some of Chile's homemade peach liquor. It was absolutely delicious, but as I'm not much of a drinker, I was yearning for a good sleep by the time we called it a night around 11PM.

And as if last night wasn't a complete treat, Chile and her hubby prepared breakfast for us this morning - vegan pancakes (local whole wheat flour), topped with a choice of homemade pomegranate or prickly-pear syrup, and freshly-squeezed orange juice (from local oranges). I ate more than I usually do (the photo shows only one of the three pancakes I ate), but it was worth every last delicious bite, and we did take the dogs for a walk afterward, so I managed to get in a little exercise before we had to say out good-byes.

A HUGE thank you, Chile, for having us and hosting a fabulous visit! It would have been wonderful to spend more time talking and exploring life in Tucson, but we have family to reach for Christmas and one last stop before we're there - visiting Beany in San Diego. Until next time, we're on the road again...

Holiday 2009 - Driving to Cali (Van Horn)

2009-12-17T19:32:00.002-06:00

Well, we made it to Van Horn, TX for an overnight stay in a KOA cabin. It was an uneventful day until an 18-wheeler tried to run us off... no, make that he DID run us off the road. Scared the crap out of both of us, but we're alive and well (and so is the Prius) to talk about it. Pshew!

Nothing much else to report other than we're ready to crash. Another day of driving tomorrow, but we're heading for Tucson next where we'll meet Chile Chews in person! Awesome!

P.S. Midland/Odessa area has to be one of the most unattractive places I've ever seen. We tried to make a game out of it - "I spy something attractive." We both lost...

Holiday 2009 - Driving to Cali (Dallas)

2009-12-17T08:12:00.006-06:00

We'll we've made our first stop of the trip on our way to California for the holidays.

Our first stop was to visit my brother and his family, including his new baby daughter (Hazel Evelyn), born just under 2 weeks ago (you forget how tiny they really are). We had a wonderful time talking with him and his wife, holding the baby, and playing with the other three girls. The handmade dolls I bought for the girls from the farmers' market were a HUGE hit, as was my homemade jam! Yes!

Next, we stopped by a friend's house for dinner. I'm kicking myself for not taking a photo because the meal was mega drool-worthy (the ultimate compliment in my book). For the dedicated meat-lover in my hubby, there was a carnivorous option - chicken and hot peppers; but for me and another veggie-loving friend, there was also a vegan option with cauliflower subbed for the chicken. It was all sauteed in a garlic-soy-sesame oil sauce. The veggies and sauce (or chicken, if you preferred) was served over couscous or brown rice (I chose both, of course). Good gravy, it was delicious!

We retired to the family room to watch a movie and talk before finally falling into bed at 1AM. But we're up and ready for another day of driving today. Next stop... Van Horn TX.

Happy Holidays!

Brazos Locavores- January Field Trip Announcement

2009-12-14T14:13:00.005-06:00

For all those Locavores out there who enjoyed visiting Millican Produce last February, AND all of you who missed it... We're heading back to Millican for our January field trip!

Tanya Miller of Millican Produce is well-known in these parts for her amazing greenhouse operation (just 7 miles south of BCS) which brings ripe juicy tomatoes to the Brazos Valley between January and May.

But Millican Produce is more than tomatoes. The greenhouse is also home to English cucumbers, watermelons, and herbs; while out in the fields stand more than 3000 lettuce plants.

Join the Brazos Locavores on January 24 and experience the magic of ripe tomatoes in the middle of winter!

Here's the scoop:

When: Sunday, January 24 (1:00 - 4:00)
Where: Brazos Natural Foods (we'll be meeting in the parking lot and carpooling out to Millican Produce)
RSVP: to brazoslocavores@gmail.com by Wednesday January 20th (this allows us to prepare the farm for the number of visitors)

Everyone is welcome, the trip is completely free, and don't forget to bring the kids. These field trips are a wonderful opportunity to teach our little ones about where good food originates.

If you have any questions, just let me know. See you there!

The Brazos Locavores is a group whose mission is to connect local eaters with local producers in the Brazos Valley and support a lifestlye of mindful eating. The group gathers for monthly field trips to farms, orchards, and dairies within 100 miles of Bryan-College Station meeting local producers, touring their faciilities, learning more about why eating local is the way to go, and meeting others who are interested in living a local lifestyle.

For more information on the Brazos Locavores, check out our website.

Holiday 2009 - California plans

2009-12-14T08:33:00.002-06:00

Much like last year, we're busily making plans to drive out to Santa Cruz County, California again this holiday, home to hubby's family. We're taking two extra days to drive out, though, stopping in Dallas to see my brother's family (and his new baby), as well as friends; then on to Tucson to meet fellow blogger, Chile Chews; next to San Diego to meet yet another fellow blogger Beany; and finally north to Aptos, CA to spend Christmas with Dave's mom, siblings, and their families.

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to visiting with everyone, especially finally meeting the two fellow bloggers that, though we've only conversed over email and through our blogs, I regard as wonderful friends.

Of course, I'm also looking forward to re-visiting the Aptos farmers' market, some local eateries, the natural food store, and maybe catch a good documentary (most of them don't make it to my hometown - go figure). I'll be sure to report on my adventures as well as take lots of great photos, so grab some trail mix and fill your travel mug full of hot herbal tea, and join me as we take on the holidays SGF-style.

Wild Type Ranch - A Brazos Locavores Fieldtrip

2009-12-13T18:23:00.006-06:00

When we left Bryan to head out to Wild Type Ranch, I was a little concerned about the weather. Apparently others were too because out of the 39 RSVPs, only 15 people came. I was a little disappointed in the numbers, having prepared the farm for around 40 people, but it made for a nice intimate group on what turned out to be a perfect afternoon - by the time we arrived at the ranch, the skies were clear blue and the air was warm. Absolutely beautiful!

After a brief introduction, owners Sara and Ralph piled us into the back of the farm pickup for a grand tour of the 333 acre ranch. Ester, their niece visiting from Australia, rode with us helping man the gates along the way. What a change of scenery for Ester who is studying fashion design back home, but in the states now 2 months, she was a pro around the farm.

Our first stop was to visit the baby calves - twins (named Comfort and Joy) born just two days ago. In fact, every calf born here has a name, not a number. And Sara and Ralph could name any of them on sight.

Cattle at Wild Type Ranch are fed both feed and grass, but the ranch operates on a philosphy that grass-fed is best as much as possible. In fact, the feed the cows are given is coated in fish oil to keep them from gaining much weight on it.

As Sara explained, there are other advantages to grass fed, namely fertilization of the pasture which was a problem when they first moved on site. Basically, they place the hay in dead spots, the cows eat and then deposit "organic matter" back onto the ground that fertilizes the land. In fact, Sara showed us, the greenest grass on the entire ranch is where they've fed hay.

Particularly special moments were petting Comfort (the 2-day old calf), feeding the momma cows "cow candy," which brought them running in for a nibble, and being there to witness one of the cow's prep for birth as her water broke. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see the birth, but it couldn't have been long after we left. I'm sure Sara will pass along the good news before long.

Sara and Ralph have managed the ranch for 4 years now, sharing it with Sara's two boys, two horses, chickens, a dog, and (of course) a field full of cattle. All the cows are bred specifically for their genes and temperament through artificial insemination. When it comes time to slaughter, processing ranges roughly 4 cows a month in the summer down to 2 cows a month in the winter, all done in a USDA inspected facility.

After the tour, Sara and Ralph brought out a wonderful buffet of brisket, tortillas, fruit salad, brownies, and drinks - a full meal to share with us! We also had an opportunity to purchase beef on site and just as Sara promised, each container of meat had the name of the cow it came from so that if you wanted to know about the cow you bought, Sara and Ralph could tell you their life story. Try to get your grocery store butcher to do that!

Wild Type Ranch currently sells at 4 farmers market around the state. We've enjoyed having them at our very own Brazos Valley Farmers' Market once a month since October. In fact, we found out today, that our community has been so welcoming, that starting in January, Wild Type Ranch will be increasing their visits to our market to twice a month. That's twice the opportunities for local, sustainably raised beef and veal!

A big thanks to Sara, Ralph, and Ester for sharing your day with us and, of course, for the wonderful tour and meal!

For more information on Wild Type Ranch, or to sign up for their email list, visit their website. Or visit them at the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market.

Local diet update - December 12, 2009

2009-12-12T14:32:00.005-06:00

Today marked the first of two holiday celebrations at the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market. Sixteen vendors celebrated with us, decorating their booths and dressing up with lots of holiday spirit. This included local spinner, Charline Watz, who dazzled the crowd with her spinning wheel. Also featured this week to help us celebrate the holidays were Alethea Bair (violinist for the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra), a raffle including 4 market prizes that raised $104 for the local food bank, volunteer customers and vendors singing carols, and Santa himself with treats for the kids.

Of course, you can't talk about the farmers' market without talking about great food. Here's what was available at the market today:

Veggies and Fruits: yellow onions, green onions, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, purple potatoes, yellow squash, carrots, green tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, miniature bok choy, peanuts, a variety of hot and sweet peppers, turnips, radishes, spinach, mustard greens, turnip greens, collard greens, rutabaga greens, lettuce, herbs, lemons, dried apples, dried cranberries

Meat: beef and veal

Baked Goods: tamales, yeast breads, sweet breads, cheese breads, herb breads, cakes, pies, pecan treats, pound cake, puppy cookies

Canned Goods: jellies, jams, relishes, pickles, salsas, sweet spreads, canned veggies (tomatoes, eggplant preserves, pickled peppers)

Other Foods: pecans, eggs, olive oil, cornmeal, whole wheat flour, hot pepper sauce, honey

Crafts: stained glass, hand-spun wool and angora, greeting cards, decorative plaques, reed diffusers, magnets, jewelry, pottery, aprons, hats, bands, wooden benches, candles, pot holders, rosaries

If you missed this week's market, we're doing it again next week - with holiday music, more raffle prizes, and Santa is making another appearance!

Since my booth hosted the raffle, I was swamped all morning. But I did manage to pick up a few needed goodies before we head out on our trip. Let's see... I got honey and whole wheat flour to make my homemade bread, a gorgeous bowl that I just couldn't pass up (I love handmade dishes!), and some pork puppy cookies to give as a gift next week. Also in the photo are some Texas persimmons and tangerines that were given to me by a friend. Mmm! Gonna enjoy those this week!

With travel days in my immediate future (more on that soon, I promise), I won't be doing much cooking this week. Just nibbling on that local fruit and finishing up the last of the leftovers in the fridge. Maybe I'll cook up some of the sweet potatoes we harvested this fall from the backyard. You know sweet potato soup sounds really good right now...

One last note before I close. Today's farmers' market was a perfect example of how eating a local diet isn't just about the food. It's about an amazing community coming together, week after week to celebrate all that life has to offer. THIS is what local food is all about.

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

Market to Table - December 11, 2009

2009-12-11T16:26:00.003-06:00

I've been clearing the fridge of fresh produce so that I can go out of town next week and have made some serious headway. Left are just a container of steamed carrots (farmers' market), a boiled red potato (farmers' market), and fresh fruit (but that can go with me on the trip).

So what have I been eating this week? Here's a glimpse:

Stove Top Veggie Casserole

I've made this 100 times in 100 different ways (all depending on what ingredients I had on hand). This time, I tossed 1/2 cup of brown rice (local from Houston) with 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Then added chopped sweet potato, radish greens, green peppers, and green tomatoes (all harvested from the backyard), as well as chopped carrots, onions (from the farmers' market).

I brought the water to boiling, then let it simmer for about 40 minutes, until the rice was cooked (in the meantime, this "steams" the veggies on top of the rice for a no-fat-added meal). Once the rice was cooked, I stirred the pot and added peanuts (farmers' market), the last of the cooked garbanzo beans (not local), leftover pesto (basil from the backyard), and a can of corn (canned from the farmers' market produce last summer); and let it heat through.

I thought it was a strange mix, but I was trying to get rid of leftovers in the fridge. Lucky me - it tasted fabulous and fed me for about 4 meals!

Salad, Sesame Bagel w/Hummus, and Sage Tea

Lunch today took care of the rest of the salad greens in the fridge. The salad consists of lettuce and radishes from the backyard, as well as carrots and onion from the farmers' market.

Next to it is a sesame bagel from our locally-owned bakery (Blue Baker), toasted and smeared with roasted red pepper hummus (not local).

And last but not least, I stayed toasty warm with a cup of sage tea using sage from my backyard garden. Delicious!

So that's what made it from the market to my table this week. The fridge is almost empty and I'm ready for a holiday full of wonderful new foods from amazing new places.

Have a great weekend, everyone. And as always, Happy (and mindful) Eating!

This what I'm dealing with here - Bicycling in the BCS

2009-12-11T11:38:00.003-06:00

Ok. Take a look at this article from our local news station

CS Council: It's legal to Ride a Bike on Texas Ave

For those of you who aren't familiar with our area, Texas Ave is the main thoroughfare through town.

Now. Take a look at the comments to the article. THIS is what I'm dealing with! I'm going to need another massage...

Sand Creek Farm CSA

2009-12-10T08:39:00.002-06:00

Sand Creek Farm CSA

Contact Info:

Email: ben@sandcreekfarm.net

Website: www.sandcreekfarm.net

*******

That's right. Local Sand Creek Farm and Dairy in Cameron TX, home to raw milks, cheeses, yogurt, eggs and a wonderful variety of meats, is opening up their farm to a CSA starting in April 2010! And I had the opportunity to talk with owners Ben and Alysha Godfrey to get all the details. Check it out!

SGF: Tell me a little about your family and how Sand Creek Farm got started.

Sand Creek: In 2001 Ben decided we needed to move out of the city onto a little land so that we could have a little flavor of the country in our lives. Alysha was a city girl and so did not want to go to far from town. First we moved to a 3 acre plot with a home just outside of College Station, then in 2003 we moved to 20 acres, which grew to 40 acres. While living there Ben decided to work the land the old fashioned way - with draft horses.

We went to Amish country in Holmes County, OH and met some of the neatest families imaginable who took us under wing and taught us the basics of horse farming, putting up food for ourselves and how to set up a small family farm. The city girl in Alysha was now expanding to the country.

It was then, and with a firm belief that there was a need for more nutritious food in our food system, Ben decided we needed an organic garden, then a milk cow, then a grass fed milk cow with the entire farm being managed organically.

Well one cow went dry which meant we needed another, then there was too much milk, then the neighbors wanted it, which led to a 3^rd cow and from there the quest for a license from the State to be able to sell raw milk. From that point we learned that we were the only cow diary in the State of TX with a license to sell raw milk.

We quickly outgrew the 40 acres with our 9 milk cows and 20 head of work horses leading to a move to the slow rolling hills of Milam County, TX in mid 2006 with our little herd and a customer base of about 20 families. We set up a small dairy, commercial kitchen/milk room with a little help of one part time college student. Ben kept his day job, as they say. In 2009, Ben decided to sell his commercial construction company and come home full time to be with the girls and Alysha and farm/dairy for a living. Now we provide nutrient dense food to about 130 families a week. Our selections have grown from just milk to grass fed beef, farmstead cheeses, pastured pork, sausages, healthy hot dogs, pastured eggs, honey, maple syrup, jams, canned produce and more.

SGF: I can certainly vouch for the quality. Both my husband and I have both visited the farm and have purchased the dairy and meats. That raw whole milk is the BEST!

So how did the idea for the organic CSA come about?

Sand Creek: We wanted to be able to offer our Farm Members a well rounded variety of foods, and produce is part of that. Through our different associations with other farmers we have learned a great deal about having a produce “truck patch” and the importance of working together as families and friends. One of our good friends and organic produce farmers wanted to work with us on this project and so it just naturally worked out to have an organic produce CSA available to our current Farm Families and anyone else that would like to purchase good quality, nutrient dense, organic produce at a good price.

SGF: How will the CSA work (re: payments, pickups, etc)?

Sand Creek: There will but a small one-time Farm Membership fee and Annual Planting fee and then the weekly boxes will be paid for 4 weeks at a time in advance. If a person is a current Farm Member they will just add it to their regular order databases; if they are a new customer they can choose to join an already operating group where the families take turns coming to the farm or have their own paid driver, or they can choose to come to the farm on their own. There may be some other options in the future as need arises but for right now this is how we plan to provide the CSA Produce Boxes.

Members of the CSA should expect to receive a box each week for at least 30 weeks of the year for $28/box. Each box will contain 14# or more of commonly used produce. We plan to specialize in flavorful varieties of everyday favorites.

SGF: How many families can you serve?

Sand Creek: About 100 this first season but we can handle a whole lot more. We plan to have extra produce in the ground so that we can grow the size of the CSA at any time.

SGF: How can people find out more about becoming a member?

Sand Creek: They can e-mail us directly at ben@sandcreekfarm.net or visit our website, www.sandcreekfarm.net.

This is truly exciting news, but to get in on the first season, be sure to email Sand Creek Farm by January 1st and put your name on the list. I'll also have Sand Creek Farm CSA fliers at the info booth I host at the Saturday farmers' market as well as at the booths I host all over town.

A big welcome to the Sand Creek Farm CSA, a wonderful addition to our community! May the harvest be plentiful!

TAMU Press offering holiday sale on books

2009-12-09T17:31:00.002-06:00

Our local publishing house, Texas A&M University Press is offering a holiday special - 25% off books. I've done book reviews of a couple of their publications:

Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife

Growing Good Things to Eat in Texas

Both would make wonderful gifts, but are, of course, just two of many options. It's another wonderful way to shop local!

To check out all the Press has to offer, visit their website.

Food For Families Drive - 2009

2009-12-09T10:01:00.003-06:00

A yearly event, the Food for Families Food Drive was in full swing when I peddled through the line this morning. It was another chilly morning (36 degrees and 15 mph winds) when I left the house. Of course, showing up on a bike cause some talk and a few laughs on site, but hey, I figure if a girl on a bike can donate, no one else has an excuse not to participate, right?

Last year, I filled up the bike at Kroger with generic non-perishables. This year I wanted to be a bit more mindful, so I went to one of our two locally-owned grocery stores (Village Foods) and bought all organic supplies - mac&cheese, canned beans, spice packets (sloppy joes, taco, fajita, italian dressing, etc), ketchup, rice... And every last one of them organic.

Next, was the short bike ride to the Brazos Center where the collection takes place every year. The officer directing traffic into the donation areas gave me an enthusiastic wave, and asked me to pull into the first line where I filled out a card indicating what I was donating - food or money or both. I marked both.

Next, I pulled up to the guys with grocery carts who were helping to unload the cars (and now, bikes). I gave them my check and bags of groceries and I headed out. It took all of maybe 10 minutes.

Seriously, if you're local, please stop by and donate what you can. Food for Families is open until 10:30 tonight at the Brazos Center. Donate food. Donate money. Whatever you can do to help the food bank feed the hungry people of the Brazos Valley.

For more information on the Food For Families Drive, visit their website at KBTX.

Big-Box Swindle - A book review

2009-12-07T08:02:00.000-06:00

Following on the tails of my latest read, The Way We Eat: Why our Food Choices Matter, Stacy Mitchell's Big-Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America's Independent Businesses (2006), was not an intentional companion to Singer and Mason's book on food ethics, but certainly a fated one. Both published in 2006, where The Way We Eat was a primer on all that encompasses the ethics of eating, Big-Box Swindle tackles the hard-core realities of what chain stores do to our local communities and economies... and it isn't pretty.

Here are some highlights. Big-Box (aka chain) stores:

increase resource demand on local government (fire, police, utility, roads) – studies show that small, local businesses make far less demands on community infrastructure, infrastructure for which its citizens have to pay
decrease a sense of community - citizens of towns without big box stores are more active in their communities and local governments
decrease job opportunities – contrary to popular opinion, after initial jobs are gained, small businesses are forced to close their doors and in the end more jobs are lost than gained because of the efficiency of big-box stores (they can do more with less people - not to mention less skilled, lower paid people)
decrease the amount of revenue changing hands in a community - at least 3 times the amount of money stays in a community when you shop at a locally-owned store; more if you shop direct from a farmer or eat at a local restaurant
decrease product quality and push jobs overseas – the incessant demand for lower prices forces suppliers to lower their standards and move jobs overseas or else lose a significant source of income when the big-box refuses to sell from that particular supplier (keep in mind Walmart now accounts for 10% of all retail sales. That's serious power!)
increase urban sprawl leading to increased car use and pollution – big-box stores operate on the fringe of communities, unlike small local businesses which tend to be central to the community, located near homes and restaurants.
increase the tax burden on local citizens – big-box stores use their size to manipulate local governments into tax breaks which means local businesses and citizens must make up for lost revenue
decrease the quality of living – big-box jobs are lower in pay and benefits than jobs at local businesses
increase the threat to the environment – every big box stores comes with its own massive parking lot, one of the biggest sources of highly-concentrated water-way pollutants; big-boxes are famous for clear-cutting land and destroying natural habitats
decrease individuality by creating cookie-cutter communities
decreases personalized customer service – salespeople were once experts on their products and knew their customers likes and dislikes, taking the time to get to know their customers, helping best meet individual customer needs. Big-box associates are reprimanded for spending too much time with customer. Their job is to move product as quickly as possible.

Disgusted? Even knowing some of these things, I felt despondent at all the havoc these chain-stores leave in their wake, the manipulation they calculate behind doors at board meetings. And we're not just talking about Wal-Mart here (though they are the easy fall-guy), but Target, Costco, Barnes and Noble, Kroger, Bed Bath and Beyond, Home Depot, Old Navy, Best Buy, PetSmart - you get the idea - are all culprits.

Interesting to note, was that today's growing anti-chain movement is not the first. In the 20's and 30's politicians actually ran on platforms of preventing big-box expansion.

Opponents argued that chains threatened democracy by undermining local economic independence and community self-determination. As they drove out the local merchant – a “loyal and energetic type of citizen” – the chains replaced him with a manager, a “transient,” who was discouraged from independent thought and community involvement, and who served as “merely a representative of a non-resident group of stockholders who pay him according to his ability to line their pockets with silver.

Wow! Sounds familiar, doesn't it? The bottom line is we've reached that time again, where we as citizens (not consumers) need to take a stand on the future of our communities. Thankfully, the book concludes on a positive note, citing examples of successful anti-chain campaigns. There is hope. But like anything else, the first step is awareness, and that awareness is sorely lacking in the U.S. today.

Big-Box Swindle is a powerful ally in the buy-local movement and a must read for those wanting to live a life of mindful consumption. Don't set foot in another chain-store until you read this book. You (and your community) will be glad you did.

Rated: 4 out of 5 (I'd give it a 5, but it was so full of data, it was at times hard to concentrate - you have to take your time on this one)

Recommended: to anyone who wants to live a more mindful, citizen-driven (not consumer-driven) life

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

Garden therapy - A backyard garden update (December)

2009-12-06T09:26:00.003-06:00

I have some sad news... after the freeze we had on Friday night, my tomato plants totally bit the dust, kicked the can, shriveled up and died with mushy green tomatoes still on the vine. Well, poo. You can see the carnage next to the trellis in the photo. In fact, you can even see some of the greenish-brown tomatoes near the ground to the right. At least I managed to pick a dozen green tomatoes to ripen in the kitchen, before the freeze. Still, I'm morning their loss as I was SO looking forward to tomato-pesto sandwiches...

In better news, the rest of the garden seems to have survived. Sure, the red potato plants look bad - you can see what was once the plants at the front of the bed in the second photo - yeah, I know. It looks bad, but I have it on good authority that the potatoes below should be just find until we're ready to harvest them next year.

Ok, so what's going on in the rest of the garden?

Harvesting

We're currently harvesting broccoli, lettuce, snow peas, sage, radishes, and green onions.

Planting

We've added more radishes, 3 variety of lettuce, kohlrabi, and cabbage in the sections where we pulled up summer/fall crops (green peppers, green beans, and basil) in late November.

Somewhere in between

About half of the garden lies somewhere in between planting and harvesting - the kohlrabi, carrots, bulb onions, leaf lettuce, and 8 more broccoli plants are still maturing.

Plans for the Future

Actually, the only plans I have for the near future is to get more snow peas planted next to the trellis where I pulled out the dead tomato plants. And, of course, to replant any seeds that don't come up from the last planting effort.

Garden therapy continues to work its charm on me. I love witnessing the beautiful process from seed to harvest, having learned a lot in the last 14 months (was it really just 14 months ago that I planted my first bed?). The best part is that the learning process never ends as I work with the earth to provide fresh, healthy produce to share with friends and family. And who doesn't like good food?

Local diet update - December 5, 2009

2009-12-05T14:16:00.003-06:00

Despite the fact that it was 23 degrees when I arrived at the farmers' market (Yikes! That's Central Texas, remember) we still had 19 vendors setup at the market this morning. For awhile, the tables were icy and the produce was kept in the cooler - to keep it warm!

But it wasn't just an amazing showing of vendors, we had a steady stream of customers all bundled up just like we were, customers who just couldn't pass up the freshest produce in town. Although, I admit, I couldn't pass it up either! I was there with my booth, covered in knee socks, heavy clothes, wool boots, a down jacket, hat, scarf, gloves, two blankets, and never far away from my vendor-neighbor's propane heater (yes, in fact I am a wuss - I moved away for Indiana for a good reason, thank you!)

And although our holiday festivities don't officially start until next weekend, we even had a Santa mannequin singing holiday tunes. The kids got a real kick out of that!

So what was available on this blustery morning? Check it out:

Veggies and Fruits: Yellow onions, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, yellow squash, carrots, green tomatoes, green beans, cabbage, broccoli, eggplant, zucchini, bok choy, sprouts, spring mix, peanuts, a variety of hot and sweet peppers, kohlrabi, turnips, radishes, spinach, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, herbs, lemons

Baked Goods: tamales, yeast breads, sweet breads, cheese breads, cakes, pumpkin rolls, peanut brittle, cookies, pecan specialty treats

Canned Goods: jellies, jams, relishes, pickles, salsas, sweet spreads, canned veggies (tomatoes, eggplant preserves, pickled peppers)

Other Foods: pecans, eggs, olive oil, cornmeal, whole wheat flour, hot pepper sauce, locally-roasted coffees, honey, bread mix, spice mixes

Crafts: stained glass, aprons, hats, bands, wooden benches, candles, pot holders

Plants: herb plants, decorative plants, live oak trees

Of course, now that we've had our first freeze, the peppers, green beans, and yellow squash will be no more. But then, there's so much to look forward to here in winter veggies.

As for me, I had a great haul, myself, coming home with peanuts, 2 bottles of local wine (I privately bartered with a vendor for this), whole wheat flour, carrots, lemons, and onions. Actually, most of the food in the photo was either given to me or bartered for. Awesome!

The peanuts and wine have been set aside for gifts, the lemons will most likely be juiced and frozen for recipes later, but the onions and carrots are all mine - more stir fries and salads are on the menu this week when I add it to the broccoli, snow peas, lettuce, radishes, and green onions I'm harvesting out of the backyard, as well as the sweet potatoes, green peppers, soups, pasta sauces, rice, corn, and pesto that I've preserved over the last 6 months. Can you believe all that is local? Yum!

Hope you're all having a great weekend (and staying warm)!

Happy (and mindful) Eating!

Market to Table - December 03, 2009

2009-12-03T14:52:00.003-06:00

Remember all those goodies I picked up from the farmers' market last weekend? Well, check out what made it from Market to Table this week...

Polenta and Veggies in Tomato Sauce

I sauteed an onion with some chopped carrots and green pepper in olive oil until the veggies softened. Then I added chopped mustard and collard greens, as well as some garbanzo beans and tofu for a little protein. Finally, I mixed in a jar of my homemade pasta sauce and let it stay warm on the stove.

In an saucepan, I sauteed a yellow onion, some mushrooms, and garlic in a little olive oil. Then I added the entire bag of cornmeal to the pan. When I went to add the water (polenta requires 4 times the water per unit of cornmeal), I realized I didn't have enough room for all the water, so I only did a 2:1 ratio. The polenta still came out wonderfully and before enjoying, I popped it in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes so the top would get all crunchy.

Makes for a pretty dish, doesn't it? And it was ooh! so delicious! Let's see, and everything is local except for the beans, tofu, and garlic. Mmmm!

Pecan-Cranberry Salad

I hate predictable and boring salads, so I'm always looking for ways to liven it up. This salad started with lettuce from the backyard. Then I topped it with radishes, green peppers, and snow peas (also from the backyard), onions, carrots, and cranberries (from the farmers' market), pecans from one of our local pecan orchards, and garbanzo beans and tofu (not local).

Though I'd not yet added the dressing when I took the photo. The dressing is my vegan pesto vinaigrette, made with basil from my backyard and olive oil from the farmers' market.

Another gorgeous dish if I do say so myself! And one I'll be repeating now that I've eaten all of the polenta and veggie leftovers...

Steamed Veggie Medley

Last, but certainly not least, a nice simple medley of steamed veggies: green beans and broccoli from my backyard garden, and carrots and red potatoes from the farmers' market.

This has to be the easiest thing ever - just chop your veggies, steam, and add just a smidgeon of salt. Beyond that, the fresh veggies speak for themselves. I left them like this for Dave, but when I ate them myself, I mixed in some of my vegan pesto vinaigrette to give it some bite, as well as some tofu and garbanzo beans to transform it into a full meal. Yum!

Alright. Anything else you need to know about eating locally? I mean, really, this is as easy as it gets (trust me, I'm no chef) and you simply won't find better tasting food anywhere.

Happy (and mindful) Eating!

Send Diane to Copenhagen

2009-12-02T13:35:00.004-06:00

There has been a flurry of activity around the blogosphere about the upcoming talks in Copen-hagen. Apparently, the Huffington Post will be sending one person to "represent the concerns of the people around the world and report back daily as a HuffPost citizen journalist." And every one of us can vote!

The eco-blogger favorite seems to be Diane MacEachern, best-selling author of Big Green Purse, and blogger at Big Green Purse and the Green Mom's Carnival.

If you have a moment, be sure to check out Diane's entry and vote to send her to Copenhagen.

Pedal Power Update - December 2009

2009-12-02T13:09:00.003-06:00

Today seems like a really good day to post about the last month's pedal power. You see, it's in the 40's here in Central Texas, with wind gusts of up to 30 miles per hour, and YES, I spent 2 hours this morning on my bike to get our household errands run. Needless to say, by the time I made it home (traveling north from my last stop, aka against the wind) my legs felt like jello. Two hours later, I'm not quite sure I'm fully recouped, but all the more reason to sit on the couch and type, right?

For most of the last month, the weather has been gorgeous (mid-60's) and perfect for biking. Gone are the days when a 20 mile ride was a novelty. Now, I go out of my way to add the extra miles onto a tour around town (almost always an effort to complete errands). I've also noticed that rather than biking on some of the larger roads where I can get to and from home much faster (but where I also tend to get yelled at from drivers), I've been taking longer, meandering rides through neighborhoods for a more relaxing (and abuse-free) ride. Let's just say, I'm loving it!

Of course, it's December now, and even Texas has gotten blustery. But to be honest, it's not the cold that gets to me (with layers on, I usually end up sweaty even on the coldest winter days). No, it's the wind that bites - though granted, I don't normally bike in 30 mph winds. The good news, though, is I didn't have to worry that my tofu would go bad on the long, grueling ride from the local natural food store to home (again, almost completely against the wind). I mean, it's perfect refrigerator weather outside, so my tofu stayed nice and cool. Hey, I can always find something to be thankful about.

Oh, just one more thing. Obviously I'm getting stronger because those 30 mph winds I mentioned didn't knock me on my butt. Yeah for pedal power!

P.S. Don't you just love the toilet paper bungee-corded on the back of the bike?

Simple Living Network News - Holiday Edition

2009-12-01T17:09:00.002-06:00

One of my all-time favorite e-news letters, from the Simple Living Network, has just released it's November/December 2009 (aka Holiday) Edition.

They have great tips on simplifying the holiday and, of course, fabulous articles on simplifying every other aspect of our lives as well. Note, in this edition, they also plug the new No Impact Man book by my personal eco-hero, Colin Beavan.

Check it out!

Farmers' Market Holiday Celebration

2009-12-01T14:00:00.005-06:00

A little something for you locals to put on your calendar...

Brazos Valley Farmers' Market Holiday Celebration

Saturday, Dec 12th and 19 (8am-12pm)
Brazos County Health Dept parking lot (Wm J. Bryan and Texas Ave)

Celebrate the holidays with the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market. Included in the morning's festivities will be caroling, treats for the kids from Santa himself (9:30-11:00), and raffles for great farmers' market products to benefit the Brazos Valley Food Bank.

P.S. I'm looking for local groups who would like to spend an hour caroling at the market that morning. If you're interested, just let me know.

Food Ethics - Overeating

2009-11-30T12:21:00.002-06:00

I read a wonderfully thought-provoking book last week - The Way We Eat: Why our Food Choices Matter (review here). It really challenged a lot of the ideas I had about food, despite all the studying I've done on the topic for the last 2 years. And ever since, there have been a couple things heavy on my mind. I'll just touch on one of them today: The ethics of overeating.

The bulk of the book's contents covered ethics regarding how food is produced, it's effects on animals, humans, and the environment. But at the end, the authors touched briefly on our attitudes as we are actually consuming it - the ethics of obesity/overeating.

As an environmentalist and an advocate of voluntary simplicity, I spend a considerable amount of effort minimizing waste, consuming only what I need because I think it's unethical to waste resources just because we can. So when the book presented me with this question: is eating too much unethical?, I really took it to heart.

From an evolutionary perspective, we are wired to eat whatever we can get our hands on, for fear the next meal might be hard to come by. Even in our more recent past, gluttony was considered one of the seven deadly sins. But in modern times (particularly in the US with the food system we have set up), do we even think about it?

From a personal perspective, I often find myself overeating, then getting in some extra work-out time to burn the extra calories off. We all do it, right? But the question is, when we really start to think about it, is that attitude unethical as it relates to wastefulness?

It's a tough question, and if you were within range, you could probably smell the smoke from all the gears turning in my head. What do you think? Is obesity/overeating unethical?

P.S. Keep in mind this is regarding people who have a choice in the matter, not those for whom obesity/overeating is the result of a medical condition...

Local diet update - November 29, 2009

2009-11-29T08:59:00.001-06:00

It was a gorgeous day for the farmers' market yesterday and despite the holiday weekend, we had an amazing showing of vendors - 17 maybe? I kept loosing track when I tried to count...

Of course, that also meant a wonderful harvest of fresh fruits and veggies, eggs, baked goods, plants and crafts. Well, let's get right to it. Available at this week's Brazos Valley Farmers' Market were:

Veggies and Fruits: Yellow onions, green onions, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, yellow squash, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, wax beans, peanuts, a variety of hot and sweet peppers, cucumber, kohlrabi, turnips, radishes, spinach, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, swiss chard, chinese cabbage, iceberg lettuce pumpkin, okra, patty pan squash, turbin squash, herbs, lemons, dried apples, dried cranberries

Baked Goods: tamales, yeast breads, sweet breads, cheese breads, dinner rolls, cakes, pies, pralines, pecan specialty treats

Canned Goods: jellies, jams, relishes, pickles, salsas, canned veggies (tomatoes, eggplant preserves, pickled peppers)

Other Foods: pecans, eggs, olive oil, cornmeal, whole wheat flour, hot pepper sauce

Crafts: stained glass, gourds, aprons, hats, scarves, bird houses, soaps, perfumes, massage oils, ornaments, candles, jewelry, pot holders

Plants: herb plants, decorative plants, live oak trees

Not bad, eh?

Of course, I brought home my own little mini-harvest. A few things I purchased, the rest was bartered for or given to me. Check this out... 1/2 dozen eggs, cornmeal, dried cranberries, onions, lemons, red potatoes, collard greens, and mustard greens. Is there any wonder what's on my menu this week? Stir fry!

Of course, I have all those green peppers I harvested yesterday, sweet potatoes stocked in the hall closet, veggies being harvested from the backyard (green onions, sage, broccoli, radishes, kohlrabi, and lettuce), pecans in the freezer, and plenty of goodies like rice, home-canned soups and pasta sauce in the pantry. And the best part is... EVERY last bit of it is local!

I've picked up a few non-local things at our locally-owned natural food store to round out my diet - beans, tofu, and some fruit. But that's it. Everything else is local and there doesn't seem to be any end in sight. The land here in Central Texas just keeps on giving. And, we'll keep right on eating!

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

Prepping for Frost - 2009

2009-11-28T16:43:00.003-06:00

Well, it's finally that time of year - the time when at long last, Central Texas has to actually deal with the possibility of frost. Believe it or not, until today, I still had green beans, green peppers, and basil growing in the yard. All three were ripped out today to make way for another round of winter planting. You can see the green bean and green pepper plants made a nice addition to my compost pile.

Of course, I harvested every last nibble from all the plants. The basil became vegan pesto and is tucked away in the freezer. The green beans were picked and refrigerated, ready to be steamed perhaps later this weekend. The green peppers, well. There were 144 of them. Yeah. Not all of them were large - in fact, most were on the medium to small side, but since they were just going to end up in the compost bin, we harvested them all. Most ended up in one of three gallon-size freezer bags (washed, cored, and halved) to be stored until I need them for soups or stir fries later in the winter. And another half-gallon were prepped and are sitting in the fridge for me to use next week. Pshew. I've finally seen the last this of year's peppers.

We still have 6 tomato plants in the yard, but seeing that all the tomatoes are still green and we haven't harvested a single fruit from it, we're going to cover them on the colder nights to make them last as long as we can. Come on 'maters. Ripen, will ya?

Needless to say, with an extra 53 square feet of growing space cleared (and rain coming in with the cool front tomorrow), I went ahead and replanted the areas we harvested and hoed with another round of lettuces (3 varieties), cabbage, and radishes.

So, the garden is planted and the harvest has been stored. Bring on old man winter. We're ready!

The Way We Eat - a book review

2009-11-27T20:17:00.000-06:00

There's just no beating around the bush with this one. The Way We Eat: Why our Food Choices Matter (2006) by Peter Singer an Jim Mason is an intensive look at the ethics of eating, something that seems almost lost in our modern Western culture, but that is gaining ground once again.

Singer and Mason explore every last nook and cranny of our food system from factory farming to the organics and local food movements, to vegetarian and vegan lifestyles, even into dumpster diving and obesity - all far deeper than even Pollan dares to tread. Because contrary to what we'd love to believe about food, it's not just about what we do to our own bodies. Our food choices affect the rest of the world around us, far beyond what we could ever imagine.

The authors have done extensive research, but the best part is that they come at each ethical question as a non-believer, asking tough questions; but more importantly, demanding that you take the information, analyze it, and decide for yourself where your ethical lines are drawn.

When we buy food we are taking part in a vast global industry. Americans spend more than a trillion dollars on food every year. That's more than double what they spend on motor vehicles, and also more than double what the government spends on defense. We are all consumers of food, and we are all affected by some degree by the pollution that the food industry produces. In addition to its impact on over six billion humans, the food industry also directly affects more than fifty billion nonhuman land animals a year. For many of them it controls almost every aspect of their lives... Through the chemicals and hormones it puts into the rivers and seas and the spread of diseases like avian influenza, agriculture indirectly affects all living creatures. All of this happens because of our choices about what we eat. We can make better choices. [emphasis mine]

Whether you're a meat eater, a devoted organic foodie, a locavore, a vegetarian/vegan, or simply a conscientious consumer, this book will challenge what you believe about food. Put plainly, this is not an easy book to read. There were times I felt sick about the treatment of animals and farm workers; there were times I felt defensive, particularly of the local food movement; and at other times, to be honest, I felt the need to reform some of my views on ethical food choices.

Again, it's not a quick and easy read, but it's a must read for anyone looking to live a more mindful life.

Rated: 5 out of 5 stars

Recommended: Do you eat? You need to read this book!

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

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society - A special Thanksgiving book review

2009-11-26T07:29:00.001-06:00

This book, far different from those I typically review for their Simple-Green-Frugal-ness, just had to be shared. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows - the book with the silly name, yet one of the most beautiful books I've ever read.

A story entirely told in letters, I was immediately swept away to Guernsey Island, nestled neatly between France and England where a small group of islanders discover a passion for books and an even greater compassion for each other as they struggle to survive the German invasion in WWII.

What struck me most was two-fold. First, no one writes beautiful letters like these anymore. We've become far too dependent on the backspace-key, much in contrast to letters that bare our most intimate thoughts, shared in pen that cannot be taken back.

Second, that we indeed can find the greatest beauty even amongst the ruins. Despite unimaginable circumstances (famine, death, and destruction), we each have the opportunity to embrace life, be at peace, and find our salvation in caring and being cared for.

I often imagined, as I read, what it would be like to live in Guernsey, to suffer these characters pains, to share their deep friendships. And I found myself longing to take part in the hunger, the loss, if only to be connected. It shocked me. How lucky are we for whom life is not so dire, yet we fail to grasp our great fortune. The truth, however, is that we need not visit Guernsey to find pain and suffering. We need not travel to discover the blessings in the gathering of loved ones. We need only to awaken. Gurnsey Island is here, now. May we discover the beautiful story in the simplicity our own daily lives.

Having finished this book on Thanksgiving-eve, I'd like to give thanks - for my health problems, for they have humbled me; for my family, who've given me great comfort; and for dear friends, who share their lives with me, their love of books, and their passion for living. You each know who you are.

And to everyone, a very Happy Thanksgiving.

P.S. Be sure to check this out from your library as soon as it opens tomorrow...

Prepping for turkey day

2009-11-25T12:01:00.004-06:00

I haven't been posting much this week because I've been CRAZY busy with holiday plans. We're leaving for our Christmas vacation in 3 weeks (more on that soon) and driving thousands of miles always includes a bazillion preparations. More pressing, of course, is Thanksgiving preparations. My poor kitchen is such a mess...

Thanksgiving for us this year will be a small gathering here in town of my grandparents (91 and 89), my dad and his wife, and Dave and I. In an effort to keep my 89 year-old grandma out of the kitchen, I've been cooking, baking, and mixing up my share of the feast. Here's what we're contributing:

Whole Wheat and White Yogurt Rolls - The whole wheat rolls have local wheat and local honey. The yogurt rolls (Dave's absolute favorite) just has local honey. Both batches were made from scratch.

Sweet Potato Pie - With all those sweet potatoes hanging out in the hall closet, there was no question about this year's dessert. The sweet potatoes came from my very own back yard. The crust and pie are both from scratch, and those are local pecans I'm using for decoration.

Salad and Dressings - I'll put the salad together tomorrow with leaf lettuce and radishes from our backyard; carrots, onions, and dried cranberries from the farmers' market; pecans from the local orchard; as well as mushrooms from Madisonville (about 40 miles away). The dressings I was able to put together today. One is a basic vinaigrette - 1 c. olive oil, 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar, and 1 tbs dijon mustard (olive oil from the farmers' market), the second a pesto vinaigrette (made with basil from the backyard and olive oil from the farmers' market).

My dad will provide the rest of the feast and knowing my family, a feast it will be! I'll be sure to take lots of photos. What local foods are you including in your feast?

Oh, and Happy Turkey Day!

Special showing of Food Inc

2009-11-24T15:08:00.005-06:00

Check it out! The TAMU Department of Multicultural Services is hosting a special showing of Food Inc. next Friday, December 4th.

Food Inc. delves deep into the state of our current food infrastructure showing us what it is and what it can be. Local food advocate Michael Pollan (Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food) and sustainable farm hero Joan Salatin (Polyface Farm) are both featured in this eye-opening and unforgettable documentary. If you've not had the opportunity to see it and you like to eat (who doesn't?), this is a must-see.

Here's the scoop:

What: Screening of Food Inc

When: Friday, December 4, 2009 (11:30-1:00)

Where: Koldus 227 (TAMU Campus)

RSVP to Diane Kraft at 979-862-2000 or dkraft@tamu.edu

Local diet update - November 21, 2009

2009-11-21T18:26:00.003-06:00

As of yesterday, the Saturday forecast was clear, but when I woke up to the sound of rain, I was a little worried about today's scheduled Thanksgiving celebration at the farmers' market. The plan was we'd have our booths decorated, a live turkey for the kids to see, and a local spinner demonstrating wool and angora on her spinning wheel. The word had been spread around town and well, everyone was excited.

Needless to say, the rain immediately meant our spinner would need to cancel (but never fear, we've already rescheduled for Saturday, December 5). Everything else, went as close to plan as possible. I arrived at the market to find a couple of the vendors dressed up, one as a pilgrim, the other as an indian; booths were decorated (but how much do you really need to decorate when you're entire purpose is to display a beautiful harvest?...); and the live turkey was strutting his stuff in the back of a truck encouraging everyone to "eat more chikin".

Here's the best part, despite the rain, we had 17 vendors at the market - basically, our normal-size market for this time of year. That's awesome! That's commitment!

Granted, the flow of customers started out pretty slow, but eventually picked up as the rain tapered off after 10:00. As for me? Well, my entire booth consists of maybe 90% paper products (fliers and our new 2010 farmers' market calendars. But even I adapted to the weather. As you can see, I just cleared out the back of the Prius and set up shop in the hatchback. Hey, whatever works, right?

As for harvest? You can't get any better than this. Check it out:

Veggies and Fruits: Yellow onions, green onions, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, yellow squash, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, wax beans, peanuts, a variety of hot and sweet peppers, eggplant, cucumber, zucchini, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, turnips, radishes, spinach, leaf lettuce, spring mix, mustard greens, collard greens, beet greens, turnip greens, arugula, broccoli rabe, kale, swiss chard, chinese cabbage, iceberg lettuce pumpkin, okra, snow peas, patty pan squash, sprouts, herbs, lemons, dried apples, dried cranberries

Baked Goods: kolaches, yeast breads, sweet breads, cheese breads, pumpkin rolls, pecan bars, cheesecake bars, cookies, cornbread, carrot cake, peanut brittle, pound cake, pies, bagel bites, croutons, dog cookies

Meat: beef and veal

Canned Goods: jellies, jams, relishes, pickles, salsas

Other Foods: pecans, eggs, olive oil, cornmeal, whole wheat flour, locally roasted coffees, hot pepper sauce

Crafts: stained glass, gourds, wallets, purses, aprons,

Plants: herb plants, decorative plants

It has to be one of the most impressive displays I've seen, rain or no rain. And I came home with a beautiful haul myself, thanks to some very generous vendors, with all but a few of the following given to me: lettuce, spinach, whole wheat flour, yellow onions, lemons, a carrot, a winter squash, green beans, grape jelly, parsley, rosemary, chives, cucumber, and dried cranberries.

All I know is that with all this wonderful food, plus the green beans, sage, basil, lettuce, green peppers, and green onions we're harvesting out of our own backyard, we're going to be eating well again this week. Plus, I now have everything I need for Thanksgiving - I'll be bringing homemade rolls (wheat and honey are local), sweet potato pie (potatoes from our garden), and salad (backyard and farmers' market) to Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma's.

We definitely have a lot to be thankful for - wonderful friends at the market, an amazing harvest of fresh, whole foods (some of it from our own backyard) and a loving family to share it with. But then, that's what eating local is about all year long!

Market to Table - Playing with Pesto

2009-11-19T09:46:00.002-06:00

My absolute favorite way to eat pesto is to slice open one of my homemade whole-wheat rolls, slather it with pesto, and top it with a nice thick slice of homemade tomato. Mmm. Honestly. It's heaven on a roll!

But my backyard tomatoes have not yet ripened, so with two gorgeous jars of homemade pesto given to my by a wonderful friend, I decided to do a little experimenting and see what else I could come up with. Let's see...

Salad Dressing

With about half a dozen heads of leaf lettuce needing to be harvested from the backyard garden, this week needed to include some serious salads and pesto sounded like a wonderful ingredient for a dressing. After a quick search on-line, I found two recipes that looked wonderful:

For the first, I used a lemon and some olive oil from the farmers' market. For the second, I used store bought balsamic vinaigrette and dijon mustard. The pesto and lemon dressing was tangy, but good. The pesto vinaigrette, however, was an absolute favorite!

The salad itself contained leaf lettuce (backyard garden), green peppers (backyard garden), carrots (farmers' market), mushrooms (grown 40 miles from home), dried cranberries (farmers' market), and pecans (TAMU pecan orchard). The photo here was the salad that used the pesto vinaigrette. Mmmm!

Pesto Potatoes

More leftovers: I had some boiled red potatoes (farmers' market) and steamed green beans (backyard garden) in the fridge leftover from last week. Sunday night, Dave and I decided to put together a simple dinner of both with a small side salad. Before heating up my plate of potatoes and green beans, I sliced the boiled potatoes into quarters and drizzled just a little pesto over top. Yep. Pesto and potatoes go together quite nicely!

Pesto dip and Crackers

The friend who gave me the pesto said one of his favorite ways to enjoy it was on crackers. I happened to think that was an excellent idea. So I whipped up a batch of my homemade whole wheat crackers (honey and whole wheat are local) and used the pesto as a dip. What a great snack! But it also sounds really good as a side next to a bowl of my homemade italian soup...

Of course, there's always pesto pizza and pesto on just about any kind of noodle (or spaghetti squash). Even after all this fun, I still have a full jar of pesto left. I'll keep nibbling on salads with my leftover pesto salad dressings awaiting the day when my tomatoes have ripened. That last jar is destined for tomato sandwiches, my little heaven on a roll.

In the meantime, what other ways have you used pesto in recipes?

Shop your farmers' market for a healthy local economy

2009-11-17T15:56:00.005-06:00

In the past, I've quoted research studies that have shown the following:

When you shop at a big-box store, $14 out of $100 stays in the community.

When you shop at a locally-owned store, $45 out of $100 stays in the community.

That's wonderful, right? Three times the money stays in our communities. But it gets better.

It wasn't until today that I found the stats for what is returned to the community when you buy direct from the farmer.

Get this.

When you buy direct from your farmer, $62 out of $100 stays in the community!

That's 4.5 times that of buying at a big box store and 1.4 times that of buying at a locally owned store.

Want a healthy local economy? Buy locally (and direct from the farmer as often as you can)!

A big THANKS to Crunchy Chicken who posted the stat on her website. I was able to contact the Eat Local for Thanksgiving campaign contact for a copy of the full report. Check it out here.

Go local!

Local News - Time Running Out on Water Supply?

2009-11-16T13:24:00.003-06:00

Our local TV station, KBTX, just posted a story about the increase in Texas population vs the decreasing water supply. Looks like the state government will be working towards an educational campaign to raise awareness, which is definitely a good idea considering a good part of the population thinks "water shortage" is an invention of a bunch of crazy liberals (this area is predominantly politically conservative).

I'm looking forward to reading the comments on this article as well as doing what I can to help spread the message.

In the meantime, I've posted a number of times about reducing our water consumption. Check out the KBTX article here, and my water conservation posts here.

Have a great Monday!

Empty Bowls Fundraiser - 2009

2009-11-15T10:18:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was the 2009 Empty Bowls Fundraiser to raise awareness about hunger in the Brazos Valley as well as support the Brazos Valley Food Bank. I donated some of my homemade whole wheat rolls for the event and rushed right over to join the festivities as soon as the farmers' market closed.

Lois Vaughn, one of the market vendors joined me for lunch, we met many other friends there, and made a few new ones as well. Here's how it worked:

Donate $15 or more to the Brazos Valley Food Bank
Select one of the many ceramic bowls made by local artisans all over the brazos valley (this is your keepsake for the event)
Savor a simple lunch of homemade soups and breads (there were 2 vegan options!!!)
Enjoy the company of others, as well as live music by Joey McGee, as you dine

This has been the first time in the four years of Empty Bowls that I've been able to attend the event. This year, I just MADE time and it was SO worth it! Let's just say, I'll be attending every year in the future. But then, how can you pass this up? There's GREAT food, wonderful company, and beautiful music... all for a wonderful cause!

Thanks to the artisan who crafted and donated my beautiful bowl and thanks to Greta Watkins for organizing and hosting the events. You can count on me for bread again next year!

Local Diet Update - November 14, 2009

2009-11-14T14:52:00.003-06:00

Today could not been a more gorgeous day, and, in fact, it was a PERFECT day for our farmers' market! Vendors lined the parking lot, customers came out in droves, and the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market unveiled the 2010 Farmers' Market Calendar. The Calendar was a HUGE hit - we sold almost 1/3 of the ones we printed (AWESOME!)

Speaking of huge, can you believe the size of that carrot? Lois Vaughn is famous at the market for her carrots, but geez louise! THAT's a carrot!

Of course, we had lots more than carrots at the market this morning. In fact, this is a wonderful time of year with summer veggies slowly wrapping up and winter veggies just entering the market. Check this out:

Veggies and Fruits: Yellow onions, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, yellow squash, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, wax beans, peanuts, hot and sweet peppers, eggplant, cucumber, zucchini, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, turnips, spinach, okra, snow peas, patty pan squash, collards, kale, swiss chard, herbs, lemons, dried apples, dried cranberries

Baked Goods: yeast breads, sweet breads, cheese breads, pumpkin rolls, cookies, carrot cake, peanut brittle, dog cookies, pound cake, pies

Canned Goods: jellies, jams, relishes, pickles, salsas

Other Foods: pecans, eggs, honey, olive oil, grits, cornmeal, whole wheat flour, locally roasted coffees, hot pepper sauce

Crafts: stained glass, gourds, aprons, hats/scarves, wooden bird houses, jewelry, pillows, dolls, wallets, purses, cloth-covered books, pot holders, christmas tree ornaments, candles, decorative welded iron work

Plants: herb plants, fruit trees (including an avocado tree), decorative plants

I don't know about you, but I'm thinking "wow!" is a bit of an understatement!

Honestly, I don't know how I got out of there without buying one of everything, but with a backyard harvest of sweet potatoes, green beans, sage, basil, green onions, green peppers, broccoli, and lettuce from our own backyard, a pantry full of all-local, home canned goodies as well as local brown rice, plus some Texas grapefruit in the fridge - well, we really didn't need much.

I picked up (whether bartered for, bought, or was given...) whole wheat flour, carrots, red potatoes, lemons, dried cranberries, and two jars of pesto (the pesto was a birthday present from my friend Mike - Thanks Mike!).

All I know is that it's going to be another delicious week. Anyone hungry? We have plenty to share!

Have a great weekend everyone, and Happy (and mindful) eating!

Empty Bowls Fundraiser this weekend

2009-11-12T12:39:00.004-06:00

I'll be attending the 2009 Empty Bowls fundraiser this weekend at the Frame Gallery in downtown Bryan to help raise money for the Brazos Valley Food Bank.

Here's the scoop from organizer Greta Watkins!

When: Saturday, November 14th (11AM - 3PM)

Where: The Frame Gallery (216 North Bryan Avenue in downtown Bryan)

Help us raise money for the Brazos Valley Food Bank! www.brazosfoodbank.org

In return for a donation of at least $15:
You may choose one of the ceramic bowls created by local potters and artists
Be served a simple meal of soup, bread and water
Keep the bowl as a lasting reminder of the ongoing problem of hunger throughout the Brazos Valley.
This year's event will be our 4th! The idea for the event started in Michigan in 1990 by a high school art teacher. Empty Bowl events have taken place all over the country since then. More info: www.emptybowls.net

Many individual potters and artists as well as Joy Pottery, Mudcreek Pottery, U Paint It, Living Water Pottery and Blinn College Fine Arts Department (Bryan) created bowls for this event.

Soup and bread will be donated by Square One Bistro, Village Cafe, Must Be Heaven, Casa Rodriguez and others as well by individuals.

I'll be there as soon as I wrap up at the farmers' market. Hope to see you there!

Brazos Locavores- December Field Trip Announcement

2009-11-11T12:36:00.003-06:00

The Brazos Locavores have linked up with the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market's newest vendor - Wild Type Ranch - who made their debut at the market during our October 31 Halloween Celebration.

Wild Type Ranch produces sustainably-raised beef and veal in Cameron, TX, about an hour north of Bryan and distributes throughout Central Texas through a variety of farmers' markets and subscriptions to various drop-off locations.

Founded in 2005, Wild Type Ranch is composed of an amazing 333 acres, but what they pride themselves on is quality. "The founding principle of Wild Type Ranch is respect for all life. We believe in responsible stewardship of the animals, the land, and the world which sustains us."

The grand tour will include a wagon ride through the pasture, views of newborn calves (due in the weeks before our trip), the opportunity to hand feed "cow candy" to some of the pasture residents, a presentation on breeding and maintaining healthy cows, then back to the workshop for questions and refreshments (including sample of their beef products, hot off the fire).

NOTE to VEG*Ns: Even if you're not a meat eater (I'm not either), this is a great opportunity to enjoy fresh air, a wagon ride through the country, and the magic of newborns (again, some of the momma cows are due to give birth in the weeks before our arrival...)

Excited? Here's the scoop:

Who: Everyone! The trip (as always) is free and don't forget to bring the kids!

What: December Field trip to Wild Type Ranch

When: Sunday, December 13 (1PM - 5PM)

Where: Meet-up at Brazos Natural Foods and carpool out to the farm

RSVP: to Heather at brazoslocavores@gmail.com by Wednesday, December 9th so that I can print enough driving directions and alert the farm to the number of visitors.

For more information on the farm, visit their website. See you there!

Culinary Indecision

2009-11-11T12:09:00.003-06:00

Time for lunch... if the photo here looks a little odd, it's because I couldn't quite figure out what I wanted for lunch. In the end, a little bit of everything got tossed in...

sweet potato (backyard garden)
green onions (backyard garden)
green peppers (backyard garden)
mushrooms (grown 40 miles away)
leftover corn in the fridge (farmers' market, then I canned it over the summer)
leftover brown rice in the fridge (grown 100 miles away)
leftover steamed green beans (backyard garden)
peanut (not local, but I don't know - it sounded good)

The fresh veggies were sauteed in a little olive oil (farmers' market) and salt before I tossed in the already cooked leftovers to heat through. I obviously didn't have a theme (for goodness sake, I couldn't even decide on a starch so I did BOTH rice and potatoes), but I have to say, it totally worked.

Excuse me while I finish gobbling it up...

Resale Heaven - Shopping SGF Style

2009-11-10T12:10:00.003-06:00

Fellow SGF-ers I have shopped. It has been 16 months since my last clothing purchase...

Until I actually looked at the blog archives, I had no idea it had been that long. But I'm not one for clothes shopping as

I don't like spending money,
Buying food is WAY more fun than buying clothes
I have a tendency to get frustrated when nothing fits quite right - of course, part of this may be that I shop second hand so it's a bit of an treasure hunt to find what you're looking for ...

But as I've been biking more and more, including to places where at the end of the bike ride I need to look decent enough to do a presentation on local food, I've been in need of finding some clothes (particularly pants) that look good and are bike worthy.

Jackpot (you may need to click on the photo to get a better view)!

My first stop was the Hospice Thrift Shop where I found

That gorgeous red sweater ($6), and
The 3/4 sleeve blouse ($3)

They don't just have great clothes, though, they have a little bit of everything. It was a great store, so if you're local be sure to check it out, not to mention it's in support of a great charity!

My next stop was to Resale Trends, another used clothing store not far from the Hospice Thrift Shop. The owner is a really nice lady from Denmark. She noticed I was wearing a bike helmet and she was telling me all about biking in Denmark. Soon we were talking about recycling, enjoying good food, and I (of course) invited her to the farmers' market on Saturday (always the local food salesman...)

Anyway, back to clothes. I really hit the jackpot here! I found

A pair of long kaki pants that roll up and button into capris ($5.50) and PERFECT for biking
A pair of tan capris ($4) - also PERFECT for biking
A denim sleeveless blouse ($5) - looked good with the pants....?

Both pants fit like they were made for me and because they're capri style, they won't get tied up or greased up in my bike chain, AND I'll still look good (ok, decent - there's not much I can do about helmet head) when I get where I'm going.

What an awesome and hugely successful trip and all for about $25. Cha-ching!

Enjoying the Harvest

2009-11-09T10:52:00.004-06:00

I'm feeling a little under the weather this morning, so other than a quick bike ride to the library downtown, I'm sticking close to home for some much needed rest.

I did manage to harvest an amazing amount of produce from the backyard over the last few days (most of it this morning). I brought in 7 cups of basil (which was quickly turned into pesto and is now tucked into the freezer) over the weekend. And this morning? Check this out...

This first photo (though it's hard to gage depth) is a total of 47 green peppers. Yikes! Even I can't eat 47 green peppers before more are ready to be harvested (I probably have another 50-75 that aren't quite large enough to harvest), plus, I already had about a dozen in the fridge that I harvested over the weekend. Needless to say, I had to do something.

About 30 of them were sliced in half, cored, and tucked into ziplock bags to freeze until I need them for soups or stir-fries long after the plants have been composted. The rest are tucked in the fridge for meals this week and for anyone who happens to stop by for some (I've already called my Dad and let him know there are plenty peppers for the taking).

Then there are the green beans. I don't know if you can tell how many are in the photo. It's about a pound (maybe a little more), and I'm harvesting that many every 2 days. That's not true. I'm harvesting slightly more than what's in the photo. Some of them don't quite make it to the house. What can I say? I LOVE fresh green beans!

Last, but certainly not least, I harvested several handfuls of sage. Now that the weather is cooling down, I'm drinking multiple cups of hot sage tea every day and this will keep me in hot tea for the better part of two weeks (maybe...).

Mmmm. There's nothing like hot tea and a good book, especially when you're not feeling so well. Guess what I'll be doing today...

Have a great week everyone!

Local Diet Update - November 8, 2009

2009-11-08T07:45:00.000-06:00

I totally skipped the farmers' market yesterday morning, but I had a good excuse... the Brazos Locavores November field trip to the TAMU Pecan Orchard (more about that here). That doesn't mean we're low on local foods this week, though. Far from it!

I'm harvesting about 1-1/2 pounds of green beans a week, about 2 dozen green and red bell peppers, green onions, sage, basil, lettuce, and then of course I have a hall closet full of sweet potatoes that were harvested in October.

As if that wasn't enough... I have brown rice, soup, pasta sauce, corn, honey, and wheat flour in the pantry (all of it local); local eggs, carrots, red potatoes, mushrooms, pears, and grapefruit in the fridge; and now, thanks to the trip to the pecan orchard yesterday, 9 pounds of fresh (harvested last week) pecans in the freezer.

Yeah, I'm thinking one week away from the market won't starve us, but I did miss visiting with all the market vendors...

So, what's on the menu this week? I'm thinking lots of fruit and nuts for breakfast, sweet potato stir fry for lunch, and rice and veggies for dinner. It's November, but eating local here in Central Texas is still easy-cheesy! Gotta love it!

Brazos Locavores - Visit to the TAMU Pecan Orchard

2009-11-07T17:00:00.007-06:00

Since the moment I took over coordinating events for the Brazos Locavores last December, I've had my little heart set on visiting the Texas A&M University Pecan Orchard during harvest (Nov-Dec here in Central Texas).

Today, after 2 years of buying my local pecans through the Horticulture Department, my pecan dreams came true. The Locavores visited the orchard itself and it was an absolutely incredible trip. Leo Lombardini, Assistant Professor of Horticulture Sciences at TAMU, pecan physiologist, and overseer of the orchard gave us a 1-1/2 hour tour and presentation on the ins and out of pecans - from planting to harvest. And it couldn't have been more fascinating.

The amazing thing is that the orchard receives no monetary support from the University. All the work is done from money earned from sales of pecans, and most recently, from a generous Houstonian who has donated 50,000 a year for 3 years to help fund the expansion and research for the orchard. Funds that have helped them plant 400 new trees!

The orchard hosts more than 30 different varieties of pecans, but they harvest for sale mostly Pawnee, Desirables, and Stuarts. Research continues, however, into new varieties, searching for perfect nut size and disease resistance. Lombardini shared with us one of the orchard's ongoing research projects into root growth, as they take underground photos of root development to determine when roots become active and what is the best time to fertilize. Just across the street is the USDA hosting one of only two pecan breeding programs in the world and some of the varieties come from this very orchard!

Of course, at the end of the field trip, we had an opportunity to sample fresh pecans. In fact, they were some of the more than 5,000 pounds harvested just last week. Now THAT's fresh! Harvesting isn't over, however. The Pawnees and Desirables have been harvested, but the Stuarts will be ready in December.

I picked up 9 pounds all by myself (much to the amazement of pretty much everyone else), stocking up so that I'd have a great source of locally grown protein for months to come. But it's certainly not too late to get your share of the local pecans. The TAMU Horticulture club sells them in the Horticulture Building (west campus) every Friday afternoon until they run out (mid December?).

Thanks to everyone who came today and a special thanks to Claire, Britteny, Kelsey, Courtney, and Tyra (TAMU Commun-ications Students) who volunteered to coordinate the November event.

For more information on the Brazos Locavores, visit our website or for field trip announcement right in your inbox, subscribe to our Google Group.

Hope to see you at the next field trip!

Food Matters - A book review

2009-11-06T07:42:00.007-06:00

When a friend mentioned that Mark Bittman's new book had made it to our local library stacks, I immediately added my name to the queue. Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating is an easy-to-read, well-written guide to eating for the benefit of our health AND the environment; far from mutually exclusive, he argues.

Bittman's writing style reminds me of what would happen if food advocates Michael Pollan and Marion Nestle got together to write a book. Food Matters presents eating in a way we can all understand: more plants, fewer animals, and as little highly processed food as possible, combined with advice on navigating your market in spite of confusing health claims on food packaging. Sounds easy, so what's the catch?

Absolutely nothing! Bittman explains this "diet" is meant to be long-term; one that relies on common sense, not confusing (and often conflicting) scientific studies or national food guide pyramids designed to make "Big Food" industries fat and happy. Best of all, Bittman gives you his own story, only to tell you to do what works for you. There's no one, single way about it.

The key is to exercise what he calls "Sane Eating." Eat lots of plant-based foods - LOTS. But most importantly, enjoy food! Don't eliminate anything entirely. For instance, have some cake - just limit it to rare occasions or have a much smaller piece.

This is not about deprevation or ironclad rules, but about being sensible.

In the end, not only is this better for our health, but it's better for our pocketbooks and the environment too! In other words, eat as though "food matters" - because we have an amazing amount of power as individuals over our health and even global warming. In fact, studies show our food choices make more of an impact than our driving choices.

[E]ach time you make a decision to support an alternative to the industrial meat complex, you're rejecting that type of agriculture in favor of something far better for the planet, and for you.

After explaining the whys and hows of "eating as though food matters," Bittman offers us Part II, which includes tips on saving time in the kitchen, tips on eating out, a list of items to keep stocked in your pantry, examples of dynamic meal plans, and recipes that range from simple dishes and snacks to more elaborate (though easy to fix) meals.

And to further whet your appetite, here are a couple of the recipes I'll be trying:

Nut-Wich: Lightly mash something delicious, smear it on toasted bread, then sprinkle chopped nuts on it. Some excellent combos: banana, honey, and almonds; avocado and peanuts... (page 198)

Vegetable Spread: Baba ghanoush, the classic middle-eastern eggplant dip, is the model for this dish. However, I've turned the procedure into a master recipe that applies to nearly any vegetable... (page 222)

Convinced? Check out Mark Bittman's Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating today and discover the ease of eating for two: you and Mother Earth.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Recommended: for newbies to the sustainable food realm or those wanting to be re-inspired

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

No where to go and all day to get there*

2009-11-05T12:46:00.004-06:00

Having finished most of my errands and housework earlier this week, I had only a few things to take care of this morning...

lift weights - check
weed front flower bed - check
pick up fliers at the printer - check

That left me the rest of the day with "no where to go and all day to get there," so I hopped on my bike for an adventure.

Instead of heading into town, which is my normal routine, I headed in the opposite direction, through our growing neighborhood and into farmland. The road was a tad rough, but the scenery was wonderful. Although I didn't get a photo of it, there was a beautiful deer nibbling on brush right near the road, then field after field of cows and horses. It was wonderfully peaceful and NO ONE yelled at me to get off the road. Awesome!

While I was out wandering, I passed the local winery (Messina Hof). I didn't have any wine as a few sips make me tipsy (what can I say, I'm a cheap drunk), but I loved biking past all the grapevines, not to mention the facility itself (which includes an inn and a restaurant) are beautiful.

I was only gone about an hour and a half, but it really set the pace for the day, slowing me down to enjoy the gorgeous blue sky, calm breeze, and mild temps. May every day be such a beautiful adventure!

* Lyrics from a song I heard at the farmers' market in Aptos, CA this summer

Garden therapy - A backyard garden update (November)

2009-11-04T15:02:00.000-06:00

It's been another exciting month in the backyard garden. Let's get right to it!

HARVESTING

I pulled out the last of the sweet potatoes, which have now been cured and have found a temporary home in the coat closet (the coolest place in the house). I swear, there must be 100 pounds of them.

I'm also still harvesting a couple dozen green peppers every week, green onions, leaf lettuce, sage, basil, and now green beans too - about a handful a day!

PLANTING

I did quite a bit of planting this month too, primarily in Beds 4 and 7 (both foot-deep beds).

Bed 4 now has carrots, radishes, and 1015 onions. Bed 7 has been planted entirely in red and sweet yellow (1015) onions. I planted some of the onions in empty pots in the orchard, too.

Yeah, I kinda overdid it with the onions. I think I have about 150 of them in the ground...

But this means that finally, all 250 square feet of garden is planted. Thirteen months after my first bed was built, I've made a veggie garden empire! Mwahahahaha! No seriously, other than fruit, nuts, and rice, I'm pretty much eating out of my backyard. Awesome!

SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN

Of course, there is tons of garden space that is in that not-ready-to-harvest-but-not-just-planted stage. The tomato plants are finally setting and I'm seeing tomatoes pop up here and there - we'll see how many we get before the first frost...

The broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, and red potatoes are coming along beautifully. The snow peas are growing, but slowly. Many didn't come up, so I've replanted several times. As far as bugs, I've had to fight off cabbage loopers for the last month, but everything seems to have survived.

We're still trying to get a handle on how much of each veggie we need to plant, but we're learning as we go. Last spring it was obvious we planted WAY too many greens and not near enough green beans. This fall, we're doing perfect on the greens and have a wonderful steady supply of green beans, although I may plant a full bed of them come spring.

Maybe more broccoli next year too, and a few less green pepper plants. But hey, it's all a learning experience and I'm having a blast. And who knows? Maybe by my December report, I'll have you drooling over my bushels of tomatoes. Prepare to drool!

Photo 1 - green beans and cabbage
Photo 2 - red potatoes, carrots, kohlrabi
Photo 3 - tomato plants (can you see the baby tomato in the pic?)

My Fair and Feminist Radio Interview

2009-11-03T21:12:00.003-06:00

Here's the interview I did with Shelly and Vandy, co-hosts of Fair and Feminist (KEOS 89.1). Enjoy!

Marion Nestle reports on BPA

2009-11-03T16:55:00.003-06:00

Check out this post on Marion Nestle's blog: Oh no! Bisphenol A Again

Even stuff labeled BPA-free still had BPA. All the more reason to buy fresh, buy local!

Texas Wildscapes - A book review

2009-11-03T05:09:00.000-06:00

Quite unexpectedly, I had the opportunity to enjoy Kelly Conrad Bender's Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (Texas A&M University Press, 2009). Bender, an urban wildlife biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has definitely done her homework, for what began as a series of pamphlets has become an extensive guide into transforming your property into a wildlife habitat.

Don't have 1000 or even 100 acres? It doesn't matter, a series of "wildscapes" throughout a neighborhood can still create a sanctuary for an amazing variety of plant and animal life. Similar to other contemporary authors like Heather Flores (Food Not Lawns), Bender challenges us to rethink sprawling suburbia and gives us all the tools to do it!

Of course, first thing's first - Texas actually has 10 ecological regions, each vast and varied as to rainfall, temperature, and plant/wildlife. Bender describes each one, helping you determine in which you live and what plant and animal life naturally thrives there.

Next, the sky's the limit. Bender takes you through step-by-step instructions on designing your own wildscape, from mapping your property to prepping your soil to building a backyard pond, and of course includes the most important features of your wildscape - food, water, and cover.

The book concludes it's final chapters describing the native wildlife of Texas (including birds, reptiles, mammals, amphibians, insects, and spiders), how to attract them to your wildscape, and how to keep unwanted pests out. And if you still can't get enough, attached to the inside back cover of the book is a DVD that includes more extensive brochures on Texas wildlife.

To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect when I first laid eyes on Texas Wildscapes. It wouldn't have been something I would have picked up on my own. But I was quickly entranced by this alternative to the standard lawn, the opportunity to lighten our ecological footprint by truly sharing our living space with the nature suburbia seems so intent on pushing out. Not to mention, I could immediately think of quite a few friends and family that would love to get their hands on a copy of this book. And hey, the holidays are coming, so check it out!

Rated: 5 out of 5 stars

Recommended: to the naturalist or environmentalist (or both) interested in rethinking lawn space

NOTE: In compliance with FTC regulation, I disclose that I received this book free of charge from the publisher as a review copy. However, this review is my own evaluation of the material, with no influence by the publisher or author.
This and tons of other great eco-book reviews can be found at the Blogging Bookworm. Be a bookworm today and check it out!

Pedal Power Update - November 2009

2009-11-02T11:01:00.000-06:00

Wow! Is it November already? Somehow we moved from extreme heat to just about perfect weather (although we had some serious rains over the last month) - We're talking lows in the 50's and highs in the 70's. It IS Texas, so it's not like this will last for long, but I'm going to enjoy primo bike weather while I have it - and so I have!

I actually took two 20+ mile rides this last month and though my legs were aching by the time both were over, there's just something about the power I feel having gone so far (sometimes against some pretty hefty winds) and the ache of my poor legs just makes me feel that much stronger. I mean, seriously. A year ago, I would never even considered pushing myself this far just to run a few errands across town. Makes me wonder what changes another year will bring...

I have some exciting news in Pedal Power! One of my readers gave me a bike trailer (photo above). Yeah! No kidding! It was a thoughtful and incredibly generous gift. I need to have Dave do some modifications to my bike to make it work though so I haven't actually tried it out yet. I'll get to it, I promise. And a HUGE thanks to Michelle for offering it to me!

It's supposed to be gorgeous all week with no chances of rain, as far as I can tell. So you can bet I'll be out on my bike, pedaling around-town to get all our errands run and maybe even a few fun rides just to explore new areas of town. If you see me, be sure to wave!

Halloween 2009 - The aftermath

2009-11-01T09:03:00.001-06:00

Ok. Get this...

We ended up with 711 pieces of candy - this includes what we bought, what the next door neighbor gave us to hand out for her, what our housemate pitched in, and what a vendor at the market gave to us to distribute. As you can see, and Kelsey agrees, this is a serious load of candy. How will we ever get rid of it all?

Are you still with me? Even with giving out only one piece of candy per child, we ran out of candy at 8PM. That's right. WE RAN OUT OF 711 PIECES OF CANDY AND THERE WERE STILL TRICK-OR-TREATERS ROAMING THE NEIGHBORHOOD. Dude! That's a lot of kids!

As you can see, I switched costumes for the evening and became a black cat with a very homemade, last-minute, thrown-together costume, but it worked and the kids seemed to like it, although not as much as they liked petting Kelsey, who was a good girl despite all the attention.

Our housemate, dressed as a gypsy, kept me company as we handed out the goods. Dave joined us about 7PM and our housemate's boyfriend, dressed as Spencer Tracy joined us not long after that.

We had a blast. I made homemade pizza, pumpkin pie bread, and vegan banana cookies. A neighbor gave us some chocolate dipped pretzels and a market vendor had given us some cupcakes so we were eating well and enjoying hanging out with friends. Kelsey even had a good time, although she was a little upset that we were giving ALL the candy away. I did slip her some pumpkin bread though, so she was soon a happy camper.

Hope everyone had a safe and happy halloween! Until next year!

Local Diet Update - 2009 Halloween Edition

2009-10-31T14:18:00.004-05:00

Let's just say this morning's Brazos Valley Farmers' Market gave everyone a scary good time! And it was good to see all those friendly faces as well as lots of new people at the market. Hopefully that means all the advertising we've been doing through the "Friends" group is working.

It really was an absolutely amazing morning! We had tons of vendors dressed for the festivities (more than normal for this time of year, including a meat vendor), a steady stream of customers (with lots of kids for trick-or-treats from vendors), and a wonderfully successful raffle for a special halloween cake donated by Karen Jozwiak which raised money for the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market (thanks, Karen!).

Hopefully this will be an event that people talk about for a long time. I know I had a blast and we were all taking about doing it again for Christmas. But instead of just telling you about the morning. Check out these photos...

The photo up top is Marjorie Beeler, salsa and veggie vendor
Next is Roger and Donna Burton (bread and salsa vendors) dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Dracula
And finally, below we have David Elsik (veggie vendor) as a scary garden attaching Richard Shubert (egg and veggie vendor) as a "Chick Magnet" (it's hard to tell from the photo, but he's wearing a huge magnet around his next with little baby chicks attached - definitely the most creative!)

I dressed up as a veggie garden too, clothed in all greens and browns with a special veggie helmet atop my head, designed by friend, artist, and local hospice chaplain Cherry Moore (thanks Cherry!) You can see my veggie helmet in the photo of my farmers' market haul at the bottom of the post - you'll see it behind the container of whole wheat flour. It's a hat of greens with some carrots and radishes mixed in for color. I loved it!

Things were so busy, I didn't get a list compiled of all the day's market offerings but it was an enormous spread of fruits, veggies, breads, canned goods, and sweets. Of course, I did manage to snap a photo of what I can home with, including bought, bartered, and given (that's it there at the very bottom). Let's see, there's 4 bars of soap (I had 5, but I'd already given one as a birthday gift by the time I came home), 2 Halloween cupcakes for Dave, a beautiful spiral of bread, 2 cucumbers, 9 pears, a containers of whole wheat flour, lots of red potatoes, and a bag of green beans.

Between this and all the goodies we still have at home from our garden (sweet potatoes, green peppers, green onions, sage, basil, and green beans), we're going to be eating well again this week.

Hope everyone else out there is having a wonderful Halloween so far. Next is the party here at home. We're expecting guests at our home to enjoy homemade pizza, pumpkin bread, and punch, while we hand out candy to anywhere from 500-700 trick-or-treaters. Time to get busy...

Happy Halloween, everyone and Happy (and mindful) Eating!

Whole Wheat Banana Cookies (vegan)

2009-10-30T16:24:00.004-05:00

I have been busy in the kitchen again. Actually, I put in another 20 miles of biking today, so maybe I was just hungry...

Anyway, I had some organic bananas in the cabinet that were WAY too ripe and I couldn't quite decide what to do with them. Then I thought about how totally easy those vegan pumpkin cookies were earlier this week and decided between that recipe and a little creativity, I could make a banana cookie to die for. Let's just say... YUM!

I halved the pumpkin cookie recipe, left out the ginger, substituted 3 overripe bananas for the pumpkin puree, and used my local whole wheat flour instead of white. Here's what the new recipe looked like:

Whole Wheat Banana Cookies (vegan)
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 overripe bananas
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups flour
1 cup nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Cream brown sugar, vanilla, oil, and bananas in a mixer. Combine dry ingredients and add slowly to wet ingredients. Blend until smooth.

Drop by teaspoon onto lined cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet and then move to a rack to cool.

Makes just over 2 dozen cookies.

I have to say, I absolutely LOVE these cookies. They remind me of banana nut muffins. Not only are they delicious, but they're vegan and that whole wheat flour makes me feel healthy. Does that make sense? But don't listen to me. Give 'em a try!

Halloween 2009 - Preparations

2009-10-30T01:03:00.004-05:00

It's finally here! My favorite holiday of the year and we have big plans!

First, we'll have a special celebration at our farmers' market tomorrow with a raffle, free treats for kids who come in costume, and booths with wonderful decorations (and with any luck some vendors who dressed for the occasion as well - I'll be sure to get some photos). It's going to be a wonderful morning at the farmers' market, so if you're local, come on out! And be sure to stop by the market info booth. I made pumpkin cookies and pumpkin pie bread to hand out to visiting customers.

Then, we'll celebrate Halloween at our house. We've invited the neighbors to the house for my homemade pizza and more of that pumpkin pie bread. We'll fill our plates, and sit in lawn chairs in the driveway handing out candy to all the little trick-or-treaters (we get anywhere from 500-700 kids per year). Yeah. That's not a type-o. Halloween in our neighborhood is ALWAYS a blast. What are you doing to celebrate?

Fair and Feminist - SGF on the Radio

2009-10-29T08:45:00.000-05:00

Looks like it's going to be another rainy day here in Central Texas. That's ok. I have lots to do inside and with any luck, I'll sneak out between rain bursts for a nice walk. In the meantime, mark your calendars...

Tune into local radio station KEOS 89.1 for Fair and Feminist this Sunday, November 1 when hosts Shelly and Vandy will be interviewing me from 6-7PM on Simple-Green-Frugal, the Brazos Locavores, and the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market.

For those of you who aren't local, you can hear the live stream here.

Catch you on the airwaves!

Preserving Pumpkin Puree

2009-10-28T14:13:00.004-05:00

Uh huh. Say that three times!

I'd been waiting to process those two extra pumpkins from the farmers' market to test my new blender. Yep, that's right. After thinking about it for 2 years, I finally purchased a blender. I'll pause to allow some of my family members to faint and recover...

But seriously. I didn't want to buy one unless I was sure I'd get good use out of it. Well, now that our housemate has been living with us for 2-1/2 months and I've used her blender probably 10 times, I decided that YES, indeed. I would definitely use a blender on a regular basis. She arrived on my doorstep just last night making today her amazing debut!

Just like last week in Lovin' From the Oven, I halved the pumpkins and put them on a cookie sheet to bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour. After letting them cool, I removed the peel and cut the pulp into pieces to better fit in my awesome new mixer (ain't it pretty?).

Note: When reviews said this blender was loud, they weren't kidding - let me apologize now if I woke up any of our neighbors from an afternoon nap. But it's also supposed to be the best in it's price range and I wanted something simple and heavy duty.

Anyway, simple it was. With only two speeds, the blender managed to puree all that pumpkin into a nice gooey, but delicious pumpkin-y mess. Then, of course thanks to the advice from all you wonderful readers, I placed it in a strainer to drain out any liquid excess before I measure it in 2 cup increments (about 1 can's worth) and freeze it tomorrow.

With any luck, we'll be enjoying lovin' from the oven (aka pumpkin pie) all year round. Now why have I never done this before?

Thanks everyone for helping me out this time through!

Campus Sustainability Day 2009

2009-10-27T17:04:00.006-05:00

Today, I hosted the Farmers' Market info booth at the Texas A&M University Campus Sustain-ability Day 2009. And was I in good company! Next to me were representatives from Edible Aggieland and the Campus Community Garden. And not far away were the Be Green in Bryan group as well as lots of other familiar faces and groups from around the community.

It started out a bit chilly, but I managed to bike over to the event and enjoy four hours of visiting with students, staff, and faculty about the amazing farmers' market we have right here in the Brazos Valley.

A big THANK YOU to the coordinators of the event and for John Borden (of Edible Aggieland) for keeping us entertained as he posed for photos around the community garden veggie display.

Rainy Day

2009-10-26T12:55:00.005-05:00

It's an all day rain-athon here in Central Texas. I love rain! I mean seriously, it makes my garden happy and when my garden is happy, I'm happy. But when it rains ALL DAY like this... well, I get kinda stir crazy. So I've been trying to keep myself busy indoors - cleaning (blah), lifting weights (blah), and baking. Now, THAT's not so bad.

Let's see... I started off making two loaves of pumpkin pie bread for the Halloween get-together we're having at our house next weekend. I popped those in the freeze so they'll keep until the weekend.

Then I whipped up the dough for two loaves of my whole wheat bread. They're on the kitchen counter in a final rise before baking.

And finally, I tried a new recipe, Vegan Pumpkin Cookies, that I'll be handing out at my booth on Saturday at the farmers' market - we're having a special Halloween Celebration with lots of goodies, decorations, and a raffle. As far as the recipe goes, I went ahead and skipped the nuts and the raisins because I don't have them and well, it's pouring and I don't feel taking another shower while walking t0 the store. I'll admit I'm lazy (at least until it stops raining)...

Anyway, with these cookies being egg and dairy free, I was actually able to sample my wares this time and WOW are these little cookies good! They have a cake-like consistency and are just fabulous! You'd never know they were vegan! Not to mention, they should freeze well until I need them next weekend.

So if you're looking for an easy, healthier recipe for a tasty fall cookie, definitely give these a try.

Ok. What's next? Oh, right. I have a Menu for the Future class tomorrow. Better get reading that chapter....

Local Diet Update - October 25, 2009

2009-10-25T01:02:00.003-05:00

Saturday made for the perfect fall day and a wonderful farmers' market. I actually loaded down my bike (including a lawn chair) and peddled down to the market. It was quite a sight with me in a heavy winter coat (it was 48 degrees when I left the house) and my booth supplies bungee corded to the baskets over the back wheel.

The market itself was loaded down with an amazing harvest just waiting for the taking. Check it out... Available at this week's Brazos Valley Farmers' Market were:

Veggies and Fruits: pumpkins, red potatoes, yellow onions, hubbard squash, patty pan squash, eggplant, carrots, cherry tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cucumber, yellow squash, zucchini, green beans, a variety of hot and sweet peppers, okra, spinach, herbs, black eyed peas, peanuts, dried apples, and pears

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

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

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

Non-Food Items (hand-crafted): stained glass art, decorative plants, fruit trees, aprons, jewelry, pot holders, stuffed animals, candles, pillows, christmas tree ornaments, purses, wallets, bags, greeting cards, plaques

Because of my splurge at the market last weekend, I really needed to get back on track with my 100 Day Challenge (where I attempting to buy nothing but fruit for myself for the last 100 days of the year - relying on my garden, my pantry, and whatever I could barter for). So, I promised myself I'd stick to my list this week and picked up only what was needed. And I did (though I'll admit it was difficult...) Not everything was bought, some of it was given and others bartered for.

This week, I came home with carrots for Dave, honey, whole wheat flour, eggs, two pumpkins, pears, and a cucumber. The pumpkin will be roasted, pureed, and frozen for pies later in the year, veggies for Dave will be steamed for his dinners, the eggs are for the pumpkin pie bread I'm making for our Halloween party next weekend, the honey and flour is for my whole wheat bread recipe, a staple in our house (and great for bartering since so few people make homemade bread anymore), and the pears and cucumber are just for nibbling.

Aside from the new goodies, I have plenty of all-local foods throughout the kitchen and pantry room - veggie stir fry, spaghetti squash, and a few potatoes still in the fridge; soups, pasta sauce, corn, brown rice, and pecans in the pantry; oogles of sweet potatoes stored in the coat closet; and a bazillion green peppers, some green onions, lettuce, sage, and basil in the backyard just waiting to be picked. Did I mention all of that was local? Sometimes I just LOVE living in Central Texas!

Well, enough for now. Have a great week, everyone. And, as always, Happy (and mindful) eating!

Brazos Locavores - November Field Trip to the TAMU Pecan Orchard

2009-10-24T15:04:00.001-05:00

We have another exciting trip planned for November! The Brazos Locavores will experience a Texas favorite offered right here in the Brazos Valley – the TAMU Pecan Orchard.

The original owners, respectful of the land, wanted to share it with others and preserve the land for generations to come. They first established the orchard in the 40’s, soon after creating a second orchard in the 80’s. In fact, they just completed the final addition in February 2009. Today, the orchard contains more than 20 acres of land, making up the 3 orchards.

The TAMU Pecan Orchard is located 8 miles out side of College Station, Texas off Highway 60. This is a trip that you don’t want to miss! We will be touring the beautiful venue while learning about the various pecan trees, the different types of pecans, as well as on-going experiments taking place at the orchard. Even better, with this being pecan season, we will have the opportunity to purchase bags of pecans harvested on-site.

Here’s the scoop:

What: Brazos Locavores Field Trip to TAMU Pecan Orchard

When: Saturday November 7^th (1:00- 4:00)

Where: Brazos Natural Foods (we’ll be meeting in the parking lot at 1:00 and carpooling out to TAMU Pecan Orchard)

Who: Everyone! Don’t forget to bring the kids!

RSVP: to brazoslocavores@gmail.com by Wednesday, November 4th so that we can let the Orchard know and prepare for the number of attendees

See you there!

350.org's International Day of Climate Action

2009-10-24T13:56:00.005-05:00

I just got back from our local celebration of 350.org's Inter-national Day of Climate Action at the Village Cafe. That's me hanging out on the patio talking to a friend. In fact, I saw lots of familiar faces while we were there so hopefully, the event is a wonderful success - A special thanks to Chris Clonts and Kelly Moore for putting it together). When I went in to order lunch, I got my photo taken with a couple other eco-warriors (Mary Strauss of Be Green in Bryan and photographerLynn Lamoreux). Hopefully, I can find the photo on 350.0rg's website when they get uploaded.

To celebrate the day, the Village Cafe served up an extensive local meal, where you could choose three items off the 100% local lunch menu: sweet potato casserole, ratatouille, salad, gumbo, and... crud... about 4 other things were on there and I'm totally blanking on them... I guess I should have taken a photo of the sign, huh?

Oh well, here's what's truly important, right? I took a photo of the food, much of which was purchased earlier this morning at the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market - Go Local!

There were two vegan items labeled on the menu and I got both (in fact, a double portion of one to make my "3" choices). Pictured here is the ratatouille and the salad - lots of squash, eggplant, onions, tomatoes... and honestly, I could tell you by looking what items came from which farmers. How awesome is that? More importantly, it tasted absolutely divine! I'm thinking they need to add these to their regular menu. Yum!

Dave ordered of the regular menu which includes both local and non-local organic ingredients. He had the open-faced roast beef sandwich with a harvest salad (greens, onions, apples, gorgonzola, and a vinaigrette dressing). Anyone drooling out there!

Kelsey was, since she joined us out on the patio for the gorgeous day, delicious food, and a great cause.

It was great to see so many people come out and show their support for climate action and local food. Until next time...!

Sprouts - It just doesn't get any easier than this

2009-10-23T01:55:00.002-05:00

Last weekend, a visit from a friend brought me something called a "sprout screen." Now I knew growing sprouts was super easy, but I'd somehow never tried it. Sprout screen in hand, however, it took all of 15 seconds to grab a mason jar, a mostly empty package of seeds (I tried broccoli first since I had them on hand), and start playing.

Day 1 - Put your seeds in a mason jar and secure the screen and band. Add water and rinse the seeds a couple times, then allow the seeds to soak in a couple inches of water overnight.

Days 2-5+ - Rinse the seeds twice (morning and evening), letting the water drain out. Leave on the kitchen windowsill at an upside-down angle to let any excess moisture run out.

Enjoy watching the little seedlings grow (enjoy them more for dinner...)

Ok. It really is as easy as it sounds. I got the sprout screen on Saturday and by Wednesday, I was eating broccoli sprouts. I don't know what I was expecting - just that they'd taste like sprouts, but they tasted like broccoli. Cool!

Of course, it didn't take long for me to figure out what to do with them. I picked a beautiful head of leaf lettuce out of the garden, added some sliced cucumber, carrot, and yellow squash (farmers' market), and a little green onion and green pepper (backyard garden), then topped it with a blend of olive oil (farmer's market) and my homemade basil flavored hummus (basil from a friend's garden. Um, yeah! Sprouts are awesome!

Needless to say, I immediately picked up something new to try - lentils. We'll see how it goes. I just love new adventures...

Have you grown your own sprouts before? What kind of seeds/beans/grains did you use? Which are your favorites?

Composting - Real Simple article

2009-10-22T21:56:00.002-05:00

A friend passed along a great article from Real Simple magazine (reprinted on the CNN website) on composting: Here's the dirt on how to compost. Check it out!

Market to Table - October 22, 2009

2009-10-22T01:52:00.005-05:00

I needed a low cooking week here at SGF so I stuck with the easy stuff. Ok, all my stuff is easy stuff, but I was feeling particularly lazy so I ended up eating LOTS of sandwiches.

The photo here was definitely one of my favorites... That's my homemade whole wheat roll (honey and whole wheat are local), slathered with homemade vegan pesto (basil from the backyard), and topped with cucumber, yellow squash, and green onion (farmers' market, farmers' market, backyard). And then there's a side of sauteed veggies: carrots, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, cucuzza, and green pepper. Everything in the sauteed veggies is from the farmers' market except the cucuzza (neighbor's garden) and the green peppers (my garden).

The sandwich was also good with fresh local pears on the side. And then I ate the pears and the veggies and left off the sandwich. And then to shake things up a little bit, I dug into my sweet potato supply in the hall closet. Uh huh. A little olive oil (farmers' market) and a fresh sweet potato out of the back yard? Doesn't get any better than that.

Of course, you've seen what happened to the pumpkin I got at the market last weekend. Dave's been eating homemade pizza (mushrooms, green peppers, and pasta sauce are local) with nice big slices of pumpkin pie (pumpkin and eggs are local). The only thing I didn't serve up from my farmers' market haul was the spaghetti squash, but it'll keep until next week.

So what's local on your table this week?

Target and CVS giving discounts for reusable bags

2009-10-21T17:05:00.001-05:00

Just saw this on our local news website:

Retailers to Reward Eco-Friendly Customers

May the trend continue!

Menu for the Future - Week 4

2009-10-21T07:55:00.001-05:00

This week's Menu for the Future lesson was entitled, "You are What you Eat." Uh, oh.

It began with a quote from Michael Pollan (how can you go wrong there?)...

The interesting thing I learned was that if you are really concerned about your health, the best decisions for your health turn out to be the best decisions for the farmer and the best decisions for the environment - and that there is no contradiction there.

Unfortunately, the majority of the food options out there are less than optimum for us, the farmer, or the environment. So how do we maneuver our way through the grocery store? Armed with information! Quoted were excepts from Marco Visscher Unhappy Meal as well as Marion Nestle's What to Eat (a must read - here's my book review...).

It was another great discussion amongst the group members. We actually had an assignment this week that I'll share with you, if you'd like to chime in on your own fridge and pantry no-no's...

How many of these ingredients can you find in your kitchen: High fructose corn syrup, aspartame/saccharine/acesulfame-K, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, artificial colorings, sodium nitrites/nitrates?

What other ingredients did you find that were new or unfamiliar to you?

I didn't find much (but it's taken me a long time to come this far). We did have organic ketchup in the fridge with natural flavoring (whatever THAT is), but the biggest no-no was the Chicken Noodle Soup that we keep around for when Dave gets sick. Check this out (not all the ingredients, just the ones I thought were notable): MSG, egg solids, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, onion isolate, and sodium phosphates.

Yick! So what's lurking on your shelves?

Lovin' From the Oven - Pumpkin Pie from Scratch

2009-10-20T01:23:00.007-05:00

As you know from yesterday, I bought a pumpkin at the farmers' market last weekend. What I didn't mention was that it was the first pumpkin that I've ever had, well, with the intention of cooking (not carving) it.

But pumpkin pie is one of Dave's favorite and I was just waiting for the right time to ditch the frozen Pillsbury crust and the canned pumpkin pie filling and go for the gold - completely from scratch. Let's see how it went:

Prepping and Cooking the Pumpkin

After giving it a good washing, I cut the pumpkin in half with a large knife (be careful, this can be a bit tricky). Next, I scooped out the seeds and all the stringy things in the middle (an ice cream scoop worked out GREAT for this). Then, I preheated the oven to 425 degrees, placed the pumpkin halves face down on a jellyroll pan, and popped them in the oven for 45 minutes. Once the pumpkin is cooked, I let it cool on top of the stove for about an hour. So far, so good...

Making Pumpkin Puree

It turns out, when the pumpkin is cooked, the shell peels right off (with a little help from a paring knife). Once I made sure all the shell had been removed, I cut it into smaller pieces and dropped about a cup at a time into the blender (a food processor would probably do a better job, but I don't have one). I did my best to make a nice smooth consistency with the pumpkin, but I still ended up with a few little chunks, but I fixed that later in the process...

Making the Pie

I used the same pumpkin pie recipe (McCormick's recipe) that I always use and just substituted 2 cups of my homemade puree for the 15 oz of canned. Here's where I realized that my puree was much thinner than the stuff that comes out of the can. I was hoping this would work itself out with a little extra cooking time...

Knowing that there were a few pumpkin lumps still in the filling, I tried to use a strainer to filter it as I was pouring it into my shell (more on the shell in a moment). It turns out there were WAY too many lumps, so I just poured all the filling back in the blender and let it run for a few minutes (the mixer we have has a "liquefy" button, which is what I used). Ahh, finally, the filling was nice and smooth.

To be sure, I still poured the filling into the pie crust with that hand-held strainer between the two, but there were no lumps and the filling fit just perfectly into my pie crust, which also from scratch using this recipe (something else I'd never made from scratch before).

Baking the Pie

Ok, this was the tricky part. The recipe I usually use for making pumpkin pie calls for baking at 425 for 15 minutes and then dropping the temp to 350 for an additional 40 minutes. But my homemade puree was much thinner in consistency than the stuff that comes out of a can, so I really had to pay attention. I did the first 15 minutes at 425, then dropped the temp to 350 for an additional 40 minutes, then I checked it every 10 minutes there after for about another 30 minutes until I was sure it was done (when a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean).

From the start, I could see the crust was going to get too dark on the top, so I cut up some aluminum foil and wrapped it around the edges of the pan. This seemed to help. I'm pretty sure it would have been burned otherwise, since it was in the oven so much longer than usual.

Serving the Pie

Of course, this is Dave's favorite part (actually, eating it is his favorite) and what is pie without some fresh whipped cream? So I whipped up a container of organic heavy whipping cream into a light topping and voila! Homemade 100% from scratch pumpkin pie (using local eggs and pumpkin). The verdict? A big smile from the hubby with every last bite! Oh, and Kelsey approves of the whipped cream, too!

Pshew! Ok, so it took more than 3 hours and my kitchen looked like a war zone by the time I was done, but it was definitely worth it - a sweet success!

Any tips out there for making pie out of fresh pumpkin? Should I have cooked the filling before putting it in the crust to thicken it first?...

Village Cafe - Celebrating International Day of Climate Action

2009-10-19T18:35:00.001-05:00

This Saturday, October 24, one of my local favorites, the Village Cafe in downtown Bryan, is serving up a special low-carbon meal in celebration of 350.org's International Day of Climate Action. Join me at the Village Cafe and show your support in raising awareness about the need for global action.

Here's the scoop from the Village Cafe:

On October 24th, the Village Café is joining over 2,000 communities and venues across the world in an event to raise awareness for Climate Action. A special lunch menu will be served from 12:00 to 3:00 which will consist entirely of food grown in the Brazos Valley. Limiting the miles that food travels from farm to table is a great way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time supporting local farmers and consuming fresher and healthier food. Additionally, most of the dishes served will be vegetarian or vegan, which is another good way to reduce the environmental impacts of the food we consume.

This global event is sponsored by a group called 350.org, founded by author and environmentalist Bill McKibben, and is the first large-scale grassroots global campaign against climate change. Its supporters include leading scientists, the governments of 92 countries, and a huge variety of environmental, health, development and religious NGOs. All agree that current atmospheric levels of CO2—390 parts per million—are causing damage to the planet and to its most vulnerable people, and that government.

As part of this event, there will be a photo booth set up at the Village Café so that people can have pictures taken of themselves to put on a collage that we’ll be making to represent all the members of our community to support action on climate change. Even if you don’t want to eat lunch, just come by and have your picture taken or sign your name to the collage. You can be a part of sending a strong message to our representatives that residents in the Brazos Valley do care about climate change and want strong action taken now!

The Village Café is located in Downtown Bryan on 26^th Street, across from Mr. G’s Pizza. We hope to see you there!

To find out more about 350.org, check out their website and for more information about the Village Cafe 350.org event, call the Cafe at 979-703-8514.

See you there!

Local diet update - October 19, 2009

2009-10-19T01:51:00.002-05:00

What can I say? Saturday morning, though it started a little on the chilly side, turned into an absolutely gorgeous day for the farmers' market and with pumpkins making a debut, it was a festive reminder of fall.

Before we go into the harvest, we have some exciting market news - One of our vendors is growing peanuts! He brought some today for customers to sample and they were a bit hit! Also, my neighbor donated 12 large cucuzza squash to be sold at the market with proceeds donated to the Friends of the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market. Thanks, Mark and Kim!

Ok. Now on to the stars of the Farmers' Market. The food! Available at this week's Brazos Valley Farmers' Market were:

Veggies and Fruits: cucuzza, pumpkins, red potatoes, yellow onions, hubbard squash, patty pan squash,eggplant, long beans, sprouts, broccoli rabe, radish greens, carrots, cherry tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cucumber, yellow squash, zucchini, green beans, a variety of hot and sweet peppers, okra, spinach, herbs, black eyed peas, dried apples, and pears

Baked Goods: yeast breads, herb breads, cheese breads, sweet breads, peanut brittle, cookies, pies, cakes decorated for Halloween, pound cake, carrot cake, cheesecake bars, pecan bars, dog treats

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

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

Non-Food Items (hand-crafted): stained glass art, decorative plants, fruit trees, aprons, jewelry, pot holders, stuffed animals, candles, pillows

Yum! But here's where I have to admit defeat. On Day 24 of Chile Chew's 100 Day Challenge, where I committed to not buying anything for myself but fruit for 100 days (relying only on what I have in stock, in the garden, and barter for) I caved. But it's SO not my fault. I mean did you see that list of farmers' market goods? And week after week, I've resisted, buying food only for Dave. But all I could think about was all the foods that will soon be out of season and I just had to have them.

With so much food at home in the garden and on the pantry shelves, I had only planned to barter some of my homemade bread for whole wheat flour. But then the call of the harvest took over... It started out as a small splurge - 1 basket of cherry tomatoes (there were of them than in the photo, but I nibbled on half of them mid morning). Then I saw the spaghetti squash (one of my favorites). After that, I figured "what the heck?" and got a pumpkin, a cucumber, a yellow squash, and some pears. And of course, I splurged on the last three cucuzza that didn't sell at the booth. Not all of this was purchased (some of it was given to me), so in the end, I only spent $4.50 ($3.50 of it on non-fruit items). But the deed was done. I only made it 24 days into the challenge before caving. Sorry, Chile!

But oh, do I have plans. The pumpkin will soon be pumpkin pie; the cucumber and yellow squash will fill sandwiches (with cherry tomatoes on the side); and the cucuzza and spaghetti squash will be transformed into pasta dishes. Can something so delicious be wrong? I suppose I'll just have to eat the evidence...

So that's what's local here at SGF - just about everything! Stay tuned for Thursday's Market to Table post to take a look at what made it into meals this week. In the meantime, have a great week, everyone. And, as always, Happy (and mindful) eating!

A Handmade Holiday

2009-10-16T01:03:00.001-05:00

I know, I know. It's only October and I'm going to talk about holiday shopping. But hey, if Kroger is allowed to have their Christmas decorations out already, I'm allowed to bring up the holidays. Especially because we do things a little different here at SGF - or at least we have for the last few years. And since I'm signed up for Crunchy Chicken's "Buy Hand for the Holiday" Challenge, it doesn't hurt to think ahead a little bit.

Now, we don't do a lot of gifts for the holidays themselves, but somehow in addition to Christmas in December, it seems half our family members were born in November and December, so we have umpteen birthdays to celebrate as well. But just because it's that time of year, doesn't mean you need to break the bank celebrating, right? Here are some great ideas for unique (and frugal) gifts this season:

DIY Gifts

Baked goods - I did oogles of cookies last year and they were a huge hit. But don't limit yourself there. Do you have a yeast bread or sweet bread recipe that everyone loves? Or perhaps fudge, homemade cocoa, or granola? I save up those plastic salad containers I get from restaurants and use them to give away cookies. Or how about empty jelly or peanut butter jars to give away granola or cocoa?
Canned goods - Homemade jams, pickles, and salsas tend to be a big hit with family and friends too. Not to mention, my family is just beside themselves when I give them something I canned ("YOU did this?"). Trust me, people are impressed and who can beat a gift that tastes great?
Crafts - I crochet. Not well, but I crochet. That's a couple of my handmade baby blankets in the photo as well as a scarf I did for my niece. If you have a talent, USE IT! And don't forget the local library should have a selection of books to help fuel your ideas.

Other Mindful Presents (that you don't have to make yourself)

Ok. So you don't want to make everything yourself, but there a ton of great (and frugal) options out there, so you don't have to be a superhero to have a simple-green-frugal holiday.

Farmers' Market - check out your local farmers' market. Ours has a a huge selection of gift options - anything from canned jams, salsas, honey, and baked goods to soaps, lotions, stained glass art, metalwork, jewelry, and pottery (the dolls and soap in the photos are from our market). And just think - you're supporting the local economy, your local farmer/artist, and giving a truly unique gift.
Etsy - I've only used Etsy a few times, but it's a great place to find handmade items from around the country. I've bought both cloth bags and bags for steeping tea from Organic Needle. I gave one of the tea bags to my mom who just loves it. You just never know what you'll find.

Cards

Last year was the first year we started making our own holiday cards. Seriously, most people set them out for a few short weeks and then they get tossed. What a waste! So I save up old cards, colored paper that finds it way to us in the form of junk mail, and anything else I can get my hands on (like old calendars) and make my own greeting and holiday cards. You don't have to get fancy and buy a bunch of supplies. I just save and recycle as much material as I can. Have fun with it. And if you have kids, let them join in the fun. For more on making your own cards, see posts here and here.

Seriously, "Buying Hand for the Holidays" is the way to go. Not only can it be a frugal option, but it's also an opportunity to support your local community, share quality time with the kids, and all while offering a wonderful gift to your loved ones. I know you're still trying to figure out what Jr. will be wearing for Halloween, but take it from me and Kroger (I still can't believe the Christmas decorations are up already), the holidays are just around the corner and with a little planning, a sharp eye, and a cookie sheet, you can make this year the best Simple-Green-Frugal holiday ever.

So, there must be a million other ideas out there for simple-green-frugal handmade gifts. What have you done in years past?

To join in on the "Buy Hand for the Holiday" Challenge, visit Crunchy Chicken's challenge post and leave your name in the comment section.

Market to Table - October 15, 2009

2009-10-15T01:52:00.007-05:00

After picking a zillion peppers from the backyard over the last month, it finally happened. I mean, up until Friday, all the peppers I've picked have been delicious, but didn't have that beautiful green pepper from the grocery store look - but hey, it's taste that counts, right?

Then, as I was inspecting my pepper plants, I saw it. The most beautiful pepper ever, right there on my green pepper plant. Could it be? A pepper worthy of stuffing?

And so it was... time to make stuffed peppers.

SGF Spicy Stuffed Peppers

Filling:
1 pint of salsa
1 pint of corn
3-1/2 cups veggie broth (I used broth from steaming veggies plus some of the liquid from the home-canned corn)
2 cups of rice, uncooked
2 cups pinto beans, cooked
Pour the veggie broth, 2 cups of uncooked rice, and the pint of salsa in a saucepan. Bring to a
boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 45 minutes. When the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stir in the corn and pinto beans (mine were soaked and cooked the day before, or you can use canned if you have it on hand) and stir until mixed.

Then core your peppers from the top (it's hard to say how many it will fill because it depends on how big the peppers are, but you have 4 cups of cooked rice plus veggies so probably 6-8 large peppers) and remove the seeds. Stuff each pepper with filling, set on a cookie sheet or in a casserole dish, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

That's all there is to it. And you can make it yours by adding meat or cheese or other veggie combinations. Have fun!

Local food note: In this recipe, everything was local except the pinto beans, which I bought dry an in bulk from the local grocers. The peppers came from the backyard, the corn was bought from the farmers' market and canned over the summer, the salsa was from the farmer's market as well, and the rice was from Alvin, Texas (RiceSelect).

Let's see, this week I also nibbled on some sweet potatoes harvested from the backyard, the rest of the local watermelon, and I made veggie sandwiches, taking my homemade whole wheat bread (honey and whole wheat are local), slathered with homemade vegan pesto (basil from the backyard), and topped with green onion, green pepper, and raw zucchini slices (backyard, backyard, and farmers' market). What a week!

Menu for the Future - Week 3

2009-10-14T00:55:00.000-05:00

Having talked about the conventional food system in last week's discussion, this week's Menu for the Future chapter, "Farming for the Future" took a look at successful sustainable alternatives in farming. Polyface Farm's Joel Salatin was featured and readers were challenged to rethink our definition of "farmer," perhaps even converting some lawn space into a vegetable garden in our own yards.

As I was facilitator for the week's discussion, I approached this chapter a little differently. The questions posited in the discussion guide encouraged us to imagine life in this sustainable alternative. However, I had no doubt that for each of the 6 of us in the group, this wasn't entirely a new exercise. The question this chapter really raised for me is, What are the obstacles to making this a reality?

So I'm skipping the "Circle Question" this week to ask you this very thing... What obstacles are standing in your way to making sustainable food a reality in your own home?

DIY - Sweet Potatoes

2009-10-13T01:24:00.000-05:00

It's October and finally, after 4 full months, the cycle is complete. I actually grew sweet potatoes, from making my own slips to curing and storing them for the winter. Being a newbie, it took a lot of coaching from a seasoned garden professional, but I did it and you can too!

Step 1: Making slips

I started with organic sweet potatoes from the grocery. Next year, I'll have saved a few of this year's potatoes, but you have to start somewhere. Organic is definitely the way to go if you have to buy your potatoes. Not just because it's better for your health, but from what I understand, conventional sweet potatoes are sprayed with something to make them NOT sprout and you definitely want them to sprout. That's the whole point...

Ok. Now, you take the potatoes and put them in a jar or cup. If it won't wedge into the cup and hold itself up about halfway, you'll need to stick the potatoes with toothpicks to keep it standing up. Put the jars in a windowsill where they'll get plenty of light. It'll take a few weeks, but eventually, you'll see eyes develop, and then those eyes will grow and grow and grow! When the eyes are about 4-6 inches long, just twist them off at the base and you have 1 slip. You'll get multiple slips per potato. I used three potatoes and got 14 slips out of them before washing them and eating the potatoes for dinner :)

Note: Keep an eye on the jars. You may need to add water from time to time to keep the bottom of the potato submerged.

Step 2: Rooting the slips

Once you have your slips (and keep in mind you don't have to do all the slips at the same time), place them either in another jar of water or in very wet play sand. I tried both methods and they worked equally well, but I enjoyed the jar method better because I could actually watch the roots grow. Keep the sand wet, or if you're just using water, make sure the level of water in the jar stays adequate to cover the growing roots. The jars of water can stay on the window sill. I put the slips rooted in sand out in the yard in the sun. You'll need about 2 weeks of root growth before your ready to plant.

Step 3: Planting the slips

Planting is the easiest step of all. To prep the beds, I used the same soil I use for the other veggies, except I added a bag of play sand to each sweet potato bed because sweet potatoes like sandy soil. It turns out, this also makes them easier to harvest because the soil doesn't get compacted. Sounds good to me!

I planted 6-8 slips per 4x1o foot bed (and a full 1 foot deep). Each slip produces lots of potatoes, as you will soon see. Plant them as deep as you can leaving only a little of the slip sticking out the top of the dirt.

Step 4: Caring for the plants

Over the course of the next four months, the slips will turn into vining behemoths. I had to clip them every few weeks to keep them from taking over the yard. Turns out, you can eat them, if you like...

I kept the beds pretty well watered, watering them the same as I did the rest of the garden. It was so hot here in Texas that the leaves were very limp in the hottest part of the day - definitely an indication they needed water. Otherwise, the leaves and very perky. In the last few weeks of growth, I watered far less (once every few days) as you want the soil to be dry when you harvest them.

Step 5: Harvesting the potatoes

My sweet potatoes got so big, they started coming up out of the dirt, so I had no trouble identifying where the original plant was placed. The key here is to be careful and try to not damage on nick the potatoes as you extract them. Gently, dig around the potatoes with your hands, removing excess dirt. Some of the potatoes were small, others were huge, measuring the full 1 foot depth of the bed. Bring it on!

Now, this is something I didn't know. There are potatoes, but there are also lots of more undeveloped sweet potato-y roots chunks. These smaller pieces, I went ahead and washed and put in the fridge for stir fries. The ones that actually look like potatoes? Just set them aside. Do not wash them or let them get wet!

Step 6: Curing the potatoes

This step doesn't seem to be an exact science. I mean, you can eat the potatoes immediately, for sure, but if you let them sit out in the hot, humid air, they actually get sweeter and will be preserved for winter. Now, I had A LOT of potatoes per plant and preserving them was really the only way to go.

For at least 10 days, set the potatoes in a place where it's warm and humid. My back porch did the trick. I first laid newspaper down, placed the potatoes on top of the paper, covered them with my compost sifter (so no critter could carry them off) and then covered the sifter with a tarp - just in case it rained one night and I didn't want to rescue potatoes at 3:00 in the morning. Call me lazy. But hey, it also helped to keep the air around the potatoes warm and moist.

Step 7: Storing the potatoes

After you've allowed them to sit on the porch for

a good 10 days to two weeks, gently brush the dirt off with your hands (remember, you don't want to wash them until you use them), and place them in a box (I used a rubbermaid tub) with newspaper both underneath and on top. I placed mine in our coat closet which is pretty much the coolest darkest place in the house. I understand they keep best in 60 degree temps, but our internal house temp is as close as I can get since I don't have a root cellar and you definitely don't want to put them in the fridge. Now, they SHOULD keep all winter.

Cool, huh? That's all I did. Now we'll see how well they keep in that closet, but then, I may eat them all long before winter is over. The fact of the matter, though, is if I can do it, anyone can do it. And not only was it easy, it's darn good eating!

Local diet update - October 12, 2009

2009-10-12T01:49:00.004-05:00

Well, it was a little nippy Saturday morning, but with almost 20 vendors and a parking lot full of fresh, local food and crafts, the farmers' market was the place to be. Seriously. Take a look a this! Available at this week's Brazos Valley Farmers' market were

Veggies and Fruits: red potatoes, yellow onions, hubbard squash, patty pan squash, collards, carrots, cherry tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cucumber, yellow squash, zucchini, green beans, a variety of hot and sweet peppers, okra, spinach, herbs, black eyed peas, dried apples, and pears

Baked Goods: yeast breads, herb breads, sweet breads, peanut brittle, cookies, pound cake, carrot cake, croutons, cheesecake bars, pecan bars, 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, locally-roasted peanuts, locally-roasted coffee, olive oil

Non-Food Items (hand-crafted): soaps, lotions, perfumes, stained glass art, decorative plants, fruit trees, vegetable and herb seedlings, aprons, greeting cards, plaques, jewelry, pot holders, dog bowl stands, pottery, bags, purses, a variety of welded iron work (lawn ornaments, plant stands, knick-knacks, etc)

Seriously! Can you beat that harvest? Not to mention all the awesome crafts to get you thinking of the holiday season (there's still plenty of time to join the "Buy Hand for the Holiday" challenge).

Of course, despite having finished off all the leftovers in the fridge this past week, I still have tons of local food still at home between the backyard garden (harvesting sweet potatoes, green onions, green pepper, and sage), the local watermelon and eggs in the fridge, and the local soups, corn, pasta sauce, whole wheat flour and jams/jellies in the pantry. Yeah, I didn't need much so I kept it simple, just picking up some red potatoes and carrots for Dave's steamed veggie medley and a zucchini given to me by one of the market vendors (Thanks, Helen!). Mmmm! Local tastes good!

And I'm still going strong with Chile's 100 Day Challenge, where I'm challenging myself to eat only what I have preserved, grown myself, or bartered for (aka no spending money on food for myself except for fruit). It actually feels good to start whittling away at some of the pantry supplies. It was getting out of hand and this challenge is a good excuse not to buy anything for awhile - let's face it, I have no self control at the farmers' market without the accountability of the challenge...

So what's local in your neck of the woods?

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

Diet for a Small Planet - A book review

2009-10-09T01:27:00.002-05:00

I first became aware of Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappé when it was referenced in Samuel Fromartz's Organic Inc.: Natural Foods and How they Grow. It turns out, Diet for a Small Planet is an almost 40 year-old look at the connection between world hunger and how we eat; and, more importantly, what we can do about it. It has also, I found out, been updated in a 20th Anniversary Edition, which is the one I picked up at our local library.

Lappé begins by walking us through her personal journey into third world countries as she sought to get to the bottom of world hunger. She finds that it is not, as many think, a shortage of food, but rather the imbalance of power between people and a wealthy few (whether government or corporation). A trend, she notes, that she sees more and more in the United States as only a few corporations monopolize the entire food system.

[W]e can see where this blind production imperative has taken us - away from values that Americans have always associated with democracy, and toward a "landed aristocracy"; away from dispersed control over land, and toward a highly concentrated pattern of control; away from a system rewarding hard work and good management, and toward one rewarding size and wealth alone. As I suggested earlier, ours is becoming the kind of farm economy that I have see at the root of so much injustice and misery in the third world."

The book can then be divided into three themes, the problems with food currently gracing our supermarket shelves, what we can do about it, and a near 150 pages of recipes to inspire change in your own diet.

Problems with our food infrastructure and diet

First thing's first. We can't change our food habits if we don't know what's wrong. Interestingly enough, much of what Lappé discusses are food infrastructure pitfalls in 1971 is still true today. First, she delves extensively into how the cheap cost of meat and processed foods mask the true cost of goods (ground water depletion, soil erosion, government subsidies, etc) and how grains are fed to animals instead of a hungry population (so that it can be sold for more money to wealthier populations). And second, that there have been dangerous changes to the US Diet that make it unhealthy for our bodies, the environment, and the world. Check this out...

Protein from animals instead of plants
More fat
Too much sugar
Too much salt
Too little fiber
Too much alcohol
More additives, antibiotic residues, and pesticides
Too many calories

Wait, just sec. Yep, originally written in 1971. Any of this sounding familiar?

What we can do about it

But as is so often the case, the question really comes down to, what can I do about it? And here's what I loved most about this book: Lappé believes in the power of the individual to change the world.

[H]ow can we take responsibility for the future unless we can make choices now that take us, personally, off the destructive path that has been set for us by our forebears.

We don't have to be anyone special, she tell us. We just need to use the talents we have to make changes in our lives and in our communities. Change is happening, she says, "we don't have to start the train moving. It is moving! Our struggle is to figure out how to board that train, bringing on board all the creative energy we can muster."

If you are reading this blog, chances are you are already on this train. The trick, though, is that to continue our journey, we must be ever vigilant, learning each and every step of the way. She reinforces this as she advocates not a vegetarian diet (which is what I would have expected), but rather one of mindful awareness.

[F]reedom is not the capacity to do whatever we please; freedom is the capacity to make intelligent choices. And that is what this book is all about - gaining the knowledge we need to make choices based upon awareness of the consequences of those choices.

May you read and be inspired.

Recommended: to those interested in world food infrastructures as well as how our diets affect our bodies and the world around us

Rating: 3 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!

Organic Inc - A book review

2009-10-08T13:05:00.003-05:00

Having spent the summer reading books that have fueled my private meditation sessions, I decided a nice eco-read was in order for the next review. And, really, how can you go wrong with a title like Organic Inc.?

Samuel Fromartz's Organic Inc: Natural Foods and How They Grew (Harcourt Books, 2006) is a look into the history, and in fact evolution, of organics in the United States. Why? Fromartz, a dedicated Whole Foods shopper and buyer of organics was fascinated by the movement and curious as to its roots. A business writer by trade, Fromartz travelled the country meeting with industry leaders, historians, and farmers to discover the true roots of the organic movement.

What he discovered is that although organics began with growers, dedicated to the nourishment of body and Earth, the movement quickly became a big-business sensation where large companies like Archer Daniels Midland, Coco-Cola, ConAgra, General Mills, Kraft and others own the bulk of the organic market.

For the path that agrarian idealists had taken in the 1970s - to farm in concert with nature and sell organic food outside the dominant food system - became compromised by its success. Organic food had become too popular to remain in a backwoods niche, morphing into yet another food industry profit center.

The result has pitted industry vs. small farmer in the creation of government regulation. Purists want organics to be focused on fresh, whole foods, but industry needs processed food to maximize profits. The battle continues today with standards continuously under attack. Can heavily processed foods truly be called organic or does that defy the intention of the organic movement?

In the meantime, organic regulations change seemingly to whim - at times allowing any number of synthetic ingredients, wavering over the definition of "access to pasture" (for the meat and dairy industries), and are compromised when companies are repeatedly caught fraudulently packing conventional produce in organic packaging. What's a consumer to believe? How are we to make educated choices?

As for the book itself, it was an interesting read, though I almost gave up in Chapter 4, a 40 page section dedicated to Spring Mix. Maybe it was me, but I had a hard time staying focused. The faithful reader's perseverance will pay off however, as Fromartz lays out the politics of organics in the last half of the book, leaving it up to us, the reader, to decide: What should organic mean?

Recommended: to those interested in the history and politics of the organics movement

Rating: 3 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!

Market to Table - October 8, 2009

2009-10-08T01:58:00.006-05:00

Believe it or not, I've been eating nothing but leftovers from last week. Talk about eating well without spending an extra dime! The remnants of last week's Veg*n pot luck were quickly devoured (not local, but vegan and free - I love free...); I've finally worked my way through the last of the veggie and rice casserole I made last week with the help of my homemade, all-local italian soup; and Dave's steamed local veggies, also leftover from last week, found it's way to my tummy in the company of some local brown rice, literally the only thing I cooked this week.

In lieu of recipes of things you've found a hundred times on SGF (I know, I eat a ton of stir fries and casseroles, after all, I'm a lazy cook), I thought I might share with you the recipe for italian soup that I used the last time I used the pressure canner. I think this is my favorite of all the soups I've made over the last two years. It's great by itself, or added to a rice dish for a nice stovetop casserole.

So without any further ado, Italian soup...

SGF's Italian Soup
4 large carrots, chopped
1 large cucuzza squash, peeled and chopped
12 large okra
8 large mushrooms, chopped
olive oil
1 pint corn
1 pint pasta sauce
veggie broth (as much as you can get - I reserve the broth from steaming veggies)
water
Anna's herbs (a mixture of italian herbs I found at our local organic grocery)
salt
First, I chopped all the fresh veggies and sautéd them in olive oil in a large soup pot. This is what I had on hand from the farmers' market and from a neighbor's garden. Use whatever you have on hand that sounds good.

When the veggies softened, I added a pint of corn I canned from the farmers' market and a pint of my homemade, all-local pasta sauce. I also added as much veggie broth as I had on hand, then topped the pot off with water.

I allowed the soup to simmer 1-1/2 to 2 hours on the stove on low heat, adding herbs and salt to taste.

That's all there is to it! It's so easy, you can use whatever you have on hand, and even more or less veggies - whatever suits your taste. The diluted pasta sauce gives it a nice tomato-y flavor without tasting like your slurping spaghetti. :)

As I mentioned above, I love this soup by itself or made into a stove-top casserole dish. Here's a photo of the casserole I made last week with 1 quart of this soup.

Basically, I poured the soup in a saucepan with 1 cup of rice, brought the mixture to boiling, and then let it simmer on the stove for about 45 minutes. While the rice is cooking in the soup, I sauteed chopped eggplant, zucchini, onion, and peppers (all local) in a little olive oil. When the veggies were softened, I just set them aside until the rice was done. When the rice was ready, I emptied the sauteed veggies in the sauce pan with the "souped-up" rice, and voila - Super-duper, Easy-cheesy, Stove-top Veggies and Rice. And it's all local! Doesn't get any better than that!

Pshew! The fridge has now been cleared of leftovers and I'm ready for a fresh run on the pantry goods and veggies from the backyard for next week. And of course, you never know what I'll come home with from the farmers' market this Saturday. Stay tuned to find out!

In the meantime, Happy (and mindful) Eating!

Menu for the Future - Week 2

2009-10-07T12:54:00.005-05:00

This week's chapter "Anonymous Food" in the NWEI Menu For the Future Discussion Course was about discovering where our food comes from, and unless you're eating locally, most likely you have no idea (Iowa is a good guess if it's a processed food...)

So why is it important to know where your food originates and how it was raised? Because the choices we make in food affect the world around us. Because pesticides harm our bodies. Because the average a food travels from where it was grown to your plate is at least 1500 miles, increasing our need for fossil fuels. Because processed foods are not the best choices. Because bee populations are diminishing at alarming rates, and let's face it, no bees no food. Because our local economies suffer when we support big business, even if it is big organic. Because a million other reasons, too, like the old saying we are what we eat, and these days, we eat a lot of "crap." It matters, because as Barbara Kingslover says in Animal Vegetable Miracle, "The way we eat determines how the Earth is used."

The group delved into the chapter essays in an animated discussion, but now it's your turn to chime in. This week's NWEI Circle Question is "How do you make food choices? Do you consider long-term or short-term impacts, if any when making food decisions?"

Garden therapy - A backyard garden update (October)

2009-10-07T01:18:00.002-05:00

I can't even begin to tell you how much the garden has grown in the past month since we did the last Garden Therapy post. I'm just going to have to show you. Go ahead, take a moment and check out last month's photos. I'll wait....

Ok. Now check THIS out!

Bed 1: The broccoli we planted as seedlings have exploded with growth and you can also see the broccoli we planted from seed. We also added the 4 tomato plants along the back row. They were pretty tiny when we first put them in the ground, and after waiting the obligatory 2 weeks for them to root, they've taken off. I swear they grow an inch every time I check on them. I have pesto hanging out in the freezer just waiting for tomato sandwiches. I hope it won't be long.

As you can see, the 2 sage plants, put in last spring are as healthy as ever. When the veg*n group came last Friday, I was generous with the sage, needing to keep in under control. Sage tea, anyone?

Bed 2: Here's another bed showing dynamic growth. Last month, those pepper plants were looking a little skinny, now, they're full and gorgeous with plenty of peppers sprinkled amongst the leaves.

Also, last month, we had just planted the lettuce, spinach, and snow peas in this bed. You can see they are still small, but definitely coming up for air.

The snow peas have had some trouble growing and I had to replant once, but we're finally seeing some progress.

The spinach is struggling, but it did that last year too. Could be the seeds, so I might try a different variety in the spring.

Bed 3: What was once a sweet potato bed had been completely harvested. In it's place, we put in red potatoes, carrots, and purple kohlrabi. These seeds just went in over the weekend, so it'll be awhile before we see any evidence of growth, but this will be my first crop of all three, so I'm looking forward to observing the whole process.

Bed 4: This bed was planted a month after the first sweet potato bed, so these last 8 sweet potato plants are still in place and will be harvested in the next few weeks. As soon as they're up out of the ground, more carrots will go in as well as bulb onions.

I still can't believe how many sweet potatoes I've harvested just from 6 plants so far, this second bed, and her 8 additional plants are going to get us through the winter with plenty in our bellies!

Bed 5: Here's another bed where we're seeing a lot of change in the last month. The green pepper plants have grown to gargantuan proportions (with 1-2 dozen peppers harvested each week).

The green onions have taken off and, in fact, multiplied so quickly, I've harvested some of the multiples, only to plant them in two more squares in this bed. We're just swimming in these goodies.

You may notice that the basil (which was behind the peppers) has been pulled. I had allowed it to bolt (go to seed) so that it would attract the bees. We have bees aplenty now, but the wind was carrying the basil seed all over the garden, giving me basil seedlings in just about every bed in the garden - thousands of them. I gave up with weeding them out and just pulled the plants, allowing some of the seedlings to grow in the areas I wanted them. I still haven't completely thinned the area out and there are still a couple hundred basil seedlings to pull, but I'll get to it eventually. A little weeding each day...

This is the only bed that still had room for more plants. I haven't decided whether I want more lettuce or green beans. Maybe I'll do both!

Bed 6: Last month, bed 6 had just been planted with green beans and cabbage, with nothing visible above the soil line. Not any longer. The bed is covered in gorgeous plants! The cabbage a still a little hard to see in this photo, but there's there. You can't miss those green beans though. I'm sure I'll see blooms before long.

Bed 7: Still full of compost, this is the only bed not planted. We'll use the compost to supplement the other beds and wait to plant this on in the spring. Honestly, even if it were in production now, I'm not sure what I'd plant there. We so much of everything as it is...

"Orchard:" As you may remember, we lost three of the four apple trees in our extreme summer. Since I won't have new apple trees until the spring, I used two of the pots for the last two tomato plants. I'm curious to see whether they do better in the deep pots or the shallow raised bed. Time will tell!

You can see the apple tree in between the two tomato plants (on the right). It's healthy and happy, just lonely for its apple tree buddies. Hang on, little one!

We also have our gogi berry plants (to the left). They are growing very long and can't support their own weight, so they hang over the side of the pots . I need to call the nursery and find out if I should cut them back or stake them. Surely they can't bear the weight of fruit...

So that's it! That's our garden as of October 2009. A beauty, isn't it? We're harvesting sweet potatoes, sage, green onions, and peppers like crazy and so much more is on the way. The brutal summer, even hotter and drier than usual, has turned into a cool and rainy fall. Perfect for growth and my little seed babies are just loving it. Of course, I'm loving eating it!

Catch ya next time!

Pedal Power Update - October 2009

2009-10-06T01:17:00.002-05:00

It was an amazing month for biking. Not only has the weather been cooler, far more conducive for enjoying long bike rides, but I've also been challenging myself to go further and further distances. In fact, I took my longest ride ever this past month - 20 miles. It was exhausting and I was glad my baskets were stocked with water, but it exhilarating to have pushed my limits to greater lengths. And darn-it, it just felt gooooood!

Dave and I biked together a couple times as well. The photos here are from our trip to the produce market for local fruit. I often get questions about how I get things like that home. Question no more! The second photo is of our bikes. You should be able to see the rubbermaid container bungee corded onto the top of my baskets. This comes in handy for more than fruit. This is how I take my recycling to the recycle facility as well. When all else fails, get the bungee!

Now that I've done my 20 mile ride, I'm feeling pretty unstoppable. Really, that's the farthest I would ever need to go to run an errand in town, which means I can do most anything without the need of a car... well, except refilling the 2-5 gallon water jugs from Jacob's Well. There's a weight issue there...

This past month also featured an addition to my lovely bike - fenders! After missing a much anticipated talk because of rain earlier in the day (aka when I headed to campus for the talk, I was gone only 15 minutes before I was completely covered in mud, gave up, and biked back home), Dave fitted my bike for some fancy fender action. No more mud splatter for this gal!

So these days, I've feeling sassier than ever. Wherever will I ride to next?

Local diet update - October 5, 2009

2009-10-05T01:56:00.008-05:00

If I could only use one word to describe the local food forecast here at SGF, it would be overflowing!

First there's the backyard garden which is producing a seemingly endless supply of goodies: the multiplying onions are growing so quickly, many of them have already produced 5 and 6 green onions each; I have cured sweet potatoes stored in the closet ready to be eaten, more curing on the porch and 8 more plants waiting to be harvested; and then there's the green peppers that 2 months ago were beautiful, but fruitless and are now producing large plump peppers by the dozens. And that's just what is currently producing. So much more will be ready for harvest before we know it.

Second, as I mentioned my update last week, I bartered a loaf of my homemade bread for a big bag of peppers, zucchini, and eggplant. Although I cooked them up late last week into a stove-top casserole, I still have plenty of that leftover casserole to feed me well into this week. Seriously! Look at that fridge, full of local eggs, fruits, casseroles, and veggies...

Third, I steamed a big pot of potatoes, carrots, and green beans for Dave last week. Unfortunately, Dave's been feeling a little under the weather, so I'll probably end up eating these local goodies (all from the farmers' market) so that they don't go to waste. Tough sacrifice, I know, but someone has to do it...

Fourth, my pantry is still bursting with home-canned soups, corn, and pasta sauce (all local), as well as plenty of local brown rice just waiting to be added to my next meal.

Finally, I picked up a nice big Texas watermelon at the grocery to take care of fruit for the week.

So that's all that's local, but...

Last Thursday's Veg*n group pot-luck left me with tons of yummy vegan (although not-local) leftovers like two kinds of dip, chips, and lots of fresh fruit. Those veg*ns know how to make good food. Yum!

Wow! Anyone want to help me eat all this stuff? I have to say, this 100 day challenge has been pretty easy so far. I'm allowed to buy fruit, but with all these other goodies packing the pantry, garden, and fridge, who needs anything else?

And we haven't even talked about the farmers' market! Needing a week off from my farmers' market duty, I didn't host a booth, but still biked over to barter my bread for some whole wheat flour and pick up a few veggies for Dave. Knowing so much food was waiting for me at home, it wasn't hard to stick to the grocery list and as you can see, my take-home haul was modest - carrots, potatoes, and whole wheat flour. That little black and white bar is soap. Rumor has it that if you put it on a fishing lure, it helps attract fish. We'll be giving it to my dad for a test run...

Despite my modest purchases and bartered goods, there was still lots to buy at the farmers' market though. So for those of you readers who like to hear about what our market is offering, here's the scoop...

Veggies and Fruits: red potatoes, yellow onions, green onions, spaghetti squash, sprouts, spring mix, greens, 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, and pears

Baked Goods: yeast breads, cookies, pound cake, carrot cake, croutons, cheesecake bars, pecan bars, 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, locally-roasted peanuts

Non-Food Items (hand-crafted): soaps, lotions, perfumes, stained glass art, decorative plants, fruit trees, gourds, aprons, greeting cards, t-shirts, jewelry, candles, pot holders, pillows, stuffed animals, and pottery

So that's what's local here at SGF and the BCS community. There's only one thing left to do... dig in!

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

Veg*n Community - A visit at SGF

2009-10-02T01:00:00.000-05:00

A great big SGF Welcome! to everyone visiting from "Vision-Voice-Veg*n for the Brazos Valley" whose monthly meeting was held at the home of yours truly!

I gave the grand tour of my backyard garden, spoke on how I got started, organic methods I've tried, and the magic of making your own compost. Everyone seemed really interested and eagerly asked questions as we walked the yard. We were even able to catch a glimpse at some of the sweet potatoes that have gotten so big, they're peeking above the surface of the dirt (peek-a-boo)!

But the garden tour and talk were only half of the evening's delight. Everyone brought a dish (and lucky me, they ended up ALL being vegan, except some sliced cheese) to share with the group. There were chips with vegan dip, a variety of fresh and dried fruits, my homemade whole wheat rolls, a vegetable curry dish, and lots more. I had a little of almost everything and loved it (and I'm going to keep loving it as many of the leftovers ended up in my fridge). Woohoo!

We had a great time (Kelsey too - you might notice in the photo she's on the porch to the right licking my plate while I'm not paying attention...)

Thanks to everyone who came. I really enjoyed having you! We talked about a lot of things. Here are some links to the resources we talked about and, of course, you're welcome to email me with questions or subscribe to this blog where I do a monthly Garden Therapy post (click here to look at past gardening posts).

Now, on to the resource links:

Brazos County Vegetable Planting Chart

Square Foot Gardening Website (this book is available at the BCS library or at your favorite book store)

Several of you also indicated interest in the Brazos Locavores (field trip to farms, orchards, and dairies near BCS). Check out our website for the latest.

Have a great weekend everyone. Happy Gardening!

Market to Table - October 1, 2009

2009-10-01T01:54:00.007-05:00

With a seemingly unending supply of bell peppers, onions, and sweet potatoes from the backyard garden and a big bag of eggplant and patty pan squash from the farmers' market, I had lots to choose from in this week's meals. Let's get started!

Patty Pan Pasta Primavera

As I've mentioned before, I'm not a big pasta eater which works out great for me since its rare to find locally made pasta. BUT, I love pasta sauce. Go figure. Thankfully, I figured out how to get creative with pasta alternatives like spaghetti squash (winter squash) and squash ribbons (made from any summer squash).

Squash ribbons are easy. Just take a vegetable peeler (I use the skins too, but you can discard this part if you prefer) and make nice long ribbons with your squash (here I used patty pan because it's what I had in the fridge). Stop making ribbons when you get down to the seeds, then start peeling another section. When all you have left is a block of squash with seeds, you're ready to cook the "pasta" ribbons. Sauté them up in a little olive oil until they're translucent and set them aside.

Now, for the primavera. Cut up the rest of the squash (the seed part) into bite sized chunks. I also chopped up a couple medium size eggplant, some green onion, and some red and green bell peppers. Sauté these in olive oil as well as a little salt until the veggies have softened. Then add your favorite pasta sauce (I used 1/2 pint of my homemade sauce) to heat through.

Top your squash ribbons with the pasta sauce (and if you're not a vegan, be sure to sprinkle a little cheese) and enjoy! In fact, enjoy it even more knowing that everything (but the salt) came from the backyard garden or the farmers' market. Now, THAT's good eating!

Rice and Veggie Casserole

Would you believe that this dish finished off the cabbage soup from last February? Perfect really, as I have cabbage growing in the garden which will be ready to harvest in just a couple months. Talk about coming around full circle.

Well, this is another example of my oh-so-easy Rice and Veggie Casserole. Basically, I take the entire quart of soup and pour it into a sauce pan with 1 cup of rice (local from Houston area). Bring the soup to a boil and then lower the temperature to simmer, allowing the rice to cook through (about 45 minutes).

In the meantime, chop up your veggies (I used sweet potatoes, green bell peppers, and green onions - all from the backyard garden) and sauté them in olive oil with a dash of salt to heighten the flavors. When the veggies start to soften, turn off the heat and leave them covered to finish the cooking while you wait for the rice and soup to thicken.

Once the rice is ready, mix the sauteed veggies with the rice/soup mix and you're ready to go! A super easy, completely delicious, all local stove-top casserole.

Stir Fry

Even after the Patty Pan Pasta Primavera, I was swimming in eggplant and patty pan squash, so a stir-fry was in order.

First, I chopped and sauteed green onion, green and red bell peppers, eggplant, and a couple of the patty pan squash in olive oil and salt (all from the backyard garden and farmers' market - except the salt, of course). Once the veggies were cooked through, I added just a bit (maybe a couple tablespoons) of the leftover jar of pasta sauce from making the primavera (just enough to coat and add that tomato flavor).

Then, just spoon it over some local brown rice and you have yourself a very filling meal (3 meals, actually).

So that's what made it from the market (or my backyard) to my table this week. What wonderful local goodies hit your table?

Happy (and mindful) eating!

Community Food Project Grant

2009-09-30T13:07:00.000-05:00

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:

Meet the food needs of low-income individuals;
Increase the self-reliance in communities for providing for the food needs of the communities;
Promote comprehensive responses to local food, farm, and nutrition issues; and
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

2009-09-30T01:59:00.001-05:00

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!

2009-09-29T01:54:00.003-05:00

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

2009-09-28T13:41:00.001-05:00

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

2009-09-28T01:41:00.003-05:00

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

2009-09-25T01:16:00.004-05:00

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:

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

2009-09-24T11:48:00.007-05:00

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
A bicycle is a vehicle and any person riding a bicycle has all the rights and responsibilities as a driver of a vehicle.
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.
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.
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

2009-09-24T01:40:00.008-05:00

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

2009-09-23T09:05:00.006-05:00

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

2009-09-23T01:11:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-09-22T01:26:00.005-05:00

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

2009-09-21T01:45:00.003-05:00

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!