Jackson MS Local News

Few details released in deadly officer-involved shooting in Yazoo City

Thao Ta — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 23:30:21 GMT

YAZOO CITY, Miss. (WJTV) - Police tape remains near the intersection of Mound Street and Broadway Street in Yazoo City where the county coroner said Katrina Simpson and Timothy Grayson died on Thursday. Authorities said the two were killed in an officer-involved shooting.

"Any time young people are killed like this, to me it's a senseless situation," said Yazoo County Coroner Ricky Shivers.

Just the day before, an officer-involved shooting happened around 2:00 p.m., according to interim Yazoo City Police Chief Joseph Head.

"Received a call where a female suspect was supposedly taken hostage in a vehicle," he stated.

Shivers said he believes Simpson died while running away from Grayson in what authorities said was an apparent hostage situation.

"She was in the front driver's seat of the car, and he was in the back passenger seat of the car."

The Mississippi Bureau of investigation (MBI) is leading the investigation.

"We're praying for the ones that lost loved ones. We're also praying for law enforcement," said Head.

MBI said the incident is still very early one in the investigation. No further information has been released.

Brian Laundrie missing as search for his fiancé Gabby Petito continues

WFLA 8 On Your Side Staff — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 23:09:59 GMT

NORTH PORT, Fla. (WFLA) - The man who police have identified as a person of interest in the disappearance of Gabby Petito is now missing himself, according to an attorney for his family.

A family attorney confirmed Friday night that the whereabouts of Brian Laundrie are currently unknown. Laundrie is the fiancé of Petito, who was reported missing after police say Laundrie returned home alone from a cross-country road trip they went on together.

"The FBI is currently at the Laundrie residence removing property to assist in locating Brian. As of now, the FBI is now looking for both Gabby and Brian," the attorney said in a statement.

North Port Police Public Information Officer Josh Taylor confirmed on WFLA Now they don't know where Laundrie is.

"His family attorney contacted us [Friday] evening saying family wanted to speak with us for the first time and wanted to tell us they were concerned they have not seen Brian," Taylor said.

Brian is described as a white male, 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 160 pounds, with brown hair, brown eyes, and trimmed facial hair. He was last seen wearing a hiking bag with a waist strap.

It is important to note that while Brian is a person of interest in Gabby’s disappearance, he is not wanted for a crime and police are now working multiple missing person investigations.

Several members of the North Port Police Department spent a little more than two hours at the Laundrie family home Friday night. Chief Todd Garrison posted just before 9 p.m. that the conversation was complete and a statement would be made once the agency had all the details.

Police had spent about two hours at the Laundrie home before leaving. WFLA's Allyson Henning, who was live at the scene, saw officers come out of the home and look inside a vehicle outside.

In addition to police presence, a large crowd gathered outside the Laundrie home and spent hours chanting and holding posters in support of Gabby Petito. Shortly after 8 p.m., an officer addressed the crowd. He said he understood why the crowd was there and had no problem but asked them to remain calm.

"The yelling, the profanities...is not helping. Please have respect for the neighborhood."

Police address crowd chanting outside Brian Laundrie's family home.

Their responses:

"No peace until Gabby is found."

"Where's Gabby's respect?"https://t.co/CqEd8TpQyr pic.twitter.com/3ijxpInUEk
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) September 18, 2021

"The yelling, the profanities...is not helping. Please have respect for the neighborhood."

Petito has been missing officially since Sept. 11, but her last known contact with family members was at the end of August when she was on a cross-country road trip with Laundrie.

Laundrie, now a person of interest, returned home alone with the van the couple had been traveling with on Sept. 1 and has retained a lawyer, according to police. Petito’s family publicly called on Laundrie’s family this week to release any information they may have on Gabby Petito’s location.

Jackson State to provide COVID-19 vaccines on Sept. 21

DeAngelo Vaxter — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 21:52:59 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) - According to Jackson State University, free COVID-19 vaccinations will be available to students, faculty, staff, and community members on Tuesday, September 21.

The vaccines will be distributed from noon to 4:00 p.m. at "One University Place." The Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center will provide Moderna and Pfizer vaccinations.

The vaccines are provided at no cost by the Mississippi State Department of Health.

Youth Vaccination Day to be held Vicksburg

DeAngelo Vaxter — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 20:03:16 GMT

VICKSBURG, Miss. (WJTV) - The Vicksburg Warren School District partnered with the Warren County Board of Supervisors, Warren County Emergency Management, and the NAACP Vicksburg Branch to host a Youth Vaccination Day on September 25, 2021.

According to the Vicksburg Post, the event is aimed to protect students from the coronavirus. It will be from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Vicksburg Commons Shopping Center, located at 4000 South Frontage Road.

Those interested in getting a vaccine are encouraged to make an appointment by visiting www.covidvaccine.umc.edu. For assistance in making an appointment, call 601-636-1544 or 601-634-8073.

The event will offer both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.

Jackson mayor declares local emergency after contract discussions with Waste Management break down

Kaitlin Howell — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 19:53:39 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) - On Friday, Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba declared a local emergency, saying negotiations for an upcoming garbage collection contract have broken down.

According to the mayor, the city's garbage contract is set to expire September 30. He said negotiations with the current provider, Waste Management, have been unsuccessful.

Lumumba said without a contract in place, the city will have no means to collect garbage starting October 1.

“Negotiations with Waste Management have hit a snag as the company attempts to strongarm the City into a lengthy contract,” the mayor said. “When it comes to the future of garbage collection in Jackson, we are at a point where accepting the status quo is not only unsustainable, it is irresponsible.”

The mayor said failure to collect and dispose of garbage could lead to civil penalties of up to $25,000 a day for the city and other legal action by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).

Jackson mayor declares local emergency Download

If an agreement cannot be reached, Lumumba said they intend to pursue a separate contract for garbage collection until a new contract is legally procured. The emergency order will be brought before the Jackson City Council at its next meeting.

Leaders with Waste Management released the following statement to 12 News about the local emergency declaration.

Waste Management wants to make it clear that there is no state of emergency with regards to trash collection in Jackson, as we are still operating under our current contract and performing all regular collection operations. Mayor Lumumba’s claim that the city has been ‘strong-armed’ in negotiations over the solid waste collection contract was disheartening to hear, as we have always acted in good faith in our efforts to reach an agreement that complies with the RFP while also providing a competitive fee for services to the City.
We value our customers and take pride in providing exceptional services to the City of Jackson, as we have for many years.
Waste Management stands ready to work with the City to enter a contract that is favorable and provides a beneficial relationship to both parties for years to come.
Tricia Farace, Waste Management Communications Manager

In August, the Jackson City Council decided to continue a contract with Waste Management. That same month the City Council also voted down a proposal from Lumumba to enter into a contract with FCC Environmental Services. The proposal was reviewed again at a later date and voted down again.

Temple Grandin speaks at Mississippi Science Fest

Anna Farish — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 17:18:29 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) - If you're looking for something fun to do this weekend, you might want to check out the Mississippi Science Fest.

The event combines the importance of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and an increase in science literacy. Kids and families can interact with field professionals, learn through hands-on activities and explore different exhibits.

On Friday, Temple Grandin spoke to students about her love for science, using her autism diagnosis to her advantage with her work and the importance of stepping out and learning about the world.

“It gets down to exposure. I got interested in the cattle industry because I got exposed to it as a teenager. You got to expose kids to lots of different things. I don’t care if it’s coding or whether it’s the cattle industry. Students get interested in things they get exposed to," Grandin states.

The Science Fest will continue on Saturday, September 18, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the LeFleur Museum District. Tickets are $10.

Holiday Market vendor loses inventory after trailer fire

Leah Williams — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 17:17:57 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) - A vendor at the Holiday Market at the Mississippi Trade Mart in Jackson lost her entire inventory during a trailer fire Friday morning.

Brenda Termin, the owner of "Eclectic Sisters" in Texas, said she has been in the business for 20 years and never had anything like this happen to her.

Termin's trailer was parked in the back of the parking lot, according to Capitol Police. She said she's in shock and has no idea how this could have happened.

"I was in my booth, and I heard them announce, 'Someone from Texas, your trailer is on fire.' And I know I'm from Texas, so I ran out the back doors, and there are some men out here telling me not to open the back doors because they were closed. Finally, they opened it, and it just ignited," she said.

No one was injured during the incident, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Warren County teen indicted for shooting death of 11-year-old cousin

Kaitlin Howell — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 16:56:08 GMT

WARREN COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) - A teen has been indicted by a Warren County Grand Jury for the death of his 11-year-old cousin.

According to Vicksburg Daily News, Thomas Hardmon, 14, has been charged with manslaughter by culpable negligence in the shooting death of Ra'shawn Wilbert.

The shooting happened at a home on Elizabeth Circle in June 2021. Vicksburg police said the 11-year-old was found with a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Hardman was initially charged with second degree murder and given a $150,000 bond by Judge Allen Derivaux.

Balloon release held for late JPD Sgt. Bryan Pippin

Anthony Howard — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 15:45:00 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) - People remembered the life of Jackson Police Sgt. Bryan Pippin with a balloon release on Thursday, September 16. He died from complications due to COVID-19 in early September.

"He gave everything he had, his last breath to serve this city and this department," said interim Hinds County Sheriff Marshand Crisler.

Pippin dedicated 28 years of his life to serving the City of Jackson.

"Sgt. Pippin was one of the guys to come in there to implore us come to JPD from Jackson State, and that was in 2008. We're in 2021, and you can see the impact that he made on us, because now we're sergeants here, leaders here because somebody thought enough of us. I think you have what it takes," said one person.

Sgt. Pippin had been hospitalized due to the virus in July 2021. A memorial service for Pippin will be held Friday, September 18 at New Jerusalem Church.

Surveillance video shows officer hitting murder suspect during arrest in Jackson

Zachery Mason — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 15:35:28 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) - A U.S. Marshal was caught on camera punching a minor during an arrest in Jackson on Thursday, September 16.

Authorities arrested two minors, 17-year-old Kevin Harris and 16-year-old Demetrius Lee, in connection to a deadly shooting that happened in Canton in August 2021. The shooting resulted in the deaths of a six-year-old and Tracy Wilder, 42.

Surveillance video, captured on a Ring camera, showed a U.S. Marshal hitting Harris in the face while he was handcuffed.

The video below may be disturbing to some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.

Harris' mother said she was out of town when the two were arrested, but she watched the incident on her Ring camera.

"This is just really messing with me, like to hear my baby screaming, 'Mama, where you at?' They doing too much. I don't like that. I just feel like I failed my baby that day," she said.

While Harris was down in the background, the video also showed Lee being hit.

"Why would y’all hire people like this? Do y'all check backgrounds anything of that? Something ain't right. The way they came here like it was planned already, like it was already made up how they would torture these kids."

Harris' mom said her son is innocent, and she wants justice for him.

Both Harris and Lee are being held at the Madison County Jail, both facing multiple charges.

12 News reached out to the U.S. Marshals. They are aware of the incident, and we are waiting for an official statement from them.

Madison business employs, mentors foster youth and those who age out of the system

Barbara Gauntt, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 02:42:32 GMT

Ice & Vice employee and transportation scholarship winner Sirayah Miller is surprised with a Toyota Prius.

PHOTOS: Madison business offers more than a job

Barbara Gauntt, Clarion-Ledger — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 02:00:08 GMT

Ice & Vice surprises transportation scholarship winner Sirayah Miller, who has aged out of the foster care system, with a 2005 Toyota Prius.

Toyota plant in Mississippi begins 3-week production break

Associated Press — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 17:38:10 GMT

The Toyota Mississippi assembly plant is beginning a three-week production break Monday as part of the company's global slowdown in auto manufacturing.

From workers rights to major business sales, the meaning of Labor Day has changed

Nile McNair, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 11:00:41 GMT

While Labor Day is a federal holiday the meaning of it has changed, now its seen as a day off and not a celebration of labor unions and workers.

PHOTOS: Atlanta-based vegan restaurant brings pop-up to the Capital City

Barbara Gauntt, Clarion-Ledger — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 02:00:24 GMT

The line for the Atlanta-based Slutty Vegan pop-up truck snaked through Smith-Will Stadium Wednesday, Aug. 25, with people waiting for hours to order.

Slutty Vegan pop-up faithful followers willingly wait for hours to eat

Barbara Gauntt, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 02:00:18 GMT

Atlanta-based vegan restaurant, Slutty Vegan, draws a crowd with the line snaking through the Smith-Wills Stadium parking lot in Jackson, Miss., Wednesday.

Popular Atlanta-based vegan restaurant opens pop-up at Smith-Wills Stadium at noon

Nile McNair, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 15:00:19 GMT

Atlanta-based vegan restaurant Slutty Vegan is coming to Jackson for a one-day pop-up starting at noon today and will be located at 1200 Lakeland Dr.

How Fondren Fitness is building its business: Expansion progressing despite COVID pandemic

Brian Broom, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 02:00:47 GMT

Fondren Fitness co-owner says major expansion will bring more classes, including spin, and additional space amid COVID-19 pandemic.

PHOTOS: Fondren Fitness expanding, adding studios

Barbara Gauntt, Clarion-Ledger — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 02:00:44 GMT

Fondren Fitness is expanding to include three areas for classes; one for cardio, another for yoga, pilates and barre, and a third for a spin studio.

Fondren Fitness expanding amid COVID-19 pandemic

Barbara Gauntt, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 02:00:42 GMT

Fondren Fitness is expanding to include three areas for group classes, one for cardio, another for yoga and a third for a spin studio.

Up and running, but Mississippi businesses are again left to make do as COVID-19 resurges

Sarah Haselhorst, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 13:25:31 GMT

For the past 18 months, the decisions of Mississippi business owners have been predicated on CDC COVID-19 guidelines and those of their cities, state.

What we know about Cargill purchase of Sanderson Farms, one of the largest poultry producers

Molly Weisner, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 13:50:32 GMT

After Cargill and Continental Grain made a deal to buy Sanderson Farms this week for $4.5 billion, here are some key questions answered.

Gannett national crowdfunding and grant program to benefit Mississippi nonprofits

Nile McNair, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 22:16:38 GMT

Gannett's national crowdfunding and grant program running through Aug.13 set to benefit six Mississippi nonprofits this year.

Mississippi-based poultry producer Sanderson Farms sold for $4.5B

Associated Press — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 18:06:02 GMT

Sanderson Farms, one of the nation's largest poultry producers, is being acquired for $4.53 billion as the price of chicken soars.

'Trying to meet a need': Parents of children with autism, down syndrome start businesses to provide jobs

Nile McNair, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 02:00:47 GMT

Jackson metro businesses Spectrum Sip and Lily Pad Café, started by parents, give work experience to people with autism, down syndrome.

Black-owned bookstores in Mississippi: A new chapter and a storied past

Isabelle Taft — Fri, 30 Jul 2021 11:00:47 GMT

In Jackson, Marshall's Music and Bookstore has been in business 83 years. It's 26 years for a Pearl store. Now, Gulfport woman joins their ranks.

M-Bar Sports Grill announces multimillion-dollar expansion, leading to more concerns

Justin Vicory, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Fri, 30 Jul 2021 02:00:45 GMT

M-Bar Sports Grill to add amphitheater, several other developments in massive expansion in northeast Jackson.

Watermelon woes in Mississippi: Rotten year for growers as profits shrivel on the vine

Brian Broom, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 02:00:54 GMT

New Jersey buyer wanted one Smith County farmer's entire crop, but there was no deal. A poor crop, because of too much rain, meant local sales only.

What rotting watermelons, fields look like: Heartbreak for Smith County, Miss., farmer

Barbara Gauntt, Clarion-Ledger — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 02:00:52 GMT

Watermelon grower Chaz Kennedy of Rockin' K Farms in Smith County has been hit hard by excessive rain, losing two fields to rot and fungus.

VIDEO: Mississippi farmer shows what rotting watermelons look like, financial impact

Barbara Gauntt, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 02:00:51 GMT

Smith County, Miss., watermelon grower Chaz Kennedy of Rockin' K Farms has suffered heavy losses due to excessive rain. Here's a look at his fields.

New restaurateur hopes upcoming Thai restaurant will make a boom in Highland Village

Nile McNair, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 11:01:57 GMT

Located at 4500 I-55 North in Highland Village, the new restaurant is located in the former Ulmer's Stride Rite Shoes space.

From Japan to Jackson: How a Mississippi man became first to brew, bottle unique tea in US

Brian Broom, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 02:01:06 GMT

Chat Phillips, who grew up on a Yazoo County catfish farm, started brewing in his kitchen, later founding Inaka Tea Company.

PHOTOS: Nissan celebrates production start of redesigned Frontier at Canton plant

Rogelio V. Solis — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 00:10:50 GMT

Nissan begins production of all-new redesigned 2022 model of Frontier truck at Canton plant on July 15, 2021, with ceremony.

WATCH: New Orleans-based restaurant comes to Belhaven

Barbara Gauntt, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 02:00:26 GMT

New Orleans-based District Donuts, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, is scheduled to open in Belhaven Town Center in Mid-July.

Amazon announces plans to build solar farm in Mississippi

Associated Press — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 12:30:24 GMT

The project is part of Amazon's launch of new renewable energy projects throughout the U.S., Canada, Finland, and Spain,

JPMorgan Chase expands into Mississippi with first Jackson metro branch

Keisha Rowe, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 11:01:03 GMT

Officials say the expansion into Mississippi is part of a 10-state push to have Chase banking locations available throughout the contiguous U.S.

PHOTOS: Chase Bank opens a Highland Village branch

Barbara Gauntt, Clarion-Ledger — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 21:25:04 GMT

Chase Bank makes an investment in Mississippi, opening a branch in Jackson with plans to open two more in the metro area within the fiscal year.

Watch: JPMorgan Chase invests in Mississippi

Barbara Gauntt, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 21:25:03 GMT

JPMorgan Chase, which opened its first branch in Jackson at Highland Village, knows the importance of investing in the community.

Gov. Reeves shifting state economic focus to workforce development, helping businesses

Keisha Rowe, Mississippi Clarion Ledger — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 16:35:41 GMT

Reeves said the state continues its focus on helping people who lost their jobs due to the pandemic and is intent on creating a stronger workforce.

PHOTOS: Take a look at tiny homes for glamping at Longleaf Piney Resort in Pine Belt

Cam Bonelli, Hattiesburg American — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 03:00:38 GMT

A new glamping campground, The Longleaf Piney Resort, opened in January off the Longleaf Trace in Mississippi. Take a look at its tiny homes.

Good Organic Gardening Advice—for the South?

Jim Pathfinder Ewing — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 21:38:04 GMT

If you could suggest to beginning to fairly advanced gardeners only one reference book about organic gardening, what would it be?

The first ones that come to my mind are Eliot Coleman’s books. The one that’s most timely is his “The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year Round Vegetable Production Using Deep Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses” (2009, Chelsea Green Publishing, $29.95). It’s chock full of information about growing food in cold weather.

Or, for year round, try his “Four-Season Harvest: How to Harvest Fresh Organic Vegetables from Your Home Garden All Year Long,” by Eliot Coleman and Kathy Bary (1992, Chelsea Green Publishing, $24.95). It’s the basis for his cold-weather book, going more in-depth about winter plants.

For the basics, check out “The New Organic Grower: A Master’s Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener (A Gardener’s Supply Book),” by Eliot Coleman, Sheri Amsel and Molly Cook Field (1995, Chelsea Green Publishing, $24.95). I think what Coleman has done at his Four Seasons Farm in Maine is simply fantastic and a model for any would-be market gardeners—that is, people with a limited amount of space like a backyard and turning it into cash.

To go deeper into the history of Coleman and organics, and its fundamentals, one could point to “The Good Life: Helen and Scott Nearing’s Sixty Years of Self-Sufficient Living by Scott Nearing and Helen Nearing” (1990, Schocken Books, $16.95). It’s a homesteading bible.

The Nearings epitomized the “back to the land” movement, leaving the city in 1932 to live off of the land and their own backs and hands, and inspired a generation—including Eliot Coleman, who bought six acres of their land and helped establish something of an early organic commune.

OK, I agree, this is starting to sound a bit cultish, but between the Rodales, founders of Organic Gardening Magazine and the organic science Rodale Institute, and the Walters family, of ACRES USA fame—these are the recognized pioneers of the ecological and organic farming movement in America.

Which brings us to the missing piece: What about the South? All of the previous books, and most on organics, are written by and about people living in the Northeast. Well, I’m happy to say, there’s one southern book that should be on everyone’s bookshelf (no matter what region you live in).

“Organic Gardening Down South,” by Nellie Neal (2008, Mackey Books, $15.95) is written specifically for people who want to grow organically and live in the South—or, as Neal says, where the ground doesn’t freeze and the bugs never die! If you can grow organically in the Deep South, you can grow anywhere.

People who live in Maine, like Coleman, don’t have to contend with T-shirt weather and mosquitoes on New Year’s Day. People in California certainly have sunny weather, but not routine simultaneous triple digits in heat and humidity! Tropical and semi-tropical weather patterns—especially, as she notes, compounded with climate change warming temperatures—poses unique challenges to the Southern organic gardener.

Neal, who is popularly called The Garden Mama, is an authentic gardening expert of some 50 years, as she admits. Perhaps a prophet without honor (or enough of it, anyway) in her own land, Neal hosts a local radio show on gardening, writes a popular column, and lives in Fondren. (Visit her website: gardenmama.com.)

Neal is a true organic pioneer—in the South as much as Coleman, at least.

So, if I could suggest only one organic gardening book? As much as I am a fan of Coleman, if you live in the South, for good practical advice, especially for the new grower or newcomer, read “Organic Gardening Down South.” Then, read Coleman’s books!

Hasbro Announces a 'Gender Neutral' Easy-Bake Oven is Coming Soon

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 01:09:06 GMT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Hasbro says it will soon reveal a gender-neutral Easy-Bake Oven after meeting with a New Jersey girl who started a campaign calling on the toy maker to make one that appeals to all kids.

McKenna Pope, 13, of Garfield, N.J., got more than 40,000 signatures on her online petition at Change.org and the support of celebrity chefs including Bobby Flay, who backed her call for Hasbro to make a gender-neutral oven and to include boys in the ads.

She was prompted to start the petition after shopping for an Easy-Bake as a Christmas present for her 4-year-old brother, Gavyn Boscio, and finding them only in purple and pink.

Hasbro invited McKenna and her family to its Pawtucket, R.I., headquarters to meet with its Easy-Bake team, and on Monday, they drove to Rhode Island from New Jersey. During the meeting, Hasbro executives showed off a prototype of their newest Easy-Bake: one that's black, silver and blue.

Hasbro has been working on the new color scheme and design for about 18 months, and decided to invite McKenna to see it and offer her thoughts, said John Frascotti, Hasbro's chief marketing officer.

McKenna said the company is doing everything she asked, including putting boys in the ads.

"I think that they really met most or even all of what I wanted them to do, and they really amazed me," she said, adding that Gavyn thought the new design was "awesome."

Frascotti pointed out that the classic toy has had about a dozen different color schemes, from yellow to green to teal to silver, since first being introduced in 1963. The most recent iteration, introduced in 2011, is mostly purple with pink accents.

He said it's sold well since then, and that prompted the company to look for a way to update it and to broaden the consumer base by doing it in different colors.

"It's actually a product that's played with by both boys and girls," he said. "We will continue to offer the existing product too because it's so popular."

Hasbro plans to introduce the new color scheme at the industry's Toy Fair in New York in February. Frascotti said people are likely to see it on store shelves next summer.

As for McKenna's Christmas present for her brother, she said the TV show "Inside Edition" gave the family an Easy-Bake Oven after learning of her campaign. For Christmas, she said, she'll probably buy him some mixes to bake in it.

Raising Kids Who Care

Kelly Bryan Smith — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 22:42:34 GMT

In today's world of fast food, video games and social media, it can be harder than ever before to cultivate kindness and caring in our children. Between school and our endless scurrying back and forth to activities, taking the time to sit together as a family, eating a home-cooked meal and talking about how things are going can get lost. It is all too easy to race through your days without getting to know your neighbors, without turning off the television to read a book, without stopping to help others in need or even picking up the trash that spilled by your curb.

Yet, in today's interconnected world, with the big problems we face, it is more essential than ever to find connections with others and help our kids care about others and their environment. It won't happen overnight, but by trying on a few of these easy ideas, you and your kids can make a big difference.

Give To Others

Through a charity called Kiva (kiva.org), my son and I have been able to make several micro loans to help change lives around the world. As recipients repay each loan, we sit down and choose someone else to re-loan the money to—someone who is seeking to raise their family out of poverty through their own ingenuity.

So far, we have helped dozens of people with a small investment of $25. We helped a group of women start a general store in Uganda, and another group of women start a used clothing store in Uganda. We provided money for a man expanding his milk business in Azerbaijan, a group of women establishing a shoe store in the Dominican Republic, a man starting a general store in Kenya and a woman expanding her family farm in Samoa. We also helped a woman starting a weaving business in Cambodia, another to expand her poultry business in Kenya, a man to start a taxi business in Bolivia and another to expand his café in Iraq.

My son loves to look at the pictures of the people and their businesses and imagine what their lives are like around the world from where we are. When my 3-year-old is a little older, we can make our giving an even bigger project by finding all the countries on a map and learning more about them from library books.

Some other kid-friendly charities we love include Heifer International (heifer.org; livestock), Pennies for Peace (penniesforpeace.org; schools), the Green Belt Movement (greenbeltmovement.org; conservation and tree planting), and the Make-a-Wish Foundation (wish.org; for sick children).

Clean Out the Crap

Get your kids involved in cleaning out the house and cutting down on clutter. I am preparing to put my house on the market sometime this spring. I am excited about downsizing with my son and living in a smaller space together. And I am astounded by the amount of stuff we have, most of which we don't even use. We just buy more containers to hold more stuff!

Now that it is time to lighten our load, my son is helping to choose the books and toys and clothes and shoes we can trade at a consignment store or give to other children who have less than we do. Get your kids involved in clearing out too-small clothes and too-babyish toys to give away. Ask for help cleaning out the cupboards during canned-food drives. Brainstorm about ways to lighten your load and share with others.

Cultivate Gratitude

Create a family ritual to share what you are thankful for each evening around the dinner table. As you feel more and more thankful for your own gifts, think about how your family can help others and share with those who are less fortunate in our community and around the world. Consider feeding the homeless through church, hosting a yard sale and donating the proceeds to your family's favorite charity, organizing a school supply drive for a needy school, picking up the trash along your neighborhood creek bed or mowing the lawn for a sick neighbor.

Caring Books for Kids

"Beatrice's Goat" by Page McBrier (Aladdin, 2004, $7.99)

"One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference" by Katie Smith Milway (Kids Can Press, 2008, $18.95)

"If the World Were a Village: A Book About the World's People" by David J. Smith (Kids Can Press, 2011, $18.95)

"A Life Like Mine: How Children Live Around the World" (DK Children, 2005, $12.99).

Caring Books for Grownups

"Raising Kids Who Will Make a Difference: Helping Your Family Live With Integrity, Value Simplicity, and Care for Others" by Susan V. Vogt (Loyola Press, 2002, $13.95)

"The World Needs Your Kid: Raising Kids Who Care and Contribute" by Craig Kielburger, Marc Kielburger, and Shelley Page, Greystone Books, 2010, $19.95

"Material World: A Global Family Portrait" by Peter Menzel (Sierra Club Books, 1995, $25)

"Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time" by Greg Mortenson (Perfection Learning, 2007, $25.25)

More Ways to Cultivate Caring and Community

• Learn about different cultures

• Cook healthy foods together as a family

• Take long walks at your favorite park

• Get to know your neighbors

• Shop at local businesses

• Lend a helping hand

• Start a community vegetable garden

• Join a local library story time

• Practice random acts of kindness

• Start having a technology-free day at home

Four Season Growing: A Garden Cornucopia

Jim Pathfinder Ewing — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 01:47:31 GMT

Now that you are either tending or contemplating a fall garden for freshly grown, organic crops, you might consider four-season farming for year-round food. If the weather cooperates, it can be fairly easy—and can be done even in the urban setting of a small yard or next to a patio.

Today, because of industrial agriculture, we think that farming is all done out in rural areas and large tracts of land, but that actually is counter to historical fact.

In America's cities across the land prior to the mechanization of farming following World War II, small plots of land were located throughout population centers—complete with chickens and livestock! This was common in most urban areas globally. For example, Paris at one time devoted 6 percent of land to food production and produced 100 percent of its fresh vegetables.

One of the more popular methods of growing during winter was to heap horse manure and then build an enclosed structure on top of it for growing. Called a "hot house," the removable top kept vegetables protected from the elements while the decaying manure provided heat from below.

Today, horse manure in cities is no longer an abundant, cheap source of soil fertility. Moreover, for health reasons regarding soil and plant contamination, I wouldn't recommend trying to recreate such methods using uncomposted manure as a heat source without thorough study of safe designs. However, modern urban farmers—as well as homesteaders, suburbanites and rural folks wanting easy access to homegrown food—can nearly match that production by using cold frames.

Simply stated, a cold frame is a box similar to a 4-foot by 8-foot "Jim's plot" but has a removable, clear glass or plastic top. Consider it a mini-greenhouse. Just make sure to vent the top during the day. At night, keep the cold frames closed, and they'll retain heat.

Cold frames can be simple DIY projects, such as planting between a few square bales of hay and recycling old windows or shower doors as the removable tops. You can also purchase pre-made kits from local garden stores or online.

You can build a cold frame anywhere; just make sure it has southern sun exposure. Even a small frame can produce a lot of leafy vegetables if you correctly prune them: Pick old leaves first, in effect pruning the plant so that its energy goes into new leaves.

If you have more space, here's another option using the same principle that can contain more crops. Hoop houses, also called high tunnels, work by using layers of plastic to trap warmer daytime air inside and minimize heat loss from the system at night. They don't have to be big or towering affairs. You can bend plastic pipes over metal rebar spikes pounded into the ground and cover them with plastic.

Hoop houses can range from small tunnels—perhaps 3 feet tall and any length you prefer—to large edifices that you can make portable with wheels. You can even pull them with a tractor to rotate crops.

For more information on hoop houses, visit msucares.com/crops/hightunnels/index.html.

Growers in Mississippi who use high tunnels will be meeting to share tips at the Mississippi Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and the Mississippi Agritourism Association conference in Jackson Nov. 28-29 at the Hilton Hotel on County Line Road. For more info, visit msfruitandveg.com or email info@msfruitandveg.com. You can also contact Candi Adams at 662-534-1916 or cadams@ext.msstate.edu.

Re-Energize Your Soil

Jim Pathfinder Ewing — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 01:42:16 GMT

Now that fall is officially here, a lot of gardeners think their work is done. Well, not quite. That is, not if you expect bountiful harvests next year.

The reason? Soil fertility. The big agribusinesses talk a lot about "inputs" when producing crops because there are a lot of "outputs." The "outputs," simply put, are the fresh fruit and vegetables (and weeds) that your garden produces. When you pull these plants out of the garden, you are removing nutrients in the soil contained in the plant.

If enough of these "outputs" occur, without any new "inputs" of new nutrients, the soil becomes exhausted. That means, unless you work to keep your soil fertile, you may only have stunted plants, puny produce and lots of disease and insects.

Big industrial farms dump synthetic fertilizers as "inputs" to boost production, but without soil-building practices, future yields suffer, and farmers have to use more chemicals on the soil to fight diseases and insects, while the nutrient value of the crops declines.

Organic growing, however, is holistic: The soil is as important as the crop, so we want to ensure that our soil is healthy, so that our produce is healthy, what we eat is healthy, and we are healthy.

The easiest way is to simply keep a compost pile and add compost periodically to the garden. That way, you are at least putting back into the garden what you take out.

Another easy way is to use "green manure." That is, don't throw away the weeds you pick out of the garden; instead, compost and return them. You can also plow under any plants that you don't harvest.

Now is the best time for this method: Plant a cover crop that will actually add fertility to the soil over the winter. Clover is a great winter cover crop, adding nitrogen at the rate of 60 pounds or more per acre.

Another suggestion: Why not use a cover crop you can eat?

Fava beans (which actually are a type of vetch) are filled with essential nutrients, especially phosphorus, potassium, vitamin K, vitamin A and iron. They are low in sodium and high in fiber and, for women, contain phyto-estrogens that herbalists say ease menopause. Fava beans are routinely listed as among the top 10 anti-cancer foods, as they contain herein, which research has shown to block carcinogens in the digestive tract.

The best news for your garden is that they can produce a whopping 200 to 300 pounds per acre of nitrogen. They can withstand temperatures down to 10 degrees, so they make a great cover crop in Mississippi.

Cover crops are often called the keystone of organic agriculture because they do so much while the farmer does so little. They crowd out weeds, provide habitat for beneficial insects, return fertility to the soil by fixing nitrogen from the air into the soil and they help the planet's climate change by sequestering carbon. Not only that, but when they finally succumb to winter or live out their cycle and are turned under as "green manure," they improve the texture of the soil by adding organic matter as well as fertility.

Quite a lot for a little work, huh?

From the Garden

Jim Pathfinder Ewing — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 22:46:57 GMT

One area where the Jackson area bloomed in the past 10 years—literally!—is in terms of local and organic food, foodies and gardens.

"We're trying to do more with everything local," says Troy Woodson, 36, chef at High Noon Café at Rainbow Natural Grocery Cooperative in Fondren (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1602). Rainbow is pushing for local people to supply organically grown food, and customers are more interested in buying locally grown food. Some of the food is really local, Woodson said, noting that honey the café uses is not just from central Mississippi bees but is produced in Fondren at Bee Tree Meadows.

Amy Breckenridge, 38, a baker who is approaching her 10th anniversary with Rainbow, has seen interest in locally grown organic food grow like a weed—as well as the number of stores selling organic food, she said.

The Fondren cooperative's membership has grown as well. In the past three years, membership has doubled, from 3,000 members to 6,000, Breckenridge said.

Perhaps picking up on that need, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce in the past 10 years expanded the facilities for farmers who want to bring their produce to market. In 2005, MDAC phased out the old market on West Street. Now located at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds, the improved market offers an all-weather building with 18,000 square feet and 32 stalls.

In 2009, the Belhaven Market—which has sold locally grown herbs and produce since 2001—also moved to the fairgrounds. Farmers markets have cropped up elsewhere in the metro area, too, such as the Livingston Farmers Market in Madison County.

Local groups are also planting seeds for their own health and wellbeing by creating community gardens. The Tougaloo-Rainbow Community Garden Farm Project started in 2008 and is located at Tougaloo College. It provides opportunities for organic gardening and permaculture projects.

Who could have guessed 10 years ago that growing food at local schools would become a national trend and that Jackson would serve as a model?

The farm-to-school movement in Mississippi started 10 years ago, when the Mississippi Department of Education partnered with MDAC and the Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to make locally raised produce available to Mississippi schools.

In 2010, Michelle Obama visited Jackson as part of her Let's Move program for nutrition and exercise, recognizing the public schools' goals. The schools are working with FoodCorps and, since 2004, helped reach more than 20,000 Jacksonians through school garden and nutrition programs. Some, including the Wisdom Garden at Spann Elementary in Fondren, have been noted nationwide for their efforts.

Reaping Cool-Weather Rewards

Jim Pathfinder Ewing — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:03:21 GMT

Mississippi, along with the rest of the South, is blessed with a long growing season, and now is the time to plant a fall garden so that you can enjoy fresh, leafy organic vegetables often until Christmas.

Good fall plants include mustard greens, spinach, turnips, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chard, kale, various lettuces, radishes and onions.

You don't have to overdo it. Even a small "Jim's Plot," only 4 feet by 8 feet, can provide lots and lots of salads. (In fact, you might consider building a few of them for elderly family members or friends so that they can harvest some fresh food, too.)

It's hot now, but as temperatures cool, these greens will take off. Some thrive in colder weather. Many swear that collards taste better after a frost, for example; the purplish hue that the leaves take on is a mark of distinction.

Some plants—such as radicchio—survive when temperatures drop into the teens, along with some beets. Their leaves grow back and are delicious as greens.

If you already have a Jim's Plot, just turn under the existing vegetation for "green manure," allowing the plants to decompose in the soil. Add compost to return fertility to the soil lost from harvesting crops. You can also apply liquid fertilizers in spots to the started plants to give them a boost. (Use organic fertilizers only; synthetic fertilizers can kill earthworms and microorganisms in the soil.)

If you are just starting out, you can buy topsoil at some of the local yard and garden stores in bulk. Better yet, find a tree-covered spot behind a garage or next to a fence where leaves have fallen and decomposed over the years leaving the soil nice and loamy. Then find a sunny spot with southern exposure. Put down newspapers or cardboard to keep weeds out of your garden, and cover with the soil. Start a compost pile with vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and eggshells—no meat! Use the compost to keep your soil fertile.

How late can you plant? For a general guideline, count backward from first frost. Here in central Mississippi, we usually have first frost around Nov. 1, and the first killing frost Dec. 1. So, you can expect 60 to 90 days of growing if you plant now.

That's not a hard-and-fast rule. Frost can come early. I remember one October when the weather turned bitterly cold. Or, like last year, we could have a warm winter where the problem was keeping the plants from bolting (going to seed) rather than dying from frost.

Plant now to have wholesome, organic produce later. There's nothing better on a cold winter day than steaming cooked greens with cheese, onions, garlic and hot sauce.

Urban Homesteading Planning For Winter

Jim Pathfinder Ewing — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 23:50:36 GMT

Those who practice "homesteading"—or self-sufficiency—are busy preserving or "putting up" the produce they have grown this summer. But urban homesteaders who may be limited in the amount of land available to them aren't left out in the cold. In fact, they have a cornucopia of fresh fruits and vegetables available to them—as close as the local farmers market.

As always, now is a great time to buy what's available. At this time of year, most farmers are wrapping up their traditional growing time and looking forward to a final fall harvest and a winter season of rest.

The amount of available fresh foods lull consumers who may not be buying as eagerly as they did early in the season—many may even be burned out on local crops. This all works to urban homesteaders' advantage, because a customer who wants to buy in bulk can usually obtain a bargain.

A tip: Go to the market just before closing time. While some of the items may be sold out or picked over, farmers are usually more than willing to sell the remainder at a huge discount just so they don't have to haul it back and compost it or give it away.

Another tip: No matter what time of day, you can usually barter down the price of a bruised or picked-over item. In fact, some farmers could throw in the damaged items for free if you buy others in quantity and offer to take them off his hands. You can cut out any bad parts of fruits or vegetables without harming the taste. And remember: If you are dicing them for canning or making preserves, it doesn't matter what they look like.

Lastly: Quiz farmers over their growing techniques. Organic is the way to go.

Some local farmers aren't "certified" organic (the Mississippi Department of Agriculture ended its organic-certifying program in December due to budget cuts), but they may still be using organic methods. Most farmers will be more than happy to tell you how they grow their crops. If they don't—or won't—don't buy.

Canning and Preserving Food

The Mississippi State University Extension Service has publications on how to safely preserve food and other issues of interest to urban homesteaders, including:

"The Complete Guide to Home Canning" (http://www.msucares.com/pubs/publications/p1152.pdf) and a library of articles grouped under Living In a Recession (http://www.tinyurl.com/clldul3).

Seminars on Agritourism, Growing Fruits & Vegetables

Did you know that agritourism is a growing field in the state? Or that you can hobnob with fruit and vegetable growers to learn from them directly?

The Mississippi Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and the Mississippi Agritourism Association are holding seminars for the public at a conference in Jackson Nov. 28 and 29 at the Hilton Hotel on County Line Road. Early bird registration ends Sept. 15.

For more info, http://www.visitmsfruitandveg.com or email info@msfruitandveg.co. You can also contact Candi Adams at 662-534-1916 or cadams@ext.msstate.edu.

One Seed at a Time

Jim Pathfinder Ewing — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 01:17:30 GMT

As summer continues to blaze, some of our early-planted varieties will start to bolt, or produce seeds. This offers an opportunity for organic gardeners not only to save the seeds but share them with others—and help save our planet.

Giant transnational seed companies are buying up small seed companies globally and discontinuing their lines of stock in favor of bioengineered seeds they can patent. As the 2008 documentary film "Food, Inc." noted, with the development of such genetically modified organisms (GMO), for the first time in history, these biotechnology giants are becoming the architects and "owners" of life.

With seed "ownership" and fewer natural, openly pollinated seeds being sold, food-plant biodiversity suffers. Couple this with conversion of open land to farming monocultures (where farmers grow only selected plants such as GMO corn or soybeans and use herbicides to kill all other plants), and loss of habitat thanks to urban and suburban growth, and extinction of whole plant species is under way.

Seedhead News reports that of all types of commercial veggies grown at the turn of the century, only about 4 percent still exist today. Just three grain crops—rice, wheat and corn—make up more than half of all the food consumed globally. By contrast, when Europeans touched foot on North America, Native Americans used up to 5,000 different species of food plants.

Food's future is not bright unless we reverse these trends. Practicing seed saving, sharing seeds with friends and neighbors, and supporting seed-saving libraries that conserve local and native species are a few of the ways we can do that. Not only will you help the planet by collecting your organic, heirloom and nonhybrid, open-pollinated seeds, but you'll improve your own garden over time.

Drought? Blight? Insect damage? Keep the seeds of the plants that survive, and they'll likely pass that resistance to their offspring.

Who Owns Food?

• America's seeds are owned by a handful of corporations that have bought up the seed stocks for food. Here's a chart complied by Mother Earth News: http://bit.ly/KQZ22o.

• An iPhone app called ShopNoGMO helps consumers avoid buying genetically engineered food. Find it in the Apple iTunes store.

• Seed Savers Exchange offers an online database on how to collect seeds from various wild and domestic plants, including fruits, vegetables and flowers. Visit bit.ly/JWTfJp.

Here are a few seed resources:

• Seed Savers Exchange: seedsavers.org

• Native Seeds/SEARCH in Tucson, Ariz., publishes Seedhead News: nativeseeds.org

• Learn how to start a seed lending library: richmondgrows.org, search for "seed lending" if necessary.

Sanjay Acharya

Why California's Prop. 37 Matters

Jim Pathfinder Ewing — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 01:10:42 GMT

If you care about food safety, human health and the environment, and if you haven't heard of California's Proposition 37, yet, please read on.

Prop. 37 seems innocuous enough. It simply requires that all food containing genetically modified organisms (GMO) or genetically engineered ingredients should say so on the label.

Why do the giant food and agriculture companies fear this so?

They allege it would be too costly to label products differently for only one state. Some companies would simply not sell in California—and limit those citizen's consumer choices, they protest—and "it will cost jobs!"

That's a straw-man argument. California is home to 37 million Americans—the largest state in the country by population (and the second largest "state" in the western hemisphere). If big companies don't sell in California, they won't stay big for long. As California goes, so goes the country.

If Prop. 37 passes, it's more likely that companies will simply label foods containing GMOs instead of increasing costs and creating non-GMO product lines in an attempt to capture both markets. This is already happening with soy milk and cereal products in groceries that stock organic foods.

The real reason ag and food giants don't want labeling is because they don't want to give up market share, spend money to develop new products or spend more for non-GMO ingredients. In other words: It's all about short-term profits.

Labeling GMO foods will likely accelerate the already phenomenal growth of organic food purchases away from "conventional" foods, brought to you by pesticide-laden, synthetic chemical farming, which makes food far cheaper to produce.

Polls repeatedly show that 90 percent or more of Americans want labeling of GMO foods. Why? No one has shown that GMOs are safe. Under a quirk of U.S. food-safety laws, the U.S. considers GMO seeds, crops and foods safe without any independent testing. No one knows what the long-term effects will be on human health or the environment.

Because of this, European countries, Japan and other countries require labeling on food products containing GMOs—which come mostly from the United States—and have outright bans on GMO seeds and crops.

Why does Prop. 37 matter to the rest of the United States? If the proposition passes:

• Big companies will change their crop purchasing to non-GMO. This, in turn, also could boost organic farming, which bans GMOs.

• More "conventional" farmers will turn to organic farming where prices are higher, especially if big companies are willing to sign contracts for organic products.

• Seed companies, which are being bought up by giant GMO producers to limit competition, will promote more heritage, heirloom and non-GMO seeds for farmers due to increased demand and loss of GMO market share.

• Because there will be fewer GMOs—which producers genetically engineer to withstand spraying with chemical pesticides and fertilizers—less chemical spraying is likely, which is good for the environment.

• It may be possible to halt or reduce honeybee colony collapse disorder. Experts suspect the causes of bee population decline to be certain GMO corn varieties and some pesticides used with GMO crops.

• Fewer potential human-health and environmental risks could arise from the unknowns of growing GMO crops, as the market for GMO dries up.

Overall, labeling GMO is an attempt to wrest control of food choices from the big ag, seed and Food conglomerates and put it back into the hands of consumers—where it belongs.

Read about GMO myths and truths at http://www.earthopensource.org/index.php/reports/58 Find out more about California's Proposition 37: California Right to Know Campaign (http://www.carighttoknow.org).

Fondren Hosts 'Greening' Conference

Jim Pathfinder Ewing — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:07:50 GMT

It's all too easy to bring the city to the outdoors by paving over natural habitats, but recently cities are striving to bring the outdoors back to urban areas.

Jackson has the opportunity to join in this nationwide effort with the Greening Fondren Conference Aug. 2 at Fondren Hall (4330 N. State St.). Are you ready to turn Fondren into Jackson's green oasis? With community gardens? Edible Forests? Returning the neighborhood to a livable, healthy habitat?

This free daylong event, hosted by the Top of Fondren, Mississippi Urban Forest Council, Jackson State University and the city of Jackson, features speakers who will share knowledge of turning pavement into green spaces. They range from economic development officials talking about the importance of "greening" cities job creation; "how tos" for creating green spaces, parks and gardens, including ideas for churches, civic groups and schools; and panel discussions by local officials and "green" community stakeholders.

The greatest opportunity may be the chance for local folks from all walks of life to join in some big-sky thinking about the future of Fondren and networking around the idea of creating a livable, sustainable community. The day will be filled with workshops on green infrastructure, community gardening, biking and walking paths and more.

"The idea," conference organizer Maureen Smith says, "is to give the community a look at what projects are happening, what could be started and how individuals and businesses could get involved." It's an opportunity to turn good ideas for a healthy community into reality.

Greening Fondren Conference

Thursday, Aug. 2, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Fondren Hall, 4330 N. State St. (formerly Primos Northgate). To register, send your name via email to Donna Yowell at dyowell@aol.com (or call 601-672-0755) or Maureen Smith at maureencatherinesmith@gmail.com. The workshop is free, but you can purchase lunch for $10 from High Noon Cafe. Registration is requested for those who want lunch.

Speakers include:

• Bob Wilson, executive director of Mississippi Main Street, on "The Greening Impact on Economic Development"

• George Ewing of the city of Jackson on "Benefits of Trees and Green Space"

• Elizabeth Barber of Barber and Mann Associates on "Tools for Community Green Space" (Easements, Deeds)

• Donna Yowell, executive director of the Mississippi Urban Forestry Council, on "Green Re-Vitalization, Creating a Green Plan"

• Donna Beliech, State Extension Service, on "Green Spaces, Parks and Gardens"

• Jason Gordon, State Extension Service, on "i-Tree and Placing Value on Trees"

• Ken Hackman, Zoological Field Studies, Madison Central High School, on "Urban Wildlife and Bird Habitat"

• Melody Moody of Bike Walk Mississippi

• Dan Guillet with Jackson Public Works

• Michael Gentry of Tougaloo Community Garden

• Luke Lundemo of Rainbow Natural Foods Co-op's, Eubanks Creek & FAB Green Team on "Green Healthy Communities Panel"

• Fondren's Green Team and Fondren After 5 on "Fondren's Green Future and Planning"

This seminar is part of the Urban Forest Masters Program and funded by an Urban and Community Forestry Grant from the Mississippi Forestry Commission, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the Southern Group of State Foresters.

Jim PathFinder Ewing is the author of five books on energy medicine and eco-spirituality published by Findhorn Press. His next book, scheduled for a fall release, is titled "Conscious Food: Sustainable Growing, Spiritual Eating." Find Jim on Facebook, follow him on Twitter @edibleprayers or visit blueskywaters.com.

Positive Parenting Through Divorce

Kelly Bryan Smith — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 00:34:45 GMT

Just about every other marriage these days ends in divorce. No matter the cause, it can be breathtakingly painful. And when kids are involved, it can be difficult to put aside the grown-up problems in order to work together to put the kids first. This can be especially challenging if you are struggling to rebuild trust as parents after an infidelity or other betrayal. Trust me; I know. Been there and doing that. It is hard work.

Ultimately, I don't think any of us wants to raise broken children from broken homes. Research shows that the kids who thrive after a divorce are the kids with two involved parents who each love their kids very much and are able to co-parent in a cooperative manner. Here's how to get started.

Take Care of Yourself

Take time for you.
Find a healthy outlet for your emotions.
Let yourself grieve.
Give yourself plenty of time to heal.
Seek out your support system.
Talk to someone you trust.
Listen to your intuitions and needs.
Don't take on other people's anger.
Try to eat right and sleep well.
Don't expect too much from yourself during this time.

Take Care of Your Kids

Acknowledge your children's feelings.
Tell the truth, but not the whole truth until they are old enough to handle it.
Avoid unkind words.
Stick to your routines.
Create new family rituals.
Continue to encourage healthy eating, tooth brushing and regular bedtimes.
Read bedtime stories.
Create a safe personal space for each child at each home.
Make time for quality time with each parent.
Avoid any unnecessary, additional upheaval.

New Family Rituals: Create Magical Moments

• Picnic at the park after church.

• Jump on the bed to Motown tunes after dinner.

• Camp out in the living room for a Friday night movie.

• Take a Christmas cruise.

• Go to the farmer's market as a family.

• Cook Saturday-morning blueberry pancakes.

• Stomp in puddles after a big rain.

• Get ice cream after school on Mondays.

• Volunteer to feed the homeless on Thanksgiving.

• Spend a week at the beach with friends and their kids.

• Host a weekly board game competition.

• Grow a family vegetable garden.

• Take silly family photos on your cell phone.

• Go to story time at the public library.

• Spend some evenings at the ballpark.

• Pick fresh, seasonal fruits.

How to Pamper Yourself

• Read a great book.

• Get a massage.

• Take a hot bath.

• Go out with friends.

• Treat yourself to a movie.

• Sip a glass of nice wine.

• Head to the gym.

• Get a haircut.

• Take a walk.

• Give yourself the permission to do something you've always wanted to do.

• Give yourself the permission to live one day at a time.

If Nothing Else ...

Be Consistent. If at all possible, put your differences aside to agree on a general parenting philosophy or a specific parenting reference book. Find a time when the kids are not around to brainstorm a few basic house rules and routines that both homes will enforce.
Be Kind. You don't have to like your ex-spouse, but bad-mouthing each other in front of or to the kids is harmful to a child's self-esteem and emotional development. Save the spiteful words for the therapist's office or when you're having a drink with your best friend.

DIY: Shortly after my ex husband and I signed our divorce papers, I crafted a custom Shutterfly photo book for my son. It has photos from his life at my house and from his dad's house. I wrote simple text with upbeat language to reaffirm that my son is safe with and loved by both his parents—no matter what. I printed a copy for each house, and it is a bedtime favorite.

Kelly Bryan Smith

Kids and Divorce Bookshelf

Great Reads for Grown-ups

• "Mom's House, Dad's House: Making Two Homes for Your Child" by Isolina Ricci (Fireside, 1997, $16)

• "Helping Your Kids Cope with Divorce the Sandcastles Way" by M. Gary Neuman and Patricia Romanowski (Random House, 1999, $20)

• "Putting Children First: Proven Parenting Strategies for Helping Children Thrive Through Divorce" by JoAnne Pedro-Carroll (Avery, 2010, $16)

• "Coming Apart: Why Relationships End and How to Live Through the Ending of Yours" by Daphne Kingma (Conari Press, 2012, $16.95)

Best Books for Kids

• "Two Homes" by Claire Masurel and Kady MacDonald Denton (Candlewick, 2003, $6.99)

• "Standing on My Own Two Feet: An Affirmation of Love in the Midst of Divorce" by Tamara Schmitz (Price Stern Sloan, 2008, $12.99)

• "Was it the Chocolate Pudding?: A Story for Little Kids About Divorce" by Sandra Levins and Bryan Langdo (Magination, 2005, $14.95)

• "Dinosaurs Divorce" by Marc Brown and Laurie Krasny Brown (Little, Brown, 1988, $7.99)

Water, Water Everywhere

Jim Pathfinder Ewing — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 06:35:31 GMT

People who jump into organic gardening without any preparation often start off on the wrong foot by overwatering or not watering properly. They may have stereotypes in their minds that are hard to erase. One is the image of lawn sprinklers casting long arcs of water into the air, as is often seen in photos of golf courses.

While watering with a sprinkler like that can work, it's not the best way and, if done in the heat of the day or in the evening is an example of how not to water your garden and can even be self-defeating. While it may give the gardener the impression that he or she has "done some work in the garden," it can be harmful for two reasons: First, during a hot, sunny day, the water mostly evaporates before it can soak in to the plants' roots where it can actually do some good. Second, sprinkling raises humidity in the garden, which can create ideal conditions for harmful fungal and bacterial growth, and rejuvenate viruses in the soil that can stunt or kill plants. The effect is worse if you use sprinkling techniques in the late evening; it allows fungi and bacteria to grow overnight and really "set in."

If you use a sprinkler in your garden, it's best to use it in the morning and leave it running long enough so that the water soaks in. The garden will then have all day in the sun. Water on the leaves, plant stems and the ground surface will dry out as the day goes on, leaving the water where it belongs, at the roots.

You will find that morning watering in this way can be a great delight. Birds use the puddles to splash in and wash themselves, pollinators will flitter in and out, drinking the precious liquid, and your plants will seem to grow and blossom before your very eyes as they absorb the moisture and turn their leafy faces toward the sun. It can be a spiritual experience.

The key is to not overwater. Once a week is plenty, and you may need to water less. To test whether your garden needs watering, stick your finger in the soil. If your finger goes in easily with a slight feeling of moisture, it's fine. If it's muddy, it's too wet.

It's a careful balance. Plant roots need to be able to breathe in the soil. That requires air pockets as well as moisture. You want your soil to be light and fluffy (have good "tilth") with lots of organic matter, but damp enough so that earthworms can happy slither through, and beneficial bacteria and fungi can thrive. In organic gardening, your soil is alive. It needs to thrive for your plants to thrive.

Professional gardeners, of course, have found more efficient (and often expensive) ways to water their crops. Some use garden or lawn sprinklers on tripods with timers so that they can soak a large area in a small amount of time. By moving the tripods, they're able to cover several acres. If your garden is the small, backyard variety, timers and tripods probably aren't necessary.

Drip and soaker systems are additional watering options for larger gardens. Drip irrigation sends an even supply of water directly to the root zone. It uses less water because it doesn't run off on the surface (carrying precious top soil with it) or evaporate as readily as water mist sprayed into the air. It almost eradicates mold or fungal concerns because the drip tape or soaker hose is in contact with the soil. In established crop systems, gardeners often will bury the hoses so they stay put, about 4 inches deep, so they water only the roots. Burying your soaker hoses to keep them from freezing and splitting is a good idea if you plan to leave them out during the winter.

Unburied hoses will give you the advantage of using them where they're needed most and removing them otherwise. But whether you bury your soakers or leave them above ground, you'll need to be careful when you mow around the garden, or till within it. With buried hoses, be sure to remember (or mark) where you buried them!

Soaker hoses are available at most garden supply stores and online. Because you want the water pressure to be low throughout your garden, keep your hose sections to no longer than 100 feet. If you need additional length, connect 100-foot sections using garden hose splitters with adjustable valves. That way, you can adjust the flow in each section—open the valves for highest flow at the end, lowest at the beginning.

Urban Homesteading: Grow Your Own Sandwich

Jim Pathfinder Ewing — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 06:23:33 GMT

You don't have to have a large garden spread to grow your own organic food. In fact, you can grow plenty of food to supplement your diet in a small space.

While growing enough grain for bread might be a challenge in, say, a small apartment or tiny yard, you can grow nutritious grain sprouts anywhere to add to your sandwiches.

Start with one to four tablespoons of food-grade organic seeds. Put them in a wide mouth jar, and cover the jar opening with nylon mesh or tulle cloth from a fabric store and affix it with a rubber band. Add water, swirl it around and drain. Repeat the water, swirl and drain cycle twice a day for three to six days, and you will have sprouts ready to eat.

A word of warning for growing sprouts: Use only food-grade organic seeds, as some seeds are poisonous. Also, non-organic seeds could be contaminated with food-poisoning bacteria. Several online companies offer food-grade organic seeds specifically for sprouting, including Johnny's Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com) and Peaceful Valley (groworganic.com).

Good sprouts to grow are lentils, garbonzo beans, mung beans, red clover, sunflowers, radish, rye, winter wheat, alfalfa, arugula, broccoli, buckwheat, canola (non-GMO) and adzuki beans.

For those who are more ambitious—and have more room or access to a community garden plot—you can grow your own sandwich. With 100 square feet (a 10-foot by 10-foot plot), you can grow enough amaranth, barley or rye to bake bread twice a month for a year.

You will have to buy (or rent) a grain mill, or find someone who grind grains in small quantities. Peaceful Valley (groworganic.com), offers a hand-cranking grain mill for $149. A bread maker would be nice, too.

Jim PathFinder Ewing is the author of five books on energy medicine and eco-spirituality published by Findhorn Press. His next book, to be published in the fall, is "Conscious Food: Sustainable Growing, Spiritual Eating." Find Jim on Facebook, follow him on Twitter @edibleprayers or visit blueskywaters.com.

Bread from Your Garden?

Jim Pathfinder Ewing — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 06:15:07 GMT

If you're interested in growing grain in your garden, a good book on the subject is "Homegrown Whole Grains" by Sara Pitzer (Storey Publishing, 2009, $14.95).

As Pitzer notes, in a 10-foot-square plot, backyard farmers can grow enough wheat to harvest 50 pounds in a single afternoon—and that can be baked into 50 loaves of fresh bread.

Good Bugs, Bad Bugs

Jim PathFinder Ewing — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 02:25:04 GMT

Now that summer is in full swing, gardeners have to deal with pests.

While industrial agriculture uses chemicals to control insects, it's a scorch-the-earth policy that kills both good and bad bugs indiscriminately.

In organic growing, we strive to live in harmony with the plant and animal nations. As such, we want to grow plants that repel unwanted insects and invite beneficial insects to take care of those that might want to feast on our plants.

Several plants can be useful in controlling unwanted pests, such as alyssum, buckwheat, coriander, dill, fennel, Queen Anne's Lace, sunflowers and common yarrow. Not only do these plants look great, they attract the kinds of insects that will help protect your garden. Some, like sunflowers, act as a "trap crop," luring pests to them and away from the rest of your garden. Others, like dill, fennel and coriander, are herbs that you can use in your food. Buckwheat is incredibly appealing to pollinators such as honeybees and butterflies.

American Indian tribes have traditionally considered yarrow to have mystical and magical properties—from love charms to warding off negativity. The Latin name for the plant (also known as millfoil) is Achillae, named for the Greek warrior Achilles. Legend has it that Achilles gave the plant to his troops to stop bleeding. The Chinese have used dried yarrow stems for I Ching divination for centuries. And gardeners who use the principles of biodynamic farming use yarrow as a basic ingredient to invite spirit elementals to the garden.

Placing beneficial plants in your garden isn't difficult and you don't have to follow a specific plan; plant them here and there, wherever the mood strikes you, in and around the garden or along a ditch. They should all grow quickly.

To provide a little help for the humans in your garden, plant something that will help naturally ward off mosquitoes. Mother Earth News tested a number of plants and these were the top natural repellents: lantana, rose-scented monarda, lime basil, catnip, sacred basil and thyme (see tinyurl.com/74gwysm). Again, these plants have other uses as well—including happy cats! Planting them in pots or other containers allows you to place them on your porch or patio, as well.

Find heirloom or organic seeds for all of these plants at your local garden store—or, at this time of year, look for full-grown plants on sale at a discount.

In addition to attracting beneficial insects with plants, you can simply purchase them. Those little red beetles with black dots, affectionately called ladybugs, are popular. Ladybugs are capable of consuming up to 50 or 60 aphids per day, and one ladybug can consume many as 5,000 aphids in its lifetime, according to Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply (groworganic.com), which sells the little critters online. Ladybugs also eat a variety of other harmful insects and larvae including scales, mealy bugs, leafhoppers, mites and various types of soft-bodied insects.

Next year, you might consider the praying mantid (or mantis). These big green bugs eat aphids, beetles, flies, mosquitoes, moths, caterpillars, wasps—generally, any insect it can catch. A praying mantid's egg sac can contain up to 40,000 eggs, which usually hatch in spring. Find them for sale online and from stores such as Costco.

Finally, if you are finding strange plant symptoms or pest invaders, check out this handy online resource for finding safe, non-toxic pesticide solutions that are Organic Materials Review Institute, or OMRI, approved: The Ecological Pest Management Database (bit.ly/g6Eqgu). It covers solutions for everything from diseases to weeds to mollusks. The database is maintained by the Butte, Mont.-based National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. Call them at 1-800-346-9140.

Plant Now for Fall Harvest

Jim PathFinder Ewing — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 02:15:41 GMT

One of the benefits of living in the South is that we can extend our growing period through at least three seasons just by timing our planting, and four seasons if we put a little work into it. For example, right now is a good time to plant for your fall harvest.

One of the most highly desired foods when summer ends is tomatoes; and if you plant now, you can have a good fall crop. However, tomatoes come with a bit of a caveat. Because of Mississippi's hot, moist conditions, tomatoes frequently begin to fail in deep summer. Fruit doesn't form above 94 degrees and high humidity discourages pollination. During prolonged periods of drought or high temperatures, tomato plants will just shut down.

A few varieties of tomatoes will do well in southern climes, including:

Homestead24 (certified organic; for hot, humid weather; from Florida)
Neptune (certified organic; for hot, humid weather; from Florida)
Arkansas Traveler (heirloom; for hot, humid weather)
Cherokee Purple (heirloom; hot weather tolerant; from Tennessee)

If you can't find seeds locally for these varieties, contact TomatoFest (Box 628, Little River, Calif. 95456, store.tomatofest.com) for these and other types of heirloom and organic tomato seeds.

Protect Your Skin

If you are going to be outdoors a lot, remember to wear sunscreen. Ultraviolet radiation may promote skin cancer.

Consumer Reports tested 18 sunscreen products, but rated none "excellent" for all conditions. In its tests, All Terrain Aqua Sport lotion rated best, scoring 88 of 100 possible points. Thirteen products scored 70 or higher. It gave "best buy" kudos to No-Ad with Aloe & Vitamin E SPF 45 and Walgreens Continuous Spray Sport SPF 50. For more information, visit consumerreports.org/cro/sunscreens/buying-guide.

Hot-Weather Watering

Jim PathFinder Ewing — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 01:27:11 GMT

The hottest part of summer may require us to use more treated water than we may prefer. Chemicals from city water-treatment plants can build up and can also stunt microbial life in the soil. To help alleviate the chemical load, consider using a chlorine filter that screws into your garden hose. Filters are available at pool-supply stores or online. If you don't have an untreated pond or rain barrels, this is the next best thing.

Frequent watering leaches nutrients from the soil. The best and easiest way to replenish the soil short term is by using a top dressing of worm castings. Just apply a thin layer at your plants' roots. Find worm castings at your favorite local garden store.

Stressed plants may exhibit powdery mildew or blights, especially on tomatoes. You can remedy this organically by using Bacillus subtilis, a soil-dwelling bacterium that controls leaf blight, black mold, powdery mildew and many other diseases. It's sold under various brand names, including Serenade Garden Disease Control, and is OMRI approved for organic growing. Ask your local garden store to carry this for you, or go online to Arbico Organics (arbico-organics.com).

In the end, nothing beats rainwater, but these tips can help your garden thrive in hot weather.

Jim PathFinder Ewing is the author of five books on energy medicine and eco-spirituality (Findhorn Press). His next book, "Conscious Food: Sustainable Growing, Spiritual Eating" will be published in the fall. Find him on Facebook, follow him on Twitter edibleprayers or visit blueskywaters.com.

Ewing was recently elected to the board of directors of Certified Naturally Grown, a national non-profit organization offering certification tailored to small-scale, direct-market farmers and beekeepers who use natural methods. Many growers who use organic methods prefer not to enlist in the U.S. government's certified program; CNG was founded in 2002, at the same time the USDA's National Organic Program went into effect to fill that gap, providing local, community-based third-party certification. It is not affiliated with NOP. For more information, visit naturallygrown.org.

Earth Day and the Organic Movement

Jackson Free Press — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:23:22 GMT

Forty-two years ago, a new way of looking at our Earth arose in human consciousness.It came about on Christmas Eve in 1968 when Astronaut William Anders looked out the window of Apollo 8 and snapped a photo that he dubbed "Earthrise."The photo was featured on the cover of the first "Whole Earth Catalog," which celebrated natural living and a back-to-the-earth credo in 1970. It became the icon of a movement that saw the first Earth Day that same year.That holistic way of looking at the world—seeing us all as voyagers on a tiny, bobbing blue and green vessel in the vastness of space—gave vigor to another movement that came to be called organics.On Earth Day this year, it's time to review where that movement went, where it is likely go and maybe even where it should go.For those deeply involved in the organics movement, this year could prove transformative. Some of its pioneers believe that industrial agriculture has co-opted the movement since the U.S. Department of Agriculture took over administration of organics, and that the movement has lost its spirit. The USDA has even made it illegal for a farm to use the word unless it us USDA certified.Most of the USDA Certified Organic produce you see in your local grocery store is grown on huge factory farms using migrant laborers who are often abused and exploited, paid pennies on the dollar, housed in shanties and, because they are often undocumented, are afraid to complain for fear of being deported. That's if the produce is grown in the United States.Much of the produce marked USDA Certified Organic in your market is imported from foreign countries where inspections to ensure harmful synthetic chemicals, fertilizers and poisons aren't used or may be lax. Corporate ownership of organic brands is becoming the norm. (For a list of corporations that own certified organic farms and their brands, see http://www.bit.ly/i6zF44.)Beyond the LabelEliot Coleman, author of "The Winter Harvest Handbook" (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2009, $29.95) among other titles, grower, and owner of Four Season Farm in Maine (fourseasonfarm.com), was a founder of the organics movement in the 1960s and helped set up the original National Organic Program guidelines. Now, however, he rejects USDA certification.Indian Line Farm in Egremont, Mass., one of the first Community Supported Agriculture farms in the U.S. and a founder of the CSA movement, also rejects USDA certification, choosing instead to be listed with Certified Naturally Grown, a nonprofit alternative eco-labeling program for small farms that grow using USDA organic methods but are not part of the USDA program. (Disclosure: My ShooFly Farm in Lena is CNG certified.)The organics movement faces a dilemma, even from within: whether to embrace "evil" Big Ag and all it entails, including greater corporatism and devaluing of workers, or to reject the mainstreaming of organics and its promise of a better planet.This schism is playing out around the world. Countries in Europe and elsewhere have rejected genetically modified, or GMO, seeds and food because they believe these mutated strains are untested for human health and safety and could pose a threat to the environment. However, under a quirk of U.S. law, GMO doesn't have to meet independent testing and analysis to be proven safe. The foods are safe because companies that genetically engineer them say they are safe, and they fund their own studies to prove it. Hence, companies can market GMO food and seed to an unsuspecting public even without labeling.Organic growing practices do not allow GMO seeds or plants. But even here, corporate agriculture is pushing to include GMOs in USDA organic certification rules. (For more, see: OTA 'Modified' by GMO interests, Organic Consumers Association, June 9, 2011: http://www.organicconsumers.org/bytes/ob280.htm.)A real risk exists that, ultimately, the food and farming label of "USDA Organic" will be a distinction without a difference.Organics' Gordian KnotThis growing divide forces a dilemma for the consumer as well. Certainly, Certified Organic is better than conventional chemical farming. It's healthier, safer and more beneficial for the planet. But it's a Faustian bargain: In exchange for safe, healthy, pesticide-free food under the guise of saving the planet with environmentally friendly farming methods, consumers may be dooming the planet to worse air pollution, depletion of natural resources and exploitation of workers, while putting land ownership and food production into fewer hands.Like the fabled Gordian knot that many said was impossible to unravel, the answer for consumers is almost embarrassingly simple: Grow local, buy local. In other words, cut through USDA and Big Ag-generated confusion.Here is the key to the future of organics if it is to continue in the spirit in which it began: The organic movement must transition from an idea of sustainability using old growing methods to a new model that embraces modern social change and science. In centuries past, growers who used organic methods knew the practice worked, but they didn't know why. Now, with all the research into soil science that is broadening horizons as to the vital role of fungi and microorganisms in the soil, we know and can scientifically prove that organic methods can feed the world for a safer, sustainable and nourished planet.Consumers want safe food, and young people have embraced the idea. Many have started small backyard and "boutique" farms to grow foods. This small but growing postmodern organics movement embraces a worldwide awareness under the moniker "ecoagriculture." I believe this is the next phase of organic growingThe Power of ChoiceIn America, I suspect this movement will likely veer increasingly away from pure crop production and toward a more holistic view of the environment, such as permaculture.Coined in 1959 by two Australians, Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, permaculture incorporates two concepts: "Permanent Culture" and "Permanent Agriculture." The practice eschews soil disruption, an agricultural hallmark since its beginning 10,000 years ago. To the untrained eye, a permaculture food plot may appear to be a jungle. However, if it is well crafted, it can serve as a continuing ecosystem through the seasons, providing food with a minimum of human intervention.Consumers' continued demand to label genetically engineered foods will boost natural growing techniques and, perhaps, reverse the decline in seed diversity. Demand can revive heritage foods and crops, while shifting attention toward fruits and vegetables, lessening health threats caused by high-fat, high-sugar, processed "food products."The future of organics is in our hands. We each can do our part in keeping our precious Earth of Anders' iconic photo blue, green and clean by growing our own food—whether in our backyards or with our neighbors in community gardens—and by buying organic, rejecting GMO, supporting locally grown food and only voting for those who look out for the consumer first.This is the type of organic growing that those of us who marveled at that little planet in the black void of space envisioned some 42 years ago.<i>Jim PathFinder Ewing's book with Findhorn Press, "Conscious Food: Sustainable Growth, Spiritual Eating," on organic food, farming and spirit will be published this fall. Find Jim on Facebook, follow him @edibleprayers or visit http://www.blueskywaters.com.</i>

My Urban Farming Experiment

Jackson Free Press — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:22:01 GMT

I started my first urban garden many years ago when I lived in Austin, Texas. I was attending the Texas Culinary Academy and had just started learning about the farm-to-table and local-food movement. Before Austin, I had always believed that the more miles food had traveled to wind up on my plate, the more special it had to be.Fish from Japan? Yes. Crazy-looking fruit from South America? Please!In Austin I was immersed in a community of chefs, restaurants, foodies and artisans that supported each other, relied on each other and helped to make the food scene around them better. I started visiting the local farms around me to pick up produce for one of the restaurants I was working at; my favorite one was just a few minutes away from downtown Austin in a residential area. They probably didn't have more than two acres, but they used every inch to grow as much as they could.The best strawberry I've ever had in my life came from that farm: blood red, juicy and perfectly sweet. It wasn't picked early and sprayed with chemicals to speed up the "ripening process," and then shipped from 800 miles or more away. It was good because the growers treated the soil with respect, and the loving farmers picked the berry when it was perfect, just two or three hours before I tasted it.At some point I said to myself, "Why can't I do that?" Unfortunately, I didn't have two acres, or one, or even a yard. I had a very small apartment patio that got good morning sun, and then shade the rest of the time. So I purchased some pots, soil, a few plants, and some seeds and went after it. I did a small amount of research on container gardening, and before I knew it, I had pots of plants, baskets of flowers, and tons of herbs, peppers and even a tiny loquat tree. I had no idea what I was doing, but it was fun to see the things I was growing flourish.I had to give my little garden paradise up when I moved from Austin back to Dallas, but I always wanted to pick it back up and take it to the next level. When fellow chef Ryan Bell and I moved to Jackson, we talked about building a small raised bed in the gravel parking lot behind our apartment. I made some good friends who were growing tomatoes and squash in raised beds in Belhaven, and during my daily runs through the neighborhood, discovered many more.Soon I met Rachel Horn, a beautiful girl living in Fondren, and before we knew it, we were engaged. I moved into her small Fondren house and when spring came around, started giving the backyard some love. From my visits to the Mississippi Farmers Market on High Street, I began to see what kinds of plants and vegetables did well here and what grew natively.My first purchases were four blueberry plants, two small fig trees and two muscadine vines. These crops are abundant in Mississippi, and when in season, we focus dishes at Parlor Market around these ingredients. Several of the vendors at the farmers market will sell great plants for your urban farm. You can find all the varieties I've mentioned already, plus plum trees, tomato plants, squash, herbs and more, ready to transplant into your garden!Next came herbs of all types: thyme, oregano, basil, dill, cilantro, rosemary, lavender and mint. The more you use them in your cooking, the more fun it is to watch them grow, bolt, flower and turn into seed, which you can then use as spices in your food! The cilantro will very quickly turn into coriander seed. You can even use the fragrant yellow pollen from fennel and dill to garnish your dishes.I heard rumors of pomegranates growing well in Mississippi, and when I found a plant, I was happy to take it home. There are beautiful flowers growing on it right now, which will soon turn into fruit.After a year of casual container gardening, Rachel and I decided to take things to the next level. We had talked about raising chickens for eggs, and as a Christmas present, I ordered her a complete chicken coop online from mypetchicken.com. Byron Knight (barista extraordinaire of Sneaky Beans) and I put it together in just an hour, with few setbacks. Soon after, Rachel and I sourced some week-old chicks locally and raised them inside under a heat lamp for a few weeks until they were ready to move to their new home outside in the coop.We got two araucanas, known as Easter egg chickens due to the blue, green and pink eggs they lay, and two silkies. The silkies are smaller, lay little eggs and have fur-like feathers. Rachel thinks they're cute. I think they're silly.I figured once we had the chicken coop in place, we might as well go all the way, and my friend and local farmer, Jonathan Picarsic of Amorphous Gardens, came over and helped me build a giant tiered raised bed out of old lumber we had lying around.It was an easy build: We picked an area of the yard that gets full sun, measured, dug post holes, inserted the posts at least 8 inches into the ground, attached boards along the sides and filled the bed with soil. The soil we chose is a mixture of top soil and organic humus. It may sound cheap at around $1.30 per cubic foot, but it adds up quick. I think we purchased about 80 bags for our two large beds.Jonathan has taught me things all along the way and provided me with some great heirloom seeds and a few plants for the garden.Right now I have rows of beets, carrots, radishes, squash, zucchini, purple tomatillos, peppers, and several varieties of tomatoes planted in the large bed. The smaller bed has all my herbs, as well as a small strawberry patch and green onions. The key to planting is to start your seeds early indoors and then transplant the seedlings outside when the weather is right.To make sure I always have rich soil, I started composting. I bring all the vegetable scraps, eggshells, coffee grinds and more home from the restaurant every day and add it to my compost bin. Every few days I turn the heap and watch as the vegetables turn into rich organic material. Dead plants and leaves also make their way to the compost bin (which doesn't stink at all, by the way).Next came the beehive.When I mention to my friends that I have a beehive, I always get raised eyebrows! Frank Garletts of Mississippi Bees, who provides Parlor Market with all our local honey, gave me my honey bees. The bees fly everywhere and pollinate all the plants in the garden and don't bother anyone. When it's sunny and warm, they are everywhere! If the weather is cool or cloudy, they like to stay in the hive.My resident bees are doing so well that Frank recently came by and added a second story to their hive so that they could expand and produce even more honey. I will soon be getting a honeybee tattoo on my arm to go with my giant beet tattoo!I've added several more fruit-bearing plants this year: I have a large loquat tree, two fig trees (two varieties), three muscadine vines (two varieties), nine blueberry bushes (four varieties), a bay laurel, a kumquat tree, a pomegranate bush, plum tree and a large bit of lemongrass—all in a backyard in Fondren!Urban farming has been incredibly rewarding in many ways: It's an exciting hobby, can supplement your family's groceries with healthy, fresh and delicious produce, does wonders for the environment, and promotes a social community. It has allowed me to get closer to what I do every day and to understand where our food comes from and the love that goes into growing a single perfectly vine-ripened tomato.Now get out there and make the most of your yard!<i>JFP food columnist Jesse Houston is the chef de cuisine of Parlor Market. His column will appear at least monthly.</i>