Kindful Eating and Gardening

Pesto is Besto!

2011-07-06T10:31:00.002-03:00

We have just received some exciting news for the Saint John, NB area. There will be a Farmers Market on Sunday, August 28th, 2011 in Queen's Square. If you would like to participate as a vendor, please email me and I will give you the particulars. Please support our local growers!
On to pesto . . . There is nothing like adding fresh herbs to a dish to give it a burst of delicious flavour. My two favourite herbs are basil and dill. Luckily these two basic herbs are easy to grow. Basil is a companion plant to tomatoes. It repels mosquitoes and flies and is said to make tomatoes taste better, although fresh tomatoes always taste great! Dill can be grown with lettuce, onions and cucumbers. It repels some mites and bugs. I would suggest starting the herbs in the house and transplanting them after June 5. Cut whatever you need from the basil and dill and it will continue to grow.

I make Basil pesto and freeze it (I also use this recipe for scape, oregano, arugula and mixed herb pesto). It is easy and you will be thankful during the winter when you can add the pesto to soups, pasta and sauces. Here's how I make it:

You will need: basil, garlic, olive oil, ice cube trays, freezer bags or boxes.

Pick a whole whack of basil leaves from your plants.
Wash, dry and put in blender or food processor.
Add garlic cloves
Add olive oil
Taste to make sure it has a basil taste with a hint of garlic.
Pour (it's consistency should allow you to pour) the pesto into ice cube trays. Freeze them. When frozen, pop each pesto cube into a freezer bag.
When ready to use, thaw or add frozen to sauces and soups.
You can add pine nuts if you wish after you thaw the pesto, however I find the pesto tastes great just as it is!

I am going to make scape pesto today as we picked our scapes over the weekend. Yum! Yum!

Confessions of a Vegan

2011-06-18T11:43:00.005-03:00

I can think of only one other person in my social circle who does eat meat and she is a vegan, as am I. There is no one that I am aware of in my family, including, aunts, uncles and cousins who do not eat meat. I was raised eating meat at every meal. My favourite meal until I became a vegan was a rib eye steak with a Caesar salad. I did not go from being an omnivore to a vegetarian to a vegan. I went from what I consider eating a typical western diet (meat, starch and veggies) to being a vegan in about a nano second. Three years ago, I read Michael Pollan’s book The Omnivore’s Dilemma. I could not erase the information that was now stored in my brain and it was impossible to ignore or deny the facts recounted in the book. Pollan’s words resonated with me and I intuitively knew that I had to stop eating (and buying) any product that came from a mistreated or tortured animal.

My life changed in many ways after I decided to become a vegan, and not all for the better. My husband, Mark who is a weight lifter and worships his protein realized that he would have to cook his own meat. I would cook other protein sources but not meat and I abruptly banned factory farmed chicken and eggs from the house. He only asked me once why I was eating so “radically.” When I started to recount the horrors of factory farmed animals he said he didn’t want to hear anymore. He does not like me talking about the condition of these animals amongst our friends because it “bums them out.” He eats less meat now than three years ago and will go out of his way to purchase grass fed beef or free range chicken from a local butcher, whom he trusts.

My veganism has definitely impacted our social lives. I would try any new food before my “conversion” and we had many dinner invitations with the hosts knowing that Mark and I would eat just about anything that was served. We enjoyed all these meals with gratitude. The dinner invitations have been greatly reduced as the hosts feel they must prepare a special meal for me. Some don’t know how or want to cook vegan and it is extra work. In reality, I would be happy eating the veggies or salad that is served with most meals. Once, I had to cancel a dinner invitation at the last minute and my friend was furious with me because she went through the trouble of making a vegan meal. Although I appreciated her efforts, she would not have had the same reaction if an omnivore friend had cancelled on a dinner containing meat. I felt guilty and defensive and was aware of a tension between having a good time with friends, and my friend’s desire to prepare something special for me. Pollan said after becoming a vegetarian he noticed the “subtle way it alienates me from other people.”

When I have people to my house for dinner I always serve meat, although once I served a Tofurkey dinner (with disastrous results). My husband goes to the local butcher and buys organic, locally grown meat. Sometimes the beef can be tougher than the factory farmed version but omnivores are beginning to realize that “ethical” meat always tastes different and usually it tastes better. The comment I frequently hear when we serve organic free range chicken from a friend’s farm, is that it is really tender and actually tastes like chicken. After boiling the carcass for stock, there is just a tiny amount of fat on the surface compared to the thick layer that must be removed after boiling a store bought, factory farmed chicken.

After reading Eating Animals by Jonathon Safran Foer and Omnivore’s Dilemma, I find it puzzling that neither author is vegan. Foer is a vegetarian and Pollan will eat meat on occasion as witnessed in a scene from the movie Food Inc., showing him eating a hamburger. In the case of Foer, he spent three years researching the atrocities of CAFOs and factory farmed animals but in an interview he says he aspires to be a vegan but is a vegetarian. One must assume (but nowhere does he state) the dairy and eggs he eats come from farms he has visited and trusts.

The most abused animals, according to both Foer and Pollan are egg-laying hens. I cannot imagine someone who has read the description of the appalling conditions these animals endure, could continue to eat factory farmed eggs. When I realized the vaccine for H1N1 is made using inoculated eggs, I thought with sadness, of the increase in the number of egg-laying hens that would be required to meet the needs of the medical community. I was even more upset when eight hundred thousand children’s vaccines were recalled in 2009 because they might not have been potent enough.

Although Foer’s book concentrates on the food choices of North Americans and how they affect the ecology of the planet and the lives of animals, he states “factory farming also has an impact on public health, workers rights, decaying rural communities and global poverty.” With these major global issues surrounding factory farming, I still believe each person can make a difference. Even though, as individuals we choose what we eat, we don’t usually eat alone. We eat with friends and families, make our own meals or order them in restaurants. What food we decide to purchase and eat can impact others around us. I see the change amongst my friends. They are trying vegan recipes and some have cut back on their meat consumption. If they do eat meat, they quickly point out if it is grass fed, local or organic which indicates to me they are at least somewhat mindful of the animal they choose to consume. A year ago, my brother’s family committed to eliminate meat from their diet on “meatless Mondays.” They now consume far less meat throughout the week as well. My sister-in-law makes a delicious quinoa salad that her family enjoys as a source of protein and my brother has a great baked bean recipe he cooks once a week. One of their sons is now a vegetarian and tells me that being a vegetarian is a “non issue.” He has lots of food options and has the support of his friends who have also chosen not to eat meat.

Not everyone is supportive of the food choices I have made and I find some of the comments very curious. I hear comments like “you don’t know what you’re missing” or “just try a piece (chicken, beef, pork, seafood, fish, you name it, they want me to eat it).” I wish I got a loonie (Canadian $1 coin) every time someone said to me (including my doctor) “what are you eating for protein (or calcium)” or “you’re probably not getting enough protein (or calcium).” They never appear satisfied with my reply and I sometimes resent having to explain my food choices.

I was appalled when I first read Foer’s section on eating dogs. He asks why eating dogs is any different than eating any other animal. Living with two dogs, I could never, under any circumstances imagine eating them. He gives examples of the French, a dog loving society who will eat horses, the Spanish who love horses eat cows and the Indians who love cows, sometimes eat dogs. He then asks, “So, who’s right?" He gives a thought provoking argument for the case of eating dogs and states that millions of dogs are euthanized every year. The meat from the dead dogs could be rendered into feed for other animals. He says that strays or runaways could go straight to the processing plant, eliminating the “inefficient and bizarre middle step” of euthanasia. Just the thought of this makes me sick, however, I understand he is making the point that cultural and societal norms determine which animals can or cannot be eaten. This section reinforced my decision that I could no longer eat animals.

Veganism has awakened my consciousness. There are several reasons why it is the right choice for me. I feel better physically, am very healthy and I am more aware of changes within my body. Usually, if I feel “off” I can trace it to something I ate. It feels good for my spirit not to consume animals and has given me the capacity to have greater compassion for all sentient beings. I feel more connected to the environment and I am much more mindful when growing plants and vegetables in my garden. I am grateful for the abundance of food in my life knowing that so many are starving. This year our garden will grow extra rows of food to give to the food bank.

Veganism is a personal issue, however for the health (both physically and spiritually) of ourselves and our world, I believe western society should eliminate the consumption of factory farmed animals, dairy and eggs. Let’s start buying as much product as possible from local farmers that use humane farming practises. Let’s do our best to buy as seasonal as possible. Let’s do our best to have one day a week without eating meat. Let’s do our best to teach cooking skills to those who want to cook their own meals. Let’s do our best to plant vegetables where we live. Let’s do our best to help the planet in any way we can.

Here are some excellent websites to visit if you wish to investigate veganism:
http://www.21daykickstart.org/
http://www.vegnews.com/

Sandy's Yummy Rhubarb Ginger Juice

2011-05-26T13:31:00.000-03:00

Now that rhubarb is up, I thought I'd share my bff, Sandy's rhubarb-ginger juice recipe. It is the best in the entire universe!

Pick a whole bunch of rhubard and leave the leaves in the garden for compost.
Cut the bottom end of stalk off and discard.
Chop in approx. 2 inch lengths.
Wash and rinse in a collandar
Put rhubard in large pot and just cover with water
Add chopped unpeeled ginger. The more ginger you add, the more flavourful the juice will be.
Bring to a boil and boil until the rhubarb is mushy. 7 - 10 minutes.
Put collander in large bowl. Carefully pour the hot mixture into the collander. It may take 20 minutes to get all the juice out of the "mush."
Wash out pot and put a sieve across the pot.
Put the juice you've collected from the bowl and pour into the sieve.
Taste juice for tartness because rhubard can vary in tartness. Some rhubarb is so sweet, you will not need to add sugar.
Bring juice to boil. Add sugar a little at a time until desired sweetness.
Boil for 1 minute.
If you want to store, pour juice in sterlized mason jars. The juice will keep for one year in a dark place. The colour may change but this does not impact it's yumminess.
Serve over ice or mix juice with soda water. Also excellent for rhubarb martinis. Enjoy with family and friends!

What am I going to do with all these cukes, beans, jalapenos . . .?

2011-05-20T09:52:00.001-03:00

You are going to have too many fresh veggies to eat. You can give some away (to the local food bank, friends and family), store them and can or pickle them.

Hopefully, you will have enough cucumbers to make dill pickles (love them). If we have a big harvest, a group of us will get together and pickle. If it’s a small harvest, I do it myself. Don’t wait to pickle. Do it as soon as possible after you’ve picked the cucumbers, beans (great for Bloody Ceasars), beets, jalapenos or whatever you want to pickle. Last year I pickled carrots with jalapeno peppers and they were delicious!

Store, pickle, can or freeze as much as possible. Come winter when vegetable prices go up, you will be thankful you have taken the extra time to store your produce.

Here is a website to help you get started: http://www.howtopickle.com/

Hallelujah Harvest

2011-05-13T18:50:00.001-03:00

Whoot! Whoot! Stuff is growing and now you can start harvesting and eating the delicious veggies you have grown with your own hands. What a great feeling! It is so exciting when you pull up the first carrot of the season, brush it off and take a bite. It tastes like sunshine!

Check out the “Days to Maturity” on your seed package. Harvest your veggies early and often. Some veggies will grow quicker than others and you may be able to plant two crops over a growing season (radishes, peas, lettuce, and carrots). Last year we planted lettuce and radishes from seed in the second week of August. Harvest the veggies before the plant has produced seeds.

As individuals, we take what we need when we are at the garden looking after our plants (pull up a potato as needed, but do not dig up the potato plant yet), but Sunday (throughout the season, not just for harvesting) is the day everyone meets at the farm and works as a group. On warm Sundays, we picnic after the work is done. We harvest everything we can for the day and divide it up amongst ourselves. Harvesting is best done on a cloudy day. If it is sunny, try and harvest mid morning after the dew has dried and before it gets too hot. Carrots and potatoes do not like to be exposed to the sun. Whenever you can, eat what you have picked the same day. Refrigerate lettuce, beets and carrots as soon as possible. Tomatoes ripen best at room temperature while potatoes and onions require a curing period before you store them for the winter. If the snap peas even make it to your kitchen (I eat a ton while I am picking them), shell and freeze them (there are many websites that instruct how to freeze veggies). Cut the tops of the lettuce plant (for Romaine, pull out the whole plant) and it will keep growing.
You will be so grateful for the wonderful, nutritious food you have grown!

Planting Leeks

2011-04-30T18:04:00.000-03:00

I planted the leek seedlings outside today.
Plant the leeks 6 inches apart, 6 inches down with 1 1/2 ft. between the rows. To ensure the rows would be straight I ran a piece of twine attached to 2 stakes down the the bed.
I hilled the rows then planted the seedlings. Just the very tops of the plants should be showing (the plants should be the length of a pencil). Leeks can be harvested late into the season and can be stored with either soil or vermiculite in a warm dry area. Last I looked, leeks in the grocery store cost $3.99 for three so growing your own will save you mucho money. My favourite soup is potato and leek soup with homemade herb (basil, parsley, scape or mixed will do) pesto.

Weeding :(

2011-04-28T18:01:00.000-03:00

The need to weed occurs during the entire growing season. Whenever you check the garden, you will need to weed. If it is your day to check your crops and you’ve finished weeding, take a walk throughout the garden and spend an extra 15 minutes weeding another crop. If all four of you did this, your weeds would be under control and your gardening experience would be enhanced. The thing I have noticed at our garden is that the guys do not like to weed. They want to till, move the stuff to the compost pile in the wheel barrow, cut the grass, build things, and do just about anything but weed. If you are each responsible for a specific crop or crops, this should not be an issue. Familiarize yourself with your crop so you know what to pull when things start growing. Make sure to cover the crops to reduce weeds!

No to Pests

2011-04-27T08:51:00.000-03:00

One investment we made that I encourage any organic vegetable grower to purchase are floating row covers. This year, we are going to cover all of our crops with row covers. The crops that we have covered in previous years have had fewer weeds and fewer pests than the uncovered crops. Deer and rabbits cannot eat through the covers so it saves you from putting up a deer fence. The covers can be used year after year if handled and stored properly. A 7 ft. x 50 ft. light weight row cover costs approximately $19.95 at Lee Valley (check on web to get the best deal). They can be cut with scissors to the length needed. When placing the row cover over the plants, leave enough space for the plants to grow. Anchor the entire width and length of the row covers with soil and rocks. I can’t stress enough how indispensible the row covers are. If your group needs to contribute a few more dollars towards their purchase, do it!

The pests that we have had problems with in the past are potato beetles and slugs. We are going to cover the potatoes this year, so hopefully we will not have the beetle problem. Unfortunately with organic gardening, the only way to get rid of beetles is to kill them, either by squishing them between your fingers or drowning them in a can of water. Neither is pleasant and although the crop is the responsibility of one person, we usually all help in the eradicating of the dreaded potato beetle. The eggs of the potato beetle are orange and are under the leaves. Check the leaves carefully and remove the eggs.

The slugs come out when it has been wet for an extended period of time. One thing that has worked for us is beer. I know you probably don’t have any beer to spare but try to part with it for the good of the garden. We buy the small aluminum dishes at the dollar store and place them throughout the garden. The top of the dish should be flush with the soil. Pour in the beer (any brand will do) and the slugs will think its TGIF. Bye, bye slugs.

Let the Fun Begin!

2011-04-26T14:22:00.000-03:00

The garden is prepared, the seedlings have sprouted and the weather is warm enough to start planting some veggies. Potatoes can be planted as soon as you can work the soil. You want to buy disease free “seed potatoes” (the ones at the grocery store are usually chemically treated to prevent the eyes from sprouting). You will only need a couple of pounds of potatoes for a 20 ft. row. Check the growing instruction.

Around May 8^th, you can plant the beets, carrots, Swiss chard and snap peas. Each person should be responsible for one crop. The person responsible for snap peas will need to build a trellis for the snap peas to grow. This is extra labour up front, but snap peas do not require as much weeding as the others. Check the seed package to get the proper planting instructions.

Some of the seeds are really tiny so you may want to create a seed tape using paper towels. Cut two inch strips of paper towels. Wet the paper towel with a spray bottle. Space the seeds (according to the package) on the paper towel. Fold one long end a third of the way over (crease the fold) and do the same with the other long end. Plant the seed tape at the required depth and cover with soil. Water seeds carefully as you do not want to disturb the seeds you just planted. The seed tape is beneficial because you will not have to thin (which always make me sad) the plants when they start to grow and compete for space. You can also purchase ready-made seed tapes but they cost much more than doing it yourself.

Around May 15^th, the beets, carrots, onion and Swiss chard can be planted. On warm days, take your seedlings outdoor for some fresh air. This will slowly acclimate them to the outdoors and it will not be so traumatic when they are transplanted.

After June 4^th, all the seedling plants can be transplanted into the garden. When you transplant, handle each plant delicately so the root system is not damaged. During this slow time the garden should be checked at least once a week for moisture, signs of insects and disease problems. Set up a schedule so that each person has one day during the week to tend the garden.

Preparing Your Patch

2011-04-25T09:00:00.001-03:00

You can plant most of your veggies in raised beds or directly in the ground. In our garden we plant the onions and lettuces in raised beds but this is not necessary to produce delicious veggies. Measure the 10 x 20 plot and surround with twine. If you are transforming a lawn into a garden, cultivate the rows into the sod, three feet apart. Everyone start digging! Dig about 12 inches or one shovel deep. Some of the earth will be used to “hill” the potatoes and the rest can go into the compost pile.

The trifecta of any good garden is sun, water and soil. Soil is not just dirt. It is a mix of fine rock particles, organic matter, water, air, microorganisms and other animals. We want the soil full of living things in order for your garden to thrive. We add well composted manure we buy from a local farmer. You can buy

composted bags of manure at garden centres. You will need about 30 lbs. of organic composted manure or fertilizer. Before you add compost to your garden, it absolutely necessary to weed. Believe me, this will save tedious weeding later. At this point, it will be easy to figure out who really wants to be part of your garden family. Weeding is labourious work and you’ll find that most people despise this part of organic gardening. Put on your ipod, have a drink close by and get into the zone.

After weeding, the ground will need to be tilled to work up the soil. If you can borrow a tiller for a couple of hours – great, if not dig by hand with a spade or spading fork. Don’t till if the soil is too wet or too dry. Next, use a yardstick, twine, and stakes to ensure your rows are straight and evenly spaced. Spread the compost over the rows (up to 6 inches if you want to buy that much). Till or cultivate the compast matter into the soil. This should be done about two weeks (last week of April) before you plant the cool weather veggies like beets, lettuce, onions and radishes. You will need at least 12 inches between rows and 24 inches for the tomatoes and squash. Put at least 1 inch of mulch (straw, sawdust, bark, newspapers, grass clippings and black plastic bags) between the rows to prevent weeds. Remember, this is an organic garden so no chemical weed killers allowed.

Starting Seeds

2011-04-24T11:13:00.000-03:00

Start seeds in the spring before the first frost is an inexpensive way to get your garden started. However, you can purchase seedlings (Superstore, Canadian Tire, local nursery) and bypass this step altogether. Make sure your seedlings are organic! Usually, you would reuse trays from previous years to start your seedlings (wash out trays and containers with soap, water and a little bleach), however if you are just starting, head to the dollar store. For one dollar you can purchase 26 “jiffy pots” (any peat moss pot will do). No need to transplant , as these pots can be planted directly into the soil. You can also use egg cartons or yoghurt containers that have been cleaned (punch holes in bottom of containers for drainage).

Each gardener is responsible for starting seeds and purchasing their own pots, soil (an organic seed starting mix is the best) and trays. The veggies you will start indoors are: tomatoes, lettuces, onions, squash and cucumbers. The dates the seedlings are planted in-doors is in relation to the last average frost. We will use the May long weekend as the average last frost and count the weeks back to see when to seed the veggies. Plant the tomato seeds between March 21 and April 1. Plant the onions and lettuce between April 11 and April 25. Plant the cukes between May 4 and 11. Plant the squash between April 20 and 27. Put the seedlings in the sun (if you don’t have the room, you may have to get friends or family to “adopt” some of the plants). Water the plants with a mister or a watering can with fine holes in the spout. Do not over water. The plants need tons of sun so a combination of grow lights and sunlight works best, however before you invest in artificial lighting, try the natural way first. Now, sit back and watch your babies grow!

The First Year

2011-04-23T17:22:00.000-03:00

Document everything. The weather, what you planted and when, the first and last frosts, pest concerns and crop failures. Make a schematic of your garden to ensure accurate future crop rotation.

Now that you have found the land for your garden, you will need to start the seeds indoors in the spring. Let’s say you are going to plant a 20 ft. X 10 ft. garden consisting of 20 rows that are 10 ft. each. I would suggest planting tomato plants, zucchini plants, lettuce (salad greens), potatoes, onions, sugar snap peas, radish, chard, carrots, cucumbers and beets, both can be pickled, at the end of the season. Each package of organic seeds costs approximately $3.00 and can be purchased on-line or through seed catalogues. Order your seeds in early February while the selection is the greatest. At the beginning of the season each gardener contributes $50 to the person designated as the garden organizer (position can rotate each year) which covers the costs of seeds, row covers, manure and miscellaneous items. I suggest everyone bring what garden utensils they already have to the garden. Check out yard sales early in the season for garden tools and mason jars for pickling and canning.

Let's Get Started

2011-04-22T12:54:00.007-03:00

If we do not permit the earth to produce beauty and joy, it will in the end not produce food either - Joseph Wood Krutch

Growing your own vegetables is so good in so many ways and I applaud you for taking the first steps in producing your own local, organic food.

This blog does not contain any new, earth shattering (no pun intended) information on gardening nor does it contain gardening information you could not find elsewhere on the web. What it does contain is the basics of organic vegetable row gardening with some personal insights to help you start a small garden with friends and family. My mother always said, “Many hands make light work” and I have found when gardening with friends and family, the gardening experience is enriched and the work load is reduced.

First, you need to find friends and family who want to garden with you. This should not be difficult as most people realize the benefits of healthy, delicious, nutritious food grown organically. But be cautious, because first time veggie gardeners do not always realize the amount of work and time that is involved in caring for a garden (more on this later). Next you will need land. The land can be in front yards, back yards or on unused land on a friend’s country lot. The key to a wonderful, productive garden is sun and water. Find a spot with lots of sun and good drainage. A 20 ft. X 10 ft. plot will feed four adults for the summer with a bit left over to can or give away. If there are children in your group, give them a small section. Our garden (Worm Welcome Farm) is a ten minute drive from my house, on a friend’s property. In exchange for the use of the land, we give the owners veggies and flowers from the garden. It’s a bonus if they help out, however we do not rely on them for labour. Luckily, there was an unused, garden and greenhouse already on the property when we started.