Organic Gardens Network

Plastic Packaging – Why You’ll Be Glad You Grow Your Own

2012-03-01T11:10:00.001-05:00

Plastics are a necessary evil in the world. Yes, they pollute the eco-system, refuse to break down in landfill sites , clog up the sea and damage wildlife. We know this, and we can’t get away from them, much as we try. However, there is one way in which you can save your family from being exposed to the worst that plastics have to offer. By growing your own organic produce, you avoid exposing them to the harmful chemicals used in plastics production, which ends up wrapped around your children’s food.

Food Packaging – Toxic?

You bet. There is increasing uneasiness amongst scientists about the effect of plastics in food packaging. There is no doubt that these chemicals leech out of the plastics and into the food. However, much of the packaging and plastics industry obscures the evidence is there. The worst offender is Bisphenol A, also referred to as BPA.

There is now a substantial body of evidence to suggest that exposure to BPA is harmful. It is used in an eye-watering large number of everyday products, including food packaging, baby bottles and the inside of tin cans. Yes, even your organic tinned beans can be affected. The worry about BPA is that the chemicals released into the material it is packaged around can mimic the female hormone estrogen. This has been suspected for some time, of course, but the packaging industry has been slow to respond.

New Research

The latest research findings came about by chance. Researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH noticed that a number of their female mice were displaying DNA defects in their eggs. The scientist tasked with tracing the origin of the defect found it was due to exposure to BPA in the mouse cages, in roughly the same proportion to that which humans are exposed to in food packaging. There was an eight-fold increase in defective eggs in the mice housed in these cages.

Since mice are used in laboratories due to their similarity to humans – notably in the reproductive aspect of humans – the results of the University’s findings were startling. If a similar effect was seen in humans exposed in the same way, we could expect to see an increase in chromosomal defects, such as Downs Syndrome, in babies whose mothers were exposed, and an increase in miscarriages. These matters clearly need careful consideration. Yet the response to the concerns of scientists has been lukewarm at best.

European Food Safety Agency Rejects Calls For More Research

The response can be illustrated by the reception of the French Agency for Food, Environment and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), who produced a report for the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Despite the urgent concerns of ANSES who felt they had amassed a large body of experimental data to back up their concern about the effects of BPA on pregnant women and babies, EFSA rejected the call to look at the data further. They agreed to look at new data from the USA, which should be available soon, but until then they are content that current guidelines are sufficient.

Would You Risk It?

It begs the question, doesn’t it? If you felt there was even the slightest concern about dangerous chemicals leeching into your food and that your children were being exposed to it, would you take the chance? By eating organic, and growing organic wherever possible, that risk is minimized. Using a butcher is another way in which we can reduce our exposure to harmful BPA chemicals, rather than relying on meat packaged in a supermarket. The benefits of breastfeeding don’t need to be restated, but the concern about BPAs in baby bottles is yet another reason to give breastfeeding a central role in new baby feeding, rather than as a cultural quirk, as some seem to consider it.

There is no doubt that the plastics and chemical industries have questions to answer in the matter of harmful chemicals in the environment. I for one am not going to take the chance of exposing my child to more chemicals than are absolutely necessary. Clean, pure, organic food grown in my own plot is the best way I can think of to protect them. Until the results of the 2012 U.S. research results are in, we should all be aware of the presence of BPAs in our lives.

Further Reading
About Bisphenol A
New Study Shows Eliminating Canned Foods & Plastic Food Packaging From Diet Significantly Reduces BPA Levels

About the Author:
Natalie Rigby is a London-based freelance writer with a passion for organic living. From her kid’s beds decked out with organic mattresses to her vegetable garden, she embraces organic products in all aspects of her home.

Photo from ABCNews.com

Hearty Lentil & Mushroom Shepherds Pie

2012-02-19T23:50:00.000-05:00

Shepherds Pie is an old-time comfort food favorite. It also makes a delicious leftover dish as the flavors marry in the frig waiting to be warmed up for another meal. We found this great vegetarian version for those who miss this wonderful dish from days of old.

You may also like this other version from a previous post that uses cauliflower in place of potatoes.... Cauliflower Shepherds Pie. Although it calls for meat, there are some decent vegetarian meat substitutes out there. We are going to blend the two recipes and make a Cauliflower, Lentil & Mushroom Shepherds Pie. Love mixing and matching recipe ideas. Enjoy!

Ingredients

8 large or 10 medium potatoes
2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated margarine*
1/2 cup rice milk
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil*
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces cremini or baby bella mushrooms
Two 15-ounce cans lentils, lightly drained but not rinsed (or about 3 1/2 cups cooked lentils with a little of their cooking liquid)
2 tablespoons dry red wine, optional
1 to 2 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid aminos*
2 teaspoons seasoning blend (such as Spike or Mrs. Dash)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Freshly ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot
8 to 10 ounces baby spinach or arugula leaves
1 cup fresh bread crumbs or panko bread crumbs (gluten-free if needed)

Instructions

Peel and dice the potatoes. Place in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a small mixing bowl.

Stir the margarine into the potatoes until melted, then add the rice milk and mash until fluffy. Cover and set aside until needed. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and mushrooms and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.

Add the lentils and their liquid and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the optional wine, soy sauce, seasoning blend, thyme, and pepper. Cook gently for 5 minutes. Combine the cornstarch with just enough water to dissolve in a small container. Stir into the lentil mixture.
Add the spinach, a little at a time, cooking just until it’s all wilted down. Remove from the heat; taste to adjust seasonings to your liking.

Lightly oil a 2-quart (preferably round) casserole dish, or two deep-dish pie plates. Scatter the breadcrumbs evenly over the bottom. Pour in the lentil mixture, then spread the potatoes evenly over the top. If using two pie plates, divide each mixture evenly between them.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the potatoes begin to turn golden and slightly crusty. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, then cut into wedges to serve.

Susan’s Notes
*This recipe comes out equally delicious without the margarine or olive oil. Mash the potatoes with the rice milk only, and use a non-stick pan to sauté the onion, adding a splash of vegetable broth if needed to prevent sticking.

Most regular soy sauce contains gluten. Look for a specially-marked gluten-free version if you’re cooking for someone who’s gluten-sensitive and omit if soy is an issue.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s) | Cooking time: 1 hour(s)
Number of servings (yield): 8

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving, as written): 338 calories, 63 calories from fat, 7.1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 361.1mg sodium, 1319.2mg potassium, 57.5g carbohydrates, 11.2g fiber, 4.2g sugar, 12.7g protein, 9.6 points.

Brought to you by Susan Voisin at Fat-Free Vegan Kitchen

Easy Stuffed Portabella Pizza in a Cashew Basil Cheese Sauce

2012-02-09T22:28:00.000-05:00

These ridiculously cute and mouth-watering Portabella pizzas taste so much like the real thing you won’t believe they are vegan, gluten-free, and good for you! Shhh, don’t tell.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10-12 minutes.

Ingredients

• 8 Portabella mushrooms
• 2 cups pizza sauce
• Vegan Cashew Basil Cheese Sauce (see recipe below)
• 1/3 cup of each: red, green, orange pepper, diced
• 1/3 cup sweet onion, diced
• 2-3 large basil leaves, finely diced
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions

Preheat oven by setting the broiler on low. Take a baking sheet and cover with a silicone non-stick baking mat or parchment paper for easy clean up. Make your Vegan Cashew Basil cheese sauce by using the recipe below. Set aside. Remove stems of Portabellas and gently rub Portabellas with a wet cloth to clean. Place Portabellas ‘belly’ side up on the baking sheet. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of pizza sauce into each Portabella. Now spoon about 2 teaspoons of Vegan Cashew basil Cheese Sauce on top of the pizza sauce (see recipe below). Grab a cutting board and knife and chop the onion and pepper and then sprinkle onto Portabellas. Finally, shake on some red pepper flakes and sprinkle finely diced basil on top. Broil in the oven on the lowest temperature setting on the middle rack for about 10-12 minutes, watching closely as broiler temperatures vary. Serve immediately and enjoy! Serves 3-4.

Vegan Cashew Basil Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1/3-1/2 tsp Himalayan sea salt, to taste
• 1/2 tsp cold-pressed sunflower oil
• 1 fresh basil leaf
• 1 small clove garlic
• 1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Directions

Place 1 cup of raw cashews in a bowl of water, cover, and soak overnight in the fridge. When cashews are ready, drain and place all ingredients (cashews, Himalayan sea salt, cold-pressed sunflower oil, basil, garlic, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice) into a food processor and process until smooth, stopping to scrape sides of processor as necessary. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Place any leftover cheese in a container in the fridge and enjoy with chopped vegetables, crackers, bread, and chips!

Recipe and photo brought to you by Angela Lidden at Oh She Glows!

Organic Gardening on a Budget

2012-02-07T22:30:00.001-05:00

Going organic means you save money on gardening costs as well as on your food budget.

What You Can Do
Use compost, homemade pest fighters, and other organic techniques for a garden that’s as thrifty as it is healthy.

Fresh food free of toxic chemicals, healthy soil that's better able to resist droughts and floods, tasty veggies that are as close as your own backyard...these are all good reasons to start your own organic garden. Here's another one: thanks to the reduced up-front costs of growing organic, organic gardening is the inexpensive way to grow. You’re relying on resources you have around your yard, rather than buying expensive bottles of chemicals.

Here are five easy ways to start an organic garden on a budget:

1. Forgo the beds. If the cost of supplies needed to build raised beds give you pause, don't worry. You don’t even need them. Organic Gardening magazine recommends that cost-conscious gardeners mound up soil and plant vegetables among the flowers and landscape plants you’re already got growing. Parsley makes a beautiful border plant; basil comes in ruffled forms and in dark-leaf forms that are wonderful mixed with flowers and yield lots of leaves for making pesto. And since you won’t be dousing your veggies in toxic pesticides, you don’t have to worry about the chemicals doing collateral damage to other plants.

2. Find free mulch. A bag of mulch may cost only $3, but that provides just enough for 2 square feet. A better idea is to scavenge your recycling bin and yard waste for free alternatives that can cover your entire garden. Try laying down sheets of newspaper directly on top of the soil or using grass clippings as mulch. Both add nutrients, help water stay in the soil, and suppress weed growth (so you won’t have to shell out for chemical weed killers). You can cover your repurposed mulch with straw, perhaps from a decorative bale you saved from last Halloween or Thanksgiving. The decaying straw will feed the soil. If you don’t have any leftover straw, a single bale usually costs about $5 and will cover much more than 2 square feet.

3. Be fruitful and multiply. Some plants have higher yields—and therefore greater cost benefits—than others. A tomato plant, for instance, can cost $1.50 and will yield up to 12 pounds of tomatoes. Considering the costs of heirloom tomatoes at a local market in summer, that’s a savings of $60 right there. Zucchini is another money save. Homegrown greens save you cash as well as provide added nutrition. Greens lose many of their nutrients in the time they are shipped or as they sit on store shelves. So plant lettuce and arugula seeds and you can harvest fresh greens into midsummer.”

4. Make your own pest sprays. Herbs are natural pest deterrents, so if you start a simple herb garden, you’ve already got a built-in money saver. But for a persistent pest problem, there’s no need to spend money on hazardous chemical sprays, which may contain nerve-damaging synthetic chemicals called pyrethrins. You can make your own spray by mixing some hot, soapy water with chopped up hot pepper and garlic. Other ways to stop pests without spending much: Keep some bowls of water in the garden to attract insect-eating birds and frogs; plant pollen and nectar plants such as nasturtium or alyssum to attract good bugs (they eat the bad bugs); plant vegetables in spots where they get the correct amount of light, spacing, and moisture (so they’ll be healthy enough to resist pests).

5. Reuse, reuse, reuse. Organic gardening is all about replenishing resources, rather than consuming them, whenever possible. The best example of this may be the compost pile, a mainstay of any organic garden—it turns yard waste and kitchen scraps into a soil conditioner, mulch, potting mix ingredient, and fertilizer. Get into the organic mindset and you’ll find stuff that you can use in your garden almost everywhere you look: An old bucket or kiddie pool can make a great container garden. Serving spoons, forks, and other flatware you no longer use could make excellent tools for working a small garden. Fallen branches or twigs can be used for trellises and tomato supports.

Author/Source/Photo
Emily Main at Rodale News

Hearty & Warming Cabbage Soup

2012-02-05T13:30:00.000-05:00

Ingredients

1 small green cabbage (Savoy works well), thinly sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
1 large potato, chopped (leave the peel on for extra fiber and iron)
1 cup French green lentils (I used truRoots sprouted green lentils which I found at Costco), rinsed
1/2 cup brown rice or other hearty grain (I used TruRoots germinated Gaba rice from Costco), uncooked and rinsed
1 cube of Rapunzel vegetable bouillon with sea salt and herbs (optional)
6-8 cups of water
Salt and black pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the onion and potato and cook for a few minutes. Add the cabbage, water, bouillon cube (or 1 tsp sea salt), lentils, and rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer until the lentils and rice are fully cooked*. Taste for salt and season with pepper.

Note: If you use the sprouted lentils and germinated rice, this soup should be ready in about 30 minutes. Other grains or regular rice will take a little longer.

This soup is loaded with protein, iron, vitamin C, and fiber courtesy of the lentils. Serve it with warm bread to make your mouth extra happy on a cold night!

Recipe and photo brought to you by Allison at Get Natured.

Kale and Sweet Potato Soup

2012-02-02T21:35:00.000-05:00

Healthy. Warm. Comforting. Big, gnarly kale leaves are shredded and cooked down with delicious sweet potatoes (yams), swimming in a slightly spicy coconut broth. With the flavors of turmeric, ginger and coconut… this soup is super comforting and delicious served with a big bed of brown rice.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, chopped fine
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3/4 pound kale, tough stems removed and roughly chopped
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (yams), peeled and diced into 3/4-inch cubes
1 1/2 quart chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups cooked brown rice

Procedure

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook down until tender and translucent, about five minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.

Add the sweet potato chunks and stir.
Add the chicken or vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.
Add the kale once the broth is simmering and submerge all of the leaves, helping them to cook down.

Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes have become tender.

Lastly, stir in coconut milk, heat through and serve with a bed of brown rice.

Recipe and photo brought to you by Joy the Baker.

What Did I Just Feed My Child?

2012-01-26T22:12:00.000-05:00

What mother and activist Robyn O’Brien wants is simple: information. Because information can be the difference between a healthy kid and a sick one. That’s why Robyn started to pay more attention to ingredient lists, and why she’s one of many sharing their story in this new video.

Yet the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) won’t let you, or Robyn, or millions of people just like her, make informed consumer choices at the grocery store because current policy doesn’t require that genetically engineered foods be labeled. And while the verdict is still out on the impact of these ingredients, we should be able to decide for ourselves.

Click here to watch a video featuring the stories of Robyn, Heather and Jason Donatini, and Louann Clark. Then contact the FDA to ask them to support the mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods.

What many people do not know is that over 80% of crops like corn and soy are genetically engineered. We eat these common foods day in and day out without realizing what we’re putting into our bodies.

As consumers, we have a right to know how the food we buy is produced, including whether it is genetically engineered. Requiring genetically modified foods to be labeled gives consumers the right to decide about what’s best for us and our families. But the current FDA policy is out of date with what consumers need to make decisions on what food they buy.

So it’s up to us to make sure the FDA knows how much support there is for this issue and to show them how many of us care about labeling genetically engineered foods. Until they hear from more people like us, they won’t update their policy and let us decide for ourselves.

That’s why Organic Gardens Network supports the Just Label It Campaign, and why over 500,000 people like you – from moms and teachers to farmers and small-business owners have contacted the FDA about why labeling is important.

Please submit a comment to the FDA today, and join the more than half a million Americans who have already spoken out on this issue.

Thank you for supporting Organic Gardens Network and the right to know what’s in the food we eat.

Cauliflower Steaks with Olive Relish &Tomato Sauce

2012-01-18T20:52:00.000-05:00

By cutting a whole cauliflower into thick slices, you can brown and caramelize it like a meaty steak. Save any extra florets for crudités.

Yield: Makes 4 servings
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 large head of cauliflower
1/2 cup pitted oil-packed black olives, finely chopped
3 sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves
2 plum tomatoes, cored, quartered

Preparation

Remove leaves and trim stem end of cauliflower, leaving core intact. Place cauliflower core side down on a work surface. Using a large knife, slice cauliflower into four 1/2" "steaks" from center of cauliflower (some florets will break loose; reserve). Finely chop enough loose florets to measure 1/2 cup. Transfer chopped florets to a small bowl and mix with olives, sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, parsley, and lemon juice. Season relish with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400°. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook cauliflower steaks until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side, adding tablespoon oil to pan between batches. Transfer steaks to a large rimmed baking sheet. Reserve skillet. Roast cauliflower until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, return skillet to medium-high heat and add garlic cloves and tomatoes, one cut side down. Cook until tomatoes are browned; turn tomatoes over and transfer skillet to oven with cauliflower. Roast garlic and tomatoes until tender, about 12 minutes.

Transfer garlic, tomatoes, and 1/2 tablespoon oil to a blender; purée until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Divide tomato sauce among plates. Place 1 cauliflower steak on each plate; spoon relish over. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Brought to you by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen
Photo by Lisa Hubbard.

Which Greenhouse Building Do You Need For Your Greenhouse Project

2012-01-17T11:10:00.021-05:00

In the past it was assumed that all greenhouses were massive glass and metal structures that required a great deal of space, and care to keep them in good working order. Today's selection of available greenhouses is much more expansive, however, with options available for a variety of different levels of expertise and amounts of available space. Are you looking for the best possible greenhouse for your needs and situation? Consider the following options that are available to you as far as greenhouse buildings and greenhouse projects go.

When beginning a greenhouse project, the first consideration to make is how much space you have. If you are a homeowner and have a decent yard to work with, then a medium sized greenhouse is usually best. There are also small and even miniature green house building options for people who have less space or who do not think that they can utilize all of the space in a medium sized building. There are also larger greenhouse building options available, but unless you have an over abundance of free space and serious dedication, it is better not to start out with something larger than what you can handle.

The next consideration to make when beginning any greenhouse project is what materials you would like your greenhouse building to be constructed from. Traditional greenhouses were constructed mainly from glass and metal. Now there are a myriad of other options available, leaving it up to you what materials you use. For example, in terms of the type of frame your greenhouse building is constructed from, your options include the following:

- Aluminum or other high quality, maintenance free metals offer greenhouse frames that can withstand a great deal of weather without rusting. Aluminum is especially popular because these frames can be combined with a variety of different coverings, including traditional glass, polycarbonate and plastic.

- High Quality Woods like Red Cedar are ideal for dry climates or for people who want aesthetically pleasing greenhouses. Wood is naturally an insulating material, absorbing heat during the day and then releasing it when it is most needed. Wood is capable of rotting, however, which means that it requires a level of care beyond what other frame materials may need.

- Plastic or PVC greenhouse frames offer simple assembly without much expense. These greenhouse building frames are also the easiest to move. The one thing that you need to understand though is that these greenhouse frames must be anchored down in areas with high winds, as they are light weight and can be tipped over or pushed around in heavy weather.

The third and final consideration to make when it comes to choosing the features for your greenhouse project is what material to cover the framework with. You essentially have three primary choices here: Glass, Plastic and Polycarbonate.

Glass Greenhouse: Glass is the most ideal covering from greenhouse projects which is why it has been the traditional choice for so long. However, glass is not the economical choice and people who are working on a budget may be limited to other alternatives.

Plastic Greenhouse Covering: Plastic is a sturdy and versatile material for green house building covering, but it does not offer the same level of clarity that polycarbonate or glass offer, so visibility is largely limited.

Polycarbonate Greenhouse Covering: This is an inexpensive option, and provides clarity close to what is offered by glass. Unfortunately, polycarbonate coverings need to be replaced regularly as they are not as sturdy as other materials.

Author: Whitey Segura
Greenhouse building is something you need to know about before attempting any greenhouse project. Stop in at Types of Greenhouses so you can make the right decision.

Brought to you by Organic Gardening Articles. Photo from Mini Greenhouse Kits

Book of the Week - Holy Shit: Managing Manure to Save Mankind

2012-01-16T16:37:00.000-05:00

~ by Gene Logsdon Publication Date: August 30, 2010

Book Description

In his insightful new book, Holy Shit: Managing Manure To Save Mankind, contrary farmer Gene Logsdon provides the inside story of manure-our greatest, yet most misunderstood, natural resource. He begins by lamenting a modern society that not only throws away both animal and human manure-worth billions of dollars in fertilizer value-but that spends a staggering amount of money to do so. This wastefulness makes even less sense as the supply of mined or chemically synthesized fertilizers dwindles and their cost skyrockets. In fact, he argues, if we do not learn how to turn our manures into fertilizer to keep food production in line with increasing population, our civilization, like so many that went before it, will inevitably decline.

With his trademark humor, his years of experience writing about both farming and waste management, and his uncanny eye for the small but important details, Logsdon artfully describes how to manage farm manure, pet manure and human manure to make fertilizer and humus. He covers the field, so to speak, discussing topics like:

How to select the right pitchfork for the job and use it correctly
How to operate a small manure spreader
How to build a barn manure pack with farm animal manure
How to compost cat and dog waste
How to recycle toilet water for irrigation purposes, and
How to get rid ourselves of our irrational paranoia about feces and urine.

Gene Logsdon does not mince words. This fresh, fascinating and entertaining look at an earthy, but absolutely crucial subject, is a small gem and is destined to become a classic of our agricultural literature.

Editorial Reviews

"In the revolution Gene Logsdon envisions, we need pitchforks, but not to mount the barricades. And what a joyful, reverent, irreverent, hard-working, down-to-earth, realistic, Whitmanesque, animal-loving, microbe-nurturing, compost-making, farmer-sensical, manure-pitching revolution it is!" -- Woody Tasch, author of Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money: Investing as if Food, Farms, and Fertility Mattered

"In our family we have a standard joke that every conversation, even around the dinner table, eventually winds up about manure. And Gene Logsdon, in his naughty and inimical style, has captured the essence of soil building, pathogen control, food ecology, and farm economics by explaining the elegantly simple symbiosis between manure and carbon. What a great addition to the eco-food and farming movement. Logsdon's deep bedding approach for livestock housing, elegantly explained and defended, is the primary fertility engine that drives all of us beyond organic farmers. Read and heed." -- Joel Salatin, Author of You Can Farm and The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer

With a combination of deep knowledge, longtime farming experience, and great humor, Gene Logsdon tells us everything we don't know about human and animal wastes, and what to do about it. As the author writes, "Sooner or later we have to live in the same world as our colons." Not to mention the wastes of all the animals we raise for food! This is the book to read if you give a crap about crap. -- Sim Van der Ryn, Author of The Toilet Papers

"No one knows more about the backside of agriculture (and the front side, and everything in between) than Gene Logsdon, truly one of the shrewdest practitioners and wisest observers of farming and agriculture. He doesn't care much for social taboos or politeness, and challenges us to see land, animals, ourselves, and yeah, shit, as parts of one system--whole and undefiled--and maybe discover the Holy in the excremental. This is Logsdon at his best; Holy Shit is a national treasure." -- David Orr, Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics, and Senior Adviser to the President, Oberlin College

"This could very well be one of the most important books ever written. Few people realize that the subject of excrement is so critically important, complex, and timely. Thankfully, Gene Logsdon has provided humanity with a literary gift that addresses this most basic and fundamental subject with wisdom, humor, poetry and reverence. Holy Shit belongs in every bathroom in every home. The book is great. I love it." -- Joseph Jenkins, Author of The Humanure Handbook

Gene Logsdon is one of only three people I know who are able to make a living exclusively out of writing what should be common sense. Here he has done it again. -- Wes Jackson, President of The Land Institute

About the Author

Gene Logsdon farms in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. He is one of the clearest and most original voices of rural America. He has published more that a dozen books; his Chelsea Green books include Living at Nature's Pace, The Contrary Farmer's Invitation to Gardening, Good Spirits, and The Contrary Farmer.

Get your copy of Holy Shit: Managing Manure To Save Mankind today!
Book's cover ~ Actual item scan ~ Image from Big Bear Library Friends 10/24/2011

Junk-Food Makeover: Banana, Coconut, and Cashew-Cream Tart

2012-01-13T11:10:00.023-05:00

It's hard to believe that this creamy vegan tart has no dairy in it. As one who absolutely loves traditional old-fashioned coconut cream pie (thanks to my mom's old recipe that now my sister makes just as good), this recipe sounds like a positively decadent revision.

Yield: Makes one 9-inch tart

Ingredients

For Filling
1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight and thoroughly drained
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup, and more to taste
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
3 or 4 ripe but firm bananas

For Tart Shell
1 1/2 cups whole pecans
Pinch of coarse salt
1 1/2 cups pitted dates
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

Directions
Make tart shell: Coarsely chop pecans and salt in a food processor. Add dates; pulse until thoroughly combined, 15 to 20 seconds. Add syrup; pulse just until combined and mixture sticks together. Press nut mixture firmly and evenly into a 9-inch pie plate, wetting your fingers as needed. Set tart shell aside.

Make filling: Grind nuts to a coarse paste in a blender. Add water, syrup, and vanilla scrapings; blend until smooth, about 5 minutes, scraping sides as needed. Mixture should be the consistency of thick pancake batter. Set aside 2 tablespoons coconut; add remainder to blender, and process to combine. Pour into prepared shell, spreading evenly.

Thinly slice bananas on the bias; arrange in slightly overlapping rows, beginning at edge of tart. Sprinkle with reserved coconut; serve immediately.

Nutrition Info: Per serving: 309 calories, 19 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 37 g carbs, 67 mg sodium, 4 g protein, 5 g fiber

Recipe and photo brought to you by Martha Stewart's Whole Living.

Book of the Week - Quarter Acre Farm: How I Kept the Patio, Lost the Lawn, and Fed My Family for a Year

2012-01-12T15:08:00.000-05:00

~ by Spring Warren Publication Date: March 15, 2011

Book Description

When Spring Warren told her husband and two teenage boys that she wanted to grow 75 percent of all the food they consumed for one year—and that she wanted to do it in their yard—they told her she was crazy.

She did it anyway.

The Quarter Acre Farm is Warren’s account of deciding—despite all resistance—to take control of her family’s food choices, get her hands dirty, and create a garden in her suburban yard. It’s a story of bugs, worms, rot, and failure; of learning, replanting, harvesting, and eating. The road is long and riddled with mistakes, but by the end of her yearlong experiment, Warren’s sons and husband have become her biggest fans—in fact, they’re even eager to help harvest (and eat) the beautiful bounty she brings in.

Full of tips and recipes to help anyone interested in growing and preparing at least a small part of their diet at home, The Quarter-Acre Farm is a warm, witty tale about family, food, and the incredible gratification that accompanies self-sufficiency.

Editorial Reviews

"Finally, a book about local eating that doesn't make me feel bad about myself! Warren entirely avoids the genre's stinky mire of holier than thou preaching, and instead tells the honest and informative story of her edible experiment. The recipes following each chapter are tasty, and the illustrations are stunningly beautiful." — Novella Carpenter, author of Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer

“Reading Spring Warren’s book is like chatting with a good friend over coffee as she relates her garden adventures (some hilarious) and muses on the meaning of almost everything. This is an instructive, useful book, based on sound garden experience and in-depth research, and it’s an intimate tale of one woman’s relationship to food and family.” — Georgeanne Brennan, author of Potager: Fresh Garden Cooking in the French Style and A Pig in Provence

“Spring Warren’s memoir of a year feeding her family from her suburban garden resonates with the American dream of self-sufficiency—what she comes to know of growing food is impressive, the recipes superb—and it is beautifully written, enlightening, and very funny.” — John Lescroart, New York Times best-selling author

"A wise and tender-hearted book that will teach you as much about life as it will about gardening." — Thrity Umrigar, best-selling author of The Space Between Us and The Weight of Heaven

About the Author

Spring Warren is the author of the novel Turpentine, a bronze medalist for the 2007 ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Award and a San Francisco Chronicle Notable Book of 2007.

Warren comes from Wyoming, where here family has lived since 1870. A true gal of the American West, she grew up in Casper and at a ranch in the Black Hills that her parents still own. She’s been a schoolteacher (children bring cow testicles to school for show and tell in Wyoming), raised pigs, killed rattlesnakes, hunted, and fished. When she moved toward writing, she was a working as a short order cook, selling worms and maple bars to campers, and teaching swimming lessons in the shadow of Devil's Tower, and was living in a trailer where she washed clothes in a wringer washer and dried them by the heat of the wood stove.

Warren now lives in Davis, California, an educational hub of the agricultural world, in the Central Valley, the world’s most productive agricultural region.

Get your copy of Quarter Acre Farm: How I Kept the Patio, Lost the Lawn, and Fed My Family for a Year today.

Create Heirloom Memories from Your Gardening Days

2012-01-07T14:08:00.000-05:00

Organic Gardens Network is happy to have Lauren Graves of Cabin Tiger Studio as a guest poster today. Lauren is the creator of a beautiful Perpetual Gardening Record Book. She has created this stunning book as a tool to help you keep track of all your garden planning and happenings you experience in your garden year after year. Read on to learn why Lauren developed this wonderful garden record book, and how you too can create heirloom memories for the generations that follow you in the garden.

I am on the road quite a bit going to garden shows, garden conferences, retail trade shows -- always set up with a booth, showcasing my products. The back wall of the booth is a 5' x 4' banner with a photograph of an old gardener's hand on the hoe, and daisies and a white picket fence in the background. Though it could be anyone's, the hand is my grandmother's, and the light that is falling on her hand captures the love for the earth that she felt. Underneath the photograph is a quote that we found in my grandmother's gardening notes after she passed away, written in her sweet handwriting: "To a gardener, no day is just another day -- it is always a new day."

This photograph and quote are the anchors for my business, and my life.
It is so very easy for me to stand on the frontline with that banner behind me -- it leads to wonderful stories and memories from everyone who visits my booth. I have heard many times how they, too, came across someone's gardening notes after they passed away. I constantly hear from people how much they wish their grandmother or their grandfather or their uncle who loved to garden or even one of their parents, were around today to answer their many questions about gardening.

Several years back, my Alabama roots finally called me home. All of the gardeners in my family had plenty of ideas and suggestions for me as I started to get into gardening (oiy). By far, the most valuable suggestion, the one that has been the farthest-reaching piece of advice, was very old school. It was to keep basic records of everything about my garden. They did it -- from notes about the weather, to who gave them some seeds, to what they planted and when they planted it, and how it all fared.

As soon as I started recording even the most basic elements, I realized that I was building a treasure-trove of information. I marveled. Now, as every season passes and I take a few minutes here and there to jot something down, the wealth of information expands -- my gardening record book has become one of my most precious possessions. If there were a fire in the house, I'd grab my dog and my gardening record book.

What amazes me today is how this idea, this simple, valuable task, has gotten left behind. Still, I believe so much in the very far-reaching value of having a special place to keep these basic records, that I put my money where my mouth is: the main product for my business is the Perpetual Gardening Record Book, designed exactly for this purpose. It is a daily calendar that you use for several years, plus Growing Charts, Sketch Pages and a Resource Page to keep your own favorite websites, seed sources, phone numbers, garden centers, etc. Scattered throughout it are quotes from my grandmother's notes, but there is still plenty of room to write your own. Often times at shows, customers will tell me that they hope someone in their family finds their Perpetual Gardening Record Book some day. They know they will find it useful in their own gardens, yet they feel like they are building their own family heirloom.

In this time of new beginnings, I would encourage you to try something old school, and marvel at all you gain. To see photos and learn more about the Perpetual Gardening Record Book, please visit www.cabintiger.com. In celebration of National Mail Order Gardening Month, we are offering FREE SHIPPING this weekend - through Sunday, Jan. 8!

Photo by Lauren Graves, Cabin Tiger Studios

Crunchy-topped Lentil Loaf

2012-01-03T20:43:00.000-05:00

If you put weight loss on your 2012 resolution list, this is a great recipe for you. It comes in at only 165 calories per serving, but with 12 grams of protein, you won't be hungry again in a hurry. This is a nice vegetarian change from the traditional meatloaf, and lentils are so good for you. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/3 cup red lentils
1/2 cup green lentils
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock

1 bay leaf
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4 1/2 oz mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 red pepper, finely chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh whole grain breadcrumbs
2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Freshly ground pepper

Procedure

1. Wash the lentils and put into a large saucepan with the stock and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and all the fluid has absorbed.

2. Preheat oven to 350. Line a loaf pan with non-stick parchment paper.

3. Hea tthe oil in a saucepan or large deep frying pan and saute the onion and garlic for 2 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Add the mushrooms and peppers and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and add the lentil mixture to the pan, along with the breadcrumbs (reserving about 3 tablespoons of the breadcrumbs), cilantro, lemon zest and juice, and the beaten egg. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. The mixture should be soft, but not runny.

4. Spoon the lentils into the prepared pan, sprinkle with reserved breadcrumbs over the top, and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out. Serve hot or cold in thick slices with your favourite tomato salsa.

Brought to you by Kelly Rossiter, the Weekday Vegetarian on Treehugger

Save 30-60% on Organic, Non-GMO Food

2012-01-02T01:58:00.001-05:00

New Online Buying Collective Membership of 12,000+ Members is Open for Business Offering 1500+ Organic and Natural, Non-GMO Foods and Products through the Green PolkaDot Box.

Organic Gardens Network is pleased to share the news about the creation of a brand new, cutting-edge national buyer’s club for home delivery of non-perishable organic and non-GMO foods and products, with a fresh produce option coming soon. Regardless of whether you’re interested in raw, living foods or fresh produce, vegan and vegetarian, gluten-free, in addition to transitional and transformational foods, you'll find it all here. You can save on average 30-60% off retail prices and enjoy free shipping for orders of $150 or more. This innovative new buyer’s club is called The Green PolkaDot Box (GPDB).

Founder Rod A. Smith says The Green PolkaDot Box (GPDB) is a membership organization intended to grow to become the largest, most influential "buying collective" in America with the mission of allowing affordable access to “clean” organic foods through an educational grass roots approach.

"The time has finally arrived for consumers who eat healthy to break through the high price barrier that, until now, allowed only the wealthy to enjoy healthful organic and natural foods,” said Rod A. Smith, The Green PolkaDot Box Founder.

The GPDB is breaking new ground by reducing the distribution levels that add extra costs to our healthy foods. This is achieved by buying direct from the farmers, growers and manufacturers of organic, non-GMO foods. Healthy eating can be cost-prohibitive when you live away from densely populated areas where organic, non-GMO foods rich in nutrients are in poor supply, if not entirely impossible to obtain. The Green PolkaDot Box buyer’s club model solves these issues. Many more people can take part; and more who are shifting to healthy foods will have gripping financial motives to adopt real principles of a healthy lifestyle.

There are currently over 1500 products listed and they are adding new products on a daily basis as they connect with more sellers of these clean, organic foods and products in order to bring you the largest possible shopping selection. In addition, the GPDB is working on bringing you fresh organic produce from regional warehouses, as well as a selection of frozen foods. Some of the shopping categories include gluten-free, low-glycemic, low-sodium, corn-free, soy-free and more. NaturalNews is currently lobbying GPDB to place “No MSG” indications on foods with no MSG, yeast extract or other hidden forms of MSG.

Are you are fed up with waiting for your local grocery stores and retailers to stop peddling falsely labeled “natural foods” that are contaminated with genetically engineered ingredients and refusing to label these products? Then join with Organic Gardens Network, and others who are joining ranks like Jeffrey Smith of the Institute for Responsible Technology, Ronnie Cummings of the Organic Consumers Association, Jim Turner of Citizens for Health, Mike Adams of NaturalNews.com and more by inviting their subscribers, members and followers to join the Green PolkaDot Box. GPDB will be your national buying source where you can purchase organic and non-GMO foods for yourself and your family without having to question whether they are labeled appropriately.

The Green PolkaDot Box is changing the game by driving all the top companies and products together at incredibly affordable prices. They are taking a leadership position in blazing the non-GMO trail for the future of healthy food and products buying. You can save up to 60% on non-perishables. Save up to 80% on bulk fresh produce when GPDB introduces their "Harvest to Home™" program coming in early 2012, which will bring you fresh organic, non-GMO produce directly from the farms to your home within 48 hours of harvest. No longer will you have to purchase 2 to 3 week old produce that has been shipped in from other countries, or from across the U.S. and sitting in the supermarket cooler waiting to be placed out for sale.

The time is now, and long overdue, for expanding access to organic and non-GMO food and products to the entire nation, and the world. The initial offering from GPDB will be in the U.S. only. If you live in the U.S. in an area where your closest natural foods store is miles away, the Green PolkaDot Box will serve as a great source for you to have access to more of these clean, organic foods and products.

You may be thinking, “oh this is just another one of those network marketing schemes." The Green PolkaDot Box program is not network marketing or MLM. It is a buying club, much like Sam’s Club or Costco, with their focus on organic, non-GMO foods and products. You can earn affiliate commissions by making referrals, much like how Amazon.com’s affiliate program works. You still pay the same price for the product whether you buy it through an affiliate link or through a direct link. Affiliates just make a little money for helping to introduce the sale.

Commissions can be earned by becoming a Rewards Member through which you earn points that you can then spend as cash in the GPDB store. When your account points reach 1000, GPDB will transfer $800 to your PayPal account and leave 200 points in your GPDB account to continue to use in the store. If you make enough referrals, you can essentially get your food and products for free by using your accruing points ongoing.

Join The Green PolkaDot Box Buyers Club with Organic Gardens Network. We all now have the opportunity to save thousands of dollars every year with this innovative buyer’s club. Let’s join forces to help support the collective bargaining strength of the Green PolkaDot Box.

In this video, Green Polkadot Box Founder Rod A. Smith talks about the program on opening day.

Soupy Sunday: Curried Yellow Split-Pea Soup

2012-01-01T11:10:00.001-05:00

This thick and hearty soup will warm you to the bone on a cold fall or winter's night. If you like, use green split peas or lentils and add some chopped cooked chicken during the last few minutes of cooking. The soup benefits from being made ahead.

Serves: 8; Prep: 40 min; Cook: 2 hr 20 min; Total: 3 hr 0 min

Ingredients

1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 cup dried yellow split peas
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
Pinch of ground black pepper
Salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup chopped dill sprigs

Directions

1. In a 3- or 4-quart saucepan, combine the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, oil, and 1 tablespoon of water. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until softened but not browned. Add the curry powder and cook for 1 minute longer.

2. Add 8 cups water and the split peas. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, uncovered, for about 2 hours, or until the split peas are tender and the soup has thickened. (Add additional liquid if the soup gets too thick.)

3. Add the green peas, bell pepper, black pepper, and salt to taste. Cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened.

4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the yogurt and dill.

5. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and top each with a dollop of the yogurt mixture.

Nutritional Facts per serving: Calories 127.5cal; Fat 2.4g; Saturated Fat 0.5g; Cholesterol 2mg; Sodium 328.6mg; Carbohydrates 20.5g; Total Sugars 3.5g; Dietary Fiber 8.5g; Protein 6.6g.

Brought to you by the Rodale Healthy Recipe Finder.

2011 Review of Organic Gardens Network

2011-12-31T11:10:00.031-05:00

As we all complete one more trip around the sun and 2011 comes to a close, we would like to thank all of our readers and followers for taking the time to stop by to exchange ideas and share comments. We appreciate our connections with all of you and we look forward to nurturing all of our current connections, as well as forging new ones ahead in 2012. We wish you all a healthy and prosperous New Year!

Following are the most well-liked posts here at OGN in 2011, listed in order of popularity: Enjoy!

1. How to Sprout and Plant an Avocado Tree
Learn the steps for starting, sprouting and planting an Avocado tree. This is a fun project to do with the kids. They love to be part of making things grow. Buy enough avocados so each child can sprout and grow their very own tree. You can keep them in the house and eventually plant them in your garden.

2. Cauliflower Shepherds Pie
This recipe offers a nice twist on traditional Shepherds Pie using cauliflower in place of potatoes. If you are a vegetarian, you could substitute the grass-fed beef with a vegetarian meat substitute of your choice.

3. 66 Things You Can Grow In Containers
Growing your own food is exciting, not only because you get to see things grow from nothing into ready-to-eat fruits and veggies, but you also don't have to worry about the pesticides they may contain, and you definitely cut down on the miles they -- and you -- have to travel.

4. 98 Invisible GMO Ingredients in Your Food
Processed foods often have hidden GM sources (unless they are organic or declared non-GMO). This post lists the ingredients that may be made from GMOs. How often are you seeing these ingredients show up on the labels of the foods you and your family are eating?

5. What is Edible Forest Gardening?
Edible forest gardening is the art and science of putting plants together in woodland-like patterns that forge mutually beneficial relationships, creating a garden ecosystem that is more than the sum of its parts. Learn how you can grow fruits, nuts, vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, other useful plants, and animals, in a way that mimics natural ecosystems.

Photo designed and shot by Rebecca Tollefsen of Our Simple Souls and The Dedication Company. Thank you Rebecca!

Homemade Butter: Make Your Own

2011-12-28T17:16:00.000-05:00

Did your mom or grandmother make their own butter? Now you can make your own homemade, fresh organic butter in minutes - 10, to be exact. All that's needed is organic cream and an electric mixer.

"It is so simple, but so exquisite," says Monique Jamet Hooker, professional chef and author in DeSoto, Wisconsin. She grew up on a farm in Brittany, France, and as a child took turns with her sisters working the butter churn. But she's given up the old-fashioned method in favor of the electric mixer.

And she goes well beyond basic butter-making, too, transforming a humble square of butter into an edible work of art simply by topping it with three fresh sage leaves laid side by side, or by dusting the surface with tiny purple thyme flowers. Monique also creates luscious compound butters made savory or sweet by stirring flavor-boosting herbs, spices, and other ingredients into softened butter.

Nutrition
While it's a good idea to consume butter in moderation, when made with cream from grass-fed cows raised on pasture, it does have virtues that go beyond its rich flavor. Such butter is high in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a beneficial fatty acid that protects against some forms of cancer. CLA has been shown to lower total cholesterol and reduce atherosclerosis in animals. Butter from grass-fed cows also contains high levels of vitamin E and beta-carotene (which is responsible for the yellow color in butter). Best of all, homemade organic butter provides a brilliant, pure flavor without additives or preservatives.

How-to
Butter Basics When making butter, you'll get about half as much butter as the amount of cream used, plus residual "butter" milk produced by the process. Thus: 1 quart (32 ounces) cream yields 1 pound (16 ounces) butter plus 2 cups buttermilk; 1 cup cream yields 1/2 cup butter plus about 1/2 cup buttermilk.

For best results, use organic cream with a butterfat content of at least 35 percent. Most organic creams and heavy whipping cream work well.
Pour the cream into a bowl, set the electric mixer on medium speed, and blend.

The cream transforms first into fluffy whipped cream and then stiff peaks. These break down into soft cottage-cheese-like curds as blobs of butterfat separate from the milk. The butter begins to stiffen and clump together and the watery milk pools in the bottom of the bowl. This should take about 10 minutes.

At this point, stop the mixer. Carefully pour off as much milk as possible and refrigerate it. Although this "buttermilk" is not like the thick, tangy buttermilk you'll find in the market, it can be used for cooking, baking, and drinking.

Use a rubber or stiff metal spatula to press the butter to squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible. Add about 1/2 cup ice water to the butter and use the spatula to press the butter and water against the side of the bowl. This step, called washing, is important to keep the butter from spoiling. Pour off the cloudy liquid. Add more ice water and repeat the process two or three times until the water becomes less cloudy.

Continue kneading butter against the side of the bowl until all the liquid has been pressed out. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Monique prefers not to salt the butter until she is ready to use it.

Pack the butter in containers, wrap tightly, and cover. Wrapping butter in parchment adds a touch of elegance. As a bonus, the butter won't stick to the parchment as it does to plastic wrap. For storing, first wrap in parchment, if desired, then wrap in plastic wrap or foil to make an airtight package. Refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze for up to 6 months.

Fun for Kids
Shake It Up Take advantage of children's jiggly, giggly energy to turn butter making into a fun family project. Simply pour 1/4 cup of organic cream into a jar, tighten the lid, and shake, shake, shake. After 15 to 30 minutes of nonstop agitation, the butterfat will separate in clumps from the liquid. When that happens, drain the milk and place the butter into a bowl. Continue with the instructions for washing and kneading as described in the basic technique.

Compound Butters
Boost the flavor of grilled fish or steak, steamed vegetables, oven-hot biscuits, or fluffy pancakes with compound butters created by stirring herbs, chives, garlic, spices, or even fresh and dried fruits into softened butter. Follow the basic technique, add the desired flavors and place the flavored butter on parchment paper. Roll it into a log, wrap securely, and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. Then cut off small coins to serve.

Some combos to try with softened, unsalted butter:

Lemon zest and snipped parsley
Snipped fresh Thai basil, chopped garlic, and chopped, drained, pickled ginger
Crumbled feta cheese and chopped kalamata olives
Grated Parmesan cheese and snipped fresh basil
Grated ginger and sesame oil
Snipped fresh cilantro, lime zest, and Sriracha, or hot sauce
Coarsely ground black pepper and sea salt
Orange zest, chopped fresh or dried cranberries, and snipped fresh sage
Chopped pecans and honey
Orange zest, maple syrup, and blueberries

Note: Raw milk cream makes luscious creamy homemade butter.

Brought to you from Organic Gardening by Jeanne Ambrose. Photograph by Mitch Mandel.

Book of the Week - Homegrown and Handmade: A Practical Guide to More Self-Reliant Living

2011-12-27T11:10:00.001-05:00

~ by Deborah Niemann Publication Date: October 25, 2011

Book Description

Our food system is dominated by industrial agriculture and has become economically and environmentally unsustainable. The incidence of diet-related diseases, including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and heart disease, has skyrocketed to unprecedented levels. Whether you have forty acres and a mule or a condo with a balcony, you can do more than you think to safeguard your health, your money, and the planet.

Homegrown and Handmade shows how making things from scratch and growing at least some of your own food can help you eliminate artificial ingredients from your diet, reduce your carbon footprint, and create a more authentic life. Whether your goal is increasing your self-reliance or becoming a full-fledged homesteader, it's packed with answers and solutions to help you:

Take control of your food supply from seed to plate
Raise small and medium livestock for fun, food, and fiber
Rediscover traditional skills to meet more of your family's needs than you ever thought possible

This comprehensive guide to food and fiber from scratch proves that attitude and knowledge is more important than acreage. Written from the perspective of a successful self-taught modern homesteader, this well illustrated, practical, and accessible manual will appeal to anyone who dreams of a simpler life.

From the Author

One of the first questions anyone asks when they hear about my lifestyle is, "Did you grow up like this?" Whether they are asking about our homesteading lifestyle or my diet, the answer is a resounding, "No!" I grew up in Refugio, Texas, a small town on the Gulf Coast, and I couldn't wait to move to the big city. I spent many weekends in Houston, and after graduating from high school, I attended college at Eastern Connecticut State University. Armani was more familiar to me than arugula. I ate out more than I ate at home, and when I did eat at home, the food often came from a box or can. I was close to my teen years before I ate a raw vegetable, and that was iceberg lettuce drowned in salad dressing.

When I became pregnant with my first child, I honestly believed that a cheeseburger and fries was a good, healthy meal. I had my meat, dairy, bread, and vegetables. Yes, I thought that a piece of lettuce, a couple of pickle slices, and french fries counted as vegetables. I was proud of myself for eliminating caffeine from my two-liter daily soda consumption.

After my baby was born, I started reading about nutrition and thought that maybe my poor diet had contributed to my constant illness as a child. Hoping to save my own children from the same sad fate, I started eliminating artificial ingredients from our diet and began baking bread. Over the years, we became more conscientious about our dietary choices, and by 2002, it seemed like moving to the country to grow our own food was the next logical step.

I always say that if we can do this, anyone can, and I'm not joking. Our livestock experience consisted of caring for two cats and a poodle before we moved out here. You don't have to be a master gardener to grow your own food. Our first garden produced only a handful of stringy green beans, but from reading books, finding mentors, trying, and making mistakes, we've learned to do everything we do today.

Editorial Reviews

"Deborah Niemann has penned the book that will turn homesteading dreamers into doers. From sustainable gardening to animal husbandry, she's got the farm covered. Homegrown & Handmade explores, illuminates, excites, and inspires. " --- Ashley English, author of the Homemade Living book series

"Homegrown and Handmade is a wonderful collection of [Deborah's] wisdom, and when it's not propped next to the stove or the milk stand, this approachable reference belongs on the shelf with the homesteading classics." --- Margaret Hathaway, author of The Year of the Goat and Living with Goats

"There's never been a more practical guide written for making the 'simple' life simple." --- Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, founders of Beekman1802.com

"Homegrown & Handmade puts you in the control seat of what is considered fresh and healthy food by offering detailed explanations on providing food and fiber in their purest form for yourself." --- Chris McLaughlin, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Heirloom Vegetables

"It covers all the bases - from the soil to the supper table, and from birth (or hatch) to butchering. This is the perfect book for the conscientious omnivore, or for anyone seeking a practical map to a sustainable, delicious future." --- Terra Brockman, author of The Seasons on Henry's Farm

Deborah Niemann is a homesteader, writer, and self-sufficiency expert who presents extensively on topics including soapmaking, bread baking, cheesemaking, composting, and homeschooling. She and her family raise sheep, pigs, cattle, goats, chickens, and turkeys for meat, eggs, and dairy.

Get your copy of Homegrown and Handmade: A Practical Guide to More Self-Reliant Living today.

The Best Kitchen Tool for Healthy Meals in 2012

2011-12-26T11:10:00.002-05:00

A whole food diet is the key to a long and healthy life. New recommendations encourage consuming more fruits, vegetables and whole grains every day. This is easily accomplished by eating terrific-tasting, nutrient-rich whole food meals made in the Vitamix machine.

Imagine...

Cooking soup from scratch that's hot, hearty and satisfying in just 4 minutes.

Making whole food juice that's full of fiber and flavor in under a minute.

Making frozen treats that are full of fruit and low in fat in only 30 seconds.

Grinding fresh whole grains into flour and kneading dough for healthy home made bread in one 5-minute operation.

Click an image to view a live demonstration

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Soupy Sunday: Spinach Vegetable Soup

2011-12-25T21:35:00.000-05:00

Here's a thick and creamy soup that combines a host of vegetables with herbs for unbeatable flavor. My sister made this for our family Christmas Eve and it is delicious! It is a nice change from the typical vegetable soup. Enjoy!

6 Servings Prep: 15 min. Cook: 25 min.

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon butter
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

1-1/2 cups diced peeled potatoes
1 small turnip, peeled and chopped
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon each dried thyme, basil and rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash to 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 can (14-3/4 ounces) cream-style corn

Directions

In a Dutch oven, saute onion and celery in butter until tender. Add
the broth, potatoes, turnip, carrot, green pepper and seasonings.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or
until vegetables are tender.

Stir in spinach and corn; cool slightly. Puree half of the soup in a
blender; return to the pan and heat through. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1-1/3 cups equals 139 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 5 mg cholesterol, 788 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 7 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 starch, 1/2 fat.

This recipe brought to you by Taste of Home.

You have a right to know what’s in your food

2011-12-20T21:58:00.000-05:00

In a country that labels everything from cosmetics to cleaning agents, it’s surprising that there are no laws in the U.S. requiring labeling of genetically engineered foods. Yet 93% of Americans believe GE foods should be labeled.

We don’t think that’s right.

Many other countries including Japan, Australia, the European Union and even China require labeling of genetically engineered foods.

Tell the FDA you have a right to know what’s in your food.

Genetically engineered (GE) foods, also referred to as genetically modified, or GMOs, are according to biotech company Monsanto, “Plants or animals that have had their genetic makeup altered to exhibit traits that are not naturally theirs,” or could occur naturally.

We’ve joined an effort with hundreds of organizations representing millions of Americans called the “Just Label It: We Have A Right to Know” campaign. It supports a petition to the FDA that calls for products that use ingredients produced with genetic engineering to disclose this information on the label.

If you agree that you have a right to know if the food you are eating has been genetically engineered, send a message to the FDA. Let’s make sure the FDA hears loud and clear that Americans want GE foods labeled.

It is your right to know what is in your food.

Please watch the video “Dining In The Dark,” share it with your Facebook friends and encourage them to sign the petition to label genetically engineered foods.

Soupy Sunday: Lima Bean, Barley & Vegetable Soup

2011-12-04T21:09:00.000-05:00

When is the last time you had lima beans, or were you the child who would not eat them? Personally, I always liked lima beans even as a child. This recipe suggests using the baby lima beans so you won't have to soak them prior to preparing the dish. The combination of the barley and lima beans give this soup a nice thick, rich texture - a wonderful winter soup.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onions
3 ribs celery, sliced
4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
4 cups water
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, including juice
1 1/4 teaspoons dried Italian herb blend
1 cup dried baby lima beans
1/2 cup pearl barley
1 small bunch kale, stems thinly sliced, leaves coarsely chopped
4 large carrots, trimmed and scrubbed (leave whole)
Salt, to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, plus more if desired

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 6-quart or larger pressure cooker.

2. Add the onions and celery and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly browned.

3. Stand back to avoid hot oil, and pour in the broth, water, and tomatoes. Stir in the dried herbs, beans, barley, and kale stems.

4. Add the kale leaves and press them into the liquid with the back of a large spoon. Place the carrots on top. (Cut them in half crosswise, if necessary, to fit.)

5. Lock the lid in place and bring the cooker up to high pressure (about 20 minutes on an electric burner). Lower the heat enough to maintain the pressure at high (usually a simmer), and set the timer for 12 minutes (or 15 minutes if using an electric cooker).

6. When the timer goes off, turn off the heat and let the pressure come down naturally, about 10 minutes. (If using an electric stovetop, move the cooker to a cool burner.) Release any remaining pressure by setting the cooker under cold running water. (If using an electric cooker, gradually engage the quick-release.) Very carefully remove the lid, tilting it away from you to avoid a steam bath.

7. Check the beans for doneness by cutting a few in half: They should be one color throughout. If the beans aren't fully cooked, simmer the soup uncovered a few minutes more until done.

8. Slice the carrots into chunks with a long knife. Stir well as you add the final tablespoon of oil. Season to taste with salt and enough balsamic vinegar to sharpen the flavors.

9. Divide among 6 bowls. Garnish each portion with a generous sprinkling of cheese and serve the remaining cheese in a bowl at the table.

Makes 12 cups (6 servings)

Meaty variation: Fry chicken or turkey sausage slices in a skillet while the soup cooks. After the soup is ready, stir in the slices.

Brought to you by Organic Gardening.

Book of the Week: The Permaculture Handbook

2011-12-01T11:22:00.006-05:00

The Permaculture Handbook: Garden Farming for Town and Country
Publication date: January 17, 2012

The urban landscape has swallowed vast swaths of prime farmland across North America. Imagine how much more self-reliant our communities would be if thirty million acres of lawns were made productive again. Permaculture is a practical way to apply ecological design principles to food, housing, and energy systems, making growing fruits, vegetables, and livestock easier and more sustainable.

The Permaculture Handbook is a step-by-step, beautifully illustrated guide to creating resilient and prosperous households and neighborhoods, complemented by extensive case studies of three successful farmsteads and market gardens. This comprehensive manual casts garden farming as both an economic opportunity and a strategy for living well with less money. It shows how, by mimicking the intelligence of nature and applying appropriate technologies such as solar and environmental design, permaculture can:

Create an abundance of fresh, nourishing local produce
Reduce dependence on expensive, polluting fossil fuels
Drought-proof our cities and countryside
Convert waste into wealth

Permaculture is about working with the earth and with each other to repair the damage of industrial overreach and to enrich the living world that sustains us. The Permaculture Handbook is the definitive practical North American guide to this revolutionary practice, and is a must-read for anyone concerned about creating food security, resilience, and a legacy of abundance rather than depletion.

Peter Bane is a permaculture teacher and site designer who has published and edited Permaculture Activist magazine for over twenty years. He helped create Earthaven Ecovillage in North Carolina, and is now pioneering suburban farming in Bloomington, Indiana.

Pre-order your copy today! This book makes a great gift for the January birthday person in your life. Heck, get one for yourself too.

Dyson Award-winner Makes Water Out of Thin Air Helping Farmers

2011-11-30T21:53:00.002-05:00

Engineering, not magic: the 2011 winner of the James Dyson Award extracts water from thin air. Airdrop is a low cost, self powered, and easy to install solution to the problems of growing crops in arid regions. Inspired by Australia's worst drought in a century, Edward Linacre from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, turned to nature to find ways of capturing moisture from air.

Edward studied the Namib beetle, an ingenious species which lives in one of the driest places on earth. With half an inch of rain per year, the beetle can only survive by consuming the dew it collects on the hydrophilic skin of its back in the early mornings. Airdrop borrows this concept, working on the principle that even the driest air contains water molecules which can be extracted by lowering the air's temperature to the point of condensation. It pumps air through a network of underground pipes, to cool it to the point at which the water condenses. Delivering water directly to the roots of plants.

Edward's research suggests that 11.5 millilitres of water can be harvested from every cubic meter of air in the driest of deserts. Further iterations of his design will increase the yield of Airdrop. A further £10,000 has also be awarded to Edward's university department to support other young engineers keen to follow in his footsteps.

Brought to you by Mail Online