The Leading View

Make Your Own Soda

2012-12-16T15:28:00.001-08:00

Lots of families have kids who love sugary drinks, which we all know are generally unhealthy and are linked to obesity and diabetes. But when Mom and Dad love their soda, too, it is a tricky proposition to remove it completely from the house. But there is another option... and it's healthy, too.

The first thing we must remember is that for most people, soda is actually an acquired taste. This is especially true of diet soda, which often contains chemicals that are quite bad for you in order to provide the "sweetness" craved by the drinker. So changing a soda solution might require a few attempts to get used to the flavor, but it is worth the small effort.

These days, it is becoming more common for families to make their own sodas at home. Carbonating systems are available at many retailers. Their mixes, however, are generally just the same chemical junk found in mass-produced beverages. But if you crave a frosty carbonated beverage, these machines allow you to inexpensively make your own seltzer water, the starting point of all soda drinks.

Without a contraption to sparkle your own water, you can still pick up bottles of seltzer or club soda for a fraction of the cost of name brand cola. Once you have the fizzy water ready, you only need two more ingredients and you are moments away from a delicious soda.

The secret ingredients are fresh lemon juice (you only need a little) and molasses. All sodas need a sweetener of some sort, but looking at all the natural options reveals one basic truth: while sugars generally offer the same calories, they are otherwise mostly nutritionally vacant. Honey and maple syrup offer some trace nutrients and are healthier options than refined sugar, but molasses is a nutritional powerhouse in its own right. That is correct: molasses is downright good for you.

So take a glass of sparkling water, squeeze some lemon into it and stir in a spoonful of molasses. The amounts you like will take a little experimenting to work out, and will likely change as you grow to appreciate the complexities of flavor in good molasses. I recommend the rich tasting black strap variety and Meyer lemons as a flavor combination, and I like mine strong and frothy with an extra pump of carbonation. Have fun finessing your own homemade bubbling beverages!

Pest Solution: Praying Mantids (Mantis)

2012-07-06T15:48:00.001-07:00

One day in mid-spring, I walked out to the garden and noticed with some surprise that a whole lot of eagerly awaited guests had arrived. Several times in the past I had tried to get these little critters to emerge in my garden, only to never see more than one or two briefly and then never again. This time, I had decided to do things a bit differently.

Welcoming the Praying Mantis

The first thing that I had done was procure four "eggs" for the common praying mantid (or praying mantis, as it is often called). Two of them I had put out in secure places that were more or less hidden from view and I promptly forgot exactly where they were. The other two I kept inside longer and then placed in highly visible locations where I knew the sun was going to shine on them and really warm them up.

Praying Mantis Eggs are usually available for purchase through Amazon.com, though I purchased mine from a local nursery. The rule of thumb is to put them out when the days are beginning to warm up and insect activity is already noticeable. This way, when they hatch, there will be something for them to feed upon. As an additional precaution, at the first sign of hatching, I made sure to sprinkle water around the area (very gently) so that the baby insects would be able to drink. This proved to be the best move I made in terms of retaining the creatures. They seemed much more interested in water initially than they did in finding any sources of food to hunt. (This is also true of ladybugs, which need to be set free in the evening when it is cool, and are generally quite thirsty right away.)

Mantis or Mantid

According to the National Geographic website, "The praying mantis is named for its prominent front legs, which are bent and held together at an angle that suggests the position of prayer. The larger group of these insects is more properly called the praying mantids. Mantis refers to the genus mantis, to which only some praying mantids belong."

"Mantids" is generally also considered the proper plural form to use when referring to more than one Praying Mantis. However you choose to pronounce it, the creatures are quite fascinating and potentially very beneficial to the home garden. It should be noted, however, that the mantis does not discriminate between other harmful or beneficial insects and will eat whatever is smaller than itself. In rare instances, exceptionally large versions of this insect have been known to eat small animals or birds, but they are generally quite content feeding off the local insect population. (There are some interesting videos available on theprayingmantis.org web site, along with a few interesting facts about the creature.) My experience has been with the more "garden variety" mantis which is expected to reach a maximum of three to four inches in length, therefore posing no threat to hummingbirds or rodents.

Preparing the birthplace

When I chose a location to place the last of my egg sack (known as an ootheca), I wanted to ensure that the nymphs would be visible when they came out. I also wanted to hatch them in an area where there would likely be insects for them to feed upon without the exposure that would make the nymphs easy prey for birds or lizards.

I had set up one of my container gardens with netting around it, held in place by a frame above the garden that used to hold a canvas roof. This netting was the right size to keep birds and small animals away from the plants, but insects were still able to easily crawl through the spaces. Hanging the ootheca from the top of the frame made it incredibly easy to see the activity when the nymphs hatched.

The Egg Sack (Ootheca), Hanging Safely

Young Mantids, A Few Hours Old

Please enjoy the following images of these mantis nymphs from their first weeks of life.

When they were first spotted, crawling out of the ootheca and along the string that held it, many had already made the journey all the way to the top of the frame and had crawled out onto the netting. Putting out some drops of water along their path seemed appreciated and many of the tiny creatures stooped low to drink.

At this stage, the mantis nymph is too small to catch many insects on its own. And they were easy prey for larger spiders that had already set up base on the corners of the frame. To aid the many nymphs, I collected them in small groups and placed them among other plants in the area. I also brought over small collections of aphids that were plucked from a flowering tree (where, incidentally, one of the earlier oothecas had also hatched).

These various actions may have helped to ensure that the mantis population was able to take root. While there were perhaps a hundred of these creatures, maybe even more, during the first few days, the population rapidly began to dissipate. Some of the mantids were obviously moving on to new places, some seemed simply to die for no apparent reason (lack of food, perhaps), a few clearly had become meals themselves.

Still, one month down the line, a handful of larger mantids continue to hang out in or near the plants on which they initially settled. The most noticeable difference in my garden versus previous years that were mantis-free is that the tomato plants are suffering far less from invasive diners. The same can be said of the morning glories that adorn the edges of the garden. While it has taken some perseverance, and there are still "tomato worms" that need to be occasionally plucked from the vines, this year's biggest nuisance bug has been the katydid. The population of the katydid has recently diminished, however, and the plants in general are being much less consumed. Hard to say how much of this is due to the still relatively small mantis army (small in size and small in numbers), but much has changed in the first 30 days of having them around.

Hunting Aphids

The Mantis Nymph is easy to catch

Probable Female, 5 Days Old

One Day Old Nymph

Flies and Maggots

2012-07-05T14:58:00.001-07:00

The video linked here contains some unsettling footage for those of us who don't like watching maggots squirm. It is interesting, however, because it shows in detail what appears to be a pair of maggots (or fly larvae) emerging from a mother fly.

Normally flies lay eggs. Although commonly believed that all flies lay eggs, there are a few notable exceptions to this rule. There is a large fly in Africa, for instance, that gives birth to a larva that is almost as large as the mother and is quite active at birth, but this single child at a time version of fly reproduction is confined (as far as we know) to a single species. A few other smaller flies are known to give birth as well, though it is not something normally seen in the United States.

The fly in this video was captured in Los Angeles, California. I am posting it here as a simple reminder of why we should all keep flies out of our homes as much as possible.

Certainly, flies play a role in nature. They feed on rotting food, carcasses and excrement and help these things break down in the environment. The downside to this is that flies also carry germs and bacteria from their food sources and readily deposit them on everything they touch. Flies spread diseases and carry pathogens quite readily. Plus, they deposit their eggs in large quantities wherever they can find a food source for the emerging maggots.

Reducing or removing anything that might attract a fly from inside the home is an essential step in keeping flies away. They are attracted to uncovered kitchen compost containers, garbage and recycling bins. Ensuring that covers are used on garbage containers is beneficial, however it is best to still take the garbage outside often. Even a covered container may emit smells that attract flies, which will then continue buzzing around indoors while looking for a place to deposit their eggs.

If this video is to be believed, then the featured fly and others like it could simply be dropping maggots in the kitchen, bathroom or bedroom. Most indoor trash containers could potentially offer some sort of food source for flies, so ensuring they remain covered or emptied is important.

Obviously, installing screens and keeping unscreened doors and windows closed is a good idea. There are some decent non-chemical solutions on the market for keeping flies at bay. But nothing takes the place of simple diligence.

Gardening With Limited Space

2012-05-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

Container Gardens Can Be Prolific

For many years now, I have had no yard space available for my own garden. At previous homes, I had been able to cut out a section of dirt in my yard to section off for growing vegetables. With my current home, however, I do not have an area in the grass that I am comfortable removing or that would afford the necessary amount of full sun to grow what I want.

This posed an interesting problem when I moved here because I definitely wanted a garden to grow my own produce. Yet the only area on the property that truly seemed to have the proper conditions for sunlight was my driveway. Because I do not use the garage for parking a car, it seemed reasonable to re-purpose a section of the driveway for container gardening. But I wanted something big enough and deep enough to grow the plants I had in mind. It's a no-brainer that tomatoes can do well in containers, but I really wanted to expand into pumpkins and root vegetables and other plants that need a little more room to maneuver. So several years ago I sat down with a measuring tape and some paper and figured out the dimensions for a box that could fit alongside the driveway in the narrow space next to the fence.

I discovered that there was plenty of room for a quite sizable box garden, which could be deeper than any of my other containers and offer the space to plant several rows of vegetables. The first year, I even grew corn.

Building a container is fairly easy, though you need to start with the proper materials. Buying wood for the frame that is not chemically treated is essential, because those chemicals do not belong in your food. Check with the local lumber store to find out which of your locally available wood options will resist rot the best. Untreated pine seems to do a fine job. And it looks good naturally, weathers well and is very easy to work with.

Framing a box container can be very simple. It really only requires a few nails or screws. (I prefer screws, personally, because I find that they allow you to easily get a tighter grip.) A couple of right angle brackets will hold your boards nicely. If you have the luxury of being able to put the container "in the ground," be sure to dig a trench to hold the bottom in place and then fill in a couple of inches around it. A larger container will be relatively stable and secure whether or not it is dug in, but preparing a small trench is still a good idea and will assist in the building of the structure.

Once the frame is complete, it is important to fill it properly. While almost any clean dirt will do, you really want to exercise some care with your source. I got lucky because my neighbor was excavating her garden and needed to get rid of a large amount of dirt, but it turned out to be full of clay and would not have been very good on its own. Fortunately for me, I had been composting for over a year at that point and had a good amount of quality organic material to mix in. Ultimately, that gave my garden a huge spike for its inaugural season. But even with the free dirt and compost I had available, I still needed to supplement with a few bags of soil from the local garden supply store.

Other Containers

Besides building a container yourself, there are plenty of natural options available to purchase. Personally, I do not care for plastic containers. They are durable and weather resistant and can hold your soil just fine, but I am always suspicious about whether they leach into the soil during hot days. Most of them do not disclose their chemical makeup, so there is no way of knowing by looking at them what kind of plastic they are made of. For this reason alone, I generally avoid plastic completely if I intend to eat what I grow.

That leaves the options of terracotta or wood, essentially. Terracotta tends to be heavy, easy to break and might even be messy to transport, but it still remains quite durable and much of the time ages in a uniquely beautiful manner. For small or mid-sized pots, this is what I prefer. There is an endless range of design options on the market and these beautiful pots add a particular warmth to their environment.

When a larger pot is needed, although there are usually terracotta options for this, I suggest searching out cut barrels. Whiskey and wine barrels have already been aged nicely, which naturally treats the wood to preserve it. They are frequently burned a little on the inside, or have soaked up enough of their previous history to offer a fragrant scent when they sit in the sun. Washing them out with some fresh water before filling them with dirt is always a good idea, because the wood will leach some of its history into the soil when it gets hot and wet. However, you will have a hard time finding a better planter for your container garden if you have the space to put a half-barrel.

The advantages to a barrel include a greater depth than most comparable planters, which is especially good if you aim to grow root vegetables. Additionally, they also weather in a uniquely beautiful manner. Some people feel that these planters drain in a more favorable way, allowing for a natural seepage to occur rather than just draining out of a singular hole in the bottom, but it should be noted that wood swells when it is moist and the barrels generally will hold the water inside just as a terracotta pot does. The downside to this is that, especially if the barrels are left in a predominantly dark or shady location, there is the possibility for wood rot and mold over time. My barrels always stay where they get at least a few hours of full sun every day.

Existing Structures

Never forget the potential of creatively re-purposing what is already there. While a retired wheelbarrow may not be appropriate for a vegetable garden (the flaking paint and rusting metal are not ingredients you want in your organic food), it might make a good base for some small containers. (Don't forget to pound a few drainage holes into the bottom to prevent it from rusting through too quickly.) Of course, for decorative gardening, a wheelbarrow full of soil and flowers might be just the touch.

I had built a sandbox that was no longer being used as a play area and felt that it could be re-imagined as a child's garden. Replacing the sand with soil was the hardest part. The wood had already been heavily weathered but was holding up nicely. Although the soil was only about five inches deep, the garden soon became a mecca for strawberries and lettuces and different types of tomatoes and beans. It was remarkable how well it thrived (although the attempts to grow any type of squash were a disaster). After three years of trial and error and letting nature run its course, we have decided to leave it mostly to the strawberries and lettuces and to keep the taller plants in containers that allow the roots to grow down deeper. Still, every now and again, a dormant seed of one sort or another will surprise everyone and thrive.

Natural Selection

Even with container gardening, although typically with larger containers, nature can surprise you. I do not completely remove and replace entire plants each season, but I have tried keeping the soil healthy through "crop rotation." That is to say, I pull dead roots and I cut back plants as necessary, especially when it is time to plant something else. I put different seeds down in each location when I think I can grow something new there or when space frees up. And I let over-ripe or rotten fruit fall into the soil and stay there, just as it would in nature. This allows some surprises to occur, whether it is a resurgence of last year's crop or simply a nice mix of plants that find synergy in the same pot. Being open to this has been a nice aspect of the gardening experience, even as part of me always sets out to control the rows and plant proper mounds that are properly spaced at the proper time of the year...

Experiencing what nature offers goes beyond just eating the fruits of your labor, and it goes far beyond the confines of traditional gardens. Whether there is only access on a small patio, in a window box or across a vast concrete slab, the gardening experience can be contained and controlled or allowed to run its wild course with simple options a little work and just the right amount of care.

Natural Cleaners for the Home

2012-05-07T18:49:00.002-07:00

When we clean the house, my family no longer uses brand name cleansers and the house has never felt or looked cleaner. Another big bonus is that it smells better, too! There is no chemical smell. Instead, the air in each room feels fresh. Windows have fewer streaks. Counter tops are disinfected. Floors shine. Tubs and sinks sparkle. And we save money in the process. It is not all about harder scrubbing and working ourselves to the bone, either.

What's the secret? Only common sense (and a little bit of research).

The Green Clean Book
Hydrogen Peroxide
Guide to Speedy Green Cleaning

Natural Cleaning Agents

Like most people, I used to clean with products purchased at the grocery or hardware store. In fact, I had spent some time as a youth working as a janitor at my father's office. Typically, the most toxic chemicals were chosen with the idea that they would get the job done most quickly and with the least amount of effort. That is how most people appear to approach the cleaning process, professionally or otherwise. Spray on something that will "scrub" the tiles so you don't have to. Squirt something to dissolve the stains so the brush (and physical contact) becomes unnecessary. Use disposable pads and avoid having to touch anything dirty or full of germs. These selling angles appear everywhere these days and seem to be convincing consumers that there is no better way. But there is a better way, a healthier way and a smarter way to clean.

The best part is, it is also cheaper to clean with natural ingredients. While there are terrific pre-made environmentally friendly alternatives on the market, like the Conserve brand, it is easy to mix up your own home concoction from simple ingredients you probably already have.

Ingredients for a better clean

Start by looking in the kitchen pantry and the bathroom medicine cabinet. These two places are commonly stocked with the basics. What is not already there can be easily retrieved from virtually any grocery or convenience store, usually at a cost of less than $1 per item. The best news: nothing toxic to worry about.

Alcohol
Vinegar
Hydrogen Peroxide
Baking Soda
Lemon Juice
Water

How to clean naturally

It will seem simple and obvious in retrospect, but most people think they need to go bleach something or use a high-suds detergent in order to get things "clean." And it is true that bleach does kill a lot of germs. It can also get you a lot sicker than most of the germs will. (Remember the commercials with ordinary folks smelling their lemon-scented bleach? Breathing bleach fumes can kill you, and even with plenty of fresh air involved prolonged exposure is certain to cause headaches and worse. Don't follow that example.)

Germ Killers

Germs are killed naturally by alcohol, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide (a mild alternative to commercial bleach) and especially something called hot water. That's right: steam is not only one of the best surface disinfectants out there, it is also great at cutting grease, lifting dirt and even shining the windows when used properly.

Grease and Dirt Fighters

Lemon juice has long been known to cut through grease. In fact, any citrus oil can help with this. Just look at the labels on most commercial cleaning products for proof. But citrus oil by itself can be quite sticky to clean up, so I recommend using it more for its fresh scent or a spot cleaner as necessary. In general, I stick to three ingredients mixed in varying degrees with water, depending on what I am trying to clean.

For kitchen sink cleanup, nothing beats hot water and a natural sponge for most items. But baked on goop like bacon grease may need special help. This is when I break out the baking soda. After wiping out any excess grease, I will rinse what I can away with a stream of hot water and then sprinkle baking soda over what is left in the pan. This works exceptionally well with stainless steal pans and the result is a bright, scratch-free shine. Most of the time, I can get all the grease off simply by rubbing the baking soda in with my fingers and running a little water over it. The process may take a little practice, but it has the best results that I have seen so far with, that's right, the least amount of work.

Almost everything else in my home gets cleaned with a rag or sponge and a spray bottle that is a solution of filtered water and either vinegar or rubbing alcohol. I'm a big fan of the alcohol, because it seems to work well on virtually any surface, but I do worry about drying out wood from prolonged use. Otherwise, it has a smell that does not linger particularly long, evaporates quickly after cleanup and does not streak on most surfaces at all. The more that streaking would matter, the more alcohol I use in relation to the amount of water, but in general I cut a 50/50 solution and spray only as little as I need to clean any surface.

Where We Use Alcohol and Vinegar to Clean

Floors
Counter Tops
Mirrors
Windows
Baseboards
Tubs
Sinks
Toilets
Shelves (along with our dusting to reduce "fly away" dust)
Appliances
Pet Areas

In fact, I am hard pressed to think of a place that I don't use these two cleaners. The only reason to generally not be using one of them is if I have my steamer out.

Steam Clean

That's correct, I do use a steaming appliance. I am quite fond of it, but only bring it out some of the time. While it is not heavy or difficult to use, there is an extra time component and it is not necessary for most clean-up situations. I do enjoy the extra "shine" once in a while, however, and believe it is useful for giving an extra deep-clean to areas that really need it. Plus, it is very good at getting rid of persistent dirt or grease spots that seem to be cleaned up only to reappear after a short while.

Steam does a lot of the work for you, but not all of it. In spite of the hype from manufacturers, a little elbow-grease is always a solid component of a good steam cleaning. Certainly, the more powerful the steam, the less you have to scrub, but all the steam is going to do is loosen and lift the dirt or grease, not magically make it disappear. The up side is that a steam cleaned room will sparkle bright while leaving the air breathable and surfaces residue and germ-free (per the typical disclaimers). I recently used a nice microfiber cloth on a wand attachment to clean the walls in my kitchen and with only minimal pressure (think about the effort of cleaning the car windshield with a squeegee), it did the job better than when I had been rubbing with a rag and spray cleaner. No streaks, not running, no problem. That alone made me a fan. But it won't be used on the living room walls, because I'm concerned that the paint there would either peel or rub off. Always test your surfaces!

In the bathroom and kitchen, or on tile floors, the steamer does an amazing job. Windows are effortless and, dare I say, almost fun. Plus, if I'm in the mood, I can take the time to quickly de-wrinkle my clothes. Not the ones I am wearing, of course, because there is one downside to steam: it can burn if you are not careful.

Growing an Organic Garden

2012-05-01T11:21:00.004-07:00

As people learn more about what is involved with factory farming, planting and growing organic food at home is becoming a more appealing option. The increasing costs of healthy grocery store options vs the effort involved with creating an organic garden at home have lead more and more people to develop small garden plots. Urban farming continues to rise.

Growing Organic Gardens

Going organic can begin with some simple steps. Regardless of the garden size, the first and most important step is to establish the physical parameters and fill the area with clean, chemical-free soil. Using a proper compost base layer will lead to healthier vegetable growth by loosening the soil and filling it with nutrients. Composting takes a long time to do at home, so initially it may be necessary to utilize commercial compost. Over time, however, it pays off to create a personal compost reserve suited to the size of an established garden.

One of the primary tenets of an organic home garden is to avoid the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. While these are readily available and highly effective, there is much research to show that these chemicals may be absorbed into the body and that they may cause lasting damage to the environment. Natural alternatives frequently do not work as advertised, which causes many would-be organic farmers endless frustration. Yet there are simple physical options that can inexpensively solve many of the more common problems.

Netting and Potting

Much of organic farming involves control of the environment. In the case of a home garden, this is a relatively small space. Whether it is a full acre plot or a back patio, there are advantages to creating raised and contained micro-environments for various types of produce. These may include large boxes that are custom built for larger areas, simple mounds that are contained by a small ridge or fence, half-barrels or even any sized pot. Where available, used or surplus railroad ties can be used to create large garden frames. Conversely a two-inch pot or even an extra coffee mug makes a perfect space for growing organic herbs in a window-box.

Once the space has been defined, the single most important thing to do is design a way to net the garden. While there are many pests that can destroy your garden from within, particularly slugs or insects that live within the soil, the most common pests will be thwarted by a proper net. As a garden forms, the first sprouts are always in danger from animals and insects, so providing a barrier is essential. This barrier must let sunlight and water through, however, while remaining sturdy enough to prevent beaks, claws and tiny fingers from easily tearing through. Most birds and rodents are actually quite easily deterred, as long as the netting is staked fairly well and "tented" high enough to allow the plants beneath to mature without becoming entangled. More nefarious are the pretty moths which seek to lay eggs on the vegetable or fruit plants in the garden, allowing their young to feed on what would otherwise become a productive plant. Keeping these bugs at bay is about 75% of the hard work and a secure net will easily do the trick.

Proper potting also has the advantage of assisting with water and fertilizer control. By containing runoff, much less water is wasted. And by utilizing an appropriate mix of compost, peat moss and healthy soil, the roots are able to flourish in a well aerated environment that can remain moist without flooding the plant. Because the nutrients are not drained off and the top-soil is not washed away, there is less need for "over feeding" through artificial fertilizer. A home's own kitchen waste will generally provide plenty of nutrients after a year or so of composting, and commercial organic fertilizers used in container gardens are quite effective even at lower doses because the roots have access to everything they are given.

Organic Livestock for the Home Farmer

With the rise of urban farming, there has been a shift in the perception of using livestock within residential areas. Most cities have regulations that govern which types of animals are allowed to be raised on residential properties. Generally speaking, a home farmer will do better to gear toward smaller animals. Cows tend to require much more work and greater expense than would be practical to begin with, although when space allows a cow may well be a lasting source of milk with plenty to spare. Some home farmers choose goats for milk because they are comparatively easy to care for, but both goats and cows create issues for home farmers who have to find creative ways to deal with the animals' waste.

More commonly, urban farmers, family gardeners and many households that simply have the space are turning toward raising chickens as a means to supplement food sources. Homegrown eggs are typically healthier than commercial eggs when the laying hens are raised on an organic diet in a proper coop with plenty of room and open air. Hens can be remarkably productive when they are healthy and safe, and their waste can be used as fertilizer in conjunction with household compost, becoming a symbiotic component to many home gardens.

Resources for Chicken Coops

Here are two guides for building chicken coops.

Build a Chicken Coop

Build a Chicken Coop

Here is a link to my favorite chicken coop so far, as seen in the Westphoria blog for Sunset Magazine. Very stylish.

Vegetable Gardening

Most commonly, home gardens focus on vegetables. Check out this Free Organic Gardening Course. When space allows, interspersing a few fruit trees is a great idea because the mature trees will offer shade to vegetables that thrive best in partial sun and also help prevent the quick evaporation of water from the topsoil. Small fruit bushes, such as blueberry or raspberry plants, also do well along the edge of a vegetable garden where they will get plenty of run-off water and also form a natural barrier to keep small animals from the vegetables. Low plants, like strawberries, need to be tended with care as their fruit lies on the ground and as such is easy for slugs to eat.

Keeping the soil around the plants covered with a water-permeable barrier is a great way to both cut the cost of watering and also prevent both weed and insect infestation. Subterranean bugs or slugs will have a harder time coming out to feed on your produce with a barrier in place and weeds will be unable to take root. Greenhouses, of course, also act as a physical barrier to weeds and bugs. Build a Greenhouse. Not everyone has the room to build their own greenhouse, but if space allows there are also solutions such as Aquaponics that offer very innovative use of water and fish to control weeds and pests while potentially offering dramatic increases in garden output.

Regardless of the area available for a garden, it is possible to create a Natural Habitat Garden as taught by an environmental scientist and horticulturist based on an easy to follow, solutions-oriented approach. This unique Food Growing Method can be applied at a variety of scales and allows for a wide variety of healthy foods to be grown simultaneously.

There is also a free eBook and newsletter on High Density Gardening that is worth checking out. While many people simply pack their seeds as close together as possible and hope for the best, this practice will actually prevent plants from achieving their potential because it forces them to fight it out for nutrients and water. Learning what kinds of plants thrive in close quarters is essential, as is determining the best ways to keep them well-fed and watered without drowning them.

Other Resources

Illustrated Guide to a Family Organic Garden

Beginners Manual to Organic Gardening

MyOrganicGarden.com

Help Families Feed Themselves at the Food For Everyone Foundation. This foundation offers a wide range of educational materials, as well as information on their world-wide efforts. Check it out and be a part of the solution.