Top 10 Reasons for Eating Local:

1. Eating local eliminates the middleman.
2. Eating local saves on transportation.
3. Eating local improves food quality.
4. Eating local makes at-home eating worth the time and effort.
5. Eating local provides more meaningful food choices.
6. Eating local contributes to a local economy.
7. Eating local helps save farmland.
8. Eating local allows people to reconnect.
9. Eating local restores integrity to the food system.
10. Eating local helps build a sustainable society.

Click here to read Eating Local - A Matter of Integrity

Top 10 Reasons to Eat Organic:
1. Reduce the toxic load: keep chemicals out of the air, water, soil, and our bodies.
2. Reduce if not eliminate off farm pollution
3. Protect future generations
4. Build healthy soil
5. Taste better and truer flavor
6. Assist family farmers of all sizes
7. Avoid hasty and poor science in your food
8. Eating with a sense of place
9. Promote biodiversity
10. Celebrate the culture of agriculture

Click here to read Reclaiming the Heart and Soul of Organics

Deerpark Monastery

I had the privilege to visit the Deerpark Monastery in the hidden mountains of Escondido over the weekend. They have gone completely off the grid with solar panels and have recently begun composting. They have even converted old diesel Mercedes to run on vegetable oil! We had a wonderful discussion about what they are doing to "go green" while sitting in their beautiful meditation hall. Then, they made us an amazing vegan lunch that we ate in silence with all the monks.
I started meditating almost 2 years ago when I first set out on my own and it really helped me get through some tough times. It was through meditation that I decided to become a Master Composter with the Solana Center and came to be invited to the monastery. I had that incredible realization in the meditation hall and was moved to tears- and thoroughly embarassed because I KNOW that no one else cried. It was just moment of total synergy and purpose. I know that I am on the right path.
I look forward to visiting the monastery again for one of their many retreats or family day- they have childrens programs too! It is incredibly peaceful and beautiful there.
For more information please visit their website: http://www.deerparkmonastery.org/

Compost Day of Action at the Hillcrest Farmer's Market

I recently volunteered in the Solana Center Composting booth at the Hillcrest Farmer's market. It was great to be out in the community talking to people and spreading the good word about composting and vermicomposting! I'm hoping that they are able to fund a booth there more often since it's right down the street from me.

Jeffrey Willis from "Edible San Diego" magazine was in attendance at the market and interviewed us to write more about what we are trying to do on his blog. The article can be viewed at: www.ediblesandiego.wordpress.com Just look along the right side and click on "Compost Day of Action"- I'm famous! haha kind of.... ;)

Garden Veggie and Orzo Salad

Ingredients needed:
1 box of orzo pasta (cook according to directions, cool, and toss with lots of olive oil)
1 large cucumber (peeled, seeds scraped out, and cut into little bits)
3 or 4 roma tomatoes (cut into little bits)
5 or 6 fresh basil leaves (snipped into little pieces)
1 package of whole feta cheese (you crumble it)
1 jar of artichoke hearts (drained and cut into little bits)

Mix everything together in a big bowl, chill, and serve cold. Best made with cukes, tomatoes, and basil fresh from the garden! Yummy!

Giant sunflowers, ears of corn, and baby melons

As you can see the sunflowers have gotten HUGE!!! They are growing above the fence. The watermelon vine now has 3 little golf-ball sized watermelons starting to swell- I'll be making watermelon margaritas someday soon! The ears of corn have been steadily getting bigger too and the Mr. Stripey tomatoes. I'm already planning what cover crops to plant to prepare the soil for next spring (some clover maybe) or considering some winter veggies... This garden has been really easy to care for- the most work went into soil preparation and planting at the beginning. Since then, just watering and a little weed pulling- nothing major! The cucumbers have been delicious- so much sweeter and juicier than from the store. I think I am near the end of cucumber production though. :( Next year will stagger 2 plantings I think... I am saving corn recipes because we will soon have corn coming out of our ears! Har har

Backyard garden

A baby bean and sunflowers that are about 4 feet tall! The watermelon and cantalope vines are growing well too-see them at the bottom?

It's been a while!!!

Just been watering the gardens and listening to the corn grow. And grow it has.... not to mention my phallic looking cucumbers! I was crying I was laughing so hard when I discovered this huge penis-like cucumber. Is it reminding me that I don't need a man or did it grow that way from all the gay men in my neighborhood sprinkling their gay-dust on my garden? (No offense to anyone- I love gay men!) I also have been picking tons of tomatoes-so sweet and yummy warmed by the sun, picked right off the vine. I made the yummiest salad tonight- I hacked apart the dongcumber, added tomatoes and basil fresh from the garden...mmmmmmmm!

As the farm grows...

It's ironic that I left college at Purdue University partly due to the fact that "the corn scared me" and now, here in sunny San Diego I am looking out my front window at my very own little corn farm. Life is funny aint it? The weather has been warm and sunny, so both the front and back farm are growing more and more. The corn stalks actually look like corn and the sunflowers are practically doubling in size daily. My pumpkin seeds have pushed up their first leaves and even Mr. Stripey is making a well-deserved comeback after the senseless vandalism committed against him. Now how to keep passersby from stealing my beautiful striped tomatoes when they are ready.... I love my garden!

School Garden

Here's my garden plot at school. We've planted 5 different kinds of tomatoes, squash, beans, cucumbers, pumpkins, and sunflowers. It's growing quickly- much faster than my garden at home. More sun and water there!

New addition

I have now completed the back yard farm too! I planted sunflowers, beans, watermelon, and cantalope. I also planted bean and pumpkin seeds in the front yard farm. The corn is really growing and my lopped-off tomato plant Mr. Stripey is even making a comeback. Now if only my love-life could be as successful...hmmmm.

Water Guilt

Nothing like a good, hard May rain storm to ease my water guilt! It was 100 degrees last week and now it's freezing and raining... global warming anyone????? The farm is growing rapidly though! More pics when it stops raining... :)

Promiscuity and Veggies

I have been reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver (recommended to me by my good pal Lori) and LOVE a connection she has made. She criticizes the hipocracy of Americans telling teenagers to wait until they have sex when we Americans can not withold our urges and only eat certain fruits or vegetables in season. We waste ridiculous amounts of fossil fuels transporting asparagus in October or watermelon in January. If we all could learn the seasons in which every vegetable or fruit are grown and can all only buy those that are in season(preferably local and organic too!) , HUGE amounts of fuel would be saved and industrial farms would be forced to go back to the old ways of farming. Fruits and veggies in season are also more nutritious AND taste better so why wouldn't you anyway?

Please, please, please eat local, organic, and IN SEASON!!!!! The Earth will love you for it and so will your body!

Here's the days and times of all San Diego Farmer's Markets. Now you have no excuse not to go!
http://www.sdfarmbureau.org/Pages/farmersmarket.html

Seeds 'n worms

Planting seeds and then watching them pop up out of the soil is so rewarding and fulfilling. It's like witnessing a miracle...I can't wait till there are veggies/fruits to pick and eat!!!

My seeds at school were huge sprouts today also. I was worried because it was so hot over the weekend that they may have died in my room, but they were going strong! The kids were super excited too!

Still having MAJOR fly issues with the worms...I added more bedding and stirred them up a bit with the food waste. They are sleeping under the stars tonight!

My seeds have sprouted!!!

I planted squash, pumpkin, bean, and sunflower seeds in smaller pots to get them started and in this "instant gratification" society it has been hard waiting for them to sprout. I was thinking they weren't going to at all. But lo and behold, I went out to water my "farm" today and little shoots are coming up through the soil!!!! What an amazing thing to be so happy and excited about!

The Landfill

The Greenery was cool to see. They really are diverting a LOT of things out of the landfill and making compost, mulch, etc. A lot of their food waste comes from the military- now if only the schools would hop on that bandwagon. I must say, though, that I almost puked in my mouth acouple of times from the digustingly horrible stench of rotting food. I also was bummed because I meant to bring my camera so I could post some pics- they wouldn't have been THAT exciting though. The best part is, SD city residents can get FREE compost and mulch if you load it yourself! I'm going to have to go back with a truck...

I can practically HEAR my corn growing! It has pretty much doubled in size since I planted it last week and looks healthy and green. The tomato is struggling back from the dead. I just can't rip it out though because it has the cutest name- Mr. Stripey. I guess I could just buy another one.

I almost had a MAJOR worm tragedy today. I had put their bin outside because of the fly problem, but forgot that it was supposed to be sweltering today AND their bin was in the sun!!! I could've lost them all! Luckily I went out back before I left for the landfill and was able to bring them in. I'll get the hang of it all sooner or later right?

Landfill bound...

This fine morning I am off to the landfill for a field trip! I'm taking my food waste from my fridge that I have been hoarding for the worms(a condo-dwelling friend has also brought me hers and the whole bottom shelf of my fridge is packed with fruit/veggie trimmings)...they are slower eaters than I thought- hence the fly problem in their box! More to report after the field trip!

For more info on becoming a Master Composter yourself check out:
www.solanacenter.org

The beginning

In an attempt to lessen my carbon footprint and become one with the Earth, I am attempting to grow all my vegetables (and some melons- so someone can say "nice melons!!") at home. I will only buy fruits and vegetables that I DON'T grow at the local famers market that I can walk to on Sundays. In addition, I am getting the school where I teach to go completely green within the next 5 years- not an easy thing to do. Obsessed- slightly...but once you know, you can't pretend to not know. I have become a "Master Composter" and will be assisting with/teaching composting classes around town. I also have some new pets in my laundry room- my 100 worm friends who, today, happen to have hundreds of fly friends joining them so they have been relocated outside until the flies flee. A hobby or a new way of life? Not quite sure, but I am rapidly converting others as we speak...