tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007842473552564412024-03-12T23:32:42.327-04:00Please Be EdibleNotes on my quest for a happier, healthier relationship with food.maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-13582794671361422522010-11-08T23:55:00.000-05:002010-11-08T23:55:04.994-05:00R.I.P. FelixFelix lost his battle today. We're devastated. He'll be missed tremendously.<br />
There's not really anything else to say.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TNjRpbKoK0I/AAAAAAAAAM4/nwa4zSzLEZY/s1600/Please+Be+Edible+144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TNjRpbKoK0I/AAAAAAAAAM4/nwa4zSzLEZY/s320/Please+Be+Edible+144.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-80054847762339263942010-11-02T12:40:00.000-04:002010-11-02T12:40:25.891-04:00Did You Vote?Well, did you? Regardless of your politics, if you live in the US I hope you participate/d in the political process today. If you do nothing else to influence the policies that shape how you experience life, I hope you took ten minutes out of your day to vote.maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-41449827257740105202010-10-26T11:03:00.000-04:002010-10-26T11:03:28.699-04:00Got Chocolate?Kristen at <a href="http://www.rageagainsttheminivan.com/2010/10/bitter-chocolate.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RAGEagainsttheMINIVAN+%28Rage+Against+The+Minivan%29">Rage Against The Minivan</a> posted these videos today. You may have (hopefully) read about this issue before. But this series of short videos (there are five in all) really sheds light on the reality of cheap chocolate. It also highlights the illogical and immoral sense of entitlement to inexpensive indulgences that seems to pervade US consumer thought. I hope you'll watch these videos and then come back and share your thoughts here.<br />
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And then <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBoZiZup31Q&feature=related">here</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vECvPhDx6E8&feature=related">here</a>, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukomT7HLlUQ&feature=related">here</a>.maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-63855062857408449052010-10-16T13:46:00.000-04:002010-10-16T13:46:21.036-04:00What (To Do With) The Duck?This is less an actual post than a request for input. I have had, for a while now, a duck in my freezer. I bought it at my son's request, but never prepared it because... I don't know what to do with it! The duck came packaged with a packet of sauce. But naturally (or, unnaturally, as it turns out) the sauce is full of stuff I don't want to eat or feed my family. So, I figured I would just check with all of you to see if you have any recipes you love for preparing duck. I don't have time to go surfing the net for recipes right now, so I'm really hoping your collective wisdom will come through for me! Whaddaya say?maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-55564781149717887452010-10-15T11:21:00.006-04:002010-10-15T11:36:47.130-04:00Where Should You Buy Organic Eggs?Well, according to this morning's <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/15/systemic-abuses-in-organic-egg-production.aspx" style="color: #3d85c6;">newsletter from Dr. Mercola</a><span style="color: #3d85c6;">,</span> you should probably buy they from a small local producer. The Mercola article relates a report from the <a href="http://www.cornucopia.org/" style="color: #3d85c6;">Cornucopia Institute</a> (there is a good, short video on the front page if you scroll down just a little and then an organic egg brand <a href="http://www.cornucopia.org/2010/09/organic-egg-report-and-scorecard/" style="color: #3d85c6;">scorecard located here</a>) that sheds a rather dismal light on the production methods responsible for the majority of "organic" eggs in the US.<br />
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The short version is that eggs labeled organic which come from large producers are produced almost exactly the same way traditional eggs are produced. The one notable difference is that the chickens are fed organic feed (in their overcrowded buildings, shut away from the great outdoors). It sounds like these big producers are only paying lipservice to organic standards and the expectations of consumers. Newsflash, I know...<br />
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Just one more reason to support your local family farms!<br />
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This post is participating in <a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/fight-back-friday-october-15th/#more-2273" style="color: #3d85c6;">Fight Back Friday</a> hosted by Food renegade.maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-50149914174657497422010-10-08T17:22:00.001-04:002010-10-08T18:06:25.649-04:00So, Here's The Deal. (In Which I Ramble)Yes, it seems I've taken an unanticipated hiatus from posting. I've tried to write about that, to explain, many times. But... the right words just were not there for me. There's been a lot going on here. For months. More than a few crises, epiphanies, and changes of direction.<br />
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Initially, the lack of posts here was due to the combination of me being busy with what can be, fairly accurately, described as "many things breaking," and the simultaneous realization that what I wanted to write for Please Be Edible had moved beyond what I originally said I was going to write about that. That second bit resulted in my brain temporarily checking out while my emotions wrangled, in my free time, with the question "what to do?" If you just read "free time" and thought to yourself <i>oh yes, I've read about that mythical creature before </i>then you probably understand why this process took me so long to resolve in my mind. To the extent that it has been resolved.<br />
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As I was starting to figure things out, several things happened. It felt like they all happened back to back. Boom, boom, boom. But, really it's taken a couple months to unfold.<br />
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The boys in my life have been difficult. Well, except for Teak, who has been behaving himself. Good dog.<br />
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First, Felix relapsed. We almost lost him. Again.<br />
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And it was all my fault.<br />
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I was too busy, too distracted, too disorganized. I lost track of his medication schedule. But thankfully, when his condition changed, I noticed it. Today, he is improving.<br />
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Then school started. For the kids. For me. This is my second to last semester working on a degree I started almost ten years ago. My thoughts on that process and the state of education in this country could be a whole blog unto itself. But for now, it's a matter of balancing all the things I need to get done each day. This is a precarious balance. Little things can throw everything out of whack. Big things... well, it's just bad...<br />
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So, when I found myself at the ER with my son, who had a four inch wide hole in his abdomen and was pulsing blood onto the gurney, I just accepted right away that things were going to be tough for a while. Oddly, or not so oddly, really, when you think about it, it has been rediscovering the joy of reading for pleasure that has helped me keep on an even keel. I owe Su-sieee! Mac over at <a href="http://www.thisthat-herethere.com/">This and That. Here and There. Now, Sometimes Then.</a> a big thank you for this, because she suggested I join that Cozy Mystery Challenge. It's all about balance people. <br />
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So, that's where I am right now. Too little time. Too much to say, but can't find quite the right words. Trying to stay afloat. I will post more often, now that things are starting to settle a bit. But, I'm writing a lot, a ridiculous amount really, for school. And that has to get done first. Meanwhile, brace yourselves for a few posts on bigger picture topics. I've had these stuck in my mind for a while now and just haven't been able to shake them- so I've decided to share. You lucky folks you.<br />
<span class="post-author vcard"><span class="fn"></span></span>maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-82142049412881574942010-10-05T01:48:00.001-04:002010-10-05T09:14:32.071-04:00Book Review And Giveaway!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TKq7Mb1xZxI/AAAAAAAAAMk/ZxGvY9FcRrY/s1600/Bury+Your+Dead.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TKq7Mb1xZxI/AAAAAAAAAMk/ZxGvY9FcRrY/s1600/Bury+Your+Dead.JPG" width="211" /></a></div><br />
Back a little while, I posted about the five Louise Penny books I read as part of the Cozy Mystery Challenge. At that time, the sixth book in the series was about a month away from being released. Well, Penny's publicist saw my previous review and sent me a copy of the new release, <i>Bury Your Dead</i>. I've written a review and will be giving away a copy! You can read the review below, but to enter the giveaway you'll have to click over to a new blog I've started, which is dedicated to books. The link is at the end of the review. More news on Please Be Edible's future coming soon.<br />
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If you’ve never read anything in Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache series, there’s something you need to know. This review is of the sixth book in the series. You will find no spoilers in this review. However, if you are new to Chief Inspector Gamache and company, start at the beginning with <i>Still Life </i>and work your way up to this one. This will both allow you to avoid reading spoilers in the later books and, at least as importantly in my opinion, allow you to learn the characters’ characters (did you get that?) in the same order Penny did. I believe you would have a very different relationship with some of the important characters if your first meeting involved only the full brunt of their superficial aspects rather than the nuanced introduction you receive when reading the series in order. It’s up to you; but I’m confident you will thank yourself for starting at the beginning.<br />
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The first books in this series were set primarily in and around the cozy, if somewhat murder-prone, fictional village of Three Pines in Quebec, Canada. <i>Bury Your Dead </i>gives the weary village residents a break. There is no fresh murder in Three Pines. Instead, Penny introduces us to some new characters during Inspector Gamache’s recuperative stay in Quebec City. Recuperative stay? Well, yes. While faithful readers were off killing time between books, Inspector Gamache was busy as ever executing his duties. In the course of things, something went horribly amiss. So, when we meet up with Gamache again in <i>Bury Your Dead, </i>he is in recovery mode. Unfortunately for the Inspector, someone forgot to deactivate the devil’s GPS and murder finds him even in Quebec City. <i>Bury Your Dead </i>dishes up one fascinating dollop of Quebec history, two murders, <strike>three</strike> four mysteries, and too many red herrings to count.<br />
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<b> </b><br />
Penny is a devastatingly good mystery writer. You see this in the lyrical writing, the reticulating plot lines, and the vibrant descriptions that bring it all alive. But! The trait that really sets Penny’s books apart is their grounding in “the good.” All the traditional elements of a mystery are there, but Penny’s spin on them, woven quietly throughout each book, suggests an unflappable hopefulness about the world. Sure, you’ll meet characters who make terrible decisions with heart-rending outcomes. But this author just never takes the easy way out of a tricky situation, and doesn’t let her readers off the proverbial emotional hook either. Where others write characters you love to hate, Penny writes characters you hate to love. But you <i>will </i>love them, because Penny’s particular skill is in her portrayal of humanity. She presents characters as essentially good, but inherently fallible. If that sounds a bit heavy, relax. While you will meet complicated characters who are sometimes torn between emotions, who struggle to figure out how to do the right thing, and who sometimes fail, along the way they visit fascinating places, share what they learn, and eat decadently. And if that’s not enough for you, there’s also the judicious use of congenial snark.<br />
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<a href="http://biblioden.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/louise-penny-bury-your-dead/">Click here and scroll to the bottom of the review to enter the giveaway!</a>maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-91801626854027472472010-09-25T00:15:00.000-04:002010-09-25T00:15:26.185-04:00UpdateLet's just skip over the part where I try to explain why I haven't posted in almost a month and go right to the part where I tell you that, after considerable mental floundering, I've given a lot of thought to where I want to go with this blog and that, while I don't have a complete plan for its future just yet, I have some ideas- the fruit of which will soon be forthcoming. Meanwhile, there are a few things I'd like to wrap up- the fruit of which will also be forthcoming.maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-581701884096436142010-09-03T11:11:00.001-04:002010-09-03T11:13:16.254-04:00Watch This: Educate YourselfYou really can't be an informed voter or citizen without an understanding of the issues discussed in this video. If you can't see the whole video screen, <a href="http://www.mefeedia.com/watch/25978940">click here to open it separately</a>.<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="450" scrolling="no" src="http://www.mefeedia.com/watch/25978940&iframe" width="640"></iframe>maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-22741822002598893902010-09-01T18:08:00.001-04:002010-09-01T19:14:58.679-04:00GE Salmon About To Be Approved With No Labeling?I'm really starting to think the FDA should be considered a subsidiary of a corporate conglomeration rather than a government body intended to serve the public.<br />
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The FDA is "considering" approval of genetically engineered salmon. From the center for Food Safety article:<br />
<blockquote>FDA announced the same day that it will hold a public comment period and a hearing on labeling for the transgenic salmon, which seems to presuppose that the controversial GE fish will be approved. If the GE fish is approved, Agency officials are undecided as to whether they will require any product labeling.</blockquote>NO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD has been opened on the question of whether to approve GE fish and there is only a <span style="color: red;">BRIEF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD on the question of labeling GE fish</span>. Check out the article at the Center for Food Safety website, to <a href="http://truefoodnow.org/2010/08/27/coalition-demands-fda-deny-approval-of-controversial-genetically-engineered-fish/">read more about this issue</a> and <a href="https://secure3.convio.net/cfs/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=325">to make your voice heard</a>.maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-86048020149579042072010-08-21T21:45:00.002-04:002010-08-21T21:53:26.700-04:00In The Garden<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/THCCheunj8I/AAAAAAAAALw/w-cH74LMjuY/s1600/Please+Be+Edible+255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/THCCheunj8I/AAAAAAAAALw/w-cH74LMjuY/s320/Please+Be+Edible+255.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It is totally cool to be able to toddle into the backyard and come back with dinner. THAT'S food security.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/THCB-7o2G2I/AAAAAAAAALo/DDWTCSnWnGA/s1600/Please+Be+Edible+249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/THCB-7o2G2I/AAAAAAAAALo/DDWTCSnWnGA/s320/Please+Be+Edible+249.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It seemed like it took forever for the tomatoes to set fruit. Now, the plants are loaded with fruits. I've been harvesting paste tomatoes for a while now, but no slicers. Yesterday I spied my first Cherokee Purple nearing ripeness (not pictured here). Woohoo! (Next year: blow off school and get the garden in on time!)</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/THCBT99L8EI/AAAAAAAAALg/Ei1qmf3_lZ4/s1600/Please+Be+Edible+252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/THCBT99L8EI/AAAAAAAAALg/Ei1qmf3_lZ4/s320/Please+Be+Edible+252.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I've started planting the fall garden. This is broccoli. I have more to put in, but nowhere to plant it! Time to expand the garden again.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/THB_nm_L8-I/AAAAAAAAALI/QyPn8Bbb4TY/s1600/Please+Be+Edible+244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/THB_nm_L8-I/AAAAAAAAALI/QyPn8Bbb4TY/s320/Please+Be+Edible+244.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It will be a race to the finish to see if the melons have time to ripen. I was feeling pretty confident until today, when I noticed some kind of borer damage in the melon patch. Go melons, go!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/THB-uggjo1I/AAAAAAAAALA/eXLgGm60Sms/s1600/Please+Be+Edible+250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/THB-uggjo1I/AAAAAAAAALA/eXLgGm60Sms/s320/Please+Be+Edible+250.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>These Echinacea have had a hard summer. Something has been eating the petals. This was actually the first time I saw them more with petals than without since I planted them in late spring.</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
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</tbody></table>maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-76543487802811402102010-08-21T15:47:00.000-04:002010-08-21T15:47:53.854-04:00Cozy Mystery Challenge UpdateKnowing that I would have little to no time to read for pleasure come September, I jumped right into reading for this challenge. I've completed five of the six books so far- and enjoyed every minute of it!<br />
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All five books I've read have been by the same author, and from the same series. This is Louise Penny's Armand Gamache mystery series. All the books in this series are set in and around the cozy, if somewhat murder-prone, fictional village of Three Pines, Quebec, Canada. The first book in this series, Still Life, was Penny's debut novel. It was a strong start.<br />
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In all five books, Penny displays a great knack for describing the complexities of human feelings and motivations. She deftly illustrates how an individual can be both wonderfully good and startlingly bad. And she wraps these descriptions up in a package gilded with descriptions of scenes that paint a lifelike and charming picture of the fictional Three Pines community. I don't want to tell you what happens, or even tell you too much about the characters (and boy are they characters!). Suffice it to say that I think if you pick up Penny's books you will be pleasantly surprised. My only caveat is that I recommend starting at the beginning of the series in order to avoid prematurely learning things from books that occurred earlier in the series. In order, the series is:<br />
Still Life<br />
A Fatal Grace (US title)/Dead Cold<br />
The Cruelest Month<br />
A Rule Against Murder (US title)/The Murder Stone<br />
The Brutal Telling<br />
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And, a sixth book, titled Bury Your Dead, is set to be released September 28. That's not quite enough time for me to finish the challenge, so I'll have to pick up a sixth book elsewhere (and my local library system just put out a list of recommended cozies- how convenient!). But I will definitely be looking for The Brutal Telling later this fall. For more info on the Cozy Mystery Challenge, click the bookshelf to the right in the sidebar.maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-82396013252623990232010-08-20T23:55:00.003-04:002010-08-21T00:07:06.374-04:00Reinventing The WheelIt's been a while since I've posted here. Life has been busy. And complicated. And challenging. I've started multiple blog posts, only to not quite be able to pull my thoughts together. Just too much happening all at once in my mind. Sometimes that's just how it goes.<br />
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On the up side, I've seen compelling evidence of the difference resulting from the dietary changes we've made, <i>and </i>that even <i>The Boy</i>, who has fought these changes at almost every step, is starting to appreciate the difference in how he feels- at least when he stops eating this way. That's worth a lot. And it's part of what pushed me over the edge to tackle another, long neglected, food goal. Tonight's dinner preparation was the first of the kids' cooking lessons.<br />
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Sometime back toward the beginning of this journey, the reality of my own spectacular lack of training in the "kitchen arts" sank in. It was an overwhelming realization to confront while also trying to radically change the totality of one's dietary habits. But it also made me cognizant of the need to prepare my children better than I had been prepared. Yet, being at the beginning of that journey myself left me frustrated and not ready to tackle teaching anyone else. The goal was shelved until recently.<br />
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I'm still learning how to cook with real ingredients rather than short-cut ingredients that are convenient but packed with stuff we shouldn't actually eat. I still get frustrated in the kitchen on a fairly regular basis. And, sadly, I still botch meals on a fairly regular basis. Fortunately, I have learned that <i>thats's </i>one of the lessons the kids need to learn- that developing cooking skills takes time. It takes trials and, inevitably, errors.<br />
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I had been getting frustrated with the restrictions on what I could prepare- not only from my own lack of knowledge, but due to the kids "won't eat" lists. And I had grown tired of complaints when things didn't go as planned in dinner preparation.<br />
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Finally, this combination of circumstances came together to push me to just jump in where I am and let the kids learn first hand the trials and tribulations of feeding your family. I feel like I'm reinventing the wheel. I know the knowledge to manage a kitchen well and prepare tasty wholesome foods is out there. I'm still working on tracking it down. But that's okay. We can learn together- and they can avoid waking up when they're pushing forty and realizing they don't know how to appropriately feed their bodies. It'll be an adventure. The kids will gain a useful skill. I'll gain a few nights off from cooking duty. And hopefully we'll all gain greater appreciation for each others efforts. Wish us luck on this new journey- we're going to need it!<br />
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How about you- have you taught your kids to cook? Do you have any tips to share?<br />
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This post is participating in <a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/fight-back-friday-august-20th/">Fight Back Friday</a>, hosted by Food Renegade.maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-4102176098594586342010-07-24T11:25:00.000-04:002010-07-24T11:25:18.489-04:00Giveaway Winner!Well, we have a giveaway winner! The winner was drawn old-school in order to accommodate entries that combined, for example, a comment and following in one comment submission. Each entry was written on a slip of paper. All entry slips were combined in a bag and then mixed and shaken. Finally, one slip was drawn at random. I'd like to thank everyone who entered Please Be edible's first giveaway. This was fun!<br />
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The winner of the $60 CSN Stores gift certificate is Debbie C! Debbie C, your email address has been forwarded to CSN Stores and you should receive your prize via email before too long. Enjoy!maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-8265441522006094792010-07-23T13:32:00.000-04:002010-07-23T13:32:28.997-04:00Cozy Mystery Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TEnSAb0PAaI/AAAAAAAAAKg/1Xh-9S6Apug/s1600/cozy_msytery_2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TEnSAb0PAaI/AAAAAAAAAKg/1Xh-9S6Apug/s200/cozy_msytery_2010.jpg" width="142" /></a></div><br />
This is completely unrelated to food and gardening... But <a href="http://www.thisthat-herethere.com/">Su-sieee! Mac</a> recently blogged about belatedly joining in the 2010 Cozy Mystery Challenge and it looked like so much fun I had to join in too. Briefly, a cozy mystery is a mystery sans naughty language, sex scenes, and gore and often involves an amateur sleuth. You can follow the bookshelf link to the right (looks just like the pic above) for more info, a fantastic book list, and the opportunity to join in too!maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-48193505890846840242010-07-20T12:59:00.000-04:002010-07-20T12:59:18.988-04:00Homicide In The Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TEXVIVmDiPI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/s1ObuDp2NVw/s1600/Please+Be+Edible+232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TEXVIVmDiPI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/s1ObuDp2NVw/s320/Please+Be+Edible+232.jpg" /></a></div><br />
That's the title of the post I intended to write today. It was going to be a double homicide. And I was going to perpetrate it. In the end, though, I just couldn't go through with it. I hope the two near-victims appreciate the reprieve. More than that, I hope they redeem themselves; but I'm not holding my breath.<br />
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You see, last year was the first year I tried the much celebrated Sungold tomatoes. They produced well but, like most of last year's tomatoes, tasted watery because it rained all freaking summer last year (except the time I was away which was crazy hot and bone dry and, naturally, did in much of the garden. *sigh*). This year, I gave the Sungolds another chance. It's been a tense relationship from the start. They have severe B.O.<br />
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I tried to ignore it. I tried to be sympathetic. I hoped it would go away and be replaced by that lovely normal tomato smell. It didn't. It got worse. The other day when I touched one of the Sungold plants it made my hands reek. When I came inside, The Girl actually recoiled from the smell... <i>after </i>I had washed my hands <i>twice</i>. The relationship just seems headed down a dead end road. Even with the new garden bed, space is at a premium in my food plot. Everybody needs to pull their own weight and, I now realize, not offend the gardener.<br />
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But I couldn't pull them out. I haven't given them a fair trial. I would just be wrong.<br />
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So, I'll check freecycle for someone giving away hazmat gear and walk wide circles around this variety. I won't grow them again next year. And I'll no doubt spend an inordinate amount of time wondering what nutter of a plant breeder thought it would be cool to introduce to home gardens tomato plants that cause gardeners to smell like roadkill with a side of toxic waste. <br />
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Please also see <a href="http://please-be-edible.blogspot.com/2010/07/would-you-eat-this.html">Would You Eat This?</a> I'm so curious to know!maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-19862464612055433652010-07-19T19:44:00.000-04:002010-07-19T19:44:55.481-04:00Would You Eat This?Paula Crossfield over at Civil Eats recently <a href="http://civileats.com/2010/07/15/meat-politics-and-the-cafo-an-interview-with-daniel-imhoff/#more-8759">posted an interview</a> with Daniel Imhoff, discussing his new book <i>The CAFO Reader</i>. If you don't follow "food news," CAFO refers to Confined Animal Feeding Operations. It's an interesting interview and I encourage you to read it. However, at one point, Imhoff states "Ultimately where we’re going now is in-vitro meat, where we don’t need animals at all, we just clone tissue, and manufacture animal flesh." I've been thinking about this for several days and I'm curious... would you eat this?maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-23074623472988514262010-07-18T16:30:00.001-04:002010-07-18T19:15:43.373-04:00A Few Quick Recipes That Are Healthier Than Fast FoodIt has been really interesting to me to read your challenges and concerns about eating healthier in the comments of the <a href="http://please-be-edible.blogspot.com/2010/07/giveaway-60-gift-certificate.html">giveaway</a> post. Many of them are my challenges as well. Over the last six (almost!) months, I have become much better at avoiding fast/convenience foods and eating healthier instead. But... I totally understand the problem of not having the time, or energy, to cook a healthy meal after a busy day. So, here are a few of the "quick but healthier than fast food" recipes I fall back on when I just don't feel like cooking.<br />
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The first one I have posted before. That's my <a href="http://please-be-edible.blogspot.com/2010/05/who-hash.html">Who Hash recipe</a>. The only caveat with this one is that it does involve rice (brown rice, because it's better for you! * Ha! Naturally, having posted that, I then read <a href="http://thehealthyhomeeconomist.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-white-rice-better-than-brown.html">this article</a> that presents a different view of that. You be the judge!). Sometimes I am too tired to wait for rice to cook. But rice is also something that can be made ahead of time (heck, you can probably even freeze cooked rice for a quick go-to). This is such a simple, filling food- and the kids love it.<br />
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Next is what I call Cheater's Chili. I know chili aficionados will be appalled, so it you consider yourself in that category please look away now. Cheater's Chili caveat: involves canned ingredients. I try to avoid canned ingredients these days, but on days where the choice is between canned or take-out, I try to go for the can.<br />
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<b>Cheater's Chili</b><br />
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brown a pound of ground beef (with onion if you have it, but it's fine without too)<br />
<b> </b>if there's a lot of fat, drain it off (I don't bother if the meat was very lean)<br />
dump in a couple cans of pre-seasoned chili beans (I like Bush's)<br />
dump in a large can of diced tomatoes<br />
chop a green bell pepper and toss that in<br />
add chili powder<br />
stir while heating through<br />
eat and put leftovers in the fridge<br />
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And this last "recipe" is really just a way to prepare salmon (Pacific wild-caught is best, but honestly, you could do a variation of this with canned salmon for less money).<br />
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<b>Yummy Salmon</b><br />
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Cover the bottom of a large pan with diced tomatoes, basil, garlic, chopped onion, and chopped/sliced black olives. You can use canned seasoned tomatoes and it works great. Lay the salmon fillet on top of the mix. Cover and heat until salmon is cooked through. The flavors melt together nicely. You don't need to stir this or anything, but use a medium heat so it cooks quickly but doesn't burn to the bottom.<br />
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Okay, one more thought... We stir-fry pretty often. I don't really consider stir-fry to be super quick, but it just occurred to me that if I pre-cooked the meat when it was convenient and kept it in the freezer, I could toss it in to re-heat with the veggies and save some time. Especially if I had cooked rice in the freezer. Has anybody frozen cooked rice? How did it work out? I think I have to go try that now... Anybody else care to share your "quick but healthier than fast food recipes"?maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-86025336894171236842010-07-16T09:51:00.002-04:002010-07-16T10:25:06.329-04:00Buying Local And Balancing Needs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TEBjs5U7NYI/AAAAAAAAAKI/nW5QXlrRt_M/s1600/Please+Be+Edible+126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TEBjs5U7NYI/AAAAAAAAAKI/nW5QXlrRt_M/s320/Please+Be+Edible+126.jpg" /></a></div><br />
It wasn't that long ago that I finally started feeling a bit settled about my "buy local" routine. I had figured out what day I needed to go out to the farm store in order to get milk before the gallons of organic whole milk sold out. And I'd found a substitute free-range organic relatively-local egg source after becoming concerned about the cause of the brittle egg shells on the local eggs at the farm store. But recently, I experienced a bit of a setback.<br />
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The farm store changed milk suppliers. Previously, we were able to buy gallons of organic whole milk. It came in standard plastic gallon jugs from a creamery a bit north of here in Pennsylvania. I'm not a fan of plastic; but storing multiple glass half gallon jugs in our refrigerator is just not practical. It's also more expensive.<br />
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When the farm store switched milk suppliers, they changed to a <i>more </i>local creamery. This outfit has various fancy certifications and shaves a few food miles off the end product. But, for my family, there are a couple problems with this change. The first problem is that milk is now only available in glass half gallons. Also, the price to buy a gallon of milk is now roughly $7.50, compared to the $5.95 for the plastic jug we were previously buying. But there's still another problem. We think the new milk tastes gross. I've never really imagined myself to be a milk connoisseur, but let me tell you, these milks are two completely different beasts.<br />
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Now, we had discovered a while ago that the natural food store carries the same brand of milk we had been purchasing from the farm store (which is closer to us). But, the natural food store carries an even smaller quantity of milk than the farm store, and the delivery day is a problem. You see, the natural food store is where I found the eggs I've been buying. But, the delivery day is different for the eggs and the milk, and if you don't get out there on delivery day you don't get what you are after. Plus, the natural food store is farther away. Multiple trips out there each week would burn up a lot of gas.<br />
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Honestly, the logistics of buying healthy local food is sometimes daunting. I understand why so many people don't make a serious effort to buy local. It is far more convenient to go to the grocery store and get everything at once, regardless of how it was produced. It's cheaper too. In the short run. But once your eyes are opened to the long-term costs to your health and environment, it's hard to go back to buying standard grocery store fare. Plus, I've become spoiled by the rich tastes of food raised right. I recently purchased grocery store brand organic, "cage-free" eggs in a pinch. They were pale and tasteless and so disappointing.<br />
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So far, the "solutions" I've come up with have been less than optimal. I know I'm not the only farm store customer who us unhappy with the change. The farm store is pushing hard to sell the new brand, but I'm hoping that they'll switch back to the previous brand. Until then, my choices seem to be either eggs or milk, or to buy non-local organic milk or eggs at the grocery store.<br />
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Sometimes buying local is a balancing act.Maybe it always is. In a strange way, I've come to appreciate the challenge. When I have to work a little more for the food I want to feed my family, I appreciate it a little more. The extra effort makes me think consciously about the food choices I make and is a reminder of <i>why </i>it is important to make these choices. Sure, I'd be quite happy for the process to be easier. But in the mean time, I try to embrace the bumps in the road as opportunities not to be missed. I've come a long way since February!<br />
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This post is a participant in <a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/fight-back-friday-july-16th/">Fight Back Friday, generously hosted by Food Renegade</a>.<br />
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Also, check out our first <a href="http://please-be-edible.blogspot.com/2010/07/giveaway-60-gift-certificate.html">GIVEAWAY</a>!maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-59872616132935035302010-07-16T09:20:00.001-04:002010-07-16T10:20:02.081-04:00A Giveaway! $60 Gift CertificateI've wanted to hold a giveaway at Please Be Edible for a while now, so I was thrilled when CSN Stores contacted me offering one of my lucky readers a $60 gift certificate good at any of their online stores. Whatever your household needs, I'm pretty sure these folks have it. And really, who wouldn't love sixty bucks toward stuff they need?<br />
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Maybe you have a dog like our Luna who has put you in the market for new <a href="http://www.diningroomsdirect.com/">dining room furniture</a>. Don't ask. Seriously. I'll cry. No naughty dog? CSN Stores has everything to go <i>on </i>or <i>under </i>the dining table too. How cute are these glasses? Or maybe this rug?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TD-wUh9HxeI/AAAAAAAAAJg/g9GIhKNgYmA/s1600/LaRochere%2B9%2BOunce%2BWater%2BGlass%2Bin%2BNapoleonic%2BBee%2BMotif%2B%28Set%2Bof%2B6%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TD-wUh9HxeI/AAAAAAAAAJg/g9GIhKNgYmA/s320/LaRochere%2B9%2BOunce%2BWater%2BGlass%2Bin%2BNapoleonic%2BBee%2BMotif%2B%28Set%2Bof%2B6%29.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TD-wKREb2UI/AAAAAAAAAJY/ELI1EthuMSQ/s1600/Woven%2BZanzibar%2BTicking%2BCotton%2BContemporary%2BRug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TD-wKREb2UI/AAAAAAAAAJY/ELI1EthuMSQ/s320/Woven%2BZanzibar%2BTicking%2BCotton%2BContemporary%2BRug.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Or maybe you need new <a href="http://www.cookware.com/">kitchen gear</a> instead? Personally, I'd be thrilled to take home these gems...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TD-2MPsak7I/AAAAAAAAAJo/qIOzju-I9ik/s1600/Calypso%2BBasics%2B7%2BQuart%2BColander%2Bin%2BLemon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TD-2MPsak7I/AAAAAAAAAJo/qIOzju-I9ik/s320/Calypso%2BBasics%2B7%2BQuart%2BColander%2Bin%2BLemon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TD-2xOi6mKI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/8UO_K8s5Vw4/s1600/Cast%2BIron%2B10%27%2BSkillet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TD-2xOi6mKI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/8UO_K8s5Vw4/s320/Cast%2BIron%2B10%27%2BSkillet.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Need something else? Swing by <a href="http://www.csnstores.com/">CSN Stores</a> for the full range of options.You get the idea, right? Good stuff, and lots of sale prices! <br />
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So, the "rules":<br />
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Each entrant has up to three chances to win.<br />
1. For your first chance, leave a comment below telling me your biggest challenge or concern regarding eating healthier.<br />
2. For an additional chance, mention this giveaway on your blog or any social media (and then post a comment below telling me you did).<br />
3. And for another chance, follow this blog with Google Friend Connect and post below telling me you did (or that you already follow).<br />
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You must enter by midnight, Eastern Standard Time, Friday July 23, 2010. One entry will be drawn at random and announced Saturday July 24. You've got one week to get your entries in!<br />
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The $60 gift certificate is a one-time use certificate. You have to use it all at once, at <i>one </i>of the CSN Stores shops. Winner will be responsible for shipping charges. International fees may apply if winner resides in Canada.<br />
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Per CSN Stores, this giveaway is open only to residents of the U.S. and Canada. (I know, I know...sorry!)<br />
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The winner will be announced in a separate blog post on July 24. When submitting entries, please make sure I can reach you via email as the gift certificate will be emailed to the winner!<br />
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Good luck! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com245tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-50404719710005255602010-07-14T19:19:00.001-04:002010-07-14T19:20:41.663-04:00Help! Calling All Birders!Earlier this evening, I opened the back door to let Luna in and something weird happened. She didn't bound over to me. In fact, she stood at the edge of the patio smiling at me, but not approaching. I called her. She nudged something on the ground. The something on the ground moved. I called Luna more firmly. She came in. I went out.<br />
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Luna had a bird. I <i>think </i>it is a young mourning dove, but I'm not 100% confident. Can anybody confirm that for me? The poor thing lost a lot of feathers (including its' tail feathers), but seems to be generally okay otherwise. I don't believe it can fly now. We have it in a big box with mixed seed from the bird feeder and some water. My goal is to keep it alive until it can fly again. Advice?!?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TD5F2iQzjRI/AAAAAAAAAJI/zRWKibBbcDE/s1600/Please+Be+Edible+222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TD5F2iQzjRI/AAAAAAAAAJI/zRWKibBbcDE/s320/Please+Be+Edible+222.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TD5F9b5gdDI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/1T4lAFyRfU4/s1600/Please+Be+Edible+223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TD5F9b5gdDI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/1T4lAFyRfU4/s320/Please+Be+Edible+223.jpg" /></a></div>maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-28841561346105313582010-07-13T12:47:00.000-04:002010-07-13T12:47:38.052-04:00Nature: 1, Gardener: Wha...?I walk my garden every day. Several times. Weather does not deter me. So, I like to think I have a pretty good idea of what's going on in my garden, more or less, at any given time. But apparently this is yet another example of the human ability to delude oneself.<br />
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Today, as I was checking in on the original bean bed, I glanced over to the grape trellis and noticed the grapes are filling out nicely. I stepped over for a closer look.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TDyWbwpA2nI/AAAAAAAAAI4/7gRByv23xhw/s1600/Please+Be+Edible+214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TDyWbwpA2nI/AAAAAAAAAI4/7gRByv23xhw/s320/Please+Be+Edible+214.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">See? Grapes. Plump and round, just like they're supposed to be. But what's that <i>behind </i>the grapes?<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TDyW0dDzrTI/AAAAAAAAAJA/WPF3Oq-npTg/s1600/Please+Be+Edible+215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TDyW0dDzrTI/AAAAAAAAAJA/WPF3Oq-npTg/s320/Please+Be+Edible+215.jpg" /></a></div><br />
It's the nest of one clever bird! I'm sorry to report that I don't know who built this. I imagine whoever it was is probably done with it by now. But perhaps they'll be back sometime since they managed to find such prime real estate. This nest was built straddling the wooden top rail of the grape trellis. No shaking or weaving and bobbing in the wind. It is surrounded by grapes, which means the bugs come right to whoever is sitting on the nest. Plus, the giant grape leaves both shelter this nest and collect water right at the front door. I'm totally impressed! I have walked past this nest everyday- probably for months!- and had no idea it was there. Nature wins again!maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-12997713853560114092010-07-10T13:28:00.000-04:002010-07-10T13:28:49.758-04:00RAIN!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TDipEYwatZI/AAAAAAAAAIw/7HB7JhdprCg/s1600/Please+Be+Edible+203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7XB3YtXDy-I/TDipEYwatZI/AAAAAAAAAIw/7HB7JhdprCg/s320/Please+Be+Edible+203.jpg" /></a></div>Sometime very early this morning, the sound of the storm beginning worked its way into my still sleeping mind. By the time I got out of bed, it had been raining for perhaps a few hours. I was so relieved to look out the window and see my garden completely soaked. As I drank my coffee I thought about what a precarious life it is to depend upon rain arriving in a timely fashion for one's food crops to survive- the kind of existence the settlers lived, but also which many people around the world still live today. I feel fortunate to have the ability to turn a knob and water my garden when it needs it. But I also feel a responsibility not to abuse that ability. I've lost a lot of plants this year because I have refused to water that which I cannot eat.<br />
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In a way, this heat and drought has been an opportunity in the garden. This environment has forced plants to really fight for it and has made choosing which plants to save seed from far easier than it might be under more accommodating circumstances. For example, shortly after the first bean planting was up and looking good, some critter (bunnies, I suspect) went through the entire bed nibbling off all the leaves and chewing the stems to nubs. Only three plants were left with leaves on them. Fortunately, two of those were the Golden Rod Bush Beans I had planted the last of and hope to save seed from. A burst a hopefullness and the inability to force myself to look at the carnage again combined to result in me leaving that bed alone to see what would happen. Maybe some of the nubs would come back?<br />
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Miraculously, <i>most </i>of the nubs came back. Some of those plants have done ridiculously well and are now sporting beans. Those plants have been marked for seed saving because, honestly, a gardener can't ask for more from a plant than to survive and produce through bunny attacks, neglect, extreme heat and drought. Similarly, in the new garden some of the tomatoes are really taking off while others, like the Romas, are struggling. Same thing with the peppers, all of which I nearly lost to insect damage early on. So, while it is a worry and a pain to garden through a summer like this one has been so far, it is also a blessing to be able to select for seed from plants that are really outdoing themselves under these circumstances. And the best thing about it is the seeds are free, and no lab is required to produce them.maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-55147784168683082432010-07-09T20:14:00.000-04:002010-07-09T20:14:57.045-04:00New Garden WeirdnessSo. It's been so long since I've posted that I was actually too chicken to check and see when my last post was. Things have been busy here. Like much of the East Coast, we have been getting creamed by this heatwave. Lawns are brown and dormant. Even some of the trees appear to be going dormant- leaves turning brown and falling off, as if it was fall. That's a bit worrisome. But my garden is what's really been on my mind lately.<br />
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Because I put the garden in late this year (after finishing the spring semester and then digging the new garden bed), it was not well established when the heat hit. Oh, and then there's the "huh?" problem I had getting it going. Where I live, the soil is almost without exception a little on the acidic side. I mean, I had never seen a soil sample test alkaline... until problems in the new garden led me to test the soil. After finally getting plants into the new garden, they immediately started deteriorating. The leaves turned chlorotic. Bugs began devouring them. They didn't put on any new growth. It was bad. And, the few tomatoes on the Romas developed blossom-end rot.<br />
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Blossom-end rot is linked to uneven watering and calcium deficiency. I knew the problem was not uneven watering, so naturally, this pointed to a problem with calcium uptake. Often, BER can be treated by applying lime. On acidic soils, this really isn't often a problem. On alkaline soil, however, applying lime could cause trouble. Most plants are not fans of a highly alkaline environment, and liming decreases acidity. So it was a good thing I didn't rush out to the garden with my bag-o-lime, and instead decided to test the soil. Lo! It came up alkaline. This was such an anomaly that I had to repeat the test to believe it.<br />
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The alkaline test result presented me with a bit of a quandary. How to increase calcium and acidity...quickly? I suspected that, for some unknown reason, soil calcium was bound up rather than absent. A little research turned up the solution, which was to apply fertilizer intended for acid-loving plants. This variety of fertilizer is high in sulfur, which increases acidity.<br />
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Let me tell you... this was an almost miraculous cure. It took a few days to begin to see results. At first, the only sign of improvement was the hint that perhaps the bugs were devouring the garden less quickly. But over the first week or so, the leaves started re-greening. At this point, just about everything seems to be growing well, flowering, and setting fruit. The one big exception is the Roma tomatoes. While they did set some fruit, the plants themselves are barely hanging on. I'm not sure why either. When I transplanted the tomatoes, the Romas appeared the strongest. Unfortunately, they went downhill fast.<br />
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It's more than a little disappointing, too. I was relying pretty heavily on the Romas this year and now it looks like I'll harvest very little from them. The pair of San Marzanos I received from a fellow master gardener is doing well though. Not well enough to fill the pantry with jars of tomato sauce- but hopefully there will be enough "regular" tomatoes to still put up some sauce.<br />
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Oh well. The garden is always a "win some/lose some" proposition. What else is there to do but Keep Calm And Carry On?maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500784247355256441.post-60217998393361595362010-06-25T12:03:00.000-04:002010-06-25T12:03:50.574-04:00Getting The Most For Your Meat DollarsThis morning's wade through the ole inbox uncovered a nifty little gem in today's edition of <a href="http://www.debtproofliving.com/DPLResources/EverydayCheapskate/tabid/146/Default.aspx">Mary Hunt's Everyday Cheapskate newsletter</a>. Inside was an article titled "It Pays to Know Your Cuts of Meat," which included a link to a <a href="http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1790&context=extensionhist">University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension pamphlet </a>(note that it is labeled "historical materials" as if somehow this info would cease being useful).<br />
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The basic idea behind this pamphlet is pretty simple. Instead of comparing meats by price per pound, we get more bang for our buck by comparing meats by price per serving. I think most of us probably already do this to some degree based on our previous experiences. But this handy dandy pamphlet includes a chart that does the mental gymnastics for us and covers more cuts than we (okay, I) can mentally keep track of, based on serving sizes of 3 ounces each.<br />
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One caveat: This pamphlet focuses on how much <i>meat </i>you get for your money, not how much <i>utility</i>. So for example, there is no accounting in the pamphlet for the bone broth you could make from the bones you paid for with your meat.<br />
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This post is a participant in <a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/fight-back-friday-june-25th/#more-1981">Fight Back Friday, hosted by Food Renegade</a>.maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02409400959408658124noreply@blogger.com1