Why our foods stink

The OVER processing of America.  Why we need to garden.

 

Did you ever wonder why our foods today don't seem to provide the same nourishment as they did say, 50 years ago?  Could it be the processing of our foods?  Could it be how our foods are grown?  What has changed in the last 75 years?  The last 50 years?  What is wrong with our food!?

 

 

America is no longer the land of milk and honey.  Well, we are but our milk is ultra pasteurized, homogenized, and sold in plastic.  Our honey is some sort of mixture of sweeteners and flavorings that have little to do with real honey.  Is it any wonder with genetically engineered crops that our humble honey bees are dropping like flies? 

 

Our society is all about fast, now, and instant gratification.  We are a society of processes; from our food to our high-tech gadgets we desire one thing, speed.  Our carbon footprint mirrors bigfoot's jumbo sized appendages and we shop at Wal-Mart for our apples. Is it any wonder that we eat food but are never satisfied?

 

I just spent the last week on an experiment of sorts.  I discovered some things about our family food habits and changes are made and will be made in the coming weeks. The fact remains though that our food stinks.  Before it even arrives in  our stores and makes its way to our tables, it's rotten.  Its full of chemicals and oils are rancid.  Is it any wonder we are obese, stick thin, sick, and dying?

 

Some people contend that many of the practices used in the mega mono-agriculture farms of today actually encourage plants to not go deep into the soil pulling up needed nutrients, something heirloom or open pollinated plants once prevalent in our gardens readily did.    Plant diversity is important and when farmers plant hundreds of acres in one crop (MONO-AGRICULTURE) they not only are discouraging sustainability but they are spiraling themselves into a cycle of dependence.  Did you know its virtually illegal for farmers to save seeds today?  Farmers today are dependent on large corporations which own patents on plants forcing farmers to buy new seed year after year.  One study I read years ago even discussed that this dependence in developing nations like India were actually harming families by the droves.  What was so in developing nations in 2000 when I first started discussing this issue is seen today in our farm belts.  Large companies like Monsanto and Dupont own our farms lock stick and barrel, or at minimum they hold our farmers over a barrel.  Add into that our governments practice of subsidizing farmers we shouldn't be surprised that our food reeks.  Farmers no longer have the freedom to grow and become sustainable and they are discouraged from practicing bioregionalism.  One day our farmers were our life blood, but today they are struggling to make ends meet as regulations, stipulations, and obligations to corporations force them into bankruptcy court.  Our food suffers.   We suffer.  Our children SUFFER.

 

We need to garden in an effort to ensure a healthy food supply for our family.  We must garden to secure a healthier future and for heirloom seeds to continue on.  As we push onward to pesticide resistant seeds we lose long standard varieties which have a proven track record, proven taste, and proven ability to grow in our area, happily in our climate, despite too much rain or too little.

 

We must garden to preserve our health and our sanity.  Gardening provides two healthy things in our lives; food and exercise.  Gardening gives one a sense of calm and peace.  Plus, if you are mad at something or someone, pulling weeds can give you pause to think and reflect.  Yep, your garden is your claim to VICTORY!  Your claim to overcoming.  Your claim to health and peace. 

 

Seed saving is a lost art.    In recent years there has been a strong push to buy needed seed year after year as seed producers create seed which can't reproduce themselves.  One thing I want to discuss at a later time is seed saving and some tips I am learning.  Your Victory Garden can and should produce more than just food for this year. To that end I want to encourage you to purchase good quality seed.  Preferred open pollinated or heirloom varieties of some simple plants.  This year let's start with things like sunflowers, beans, pumpkins, marigolds, and a winter squash (I am going to discuss Hubbard Squash in the future).  Those are fairly easy and you can't really fail.  Most of us grow them or something similar.

 

Please write and let me know what kinds of seeds you are planting.  If need be I will ask seed saving friends or research it and give some hints if you are saving something else as well. 

 

Linking up today with Teacher of Good Things and her friends at For This Season, Vicki Arnold Blog and Walking in High Cotton.  Please visit each of these blogs and tell them Garden Tenders sent you!

 

Next, I'll discuss garden styles. 

 



Using your abundance

ZUCCHINI!  Yeah its that time of year.  That little green summer squash is becoming prolific and we love it!

A while back I posted about making a Zucchini based pizza crust and thought I would share the recipe again here.  Something Bear and I have done together.  This was something she actually ate without any sideways looks.... 

What do you do when you have a bushel of ZUCCHINI? Well one thing you can do is MAKE PIZZA!  Yes, I made a  pizza crust out of grated zucchini, and I will add that it was a hit with the family. Very filling and a great meal. The recipe is from my Moosewood Cookbook. If you are ever looking for a vegetarian cookbook, check it out!

Anyway, here ya go!

Zucchini Pizza Crust

Print Here
Crust Ingredients:
olive oil and flour for the pan
2 cups (packed) grated zucchini --about 2 medium zukes (next time I am trying them chopped)
2 eggs, beaten (okay to delete one or both yolks)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup grated mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Optional: pinches of basil, marjoram, and/or rosemary
2 T. olive oil
Pizza sauce and whatever other toppings you prefer

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously oil a 10-inch pie pan and coat lightly with flour (You can also use a jelly roll pan)
2) Combine zucchini, eggs, flour, mozzarella, Parmesan, and herbs, and 1 T olive oil in a bowl and mix well.
3) Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. About halfway through the baking, brush with the remaining tablespoon of oil (optional). Remove from oven. When it has cooled for about 10 minutes, use a spatula to loosen the crust from the pan, so it won’t break later.
4) Top with your favorite pizza items and bake at 400 degrees F until heated through. The crust can be made up to several days in advance.

This is everything all mixed together

Of course it became an educational experience. Sarah helped me grate the zuckes in the big old food processor as well as crack and mix eggs and then we mixed the ingredients together, put on a pan and cooked it. Afterwards we put on regular pizza toppings (a little too much cheese, but still good).

Try this one pizza Friday.  While it might not replace your regular crust it is a good change to make sometimes.

And if that ins't enough zuke in one week for you, you can try this:  ZUKE POPS!

I made zucchini pops one night.  They were a big hit, they went over better than the pizza crust which was a hit as well.    I adapted the recipe from something I found here, at The Curious Country Cook.

My recipe for what I call 'Zucchini Pops' is below:
2 medium zucchinis chopped (approx 2 cups)
1/2 cup of chopped onion
1 cup of shredded cheese (mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano mixed together if you have them all)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup of Italian bread crumbs
1 tsp of garlic
2 tsp of Italian seasoning

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a mini muffin tin.

Chop zucchini and onion place in a medium size mixing bowl. Add the eggs, bread crumbs, seasonings and cheese and mix together. Use a spoon or a small cookie scoop and fill the cups of the mini cupcake tin. Place in oven and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes depending on oven. When done remove and eat like you would a potato pop. Enjoy!

(sorry I didn't get pictures of the family enjoy this yummy item).

Happy cooking!

Ladybugs, Ladybugs, pretty little bugs

Five Little Ladybugs

Five little ladybugs resting at the door.

One flew away and then there were four.

Ladybug, ladybug happy all day.
Ladybug, ladybug fly fly away.

Four little ladybugs sitting in a tree.

One flew away and then there were three.

Ladybug, ladybug happy all day.

Ladybug, ladybug fly fly away.

Three little ladybugs looking at you.

One flew away and then there were two.

Ladybug, ladybug happy all day.

Ladybug, ladybug fly fly away.

Two little ladybugs sitting in the sun.

One flew away and then there was one.

Ladybug, ladybug happy all day.
Ladybug, ladybug fly fly away.

One little ladybug left all alone.

One flew away and then there was none.

Yep, this week we learned about Ladybugs.  It was prompted by a ladybug release our homeschool group did in a local park.  Ladybugs are beloved by us all though.

You can buy ladybugs yourself and release them as well in your garden.  They are amazing little creatures and I plan to buy some when Bear's cousins are visiting and allow the girls to release them together in the garden. Check your local nursery's.  Locally you can check Windmill Nursery in Sumner, WA, Marlene's Health Market in Tacoma, or the Home and Garden section at Fred Meyers.  I would also contact any more reputable nursery near your home, odds are they will have them.  They are good garden bugs, so don't worry.  (From a friend--Release them at dusk for better retention in your yard). 

Our lessons have included coloring ladybug pictures, reading Ladybug girl goes to the beach (a book we got from the library) and talking about things that make lady bugs so amazing, like the fact that they have sticky legs!  Sarah tried to include that information at the homeschool group but she got so excited I think all she said was "Ladybugs have legs!"  Funny girl!

Some of the facts we learned about lady bugs this week: 

• Ladybugs are related to beetles.  Beetles and ladybugs are insects.
• Ladybugs are considered good luck.
• Ladybugs come in many colors--yellow, orange, pink, and red. Some ladybugs are black with red spots. Some have no spots at all.
• Birds don't eat ladybugs because their bright colors are a warning that they don't taste good.
• Ladybugs use their feet to smell. Do you use your feet to smell?
• Ladybugs have sticky feet too.  Do you ever have sticky feet?
• Ladybugs like to form large groups, like families.  It helps to keep them warm, according to scientists. 
• Ladybugs experience four stages of growth.  --Like other insects, ladybugs will go through four stages. They are egg, larva, pupa and adult ladybug.
• Ladybugs can fly about 15 miles per hour.  --The highest speed of most ladybugs is about 15 miles per hour. That is much slower than other insects. (Some dragonflies can fly 60 miles per hour).
• Ladybugs hibernate.   -- During the winter, when it is very cold, ladybugs will hibernate. That means they rest until it gets warmer.
• A female/girl ladybug will lay more than 1000 eggs in her lifetime.
• Aphids are a ladybug's favorite food.

Here (Ladybug Fact Sheet) is a fact sheet I put together for future use.  Feel free to download and print for your own personal use.

After we released the ladybugs our homeschool group ate lunch, played in the park and went on a nice walk around the lake were we seen baby ducks.  The learning continues the rest of the week with looking at our own garden bugs and exploring books and learning sounds, using a magnetic alphabet set as help/guides.   

after the lady bug release we went for a walk
around the lake and seen baby ducks with their mommy. 

Sunshine and Lilacs

Our lilacs are in full bloom and the scent is intoxicating.  We enjoyed them all morning while we planted our garden.  Speaking of which we ran out of room!  I am already dreaming of the harvest and praying we do well.  Tending the garden with care much like we tend to our children and how God tends to us, even when we don't think He is.  We water the seeds, we teach our children and He guides our walk and paths even if we think we are outside of His view.  If you are meant to walk with Him, you will.  You can either walk the easy path or the one with potholes.  I think mine has a lot of potholes.

Anyway, while tending both the garden and the Bear I took these today. 

Outside my window... The sun set not too long ago, happy for some sunshine the past few days.

I am thinking... Why are the days always so busy?

I am thankful for... my loved ones, the sunshine and the ability to enjoy both.

I am wearing...Pj's .....  Going to bed soon.


I am remembering... What fun it is to be young and no real big cares

I am going... to slow down.

I am currently reading... NOTHING


I am hoping... That my prayers for a fruitful harvest are fulfilled come harvest.

On my mind... What a wonderful husband I have, and I know I don't tell him often enough how great he is.

Noticing that... People are too competitive....

Pondering these words... "My mommy says..." and how one little girl loves to say that.

From the kitchen... silence

Around the house... Mariners Baseball on the TV

One of my favorite things… The lilacs in my back yard and the side of the house.

Blessed Tendings!

Big Hit

Awesome past few days. Today the weather was almost perfect and we spent a few hours of it outside in the back yard working on the new raspberry bed. We plan to transplant most of the raspberries (leaving a few behind in the old bed for moving next year) to a bigger area near the garden plot.

Here are a few pictures.

Last night I used the juicer for the first time. We all loved the juice! Sarah helped and drank almost 2 glasses as did Bob. I drank 1, it was a little too sweet for me. But notheless it was yummy and I was happy to get the fresh vegs and fruits into my family's tummy. I can see a busy summer and fall ahead of us as we move forward with canning and preserving. FUN!!! I always think it's beautiful to see home canned jars on a shelf.

And then tonight, I found out while Sarah and I were outside in the back we got a fed ex delivery.... OUR GRAIN MILL CAME!

Outside my window... A weather change is upon us.... bye bye sunshine!

I am thinking... we have so much to do! My craft/sewing area, painting Sarah's room......

I am thankful for... sunshine and understanding

I am wearing... pants and shirt

I am remembering... I need to make my co-op order from Azure Standard tonight!

I am going... to try to catch up on things around the house

I am currently reading... square foot gardening

I am hoping... for peace in family situations

On my mind... dinner

Noticing that... God gives us so much beauty and so often we neglect to recognize the fact.

Pondering these words... "love many, trust few, always paddle your own canoe"

From the kitchen... Chili and soon cornbread

Around the house... Sarah's humming

One of my favorite things… Listening to said humming. :-)

Blessed Tendings!

Happy Spring!

Yesterday was so lovely! Really a day to remind us of God's love and that spring will rise from it's seemingly never ending slumber. Our little Bear spent most of the day outside, playing in her sand box and exploring the dirt looking for earth worms. Yes, she found some.

So I am starting to coupon. But while we saved a lot last night and we wont have need for personal care products for a bit it did take nearly two hours. LOL Needless to say that Bob was impressed with saving more than $70 but was unimpressed with the 2 hour shopping trip. I need to figure out a good system. I only buy what we use and just because there is a coupon doesn't mean if the store brand is cheaper that I wont use the store brand instead. I want to save money, not still pay more with a coupon than the store brand is all the time. NOT A CRAZY COUPON LADY, yet. LOL

Hoping this week I can get out and transplant some of the raspberry plants to their new bed. I am working on it and hope my aching right now leg will allow it. Just so excited about getting in the dirt and maybe planting some spring seeds like peas and lettuce. :-)

Outside my window... it's windy???? where did that come from? I thought we were going to get some spring in the air this whole weekend.

I am thinking... A nap would be nice. Everyone else is napping.


I am thankful for... My risen Savior.

I am wearing... a red dress and black socks.

I am remembering... I want to order my grain mill!

I am going... do laundry in a few minutes, though it's Sunday..... maybe I should rest. :-)

I am currently reading... nothing.... nada ...... zilch.

I am hoping... Sarah feels better. Poor little thing came home from church and went right into bed to lay down. Hard when your 3 year old does that.

On my mind... Ok so we did what to Libya? and why did we do that exactly? I will admit I tend to be a bit of a isolationist when it comes to foreign policy. Not many understand this, but...... it's me.

Noticing that... the wind chimes make really pretty music.

Pondering these words... "first day of spring"

From the kitchen... gonna make juice in my champion juicer that is new to me! :-)


Around the house... quiet.....

One of my favorite things… hot cocoa, warm love and rich friendships (I guess that's really 3 huh?--oh well who's counting....).

Blessed Tendings!