Ewww… BUGS!

I had always heard that gardening was not as glorious as Martha Stewart makes it seem… well its true, it is NOT as glorious, as glamorous or as easy! There is dirt everywhere (obviously) and bugs, o boy are there BUGS! I had also been warned that they could eat you out of house and home if the proper precautions were not taken… they seem to just appear, as if the “big bang” theory could apply to the molecules in my garden! BAM there were colonies of bugs in my nicely fertilized garden.

From the beginning we knew we wanted to use an organic bug spray, after all that was the whole point of having our home garden, to be ORGANIC! So we went to Home Depot, after doing some research, and settled on EcoSmart Organic Home Pest Control, it was only $10!! This insecticide is made out of a blend of organic plant oils that kills bugs fast. We applied it twice over the growing season, about a month and a half between each time. For the most part I think it worked remarkably well. We lost 2 tomatoes to bugs, but that is out of approximately 50, so the ratio is pleasing to me! I think next summer we will spray once a month, or at least after rain storms! We are also going to try using this spray on our lilac bush, which appears to have been attacked my an army of hole punches… Another natural solution that we have just begun to use, is placing our potted basil plants next to the tomatoes. I read somewhere that fresh herbs keep the insects away from fragile plants such as lettuces and tomatoes. This not only makes the area smell a-mazing, but seems to ward of the bugs… We will have to continue this trial next growing season! What has worked for you? How have you warded of the swarms of bugs?

Keep filling your sustainable appetite!

~Kristyn

Its Raining Zucchini and Yellow Squash…

Well not really… but it sure feels like it with the rate that they grow at! I have decided to start posting recipes (simple, creative, sustainable recipes) on my blog to show you fun ways to incorporate seasonal vegetables into your meals. Tonight this recipe is what we had for dinner, it is extremely easy and sustainable, using summer zucchini and yellow squash!

I like to call it Rugged Spaghetti, because it isn’t nice and tidy, it has big chunks of veggies in it and screams tough

For this spaghetti you will need (to feed 4):

1 lb ground beef (from a farmer near you)

1 zucchini (from your garden)

1 yellow squash (from your garden)

1/2 yellow/white onion (which ever is at the farmers market)

1 jar of tomato sauce (if you jarred some last summer, great!)

1 box of pasta (doesn’t have to be spaghetti noodles, mix it up or use what you have in the pantry)

Sweat the onions(technical term for sautee-ing) in 1 tbsp of olive oil, then add in the ground beef and cook down. While the ground beef cooks, start a pot of boiling, salted water to cook the pasta in. As the ground beef browns add the zucchini and yellow squash (chopped as fine or coarse as you like, or as you need to disguise it from the kids). When the zucchini and yellow squash become tender add the jar of tomato sauce (all of the jar or half, whichever you prefer). The tomato sauce should heat up just as the pasta has become al dente (cooked… but not mushy), drain the pasta and top with the meat/veggie/sauce topping, and ENJOY!

This can be served with homemade bread or a bowl of fresh fruit.

This is one of many simple recipes that can utilize the abundance of summer squash, stayed tuned as I explore, create and enjoy more recipes that use summer squash!

Keep filling your sustainable appetite!

~Kristyn

Food, Inc.

Wow… I sit here, writing in utter (no pun intended) shock… what an eye opening movie. If I wasn’t already an activist for Farm to Table food, I sure would be now after watching that film. I am irritated, actually I am more irate that our government ‘overlooks’ all of this abuse in our country, all for money. Greed is disgusting to me on a whole new level. Please excuse my writing style as I vent about this movie.

For those who have yet to watch Food, Inc. please go rent it now, it is a documentary on the “process” if you will in which the food that we consume goes through from birth to slaughter. I have always assumed fast food was contaminated, but now I see even the food in the grocery stores is of the same quality. The animals are treated beyond unethically and mass produced as a bargain item. Scientists are constantly evolving and changing the antibiotics in which these animals are given and the animals no longer eat the diets that they have naturally evolved to eat. Even sick animals go untreated and make it to the slaughter house. American citizens wonder why salmonella outbreaks have been on the rise… it was pretty clear after viewing this film (heard of Kevin’s Law).

Not only does Food, Inc. uncover the treatment of animals, but it also unveils the mistreatment of farmers, growers, workers and pretty much every individual involved in the process of producing food products. I thought there were laws in place to protect these workers! Why isn’t a red flag being thrown in the air and someone saying “WHOA, these are people and this treatment just isn’t right”?

I don’t want to give away this entire movie… but I DO want to beg and plead you to:

A. Rent the movie and get educated on the issue

B. Make a conscious effort to discover where it is your food comes from and what the treatment of the product has been.

C. BUY LOCALLY (look for a food co-op near you)

D. Plant your own garden (even if it is a small one)

E. Support Kevin’s Law (even just telling others about it helps)

Every little bit helps fight this cause, becoming educated is the first step in this battle. Spread your acquired knowledge with others around you, turn this spark into a wild fire!

Keep filling your sustainable appetite!

~Kristyn

Is Your Head About to Explode From Allergies?

As the the summer heats up and travelers squeeze vacations in before school, allergies are  begining to flare up. Going from dry to humid, hot to hotter, or any other variation can effect allergies as your sinus system attempts to adjust with the ever changing surroundings. To avoid the “my-head-feels-like-its-going-to-explode” feeling you could spend a ton of money on prescription medication that promises to alleviate symptoms, of you could try some natural solutions that have been working for centuries.

About 3 years ago I found my key solution to allergies, LOCAL HONEY! It has been a God send and I count on its power every year. My friend suggested I put local honey as a substitute to sugar in all of my food for 3 months before the standard “allergy” season. It sounded far fetched but I thought, what do I have to lose? The science behind it sounded logical, local bees pollinate all of the plants/flowers in the area and some of the pollen remains in their honey, to me it sounded like the flu shot theory, give people some so that their body knows what to fight. So I tried it for 3 months, and to my delight it worked wonderfully! As the Nevada sagebrush, if you can relate then you know the pain, bloomed all around, I went on my merry way, instead of buying out Wal-Mart’s Kleenex stock. This easy solution is one that I incorporate all times of the year now, because in Nevada plants bloom and die all the time and I never want to be caught off guard. The easiest swap that I made was to put local honey in my morning cup of Joe!

Another amazing tool that I use to combat seasonal (all year long in Nevada) allergies, is a Neti Pot. I know what you are thinking, what in the world is a Neti Pot! Well observe the picture to the right and you can see that it is similar to a tea pot, only please don’t drink tea out of it! To use the Neti Pot correctly you put a scalene solution (or a salt water solution) in the pot, tip your head side ways and pour it up your nostril and let it drain out the other side. I realize this sounds like a bizarre idea, but the salt water cleans the hair like follicles in the nasal canal that hold on to the pollen and dander, cleaning them alleviates the allergy symptoms faster. I am not as faithful with this wonderful tool as I should be, but I know friends who use it daily and swear by its power. Next new years resolution?

Finally if you are a ‘pill popper’ for lack of a better term, you can take doses of natural ingredients that will help fight of the terror of mother nature changing seasons. A list of natural remedies can be found at http://bit.ly/arx3xh. Combine all three of these methods and your head will suffer no longer!

Keep filling your sustainable appetite!

~Kristyn

Up On The Rooftop

So this weekend we are re-roofing our house… ourselves… I know you are all jealous right now! We are attempting to save as much money as possible since I am still completing college, and it makes my husband feel handy! The thought of spending $2,1oo on composite shingles is not my favorite thought, instead I dream of solar tiles and grass roofs! Not the traditional huge solar panels, but the small tiles that are comparative to a shingle, never heard of or seen them or a grass roof top? Good, read on and explore these new products that take this expensive, unused space and turn it in to a money saving beauty that adds value to your house!

Grass roof tops look like a trend pulled straight from old world Italy, but they are appearing in urban and suburban neighborhoods everywhere. There are two main installation methods for grass rooftops: grass tiles and from seed.The benefits of having a grass rooftop include better insulation for your house, which can cool the house in the summer and keep the heat in during the winter, it can also act as a sound proofing method; another benefit is the reduction of water runoff. Grass roofs also add CO2 to the air and create an extra environment for insects.

From seed is the most common installation method for grass roof tops. It is the harder of the two methods but in a few simple steps it is possible for the semi-advanced do-it-yourself-er. Step by step instructions can be found at http://www.gardenguides.com/122564-grow-grass-house-roof.html and http://www.metrocouncil.org/environment/Water/BMP/CH3_RPPImpGreenRoof.pdf. It is essential to install the protective water barrier correctly, if you are not comfortable with this installation process, it would be best to hire someone with training. Maintenance for seed grown roofs includes weekly watering, unless living in rainy environments, and bi-weekly trimming. You can mow the roof to the blade size you like as often as you like, a non electric push mower would be a better option for keeping the roof top grass looking pristine. An alternative to mowing is to put goats on top on the roof, the goats will graze on the grass to trim it down, but may leave behind unwanted presents.

The grass tiles are easier to install and require less maintenance, but can cost a bit more. To install grass roof tiles, you need to measure the roof, order the tiles and then snap them into place. These can be installed by a lower level do-it-yourself-er, but again the proper installation of a protective water barrier is essential. Grass tiles require around the same level of water, again altering if you are in a dryer or wetter climate, but only need to be cut once a year due to the special hybrid of grass blades. You can learn more about grass tiles at http://inhabitat.com/2007/01/09/green-roof-tiles-by-toyota-roof-garden/.

If making a statement with a grass roof isn’t for you, then consider these solar roof tiles that are easily disguise-able on a roof of the standard clay roof tiles. These roof tiles are not only sleek looking, they are environmentally conscious and do not require a lot of maintenance. To learn more about these small solar panels see http://www.premierpower.com/solar_energy_residential/roof_solar_tile.php. These tiles fit within city codes and should be installed by a professional.

Once our roof is up to the insurance company’s specifications we will begin to venture into one of these options… but until then think of us while the temperatures rise.

Keep filling your sustainable appetite!

~Kristyn

My Other Love

So clearly I am crazy about a sustainable way of life, but what you may not know is that I am equally as obsessed with cooking and making yummy creations. Ever since I can remember I was in the kitchen helping my dad make yummy meals, never with a recipe but always creating and changing the end product. I’ve dappled in cooking, baking and decorating; I have found that decorating allows me to unleash the inner creative Kristyn, while cooking and baking warm my soul. I now want to strive to make my food as sustainable as possible, I want to use the carrots from my garden to make carrot cake cupcakes, the over abundance of pumpkins to make puree, soup and pie, the corn for chowder and the tomatoes for marinara. I could go on about this vision of turning my luscious garden into every food creation possible, but, well you get the point, I’m a self proclaimed foodie! Since my garden isn’t quite mature enough to harvest and turn in to all of my ideas I want to share my past creations with you and inspire  you to create something yummy and sustainable in your kitchen.

Keep filling your sustainable appetite!

~Kristyn

Farm to Table

Marcia Davis on her blog “Life is Fare” brought this wonderful contest to my attention, check out the contest and her blog at http://lifeisfare.wordpress.com/

“To support the growing call for change in the American food system, Farm to Table is creating a video collage of people who eat food from farmers. The video will be sent to the USDA, the White House, and The Food Revolution Team to convey the need for change in our food system.  It’s like a video petition and it’s called: “Put Your Voice on the Table.”

Now through August 31, 2010, you can submit a short clip of yourself in your chosen locale and mode of dress saying the phrase, “My Farm, My Table,” and/or “Your Farm, Your Table” (or any combination)–however you can creatively express the connection between food and farms. Between 50 and 80 clips will be selected for the final video.

For further details about the contest, including submission guidelines, visit their website.”

Recently, a person who commented on one of my blog posts suggested I visit Farm to Table since I’m always looking for local and sustainable foods wherever I go. This looks like a really great site with lots of information.

And, guess what? They’re having a contest! To support the growing call for change in the American food system, Farm to Table is creating a video collage of people who eat food from farmers. The video will be sent to the USDA, the White House, and The Food Revolution Team to convey the need for change in our food system.  It’s like a video petition and it’s called: “Put Your Voice on the Table.”

Now through August 31, 2010, you can submit a short clip of yourself in your chosen locale and mode of dress saying the phrase, “My Farm, My Table,” and/or “Your Farm, Your Table” (or any combination)–however you can creatively express the connection between food and farms. Between 50 and 80 clips will be selected for the final video.

For further details about the contest, including submission guidelines, visit their website.

Give Old Trash a New Purpose!

An easy first step in the quest towards organic, sustainable gardening is making a compost pile. Compost piles are essentially a pile of garbage (scraps, plant waste, left overs etc…) but re-purposed and given a second chance to help the ground or garden that it once came from. There are many forms of composters these days, but you are not limited to purchasing one from the store, you can also make them at home with recycled materials. There are many tips available on the web that can help you to have a better, faster compost pile; below I will list the 10 that I think are the best and a link that further explains them.

The process of composting is simple and natural; the brown (carbon) materials and the green (nitrogeneous) materials are necessary for the breaking down of waste. According to the compost info guide “The microorganisms in our compost bins need both carbon and nitrogen to thrive; carbon for energy and nitrogen for protein synthesis. For every one unit of nitrogen used by the bacteria they also consume about 30 units of carbon.” Getting the optimal balance of nitrogen and carbon is essential for the perfect compost. To get a complete understanding on the basics of composting, and have all questions about composting answered visit http://www.thegardenofoz.org/composting101.asp.

This brings me to the list of the 10 tips for Making Better Compost located on http://www.howtocompost.org/. These 10 tips are sound, proven tips to make a better compost, be it at home in the city, the suburbs or the farm.

1. Get the Optimal Balance of Compost Materials
2. Turn the Compost More Often
3. Check the Moisture Level of your Compost
4. Use the Berkeley Method of “fast composting”
5. Shred Some of the Ingredients- Especially the Brown Material
6. Use a Compost Tumbler
7. The Secret Compost Ingredient: Alfalfa Meal
8. Use More Than One Pile
9. Start a Worm Compost Bin for Food Scraps
10. Grown Your Own Super-Charged Organic Fertilizer

The articles behind these 10 tips can be found at http://www.compost-info-guide.com/make_better_compost.htm

Composting will not only reduce the amount of trash that your household creates, it will produce nutritious soil for your garden, free! This healthier soil will make for a better yield the next year, now that is trash hard at work!

Keep filling your sustainable appetite!

~Kristyn

My Vision on a Sustainable Way of Life

Welcome to my blog on sustainable living, I am excited by renewable energy and the path to sustainability, I strive to combine the green lifestyle with everyday living and hope to show people how easy it really is to live “green”.

What exactly is sustainable living and sustainable eating you may ask? According to dictionary.com sustainable living is: “any lifestyle based on energy-saving and environmental responsibility”, this can include, but is not limited to altering your mode of transportation, diet, energy consumption and ultimately carbon footprint. Sustainable eating is also based upon environmental responsibility but focuses more clearly on animal welfare, conservation and preservation.

One of the main misconceptions of sustainable living and going green is that it is hard to do. This couldn’t be more wrong in this day and age. A couple of centuries ago sustainable living was a more difficult lifestyle to live; the convenience of green stores, green products and awareness of unethical practices were not yet readily available.  But now it doesn’t matter if you live in an apartment, a suburban neighborhood or on a farm, anyone can live sustainably!

Starting a sustainable lifestyle is a daunting thought, but I will walk you through the steps to becoming sustainable, because I too am just getting started in my sustainable journey. Some of the paths to sustainability that this blog will cover include, but are not limited to:

• growing a garden
• buying locally (when you cannot grow it)
• making a compost pile
• purchasing ‘green’ products
• energy conservation (alternative transportation)
• resource preservation
• ethical practices

All of these add up to a smaller carbon footprint! The first step that we can take together is to read, learn, and educate ourselves on all things GREEN!

Keep filling your sustainable appetite!

~Kristyn