Quote Of The Day

"To discard the shallow and seek the profound requires courage." Buddhist Text

Supermarket Pastoral

"Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are." -- Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

As I have mentioned before, I have been reading a couple of books by Michael Pollan (In Defense of Food and The Ominvore’s Dilema). I believe these books have changed my life. I highly recommend them to as many people as I can. And if you know Doug, he’s probably told you about them too. I love that man!

These days, most people don’t think about what they are putting in their mouths. I don’t mean…”Oh yeah…I think this burger tastes great”. I mean…where is my food coming from?

Now, I will be the first to say that in the past I would have laughed someone right out of the room for talking about some of the things I am find myself talking about in regards to this. And generally, I don’t preach to people about things. I believe “to each his own”. But since I am fixing to start a life of being directly connected to the food chain, I feel pretty passionately about this. I have finally come to realize that I really need to pay attention to what is going into my body.

This does not mean that I am going to become a vegetarian. That will never happen. Human beings are omnivores not herbivores. There are crucial nutrients that we need from the digestion of animals…that do NOT (in my opinion) work the same if they come in the form of supplements (that is a whole other post).

This isn’t even about being a vegetarian or not. It’s about the source of our food. I can think of several vegetables that are covered in pesticides that could make Mad Cow Disease look like a roll in the hay. Basically it’s about “shaking the hand that feeds you”. We have become so detached from our food supply it is almost absurd.

Here is a link to an article in Mother Earth News that will really make you think about making sure where your meat is coming from. Here is another article that discusses the effects of agribusiness on our food supply, not just meat. These are long articles, but I think that they are well worth the time you would spend reading them.

Just some food for thought. And what are your thoughts?

Knock, Knock...

Who's there?
Me.
Me Who?

Me who has had one of the craziest flippin' weeks. It's been a week of ups and downs...and I am plain tuckered out. I'm also workin' on the country lingo apparently. Honestly, I am so tired that I am seriously contemplating going to bed...now. Like right this second. I hope I can make it there before I fall asleep...but I don't want to leave you completely empty handed...


"The optimist pleasantly ponders how high his kite will fly; the pessimist woefully wonders how soon his kite will fall" ~William Arthur Ward

The House of Green

What's in the greendhouse? Glad you asked...

Let me show you...

This is the first batch of seeds that I started back in January before we left for San Diego. From the left we have parsley, cucumber, canteloupe, bell pepper, chives and tarragon. I had started them indoors and then moved them out when I thought it was warm enough. Turns out it was warm enough for the cucumbers. I lost them. The tarragon and parsley aren't very happy and probably will loose them also.

Here we have some heirloom tomatoes that my mom started the week after we got back.

Here's a batch of the same thing that I started the first time. I put them out almost immediately. The weather has been cooperating. However, I forgot to soak the parsley before I planted them so they probably won't come up. Geez!!

These are some heirloom tomatoes that I seeded today.

And some mint and catnip that I picked up at the nursery. God help me I can not go to the nursery and NOT buy some sort of plant. I have a problem.

And last but not least is Doug's experimental tomatoes. Apparently, tomatoes can be grown the same way as tobacco plants. It reminds me of an episode of the Simpson's where Homer grows tomaco's. Tomatoes grown with tobacco. Then whole town becomes addicted. Brilliant! I'm surprised we haven't seen them on the shelf at the store.

And....a cat...