Sunday, September 4, 2011

I can can, can't I?

Can I Learn How to Can?

After last week's abundant harvest, I knew the time had come for me to cross over into new territory... grownup territory... stuff my mom, aunts, and other mature women in my hometown did every summer. What they engaged in was hot. It looked labor intensive. It took a long time. And I didn't want anything to do with it. Canning. Preserving food. Putting up stores... for the winter. I remember participating once—at my sister's—and I didn't have fond memories of it. It was hot. It took a long time. And it just wasn't any fun. Why do this, I thought at the time? And I stayed away for as long as I could...

Then I experienced my harvest of this summer. I've been eating cucumbers like there's no tomorrow. I can't keep up! I give them away. I give them to whomever I think would enjoy them. Unfortunately, I'm really the only dedicated cucumber eater in my house. So I started simply, turning to refrigerator pickles. They are innocent enough. Just soak them in salted water for 24 hours, then follow the pickling steps the next day. Put them in containers (they don't even have to be canning jars) and refrigerate. They'll keep in the fridge for up to 6 months. Hey, that's pretty cool. I can do that. And so I have. I think I'm on my fourth or fifth batch this summer. I eat platefuls of sweet and sour pickles—not the typical three slices on the side of a plate. Heck no! They fill my whole plate and I have cheese slices on the side! I call that lunch! So then I thought, heck, I can't keep up with this. These cucumbers and pickles are coming out of my ears! Maybe I better at least buy the canning jars and bottle them up so they look nice. They'll look better for giving away and maybe won't take up so much refrigerator space.

So I did. I bought the Ball jars. I packed the refrigerator pickles in the jars and put pretty labels on them to keep track of when I packed each batch. I put them in the back of my fridge. OK, not bad, but I could quickly see how this too could get out of hand. I have a small refrigerator. How many weeks of this could I take? 


You can see how they are stacking up—columns and rows!


Hmmmm... I guess I'll need to learn how to can—grownup style. Like my mom did. Besides I have some beets in my fridge taking up space and I've been eating them every week too. Wouldn't it be nice to taste some beets in the middle of winter? I went online and ordered a canner. It came. Oh, I didn't buy the right one according to one who knows. I was advised to get a pressure canner because it takes less time and you can use it for pressure cooking too and you always have the option of canning in the traditional bath method without the pressure part engaged. OK, that makes sense. It's like having three pots in one and I don't have that much storage space, so I better just get one canner. I returned the first one—the traditional blue with white/grey specks that we've seen since we were kids and ordered a 10 quart Fagor 9 piece pressure canner. It comes with the pressure canner/cooker, canning cookbook, pressure cooking book, canning rack, stainless funnel, stainless steel ladle, jar lifter, jar wrench, bubble freer, magnetic lid lifter, a DVD on how to do this stuff (very exciting!) and a manual. And... can you believe it, the first one was delivered on Monday, returned on Tuesday, and the Fagor one was delivered on Friday. All in a week's time! I was amazed. Isn't it pretty?!


I watched the DVD... it was encouraging. It looked simple enough and was very explanatory. Maybe I can do this. I boiled the beets from the fridge. It didn't seem like I had too many so I thought I wouldn't have much to can. It seemed like it would be a half of a canning effort. I can start small. If I mess up, it won't be so bad—only one batch of beets.


I washed the canner and all the supplies that came with it. I washed the Ball jars, lids, and the rings. I put the canning rack inside the canner placing the lids and the rings in a container and just two pint-sized Ball jars next to them. I added some water and brought it to a boil. Then I let it set to keep them hot while I made the canning solution for the beets.


I cut the beets in quarters and then sliced them in half inch slices. Wow, they really filled up the bowl more than I thought they would!


The Pickled Beet recipe sounded pretty good. I made the brine with cider vinegar with a 5% acidity, local honey, kosher salt, cinnamon sticks, allspice (I didn't have whole so I used ground, but less in quantity) and black peppercorns. I brought it to a simmer. And voila...


Then I added the sliced beets to the canning solution. I carefully took the jars out of the canner with the boiling hot water using the jar lifter and I removed the lids and the rings too. Then I put the stainless steel funnel on top of one of the jars and ladled the beets into the funnel. The jars filled quickly. I realized I needed two more jars, which I prepared quickly and then filled them. I placed the jars back into the canner. The recipe I was using called for the traditional bath canning, which I did, because I figured I could learn how to do it both ways and then have a point of comparison. Since I haven't canned in over 40 years a refresher in the traditional way didn't seem like a bad way to go. I brought the water (1 inch over the top of the jars) to a boil and let them boil for 30 minutes. This would kill all the bacteria and give them a chance to seal.

I removed them from the canner placing them in an out of the way spot to set for 12 hours. Don't they look amazing! The one on the right in front has a long cinnamon stick inserted front and center. I imagine that they will taste pretty scrumptious...


The next step is to test the lids in one hour. I have to press down on the center of each of the lids; if it can be pushed down, it hasn't sealed, and the jar should be refrigerated immediately. If I can't push the center down, then a seal has been created and it was a success. I'm hoping for that. I have to check them in 23 minutes... wish me luck!

Let me know about your canning adventures and any wise tips that you can pass along. I feel like I'm one step closer to survival living. I might be able to do this enough to actually make it through a winter! Not this year yet, but I'm practicing for the years to come. And Bon appetit!

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Lifetime Fitness: On Your Way to A Healthier You

Lifetime Fitness: On Your Way to A Healthier You

Many people end up abandoning perfectly good fitness programs and weight-loss regimens before they even lace up their sneakers.

Why? Because in a world filled with fast food, instant messaging, and a five-second disease-tracking device, anything without a quick payoff goes against the grain of the typical American instant gratification ethic. While it would be nice to actually drop inches in just a few days like what most miracle ads proclaim, managing weight and losing weight through physical fitness is a slow and steady process that takes time and commitment.

Setting weight management goals for you can be a good motivator. Gradual weight loss, for those people who wish to shed off some extra pounds, is usually the safest.

That is why health and fitness experts had come up with the idea of lifetime fitness in order to teach people set realistic goals. These lifetime fitness programs generate dietary regimens that cut your normal calorie consumption for your weight by 500 to 1,000 per day, so will burning the same amount with exercise. In turn, this will definitely encourage healthier weight loss.

Lifetime fitness teaches you how to maintain a physically fit body at the same time enjoy and live a happy, contented life. It gives you the chance to strike a balance between the two (exercise and diet), and make exercise, be it team sports, cycling, or walking, something you will truly enjoy.

That is why lifetime fitness embodies the concept that making a long-term healthy lifestyle change is essential to keeping the pounds off once they are gone.

To know more of the advantages and benefits that lifetime fitness can bring, here are some facts that you need to know:

1. Lifetime fitness programs offer you the most comprehensive and wide-ranging fitness and health encounter with quality services, in which the customers will feel gratified.

These fitness programs provide you the right method in maintaining health, build up and encourage your competence, and take care of your family's physical fitness as well.

2. Because the goal of lifetime fitness is to provide you with long-term achievements as far as physical fitness is concerned, these programs utilizes numerous fitness equipment that will tone and manage your health and the different parts of your body.

There are fitness equipments that will give your cardiovascular system a lift. You can also opt for some sports facilities that will provide you with an alternative way of being physically fit.

3. Lifetime fitness programs and centers also provide nutritional products such as food supplements that will aid in the formation of good blood cells and tissues thereby making your body at its pink of health.

Lifetime fitness centers and programs also provide you with up-to-date fitness magazines that do not only give substantial information about fitness and health but inspirational stories as well. These articles will give you an insight on how to make your life balance and how to live a life that is healthy and fit.

Indeed, staying fit and healthy can be a long and winding road and there are instances wherein you may find your enthusiasm fading occasionally. Nevertheless, with the comprehensive programs provided by lifetime fitness plans, you can start heading back to the right track of a healthier you.

Devote Yourself to Lifetime Fitness

The healthier you are. The more productive you become.

Once a person is healthy there is a great chance that he would have fewer absences, either in school or in work. Most importantly, he is capable of handling stress as well as develops a more positive attitude.

A healthy person may live a longer life. And, enjoy its whole span with a healthy body and mind.

This healthiness can be achieved through a consistent fitness exercise. For you to secure an unfailing health, you must commit to fitness for your lifetime. This is not an exaggeration.

A lifetime commitment on fitness will make you safe from the miserable feeling of obesity.  Dr. David Satcher, formerly a general surgeon, identified that the excess weight of the body is epidemic.

He stated that this type of epidemic caused the deaths of almost 300,000 people yearly. In fact, excessive body weight becomes the secondary cause of death in America.

Most physicians never fail to remind their patients, as well as the whole public that physical fitness is the primary cure to avoid these threatening diseases. But why is it that more and more people have become unhealthy?

The fact that excessive body weight can harm a person's health is not anymore news, for it is a fact that has long been existing. This is neither history, because it is not yet resolved.

Instead, this existing truth is a problem that worsens through time. The health problems mark a dramatic increase. One of its causes is the lack of physical fitness.

The system of the contemporary society requires more of human effort and time. Fast moves, rush paces, almost every adult is always in a hurry. That they don't find some time for conducting a physical exercise.

People tend to ignore the most vital ingredient of a daily routine, exercise. And the problem was worsened by technology.

Nowadays, you can climb staircases with stationary feet, escalators and elevators are everywhere. You never mind to stand up from your chair to take your files from other table for you can just easily move your swivel chair.

So, where else will you place fitness?

Fitness is a thing that needs not to be taken for granted. Everything now is instant, food especially. Certainly, you don't want an instant life too. Then, a lifetime commitment on fitness is your key to lengthen your life. 

Engage yourself to fitness exercises, and make it as a part of your life. Always think that it is an important meal that you should not miss in a day.

If you are truly busy, you can opt for a 24 hours fitness center. The service there will always be compatible to your schedule, undoubtedly.

Consider this; you are doing your best to cope up with time. You work to earn for a living, to support your family and enjoy life as well.

But think, will you really be able to use and enjoy your investments when your health has already deteriorated?

So, you must invest in good health too. And that is through a lifetime commitment on physical fitness.

Seven Fitness Tips: Improving the Quality Of Life

Physical fitness refers to the human body's ability to function without too much fatigue. Thus the energy stored is enough to do leisure activities as well as overcome physical stresses with alertness and vigor. General alertness, muscular endurance and strength, and cardio vascular reliability are the obvious signs that you are physically fit. 

Normally, physical fitness is measured according to expected functions of the body associated with endurance, strength, coordination, flexibility, and agility.  Moreover, stress testing also ascertains the accommodation of the body to a sustained, powerful stimuli used in analyzing fitness.

The physical fitness levels are influenced by systematic, regular exercise. Moderate activities keep the person at a certain level enough to deal with ordinary stress. Improving the levels of fitness needs more intensive exercises which promotes changes and challenge physiological systems.

There are seven fitness tips that can help you improve the quality of your life.

1. Daily exercise. Every day perform some movements that can elevate the rate of your heart. It can simply include walking when buying things in the market nearby. Doing household chores like washing clothes, mowing lawns, and other chores may be done also.

2. Eat more veggies. Vegetables and fruits will keep you energized and healthy. Plants in its natural state contain lots of fibers and nutrients. Organic fruits and vegetables must be preferred if possible since it is free from any chemical contamination.

3. Weight train. Muscles are weakened as you age. Do resistance training to create hypertrophy. This helps you look younger and adds more quality into your life.

4. Circuit train.  This is a form of weight training which enables you to continually move from one workout to another. Following this practice can improve your heart rate during the whole workout doubling your cardio session.

5. Train functionally. Incorporate some movements into your daily exercise which benefit or mimic your practiced movements in the actual world.  Sports are good for functional training because the body is required to move in an efficient way. Functional training can keep your body balanced making it more resistant to illnesses and injuries.

6. Stretching your body as you warm up. Muscle contraction is achieved through resistance training making it tighter and smaller. Similar to all types of cardio, simple resistance training is also great. Warming up the body through stretching is helpful after exercises.

7. Hydrate. There are about more than 60% of water in the human body. However, more often you became under hydrated because of some common beverages causing dehydration. It includes coffee, soda, alcohol, and tea. As much as possible, drink a lot of water while following the required eight glasses of water a day. 

These are simple strategies to keep your body fit. But more people have failed to achieve it because they are telling themselves they cannot do any exercise because of their family and job. Never forget that you can stop from working if you get sick. Likewise, if you are dead, you can never be with your family. So, it is your decision to put exercise first on your priorities. After all, those people dependent on you are more important.



Fat Man, Never Think That Weight Has Something to Do With Fitness

Men are considered voracious eaters, besides acquiring some bad habits such as drinking and smoking. They are not aware of their body's health, until one day, they have realized that fats have already invaded their stamina dramatically diminishing them.

However, there is always a misconception that weight is directly associated with fitness. So, the tendency is to look for different methods on how to burn fats. It is a fact that weight has some effects on your fitness especially if you are overweight.

The only thing that will affect your fitness is related on how you do your exercises. You can start to improve your body and stay in shape if you exercise. In return, you can slim down your body.

If your goal is losing weight and maintain it, then you should be thinking about working on your entire physical fitness than simply reducing some portion of your normal diet. This is the wrong way of losing weight. Your fitness plan must start with doing your exercises.

Following a certain diet without daily exercise can be effective in losing weight. But it will just burn your muscle tissues. Later on, you will lose your bodily strength as well as your fitness. It is useless. If you exercise more, you can build and tone your muscles. Your body is burning fat in the right way, losing weight effectively and getting a fitter body. Doing this simultaneously can change your figure, from a fat man to a fit man. 

Whichever cases, regular exercise can improve your fitness compared with someone who never performs any exercise regardless of weights. Take note, combining your diet plan with regular exercise is a very efficient and effective way of attaining a fit and healthy body. Improve your fitness by doing more than one simple exercise. You should explore different types of exercise to burn more calories, like doing cardiovascular exercises and basic strength training.

Cardiovascular exercises can increase the rate of your heart by significant amounts. This will help you build your stamina especially if done on a regular basis. As your exercise progresses, constantly increase both the frequency and time of your exercises.

Strength training exercises are also significant. It does not only increase your actual fitness but also tones your body. Muscular strength can be achieved giving you more confidence. You can feel young and beautiful too. 

It does not necessarily mean becoming a weightlifter. You don't need bulging muscles through your exercise. Small amounts of strength training are enough. There are many options besides lifting weights. You can choose from a lot of strength training workouts that suits your needs. Some can even be done at home without any equipment.

As a result, a more fit body is achieved. Weight does not matter, what it takes is your determination. You don't need to stay and be satisfied with your present look. There is always a room for change and it begins from you. Never think of your weight, just do your exercises.

The Importance of Physical Fitness

One of the simplest and most effective ways to bring down  blood glucose levels, cut the risk of cardiovascular disease, and improve overall health and well-being is physical fitness and exercise. Yet, in our increasingly sedentary world, where almost every essential task can be performed online, from the driver's seat, or with a phone call, exercising and being physically fit can be tough case to sell.

In reality, everyone should exercise, yet survey shows that only 30% of the United States adult population gets the recommended thirty minutes of daily physical activity, and 25% are not active at all.

Inactivity is thought to be one of the key reasons for the surge of type 2 diabetes in America, because inactivity and obesity promote insulin resistance and other factors that trigger other kinds of diseases.

The good news is that it is never too late to get moving, and exercise is one of the easiest ways to start controlling the onset of any kinds of diseases. For people who are already candidates for some serious diseases like diabetes and heart failure, exercise and physical fitness can improve the condition of some parts of the body like insulin sensitivity, lower the risk of heart disease, and promote weight loss.

In 2003, the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism had published an issue regarding the result of their study and found out that lack of exercise and physical fitness were the key factors behind obesity and other serious diseases like diabetes.

Hence, it is extremely important for a person to stay healthy and be physically fit in order to avoid such illnesses.

Getting Started

The first order of business with any exercise plan, especially if you are a 'dyed-in-the-wool" couch potato, is to consult with your health care provider.

If you have cardiac factors, your doctor may want to perform a stress test to establish a safe level of exercise for you.

Certain complications of some diseases will also dictate what type of exercise program you can take on. Activities like weightlifting, jogging, or high-impact aerobics can possibly pose a risk for people with diabetic retinopathy due to the risk for further blood vessel damage and possible "retinal detachment."

Health experts also contend that patients with severe peripheral neuropathy or PN should avoid foot-intensive weight-bearing exercises such as long-distance walking, jogging, or step aerobics and opt instead for low-impact activities like swimming, biking, and rowing.

If you have conditions that make exercise and physical fitness a challenge, your provider may refer you to an exercise physiologist who can design a fitness program for your specific needs.

If you are already active in sports or work out regularly, it will still benefit you to discuss your regular routine with your doctor.

The bottom line is that physical fitness and exercise should not have to be a rigid activity and should not come off strong. Your exercise routine can be as simple as a brisk nightly neighborhood walk, walking the dog, or simply taking the stairs instead of the elevator. The important thing is that you keep on moving. Every little bit really helps a lot.

In the end, you will realize that the many things that good food can bring you are equally the same as what physical fitness can do for you.

Keeping Fit, Be a Hit!

Whether you’re under 30, a yuppie in your mid-20s or a teenager in college, loving your body and engaging in a regular exercise work-out plan is always a fool-proof way to a healthier you. Physical fitness is your body's ability to do tasks and leisure activities. It is your body's capacity to withstand stress, endure and perform certain tasks under certain circumstances.

Physical fitness talks about an over-all focus on the body – the heart, the lungs, the muscles, and the other organs of the body. Your body's fitness is dependent on your physical limitations and capacities as well as your lifestyle – the food you eat and your daily habits.

Here's a backgrounder on the different components of physical fitness. There's endurance, the body's ability to sustain oxygen and nutrients to tissues over a sustained period of time. Strength, on the other hand, is the ability of the muscle to exert force for a period of time. Flexibility is the ability to move joints and use muscles in a wide range of activities and movements. Swimming, running and jogging are some of the activities that can build endurance while pushups and weight lifting are good for building muscle strength.

Your workout should include activities that should develop these components. Remember to have a warm-up before starting your work-out. A warm-up conditions and prepares the muscles for the more rigorous activities of your work-out plan. At the same time, it should end with a cool down, a moment wherein the muscles are given time to relax after a heavy work-out session. Remember not to overdo your exercise. A daily walk may sound good, but a daily session of pushups may do more harm than good to your muscles. Space your physical activities such that the body is used to a variety of physical activities, ranging from the simple to the more complex, from cardiovascular exercises to strength exercises. Two to three work-out sessions for a week is a good way to start. As you progress in your activities, you can now increase the frequency or duration of your exercises.

Take note of your diet. If you’re exercising because you want to lose weight at the same time build up your fitness, then the less calorie intake you have the better. Cycling can burn 240-410 calories while jogging can burn 740-920 calories. In general, avoid salty food and sweets. Avoid alcohol, caffeine and nicotine. Lessen your intake of saturated fat and take lots of water.

Of course, keeping fit and staying fit means listening to your body. Allow your body to adjust with each change in routine and exercises. If you’re experiencing cramps, dizziness or prolonged weakness, stop your work-out and consult a doctor. And most of all never be discouraged. Take note, achieving the body you want is not an overnight miracle.

A physically fit body does not only spell abs to die for and a flab-free stomach. It also means lesser chances of acquiring lifestyle-related diseases like diabetes and heart disease. It also spells a more active and alert mind, improved ability to cope with stress, and more reserved energy for your daily activities. And let's not forget a more confident YOU!

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Gardening, cooking and living!

Solar Cooking Experiment

Today's the day! I'm going to try to bake brownies using a homemade, makeshift solar cooker. There are some easy, schmeezy directions online that show a person how to put together a solar cooker without much money invested. First off, I had to gather the supplies and mix the brownie dough. We bought some dark outdoor cooking pots and pans at a super discount specifically because they are dark and will attract the sunlight to them. I like adding chocolate chips to the batter because when you're eating the brownies it adds just that bit of extra gooeyness to them that makes them so much more yummy.


Then I pulled out the biggest box I had available and lined it with two long sheets of aluminum foil, shiny side up.
Before:


After, with the pot of brownies placed inside:

I decided that I'd also use this white board I have and place it outside so I can keep track of what's going on with it and, perhaps, be a bit informative for the passersby. I'm a teacher by training, so these experiments that I engage in are also good for instructional uses and I think the world is my classroom!


Next, I took some of the insulation that was left over from doing the steel roof (this was Dan's idea) and, since it has a silver, reflective coating on it, use it to make the parabolic dish that one sees in the solar cookers online. I took two attached sheets and bent them on the diagonal, so they'd be able to bend like I needed them too. Additionally, I saw that they used clip clothespins online, so I thought I'd try that.


Facing it toward the sun... bam-O! Let's see how much this baby heats up and how long it takes to bake a batch of brownies. We have lots of sun here, so we might as well use it. With these Kansas winds, however, they tend to blow things around and in the redirecting of the cooker, I learned that the traditional clothes pins don't have the stamina that's needed. I removed those and replaced them with the binder clips you can get at office supply stores.


That's better... those clips really do a much better job in holding the pieces together. 

Dan suggested that I take the thermometer out of the oven and put it on the solar cooker to see what temperature it's getting to. Good suggestion. I did that and checked on it a bit later and it was registering 150 degrees Farenheit.


The guess is that at 150 degrees, it'll take about six hours to bake. Maybe by the time I'm back from the Martyrdom of the Bab, the brownies will be ready. We could have them for dessert tonight. Ahhh... anticipation...!

Solar cooking isn't the only thing I was up to today. I brought in a bountiful harvest again—making the fourth one this week!
Zucchinis, cucumbers both English and burpless, jalapenos, green peppers, and tomatoes.


And... while walking around the garden beds, we happened to notice six cantalope developing and being close to picking time.


Doesn't it look luscious! Can't wait til it's ready for picking!

This cooking and gardening stuff is really fun. I hope you enjoy reading about it and looking at the pictures as much as I do in going down this path to simpler living.

Bon appetit!

Sunday, June 19, 2011

We have our first eBook published on Amazon!!!

We have our first eBook published on Amazon!!!

An eBook on Composting by Dandee Dirt on Amazon Saturday, June 18, 2011
I have my first eBook published on Amazon!!!
Search under Composting in Books and I think I am the eighth one down, a picture of the cover is a basket of melons and squash/punkins.
Composting for your basic Organic Vegetable Garden, By Dandee Dirt
It was posted on June 17, 2011 and costs 3.99. I am not sure of all the specifics in downloading this, whether it is just a Kindle book or if you can get it in a format that will play on your PC or Mac.
I do believe it is avail in the UK and also in DE.
Hope to hear from some of you on what you think of this little book, which is a great step for me.
thanks in advance and of course
Be well; peace….dan

Fences, greens, vegetables, and rain...

Building the Fence

This Saturday, in addition to the harvesting of greens and vegetables that I do every weekend, Dan decided to finish installing a fence in the utility area of the yard. In this community, fences are restricted to chain link fencing only with heights of either 36" or 42". It was a bit of a challenge to find a supplier of  42" chain link fencing, but one new place in town stocked it. The 36" fence was just too short for my preferences. Most of the other places in town stocked 48" fencing, but this place doesn't allow it. Luckily, one place carried what I needed.

After purchasing the supplies a week ago, waiting for the weather to cooperate, and having the underground utilities marked on the grass, Dan dug the holes for the fence posts yesterday, securing them with cement and waited for them to dry. Originally it was thought that the fence would hook onto the back of the shed; however, once we saw where the utility lines were, we decided to move the fence line back a couple of feet and allow for another free flow entry area into the the workspace. 


Today he proceeded to dig another for the gate, install the gate, and put up the chain link with the braces. Getting those clamps to hold the chain link can be a bit of a challenge as the fencing has to be taught enough to be straight, yet with just enough give to be able to get a clamp around the edge. This was harder than I thought! Of course, upper body strength has always eluded me. Fortunately, some clamps and man muscles got the job done.


In the utility work area there is the shed for tools and supplies infinitum, a tall ladder hung on the side of the shed, the compost area constructed from used pallets and painted to match the shed and the house, a kitchen table sawed in half and secured to the side of the house with a long board and some screws, the trash bin, and the portable green house. The daughter of the neighbor who gave us the table couldn't believe that a table could be sawed in half and used as such! Children of this generation just haven't seen these practices exhibited by the adults in their lives as was done by the adults of my parent's generation. My parents, having grown up during the Depression learned to use everything they had in their lives and wasted nothing. My generation who grew up with abundance bought stuff and threw it out, gave it away, or sold it at garage sales. I haven't seen people be so clever as to take stuff and repurpose it as was done by the generation before me. Perhaps this Recession/Depression (depending on if you are out of work or not) will help us remember some of the practices of the past and discover bounty that once was overlooked.


One of the neighbors said she'd bring over three more pallets for making another compost bin. By so doing, there can be the initial dumping area of the kitchen scraps (Keep in mind only fruits, vegetables, egg shells, egg cartons, and newspaper go into the compost from inside the house. No meat or meat juices of any kind. This keeps the critters out of the compost.), a second pile in the large bin for the compost that is mid-way in the breakdown process, and the last bin for the compost that is fine, decomposed, and ready to use. We have found that the vegetables that have had the compost added to its soil are strong and excellent producers. Straw, egg cartons (the paper kind), and shredded newspaper can also be added to the compost to add bulk and air and fiber.


One neighbor and another friend have already asked if they can bring their vegetable waste to our compost bin as a way of incorporating recycling into their lives and teaching their children good habits about how to be in the world. It just makes me happy that something as simple as a compost bin can help to bring people together. Great job, Dan... another excellent construction job!

As for the week's harvest... my camera is going kerplunky some of the time and the images end up being pink and smeared. Anyone have experience with this symptom and what could be wrong with my camera? I have a Canon PowerShot A95. I've had for the last 10 years or so; maybe it's time to replace it. I really like this camera because it's not too heavy, takes good pictures, is easy to use and upload onto my computer, and is generally just swell. I hate the thought of parting with it, but maybe there's something better out that coming into my life. Suggestions welcome.

During the week, the harvest included three large heads of cauliflower, five zucchinis, three tomatoes, another bunch of beets that I've already boiled and will be preparing to eat for lunch before long, and three bags of lettuce and greens. The jalepenos will be ready for picking this week. The green beans are sending out their tendrils to cling to the supports provided for them. They look pretty terrific. Coming from heirloom seeds, I'm interested in find out what kind of bean they produce and will be interested in capturing some of their seeds.


I harvested the rest of the arugula seed pods and am beginning the drying process of them. 

There is a lot involved in this gardening adventure. Pretty soon we'll be taking a peak at the potatoes at the bottom of the potato tower to see how far along they have come in their development. oooooh! Can't wait!

Bon appetit!
May wellness and peace be upon you.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Chinese horoscope, astrology and RV camping!








I found one of those Chinese type articles today and discovered I am a Snake.  And I go well with the Rooster and the Ox.  I also go very well with the Goat; maybe because she is so close to the Rooster year or Ox year. 

Things are getting busy and I am in the process of learning not only some software but also how to put together different writings and market them.  There is lots of work to do on this front but I am meeting more and more people who want to help and be helped!

Aquarius

Were you born under the sign of Aquarius? What a compassionate and generous person you are. And did you know that there really is an Age of Aquarius. It wasn't just a songwriter's concept in the musical, Hair. Just as there are individual zodiac signs, so are the eras of human history divided into 2000-year segments of what's called the Great Year. We just left the age of Pisces, which began at the beginning of the Christian era until the year 2000. It was a time marked by fluid changes in politics and governments. Pisces, of course, is the sign of the Fish, the symbol of Christianity.

We are now in the Age of Aquarius, but only just in the dawn of it, like the song said. All the wonderful, generous characteristics of the Water Bearer are not yet symbolic of humanity as a whole yet, as evidenced by the current turmoil in the Middle East. But there are signs. Remember the Random Acts of Kindness. Perhaps those were a harbinger of the Age of Aquarius.

If YOU are an Aquarian, then you were born between January 20 and February 18. You are a humanitarian and more intelligent than most and given to thoughts of how to make the world a better place. You can be inventive and original, and you’re freedom-loving. You’re generous with your thoughts, whether people are interested or not! You can be eccentric and idiosyncratic, and need a lot of space, but your heart is nearly always in the right place.

Who's the right partner for the highly intelligent and quirky Aquarian? Someone who can appreciate their generous qualities and share their beliefs. Someone who is willing to explore and grow with them. An Aquarian will be happiest with someone who is open-minded, who is warm and understanding and willing to be a helpmate.  While that may be the ideal for just about anyone, it's especially important for an Aquarian to be able to have a partner who will share their passion for creating a better world and their generous nature.




Snake

Being a Snake ourselves, we should be able to recite our Chinese restaurant placement profile by heart, but here it is anyway: Born in the years 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989 and 2001. Wise and intense with a tendency towards physical beauty. Vain and high tempered.

The Snake is an interesting mix of extroversion paired with introversion, intuitive reasoning paired with business savoir-faire. Snakes are considered to be lucky with money and will generally have more than enough to live life to the fullest, regardless of how important it considers money to be; this may be due to the fact that Snakes tend to be rather tight with cash. They're not stingy; they're simply more mentally than physically active. Snakes tend to hang back a bit in order to analyze a situation before jumping into it. Their charming, seductive quality actually belies a rather retiring nature; this Sign is perfectly happy to spend the whole day curled up with a good book and, thus, can be mislabeled as being lazy.

The Snake is somewhat insecure deep down and tend to be a rather jealous, possessive lover, behavior that can end up alienating loved ones. Despite these less-than-stellar tendencies, however, the Snake often proves irresistible and is a generous, loving partner. Slightly dangerous and disarmingly smart, the Snake's philosophical and intuitive mind generally supersedes logic in favor of feelings and instinct. Snakes will rely on their own gut reactions and intuitions before turning to others for suggestions. This makes this Sign a great hand in any business venture, possessing the caution and smarts needed to get ahead.

In general, of course, Snakes are generous and genteel, charming and appealing. Snakes must try to learn humility and to develop a stronger sense of self. Once Snakes realize that confidence comes from within, they will finally be comfortable in their own skin. The most compatible match for a Snake is the Rooster or the Ox.



Goat

If you were born in the year 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991 or 2003 then you are a Goat. You’re elegant and creative, somewhat timid and prefer anonymity. You are most compatible with Pigs and Rabbits, but don't mix it up with the Ox.

Goats tend to have a hard time with romance; anyone who couples up with a Goat must know, this Sign has a sensitive streak a mile wide and can be subject to bouts of anxiety over seemingly inconsequential things. Goats need plenty of love, support and open reassurance from their lovers. If a relationship is marked by conflict, the Goat will often pull away — either physically or simply by retreating into the safe haven of its imagination.

If the romance is going well, however, Goats won't hesitate to tell their partner what they need — and they can be quite insistent about it. This Sign will definitely return the favor, however; the Goat has a luxurious side that delights in indulging a lover's every wish. Appearances are also important to the Goat, which may explain why these folks can spend hours primping and posing.

Goats are generally most comfortable in their own minds (which other, more linear-thinking Signs may have trouble deciphering). This Sign makes a great craftsperson or artisan, or perhaps a teacher of New Age studies — any occupation that allows its mind the full range of freedom. Goats tend not to be very well-organized, precluding many more dry business endeavors. In fact, Goats tend not to be very materialistic in general, finding plenty of riches in their own imagination. However, especially when in love, the Goat can be quite a lavish gift-giver.

And finally-
Rv Camping

Camping with an RV can be particularly enjoyable for any sightseer.  Camping by RV has become more widely popular with the start of the baby boomers reaching retirement age.  Camping with an RV gives your camping experience a new carefree twist.  Just pull into any campsite nationwide, pay your campsite fee and you are almost certain to have a great time.  While camping in each area, make sure you discover the exclusive benefits unique to your location.

Most of the places to enjoy camping with your RV are pay sites.  Some places are still available with free camping options although these may have little to no amenities.  Some of the most common places for camping with an RV are in places with full hookups for electricity and water.  It is also common to have a dumpsite for wastes at these camping locations.

You can easily make a camping experience take you from coast to coast with a new location for camping every night if you wish.  It is generally much cheaper to get a camping spot than it would be to stay in a hotel and you have all of the necessities inside your movable home.  Most RV's have a nice awning on one or both sides of the vehicle so that you can spend a good amount of time in the shade even while enjoying a sunny day.  When Camping with an RV there is a very good opportunity to take every possible convenience with you as you travel from one camping location to the next campsite.

Some RV camping locations have WiFi internet so that you can wirelessly connect to the internet while camping.  While doing so you can look up RV campsite locations in areas you plan to visit in the near future.  Most of the camping websites give information on availability and amenities for your visit.  While camping at many of the locations across the USA you can find opportunities to go fishing, hike or bike nature trails and even participate in rock climbing.  You will be amazed as you look around at your options, because some camping locations will have stores nearby for shopping and others with have horses for trail-riding excursions.  It is possible to find some with walking access to swimming holes, and hot pots or artesian water holes for soaking in.

It would seem that you will never run out of new RV camping options.  RV camping locations are becoming more popular all the time and with the baby boomer generation continuing to retire it is sure to become a favorite camping option for many more people every day.  In response to this demand, the RV camping suppliers are becoming more visible with their mainstream marketing.  Even now it is becoming extremely popular for home builders to make a parking area with an RV gate for potential buyers.

Although RV camping requires a much larger upfront cost in order to either buy or rent your RV, it places you in a position to have an almost unlimited amount of camping possibilities!

Now if any of you would like to send me a note about one of these topics I promise I’ll try to incorporate it into the next book I do that uses one of the main ideas above. 

Everyone have a great weekend and get outside and BREATHE!!! Be well; peace…dan

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

With the wild winds of Kansas and lots and lots of water!

Who says you can't grow Beets here?!

Ah, Saturday... Since I've undertaken this rather intensive approach to food growing, Saturday mornings are my time to give the garden my full attention. After the workaday week, I relish the thought of connecting with earth, sunlight, warmth, nature, and plants growing in my yard.

After picking most of the green leaf lettuce before it bolted, I looked around at how the other plants were progressing. The lettuce was abundant. In fact all the greens after being picked and washed yielded 6 quart-sized bags of produce. It was a most interesting week of discovery...

To thin out some of the beets allowing the remaining ones more space in which to grow, I discovered that the existing beets were doing just fine—developing beet heads that were maturing robustly. I read an article from our local nursery earlier that said you can't grow beets in Kansas, so I figured I'd just be harvesting the beet greens... it turns out that I can grow beets in Kansas, so I don't know where that untruth came from, but the one's in my yard are growing just fine... thank you very much! Don't they look delicious?


The plants are all growing well. Dan has been watering and fertilizing and applying compost as needed. This past week had been particularly hot registering in the 100s about three days this week. He watered at least four days this week, with soaker hoses, for several hours each time. I've learned that when plant leaves are beginning to yellow it often means that they are not getting enough water. Give them some water and they'll green right up!

This is my first year growing Jalepenos... so it's exciting to me to see them starting to develop fruit...
Check out these babies. There are four jalepeno plants, so I'm looking forward to many flavorful dishes to enjoy them in.


The potato plants in the potato towers were growing and growing and growing away... Dan decided to use straw this week in the layering of the towers, still leaving some of the plant tops exposed to continue the growth process. Additionally, he added another layer of chicken wire around the plants so they can grow to their capacity. The plants seem healthy and strong. I can't wait to see the new potatoes underneath that have developed.


A couple of weeks ago after noticing the caulflower heads that are developing, I was informed that by tieing them up to cover the head helps keep the head white rather than having it turn yellow. This being my first year with cauliflower too, I tied them off by using the existing bountiful leaves of the plant... pretty neat, hun?


I have two or three plants tied off that way and had tied the biggest one off a couple of weeks back. Wanting to check on its growth progress I peaked inside to find the cauliflower was nearly ready to go to flower! Oops! I might have waiting too long. Inside, quickly, for a knife to cut off the head. I'm not exactly sure how this process works with cauliflower. I'll have to do some more research so I can learn when the optimum time is for tieing off and harvesting.

Anyway, here's today's bounty... The head is huge, somewhat yellowed meaning it had too much exposure to sun and see how some of the flowerettes are stretching out as if wanting to go into flower mode? After washing it off, I decided to eat some of it raw dipped in ranch dressing for my lunch. Cruciferous vegetables, such as this one,  are very good for preventing cancer and are good for one's intestinal tract. Please share your insights if you have experiences to offer...

Next up, seed harvesting...
Since I had purchased heirloom seeds, I'm eager to learn about seed harvesting and saving and using them in subsequent years. Plus, with the overflow, I should be able to have heirloom seeds available for sale soon. Here are some pics of the arugula plant gone to seed, the spinach plants going to seed, and the lovely red veined swiss chard going to seed...
Arugula plant going to seed. I kept wondering when will the seeds be ready for harvesting. After doing some research I believe when the pods are puffy with seeds it's ok to pick them—even if the seed pods are green because, often, once they turn from yellow to brown they open and the wind disperses the seeds as nature is prone to do—willy nilly and abundantly.

Again, I'm not sure yet when I should pick the spinach seed... when they are green still is it OK? Or do I have to wait until they turn brown or black? More research is in order....

Look at the lovely Swiss Chard plant with its fabulous red inner stalk. I've really been on a steep learning curve regarding gardening this year because I'm trying to learn how to take the plants full cycle to become self-sufficient and not have to rely on outside sources for purchasing the seeds or plants each year to get started.

Lastly, I clipped a heaping bowl full of the arugula seed twigs that were heavily laden with the seed pods. I was going to get the seeds from each of the pods, but soon figured out that that was a momentous taska and that I needed to break it down even further. First, to remove the pods from the stalks was a big enough job, then later I can separate the seeds from the pods. I'll have to get envelopes in which to store the seeds for later use. Additionally, this is one plant that I'm not sure if it's been tampered with. I purchased the seeds initially from our 'good' nursery in town in bulk—but I don't know if the seeds were hybridized or altered in any way. I'll have to do a test planting to see if they germinate and grow consistent produce before doing anything further with this batch of seeds. One thing is for sure, I started with maybe 50 arugula seeds and I only snipped a small sample from the existing plants. I have a heaping bowl of seed pods and in each pod there may be twenty or more seeds... doing the math... doesn't that come out to a 50 : A billion ratio?! 


Wow! It's amazing what one learns when going down this path of self-sufficiency and frugal, healthy living! One thing I learned for sure... nature is amazingly abundant. All this scarcity talk that one hears about in the media is a myth... Take a lesson from nature. All life should be so abundant. It shows us about the life of the spirit. Our so-called culture... oh... not so much...

Be well and bon appetit!