The Community Supported Garden at Genesis Farm

After reading about Community Supported Agriculture (see the Locavore entry below this), Nicole and I decided to visit a CSA in Blairstown, NJ.  The Community Supported Garden at Genesis Farm was a picturesque 30 minute drive from Mountain Lakes.   It has been in operation since 1988.

Most CSAs operate only during the typical harvest season (May through November).  This garden is different; it's greenhouse and root cellar allow individuals to have the option to purchase a winter share.  Here we see swiss chard and rosemary growing in the greenhouse.  Those huge rosemary plants peaking out in the background filled the greenhouse with a wonderful aroma.  The greenhouse and garden buildings were powered by solar energy.

 
Most New Jersey farms aren't showing much green this time of year, but fall planting and a hoop greenhouse will bring this kale to shareholder tables this spring.  Other early spring veggies are being protected from hard frost by row covers.  A list of the vegetables, fruits, grains and herbs that the farm produces can be found on their website, linked above.  

We were surprised at the variety of vege-tables offered here at the end of March.  This day's share consisted of fresh mesclun mix, swiss chard, rosemary, potatoes (sweet, white, blue & fingerlings), onions, garlic, carrots, parsnips, turnips, celeriac, corn meal, sauerkraut, jerusalem artichoke & winter radish (which we got to taste, YUM!)  There were other local products for sale:  eggs, honey, bee's wax candles, locally milled flour and maple syrup.

We learned so much about gardening cycles and extending the growing season.  It was fun to visit on "pick up" day and the garden was bustling with many friendly folks who were quick with their smiles & offered recipes for some of the unfamiliar vegetables.  We were told that many people opt for a small share and coordinate pick up with others in their communities.  Other CSAs offer drop-off locations such as Morristown.  You can find out about them at Local Harvest.

How Far Does Your Food Travel?

My friend, Marnie, wrote this piece!

     Did you know most of the food Americans eat travels over 1500 miles to reach the plate?  When I heard that, I was impressed.  But the point was driven home when, in September, at the height of apple season here in the Northeast, my little organic co-operative received a box of apples shipped all the way from New Zealand.  Was it even apple season down there?  I started to look into this business of shipping food.  I found that for every California calorie we eat, 87 calories of fuel are used trucking it here.

    Certain things are imported (bananas, chocolate and coffee, for instance) that we simply can't grow here, so we just try to eat less of them.  But my apples could have come from New York State or even Washington State, for that matter.  Barbara Kinsgolver states in her book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, that the U.S. exports 1.1 million tons of potatoes and imports 1.4 million tons of potatoes.  I'm working hard to find the logic.  There is a growing movement of people trying to consume mostly locally grown and produced food.  They call themselves "Locavores".  As the idea catches on, we are finding more local farmer's markets each years as well as other ways to buy locally like CSAs.  Also, keeping your own kitchen garden is therapeutic as well as productive, not to mention a great learning experience for your kids.  You can't get more local than your own backyard.

     There are many more local farmers' markets than one imagines.  In New Jersey alone, there are almost 100 farmers markets.  There are also 150 pick-your-own farms here.  The CSA (community supported agriculture farm) allows a family or a group to buy a share of the harvest throughout the season.   Visit the Local Harvest website to find local farmers markets and CSAs in your area.

     Of course, not all produce is available throughout the year.  Locavores learn to be content with shopping for and consuming seasonal foods.  This isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Hearty winters stews and refreshing summer fruit salad seems to be what our bodies crave during those seasons.  Eating certain vegetables only in season makes them become a treat; in Germany, asparagus season is almost a national holiday! 

     Naturally, you don't have to completely follow the 100-mile Diet to the letter.  Even small efforts to buy and eat locally will be healthier for you and for the planet!

Cheatneutral

These affable boys give another perspective of carbon offsets with their British tongues firmly planted in their cheeks!  They do offer a serious message behind the spoof which is explained more fully on their website.

Spring Cleaning

As a girl, I spent some of my Spring breaks with my Grandmother, who took Spring cleaning very seriously:  she washed windows and walls,  the dotted swiss and lace curtains were laundered and pressed, rugs were taken outside and beaten, the linoleum was stripped and rewaxed and the furniture was buffed with butcher's wax.  The air was heavy with the smell of ammonia, bleach, and who knows what else.  Those smells signified that her house was clean.

These days, most of us take a more casual approach to cleaning but our cleaning products are still based on the bleach and ammonia of the past.  Grandma had the good sense to fling open the windows on cleaning day whereas most of us are tackling cleaning on the fly between errands and carpools and never think to open the window just to spritz down the shower tile.  As a result, our indoor air quality can adversely affect our health.

The EPA says:  "There are many sources of indoor air pollution in any home.  These include combustion sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco products; building materials and furnishings as diverse as deteriorated, asbestos-containing insulation, wet or damp carpet, and cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products; products for household cleaning and maintenance, personal care, or hobbies; central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices; and outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollution."

The Seventh Generation company has a comprehensive Guide to Creating a Healthy Home.  They are one of many manufacturers that make green cleaning products which I've tried.  Still, it bothers me to have so many bottles of products and I've started a personal mission to simplify my cleaning.  I was talking to my neighbor, Joan, about this and she shared with me a pamphlet that she picked up from Greenpeace some years ago.  They say that "the first step in 'detoxing' your home is knowing what substances to say 'NO' to."  Plastics (which cause pollution in all stages of their production and use), solvents (which are often petroleum-based chemicals), aerosols (uh, you know these are a no-no, right?), and biocides (insecticides & herbicides which we'll cover later this Spring).  

Greenpeace suggests that five basic ingredients can be used in many safe home-cleaning needs:  

1. Baking soda--cleans and deodorizes, softens water to increase sudsing and cleaning power of soap, good scouring powder
2. Borax--cleans and deodorizes, excellent disinfectant, softens water, great for laundry, don't use near food, be sure to wear gloves
3. Soap--biodegrades safely and completely and is nontoxic.  Purchase soap without synthetic scents, colors or additives.
4. Washing soda--cuts grease and removes stains, disinfects, softens water, also known as sodium carbonate, be sure to wear gloves
5. White vinegar--cuts grease and freshens.

A handy website listing recipes using these ingredients can be found here.  The author includes tea tree oil which made me curious.  I found a site that lists the efficacy of tea tree oil in killing all kinds of nasties, in fact, the oil is being used in England to combat MRSA in hospitals.  I found another recipe for an all-purpose cleaner using 1/4 tsp tea tree oil to 1 quart of warm water.

Happy Spring!

Spring Break

I haven't posted much here in the past month.  One reason is that my friends and I (who make up the Household group of the Green Community Project) have been starting to research the next series of blog entries.  We're interested in greening our yards, (literally!) by using sustainable practices--so stay tuned!

Another reason for my absence is my family's Spring break trip.  Our kids are getting older and they live all over the country.  Getting together is difficult and I miss them so much!  Luckily we were able to fly to sunny Arizona, on mom & dad's nickel of course, and we had a wonderful time in a locale that was new to all of us.

Still, in the back of my mind, was a mention of carbon offsets that my friend, Nicole, made when talking about her family's trip this fall.  I had never heard of that phrase and asked her about it.  Carbon offsets are little shares of energy saving investments that folks can purchase to offset energy you are using.   That concept didn't mean much to me until I participated in the League's Carbon Survey that I mentioned earlier in this blog.  I was shocked to see that my seemingly limited travel habits were the major contributor to my carbon footprint.  As a result, I am now researching the different carbon offset companies and plan to purchase offsets for our recent trip.  My Googling turned up this interesting interview in Treehugger with the founder of Climate Care (an offset provider).  Purchasing offsets seems to be like donating to charities--you need to do your research and find one that fits your beliefs.

Edit:  since I posted this, I received an email from Laurel who has done a TON of research on this topic.  She offers a link to a chart with many examples of companies that will allow a consumer to purchase offsets and a comparison between companies.  Signing up with any of these programs might effectively reduce your CO2 contributions to ZERO!  Additionally, she offered links that nicely explain carbon offsets, carbon credits, and personal carbon trading.  Thanks Laurel!

Earth Hour 2008

 

"Created to take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced, Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming.  This simple act has captured the hearts and minds of people all over the world.  As a result, at 8 pm March 29, 2008 millions of people in some of the world's major capital cities, including Copenhagen, Toronto, Chicago, Melbourne, Brisbane and Tel Aviv will unite and switch off for Earth Hour."

Click HERE to go to the Earth Hour 2008 website.