Sunday snapshot: Instinct

I'm amazed that seeds can transform from a pebble in a little boy's pocket to food for his tummy.

I'm amazed that a baby robin -- so new out of the nest that it doesn't yet know how to fly -- nevertheless knows how to run, and when that isn't enough, how to puff itself up something fierce to scare off a curious, playful dog.

I'm amazed at these things, and my own instinct is to smile and be grateful for my backyard piece of this beautiful world.

Grass Fed Beef

In order to be healthier and more environmentally friendly, Marisa and I have decided that we want to start eating meat that is grass fed as opposed to meat from mass feedlots. This is a sacrifice for us since grass fed meat is more expensive. However, we also decided that our meat portions are too large so maybe if we eat smaller portions it will offset the higher cost of meat. It is also worth spending a little more since there are many benefits to those who are willing to pay extra for

Grass Fed Beef is Healthier

In 2009 researchers at Clemson University did a comprehensive comparison of grass fed beef to grain fed beef and made the following conclusions. Grass fed beef is:

1. Lower in total fat
2. Higher in beta-carotene
3. Higher in vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
4. Higher in the B-vitamins thiamin and riboflavin
5. Higher in the minerals calcium, magnesium, and potassium
6. Higher in total omega-3s
7. A healthier ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids (1.65 vs 4.84)
8. Higher in CLA (cis-9 trans-11), a potential cancer fighter
9. Higher in vaccenic acid (which can be transformed into CLA)
10. Lower in the saturated fats linked with heart disease

Keep in mind that these benefits don’t even take into account the benefits that grass fed beef has on the environment or the increased quality of life for the animals themselves.

For those of you that are interested in buying grass fed meat it can be economical to buy in bulk. There are many small farms and ranches that will allow you to buy one fourth ore on half of a cow. I found this great website that you can use to find local farmers that are willing to sell you their grass fed products. Click on the link and then click on your state and you will find local farmers that you can support. This website also has some great literature on the benefits of pasture based farms.

http://www.eatwild.com/products/index.html
--
Mike Johnson

Snips, Snails and Grasshopper Tales

Here’s a picture to get the brain cells ticking . . .

Q: Which insect on this pink zinnia could succumb in a cloud of bug spray – the fuzzy, pollinating bumblebee, or the destructive grasshopper?

A: BOTH!

How important it is, then, to be mindful of the entire ecosystem when dealing with pests in our backyard farms. A healthy landscape’s stage has room for all sorts of players. Even the pesky bugs have a role as food for songbirds (or chickens!). Yet when pests become divas, demanding center stage and literally chewing the scenery, it’s time for a new direction.

Sarah already shared some great non-toxic bug blasters , and Michael gave us the recipe for a homemade bug spray. Here are some more ideas for protecting your plants.

SLUGS AND SNAILS

Shiny, silvery trails are the snail’s calling card. Since these critters prefer cool, moist areas, it’s often just a matter of altering the garden’s habitat. Remove any fallen, dead leaves, or similar “litter” from the base of your plants that may shelter the snails and their eggs.

Provide barriers. Make collars out of paper tubes, paper cups or tin cans opened on both ends and slip these around your plants at ground level to keep snails from crawling to the main stem. Similarly, keep berry and vegetable foliage off of the ground so snails can’t climb aboard.

Trap the slimy things in slightly damp rolls of newspaper strategically placed in your garden. They’ll go inside during the day for respite from the heat.

Remove slugs and snails by (gloved) hand whenever you see them. Note I didn’t say kill them by hand. (Please use a shovel or shoe!) I’m not a fan of that snail shell crunch, if you know what I mean. As much as I dislike snails for how quickly they can decimate a garden, I once included them in a brief, but heartfelt, burst of empathy for all creatures. So I carried them to the birdfeeder instead! Let nature take its course. Alternately, never underestimate that lost shaker of salt.

GRASSHOPPERS

Cilantro and calendula are said to keep grasshoppers at bay, so try planting them next to your vegetables.

You can spray grasshoppers directly with a 1:8 mixture of black strap molasses and water. This blocks their pores, smothering them. Or, lure them to a drowning death by putting the same mixture inside jars or cans buried so the open top is at ground level. Replace mixture as needed. These ideas come from Golden Harvest Organics, www.ghorganics.com.

Birds and cats are fierce grasshopper predators. I hope, this summer, that my children will be too. I figure that paying them a penny for each grasshopper they catch will be a win-win situation. The children will get exercise, boredom will be abated, and plants will be protected. Sounds great! All I’ll need to do is discreetly dispose of the jar.

Jennifer

Nontoxic Bug Blasters

.Do you ever bring home fruit flies from the super market? If so simply mist the fruit flies with a spray bottle filled with rubbing alcohol. They will fall to the floor and then you can sweep them up.

.Seems like certain times of the year sugar ants march a trail along the counter tops, but now they don't have to. Squirt some lemon juice into any holes or cracks where the ants are getting in, and scatter lemon peel around the outdoor entrance. The ants should get the message.

.Sprinkling cayenne pepper or borax at the point of entrance will also keep the ants and insects from entering your casa.

.If you have roaches mix equal parts of sugar and baking powder over the infested area. The sugar will attract the roaches, but the baking powder will kill them. Replace the mixture frequently.

.Want to get rid of anthills in the backyard? Pour vinegar over them. Viola~

.Vinegar can also be used as a mosquito repellent. Simply moisten a cotton ball with vinegar, rub it over your skin and keep the mosquitoes and gnats at bay.

.Is a pesky mosquito bite itching like crazy? Simply wet a cotton ball with ammonia (or Windex ) and rub it on the bite. The itch will be alleviated.

.Cedar, cedar, and more cedar. Cedar chips in your closet keep moths from eating your lovely sweaters. Fresh cedar mulch helps repel many pesky insects away.

.Remove dog ticks by first rubbing the tick's back with rubbing alcohol, and then grab the tick as close to the dog's skin as possible and pull it straight out with tweezers.

.Slugs are lushes. Place shallow pans of beer in the flower bed next to slug munched flowers, and in the morning you should see "wasted" slugs.

.Insecticidal Soap: In your garden you can spray insects feasting on your pretty plants with a simple concoction of 1 tablespoon of (non-phosphate) dish soap mixed with 1 gallon of water.

From Scratch.

The greatest things start with the smallest steps.


It is never too early to start planning your backyard farm. One of the most important things is finding out what exactly you want to grow. If you truly want to have a "kitchen garden", you need to be ready to use what you grow.


A good place to start is to look in your kitchen cabinet or refrigerator & see what you can replace with a homemade version. Our family made a goal this year to replace one item a month with an alternative made entirely from scratch. It has actually been easier than we imagined it would be & we are so far exceeding our goal & adding multiple homemade items to our kitchen every month. We started with salad dressings. We looked at the different types we most frequently ate & either found a recipe for it online or made one up! We then bottled them in leftover cooking wine bottles we had saved. We then moved on to breads, ketchup, frozen pizzas, ice cream, tomato sauces, corn tortillas & cereal! !


The one thing that everything we made had in common was that they were all way more delicious & much healthier than the store bought alternatives. The main rule of thumb when we make something is that we have to use all fresh, whole ingredients. No canned soups or mixes. The main advantage this has is eliminating the additives & preservatives found in pre-packaged foods. This has been quite liberating for our family. The boundaries have been broken as to what can be done in our home with food. Starting every thing from scratch allows you to explore combinations of flavors & to get to know ingredients in their true form. Your imagination is sparked by the smells & textures & your palette becomes accustomed to the challenge. You are freed from the limits of preservative laden & additive heavy seasoning & sauce packets

Once you get comfortable cooking from scratch you will begin to get an idea where to start with your backyard farm or garden. What ingredients do you use most that would be better replaced by a homegrown version? Curious about something you've seen in a seed catalog? Test it out by buying that ingredient from your local market & testing out a few recipes with it. It is always fun to add a new fruit or vegetable to your menu. Remember not to overwhelm yourself. It may even be best for you to start with a simple herb garden or even some trash can potatoes! The funnest part for us is removing an item from our grocery list! Our pantry is filled with less boxes each month but our dinner table has more variety than ever! Don't forget that backyard farming doesn't have to stay within your own backyard. Branch out in your community & find out what local farms are growing or even plan to swap with a neighbor!

Whatever your motivation is for the homegrown/homemade revolution, the benefits far outweigh the extra effort it takes. We started from necessity due to my severe son's MSG allergy & have been rewarded not only with his good health, but in his diverse palette & love for creativity in the kitchen. It has become a family habit that we grow to love more &more as we reach greater strides in our little kitchen. Once you take the first step & get started, your eyes will be opened to a whole new world of eating & a brand new appetite for diversity in the kitchen!

~meghan s.

K.I.S.S.

I have this little motto K(eep)I(t) S(imple) S(ister). It helps me to prioritize what is important. Imagine how delighted I was to come across this book the other day. I've been practicing the 3R's since I was waist high to a grasshopper, and we were good stewards, fixers, savers, and re-users long before it was chic and trendy, but in my quest to "get back to the basics" I'm really intrigued by the amazing versatility of vinegar. In this book there is a whole chapter dedicated to "nature's most practical liquid".

Did you know vinegar can:

• Erase Ball Point Pen Marks- pen ink (or crayon) on the wall? dab on full-strength white vinegar using a sponge, repeat until the marks are gone


• Unglue Stickers- to remove a sticker or decal saturate with full strength white vinegar (i've used rubbing alcohol for this too)


• Remove Water Rings on Furniture- to remove white rings off wood furniture, mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil and apply it with a soft cloth while moving with the wood grain. use another socft cloth to shine it.


• Clean Your Microwave- fill a glass bowl with 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water, zap for 5min and then dip a rag and clean off the splatters


• Stop Reds from Running- soak new brightly colored garments in a few cups of undiluted white vinegar for 10-15min before first washing


• Remove Pit Stains- pour undiluted vinegar on the stains and rub gently before laundering


• Ease a Sunburn- to cool a bad burn dab with a cotton ball soaked with white or cider vinegar


• In the Garden- vinegar can treat rust, black spot and powdery mildew~mix 1tbsp cider vingar in 4 cups water into a recycled spray bottle and mist in the early morning or evening until the condition is cured

There are countless other uses, but in general it seems to really be good at removing odors. Everything from garlic breath, to cigarette smoke, to pet accidents. If you are interested in a D-I-Y spot and stain remover follow this recipe:

Fill a spray bottle with 5parts water to 1part white vinegar

Fill another spray bottle with 5parts water and 1part ammonia

Saturate the stain with the vinegar solution, let it set for a few minutes, then blot and dry

Next spray on the ammonia solution, and blot. Repeat until the stain is gone!

If you use any of these and they work let us know. Good Luck, and thank you, Reader's Digest for Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things.

~Sarah