What to eat, what to eat...

A new blog I have enjoyed reading is the "Urban Homestead." Although this family is the extreme example of self-sustained healthy living, they have tons of amazing ideas! It also makes me jealous of their California growing season!

One quote I liked from a recent post is regarding choosing food sources. The "chain" begins with what you can grow in your own yard (and you should see their yard! Who knew you can fit so much on a city lot!).

If not from backyard, then locally produced
If not locally produced, then organic.
If not organic, then family farm.
If not family farm, then local business.
If not local business, then fair trade.

Great chain and one I need to work at following more closely! I have learned that healthy, unprocessed eating generally involves more time, research, and work than simply hitting the supermarket!

In other growing news-my plants are sprouting! I have carrots, peas, sunflowers and spaghetti squash all coming in! I have my lettuce and spinach planted (better late than never) and am waiting to see little green shoots from them.

This year I have planted lettuce both in the salad table (see previous post) and in my yard, to see which grows better. I will let you all know how that goes!

Happy Eating!

Not long enough weekend!

Ahhh-the sun has finally decided it is here to stay, and although the forecast calls for a few more bouts of frost, I have gotten out into the garden.

Although my heart (and my stomach) would prefer to be in the backyard doing my veggie garden, my front yard looks quite sad beside the well-groomed neighbours. We mow our lawn, but my flower beds have become dry dusty weed beds. After 2 days of digging, weeding, and covering up the front and side beds with mulch (my attempt at weed, bug and cat detterent all in one!), I must say it looks quite nice...despite the lack of flowers. So this weekend, the plants will go in! Then I don't have to look at my dismal front yard in shame every time I pull up to my house.

So the long weekend got gobbled up by asthetics. Today I got into the backyard and madly gardened during my lunch break (working from home has its perks). So now I have put in peas, spaghetti squash and carrots! I also built a lovely cage for my peas to climb out of bamboo stakes and wire! Cost: approx $6. (because I want fresh veggies but I am still cheap)

There is still so much work to be done! Two more beds to dig, prep and plant with lettuce, spinach, brocolli, zuchinni, and sweet peas (ok, they are not food-but sooo pretty!) And I really want to get this done by the end of this weekend-our growing season is short enough without procrastinating!

Happy Gardening!

Is spring here???

I pulled up in front of my house this morning, and my lawn is starting to look GREEN! I am completely done with winter this year and cannot wait for things to warm up. But all these signs of spring got me thinking...what are the things I need to get started RIGHT NOW so I can have the flower/veggie garden I hope for this spring/summer? Beds to dig, borders to build, seeds to start...it will be a busy month! Good thing I have some free labour from the hubby to help me out!
My big reason for wanting my own veggies this year is control. I know what I grow in my own garden won't have chemical pesticides and fertilizers in it. Not only that, but fresh grown produce just tastes better! The strawberries my neighbour grows are AMAZING when you compare them to the tasteless California giants!!!
I also built a salad table last year to grow shallow root veggies, like lettuce, kale, spinach etc to free up some of the other space in my tiny yard for other things! I got the design for this off of the Martha Stewart website. (love her!)
http://www.marthastewart.com/article/salad-table
Happy Gardening!