Eat Local

I never really liked green beans. They always tasted waxy to me. Then I bought a bag of “just picked” green beans at a Farmer’s Market. What a difference fresh makes! Or perhaps it was the fact that they weren’t sprayed with all kinds of chemicals. Whatever the reason, I was sold on the “buy local” and “buy organic” when it comes to food for my family.

Now we have even more reasons to shop and eat local. The average food item travels 1,500 miles to get on our dinner plates. That means they have to be sprayed with preservatives to keep them fresh longer, they contain more packaging and the shipping itself adds more emissions into our air.

Look for a Farmer’s Marketing in your area and give them a try. Not only will your taste buds be in for a treat, you will be doing your part for the environment. And while shopping at our local grocery stores, take a moment to look where the food is coming from. If you have a choice between a local grown tomato or one shipped from across the country, do your part and choose the one closer to home.

Going Non-toxic

I’m determined to have a chemical free yard and garden – yet I would like it to look healthy and vibrant as well. I’m always keeping an eye open for ways to accomplish this goal.

So far, here is what we’ve done at our home:

We’ve been using Nutri-lawns ecology friendly lawn care for years. They use organic based fertilizers and no synthetic pesticides. Our lawn is sprinkled with a variety of products such as seaweed/kelp and corn extracts. It works great.

One area that I’ve always struggled with is what to do with weeds and when grass grows in flowers bed. Mulch made from natural materials (leaves, straw or bark) helps control unwanted plants. So does pulling them out, if they are small and not well established. For larger weeds or those with deep roots, I’ve poured boiling water over them. That works quite well although you have to keep at it to ensure the weed doesn’t grow back.

Does anyone else have any ideas? I would love to hear what other environmentally green-thumbs do for beautiful gardens and lawns.