I have many passions in life: my family, birth, parenting, gardening, reading, writing. But this blog is about another one of my passions. Sustainable food sources, moral, ecological and environmental choices in all aspects of our lives. I want to use this blog to talk about self sufficiency with regards to food production, energy production and fuel. I also want to discuss organic, local, fair trade and green choices for each us as relates to food, clothes, consumer items and so on. I want to provide you with information about organic certification in North America and sourcing for eco-friendly goods and supplies.

This is my mission with this blog. And I leave you with a link, although not exclusively eco-centred, please visit Idealist and Treehugger until I can return to add more posts.

We generally douse ourselves in numerous chemicals each day, sometimes hundreds before we even eat breakfast. Soaps and shampoos contain many sketchy chemicals that can harm us or the environment but more alarming is the chemicals in products like cosmetics and deodorants because these products spend more than a few minutes on our skin before being washed away.

Some beauty ingredients that you should be wary of:

*Diethanolamine (DEA): suspected carcinogen

*Formaldehyde: carcinogen; on the label “imidazolitdinyl urea” “DMDM hydantoin” and “quaternium-15″ all contain it. You breathe it in if the product is wet.

*Parabens: all types are pseudo-estrogens which act like female hormones in the body.

*Petrolatum: comes from crude oil, mineral oil also petroleum based.

*Phenylenediamine (PPD): found in all permanent dyes linked to bladder cancer.

*Phthalates: hormone disrupter; usually called “fragrance” 

*Sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate (SLS): skin irritant;

*Talc: can be contaminated with asbestos; probable carcinogen

*Toluene: solvent found in nail polish remover; affects nervous system, liver and kidneys; contributes to smog

*Triclosan: turns into carcinogenic dioxins in the environment outside the treatment plant; found in antibacterial products.

So next time you get set to lather up or make up, you might want to think about what exactly you are putting on your face and body.

I’ll be posting some alternatives in the next little while.

Many people are getting interested in organic hobby gardening, especially with the latest ban on the cosmetic usage of several pesticides in Ontario. There are several ways to go about organic gardening in your home. I’ll briefly cover a few of them.

There is lasagna gardening where instead of tilling up the soil, destroying the soil layers and exposing weed seeds to light and air you simply pile layers on top of the grass. You start with a dense layer of usually newspaper to help kill the grass. Then a few denser layers of compost, manure and top soil mix and your ready to plant. You never till you continue to layer year after year and the layers decompose and gradually increase the nutrients and productivity of your soil. It is akin to the method used by Mother Nature in forests.

Another alternative is square foot gardening. This is useful if you have a limited space or must garden on a patio or balcony. You create boxes of 2 feet by 2 feet and each little box is planted. It is apparently very successful and one of the major tenets is that you plant each box as intensively as you can. Since each box is basically a contained raised bed garden, the weeding is non-existent and since each bed is 4 feet square reaching each plant is very simple.

Finally, another form of box gardening is square hay bale gardening. It seems to be effective and efficient for small spaces or when you lack actual ground area although it is labour intensive in the need for copious amounts of compost and added nutrients.

Happy Gardening! 

I’d like to post this Earth Day about our environmental impacts of our birth control choices. First off, hormonal birth control whether the pill, patch or shot cause millions of women to literally pee out synthetic estrogens into our water sheds. This impacts fish and other wildlife and causes fertility issues. Progestin only pills, a.k.a the mini pill do not contain estrogen and have no effects on fertility of wildlife.

As for barrier methods, latex condoms end up all too often in those same water sheds. The same issues associated with plastics are associated with latex, even if they end up in the landfill. They do not break down and last for years, due to additives and lubricants. Lambskin condoms are biodegradable but don’t prevent STDs. There is a high quality, biodegradable vegan friendly latex condoms called Condomi.

Its important to keep our effects on the Earth in mind in even our everyday small actions.

I must begin by stating my biases. I am a Forestry Tech by training and my husband still practices forestry by trade. I don’t believe that my belief in forest management is incompatible with my ecological leanings, actually I feel that is to the contrary. Many environmentalists lean towards conservation, which is a good way to treat some environmental issues. Forestry is not one of those. In the age of dramatic fire suppression, management is 100% necessary.

Since people are moving homes and property of all kinds into these forests, the resource management organizations have no choice except to react aggressively to even a hint of fire. This must be done to protect human lives and property. It is completely understandable. But what must also be understood is that in places like BC forests and Ontario’s Boreal forest, the eco-system has evolved to deal with small fires throughout the summer season, each year. When we dramatically suppress fires we cause a build up of fuel on the forest floor which would not happen if the bush were completely left to itself. Since we cannot allow it to be left to itself, we have to step in and replicate the natural consequences that we cannot allow to happen. In some places this means controlled fire and clear cutting.

I can hear the protests now. “Clear-cutting?? You can’t be serious!” But bare with me and I will explain. The major species in the Boreal (since that is the forest system I am most familiar with) includes jack pine. This tree cannot reproduce without fire to melt the wax on its cones. Poplar is another tree that likes fire in that it opens areas in the canopy where the baby trees can get enough sunlight to compete with other species. We cannot step in and aggressively suppress fires without also stepping in and mimicking the conditions that will let the dominant species remain dominant. If we suppress fires and do not replicate the fire conditions, we will end up with a later succession forest, and through our actions we will be changing the character of the forest. Nature has preserved these species and this level of succession for hundreds of years; who are we to decide ours to change?

Many species of hardwoods and some softwoods are better adapted to selection cut conditions. And selection cut where the trees are basically just thinned are nicer looking cuts, but the clear cut when appropriately applied serves a purpose not just to trees but also birds and animals. Moose for example love a clear cut the summer after its been cut and the new poplar is just coming up. If the cut is designed to be of ragged edges and not overly large blocks, it is perfect moose habitat. Birds as well love the edges created by clear-cutting.

So next time you disparage the clear cut system, remember it serves a purpose that man will not allow nature to serve anymore.

ETA: I knew I would awaken dissenters when I first posted of this topic but nonetheless clear cutting as a properly used system is a viable management system for sun loving species. And proscribed burns necessary for the continued survival of jack pine. The poplar, jack pine and other pioneer species (meaning the species that first colonize a new opening) require massive amounts of light. They cannot reproduce unless all the adults of their species are taken out of their way. Although it has been misused and abused and continues to be to this day, it remains still a viable management system. Those who disparage it have never seen a clear cut one year after the cut when the beautiful young poplar and pines are plentiful and the moose and the birds enjoying the browse well within reach of cover. Quite likely, you have only ever seen the system misused in areas in which it should not be used. Another important point is that a forest of trees has at least twice the life span of a human. So even when it seems that the trees are not springing back you must remember it is not a crop of corn or tomatoes, which grow to harvest in one season. From birth to harvest for the majority of tree species you are looking at 80 to 150 years range. So one or two years of seemingly little growth are relative to your time on this Earth. It is comparable to you gazing at a 3 month old baby and saying “there’s nothing going on. He’ll never walk, talk or grow up.” Important thoughts to bare in mind when critiquing a forest management system.

Further Information:Myths of Clear Cutting

A new food movement has been gaining ground recently. It’s been in existence for several decades but in recent times with the wake-up calls of news reports concerning GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) and mercury found in HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) it has gained more proponents. It is the traditional food movement.

Originally spurred on by Weston Price, the basis of the movement is to eat food, as Michael Pollan puts it, REAL food, food that your great great grandmother would recognize and could prepare easily. It turns much of common nutritional beliefs on their heads, advocating animal and dairy based fats over vegetable fats, encouraging red meat consumption but also vegetables. Generally speaking instead of ready made foods, it encourages cooking from scratch.

It is a wide and varied philosophy including such blogs as How to Cook Like your Grandmother. Some of the premises of traditional foods are similar to the so called Ethical Omnivores in the sense that animals raised in biologically and ecologically sound ways are both cruelty free, environmentally sound and traditional in essence.

The end point is to eat food that contains a good mix of meat and vegetables and has no ingredients that you cannot readily identify. This is good idea for the health benefits, alone. It has been shown in studies that humans can thrive on such varied diets as vegan, vegetarian and almost completely carnivorous: the important feature is to eat true foods not random chemicals as are currently widely featured in many of the supermarket’s products.

As a side note on a food related subject it is possible to be a healthy vegan/vegetarian without soy as a major protein source. Protein is available in a wide range of legumes, fruits and vegetables in sufficient quantities. Soy is not only unnecessary but using it as a major protein source could have adverse hormonal effects because of the vast quantity of soy found in everyday products. It is now used in hotdogs, chicken fingers, some frozen pizzas and soy oil is found as commonly as canola or other vegetable oil in many products. Soy like HFCS is not harmful in and of itself, the major concern is the insane quantity available in foods you would not consider containing it. Yet another reason to make your own if you can. Soy contains natural estrogen-like plant hormones which may have effects on growing humans. HFCS has been shown to have mercury containmentation from its production phase. Both of these are not concerns until one is subjected to large amounts. Unfortunately, the modern typical North American is exposed to these products in some quantity in almost every “food” they consume.

One of the ideas I have been toying with myself lately is edible landscaping. We rent a small plot of land in a tiny rural village and our landlord has give us permission for a garden and any “lawn” area is mostly overgrown native grasses anyway so ripping it up and planting beautiful easy to care for plants that give back would not draw us too much notice from the powers that be. I’ve been using this link and this link and this and this one to help me plan. I have several ideas. I want to plant drought resistant, nice looking plants that will provide useful foodstuffs and possibly create butterfly/bee and bird habitat. The butterflies and bees for pollinating my flowering plants and the birds because they are nice to look at.
We live in Zone 2b and our last frost is June sometime which sucks but we do live in a kinda dip and have a micro-climate that creates weather that I could probably handle up to zone 5 hardys with a little bit of work. Our soil tends towards the moist/wet, but that too can be overcome by small landscaping techniques for creating micro site.
I plan to attempt to transplant some raspberry and blueberry bushes as they are native in the area and I’m sure I can find a site for them. I am going to put in a typical vegetable garden and herb garden. Then I plan to plant some wildflowers in random places for my pollinators. I am going to use Roman chamomile and lemon balm as a ground cover, both have edible and medicinal uses. My vegetable garden is planned to be at least 20′x40′ and I plan to build a raised bed in our porch for my less hardy plants dimensions 18′x16″. I would like to try a few apple trees in case we are living here long enough to see them flower.
I will attempt to start everything from seed. It is more economical and easier for your plants to adjust to less than ideal conditions that way. I will start some indoors roughly 3 months prior to last frost to give them time to grow big and strong. Some will be started 8 weeks or so before last frost and some will be started outside.
This year I am trying several varieties of tomatoes including a few heirloom; pumpkins; peppers; and several sensitive herbs, as well as the hardy grow anywhere in any condition type crops like potatoes.
I’m also going to keep several different very sensitive herbs indoors all summer. I have had mixed success with container crops this winter. My tomatoes, peppers, beans and peas did very well, the cucumbers however did not last. Some were eaten by my dog, but others expired through poor conditions.
I am determined to grow crops I want, despite hardiness zones. I will keep you posted on my success.

As parents we have a double ecological duty; to reduce our own and our family’s environmental impact, and to teach our children about responsible stewardship.

Some of the ways to reduce our family impact:

*use green or natural cleaners like vinegar and baking soda

*use soaps without phosphates

*use cloth diapers or unbleached disposables and recycle them if facilities exist

*compost, recycle, reuse,

*strive for zero garbage (I know its hard but the attempt will drastically decrease your trash output)

*conserve energy: turn off lights, use CFL, use power bars and shut the power off at night

*conserve water: shower and if you bathe put younger kids two or three to a tub

*rip up your exotic grass lawns and plant drought resistant plants, add a self sufficient twist by planting edible ornamental

*plant a garden, use your compost

*wash in cold, use a clothes line in summer and an indoor stand in winter if you have room

*insulate your house and seal drafts

*buy secondhand, and give gifts like this one 

Helping Children to become Responsible Earthlings:

*discuss issues like fair trade, local foodsheds and other food/ecological issues

*instead of conventional vacations take volun-touring or eco tourism trips: Voluntouring and Ecotourism

*looking into programs like WWOOF

*raise chickens or rabbits for meat or eggs. Teach your children to reconnect with their food sources, even just visit a local farm

*garden with your kids, teach them the basics of biology in fun, exciting ways

Studies show that children who have a connection to the Earth throughout their childhood are more emphatic to various and widespread ecological issues. Children who don’t have personal connections tend to have more logical, rational thinking about ecology; they understand environmental issues on a logical level but it doesn’t affect them on an emotional level.

This is just a post to encourage you all to post comments. I know your out there, my widgets are tracking you. So post something people. Agree, disagree, just to say Hi, plug your own blog. Post a comment.

Ethical and ecologically sound meat sound ridiculous today. But it is possible and with just a little bit of effort. Most of the effort is in rearranging our thinking about meat production.

For example, beef raising is an ecological nightmare, right? Wrong. Well, wrong in the sense that it doesn’t have to be. Cattle evolved to eat grass. They did not evolve to eat corn, wheat or animal by-products. When they are fed these types of food they have digestive troubles which leads to the use of antibiotics and higher instances of e-coli and other bacteria being present in the meat. And mis-fed cattle produce methane as a greenhouse gas. This is not the normal, natural state of being for cattle. Think about it. We replaced (in a manner of speaking) how many millions of bison with how many thousands of cattle and all of a sudden we have a greenhouse gas problem? Cattle fed on pasture and dried hay are carbon neutral. They release about as much carbon into the atmosphere as a rotting tree in the forest. They have balanced digestive systems and therefore no need of medications to treat the diseases we have in effect given them.

Chickens which do need some grains in their diet can still get between 15-30% of their required nutrition from pasture. Both their health and their production benefit. The meat of free-range, pastured chicken is leaner, and contains more nutrients. Likewise the eggs.

Even pork benefits from being let graze. Their meat is also leaner, the pigs in general are healthier, sows produce more vigorous piglets. This can also have a practical value for the owner, as pigs work better than a rotitiller to till up a future garden plot.

We also need to recognize the seasonality of meat. Most meat is best harvested in the fall. Think about wild animals, in the fall they are storing up for the winter and tend to put on the most weight in all the seasons. But eggs are most readily available in the spring. Ask anyone with layers, and they will tell you that a chicken’s laying cycle runs best in spring and worst in fall until it completely stops sometime in the winter. We have become accustomed to eating whatever we choose whenever we choose and we need to rethink that. Demanding seasonal items unseasonally puts a huge toll on the Earth, because in order to produce for that demand we must counteract the natural laws.

Another thing to consider is the availability of different meats. Logically, beef and to an extent pork should be easiest to obtain and cheapest, given that they are the easiest and cheapest to raise. Chicken and other fowl with its demand for grains that do not grow everywhere should be rarer and more expensive. The industrial farms have turned this historical and logical fact on is head. We need to reverse it. In today’s economic climate we need to rethink our ideas about food. If we continue in our ways, disconnected from the Earth and our food sources, unable to, as consumers of the food look the producer in the eye, literally, our world food sources may just collapse. We can see a foreshadowing of this with the raising demand and lowering supply of grains like wheat and rice. Without our local sustainable foodsheds what will we do if the grocery store collapses? We need to consider this and work out alternatives to the current system before it is too late.

CSA, or community supported agriculture is the general name given to a specific form of CSA, that is the practice of raising vegetables and selling them in prepaid variety boxes to customers established in the spring. This is what most people are referring to when they use the term CSA.

But in the most technical of terms community supported agriculture is any form of agriculture that finds support in the local community. This includes farmer’s markets, roadside stands (where they are not outlawed) and local co-ops.

Some farmers in some communities have banded together in order to stay alive in the production of quality meat. They have organized co-ops of sorts where they collectively pay to send their animals far away in a form of car-pooling to the nearest abattoir and then when their frozen meat is shipped back complete with governmental approval stamp, they sell the meat in a store front they collectively rent. It is an unique way to maintain a way of life in a governmental climate that makes it very difficult for small farmers.

Another form of CSA, is the local farmer’s market. These are meeting places and places for local (and sometimes not so local in cases where tiny communities are spread thinly across the landscape) farmer’s to sell their wares. You can find fruit, vegetables, baked goods, and canned wares there.

Another more grassroots version of CSA is road side stands. Generally these are used to sell products that will keep for a time such as potatoes, corn and berries.

So source out local meat, eggs, vegetables and fruit. Support your local small farmers. In today’s uncertain economic times, it is not wise to depend solely on the on-demand food supply such as grocery store chains. Each community (which may span several towns) should strive to produce all its own food. This is the way of the future. Foodsheds are sustainable, economic and create less pressure on the carrying capacity of the Earth. Foodsheds involve eating locally and seasonally. Even foods such as meat and eggs are seasonal. In our global society we’ve become accustomed to eating eggs, meat and any desired vegetable or fruit whenever the fancy strikes us. This unseasonable eating has disconnected us from our environment, just as Styrofoam package steaks have distanced us from our food sources.

So how do we change this situation? Simple. Re-learn our pioneering skills. Buy locally, buy seasonally and lay aside through freezing, canning or drying the excess when the given product is in season. We must change our ideas about this issue for our wallet’s sake and for our Earth’s sake.