Gardening season is getting close, it's time to start sprouting and figuring out what plants are going to grace your garden this year. (I'm leaning towards ones that I can juice!)
Showing posts with label gardening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gardening. Show all posts
Saturday, 3 March 2012
Organic Non-GMO Seeds - Vegetables, Herbs and Flowers!
Gardening season is getting close, it's time to start sprouting and figuring out what plants are going to grace your garden this year. (I'm leaning towards ones that I can juice!)
Thursday, 26 January 2012
Raw Food World - Raw Products and Vilcabamba Ecuador
I've known about the Raw Food World for a while, I know some people who only eat raw food and the whole idea definitely has a lot of merit. If I recall correctly my sister even has some fabulous recipies for raw dinners. (Yes, I mention my sister a lot. She's kinda my inspiration for everything I do that is organic/healthy.)
I hadn't really started paying attention to the Raw Food World products or anything until I began browsing the internet and stalking footage from Vilcabamba, Ecuador. Interestingly enough the Monarch's of Raw Food World (that's a last name, but how appropriate?!) now live in Ecuador on this gorgeous plot of land in Vilcabamba. Lucky? Yes....
They have a video series that they post regularly and since many of them are from/about Vilcabamba, I was pretty much guaranteed to come across them eventually. The one that caught my eye is the video in which they are visiting their new land for the very first time. Actually it was the garden that made me start to salivate, and so; I'll share it with you!
I know. It's stunning there. I can't look outside at the snow and dismal brown trees that grace my city, if I do... I might just tear up!
After watching the video I had to go and check out their website a little more fully. They have... a LOT of products. All raw, many of which are organic. In fact, there are 256 items that come up just when you search 'organic'. I couldn't tell you about their shipping costs, but I'd say they are definitely worth checking out.
As I was browsing around I came across a list of products that they are offering 'at-cost' this month. It's not just one or two items either, so I figured I should definitely share them with you!
If you're interested check out their 'at cost' specials. Cool right?
Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go back to dreaming about a place where "I" can just go outside and pick my lunch...
Picture via marriedwithluggage
__________________________
If you enjoyed this post, why not Subscribe to Organically Inclined!
Monday, 28 November 2011
Product of the Week: Compost Pail
Before I get into this post I want to mention that the company that sells this product is offering FREE shipping until Wednesday on orders of $100 or more. This is a brilliant offer and a great opportunity to try some of Only Green's absolutely fabulous products!
Just because it is winter doesn't mean that you have to stop feeding your garden!
"The ventilating design of the compost pail keeps air flowing to prevent
bacteria growth and odors. Line your pail with small food waste
biodegradable bags and start collecting compost in your kitchen with
very little cleanup."
View this product.
"These bags are 100% biodegradable and great for your residential compost program as well as your back-yard compost bin. They are tear resistant, have a 12-month shelf life when kept in a cool and dry location, and will break down in 10-45 days in a commercial compost facility. 25 pack."
They also break down in your garden or compost bin and though it might take a little longer they do break down completely.
View this product.
See you Wednesday!
***
Just because it is winter doesn't mean that you have to stop feeding your garden!
View this product.
"These bags are 100% biodegradable and great for your residential compost program as well as your back-yard compost bin. They are tear resistant, have a 12-month shelf life when kept in a cool and dry location, and will break down in 10-45 days in a commercial compost facility. 25 pack."
They also break down in your garden or compost bin and though it might take a little longer they do break down completely.
View this product.
See you Wednesday!
__________________________
If you enjoyed this post, why not Subscribe to Organically Inclined!
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
With the Kids: The Bean Experiment
I think it is important to get the younger generation involved in their lifestyle as soon as possible. If, as a family, you eat organic and live green, it is very important to always reaffirm why you do it. Not only will it help keep you focused on your goals, but it will give the kids reasons for what you do as well.
It just might be that one of the best things we can do for our planet is to teach our children to love it. If we do what we can to save our world but the next generation doesn't continue in our footsteps -- then we haven't really succeeded at all!
One way to involve your children is the extraordinary bean experiment, though of course it doesn't have to be done with just beans! Help to foster their understanding and love of nature by growing a plant from seed. Every day you note the changes; what has happened to the plant, and during this time you can teach them about what plants need to grow.
Oh sure, you do this project in school - but that doesn't mean you can't do it before school as well!
The carrot is another great choice; instead of planting it, place it in a glass jar against the side so you can see the development of the root!
Fun Fact: These plants here were an experiment;
Plant A: Filtered water
Plant B: Tap water
Plant C: Microwaved water
Plant D: Flame boiled filtered water
I will happily let you draw your own conclusions from that one!
What plant related projects would you/have you done with the kids? I'd love to know!
It just might be that one of the best things we can do for our planet is to teach our children to love it. If we do what we can to save our world but the next generation doesn't continue in our footsteps -- then we haven't really succeeded at all!
One way to involve your children is the extraordinary bean experiment, though of course it doesn't have to be done with just beans! Help to foster their understanding and love of nature by growing a plant from seed. Every day you note the changes; what has happened to the plant, and during this time you can teach them about what plants need to grow.
Oh sure, you do this project in school - but that doesn't mean you can't do it before school as well!
The carrot is another great choice; instead of planting it, place it in a glass jar against the side so you can see the development of the root!
Fun Fact: These plants here were an experiment;
Plant A: Filtered water
Plant B: Tap water
Plant C: Microwaved water
Plant D: Flame boiled filtered water
I will happily let you draw your own conclusions from that one!
What plant related projects would you/have you done with the kids? I'd love to know!
Photos via L. Marie and SuperFantastic
__________________________
If you enjoyed this post, why not Subscribe to Organically Inclined!
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Preserving Herbs: Freeze 'Em!
Though we don't want to admit it, summer is coming to a close, and those of us with outdoor gardens need to decide what to do with the rest of the herbs that are growing out there.
The traditional method is to dry them, and this does work quite well; however there are two downsides to drying:
1. The herbs tend to lose a lot of their flavour in the process.
2. Herbs with a high water content will often mold before they are fully dried.
Another option that doesn't take a lot of time, is freezing your herbs!
Most sites will recommend that you freeze your leaves whole, either actually 'in' ice or by laying them on a cookie sheet, freezing them, and then placing them in containers once they are separately frozen.
Personally I would go about it a little differently.
First you would want to pick your lovely amazing herbs! Don't limit yourself to things like basil and oregano - you can do this to lemon-balm, chives, mint... you name it!
Now when you're cooking, all you need to do is pull out one, or a few, of these mini cubes and incorporate them into your meal. (They will thaw quite quickly.)
The herbs will no longer won't be pretty and crisp when you go to use them, but the important fact is that they will keep their amazing flavour! (And of course they will all be in handy little portions!)
This is something you can do throughout the year as your plants grow - this way you can preserve your herbs at the precise stage where they are the most flavorful!
Now if you'll excuse me, I have herbs to pick!
The traditional method is to dry them, and this does work quite well; however there are two downsides to drying:
1. The herbs tend to lose a lot of their flavour in the process.
2. Herbs with a high water content will often mold before they are fully dried.
Another option that doesn't take a lot of time, is freezing your herbs!
Most sites will recommend that you freeze your leaves whole, either actually 'in' ice or by laying them on a cookie sheet, freezing them, and then placing them in containers once they are separately frozen.
Personally I would go about it a little differently.
First you would want to pick your lovely amazing herbs! Don't limit yourself to things like basil and oregano - you can do this to lemon-balm, chives, mint... you name it!
- Make sure that your leaves are nicely cleaned. I couldn't bear the thought of a bug sneaking through!
- Chop/Mince and generally reduce them to the size that you prefer when cooking. (If you have a lot, you could try blending them - though this will mean that once you use them they will be near invisible!)
- Once they are the size you want them, pack them tightly into mini ice-cube trays. I'm talking about the ones that create ice-cubes that are about 1cm squared. If you have blended them, just pour the pulp right in. You can of course make them in larger ice cube trays, however you will likely find that they are too much for one dish.
- To guarantee that they stay in cube-form you can fill in the air pockets with water.
- Freeze them
- Once they are frozen, pop them out of the trays and toss them in freezer bags/containers that are properly labeled.
Now when you're cooking, all you need to do is pull out one, or a few, of these mini cubes and incorporate them into your meal. (They will thaw quite quickly.)
The herbs will no longer won't be pretty and crisp when you go to use them, but the important fact is that they will keep their amazing flavour! (And of course they will all be in handy little portions!)
This is something you can do throughout the year as your plants grow - this way you can preserve your herbs at the precise stage where they are the most flavorful!
Now if you'll excuse me, I have herbs to pick!
Photos via OakleyOriginals, storebukkebruse and suavehouse113.
__________________________
If you enjoyed this post, why not Subscribe to Organically Inclined!
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Saving your Seed!
Just to clarify things, before we start; this blog post is all about plant seeds... just wanted to make sure you knew that.
It is an unfortunate truth that sometimes organic goods can cost more than your standard contaminated variety. It is important then, to minimize costs wherever you can!
If you plant your own garden, and tend to buy your plants and seeds new every year, then harvesting your own seeds can help save on the yearly start-up costs for your garden.
Harvesting seeds can be different for every plant - however a little bit of research will teach you when and how to harvest seeds for all your various plants.
What you will need to begin saving your seeds:
1. Knowledge about the life cycle of your plants.
2. If there are any specific ways you need to harvest the seed.
3. A place to safely dry your seeds.
4. A way to store your seeds until the following year. (Cool dry places are the best.)
If you would rather learn hands on without so much research, I have heard of a few workshops that will teach you how it is all done.
There are two; one in Ontario and one in Alberta. For more information on these workshops you can go here: Seeds of Diversity - Seedy Events
Another idea that I love is community seed saving. It is often the case that you will be able to harvest much more seed from your garden than you personally will be able to use the following year. However, you could organize a community project which allows members to swap extra seeds that they have harvested. There are many different ways you could go about this, but the key points would be to ensure that all seeds are properly harvested, stored and labeled; and of course ensure that everyone involved is organically inclined.
A few websites I have found that seem to include good and relevant information on seed-saving are the following:
Seed Sanctuary for Canada
How to Save Garden Seeds
I also came across this great video on the importance of saving seeds and tomato seed harvesting! (I didn't have a clue that this was how you found viable tomato seeds...)
It is an unfortunate truth that sometimes organic goods can cost more than your standard contaminated variety. It is important then, to minimize costs wherever you can!
If you plant your own garden, and tend to buy your plants and seeds new every year, then harvesting your own seeds can help save on the yearly start-up costs for your garden.
Harvesting seeds can be different for every plant - however a little bit of research will teach you when and how to harvest seeds for all your various plants.
What you will need to begin saving your seeds:
1. Knowledge about the life cycle of your plants.
2. If there are any specific ways you need to harvest the seed.
3. A place to safely dry your seeds.
4. A way to store your seeds until the following year. (Cool dry places are the best.)
If you would rather learn hands on without so much research, I have heard of a few workshops that will teach you how it is all done.
There are two; one in Ontario and one in Alberta. For more information on these workshops you can go here: Seeds of Diversity - Seedy Events
Another idea that I love is community seed saving. It is often the case that you will be able to harvest much more seed from your garden than you personally will be able to use the following year. However, you could organize a community project which allows members to swap extra seeds that they have harvested. There are many different ways you could go about this, but the key points would be to ensure that all seeds are properly harvested, stored and labeled; and of course ensure that everyone involved is organically inclined.
A few websites I have found that seem to include good and relevant information on seed-saving are the following:
Seed Sanctuary for Canada
How to Save Garden Seeds
I also came across this great video on the importance of saving seeds and tomato seed harvesting! (I didn't have a clue that this was how you found viable tomato seeds...)
Photos via LollyKnit, kirstyhall and net_efekt.
__________________________
If you enjoyed this post, why not Subscribe to Organically Inclined!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)