The portion of the post is "sponsored" by the fictitious product "Powdermilk Biscuits" "Made from whole wheat raised in the rich bottomlands of the Lake Wobegon river valley by Norwegian bachelor farmers” --Garrison Keillor

The other day, a regular customer to our Front Porch Farm Stand got to talking about raw milk – how expensive it is for a family with kids.   Of course, the conversation turned to how I grew up on raw goat's milk and how our dietary habits have changed over the years.

She wondered what we drank.  I said that we really don’t drink milk at all. Our family has never been big on drinking milk. But when we use milk, we found a way to stretch it.

Stretch Your Stores

I remember my grandmother mixing  powdered milk into regular whole milk as a way of making the milk go further.  She used the instant dry milk and, back then, that did help to make the price of milk more economical.

We rarely use whole milk, but use (Organic) Non-Instant Powdered Milk in our coffee and when baking.  I like to mix up a enough powered milk in a quart canning jar and store it in the fridge for a week's worth of use.

Powdered milk is a very good source of protein and we use the non instant (and, thus, more expensive) kind for more nutritional value.  We find that having fresh milk around when we don't drink or even use that much tends to be a waste as it will spoil.  Having powdered milk around solves the dilemma for us.

Here are some ideas for using Dry Milk:

1. Add to pancakes.
2. Mix in muffin batter.
3. Add to scrambled eggs before cooking.
4. Mix in biscuits.
5. Mix dry milk ahead and refrigerate for drinking.
6. Cook hot cereal in dry milk.
7. Prepare hot chocolate.
8. Make Rice Pudding.
9. Make easy vanilla pudding.
10. Make cold chocolate milk.
11. Make the night before to pour over breakfast cereal.
12. Whiz a milk shake.
13. Prepare macaroni and cheese.
14. Make cream of potato soup.
15. Mix in bread dough.
16. Mix in casseroles.
17. Mix in cornbread.
18. Use in cake batter.
19. Add extra dry milk powder for added protein and calcium.
20. Add two tablespoons to fortify liquid meals with more protein and calcium.
21. Add to mashed potatoes.
22. Make into buttermilk.
23. Add to hot drinks instead of creamer.
24. Use in cookie recipes.
25. Take on trips to use for breakfast cereal.
26. Take camping.
27. Take backpacking.
28. Add to master mix for baked products.
29. Make a cream sauce for pasta.
30. Reconstitute and add to regular milk to reduce cost.
31. Make potato soup.
32. Make evaporated milk: one cup dry milk mixed with 2/3 cup water is the equivalent of 1 can of evaporated skim milk.

List Courtesy of BePrepared2Day

:: Resources ::

Dry Milk No Longer A Frugal Alternative

Powder Milk Biscuits

Recipes Using Powdered Milk via Recipe Chic

and last but not least!

Chopping up the pickles!

Quite colorful and tasty too

Anticipating the time in the future of adding some fish into our diet (see ETHICAL EATING),  we have been adding more tuna to the menu.

Since turning vegetarian in the early 90s, we’ve occasionally eaten fish.  So fish we is what we are  used to,  but it’s been awhile since we went fishing!  Actually, on our 10 acre homestead in Florida, we had a fresh water pond filled with bass.  I used to fish "Huckleberry Finn" style with a simple pole.  Sometimes, I got lucky!    Grandpa loved to fish and  he would take us kids with him on his fishing trips to Tampa Bay.    And Grandma would make a mean snapper dish that was famous far and wide.

We aren't fishing any time soon.   Canned tuna is cheap, so we figured we’d start with that.  We bought a couple cans of "dolphin safe"  from Trader Joes. I know there's probably a better (fresh)  fish selection at Whole Foods (or 'Whole Paycheck' as one of our friend likes to call it) but we've committed not to shop at Whole Foods since it  admitted to selling GMO's

Recently,  I decided I should make an easy peasy tuna pasta salad.  But, of course, my habit is tweaking recipes to fit what we have in our home canned pantry stock.

Opening up the cupboards,  I find sweet zucchini pickles and dilly carrots.   Hmmm, this could work!

PASTA TUNA SALAD
© 2011 Cooks.com - All rights reserved.

1 1/2 c. sm. pasta
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen peas, thawed  (substituted a two handfuls of homegrown celery)
1 1/2 c. chopped carrots  (substituted chopped dilly carrots & sweet zucchini pickles)
1/4 c. finely chopped onion  (substituted homegrown green onions)
2/3 c. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dill weed   (too early for fresh dill in the garden yet, substituted fennel)
1 tsp. salt  (I used 'celery salt')
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 sm. can tuna

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain well. Cool (rinse with cold water to cool quickly; drain well). Thaw peas completely; drain well. Combine cooled pasta, peas, carrots, onion and tuna in a large bowl; mix well. Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, sugar, dill weed, salt and pepper in a small bowl; blend well. Pour mayonnaise dressing over macaroni mixture; toss lightly. Chill. Garnish with paprika and serve on lettuce leaves if desired.

Happy to say, everyone enjoyed it!  Even Jordanne, who's not too keen on tuna.

- William Wordsworth rewritten for our times

In winter, when surplus greens are scarce, we supplement our backyard poultry's diet with wheatgrass. Justin sows a few dozen trays and each morning the feather menagerie get a flat of "grass" to nibble on.  Boy, do they go to town on the grass flat!

Not only does their health benefit when the chickens/ducks has the opportunity to graze on “grass” but the people's health also benefits from eating their eggs with increased egg nutrition  (high in Omega 3-s and vitamin D)

The old saying "You are what you eat"  comes to mind,  but also what your critters eat too.

Growing Right Along

Though I know it really has nothing to do with the title of this post, there's so much news and projects in the works I don't even know where to start.

Some important things to mention so listen up and listen carefully!

Jordanne's working on a couple "top secret" projects. HINT: has to do with one of her favorite things.

I know ya'll have be clamoring for recipes so she's also working a a recipe sharing sort of thing that will feature recipes from LHITC.

Not only that but upgrades to our gardening social network, Freedom Gardens, is in order and so to with the popular photo gallery. The most hit page on our website is getting yet another face lift and even more photos!

Are you totally excited and impressed like I am?

Well then, here's where I am going to add a gentle reminder that LHITC is ad free. If you enjoy daily reads here, gleaning information and inspiration here's how you can go about supporting our growing outreach. Or send a big box chocolate to keep this girl going as she works into the wee hours of the night to tackle some of these projects.

After a cool start weather wise, the summer harvest is now just started to pour in and what a blessings. We are so thankful for the bounty that the earth provides.

Now for some incredibly yummy photos. Going to mix in a few shots of what we harvested (many of the seed varieties can be purchased from our seed store Freedom Seeds) along with what we have been eating.

Heirloom tomatoes

Basket of peaches

Apples

and more apples!

Part of the winter squash harvest Pumpkin, Baby Blue Hubbard and Burgess (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

Chantenay Red Core Carrots (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

Eggplant, tomato and basil bruschetta with tabouleh

Peacevine Cherry Tomatoes (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

Veggie patty with beans and carrots

Double Yield Cucumber (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

A whooper! Cherokee Purple Tomato (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

Tabbouleh with tomato and summer squash pasta

Homemade/handcranked peach ice cream

Homegrown toppings for pizza

Sun cooked pizza in sun oven (www.PeddlersWagon.com)

Provider Green Beans (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

Homemade/handcranked strawberry ice cream

Vegetable pot pie with cucumber and tomato salad

Tomato, cucumber soup with herb croutons

WEEK OF EATS AT THE URBAN HOMESTEAD

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Our Food Pledge

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.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - blueberry pancakes with strawberries
Dinner - flour tortillas with spanish rice, topped with sauteed green peppers and red onions

SUNDAY

Breakfast - apple crumble
Lunch - Saturday dinner leftovers
Dinner - avocado and tomato sandwich

MONDAY

Breakfast - apple crumble
Lunch - tomato and squash pasta with tabouleh
Dinner - tomato and squash pasta with green beans

TUESDAY

Breakfast - apple crumble
Lunch - veggie pot pie with cucumber and tomato salad
Dinner - leftovers

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -apple crumble
Lunch - tomato and cucumber salad with herb croutons
Dinner - leftovers

THURSDAY

Breakfast - apple crumble
Lunch - vegetable patty with carrots and green beans
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - roasted eggplant, tomato and basil bruschetta with tabouleh
Dinner - no knead bread, fresh tomato sauce (tomatoes, onions, peppers, parsley, basil) over spaghetti with salad

What summer time treats/feasts are you enjoying in your neck of the woods?

Good little article but there are some slight misstatements. 1.) We grow 99 percent of our PRODUCE not diet 2) We do buy supplement animal feed (grains pellets) oh, and our goal is "ZERO" food miles!

Path to Freedom conserves water while cutting ‘food miles’ from Dervaes family’s carbon footprint

By Carolyn Neuhausen PASADENA WEEKLY

On a quiet street off Orange Grove Boulevard, about a mile from the Rose Bowl and Old Pasadena, members of the Dervaes family pull about 6,000 pounds of edible flowers, vegetables and fruits from the raised beds and pots on their micro-farm each year.

Jules Dervaes and his children Justin, Anais and Jordanne have been growing their own food on their one-tenth of an acre lot since the 1980s. The family produces 99 percent of its entire diet in the family yard in what Jules calls the “100 foot diet,” since produce and eggs travel 100 feet or less from their source to the Dervaes’ kitchen.

The Dervaes’ urban homestead, Path to Freedom, symbolizes a victory in cutting out food miles from their carbon footprint. What makes this feat all the more remarkable is the family’s ability to use water-conserving techniques to grow their produce.

Food miles are “the distance food travels from where it is grown to where it is ultimately purchased or consumed by the end user,” states a paper published for Iowa State University’s Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture.

The farther a product travels from its source to a store, the more gasoline, energy and packaging is used to bring that food to the consumer. The longer food takes to get from the farm to the consumer, the more nutrients it loses, since food starts losing its full nutritional value after being picked. For this reason, consumers have been growing their own vegetable gardens and attending local farmers markets in increasing numbers.

“Food miles are important [because of] the carbon footprint that’s hidden in our cheap food. It’s like ‘look at our cheap food’, but someone’s paying somewhere for something because it’s not cheap when you ship. [Food] coming from Chile or New Zealand, that’s a lot of trucking. If you can’t see it [the cost] right off the bat on your bill you’re going to see it in the health care bill for the planet,” said Jules Dervaes.

When the Dervaes’ harvest a surplus of heirloom tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and peas, they sell the surplus to restaurants in Pasadena such as Marstons, Elements Café and a catering business, Kitchen for Exploring Foods. At the most, Dervaes produce travels a mile and a half to get to these restaurants, which also represents minimal food miles.

At zero food miles for the family, Path to Freedom is certainly environmentally friendly, but the Dervaes’ have used other methods and systems to decrease their environmental impact and increase their Earth friendliness.

Animals are a part of closing the sustainability circle at Path to Freedom. A food chart produced by the Dervaes family shows that, in a good year, they consume 60 percent of their harvest, 30 percent is sold to restaurants and 10 percent is fed back to their farm animals. The homestead farm is entirely sustainable, because the family re-uses and composts droppings from their two goats, five ducks and eight chickens, which enriches the soil for next year’s garden. Because the urban farm produces enough food for the family and the animals, the Dervaes’ don’t even need to use their cars or gas to get food from an animal-feed supply store. Everything they need to keep their farm fed and producing happens in their yard.

In an effort to decrease their environmental impact, Jules Dervaes took advantage of Pasadena’s many city rebate programs, upgrading his three major appliances to Energy Star brands, taking advantage of compact fluorescent light bulb giveaways, installing solar panels and planting trees. The solar panels provide two-thirds of the Dervaes’ electricity, and Jules chooses to pay an extra few cents per kilowatt hour to get wind-powered electricity through the city grid at night.

Running a farm in their backyard hasn’t always been easy for the Dervaes family; drought, natural aridity and California’s growing water shortage have posed problems and harvest shortfalls in recent years.

According to the state of California Web site and the state Water Control Board, statistics show California entered a severe drought in fall 2006. Three years later, the state may be gearing up for a fourth year of drought and is planning to reduce urban water usage by 20 percent by 2020.

The Pasadena Department of Water and Power placed a mandatory limit on watering to one day per week this rainy season and, as of April 1, residents can only water three times a week before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m. — the latest efforts in a years-long water reduction effort.

The city charges households for water usage on a tiered scale: what used to be scaled in three blocks has now expanded to five, with five different costs of water. The more water used, depending on water meter size, the more a resident’s water bill.

The Dervaes’ at one point were in the fifth tier scale, costing them plenty of money and jeopardizing their ability to continue affordably growing their own food. But the city gave the family a chance to explain their unique needs for a lot of water and their conservation methods. The family wrote the city explaining the steps it was implementing to curb water usage and was granted relief, making farming more affordable.

In fact, the Dervaes’ have cut their watering bill to $600 annually, and they did it by reusing water, reducing water use and using old irrigation methods.

Rich soil is the key to having a bountiful garden and getting the most out of scarce water resources, which is why the Dervaes’ have mulched and composted their soil extensively. Over the years they’ve added so much natural fertilizer to their soil that they now have a foot and a half more soil than their next-door neighbors.

“We don’t waste anything and we have five composting areas around here. When you put the good soil [dirt with animal fertilizer] on the plants they immediately have a kind of insurance against water stress and drought because the soil’s good and the plants have good root systems because they go down,” said Dervaes.

To learn more about conserving water, Jules Dervaes and his family turned to the Internet. Researching old methods of irrigation, they found a system used in ancient China, Rome and Egypt and still used around the world to this day. The system is called “ollas,” the Spanish term for bottle or jar.

Ollas irrigation is based on burying unglazed clay jars in planters or garden beds, near produce, and filling the jars up with water. Unglazed clay pottery leeches moisture, making it a poor container for holding water for long periods of time. When the ollas are buried to the throat in soil, the jar loses water, dripping deep in the soil, near the roots of the plants. It acts as a constant drip irrigation system, but because water is below the surface, it’s not lost in the sun’s evaporating rays and the plants get only the water they need.

The family’s “computerized, automatic-timed waterer,” son Justin, also waters the garden beds by hand, using a watering wand and a hose, which means water is used appropriately where it’s most needed. Each type of plant is watered based on its needs and its size. This customized watering is much different than the sprinkler irrigation systems used in large commercial farms, where sprinklers shoot water over acres and water is lost to evaporation and scatter.

The Dervaes’ reuse their water as well. During the summer, family members use an outdoor shower shed and biodegradable soaps, so water is rinsed off into the ground, nourishing fig tree and sugarcane poles; clothing is washed in an Amish-style crank washbasin, water and biodegradable detergents siphoned off to water their avocado tree.

The family uses a sink-toilet combo from Asia; after washing their hands in the sink with clean water, the toilet bowl fills with that slightly used water, making the sink and toilet functional, water-saving and totally sanitary.

According to Jules Dervaes, citrus, once established, historically does well being dry farmed in California. However, dry farming in semi-arid conditions does not allow for lettuces, carrots, peas and other crops.

A testament to the power of a good rainy season, Justin Dervaes last hand-watered the family’s pea crop at 8 inches of height. They are now well over 8 feet tall, all based on the generous and steady rain Southern California received this winter.

For more stories on the Dervaes’ ongoing micro-farming and conservation efforts, visit urbanhomestead.org.

Monterey Bay/Asilomar, EcoFarm Conference Jan 20-23

Before the conference started, we needed a place to stay for night or two before we were given our designated rooms on the conference grounds and were blessed with a place to stay beachside. (A big thanks to the Bakke family who made this possible.)  There we rendezvoused with friend and farmer, Sergio, who stayed the night with us and who also was there to attend the conference for the first time.

We did get a chance in between raindrops to take a small walk along the beach which was nice.

The 2003 EcoFarm Conference is where Farmer D gave his very first urban homesteading presentation.  Seven years later, we were back - to cover all that has happened here on the homestead.  The topic was perfect: "Big Rewards from Small Spaces."

Unfortunately, the rain just wouldn't let up - just went where there was a break, another deluge would drench the conference grounds.  Wave after wave of rain pelted the coast from the huge storm that covered the whole state of California.

So we couldn't really enjoy walks on the beach (bummer) but instead spent most of our time indoors - talking with people at our booth in the Exhibit Hall, checking out a few talks, attending plenary sessions with Wes Jackson, Eliot Coleman and Frances Moore Lappé,  taking part in the ever-fun seed swap (where we loaded up on more seeds) and hanging out in the dinning hall listening to some wonderful conversations about farm life.

At the farm conference, we met Chris of Chauffin Family Farm, who saw the film in Nevada City and invited us to visit their farm (will take a rain check on that, thank you!).  Thanks, Chris, for the wonderful and engaging conversation - not to mention the jar of olive oil from your farm.  You'll definitely be hearing more from us!

Also, Frances Moore Lappé signed a copy of Diet for a Small Planet for us. On the shelf here on the urban homestead, we have an old and tattered copy from the 1970s, so now we have a new, autographed copy (sweet!). We brought greetings from John Robbins, who is long-time friends with Frances Moore Lappé. She and her daughter, Anna, also work together - yet another example of passing a legacy to the next generation.

Saturday morning was time for Farmer D's Urban Homesteading presentation, which drew about 200 people to Merrill Hall, the main conference venue. (We didn't check the Chapel so don't know how many were there listening in to the live feed.)  The presentation must have been a popular one because when we got to the desk to pick up a CD of the talk, the stack was all gone!

Farmer D opened the presentation with a screening of the ever-popular Homgrown Revolution. We don't know quite what it is about this simple film-that-wasn't-supposed-to-be-a-film.  One of the EcoFarm vendors told us that her husband was in tears at the end of the film - it touches something deep down in people.

Farmer D then talked about what we had learned over the 20+ year urban homesteading experiment, especially when it came to front yard edible gardening (very timely with the bad PR some of these projects are getting - I'll touch on that in a later post).  Lots of people were taking detailed notes. He emphasized that

"Change happens slowly, but you must start now-small can be beautiful and productive"

Perhaps in our spare time (huh) we can have our friend Dan put up the entire talk on YouTube....lots to do!

On the last day of the conference, the sun finally came out - but, alas, it was time for us to go.  We all headed down to the beach after lunch for quick walk - the air, ocean and sunshine were mesmerizing.

We all were extremely tired - don't know why (actually,  in my case I think it's because of the sheets - yep, sleeping on bleached sheets something we aint used to here the urban homestead) and it's hard to be on the road moving from place to place.

Not to mention the worry of how things were at the urban homestead and Sergio's farm with one of the biggest storms we've had in years.  Thoughts of the long drive home brought us back to reality, and we said goodbye to the sand and surf.

With such a land based lifestyle, even when on the road, there's never really time off - your mind wanders back to the farm/homestead as you wonder what's going on and the projects that await your arrival.   We, and even farmer Sergio, were on the phone calling home - wondering the same thing: "How are things there - animals, garden OK?"

At the closing plenary session there was, shall I say, an "interesting" exchange with Elliot Coleman and Gary Hirshberg (of Stoneyfield) Definitely raised some interesting questions though we saw both sides seemed we sided more with Coleman.

Did leave us with a lot to think about - the future of food and organic agriculture.

Now for some photos!

Ahhh, the majestic ocean

Jordanne, me and Sergio enjoy a walk in the beach

Pelicans

Justin and Sergio wonder if they should bring some of the kelp home for their gardens

Enjoying the sand, surf and blue skies

Boardwalk

Welcome!

No better place to have a conference in the world than Asilomar!

Jordanne, Justin and Sergio checking out the tables of information

Justin and Sergio intently listen to a lecture about beneficial plants and insects.

Three farmer's hang out - Sergio, Chris & justin

Meeting up once again with Frances Moore Lappe

Jordanne & Sergio listen in on a talk in the lovely Chapel

Eating together

Hanging together

And now for the most anticipated event of the conference - seed exchange

Justin, Sergio and Jordanne check out tables full of all sorts of seeds

Justin and I fill up envelopes

Nothing makes a farmer happier more than seeds.... well, perhaps rain and a bumper harvest.

Man hands! Pen and little envelopes in hand, Justin fills up on seeds

Farmer D gives his presentation

Santa Cruz Jan 18

On the road again and the rain started coming down - pouring from the sky in torrents.  We aren't used to rain like this!

It was certainly a wet and wild drive!  Our next stop before the EcoFarm Conference was Santa Cruz to meet John Robbins (author of Diet For A New America and Food Revolution). Fortunately for us, a lady (thanks Helena!) whom we met in Nevada City had friends there who had some extra sleeping space.  What a blessing!

Before our scheduled visit with John Robbins and his family, we popped over to the University of California Santa Cruz farm to check out their growing grounds and Alan Chadwicks garden that was the seed of the biointensive movement here in the States.

We were jealous of all the land - and the view-- was worth a million (and more) dollars.  The farm land gently rolled off into the ocean on the horizon.   Just amazing vista -- yeah, I'm jealous!

Then it was off to meet John, Deo, Ocean and Michele Robbins and family. I had read Robbins' book Diet For A New America when I was a teenager. So it was a thrill for us to meet the Robbins family in person. Also, John Robbins kindly wrote a review for Robert McFall's HomeGrown documentary.

Actually, McFalls had another newbie food activist in mind to give a review on the film, but we wanted the film to go to folks that had touched our lives and shaped our journey - folks from the old days that are continuing the food fight today. People like Francis Moore Lappe, John Robbins, Wendell Berry & Wes Jackson.

OK, back to our visit!

We chatted about all sorts of topics, from uncannily similar stories of difficult choices Jules Dervaes and John Robbins made on the basis of deeply held principles to the (grim) state of the world and the necessity of a radically different lifestyle to skepticism about "green washing" and the "light green" tint of some of the current environmental 'movement'.

We felt a real connection with the Robbins family's multi-generational way of living and working together. The Robbins' son, Ocean, and his wife, Michele, and children, lived with them in the same house for many years; now, they live on the same property, although in a separate dwelling, and continue to work together.

John ended our visit by gathering us in a circle and saying a prayer - what a truly warm and touching moment that was!

Thank you, Richard and Dianne, for offering your place for the night.  We truly appreciated that.   And a huge thank you to the entire Robbins family whose work and passion continue to make a real difference around the world.

Now down to Monterey to the Eco Farm Conference!

But before we go, here's some photos.

The farm of UCSC

Old fashion farm implements - sadly, not in use.

Like a bee to honey, Mr Beekeeper checks out the bees

And Jordanne the chicken coop of course!

Next to the John Robbins family "compound"

Group shot with John Robbins and daughter in law, Michelle.  We briefly met Ocean - he had to leave very shortly after we arrived.

What: Film Screening of FOOD MATTERS & Local, Vegetarian Potluck

When: Sunday, April 26 (5:30 PM - 9:00 PM)

Where: 626 Cypress Ave, Pasadena CA (see map)

Cost: $10 (children under 12 are free) A small entrance fee is require as it helps pay for facility rental, sound system, and purchase of eco friendly, compostable dinnerware

Space is limited so please RSVP by calling 626.844.4586 or filling out online reservation form

Event Schedule

5:30 PM - event starts / Freedom Gardens Swap N Meet

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM - local food potluck

7:00 PM - film screening FOOD MATTERS (80 minutes)

8:30 PM - discussion / pop quiz and win prizes!

9:00 PM - event ends

Film

"Let Thy Food Be Thy Medicine, And Thy Medicine Be Thy Food." - Hippocrates

"Food Matters is a must see for those looking to take control of their health."
- John Gray, PhD, NY Times Best Selling Author of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus

"Outstanding"
- John Robbins, author of Diet for A New America

"Anyone who is serious about their health needs to see this stunning film."
- Christiane Northrup, MD, author of Mother-Daughter Wisdom, The Wisdom of Menopause and Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom

"Thought provoking, informative, and compelling, this film matters."
- Rory Freedman, Coauthor of #1 NY Times Best Seller Skinny Bitch

Food Matters' is a hard hitting, fast paced look at our current state of health. Despite the billions of dollars of funding and research into new so-called cures we continue to suffer from a raft of chronic ills and every day maladies. Patching up an over-toxic and over-indulgent population with a host of toxic therapies and nutrient sparse foods is definitely not helping the situation.

‘Food Matters' seeks to uncover the business of disease and at the same time explore the safe, cheap and effective use of nutrition and supplementation for preventing and often reversing the underlying causative aspects of the illness. With the premise of the film being: access to solid information helps people invariably make better choices for their health.

The ‘Food Matters' duo have independently funded the film from start to finish in order to remain as unbiased as possible, delivering a clear and concise message to the world.

Potluck

Bring something (preferably vegetarian) to contribute to the potluck - bring enough food for yourself/family and a bit to share. The primary focus of the ‘Locavore’ potluck is to promote eating whole foods, in their nature-made state, focusing on fresh food from local sources (or as local as possible)

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 a LOCAL BUSINESS, then Fair Trade.

Freedom Garden Swap N Meet

Join local homegrown revolutionaries - swap crops, seeds, expertise and more.

Growing for 21st century food security, FreedomGardens.org is a free interactive, online social community of gardening enthusiasts who are fed up with foreign oil, frequent food miles and high food prices.

To reserve space for this event fill out this easy regisration form or contact 626.844.4586

What: Film Screening of EATING ALASKA & Local, Vegetarian Potluck

When: Sunday, March 29 (5:30 PM - 9:00 PM)

Where: 626 Cypress Ave, Pasadena CA (see map)

Cost: $10  (children under 12 are free)  A small entrance fee is require as it helps pay for facility rental, screening licensing fees, sound system, and purchase of eco friendly, compostable dinnerware

Space is limited so please RSVP by calling 626.844.4586 or filling out online reservation form

Event Schedule

5:30 PM - event starts / Freedom Gardens Swap N Meet

6:30 PM - 7:30 PM - local food potluck

7:30 PM - film screening EATING ALASKA (57 minutes)

8:30 PM - discussion / pop quiz and win prizes!

9:00 PM - event ends

Film

A wry journey for the "right thing" to eat

"Eating Alaska makes us ruminate, laugh and stand in awe, all at the same time."
-Gary Nabhan, Author, Coming Home to Eat and Where Our Food Comes From

"Eating Alaska asks all the right questions and urges us to find our own answers. The film is a very useful and heartful tool for talking about food justice and food systems and to help all of us to create a new story about food." 
- Peter Forbes, Co-Founder  Center for Whole Communities

What happens to a vegetarian who moves to the last frontier?

Eating Alaska is a serious and humorous film about connecting to where you live and eating locally. It is about trying to break away from the industrial food system when that means not only buying fresh seasonal food from local farmers, but taking part in a world of hunting and gathering. Made by a former city dweller now living on an island in Alaska and married to fisherman and deer hunter, it is a journey into regional food traditions, our connection to the wilderness and to what we put into our mouths.

The film portrays a wry quest for safe, healthy, meaningful, and sustainable food that leads to climbing mountains with women hunters, scrutinizing food labels with kids, talking moose meat with teens in a small village public school, and exploring how others in the last frontier, Alaska Natives and non-Natives, are eating.

Eating Alaska takes viewers from a lower 48 farmer's market to the tundra to look for caribou, from fishing for wild salmon to visiting a vegan cooking class in Wasilla. Along the way we will visit with people who are grappling with what is on their plates and trying to balance living off the land with the convenience and speed of reaching for what's on the shelf at the supermarket. This is a story about connecting to where we live, urban or far from it, and coming to terms with what we eat and how we come by it.

{Please be advised this film does show the human impact of hunting and consumption of meat. However it is sensibly depicted without graphic images.}

Potluck

Bring something (preferably vegetarian) to contribute to the potluck - bring enough food for yourself/family and a bit to share. The primary focus of the ‘Locavore’ potluck is to promote eating whole foods, in their nature-made state, focusing on fresh food from local sources (or as local as possible)

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 a LOCAL BUSINESS, then Fair Trade.

Freedom Garden Swap N Meet

Join local homegrown revolutionaries - swap crops, seeds, expertise and more.

Growing for 21st century food security, FreedomGardens.org is a free interactive, online social community of gardening enthusiasts who are fed up with foreign oil, frequent food miles and high food prices.

To reserve space for this event fill out this easy regisration form or contact 626.844.4586

Note this is not a photo accident.  We had the 007 Soup for three meals in a row! 

Sprouting seeds in our handy Food PANtrie

Last  week we enjoyed fresh homegrown broccoli.  Since we strive to eat low on the food chain with homegrown vegetables as our main food source this recent article shows that eating our greens is  good for us.  In winter and spring our garden is certainly full of vitamin rich greens.

Want Strong Bones? Eat More Greens

Fruits and vegetables are metabolized to bicarbonate and thus are alkali-producing. But the typical American diet is rich in protein (meat and dairy) and cereal grains that are metabolized to acid, and thus are acid-producing. With aging, such diets lead to a mild but slowly increasing metabolic "acidosis." Read full article

New readers from MEN will notice that our meals are pretty simple - veggies and a few staple items like pasta, rice and grains.  Simple, peasant type meal.   Noticeably absent is meat.  We stopped eating meat back in late 1980's for environmental reasons (at that time local beef and free range weren't even a term)  A  recent article  in Scientific America shows that eating less meat is not only better for you health wise but it's also good for the environment

Producing the annual beef diet of the average American emits as much greenhouse gas as a car driven more than 1,800 miles. Read full article

And here's an interesting article about kids, dirt and that farm life builds immunity.  Just threw that into the mixed bag of news today.

Just some food for thought.  Now our weekly meal wrap up.  Enjoy

SATURDAY

Breakfast - homemade pancakes made with homeraised eggs
Dinner -homemade tortillas, spanish rice (homegrown tomatoes, peppers, green onions) with organic black beans and cheese

SUNDAY

Breakfast - homemade stove top granola made with homegrown honey
Lunch - leftovers from Saturday dinner
Dinner - homegrown broccoli local meyer lemon pasta with homegrown salad

MONDAY

Breakfast - homemade stove top granola made with homegrown honey
Lunch - 007 soup - homegrown broccoli, tomatoes, green onions, kale, peas, squash
Dinner - leftover soup

TUESDAY

Breakfast - homemade stove top granola made with homegrown honey
Dinner - leftover 007 soup - homegrown broccoli, tomatoes, green onions, kale, peas, squash with homemade organic cornbread
Lunch - homegrown broccoli local meyer lemon pasta with homegrown salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - homemade stove top granola made with homegrown honey
Lunch - homegrown broccoli with homegrown herb and local lemon butter with organic potatoes
Dinner - homegrown baked winter sqaush with homegrown salad

THURSDAY

Breakfast - homemade stove top granola made with homegrown honey
Lunch - homegrown broccoli with homegrown herb and local lemon butter with organic potatoes with leftover homegrown winter squash and leftover homemade corn bread
Dinner -homegrown salad greens, homemade herb pizza crust topped with homegrown tomatoes and canned marinated homegrown peppers

FRIDAY

Breakfast - homemade stove top granola made with homegrown honey
Lunch - homegrown broccoli and greens with CA organic rice and homemade raw cheese sauce
Dinner - homemade no knead bread, homegrown, preserved tomato sauce with organic whole wheat pasta and homegrown salad