It’s Summer – Let’s Eat!

Question: What’s so great about Maryland in the summer?
Answer: The Food, of course!

Summer in Maryland can best be described with three words: Hot, Humid and Colorful. We may be wilting from the heat during the day and battling King Kong mosquitoes at night – but we’re laughing through the haze as we devour the local flavor. Summer has yet again blessed us with a cornucopia of vibrant, savory foods from local farmers.

Your local Farmers’ Market is overflowing with red, pink and yellow tomatoes, green and yellow squash, green beans, cucumbers, peaches, blueberries, blackberries, cherries and more! How about fresh free-range eggs or chickens, or some organic, grass-fed beef? And let us not neglect – the seafood! Catch the end of the blue crab season or indulge in freshly caught fish. Stock up on those fresh herbs: basil and thyme, oregano and sage.

Why buy and eat local foods? First of all, it just tastes better! It’s fresh, crisp and flavorful right out of the garden – and the nutrients pack the greatest wallop then, too! Fresh produce loses nutrients quickly, so once it’s been on a truck for a week it’s barely worth eating. Local farmers also plant more varieties of vegetables, because different strands are harvested at different times. This preserves the genetic diversity of our food, rather than settling for the one variety that produces well, withstands every hardship, and is able to be mechanically harvested without damage.

Buying local foods supports endangered family farms. Vow to spend just $8-$10 a week on local foods, and you’ll make a significant impact on your local economy and your neighborhood farmers. Talk with your local farmers at CSA’s (community supported agriculture) and Farmer’s Markets. These folks have a wealth of information that they’re happy to share – just ask! Easy recipes, information about a vegetable you’ve never tried, storage techniques: they’ll have answers!

Buying locally also reduces your own carbon footprint, as most food is transported an average of 1300 miles before it graces your table. Now let your mind envision the large, powerful corporations that make the storage and transport of your food possible. Should your precious food dollars support these environmental nightmares or might they be better used supporting your local community?

I know….it’s work. It means changing our routine and our entire thought process about our daily bread. We’ve all been sucked into believing the television commercials – that eating the processed, packaged food from South America gives us more time and allows us to live the American Dream.

But let’s review where that dream has led us. As a Nation we’re grossly overweight and pathetically unhealthy. Diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure are common afflictions leading to our support of another mega-industry – pharmaceutical. (don’t worry, that’s a rant for another day). In our grandparents generation families gathered in the kitchen and at the table – and talked as they prepared and enjoyed their foods. Today we collapse in front of the television, usually in different rooms. Something’s missing.

It’s time to re-think the American Dream.

It’s time to nourish and care for:
- our bodies
- our families
- our communities
- our nation
- our world

We can’t do everything at once – but we can commit to gradual, consistent change. For now, let’s start by buying – and eating - a few local food products each week. Go to your local Farmers’ Market or Amish Marketplace. Discover the indescribable taste of quality and freshness. Your world – and your health – may never be the same.

The Un-Runner Has Left the Driveway!

Some people get stuck in non-productive ruts. Me? I head straight for the Grand Canyon of Un-Productivity. I don't know if everyone takes these unexpected detours - or if I'm just "special". (yeah, I vote "special", too!) The good news is each time I detour I lose less ground than before - and I recover quicker.

In my current quest for a doable routine that allows me to juggle the many, many plates in my life - I've gotten back to running! I've read that many, many successful people run every morning. Since I WILL be successful, I must run every morning - yes?

In an effort of full disclosure - it hasn't been EVERY morning - I tend to walk more than I run - and this morning's run got cut quite short because it had gotten waaaay too hot before I made it away from the computer and out onto the street. However - I AM making progress!

I really applaud you folks who manage to run 20 miles (Go Amy!) or bike 60. I won't be joining you, however. I'll hold down the homefront - educating the children, figuring out new ways to cook zucchini, and making sure we have plenty of iced tea! (ok - I'm also writing a book, running a writing & public speaking career, and organizing quite a few things for the local homeschooling population - but you get the idea. Most of these things do NOT require sweating.)

To be fair, my proudest accomplishment of the week: my children are doing daily household chores! Honest! The six year old vacuumed this morning and took care of the dogs, the nine & ten year olds cared for the cats & chickens then cleaned tables & emptied trash. And THEN they worked on their bedrooms! What manifested this miracle, you ask? I made a chart. Yup. Didn't even promise them anything for doing the work, just said we were ALL going to contribute to the household - a little bit every day. I don't know how long it will last - but for now it's working! (we're all a little routine challenged in this happy home)

So...we're all trying the new routines. Unfortunately, I always wear out BEFORE my schedule says it's rest time. In fact, it's now time for me to oversee the education portion of our day - and I'm not sure what we're doing yet. As Robert Frost said:

I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep.

ZZZZZZZZ...

Got Chickens?

We do! Our eight little peeps arrived last month and have settled in nicely, thank you ! We have four different breeds - Rhode Island Red & Barred Rock (known for their prolific brown eggs), Americana (lays green/blue eggs and are very social) and Partridge Cochin (absolutely beautiful, with feathered feet!).


In another three months we should have daily fresh eggs - and they should continue to lay for 3-5 years. I'm not very clear on what will happen after that - they usually become dinner, but my children have been very, very vocal about that NOT being an option. I wasn't that concerned until I discovered that chickens can live 20-30 YEARS!!!! Are you kidding me? I think I prefer hamsters with their three year lifespan - MUCH more doable! Too bad they don't lay eggs.

Anyway, we now have a garden (and zucchini) and chickens. What's next, you ask?

Well, does anyone know anything about pygmy milk goats? (Just think, milk, butter, cheese, ice cream........)

Yup - I have issues!