Why I Use My Own Bags

With this being Earth Week I thought I'd share reasons why I use my own bags. The bag in the far right below is one I've had over 20 years. Underneath the word "EARTH" it reads "Every American's Responsibility To Help".

With these big bags I have fewer trips back and forth to the car to unload the groceries.

Just look at how much this bag holds...and it is not even full! Imagine cramming all this into one plastic bag, and no...the bag is not too heavy to carry.

 

Love this little bag. I actually have two this size. They are vinyl and perfect for meats. I help fill the bags at the store and package like items together. It helps save time putting things away when I get home.

Most cloth bags are machine washable, and vinyl bags can easily be wiped clean, making them last a really long time.

Lastly, no plastic bags accumulating in the cabinet underneath the kitchen sink, or eventually filling up the landfills. Makes me feel like I'm doing my part.

Spring Onions

If only this picture was scratch and sniff. These fresh spring onions smell incredible! What to do with them? Roast them with your favorite cut of meat. Toss them into a garden salad. Cook them with garden peas. Throw them into a stir fry. Can't wait to taste-test!!!

Mixing It Up

What's a mother to do when her child won't eat vegetables? Why, mix it up, of course. Simply puree a little spinach and mix it into the soup. Or, add a heaping tablespoon of sweet peas to the dinner casserole. Or, mix finely chopped green bell peppers into the pizza sauce.

I tried this trick last week by mixing cooked rutabagas into a small bowl of cream potatoes and melted cheese on top. One of my daughters actually tried the dish, even after I told her that it was rutabagas and potatoes, and admitted, "It's not that bad."

Well, it's a trick for us grown-ups too. Whenever you want to introduce a new vegetable to your diet, try mixing it with something you like. The flavors will blend together, and you just might discover that you like it. And, if you don't, that's okay. But you will never know until you try!

This week's challenge - Try a new vegetable. Mix it in your salad, stir fry, or rice. Give it a whirl and let me know how it goes.

Blue Eggs

Blue eggs? It's no April Fool's joke, and no...these eggs haven't already been boiled and dyed for Easter. Are they robin eggs? No, but they are from Robin's farm. So, I asked her, "Why blue eggs?" Here's her reply.

"I asked this very same question myself....apparently, there is a genetic abnormality in this breed of hen, whereby they only see the color blue....since they only see blue, they only forage and consume blue-hued plants, flowers and bugs. Since they only consume blue feed, the only pigment they have to lend the shells is blue. The more greenish colored consume some grasses along with the more blue feed, it would seem they may be slightly color blind. Your average brown-egg layer is not too discerning, she will consume any and all feed stuffs before her. Just like in painting, when you mix too many colors, the result is a rather drab brown. And as to the white egg layers, they are generally an albino chicken, pale in feather as well as egg - they cannot process color at all."

Spinach Tortilla

Looking for something to do with 'dem eggs, spinach and onions? This recipe might be just what you're looking for. I was wary to try it, but it is REALLY good! You will need:

2 tsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
3 eggs, beaten
1 ounce grated cheese (cheddar, goat, or feta)

First, turn on oven's broiler. Using an iron skillet, saute the onion in olive oil until lightly golden in color. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Stir the egges into the spinach and onion and cook until almost set. Sprinkle grated cheese on top and put the pan under the broiler for 2 minutes, or until the top is bubbling and brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit before cutting into slices. (recipe from "The Gorgeously Green Diet" by Sophie Uliano)

How About 'Dem Eggs!

Pictured here are a few hens from Starrlight Farm in Wayne County. These lovely ladies produce 'dem eggs that are packed in our CSA produce boxes. Robin Creech, owner of Starrlight Farm, wrote this about her hens:

"My "girls" are a big part of our farm life! We started shortly after we moved here in 2002, with 2 hens that were a gift from our neighbor. We have been so impressed with fresh eggs, we no longer buy from the store, preferring to do without rather than use a lesser egg (well, we did buy a couple of dozen over the holidays, we just couldn't skip the baking!) We believe in a modified free range operation - without fences, the "girls" would quickly fall to predation. We have an open style of coop, for great ventilation, and a large fenced yard for them to forage. The yard is switched a couple of times per year to give them fresh ground to work, and the previous yard is planted in produce to our table. Then at the end of the season, the hens go through and clean up the spent plants, and weeds and bugs, all while laying in a layer of fresh fertilizer! We currently have around 50 layers, probably 30 of them in the first year of laying. At peak, we expect to produce +3 dozen eggs per day. We feed a commercial layers mash, supplemented with lots of fresh greens, fruit and vegetable scraps, and healthy bugs. We strongly believe that we need to know where our food comes from, that we have a responsibility to see that feed animals are treated fairly and humanely, and a desire to be more self sufficient. Personally, I think everyone should keep a few hens in the back yard - they provide entertainment and comic relief as they help amend the soil and provide us with the very best food! I am glad my eggs have been included in your business, and hope we can help stimulate a healthy economy!"



Grandparents

Here are my grandparents, Ivey and Letha Wise, at Christmas, 1996. Together for over 50 years they married young, raised 4 children, were faithful to church and community, and were an ever-present force in the lives of those they loved.