Farmers Markets Season has Begun

Many of you may be aware of the beginning of your local farmer's market. There are several reasons to shop and support your local farmer market: supporting your local economy, reducing transportation impacts from miles your food has travelled, eating fresh produce and thereby eating less preservatives. Sounds like common sense.

Mother Nature Network recently posted some neat tips on how to shop at a Farmer's Market near you. http://www.mnn.com/food/markets-groceries/stories/cornering-the-market

Here's a website where you can search for farms in your area:
http://www.localharvest.org/

A History of Earth Day

This week the US celebrates the 37th Earth Day. How will you celebrate? Here are some simple effective ways:

1. Thick about which habit can I change that will make my being less burdensome?

2. Pay it forward: Talk to a friend about your resolve and inspire them to make a change.

3. Talk to your children and learn from them. They will be coming home with a wealth of knowledge.

4. Take action. Actions speak louder than words.

My family opted for a hybrid sedan vehicle instead of a larger SUV type car. This purchase will require us to change our vehicle use habits. Your resolve may not involve a large purchase, but if it makes a difference, thats what matters. Take a ceramic cup to work;

Stop using the disposables;

Use one napkin instead of the usual 20 odd napkins,

Use a cotton washable rag for cleaning and dusting instead of paper towels,

Use cleaning products that are gentler to produce and use,

Compost your yard waste instead of throwing it in the trash and

I can go on and on.

While you are in the mode check out the history of Earth Day

http://www.america.gov/st/env-english/2008/April/20070420114325jtnworb0.9966699.html

A Present for Mother Earth!

Spring is here! Forsythias, daffodils, snowdrops, magnolias, crocus (or is it croci) blooming everywhere! Earth day is fast approaching. So what's your present to Mother Earth this year? How about something that truly helps improve the Earth as in soil? Here are my suggestions and I welcome yours:

• Stop applying pesticides to your garden. Although these treat pests in your garden, they also are harmful for pets, other wildlife and to our children and us. Ever wonder why you should not get on your lawn for at least 24 hours after a pesticide application? Pesticides are designed to attack biological systems which includes you and me.


• Stop using fertilizer without the appropriate knowledge of how much to add and when to add. Lack of this knowledge, can result in over fertilizer. The big picture: you kill your lawn, you let rain water carry excess fertilizer to our streams and rivers which results in "eutrophication" of the water body. Eutrophication is a fancy term for availability of excess nutrients leading to increased algal growth and uptake of oxygen in the water body, killing the fish and other fauna.
• Change the type of weedkillers. Let move from RoundUp like products to more natural biodegradable weedkillers like BurnOut, a concoction of clove oil and citric acid, http://www.planetnatural.com/site/burnout-weed-killer.html. Even vinegar and lemon juice work fantastically.

We took this step last year. Our landscaper was adding fertilizer and pesticides to areas which were devoid of grass! We found Organic Dutchman, an organic lawn treatment outfit at http://www.organicdutchman.com/. The bald patch in our lawn has re-grown, the grass is healthier (the deer are enjoying it) and my kids can run around bare footed. My neighbor got a new puppy and switched to Organic Dutchman. I am sure there are other such
vendors. Spread the word folks!!
You and I can Green It for Mother Earth this year!