The U.S. leads the world in so many areas, and I am downright proud to be an American. But when it comes to transparency about what is going into the foods we are feeding our family, I quickly learned that as a country, we tend to leave a lot off. Take “pink slime” for example, that wasn’t labeled. As a matter of fact, that’s not the only thing, it seems that we lag behind most developed countries when it comes to telling people how our food is produced.

One of the biggest offenders, and in all honesty, something I’d never even heard of until our kids got sick, are genetically engineered ingredients. If you haven’t heard of them, you’re not alone.–Robyn O’Brien, mother and founder of AllergyKids Foundation

Do you have allergies? Do you know someone with allergies? Or maybe your kids have allergies? If so, you might be interested in what Robyn O’Brien, founder of the AllergyKids Foundation, has to say about labeling foods.

For a more detailed look at how Robyn O’Brien came to her decision on food labeling, see A Mother’s Right to Know. In addition, for information on the food labeling initiative that will be on California’s November ballot, see Label GMOs, and for more information on the federal petition to the FDA (not to be confused with the California initiative), see Just Label It.

Photo courtesy BBB Seed Heirloom Vegetable & Wildflower

Welsh suggest that now is a good time to plant the following vegetables and herbs.

From transplants:

• Cucumber
• Tomatoes
• Basil*
• Oregano
• Parsley*
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Summer Savory
• Thyme

From seeds:

• Green Beans
• Beets
• Carrots
• Corn
• Endive
• Lettuce (leaf not head)
• New Zealand Spinach**
• Pumpkin
• Radishes
• Salify
• Squash
• Sunflowers
• Swiss Chard
• Turnips

Welsh also states that the following are invasive, so grow them in container: French tarragon (avoid the not-so-flavorful Russian tarragon), horseradish, mint. In addition, Welsh states that cilantro and arugula prefer cooler weather, but they can survive throughout the summer in some Southern California gardens that have a semi-shaded location. One more point from Welsh: This is the last month to plant seed potatoes.

* These can also be grown from seeds at this time.

**New Zealand Spinach will easily reappear in your garden after you have torn it out, so don’t plant it unless you want it to make a return visit to your garden.

Source: Pat Welsh’s Southern California Organic Gardening: Month by Month In this book, Welsh provides month-by-month information on planting, watering, fertilizing, and pruning vegetables, fruits and ornamentals in your Southern California garden.

Photos of Signs of Nutrition Deficiency in Tomato Plants courtesy onthegreenpath.ca-homestead

If the world is sane, then Jesus is mad as a hatter…The world says, Law and order, and Jesus says, Love. The world says, Get, and Jesus says, Give. In terms of the world’s sanity, Jesus is crazy as a coot, and anybody who thinks we can follow him without being a little crazy too is laboring less under a cross than under a delusion.–Frederick Buechner, Listening to Your Life

Alleluia!

Photo courtesy Wikipedia

Most of us would like to live and work in pleasant surroundings. Since that includes the outside as well as the inside, landscaping that requires routine maintenance would be part of the picture. Landscaping requires water, and the more water used on the landscape, the higher the water bill will be. With all the rain we’ve had recently, the idea that we need to watch our water use might seem odd. However, we still live in an environment that is semi-desert, and the competition between various stakeholders for available water continues to grow. None of this will change in the short term or long term. With that in mind, the free giveaway and rebate that the Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) is currently offering to its customers are worth taking a look at….http://bit.ly/GG1L82

Note: IRWD provides water and sewer services for homes and businesses that are located in Irvine, portions of the cities of Lake Forest, Portola Hills, Foothill Ranch, Newport Coast, Tustin Ranch, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Orange and portions of unincorporated Orange County

Photo courtesy Roger’s Garden

Wherever there isn’t a plant, a weed will pop up. You can spray, you can hoe, but the easiest way to eliminate weeds is to smoother them with mulch. Plants love mulch - weeds despise them.

McNatt also says now is the time to water “[a]lmost everything, but not without checking the moisture content of your soil.” In addition, fertilize “[a]lmost everything that needs it,” and she adds “organic please.” (Bold is my emphasis.)

Concerning the primary macronutrients—nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K)—that are essential for plant health, McNatt gives the following advice:

Use a fertilizer high in nitrogen for all things green. Use a fertilizer high in phosphorus for all things that fruit or bloom. Use a fertilizer high in potassium when roots are important, such as with potatoes, beets and bulbs.

In addition to the primary macronutrients, secondary macronutrients and micronutrients also play an important role in plant health. Soil that contains numerous beneficial organisms such as fungi, bacteria and earthworms will help to ensure that these vital nutrients are available for the plants to absorb (more on that at another time). Synthetic fertilizers and pesticides can kill these useful organisms. This results in the decreased health and nutritional content of the plants. So as McNatt say “organic please.”

Photo courtesy Planet Natural, a company that provides earth friendly garden products

Put the following in a blender:

• 1.5 cups of Trader Joe’s Organic Green Tea Lemonade (or some facsimile)
• 2 stalks of organic celery
• a handful of organic greens (a salad mix or spinach, whatever you have on hand)

Now blend, drink, enjoy!

If you use organic ingredient, the health benefits to yourself and our shared environment are greatly increased. (Eventually, I plan on write more on this. For now, see this short, out-of-the-months-of-babes video: My Potato Project: The Importance of “Organic.”)

If you think that you can’t afford organic produce, an inexpensive option does exit: Grow your own. And if you live in an apartment or small space and think that you don’t have the enough room to grow produce, think again!

See this video to see what I mean:

Here are a few more suggestions for growing your own veggies and fruits in small spaces: 66 Things You Can Grow At Home In Containers: Without a Garden and Gardening is for Apartment Dwellers Too!

Note: If your time is more important than your money, businesses exist that will do the planting for you.

Irvine is adding another first: The Great Park in Irvine will be the first site outside of Washington D.C. to host the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon….http://bit.ly/zVUZF3

Photo courtesy the Orange County Great Park

Of course, if you did the planting yourself, it would be cheaper. But if your time is more of the deciding factor, the services that Harvest to Home offer provide an answer. They will deliver and install either boxes that can be placed in your yard (or on a balcony) or raised-bed vegetable gardens.

If you choose the vegetable-box option, you will pick from their list which vegetable boxes you want delivered. If you choose the raised-bed option, then you will be able to work with the company to create a custom vegetable garden. For an additional charge, one-time or on-going maintenance is available. In addition, you can buy or rent accessory equipment.

Harvest to Home delivers to Orange and Los Angeles counties as well as Arizona. To learn more about the services provided, watch the Harvest to Home videos.

So Harvest to Home offers an option for getting the health benefits that fresh-picked, organic produce can provide you and your family. It’s a matter of your time or your money. Which would you choose?

For those congregations that are ready to go solar, the workshop will provide practical options that will help them save money. And for those congregations that are not sure if solar is the right option for them, the workshop will provide information that will help them decide.  It’s open to all–church leaders, laypersons, or the just plain curious. In addition, it’s free.

Here are the basics:

Date: Thursday, February 9, 2012

Time: 7 pm - 9pm

Location: Church of the Foothills, 19211 Dodge Avenue, Santa Ana, CA  92705

Cost: Free (A free will offering to cover the cost of printed program materials will be accepted.)

RSVP and Questions:
Allis Druffel, 310-752-3436
allis@interfaithpower.org
Deborah Strunk, 714-809-6166
deborah.strunk@att.net

Additional information is available on the OCICE flyer.

Photo: Reverend Canon Sally Bingham of Interfaith Power & Light