Experts and a few things they got wrong about my families bodies and health and why we would should change how we live to one of trusting ourselves and sitting on the floor!
As a child my mother taught us that hydrogenated oils such as those in processed peanut butter were bad for us. My memory was that it was bad for your heart and joints. She learned this from an alternative source. It made sense to me.
It took the "Experts" until 25 years to except this idea and tell the masses of people. My mother also told me that prunes are good for relieving constipation. You still to this day will never read that on a label of prunes as it has not been "proven"
I have read and been told a lot of miss information. I have also not been given a lot of correct information.
In 2001 I read in a book by a doctor that my uncircumcised sons foreskin would pull back by the time he was 2 years old. It didn't. When I talked to my neighbor, who also had an uncircumcised boy she had read the same thing somewhere else and her sons also had not.
Experts also miss led me with the use of antibiotics and ear infection. when my first son was less than two I took him in for a well baby check up and the Doc told me that he had an ear infection and her was a prescription for some antibiotics. I knew about the over use of anti antibiotics so I went home to do some research on my own and found a preponderance of evidence that I would be putting my son in harms ay if I did not use the antibiotics. We then started on a long and painful roller coaster of ear infection and antibiotics that did not work until when he was 5 he finally had tubs put in his ear. We will never know if that roller coaster of infections was related to the antibiotics but since than the American pediatrics has changed what they recommend and both of my sons have had ear infections, including burst ear drums, that under the guidance of an experienced doctor we have not treated. these infections clear up easily on their own and I don't have to go to the doctor every three weeks.
Here is another one. Early potty training and diaper use in the US. An estimated 27.4 billion disposable diapers are used each year in the US, resulting in a possible 3.4 million tons of used diapers adding to landfills each year.
As of this writing you can still find all over the internet and at all the MD sites that I found that children are mostly ready to potty train between the ages of 2 and 3. Here is a quote from one site " Before the age of two, the release of solid and fluid waste is generally involuntary. Most children only BEGIN to develop control of these muscles around their second birthday. " they often also say that starting earlier is "risky" It has been suggested that they are protecting me from abusing my child incase he doesn't learn quickly. Well I am sorry but my children don't need to be protected threw misinformation.
It happens again that I have a second weird child, It turns now that this one that knew how to control his own body. He also knew how to take in fluids and some solids at this time so it was helpful that he was aware of both ends. It also happens that many children around the world are like my son and learn to control them selves be for two and most before 3. I am not sure what is in the water in the US that makes most of our children different but I guess they must be something.....!
One of the great things that happened when I was doing early potty training with my son (I don't really like the term elimination communication, it's just too.... ? "experty"
I had been putting my son, at the time around 6 month old, in cloth diapers and cotton pants with no diaper covers or liners so that I would know when he went but I was trying to catch when he need to go. I had been trying to write down when ever he went in relation to when he had slept eaten, nursed etc. I am a bit lazy and I wasn't doing the greatest at this task and was a bit disappointed in myself, when my mother sat down at the piano and started to play, I think it was a moonlight sonata and I found myself humming along right in sink SP? with her and every note. Now I do not play any instrument and do not know anything of how to read or write music, I had never made myself sit down and focus on her playing and yet my brain know every note she was to play before she even played it. Ah the epiphany " My brain is a computer, I don't need to write down the data
Chairs and back pain. Ok so here this one I have no proof about as of yet. there seems to be little to read about this either way unless I do a lot of research...which guess what? I don't want to do so: Low back pain is very significant health problems in the US. Consider these statistics from the National Institutes of Health (NIH):
* Seventy to 85 percent of all people have back pain at some time in their life.
* Back pain is the most frequent cause of activity limitation in people younger than 45 years old.
That is all the information I have except that I know a lot of americans spend a lot of time sitting chairs and unless we come from wealth most of our ancestors didn't. I see my parents as they get older having a hard time getting down on the floor with my children to play and I felt myself getting stiffer also. I also know from talking to those that have visited "3rd world" countries that many people are still very flexible and still spend much time squatting or sitting on the floor or ground. I see this mentioned NO WHERE on websites that talk about back pain. So what am I doing? Last year I put my kitchen table on the floor and I am suggesting you do it too. I also am suggesting you look at all the aspect of your and ask yourself could or did my ancestors do this or eat this? if they didn't is it ok for me. Going to the movie, my great grandparents didn't do go but I think I'll still go. Eating white bread every day? driving to work everyday and not walking no I don't need a study to tell me that isn't right and neither do you.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
I am going to post my old greenfolks garden notes reprinted from the Riverwest Currents.....
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) January 2009
In November I wrote about the importance of our elected officials supporting the growing food independence movement. I have since learned of a wonderful grass roots movement that is focusing on encouraging just this by asking our future president to put a food garden on the White House lawn. Late this past summer the Who (White House Organic) farm bus stopped in riverwest as they traveled around the country with a mission to spread the word about encouraging our future president to grow food on our national lawn. Currently our tax dollars currently pay for 13 workers to care for the White House lawn and gardens and no food is grown on it. We also pay for the food served at the White House! The gardens proposed could grow produce for the White House and guests, as well as provide extra for local food pantries. What an amazing way to spend money wisely as you inspire and lead by example! It turns out a garden like this wouldn't be the first. Eleanor Roosevelt started one in the 1940's to encourage people to support the war effort. It has been noted that not only was up to 40% of our produce grown in home gardens for a time, but also the activity was a moral booster. Gardening feels good and allows people to actively contribute and care for themselves in troubled times. Urban Gardening is good for the health of out plant because it doesn't create green house gases, shipping food does. Eat the View, another great organization pushing the White House garden, says "On average food travels 1,500 miles from field to fork in the US" and "One half of the greenhouse gas emissions we create come from food and Agriculture." Eat the View also has an inspiring video/photo montage (I have never cried at a picture of a tomato before.) Check out these websites; eattheview.org & thewhofarm.org. Sign their petitions, spread the word and then get ready to be a role model yourself and plant a garden of next spring! Contact the greenfolks at greenfolksgarden@gmail.com or call 372-3824.
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) Nov 2008
A new president, financial crises and gardening, what do they have in common? Our need to look to the future both with optimism and realism. The financial crises has reminded us how our interconnectedness can lead to vulnerability and sudden changes. The future is unknowable. What is knowable is that we will all need to eat and sustain ourselves. Leadership needs to help us prepare not just for the present but different possible futures. In some ways our cities have become islands of humanity dependent on a complex agricultural and shipping systems which are totally dependent on cheap oil. This dependency means we are at the mercy of oil availability and prices.
Cuba, a real island, in an interesting example of what can happen. In 1989 Cuba started experiencing a food shortage caused by the combination of trade embargo's and the collapse of the Soviet block. With a sudden reduction in access to both oil for distribution and refrigeration as well as a shortage of imported food there was a real crises. One of the ways that the Cuban people got important nutrients was threw urban gardens. Many of these gardens were organized by the government. Fresh nutritious produce is expensive to ship and refrigerate but can be grown and harvested in small urban plots rather efficiently. Currently 5% of Cuban urban food needs are met by urban gardens and it is predicted that it may go up to 20% in the future. (for info on this I went to cityfarmer.org)
Obviously the U.S. is a very different country than Cuba in many ways and we are not currently facing a food crises but we can learn form Cuba's experience. Urban gardens are an important way we can support our oil independence and food security. We could have campaigns, such as the victory gardens of WWI & II. Instead of victory gardens, I suggest we name them "Independence Gardens" The urban gardening movement is already well underway but political leadership from the national to the local level will help to inspire, priorities and organize these efforts. Gardening is part of reclaiming our power and individual responsibility for caring for ourselves. I am hopeful that the new leaders and representatives that are elected this Nov. 4th will recognize the wonderful importance of urban gardens and farms and join in supporting the movement. And of course if you aren't gardening yet you can join in the movement too! Plan a garden in your yard next year or join the a community garden for more information try www.milwaukeeurbangardens.org, contact the greenfolks at greenfolksgarden@gmail.com or call 372-3824 .
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) Aug 2008
The Green Folks Garden currently has only one milkweed plant growing but it is well watched and cared for as milkweed is the host plant for monarchs butterflies. My family has a nice stand of milkweed next to our house from which my son picked some leaves that had the tiny butterfly eggs on them. We have been enjoying watching the caterpillars grow and change into chrysalises. As a woman who has given birth to two children I have a new respect for monarchs. Watching the caterpillar (or larva stage) change into a chrysalis is like watching a creature give birth with its whole body. First after fattening up from about the size of a grain of sand to a fat two inches caterpillar in about 11 days they got nice an sleepy and hung upside down for half a day or so. Then they started to move again, wiggly and writhing until their skin burst open and there was the bright green chrysalis, smaller than I had imagined but beautiful. At first there is a shadow image of the caterpillar still in the shape of the chrysalis but as that fades two perfect bracelets of tiny gold dots appear, one tightly spaced and the other widely spaced. Seeing these gold leaf decorations on the egg like forms does make one wonder if there is some great hand out there that designed and painted them. If you don't already have milk weed in your life I highly recommend planting some. You can plant them from seeds of plants already in the neighborhood or they can be ordered for free from this website: http://www.livemonarch.com/free-milkweed-seeds.htm If you don't have a yard, come by the GFG and check out our milk weed to see if it has any butterflies growing on it!
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) July 2008
"In memory of Walter Kmet, a proud riverwest resident since 1962 whose passion for gardening brought him much joy. His hope would be that this garden also bring you joy." These are the words on a memorial stone that has been added to the greenfolks garden. In Walter's honor his son Ken Kmet, of KWK Electric, donated a generous contribution for purchasing the plots last year. Already Walter's hope and spirt have come true for me and my family as the joy the garden has brought us is immeasurable. I am sure I speak for many in the community when I say Thank you Walter and Ken.
And now on to more serious matters, I am going to admit here in this public forum that I break the law and trespass on other peoples property.....to weed. And worse yet, bad mother that I am, I have taught my son to do this also. Our enemy is garlic mustard and when we are walking across riverwest we and we see a yard with just a plant or two we run up and yank them out with or without permission. Once established garlic mustard is established it is almost impossible to get rid of without extreme effort. Weed seeds do not understand boundaries. Even if my neighbor doesn't care about their weeds, I may care about their seeds as they blow and drop into my yard. Sometimes we ring doorbells of yards that look cared for and have told a number of people who were glad to know what a nasty, invasive weed they had. More than one new gardener had been letting it grow as they didn't know what it was and thought it's green leaves were attractive or that it might be a nice perennial. However we don't always take the time to ring bells,and for this we apologize. We are obsessed and despise the future we imagine of garlic mustard around every bush and tree and beside all the houses except for the few homes where gardeners spray poisons or are fanatical weeders. Three years ago at the Green Folks Garden we had a number of garlic mustard plants show up near the back of our plot. I walked around our neighbors fence and sure enough there were quite a few plants. The neighboring plot is owned by an absentee land lord who had been supportive of the garden so I felt very comfortable stepping among the forgotten day-lilies and pulling the dreaded pest of a plant. I got to it before they went to seed and have been very diligent weeding up any stragglers for the last few years and this year I only found two plants in our whole plot, and none in the neighbors. That experience started my illicit weeding habit. Garlic mustard is spreading through Riverwest and Milwaukee, and there may come a day when we look back fondly on weedy yards of dandelions, plantains, violets and creeping charley but until then it would be great to have more people join the fight, If you don't have a yard and think weeding up such a fun foe might be something you enjoy the river trails are full of it and a battle is currently being waged by many volunteers and nature lovers. If you have kids get them involved as fighting this weed is a great way to channel their natural destructive urges! Every child I have ever taught to recognize this plant has continued weeding it with glee.
Although garlic mustard is fun to hate I also have come to have an odd affinity for it since I heard someone call humans the the mammalian weed. Garlic mustard and people have a lot in common. Like us, garlic mustard spreads wherever it can and takes over, ruthlessly pushing out almost all other species. So I will hate it and I will forgive it as I hope others will forgive me, for being an invasive weeding neighbor. for more info. feel free to contact me or join the Urban Ecology Centers "burdock brigade", there is also plenty of information on line.
As of print there is still room in our July kids activities in the garden: yogakids and story time. contact me Sarahworks@wi.rr.com or call 975-2521
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) June 2008
With gas prices rising the cost of shipping a lemon is starting to be seen at the store. A lemon is really pricey if you are looking at an organic one. But I have a solution, (at least for the spring and summer.) Lemon Sorrel, one of the two herbs I have already enjoyed from my garden this year. Lemon Sorrel is a perennial, so it comes back every year, and grows extremely well and care free in my somewhat shady home garden. It may not be exactly like a lemon but it sure is close and definitely satisfies my need for tang. If you use it as a garnish on hot food it does sometimes turn a rather unattractive army green color, but the taste is worth it. The other perennial herb I have used already this year is Anise Hyssop. What I have been using is some of the volunteer seedling I have been weeding up, however the main plant that I have left is growing quickly and I think in just a week or two I will be pinching from it also for its sweet licorice flavor. The flavor works wonderfully with basil so soon I am will be running over to Kellners Green House to get a few plants to go with it, (along with an egg plant and a few tomatoes, some cucumbers... oh thank you last frost date May 15th! ) I purchased the Lemon sorrel from Kellners also but ordered the Anise Hyssops from Fedco seeds, if you ask me in the fall I will have seeds of my own to offer, but I have never saved them as they reseed themselves so willingly.
Next month I plan on ranting about Garlic Mustard, the invasive weed that is the most fun to hate, but now is the time to be weeding it out so if you don't know what it looks like check out http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/invasives/fact/garlic.htm or go the urban ecology center or ask a friend if they know what it looks like because it is marching our neighborhoods and none of us want it in our yards! (I am also willing to meet and show anyone who is interested!)
If you are looking for summer activities for kids the Green Folks Garden is offering two great series: Yoga kids in the garden will be offered July 1st for 6 tuesdays in a row from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Children's storytelling in the garden is being offered Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. June 18th threw July 23rd. If you want to be part of our yoga support group in the garden, a more informal gathering, we are planning on having it on wednesday mornings once things have really warmed up (mid June?) For any info on any of the above or to sign up for the children's activities contact 975-2521 or email Sarahworks@wi.rr.com
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) May 2008
Earth Day clean up and work day In the garden was amazing! We had 21 volunteers show up. Our strawberry patch had crept and then walked and finally run over the paths until it was more than double in size so some radical gardening was in order. A lot of Strawberry plants were dug up and transplanted in a new patch but there are still a bunch in pots and flats in the back of the garden so if you want any come help yourself! All of our paths were edged, news papers were laid down and covered with wood chips from a generous piles the city had delivered on friday morning (just in time!) My son Andre had a great time helping and as he was shaking dirt from clumps of sod, he collected a hand full of chicory roots which he presented to me proudly. He had over heard a conversation that some of the other gardeners were having about how you could make a coffee substitute with them. Maybe we will save some dandelion roots as we garden the rest of to roasting with them. I will report back later in the season on how we like it! However I know I like dandelion wine and since I didn't make any last year I am definitely looking forward to making some this spring.
Most of the dandelion wine recipes I found seemed fussy or called for special wine yeast or other ingredients that I don't normally have around the house. So I adapted my own and found that wine is easy to make, (if you aren't very picky) However I I do rely on a lot of sugar. In my experience Milwaukee wants to be a forest, and sugar and yeast want to be wine. I am including my loose recipe so you can see how easy it can be. If you interested in doing it "right" there are tons of recipes online. I use around 6 cups of sugar, a colander of washed dandelion buds and flowers, juice from a lemon or orange or two, and a gallon of water. After you boil it all together for a while strain out the dandelions threw a piece of clean cotton cloth then put a teaspoon of yeast in it and let it ferment for 3 to 5 days. (In an enamel or non metal pot) Stirring is recommended but I often forget. Then put it in old wine bottles loosely corked (so the bottles don't explode) for at least a few weeks. Later on in the year you can siphon it into new bottles to leave the sediment behind. I have yet to do this, I just have wine with a little muck in the bottom of the bottle. The best part of making dandelion wine is having a reason to sit around a park for a hour of so just picking flowers, so have fun with it. If you don't like to drink it it makes a nice cooking wine.
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) Feb 2008
We are still enjoying food from the garden. My mother brought me a beautiful blue hubard sqaush that she had grown. It was not in a very cool place in our kitchen so this week a spot on it was starting to go bad and I had to bake it up quickly. It made a wonderful sweet soft moosh. I had been planning on freezing it in portions, to use in muffins, but before I got around to it I used it up. I put it in our morning hot cereal, in pancakes, heated it with apple chunks to serve with bratwerst, and added it to baked veggies and chicken. I never loved winter squash as child but now I love it!!!
In past years I have written in January and Febuary about looking at seed catalogs and day dreaming about spring, gardens and yards. Midwinter is a wonderful time to dream, but now I beleive we must dream beyond our own yards and plots to our neighborhood and city. As gas prices go up so will the cost of bringing fresh food into our city and our need to be more sustainable. I am already planning what Milwaukee and riverwest will look like in 10 years. We will make our city beautiful, people friendly, green and yummy. Our parks will be full of edible landscapes ranging from maple, apple and paw paw trees. There will be berry patches next to play grounds for children to pick as their june afternoon snacks. I also dream of neighborhood veggie farms where neighbors garden together splitting the harvest into shares. In my dream neighbors also encouraging each other to plant more fruit trees and garden their own yards. We are very lucky this year, the perfect event to share dreams and learn more about how to make them realities is happening in Milwaukee at the end of the month (see.... Urban ag...Pollinating Our Future......) The more of us go the closer we will be to making our dreams and plans real and our future healthy. Greenfolks Grarden meetings this month: Thursday the 7th and Monday the 18th (601 E Wright) @ 7:30 For more information call 975-2521 or email greenfolksgarden@gmail.com
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) Jan 2008
feed those kido’s their veggies in 2008!
It is mid december as I write this and for dinner last week we had greens from our garden that I picked two weeks ago. First that would be thanks to a warm fall, second to hearty kale and collards and third but not least thanks to green bags. If you don't know about them they are worth checking out. I got mine in the produce section of the Out Post Co-op. I don't remember the technical side of how they work, but they just look like green plastic bags. Your food stays fresh in them at least twice as long as with out them. Once I discovered them I stopped worrying about finishing all my produce before I left for vacation. I just made sure it was all in the green bags. Some of it wasn’t as good as truly fresh but still at least edible, which is nice to have when you arrive home after traveling with a family and don’t feel like running strait to the store.
So on the note of fresh produce, I am going to get a bit preachy here. Please forgive me.
My kids eat their veggies and I don’t think they are special. It’s nice to have a second one to test things out on. Both my babies loved plain yogurt, cooked broccoli and carrots as well as greens from the garden (as long as they are not too bitter) and I think anyone else's could too. What do I consider to be the main reasons? #1 start right and start early and simple. I see no reason to give a baby sweet yogurt when they love plain yogurt. This doesn’t mean babies and children shouldn't get treats, it just means you shouldn’t use a standard set by modern day convenience foods as a way of deciding what a baby thinks a treat is. For my babies fruits, yogurt and cheeses have all been considered great treats. #2 If they don’t like it at first let them try it again, and again and again. Some studies have shown that babies should be exposed to a food between 15 to 20 times before you decide to say they don’t like it. I think this amy be true for every one. When I was 18 I had cilantro for the first time and hated it. Within a year I loved it. Many times a baby seems to be becoming a "picky eater" but really it is just their way of testing their new found independence. If they don’t seem to like it try again later, but don’t just keep adding sugar to help them or your just be adding sugar from now on. #3 So you missed out on starting out “right” with your baby, there are still things you can do with older children. Think fresh. Fresh produce is not only better for you, it taste better. Both Andre and I hate old broccoli but love it when it is fresh. I bet this is why broccoli has such a bad rap as a veggie, too many people have had it old and over cooked. #4 Of course my favorite is grow your own fruits and veggies and/or let them help you cook them. My son loves to eat fresh salad strait from the garden or greens he helped pick sautéed with olive oil and garlic and served with little balsamic vinegar. #5 variety, Its good for everyone and keeps foods special.
I have my 8 year old eat at least a little bit of everything I cook, even if he says he doesn’t like it. But of course there are exceptions. Last month he got the flu after eating a huge bowl of cooked carrots. Needless to say, he doesn’t like cooked carrots any more. I would consider it cruel to make him eat them. Now I just leave a few raw for him. I also have always snuck veggies into our food. You can do amazing things by grating and pureeing veggies. I have put zucchini and pumpkin in our oatmeal, carrots in our chili and kale in pasta sauce! So join the “green folks’ and feed those kido’s their veggies in 2008!
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) January 2009
In November I wrote about the importance of our elected officials supporting the growing food independence movement. I have since learned of a wonderful grass roots movement that is focusing on encouraging just this by asking our future president to put a food garden on the White House lawn. Late this past summer the Who (White House Organic) farm bus stopped in riverwest as they traveled around the country with a mission to spread the word about encouraging our future president to grow food on our national lawn. Currently our tax dollars currently pay for 13 workers to care for the White House lawn and gardens and no food is grown on it. We also pay for the food served at the White House! The gardens proposed could grow produce for the White House and guests, as well as provide extra for local food pantries. What an amazing way to spend money wisely as you inspire and lead by example! It turns out a garden like this wouldn't be the first. Eleanor Roosevelt started one in the 1940's to encourage people to support the war effort. It has been noted that not only was up to 40% of our produce grown in home gardens for a time, but also the activity was a moral booster. Gardening feels good and allows people to actively contribute and care for themselves in troubled times. Urban Gardening is good for the health of out plant because it doesn't create green house gases, shipping food does. Eat the View, another great organization pushing the White House garden, says "On average food travels 1,500 miles from field to fork in the US" and "One half of the greenhouse gas emissions we create come from food and Agriculture." Eat the View also has an inspiring video/photo montage (I have never cried at a picture of a tomato before.) Check out these websites; eattheview.org & thewhofarm.org. Sign their petitions, spread the word and then get ready to be a role model yourself and plant a garden of next spring! Contact the greenfolks at greenfolksgarden@gmail.com or call 372-3824.
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) Nov 2008
A new president, financial crises and gardening, what do they have in common? Our need to look to the future both with optimism and realism. The financial crises has reminded us how our interconnectedness can lead to vulnerability and sudden changes. The future is unknowable. What is knowable is that we will all need to eat and sustain ourselves. Leadership needs to help us prepare not just for the present but different possible futures. In some ways our cities have become islands of humanity dependent on a complex agricultural and shipping systems which are totally dependent on cheap oil. This dependency means we are at the mercy of oil availability and prices.
Cuba, a real island, in an interesting example of what can happen. In 1989 Cuba started experiencing a food shortage caused by the combination of trade embargo's and the collapse of the Soviet block. With a sudden reduction in access to both oil for distribution and refrigeration as well as a shortage of imported food there was a real crises. One of the ways that the Cuban people got important nutrients was threw urban gardens. Many of these gardens were organized by the government. Fresh nutritious produce is expensive to ship and refrigerate but can be grown and harvested in small urban plots rather efficiently. Currently 5% of Cuban urban food needs are met by urban gardens and it is predicted that it may go up to 20% in the future. (for info on this I went to cityfarmer.org)
Obviously the U.S. is a very different country than Cuba in many ways and we are not currently facing a food crises but we can learn form Cuba's experience. Urban gardens are an important way we can support our oil independence and food security. We could have campaigns, such as the victory gardens of WWI & II. Instead of victory gardens, I suggest we name them "Independence Gardens" The urban gardening movement is already well underway but political leadership from the national to the local level will help to inspire, priorities and organize these efforts. Gardening is part of reclaiming our power and individual responsibility for caring for ourselves. I am hopeful that the new leaders and representatives that are elected this Nov. 4th will recognize the wonderful importance of urban gardens and farms and join in supporting the movement. And of course if you aren't gardening yet you can join in the movement too! Plan a garden in your yard next year or join the a community garden for more information try www.milwaukeeurbangardens.org, contact the greenfolks at greenfolksgarden@gmail.com or call 372-3824 .
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) Aug 2008
The Green Folks Garden currently has only one milkweed plant growing but it is well watched and cared for as milkweed is the host plant for monarchs butterflies. My family has a nice stand of milkweed next to our house from which my son picked some leaves that had the tiny butterfly eggs on them. We have been enjoying watching the caterpillars grow and change into chrysalises. As a woman who has given birth to two children I have a new respect for monarchs. Watching the caterpillar (or larva stage) change into a chrysalis is like watching a creature give birth with its whole body. First after fattening up from about the size of a grain of sand to a fat two inches caterpillar in about 11 days they got nice an sleepy and hung upside down for half a day or so. Then they started to move again, wiggly and writhing until their skin burst open and there was the bright green chrysalis, smaller than I had imagined but beautiful. At first there is a shadow image of the caterpillar still in the shape of the chrysalis but as that fades two perfect bracelets of tiny gold dots appear, one tightly spaced and the other widely spaced. Seeing these gold leaf decorations on the egg like forms does make one wonder if there is some great hand out there that designed and painted them. If you don't already have milk weed in your life I highly recommend planting some. You can plant them from seeds of plants already in the neighborhood or they can be ordered for free from this website: http://www.livemonarch.com/free-milkweed-seeds.htm If you don't have a yard, come by the GFG and check out our milk weed to see if it has any butterflies growing on it!
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) July 2008
"In memory of Walter Kmet, a proud riverwest resident since 1962 whose passion for gardening brought him much joy. His hope would be that this garden also bring you joy." These are the words on a memorial stone that has been added to the greenfolks garden. In Walter's honor his son Ken Kmet, of KWK Electric, donated a generous contribution for purchasing the plots last year. Already Walter's hope and spirt have come true for me and my family as the joy the garden has brought us is immeasurable. I am sure I speak for many in the community when I say Thank you Walter and Ken.
And now on to more serious matters, I am going to admit here in this public forum that I break the law and trespass on other peoples property.....to weed. And worse yet, bad mother that I am, I have taught my son to do this also. Our enemy is garlic mustard and when we are walking across riverwest we and we see a yard with just a plant or two we run up and yank them out with or without permission. Once established garlic mustard is established it is almost impossible to get rid of without extreme effort. Weed seeds do not understand boundaries. Even if my neighbor doesn't care about their weeds, I may care about their seeds as they blow and drop into my yard. Sometimes we ring doorbells of yards that look cared for and have told a number of people who were glad to know what a nasty, invasive weed they had. More than one new gardener had been letting it grow as they didn't know what it was and thought it's green leaves were attractive or that it might be a nice perennial. However we don't always take the time to ring bells,and for this we apologize. We are obsessed and despise the future we imagine of garlic mustard around every bush and tree and beside all the houses except for the few homes where gardeners spray poisons or are fanatical weeders. Three years ago at the Green Folks Garden we had a number of garlic mustard plants show up near the back of our plot. I walked around our neighbors fence and sure enough there were quite a few plants. The neighboring plot is owned by an absentee land lord who had been supportive of the garden so I felt very comfortable stepping among the forgotten day-lilies and pulling the dreaded pest of a plant. I got to it before they went to seed and have been very diligent weeding up any stragglers for the last few years and this year I only found two plants in our whole plot, and none in the neighbors. That experience started my illicit weeding habit. Garlic mustard is spreading through Riverwest and Milwaukee, and there may come a day when we look back fondly on weedy yards of dandelions, plantains, violets and creeping charley but until then it would be great to have more people join the fight, If you don't have a yard and think weeding up such a fun foe might be something you enjoy the river trails are full of it and a battle is currently being waged by many volunteers and nature lovers. If you have kids get them involved as fighting this weed is a great way to channel their natural destructive urges! Every child I have ever taught to recognize this plant has continued weeding it with glee.
Although garlic mustard is fun to hate I also have come to have an odd affinity for it since I heard someone call humans the the mammalian weed. Garlic mustard and people have a lot in common. Like us, garlic mustard spreads wherever it can and takes over, ruthlessly pushing out almost all other species. So I will hate it and I will forgive it as I hope others will forgive me, for being an invasive weeding neighbor. for more info. feel free to contact me or join the Urban Ecology Centers "burdock brigade", there is also plenty of information on line.
As of print there is still room in our July kids activities in the garden: yogakids and story time. contact me Sarahworks@wi.rr.com or call 975-2521
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) June 2008
With gas prices rising the cost of shipping a lemon is starting to be seen at the store. A lemon is really pricey if you are looking at an organic one. But I have a solution, (at least for the spring and summer.) Lemon Sorrel, one of the two herbs I have already enjoyed from my garden this year. Lemon Sorrel is a perennial, so it comes back every year, and grows extremely well and care free in my somewhat shady home garden. It may not be exactly like a lemon but it sure is close and definitely satisfies my need for tang. If you use it as a garnish on hot food it does sometimes turn a rather unattractive army green color, but the taste is worth it. The other perennial herb I have used already this year is Anise Hyssop. What I have been using is some of the volunteer seedling I have been weeding up, however the main plant that I have left is growing quickly and I think in just a week or two I will be pinching from it also for its sweet licorice flavor. The flavor works wonderfully with basil so soon I am will be running over to Kellners Green House to get a few plants to go with it, (along with an egg plant and a few tomatoes, some cucumbers... oh thank you last frost date May 15th! ) I purchased the Lemon sorrel from Kellners also but ordered the Anise Hyssops from Fedco seeds, if you ask me in the fall I will have seeds of my own to offer, but I have never saved them as they reseed themselves so willingly.
Next month I plan on ranting about Garlic Mustard, the invasive weed that is the most fun to hate, but now is the time to be weeding it out so if you don't know what it looks like check out http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/invasives/fact/garlic.htm or go the urban ecology center or ask a friend if they know what it looks like because it is marching our neighborhoods and none of us want it in our yards! (I am also willing to meet and show anyone who is interested!)
If you are looking for summer activities for kids the Green Folks Garden is offering two great series: Yoga kids in the garden will be offered July 1st for 6 tuesdays in a row from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Children's storytelling in the garden is being offered Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. June 18th threw July 23rd. If you want to be part of our yoga support group in the garden, a more informal gathering, we are planning on having it on wednesday mornings once things have really warmed up (mid June?) For any info on any of the above or to sign up for the children's activities contact 975-2521 or email Sarahworks@wi.rr.com
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) May 2008
Earth Day clean up and work day In the garden was amazing! We had 21 volunteers show up. Our strawberry patch had crept and then walked and finally run over the paths until it was more than double in size so some radical gardening was in order. A lot of Strawberry plants were dug up and transplanted in a new patch but there are still a bunch in pots and flats in the back of the garden so if you want any come help yourself! All of our paths were edged, news papers were laid down and covered with wood chips from a generous piles the city had delivered on friday morning (just in time!) My son Andre had a great time helping and as he was shaking dirt from clumps of sod, he collected a hand full of chicory roots which he presented to me proudly. He had over heard a conversation that some of the other gardeners were having about how you could make a coffee substitute with them. Maybe we will save some dandelion roots as we garden the rest of to roasting with them. I will report back later in the season on how we like it! However I know I like dandelion wine and since I didn't make any last year I am definitely looking forward to making some this spring.
Most of the dandelion wine recipes I found seemed fussy or called for special wine yeast or other ingredients that I don't normally have around the house. So I adapted my own and found that wine is easy to make, (if you aren't very picky) However I I do rely on a lot of sugar. In my experience Milwaukee wants to be a forest, and sugar and yeast want to be wine. I am including my loose recipe so you can see how easy it can be. If you interested in doing it "right" there are tons of recipes online. I use around 6 cups of sugar, a colander of washed dandelion buds and flowers, juice from a lemon or orange or two, and a gallon of water. After you boil it all together for a while strain out the dandelions threw a piece of clean cotton cloth then put a teaspoon of yeast in it and let it ferment for 3 to 5 days. (In an enamel or non metal pot) Stirring is recommended but I often forget. Then put it in old wine bottles loosely corked (so the bottles don't explode) for at least a few weeks. Later on in the year you can siphon it into new bottles to leave the sediment behind. I have yet to do this, I just have wine with a little muck in the bottom of the bottle. The best part of making dandelion wine is having a reason to sit around a park for a hour of so just picking flowers, so have fun with it. If you don't like to drink it it makes a nice cooking wine.
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) Feb 2008
We are still enjoying food from the garden. My mother brought me a beautiful blue hubard sqaush that she had grown. It was not in a very cool place in our kitchen so this week a spot on it was starting to go bad and I had to bake it up quickly. It made a wonderful sweet soft moosh. I had been planning on freezing it in portions, to use in muffins, but before I got around to it I used it up. I put it in our morning hot cereal, in pancakes, heated it with apple chunks to serve with bratwerst, and added it to baked veggies and chicken. I never loved winter squash as child but now I love it!!!
In past years I have written in January and Febuary about looking at seed catalogs and day dreaming about spring, gardens and yards. Midwinter is a wonderful time to dream, but now I beleive we must dream beyond our own yards and plots to our neighborhood and city. As gas prices go up so will the cost of bringing fresh food into our city and our need to be more sustainable. I am already planning what Milwaukee and riverwest will look like in 10 years. We will make our city beautiful, people friendly, green and yummy. Our parks will be full of edible landscapes ranging from maple, apple and paw paw trees. There will be berry patches next to play grounds for children to pick as their june afternoon snacks. I also dream of neighborhood veggie farms where neighbors garden together splitting the harvest into shares. In my dream neighbors also encouraging each other to plant more fruit trees and garden their own yards. We are very lucky this year, the perfect event to share dreams and learn more about how to make them realities is happening in Milwaukee at the end of the month (see.... Urban ag...Pollinating Our Future......) The more of us go the closer we will be to making our dreams and plans real and our future healthy. Greenfolks Grarden meetings this month: Thursday the 7th and Monday the 18th (601 E Wright) @ 7:30 For more information call 975-2521 or email greenfolksgarden@gmail.com
GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) Jan 2008
feed those kido’s their veggies in 2008!
It is mid december as I write this and for dinner last week we had greens from our garden that I picked two weeks ago. First that would be thanks to a warm fall, second to hearty kale and collards and third but not least thanks to green bags. If you don't know about them they are worth checking out. I got mine in the produce section of the Out Post Co-op. I don't remember the technical side of how they work, but they just look like green plastic bags. Your food stays fresh in them at least twice as long as with out them. Once I discovered them I stopped worrying about finishing all my produce before I left for vacation. I just made sure it was all in the green bags. Some of it wasn’t as good as truly fresh but still at least edible, which is nice to have when you arrive home after traveling with a family and don’t feel like running strait to the store.
So on the note of fresh produce, I am going to get a bit preachy here. Please forgive me.
My kids eat their veggies and I don’t think they are special. It’s nice to have a second one to test things out on. Both my babies loved plain yogurt, cooked broccoli and carrots as well as greens from the garden (as long as they are not too bitter) and I think anyone else's could too. What do I consider to be the main reasons? #1 start right and start early and simple. I see no reason to give a baby sweet yogurt when they love plain yogurt. This doesn’t mean babies and children shouldn't get treats, it just means you shouldn’t use a standard set by modern day convenience foods as a way of deciding what a baby thinks a treat is. For my babies fruits, yogurt and cheeses have all been considered great treats. #2 If they don’t like it at first let them try it again, and again and again. Some studies have shown that babies should be exposed to a food between 15 to 20 times before you decide to say they don’t like it. I think this amy be true for every one. When I was 18 I had cilantro for the first time and hated it. Within a year I loved it. Many times a baby seems to be becoming a "picky eater" but really it is just their way of testing their new found independence. If they don’t seem to like it try again later, but don’t just keep adding sugar to help them or your just be adding sugar from now on. #3 So you missed out on starting out “right” with your baby, there are still things you can do with older children. Think fresh. Fresh produce is not only better for you, it taste better. Both Andre and I hate old broccoli but love it when it is fresh. I bet this is why broccoli has such a bad rap as a veggie, too many people have had it old and over cooked. #4 Of course my favorite is grow your own fruits and veggies and/or let them help you cook them. My son loves to eat fresh salad strait from the garden or greens he helped pick sautéed with olive oil and garlic and served with little balsamic vinegar. #5 variety, Its good for everyone and keeps foods special.
I have my 8 year old eat at least a little bit of everything I cook, even if he says he doesn’t like it. But of course there are exceptions. Last month he got the flu after eating a huge bowl of cooked carrots. Needless to say, he doesn’t like cooked carrots any more. I would consider it cruel to make him eat them. Now I just leave a few raw for him. I also have always snuck veggies into our food. You can do amazing things by grating and pureeing veggies. I have put zucchini and pumpkin in our oatmeal, carrots in our chili and kale in pasta sauce! So join the “green folks’ and feed those kido’s their veggies in 2008!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
I have started walking Andre to school again. It is just under 2 miles and does take up some time, but it feels good to be walking again. (I don't have a way to put the baby on my bike yet) I forget how great it feels to know you are saving money, getting in shape, getting to know your neighborhood and not contributing to global warming all at the same time!!! It really does save money too. as we all know gas prices are up, but the bus is also expensive. if I take Andre on the bus it cost almost $3 one way. I have been taking turns with a neighbor of mine Star walking Andre and her son. The boys have scooters so they are ahead of me most of the time. The baby seems to sleep well to after the long stroller ride. (that's what he is doing right now) to save time I do need to get something so I can pull or ride the baby with my bike though
My garden is looking great. Last night we had our first salad from our garden. It was very small, most from lettuce we had been thinning out but oh so tender!! I am also so happy school is almost over, I love now having to rush Andre off to school every day, it will be a treat to eat out side stay up late and be able to hang out more in the mornings. I have been working on a lot of The pink house PR: yogakids in the garden and a new yoga teacher teaching on Tuesdays. I am not trying my class again for a while cause I just can't do everything, but sometime I will start it up again and really work on my own PR.
My garden is looking great. Last night we had our first salad from our garden. It was very small, most from lettuce we had been thinning out but oh so tender!! I am also so happy school is almost over, I love now having to rush Andre off to school every day, it will be a treat to eat out side stay up late and be able to hang out more in the mornings. I have been working on a lot of The pink house PR: yogakids in the garden and a new yoga teacher teaching on Tuesdays. I am not trying my class again for a while cause I just can't do everything, but sometime I will start it up again and really work on my own PR.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
The Ah-da factor and intuition. Something I have been wanting to write about for a while. I read or heard someone else use this phrase a long time ago . But the Ah-dah factor is just about when we as westerners and a confused society have to study and prove something that we should alreadyjust know because of common sense or human intuition. An example: People are more productive and happier if they work in a room with windows. Ah dah, that makes sense, but good money has been spent on studies to PROVE that. Odd that we have come to such a place as race that we need to study things that we sould be able to find as truths inside our selves. Often this is also because big money maybe behind a lie and so than we need to prove what sould already be accepted as truth, such as, children shouldn't be feed prossesed and junk food. Children are sustible to advertising (that is why they do it) and it influences what they want, therefor advertising and marketing junk food to children is wrong. a pretty basic argument if you ask me and yet one still stuggling to be considered by our law makers. Do we need to study that it is better to eat foods as all of our ansestors did whole grains, vegitables and fruits and meat from animals that lived ion tha sun? ofcourse whole foods are better for us but we have spent TONS of money studing if they are so that we can pove it. here is an even better one from that list i just made: meat from animals that lived in the sun. do you think it be healthy to eat meat from animals that live in cages, barns and pens and that eat grains that they wern't made for that was fertilized with a protrolim product instead of in healthy soil? Or do you think eating pastured, free range and grass feed aniamls would be healtier? I will go for the later even though it is now been proven to be the better I am just doing it because I trust my own judgement. As always I want to write more about this but I have other things to do. One of these days I will get this blog really off the ground!
Monday, March 3, 2008
important things or semigloss
Boy what is on my mind? Elections? kids? the fact that the U.S. may be falling apart?.... well.... Last week I decided that I will always buy semi gloss paint for the rest of my life. What was I thinking when I almost bought flat? (because that was what I thought you were supposed to paint all your walls except the bathroom, kitchen and hall) and then switched it to egg shell. ( oh yeah I was painting a hall) If I had bought semi gloss I could have used that paint to paint anything. mind you this was a beautiful rich pink color ( see behind Gio) and I bought a gallon low voc so it cost me a lot! I still plan on painting a bunch of stuff with it, I'll just repaint. so that is the odd thing about life right now. going on with the life style of a rich American (compared to the rest of human history and most of current humanity) while you wonder what kind of slide we maybe on with global warming, giant debt and a population that seems to be content to comforted by experts who probably don't want to worry themselves.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Full life
I am posting my first blog ever. nothing to so many. so new to me. What a weird thing this computer world is!! I wanted to post what a great first class I had today at the pink house studio. I Mixed yoga and dance improvization and my bucket drums and I was so proud. It really was good. Drumming really does feel great. I felt like I was vibrating out the stress, wonderful. I had made a new mix cd too and It was so fun to be in the space and dance and move, Buckets of joy. imagine you are carrying around two large buckets of your most favorite thing.......
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