From Dave Smith

A Taste for Pachamama (The Ladybug Letter)
The daily extremes of temperatures in the Andes have prompted a number of different plant species there to evolve tuberous habits. A tuber is a swollen, underground stem that stores up energy so that if a “killing frost” burns off all the foliage above the ground, the plant still has enough life protected under an insulating mantel of soil to sprout again.

Nature’s Harmony Farm
First and foremost, we see our jobs as healers. We need to heal the land naturally and allow nature to achieve it’s delicate balance that so effectively nurtures life. We also feel the need to heal the food system, which has become a machine with little regard for food safety, food taste and animal welfare. Finally, we feel the need to help heal the local communities we serve by providing a sustainable source of high quality food, supporting local farmers and merchants and bringing our patrons back in touch with nature.

Organic Christmas Tree Farms
Green Promise scoured the Web to bring you this list of organic Christmas tree farms. They have recently expanded the list to include Integrated Pest Management (IPM) farms… Farms are sorted by state, then by city, then farm name. Call before heading out to check pricing and availability of organic Christmas tree stock. Most Christmas tree farms are open weekends starting the day after Thanksgiving and during the week by appointment.

The North Pole Is Melting

AtomFilms.com: Funny Videos | Funny Cartoons | Comedy Central

Living on Will Power
…what if people here could no longer have top-notch appliances in their homes, if they had to provide their own food, wood for heat, and went to bed when the sunset? Even in the winter. Could present-day citizens of Ashe County live old-fashioned, “simple” lives like those in years past? Well many do, and by choice.

Worms Eat Your Garbage
Who can benefit from Vermicomposting? Anyone who is interested in gardening, reducing waste, lowering their garbage bills and who is truly interested in preserving the environment can benefit from Vermicomposting.

• Imagine the satisfaction of turning slimy, digusting food waste into lovely, sweet-smelling vermicompost;
• Think about the satisfaction of having a thriving garden and rich, healthy houseplants that have been fertilized with vermicompost and worm juice;
• Reward yourself with the fun of having thousands of “pets”
• Enjoy the pleasure of sticking your hands into lovely-smelling compost in midwinter when everything outdoors is frozen;
• Enjoy the ease of indoor vermicomposting, as opposed to the time-consuming drudgery of standard composting.

How To Keep Cilantro Fresh For Two Weeks (Video from Vegetarian Organic Blog)
Cut the bottom off the stems, rinse and place in a glass of water. Cover it loosely with plastic, but not so tight that the leaves can’t dry, and place in the refrigerator. Change the water every few days.

That Old Demon Alcohol (Chelsea Green Blog)
In his book, Logsdon focuses on the traditional role of alcohol on the family homestead. Alcohol has historically played a significant role in agricultural life. In colonial times it was the most “liquid” alternative to hard currency as a means of exchange. Alcohol was the most reliable, safest, and most convenient way to store the grain harvest, and was an integral commodity on nearly every farmstead.

Recipe: Twice Baked Potato Casserole (Organic Valley)
This is better than any twice baked potato recipe. You need a Potato Ricer for this recipe - A must have in my kitchen. Once you use the Potato Ricer - mashed potatoes will never be the same.

Recipe: Simple, Crusty, No-Knead Bread (NY Times Food)
Adapted from “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day,” by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François. Time: About 45 minutes plus about 3 hours’ resting and rising
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Dave Smith is author of To Be Of Use - The Seven Seeds of Meaningful Work and lives in Mendocino County, North California.
Image Credit: Wikipedia Commons - Potato Plants
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