tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post1034347833729198067..comments2023-10-09T06:48:02.888-05:00Comments on Garden Girl: Part I: Be the Change - Garden Bloggers' Sustainable Living Projectgarden girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13284047851881823280noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-48565183461591129162011-04-27T19:55:54.164-05:002011-04-27T19:55:54.164-05:00Congrat's Linda...you have won some Authentic ...Congrat's Linda...you have won some Authentic Haven Brand Tea;-) Please send me your full name & address so I can send that to you;-) <br />starlight1957 AT gmail DOT comJanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12844013803699228989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-76548959784006353372011-03-27T22:10:09.064-05:002011-03-27T22:10:09.064-05:00p.s another way I've made more room in the bud...p.s another way I've made more room in the budget is growing some of our own veggies. Starting everything from seeds helps. Overwintering tender plants helps too. Also, I'm not buying plants for the ornamental beds anymore. Going native helps there - I even start those plants from seeds now. It mean deferring gratification, since they take awhile to get established. Seed-swapping and passalong plants have also helped. Doing all these things has not only drastically slashed my gardening expenses, it's more environmentally-friendly too.<br /><br />And MBT, you've given me some really good budget-and-environmentally-friendly gardening tips!garden girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13284047851881823280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-31835090895822231952011-03-27T21:53:21.716-05:002011-03-27T21:53:21.716-05:00Thank you MBT! As far as I can recall, when I was...Thank you MBT! As far as I can recall, when I was a kid, and as my kids were growing up, local food was very reasonably-priced. Since it's seasonal and only plentiful in season, learning home preservation methods is key to its affordability, and to its availability off-season. <br /><br />CSAs are a really good way to go for affordable local food. Our local, pasture-raised meats are a good example. If I bought it by the pound it would cost more. With the CSA, although we don't pick what we receive, and have to get creative with what we get, it's a more affordable way to get it. For me the extra cost can be compensated for in other ways, and I've gotten really good at not wasting anything. We used to throw away a lot of food - not anymore. I even use the bones to make homemade stock. Watching my mom doing it for years, I think it's probably easier for me to do it affordably than it would be if I was trying to figure it out on my own.<br /><br />I am convinced government subsidies of commodity crops have contributed a lot to the problem of food deserts and way too much (relatively) cheap, processed food.<br /><br />Tina, it's a lesson I've re-learned. I'd strayed a bit in recent years from my mom's good example. Working a stressful, (more than) full-time job made convenience foods pretty appealing sometimes. I'm grateful I have more time now to devote to sourcing and preparing healthier fare, especially since health and environmental concerns have brought me (running!) back. And, it's getting easier now, as healthier options are becoming more readily available where we live. I'm really grateful for what I learned from my mom about healthy eating - it's made it easier to figure out than it might have otherwise been.garden girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13284047851881823280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-50970422580411952702011-03-27T20:22:54.363-05:002011-03-27T20:22:54.363-05:00A good reminder to all to eat well. It is a lesson...A good reminder to all to eat well. It is a lesson I should learn because even with fresh vegetables here I do not eat as healthy as I should. It's nice to hear about your background and growing up in an organic family is extra special.tinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17415302577518111227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-89645129395930745882011-03-27T19:39:19.610-05:002011-03-27T19:39:19.610-05:00Fantastic post, Linda. Lots of, um, er, food for t...Fantastic post, Linda. Lots of, um, er, food for thought. I wonder how much different the prices were for local, fresh food before it became so trendy. If the government had subsidized this instead of all the other stuff in agriculture I wonder how much different life would be for many who live in what is commonly called food deserts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-72941973717182626312011-03-23T16:25:57.044-05:002011-03-23T16:25:57.044-05:00Hi Nerissa, my email is lintys2057@gmail.com
Hi A...Hi Nerissa, my email is lintys2057@gmail.com<br /><br />Hi Adrian, Yep, the typical US diet is very SAD. <br /><br />Good for you not being pressured to waste good money on bad food! It's not always easy saying no to those sweet, pleading little faces! <br /><br />I love our CSA farmer too, and am so grateful for what he and his family are doing to provide us with such good food. I could do a whole post only on CSAs. Our CSA is definitely an important component in my dropping out of the industrial food system.garden girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13284047851881823280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-54679838120421075242011-03-23T11:00:08.039-05:002011-03-23T11:00:08.039-05:00Hi Garden Girl, I love the SAD acronym. So true.
...Hi Garden Girl, I love the SAD acronym. So true. <br /><br />I always used to tell my children we didn't have enough money to waste it on junk food with no nutritional value.<br /><br />We grow some vegetables, but really love our CSA grower, so I hope you'll talk about that component of dropping out of the industrial food system.Adrian Ayres Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11057583835126786240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-35074865125736126732011-03-22T11:05:27.948-05:002011-03-22T11:05:27.948-05:00Hi,
I wanted to email you in regards in any possi...Hi,<br /><br />I wanted to email you in regards in any possible advertising opportunities you may have with your website...I would be very interested in working something out with you if you have anything at the moment. I'm looking to earn support for a national cause and get visibility for the "plant 1 billion trees" project which Andrew Liveris and the Nature Conservancy have partnered up on for people to donate $1 to. Let me know if you would be interested at all in supporting this cause. I look forward to talking to you soon!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02222417067765898786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-60002944700262661572011-03-22T08:43:57.712-05:002011-03-22T08:43:57.712-05:00I know how you feel Jan - there is much we could b...I know how you feel Jan - there is much we could be discouraged about with regard to the state of food production and health statistics here in the US. The good thing is there is a lot that informed consumers can do to protect the health of our families. As more and more of us take advantage of the increasing resources for environmentally-sound, sustainably-produced food (and other things like chemical-free personal-care products,) we CAN make a stand for protecting the environment, improving our health, supporting local, sustainable agriculture, and hopefully, ultimately contributing to changes in food production and health policies. <br /><br />When consumers demand change, take personal responsibility for what we put in and on our bodies, and refuse to support the business as usual, the market responds. We're seeing change in the increasing availability of organics, local food, sustainable practices, and consumer consciousness. Overall it's still 'business as usual,' but for those of us demanding change, more and more resources, including the information we need to become more informed consumers are becoming available. It's up to us what we do about it.garden girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13284047851881823280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-19778769730339270342011-03-21T09:49:54.973-05:002011-03-21T09:49:54.973-05:00Linda, the information you share is both inspiring...Linda, the information you share is both inspiring and depressing;-) But I'll focus on the inspiring aspect of it all and HOPE our country will advance rather than continue to regress--didn't realize our life-expectancy was beginning to fall! Our 'quick fix' lifestyle often seems so good for short-term convenience but reading your post tells the real story. Thank you for sharing with me all of those tips for chemical free creams, shampoos & personal care products, as well. You are a wealth of info, girl! I remember eating a combination of healthy & unhealthy as a kid. We had our milk delivered from the dairy farm and my dad had a small garden, and he raised chickens. But we also ate a lot of fattening desserts and drank a lot of soda! Anyway, thanks for helping us all 'think' a bit. I look forward to part 2;-)Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12844013803699228989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-68599064706294370692011-03-20T22:17:28.739-05:002011-03-20T22:17:28.739-05:00I'm grateful to my parents for raising us this...I'm grateful to my parents for raising us this way Sissy, and for Mom and her Garden Buddy's continuing inspiration. I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing if not for their example. <br /><br />We don't have access to as many local resources as they do, but it's because of them I've been inspired to find the most sustainable and local sources for food as I can.<br /><br />It definitely takes effort, but the rewards are more than worth it. It's getting so much easier as local resources are becoming more accessible. <br /><br />Every little bit helps, and makes a difference for our own health and for our environment.garden girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13284047851881823280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-81469381569820987062011-03-20T21:14:35.528-05:002011-03-20T21:14:35.528-05:00I admire your dedication. Living and believing in ...I admire your dedication. Living and believing in slow food and sustainable methods is not for the lazy or weak! As a city girl, I have a lot to learn...!Sissyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03714196104526604635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-85185081050049778082011-03-20T21:08:52.086-05:002011-03-20T21:08:52.086-05:00It is EE. It's gotten worse over the years, a...It is EE. It's gotten worse over the years, and it shows in the statistics, SADly. It is encouraging though, that local and organic food, and home food gardening is on the rise.<br /><br />My pleasure AA. I found your blog through Jan's project post. :) I hope so. It seems so important for our own health, our children's and grandchildren's, and the planet's health. <br /><br />I didn't always think it was so cool as a kid Monica! I wanted someone to want my lunch, and I sure wanted theirs sometimes! (Sorry Mom!) But as an adult I'm so grateful. And my kids got the same kind of lunches. We did get junk food treats now and then, but they definitely weren't every-day fare. <br /><br />I'm very impressed with your veggie gardening, and it's great you're able to get some good local food!garden girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13284047851881823280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-13647070244033345792011-03-20T20:43:33.020-05:002011-03-20T20:43:33.020-05:00It's so cool how you were raised on real food ...It's so cool how you were raised on real food and with your mom really into gardening. I ate an odd combination of really healthy stuff and the SAD. One main thing I've done in the last year is buy local, non-rBST milk. I grow more veggies each year and try to buy local when I can. :)Monica the Garden Faeriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06369882350990949968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-49328546651290459362011-03-20T18:51:29.855-05:002011-03-20T18:51:29.855-05:00thanks for visiting my blog which led me back here...thanks for visiting my blog which led me back here.... As more and more people become aware I am convinced that the SAD will become a thing of the past and we will return to growing our own yet again.africanaussiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16660727599623626163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-38963092813943805872011-03-20T16:43:46.459-05:002011-03-20T16:43:46.459-05:00That SAD diet sounds depressingly sad! Grow our ow...That SAD diet sounds depressingly sad! Grow our own is still the yawning gap in my green living. But way back, it was my mother who taught me to avoid battery eggs. In the days when we were lucky to get a tiny delivery at the health food shop. Now the supermarkets stock free range eggs. Sometimes even organic eggs.Diana Studerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12286066768376135880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-38218523259350659572011-03-19T09:55:49.840-05:002011-03-19T09:55:49.840-05:00A wonderful post, Linda! Although my mom had a veg...A wonderful post, Linda! Although my mom had a vegetable garden when we were young, healthy food was not a consistent part of our diet. I look back in amazement at how much junk I ate at such a young age. Growing organically and maintaining healthier eating habits has been an important part of getting older and starting my own family.Ramble on Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18407299834073788678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-13242891870397629232011-03-19T09:05:20.231-05:002011-03-19T09:05:20.231-05:00Hi Lisa, one day your future children will thank y...Hi Lisa, one day your future children will thank you! I'm very grateful to my mom for raising us on real food. (Although I wasn't always at the time - I really did want some junk food in my lunch!) My girls are grateful too, and the two who now have their own children are raising them the same way. The two with SO's have been good influences on their men too!<br />I'm so glad we never got in the habit of drinking soda!<br /><br />So glad you enjoyed it Balisha! How fortunate we are having grown up on fresh vegetables from our family gardens! It's wonderful seeing home vegetable gardens making a comeback.<br /><br />It would be wonderful, JGH, if one day kids who are carrying healthy lunches to school were the norm instead of the exception. I remember pressuring my mom, and my girls often wished for junkier lunches too. Stick to your guns - one day your kids will thank you, and the healthy habits formed as children will hopefully go with them through their lives. <br /><br />Hello Jacque! Thank you - glad you enjoyed it. <br /><br />Twitter and Facebook are places where your blog can get some exposure. Visiting and commenting on other blogs is another way. Since your blog seems to be religious in nature, I'd suggest forums that are similarly-themed. <br /><br />Thank you Alex. I completely agree with you about the food industry. Glad you have some space to grow some of your own vegetables! <br /><br />Thank you Rose. How lucky you were growing up on a farm and being raised on such wonderful food!<br /><br />It can definitely be challenging for working families to find time for cooking and fresh, whole foods. I don't think I could have done it without involving my girls and their dad in meal preparation, cleanup, and other household chores. They would have gladly let me (try to!) manage it all myself, and there were times it seemed like the path of least resistance! <br /><br />I'm so grateful my parents got all of us kids involved in household responsibilities including cooking and cleanup. It gave me a good model to follow with my own household. Even my dad cooked (he didn't do much cleaning though!) Just like me when i was a kid, my girls and their dad didn't always like having those responsibilities, but it was good for them, it was fair, and I felt less overwhelmed with everyone pitching in to help. <br /><br />Kudos to you for getting back to those cooking-from-scratch roots! It's not only more healthful, it tastes SO much better too!garden girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13284047851881823280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-60882196195288735172011-03-19T08:01:09.545-05:002011-03-19T08:01:09.545-05:00An excellent essay on such an important topic, Lin...An excellent essay on such an important topic, Linda. I grew up much the same way as you, Linda, although we lived on a farm, so we also had chickens and fresh eggs and lots of fresh, creamy milk. My mom even churned butter when Dad still raised a few dairy cows. But as I got older and busier and busier, I found myself resorting to convenience foods in order to get a meal on the table quickly for my family of six. Although I made sure my children ate lots of vegetables, I don't think I set the best example for eating healthy. I regret that, and now I've found myself cooking more like my mother and thinking how I can make something from scratch rather than from a box full of preservatives.Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01384059342847120951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-31990059974319503512011-03-19T08:00:52.411-05:002011-03-19T08:00:52.411-05:00Hi garden girl
You're so right! I grow some ve...Hi garden girl<br />You're so right! I grow some vegetables on my balcony and it works :o). The food industry isn't interested in our health but only in their profit. It's great how you've raised your kids.<br />Kind regards<br />AlexAlex aus dem Gwundergartenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17345838066384134549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-79957015546595732142011-03-18T14:19:05.373-05:002011-03-18T14:19:05.373-05:00Hello, Garden Girl,
As I am getting up to speed on...Hello, Garden Girl,<br />As I am getting up to speed on how to write an effective blog, I am researching blogs like yours for ways to do it well...Well, yours is a well-written, informative, and well-researched commentary. I am encouraged that there are others who have found out the same things about sustainability :)<br />I had wanted to load all of my Weston A. Price articles (with my photos to support them), but find they have to be posted one by one to appear. So through the next few months, I will get them in...all to prove a point - the research is there.<br />Thanks for the encouragement. If you have any advice or know of any forums to participate in where I can get some exposure, It would be so helpful.<br />Blessings,<br />JacqueJacquelinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01518103581463259974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-26721054238374609522011-03-18T12:10:40.873-05:002011-03-18T12:10:40.873-05:00I always get pressure from my kids to pack junk in...I always get pressure from my kids to pack junk in their lunches - and sugar drinks in plastic packaging. They make it sound like I'm the ONLY mom who refuses to buy this stuff - I know that can't be true. I hope that eventually what they now see as restrictions will result in healthy eating habits. Keep on living the good life, Garden Girl.JGHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16710652130966518173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-66955095653160242872011-03-18T09:14:49.531-05:002011-03-18T09:14:49.531-05:00I really enjoyed reading this post. I grew up in m...I really enjoyed reading this post. I grew up in much the same way. Dad had a huge garden and I used to pull my wagon to the local store to sell or trade with the owner. They loved to see me coming with my beautiful tomatoes. We fed the whole neighborhood from his garden. BalishaBalishahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17298193443371503407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7447389184218295999.post-57510128559464028902011-03-18T07:22:59.082-05:002011-03-18T07:22:59.082-05:00I, too, was one of the kids that no one wanted to ...I, too, was one of the kids that no one wanted to swap lunches with. Sodas and fast food were not staples in my house growing up. And I had friends who would drink a Coke for breakfast! I am inspired by your story, that one day when I have children, I can share with them the bounty from my vegetable garden.Lisa Blairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com