Children and gardens go together right? Then why are both of my daughters skeptical of my attempts at sustainable or environmentally responsible living? Neither show the slightest interest in gardening (organic or otherwise) recycling, saving energy (unless it is their own), or downsizing. Yesterday as I was perusing my newest Mother Earth News, I came across an article about a couple living in a tiny house. When I mentioned that I would like to do the same, JMorgan just shook her head and said she “just doesn’t understand” me. Hais has severe issues with me line drying her clothes in the warmer months. Not only does she NOT like the crispness of the clothing, but she deplores the scent…what is wrong with her?
Of course, this is all poked in fun…well at least on MY part…but my girls definitely do not share any of my passion for organics nor environmental responsibility. Where did I go wrong?
Today I came across a grant contest sponsored by Heinz for inter-generational gardening. Though sad that I have no little ones at home with whom to enjoy this project, I found it to be quite interesting. An application can be found at KidsGardening.org…
from the website…
“Heinz Wholesome Memories Intergenerational Garden Award will help families grow memories together. Recognizing the power of gardens to connect individuals of all ages socially, culturally, and emotionally, the H. J. Heinz Company is proud to sponsor the Heinz Wholesome Memories Intergenerational Garden Award, designed to foster family-focused garden efforts in communities across the country. The award will provide 57 families with the tools needed to embark on a successful gardening adventure that will foster lasting intergenerational memories while growing wholesome food.”
Winning applicants will receive a $500 Award package including:
Kids’ Tool Set
Preschool Kids’ Tool Set
Cedar Raised Container Garden
SofTouch Hand Tool Set
Picture Pockets, Large
Zinc Plant Markers
GeoBin Composter
3 pairs Kids Work Gloves (1 of each size)
Watering Can
Kangaroo Pop-Up
Veggie Garden Seed Collection
5 Gardening Journals
Down & Dirty Activity Book
Intergenerational Gardening Tip Sheet
Heinz® Tomato Seeds
KidsGardening.org states the entry deadline is January 10, 2o10 and last year’s winners can be found on the Heinz website. With an empty nest here at our place, we are a bit late to apply, but I hope that you will apply today!
I have always wanted to purchase a compost tumbler, but felt that they were a costly, frivolous purchase. Not being very mechanically minded, I could never figure out how to build my own either, but after visiting How-to Homestead I think this would be an easy enough project that I might be able to complete myself. Finding a large food grade barrel may be an issue, but I already have the remaining supplies.
suggested the White House develop five south acres for growing fruits and vegetables for the First Family and staff. Farmer in Chief was an open letter to the then President-Elect, published in the New York Times Magazine.
There is no way that I can do justice to the article by writing a synopsis, so I will include a very small exerpt…..
“After cars, the food system uses more fossil fuel than any other sector of the economy — 19 percent. And while the experts disagree about the exact amount, the way we feed ourselves contributes more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere than anything else we do — as much as 37 percent, according to one study. Whenever farmers clear land for crops and till the soil, large quantities of carbon are released into the air. But the 20th-century industrialization of agriculture has increased the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by the food system by an order of magnitude; chemical fertilizers (made from natural gas), pesticides (made from petroleum), farm machinery, modern food processing and packaging and transportation have together transformed a system that in 1940 produced 2.3 calories of food energy for every calorie of fossil-fuel energy it used into one that now takes 10 calories of fossil-fuel energy to produce a single calorie of modern supermarket food. Put another way, when we eat from the industrial-food system, we are eating oil and spewing greenhouse gases. This state of affairs appears all the more absurd when you recall that every calorie we eat is ultimately the product of photosynthesis — a process based on making food energy from sunshine. There is hope and possibility in that simple fact.”
Would you support a National Backyard Farming Movement? This morning I have read two articles about how the Philipines Department of Agriculture is promoting their national vegetable program to help improve productions and consumption of homegrown goods. Their Dept. of Ag “will provide seeds, technology, and greenhouses, as well as help market linkages”.
Perusing further, I came across a poll from the Bahamas asking participants if they would support a National Backyard Farming Project and a news article, Home Garden Flourishing, at thebahamasweekly.com–which displays a few photos of a backyard farming project.
To me, this is an interesting consideration and I am certain I will fill many hours with further research on the topic, but meanwhile, would YOU support a National Movement toward this kind of sustainability?
You know how it goes. When you find something wonderful, you can hardly wait to share it with everyone you know. I have just come across two great blogs that I would like to share.
Seeking Simplicity is a very interesting blog about Miranda’s family and how they are living a simple, frugal life in Wisconsin. Miranda’s other blog is Green365, a photo blog based on Riot 4 Austerity, which many of us are familiar with as a project geared towards a 90% emissions reduction.
Miranda was recently interviewed for the television news story below. I apologize for the advertisement prior to the story and that it automatically loads, but I could not figure out how to manipulate the automatic play.
