Growing Hairloom Organic Seeds

I wanted to find some seeds for my garden which are hairloom and organic.  There are lots of places to get seeds. I am still new and learning, but here are some resources I found

Buying seeds

http://rareseeds.com/ 

http://www.localharvest.org/store/vegetable-seeds.jsp
http://www.seedsavers.org 

http://www.southernexposure.com
http://www.wintersown.org/

https://www.nicholsgardennursery.com
 

General Information

http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/singing-praises-for-heirloom-seed-suppliers/

http://www.non-hybrid-seeds.com/

http://www.tiphero.com/newsletter.html&lpid=14?gclid=CIH5gpe4iZoCFRUhnAod7C-2QA

Eating Fish is not all that it's hyped up to be

Last night we had dinner at my parents house.  There was some tilapia, among several delishious vegetable dishes.  We discussed how farm raised tilapia was not actually that good for you because it is raised on a farm and eats differently then it's wild counterpart.  I looked it up today and found an interesting article that actually validates that fact. According to the N.C. study, some seafood is not loaded with valuable omega-3 fat

When researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., recently analyzed the DHA content of 30 different kinds of wild and farmed fish, they made a startling discovery. Something in certain farmed fish was a little off. Most notably, the fats in farmed tilapia, the second most popular farmed fish in the world (right behind farmed Atlantic salmon), may not be as anti-inflammatory as they could be. Why? In the wild, tilapia eats plenty of DHA from plants. But when farmed, the food these fish are supplied with contains less of these valuable fats, so you get less of them, too.

There was also reports that farmed tilapia, among other fish has different concentrations of fatty acids, which may take away from their benefits.  I will not discuss the ALA/DHA/EPA and the ratios since it's a world of confusion in itself.   I know I heard it all in the Media and it's even more confusing.  

• Eat more fish, eat less fish. 
  
• Don't eat this particluar fish because of contamination.
  
• Eat more of a particular fish because of the beneficial fats.
  
• Don't eat this fish because it's too depleted, or for environmental reasons.
• Pay attention to the way the fish was raised caught (wild, farmed, source) since it effects it's nutritional properties

Of course there's also the taste / enjoyment factor of fish. Some people just love the taste of fish and don't really care about it's nutritional value.  Some don't really care about the potential toxins in fish since they figure they are not eating "too much".  It's however a fine line since if you didn't raise the fish yourself, you really don't know what is on your plate and cant judge when you've had too much of it.  So if you enjoy an occasional small piece of fish 1-3 oz , I think you are probably not putting your health in any terrible danger, but be mindful of the list above  if it's part of your regular diet or you buy into the alledged health benefits of eating fish.

Having said that, fat is important and you should be mindful of getting adequate fat in your diet from sources such as raw nuts/seeds , avocados, and take either DHA from Dr. Fuhrmans site or a high quality Fish oil.  To know how much fat you need, Dr. Fuhrman has some great articles and advice.

• 
  
• Dr. Furhman Online
• Eat to Live: Formula for Weight Loss
• Disease-Proof Your Child: Feeding Kids Right
  
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Planting our garden, starting composting

We are starting a garden again this year.  After a semi successful start last year (above picture), we are trying again, this time with one more squarefoot garden raised bed and a modified mix made of compost(cow manure, leaf compost), vermiculite and peat moss.

We also made a Garbage Can Compost Bin  which will be ready for next year or sooner - it's our first time so I will report back.  To make it I drilled holes in the trash bin which are about 1/4 inch in diameter; cleaned it out and started piling our kitchen scraps.  I also composted some junk mail, newspapers, and trimmings from my lawn. 

It's great to know that this also saves these from the landfill and will be put into good use.  My county should look at this exapmle of a citywide composting in SF  It's definately going to save everyone on trash bills - our trash output so far has cut by more than  half! Here is a list of what can be composted from recycling revolution

Almost all yard waste can be added to your compost. 

leaves	grass clippings	twigs
branches	weeds	vines
thatch	garden plants	flowers
unused potting soil and mix	straw

Much of your food waste can be composted. 

egg shells	coffee grounds	tea leaves and bags
vegetable and fruit scraps and peels	corn cobs	stale bread and cereal
nut shells	flour	rice
oatmeal

Other items that you can compost include:

human hair	feathers	small amounts of wood ash
wood chips	dead insects	vacuum bag contents

What shouldn't I compost?

Some items either do not degrade well, attract insects and pests, or might contain diseases or chemicals that would contaminate the compost. 

meat	poultry	seafood
dairy products	diseased plants	human and pet feces (including kitty litter)
mayonnaise	salad dressing	peanut butter
lard	other fatty items

This year we are going to be planting  beets, carrots, red chard, lettuce, and some herbs - parsley, basil, chives, tomatoes, collards, kale, arugula, radishes, watermelon, beans, peppers, cucumbers. 

We may also look into a blueberry bush and more strawberries.

I am looking into a way to convert the rainwater for my garden by using a Rain Barrel 

It was suggested to me by my friend who has one.  

Found some good sites for gardening... 

These tell what to plant and where 

http://www.chestnut-sw.com/growform.htm
http://www.almanac.com/garden/plantingtable/index.php
http://www.digital-almanac.com/digitalalmanac/2009/?folio=38

Kohlrabi Turnips and Kiwi

My little one had show and tell in his daycare on his favourite theme - fruits and vegetables!  Here is what he brought - Kohlrabi Turnips and Kiwi. Now here is more about each one.

 Kohlrabi and Turnips are considered Super-Veggies: Cruciferous Vegetables

"The cruciferous family has demonstrated the most dramatic protection against cancer They contain a symphony of phytonutrients with potent anti-cancer effects. 

Important recent studies have shown that cruciferous vegetables and the compounds they contain can do the following:

* halt the growth of breast cancer cells

* dramatically reduce the risk of colon cancer

* prevent the replication of prostate cancer cells and induce death of cancerous cells

* inhibit the progression of lung cancer"

Just remember to eat the greens

Kohlrabi

These little sputnik-shaped vegetables come in green or purple, can be eaten raw or cooked, and taste a lot like broccoli stems.  Kohlrabi is often mistakenly referred to as a root vegetable, but in fact it grows just above ground, forming a unique, turnip-shaped swelling at the base of the stem.

• Good source of Thiamin, Selenium, Folate, Magnesium and Phosphorus, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.
  

Turnips  

• Also root vegetables, such as beets and carrots, are packed with fiber and powerful antioxidants, like cartonoids and betacyanin, which protect against cancer by inhibiting cell mutations. And these anti-cancer properties are also found in other fruits and veggies, like nuts, beans, peppers, tomatoes, oranges and especially leafy greens, such as broccoli and watercress.
• High in Vitamin C, Manganese, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Potassium and Copper

Kiwi

Kiwi - Yeah, the fuzzy outside is pretty gross, but it has been found to contain healthy compounds that fight off bugs like staph and E. coli  - Try them organic with the skin on!

• Good Source of Vitamin E, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K.