Accidentally Frugal

I do not agree!

2009-02-26T18:28:00.000-08:00

After reading the headline on CNN.com tonight about the former Beverly Hills couple who now lives in Oregon on a farm...I just want to say...

Link to article

I thought these people have it awfully good considering that someone offered them a great piece of land to live on in the middle of beautiful Oregon.

I felt this article was very self-absorbed. The "oh poor me...I'm used to serving wine to my friends at dinner, now I have shovel poo." attitude really turned me off.

Well former Beverly Hills folks, I'm here to tell you that many people in the US right now don't have a farm or a travel trailer, or poo to shovel, or nice parents that rescue them from the hole they are in. Let alone money in savings!!!!

Your story does not evoke sympathy from me. In fact it made me mad.

This is just plain whining.

Our First Casualty

2009-01-06T19:11:00.000-08:00

We're expecting wee goatlings starting in February out to possibly April...

So when one of our goats took sick, we did not think she was in labor. Instead I made the brilliant deduction that her labored breathing was because she had pnuemonia.

She was standing alone away from the herd for a long time and would not eat so we put her in the garage with some straw to sleep on, and hay and water. In the morning - she was better - but she had a very small dead baby.

It was awful and has left me questioning my capabilities as a goat farmer.

The bright side is that we are now flung head first into the milk business without even so much as a how-do-you-do.

Two more of the lovely mama's are looking like they might kid any time now too.

Yikes. :)

More later.

Snowed in & loving it!

2008-12-22T22:13:00.001-08:00

We're snowed in here in western Oregon. It's really pretty!

Our sky was all orange tonight so it made for some really pretty pictures.

More snow...

This one is blurry but I really liked the artsy style of it.

Christmas Questions

2008-12-08T18:02:00.000-08:00

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Neither - we use reusable packaging items (baskets, pillowcases, etc).
2. Real tree or Artificial? Real and as HUGE and untamed as possible.
3. When do you put up the tree? The week before Christmas so it lasts until Russian Christmas (the fiance is Russian).
4. When do you take the tree down? After Jan 6th.
5. Do you like eggnog? Maybe. But most likely I would take a sip and remember why I never buy the stuff.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Not sure.
7. Hardest person to buy for? The fiance and my oldest son - neither give me lists.
8. Easiest person to buy for? My mom.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? No, but I've given a bunch as gifts. Does that count?
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Ha. Neither. Call me Scrooge.
11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? My parents wrapped a watch up in a giant box with paper and bricks in it and tricked me that it was a saddle. It was awful. I did NOT get the saddle.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? The Bishop's Wife or Miracle on 34th Street (1947).
13. When do you start shopping? Usually it's right after Christmas the previous year, but this year we are being poor and giving ONLY free things. Now before you get all in a tizzy...let me 'splain. I work in the movies industry and get movie samples almost every day. I am giving a season of Monk, CSI, Las Vegas, Law & Order, Lost, Lexx, and 4400 to random family members (I have more too! yay). I love my job.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Oh yeah.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Gingerbread cookies.
16. Lights on the tree? Hundreds, maybe a thousand or more white lights in various shapes and sizes.
17. Favorite Christmas song? I love Christmas music too. I play the local station from the day after Thanksgiving until New Years. They play ALL Christmas music all of the time. My fave song is anything on the George Winston Winter CD. I know that's not traditional fare but well...it is what it is.
18.Travel at Christmas or stay home? We always go to my mom and dad's huge farmhouse and have a huge party with about 16 - 20 people.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Not without *Google*.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A white metal Eiffel Tower...
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Eve at my parent's house, then we come back to our house and open more (it's 2 AM!!) then in the morning we have our stockings.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The need to over-do, over-spend, over-decorate. UGH. That said, you should see my tree, it's glorious!
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? White, Silver, Red, Gold. It has to sparkle and shine. Also our collection of Hallmark Ornaments are scattered all over the tree. These range back to 1979!! I tell ya, we have to have a huge tree or else the ornaments wouldn't all fit.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? The traditional fare...but I am trying to talk the family in to doing Indian food this year.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A better barn for my goats, peace on earth, and a happy family, oh yeah - and to live on my sustainable micro eco farm happily ever after.

Now I know why I LOVED the Billy Goat Gruff story when I was a kid!

2008-12-07T17:12:00.000-08:00

Seven Nubian does and two doelings showed up at the farm yesterday; and as soon as my son gets home with his camera I will post the pictures of the girls.

We estimate that between February and March somewhere between 22 and 27 babies will be born. Yikes. And to top that bit of daunting news off, is the fact that one of the does had 5 (YES 5!!!) babies last year. Uhm.

Oh my.

I guess I really am in the goat business.

One little brown doeling fell in love with my 18 year old son yesterday. She followed him everywhere and gave him longing glances when he was on the other side of the shed he was building for them. We have renamed her Elizabeth and we joke that she is our son's new girlfriend. She's very cute, but somehow I think this relationship isn't going to go very far :o).

My fiance is a city boy. I mean, seriously a city boy. He has no farm experience at all but I am learning that he is very open and willing to my farm inclinations.

Yesterday as he worked on the shelter for the girls, they massed around him - helping him - and he just looked at me with the biggest smile on his face and said "I like goats!!"

He also keeps showing up with goatmilk yogurt, kefir and milk from Whole Foods. He's really getting into this!

Stick with this channel for the most up to date dairy goat adventures that money can't buy!

Cheers,
Heather

A milking we shall go

2008-11-22T16:53:00.000-08:00

First off, I am sorry I have been so remiss in my posts. It's 4th quarter and I work for a major chain of stores that really wants to make some money, so I am a wee bit preoccupied working on that.

However, that hasn't stopped me from accidentally finding a herd of dairy goats to buy. Yes, me the girl who lives in the city still has just agreed to purchase 9 Nubian does, most of whom may be with kid.

Luckily this is where the family farm comes in. And my wonderful dad who is retiring next year...he will become the reluctant goat farmer hehe.

You see, there are about 2 acres that overgrow with bushes, grass, tree starts and blackberries every year and these wonderful girls will clear it for us and make us lovely milk.

Lucky they come with their own keeper. His name is Luis.

I am going out to the goat's current home on Wednesday to work out the details of their purchase.

I am - now - one step closer to the dream of becoming a farm girl once more.

Yay.

change.gov

2008-11-07T20:45:00.000-08:00

Go here President Obama's Website and see what great things are in store for us.

PS I am thrilled beyond belief about the results of the election on Tuesday.

VOTE, JUST VOTE!

2008-11-01T19:21:00.001-07:00

I am voting for my children's future. Why are you voting?

Turn your heat down willya?

2008-10-27T14:55:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of paying for the Natural Gas or Heating Oil company exec's new cars? Are you annoyed that your heating bill has gone up and is going to go higher? Me too.

I say let's stick it to the man and turn our thermostats down. Oh and the whole reducing your carbon footprint thing? Well that will just happen naturally if you play along with me.

Here's our current situation - hopefully some of my solutions will help you too.

We live in a 1500 sf tri-level 1969 ranch. All our windows and doors are original and the insulation is minimal at best. Until this summer, we had zero insulation under the floors and they used to get icy cold!

We had the crawlspace insulated in September (as deep as the rafters are...but I forget the R value, I think 17). In Oregon we rarely get snow or ice, and even more rarely have the temps drop under 30. But in an old drafty house like this one, mild weather doesn't help at all! It's still hard to keep it warm.

Here are a few things that I am working on to help offset our heat needs this winter.

I have collected old linen tablecloths and sheets from yard-sales over the years. I am turning them into multi-layered curtains. First I stitch a rod pocket into the tablecloth and slip it over a tension rod that is placed on the inside of the window frame. Then I stitch up a double thick top curtain of a sheet, tablecloth or whatever I have handy. I place those on a rod that extends outside the window frame. That way there is dead air between the layers of curtains (dead air = insulation).

I am going to make window quilts this year from sheets and old blankets (just sandwich the blanket inside the sheets and voila, quilt) for the two sliding doors and huge picture window. They ooze cold when the weather turns. I like to make the top layer of my curtains really snazzy so the house still looks all cute (but frugal) hehe.

We are also layering rugs on the hardwood floors in the bedrooms to stave off chilly toes. Same in the living room, but we have carpet and new insulation. So the extra rugs are just extra coziness.

We have an unusable fireplace that sucks warm air out of our house...so we put a yard-sale find super heavy 1950s style bookcase on the hearth and have blocked the draft and created a nifty place to store the baby's books.

We also spent time this weekend pulling all outlet and switch covers and placing foam inserts inside.

Next up is a heavy blanket for the kitchen/ garage door...it'll make a huge difference in the house I am sure. My dad has done this for years and it really is amazing how warm the kitchen gets once the door is insulated.

Cooking at home helps heat your house for free. A pot of boiling water or soup, or some potatoes in the oven really heats our house up.

When we are done baking, or the dishwasher finishes its cycle we open them and let their heat flow into the house. We also let warm water from the bath sit in the tub until the water cools.

Add to all these things a nice cozy sweater and socks, and a fluffy blanket for the couch and it won't feel so bad when your thermostat reads 63*.

As part of the Freeze Yer Buns Challenge we've comitted to no more than 65* during the day and 50* at night. We have zillions of blankets and we co-sleep with the baby so it should be fine.

As another blogger so aptly said - I'm looking forward to the overpayment notice from NW Natural Gas in the spring when my equal pay bills for the winter all level out.

***Addendum - I also use the sun to passively heat my home by opening all the south facing curtains when it is sunny out in the winter. It's really incredible how much heat the sun puts out when it is magnified through glass.

Why I'm Green

2008-10-25T20:40:00.000-07:00

Obama vs McCain Tax Calculator

2008-10-22T13:14:00.001-07:00

I <3 Oregon! My ballot came in the mail today!

2008-10-18T16:49:00.000-07:00

I ripped the envelope open and double checked to see if Obama really was on there.
Guess what? He was!

Only 17 more days...

A note to all (whatever party you belong to): Please vote. You have a right to be heard.

Shameless Pig Exploitation! ((more of the Dream))

2008-10-13T20:04:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to try to take credit for the fantastic idea that I am about to bestow upon you. I read it somewhere in passing. I 'want' to say it was "Five Acres and Independence", but I recently checked it out from the library and didn't seem to find it in there.

O.K. enough with the disclaiming...

On with the idea!!!

I was thinking about the 22 acres at my mom & dad's and how best to use them. I mentioned before that 2 acres or so are covered in blackberries, overgrown fruit trees and whatnot. My parents usually have a large garden each year too. But the land has to be reclaimed from mother nature every season. Seriously, in the Willamette Valley if you do not mow, the grass will be 6 feet high by May. So this is where my ultra-clever, semi-swiped-from-someone-else idea comes in.

If you are reading this blog, chances are that you know about little things like crop rotation to foil pests and disease. But in case you don't, I am going to explain it in great detail.

Stop me if I go too fast ;)

In nature, multiple plants are in the same genus - so tomatoes, peppers, nightshades, potatoes, and tobacco are all related. Brassicas are cauliflower, broccoli, turnips and the like and they are all kissing cousins.

If you grow the same types of plants in the same areas year after year it's like putting a neon diner sign out for pests. If plant diseases are a problem (we have powdery mildew like crazy starting in August every year!) then what I am about to tell you will possibly change the way you garden.

Two words...

I bet you have no idea what words...

Drum roll -

Crop

Rotation

O.K. so you already guessed, but it was still fun no?

In order to actually maintain a good crop rotation schedule, you have to plot out ahead of time how and where you will place your plants (keeping in mind the kissing cousins et al). This is a lot of work and makes my head go foggy. If you are constrained by a small space then you will have to plot and graph your way to pest free living. If you have a large space (say 22 acres?), then you can passively rotate your crops by following my simple plan.

First divide your area into 3 plots. Obviously the 3 areas should be appropriate for vegetable gardening (6 hrs + a day of direct sun). No special fertility or any other requirements need be met at this point. I highly recommend an overgrown plot that needs a lot of work. That way, my Spectacular Idea will seem all the more wonderful.

So you have your 3 spots picked out right?

Now fence at least one of them with hog or cattle fence. It's probably cheaper and easier to do all 3 at once in the long run, but do whatever feels best for you at the time.

Each section will need its own gate.

Buy some piglets in the spring and place into the first pen. Apply appropriate TLC.
Feed them all the compost scraps that are fit for the pigs to eat...and then let the pigs work their magic on the soil in the first pen. They will root out the weeds and chomp down the brush like nobody's business! Word to the wise though, make sure any plants that you want to keep are protected.

So that's pen #1. Let the pigs stay in there until butcher time (here it will be spring to late fall).

In the second pen, either have a garden or pasture poultry. Do the opposite in the 3rd pen.

The next year, put the piglets into the plot where the garden was and move the poultry to the pig pen. Into the chicken pen throw any leaves and non-edible compost items. Don't worry because when the pigs are in that pen, they will destroy anything that is left.

Each year the pigs will churn your soil and reduce pests and disease to a minimum. The chickens are just for fun, but will benefit from the fresh pasture too.

This method takes a bit of work, but not very much planning which I like!

I'll lay it out in simple terms before I go...

YEAR #1

Plot #1
Piggies and edible compost items

Plot #2
Garden (will be limited in size a bit in year 1 unless you are incredibly lucky)

Plot #3
Pasture Poultry and other compost items

YEAR #2

Plot #1
Pasture Poultry and other compost items

Plot #2
Piggies and edible compost items

Plot #3
Garden

YEAR #3

Plot #1
Garden

Plot #2
Pasture Poultry and other compost items

Plot #3
Piggies and edible compost items

And so on, and so on, and so on into infinity.

What do you think? Am I on to something?

The Dream Continued

2008-10-12T16:11:00.000-07:00

And now back to our regular programming...

I'm still dreaming a little dream.

Although the reality of mortgages, car payments, and the need for health insurance keep me solidly entrenched in the life I long to shed...dream with me anyways...

I've mentioned my parent's farm before but I am going to elaborate on a few, hopefully fun, things.

The farm was once two 1240 acre homestead grants, dating from the mid-1840s. Time and life changes have reduced it to 22 south slope acres in the fertile Willamette Valley. Currently most of it is leased by a “Bent Grass” farmer. Bent Grass is golf course grass. This is not an organic operation, which annoys me, but it does pay the taxes every year. Were we to move there, the farmer would be eliminated from the equation since we would need all 22 acres to support a sustainable lifestyle for numerous family members. The local market is always open to selling local produce and farm products, so we would definitely keep that in mind as we determine what crops and animals to grow.

I'd start with chickens, since we could whip up a coop and fence an area in no time and with very little cash outlay. The chickens could actually feed us completely if need be. Eggs are an excellent source of nutrition and if you toss in some veggies and a teeny bit of cheese, you have a meal fit for a chicken farmer ;)

After the chickens were settled in, we'd need to start fencing the acre and a half or so of orchard with hog/ cattle fence so we can raise piglets (and maybe other critters). The idea for the pigs came from my childhood when my parents lived in Odell, Oregon. We had a couple of acres, chickens, pigs, and a Black Lab named Duke who kept me out of harm's way. I was three.

We had 3 pigs Alouicious Abercrombie the First, Second and Third. They were generic pigs (in my memory) and we fed them and the chickens all sorts of scraps and things. Duke followed me everywhere and was my best friend. We bought the pigs early in the spring and fed them with summer's bounty all the way until November when the last of the pears and apples had been devoured into their giant bellies. I remember how smelly they were. I also remember how fascinated I was with them. They were so immense (to a 3 year old) and so messy. I used to think about going into their pen and playing in the mud with them, but whenever I strayed from the “Duke-approved” areas I was firmly but gently tugged back to the right area by kindly doggy jaws on my wee little bum. Anyways, after the pigs had devoured the last of the produce for the year, my parents had a slaughter truck take them away. Thankfully I was napping. I am ,and was, a very sensitive person and seeing them taken away would have had me distraught for weeks. Later on that winter we were shopping at DeHart's Market in Odell and we saw some packages of pork. My parents had finally explained that they had sold two of the pigs to the market. So when I saw the meat (specifically the ~gulp~ feet), I hollered MAMA ARE THOSE MY PIGGIES!?!?!?! She shushed me and said yes. While we were checking out, I kept asking the cashier why he won't give me my piggies back. I remember this vividly. I was very mad at him for taking my friends away.

Odell was a great place for a child. We had a creek, Neal Creek to be specific, running through the back of our land. We had a cow farm to the south, and a crazy old lady to the north. She had a parrot and a very deep pond. Both inspired me to wander over there when my mama wasn't looking. Duke, of course, was at my heels and if I went anywhere within many feet of the pond or the road he would either stand in my way or tug on me gently. He was quite a babysitter.

That winter our creek flooded and when I was outside with my daddy who was feeding the critters, I wandered away to the creek. Duke shoved himself between me and the water and grumbled at me. He scared me and made me cry. My daddy patted Duke and scolded me, and the next time I tried to make him let go of my hand he wouldn't. Apparently, I was a handful and I owe a great deal to my sweet Duke.

Our house was very small, but we had a huge pantry that my parents put gleaming jars of tomatoes and plums and things in. I loved to go into there and run my fingers across the letters on the jars. Unknowingly I was tracing B A L L and K E R R. There was a tiny window in there that let a little light in, and sometimes when the sun was sinking into it's bed it would shine through there for a few moments. The tomatoes nearly glowed!!

I also remember my parents making and bottling Root Beer. It was so much fun to watch and taste. They didn't quite follow the recipe correctly though, because in a few days we heard small explosions from the pantry. All the bottle tops had burst. It was a real mess and nobody let me help clean it up. I was not very happy about that either!

Ok – so after that long diatribe – now you know why and how I plan to grow pigs. It should be easy and fun (well not in November when the slaughter truck comes – especially for Mssrs. A. Abercrombie 4 – 10)...but well you know what I mean!!

My next Dream posts will be about sustainable energy and heat sources (ie solar, growing a forest for harvest etc).

I hope this finds you well and happy. I am much restored after baking, cooking, sewing, gardening and hanging out with my family.

Cheers.

There's a Wolf at the Door.

2008-10-10T14:23:00.000-07:00

I'm a pretty optimistic person. I try to look on the bright side, or I just see the bright side for the most part. But lately, my optimism has been waning.

Today as I read the news (why oh why do I do this to myself?) on cnn.com I started to feel panic. Even though the headline loudly says "Anxiety Makes it Worse" and "Calm Down, Be Brave". Frankly I feel a bit anxious and not very brave right now.

I googled Depression era recipes. I also looked up Victory Gardens. I perused some of my favorite blogs and after awhile came to the conclusion that I need to do something in order to feel like I am doing something.

Make sense?

I've been paralyzed by the mortgage meltdown. Frozen by the Dow sliding into no-man's-land. Held hostage by the drama of a desperate Republican Party.

It's like someone pressed pause on my normal life. I don't like it one bit.
Now, I realize that I can't change the past, or help with crude oil prices, but I can do small things at home to prepare for whatever is headed our way.

So in the interests of distracting myself from the current disaster at hand, I am going to do the following during the next 3 days...

Harvest tomatoes that have been ripening under my WT Greenhouse (WT = white trash hehe).

Cook down said tomatoes into sauce and freeze.

Whip up some curtains to save energy and make our home more cozy.

Finish organizing and mouse-proofing my new pantry area in the garage.

Bake stuff. Not only does it warm the house, it warms the soul.

And last, but not least, log off the internet and stay off of it until Monday when I am back at work.

I seriously need a break from all the dire news.

Cheers.

Checking In

2008-10-05T14:40:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry that I have been lax in posting. Between summer ending and fall beginning (read the rains have started!)...and my new job (a surprise promotion I might add :o))...I have been a bit distracted.

The fiance is building a triangle-shaped-tunnel for my garden today. It's kind of ghetto (read - made from wood in the garage),but it will extend my tomato harvest and enable us to plant greens where the rains can't destroy them.

It's such a sweet gesture, and I am ITCHING to go play with it.
Once it's all up I will post pics.

Heather

Dream a Little Dream With Me :)

2008-09-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

I’ve been dreaming a little dream for awhile now and I thought I would write a post about it so you can dream with me.

Currently I am trapped in a 8 – 5, M – F, I have to pay my mortgage/carpayment/buynewclothesforwork/payhalfmysalarytodaycare/eatoutbecauseIamtootiredtocook RUT!!!

It seems like everything we do costs a ton of money, and nothing we do is making us any happier. I assume that part of my discontent is the horrid state of affairs with our economy. But part of my discontent goes so much deeper.

Until 6 years ago I lived in the country. I had chickens, horses, a dog, and a huge garden. Now I am a slave to The Man and I am really unhappy with my current situation.

The mortgage industry failure has trapped me in my house. It’s hard to refinance, and equally as hard to sell right now. So, what is a country girl to do that is trapped in the city?

I’ve been giving this a lot of thought lately…my baby has turned one without me. He has learned new words, new skills, and bonded with a mommy who is not his flesh and blood. Don’t get me wrong, my daycare is wonderful, but she isn’t me. And I miss my son. I miss his smiles and his snuggles…and I miss holding him as he falls to sleep after lunch.

Here is my dream –

Call my parents up (who are nearing retirement and are overwhelmed with their farm) and say – hey can we rent your entire upstairs (4 bedrooms/ 1500 sf)? They say yes…

So we call the neighbor who covets our yard and say hey – want to buy our house? He says - yes I’ll be right over with a check (hehe – remember this is MY dream).

Then I would call up my employer and say – thanks for 7 years of employment, but I am outta here!

We’d have to prepare the upstairs to live in since it has been uninhabited for 3 years…
We would add solar panels for water heating and perhaps radiant floor heating. We would put in a woodstove that has the capability to heat water as well to account for the multitude of cloudy days in Oregon...

Then we’d fence, put up a chicken coop, and start farming.

I’d buy goats (for brush clearing and milk), pigs, chickens and a steer. For the fiancé I would buy a Donkey or a Mule since he has wanted one for as long as I can remember. I want a horse again someday too.

We’d bring our hottub and set it up to run on solar too.
I’d build an outdoor shower with nearly unlimited hot water that we could use from May to October all thanks to the sunshine. The shower water would run off and feed the gardens.

We’d put in cisterns to catch the 40 odd inches of rain that falls each year and then keep our gardens as green as can be with that free water.

I’d spend every day teaching my baby to love and respect nature.
I’d cook entire meals from items grown only our farm.
This is my dream and my bliss!!

Simple Christmas

2008-09-23T10:54:00.001-07:00

Here is the email that I just sent my family today.

Hey all,

Well, October is nearly upon us. And with that, thoughts naturally turn
towards the upcoming holidays. This year I would like to shift our
Christmas focus a little.

I think we could all benefit from spending less, and slowing down.

It sure would make this year easier and cheaper. We could spend more time
just yakking or watching Christmas movies or something rather than preparing
food or cleaning up….

Gifts should be useful, simple, non-cluttering, handmade, recycled,
repurposed, thrifted, yard-saled, bought very cheaply (not cheaply like China
cheaply, but cheaply like something really great found on clearance!) or handed
down (ie no new gifts to the best of our ability)
Wrapping should be re-used, re-usable or non-existent
Food should be simple (I was thinking a giant pot of soup and bread for
Turkeyday & Christmas)
Thoughts?
H

For me - Christmas has always been a frantic, stressful time and I always spend too much money! This year we cannot spend too much money without letting the light bill slide, so change is inevitable.

I am glad to effect change in a bunch of people too, because I know they need to save money and time too.

What are you doing this year to limit your spending or use of resources this holiday season?

I am making the following things (hopefully no-one in my family sees this hehe)....

IDEAS

Pillowcase Purses

Cherry Pit & tea filled heating pads

Mustard Baskets
~~Hot Crackers
~~Sausage
~~Spicy Mustard
~~Ale & Tarragon Mustard

Mocha Mix

Coffee Mix

Dill Dip & Dressing Blend

Ranch Style Dressing Blend

Italian Seasoning Blend

Cajun Seasoning Blend

A strip club in our neighborhood? I don't think so.

2008-09-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

"Seeing Stars? You might (and not like it one bit)"
Community members organize to fight Stars Cabaret
By Jennifer Clampet The Lake Oswego Review, Sep 18, 2008 (2
Reader comments) PAMPLIN MEDIA SERVICE FILE PHOTO / JIM CLARK Randy Kaiser,
pictured in 2002 at his Stars Cabaret & Steak House in Beaverton, plans to
open a Stars Cabaret in Tualatin. * tag. */--> TUALATIN – Lake Grove and Tualatin-area residents have plans
to fight a new strip club no matter how stacked the odds are against them.
Busying himself with his cell phone, Claude DaCorsi looked up just long enough
to acknowledge that Stars Cabaret-Bridgeport expected contention. http://www.lakeoswegoreview.com/news/story.php?story_id=122169223920161900 http://www.lakeoswegoreview.com/news/story.php?story_id=122169203635761200

What is wrong with this world when laws protect establishments like this? I firmly believe that places like this should be in a commercial area, or in a red light area as one of the readers commented below.

Our children walk through here to go to the theater or Taco Bell. Players (a fun family place) and 24 Hour Fitness are across the road.

There are two motels nearby that will certainly be the recipient of increased *hourly guests*.
Oh and there are not too many sidewalks through the River Grove area...which leads me to the fact that Stars starts serving alcohol at 11 AM. Just in time for someone to get good and drunk and run over one of our kids on the way home from school.

I hope that the threat of people videotaping the parking lot as well as picketing repeatedly, along with the huge public outcry, will deter this move by Stars.

I understand that they are a business, but they have no business where familes and children are.

Period.

***Back to your regular programming

Edible Landscaping & Flirty Flavorful Flowers

2008-09-17T18:32:00.000-07:00

Here is another list of plants that are part of my edible landscaping theme. Many have flowers that are beautiful and tasty. A couple I mentioned earlier, but they're really worth planting so I am repeating myself :)

Anise Hyssop
Arugula flowers
Basil flowers
Scarlet Runner beans (flowers too)
Bee Balm
Tuberous Begonia (begonia x tuberhybrida)
Borage
Broccoli (yes, flowers too)
Calendula
Chicory
Chives
Garlic Chives
Chrysanthemum
Daylilies
Dianthus (pinks)
Dill
Elderberry
English Daisy
Garlic
Hibiscus
Hyssop
Johnny Jump Up
Lavenders
Sweet Marjoram
Mint (all)
Mustard
Nasurtium
Orange (currently researching if lemon blossoms are edible too)
Greek Oregano
Pansy
Parsley
Peas
Radish
Roses
Rosemary
Sage
Summery Savory
Scented Geraniums
Sunflower *recipe below
Thyme
Sweet Violet
Sweet Woodruff
Yuccas
Zucchini

This is a list that I culled from the book "Lasagna Gardening with Herbs" by Patricia Lanza.

Sunflower 'Mock Artichokes'

Pick the Sunflowers while still in the bud stage. Clean and then boil for 2 minutes. Meanwhile bring a second pot of water to boil and transfer the Sunflowers to the fresh water (reduces bitterness). Boil until tender. Fry in a blend of olive oil and butter. You can add bread crumbs and salt if you prefer.

Disclaimer - I am by no means a leading expert on edible landscaping items, and if you poison yourself by eating the wrong thing it's your own dang fault...that's what www.google.com is for. These are merely *my* suggestions :)

Cheers!!

That Lovin' Spoonful (or I've Fallen in Love with a Farmer and I don't even know his name)

2008-09-14T13:34:00.000-07:00

Ahh just kidding...

But today was a day of new experiences and eye openings for me!

I have always *thought* about going to one of our many local Farmer's Markets but it was the kind of thinking that is done rhetorically and required no effort on my part. In fact, by thinking about it so often and with such fervor, somehow I had absolved myself of the need or desire to truly go to one.

Today dawned sunny, brilliant with September colors and well - I just felt like I had to find one that was open. The caveat was that I couldn't spend more than 5 minutes on the road...and it was Sunday so most Farmer's Markets had already happened yesterday.

So, I googled Farmer's Markets with my zipcode and found ONE that met the 5 minute requirement. So I grabbed the fiance, baby, sunblock and a water bottle crammed with ice and took off in the car - in quest of the most perfectly red tomatoes. (disclaimer, I know that in order for this to be an ideal situation we would have biked, but I am not risking life, limb and baby with the lunatics on our roads...that and we just have one bike!)

Honestly, had I not been so motivated to go to a Farmer's Market today, I do not think I would have even stopped. Because from the road it didn't look like much. Shows you what I know!! Hehe

After we parked, we put sunblock on the baby and grabbed his stroller. Once we walked to the sales area it was clear that I had vastly underestimated the sheer deliciousness of what I was about to experience.

The late summer Strawberries sang a chorus to me when I walked by. The hot sun had warmed them and released their potent fragrance. The apples were blushing shyly when I brushed their cheeks. The blackberries nearly lept from their boxes into my fingers. Oh and the mountains of tomatoes were more than my senses could stand.

We spent 45$ and had a kiddie sized wagon full of produce. I thought I would do a price check for you....

Green Beans $1.65/#
Fuji Apples .99/#
Japanese Eggplant $1 ea
Strawberries $13 for a half flat
Watermelon (seedless from Hermiston, OR) .39/#
Swiss Chard $1.25 a bunch
Green Onions 2 bunches for $1
Yellow Pear Tomatoes $2.50/ pint
Blackberries $2.25 - $3/ pint depending on which booth you were at
Purple Cauliflower $1.25/#
Zucchini 3 for $1
Beets .99/bunch
Kohlrabi 3 for $1
Carrots .75/#
Lettuce $1 each
Herbs all $1 a bunch
Corn 3 for $1
Cantaloupe $1 ish a pound - they were tres gourmet ones
Heirloom Tomatoes $1.50/#

It was a fantastic experience and one we will have each week from now until they close for the season. I can't believe it took me so long to go!

It was neat because most of the smaller farms had signs stating their organicness (is that a word? heh). And their prices were the same as the bigger guys who were clearly not as organic(ness).

I sent my fiance back to buy some Strawberries before they close at 2 today! We are going to freeze them for winter. MMMM

It was neat to see how I could still save money and get to buy the most fresh, local, mostly organic product available. Oh and even better - reduce my carbon footprint to a smidgen...well at least for today.

If you do not go to your local FM regularly - get thee to one asap!!

I'll post pics shortly.

Cheers.

Garden Update, Extending the Harvest and oh deer a new garden friend

2008-09-13T17:45:00.000-07:00

Today I harvested 2 Scarlett Runner beans, about 10#s of Patty Pan squash, 10 or so fat, sunny colored Lemon Cucumbers, a handful of Cherry tomatoes, and a bunch of misc. herbs. My 3 volunteer Swiss Chard plants need a trim too.

The seeds that I planted a couple of weeks ago (Kale, Swiss Chard, Parsley, Cilantro, strange lettuce blends etc) are all up and going nuts.
It's still in the 80s here most days so the fall garden is as happy as a lark.

My plan is to get the artichokes, onions, garlic, leeks, carrots, beets etc etc all in tomorrow. I'm probably nuts, but what the heck.

Next year I resolve to weigh my harvest, but with the success of the potatoes and summer squash so far this year we have to be near 50#. We also have a ton of unharvested red potatoes still in the ground. Also some Artichokes coming on. A loaded Cayenne pepper, some more summer squash, more cucumbers, and all those lusciously loaded tomato plants. Add to that all the winter plants and we are sitting pretty right about now.

I love how each day is a learning experience with mental notes made (ie space tomatoes further apart) for next year on so many things that I will barely be able to remember all of them!

Next up will also be a tunnel for the tomatoes...it will break my heart if the rain destroys those beauties.

How's your 4 season garden coming along?

PS I forgot the *deer* part - we have a new guest who is eating the tips of my tomatoes and deleafing my beans. She's been by a few other times, but now she is starting to take bigger bites. GRR!!

Ecoguilt

2008-09-13T08:58:00.000-07:00

Interestingly enough, I have added *ecoguilt* to my repertoire.

I feel guilty when I forget my cloth shopping tote.
I feel guilty when I leave a light on.
I feel guilty when we drive somewhere out of the way to go to dinner (last night).
I feel guilty when I buy something with excess packaging.
I feel guilty when I turn on the clothes dryer.
I feel guilty when the cold water runs down the drain as I wait for the hot water to start.
I feel guilty because I use disposable diapers, when I really want to use cloth, but I just don't have the bandwidth to add one more chore to my overfull days.
I feel guilty about nearly everything these days.

I do so many things already to be a good steward of the earth...

I never litter.
I use mostly organic cleansers in my house.
We are 100% organic in our yards and gardens.
We limit just about everything in our lives to some degree in order to live a more sustainable lifestyle...and....

It's not a lot of fun sometimes...

To some degree, guilt is a good thing. It is that little voice in your head asking why you need to do this, or that. But lately, I've been feeling like *ecoguilt* has taken over my life.

Why can't I bike to work? Excuse.
Why can't I buy 100% local, organic whatever.... Excuse.
Why can't I cloth diaper? Excuse!
Why do I need to eat out tonight after I just finished a 14 hour day? Excuse!
Why can't I bake my own bread, or cook more veggies? Excuse!! Excuse!!
We insulated under our floors a couple of weeks ago and had to use the pink stuff because we couldn't afford denim. Guilt!
Etc etc etc etc ETC!!!!

I am starting to believe that there needs to be a healthy balance of ecominded choices and actually enjoying life. I'm running out of energy these days trying to keep up with my busy life AND my commitment to the environment.

We work hard and, I believe, deserve to reap the rewards of our labors.

I still want that flat panel TV for the living room. I haven't bought it yet, but I'm not certain that I still won't.

Why can't you have an HDTV *and* an outdoor solar shower?
Why can't you have a nice car *and* garden organically?
Do they cancel each other out? I don't know.

I ramble.

But you get the point.

Ecoguilt is threatening to take over my life and I am not sure I like it.

Edited to add the following - I guess I am just looking for a balance between living a reasonable life and the environment. That is all.

We do not imply these products are fit for food products, or for any particular use.

2008-09-10T22:20:00.000-07:00

I read this "As always you should test your product with the packaging to ensure product compatibility. We do not imply these products are fit for food products, or for any particular use." on a website that was selling jam jars.

Sounds a wee bit ominous to me, and Very Doubtful that I would want to can up my beloved summer crops into one of these babies.

The Craziest Waste of Gas Imaginable!!

2008-09-09T17:59:00.000-07:00

I had to do a double take when I saw this example of American laziness!!

I was driving to work yesterday morning and, unfortunately, following a school bus. It was a glorious September morning in Oregon, read 60*, bright blue skies, and just plain nice out.

My drive takes me through a rural area where the driveways are about 400 - 500 feet long. The bus was stopping periodically at driveways, and I was kind of zoning out...when all of the sudden I noticed a child get out of a car that was parked at the end of the driveway and get onto the bus. Once she was safely on her way the mom backed the car up the long driveway...

Keep in mind how nice the weather was...and gas prices etc...

I like to give people the benefit of the doubt so I told myself maybe she had a broken leg or something so she had to drive down her driveway.

Fast forward about half a mile later - when the exact same thing played itself out in front of my very eyes.

I don't get it! It was so nice out. It will start raining soon and any opportunity to walk with your child will be gone.

Both sets of parents never got out of their cars nor did they even have the windows down...they were sitting there in their closed up, idling cars in the sunshine waiting for a bus.

Is it just me, or is there something desperately wrong with this picture?