The Emerald City....

My husband and I just returned from a weekend trip to Seattle and I will admit I cannot stop thinking about it. Seattle was similar to a California coastal town in that the weather was cool, people were laid back and the area boasted great shopping and eating. But what made me love this city was that they were light years ahead when it comes to living and working sustainably. What I read and write about in this column is often done every day by the citizens of Seattle without a second thought. I had no idea the Emerald City was so… “green.”

Urban Farming

Yards in Seattle often look a little wild, because they are. Native plants sit next to squash and hops. Front yards made up of mostly grass are not the standard and you can tell many people incorporate reusable materials for fences and raised beds. Various neighborhoods (well off and not) boasted chicken coops and compost bins. Even people in apartments and condos had tomatoes or lettuce growing in containers.

Sustainable Business

Businesses boasted compostable silverware, soups/sandwiches made from ingredients from local farms, biodegradable to-go containers and boutiques sold items like plants in terrariums. I had to take a double take at menus and signs marketing organic, sustainable and vegetarian options. Restaurant food waste was put in a compost bin and every coffee shop, grocery store and boutique sold reusable water bottles and coffee mugs. And no, things were not anymore expensive there than they are here. In fact, many things were less expensive. I wondered how such a huge population could be onboard with living eco-friendly when so many other cities in America treat it as an inconvenience. Seattle does many things “green” on purpose and patrons seem to be rewarding businesses that choose corporate responsibility over wasteful consumerism.

Eco-Transportation

While mass transportation and cars are still an option for people, many people in Seattle choose biking or walking to work or travel around town. Even on the weekends local parks like the one we visited in the GreenLake district were full of people walking, running, biking, skating, rowing, etc. Young and old, singles and entire families took laps around the lake. The businesses around the lake sold bike equipment or offered group running classes. It was a snapshot of how many in Seattle prioritize healthy living. And I will be honest I did eventually start looking for obese people in Seattle, because they were the exception rather than the norm. I think I counted five in all (and we toured all around the city), and they looked like tourists rather than residents.

Seattle of course is not perfect, just like anywhere. But I am thankful for all I learned while I was there. They have made things like sustainable living a priority and that has translated into healthy living for its residents. I think it starts with developing a mindset that sustainable living is not only possible, it’s important. And soon people from all walks of life join in.

It probably started with local activists, government officials and residents asking for more bike friendly roads, road side food compost bins, as well as grocery stores choosing to offer items from local farms, rather than sell items from 1,500 miles away. While I know full well that Seattle is a big city, it encouraged me that our local communities could implement similar actions on a (much) smaller scale in the future. Yes, Seattle has hydro-power, but we receive more sun for solar power. Yes, they have a mild climate, but our growing season is pretty much year round. They have local interest groups, a more educated population and deal with a higher income base; we have… alright so they have a few choice advantages. But really it’s their mindset that makes things possible. It’s why people pursue grants and government officials approve sustainable projects, because enough residents ask them to. Or why groups/non-profits establish community gardens and teach kids about recycling (some of which I’m happy to report we do here). It’s not about being a tree hugger or “hippie”; it’s about believing the future is worth investing in. So there you have it. If you’re ever up north, stop by Seattle; they also have great coffee.

Fan Fair.....

There’s something amazingly nostalgic about going to the Tulare County Fair. From the FFA students showing their animals to brightly lit carnival rides, classic fair food to the amazing exhibits, there is indeed something for everyone each year. The fair serves as a reflection of the valley, both its past and present. From agriculture to business innovation it represents the people who live here and call it “home.”

My mom and I have been entering the baked goods division for years. Something we started a few years back for fun and continue to enjoy today. While it’s exciting if you win something, it’s just nice to take part in this piece of Americana. Though I’m happy to report that we did take home a few blue ribbons this year. But the best thing about the fair is that anyone and everyone has something to enter and something worthy to be displayed. From kids to seniors there’s a category for every level of time and talent.

The Fine Arts building boasts fine photographers and budding artists. The kids’ building shows off the young talent in the valley and the exhibit halls provide educational opportunities for every age. The rides and shows provide easy entertainment throughout the day and night and the FFA/4-H animals show off the hard work of local kids.

The Home Arts building also features an array of talent. Amazing quilts hang from the ceiling and the room is full of plants, crafts, food and more. The quilts are masterpieces in and of themselves. These ladies are not messing around. Every year I am in awe of their handiwork and patience. The same thing goes for the lovely craft items, produce and blooms that are entered each year. And then the baked goods and canned foods division where the competition really heats up. We’re talking time tested family recipes waging battle here. But at the same time there’s a sweet spirit of days gone by represented as well. Homemade pies and cookies from scratch remind visitors that often the simplest recipes are still the best.

So I thought I’d share the recipe for my corn bread, which won first place in the one of the quick breads competitions. The recipe is rather simple and can be customized to your family’s taste. The cornbread comes out light, fluffy and is great for Thanksgiving or cold nights alongside a bowl of hot chili.

Blue Ribbon Corn Bread

Mix 1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup corn meal, ½ tablespoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt in one bowl. In another bowl, cream ¼ cup butter, ½ cup sugar (if you want it sweeter add ¾ cup sugar or 1/4 cup of honey) and then stir in one egg, followed by ¾ cup milk.

Mix wet and dry ingredients. If you want it to taste even “cornier” you can mix in 1/3 cup corn masa with a little more milk. That’s what I did. Spoon into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350º till you can stick a knife in the middle and it comes out clean (no dough on it); about 35-45 minutes. I like my corn bread sweet so I drizzled some honey on top of the dough before I put it in the oven. If the top is getting too brown you can always cover it with foil and stick in back in the oven till it’s done.

Sorry, won’t be sharing the winning cookie recipes with you. Those are still classified top secret (just kidding). Hope you were able to visit the Tulare County Fair this year. If not, you’ll be able to enjoy all the fan fair once again next fall.

Pedal Power.....

A few weeks ago my husband surprised me with a foldable road bike he had won at work. Since it was pink (technically the color is “Flamingo”) my husband bequeathed it to me. It came at a perfect time as I had just announced that I wanted to become a biker. No, not the leather, tattoos, long beard kind (no offense to those of you who are), but the bike to work kind.

I will admit I think it's kind of silly that I don’t bike or walk to work when I live .9 miles from the office. According to Google it should take me about five minutes to get to work, which is about what it takes me by car when I get stuck behind someone who drives the speed of a snail (cough)….senior citizens.

But before I hopped on the bike and jaunted off to work, I wanted some advice from someone who biked to work on a regular basis. So I interviewed someone I know rather well. In fact we’ve shared a room, recipes, as well as genes, my amazing sister Jen. My sister lives in Seattle where biking in the big city is a big deal.

“It’s gotten more popular because of the economy,” she said. “People also have trouble finding time to exercise, so they can use their commute to do it.”

She added that businesses also benefit when employees bike to work.

“Businesses don’t have to worry so much about parking and their employees are generally healthier,” she said.

Her work, like other businesses in Seattle, caters to bikers by offering showers, lockers, and places to keep their bikes. Jen lives about 3.5 miles from work, but deals with hills and heavy traffic along the way. She said when she first started it took her 30 minutes to get to work, but soon she was down to 20 minutes and without changing her diet had shed 16 pounds. She also doesn’t have to worry about taxi fares, bus passes, high gas prices, car insurance or a car payment. Jen does worry about safety, which she prioritizes every time she rides.

“The rules are simple, if you’re on the road you follow the same rules as a car,” said Jen. “If you’re on the sidewalk you follow the same rules as pedestrians. You can’t assume someone can see you,” she added.

Bikers should add elements like lights, horns, reflectors, etc. to their bikes for safety. For the nighttime ride home Jen relies on several lights all over her bike. She said she lights her bike up “like a Christmas tree” in order to make herself noticeable to cars and pedestrians even when it’s dark and rainy.

After she started biking to work, her and her husband Rob found they started bicycling other places too. Now weekend camping trips and inner city outings involve taking the bikes and it’s something fun they can do together.

They are not alone in their love for biking. In fact, according to BikesBelong.org the number of bike commuters rose by 64% from 1990 to 2009. And when the economy took a turn for the worse, even more families found that biking was a low cost way to get to anywhere, including work. Biketoworkinfo.org reports that while the yearly cost of owning and operating a vehicle is over $9,000, or 18 percent of the average household's income, owning and maintaining a bicycle can cost as little as $120 per year; that’s less than most of us spend on morning lattes every year.

Since Exeter boasts mainly flat and well maintained roads (thanks to the City of Exeter employees!) the ride should be relatively easy and quick. If you’re wondering how long your commute would be you can use mapmyride.com or Google (just hit the bike icon in directions) to calculate the distance. You can also customize your routes using these applications. As the weather begins to go from summer-ish to fall, I am excited to start biking to work. More and more people are flexing their pedal power and after looking at all the benefits, it is easy to see why.

Goodbye Grass, Part One.....

As I peer out the window I can’t help but glare at the large green space occupying our front yard. Yes, our lawn. While most of it is green all I can think about is how much “green” it costs. I am so ready to be rid of this green monster.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency , 30 to 60 percent of urban fresh water is used for watering lawns (hot areas use more), $5,250,000,000 is spent on fossil fuel-derived fertilizers, 67,000,000 pounds of synthetic pesticides are used, $25,000,000,000 is spent for the lawn care industry and $700,000,000 is spent for pesticides for U.S. lawns on an annual basis. Yikes.

Watering, fertilizing, mowing, edging, aerating, we’ve shelled out serious bucks to keep our patches green. But the lawn often just sits there waiting to be mowed, edged, etc. It’s the most high maintenance yard fixture ever included by man.

So we decided it has to go. Yes, all of it.

Step one, develop a garden plan. While I love flowers I wanted our yard to be multi-functional. Fruit trees and veggie beds will also be part of the front yard. While in some cities this is controversial, I think if someone can look like they are having a large garage sale everyday, people should be able to grow tomatoes in their front yard. There, I said it. Anyway, no one will really see our beds because in the tradition of companion planting and cottage gardening they will be nestled among helpful flowers and herbs.

We’ve made some sketches and planned out specific areas for various plantings. The border will be made up of a white picket fence, roses, perennials and a few annuals. This will create a soft perimeter, lessen street noise (take that noisy neighbors!) and give us some privacy for when we’re bending over in the garden. From there we’ve designed “garden rooms” or theme areas for the yard; a future play area for kiddos, a lovely sitting area from which to watch the kiddos, multiple veggie beds, fruit trees and of course more roses.

The whole purpose is to develop a design that fits you and your family. If you can’t go without a lawn, then maybe just reduce it and/or put in a veggie garden for the kids. If you’re older and want a low maintenance yard, find a drought resistant ground cover and pair it with evergreen shrubs. Again, don’t feel like a lawn is your only option because it’s not. For what we shell out each month in maintenance, we could completely transform our yards into Edens over a period of time.

Step two for removing lawns is probably what scares most people out of doing it, removing the lawn. For those lucky enough to have sod they can rent a sod cutter. But for those of us who have dreaded Bermuda and Crab Grass stuck in layers of hard pan it’s a challenge (a.k.a. nightmare). Using Round-up and any other weed killers will not save you and it is not a good idea if you plan to plant in the area anytime soon, especially food. The sad truth is when it comes to Bermuda or Crab Grass is you have to dig it out. I know, yikes! While we will reduce a nice chunk of the lawn by expanding our driveway, our plan is to get out there after it rains and dig out a little at a time. We’ll section off certain areas and if we can afford it, hire a landscaping company to help us out. Soon the grass will be gone (yay!).

Step three: If you’re adding landscaping elements like rock or concrete pathways it’s best to do it now. It’s also time to amend the soil. We plan on bringing in garden soil and have also planned to put a stealthy compost pile near the fence. After the soil is loose and full of nutrients, it’s time to plant. Do it one section at a time. It will take a little bit for everything to fill in, but that’s where annuals in packs, cheap flower seeds, clearance plants, and birthday gift cards to nurseries come in handy. Before you know it you’ll no longer be slave to the green monster.

We’ll talk about what to plant if you’re want an edible front yard in a few weeks. Until then, maybe you and your lawn should have a heart to heart. It might be time to tell the grass goodbye.