Groundhog blues

I feel as though I poked my head out of the ground a few times these last months and decided I was going right back in to burrow. For reasons X, Y and Z, blogging hasn't been terribly high on my list of things to take care of...getting up and out of bed was about as much as I could handle some days. Cold weather and dark days are taking their toll on me hard this year and I'm fairly certain its due to the new apartment. We have huge, amazing windows that are wonderful to have in the summer, but in the winter do nothing but suck the heat out. We've just started getting around to sealing them up, so it's getting better, but November was not a great month for health. The cold never used to bother me, but this year it's been killer. Add to that, I can't drink my beloved caffeinated teas anymore...or any caffeinated beverage. Anyone have any recommendations for good herbals?

I finally managed to clean up the remains of the Container Kingdom. I don't know that the soil will be salvageable this year, but we've already got plans for building several more Earthbox type containers before spring. Unfortunately, due to the cold and ailments, I wasn't able to get the garlic in the ground before it froze...pushed back yet another year.

We're entering into day 4 of Hanukkah, which means mountains of potato pancakes when I get home! Christmas is all well and good, but Jewish holidays have such better food :)

I'm about to embark on my homemade, edible Christmas venture ((yes, we have a dual holiday household)). Toffee, glass candy, candy canes, chocolate covered fruits and an assortment of Christmas cookies are in the works this year. I've played around with candy making before so it won't be a complete disaster, but I'd love to hear if anyone with more experience than I has any advice to give. Or recipes. Just saying ;)

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

NIMG!

So there's this meme going around, see...
This one was started over at A Study in Contrasts. Not In My Garden takes a look at what gardeners refuse to have in their gardens, for whatever reasons. However, according to the original interpretation, it is a list of things that gardeners may enjoy in other people's gardens, just not their own. So, let's have a go.

NIMG
1: Flowers. Yes...flowers. The essence of many other gardens. I think flower gardens are beautiful and striking, but I just don't feel like I have the time, space or touch. The other problem with them, if I'm going to be honest, is that they don't fit in with my "directly practical in every way, at all times" garden mentality right now. As I'm working with very limited space and resources, flowers fall into the ornamental category and just don't give me the return I'm looking for. Luckily for me, my landlady and neighbors all keep beautiful flower gardens and sidewalk plots, so I don't lack for beautiful, coloured visuals.
We'll also skip over the fact that I kill just about every bloom I get my hands on.

2: Zucchini. I'd love to grow zucchini again one day, so that if everything else in the garden fails, I'll at least have the monster veggie. But right now, with space so limited and fruits so prevalent in farmer's markets, I'll hold off on the zucchini and squash for another year or so.

3: Decorative buildings. I love garden sheds. I love sheds in general, as they were my playhouses when I was young and Kids Crooked Houses are still at the top of the list when I get around

to having my own chiblings. Honestly, though, while I can't help but admire the quaint, decorated little shed/cabin/pagoda/fairy houses that many gardens boast, I could never maintain one of my own. Or I would stuff it so full of tools, supplies and miscellenia, it would become a safety hazard. Or it would become infested with bugs somehow and I would never, ever set foot in it again. Have I mentioned how terrified I can be of infestations?

Photo from Flickr, taken by
Richard Cocks

4: Small trees. Willows, Japanese Maple, Dogwood, dwarf fruit trees...they all sort of fall under the same problem as flowers. But more than that, they take up precious sunlight spots. If I want to lie down outside under the shade, I'll use a big tree, one that probably marks my property line and well away from my garden. And let's face it...how bizarre would a willow or dogwood look among rows of beans and tomatoes? Yeah...NIMG.






5: Colour themed gardens. Ones carefully thought out, planned, planted, pruned and presented. White flowers here, slightly taller purple flowers here to offset the orange and yellow over there...
Or the all one colour gardens. I like them well enough when I see them, but no way would I be able to put enough thought or constant effort to keep them from running into each other in one, big Crayola nightmare. I have a hard enough time keeping my tomatoes from duking it out with each other. My raised bed was planted utilising a method that encouraged intertwining growth, because I knew there was no way I could keep them separated! I'm hopeless -_-

Okay, so I've run out of "Things I like, but would never have", so I'm moving on to "Things I don't like and would never have."

6: Swimming pools. Now, I don't mean like Chris over at the Gorham Garden. That's a swimming pool adjacent to, or in the same area as, a garden. I mean like my father's house, which set their garden right around the pool. It's impossible to work there in peace, the sun reflection off the water is killer, and let's face it...the plants aren't dying because they need more food, it's because they're getting saturated with chlorine.

7: Topiary. Carved, shaped and force grown shrubbery makes me want to go wild with clippers. Part of it stems from a scene from Stephen King's The Shining ((the book, not the film)), where the hotel's massive topiary animals come to life. Yeah, no thank you.

Unless it looked like this. Because not only would it be amazing to have a small Death Star in my garden ((thereby breaking my "no trees" rule from above)), but every time I went into the garden, I would have to frown, look concerned, then mutter something to the effect of "that's no moon...". And let's face it. I'm geeky enough as it is.

Speaking of Death Stars, however, G and I are in the process of creating the "Death Cake". Stay tuned for more progress on the most ridiculous gamer cake I've ever made.


8: Fountains. Don't get me wrong. I like fountains. I like them in parks. I like them in playgrounds. I like them in squares and centres. But for some reason, I can't really stand them in gardens. I don't know why. Perhaps it's my love of ponds that conflicts with these above-ground interlopers.

9: Gazing balls. That's all I'm going to say about that.

10: Squirrels. They ate all the corn, they throw apples on my beans ((and me)) they knocked over the heirloom tomatoes...not so much an NIMG, but seriously...GET OUT!!

I'm done!

MOFGA

Common Ground Fair happened. This was the first time I'd been since I was very very little, and the first time I'd been able to make it since I'd begun gardening, so it was grounds for some excitement. Unfortunately, wouldn't you know it, my camera died right when we arrived on the fairgrounds, so I was unable to capture any images.

Just imagine: dozens of tents, tens of thousands of people ((22,000 in three days)), cows, sheep, ducks, pigs, horses, more cows, sheepdogs, alpacas, rabbits, chickens ((and other assorted poultry)), vendors, veggies, chiblings, crafts, jewelery, musicians and a variety of empty animals.

Mix in equal parts: Lectures, demonstrations, classes, workshops and chibling crafts.

Top with: Food. Ohmygodsfood. Common Ground food vendors must supply items that are at least 50% ((by weight)) Maine grown products. Which in this case meant a vague lack of noodle product, but resulted in local lamb, fried Maine shrimp ((regular shrimps cannot compare)), Give Peas a Chance soup, deep fried veggie and cheese pods, dumplings, fried onions, crab and lobster rolls, cider, switchel, lemonade, Cranberry Boog Juice, smoothies, fritters, fried dough, ice cream, fruit and cheesecake pie cones...oi.

The other thing about the fair is that there is a ban on coffee products, chocolate and black tea. While these things can now be found organic and fair trade, fair organisers felt it would defeat the purpose of the fair's local focus. There was also a frown on refined sugars, so most everything there was sweetened with honey. Whole wheat fried dough with maple powder, cinnamon and honey? Yes, please!

But what really brings the fair together are the workshops and classes. Opening up the CGF three day schedule, my first thought was, "How on earth am I going to be able to fit this all in?" TOH and I compromised, though, and we went to the "Canning 101" workshop and "Organic Vegetables in Self-Watering Containers" lecture. Very interesting, both, and the former helped assuage my fear that I'm going to kill us both with botchulism. Who knew apples were high enough in acid to water bath? ...everyone? Oh. :D

The lecture on the energy status of the world was disappointing, though. Mostly, he was preaching to the choir and the whole thing boiled down to "There is a problem, people need to realise there's a problem, and then we need to fix the problem." I had expected a little more from them, I guess.

Most important lesson learned: If you are traveling with other people in one car...make sure you know where to meet your driver if you get separated!. My friend G and I lost TOH ((who was driving)) at some point, and we had zero idea how to find him. The place was packed and no cell reception, so we wandered to all the places we imagined he would be and hoped. Through some miracle, we found him before panic set in. Whew.

What an exhausting weekend. I really wish I had pictures. I think I'm going to put in for a new camera this Christmas :)

I find your lack of zucchini...

...disturbing....

Seriously, though! I just realised since I grow any zucchini this year, and I didn't even think about buying any, except for the little ones for sautee. So I missed out on making one of the greatest psuedo-recipes featuring the Great Green...Gourd ((for the sake of alliteration)). Zucchini lasagna. You generally need a larger...think size category huge, zucchini and all the fixings for a good lasagna, sans noodles. Meat optional. Slice the zucchini into long thin strips and use in place of lasagna noodles. It's...different, but super good. The only problem is that it doesn't use huge amounts of the stuff, so one generally has a half sliced leftover zucchini.
But I dropped the ball this year, and must do without. Perhaps next?

We're leaving for MOFGA's Common Ground Fair tomorrow, so I'll likely come back with lots of pictures that I'll still fail to upload onto the computer. There just isn't enough time. Ever.

Update!

Garnering support from local residents for the legalisation of backyard chickens. Photo taken from Give Peeps a Chance website

On a much, much happier note: remember the post a few weeks back about the Give Peeps a Chance movement to allow backyard chickens in SoPo? Guess what! On September 4th, 2007, the SoPo City Council passed the change of ordinance, 7-0. Unanimous vote to allow residents to keep hens on residential property. Huzzah!

According to the website updates:
The first year, 20 permits will be issued, with a review at the end of the year to assess how well it's working. The ordinance goes into effect on Sept 25, 2007. The basics are: with an annual permit up to 6 hens allowed for personal (non-commercial) use; no roosters; hens must be kept penned or fenced; henhouses require building permit and are subject to stringent requirements re: appearance, predator-safety, and setbacks; no smell or noise nuisance allowed.

The website is currently undergoing a transformation into a place where residents can go for detailed information and resources about the ordinance change, license requirements and the safe raising of hens.

My hat's off to Stacey, Neil and Olivia, the ones who started the whole thing and saw it through to fruition. Well done, you.

Whole Foods Markup

I know. This was supposed to be a cooking and gardening blog, supposed to document my garden experiences and a place to store new and save-worthy recipes. I'll get to that one day...honest.

I can also honestly say that this entire rant is born from, and can be summed up in five simple words: I miss the Whole Grocer.

((Those of you who read The Bollard, this may sound familiar.))
Instead, allow me please the time and space to go on a bit about a mega-retailer most of us are familiar with, certainly those of us in the Portland area as of February 14th.

Last Valentine's day, foodies in the Bayside area got something better than boxed chocolate and roses: the 56,000 square foot ((one of the largest at that time)) organic super-giant, Whole Foods Market.
Claiming the title of world's largest natural food chain, Whole Foods could not have picked a better time to open in the otherwise run down area of Portland. With the farmer's market not scheduled to open for an eternity of months, local foodies welcomed the appearance of abundant, colourful organics with open arms and mouths. Nevermind that it was still the middle of winter and any produce, conventional or otherwise, came in many cases from the same West Coast sources as Hannaford or Shaws. After all, this was Whole Foods. You don't just shop here for groceries, but also the prestige and the feel good knowledge that you did your part to support the local and organic communities. Years of Common Ground Fair posters adorn the walls behind the checkout counters, and pictures of smiling, successful farmers look down from their printed screens onto their allegedly local produce. It's obvious that Whole Foods Market wishes to keep the local farming community thriving, right?

Right?

Not so much, according to several local vendors who, after WFM bought out the locally owned Whole Grocer, began selling to the larger retailer with high hopes of a new and successful business partnership. At this level, it becomes apparent that while local food may be integral to the Whole Foods image, how much of that image translates into their actual business practices?
The problem lies not in the stocking of product, but how the product is moved. It seems that the local organic produce is more there to add to the friendly, down-to-earth image of the market than to be sold. Why? Markups. According to several vendors, sales have dropped far below what they could expect from the Whole Grocer due to Whole Foods marking up their products by almost 50% above suggested retail value. In one case, Whole Foods buyers found it cheaper to truck in several hundred pound of a certain veggie from California than it would be to buy from a local supplier. Organic? yes. Local? hardly. Eco-friendly? try again.

Instead, Whole Foods is pushing their own house brand, mostly private label items resold under the 365 name. And it's to that 365 label which goes the best market real estate-- the shelves at and directly above/below eye level, and the more affordable pricing.

Have you ever looked at a package of 365 anything? One major benefit of purchasing small-scale and local is that you know where the food is coming from and in many cases, the practices that went into producing it. 365 labels are frustratingly devoid of such information, sometimes limited to "Made in the USA, Distributed by Whole Foods, Austin, TX." Truly, my mind is now put at ease.

As difficult as the markups and nameless leading-brand competition are to deal with, many farmers don't even get to that stage. Because Whole Foods is a national chain retailer, they must take precautions to ensure their products will be safe for mass public consumption. With recent e. coli and other contamination scares, Whole Foods, like many other retailers, require Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point ((HACCP)) certification for green leaf veggies. While following HACCP requirements isn't difficult, especially for organic growers, the required farm inspection at $10,000 is.
Admittedly, this is a difficult area to form opinions about...after all, I have no desire to contract a disease I generally associate with pre-1990's Jack-In-the-Box food, and disease driven lawsuits can be a death sentence for grocers. At the same time, I've eaten said leafy greens from the Whole Grocer ((who did not require HACCP certification)) for years until it was bought out, and never suffered so much as a tummy ache from bad produce.

The problem mainly lies in that Whole Foods is, above all else, a national chain which means none of the policies or purchasing decisions can be made at a local level. Everything must be decided at the headquarters in Austin, TX., which makes it nigh impossible to establish an solid relationship between the company and its local suppliers.

All that said, please don't take this as an attempt to dissuade you from Whole Foods entirely. According to some of the same vendors as mentioned above, the company is working on making its shelf space more available on the local level.
I don't shop there myself, but I've been known on occasion to nip in to their pre-made sections and extensive "salad" bars for a quick lunch. But if you do go, take a minute to consider the produce in your hand before it makes its way into your cart. Is the cheaper, organic green pepper one of the locally grown items, or has it been trucked in from an organic farm in California? Are you passing up that Big Sky Honey Whole Wheat because it's two dollars more than the 365 loaf? Consider heading to the Big Sky Firehouse location on Deering Ave, or the Market House in Monument Square.
All I'm saying, is that when it comes to buying well known, local brands, please think twice before heading to the Bayside. As good as it feels to buy from a place that allegedly supports local business, offer those businesses your direct support, instead.

More depressing, however, may be the day when alternative options to the Whole Foods Market disappear. Even before its construction, the company bought out the Whole Grocer, one of my favourite local markets. Nearly a year before that, the Portland Greengrocer on Commercial St. closed its doors for good. Wild Oats, which once faced opposite the Whole Grocer on Marginal Way, will be closed in the coming months, while Wild Oats across the country will be merged with WFM. The Portland Public Market, once located in Bayside, was moved and severely downsized once Libra Foundation owners decided to sell the building, after offering it to Whole Foods a few years ago. According to Owen Wells, Libra President, while the movement of Whole Foods to Portland was not the reason for the market's closing, "it was a consideration, certainly."

In short, I don't think Whole Foods Market is a bad place. They carry products I haven't seen anywhere else, and they promote an awareness of the food we eat and the world we live in, even if they don't necessarily practice what they put on their walls. Still, I never shop there for day to day items-- not when I can still go to locally owned businesses or buy straight from the source.
What I do fear, however, is that one day I won't have that choice.

Tougher than that

They haven't got me yet!
-cough-

What I mean to say, of course, is that I'm still here. Absent, busy, but not deceased. We haven't been home for a single weekend in over a month ((a wedding, a family visit, etc)), and this past five days have seen me sick as a dog and bedridden ((much love for TOH who kept me in A/C, video games, tuna melts and DayQuil during that time)).

But now I'm back. We are overrun with beans, the corn is ripening, the peas are succumbing to the heat and I am long overdue in turning my Juliets into sauce.

Upcoming entries include: pickles, the Wednesday/Saturday Farmer's Market photo tour, sauce-capades, lazy baking, garlic, and cooking-for-one.

Yeesh. I guess I should get crackin', huh?