Aug 03
0

Learning to Say, “No”

By | Honest Mothering | 3 Comments

Some days we all need a little boost of encouragement. I had one of those mornings today. We’re returning from the heat of Phoenix after a brief reprieve in beautiful Sedona. I admit to feeling a bit depressed at the thought of facing 100+ temps and the absence of trees and water everywhere. Instead of being morose, I tried to get lost in the laughter of my girls as they enjoyed a last bit of play before going home.

Enter my two little muffins and a simple phrase that adjusted my attitude.

“May we have some water please, mom?”

I know it may seem strange that this is what encouraged me but hear me out. My girls love water. They have rarely had much else to drink besides delicious fresh goat milk or herbal infusions so they don’t even think to ask for juice or soda unless we’re at a party. And then, they’re used to hearing one word from me.

“No.”

“No” is not always an easy word to say when it comes to nutritious choices for our kids. There were many times when I first became a mom when I caved because I was just tired of fighting not only my daughter but also the adults who were less than supportive of our food choices.

Something happened somewhere along the line and I claimed my authority as a mom. It might have been after a party where I found myself alone and unable to keep track of an active 1 1/2 year old and four year old who was being plied with sugary drinks, cakes and candy at a family party. The after-effects of sugar on the uninitiated was not a pretty sight! After her tantrum, my four year old said, “Mom, you’re right. That was too much sugar. I never want to feel like that again!”

After that, I learned to answer those people who pressured me with comments like, “Mooonnnaaaa, it’s a party!” respectfully but firmly. When my daughter goes to a family party where a well-meaning attendee cuts a gigantic slab of cake for her, I pare it down to a size that won’t result in a gigantic meltdown afterward.

I still hear frequent critiques of Rob’s and my choices to fill our kids with healthier food but I don’t care anymore. They’re our kids and we need to make choices we think are best for them. Our girls don’t feel like they live a life of deprivation. They still get treats but they’re usually high quality, made with the best ingredients. They are learning to make good choices about food on their own. It helps that we actually explain why we make the choices we do about food and encourage our girls to garden, shop and cook with us. They feel like they are part of the process.

Recently my sister reported that on a special “date” they had at the movies, my oldest daughter (who is five), turned down soda even when my sister said, “But it’s a special occasion. It’ll be ok this once.” My daughter answered, “No thanks. Our family doesn’t drink soda.”

“YES!!!!”

If you’re having trouble saying “No.”  because you’re discouraged by lack of support or by the possibility your kids might rebel, do it anyway. Enlist your kids to be part of whatever change you’re making. They might resist at first, but your courage, love and persistence will win them. More importantly, you’ll gain confidence from saying “No” to the adults who will learn to respect your decisions as a parent.

Go for it. Just say, “No”!

Jul 28
0

Make Your Own Compost

By | Organic Gardening | No Comments

Compost is an invaluable resource for those gardening in the desert like us Arizonans. Our soil tends to be clay heavy, not very welcoming to gardens of food or flowers. Never fear! A simple adjustment using things you already have around the house can  help.

Composting –

1. Adds necessary nutrients

2. Compost aerates the soil and allows those little plant roots room to expand and create a stronger root system.

3. Compost enables the soil to retain water better and minimizes water run-off since the water can actually soak down into the soil. This means you can water less frequently and save money.

4. Reduces household waste by utilizing items you would normally toss.

Here’s how it works.

Compost is comprised of organic materials that are broken down by microorganisms until they turn to rich dark soil. Once compost has turned to soil, just mix it into your garden soil.

In order to have a successful pile, you need 4 things.

1. 50% Browns – mulch material like dry leaves, pine needles, twigs, nut shells

2. 50% Greens – veggie and fruit scraps, grass clippings, coffee grounds, tea bags

3. Water –  keep the pile just moist enough to seem like a wrung out sponge.

4. Oxygen – turn the pile about once a week to keep it aerated. A shovel should do the trick.

DON’T ADD – greasy items, milk products, meat etc. Keep it plant based and you’ll be in good shape. For more info, check out the EPA’s compost info.

A properly composed compost pile should NOT smell. If it does, try adding a little more brown to the mix.

I recommend getting a compost bin from the City of Phoenix.

Happy Composting!

Jul 20
0

Fritter Frenzy!

By | Recipes | One Comment

Despite the squash bug invasion I’ve been fighting in my garden this summer, my plants are still producing a lot of squash. We put it in squash gratin, we’ve grilled it, we’ve baked it and we’ve added it to soup. Aaaannnnddd, there’s still more squash. (Yay?) Thankfully, my friend Danielle came to our rescue and shared a great Mario Batali recipe for squash fritters with me.

They were AWESOME.

I didn’t actually know what a fritter was before making this but I would compare it to potato latkes. Basically, shredded veggies with cheese, eggs and a little flour.

Since according to my sister Laura, I am unable to follow a recipe without adding my own twist, I changed Mr. Batali’s recipe as well. This is mainly because I didn’t have all the ingredients in the original recipe. I actually think that fits his style of cooking. After all, “necessity is the mother of invention” right? I have squash. Lots of squash. I needed a new recipe, even if I didn’t have all the ingredients. So there.

I started with 3 shredded squash – crookneck and zucchini. (More than the recipe called for ’cause I have a lot of squash!)

I added lemon zest till I thought I had enough – about half a small lemon.

Then, I added 2 eggs, garlic and about 1/2 c. sheep feta since I didn’t have ricotta. No biggie!

I added sea salt and pepper to taste and squished it together! If you usually don’t touch your food, you should. It makes it taste better. Really!

In went 1 cup or so of flour, which I gently stirred into the mix. A little fresh chive would have been a delicious addition.

I only used tablespoon of olive oil to cook the entire batch of fritters in my wok. In 2 T amounts, I dropped each one into the pan, spread them out a little and cooked them on medium low (remember I used a wok) till they were golden brown on each side. There were A LOT!

My husband loved them. He ate them with hot sauce.

I loved them too but the jury is still out on my kids.

That’s ok.

More for me!

Jul 19
0

Squash Bug Invasion!

By | Organic Gardening, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Last week, I missed being at my “real” garden for about three days because I was busy with other things. Big Mistake!!! When I arrived on Thursday, I discovered squash bugs doing an inappropriate mating ritual on my beautiful squash plants. Being a natural girl, I started looking for ways to take care of the problem without chemicals.

There are four squash plants in this bed. 3 crooknecks and 1 zucchini

Garden pests are sneaky little creatures. I’d been carefully watching my plants prior to their arrival, looking for eggs and hatchlings, but didn’t see anything till the whole plant was covered with creepy little bugs.

After the invasion, I definitely found signs everywhere.

Like squash bug eggs. I gently rubbed them off the leaf into a glass of soapy water.

Leaves with big chunks eaten out of them. Stinky nymphs!

Bug-eaten! Poor little leaf.

Can you see the little white bug? He's a young squash bug and has an incredible appetite.

Told you they were being inappropriate! Gross. They are consenting adults but - Ugh - GET A ROOM!

Here’s what I’ve done so far to get rid of them.

1. Removed all bugs that I can see (or catch!) and drop them into a glass of soapy water. Squishing bugs grosses me out. Ugh.

2. Removed eggs and give them the same treatment.

3. Removed the dead matter around the plants so there isn’t any place for the bugs to hide. Well, other than the leaves!

4. Sprayed the leaves with soapy water. I don’t actually know if this works for squash bugs but it was all I had at the moment.

5. According to a grower at the Roadrunner Farmer’s Market, Neem oil should work. I don’t want to use Neem because if ingested, it’s reported to contribute to miscarriage.  In case I get pregnant, I think it’s better not to put that on my food. I checked with Dave the Garden Guy and he says Diatomaceous Earth should work. So I’m going to get an applicator today. I bought a huge bag of food grade DE from a feed store.

I learned a few things with the squash bug incident.

1. Don’t use straw for mulch because they love to hide in it. I suspect this is true of other pests as I’m not sure what a better solution is so maybe some of my wise farmer/gardener friends can help. Maybe just a heavier compost?

2. Don’t plant so many of the same thing in an area. Thankfully squash leaves are big and fairly easy to search for bugs and eggs but I might not have had so many if they’d been a little more separated. Or not. I’m too new at this to know.

3. Include companion plants that repel pests – like nasturtiums or marigolds. I was lazy this year and didn’t include them in this part of the garden. I paid for it!

For now, I’m still picking the bugs off my plants because they don’t seem to be killing it – yet. If I can’t clean up the problem in the next week or so, I’ll probably destroy the most infested plants so they don’t infect my fall crops. It’s time to start planting that next!!

If you’ve dealt with these bugs before and have any natural, non-chemical options for me, I’d love to hear them!