grow organic meals

organic vegetable gardening tips

21 May 2009 By Kari 0 In organic lifestyle

Photo: Sunset

Here are a five quick tips for organic vegetable gardening, and some beautiful photos to inspire you to grow organic meals.

1. Location. Plant on the south side of your property. Vegetables need a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight.

2. Create a raised bed or plant in containers so you can insure good soil. Learn more about testing and building organic garden soil, here.

3. If you’re using containers, like me, keep in mind some plants do better than others in pots. Check out Sunset’s guide to the best crops for pots, here. Sunset is a really great resource. You can learn to build a raised bed, care for you garden and find a hundred recipes for your home-grown tomatoes - all on one site.

Photo: Martha Stewart

4. Plant companion plants that deter pests and/or attract beneficial bugs. Onions, basil, chives repel pests. Nectar rich flowers (such as sunflowers) attract ladybugs, ground beetles and lacewings which eat the bugs that can destroy plants.

5. Tend your garden.

Mulch (to prevent weeds)
Weed (do it early and be sure to pull out the roots)
Control pests (organically, of course)
Water (too little is better than too much)
Harvest (before fruit is overripe which attracts pests)

Start growing your organic vegetable garden over the long weekend and let us know how it’s going. Share your organic gardening tips or seasonal recipes, too.

Tweet This Post Digg This Post Ping This Post

beautiful banana cupcakes

13 April 2009 By Kari 0 In organic lifestyle

photo courtesy of martha stewart

You must try these delicious Banana Cupcakes with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting (use organic bananas, if you can). After a whirlwind of a week with family visiting for Spring Break - we had a very relaxed Easter Sunday. But I still had to bake something. Am I the only one who feels like it’s mandatory to have at least one homemade baked good every holiday? So I made one of my favorite (aka, easy) Martha Stewart recipes. The cupcakes are so moist they’re great alone - but the simple spiced frosting really makes them incredible. Click on the links above for the full recipe. Pretty pastel photo: courtesy of Martha Stewart.

Tweet This Post Digg This Post Ping This Post

the modern garden’s birdbath

02 April 2009 By Kari 3 In organic lifestyle

I’ve found the perfect modern garden accessory: a wood and stainless bird feeder and bath. Spring has sprung and I am so excited for warmer weather, my summer garden (more on that soon) and backyard barbecues! This duo bird feeder and bath is so stylish - it’s like a garden sculpture. You don’t even have to use it as a bird feeder. However, birds are beneficial for your garden - the eat annoying pests. Check it out here - they’re offering free shipping!

Tweet This Post Digg This Post Ping This Post

strawberries + dog = sweet

12 March 2009 By Kari 1 In garden updates, gardening, organic food

sosweet

Molly is almost as excited about the stawberries turning red as we are. She insists on “checking” on them everytime she goes out in the yard. She sniffs and nudges, but (so far) doesn’t take a bite. She’s even sweeter than a perfectly ripened organic strawberry. I want to do a post on gardeners’ dogs - send me a photo of your dog in the garden.

Tweet This Post Digg This Post Ping This Post

Bernese Mountain Dog, organic gardening, organic strawberries

viva la vintage: playroom

09 March 2009 By Kari 0 In etsy, green design, viva la vintage

: 1970's game cards

: child's school chair

: wooden yardsticks

: blue #4 sign

: six bowling pins

: child's chalkboard

Here are some great vintage Etsy finds for a child’s playroom. Click on the links below photo for more information. I’m in love with the colors on the match game cards from Sushipot’s shop. The baby blue, primary red, mustard yellow and pea green illustrations are so retro, they would make great wall art in a modern playroom. The wooden yardsticks are also from Sushipot. Mount them vertically to the wall for a unique, non-cutesy growth chart. Blue Bell Bazaar always has the coolest, random items. They’ve been featured on Decor 8 and Design*Sponge - two of my favorite design blogs. The Playskool chalkboard, complete with ABC’s, along with Vintage Jane’s wooden child’s chair are perfect for the kids to “play school” with. And Blue Bell’s blue #4 sign (actually double-side with a 5 on the back) would be a fun way for the preschooler in your life to proudly display his/her age. Lastly, the vintage wooden bowling pins from Sweetshorn are so much better than than any new plastic version you could get from Toy’s R Us! They’re loving worn, as any good toy should be.

Tweet This Post Digg This Post Ping This Post

green design, playroom decor, upcycled, vintage, vintage decor

organic “baby” broccoli

05 March 2009 By Kari 2 In garden updates, gardening

baby-broccoli1

I wanted to share a quick post about our on-going organic broccoli harvest. As I described in the first broccoli harvest post, after you cut the large center head, “baby” broccoli shoots continue to grow along the stalk for about six weeks. It’s been about 5 weeks and they show no sign of slowing. It seems the more we cut, the more they grow! They are much smaller in size (1-2 inches in diameter) but I actually prefer them. The little tender heads are so easy to pick, rinse and eat - no chopping required. I just wished we planted more. Next year we need at least 3 plants per person. Oh, and I haven’t forgotten about my promise to share my homemade veggie pizza recipe - check back in a few days.

Tweet This Post Digg This Post Ping This Post

harvesting broccoli, organic broccoli, organic gardening, organic vegetable garden, organic vegetables

cork, the eco-elegant option

02 March 2009 By Kari 3 In green design, sustainable living

Cork is an amazing eco-friendly material for floors walls and accessories. I just love the look and feel of it. Cork is a renewable resource, it is the harvested bark of a tree, so the tree is not cut down. In fact the process causes a growth spurt in the tree!

Cork flooring is great at absorbing heat and sound and it’s nearly impossible to stain. Modu Tiles from Mio (left) are sold in 12 tile sets of tan and chocolate cork. They can be used as an area rug, runner or wall to wall. The contrast of the matte cork against high sheen cabinets and stools is surprisingly elegant.

There are also elegant options in cork wallcovering. I’m not talking about covering a wall with cork squares from Michael’s. One of my favorite wallcovering companies, Innovations has some amazing products. Available to the trade only (conatct me for more info) their products can be used in commercial spaces, as well as residential, which means they are very durable and fire retardant. Their Metal Essence Cork line blends the textural pattern of cork with metallic sheens from light gold (below, left) to sleek platinum (right). Imagine all the walls in a small powder room lined in either one of these. Instant drama!

Tweet This Post Digg This Post Ping This Post

cork, cork flooring, eco-friendly, green design, green flooring, green wallcovering, renewable resource, sustainability, sustainable design

trader joe’s organic dark chocolate truffle

25 February 2009 By Kari 0 In organic food

Those who know me know how much I love Trader Joe’s (who doesn’t?). They offer many organic options, but currently all I can think about is their Organic Dark Chocolate Truffle Bar. I buy one every time I go with the intension of eating just one square after dinner…Between the two of us, we’re lucky if we don’t eat it all in one night! Which brings me back to why I love it so much: 1. dark chocolate is full of anti-oxidants (so it’s technically a health food), 2. it’s organic, and 3. it won’t break the bank. Guilt free indulgence. (The Milk Chocolate Truffle is just as delicious, but you don’t get to use my “health food” claim.) So, treat yourself next time you go to TJ’s and pick up a few of these creamy, decadent pick-me-ups.