Tanglewood Hollow

Just seems like a good idea.

Aquaponics is a bio-integrated system that links recirculating aquaculture with hydroponic vegetable, flower, and/or herb production. Recent advances by researchers and growers alike have turned aquaponics into a working model of sustainable food production. This publication provides an introduction to aquaponics with brief profiles of working units around the country. An extensive list of resources points the reader to print and Web-based educational materials for further technical assistance.

via Aquaponics – Integration of Hydroponics with Aquaculture.

Boo. Just boo. If you want good food you can’t trust institutions. You have to know and trust the farmer.

Just when we thought that buying “Organic” was safe, we run headlong into the deliberate poisoning of our organic food supply by the FDA in collusion with none other than the folks who brought us Aspartame. NutraSweet, a former Monsanto asset, has developed a new and improved version of this neurotoxin called Neotame.

Neotame has similar structure to aspartame — except that, from it’s structure, appears to be even more toxic than aspartame. This potential increase in toxicity will make up for the fact that less will be used in diet drinks. Like aspartame, some of the concerns include gradual neurotoxic and immunotoxic damage from the combination of the formaldehyde metabolite (which is toxic at extremely low doses) and the excitotoxic amino acid.

via USDA Certified Organic’s Dirty Little Secret: Neotame | Farm Wars.

Mmmm, ginger. Yummy stuff, and so easy to grow really.

Ginger root is sold in a clump that’s often called a “hand.” You’ll want to choose a hand that’s fresh and firm with as many “fingers” as possible. To get as many plants as you can, cut or break the fingers off the main root. Each section with a growing tip will become a plant. Be sure to allow any cut surfaces to dry before planting them in moist soil.

via Garden Article: Growing Ginger.

Mmmm. Shiitake mushrooms, grown at home. This looks like a pretty straight forward process. Maybe I can squirrel up some money for some plugs this year. I’ve been meaning to do this for a while.

Shiitake mushrooms are some of the most delicious and highly-prized of the edible fungi, and they are surprisingly easy to grow in your own backyard. There are but a few things you need, including a supply of freshly cut wood, mushroom spawn, and a shady, damp place to store your inoculated mushroom logs.

via Growing Shiitake Mushrooms at Home | Sustainablog.

Great instructions for growing raspberries. One of my personal favorites.

You may think the sheer gustatory pleasure of wolfing down ripe, juicy raspberries, whose flavor explodes in your mouth, is reason enough to grow them. Well, think again. Raspberries are not just another tasty berry; they are loaded with healthful attributes.

They’re high in fiber and contain vitamin A, folate, antioxidants, and numerous minerals; the juice contains vitamin C; and those sometimes-annoying little seeds contain vitamin E. And, of course, if you have a raspberry patch, you have endless dessert possibilities.

via How to Grow Raspberries – Fine Gardening Article.

Made this dressing up when I was out of everything I usually use for salad dressing. I stumbled upon something that my kids (5, 7 and 9) totally devoured.Woot!

Ingredients

1-1 1/2 cup tahini

2 tbs lemon juice

2 tbs sweet pickle relish

2 tsp malt vinegar

3 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp chipotle powder

1/2 tsp dill

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 cloves minced/pressed garlic

salt and pepper to taste

water

Directions

Mix the tahini and lemon juice together, whisk until thickened. Add remaining ingredients and continue stirring with whisk. Add enough water to get to your desired consistency. If you add too much, just put in another dollop of tahini.

Some random pics from this past year’s harvests. Missing fresh local food.

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Hope it works on black flies too! Looks like my cats are going to be high all summer long this year.

Catnip, the plant that attracts domestic cats like an irresistible force, has proven 99 percent effective in repelling the blood-sucking flies that attack horses and cows, causing $2 billion in annual loses to the cattle industry. That’s the word from a report published in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

via Shoo, fly! Catnip oil repels bloodsucking flies.

Our chickens. We love em. They give us the best eggs on earth. They eat tons of bugs from around our garden. They live in 3/4 of a chicken moat.

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Maple syrup is just darned yummy if you ask me. It’s worth all of the work it takes to make it. Can’t wait to start. Sugarin is just around the corner!

Canada’s most iconic food — maple syrup — is much healthier than previously believed, according to a new U.S. study that found a host of disease-fighting antioxidants in the sugary sap and highlights the lost benefits of smothering pancakes with “fake” liquid sweeteners instead of the “real” stuff.

via Maple syrup rich in antioxidants: Study.