Eating Locally Year-Round

So far this summer our challenge of eating locally has been going well enough. Between our Garden (yes, even though it's a mini-garden I am still proudly calling it "our Garden"), our CSA and the local farmers markets we've been enjoying beautiful berries, peas, lush greens such as lettuce and spinach, green onions, beets and now tomatoes, carrots, beans, zucchini and much more.


All of this has got us pretty spoiled and though I'd rather live in the present, I can't help but think of the coming Fall and Winter and how to make this bounty last. One thing is for sure, going back to supermarket produce won't be easy. And now that I'm reading The 100-Mile Diet (I'm really happy I managed to get my hands on a copy!) I'm already quite resistant to the idea. So I've decided to can as much of our favorite produce as possible. My canning experience is limited to watching my mom can tomatoes, pickles, jams and all kinds of other goodies years ago. Since I'm the type of person who learns "hands on", I've asked my mom to teach me and help me. I had big plans for four dozen jars of each: tomatoes, peaches, beans and carrots. Though I've just learned that we have to leave out the beans and carrots (unless we pickle them) because they require a pressure canner (needed for low-acid foods) and pressure canners can't be used on a ceramic stove top surface which both my mother and I have. So, until we move next year and replace our current stove with a brand new gas stove, we will have to settle for plan b which will see us canning (still four dozen jars of each I hope) tomatoes, peaches and salsa and maybe dill pickles (but not as many). My mom has graciously accepted to help - though I've yet to mention to her that I am aiming for four dozen jars of each kind. Think we'll make it?

I've already made three batches of strawberry and strawberry/banana jam which I am quite pleased with. And they were easier and quicker to make than I had anticipated. So really, I am quite gungho about what's to come. Go ahead, laugh if you want. (Kinda like when I was pregnant with the kids and ecopapa and I were telling everyone what a piece of cake it would be - all it took was a bit of organization. Yeah, funny, I know.)

Eating Locally Year-Round

So far this summer our challenge of eating locally has been going well enough. Between our Garden (yes, even though it's a mini-garden I am still proudly calling it "our Garden"), our CSA and the local farmers markets we've been enjoying beautiful berries, peas, lush greens such as lettuce and spinach, green onions, beets and now tomatoes, carrots, beans, zucchini and much more.


All of this has got us pretty spoiled and though I'd rather live in the present, I can't help but think of the coming Fall and Winter and how to make this bounty last. One thing is for sure, going back to supermarket produce won't be easy. And now that I'm reading The 100-Mile Diet (I'm really happy I managed to get my hands on a copy!) I'm already quite resistant to the idea. So I've decided to can as much of our favorite produce as possible. My canning experience is limited to watching my mom can tomatoes, pickles, jams and all kinds of other goodies years ago. Since I'm the type of person who learns "hands on", I've asked my mom to teach me and help me. I had big plans for four dozen jars of each: tomatoes, peaches, beans and carrots. Though I've just learned that we have to leave out the beans and carrots (unless we pickle them) because they require a pressure canner (needed for low-acid foods) and pressure canners can't be used on a ceramic stove top surface which both my mother and I have. So, until we move next year and replace our current stove with a brand new gas stove, we will have to settle for plan b which will see us canning (still four dozen jars of each I hope) tomatoes, peaches and salsa and maybe dill pickles (but not as many). My mom has graciously accepted to help - though I've yet to mention to her that I am aiming for four dozen jars of each kind. Think we'll make it?

I've already made three batches of strawberry and strawberry/banana jam which I am quite pleased with. And they were easier and quicker to make than I had anticipated. So really, I am quite gungho about what's to come. Go ahead, laugh if you want. (Kinda like when I was pregnant with the kids and ecopapa and I were telling everyone what a piece of cake it would be - all it took was a bit of organization. Yeah, funny, I know.)

EcoKids: Raising Children Who Care for the Earth

Another book added to our reading list which I can't wait to tuck into. Angela over at EcoBrain generously provided us with an e-copy of EcoKids: Raising Children Who Care for the Earth which I will be reading (shortly) and discussing over at the EcoBrain Book Club. I am extending an invitation to all my blog readers who are interested, we'd love to have you join the book club. If you'd like to be added as a member, please send an email to angela at ecobrain dot com. To get your copy of EcoKids, please visit www.ecobrain.com.

EcoKids: Raising Children Who Care for the Earth

Another book added to our reading list which I can't wait to tuck into. Angela over at EcoBrain generously provided us with an e-copy of EcoKids: Raising Children Who Care for the Earth which I will be reading (shortly) and discussing over at the EcoBrain Book Club. I am extending an invitation to all my blog readers who are interested, we'd love to have you join the book club. If you'd like to be added as a member, please send an email to angela at ecobrain dot com. To get your copy of EcoKids, please visit www.ecobrain.com.

August 2, 3, 4 - Project Ecosphere Fair

Unfortunately, because of family commitments, we will not be at the Project Ecosphere Fair on August 2, 3, 4. We are a bit disappointed and would have loved to see you there. We'll catch you at the next event, stay tuned!

August 2, 3, 4 - Project Ecosphere Fair

Unfortunately, because of family commitments, we will not be at the Project Ecosphere Fair on August 2, 3, 4. We are a bit disappointed and would have loved to see you there. We'll catch you at the next event, stay tuned!

We're Expanding our Family!

Nope, we're not having any more babies. Seriously. But after a search for some safe food storage alternatives, we came across Greentainers, which we decided would make a great addition to our family of products! They are made of food grade, #304 stainless steel and they come in two sizes, medium (12 cm diameter) and large (15 cm diameter). The large containers are split level which make them super practical when packing lunches or leftovers. They are also available with or without clips for fastening the lid (only in the large).

Our first shipment will arrive around mid-August and we are happy to offer a pre-order special of 15% off the regular price on paid orders received before August 7. Regular retail price for the large container is $26.50 and $14.50 for the medium container. To place your advance order, please send an email to customerservice at ecomama dot ca. Hurry - these will go fast!

For those of you who are curious, we will be placing a few on display at our kiosk if you want to check them out (with the exception of August 2, 3, 4 when we will have them with us at the Project Ecosphere Environmental Fair).

We're Expanding our Family!

Nope, we're not having any more babies. Seriously. But after a search for some safe food storage alternatives, we came across Greentainers, which we decided would make a great addition to our family of products! They are made of food grade, #304 stainless steel and they come in two sizes, medium (12 cm diameter) and large (15 cm diameter). The large containers are split level which make them super practical when packing lunches or leftovers. They are also available with or without clips for fastening the lid (only in the large).

Our first shipment will arrive around mid-August and we are happy to offer a pre-order special of 15% off the regular price on paid orders received before August 7. Regular retail price for the large container is $26.50 and $14.50 for the medium container. To place your advance order, please send an email to customerservice at ecomama dot ca. Hurry - these will go fast!

For those of you who are curious, we will be placing a few on display at our kiosk if you want to check them out (with the exception of August 2, 3, 4 when we will have them with us at the Project Ecosphere Environmental Fair).

Come Visit our Booth on August 2, 3, 4

On August 2, 3, 4 we will be at the Project Ecosphere Environmental and Green Building Fair which will be taking place in Confederation Park in Ottawa as part of the Rideau Canal Festival.

The Project Ecosphere Fair is a multidisciplinary environmental fair dedicated exclusively to ecology and the environment. The main goal of this event will be to raise collective awareness.

We will have most of our goodies on display for you to browse, purchase or just learn more about. We look forward to seeing familiar faces as well as lots of new ones!

Come Visit our Booth on August 2, 3, 4

On August 2, 3, 4 we will be at the Project Ecosphere Environmental and Green Building Fair which will be taking place in Confederation Park in Ottawa as part of the Rideau Canal Festival.

The Project Ecosphere Fair is a multidisciplinary environmental fair dedicated exclusively to ecology and the environment. The main goal of this event will be to raise collective awareness.

We will have most of our goodies on display for you to browse, purchase or just learn more about. We look forward to seeing familiar faces as well as lots of new ones!

EcoBrain

This comes on the heels of my "Green Confession" post and I have to say, when Angela at EcoBrain (the only online retailer of eBooks about the environment and environmentally friendly living) contacted to tell me all about her venture, I got so excited I just had to share.

In her words:

The eBooks we offer on EcoBrain are from top-quality publishers, are excellent eco-resources, have zero impact on old growth forest and use very little energy to produce and distribute. EcoBrain is an excellent way for anyone to make a difference. EcoBrain offers thousands of titles from hundreds of publishers. EcoBrain has topics such as sustainable living, cookbooks, outdoor living, environmental science, fiction, and it even has a section dedicated to kids, "EcoBrain Kids", as well as green parenting books.

Of course, being addicted to books as I am, I couldn't help but mosey right on over to her site to check things out. Let me tell you, within 5 minutes, I had a wish list a mile long. Now, don't get me wrong, I am still completely in love with paper books. There's something so enchanting about holding a book in my hands, feeling its weight and the promise of an unforgettable adventure that it holds. However, eBooks are a very green way to read and a great alternative, if only to replace a few of your book purchases a year. Why not download a few books you can read on your mobile device while riding to bus to work? Or download a few reference works that can be stored on your laptop to use as needed? Either way, I can almost guarantee you that once you drop in at EcoBrain, something will tickle your fancy, and your wish list will take on a life of its own!

EcoBrain

This comes on the heels of my "Green Confession" post and I have to say, when Angela at EcoBrain (the only online retailer of eBooks about the environment and environmentally friendly living) contacted to tell me all about her venture, I got so excited I just had to share.

In her words:

The eBooks we offer on EcoBrain are from top-quality publishers, are excellent eco-resources, have zero impact on old growth forest and use very little energy to produce and distribute. EcoBrain is an excellent way for anyone to make a difference. EcoBrain offers thousands of titles from hundreds of publishers. EcoBrain has topics such as sustainable living, cookbooks, outdoor living, environmental science, fiction, and it even has a section dedicated to kids, "EcoBrain Kids", as well as green parenting books.

Of course, being addicted to books as I am, I couldn't help but mosey right on over to her site to check things out. Let me tell you, within 5 minutes, I had a wish list a mile long. Now, don't get me wrong, I am still completely in love with paper books. There's something so enchanting about holding a book in my hands, feeling its weight and the promise of an unforgettable adventure that it holds. However, eBooks are a very green way to read and a great alternative, if only to replace a few of your book purchases a year. Why not download a few books you can read on your mobile device while riding to bus to work? Or download a few reference works that can be stored on your laptop to use as needed? Either way, I can almost guarantee you that once you drop in at EcoBrain, something will tickle your fancy, and your wish list will take on a life of its own!

Odds and Ends

This post is made up of different posts I started this week, none of which I've managed to finish. So I thought I'd round them up and try to string them together in a semi-coherent way (though far from eloquent I'm afraid; eloquence, not to mention inspiration, has a tendency to elude me after sleepless nights and days of alternately wiping noses, hands and bums X many, many, many).

1. Klean Kanteen Kolor has (ahem, FINALLY!) arrived. For now we are offering sippies in every "kolor" available: green moss, orange sunset, ocean blue, black eclipse, pink renewal and tree bark. Our introductory price is $21.95. They are already in our kiosk and will be on the web site shortly. If you're too excited and just can't wait to place your order, please email us at customerservice at ecomama dot ca. We'll gladly sort something out for you.

2. Did you notice we've lowered our prices on gdiapers?! All in an effort to keep things as affordable as we can. Also, coming very soon, refills available in cases! I do have to offer this warning though, that cases will incur extra shipping charges. Unfortunately, Canada Post charges an arm and a leg to ship. While as a general rule we don't make a profit on shipping, we don't believe in padding the prices of the products we offer either and then offering artificially low shipping fees. We don't usually charge more than the going rate, in fact, our fees are usually less! OK, enough about shipping, it's depressing and turning my good news into bad news!!

3. I've been testing out a deodorant stone sent to me by one of our suppliers. I'm really hoping it will pass the (not so scientific) test - then I can offer it to my customers who have asked me about alternatives. So far so good. Though this week may not have been the ideal time to test it out (you can go ahead and chuckle at my idiocy in a few moments). I've had no sense of smell since a lovely infection has decided to set up shop in my sinuses and I've been relying on the honesty of my nearest and dearest to tell me whether my presence is offensive. So, stay tuned for more on that. Or, if you're really gungho and know that this is for you, email me (at the above) and ask me about ordering it in for you, which I would be happy to do in any case.

Odds and Ends

This post is made up of different posts I started this week, none of which I've managed to finish. So I thought I'd round them up and try to string them together in a semi-coherent way (though far from eloquent I'm afraid; eloquence, not to mention inspiration, has a tendency to elude me after sleepless nights and days of alternately wiping noses, hands and bums X many, many, many).

1. Klean Kanteen Kolor has (ahem, FINALLY!) arrived. For now we are offering sippies in every "kolor" available: green moss, orange sunset, ocean blue, black eclipse, pink renewal and tree bark. Our introductory price is $21.95. They are already in our kiosk and will be on the web site shortly. If you're too excited and just can't wait to place your order, please email us at customerservice at ecomama dot ca. We'll gladly sort something out for you.

2. Did you notice we've lowered our prices on gdiapers?! All in an effort to keep things as affordable as we can. Also, coming very soon, refills available in cases! I do have to offer this warning though, that cases will incur extra shipping charges. Unfortunately, Canada Post charges an arm and a leg to ship. While as a general rule we don't make a profit on shipping, we don't believe in padding the prices of the products we offer either and then offering artificially low shipping fees. We don't usually charge more than the going rate, in fact, our fees are usually less! OK, enough about shipping, it's depressing and turning my good news into bad news!!

3. I've been testing out a deodorant stone sent to me by one of our suppliers. I'm really hoping it will pass the (not so scientific) test - then I can offer it to my customers who have asked me about alternatives. So far so good. Though this week may not have been the ideal time to test it out (you can go ahead and chuckle at my idiocy in a few moments). I've had no sense of smell since a lovely infection has decided to set up shop in my sinuses and I've been relying on the honesty of my nearest and dearest to tell me whether my presence is offensive. So, stay tuned for more on that. Or, if you're really gungho and know that this is for you, email me (at the above) and ask me about ordering it in for you, which I would be happy to do in any case.

Green Confessions

We've really been striving to reduce our consumption lately. That means I've been finding other ways to satisfy my book cravings (shh, don't tell anyone, I have a book fetish). For that I've become reliant on the library, swapping and borrowing, and the occasional used book purchase. Except that yesterday I bought a brand new book. I was at the pharmacy, buying ibuprofen for my (feverish) little penguins and in a moment of pure impulse (and feeling pathetically sorry for myself because the whole family has been sick this week) I picked up Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay. The fact that it is the winner of the Giller Prize, set in the Great North and not to mention 25% off made it all the more irresistible.

So, to green my conscience, I will offer it up for a swap once I am done reading it. Some of the titles I'd love to get my hands on are (notice the theme he he):

Plenty: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon

Food Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden And Your Neighborhood into a Community by Heather Coburn Flores

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan

If you're interested in a swap, please post a comment or drop me a line at info at ecomama dot ca.

Another great way to offset the environmental impact of book purchases is by having a tree planted for each book. Last Christmas I discovered Eco-Libris, an organization that will work with you to balance out your book purchases. Through them, you can buy stickers made from recycled materials and non-toxic inks. For each sticker bought a tree is planted. Last Christmas I added a sticker to every book I gave as a gift. I've corresponded with Raz at Eco-Libris a number of times now, and he's always been hugely helpful. I received an email from him just yesterday telling me that Eco-Libris is celebrating its first birthday. He says: "It has been such an exciting year for us, and I'm happy to report that we have balanced out so far 50,005 books, which results in 65,586 new trees that are being planted with our planting partners in developing countries.". So dear Raz and team, congratulations and Happy Birthday !!! Here's to another year of balancing books and planting trees, keep up the good work.

Green Confessions

We've really been striving to reduce our consumption lately. That means I've been finding other ways to satisfy my book cravings (shh, don't tell anyone, I have a book fetish). For that I've become reliant on the library, swapping and borrowing, and the occasional used book purchase. Except that yesterday I bought a brand new book. I was at the pharmacy, buying ibuprofen for my (feverish) little penguins and in a moment of pure impulse (and feeling pathetically sorry for myself because the whole family has been sick this week) I picked up Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay. The fact that it is the winner of the Giller Prize, set in the Great North and not to mention 25% off made it all the more irresistible.

So, to green my conscience, I will offer it up for a swap once I am done reading it. Some of the titles I'd love to get my hands on are (notice the theme he he):

Plenty: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon

Food Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden And Your Neighborhood into a Community by Heather Coburn Flores

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan

If you're interested in a swap, please post a comment or drop me a line at info at ecomama dot ca.

Another great way to offset the environmental impact of book purchases is by having a tree planted for each book. Last Christmas I discovered Eco-Libris, an organization that will work with you to balance out your book purchases. Through them, you can buy stickers made from recycled materials and non-toxic inks. For each sticker bought a tree is planted. Last Christmas I added a sticker to every book I gave as a gift. I've corresponded with Raz at Eco-Libris a number of times now, and he's always been hugely helpful. I received an email from him just yesterday telling me that Eco-Libris is celebrating its first birthday. He says: "It has been such an exciting year for us, and I'm happy to report that we have balanced out so far 50,005 books, which results in 65,586 new trees that are being planted with our planting partners in developing countries.". So dear Raz and team, congratulations and Happy Birthday !!! Here's to another year of balancing books and planting trees, keep up the good work.

Bags, Bags, More Bags - Part 3

Warning, rant ahead.

I just can't help myself. This post is prompted by a flyer we received in our mailbox from a well-known retailer of handbags and luggage, advertising what else, but eco-friendly bags. OK, so the LCBO has banned the use of plastic bags and others retailers are starting to encourage the use of re-usable bags (which I still think is fantastic, but we have a ways to go yet). Now all your Walmarts, Zellers, The Bay and I could name a few other handfuls, are selling eco-friendly bags en masse. I wonder, just how eco-friendly are these bags? Sure, they are meant to be re-used, but how eco-friendly was the manufacturing process? Do they still contain plastics or were they made with recycled materials (those get brownie points)? Were they made with regular cotton or organic cotton (more brownie points)? Where were they made, by whom and under what conditions? China? Thailand? The Philippines? You get the idea. And finally, are they really going to be reused or just forgotten in the trunk of someone's car, prompting them to buy a few more each trip?

I don't know about you, but I already have dozens of reusable cloth bags sitting at home without needing an extra supply from big box stores, though I admit that the black grocery bags from Loblaws are hugely useful, resilient and the perfect size. From book bags given out by the local library, to "giveaways" from conferences I attended and bags my mum sewed for my groceries, I don't really need Walmart et al. to supply me with their version of the new (almost disposable) "eco-friendly" bag so that I can ease my conscience (and theirs). And I don't need a cloth bag to coordinate with my every outfit. Of course, we can't expect giant retailers to get that the whole "earth-friendly" movement is actually about consuming less (or what I like to call responsible consumerism) so we need to make our own decisions about which bandwagon to jump on.

Bags, Bags, More Bags - Part 3

Warning, rant ahead.

I just can't help myself. This post is prompted by a flyer we received in our mailbox from a well-known retailer of handbags and luggage, advertising what else, but eco-friendly bags. OK, so the LCBO has banned the use of plastic bags and others retailers are starting to encourage the use of re-usable bags (which I still think is fantastic, but we have a ways to go yet). Now all your Walmarts, Zellers, The Bay and I could name a few other handfuls, are selling eco-friendly bags en masse. I wonder, just how eco-friendly are these bags? Sure, they are meant to be re-used, but how eco-friendly was the manufacturing process? Do they still contain plastics or were they made with recycled materials (those get brownie points)? Were they made with regular cotton or organic cotton (more brownie points)? Where were they made, by whom and under what conditions? China? Thailand? The Philippines? You get the idea. And finally, are they really going to be reused or just forgotten in the trunk of someone's car, prompting them to buy a few more each trip?

I don't know about you, but I already have dozens of reusable cloth bags sitting at home without needing an extra supply from big box stores, though I admit that the black grocery bags from Loblaws are hugely useful, resilient and the perfect size. From book bags given out by the local library, to "giveaways" from conferences I attended and bags my mum sewed for my groceries, I don't really need Walmart et al. to supply me with their version of the new (almost disposable) "eco-friendly" bag so that I can ease my conscience (and theirs). And I don't need a cloth bag to coordinate with my every outfit. Of course, we can't expect giant retailers to get that the whole "earth-friendly" movement is actually about consuming less (or what I like to call responsible consumerism) so we need to make our own decisions about which bandwagon to jump on.