A Message from Chief Seattle

Someone recently shared an excerpt with me from a book called The Young Rockhound's Handbook. It is an unlikely name for a book containing the excerpt I am about to share, but it is a message that still needs to be heard and reflected on.

"The following is a letter written by Chief Seattle of the Duwamish Indian Tribe. The Duwamish lived in the Puget Sound area in Washington State. In 1854 President Franklin Pierce offered to buy much of the Duwamish land from the tribe, promising them a safe reservation somewhere else. Here is part of what Chief Seattle said in reply."

- Rockhound's Handbook

"How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them?

Every part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, ever sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing and humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people. So, when the Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land, he asks much of us. We will consider your offer to buy our land. But it will not be easy.

We know that the white man does not understand our ways. One portion of the land is the same to him as the next, for he is a stranger who comes in the night and takes from the land whatever he needs. The earth is not his brother, but his enemy, and when he has conquered it, he moves on. His appetite will devour the earth and leave behind only a desert.

Our ways are different from your ways. The sight of your cities pains the eyes of the red man. There is no quiet place in the white man’s cities. No place to hear the unfurling of leaves in spring, or the rustle of an insect’s wings. But perhaps it is because I am a savage and do not understand.

We will consider your offer to buy our land. If we decide to accept, I will make one condition: the white man must treat the beasts of this land as his brothers. I have seen a thousand rotting buffaloes on the prairie, left by the white man who shot them from a passing train. I am a savage and I do not understand how the smoking iron horse can be more important than the buffalo we kill only to stay alive. What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected.

This we know: the earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself."

- Chief Seattle

My Grandmother's Home

This past weekend I took a trip down memory lane, but they weren't my memories. They were my Grandmother's. She grew up on a homestead that her grandparent's built in the late 1800's in the wheat farming region of Washington State. A young family lives on the homestead now and they have done a wonderful job at restoring this old farm house in this golden place.

We stepped up the stairs onto the front porch. At a distance on the horizon you can see the once bustling wheat town of Ralston, where my Grandma walked through fields to take her piano lessons. Now it is but a sweeping glance of forgotten buildings. Stepping inside the house, the wood floor boards are still original, but were stripped down through many layers of paint. My Grandma was born in this house. It is where three generations of my family members lived and loved. How could this be? I suppose such is the sentiment of history, knowing who breathed or battled in a particular place all the while trying to pinch yourself to believe it so.

My Grandma told me stories of how her family cooked during harvest time; cherry pies, homemade bread, German sausages, and fresh eggs. These were homesteading meals. Hard work wasn't something that was defined it was done daily through chores, farming, and hard labor. Joys were simple such as the taste of a ripe peach off the tree, a nap in the shade, or fresh curtain linens hung on a bright window. Sorrow often appeared too, in quiet and not so quiet places. Times like these seem grand, difficult, and humbling even to the distant observer.

"Would anyone like a watermelon milkshake"? My head turned in anticipation. Sure enough the woman of the house opens the door and walks out with dixie cups and a beautiful pink pitcher. This is hospitality. The sun was beating down and we were drinking watermelon milkshakes while the family visited on the lawn and learned about the improvements that were made to this lovely home. The house was raised three inches on one side to account for decades of subsidence. Sixteen feet were added to one end of the house, but much of the house still claims its original layout. The room where my Great Grandfather played music on his beloved organ and the horse barn where my Grandmother brushed her favorite horse were still in tact. The old trees on the property still stand. The summer house where my Dad played as a little kid on vacations to the farm and the root cellar no longer exist except for the remnants of the rock foundation now surrounding a bed of flowers in the front garden.

I was impressed. The family living in the house now are such a joy and were so welcoming. Their house is a part of history, our history. They are embracing that, building it up, and are keeping a legacy alive. This trip to the farm got me thinking of the hard work of the past and how it has changed over time. It got me thinking of all the valuable skills we have lost over time as a result of convenience and increased mobility. It got me thinking about ghost towns that were once thriving local economies. It got me thinking about the value of place and how well a person can really know home. We can learn a lot from the past, especially when it comes to growing things and sharing things. Is there hope for the town of Ralston? I'd like to think so. I'd like to think that our small agricultural towns could once again flourish. I hope so.

The Greens of Summer

The greens of summer? But you're thinking it's winter, right?

As I am typing I can't seem to get the beloved song lyrics of this song out of my head, "I've got a Nikon camera, I love to take a photograph, so Mama don't take my Kodachrome away." I can't say my Kodachrome was taken away, but my Nikon camera was. Well, not really. It just has retired to the back shelf for now because this past weekend I purchased a new Canon Camera! Don't worry, I won't petition to change the song lyrics or do away with my Nikon camera.

I grew up with quite a few cameras, mainly inspired by my Dad's love of photography. My first camera ever was a simple point and shoot camera that took 110 film rolls. I took that camera on some pretty amazing trips to Disneyland and Arizona. I also took pictures of my animals, including my cat and birds, my Christmas presents, and my childhood home. Yeah, I was 10.

I took several photography classes in school growing up. They always gave me a loaner camera. And yes, it had film. I even learned how to roll film on a film spool and develop prints on photo paper with enlargers in the dark room. Sometimes I felt like Ansel Adams. One of my best ever cameras was one I made myself in middle school. It was called a pinhole camera and it was made of cardboard and had just that, a pinhole in the front. When I opened the small cardboard flap I made to cover the hole, light would stream in and make an image on a small strip of photo paper I taped inside. I would hold the camera very still for several minutes then close the flap and run back inside to see what I had created. It looked like a masterpiece, like the original photographs first taken.

It wasn't until college that I was gifted with my first SLR camera. It was a Nikon N90. That camera traveled with me on hikes, to the east coast for an internship in Massachusetts, and captured memories of family and friends. As of late, I've been taking photos with one of the original digital SLR cameras to come on the market (in the early 2000's), a Nikon D100. That camera blessed me with many endearing photographs, some I will cherish forever and are absolutely irreplaceable.

And there I stood at the store, looking over this new Canon Camera and I decided on it. I splurged, but I did it on purpose. With my lifelong love of photography surrounding me and an upcoming trip of a lifetime to South America approaching (the last one for a while anyway), I had to do it. I am really excited to share with you some of the first images I will create and share with you my experiences as I travel. Like I did before in recent trips to Chile and Argentina, I am going to blog about my experience and I hope you will join me! I arrive in Valdivia, Chile this Sunday. I will spend a week on the coast, travel across the Andes Mountains (by bus) and stay in Argentina for two weeks before I make my way back to Chile and fly home.

My first goal: To capture the nice bright colors and the greens of summer so you will think all the world's a sunny day!

A Little More Country

I've been spending the week with my Grandma in eastern Washington. She lives in a small farming town in the Palouse, the wheat growing belt of Washington State. I love coming here to visit. The town is small (population 558) and remote (next town of significant size is about 25 miles away), but it has character. If you're from the city, you are likely to either be bored out of your mind here or you are going to embrace the peace and quiet. I find myself feeling the latter. Just the other day, I stepped outside into the bitter cold for an afternoon walk. The crisp air was refreshing. I had to really look around to see even one person! They were all wise to say inside because of the cold. It was very quiet, eerily quiet. That is, until I past the school and saw a small row of parked cars and activity within the building. I also saw a man raking his yard. Of course, I waved. After all, that is what you do in a small town when you see someone, you acknowledge them! The best part about my walk was the view. All around I was surrounded by rolling hills of wheat fields. Some fields were tilled coarsely, brown clumps of dirt and straw showing through. Others were a tinge of green from a new growth of winter wheat. The sky was expansive and hues of purple and blue painted a pretty fall scene.

In a small town you have to enjoy some of life's simple things. Isn't that how we are suppose to live anyway? I'm not saying this isn't possible in a city, it is. But in a small town it is more apparent. Perhaps because it is a quieter space to be. What are these important things I speak of?

I've come up with my own simple list. The first is enjoying a) relationships with people. Everyday someone is stopping by my Grandma's house to say hello, visit, drink coffee, or drop off the mail. How wonderful it is not only knowing your neighbors, but knowing the people in your town! The other is b) socializing. One evening we drove to the Cafe downtown for dinner (a lengthy 2 minute commute). My car didn't even have time to warm up before we got there. We walked through the door into a room of smiling faces. How often do you walk into a restaurant and know everyone by name? I'm practically talking Cheers here people! Now I can see the benefits of walking into a place and not knowing a soul (yes, there is town gossip), but it was very pleasant. Everyone exchanged greetings and news and enjoyed a meal together. At a table!

Another important aspect of enjoying life's simple things is c) more time spent in the home. This whole week I haven't once jumped in a car (except of course our little expedition to the Cafe for dinner). It has been absolutely wonderful and freeing! I have so much more time in the day. I also have more time at home to do the things we so often associate with chores like laundry, cooking, cleaning, and garden work. I discovered if you have more time at home, these chores feel less like chores and more like a contribution to making a place a home.

In the city, there is always something to do or to spend money on. In the country, you have to be more creative. Yeah, I could watch TV and movies or go on the computer like anyone else. Yes my Grandma is hip and has wireless and knows how to "like" a comment on Facebook, but for all the technology we are allowed in life I still can't easily get to a movie, to the mall, to a big grocery store, to a professional sports game, a concert, or even order a pizza. However, having the time this week to be more creative with my personal time (yes I am still working) has helped me to better enjoy my last point about enjoying life's simple things and that is keeping dear your c) leisurely time. This week I've taken walks, gazed at a brilliant horizon of stars in the night sky, wondered through the garden, visited with my Grandma, listened to her stories and life experiences, cooked from scratch, and I am learning to sew. Who needs to go out to eat and to movies all the time anyway! It just means when I do, I'll enjoy them all the more.

This week has blessed me in many ways. I'm thankful for life's simple things and each and every down-to-earth, country moment.

What qualities are on your list for enjoying the simple life?

Garden Treasures

Over the years my Grandmother has tilled and nurtured her garden. Through time and patience she has grown beautiful flowers and delicious vegetables. Come in late April, the garden is a site to see! Colorful displays of flowers show in every shade of Easter. Even now in the cold, short days of late fall, a few apples remain hung on the trees like bright red Christmas ornaments amongst dead leaves and branches.

The other day I was visiting with my Grandma while standing at the sink doing dishes. On a plate to the right of the sink sits a plate full of trinkets, broken glass, and special stones. Shiny cowboys and green army men lay amongst the rubble. My curiosity got the best of me and I had to ask where these treasures came from. "They came from my garden", my Grandma said. Over the years, season after season, of digging and planting, tilling and shoveling she collected these small treasures and saved them. She saved them because this home and this land have memories and keepsakes that only time can give. These treasures may take the form of trinkets, but they only do so to jog treasured memories. They've come from her family and friends, from children and grandchildren, and from decades of tending to this place.

Here are a few more garden treasures she's found along the way...

Do you have treasures you have saved over the years in the garden or elsewhere?

I Love Riding my Bike

Did you ever cruise around on your bike as a kid?

I remember doing this all the time. My neighbors, sisters and I would just ride and ride often in circles, but it usually felt like a long ways. We would just cruise. There was no particular rhyme or reason to our direction. We would let the warm summer air caress our faces and look out at the happenings and goings on around us. I recall this then as being just a part of life, but today I call it therapeutic. While riding home from work the scenic way today that is just what it felt like, that feeling of cruising the neighborhoods with no care in mind. I was cruising for cruising's sake. I was watching the happenings and goings on around me. I felt the warm air on my face and the gentle breeze brushing by keeping me cool. I love riding my bike.

This past weekend I went on a 25 mile bike ride to a friend's house on Vashon Island with a coworker of mine. We rode our bikes right onto the ferry walking in between the cars to tie our bikes to poles along walls of the boat. We went up to the top deck with total faith the knots we tied were strong enough to hold our bikes in place, so when we came back they wouldn't slowly be sinking to the depths of Puget Sound. Our faith was true. Shortly, we were to shore and unloading off the ferry. Suddenly we found we had left the city and discovered ourselves amongst the peaceful setting of beautiful Vashon Island. Vashon Island is mostly forested with rural agricultural areas and a few small towns. The roads are windy and hilly and sinuously find their way along the shoreline. Perfect for cruising. The three of us set out with such joy. I swear we each had big smiles on our faces each of our miles, including the hills. Three adult women cruising like kids again.

Riding my bike always reminds me of the freedom I have to go just about anywhere. It also reminds me to slow down and to notice the small things, the happenings and goings on around me. I can feel the breeze, smell the ocean water, see the river flowing, hear the birds chirping, and watch people enjoying their evenings on their porches. Life slows down. I love riding my bike.

What You Can Do for Your Country

Video Credit: The above "It's Up to You" video was shared with me by my Sister in New York. It was used in 2010 as an opening video for the National Conference on Volunteering and Service.

We've all heard John F. Kennedy's famous quote, "Ask not what your country can do you for, but what you can do for your country." I wonder, have we asked ourselves that question lately? I am often underwhelmed with the direction of politics these days and the disappointing media coverage that supports it. I think we've all become a little too comfortable asking our country what it can do for us and not what we can do for it. Now, I could also quote Elvis if that would make you feel better? He said, "A little less conversation, a little more action please." Perhaps he wasn't referring to civic service, but I think he was on to something...

Yesterday I was talking to my Sister who works for AmeriCorps. She is helping fight poverty in a very poor area of New York. You would think at least in the Capital Region, Albany and surrounding area, the economy would be doing OK. In reality, the majority often live below the poverty line and struggle to get by. The neighborhoods and downtown centers are depressed, empty old buildings are not uncommon, as compared to the bustling Puget Sound region of Washington State. I visited my Sister in New York over a year ago and saw it first hand. However, these communities, though poor, have something very special about them - they are incredibly resourceful! It is inspiring.

My Sister bought a bike. Since she lives under the poverty line herself, there wasn't a chance she was going to go to a fancy outdoors store and buy herself a brand new bike. So, what did she do? She went to a local Bike Rescue. This community-drive collective of bike enthusiasts find nothing more glorifying than repairing old bikes and making them ridable again. And what do they do with these refurbished bikes? They sell them at a very low cost to people in the community, like my Sister. There is even an option to "Learn and Earn". If you volunteer to learn how to fix a bike, you can have it for free. I've seen pictures of my Sister's bike. It looks great! She says the gears shift smoothly and it is comfortable to ride. Who could ask for more?

So what? Anyone can get an old bike, right? This may be true. But it is so much more than that. This collective exemplifies everything a community should be doing. This group has taken their personal hobby in biking to a whole new level. They aren't just repairing bikes in their individual garages all by themselves, they are doing it together. They aren't repairing a bike and never riding it again, they are using their skills to gift the community. They aren't storing an old bike in the garage while running out to buy something brand new, they are revitalizing what they have. They are making their community more vibrant for themselves and those whom they are serving. And, I bet they are having fun doing it. This is exactly what every community in America needs, thoughtful service-minded people who are engaged with each other working to make the world better around them.

Communities that are low income, like the Capital Region of New York, are getting it right. First of all, not having a lot of money may feel like fewer and fewer choices are available to us. However, having less money also fosters ingenuity and incentives to be resourceful making a community better off. I guess what I'm trying to say is human capital goes a long way too. Too often we focus on monetary things and bottom lines. We pay more and more attention to paychecks and shopping lists. If we want to make our communities better, our country stronger, let's take a closer look at what we already have and work with it. Let's take our skills, talents, and generosity and transform it into service. In a land buzzing of budgets, debt ceilings, and unemployment numbers, this is a welcome call to action in what could become a refreshing and productive new direction for all of us.

Reflections of my Mother

Even as a little girl I remember my Mother teaching me in the kitchen. I don't think I really knew how much I would like cooking someday back then. All I knew, was that I loved helping her and being at her side. I would watch her carefully measure out flour. She would plunge the flour cup into the bag and emerge with a heaping pile but then would delicately take a butter knife and tap and scrape off the overflowing mound until it was perfectly flush with the measuring cup. I still do that! It was because of watching my Mother.

Our family had many favorite recipes. Of course, one of my favorites were her ranger cookies! They were crunchy, sweet and full of chocolate. They barely had the chance to cool down we got to them so fast. I love the way food conjures up memories. Growing up my family would go hiking and when we went we would always take with us picnic logs. Picnic logs are a baked buttery pastry filled with crumbled bacon, green onions, sharp cheddar cheese, and chopped chicken. They fit perfectly into a backpack or picnic basket. When I go hiking today, there's almost an expectation in my heart that there should be picnic logs! I have such fond memories every time I eat one. I instantly go back to being outside in nature with my family.

I also remember making big servings of lasagna with my Mom. Usually when we did this, I knew we were having friends over! It would be a feast! And I got to be part of it. I helped her prepare the many layers. We would mix cottage cheese and fresh parsley. We would saute sausage and beef with onions and garlic . We would grate fresh Parmesan. Then we would carefully lay out the cooked lasagna noodles so not as to tear a one.

I have so many recipes that are so dear to my heart because of her. Whether it is her fresh guacamole, fruit pizza, or gumdrop cookie recipe, I can make it even now and go instantly back to those special moments we had in the kitchen. Today marks the fifth year anniversary of my Mother's death, or as I like to say, her celebration of everlasting life. I miss her dearly. Her big smile and enthusiasm for life and faith, however, is not lost to me. She continues to be an inspiration in my life. I can see her in myself, in my Sisters, in my Aunts and Uncles, in my Grandmother, in my Father, and in our friends. What a blessing and gift.

Today, I reflect on the many memories she's given me and I smile. I'd imagine she would be reading this blog and getting excited about what she's planted in her own garden and how it's growing. I love this picture of her and I. This happiness is eternal and is exactly the way I remember us. I am so thankful for my Mother. Even in the gentlest breeze, she is still teaching me.

Getting to Know My Neighbors

It took me not having internet to meet my neighbors.

I live in a house with three separate units. You would think by sharing a house with seven people that I would get to know them. No not at all. This is so typical of my American self, to not reach out to get to know the people that live within a hundred feet of me. Sure, I wave and say hello when I see them, but do I get to know them? Nope. So, what got the ball rolling? I needed something, of course!

The first time I met my neighbors they were the neighbors that live below me. I met them when I moved in to my apartment a year ago. I contacted them because my land lady recommended I give them a call to see if they wanted to share internet. I thought, that's great! I want to save money. They agreed to split the cost with me. But we only talked just enough to exchange the wireless password. Both of us would surely agree we were each very nice people but that was the extent of getting to know one another. Every month I would tape my check to their door never actually seeing their faces. So instead, we carried on waving and saying hello in passing. I would get my internet, they would get a check, and we were perfectly content with things being that way.

Last week, my neighbors with the wireless internet decided to move out. No more internet! So I decided to once again venture off to meet my neighbors, this time the family living in the unit in the front of the house. They invited me into their home. I got to meet their two children, an adorable 4 month old boy and a three year old girl, who believe it or not, dresses up every day and tells her Mom she wants to go play with Erica! Obviously I've made some kind of impact! After visiting for fifteen minutes, I discovered they were sharing internet as well with the neighbors that left so we agreed to start a new account and share internet together.

I'm not one to boast the fact that everyone should get to know their neighbors because I obviously don't have the best track record. But, you should really get to know your neighbors! I am learning every day that there is so much joy in knowing the people around me. Not the people I pick but the ones I have. I am also learning, that there is real value in pooling resources- yes sharing internet- but also sharing things like food by having potlucks, good company, garden space, tools, games, and utilities. By knowing our neighbors, we begin to cultivate our communities, mending them and us into stronger relationship. Building these relationships also creates opportunities for us to be there for one another when we are in need, perhaps just to water our plants when we are on vacation, or to share food if the power goes out or if someone loses a job or is sick. For most of us, reaching out, meeting, and helping the people we know- our family and friends- is routine, but I would say the bigger challenge for each of us is to reach out to the people we don't know- the people we find we are surrounded by day in and day out, our neighbors. Your neighborhood, community, or town needs you! In being more involved, you might be pleasantly surprised that for your effort, you'll receive much more in return.

Is This Land Made For You and Me?

I've decided to share a song with you that you've all heard before but probably haven't thought too much of. I watched a documentary recently about the life of Woody Guthrie. What an amazing life!

In the 1930's Woody Guthrie was a young traveling musician wondering the country meeting all kinds of people singing songs about the folks he met along the way. He told their stories and became a social advocate for the country. He met people suffering from the Dust Bowl, traveled with migrant workers from Oklahoma to California, and sang songs about the Depression. He knew the working class people because he lived with them. America was struggling and after hearing the ever popular God Bless America play repeatedly on the radio, Guthrie decided to write a song in response that not only gave people a sense of the natural bounty of our country but challenged thinking about possession, wealth, abundance, and resources. He wanted most to empower the poor but also challenge those whose needs were comfortably met. A song we consider today as patriotic was actually a hippie anthem created to bring attention to a belief Guthrie had. He believed that the land, with all its abundance, and our nation, with all its glory, is here not to benefit some but to benefit everyone. In his song, Guthrie sings "I roamed and rambled and followed my footsteps to the sparkling sands of her diamond desert. And all around me a voice was sounding, this land was made for you and me." In another verse, that he occasionally included as part of his song but is not recorded, he sings "In the squares of the city, in the shadows of the steeple, by the relief office, I'd seen my people. As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking, is this land made for you and me?"

Seventy years after the writing of his song, his sentiments are still relevant today. Like Guthrie, I find myself asking the same question, is this land made for you and me? Is it made only for the rich? If we have enough, how come the poor grow poorer? What is this American dream we're chasing? All these questions make me think a lot about capitalism and consumerism. I believe in capitalism and a free market but I also believe in caring and stewarding our resources and for caring for one another. What I like especially about the local food movement and of urban homesteading is that it is a call to a simpler way of life. It is a call to the basics, living with less, appreciating the ordinary, and building community and family. And as such, we receive so much more! It is my hope that our country focuses less on quantity and more on quality in every aspect. So what about the American Dream? Let's build a country that takes our richest resources our lands, our waters and each other, and uses them in a way that we can all benefit and prosper from for generations. It is our social responsibility. This is the call to patriotism that Woody Guthrie is championing.

Want to learn more about homesteading? Every Monday, I'm taking part in the homestead barn hop aimed at getting those of us interested in the topic well connected to one another. Learn more about getting back to the basics by clicking on the barn hop logo!

Too Fat to Fight

I went to a talk on Tuesday all about the Farm Bill. Have I lost anyone yet?

For liking food so much, I don't know much about the farm bill so I took this as an opportunity to learn and I'd thought I'd share some of my thoughts from the evening. The featured speaker was Daniel Imhoff, author extradonaire. He's written such books as Food Fight - The Citizen's Guide to a Farm and Food Bill, CAFO - The Tragedy of Industrialized Animal Factories, and Farming with the Wild - Enhancing Biodiversity on Farms and Ranches. I hadn't heard a word in my life before this about Daniel Imhoff but these are some pretty awesome books and he has some really interesting things to say about the farm bill and food and farming in our country.

Here are a few interesting pieces of information I learned right off the bat. First, if you could summarize the farm bill with a dollar bill, 70 cents of it would first go to nutrition. Nutrition is the government's way of saying food stamps. Forty million Americans are on food stamps and the farm bill directly supports this effort to feed America's poor. About 20 cents goes to commodity crops. When the farm bill started, over a 100 crops were subsidized by the government. Today, the government subsidizes just a handful including corn, wheat, soybeans, cotton, and rice. Roughly ten percent of the farm bill goes to supporting conservation, mainly programs supporting the Wetlands Reserve Program and Conservation Stewardship Program.

The farm bill has an interesting history. It originated during the Great Depression to help farmers and people struggling in America to feed themselves. By paying farmers for surplus food, farmers were able to keep farming and the hungry were able to be fed. In the 1940's, the Child Nutrition Act was passed creating the school lunch program we are familiar with today. The military needed strong, young men to fight in World World II and many were malnourished until this program was started. Over the next several decades, farming became a big business in this country as our farming techniques begin to industrialize. The average farm size grew bigger than ever before and the farmers that remained through these trends are most likely growing one of the commodity crops mentioned above. These are the crops that feed the majority. Interestingly enough, Daniel Imhoff noted during his talk, that in farm bill speak, a speciality crop means fruits and vegetables. Something is definitely wrong with that! Essentially, what we are told to eat (the food pyramid we all know, fruits and vegetables rank highest for what we should be eating most) is directly inverted to how we farm in this country and where our farm subsidies go. And this folks is where the farm bill turns into a food fight!

At the end of the talk, Daniel Imhoff fielded an interesting question with an interesting answer. Someone asked, "With budget cuts facing just about every program in the country, why aren't we also cutting military spending? How does the farm bill play into this?" Imhoff addressed that question by saying the military is potentially our biggest ally in working for a better farm bill. Not the answer I was expecting! Remember how I mentioned the beginnings of the school lunch program, young men were too malnourished to fight and the country needed to change this? It was in our national interest back then to have strong, healthy young fighters. Young military recruits today, are increasingly struggling to pass fitness tests because they are too fat. More and more, the young generation of today is too fat to fight! In the 1940s, our young soldiers needed a nutrition boost. Like those soldiers, the youth of today are in need of one too! A boost consisting of fruits and vegetables, not high fructose corn syrup. The military is also concerned about CAFOs, or confined animal feeding lots. The majority of meat (chickens, turkeys, pigs, and beef) we eat in this country is processed through just thirteen slaughter houses. The military recognizes that these operations are terrible breeding grounds for disease and could potentially be grounds for a terrorism attack, given how quickly disease can spread from one location to the mouths of millions of Americans.

The farm bill isn't just for farmers or big business. The farm bill affects us all. Food is central to our well being and so are the practices of how we farm including the people and systems themselves. Our diets have changed dramatically over the last several decades for the worse and it is time that we demand healthier options. Our government should be subsidizing healthy options not unhealthy ones. People in Washington, Oregon, and California are working together to create a movement to fight for a better farm bill. If you wish to learn more about it or get involved, I've included some links to explore.

• Northwest Farm Bill Action Group
• Farm Policy News
• Mark Bittman on Farm Subsidies

blog image: Watershed Media

Inside the Great Depression

photo: courtesy of the Roth Family

Some have said our country is experiencing some of the worst economic times since the Great Depression. Sometimes I wonder, will it get worse? In my mind, I know that is entirely possible, yet I assume that times will get better. The economy will grow again. And slowly, supposedly it is. However, these days, it doesn't seem to take much before we sink backwards again. Have you ever heard that Bruce Springsteen song that goes, "one step up and two steps back?" I feel like that is where we are at. Today, I heard that for every penny gas goes up, a billion dollars less is spent in our economy. That, is two steps back. One step back is for our dependence on oil to the point it has this much effect on our lives and the second step back is for our country's stubbornness to change its ways. I'm not trying to paint a gloomy picture here, but it's gloomy. These problems don't just fix themselves overnight. I feel like the economy these days is like a car from a movie teetering on the edge of a cliff, every slight weight shift or breeze could send it over. Is this what it felt like during the Great Depression? Perhaps all those history books will never teach us the unease and uncertainty a lot of us are feeling right now as we wonder what will happen next?

Perhaps we can't answer that question today, but one man can shed some light. A couple years ago a book came out called, "The Great Depression: A Diary" about the daily accounts of Benjamin Roth, a practicing lawyer during the Great Depression. We've all heard from textbooks and historians about the Great Depression such as people standing in bread lines, people out of work, or in rags on a rural farm. Roth's account of the Great Depression is a fascinating, personal reflection of this historical time period that is really interesting to ponder. He asked himself the very questions we are asking today. What will happen next? If you have about 20 minutes of time, it is well worth the listen! It might just teach us a thing or two.

LISTEN HERE

Transportation Woes and Wows

photo: Patrick Robinson

Talking about transportation sure does draw a crowd. Especially transportation pertaining to getting around Seattle or from one end of the Puget Sound to the other. Let's face it, transportation is one of the big issues facing our cities, let alone our country. More important than social issues you say? Military issues? Environmental issues? Health issues? Economic issues? It's hard to say. Or is it? I've found rather than placing one value over the other, that instead, we look at transportation as a piece woven into and throughout each one. Therefore, it is an incredibly important topic to talk about as we think about the future and the well-being of the communities we live in. How we transport ourselves, and the products we use, is very much a question of sustainability and a happy future.

Tuesday I attended a Sustainable West Seattle meeting that featured city officials and transportation advocates discussing these issues. We talked about how bus systems can be improved to become more efficient for their users (more routes, rapid transit, new routes), how electric street cars could be introduced to get around within a city, how safer bike routes could be provided, and how funding challenges are increasingly problematic for public transit in a bad economy. With gas prices rising every day (12 cents higher than a week ago), we are beginning to once again feel the pinch of high fuel costs. It doesn't take long before we rethink how often we jump in the car to run errands or think twice about what we put in our grocery cart because food prices are also on the rise. Not only are we feeling the stress of traffic we are paying the big bucks getting nowhere.

Solving transportation problems is no easy task, but we are all a part of this challenge, which is the reason why I like the sustainability movement so much. We do have a say, each one of us, in our choices. Part of solving our world's problems is choosing to be an active participant not just someone with an opinion. If you've got an opinion, act on it! I learned that 5,500 people ride my bus route everyday! How cool is that? If a few thousand more people start riding it everyday, it could be in consideration for a bus rapid transit route getting more people from West Seattle to downtown faster. I have several colleagues at work who faithfully ride their bikes to work. I even know of someone at the University of Idaho who rides his bike in the snow everyday! Now we might not all be that fit or willing to brave the elements, but if we want a happy future, with a variety of transportation options, we have to think of alternatives to the status quo. That includes jumping in our cars at every whim, as well as, depending on products that travel great distances from all around the world just to serve our local needs. I think it is time we start freeing ourselves of this gridlock!

Transportation policies and budgets are big and expensive with a lot of political clout. But hear me on this. Last time I checked there were 535 members in Congress (in your mind add your city, county, and state officials to that) and about 310 million people in the US. Sound a little lopsided? Even though it feels like political agendas and corporate influences are too great to overcome, when it comes to sustainability (which almost every issue can be viewed through), the power is with the people! Have your own suggestion for how to improve transportation in your town? Start by deciding how you are getting to work or the grocery store tomorrow.

Urban Homesteading

Do we know how to do anything our grandparent's knew how to do? Practical things like sewing, baking, building things, keeping a garden, fixing our own cars? These things seem silly today to most because they are considered domestic. But there is a lot to be said about the home economy - for doing things ourselves. I went to daily mass this morning and the priest even talked about it. He told us of a study that was done about housewives where if you have one person staying at home doing stuff around the house that we currently pay other people to do or skip all together for convenience sake, we can save a household up to $800 a week! This includes savings in costs associated with child care, home maintenance, clothing, cooking, entertaining, laundry, lawn care, cleaning, repairing things, you name it! Now, I'm not saying everyone should become housewives, not that there is anything wrong with that, but I'm trying to make the point on how much domestic knowledge we've lost over the years because we are too busy or unwilling to do these things.

I follow a lot of blogs and I keep reading all about urban homesteading. Urban homesteading is like living in the country but in the city. Its focus is to be more self reliant for the things we need and to depend less on traditional ways of getting things and services (aka the store or hiring someone else to do it). It's a way to build up these lost domestic skills to help us save money as well as be prepared for disturbances that might come up in life (aka power outages due to storms, weeks without power, financially hard times, etc). People who urban homestead think a lot about healthy food so they grow it themselves even to the point of digging up their front lawn to put in a garden or filling up their apartment patio with vegetable planters and herbs. People who urban homestead are mindful of their energy use so they'll hang their clothes to dry instead of tossing them in a dryer. They drive less. People who urban homestead raise chickens and rabbits, grow fruit and nut trees, and may even put in beehives for honey. They'll take their fruit and make country wines, take their cabbage and make sauerkraut, and go urban foraging for wild food that is already growing in the city. They will also compost their food scraps to use in the garden throughout the year. Instead of buying new clothes all the time, they'll find terrific deals at thrift stores. Instead of buying beauty and cleaning supplies, they'll make thier own homemade recipes that work just as well.

Yes these things take time. But they are enjoyable. It not only saves money but it reclaims some home time that many of us lack because we are too busy running around. Much of what we run around for to begin with is all stuff we have to work even harder to pay for in the end by working extra hours or on weekends. Much of what we depend on in our daily lives is a direct feed from large companies that all too often dictate more about America than individual citizens, mainly because of the consumer decisions we tend to make. I am interested in urban homesteading because I believe it gives me a political voice. I am choosing to live more simply, I am building my resilience to the ever changing economic currents, and am able to rely less on external sources for what I need and more on local producers, my community, and my own skills.

If you are interested in learning more about urban homesteading let me know! If you want to learn more you might want to tune in to a podcast this Friday night on the Prepper Podcast. The host will talk about how she began her homesteading journey as well as homesteading lessons her and her guest have learned along the way. Tune in if you can!

New Years Resolutions

Happy New Year 2011!

I can hardly believe another year has gone by. With a new year, I feel new excitement for the possibilities ahead to do more with local food, to get to know my community better, and to live a more sustainable life for the planet, for my pocket book, and for my well being. I find it a daily challenge that I meet with eager motivation. In the past several months, I've been reading a Barbara Kingsolver book called, Animal Vegetable Miracle. It is about a woman and her family who try and grow their own food for one whole year and their adventures along the way. As I read, most of the time I am pleasantly envious of their return-to-the-land experience. They garden, raise chickens and turkeys, make cheese, and can and preserve their food. Their evenings are spend as a family making dinner or during the day they are active and outside. Their connection to the land leaves me wondering how I can have that feeling in a city? It is possible. So here I begin with a renewal in the new year to find my way toward this way of life. Here are a few ways I plan on creating this urban homestead experience throughout the year.

• Cook meals (so I eat out less)
• Buy food, when possible, from local sources (farmers market, produce stands, etc).
• Buy local, seasonal foods in bulk and preserve (so local food can be eaten throughout the year).
• Start a garden.
• Visit local farms.
• Go berry picking.
• Get involved in community groups.
• Start potlucks with friends or neighbors.
• Budget money (so I spend less and save more).
• Buy staple foods in bulk (rice, beans, pasta, grains, etc) so pantry is home cooking ready.
• Learn how to make cheese and bread.
• Ride my bike more
• Buy more clothes at thrift stores
• Make my own beauty and cleaning products
• Learn local flora and fauna
• Go urban foraging
• Listen to food and farming podcasts
• Read more
• Have canning parties
• Compost food scraps

If any of these interest you too, take the journey with me. Cheers!

Investing in Community

Big cities, like Seattle, have lots of culture and activities, restaurants and entertainment. But often I find that when people gather in the city they are still wandering the town as individuals rarely getting the opportunity to interact. In a culture of iPods and smart phones, it is no wonder many of us spend more time listening and looking at our gadgets than each other! I'm guilty. I was listening to my iPod on the way home today on the bus. If I'm not doing that, I'm reading. In fact, I barely know the two neighbors that share a house with me. Guilty, guilty! I definitely act like I live in a big city. Do you?

Part of building stronger communities, however, is getting to know each other. There is much power to be had when people unite. People help each other out in hard times, look after your house when you are gone, spare an egg when you can't make it to the store, offer up a spare bedroom after you've lost a job, share apples from their backyard trees, and opportunities arise for children to play together. Heck, maybe you are even so bold to start potluck meals once a week with your neighbors. Why do people do these things? Because people who know each other care about each other. Even greater power comes when people join even more people and advocate for their neighborhoods and schools and make their communities livable and happy places thus giving our concerns for each other and our communities a real voice.

It is in this context, I set out the other night to get more involved in my community. It all began in an empty parking lot. I was soon welcomed by a ski bus that usually runs weekend skiers up to the mountains. I can't ski but that is irrelevant. I got on the bus and it quickly transported me about a half mile down the street to the Duawamish Long House. I got off the bus, gave my thanks to the driver, and walked in to a beautiful building built of cedar, the interior covered in history in the form of maps and artifacts of the once thriving Duawamish Tribe. The reason for my visit, was to attend the annual Sustainable West Seattle winter potluck. Sustainable West Seattle is a community group of people passionate about environmental issues including energy, transportation, food, and stormwater pollution. They are very active in West Seattle and work on several projects to improve the community and promote a sustainable way of living that is good for people and the planet. Judging from the potluck, they have a substantial following and I wanted to be more and more a part of it.

As I walked in to the main hall, homemade food was arranged neatly on the tables including casseroles and salads, main dishes, and desserts. A keg and bottles of wine were not in short supply. The building was filling up and a stage band began tuning their instruments. I could just tell it was going to be a fun time. And it was. I was able to network with some of the Sustainable West Seattle group members as well as visit with other folks attending the event. Music filled the room, dancers took to the floor, and many a conversation were to be had. I spent a good deal of time with a family with three generations present. All raised in West Seattle.

Community and neighborhood gatherings, like this one, are occurring in small towns everywhere across america. Why our cities have to be different I have no idea. It takes each of us, one by one, to build communities that we care about and feel like we're members of. I am convinced by investing in community we will find ourselves much happier and enriched people.

When Times Get Rough: A Case Study

Monday morning when I got on the bus to head to work I thought it would be cold. So I wore my warm hat, gloves, and some long underwear. Thank goodness I was prepared because I didn't anticipate walking home three miles from work in blizzard-like conditions! But that is exactly what I did.

What struck me about my after work commute home were two things: most of us are not prepared for bad weather (or other disruptions in daily life) and, amazingly, the Seattle dis-ease (strangers not talking to each other) totally disappears when faced with adverse conditions. Let me address the first.

Over the last 24 hours I've listened to the news and heard people discussing the snow and heard complaining and blaming all aimed at someone or something else for the mass of gridlock everyone faced trying to get in their cars and commute home as the roads turned to ice Monday night. It's the Mayor's fault, it's Metro's fault, why hasn't the city bought more equipment, etc! My question is, why do we expect business as usual in the midst of a major winter event? Why should we expect the roads to be cleared as Mother Nature takes hold over the city? How can we compete with Mother Nature? Why should we expect our mail to be delivered in our mailbox the next day or neighborhood roads and side streets to be clear so we can get to the grocery store? We should all hope that our cities and transportation authorities plan accordingly and are prepared for bad weather to help us live our lives as usual but in reality their help will never reach the expectations we have under ordinary conditions. Our expectations need to shift from what my city can do for me to what can I do to be more prepared?

I just heard on the news a woman was stuck in her car on Interstate 5 for six hours and all she had to eat for dinner were ten tic tacs! If you spend a lot of time in your car, make sure to find a spare box in your house and make a basic emergency kit. At a minimum have warm blankets, hats, gloves, boots, food and water, a flashlight and an emergency hand crank radio (they have cell phone chargers in them now!). If bad weather is in the forecast, consider working from home. If you absolutely have to be at work, make sure your car is full of gas, you have chains, and you have someone to call to tell where you are at. Be prepared to sleep in your car. There are many things we can do as individuals to be more prepared if we should find ourselves stranded. This also includes being stuck at home because of a power outage or any other disaster. Take the opportunity to prepare now. Because when times get rough, I would rather have a two week (minimum) supply of food and supplies than find myself without or find it difficult to get to the grocery store or pharmacy. Plan ahead. Visit the Red Cross website to help you prepare.

If you are still reading, you will also want to hear my second observation about the reaction of the people on my bus during the commute home. Usually on the bus, everyone keeps to themselves. They read, listen to their iPods, or sit quietly and look out the window. Everyone is quite satisfied with their personal space. Last night it was quite the opposite. The bus was packed. People were standing in the aisles. They were getting road condition updates from their iPhones and Blackberries and reporting them to the bus driver who took alternative routes to help us navigate around the gridlock. People were telling jokes. After being stopped at a light for nearly 10 minutes, someone suggested going to the bar on the corner for drinks before continuing on. People shared and compared stories from the winter storm in 2008 creating camaraderie amongst all the passengers. When we realized that both bridges to West Seattle were blocked, half the bus, including myself, got off and walked. I found a group of four to tag along with and was able to visit with them the whole way home. It was cold, it was windy, it was icy, but we had each other. We walked by car after car. We used our own power to commute home and were confined to no road, and it felt great. I even saw a man take his socks off and give them to a child who was crying because of the cold. When times get rough, we still have each other.

The power we all have to be prepared, to help one another, and as a result to take more control of our situation, is what gives me hope when times get rough. I hope this very minor experience has taught me these lessons because there will be many more ahead. And if it was me, I'd rather be warm in my down sleeping bag stuck in my car sharing water and food with the folks next to me than being stuck in the cold with ten tic tacs.

Return of the Fireside Chat

Good evening, Friends.

We are everywhere all the time so it seems. We are at work, on the bus, in our cars often running around like chickens with their heads cut off. It definitely feels like it sometimes doesn't it? Tired of the running around? Ever wonder what it is like to sit at home, relax next to a warm fire, and really enjoy Fall evenings? Perhaps next to a lamp with some comfy slippers and a hot beverage? And I'm not talking about the holidays. This could be part of the routine, too. Back in 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave thirty informal evening radio speeches to America highlighting topics covered in the legislative session. Families gathered around the radio to listen in, getting the latest news while hearing the President speak. Today, we may not all gather around the radio to listen to the President but we certainly crowd around the television. We have satellite cable, Netflix, youtube, Hulu, and a suite of other forms of media catering to our entertainment. I enjoy these things just as much as the next person, but after awhile it actually feels like freedom to turn the TV off. I know, crazy. But there is some pretty awesome radio programming and podcasts these days. Give it a try one evening. Turn the TV off and feel old fashioned by listening instead of watching. Listen while you spend time on leisurely projects like fixing up your bike, knitting, or baking. Or simply, just grab a blanket and a comfy seat. American journalist Sydney J. Harris once said, "The time to relax is when you don't have time for it."

Here are a list of a few of my favorites. What are yours?

Who's Bad Now Radio, kghp.org, Americana/Alt Country Music (Tuesday's 7-9 pm)
The Roadhouse, kexp.org, American Blues/Roots Music (Wednesday's 6-9 pm)
SingOut Radio, FolkAlley.com (Anytime, Listen Live)
Fresh Cuts, FolkAlley.com (Anytime, Listen Live)
Sound Sessions, Smithsonian Folkways, Preserving our National Music Treasures (Podcast, Anytime, Updated Weekly)
Good Food with Even Klieman, kcrw.org (Podcast, Anytime, Update Weekly)
Deconstructing Dinner, kootenaycoopradio.org, Stories About our Food Supply (Podcast, Anytime, Updated Weekly)
Greenhorn Radio, Interviews of Cutting Edge Young Farmers (Podcast, Anytime, Updated Weekly)
Living on Earth, Weekly Environmental News (Anytime, Updated Weekly)
This American Life (Podcast, Anytime, Updated Weekly)
FDR Fireside Chats, The American Presidency Project (Anytime)

Mom and Pop Grocery Stores

I've always been intrigued by Mom and Pop grocery stores. Why? Because when I walk into one, I somehow possess that down-home feeling that only a rural or small town experience can offer. The quaintness of the space exudes that I've either been camping and have run out of s'more supplies or I've been traveling and am longing for an ice cold drink or a special treat. Or perhaps, it is a quiet place to rest because I've been out walking and am ready for a paper and an early morning cup of coffee. Regardless of what it is, it's special.

When I was a kid, I use to walk down to Rosedale Market in Gig Harbor with my neighborhood friends and sisters and buy ice cream. This Mom and Pop grocery store was like many others, it was inviting, quaint, and welcoming. It's gone through many changes over the years, which has made it even better, slowly offering local art, bread, eggs, and meat choices from the surrounding area. They've also began serving espresso, simple breakfasts, and sandwiches and have teamed up with an antiques dealer to sell unique garden art in their backyard courtyard. Drive up on any day and you will a see tractor or an old chevy truck parked out front and an inviting porch to sit on while watching kids play baseball games in the field across the street. It is such a lively, intimate, and community-driven place which makes it absolutely clear that this is not just another grocery store or quick-mart gas station that we so typically associate with convenience.

It was to my surprise that I visited Rexville county store in the Skagit Valley recently and discovered an even more exciting model for what a Mom and Pop grocery store could be. If you drove by and blinked you might miss it. Like Rosedale Market, Rexville is more than a grocery store. This historical place offers a wide selection of gourmet foods while still keeping things small and friendly. It also serves as a community center, offering wine tastings, food festivals, and art openings. So, where's the gas station? So long to gas, they are now offering biodiesel! Forget a quick bite to eat and stay for awhile. A room adjacent to the main store offers daily breakfasts and lunches with a wide assortment of soup and salad choices. An outdoor patio allows more room for guests when spring, summer, and late fall weather is at its best and when there is nothing better than sitting down for a pint and a slice of homemade pizza. Produce from the productive Skagit Valley is regularly stocked on store shelves as is jarred jams, jellies, and fine mustards.

I love the idea of Mom and Pop grocery stores, not only existing but thriving. They don't have to be a rural phenomenon either. Our cities and towns need more of them too. They can help reconnect our communities, funneling in local produce as well as creating a community post where people can gather, share, and build a sense of place for themselves in a world where busyness and timelines often win out. I'm tempted to start one up myself! I would feature local baked goods, homemade ice cream, beer and wine from area businesses, and a simple adjoining cafe. It would be fun to have an outside brick oven for pizzas or, when the weather starts getting stormy, a fireplace inside to listen to community musicians play. The opportunities are endless! It's time to get out and meet our neighbors and celebrate our communities and neighborhoods.

A Pep Talk to Myself

I am definitely one for pep talks but they tend to apply to others rather than myself. Not today. Today I spent the evening with some of my friends catching up and having fun. We got into a discussion about what life is like in your late twenties. It is interesting that even when you are young you can feel old or how it is you can be old and yet still feel young. Which one is it? I think I could feel both depending on the day. But perhaps there is something to be discovered here about wisdom and maturity, grace and exuberance. My conclusion from the discussion, when we feel old we think about things we have yet to do, dreams we have yet to live, opportunities perhaps we have missed or have yet to take. When we feel young, we think about the possibilities that lay before us and the plans we are making. Now, being old and feeling old can be two entirely different things. I am holding dear, the desire to be both wise and young at heart. To embrace life at each moment regardless of expectation. And in the spirit of the times, like an athlete, hone in on what it is you want and go for it. Train and practice and be brave. Be an Olympian of your dreams.