It took some adjustment to learn to eat well in this big city, and no I’m not talking about one of the many trendy fine dining establishments here. I’m talking about food that has enough good stuff in it to matter in keeping your immune system strong and digestion working like it should. Most of what I find available in the average supermarket would not qualify, and I was eating from the leftovers of that system. Don’t misunderstand, leftovers rock, and using up everything for something is how I like to do. But this stuff had already had a hard life by the time I saw it.

On my way to learning some urban eating techniques for the situation here, I saw the lack of nutrition affect my health including the first cold I’ve had in years. The withdrawal from organic food was harsh, and it turns out growing some sprouts was just the thing to help. Sprouts have even been used in a treatment plan for disease such as cancer. I’ve been saying for a long time that food is medicine, and I’ve now seen that from my own experience. I eat lots of sprouts lately and the energy bursting out of them is noticeable compared to other food. I’ll share one of my new fave recipes for sprouts, but first we’ll need some sprouts to work with, so let’s get started!

The process is easy…

Start with a half gallon size Mason jar, the big one, and since you’ll be rinsing the sprouts a few times a day, it should have a lid that makes that easy. I bought a piece of bulk window screen, cut circles out with scissors and used the lids that came with the jars. You can also buy some nifty lids for just this purpose at Sprout People.

Get some sprouting seeds from the bulk section of the co-op or organic grocer that has bulk bins. You need organic seeds to sprout from as others usually won’t sprout due to unnatural government tampering with your food that essentially kills it. Organic is supposed to be unaltered so it’s essentially like seed that was saved for growing, but much cheaper than buying garden seeds.

You will probably be able to find seeds like radish, broccoli and alfalfa pretty easily in a larger city. Or check out Sprout People.org if you are somewhere else. They also have the compendium of sprout info that gives you step-by-step instructions with pictures, but here it is in a nutshell:

The seeds (1-2 tablespoons for tiny seeds and 2/3 cup for lentils) are soaked in water (warm is good, but not hot) for 8-12 hours to start their germination process, and are then placed into a jar which lets in light, like a Mason jar. 3 or 5 times a day the jars are filled with tap water (not hot) and drained to rinse the seeds and keep them growing. They jars are placed to rest at an angle so the water drains out of the screen top, in a spot out of direct sunlight and extreme heat, like your kitchen counter. Over the next couple days to a week they grow to their best size for eating. For sprouts like broccoli, radish and alfalfa, it’s close to a week where they get big and plump and bursting with chi; for lentils, most including me think they are best between 18-24 hours including soaking, where they have just the start of a tail if any. Lentils are oh so good and tender to eat at this stage. I let them just get the nub of a tail started to make for a little more volume in a salad, and they are just as good then.

As you can see at Sprout People, you can take sprouts out of the growing jar when they are how you like them, rinse them clean in a colander and store them in the fridge like you would the sprouts from the market. Sprouts have become a mainstay of my diet lately so I seem to eat them as fast as they grow and usually eat from a batch while they are still growing. There is a timing to it, and don’t worry if you let a batch go too long or forget to rinse and lose a batch; it happens.

Farming and growing is not supposed to be perfect. That is a mindset our industrial food system has foist upon us to justify the long shelf-life Franken-food that has largely replaced wholesome food. The best tasting fruits and veggies are grown without pesticides and mega fertilizers, and often have a bruise or blemish. It’s normal.

So as Wendel Berry says in a favorite quote, (highly paraphrased and with a touch of a wise Aunty I met in Hawaii) “Do your best, and then don’t worry so much, eh?”

A couple batches and you’ll have it down, and once you start eating fresh sprouts that you grew you will find yourself mindful of when a new batch needs to be started. There is a nourishment that comes from eating something you’ve grown yourself. Perhaps it is the completion of the cycle, or the equitable exchange of energy that makes it seem different, but it does strengthen your connection to the earth.

I happened to see a YouTube video of someone who had been given an electric sprouting machine and the whole process just seemed wrong. First it’s electric. Why? Then because the water on the bottom doesn’t seem to get flushed, just more water added through the top of the machine, they suggest adding some chlorine to the water to keep it from getting yucky. NO!! Step away from the electric machine folks. Get a Mason jar and grow fabulous sprouts. Yes they need a little attention, but that is just the point. You have to put a little bit of yourself into eating fabulous food if that’s what you choose to do. But it’s not hard.

I’ve included a recipe for you that I eat often now. It’s mostly raw, mostly sprouts, and just like you can make this in treetops, you can make this is in the tiniest living space you have. It goes something like this:

• A full batch of sprouted lentils, tail just starting to show, 18- 24 days.

• Other sprouts such as broccoli, radish, alfalfa in any ratio to equal the amount of lentils.

• ¼ to ½ cup of red onion, finely sliced or chopped

• 1 cup (unprepared) whole grain organic Cous Cous or other fine grained cous cous https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couscous prepared by the cold method:

1 cup cous cous, dry
1 ¼ cup room temp water
splash of Olive Oil
couple good shakes of salt
stir together and let sit for 5 minutes
then stir to fluff

• Dressing of your choice, I used mayo in this dish, and the next one had a balsamic Dijon dressing. Use vinegar dressings sparingly as to not soak the cous cous too much.

• Mix the ingredients together to your liking. A larger batch could be served with all the ingredients unmixed and people can mix their own batch on their plates. In this case the Cous Cous could be served in it’s own dish.

• Garnish the top with what ever you’ve got, but think light, as something heavy or cooked on top of this salad would not do. Mandarin orange wedges or a spritz of lime juice; cilantro, mint, rosemary, or fresh berries, endless possibilities.

• Salt and pepper to taste after mixing together.

This batch also had some raw spinach and mustard greens added, and it made the salad extra yum.

Enjoy!

Happy sprout farming! I’ll be back soon with a good next step in growing and nutrition, and that’s micro-greens.

Peace and sprouted lentils,

Calliope

Good sprout resources:

http://sproutpeople.org/

http://www.superfoods-for-superhealth.com/super-sprouts.html

http://www.homestead.org/DorothyCady/SproutYourNextMeal.htm

I’m going to have a lot of seeds this season so I’m looking for interesting places and situations to plant them. I also plan to gather seeds along the way, and the combination has set a new adventure into motion, The Millions Seeds Project.

While that comes together I’ve got some of the new seeds growing in a window garden, and it’s so exciting to see the Red Russian kale, and the Red Rhubarb and Fordhook Giant chards already sprouting up! It’s been a sunny week in San Francisco and the plants love it.

Sprout production is in full swing as well, and now that I can take pics I’m working on a post about it. More soon.

It’s not even too late to invest in some seeds this season, and so I’m going to make my plea that you do just that. Many gardeners don’t start thinking about seeds until the weather turns nicer, so this is a great opportunity to invest in some seeds like you’d stash away a few bucks, and you’ll have some peace of mind about having seeds this year. If you’ve grown a garden before you know what I’m saying. You know that feeling when you’re ready to plant the seeds, you’ve done your best for the soil, and you think, “I’m so glad I took the time to think about this in January. I’ve got just the variety I wanted to grow and from a good seed house so I know these seeds will more likely do what they are supposed to.”

Once you go look at some websites or seed catalogs, it will pull you in. But go! Here are some places to start:

This list of the top 15 seed companies represent gardeners’ favorites, and my faves like Fedco and Johnny’s are on the list too. It’s a great place to start your seed gazing, and these companies are doing the right thing and deserve your support.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/best-vegetable-seed-companies-zm0z11zsto.aspx

A more comprehensive list can be found at:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/organic-seed-zw0z11zsto.aspx?page=3

You can start by looking for companies that grow seeds in your region, or a similar one. Fedco and Johnny’s are in Maine, which has similar climate to Oregon; and there are some fine seed growers in Oregon as well such as Territorial, Nichols  and Victory Seeds.

If one of these seed growers is near you it is worth a trip to meet them. They are as important as a farmer that grows your food, maybe more so. And I’m guessing a visit to any of the seed growers listed here would make a lovely day outing.

You might want to order some basics from one of these websites before you wait much longer to make sure you get varieties that are important to you this year. Most of the websites will give you instant feedback on what is in stock. You can fill in your ordering over the next few months with other varieties from other growers, or just random things that come along like seeds from someone else’s garden. If you spot something at a store that you just have to try, be aware of some basics of “buying off the rack” in the seed trade. Seeds you typically find at big box stores or large chain retailers of any type are part of the seed trade that moves the older and less than stellar seeds to the unsuspecting and novice gardeners. Better “off the rack” seeds come from places like organic grocers,  food co-ops and  independent nurseries.

But what to buy and plant? Good question!

I’d grow what you like to eat. There are a few things to consider such as your climate; watermelons don’t grow well or at all in the Pacific Northwest, and plants that don’t like heat like lettuces grow only in winter in places like the Southwest desert. This can be accommodated with greenhouses etc, but for an outdoor garden that needs minimal effort from you it’s best to stick with veggies that grow well in your area.

If you have limited space consider growing things that are:

(1) more expensive to buy at the market, like fresh herbs;

(2) harder to find, like fresh salad greens, fresh picked spinach, and most Asian vegetables;

(3) or that you can’t find at all! This is a growing list and includes variety in almost anything now if you’re buying from anywhere other than a farm or farmer. For me this list includes greens such as mustards, most Asian greens, and most winter and summer squashes. Most people have no idea how much variety is available to grow from seed in these and other vegetables.

Almost anyone can develop a simple set-up like I have to grow some micro greens and baby lettuces just about anywhere you have regulated sunlight. An open window like this will make for some happy plants that can be eaten seconds after harvesting.

An excellent book called “Gardening When it Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times” was written by the founder of Territorial Seeds, Steve Solomon. Steve was a homesteader in Oregon in the 70′s when he started growing and selling seeds, and this book is written from both those perspectives. He covers what to grow that is worth your effort,  simple tools that work, and growing food when water is scarce. This is a great read and a great book to own regardless of your skill level. If you owned only one book about gardening, this should be it.

Steve also wrote what is arguably the bible of Cacasdian veggie growing, “Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades”, and if you live in that region it is a must own as well. “Gardening When it Counts was written from a less regional perspective and is suitable for anyone. Your next book after that might be one like “West of the Cascades”, that focuses on your specific area and often comes with planting charts and seasonal to-do lists that are right for your climate. Check out your local library and nurseries to find what’s available for your area.

You’ll have plenty of time to figure out what to do with the seeds once you get them, and I’ll have more info as the season progresses, but get some seeds! Soon!

Peace and seeds,

Calliope

As I write this I wait with anticipation as one of the yearly seed lotteries is taking place, this one in Maine, and will determine how much of my order I will get this year from Fedco Seeds. The lottery aspect comes from the ever-increasing demand for quality seeds and the fact that open-pollinated seeds, particularly heirloom varieties, are disappearing by the season. Open pollinated seeds are those that can be grown to produce their own seeds that are true copies of the original. Heirloom varieties are those that have been saved over generations and are consistent in their characteristics due to careful selection and breeding by seed growers, particularly those who specialize in it and have their hearts in the right place.

Fedco is one of those seed growers, and they are one of my faves. They continue to champion the cause of seed saving with their co-op member structure, Farmer’s Almanac-style catalog with lots of great info, and openly state their politics as it relates to seeds and seed sovereignty. Their quality and price also can’t be beat, but you need to get in line early…like now!

Fedco has also joined 82 other farmers, seed growers, and agricultural organizations as part of the class action lawsuit against Monsanto Company to challenge the chemical giant’s patents on genetically modified seed. I thank you all!

If you are interested in buying some seeds yourself this season, I suggest you try one of these seed companies, which I think are among the best:

Fedco Seeds
Johnny’s Seeds
Territorial Seeds
Seed Savers Exchange
High Mowing Seeds
Victory Seeds

I’ll expand this list soon, but if you are interested in buying seeds this season with good choice in variety, look up some of these folks very soon. Seeds in the smallest quantities (packets) are also available in some retail spots, but stick with an independent nursery, organic grocer or co-op as quality varies widely in the seed business. Seeds are not the place to save money; best quality seeds will pay for themselves many times over and give good assurance that you will get a crop from them.

The many reasons to invest in seeds are growing, and yes, they are an investment. As of this season, with the volatility in world financial markets, non-GMO (genetically modified organism), open-pollinated, heirloom seeds are being listed as part of a rainy day portfolio right next to precious metals and farmland. The future is here!

What to buy is the big question! I study seed catalogs as if I’m playing chess, comparing every nuance with all I’ve learned along the way. But my purposes are likely different than yours. If you are just getting into growing and this is your first garden, you can trust the seed companies I list above to give you great advice about getting started growing some of your own food. They generally provide good information about what you can expect in growing their seeds, and in the case of Fedco you will usually get a history lesson as well.

The number of websites, books, and blogs discussing garden planning is staggering, but these are some good places to start:

Gardeners.com – Kitchen Garden Planner
http://www.gardeners.com/Kitchen-Garden-Planner/kgp_home,default,pg.html

GrowVeg.com – Online Garden Planner
http://www.growveg.com

Vegetable Gardening Online.com – Vegetable Garden Worksheets
http://www.vegetable-gardening-online.com/vegetable-garden-worksheets.html

USA Gardener.com – Garden Planning Guide
http://usagardener.com/breaking_ground/plan_a_vegetable_garden.php

Backyard Gardening and Canning.com – Garden Planning Chart
http://www.backyardgardeningandcanning.com/garden-planning-chart.html

How to Grow Each Vegetable Seed
http://www.grandpappy.info/hseedveg.htm

Your local library likely has a couple of shelves of gardening books as well and makes for a great way to spend an afternoon finding some to take home. They will also carry gardening books specific to your area.

And some general rules of thumb (green?) about seeds to get you started:

· Hybrid varieties of seeds are developed by professional seed growers for better growing characteristics and usually produce more uniform shaped and sized fruit such as you are used to seeing in supermarkets. Hybrid seeds are grown by careful cross-pollination and the desired characteristics are usually not maintained beyond the first season, so hybrid seeds that are saved are said to not grow “true” the next season. Hybrid seeds usually cost a bit more, and a successful hybrid variety that’s been developed is something like a hit music album and can remain on the “charts” for years.

If you’re looking to just get some things growing quickly this season to see what you think, and aren’t so concerned with seed saving right now, hybrid seed could be a good choice. Scan the catalog for varieties that state good growing characteristics and have been available for a few years.

· Open pollinated seeds retain their characteristics consistently from year to year, and can generally be saved by most anyone using proper seed saving techniques. Good characteristics are maintained over the years by selecting the best of the crop each year to grow the seed. Open-pollinated varieties are wilder by definition, so size and shape will likely vary more, and OP varieties like greens and lettuce are also more susceptible to bolting (suddenly starting to grow tall when the weather warms to make seed rather than produce more leaves for eating).

· Since open pollinated seeds can be saved from year to year by non-professional seed growers, you can create your own seed stock which becomes especially cozy over time in the region where you live. This is what you are after if you want to grow your own food. Throw in some Permaculture principles and you have the start of a garden that requires less work each year while producing more food for you…and seeds!

· To try some simple seed saving that fits in with most any small garden plans, plan to grow some tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, cucumbers, green beans or peas. These are easy varieties to save seed from, and we’ll talk later about how to go about that. Just remember to buy open-pollinated versions of these varieties for seed saving.

I have much to say about seeds and seed saving this year and I’ll be back soon to get started with it!

Peace and Seeds,
Calliope

How could I resist making my own plea for your dollars at holiday time? Smile

Actually I don’t need your money; but a farmer that lives and farms near you does. As hard as those farmers will work in the coming year to grow the healthiest food they know how, getting some income at this time of year when most farmers are between growing seasons will seem like a gift to them as well. I’m talking about a CSA farm subscription.

There is also no better gift to give anyone, especially yourself and your family. I can tell you with all my knowing, that investing in a season of food grown local to you using true organic methods and materials is the best investment you can possibly make, and the most loving gift you can give.

It’s also an important investment in having that farmer still growing food for you in future seasons.

The gift of a CSA subscription will provide you with nutritious, health-inducing food, a better place to invest your money than any financial institution, it helps build and support a local economy, and helps the earth by supporting sustainable methods. You might also find out in the process that a farm can be an enjoyable place to spend some time as most farms that sell direct offer social opportunities and other ways to see what goes on where your food is grown.

That also makes an excellent point about where your food is grown. Get to know the farm and farmer a bit before you commit to a season long relationship with them. They’d love to be your farmer, but they also want you to find the right farm and farmer for you. Ask questions and see how you feel about the answers. This is akin to selecting a personal doctor; in fact all the unbiased research is telling us that an organic farm is the new pharmacy.

Even if you will be buying by the week from a farm stand or at the farmer’s market, you owe it to yourself to visit the farm and see how your food is grown. If you find the right farm, you will be able to speak directly with the farmer, and they will be proud and eager to show you how they grow.

To that end, the promise of a subscription after more research in the new year can work as well for a holiday gift; especially wrapped in Love with something from your heart like fresh-cut flowers.

Here are some links to help you find a farm and farmer near you:
http://www.localharvest.org/
http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/csa.html
http://www.eatwild.com/products/

Also try a Google search on “organic farm” or “CSA”, and your city, county, state, or region.

Enjoy the season and the food! I hope circumstances allow you to share some of what you have, including the Love in your Heart, with someone that has less of those things.

Much Love from my Heart,
Calliope

It was in that backyard that I met Miss Lili who spent much time there; particularly under that Raspberry bush. Since her passing last year, next to that bush is where you’ll always find her now.

So many things make Miss Lili’s jam different. The bush is a good heirloom variety that has had good care in a serene place with very good energy, and has been bearing very yummy fruit for years. The jam is also made by my friend whom I love dearly. She puts much love into her jam making as she does everything. When a batch of berries ripens they are whisked off for immediate processing in an extra kitchen just waiting for these moments, so the flavor is captured at it’s peak. Add in the Love, and you have jam like my great grandmother made.

"Did you think there would still be jam in it?"

This jam was absolutely the best thing I’ve tasted in the 16 months since I left Oregon.

It was a special treat that reminded me of a scene in Soylent Green showing strawberry jam as a luxury only the elite could afford when it was even available.

This is what inspires me to tell people about the peril our food and freedoms are in. I don’t want to lose the opportunity, no, the right, to eat food like this. We are very close to losing our legal right to give each other the love and essence of our homes, our gardens, and ourselves. There is a very big effort underway to outlaw things like owning seeds or giving a neighbor anything that has been grown or produced by you, and also to standardize the very definition of what food is.

A few decades ago, food available in markets still resembled the actual raw products and was widely available in it’s natural state. Now food is essentially killed before you buy it in the name of food safety, yet the industrial food system sickens us with food that is being recalled on an increasing basis. These new laws being proposed and enacted are a continuation by the giants of food and agriculture to control our food at a global level.

Saving our food heritage is inseparable from saving our basic constitutional rights which have been largely taken away in the last decade by “presidential administrative rulings”. Our human freedoms are being taken away by laws restricting our rights and changing the intent of our constitution; our freedoms are also being lost by the actual degradation of our human environment including loss of healthy air, water and food, and land and water capable of growing wholesome food.

For me this is the line in the sand. When friends can’t share food, when seeds you’ve saved from a favorite variety year after year become illegal, something has gone very wrong. The system that wants even more control over our lives has demonstrated it’s lack of concern for the earth, our water, our food, and quality of life.

Some of the issues facing us are GMO food, GMO seeds, seed patents, our right to grow and purchase natural foods and medicines, the attack on small farmers, food producers, and gardeners from food “safety” legislation, and assaults on our environment from gas fracking and geoengineering, It’s a long list for sure, but these practices and policies must be stopped before they are allowed to do actual, irreversible damage to our world and lives.

I also have good news that more people are becoming aware of these issues, citizens are taking action, and progress is being made in delaying and stopping projects like the Keystone XL Pipeline and gas fracking in the Deleware River Basin. Other efforts such as the so-called “Food Safety” bill and Codex Alimentarius have just gained their first legal foothold and need our awareness and action. As informed citizens we have the ability to individually and collectively make a difference through voting with our dollars, adding our voices to the conversation, making other citizens aware of these issues,  and telling all levels of government that our human rights are non-negotiable.

We can do this. But time is of the essence.

We’ll talk more.

Here’s to you Miss Lili!

Much love.

The basis of our health comes from inside of us; from our well-being. Food, medicine, nor much else will help us maintain our health if our spirit is not willing. The divisiveness and disconnection from each other our dominant culture seems to conspire to create is not our natural state. It is why destructive behaviors, consumerism, and disease such as cancer are so prevalent now.

When I walked away from my career in the software industry not many could understand why. On the surface there were a few reasons; industry downturn, burnout, the company having grown from one that made it’s reputation from caring about their customers to a larger company that cared more about their quarterly stock reports, and my disagreement with them about what constituted good ethics. But I really left because I felt this disconnection the video is talking about.

What kept me there and living wherever the current project had sent me was the art of the work, the money, the travel, and the accolades for accomplishment which was my drug of choice. There was also the quirky company culture with great parties and the founder even played in the company rock band. Our ranks were small enough (~2000) and we had enough revenue to bring large batches of us together in places like Vegas, Orlando, and New Orleans for some work and play on the company ticket. That was essentially my community; other disconnected jet-setting techies making phat money.

The following work week though, I was back in residence at the Marriott in whatever city I was working in that week. It became too lonely of an ordeal after a while, even for someone as social as I am, who has great income and expense account., and loves to travel. The loneliness and disconnection from any kind of real community took it’s toll. I longed to belong to a “Tuesday night anything” group back in the town I resided in, which didn’t really seem like where I lived. I was hardly ever there.

So it was this disconnection I felt from everything while at the height of my career that finally made me leave, and the video really speaks to that disconnection which I think many are feeling. The game is getting more rigged, so it’s easier to see the disparities when you are in the midst of it. It’s the reason I think we see so many awakening now. The system is so broken, young people aren’t even getting the job after college anymore which is their catalyst for awakening to what is. As the movement to Occupy nearly everything hits it’s two-month anniversary with no sign of slowing down, it is beautiful to see so many young people with love in their hearts who understand the way to our future is through each other.

Spread the Love!

Here he is speaking at a TED Talk, and I can think of no finer introduction to the conversation I want to have with you about us and our food.

Peace, and peas, and Love,

Calliope

It was marching with the Occupy movement in San Francisco in September that reignited the work I’ve been doing with Calliope’s Table for a couple of years. The very same things that are going on with the financial industry are happening in the world of food and agriculture. If you climb the ladder of corporate ownership and influence high enough they are the same people at the top trying to control you by controlling your food. History is full of precedent where one group of people conquered another through controlling their food.

It’s inspired me to evolve the blog once more to pass on what is happening now with our food supply, farming, and the politics that do not seem to serve the eaters. Calliopez Table (with a Z!) will look at eating, our health, and how we can vote against the corporate food system every day.

Today I’ll be showing my solidarity with the general strike in Oakland by supporting the farmers at the Wednesday market at UN Plaza in San Francisco, and a couple other local merchants. They are a good example that we can’t shut down the whole system, or that the whole system can’t be shut down. There will still be food, and we will still eat, but we need to work at it as well.

Our food is something we should value the way most people seem to value money. Food could become our money. We need to realize we’re not going to get many second chances with maintaining the integrity of our food supply, and from it comes our health and well-being. When I was farming, the farmers regarded our seed supply among the most sacred of things. We saw how it takes years to grow out your own seed stocks, while the availability of non-hybrid seed dropped with each season.

The economic system could collapse today and we’d start using something else as a means of economic exchange, like they are doing in Greece. We can survive that. Food will still grow and shortages will be driven by policy and corruption rather than an actual lack of food. When you remove the consumer structure and it’s culture, goods and services start to take on their real value in terms of sustaining life. In my neighborhood there are other forms of currency valued as much as cash, including 50 lb bags of rice. Take money out of the equation, or what serves as money in 2011, and commerce will still happen.

But if we lose of what’s left of our agriculture, we will not be able to replace it.

We can start taking back our food system by supporting the people where you live that do bring you food, day in and day out; farmers, market sellers, local grocers, street vendors. They work hard and aren’t getting rich from it. They deserve your support every day.

Places on my list to support today are:

UN Plaza Wednesday Farmers Market

Neighborhood grocer

Food co-op

Doing some gardening, making food and sharing it with others, and telling each other your stories are also outrageous acts of freedom and would add to this great day.

See you soon.

Love,

Calliope