This Sunday's New York Times Magazine's cover story, by Michael Pollan, is basically exhorting us to plant a vegetable garden, something D and I (mostly D) had for many years when we lived in rural New England. But now that we live in a southern neighborhood, I find that prospect a little bit perplexing, with lawn care herbicides and pesticides flowing over, across, and under our property (not to mention septic tanks within close range . . .). We have an herb garden, but this doesn't involve the root of the matter, so to say; I worry about all those chemicals . . .
We've chosen instead to be part of a CSA (I know, we have to drive to pick up our box, so there's that carbon footprint), but still I feel that we are helping to build local, independent agriculture by supporting Sequatchie Cove. I'm also reading The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved by Sandor Katz, and that gives me lots of information on how to remain local when it comes to food. Chelsea Green is a great publisher, by the way, of many books on the politics of living a thoughtful life in the 21st century.
In an unrelated matter, I was reading Blackbird's post today, and she kind of jolted me into wanting to change it up on my blog, but I'm afraid that if I delete my turtle image, I won't be able to put in another one. Maybe I'll get L to help me, but she's been hanging out in the coffeeshop all day, ostensibly working with two other girls on an AP Government project, but with free Internet access, I think they are researching other things entirely . . .
13 comments:
Looks like an interesting book you are reading. I have been pondering this whole "flour crisis" lately and it has me increasingly worried. I hope Barack can save us from impending doom.
Gosh.
You mention me in good company...
Are you in blogger2 or whatever it's called?
I like your little turtle as it is - but if you are in blogger2 or whatever it's called it's pretty easy to change things around.
And that's as smart as I am about that subject.
(I was really talking about three OTHER blogs I read that have the very same format and header, which confuses me. But I'd never confuse your little turtle with anyone else.)
I would miss your turtle if you removed it :(
Thanks for the kool aid offer! I feel I've already abused your hospitality once though, by accepting a dishcloth, asking for your address to send you a wee gift by return and then not following through. In fact, now that I'm looking, I realise I've lost your address. Must be on the dead computer. Could you send again please dear?
Test your soil. I am a Pollen convert! You can always container garden!
I see you have been in touch with Suse in Oz, I have been following her dyeing adventures, and I'm planning to go shopping for KoolAid very soon..... as soon as the rehearsals and variety show performances are over!
Lawn care and herbicides, they have all been banned here, and my back yard has turned into a mess of weeds and moss... bat at least it's GREEN!
I love your turtle, here in England we would call it a tortoise and am awfully jealous of the fact that you live somewhere where they just wander into your garden.
We had to buy our tortoise and he cost us nearly £200 - can you imagine that! Also he has to live in a heated tank - poor chap.
As for veg gardens I was saying to Stu only the other day that our garden could easily support our household in fresh fruit and veg all year if we turned it into a vegateable garden but at the moment I can't bear to change it.
Talking of fertilizer, did you hear of that Germanic Pig Pong drifting literally 300 miles across the North Sea from Northern Germany.... "putrid liquid pig manure" is spread by German farmers in the 10,000 gallons as "fertilizer"... even the Germans think it is quite gross... then a freak in the "wind" (or "fart" as we might translate) let the diarrhoeary whiffs RIGHT into the Queen's residences in London and Windsor Castle (which is a good 30 miles outside...)
Your new "avatar" BTW, has a very well fed-looking shell. Do you think said tortoise was fed on rocket salad sandwiches?
A malnourished tortie's meant to have great ridges of pushed up shell and a most inconvenient time because of it
ps how do you pronounce the word?
"TOR-toyss" (like I do (for entertainment value))
or:~
"TOR-tuss" as most people do?
or is there a weird and oddly different American pronunciation anyhow...
I'm planting a vegetable garden next month. I can't wait for those tomatoes. There is nothing better than one straight from the garden. My mouth is watering.
Dennis wonders what a turtle looks like without the shell?
all Dennis' people can do is grow herbs and little lettuces in cold frames. too many determined bunnies deer and groundhogs.
does your tortoise eat mashed potatoes?
I had a veggie garden at my previous house, but not here, the ground is so hard and clayey. My dad grew all our vegetables when I was little!
But no time for gardening this week3end... it's Variety Show time. I sing in the chorus and I'm in one dance number, pics are posted on my blog. Shall I save you a couple of seats?
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