Green Options

In the UK, this is a period in the garden and yard that’s called ‘The Hungry Gap’. The last of the overwintered veggies are coming to an end and the spring sowings are not yet ready to be harvested. If you want healthy food that doesn’t cost the earth either in money or in food miles, it can be difficult to find a way to eat that balances your budget and excites your taste-buds. Enter the sprouting seed!

The system for sprouting seeds couldn’t be easier – you just soak seeds, preferably organic ones, for eight hours in lots of water to get them started. If you’re a big fan of the sprouted seed, you can invest in specialised sprouting equipment, but if you want to try the system out for free, all you need is a jar or tray with a paper or cloth cover, water, and some suitable seeds or grains. Keep the seeds moist and clean by rinsing them well twice a day and maintain a temperature of between 55 and 70°F. Seeds grown in the dark tend to be crisper.

Sprouting seeds are full of valuable nutrients like minerals as well as containing high amounts of protein and fibre. Above all, they taste crisp, fresh and delicious.

I spent most of the last two days touring the exhibit hall at the Anaheim Convention Center, fighting crowds (an unusual occurrence these days) and marveling in how healthy the natural products industry still is. This is my second year at The Natural Products Expo West, one of the largest trade shows for the industry and it was, if possible even more crowded than last year.

But gaining an appetite for saving cash?

"People hate this green stuff" a senior member of the British Shadow Cabinet was recently quoted as saying.

That may come as a surprise - until very recently I’ve been writing enthusiastically of the rapid progress of European governments on green issues. However, as high energy prices begin to bite, and the world teeters on the brink of recession Europe is looking "at this green stuff" like a 10 year old staring at a plate of sprouts.

‘Tis the weekend to find a meaningful, last-minute gift! The best gift you can give a child is a gift that will help forge a connection with nature. I believe birds and plants are the two great ambassadors of the environment. If your child has been nagging for a pet, why not help them develop a sense of responsibility and foster their connection to nature with a birdfeeder?

Contrary to what you may have heard, birdfeeding will not spread disease or make the birds forget where their natural food sources are. All seed is not created equal. The cheap seed you find in mega-marts generally comes from the bottom of the silo of seed for human consumption. It is long bereft of the healthy oils that the birds are seeking. If you see the birds, “sorting” through your seed, you need to look for a better quality source.

I purchased a “pole system” from my local Wild Birds Unlimited a few years ago and am watching a pair of cardinals, a nuthatch, purple finches, mourning doves, and blue jays converging on the feeder as I type. Yes, occassionally a sharp-shinned hawk swoops in to grab a meal; but learning about predator/prey and the cycle of life is part of appreciating nature!