QUESTION OF THE MONTH :: Members share

Each month members are asked a question concerning our theme, news, or current events.

Members were asked: What is the biggest issue today that has you concerned and why? Does this issue have local and global effects? Do you have any ideas of a solution to help tackle this issue?

Pic by SarahWinterClothwork

There are a lot of big issues that has me concerned today. One of them is big corporations, which has both local and global effects. Local in two places, where the products they sell are made, and where they are bought. Where the products are sold people might word under horrible conditions. Locally, where people buy the products at a very cheap price, it takes away from local jobs. Call me a "pinkie", but it's true. As long as we get to buy something for cheap, we don't think much about the consequences and the process behind the product. Globalization has it's pro's and con's. How do we tackle this? Buy more locally made and grown.
Friggjasetr

Global Warming keeps me up at night worrying about the future and what will happen to the bees, polar bears, owls, etc. The Pacific Forest Trust's Van Eck Forest Project is helping to cool our climate. It's also protects critical wildlife habitat, including that of the endangered Northern Spotted Owl. Learn more at http://www.pacificforest.org/stewards... 

Greensprings0

I am currently concerned about the act of hydro-fracking. I live in Upstate NY, and it seems to be becoming a hot topic in my local area, as companies want to drill for natural gas along the east coast. Local opinions are heavily divided and I don't know if it can be reconciled in an environmentally safe way. All I can do is educate myself and become active in local groups. I fear NY will give the companies the green light and the watersheds around here will become polluted. Then we will all be in trouble.
Ecoleeko

The biggest issue for me is climate change. I feel that all the work we have to do revolves around this now. That includes stopping the corporate take over of our government, overturning Citizens United ruling that made corporations equal to people, scaling back the police state and as if it weren't enough already, would it be too much to stop this endless warmongering?
I think that Bill McKibbens group 350.org is a good place for me to put my energy and try to turn this around.
SarahWinterClothwork

I am very concerned about the pollinators. One out of every three bites you take is a DIRECT result of something being pollinated. There are many reasons that this may be happening...ranging from a natural die out to pesticides. I do not use any pesticides or non-organic sprays or anything in my yard and garden. I try to educate others to these issues through my Facebook site and website. We need to treat the earth as a home, not a rental.
CMonetGarden

POETRY :: Emily Dickinson

Photo by LookForFiddleheads

The earth has many keys, by Emily Dickinson  


The earth has many keys,
Where melody is not
Is the unknown peninsula.
Beauty is nature's fact.  
But witness for her land,  
And witness for her sea,  
The cricket is her utmost Of elegy to me.
 





Shared by EarthenKnit

BOOK CORNER :: Members Suggest

Members recommend good reads, either fiction or non-fiction and for adults or young readers.



Growth of the Soil by Knut Hamsun is one of my favorite Norwegian authors. I have all his books, and also all biographies written about him. Addicted? Yes! He’s brilliant! I would think that some of his command of the Norwegian language is lost in translation, but all his writings are well worth the read. He got the Nobel Prize for literature in 1920, after having published Growth of the Soil/Markens Grode. The novel is a song to nature, a paean to the beauty of living with the earth. W.W. Worster in an afterword to his 1920 translation: “The story is epic in its magnitude, in its calm, steady progress and un-hurrying rhythm, in its vast and intimate humanity.” The theme of the novel is very relevant today, at least in my mind. It’s about strength (mental and physical) and character, living from the land, building it from nothing to something, and at the same time going through life, realizing the differences between the different life stages. You have to read it. It gives me goose-bumps just thinking about it while writing this.
Suggested by Friggjasetr




I am revisiting John Mackey's Passion and Purpose audiobook. It is published by Sounds True, a company that carries a huge library of inspirational books. This book is great resource for the conscientious entrepreneur, and I found it particularly uplifting after having received a lot of negativity and skepticism from someone from an old-school business background who is completely unfamiliar with the idea of doing well AND doing good. Mackey offers some great responses for people who don't understand why socially responsible practices are an important part of doing business.
Suggested by Herbanlifestyle







"From a Monastery Kitchen: The Classic Natural Foods Cookbook" by Brother Victor-Antoine D'Avila-Latourrette. The recipes are focused on simplicity, frugality, changes of seasons and thoughtful quotes from numerous sources are included with each recipe. Food for the soul as well as the body.
Suggested by Needlesandkims









A must read for everyone who cares about the environment: The Beekeeper's Lament
Suggested by Greensprings0



Besides the Foxfire books, I am also reading "The Backyard Beekeeper" by Kim Flottum and "Bringing Nature Home" by Douglas Tallamy.
Suggested by CMonetGarden

POETRY :: Nancy Carol Moody

Photo by LookForFiddleheads

NESTING by Nancy Carol Moody

June, and the insatiable starlings
just outside our bedroom window
are raising their second batch
of babies this season, rackety
blusterers tucked into the eaves
of the house next door.

Mornings at sunup, the nest
is a tumult of appetite
and squawk. Evenings,
in the melancholy low-light
of the just-set sun, the drama
recycles: cacophony, then a quiet.

The outcome is not so different
from the creation: how the light
turns and a hunger rises.
Sound becomes us, and then
there is the silence.

Shared by Greensprings0

MEMBER'S DISH :: Chunky Onion Dip

I made this today and it was a hit. The pic didn't come out great but at least you don't have to search for one.

Chunky Onion Dip
Reprinted from "Flavor First" by Cheryl Forberg.

Caramelizing is one of my favorite ways to add layers of rich flavor to the simplest of ingredients, in this case, plain yellow onions. It takes a little bit of time for the onions to caramelize, but the end result is worth it. This dip is positively addictive when served with a colorful platter of crudites.
MAKES 12 (1/4-CUP) SERVINGS

2 1/2 pounds yellow onions, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
4 ounces Neufchatel cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves, for garnish (optional)
Halve the onions lengthwise and then slice them crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick half-rounds. There will be about 4 cups.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until the onions are soft and beginning to release their juices. Continue to simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until the onions are lightly browned and caramelized. Allow to cool. There will be about 2 cups.
Place the onions in a food processor and pulse a few times to chop. Remove half of the onions and transfer them to a bowl. To the remaining onions in the food processor, add the onion powder and process until pureed. Add the cream cheese and yogurt and process just until smooth. Transfer the mixture to the bowl and fold into the chopped onions.
Taste and season as needed. Chill for at least 1 hour. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and garnish with parsley leaves, if desired.

Shared by Greensprings0

POETRY :: Linda Hogan

The Heron by Linda Hogan


I am always watching
the single heron at its place
alone at water, its open eye,
one leg lifted
or wading without seeming to move.

It is a mystery seen
but never touched
until this morning
when I lift it from its side
where it lays breathing.
I know the beak that could attack,
that unwavering golden eye
seeing me, my own saying I am harmless,
but if I had that eye, nothing would be safe.
The claws hold tight my hand,
its dun-brown feathers, and the gray
so perfectly laid down.

The bird is more beautiful
than my hand, skin more graceful
than my foot, my own dark eye
so much more vulnerable,
the heart beating quickly,
its own language speaking,
You could kill me or help me.
I know you and I have no choice
but to give myself up
and in whatever supremacy of this moment,
hold your human hand
with my bent claws.


Shared by SarahWinterClothwork

ECO-SPOTTING :: Members report

Each month members observe their surroundings in to highlight good news, discoveries, beauty and progress!

This owl has been a frequent visitor our house. It has gotten so used to us that it doesn’t even fly away when we walk by.
Reported by Greensprings0

You can't see it in this photo, but Miriam's Kitchen (http://miriamskitchen.org), a DC-based organization that serves the area's homeless, (and am place where I volunteer), installed a big composting bin in their kitchen a few months ago. All of the meals that are prepared for Miriams' guests are made from fresh ingredients – produce, bread and meats donated from local farms and bakeries.
Reported by Herbanlifestyle


On February 21, I noticed the first crocus in my garden had bloomed. A little bit early! It has been a very warm winter in the Mid-Atlantic, so all the spring flowers started coming up in January! While the warm weather has been nice, it's a bit worrisome and I hope this winter has just been kind of a fluke.
Reported by EarthenKnit

MEMORIES :: Members Reflect

Each month members share and reflect on memories of their experiences, both intimate or widely shared events, current or past, or honoring another of influence. Members also look forward with hopes and dreams by offering their wishes; things they wish to happen in our world, big or small, personal or far reaching.

I know when spring has arrived by the sound of chirping baby birds in our birdhouse. Over the past twenty some years, our two children and now our five grand kids have shared this experience with us. It’s always a treat when we are able to witness the babies leaving the nest for the first time.
Shared by Greensprings0.etsy.com

A fond memory is going to my Grandparents farm, and having freshly gathered honey on homemade biscuits in the morning. It is actually something I am learning to do. I eventually want to have hives of my own...but I need to learn all the tricks before I get them. Hopefully this summer I can announce my adoptions!
Shared by CMonetGarden

“Twas rarely he knew the day of the month – what need had he of that? He had no bills to be met on a certain date; the marks of his almanac were to show the time when each of the cows should bear. But he knew St Olaf’s Day in the autumn, that by then his hay must be in, and he knew Candlemas in the spring, and that three weeks after then the bears came out of their winter quarters; all seed must be in the earth by then. He knew what was needful.” ~ Knut Hamsun
Shared by Friggjasetr

MEMBER'S DISH :: Gooey Mushroom Quesadilla

Gooey Mushroom Quesadilla
(from Hungry Girl)
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
2 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss Cheese
1 medium, high fiber tortilla with about 110 calories
Garlic powder and black pepper to taste

Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium high heat. Cook and stir mushrooms until softened, about 3 minutes.
Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and thoroughly mix in cheese wedges, breaking the wedges into pieces as you add them. Stir in a dash each of garlic powder and black pepper.
Lay tortilla flat and spread one half with the mushroom/cheese mixture. Fold the other half over and press gently to seal.
If needed, clean skillet. Respray and return to medium high heat. Cook Quesadilla until crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Slice as desired. Makes 1 serving.

Shared by Needlesandkims

PROGRESS REPORT :: Member's News

Each month members share news of their business, craft, art, and projects and plans!

I have been trying to re-vamp my shop a little. I have added a lot more Palm wax candles as well as some new essential oil tarts! I plan on adding more products in the near future. I am also signed up to do the Out of the Box Sampler (Etsy team) in May - which is dedicated to Eco Friendly products. I have to send in 25 samples and am also going to include a box of matches, and coupon. I hope that this will help increase interest in my shop and wonderful (I think so anyway :)) candles. I am excited about this project and would like to encourage other members on our team to check it out - esp. for the month of May.
Greenleafcandles

So much excitement this month for my little shop! I recently have undergone a tremendous transformation in terms of branding and packaging my products and am proud to offer them for sale. Check out my lovely new tea tins, great new organization of my gardening collections, and my newly launched herbal tincture line
Biophiliadesigns

I will be presenting my social enterprise pitch at the 9th Annual Global Health & Innovation Conference at Yale University on April 21-22, 2012. My new social enterprise is a subsidiary company of Herban Lifestyle. I will be announcing the details in the next few weeks via a Kickstarter campaign. http://www.uniteforsight.org/conference/
Herbanlifestyle

I am working to get more of my other one made! I might have mentioned this before, not sure, but for the longest time I have wanted a rigid heddle loom. I got some books to read up on it, and also did a lot of research. There are so many beautiful looms out there. I especially like the Kromski and the Ashford, but they are quite pricy, and haven’t quite been in the budget. However, I did find one that was: Little-Quick-Weaver-C. It’s made by a small family business in Bloomingdale MI. They have a saw mill and they mill all the parts for the looms, with lots of TLC. The “lady of the house” is a long time weaver, but wanted to make a smaller ridig heddle loom to put on lap or table, and small enough for her granddaughter to use. I got it a couple of weeks ago, and it’s beautiful. It comes with instructions, and it’s already warped when you get it. How cool is that? Only problem is I haven’t been able to really use it yet.

I am busy getting ready for kidding season, which means a lot of things need to be in place. I have been trying to get a chance to build a milk-stand, and finally last weekend I got it done. I was lucky enough to have all the materials needed. Never throw out scrap wood, you will always find a use for it down the road. Is it perfect? No, Norm (This Old House) would probably have a comment or two about it. But it works, it’s functional, and I built it myself from scraps. All the goats have been on it, and it went very well. They were all very excited about the goodies in the feeder. J Trinity is for sure
pregnant, so hopefully milk late spring. I’ll use that for drinking, cheese, yogurt, kefir, soaps, lotions and the list goes on. Have not tried to make soap with milk before, and understand it can be quite
sensitive process, but eventually we’ll get there. So there should be some great goat-milk soaps available sometime down the road. It’s on the list at least.
Friggjasetr

One of my bee new houses.
Biophiliadesigns