In case you hadn't noticed, I've been less than consistent in my writing lately. I'm distracted. Now, it would be easy to blame my lack of writing on my heirloom plant business start-up. Or the kids' crazy schedules, burning fossil fuels while we run all over town for violin, piano, and horseback riding lessons. Or the stinking cold that I just cannot shake. Or the deep cleaning that I do on a daily basis to ensure a spotless household.
Ha. You know I'm lying if I told you I'd been spending my time cleaning.
Instead, I'm distracted by a mesmerizing tale of history, intrigue, and scandal.
No, I'm not talking about our Governor.
It's Nefertiti. It's consuming. It's deliciously evil. It's historically engaging. It's a lovely escape from bleak winter days.
Yes, I'll admit. I'm a book-a-holic.
Once I'm engrossed in a great read, it's impossible for me to multi-task. I NEED to finish the book. I NEED to find resolution for the characters. Only then can I get back to real life.My reading obsession causes problems in terms of sticking to tasks. I've always been like this, though, since I was little. My mom would take me to the library and leave me there for hours. (This was when it was perfectly safe to do such things. Today, DSS would be knocking at your door, so I don't recommend dropping your five-year-old off at the library alone.) The nice librarian befriended me, letting me stamp the due date on the check-out cards. I read, and read...and read some more...until the librarian finally let me start checking out books from the adult section when I was about six or seven.
It was bliss.
Today, my reading obsession continues. I read when I go to sleep, I forgo sleep so I can read, I read when I should be cleaning the house, I read when I dry my hair, which explains why my hair always looks like crap. Books, magazines, newspapers, online articles...I'll read anything.
Lately, though, reading has become hazardous to my health. Take, for instance, the day my nightstand fell over, with the (very heavy) pile of books and magazines crashing on my toe. Or the time I tripped over the pile of books awaiting storage, when I was trying to avoid falling over the dogs.
Something needs to be done.
The problem is—our entire family is book obsessed. OK, it's not really a problem—unless you're trying to make an effort to become a greener family.
About two years ago, Peter and I bought four lovely, double-doored bookcases. As unorganized as I am about things like laundry—I'm completely OCD about my books. One set of shelves is for Peter's German-language books, one for non-fiction, sorted by genre, alpha by author, a few shelves are devoted to my grandmother's books, and the last two cases store my fiction collection from the past few years. (Again, alpha by author.) Standing in front of the bookshelves is always Zen-like for me—a place that is actually neat and orderly that contains some of my favorite literary memories.
In addition to those shelves, each child has a bookshelf in his or her room, lovingly painted or stained by Daddy. We have a bookshelf in the downstairs hallway for overflow kids books. I have a bookshelf in the office that houses all of my gardening books, and Peter has two bookshelves—also in our home office.
Now, add into the fact that we just recently cleaned out the storage rooms downstairs, where I found boxes and boxes of books from my childhood. Then, the following weekend, while cleaning out my parents' house...I came home with four more boxes of books.
Do you see a theme here?We have no more room for books.
Yet, I continue to buy them. And I can't get rid of them.
As for magazines--it's truly a sickness. Gardening, sailing, current affairs, parenting, organic living, Ranger Rick, American Girl...our mailbox overflows. Our poor maillady.Where once, long ago, I was obsessed with the latest fashion trends, my shopping obsession is now seeds, books, and magazines.
So, in my effort to add a greener hue to our family, what's a girl to do without sacrificing everyone's favorite activity?
I'm not sure.
But remember, this little blog is about baby steps...easy to implement ideas to make a less negative impact on the environment. I know, for instance, that I will not relinquish my Barnes and Noble membership.
Still, there are some steps we can take—and have taken—to get our reading fix without killing more trees.
Realize. Conservatree, a non-profit organization which once was part of the paper industry and now consults with businesses to provide recycled or non-paper sources for products, approximates that 17 trees are cut to produce one ton of paper. Now, granted, there are varying degrees of paper quality, pulp input, thicknesses, etc. But honestly, I just can't cite all of those statistics and formulas to you, because, well...I have a cold, and I think my head will implode if I attempt to explain the math. If you'd like to find information about calculating the number of trees used per various media, visit www.consevatree.org.
Suffice it to say—bestsellers use a lot of paper. Whether it's virgin hardwood, softwoods or recycled paper, the environmental impact of the printing industry is enormous. I know. I used to work in publishing. While recycled paper is a better alternative to deforestation, the energy consumed to produce the end product is high. But so is processing virgin wood into paper.
Reduce. In my young days, the idea of reducing the amount of reading materials available to me would have been unthinkable. Fast-forward a few decades...to the land of Al Gore's Internet (you know I love him, but I just had to say it!), and the feasibility of reducing the stacks of papers and books—and saving some trees along the way--becomes more of a reality.
While I don't think reading a Kindle will ever have the same sensory appeal to me as cracking the spine of a brand new novel, technology's evolution allows for easy access to online news. Magazines. Books. Blogs, celebrity entertainment sites, shopping catalogs. You want to read it or browse it? Google it, and it's yours. Instant gratification.
One of my favorite things to do when I was growing up was to pull out the World Book Encyclopedias. Remember those? I'd pick a letter, start at the beginning, and just read. Today, the Internet serves the purpose of finding quick answers to questions—but does it provide the same ability to browse and stumble upon information that you didn't necessarily NEED to know...but that's good to know? How will today's kids win at Trivial Pursuit if they don't get lost in an encyclopedia?
Does anyone still play Trivial Pursuit?
I swear, the World Book still should be a mainstay in every household. Even though it's not remotely environmentally friendly. Nor very up-to-date.
OK, back on topic. So—what is the Adolf family willing to do to reduce our environmental impact without sacrificing our love of the written word?
Renew the Overdue. I love the library, and it seems like such a simple solution. My children love the library. The library is a haven where anything is possible, where anyone regardless of socio-economic status or education level can learn, read, and grow. Thousands of books, just waiting to inspire...
But right now, we are in serious overdue debt. Why oh why can't I get the books back on time? Yes, I'll admit, to the shame of my sister, who never had an overdue library book in her life—I am terrible at returning books on time. It's not that we can't pay our overdue fees...I'm just mortified, because it happens far too often.
Still—we will get back on track with our library visits. I mean, really—when you can request the latest popular novels through the library's online catalog, reserve them in your PJs, and DRIVE TRHOUGH to pick up the books placed on hold...it's inexcusable not to take full advantage of the library.
Review. And opt out. We cancelled our newspaper.
Honestly, that was not a big sacrifice for me. Our local paper is not The New York Times. It's more like the Hammond Times, my hometown local newspaper that our 11th-grade advanced English composition teacher, Mary Yorke, would hand out during class. We had to take red pens and circle all of the errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. So, no—that wasn't too tough to give up.
Or to try to give up.
Although we haven't renewed our subscription, we keep receiving the newspaper EVERY DAY. I've called. It arrives, every morning, mocking my futile attempt to rid our lives of one piece of un-environmental reading material. The irony is—a friend just posted on Facebook about the inability of her paperboy (paper-person?) to deliver her Sunday newspaper.
I can't get ours to stop.
So, I continue to pile it up. The good news about newspaper—I can use it as a weed block in the garden. I lay the thickness of about four sheets of newspaper, wet it, and then put mulch on top. It's an excellent, biodegradable source to smother grass and weeds when you're making a new garden bed—or prettifying an old one.
We've cancelled (all but the most important) magazines.I'm such a hypocrite, though. I love Mother Earth News and will continue to buy it, even though I can access it online. You'd think that would be an obvious choice to cut out of our reading consumption, but no...I just can't. I save them and use them as a resource. Really. Thus the problem with my lack of space on bookshelves.
I know you're rolling your eyes at the irony here.
I did, however, get rid of almost a dozen subscriptions, including my formerly beloved People Magazine. The reality is—I honestly don't know any of the new stars that are about Tyler's age. I think I'm officially above the magazine's age demographic now, although I will always miss the pics of George Clooney. Ah, the sacrifice I'm making for the environment.
But what about the plethora of books?
Recycle. OK, I'm on a cheesy roll right now, with my environmental “Rs”...but with books, I can't throw them away. I also can't stand the thought of recycling just the paper within the book—it seems sacrilegious to tear apart a book.
Still, there are many options to explore for recycling books.
Lend. I'm a lender. I'm like my own little lending library. I always wanted to be a librarian, and this is my chance to play at it. I love to loan books to people, because there's nothing better than sharing a story that I found moving or interesting or crazy—and then getting to talk to the friend about the book. I also feel less wasteful in buying books, because I know I'll eventually share them with someone. Still...it doesn't solve my tree-killing issues.
Swap. A friend recently introduced me to online book exchanges, which I'm going to try out. I've just signed up for paperbackswap.com and bookmooch.com. These sites provide a forum for you to list books you're willing to exchange with other members—for free, only paying postage. In return, you list which books you're looking for. I've heard great things about these online sites, so I'll let you know about my experience. Please—let me know if you've used them!
Donate. Our local library benefits from donated books by holding an annual “Friends of the Library” sale. Not only do your used books support a terrific cause, but you can clean up on some great bargains—and restock your shelves with recycled books. Additionally, many literacy organizations sponsor book sales to support their organizations. Again, a fantastic opportunity to support a great cause and find some good deals as well.
I wonder if there's a way to calculate the carbon offset by donating books to charitable causes? Hmmm...I'm sure someone will think of a way to greenwash it....
If you don't have a local organization who sponsors a book sale, consider donating your used books to schools, used magazines (minus your address label) to doctors' offices waiting rooms, or both to senior centers or assisted living facilities. Additionally, when Kristen was in kindergarten, her teacher was delighted to take five boxes of magazines off my hands to use for class projects. Preschools are another good outlet for used magazines...cut, cut, cut!
Freecycle. Have a bunch of books or magazines that you're ready to part with? Post them on Freecycle.org. If it's free, they will come...and you'll clear some shelf space.
Resell. Want to make a few dollars to help offset your purchasing habits? Look for local used bookstores who will give you credits for the books you give them, allowing you to find new sources of reading pleasure at a discount. Used bookstores are wonderful—you get great books at a fraction of the new price, plus since you're buying used books—you don't need to feel guilty about the amount of trees that met the ax for your book!
E-bay your books, and find used books online. Amazon and Barnes and Noble, two of my favorite online haunts, often show “used” options from third-party vendors. Many of my gardening books, which can often be very expensive new, are through used vendors. The vendors list the price, as well as the condition of the book so that there are no unpleasant surprises upon receipt. Just keep an eye on shipping costs—I've had an instance where I found a book for $1.99—and the shipping was $6.99. Hmmm.
Are you still with me?
It's getting a little long, isn't it?
Ironically enough, Mikey just came and asked me to read a “Jack and Annie” book to him (aka Magic Tree House), and how can I say no? Did I mention that my little pumpkin is now reading as of last week? He read eight beginning reading books to me, and I'm so thrilled.Another reader in the family...
So, I must run and read a bit to my boy. But we're not done with this conversation. Next, I want to figure out how to control the plethora of paper in the house...school papers, bills, clutter, packaging, kids' art projects...it's overwhelming me! I swear, it breeds at night.
But before we begin that topic, I'm curious: do you have a Kindle or other electronic book device? Do you like it? I'd love to hear your opinion...please share!
Our house is, quite literally, a zoo. With three dogs, two cats, a bunny, and two aquariums of fish, we spend an exorbitant amount of money on pet food and vet visits. But, that's the commitment we made when we added these furry friends to the family.Or should I say—when Kristen added them to the family.
We started with one dog—Maxi, a purebred Dalmatian. I know, I know...shame on me.
Next, we added Mimi the bunny, who actually turned out to be a boy. Let's just say—identifying bunny gender is not as easy as you would think.
Then came Murphy, a tiny little black kitten, who decided to find shelter from the rain—under the hood of Peter's car. Peter drove home from work, heard meowing in the garage, and found Murphy stuck near the engine in his car. I never wanted a cat. I'm allergic to cats. I'm a dog girl. Kristen saw Murphy. We had a cat. Actually, the cat was originally named Mia--until Peter took her to get spayed and discovered Mia needed to be neutered.Obviously, pet gender ID is not our strength.
Around this time, Peter found two baby squirrels that were abandoned. Guess who hand raised squirrels? And I wonder where Kristen gets her animal obsession? As soon as the squirrels were old enough, we released them into our backyard. Those ungrateful things came back often to eat the heads off of my pansies.
Next, Ringo. For whatever masochistic reason, we decided it was time for a puppy. Ringo was our first experience with adopting from a shelter. Peter and I thought we would visit a few shelters, take a look, and think about adopting a pup.Of course, we left the shelter that day with Ringo. He was a sweetheart of a dog, chewed everything in sight, and loved Peter. The feeling was mutual. Murphy, however, did not love Ringo—and disappeared. Heartbreak. And then Maxi and Ringo got out of our fenced yard. Devastation.
RIP Ringo.
A month later, I received an e-mail. Our friend's son adopted a puppy with his girlfriend, not realizing how difficult it would be to care for a dog while in college. In an apartment. Would we be interested in adopting the pup?What do you think? Chloe joined the pack.During the summer, we suddenly noticed two cats hanging around. Remember that I'm not a cat person? Well, starving animals break my heart, and these guys obviously had been abandoned. Oreo is part dog—she's mine. She comes when you call her, and jumps up like a dog to be petted. Someone cared enough to microchip her—but never updated the contact information.Sammy belongs to Kristen. For a very long time, he would only let Kiki the animal whisperer pet him. Now, he's gotten less nervous with the rest of us...but he's also turned into the true Tom cat, with torn ears and a scratched nose as battle wounds. We figured he had found a girlfriend, and decided it was time for the prowling to be done for Sammy.
So, last Friday, Sammy underwent the knife. Needless to say, he was not a happy fellow.
He sprayed.
Have you ever experienced cat spray?Skunk couldn't be worse. Honestly. I feel well-punished.My car stinks. The entire house stinks. The downstairs, where Sammy is recuperating in a kennel, reeks. Friday night I woke up choking on the smell.
Please don't stop by—because I really can't let you in the house.
After several days of opening windows and doors in the freezing weather, along with various odor neutralizing sprays, we're starting to breathe again...but Sammy's revenge still lingers.
It's funny, because when thinking about pets and environmental issues, I realized that—with the exception of Maxi, who is spayed but from a breeder—we're pretty eco-savvy about our animals. I worried that we don't feed them organic pet food, we don't buy toys made from 100% organic cotton, we don't use hemp leashes.Still...we do two of the most important ecological actions as pet owners:
We adopt.
Whether it's from a shelter, from a friend, or taking in a stray, our pets are “recycled.” According to the Humane Society, between six million and eight million animals enter U.S shelters each year...and approximately four million dogs and cats are euthanized annually. That's about one every eight seconds. Not all of these animals are strays—many are the offspring of well-loved family pets. Puppies and kitties are cute...but they grow into cats and dogs. It's never a good idea to let a pet have “just one” litter. There are too many animals in shelters who need good homes.
We spay and neuter our pets.
Yes, we got punished for it by Sammy. Still, Sammy is an outside cat. I don't want to be responsible for his inability to practice safe sex. Spaying and neutering is the only way to ensure population control. If, as a pet owner, you want to be truly environmental—forgo the organic cotton Halloween costume for Fido and get him neutered instead.
Sophie, our sweet little third pup who Peter found starving in the company's parking lot, is soon due for her spaying appointment. Thank goodness dogs are so much more civilized than cats...here's hoping for a much less odorific experience.
Did you know that the Humane Society sponsors a Spay Day photo contest? The site states: “Capture your pet’s essence in images and words, win a great prize.” Hmm. I wonder if I could capture Sammy's essence and submit it?
I'm off to scrub the house...again. For you animal lovers, we'll continue our chat about environmental pets next time with interesting eco products and ideas to minimize Spot's carbon paw print.
Until then...have any great ways that you minimize your pet's impact on the environment? Do you have a “recycled” pet? Please share!
I'm slowly re-emerging from post-holiday lethargy. I know—you thought the Adolfs had gone off the green wagon. You thought we couldn't handle the pressure of forgoing Christmas traditions that involve non-LED lights. You thought we'd cave and let Santa bring crappy plastic toys that will soon litter the landfill. You assumed we couldn't handle the pressure of a non-battery-driven, non-electronic Christmas. You're right.
Yes, I failed miserably at the greening of our holidays. I knew I would. I hate to say it, but I know how I am at Christmas time. I am a holiday fanatic. I love the lights, I love aimlessly driving around, looking at decorations. I'm the first to suggest that we pile in the van (not Prius) and drive to the zoo where there are millions of energy-wasting lights. You can drive into the “Deer Forest” and feed the animals out of your car, all while wasting gas as the car idles with the heat on, doors open. I try to be good and order presents online—but then they arrive, with the non-recycled boxes, plastic, and styrofoam peanuts consuming the house. I still send the old-fashioned Christmas cards and will probably never embrace e-cards. We bake too much, indulge too much, and throw away too much. It's a glutton's dream.
So, I suppose, I've been a little ashamed to write about our family's “green-ness” after our holiday lapse. There were, however, a few things we did right:
We recycled. A LOT.
In Christmases past, I must admit to throwing away bags and bags of trash, just to get the clutter out of the way. This year, we made a very concerted effort to recycle anything and everything we could. During our present-opening frenzies, both at home and at my sister's house, we took the time to separate paper, cardboard, and plastic that could be recycled. We took bows that weren't crushed and put them away to reuse. In past years, our trash can overflowed after Christmas. In fact, our neighbors next door, in addition to their two trash cans, had at least a dozen trash bags at the street post-Christmas.
We didn't even fill one-third of a trash bag. We had a very large recycling run.
VERY large. I still have piles of boxes that need to go to recycling. But at least they're not headed for the landfill, as in Christmases past.
We turned down the heat. WAY down.
This fall, when it began getting chilly, I think I shocked Peter by my insistence to keep the thermostat down. OK, in truth, it's really not that far down. However, I'm the one who usually keeps the temperature set at 72 degrees. I'm cold. Always. When I get tired, I freeze. And, since I'm always tired, I'm always cold. Still, I was determined to keep the temp at the more environmentally friendly 68 degrees. I know, I know...it's not that great. Lots of the greenies of the world turn it way down, and there's a cult of green gurus who try not to use heat AT ALL. Have you heard about these environmental gods and goddesses who forsake heat? Good luck to those dedicated souls...but can't people die without heat?
Anyway, as a mom, I'm a little torn. Our daughter has no body fat—seriously, the child is a stick. We do feed her, I promise. So, while trying to maintain my stance on our lowered thermostat, I've encouraged the kids to add layers. Personally, sleeping in my old Bradley University sweatshirt is not winning points with Peter, but hey—it's warm, I love it. Still...there are times, especially in the morning, when I'm trying to get Kristen out of bed...and it's cold. Darn cold. And I wonder why I can't get that child up and moving in the mornings? There are some mornings she puts her coat on over her PJs. It's kind of pitiful.
Someone, who will remain nameless, has been known to sneak the thermostat up a degree on really cold nights. Huh. I thought I married a tough Swiss man.
Garden Delights is going e-commerce—and I'm committed to running a very green business.
Yes, there's never a dull moment at our house. My heirloom plant business is expanding, with the website going live very soon! Now, it's one thing to grow heirloom plants sustainably and sell them locally at the Farmer's Market. It's quite another challenge to run an e-commerce business, shipping plants across the country, while utilizing only green materials for sustainable growing and packaging. Still...I've found some great vendors, terrific green packaging options, and even some ways to offset the environmental impact of the transportation involved in shipping. Stay tuned...I'll be reporting on my attempts to start the business and keep its green mantra, while continuing to get our family back on track to reducing our environmental impact.
So, friends, Happy New Year—a little late! Did you make any interesting resolutions this year regarding the environment? Want to share them here? Maybe we can help each other be more accountable and meet our goals. (Oh...and besides being better to the environment, I also plan to drop 20 lbs. And exercise every day. And not set unattainble goals. HA.)
Wow. I have to admit--Thanksgiving dinner was delicious. Two days of prep work combined with weeks of obsessing about our local turkey resulted in a pretty darn scrumptious meal, if I do say so myself. Most importantly--no one ended up in the ER, although I did suffer one minor burn and almost impaled my foot with a carving knife...glad I still have some reflexes left in my aging body!
Here’s our star attraction... ...and our local apple pie...
...and our non-local, non-healthy Pilgrim hat cookies, just for fun.
I forgot to take a picture of the whole spread, but I think my sister did...so hopefully I’ll post that later.
We spent Black Friday pursuing non-commercial activities...I slept in (thank you, Peter), took a long walk, and then battled leaves for the rest of the day, tossing the kids into the piles, which they loved.
I just can’t start the holiday season fighting mobs, and honestly--I always feel sorry for the people who have to leave their families right after Thanksgiving dinner to work the midnight sales. Plus--I'm missing that “shopping-is-fun” gene. Thank God for the Internet.
Today, we’re planning to work on the foundation of the greenhouse...and I’m hoping to convince my darling hubby that it’s time to put up the outside Christmas decorations. We’ll see how persuasive I can be...
Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying the long weekend with your family and friends!
For the past 12 hours, I’ve been in Thanksgiving Day prep mode. Honestly, with the exception of 15 minutes for lunch and about 45 minutes for dinner, this is the first time I’ve sat all day. I’m actually feeling pretty good about the amount of preparation accomplished today. Last year was the first Thanksgiving dinner that we hosted, and I was seriously stressed. My goal this year is to enjoy the process, and perhaps actually spend some time enjoying the day with my family. Please remind me of this goal tomorrow when I’m running around like a turkey sans head.
My goal of an entirely locally produced Thanksgiving meal isn’t going to be a reality, but I’m trying not to beat myself up about it. Here’s the menu for Thanksgiving dinner at Chez Adolf:
The Star: 20 pound organic, free range, drug-free, sustainably raised turkey from Live Oak Farms. I opted to try this brining thing that everyone recommends. The turkey is bathing in sea salt, rosemary (from our garden), thyme, and broth as I type, and here’s hoping it’s absorbing those spices and juices to create a yummy main dish. Please oh please don’t let me destroy the bird...
The Traditions: Dressing, made to imitate my parents’ recipe, which they found on the back of a sage can. We still have the can, dated 1967. It’s a family heirloom. (No fear, I used fresh sage.) While not a local dish, it is delicious...toasted white bread, onions, celery, herbs galore...and the best part--giblets. I know you are now completely grossed out, but boy--they are good. You just can’t think about it when you eat them.
Cranberry sauce, Ocean Spray, canned. Sorry, but there are no local cranberries in South Carolina, plus canned cranberry sauce is Tyler’s favorite. Personally, I’m not a cranberry sauce girl...I just get it for everyone else.
Mashed potatoes...again, not local. These spuds hail from Idaho.
Sweet potato casserole. My sister, Becky, is bringing it. I know I could have found local sweet potatoes, but I’m embarrassed to admit--I’ve never cooked them before, except to microwave them to feed to the kids when they were toddlers.
Green bean casserole, courtesy of my sister, Marsha. Not local, but it’s always good. You know what I mean...can of soup, canned beans, water chestnuts, yum.
Waldorf salad. Whew--finally something with local ingredients. The apples come from Nivens Apple Orchard, which is about 10 minutes from our home. The grapes, walnuts, celery, and mayo...from Publix.
Garden salad. I’m hoping to harvest enough lettuce from our new potager in the backyard to serve a homegrown heirloom salad. We’ll see what the status is tomorrow.
Sweet Corn. Local corn from Beechwood Farms. I froze corn at the end of the summer, but I wish I had frozen more. Our supply is dwindling...but my dad always loved corn, so I’m planning to serve it in his memory.
Red cabbage with local apples. This is not a Thompson family tradition but a concession to Peter. He loves red cabbage. As a Swiss citizen,Thanksgiving is an acquired holiday for him...I started making something he really likes as a new family tradition.
Apple pie. Again, local apples, three varieties. Pie crust: Pillsbury. Shame on me. The egg white used on the pie crust for that shiny Martha Stewart look--local eggs from free range hens. The whipped cream is homemade but without local ingredients...I forgot to pick up cream at the farm.
Pecan pie, courtesy of Becky. Mom’s recipe. I looked for local pecans, but the two places I had time to visit didn’t have them. One farmer told me that every other year they have a good harvest--this wasn’t the year. Last year, they had 200 pounds of pecans.
Pilgrim hat cookies. OK, you serious locavores--you’ll probably hang me in effigy now as an hypocrite. Marshmallows dipped in melted chocolate, stuck on top of Keebler fudge striped cookies (striped side down), decorated with white Duncan Hines icing “buckles.” I know, I know...but my kids love them.
Wine. We have a couple varieties in bottles, but I did pick up a cask of the Black Box Merlot. It’s won lots of awards, and honestly--Peter and I sampled it last night. Pretty yummy. At least we have environmentally friendly wine!
So, although I wish we had incorporated more local ingredients and produce, at least we’ve maintained our traditions while still supporting local producers. Our experiment is about baby steps...trying to be a little better to the environment every day. I’m thankful my family is near so that we can celebrate together, and I’m thankful to our local farmers who worked so diligently to produce healthy, beautiful food...I just hope I don’t wreck it tomorrow!
Happy Thanksgiving to you all...may your turkey be tender, your potatoes without lumps, and your family healthy and well. I’ll let you know how everything turns out...please keep your fingers crossed that I don’t burn the bird!
Sometimes, in this little game called life, we have to put our goals on the back burner. Sometimes, we throw out rational thought and give in to gut feeling. Sometimes, doing what's right is more important than doing what's easy.
Meet the newest member of the Adolf zoo...Sophie.Peter found her in the parking lot of our company yesterday, starving. You can see every bone in this sweet girl's body. Honestly, by the time I got to the company with a bag of dog food, I thought I was too late. She didn't move when I approached her, until I started feeding her by hand.Then, wow--did that girl put away some serious kibble!
She's about four months old, according to our vet, and has a long road ahead of her until she's ready to run rampant with Chloe and Maxi (the dogs)...and Sammy and Oreo (the cats), but I think she hit the jackpot by wandering to Warptek.So...I'm still committed to our greening endeavor, but I'm a little distracted today. I planned to write about making Thanksgiving desserts using local ingredients, but I think I'll wait until a little later...
Two weeks. Can you believe it’s almost time for Thanksgiving? I love Thanksgiving...I love the traditions, the enforced watching of the entire Macy’s Day Parade until Santa arrives. (I’ve been known to tear-up on more than one occasion.) I love making pilgrim hat cookies for the kids from marshmallows dipped in chocolate and stuck onto a chocolate cookie brim. I love sneaking bites of cold dressing, salmonella be damned. I love the pomp and circumstances of presenting the turkey and everyone getting “piecy bites,” as my dad called them, as the turkey is carved. I even remember to count my blessings on Thanksgiving, and I hope we’re teaching our kids gratitude, too.
Last year, though, was the first time I cooked a turkey. My parents always hosted us for holiday meals, working together to ensure their herd was properly stuffed. But when my mom’s Alzheimer’s progressed, my dad became the solo chef, with my sisters and me contributing side dishes. Still, the turkey was his domain.
Although my dad’s efforts were wonderful, he began to take risks with food. Not intentionally, of course, but he was getting older and forgetful, worrying about my mom. He would begin preparing food for our family’s Saturday night gatherings on Wednesday or Thursday. We would find food in his refrigerator that was long expired. Potatoes in the pantry turned to liquid. We were nervous about his health...and honestly, about our health, too.
So, to take the pressure off my dad and to ensure the well-being of our family, I cooked Thanksgiving dinner last year. I know that seems like an oxymoron, and I’m sure a few of my family members probably worried for their stomaches with me as head chef. Still, it was time. I was a little embarrassed that I had never cooked a turkey and decided that I needed to step up to the plate. I must say, with the exception of a mashed potato fiasco (ironic, as I usually make pretty good mashed potatoes), I was pretty proud of myself.
This year, I’m sad to say that there’s no battling my dad for control of Thanksgiving dinner. He died in May. Maybe we should have sucked it up and let him cook last year. He was always a much happier host than guest.
Now, I’m in a bit of a quandry. While I would love to prepare a locavore Thanksgiving, traditions are important, particularly this year. I’m not sure that my family is ready to eat Carolina rice instead of mashed potatoes and gravy. Instead, I’m again deciphering the photocopied recipes my mom gave to my sister, Marsha, when she prepared her first Thanksgiving meal. The recipes are faded, and I wish I could ask my mom why she and dad felt the need to get up at 7 a.m. to get that bird in the oven...when we never ate until 6 p.m. While I won’t get an answer from my mom, I’m glad that she’s still here.
Our Thanksgiving meal won’t be a complete showcase of local producers, but I am trying to add some local, green elements without banishing traditions. Today, we’ll focus on the star of the show:
The turkey.
In our effort to support our local farmers, I’ve ordered a local bird. He’s just down the road at Live Oak Farms (www.liveoakfarmsllc.com), awaiting his demise. I’m a little concerned, because we’ve always been a Butterball family. You should have seen my sisters’ faces when I told them that we’re eating an all natural, sustainable, pasture-raised turkey. I think Marsha’s afraid she’d be assigned to plucking duty. I can honestly say--if I needed to pluck a turkey, we’d be eating Butterball.
I’ve already had a nightmare about this turkey. I dreamed I forgot to pick it up and found myself racing through Publix, searching for a turkey on Thanksgiving Day at 4:30 p.m....and trying to thaw and cook it for a family dinner at 6. I think I’m getting a bit OCD about the turkey.Then, when talking with my friend Laura, who also ordered a local turkey (from Native Meats--www.nativemeats.com), I felt a panic attack surfacing when she mentioned brining. Brining? What have I gotten myself into? Do I need a back-up bird?
Truly, though, why does my family--including me--have such a phobia about a local, all natural turkey? Why is there such pressure for the perfect bird? I know it’s the centerpiece of the meal, the proverbial star attraction...but it’s not like we’re going to starve if I screw it up.
It’s a tricky issue, talking about mass-produced poultry when the holidays are around the corner. I’ve seen and read enough about industrialized poultry to permanently change my purchasing habits, but I’m not going to share the (horrifying) details here. The reality is--plenty of people will buy factory farmed turkeys, and I’m not going to be responsible for ruining your appetite. If you want to know what I’m talking about, check out www.farmsanctuary.org...but be warned.
The other issue is--I have no idea what kind of turkey I’ve reserved. I requested a 20+ pound turkey, and a turkey is a turkey is a turkey...right? Well, that’s true for the majority of turkeys--99 percent of turkeys raised in America are from a single breed--”Broadbreasted White.” These turkeys are produced because of their large, white, meaty breasts. Unfortunately, in our quest for lots of white meat, these poor birds are bred so top-heavy that they can’t fly nor reproduce naturally. Without the aid of humans performing artificial insemination, Broadbreasted White factory farmed turkeys would be extinct in one generation, according to the website www.sustainabletable.org.
I ordered a happy turkey, one that actually lived a nice life outside, scratching around for grubs, bugs and grasses instead of ingesting only grains and antibiotics...but I had no idea the various turkeys that are available when I placed my order. So, to save you some headaches in buying your own happy bird, here’s a cheat sheet for purchasing a turkey:
Conventional: Think of the masses of turkeys at your local supermarket. These birds are factory farmed, raised in a facility that provides protection from predators and bad weather. Because of the crammed living quarters, factory farmed turkeys receive antibiotics to control diseases.
Conventional turkeys don’t have much of a turkey life--they’re inside for the duration. I promised, though...I’m not getting into the nitty gritty of their sad lives. I’ve definitely eaten my share of conventionally raised turkeys.
Organic: USDA Certification is key for an organic turkey. The turkey must be raised on land that has been free of pesticides and other prohibited substances for three years. The food provided to the turkey must be pesticide free. For more information on organic rules and regulations, check out the www.usda.gov
Unfortunately, it’s tough for small farmers to receive organic certification. The same individuals who raised organic produce or meats before it became trendy now must compete with lobbyists representing industrial food manufacturers--who also crave the “organic” label to attract today’s green-savvy customer. Organic certification, when run by bureaucrats, is expensive and time consuming. Plus, the factory farms put pressure on the government to relax standards so they can meet the organic certification criteria.
Many small, organic farmers, who actually exceed the USDA organic standards, refuse to invest in the organic certification process. Instead, they promote themselves as “sustainable.” Sustainable is good. I would definitely buy food from a local sustainable farmer, because I know that’s code for organic, humane, environmentally responsible farming.
Heirloom: You’ve heard of heirloom tomatoes...but heirloom turkeys? Heirloom turkeys’ ancestors pre-date the industrial food era and are important for genetic diversity. With the Broadbreasted White factory farmed turkeys, which are genetically identical, an illness could quickly spread through that breed and eliminate it. Heirloom turkeys’ diversity ensures the survival of the species.
The meat is also unique--firm texture, with light meat an “almond” color. These birds take longer to raise, and they are more expensive than conventionally raised turkeys. But--they also live a happy turkey life: they are raised outside, freely roam on pasture, reproduce naturally, and eat a varied, natural diet.Most heritage breeds are near extinction. Slow Foods USA (www.slowfoodsusa.org), an organization committed to supporting “good, clean, fair food,” works to increase the awareness of heritage breeds among consumers. It’s Economics 101: by increasing demand for heritage breeds, farmers will increase production of heritage breeds, thus ensuring their survival.Check out www.localharvest.org to find sources in your area for heritage breeds.
Pastured: Turkeys are raised outside, ensuring they eat a natural diet. Their meat may be richer in omega oils because of their grass diet.
Free-range: Be careful with the free-range label. Poultry with a free-range label means that the birds are not confined to cages, and the USDA requires they have access to the outdoors. However, as long as one small door provides access to a small dirt or gravel yard, rather than a pasture, these birds qualify as “free-range.” Many producers exceed the limited requirements--but read the labels or talk to your local provider.
Confused yet?
Who knew there are so many turkey options?
I ordered our turkey before I really thought too much about it. My goal was to support a local farmer, and I’m feeling good about that, at least. I’ve e-mailed Allison at Live Oak Farms to find out exactly what I ordered. I’m sure she and her husband will have a good laugh at my turkey trauma. I already e-mailed her a few days ago to find out the specifics...when to pick it up, will it be fresh or frozen? I also shared with her the story of my turkey nightmare--at least I provided her with a good laugh!
Where do you buy your turkey? Have you ever purchased from a local provider and if so, where? For those of you foodies--please tell me, what is brining??? I think I’d better Google that ASAP.
So, my feasting friends...tomorrow I’ll tackle something a little easier...local desserts. I think I can pull off a local dessert without breaking tradition.
