I don't know what's come over me. I feel like a pregnant woman nesting or a squirrel preparing for the upcoming change in seasons. I am neither one of those, but seeing all the fruit and vegetables in season right now is making me want to buy extra and store for winter. Probably because I just read this book.

I've heard several times that the most important way to reduce your impact on the environment is to eat what's local and in season. It's more crucial than the kind of car you drive or the light bulbs in your lamps. It's also the healthiest option. Freezing keeps more of the vitamins than canning. Add in the fact that I have never canned anything and you get this:

Our new freezer. Brian was very proud of himself for finding it 75% off. Eli was so excited about finding it this morning that he started filling it right away. Then we went to a Rojas Farm about a mile away. The fabulousness we get from the CSA is not quite enough for us now, so I needed to get extra to freeze. It's not necessarily organic, but they only spray the corn with pesticides, so I went a little crazy.

Most of the pears were a little dinged up (unlike these ones on top), so I asked for a discount and and the lady just gave them to me. She even held Esme while I shopped. She said we could go out and take cucumbers too, since they decided not to pick them. Maybe next time. We'll go back when they get more peaches, another Brian request.

Zoe's Garden

Saturday was member day at the CSA we joined. I was excited to see for myself and show Eli where our fruits and veggies would be coming from soon. We met the main man for a tour, tomato planting, and a lunch we had to miss, but I'm sure it was fabulous.

Eli insists on taking his bike everywhere, although we all regretted this one. The mud distressed my little neat freak.

We learned a lot about the farm. Right away he told us about difficulties with a group called Utah Open Land, whose main (noble) priority is protecting land from development, is forcing them to make changes to the farm that would make it more attractive from a distance, but hard to work, like moving their work station to the edge instead of the center, tilling up the paths needed to move machinery and supplies after each use, filling in watering holes for irrigation, and getting rid of the animals. How outrageous! As if this small organic, sustainable farm is trying to do something detrimental to the land. I was sad Eli didn't get to see farm animals. They are hoping to make it an educational place where everyone can come learn about farms as well as tips for growing their own gardens, which will be so helpful once we get a yard. They even go out into the community to teach, like at Wheeler Farms this Saturday. Several groups from nearby universities studying agriculture and nutrition have already come.

The man, David, started organic farming after getting very sick spraying pesticides for his landscaping business, which is still his main source of income. Imagine that, farming on the side! And he doesn't do it the easy way. They specialize in variety, 600 to be exact, which makes it very costly to certify as organic, so starting that has been slow-going. Ten kinds of eggplant, 20 kinds of apples (including one that is pink inside, behind him in the picture), over a hundred types of heirloom tomatoes, and so many more types I can't remember. I didn't know this kind of thing was possible in Utah. I thought we lived in a barren desert only capable of supporting a few basic crops. But he's growing exotic varieties from Asia, Italy and Greece.

And he wasn't kidding about it being a "member planting" day. I thought it was going to be more ceremonious, plant a couple of tomato plants and be done. But he put people to work, and we had to be quick with those tomato plants, which started wilting almost as soon as they were in the sun. Bri did a row of Caspian Pinks before stopping to hold Esme so I could take Eli to get a snack (purple asparagus right out of the ground) to stop his whining.

It ended up being quite an adventure. Bri came with Esme to see what was taking so long when we decided to go get some garlic to take home. Coming back the bees (for pollinating and honey) decided to leave their nice hives and swarm on a tractor near the dirt road we needed to take to leave. It was scary. Even though I stood back a ways with the kids I looked above my head and it was like a highway of bees coming in to land.

Bri made it through the scratchy, lumpy asparagus field to the car so he could drive us through the swarming bees. Farm life is treacherous... and tiring. The few other families that also came were still planting tomatoes, a couple hours later. Definitely earned their lunch.

It turns out we can go visit whenever we want and even pick the extra fruit. Luckily for Brian this includes the many varieties of delicate raspberries that fall if it gets too windy. We were both excited to see a couple kinds of artichokes and many varieties of dark greens starting to grow, favorites in this house. And Eli had fun searching for stalks of asparagus poking up from the ground. Can't wait for our first box in a few weeks. We'll keep an eye out for a tomato Bri planted, as if we could keep 100 different kinds straight.

Happy Earth Day

Darn reflection, bottom "O" is an earth

Some people think I'm crazy. Only the ones that know me the best, actually. So I'll let you all in on my quirkiness, but quickly, since I can hear Esme kicking away in her crib up there. I have mentioned my extreme conscience before; I'll list how it reminds me to be more earth friendly.

• I try to bring tupperware to restaurants for the leftovers. (I've only encountered two places that use biodegradable to-go boxes around here.)
• I keep a fork and spoon in my bag (and my water bottle of course) for those more quality fast food joints like Kneaders, Cafe Rio, etc.
• If I have a pot that needs to soak, I put it in the sink and THEN wash, rinse other dishes to use the water twice. Last night Eli made me proud. Brian was washing dishes and he left the water on while he turned away from the sink and Eli yelled at him-out of urgency, not anger-to turn it off.
• I avoid using ziplock bags (tupperware instead), foil and plastic wrap (using a plate to cover a bowl), but when I must, I reuse it, flipping the last two over to use the clean side and washing out ziplock bags.

• 

• I can't throw glass away since I haven't found a way to recycle it. It was building up until I found a way. I was also wanting to go out and buy a bunch of storage containers when I realized I could use old bottles for storing all the grains and such that I love to get in the self-serve bulk section at the grocery store.
• I often visit this website since I feel a twinge of guilt every time I throw something away. Although I haven't yet wondered how to reuse dryer lint.

Okay, I'll stop. In honor of this day I also wanted to sew a couple of lucky people re-usable produce bags. I've even been thinking of adding a clear vinyl patch so you can write the codes for bulk stuff. Deluxe. If you can see yourself using them, leave a comment. Been thinking and still can't decide if I'll pick randomly or by whose most deserving. Who knows, maybe I won't even get two comments. (I've already promised Anna and Esther, so you're set).

Man, I can't believe she's not crying yet. What a patient girl. Oh ya. I have an awesome shirt for her. I suppose I should have sewn it myself out of scraps or re purposed material to be green. But at least it's good for two holidays and any other day. Have I mentioned that I'm as cheap as I am earth conscious? I don't even shop for clothes much, but I only buy from the clearance rack when it's an extra 50% off. Although, this shirt is so great I probably would have paid full price instead of the $1 it was.

Having Me For An Aunt

This weekend Brian and Eli are going to visit his sister in Oregon while Esme and I go see my sister in California-. It will be my niece's birthday and I set out today with both kids to go buy a present like any normal person. But our parking space was empty. Bri took the car. I guess it was meant to be since I promised myself I would do my best to make presents for now on. So we went back up stairs and I looked online for ideas.

What did this practical lady decide on? A reusable sandwich wrap and snack bag made from leftover waterproof diaper fabric (PUL). Useful and earth friendly. My poor nephew never got a present for his birthday back in October, during my extreme nesting before Esme which involved spring-like cleaning, redecorating, and sewing, so I made an extra one. I don't remember what it was like to be 8 and almost 6, but I hope they like them.

Support A Local Farm

I can't contain my excitement. I'm even breaking my unwritten rule of posting a photo I didn't take myself.

I'd been meaning to look into buying a share in a local farm but couldn't postpone anymore after watching Foodinc. on instant watch Netflix last night. So for $50/week we'll get a huge variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs at the peak of freshness from June to October. The farm, which uses no pesticides and only organic compost to fertilize, is an hour away, but has several drop-off locations in Salt Lake Valley, including our town. Even Brian is excited, especially since they offer meat and you can get flats of extra berries.

There are many other CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farms in the area that are even cheaper, like this one and this one, but they have less variety, ideal for those not enthused by things like:

Broccoli Raab

Endive
Yellow Snow Peas
Green Snow Peas
Bok Choy Sum
Beet Greens

But we are. Plus, no more racing through the grocery store with two kids before one of them starts crying, I just pick up my box and leave. More importantly we're supporting sustainable, small farms. I'd rather give money to them than a giant corporation any day.

For the rest of our food I'm looking in to a grocery coop for discounted pantry items.

It's not so bad being without yard I've suddenly decided. We'll have all kind of produce, many items we haven't even heard of and 60% of which come from heirloom seeds for much cheaper than the farmer's market. There is even a blog with new recipes for each week's veggies. Can't wait for June. We'll have to have you all over for dinner, one family at a time.

Reusable Produce Bags

I've been meaning to make some of these for ages. I ran into the material at the thrift store, it was the middle part of a $1 bedskirt which gave me at 12 bags. It's really light, not holey, easy to work with, and transparent. 8 done during nap time. I can see myself going crazy with these. Maybe a present from me to throw in with Brian's cookbook.

Vegetables

I'm not much for new year's resolutions, but lately I'm making one vegetarian dinner a week. I thought Brian would put up more of a stink, but he hasn't complained at all. It's great for all kinds of reasons and hopefully I can step it up to two or more meals soon. It just takes creativity, making new things. So my new goal at the produce store every week, besides getting something from every color, is to get a new vegetable. I just might figure out the difference between rutabagas, parsnips, and turnips soon. I think this week will be brussel sprouts, can you believe I've never bought those?

I've heard several times how much more taxing on the environment meat is, using more resources to produce. The other day we drove to Provo and there was a big truck next to us full of cows headed for some meat processing place in Draper and I got sad. Eli didn't let it get to his conscience. He was excited to see the cows and when I asked him if he wanted to eat a cow he said yes. Ironically, we were on our way to Tucano's.

And you know me and my cheapness, another perk is the money we save. Even better than that is how much healthier it is. And now that I have kids, I must always remember how I'm shaping their habits, so when Eli scarfed down his ratatouille and polenta like it was chicken nuggets and french fries I was quite pleased. It has been our favorite dish, but I've also made vegetarian curry and stuffed shells a couple of times.

So, if anyone has any favorite recipes, please pass them on.

Cloth Diapering

Around the time Eli was born I found some cards advertising cloth diaper services. I thought it was crazy--I asked the lady if very many people did that and if it was just hippies. I'm so embarrassed of my 23-year old self. Little did I know that a couple years later that not only would my kid be wearing them, but that I would have sewed them (thanks to Anna).

I thought it was going to be a big deal, but, honestly, it's not much more than a few small loads of laundry a week. I'll admit, it is a relief that Eli is mostly potty-trained, just wearing them at night. A certain product has helped the battle with bacteria and the not-so-pleasant odor, but Esme's diapers are so innocent her bucket doesn't even need a lid yet. They don't even have to be rinsed, as I learned today. Although, when I do, she doesn't mind the extra time on the changing table, she just twists around so she can see herself in the mirror, seriously, every time.

They do provide challenges, though. They don't exactly have a billion-dollar industry behind them and so they have drawbacks for people used to throw-aways. They must be changed more often (Esme every 2-3 hours, but overnights last 12 hours) since they can't absorb as much or stay as dry as we're used to. And wetness can spread from the top-stitching, so onesies that cling should be avoided (although they prevent blow-outs better than regular diapers). Amusingly, they give the kids extra large booties. Sometimes Brian and I can't help but laugh when Eli wears a double-stuffed one to bed under slim-fitting pajama pants. I'm just glad we have them for the boy so I don't feel like pressuring him to make it through the night sooner than he's ready because diapers and pull-ups are expensive. Potty training + pressure= disaster.

So, after an insane number of hours sewing and spending around $350, several children can be diapered from birth to potty training. I don't think Brian would agree to having another child just so the diapers would be used again. I bet he would if he'd been the one sewing them.

We Don't Pay For Buttons

That's why windows and door locks in our car must be worked the old fashioned way. I figure it's also a theft deterent, not cool to lean across to unlock or roll down a window. It sure was luxurious to sit in my sister's heated seats during my winter time visit, though.

After doing a quick online survey and answering "no" to being willing to upgrading to energy star appliances, I figured my greeniness wouldn't outweigh of my frugality. But our latest big ticket item proved otherwise.

We held on to our guidline of cheapness and no extra buttons in our recent washing machine purchase. We knew as soon as we moved in why the previous owners left the appliances in the condo, and it was not their generosity. The bottom-of-the-line-things weren't worth hauling down 2 sets of stairs in the heat of August. This morning our beauty of a washer arrived. We were way more excited than the delivery men, who are never happy by the time they get to the top. It has to be our best purchase ever, next to my camera of course. It was a basic model of a top brand (again, quality without bells and whistles), came with $150 in rebates from our utility companies, will do a much better job even using less water, and can be considered free with the money we saved by me sewing our cloth diapers instead of buying them (which, even bought, saves you around $1000 dollars/child in diapering costs).

It came just in time, Eli had one diaper to his name and as soon as those poor men left, a load of diapers went in. At one point all 4 of us were watching it like a TV, even Charlie. I'll feel like a queen doing laundry and might even be excited to do so the first few times since our clothes will actually come out clean AND soapless. The buttons seem numerous eventhough it was the model with the least number of them. I do feel better having the child lock one, though.

So, the next time you come over, feel free to bring your laundry and you might want to practice rolling down a car window without the people in the next car noticing its not automatic.

Only I Would Dream Of Diapers

Last week I had a dream. We were adopting a blonde one year old boy and I suddenly had to make more cloth diapers. While asleep I must have remembered that I still have a little over two yards of the more expensive inner lining fabric.
Yesterday, in real life, I ordered almost 4 yards of the outer, water-proof fabric online so I could get going ASAP. Right now I just finished tracing patterns onto the liner, thinking I would get around 14 diapers out of it. As my frugal self celebrates, my lazy self cringes at the fact that I actually got 20!
Brian won't like this either. When I have a project on my mind, I work like a maniac until its done and he gets no attention. I'm hoping he's just glad I'm not one of those people that has a bunch of unfinished projects laying around. I can't just let pricey fabric lay around when it could be in diaper form, keeping me from doing laundry as often. I'm doing it on my own this time. Somehow, sewing two blankets has given me confidence, which I'm sure will be smashed.

Feltaholic

My name is Helena... and I love felt. Especially in the form of cute play food. I have no inventor to credit since it's been around since 6500 BC- yes, I've done some homework- but I have a serious admiration for the world's oldest fabric. It's so sturdy you don't have to finish edges and even hand-sewing on it is a snap. Project possibilities are endless: toy felt food, baby slippers, Christmas stockings, quiet books, stuffed animals, puppets, Christmas ornaments, and felt boards with cutouts for storytime.

Here's my next confession: I use etsy.com, a place for people to sell their handmade goods, to copy people's good felt ideas and designs. Terrible. But my crafts turn out much better than if I had used my own, uninspired imagination. Maybe my creativity will grow as my skill with my new sewing machine does. Until then, my next copycat project is this lovely felt book for Eli's christmas present. I just finished stockings with Anna based on this easy pattern (without the cuff and shaving half an inch off the too-long toe) that you can print right off and use without having to go to the copy store to enlarge. We used a couple of etsy inspirations, one for easy-to-make flowers and another here that's my favorite.

With this versatile, cheap fabric and plenty of ideas stolen from etsy that eve a novice seamstress like me can recreate, it doesn't seem possible that I could have more motivation to go felt crazy. There is one more thing, though. The least expensive kind, containing no wool, is actually made from recycled plastic bottles. Handmade toys and decorations from reclaimed plastic, it doesn't get more green than that.

P.S. The stuff sold by the yard his half off at Joann's this weekend.

DI Rediscovered

Brian and I used to go to DI (Utah version of Salvation Army) to look for house stuff when we were first married and quite poor. Then Eli came and I wouldn't even shop at Wal-mart because it felt so dirty. We switched to shopping the pristine, empty aisles of Target while Eli was tiny since it was Winter and germy. (If I sound crazy, I've talked to other moms who did the same thing). Eli must be old hat. Now, after a 2 year hiatus, I found the Sandy DI a few weeks ago and we go all the time. Eli loves the toy section and I scope out the glassware for kitchen storage containers. (I'm already preparing for a dream kitchen with a few open shelves instead of upper cabinets like the white kitchen blow.)

If the boy gives me enough time I scour through the books to find quality cookbooks for a dollar or two. Its like an ongoing yard sale that you don't have to drive all over town or wake up early for. My love of yard sales, I'm definitely my mother's daughter. Whenever I feel self-conscious for being a cheapskate rummaging through junk I think about it from a different perspective: I'm just being eco-conscious. Then I can hold my head high.

Sew Your Own Cloth Diapers

Sounds intense, eh? I figured I would wait for #2 and a better washing machine before making the leap. I really never thought of sewing them myself since I'm no seamstress and sewing machines intimidate me. Luckily my friend Anna organized the class with her in-laws to get the pattern and learn how to sew cloth diapers from the woman they had been buying them from. The diapers are much like FuzziBunz with her own variations. Ivy Dow is her name and it was her first class. I think its genius. Instead of competing with the endless cloth diaper companies out there and being a diaper-sewing machine, she's found a more meaningful niche. Her company, Every-Green Babies, is helping people save money, be self-sufficient, and be eco-conscious. She will have great success in Utah with all the homemakers that have time and sewing skills.
I thought she was going to hand out the patterns and show us how to make them. Hah! We had to sew them ourselves. Nothing better than hands-on experience and it gave me the confidence to think I could actually do it on my own.
Last night at the class I was the one with the least sewing ability (also known as the slowest) and poor Anna felt like she had to explain that I had sewn once 10 years ago. After a few comments I finally said, only half-jokingly, "Only in Utah is it not okay to not know how to sew!" I was stressed and caused threading problems with the machine, but finally finished and was filled with pride at my olive green creation. I couldn't wait to try it on the boy. He even wore it to church today.
I love DIY projects, I don't mind the few flaws because I'm so proud that I did it myself and we can have stylish cloth diapers for 1/4 the price of buying them. Olive green, chocolate brown, eggplant, and cranberry diapers, here we come. Sounds delicious.

Going Green: Small Steps You Can Try Too

So far today I've did some cleaning, went grocery shopping, and did some laundry, all of which have me thinking about the small things we're trying to do every day. Here is our list so far, leading up to my favorite:
10) Energy Saving Light Bulbs- we bought the cheap 3 for $4 ones at Ikea and put them everywhere they would fit.
9) Natural Cleaning Products- I try to use things like Simple Green, Clorox Green Works, and even a water-vinegar solution for cleaning windows and mirrors. I realized I was putting harsh chemicals on things that Eli always touches and often ends up licking. Yikes. Besides not putting caustic substances around my family and down the drain for others to deal with, we're supporting good products.
8) Line Drying Laundry- We don't even have a yard, but we do have a walk-in closet in a spare bedroom where I can fit this great drying rack from Ikea which can hold a whole load of laundry. Apparently, while running, the clothes dryer uses the most energy of any appliance, not to mention that evaporation is free. If something needs to be wrinkle-free, just let it tumble for a few minutes to get steamy and then hang it.
7) Food Storage Containers- I try not to use plastic bags for snacks and lunch bags, but rather a reusable plastic container. I've even thought of bringing them to restaurants for leftovers rather than using their Styrofoam containers that go to waste after one use. Avoid plastic with the recycle #7 as this type can leach chemicals into food.
6) Organic Milk- Organic everything isn't necessary or economical, but I figure if I can choose one thing to switch out for, it's Eli's whole milk. He drinks so much of it and it's healthier with it's Omega 3's that I feel like it does make a difference.
5) Not Idling- Some moms here in Utah, worried about the health of their children considering how bad the air pollution is have started a group called Utah Moms For Clean Air. They are all very educated and high in society so they are able to make lots of changes around here, like outfitting school buses with devices to make them run cleaner. They also have a "no idling" campaign going on in some local schools. This means, when possible, turn your car off. This isn't always possible at stop lights, but we've all been the first person to a red light, sat at the bank drive-through, or waited for someone in the car. In modern cars, restarting your car causes the same pollution as idling for 10 seconds. If your stop will be longer than that, turn it off, besides, we all watch the traffic lights to see when we can go anyway.
4) Make It Yourself- When you need something, like dinner, a new toy, or a present to give away, put your own creative energy to work, rather than getting in the car, spending extra money, and throwing away excess packaging. Look around your house and see what you can do. Besides, more than likely, home-made food is healthier, and home-made toys and gifts have more love in them. I love giving food as a gift. Everyone likes food and you're not cluttering up their house. I think I'll now include a picture of my proudest work: Eli's play kitchen, made of scavenged cardboard boxes, contact paper, hot glue, coasters, and fabric remnants. Here's a link to buy the blue print from the genius woman who came up with it.
3) Reusable Grocery Bags- I bought five canvas grocery bags and after doing the math I think it will take 1 year for them to pay for themselves after getting the 5 or sometimes 10 cent credit per bag at the grocery store. In the mean time, we're keeping hundreds of plastic bags from the landfill or from needing to go through the recycling process and I have sturdy bags that hold much more and have long enough straps to haul all the week's groceries on my shoulders as I carry Eli up to the 3rd floor. All grocery stores these days sell reusable bags, I know you've seen them. Most importantly, you must remember to bring them, so keep them visible and bring them back to the car whenever you go out. We're finally getting good at that.
2) Water Bottle- Everywhere I go I must carry a mom bag with diapers, snacks, drink, and toys, so adding my Sigg water bottle isn't even a burden. Even Brian keeps one on his desk at work. I never end up having to stop and buy a drink, ever. I don't use Styrofoam water cups at restaurants and it reminds me to drink. I don't have to buy bottled water and haul it up to the 3rd floor in my canvas bags either. Most importantly, we don't pay for water and then throw away a plastic bottle after one use. You just empty it when you get home and let it air dry and it's good for days without a cleaning, to do which you will need a bottle cleaner.
1) Ride Your Bike- Here's my favorite. I love the feeling when I get somewhere on my own energy, especially if I would have used the car otherwise. Eli loves riding, I'm burning calories, not fossil fuel, it's free and FUN.
There we go. Those are the things I can think of doing without going crazy buying solar panels, new appliances, hybrid cars, etc. Sorry this one's so wordy, I'm obviously zealous.

This Is The Place, Jefferson Place

Tomorrow will be our 1 year anniversary living here and it's gotten me thinking, and hoping that those 3 extremely nice men in our old ward don't still hate us for helping us move on the hottest day ever into a place on the 3rd floor.
Although she's not a beauty from the outside and being that she was last on our list of homes to see, we were pleasantly surprised when we came in. It's the most spacious condo I've ever seen with vaulted ceilings and tons of storage.
Here are a few reasons why we love our condo:
3. Your Standard Communal Amenities- We pretty much go swimming every day in the summer, there's a killer sledding hill for the winter (with a bunny or a death slope) and a newly updated clubhouse with a pool and ping pong tables we could reserve for parties. Eli would consider all the friendly neighborhood cats to play with to be the most important, plus, we don't have to feel bad about not getting him one. And I might just be the only one enthused about the new dumpster for paper recyclables, at least those I won't have to collect and drive across town to dump anymore.
2. It Is A Blank Slate-I don't know how the people before us survived 3 years with stark white walls, mini blinds in all windows, and carpet in their master bathroom, but we have changed all that. Being a first home and not too expensive we've been able to take some DIY risks with decorating and tiling (More on this to come). Luckily the place is new, 2001, so the plumbing and electrical systems that I have had to deal with during our beautification have been simple to handle, even for someone reading out of a how-to book as they go. Thanks to Eli's napping we have 5 rooms painted colors like tan, grey, sky blue, and even Kermit the Frog green. Tiling has happened on the fireplace, back splash, and master bathroom-Thank you Anna and Joe.
1. Location, Location, Location- We are seriously 1 minute off the freeway, so you must come see us when driving pas the 9000 S. exit on I-15. Especially exciting to me is the fact that we are two blocks to an entrance to the Jordan River Parkway where we can ride our bike (Eli has a kid seat on my bike) for like 10 miles past animals, a historical little shopping village, under bridges, and stop at playgrounds. We even ride out bike about a mile away to the closest mall and great shopping center across from it.
If this sounds like the place for you, I know of a few units for sale.