veggie tales

what to do with those excessively large zucchinis and bulbous carrots from your garden? sure you could make bread or cakes, but you could also make.... PUPPETS!

Pirate Captian and his creator

better butter

i challenge you:
trying "churning" your own butter at least once. rewards for your hard work?
stronger forearms. rich golden, creamy butter. buttermilk! and the street cred for having made your own.

it's easiest to simply place cream in lidded jar and... shake! after a few minutes, you will start to hear a thunk against the sides as the buttermilk separates from the butter. give a few more shakes until you see the two distinct forms. add a bit of sea salt and voilà!

*extra special? add fresh Herbs de Provence and roll into log on saran wrap. refrigerate until solid and slice into medallions to top any dish for extra 'wow' factor.

new flock

after losing the last flock of chickens to raccoons (those fat, greedy & murderous thieves) we have purchased some heritage breeds including Lavender Orpingtons, White Jersey Giants, Wyandotte, Sussex and Lakenvelder. I love them!



with a moo moo here

some people say the whole "local" or "locavore" movement is just a bunch of hype... but i have to push up against it in regards to the wealth and abundance we have in our own backyard here in the PacNw. after a long and bordering on indulgent trip to Metropolitan Market, the kids and I left with some fresh Washington Peaches, Pluots, seattle loose teas that the kids smelled and picked out, fresh baguettes, Valhalla coffee, and lastly a jar of every dairy product that Twin Brook Creamery (from Lynden) had to offer. WARNING: the chocolate milk is the thickest and most addicting treat that you've ever let slip past your lips.

As I pour the "half & half" into my coffee, the sobering thought that coffeemate will never again cut it. Darn you, good food!

a post with an agenda

so spring is around the corner, so along with my renewed vigor for all things gardening related, my food justice bone has been flexed. (can you flex your bones?) while the topic is so vast and filled with politics, conspiracy theories, dirty lobbyists, and points and counterpoints, i plan to share some resources with you and my view from a humble theoligical perspective.

To Garden With God, by Christine Sine

my dad recently had a plesant fellowship day at his church where member Grahm Kerr shared a flavorful root soup with a coconut milk base and they hosted author & speaker Christine Sine. as my dad shared with me her principles, i couldn't help finishing his sentences and get excited. as i see on the page here, her love for dirt, community, vegetables and God echo my heart's passions. the bright side of our conversation included yummy recipes, their church's plans for their community garden & heirloom veggies.

as with many things i felt compelled to open my mouth and share my passionate distain for the corrupt & greedy side of gardening. in a word it could be summarized by saying Montsano .  while i wouldn't go so far as to call it the Halliburton or Enron of agriculture... some would. whether you object to the scientific practice of genetically modifying seeds, or the slew of ecosystems that have been altered and/or killed due to the harsh chemicals, this monolith has also oppressed many small time famers that do not have the backing to fight against such giants. an article in Vanity Fair addresses one aspect of their evil here:

Most Americans know Monsanto because of what it sells to put on our lawns— the ubiquitous weed killer Roundup. What they may not know is that the company now profoundly influences—and one day may virtually control—what we put on our tables. For most of its history Monsanto was a chemical giant, producing some of the most toxic substances ever created, residues from which have left us with some of the most polluted sites on earth. Yet in a little more than a decade, the company has sought to shed its polluted past and morph into something much different and more far-reaching—an “agricultural company” dedicated to making the world “a better place for future generations.” Still, more than one Web log claims to see similarities between Monsanto and the fictional company “U-North” in the movie Michael Clayton, an agribusiness giant accused in a multibillion-dollar lawsuit of selling an herbicide that causes cancer.

another giant still that threatens the american people and health is none other than another media favorite, (que the duh duh duh) Corn Sugar... formerly known as High Fructose Corn Syrup. yay, smart source groups have changed the name to a more palatable name. while many say the jury is still out on its health and medical detriments- one thing is for sure, the mega crop used not necessarily for corn consumption, but the fructose counterpart is a threat to the earth. its effects of planting the crops (also soy has the same effects in the U.S.) as a "monocrop" is not natural to the environment thus rendering the soil depleted of its nutrients and relying more and more on fertilizers and pesticides.

the toil that our overconsumption takes on the earth (ok, some call it a 'global footprint') to me is less of a political and 'green' concern persay, but one of stewardship. so often the very people that scoff at the mention of using less, more sustainability and any hint that our fast paced lifestyle is affecting the environment are sometimes very often the people who keep meticiculously green & manicured lawns, a balance bank account, and a well running car... as fellow Christians, they do this in name of "stewardship". my only plea to both sides would be that we would see our stewardship on this earth would ring out further than our mailboxes. be it CAFOs (chicken factories), obliterating ecosystems with the use of pesticides, or animals treated with antibiotics and fed questionable meals they were never meant to eat- there is a trickle down effect to the farmer and their hancuffed obligation to the "man" and the voracious consumer who wants more more more and cheap cheap cheap.

i end all of this with the hugest disclosure that i am a hypocrite- i ate fried chicken from Safeway the other day (assuredly it is not free-range, local and sustainably raised), i have shopped at mega-marts that sell cheap goods by means of oppressing the makers of that good. the list goes on. it'd be hard to live in america and not have a Liz Lemon moment on 30 Rock when she she realizes the ec0-friendly "butt-minimizing" jeans she's in love with are not really made in USA but the leftovers from Halliburton and made by orphans on a prison island name Usa... Ok, that's a colorful example, but I am not dellusional to think that my day to day spendatures don't affect someone. and that's perhaps all i am asking of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. that would would be aware of our careless actions. we should take account of such verses as Zech. 7:10, Jeremiah 5:28, Jere 7:6...

"Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.''

I believe we have a responsibility as followers of Jesus that we would reflect Him as we go about our day. to think of our actions and be aware of the consequences. to seek justice for the oppressed. to not opress and prostitute ourselves in the name of convenience. to take in less as a choice- not because its easy but because our focus is not comfort but our goal is to make disciples of all nations and show people the love of Christ.

i am a bunny and i live in a hollow tree...

 there is a season for everything and that especially means all things in the art and creative realm. my wonderful husband helped me realize this inclination that i had, and now it removes the "creative guilt" that sometimes overtakes me when i have left one endeavor for another. it also reminds me of my favorite book growing up as a kid, where the bunny basks in each picturesque setting of the seasons and describes each activity. i mirrored that style in regards to my creating seasons...

• in the summer i spend time sketching plans for the garden, getting my fingers in the soil and letting them be stained by the green of the grass and letting them dance over the grill or skillet as i saute fresh green beans or swiss chard. this season i let my inside passions go and walk barefoot.

• in the fall my mood changes to an energetic melancholy- what this looks like i can't explain. only that suddenly i want to read milan kundera, wear a skirt with a tweed blazer and walk the 'quad'. my canvas starts to look more like a real canvas with acrylic paint and charcoal on it. there is also a bounty of harvest and that leads me to milk all i can with the season's highlights. (i also learned to crochet and began to write more.)                        

• in the winter, for some odd reason becomes my deepest longing and need to experience a serious rendering of art. less in this time to i reach out for inspiration, but instead i dig deep and pour out. if i chronicle the past 5 years i see a history of this. standing out in my garage/studio with fingerless gloves huddling over the heat lamp, watching my breath as i sing at the top of my lungs a Bon Iver song (aptly named, too as it means 'Good Winter') and step back and sigh. it is in this season i received my first easel, showed my first pieces at a gallery and a festival, i sought out an amazingly talented encaustic mentor, and framed one of my biggest pieces to date. in this season, i come alive, i am ready- the cold brings out something in me. it affirms my hunch that cold cities produce true art and artists. (think Russia and Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Nabokov, think Seattle and all the amazing musicians, think Paris and A Movable Feast, painters and musicians alike, etc, etc, etc) this also becomes a cozy and perfect time to sew and create functional pieces for myself and loved ones.

• i like to lump spring in with winter somewhat in that we have a very non-distinct break from the storms and wet gray. but this is okay as the symbol of spring matters more to me and my art in that the birth and renewal of foliage reminds me of this life and how i am most alive when i have put to death the things of this world. ("for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live." romans 8:13)

as always, here's some music that is inspiring me at the moment: the National

Ready Made

one of my vices is magazines. i feel like i can never have enough. i use them up, read them, cut them, file them... i pulled out a Sunset magazine the other day that was from Summer '04 and found a wonderful salmon recipe. when i was at the grocery store the other day, i walked down the long magazine isle and my eye browsed over all of the topics that i gravitate towards: crafts, gardening, fashion, organic living, cooking, chickens (yes, there are a few chicken publications that you can subscribe to via "Hobby Farms"), etc. i thought to myself, "i wish there was a cool version of Martha Stewart and Sunset combined..." maybe i should clarify to all you Martha & Sunset fans- i think those are actually cool, but some of the ideas, lets admit are for a little more 'well to do' or with much more time on their hands- say retirees. (Sunset, i don't necessarily need ideas for the chicest B&B to stay in Napa, or do i actually want to collect pricey china from around the world, Martha) SO! just as i was thinking this to myself, i came across Ready Made: "Instructions for Everyday Life". it was pretty on the cover with a picture of a Strawberry Rhubarb Ricotta Tart on a cute little antique dish.

here were some of the other topics they cover:

• interior design
• home design
• art
• food
• diy
• bedroom ideas
• home and garden
• lighting
• home organization
• sewing
• crafts
• hobbies

 basically everything i love! Kendall and Brittany, this seems like you, too... ;)

Golden Eggs

Blondie, my favorite hen laid the first of many eggs. Beautiful little brown jewels sitting in a pile of woodchips each late morning. A few times I have had to maneuver it from underneath her downy plumage, but usually she is out playing by the time I come to collect. It seems to be sitting there almost with my name on it, like "Here, Ashley. Happy Egg eating." Yesterday we held her, and she is the most docile of them all, but also the smartest. She is also the rooster's favorite gal. He seems to keep a close eye on her out of all the others. Someone told me that having a rooster gives them incentive for them to keep producing. Whatever she is doing, I want her to keep doing it! It sounds funny to say, but they taste so much more delicious and hold their shape compared to store bought organic eggs. Now, I just want the other hens to get on board and start producing! I am especially excited for our Araucana to start popping out blue eggs!

Tomatoes

As i mentioned in a previous post, I loved my tomato crop. So I dedicated a post strictly to this year's tomatoes. David Gray sings "This Year' Love".... mine is tomatoes, this crop. I got the two heirloom varities from Tacoma Farmer's Market... Can't remember which stand, sorry. One is called Zebra Stripe- green with yellow stripes and the other is called Cherokee Purples. These big, bulbous things were so wonderful... I gave them to Reed fresh every morning for breakfast with cottage cheese. He loved these about as much as the peaches. Also, my Golden Pear tomatoes from last year came up all over my garden! I should have regulated them more and weeded them out, but they are such cheery little cherry tomatoes. I hope they come back next year. Oh, and I got a "Seattle's Best" meant for our wet and mild summers (ok in my book, but not so flavourful as Cherokee) and a "Siberian" which I say ditto as for both these last two. . Here is a fun site to order heirloom tomatoes.