How Dirt Acts as an Anti-Depressant

gardening

Perhaps you’ve had a diagnosis and prescription from a doctor that you thought a bit odd. But if you go in complaining of depression and the doc tells you to take up gardening, hear him out. Research has shown a direct correlation between Mycobacterium vaccae (a bacterium found in soil) and the serotonin levels in [...]

Edible Wild Salads

Wild Salad

Years ago a friend lost his job as an engineer. Rather than seeking employment in the corporate world, he decided to farm. Not growing up on a farm, it took several years of poverty for them to see the fruits of their labor. Why am I telling you this? One day his wife confided in [...]

Making Homemade Dog Food

Bella-Maltipoo

Imagine, if you will, buying a complete meal in a bag. No thawing from the freezer, no chopping or dicing, not even cooking required. Just pop the pieces straight from the bag into your mouth, potato chip style, and you have all your required daily allowances of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Sound great? No, [...]

Cheddar Potato Soup Recipe

Cheesy Potato Soup Recipe

Nothing warms body and soul in January more than a simmering pot of soup. No wonder it has been dubbed National Soup Month. Making a pot of soup involves more than haphazardly throwing a bunch of ingredients into a pot of water and hoping for the best. I carefully choose each ingredient. Texture and color [...]

Arsenic in Apple Juice From China – Says Dr. Oz

Dr. Oz

Arsenic in apple juice—the breaking news of the past week. Started by Dr. Mehmet Oz, on his popular television program, this controversy has either raised fear and doubt in the minds of parents that regularly give apple juice to their children, or fueled the fire of scoffers who do not really care. When I was [...]

Learn To Eat Local, Organic Food And Transition from Factory Food

Garden Vegetables

I haven’t always eaten a healthy, organic, fanatically local diet. In fact, I don’t now. I do what I can, when I can; and I try not to feel guilty about the rest. But the one obstacle I hear regularly when I counsel someone to make dietary changes is that they cannot afford it. I [...]

Food, Inc. Movie Review

Food Inc

I know Food, Inc. has been out for a while. However, our family is so slow at getting to movies that I just watched Food, Inc. while we were on Staycation. This movie made such an impact on our thinking that I wanted to share it with you here. Prior to viewing, I did already [...]