It's That Time Again

There's been lots of action in our kitchen lately, now that the cooler weather is settling in. Canning, simmering, baking, braising, stewing, and fermenting are again part of the routine.

It'll be 8 weeks until we can taste these dill pickles, and we are waiting as patiently as we can. We tried a new recipe this year and we're holding out hope for crunchy spears this time.

This savory stew was flavored with a very special bay leaf.

And these are the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies to ever come out of our oven.

(I love when new recipes are a success!)

Time and Time Again

I just read this article about time banks and had to share. This concept really resonated in me—just seems right, so obvious, so easy.

Time banking is basically good ol' bartering—trading goods or services. It is something I have fantasized about, but I never knew there were organized groups of time traders. We have so much to offer, and could benefit from so many of the folks in our area. What better way to build community, save money, support local businesses and organizations?

So I'm off! ...to look into these time-based currencies a little more. I'm also off to the beach for a few days away. I'll be back!

In the mean time, check out the Onion River Exchange and visit TimeBanks.org to learn more.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

It's a great time of year. Spring is upon us and the seed catalogs are showing up in the mailbox. It's a time of anticipation and hope for gardeners, and the time of year I turn to my favorite books for renewed inspiration, insight, and advice. So now seems like the right time to share my favorite reads on sowing, growing and attempting to live more sustainably.

I have so many "favorite" books on this topic, but one, in particular, stands out:

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
This is what the book's official website says about it :
"Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, this book tells the story of how our family was changed by one year of deliberately eating food produced in the place where we live."
...and I'd like to add that it is packed full of fascinating tidbits about gardening, delightful reflections on family, and insightful observations on politics.

If you like that book, you'll like these ones as well:
This Organic Life by Joan Gussow
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan