Are you concerned about what is in your food? I care about what kind of food I am eating and what makes up this food. As a grandmother, I am more concerned about the food my granddaughter is eating. Consumers, myself included, have allowed the federal and state governments to assume the role of regulator. Why have I done this? Why do we continue to allow our government to decide which foods are good for us and which are harmful if consumed? We (Americans) assume the items we purchase at the grocery store are safe to consume and do not incur negative affects on our health. Therefore, we trust the…
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Tips for Delivering Bereavement Comfort Food
Mourning the loss of friends… So, the last couple of days have been difficult. I found out that a friend I met while working at the Home Depot nearly 18 years ago, has passed away. This followed by a rash of news that flooded my inbox regarding other former co-workers that have passed away within the last year. I am a bit heartbroken. Although I have not been in contact with these individuals in recent months, I have always felt a special kindred relationship with them because we shared time together, years ago when we were younger, before families, and before the responsibilities of middle-aged adults were realized. We could…
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My Garden First Crop
My garden first crop was 2 yellow crooked neck squash and 1 zephyr squash. Both are delicious! Both varieties have the same texture and flavor. The Zephyr is the one with the green tip. According to “SpecialityProduce.com” Zephyr squash is a relatively new type of summer squash and botanically a part of Cucurbita pepo. A highly productive hybrid variety the Zephyr is a constricted neck type of squash, similar to that of yellow crook neck squash. It was bred specifically to have superior taste, quality and adaptability. Its fruit can be harvested at varying stages of maturity, with the medium size of five to seven inches being the most recommended…
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Using Natural Habitat Gardens at Ford Elementary School
Natural habitats are a necessity Natural habitats and gardens are vital to our plant’s ecosystem. With the vast development of land throughout our region, wildlife has become displaced. Creating natural habitats in your backyard garden can preserve necessary wildlife to sustain our environmental balance. Ford Elementary School in Acworth, Georgia is one of the premier schools to successful develop a natural habitat and use it to educate students outside the classroom. Ford Elementary School Earth Plant Program Founder and teacher Catherine Padgett says the program’s first goal, “is to bring awareness of environmental issues such as habitats, pollution, and conservation of resources to the classroom by using Ford’s outdoor classrooms.” …
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National Grilled Cheese Day: What is cheese?
To honor National Grilled Cheese Day, I thought I would talk about cheese and the process of making cheese. With over a dozen organic dairy farms making cheese in South Carolina alone, it has become more easily accessible. Specialty and small farm brands can be ordered online. What is cheese? Cheese can be broken down into two broad categories, fresh and ripened. Within these two categories are a multitude of subdivisions, usually classified according to the texture of the cheese and how it was made. Some of these categories can overlap because cheese can have an entirely different character when young than it does when aged. Most cheese begins as…
