I’m not talking about when there’s no food in the house that you want. Or those times when you’re simply too tired to make something.

I’m talking about those times when there has been no money to buy food, no friends or relatives to give you any, and no food in the pantry. You go to bed hungry simply because you have no choice.

I’ve been blessed never to have had to go through that. But millions of men, women and children go through this every day. Thanks to the recession, the number of people depending on food stamps and food pantries has risen dramatically.

Today, the non-profit Feeding America reports that 1 in 6 Americans depend on a food pantry to get by; this is roughly 49 million people. And the number of children relying on food banks has increased a whopping 50% since 2006.

Here in Michigan, those numbers are even worse. In the Metro Detroit area, 1 in 4 families with children admit they don’t have enough to money to buy food.

It’s a vicious cycle, however. Just when food banks need donations so badly to support this massive increase in need, those very donations have plummeted, again, thanks to the recession. A Google search will show you the same phrases over and over again: need increasing, food donations down.

According to statistics on the Feeding America site, Mississippi is the state with the highest food insecurity. 17.4% of the population doesn’t know where their next meal is coming from. Texas comes in at #2, with 16.3%. You can check the stats of your own state here.

September is Hunger Action Month

September is Hunger Action Month. This means that food pantries throughout the nation are desperately trying to raise awareness, and donations, to pad their pantries for the upcoming winter season.

How to Help

I know it’s easy to feel helpless about this. But combating hunger is something we can do easily, and it can literally save lives right in our own community.

There are several things we can do to help.

1. Find Your Local Food Pantry

If you want to find your local food pantry, click here, where you can see a complete listing by state.

2. Donate

Food pantries always welcome food donations. But you will make a much bigger impact if you donate money.

The reason is because thanks to their buying power, most food pantries can stretch a dollar much, much further than we can.

For instance, my local food pantry, Gleaners, can provide 3 meals with every $1 they get.  Feeding America provides an incredible 7 meals for every $1 you give.

Donating just $50 to Feeding America will provide an incredible 350 meals to families all over the country. Plus if you donate to Feeding America during the month of September, Ameriprise Financial will match your donation 2 to 1. So the organization gets a much larger donation if you take action this month.

You can donate to Feeding America here.

3. Switch Your Priorities

If your own finances are tight right now, take a look at your current bills. If you’re paying for cable TV, why not cancel it and give that money to your local food bank instead?

I did this when I cancelled my own cable and home phone line 2 years ago. The money I was spending on those monthly bills I simply send to Gleaners every month, as an automatic payment. I can honestly tell you that I don’t miss that TV or phone one bit, and now that money is helping feed people in my community.

Take a look at your monthly expenditures. Try to find something you can cancel or cut back on so you can send that money to a local food bank.

4. Join Huddle to Fight Hunger

If you join the Huddle to Fight Hunger group, Kraft will donate a meal to someone in need in your community. This is an easy way to make a difference. It literally takes 30 seconds or less.

5. Make a Difference in Your Neighborhood

Chances are, someone in your neighborhood is in desperate need of food assistance. Do you have an idea of who might need help?

If so, why not make them dinner and bring it over one night? Why not bring them extra food you have on hand? Since 1 in 6 people in this country need food assistance, chances are we ALL live close to someone, or know someone, who needs help.

6. Take a Close Look at Your Own Food

The average person on food stamps gets $133 per month.

Think about that for a moment. They get $133 per month for food.

I spent that yesterday, in one trip, at the grocery store.

Even with food stamps it’s hard for families to get by. This is why food pantries and soup kitchens are so vital to the survival of many people. They bridge the gap between going to bed hungry, and going to bed with a full belly.

7. Volunteer

You can make a difference by offering your time. Food pantries and soup kitchens are always looking for volunteers. Volunteering is an amazing experience, and could help you just as much as you’re helping others.

8. Clean Out Your Pantry

There are tons of events and fund raising going on all over the country this month to help raise awareness. Food drives are everywhere, and most of the time food drops are in local, easy to get to places like banks and grocery stores.

For instance, my local food pantry Gleaners has 7 events going on in my area this month. And if you live in the Metro Detroit area, you can drop off non-perishable food all this month at Walgreens; the food will go to Forgotten Harvest food pantries.

Search your local paper or Google for local food drives in your area. Clean out your pantry, and donate some of the food you’re not using.

9. Scour Your Garden

Do you have a ton of food growing in your garden right now?

Tons of charities nationwide need fresh produce. For instance, my local charity is Forgotten Harvest. If you grow your own food in the Metro Detroit area, you can drop it off in several locations around the area, to be donated to people in need.

Have you been canning? Donate your canned goods to a local food bank, or to a local family you know is in need.

All of us can do something to help.

Last Word…

Please take the time to take action against hunger this month. I’m going to be increasing my own donations to take advantage of corporate matching, and I’m going to get involved in the events taking place in my area.

My challenge to you is this: do something to make a difference. If even all if you can give is $5, that’s still 35 meals if you donate to Feeding America. And by donating this month, that $5 will turn into $15, which means 105 meals to a community.

That is a huge difference.

Do any of you have more tips to help stop hunger and take action?  If so I’d love to hear them!

Image courtesy South Brook Pumpkin Patch

Are you planning on planting a fall garden this year?

Fall gardens are an excellent way to continue to grow homegrown goodness even when the weather starts to turn chilly.

I’m not going to show you what has happened to my summer garden. It’s just…sad. I’ve learned over the past few months that I have much more talent for growing flowers than I do  growing vegetables, and the few puny tomatoes I managed to produce didn’t even taste that good. My squash simply never happened and my beans…

Well, you get the picture.

That being said, however, I’m determined to try again. So, I’m going to plant a fall garden! I’m now dreaming of snipping Swiss Chard on chilly mornings, and pulling up bright orange fingers of carrots on crisp fall afternoons.

Fall Crops to Grow

So what kind of crops can you grow in your garden? Oh boy, lots of good stuff!

There are different varieties of crops you can grow. And you have to consider which ones will work for you based on your area, and the timing of your first frost. There are cool-weather crops, and cold-weather crops.

Cold-hardy vegetables include the following (maturity is in parenthesis):

• Brussels sprouts (90 days)
• Cabbage (70 days)
• Collards (75 days)
• Kale  (55 days)
• Parsnips (100-130 days)
• Spinach (45 days)
• Garlic (best planted when winter is really close)

Cool-weather hardy vegetables include:

• Lettuce (45-60 days, depending on variety)
• Mustard greens (45 days)
• Radishes (25-50 days)
• Rutabaga (90 days)
• Snap peas (50-60 days)
• Turnips (60 days)
• Carrots (50-70 days, depending on variety)
• Broccoli (70 days)
• Cauliflower (60 days)
• Green onions (50-60 days)
• Beets (55-60 days)
• Swiss chard (30-50 days)

How to Plant a Fall Garden

If you’re going to start your fall garden from seeds  then you need to start them now (it might even be too late for seed-starting in many areas). Mother Earth News suggests counting back 12-14 weeks from your average first frost date, and choosing that week to start seeds.

P. Allen Smith also has a great bit of advice on this. He says:

The average date of the first killing frost in your area is the most important thing to know when it comes to fall vegetable gardening.  Your local garden center is a good source of information for this date.  To determine when to start planting, find out the number of days to maturity for the vegetable. Next, count back the number of days from the first average frost date.  Some people add a week or so to allow for a few extra days to harvest the produce once it’s mature. You will find maturity information on seed packets and some plant labels.

If you’re already past this date, as I probably am, then you might want to start buying crops that have already been started. Farmers’ Markets are a great place to get veggies for fall planting. This is what I’m going to do, and then save my seeds for next year’s spring planting.

If you do start seeds, then it’s vital you know which seeds you absolutely must start indoors. Some plants, like various cabbages and salad greens, simply won’t grow if the soil is warmer than 85 degrees. This handy guide from Mother Earth News will teach you more about what crops you can grow, and how to find your average first frost date.

The key to successful fall planting is to get the plants growing to catch the last wave of summer heat AND allow them to mature before the first frost hits. You have to know how long each plant takes to mature so you know when to plant.

You also have to keep seedlings wet; drought stresses young plants, especially fall veggies, so it’s important they not dry out.

Mother Earth News suggests starting fall seeds in the shade outdoors. The shade will enable you to water just once per day, rather than 3-4. Here in Michigan we have had incredibly hot, dry conditions all through August.

Where to Plant

In most cases, you can use the same gardens you used for your spring/summer veggies. You can help your fall veggies along by mulching heavily; this will help protect the roots from hot late summer sun, and keep them moist.

You can extend the life of your growing season by using row covers to protect plants from frost, raised beds, and cold frames. Spinach and other lettuces do especially well in cold frames.

Last Word…

Are any of you planting a fall garden this year? If so, any tips? I’d love to hear them!

First, decluttering is green because the less you have, the smaller space you need to store it. And the less resources you have to use to heat, cool and maintain that extra space.

Decluttering also saves you money because you can sell all that stuff you don’t need. And the less you have, the less likely you are to spend money on more “stuff” to fill that space back up again.

It also makes you happy; when you have only things you use and love, you have more room to breathe. The things you own don’t own you.

I live a fairly minamalist lifestyle because having too many things just stresses me out. But I haven’t gotten myself down to that perfect level yet; I feel as if I still have too much “stuff”.

This is why I so admire Tammy over at RowdyKittens. She pared down her personal items so that she has fewer than 100 “things”. Personal items are things that she (and not her household) use like clothing, books, shoes, trinkets, etc. It does not include things like cooking pans, artwork, or furniture.

Can you imagine having fewer than 100 things? Well, I still can’t at this point, even though I’m trying to. I’ve been trimming and trimming, but have been stuck the past few weeks, unable to determine what else I could get rid of. I knew there was more that could go, but I just didn’t know what. How was I ever going to get down to 100 things at this rate?

And then Sunday morning, I had the supreme EUREKA! moment. I discovered an awesomely effective way to get rid of clutter.

The Paris Studio Method

It was one of those wonderfully lazy Sunday mornings. I was at my laptop, coffee in hand, dreaming of spending a month in a Paris studio apartment this winter (hey, I can dream!). I’d found an awesome site full of apartment rentals in Montematre I could actually afford (800 euro per month!), and I was browsing through them with sheer delight.

Here’s what one of them looks like (photos courtesy Paris-Apartment-Rent.com):

Isn’t this lovely? Can’t you just imagine being able to live in a little studio like this for a month (or three)?

Well, I sure could. A tiny place like this has everything I would need to be completely comfortable.

As I was browsing through all these tiny, colorful, perfect apartments, I felt myself growing a bit envious. These places had everything you needed, and nothing you didn’t. Each space was designed to take advantage of every square inch of space. Living in a space like this meant you’d have a super-small carbon footprint, and you wouldn’t be able to just go out and “buy” something without getting rid of something else in its place.

In a place this small, every item would have to be useful or supremely special.

Bliss.

I started looking around my own house. My stuff would never fit into one of those funky little studio apartments. Ever.

Sigh.

And that’s when it hit me.

My stuff would never fit into one of those funky studio apartments.

Game On…

I started to get really excited because I realized this was how I was going to get unstuck in my decluttering. I would go through the house, pretending I really WAS about to move to a small studio apartment in Paris. It’s a dream of mine to do this, so the process was really exciting to think about.

The deciding question would be this: would I take this with me, or get rid of it? Did I love this thing enough to cart it across the Atlantic to Paris? Did I love it enough to pay the airport transport, and then haul it up 5 flights of stairs to my dream apartment?

Most of the time, that answer was “no”! And into the donation bin it went.

I went through the house like a madwoman. “I’m moving to Paris!” I shouted in my head. “Everything must go!”

God it was a lot of fun.

Words can’t even describe how well this technique worked for me. Take a look at everything I got rid of in a matter of a few hours. Keep in mind, I’ve been decluttering (off an on, of course) for months. I’d reached the stage where I couldn’t get rid of anything else. Or so I thought…

I could have kept going; the only reason I stopped was because I got tired.

Your Decluttering Game…

You can easily play this game in your own life. Do you dream of travelling somewhere to live for a few months? Do you dream of moving?

It doesn’t have to be Paris of course; it could be anywhere. Any situation that would cause you to have to pack up and move.

You can also declutter effectively by asking yourself this question: if my home was destroyed by fire (or flood, or whatever), would I miss this item? Would I even notice if it was gone?

You might be surprised at how often you’ll answer “no” to that question.

Last Word…

Like I said earlier, I’ve never had so much fun decluttering. And I’m planning on using this method again tonight to get rid of even more stuff.

I hope, if you’re in the process of decluttering (or if you’re thinking about it) you give this method a shot. I couldn’t believe what a difference it made!

How about you? Do you have any tips or strategies you use to get rid of stuff? I’d love to hear them!

The minimalist in me, however, balks at this.

But, prudence wins in this case. And I’m sure many of you are on the same boat. Whether you want to prepare for an ice-storm or blizzard this winter or the potential “end of the world” coming in 2012 (kidding!) knowing how to effectively stock and rotate food is vital to making sure it’s not wasted or goes bad when you need it.

Why Prepare?

Think of all the reasons we have for putting food back:

• Natural disasters like earthquakes, ice storms, blizzards, flooding, tsunamis, landslides
• Terrorist attack
• Long-term emergencies (like power-grid failure or other emergencies)
• Riots
• Pandemics
• Job loss
• Illness
• Investment (with food prices rising consistently, stocking food is a way to invest money in a roundabout way)

Again, knowing how long you want to be able to survive on your own is the essential question here. Most experts recommend having at least a 3-day supply of food. If you’re truly worried about a major catastrophe like economic collapse, major riots or an asteroid, then having at least a 6-month supply of food is necessary.

Keep in mind that our entire society depends on timely deliveries to keep our stores stocked. Any disaster or interruption of this service would prove disastrous to our food supply. Most communities have stores that will supply the local population with food for three days. After that time, if there are no deliveries to restock, the stores will be out of food. It’s this simple fact that has convinced me to start creating a longer food supply for myself and my family.

Setting up an emergency food pantry can get expensive. So do it slowly; keep an eye out for deals at Costco and the grocery store; when things go on sale, by an extra and stock it downstairs.

Consideration #1: Food to Store

There are tons of food we can store to make sure we have a balanced menu in the event of an emergency.

Here are some ideas:

• Peanut butter
• Dried beans
• Coffee
• Dried grains (rice, quinoa, wheat germ, barley)
• Canned fruits and vegetables
• Canned fish and meat
• Dried fruits and vegetables
• Dried jerky (beef, turkey, tofu)
• Whole grain crackers (great substitute for bread)
• Nuts
• Pickles
• Jam
• Dried seaweeds
• Dessert mixes (cake, brownies, cookies)
• Instant rice and potatoes
• Processed cheese (like Velveeta, which needs no refrigeration)
• Dry cereals and oatmeal
• Raw ingredients (like sugar, flour, cornmeal, yeast, honey, molasses, maple syrup)
• Ready-to-eat Meals (like Mountain House)
• Dried pasta and canned sauce (like Hunts)
• Electrolyte drinks and fruit juices
• Powdered milk
• Other mixed drinks (powdered lemonade, gatorade, tea)
• Granola bars
• Oils and vinegars
• Dried and canned soups
• Plenty of food for pets

We also need to make sure we have other supplies on hand, such as:

• Manual can opener
• Toilet paper
• Candles
• Plenty of foil (for cooking foods in the fireplace or on a fire outside)
• Feminine products (Diva Cup and/or extra pads/tampons)
• Medications
• Baby supplies (diapers, formula)
• Multivitamins
• Hand crank radio
• Flashlights and plenty of batteries
• Cooking stove and fuel
• First-aid kit
• Ax and hatchet
• Matches
• Disposable tableware (This is the only case where I’d advocate using disposables; if water is short, you don’t want to waste it washing dishes)
• Bleach (for disinfecting water)
• Backpacks (in case you need to leave the house for evacuations or other emergencies)
• Blankets and/or sleeping bags

So, I know that’s a pretty big list. How do you know what the heck to buy?

Well, a good rule of thumb is to look at what your family is already eating. If your kids love Mac N’Cheese, then buy this. If you all love eating burrito bowls, then stock up on canned black beans, canned tomatoes, jars of jalapenos, etc.

Buying food your family is already eating also helps with rotation, which I’ll cover in just a minute.

Take a look at your pantry right now; what’s in there? This can help you determine what to buy more of.

It’s great to have food in an emergency. But if you can backstock food your family already loves, then it will make whatever emergency you have to survive through that much easier to bear.

Consideration #2: Rotation

Once you start creating your emergency pantry you’re going to have to stay on top of it, otherwise all that food is going to go bad and your money (and time) will be wasted.

There are several different tips and strategies you can use to effectively rotate food.

1. Date Everything

Every time you buy something for your emergency pantry, put its expiration date on the outside with a black Sharpie. This way you can easily see when something is about to expire.

2. Stock Like a Grocery Store

Grocery stores put new stock at the back of the shelf and old stock at the front so it gets used first. Whenever you buy something new, put it in the back.

3. Cook From Your Pantry

Mark you calender every two weeks so you remember to check your pantry. If something is about to expire, then bring it out of the basement and cook with it that week. Make sure you put that item on your shopping list so you replace it next time you’re at the store.

4. Repackage

Ensuring that your food stays fresh and usable also depends on how you store it. Make sure that no moisture can get to your food supply. Put flour and sugar into air-tight bins. You can put other supplies in large glass jars. Remember: heat, light and oxygen destroys food. Keep those things out of the equation! Most grocery store foods are not packaged for long-term storage (with the exception of canned food). So transfer items to air-tight bins whenever possible.

Additional Resources:

There is TONS of information online about how to survive any emergency. Here are some great articles where you can learn more:

• Mother Earth News: The Well-Stocked Pantry
• Preparedness Pantry Blog
• The Survival Mom
• Safely Gathered In

Most people have one on some level or another. But I think the large majority of people, including myself, don’t give their emergency pantry much thought or planning.

I’m definitely not the type to be all “doom and gloom”, or give in to irrational fears that the economy is going to implode suddenly or that we’ll be under imminent attack from alien robots from outer space.

But.

The rational side of me does admit that these situations, among others like an epidemic or natural disaster, are a real possibility. Having an organized, planned emergency pantry is only smart.

But how can we create one without going overboard and wasting food and money? What do we need to think about? What will we actually need?

These are questions that have been on my own mind lately, as I’ve begun to realize that I need to put some serious thought and organizational planning into my own emergency pantry.

Let’s dive in to planning this thing. Today’s post will cover the basics of how long to plan for, shelving to consider, and water. Tomorrow I’ll be covering food, and rotation, so we’re not wasting money.

Consideration #1: Timelines

First you need to ask yourself how long you want to be able to survive on your own.

Ready.gov advises people that they need food and water to cover 72 hours (3 days). Most natural disasters like blizzards, ice storms, severe storms and hurricanes are short lived, which means we can usually count on assistance after that time frame is up.

Notice I said: usually.

We all remember Katrina. And we’ve all heard the news stories of towns, especially last year in the Northeast, that went weeks without power during the dead of winter.

How much time you want to be stocked up for is entirely up to you. Some people are fine with a 72-hour stock. Others, like hard-core survivalists, have enough food and supplies put up to last for a year or more on their own.

It all depends on where you live, and what level of emergency you want to be prepared for.

Consideration #2: Shelving

All your water, food and supplies will have to go somewhere. Ideally this will be in a cool, dark place that will minimize spoilage, like a basement.

You need to have some kind of shelving unit that will keep all these supplies organized.

On the right, as you can probably tell, is my own ill-organized, un-planned emergency pantry. Yes, I know it’s sad, which is in part why I’m writing this post! I mean, just look: my dogs have a bigger stash of food than I do; they’ve got Milkbones, wet food, and there’s actually 2, 50 lb. bags of food (you can’t see the other one).

So yeah, I’ve got some learning to do which is why I’m investigating this!

But take a look at the shelves my stuff is sitting on. These shelves are actually pretty awesome because you can change their height based on what you’re storing. And because they’re steel, they’ll hold around 350 lbs. per shelf.

Of course, any shelving is going to work. But it needs to be large enough for the food you’re storing, and in a place that’s easily accessible. You need to be able to reach your food so you can rotate it over time (using old food and replacing it with new so it doesn’t go to waste).

Consideration #3: Water

You need, on average, one gallon of water per person, per day. And don’t forget your pets!

You’re also going to need water for flushing toilets and cooking.

This can add up to a lot of water sitting in plastic jugs in your basement. And plastic eventually starts to erode, so it’s important you’re rotating your water every few months.

Personally, I don’t have any jugs of water in my basement because I’m relying on other methods.

For instance, I’ve invested in a Nutriteam Countertop Water Distiller . We use this thing every single day to steam distill our own water (you can see my review of this steam distiller here). It rocks, big time.

No matter how dirty the water is (even if you’re using water out of your rain barrel), a steam distiller will give you perfectly pure water in a matter of hours.

The downside, of course, is that it’s dependent on electricity to run. As a backup, I have water purification tablets, and a small portable stove and dozens of cans of fuel I can use to boil water.

So what happens if your water is cut off?

Well, it’s important to know where your closest natural water source is at. Is there a lake or stream nearby you could take water from? Any empty pools?

Spend time now figuring out how you’ll get water in an emergency if your public water supply is cut off. And don’t forget about rain barrels; in a pinch, these can be great sources of water. I have two barrels hooked up to my house, and they’re both full. Yes, I use them for watering my plants, but in an emergency I’m going to count on that water as well.

Image courtesy WaterBob

It’s also important to look for sources of water within your home. Your hot water heater, for instance, is a water source in an emergency.

Your bathtub is another source. Keep in mind that open water (like in a bathtub) can quickly harbor bacteria, especially if it’s not cleaned out beforehand (which can be hard to do if, like most emergencies, things happen suddenly).

Products like the WaterBob, which fits in your bathtub and is made of food-grade plastic, are popular because they help keep that contamination to a minimum. You don’t have to worry about cleaning out the tub at all. This plastic bladder fits in any sized tub and will hold 100 gallons of water.

And thanks to the spigot on the top, it’s really easy to get water out of the bladder. Because the water is 100% encased in food-grade plastic, you don’t have to worry about bacterial contamination from the tub or air. All you need to watch is light; the more light that hits the water, the likelier it is to harbor bacteria.

Last Word…

In my next post I’m going to cover the biggie: food planning and prep, and rotation.

I’d love to hear back from all of you on this. Do you have an emergency pantry? How have you gone about prepping it? How long are you stocked up for?

I suppose that last question is the one I’m most confused about. Should I plan for a small emergency (like ice-storm or blizzard) or start putting some serious supplies by for a larger, more extended emergency?

The word’s still out on that one for me, so I’d love to hear what you all are doing.

Image courtesy Wikipedia

So, we’re back to foraging for nuts! If you missed my first post on nut foraging, you can see it here.

Today I wanted to tackle acorns and pecans. Yum!

1. Acorns

Many people think acorns can’t be eaten because they’re so bitter. But the truth is that we can eat acorns, but only after they’ve been prepared. And they’re darn tasty.

Acorns are high in fiber and low in sugar, which makes them a great food for controlling blood sugars. They’re also a rich complex carbohydrate, and have several important vitamins and minerals.

Many people cook acorns in breads and stews, and you can even grind them up to make acorn noodles. They’re also tasty roasted, or soaked overnight in maple syrup.

First, though, we have to collect them. And there are some rules we need to follow.

1. Only harvest acorns with no top. Acorns that fall to the ground and still have their little “hat” on are immature. These won’t be good to eat.

2. Don’t harvest acorns with any shells that are damaged (holes, splits, etc.)

3. Don’t harvest acorns with any discoloration or bruising.

4. Use acorns with nut meat that is yellowish, not black or dusty.

Once you have a healthy collection of acorns, you need to remove the tannic acid. This tannic acid is what makes the acorn so bitter.

Native Americans used to eat acorns all the time (and the Koreans still eat acorns in several of their foods to this day). Native Americans removed the tannic acid from the acorns by putting them in a sack and then lowering them in a swift moving stream for a few days.

We can remove the tannic acid simply by cracking the acorns and taking out the nutmeat, chopping it into fine pieces, and then boiling them for several minutes. Drain off the water (which will be discolored) and boil them again.  Taste a nut after this; it should now taste sweet and yummy. If not, then boil again, always remembering to drain away the water and use fresh.

It’s unclear how many times you need to do this; I found sources that said you have to do this at least one or two dozen times (which is way more time and energy than I would want to spend) and other sources that said you only needed to boil it a few times. Since my own acorns haven’t started falling yet, I can’t test this.

By and large, however, I found that the Native Americans’ stream method is the easiest if you have a stream handy. Stick the acorns in a sack and come back a week later. They should be good to go.

2. Pecans

Pecans, courtesy Wikipedia

I wish I could show you what my dad’s yard looks like every fall. His yard is covered in pecan trees, and you can hardly walk without slipping all over them. I love going to visit in the fall so I can harvest and eat those pecans; they’re so delicious!

Pecan trees are found in a fairly limited area, mainly from Texas and Louisiana  to Georgia on up through Southern Illinois to Eastern Tennessee and Western Oklahoma. But the US the world’s largest exporter of pecans, producing 80%-95% of the world’s supply.

Pecans are a great source of protein and unsaturated fats. They’re also rich in Omega-6 fatty acids.

And, check out these other health benefits as quoted and sourced on Wikipedia:

Clinical research published in the Journal of Nutrition (September 2001) found that eating about a handful of pecans each day may help lower cholesterol levels similar to what is often seen with cholesterol-lowering medications.^[16] Research conducted at the University of Georgia has also confirmed that pecans contain plant sterols, which are known for their cholesterol-lowering ability.^[17]Pecans may also play a role in neurological health. Eating pecans daily may delay age-related muscle nerve degeneration, according to a study conducted at the University of Massachusetts and published in Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research.^[18]

So, yay for pecans!

One of my grandmother's pecan trees in Louisiana

If you’re lucky enough to live in an area that can support pecan trees (or you to go visit one of these areas in the fall, especially late Sept. through mid-October), then you should make time to harvest these nuts. The trees normally grow very tall; you can see an example on the right. This is a picture of one of my grandmother’s pecan trees.

Pecans can be cracked and eaten out of the shell with zero processing. My favorite way is to just pick up two off the ground and crack them together in one hand.

Pecans are also fantastic to use in breads and desserts.

Harvesting pecans is fairly simply. All you do is wait until the husk has opened and either fallen to the ground, or dropped the pecan completely. Try to harvest pecans daily if you have a tree close by; wet weather is not good for pecans when they’re left sitting on the ground.

Pecans can be stored for months in the shell if they’re in a dry area. They’re best stored in a cloth sack, hanging up somewhere, which will allow the nuts to breath and cure. This time will actually improve the pecan’s flavor if you don’t crack them.

Last Word…

I’m really excited to start nut harvesting in a few weeks. I’ll be going down to visit my family this fall, so hopefully I’ll get there in time to harvest pecans as well!

How about you? Do you harvest any wild nuts in the fall? Have any tips or stories you’d like to share? If so, I’d love to hear them!

Chestnuts, courtesy Wikipedia

Ok, so I know that title might make it sound like we’re heading off to survival camp in the woods. But the fact is that unless you live in the Southwest, you can pick free, healthy food up off the ground this this time of year.

Nuts are chock full of healthy fats and protein, and from August through October/November they just start falling off the trees, waiting to be picked up.

Last fall I saw them everywhere on my walks, especially black walnuts and chestnuts. But I was “too busy” to pick them up off the ground and learn how to eat them.

Well, that’s something I really regret so I resolved that this year, I’d learn how to do it.

There are a LOT of different nuts we can forage. Many are growing right in our yard or in our neighborhood. So I’ll be writing at least two or three posts to cover all these nuts, and how to harvest and cook with them.

So, let’s take a look at some common nuts, and how we can prepare them to eat this fall. YUM!

1. Chestnuts

Want to know something cool about chestnuts? They’re really more like a vegetable than a nut. The reason is because they have a high starch content and, when cooked, resemble more of a potato.

As you can see from the picture at the top of this post, chestnuts fall to the ground in prickly burr shells. When harvesting chestnuts, it’s important to wear gloves. Pick up the chestnuts that already have an open shell, just like the one in the picture.

Again, wearing gloves, peel away the prickly burr outer shell. Chestnuts can be stored in the refrigerator for a month, and in the freezer for up to one year.

You can also store them in your basement between layers of sand. To do this, however, you must soak them in water for 20 hours immediately after harvesting them. Let them dry completely and then pack them in sand, making sure the chestnuts don’t touch each other.

Here’s what the chestnut tree looks like:

Chestnut tree, courtesy Wikipedia

Chestnuts are an excellent source of Vitamin C (they’re the only nut to contain this vitamin).

There are many ways to prepare chestnuts for eating. You can roast, boil, steam or grill them. You can also grind them up to use as flour.

The simplest method, and probably the most popular, is to roast them.

How to Roast Chestnuts

1. Using a small paring knife, make an “X” on each shell. This is really important! If you don’t do this the shells could explode in the oven.

2. Place on a baking sheet, and roast in a 425 degree oven for 35 minutes.

3. Peel off the papery shell as soon as they’re cool enough to touch. But don’t wait until they’re completely cooled; the colder the nut gets the harder the shell will be to get off.

2. Black Walnuts

Black Walnut fruit, courtesy Wikipedia

Black walnuts are most common from Texas on up to Wisconsin, and all points east. Missouri has the largest wild harvest of black walnuts.

If you have a black walnut on your property, then you know what a pain they are. They stain the ground, and if they happen to fall in your head they hurt. I’ve got one black walnut tree right across the street, and my neighbors loathe it due to the mess it makes in their yard every year. They just pitch the nuts into their yard waste.

But it’s good for me because this year, I’ll offer to take all those annoying nuts off their hands!

Black walnuts are a delicacy if you take the time to harvest and store them. These fruits start dropping in late August through September in most places. And, they’re a fantastic walnut to add to bread, salads, ice cream and cookies. They also go great with chicken, pork or fish.

How to Harvest Black Walnuts

A woman's hands after harvesting black walnuts, courtesy Wikipedia

First, make sure you only pick up black walnuts that have fallen to the ground. Never pick them off the tree! They’re not ready until they’ve fallen because the outer shell is simply too hard. Also, picking them off the tree will damage branches and limit next year’s nut production.

Probably the easiest way to get the hard, green outer shell off is to put them in your driveway and, wearing heavy boots, roll them hard under your feet. If you have a lot of nuts, you can also use your car.

It’s best to do this method if you have a dark driveway. These nuts stain! If your driveway is light (like mine) then you could do it on the street.

There are other methods, using a knife to score the shell, which you can read about here.

The shells are easiest to get off when they’re green; as they start to turn black they harden, so try to harvest green shells first. Go out daily, if you have a black walnut tree close to you, to pick up nuts.

Important Note: Black walnuts produce a toxin known as juglone. This toxin is harmful to other plants (which is why you’ll find black walnut trees standing all by their lonesome: this is so they get the most sunshine!). When deshelling black walnuts do NOT put the shells (this includes the outer green shell) into a compost pile or in your yard. They need to be thrown away, or tossed in an area you definitely don’t care about.

It’s also important to note that when you break open the green shell you’re likely going to find the larvae of the husk fly. They don’t damage the nut in any way, so it’s not a big deal. To get them off, you can drop the black walnuts into a bucket of water so they larvae drown.

Gardner Tom Clothier has excellent advice when it comes to drying and curing the black walnuts:

Air dry the nuts on a screen in the sun for several hours.  Northern gardeners should then put the nuts into an unlit gas oven on cookie sheets for 24 to 48 hours in order to dry the nuts inside and out and prevent any mold that might form inside the nuts while they are being cured. The pilot light will usually keep gas ovens at about 110ºF, which is perfect for drying most things except fruit leathers. I prefer to use my herb dryer because excess moisture is carried off much more efficiently.

To cure the nutmeats, place the nuts in an onion sack or mesh bag, and hang up in a ventilated indoor area for 4 to 6 weeks. The nutmeats should be extracted immediately after curing.  If that is not possible, the nuts can be stored in air-tight gallon jars.  Southern gardeners may have enough sun and warmth to eliminate excess moisture levels out of doors.

Getting the meat out of the nut once it has been cured can be really difficult. Tom also had an awesome method for extracting the nutmeat once it has been cured:

Here is my method: while holding the widest part of the nut between middle finger and thumb, place the the nut (end-to-end) between the near end of the vise jaws  Note that I do not plan to crack the shell at the sides. Place the thumb above the nut and four fingers below the nut.  Apply pressure until the shell only just breaks, then put the shells into another container. I prefer to catch all the parts and pieces in the hand which is under the nut, but the process would not harmed by letting everything fall into a container under the vise. However, unless your thumb covers the top of the nut as well during the cracking process, pieces will fly everywhere, and there will be nutmeat losses too.  Using this method, you should be able to crack 100 nuts in eight minutes.

Use the Shells for Dye

As you can see from the picture, black walnuts stain everything they come into contact with. You can use the shells as dye for fabric (just toss them in boiling water and let it stain the water, then dunk your fabric in and let it soak). This might be a fun project to do with t-shirts, curtains or even paper!

Last Word…

I’m really excited to try harvesting nuts this year! They should start falling in the next few weeks, so I’ll keep you updated on how it’s going.

Do any of you harvest nuts? Have any tips you’d like to share? If so, I’d love to hear them!

The problem is that many of these “hallowed halls”, especially Top Tier schools like Harvard, Stanford, Yale and Princeton, might not be worth the HUGE chunk of change many parents (and students) shell out to go there.

This all started on Facebook this morning. I had a really fascinating discussion with fellow blogger EcoKaren about the issue of tuition because not only is she in the process of packing her own son up to attend Duke University, but she’d just read an article about the high cost of these schools and why it might not be worth it.

So, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of attending a Top Tier school.

Pros

1. They Only Take the Best

When you attend a high-profile school you’re going to school with some of the brightest students in the world. There’s no doubt that this kind of diverse learning environment can foster all kinds of fascinating discourse and spark friendships that will last a lifetime. The ideas you’re exposed to in such a diverse environment can literally change the course of your life if you’re open minded.

2. You’re Buying a Brand

You have the added the prestige of the name (or “brand”) itself: when you graduate with a degree from a Top Tier school, employers immediately know you’re worth something. After all, if you got in then you must be smart, right? You also have the additional support of Alumni, and the Alumni association; often, these people are in powerful positions and can help you find a job not just after graduation, but for the rest of your life.

3. They’re Well-Endowed

Top Tier schools often have billions stashed in a Trust fund. They have excellent facilities and summer programs for students to take advantage of. This means libraries, research labs, sports teams, fitness centers…all these things are going to be top notch.

Cons

1. The Faculty Isn’t What You Think

Wait…isn’t the whole point of going to a Top Tier school to be taught by the best and brightest minds in the world?

You’d think so. But most of the time, that’s not the case.

According to journalist Lynn Sherr, writing for MORE, over 70% of college teachers, even at the Top Tier schools, are graduate students and adjunct faculty.

Really stop and think about this for a moment.

Over 70% of the faculty are graduate students and adjunct faculty.

That’s up from 43% in 1975.

The reason is because these grad students and adjunct faculty cost less than those “high profile” professors your kids are supposed to be taking classes from. The average teaching assistant at Yale earns $20,000.

2. They’re Crazy Expensive

Top Tier schools are insanely expensive. Harvard just raised its tuition to over $50,000 per year, which means it’s completely out of reach for low to middle-income families unless a scholarship is awarded. Most Top Tier schools now have yearly tuitions pushing the $40,000 to $50,000 per year mark. I mean, that’s more than many people’s annual income.

According to the Economist, tuition is currently rising at (at least) twice the rate of inflation. If you didn’t get a full scholarship or you don’t come from a wealthy family, either you or your parents are going to leave school crippled with debt that is going to take years to pay off. How much debt? Well, it’s going to vary pretty widely. But Consumerism Commentary ran the numbers and figured students leaving 4-year private universities had an average of $33,000 in debt.

But, you might ask, do you earn more when you graduate from these top colleges? Does it even out?

I couldn’t find numbers that dealt with Top Tier schools specifically. But I did find some handy numbers over at MSN Money.

They worked it out, and figured that investing in an Associate Degree in engineering or computers had the biggest payoff. You’re paying around $2,500 for that degree. And yet you’ll earn, over a high school graduate, $116,000 more.

Yeah, that’s a good investment.

3. You’re Getting Less

The Economist article states that most schools raised their tuition an average of 6.5% last year. Yet, students aren’t getting 6.5% more services or teacher face time. Chances are, they’re getting less since most states have had to slash their higher ed budgets.

Last Word…

I know this is probably going to be a contentious issue for many people. And of course, whether or not Top Tier schools are worth it is going to largely be based on your own backgrounds and beliefs, which is just as it should be.

Here’s my two cents.

I think higher education is an incredible experience for people both young and old. But I don’t think its greatest value lies in walking away with a degree. I think it’s far more valuable to learn how to think creatively on your feet, how to keep an open mind, how to work hard for something you want and how to communicate with a diverse group of people. These are the lessons I found most valuable when I went to school.

Most of the successful people I know or have read about didn’t even finish college. Greats like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg (inventor of Facebook) and Richard Branson were all dropouts.

Not that my income even comes close to those guys, but I have a successful writing business. And no, I never finished college either. I chugged my way through several community colleges, and took one copywriting course at a public university. And that’s when I threw in the towel.

If I had continued to pour more money into that university education I do not, for one minute, believe I’d be earning one cent more than I am now. In fact, I have a feeling that I would be earning less, because I’d have graduated with a journalism degree and spent a great deal of time looking for a job with a newspaper or magazine. Chances are high I’d be working for someone else, making far less than I do now.

What do you guys think? Are high-priced degrees worth the money? Do you believe people can make it without a degree at all? I’d love to hear your thoughts about this!

Did you know that Americans work 50% more than people in France, Italy and Germany?

We also get dramatically less vacation time; Western Europeans get, on average, 2 months of vacation time per year. Here in America, we’re lucky if we get 2 weeks.

What gives? Why are so many of us addicted to work?

I started asking myself this question a few days ago. After spending an enormous amount of time working during this past month, I’m taking some time off to relax and visit with family. And, two days of driving across the country is a great way to slow down enough to think about things.

You know what I’ve discovered?

That I want to work less.

I love what I do, but the fact is that I do it too much. I have a Dreams List that only has one thing (yes, one thing!) checked off. I have a great book idea that I’ve been sitting on for months because I’ve been too busy to start it.

Are you nodding your head in recognition? You’ve probably gone through the same thing at some point. Maybe you’ve got your own Dreams List, but no idea when you’ll be able to slow down enough to actually do some of the things on that list. Or maybe you want to work less so you can spend more time at home with your family.

But how? How in the heck can we possibly work less?

I asked myself that very same question yesterday. And that’s when I realized that if I wanted to work less, I was going to have to create a plan. Working less won’t just happen unless I make it happen. That means: strategy.

Strategy #1: Use the 80/20 Rule

The 80/20 (also called Pareto’s Principal) rule is fairly straightforward. It means that most of the time, a small portion of our efforts (the 20%) produces the greatest results (80%). Theoretically, if we devote focused time to that 20%, we’ll get the greatest results in less time.

The opposite also holds true. Often we spend 80% of our time and energy on tasks that will only give us 20% (or less) payback.

So how can we use this principal to work less?

Well, everyone’s situation is different. But we need to start by identifying those areas where we’re most productive, the 20%, and then cut out the distractions and time wasters.

I know, easier said than done, right?

Try these tips:

• When you’re working and you don’t realize time is passing because you’re having so much fun, chances are you’re in your 20% zone. Try to do more of this type of work and less of something else.

• If you catch yourself working on “urgent” tasks, or tasks you’re not good at doing, chances are you’re doing work that drains time and energy from you and gives back very little. These are the tasks that you should stop doing, or delegate to someone else.

• When you work on something that makes you cranky or want to complain, you’re probably in your 80% zone. These tasks need to go unless you know, without a doubt, that they’re contributing to the bigger picture of following your dreams.

• Any work that makes you smile and feel good is probably in your 20% zone. Do more of this and less of something else.

Strategy #2: Trim Expenses

Many people work a lot because they have wants and needs that must be met. But if we have fewer wants and needs, then we don’t need to earn as much to meet them. We can work less, earn less, and be even happier.

• Start decluttering your life and home. The fewer possessions you have, the less complicated your life is going to be. You can also use the 80/20 Rule here too. Chances are 20% of your possessions give you 80% of your pleasure and satisfaction. Identify those things that really matter, and get rid of the rest.

• Once you have fewer things you won’t need such a big home. Moving to a smaller home means you’ll have a smaller mortgage and lower monthly bills.

• Do you really need cable TV? Many people have cancelled their cable lately; this can save hundreds of dollars (or more) per year. Look at every monthly expense you have and honestly assess whether it brings you joy. The fewer financial obligations you have, the less you’ll need to earn to maintain your standard of living.

• Do you really need a nice car? Cars have become a serious status symbol in our country, but the fact is that they have one purpose: to get us where we need to go. Considering selling your car (with its huge monthly payment) and downsizing to an older model that you can own free and clear. Not having a car payment is awesome. You could also think about going to a car-free lifestyle. Tammy over at Rowdy Kittens has an awesome ebook that will teach you how to do this.

Strategy #3: Give Yourself Deadlines

When I have a ton of projects to do and very little time to do them all, it is amazing how much I can get accomplished in a short amount of time. But when I’m not under tight deadlines, it takes me forever sometimes to get my work done. And it’s not just me; many people report the same phenomenon.

We can recreate this all the time with a kitchen timer. Set a timer for 60-90 minutes to finish a project. When the timer goes off that’s it- you can’t keep working on it. You might be surprised at how fast you’ll get your work done using this method.

Strategy #4: Look at Your Time

Do you know how much time per day you spend checking email? Going back and forth between tasks? Running errands?

Most of us (myself included) have no idea how much time we spend doing regular things like checking email and making phone calls. But we can’t manage our time if we don’t have any idea what we’re doing with it.

Last Word…

I can tell already that I’m going to be using several of these strategies in my own life to work less.

For instance, I’m going to cut down to a 4-day work week. And I’m definitely going to use a timer to manage my daily projects.

What about you? Do you dream of working less? Any tips or suggestions on how to get there? If so, I’d love to hear them!

Why?

Well, there are several reasons.

First, staying at home is much, MUCH more affordable than going away somewhere. You save on travel expenses, lodging, eating out, and those other costs that invariably pop up out of nowhere.

Second, staying at home is also really relaxing. You’re not in a rush to see and do everything. There’s no hassle. You can sleep in, play games, lounge on the porch and really chill.

Another great benefit is that when you stay at home, you’re supporting your local economy.

And the best part? Staycations mean less impact on the environment. When you skip the plane trip, and all the driving around in your “new city”, you’re saving resources.

The Downside…

The downside of staycations is that they can be, well, boring. After all, home is where you know best. It’s tempting to do chores, or put-off projects to “catch up”.

But how fun is that? Not very.

So while researching things to do (and not to do) on my own staycation I thought I’d write a post just in case you’re thinking of taking one yourself.

First, though, some rules…

1. No Chores

Do you do chores while you’re on vacation?

No way.

So, don’t do them on your staycation. Resist the urge to clean out the garage and scrub the floors “while you have time”. Do that and you know what’ll happen? You’ll finish up your vacation feeling just as tired and worn out as when you started it.

The point of a vacation is to relax.

So, try to get your chores and errands done before your first “staycation” day. Clean the house, hit the grocery store, go to the bank…get it all done so you can relax while you’re “gone”.

2. No Internet

Since I work at home, I put this rule in here for myself. There will be no Internet while I’m gone. Because you know what will happen? I’ll get emails from clients, or something will come up, and before I know what’s happened I’ll be right here at my desk. Working.

So, it’s a digital vacation for me!

But this goes for you too. Technology can be stressful, and it’s bliss to unplug for awhile. So turn off your iPhone and hide your Blackberry. It’s really liberating.

3. Create a Plan

If you don’t map out what you’re going to do on your staycation, then you’re going to end up stuck in your same old routine. So create a plan just as you would if you were going away. Research things to see and do while you’re off.

Things to Do On Your Staycation

Now comes the fun part! And boy, did I find a lot of good ideas for families, as well as “adult only” events…

1. Go to a local museum

2. Go on a picnic

3. Bake something you never have time to bake

4. Take your kids to the local pool or water park

5. Have a “Track and Field Day” in your backyard, with potato sack races and other fun challenges

6. Go see a Minor League Baseball Team

7. Have a campfire

8. Visit your local Nature Center

9. Go bowling

10. See a play at your local Community Theater

11. Go on a wine tour of your area

12. Go out dancing

13. Go to a concert

14. Take a historic home tour

15. Visit your closest state or national park to go hiking

16. Eat lots of dessert

17. Have a game night

18. Visit the zoo

19. Wander through the woods

20. Wade in a creek

21. Set up a treasure hunt

22. Visit a local “You Pick” farm and pick your area’s in-season fruits

23.  Try canning!

24. Eat at a new restaurant

25. Visit another town you’ve never been to

26. Go relax at your local lake or beach

27. Go to the movies

28. Go browse the bookstore and find a luscious book to read during your time off (I just finished reading Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression and it was wonderful).

29. Tick something off your Life List…you know, something you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t “found the time”

30. Go roller-skating

31. Pretend like it’s 100 years ago: make an old-time recipe and eat it by kerosene lamp. Follow up with a bonfire.

32. Build a tree house with your kids

33. Play catch-the-flag with a big group of neighborhood kids. At night.

34. Go eat at a mom and pop diner; make sure you get the peach cobbler.

35. Put up a tree swing

You see how this could just go on and on. With a sense of fun and a little imagination, your staycation can be an incredibly relaxing and rewarding experience.

What We’re Doing…

So, what are we doing to be doing on our little vacation?

Lots of relaxing things.

1. Go to the local playground to swing and seesaw (one of my favorite things to do!)

2. Go on a picnic

3. Go to see the Lansing Lugnuts play (our local Minor League team)

4. Read in the hammock on the front porch

5. Sleep in

6. Have a campfire in the backyard to make S’Mores

7. Go dancing

And really, that’s about it. I’ll be heading off to see family on Monday, so I’ll see you all again next Wednesday!