Incorporate Edibles ~ Harvest Health

Incorporating edibles into your existing plantings is not
Rocket Science.
You can easily find something that will work with what
you annually plant.

I harvested this from a commercial planting bed
where it was my intentions for the employees to
take part and enjoy the benefits of having fresh
Swiss Chard at their disposal.

I believe a little leaf harvesting would have encouraged
more top growth and there in a larger show in the beds.
Alas they didn't take to the idea.

Thanks for the Chard, My family loved it, cooked the first night
and the rest will be in my vitamin packed Green Smoothies
& Saladworks.

This is Rhubarb Swiss Chard
(Harvested)


Cooking Chard is as easy at any other Greens

I washed the chard 3X to remove any grit, creatures, etc.
then put it straight from the wash water into the cooking pot, don't shake the excess.
add about 2 teaspoons oil of choice (I use Olive, you can use Bacon Grease)
1 tablespoon sweetener of choice
Then let set for starting 20 mins on med high heat covered.
Flip the greens in the pot after the first time is up. Set for another 20 mins. covered.
then taste, everyone has a different preference to how done they like their greens,
just test a little along, cooking in 20 minute intervals until done to your liking.

Serve as a side to most any dish.

I also let about half drain in a colander flipping a few times until mostly dry.
Then I put into a plastic zip bag for storage for raw use.
(Tip: exhale a small breath into the bag before closing for greens to stay fresh longer)


Lettuce 'Valerie' in containers
(25 Gal)


Jerusalem Artichokes/Sunchokes in containers
(25 gal, very invasive in ground)


Herbs work excellently in containers
Here's our Sweet Basil getting started last month
we've used off it 3 times already


We're featuring #Cilantro this week on our #TwitterFeed so check it out
@HerbGir1972


Have a Great day
~V

Green Week ~ WOW

So this week we had Earth Day & Arbor Day
Two celebratory reasons/excuses to Get Out And Plant Something
Did You?

We planted 100 rescued Tree Seedlings with the #GreenKids
Dogwoods, Pines, Cedars, & Silver Oaks.



On our own home front we planted a seed grown Teak Tree



as well as a couple of Lilacs .



and a Red Rocket Seed Grown Crepe Myrtle.



Planting trees are good for you environment in close as well as an
overall Globally good thing to do.
Greener neighborhoods are cooler neighborhoods.
Use trees to cut energy costs by solarizing your home.

Life on Earth requires Healthy Forests.

Please choose Greener Living practices so we'll have a livable Earth for future generations.

Hope everyone had just a Spectacular week.
~V

Nature DIscovery Workshop 5-11

For those participating in our Nature Discovery Workshop
we'll have to postpone due to weather, but watch for some images of
creatures taken at our last years workshop coming soon.

Remember your checklist for attending
1.) wear long sleeves and pants.
2.) Bring your Binocs (You are responsible for them)
3.) Bring cameras if you want (You are responsible for them)
4.) bring hydration (no plastic bottles please)
5.) Sunscreen Sunscreen Sunscreen
6.) Bug repellant (not so much the problem but we're taking precautions)
7.) Bring your sense of adventure
8.) Wear proper shoes

an individual email will be send to all participants with the new date
(With your scavenger hunt lists to print)

Thank you for your participation in this part of our learning
outside of the seminar setting. You are working toward protecting
our natural spaces with each Earth Advocacy project we share.

We Love our #GreenKids

That is all
Keep It Green
~V

Big Thanks for Logo Help

Gratitude & Kudos to
@vRONIs (veronica) at Twitter for helping me with a few
LogoIdeas, I though I'd share our favorites
Look for a new logo on my Facebook Page
coming soon new cover photo art that my get
featured on my next Booster.com fundraiser TShirt.

These are by @vRONIs a very cool new friend
and Zachary Levi/Chuck Addict





Again Big Thank You for your help
If you feel so inclined please choose your favorite in the comments :)

Have a Great Tuesday
~V

Tip Tuesday 4/15/2014

It's Tax Day be sure to finish your returns before Midnight.

It is a good thing to also find joy in good things you do for others.

Use reusable bottles & cups to carry your hydration in, reduce
plastic buildup in landfills.

You can reuse plastic water bottles as long as you wash them
properly in between uses.

To get children to try new food install a try me bite policy
early in life. Try twice in one sitting, the first bite may already
be decided upon in tier minds because of color or how it sits on
the plate. A second bite actually allows them to taste.

I a child doesn't like mashed potatoes because of texture issues.
Give them an opened slightly mashed baked potato. Allow them to add
salt, pepper, chives, cheese...When they prepare themselves they are more
apt to eat their creation. Do not let them go over board and waste food.

Compost and Reduce organic wastes in your household, Also brings
awareness to the reality of wastefulness to some.

Making your kids a worm bin is fun, and when you prepare fruits and
veggies they can feed their worms, Be sure not to let them overfeed their pets.

Grow your own food, get the family involved, it Saves money, Brings people
together, you're eating better quality in which you control, no chemicals,
pesticides, or growth regulators.

Grow a row for the hungry, give to your local food bank, or needy person/family
in your area.

One way to cut calories in your diet, drop a slice of bread on your sandwiches.
Open faced sandwiches cut at least 40 calories per slice of bread.
(Don't compensate with additional toppings)

Fix leaky faucets, install low pressure shower heads, and teach kids to not let
the water run to save money and conserve water.

Do something meaningful with you children. Raise money for a charity,
Volunteer, Help an elderly neighbor, even random acts of kindness. It costs
nothing to be kind, and you might just be giving a person hope at just the
moment they need it most.

Good things are not hard to find, look close to home for smaller, miracles of life.

Watch Horton Hears A Who with young ones or by yourself, it really is a good message.

I hope you all have a good day
Get your Taxes Done
Be Excellent to one another.

New Chicks Interview 4/12/2014

ESS :Hello Bailey Hope you are well this a.m.?
Bailey :Yes I am well

ESS :We Hear you're getting possible Easter Chicks this year?
Bailey :They hatched from eggs in 20 days at my School.

ESS :How do you feel about baby chicks, what do you expect to do with them?
Bailey :I feel very very happy about the baby chicks. I expect to take good
care of them.

ESS : Do you expect to make them a pet?
Bailey : Yes, but we can't keep them out in the open or cats will get them.

ESS :What do chickens do for a garden?
Bailey :They Poop to make fertilizer, and scratch the soil loose.

ESS : What do Chickens Eat?
Bailey :They can eat about anything.

ESS : Will your chicks be omnivores or vegetarians?
Bailey :I will feed them Vegetables, so they will be like me vegetarians.

ESS: Thanks for a little time this morning, see you later.
Bailey: Hugs and Kisses to all

Everyday is Earth Day ~ Plant More Trees

(I hope you like my quicky art)

Are you aware of how many different ways Trees make likfe better?
Here is a list of just a few from

http://www.arborday.org/

Trees Fight Climate Change http://www.arborday.org/globalwarming/treesHelp.cfm (more here)
Saves Energy at your home
Greener Communities are cooler communities
Absorbing carbon dioxide and storeing carbon

National Tree Benefits Calculator https://www.arborday.org/calculator/index.cfm? (more here)
Make trees work for you & save you money

How to Plant Trees to Conserve Energy http://www.arborday.org/globalwarming/summerShade.cfm (more here)
Summer Shade
•you use less energy
•the utility company uses less energy
•less fossil fuel is consumed by the utility to create the energy
•less fossil fuel consumption means less carbon dioxide emissions

Winter Warmth
Plant an evergreen conifer windbreak on the north and northwest of your home to block cold winter winds.
Deciduous trees loose there leaves allowing a solarizing effect, the sun warms your home.

There is loads more information at this site I encourage you to get informed
research other fields of study in this same topic.
Be a tree Nerd, it's really cool

http://www.arborday.org/


I agree with these words but they are not entirely my own.
Keep it Green ~V

Awesome Edibles ~ Printable Garden Group Topic

This is from one of my past Garden Discussions
I hope you find this information useful

One of my missions is to get everyone to incorporate edibles
into their garden designs. Whether full scale beds or containers, or
single plant planting in pots.

Keep It Green
~V

Biodiversity in Your Gardens ~ Manage your nasties

Manage your nasties with Biodiversity in Your Gardens



Natural places with a greater variety of plant species experience fewer outbreaks of pests.
Try to follow in natures footsteps in your own backyard. Incorporation of these Guilds will increase your pleasure & decrease your pest worries.

Create your own Plant Guilds
(Plant Guilds are different varieties of plant that grow together requiring the same conditions that exist in harmonious balance)

Insect Feeding plants
Pollen & Nectar are essential foods for many beneficials. Like you, they require energy to hunt and reproduce, Plant sources supplement the prey they eat for energy.

Insect attracting
Some plants are pest prone, these are good for feeding your beneficials as well. Lay a trap to feed your predatory creatures and allow them to reproduce and protect your garden even further.

Strongly Scented plants
Leaf eaters will avoid these and plants nearby. Planting plants od non green colors although they have an attracting scent leaf munching critters have a harder time finding them.

Outdoor Perennial Conservatory
Plant Perennials to shelter beneficials in harsh weather. Native plants are usually more xeric and return each year even the plant debris mulches and protects some beneficial species of insects. These beds usually need minimal upkeep.

Plant flowering plants like zinnias & marigolds along with your edibles your edibles to attract pollenating insects and increase your harvests.

It is important for us to find NON CHEMICAL ways to take care of our gardens. The impact of chemicals on our quality of life is truly a Phantom Menace. Convenience of sprays and dust are not what you want to put into the soil or into your body. Avoid it at all costs.

10 beneficials you should get to know
www.organicgardeningguru.com/beneficial-insects


I will post some Botanical Pesticides & Homemade Pesticide Recipes in the coming weeks

Happy 2014

Happy New Year to everyone
We Wish You Good Fortune & Good Health.

Did you become resolute about something new,
or are you making the same resolutions as New Year's Past?

We have resolved to bring Hope to the forefront in our Community.



Giving Hope to others & greening it forward
will in turn make things better for more and more folks.

I speak to people at times and the convenience of things today
have blinded and even consumed some people's lives. Even if I
reopen their eyes for just a moment, it sets a spark that maybe
can be fanned into a flame. If only one person goes forward and
makes a simple change they'll make more because it makes them
feel good too.

Gardening is a simple language, that has but one result, Pleasure.
Food & Fragrance are two of the most fulfilling senses we have.
So let's grow better food for our bodies, by ourselves.
The Earth is ours, it can feed us, house us, heal us, please us.
Let's make a conscious effort to not Kill it.
Teach what you know, if you know how to grow great tomatoes, teach someone
else to do it too. Also, why it is better to grow things the right way.
No chemicals, Feed The Soil, Use non GMO items. Why do they have to keep breeding
new hybrids??? The Heirlooms are still around, still growing, and used as
bases for hybrid plants, why...Because they are a good pure thing.
Grow things the way it is intended in their original form.

Children are our Hope, it is our responsibility to teach them.
If they are taught in a lab, they will continue the cycle of destruction.
Take them outside, put their hands in the dirt, there is a connection that
needs to ne made. Technology in different forms are stealing our children away from us.
Yes they can find out all sorts of information at just a touch, but they
are losing touch. We need a true New Generation of young people, versed in the
art of balance. Green, Sustainable practices do create balanced, caring children.

So the #GreenKids of today will be
"Greening it Back by Greening it Forward."
They are our 'New Hope' for a better future.
Let's all stick together and teach them.

I am but one person, with one voice, but I believe
my Hope will spread through my Free Seminars for the kids.
Even if it's a trickle effect, Kids influence their Parents
with each child I touch with our message I know at least 2 folks
are impacted even if just a small way. Encouraged to become
and Advocate for a Better Quality of Life in all ways.

Our goal is to get everyone to try & share (Green it Forward) to 3 people each day.
It's not a challenge it's a goal.
It's even easy if you share or retweet any of our social media messages.
Or even become affiliated as a supporter in some way.
We're only moving up come with us Please.

Have a Great Weekend
Victoria ~ EarthSource Services ~#GreenKids

Please Participate in our Fundraiser

We are desperately trying to keep our #GreenKids Free Programs Free.
But it will take some Generous folks to contribute to our efforts
Please share this with everyone and encourage them to do the same.
If we reach our goal it should fund us for another year.
It really is a small amount considering the scope of the results.
Please check out our social connections at
Twitter ~ @HerbGir1972 & @EssSc7
Facebook ~ http://www.facebook.com/earthsourceservicessc7
K+ on Klout ~ Victoria Meetze

Scroll thru and see what we're about
and Remember the #GreenKids & EarthSource Services needs your help

This fundraiser needs to have at least 20 shirts ordered to print
and 500 is our goal.
Thanks for your time and consideration of our efforts.
PLease purchase at least one(1) tee today


https://www.booster.com/ug-13875204664578543

If you'd simply like to "DONATE" check out our Sponsorship Levels note here:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/earthsource-services/earthsourceservices-greenkids-sponsor-levels/613922642001289

What are #GreenKids? (Happier, Healthier, Caring)

https://www.facebook.com/notes/earthsource-services/what-are-greenkids-happier-healthier-caring/557649750961912

Saying Good Bye to Summer

2013 has been an unexpectedly mild summer for us here in South Carolina. Only reaching triple digits in the way of Heat index 2 times I believe. Much more moisture than most years, which started out great but did turn detrimental for some crops as it continued with gully washing force. One day by the debris on some neighbors trees in a low spot, it rose about 30 inches in the creek between two homes, took the upper gravel driveway and delivered it to the other side of the road some 100 feet away.

From Harvesting and learning new ways to use Semi Exotic but common Summer Harvests Like Turkey & Mission Figs



By the way all that wasn't jarred was eaten in Homemade Fig Newtons, and dried Figs (The little one just loved them)

We have had some beautiful Full Moons (Blue Moon 8/21/13)



And Spectacular Skyscapes



Of Course there was much color everywhere (This is the slightest sampling of the photographs I got to take this year.) I was blessed with multiple sprains and twists so I didn't get to do much more, Fall clean up is going to be a clearout.



So today I say Good bye to Summer, Fall has felt like it has snuck in here for the last couple days.
A little precipitation this weekend would be perfect, as it has been a little on the dry side.

It has been reported that Snakes are plentiful, and here in the end of the summer the insect critters have been too. (Although some are about 2 months behind schedule...aka: June Bugs in August) Wasps, Yellow Jackets, and bees have been on the down low, and we're just getting to see some butterflies in more numbers.

I hope you enjoy this taste of what I get to live with.
Looking back over my photographs I am truly blessed.

Victoria Meetze/EarthSource Services
http://www.facebook.com/EarthSourceServicesSC7