sustainability

The arrival of the Spring Equinox is very exciting for foragers. We watch as the snow begins to melt away, looking for any signs of plant life. Our eyes scan looking for bright baby green shoots and any sign of blooming color.

Spring’s bounty can be incredible if you know what to look for and where to find it. As we walk through spring’s edibles, I will show you some of the more basic plants to locate, identify, and harvest. It is difficult to choose just a few to fit within these pages, because there are books’ worth of information on the food in different areas.

Foraging For Beginners Pt. 1 went over just a few of the many wild foods available throughout the United States. Part 2 will cover some of the winter edibles available.

Food can be found everywhere in nature, you just have to know what exactly it is you’re looking for.

This short series will break down foraging by the seasons. Every season brings about something new to look for. Although Spring, Summer, and Autumn bring about the biggest bounties, Winter has some to offer as well. Depending on the climate region you live in, there may be a bounty of food for you all year ‘round.

As a little girl, I took joy in watching my mother come home from work. One of my greatest accomplishments was getting my first job at 14. It was grueling work, and for whatever reason, I liked that I could help pay some bills, and still have splurge money left to buy clothes and candy. I took pride in the fact that my mom was a provider, and seeing her provide instilled a strong work ethic in me.

One may not realize how many festivals there are that have to do with sustainable and eco-friendly living. I can almost guarantee that there is some sort of event or festival that takes place in your area (or close to it).

These festivals span all across the United States, as well as in other countries. You name it and there’s likely a festival that exists in its honor. Today I’m going to share 5 different festivals worth looking into.

The end of the growing season for passionate gardeners can be a bummer. But, to anyone who wants to grow food longer and start it out earlier, this is the article for you.

Being self-sustainable in every way possible is great, so growing your food – and as much of it as you can – is important. Cold frames are a great addition to any garden because you can use them to lengthen your growing season, both by giving plants longer to grow before it gets cold and also by allowing you to start some seedlings early.

It’s not easy to combine one’s gifts and passion for agriculture with a need for housing and a salary in an urban environment. Farmer-in-Residence Zaro Bates has been lucky enough to do just that in the courtyard of a Staten Island apartment complex, known as Urby. Bates runs this 4,500-square foot organic city farm and the business Empress Green Inc. with her husband and co-worker/beekeeper, Asher Landes.

When I moved off-grid, learning how to bake in a wood cook stove was a little tricky for me in the beginning. I learned that there is a whole process to baking you don’t get to experience with modern day stoves.

There are a few different ways you can bake using fire. You can even bake without an oven as long as you have a good bed of hot coals. Today I am going to share with you 4 different ways to bake using fire that I have had personal experience with.

The sacred action of smudging has been used for centuries by  various cultures, and today it is still being used for clearing, purifying, and adjusting surrounding energies. A great way to look at smudging is like a kind of spiritual bath, with the smoke cleansing away undesired dirty-spiritual vibrations.

To smudge, most people tie certain herbs and plants together with a thread, and burn them. Nowadays, there are many different kinds of plants that can be used for smudging. Here are 5 plants used for smudging as well as some of their spiritual purposes.  

It is always funny to me how old new age technology is. Hand-cranked gadgets go back a long time -- in fact, they predate electricity. However, there have been several new technologies made available that provide more modern hand-cranked, solar, and wind-powered products.

Off-grid living can take some getting used to, but there are all sorts of products, tools, and equipment to make the transition smoother.

Here are some of my favorite hand-cranked products.