I grew up in Santa Cruz county, all the best artichokes grow between watsonville and Monterey, so lots of summer fog must have a major impact on healty growth or perhaps a shaded growing area with an auto mister set for early mornings.
I think we can all shape our individual living footprint into the maximum food producing space. 1) If you own a lawn get rid of it, even the smallest yard plotted correctly and planted with the season will more than sustain a family of 4. 2) Living in Alaska taught me that a good grow light can produce a plentiful supply of tomatoes, lettuce and herbs. The cost of operation is approximate US$22 per month for 2 lights.
3) Grass fed beef is great, but better yet when in New Zealand eat the grass fed venison and your in food heaven.
4) Even if your in NY city you can shop at farmers market of small produce shops where the travel from farm to retails is at a minimum.
Cheers
I am SO tired of hearing people complain that eating healthy is expensive. Eating ORGANIC is expensive, but buying and eating lots of fresh produce and cooking at home is much cheaper and better for you than processed, fat&sodium laden crap that is turning the poor/middle class fat. Fast food is a convenience - if you take a *little* time to cook real food, you'll find that it doesn't break the bank and will do wonders for your health. Yes, this can be difficult for those working two jobs or just otherwise stretched to the max, but there are PLENTY of people who aren't so overburedened that they can't cook a simple meal.
I'd like to argue that cows that are grass-fed, grass-finished, as just as good tasting as corn finished. It's also better for the cows, because feeding them grain, such as corn, is stressful to their systems - it also diminishes the omega-3 content they gain while eating grass.
I've found a good brand recommended by Eating Well magazine, called La Cense Beef. They recently sent out an email to their customers letting them know about a giveaway their doing I thought I'd share the site:
www.winagrassfedcow.com
He actually said "great-grandmother," not grandmother. And he doesn't mean to exclude things like sushi--it's made of fish and rice, which is obviously food. What isn't "food" are basically the items referred to in #2--things that aren't whole foods.
Well...we got 6 viable plants from a pack of 30 seeds, each in their own peat pot...1 block into Maryland...across the street from the District of Columbia. And this last summer was hot, baby, and dry. With careful watering, 5 of the 6 did great and I anticipate a good crop of 'chokes next summer. I know that they're in too much sun, but we have almost no shade in the garden. We love the plants and hope to get some 'chokes, but if not, then we've got some cool plants.
CVilleBilly, low income families tend to gain weight because the affordable foods are calorie-dense and nutritionally-empty. Please read more on this issue before making such insulting remarks. Thanks.
I'm all for grassfed, no CAFO meats. If you have had pastured chicken and turkey, naturally-raised pork and really cooked the right way with grassfed beef, you know what I mean. It tastes meatier. You want fat with your steak? Top it with some bleu cheese. If you ever read how commercial meats are raised (Fast Food Nation) or themeatrix.com, you'll understand.
Okay, as a general guideline I like the rules. I think that they would be very difficult to adhere to all the time, and perfectly, as they are written, but they're generally decent rules. There is one exception, and it's as much about the other comments as the rules. Everyone is very keen to help "The Poor" eat healthier - get more fresh foods, less processed foods, etc. In principle, I'm bang alongside that. In practice, that won't necessarily help. Having a refrigerator stocked to the brim, for free, with good things won't be all that useful to a lot of the working poor. If you're working two jobs, trying to get your kids to and from school, possibly caring for a sick relative, etc, food is just going to slip to the bottom of the priority list. (I have a very good friend going through all that right now). You're going to pick up convenience foods that probably taste like feet, but fill you up and get you out the door quickly. Given that there will always be a certain segment of the population that is dependent on convenience foods, perhaps there needs to be more focus on making those foods less harmful than on eliminating them from use.
What a bunch of nit-pickers. Get with the spirit of the rules. We could all pick them apart with picayune exceptions, myself included. But generally-speaking, even making an attempt to follow these rules will have people eating quite a bit better. Geeze.
That's so funny that your dog likes artichokes. I didn't think animals liked them at all (except humans of course).
Writing of artichoke consumption in ancient Rome, Pliny remarked "thus we turn into a corrupt feast the earth's monstrosities, those which even the animals instinctively avoid."
I guess Pliny had it all wrong.
All I know about growing artichokes is to keep the dog away from them. Apparently dogs love to gnaw on artichokes. While I deny my border collie little of what he wants, he will never get another shot at an artichoke plant. Our relationship is so full mutual understanding, with each of us going out of our way to please the other, it seems a shame we should come to blows over a mere thistle. So be it. I have spoken my last of it. Yes, I'm talking to you, Oreo.
Well, from all your help, it sounds like my artichokes are in luck. They are in a partially shaded area of my herb garden. We recently moved to California from northern Florida (my husband is in the military). I can't wait to get my first spring planting underway. The artichokes and some herbs are as far as I've gotten, as well as some citrus trees that come with the house. Thanks for all your help and recommendations.
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