a "been-there" mom of six offers encouragement
to wives, young mothers, and those not so young,
and simple common-sense approaches to
the "ings" of life:
child-rearing (hints and helps), homemaking (all areas),
cooking (simple, cheap, and do-it-yourself)
making (toys and gifts), preparing (for the unexpected),
maintaining (sanity and peace in this increasingly crazy world) and more---
all aspects of making the most of making do on little---
and having fun in the process.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Finding the Freshest Produce


We have made it through another winter. Soon we will be able to eat tomatoes and other fresh items that actually have flavor.

What is FRESH?

Produce that has traveled in mass for long distances loses a lot of its nutrients and goodness during the journey.  To keep customers from realizing this, many unnecessary steps and additions are used in the effort to keep it all looking “fresh.” I am told the greatest efforts in the produce section of large markets is maintaining the look of freshness by trimming, plucking, spraying and soaking.

The most nutritious and most flavorful are 1) those plucked from your own yard or 2) those from  local farmer’s markets, produce stands, or small growers.

The freshest  (i.e.most nutritious)
have been living in the ground until very recently. 

What? No space for a garden? 
Maybe not a garden ---- but most likely one or two or even a few plants. Think of the joy of picking your own salad makings right outside your door.  Many vegetable plants can be potted. You don’t even need expensive containers. Use your imagination. They can sit on a tiny porch, or balcony, or be tucked in a corner. All they need is sunshine and water.

There are other advantages to small container projects. For probably less than the price of a package of seeds, you can buy a plant or two, already well-started and ready to re-pot in your container.  This gives you a jump on the season — and no weeding!

To give you some ideas check out my previous posts on

gardening in a bag 

http://thecreativecheapskate.blogspot.com/2011/08/gardening-in-bag-or-bags.html

and 

gardening in bits and pieces 

http://thecreativecheapskate.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-to-creatively-garden-in-bits-and.html

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