Lettuce Grow Some

Depending on where you live and what the current weather cycle is running, you may be able to start growing lettuce, now. This year, here in Oregon with El Nino causing warmer weather, we can actually begin growing some cold crops such as lettuce. This is exciting news, as there is nothing better than the flavor of fresh produce.

Even if you live in an area that is not quite warm enough, yet, especially if the fear of freezing is still possible, using a small greenhouse or clear plastic covering may still enable you to plant some early lettuce varieties. Remember, when starting seeds, keep them moist. By keeping the seeds and seedlings protected by a sheet of clear plastic over the growing container, but not touching them, gives them the oxygen necessary while retaining moisture for healthy germination.

Many leaf lettuce varieties are fairly hardy in cooler temperatures and if you are able to plant in a large container and keep it close to the house to offer protection, you may be quite successful. Oak barrels make an effective growing container and are tall enough to make picking easy while helping to keep pests out.

The nice thing about leaf lettuce is that you can pick what you need for sandwiches and salads. As the lettuce grows out, it is easy to just seed in some more. Try growing different lettuce varieties to add flavor and color. Plant some peas and radishes for more salad ingredients and texture and enjoy healthy eating.

Fruits and Veggies, Anyone?

There has been a lot of push recently regarding the importance of incorporating more fruits and vegetables into our daily diets in an effort to encourage healthier decisions. The rise of cancers and other diseases are increasingly being linked to what we eat. The tide is turning, however, against super-sizing the amount of food we eat to looking at being more responsible for our health and the health of our families.

Adults and children alike, though, struggle with a number of issues related to making healthy choices. One is convenience. In our often busy lifestyles, adding the required amount of fruits and vegetables is often difficult. We find it much easier to make a quick stop at a fast-food joint than pack a healthier alternative. Effort is another factor, as some fruits and veggies require a little preparation to make them more bite-sized. Probably, one of the biggest factors, though, is flavor. Much of the off-season produce we get in the stores is tasteless, at best. This is caused by produce being picked in their green state so it ships better and with less damage. However, because it has not had the chance to either ripen on the vine or tree, it has much less of its intended flavor.

One of the best ways to get around that is to purchase produce during their peak season. Granted, you can’t do that with all fruits and vegetables, but a large majority you can. For instance, this is a great time to take advantage of the citrus crops. Oranges are hitting their peak around this time. Many Farmers Markets are also open longer throughout the year, which gives you the opportunity to purchase locally grown produce while helping to support the farmers in your area.

If you have made or are thinking of making the move to organic foods, your local organic food store is an excellent place to purchase from. Because organic foods have no preservatives added, the have a shorter shelf life, however the flavor is superior to what you purchase in your local chain store. Often, much of what they supply is from local farmers who have developed greenhouses to enable them to grow a lot of crops year round.

If you are wondering how to better incorporate more fruits and veggies into your daily meals, but have some finicky appetites, here are a couple of very useful websites to help you. The first is My Pyramid www.mypyramid.gov , which will give you recommendations for quantities, as well as some other great resources. Another fantastic site is the Fruit and Veggie More Matters www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org , which also has some fun ideas to help kids enjoy eating more of what is good for them as well as adults. Both have good recipes and links to other helpful sites, all focused on healthy eating being fun and flavorful.

Good health to you all.

Isn't Nature Grand?

My husband and I have a pair of Clematis growing on a new arbor off our back deck. My husband scored on a new arbor at Home Depot when they were having a fantastic sale. It was a $100 arbor for $20! Wow. He put it together so it could replace the one that fell apart this last winter. The Clematis clearly love this new arbor, as you can see (my husband took these photos). The one on the right, we actually thought was white, not pink. We were thrilled to see how beautiful it is, since the plant had never been vigorous. Now, you can see how robust it has become with vibrant blooms that we have never seen before. We just keep looking at both of them, amazed at their beauty and size. It has been a joy to nurture the plants and trees around our home. Our garden is growing by leaps and bounds. We will soon have tomatoes and cucumbers. Our spring weather has been interesting, so say the least (unusually unpredictable and violent), but the plants have been loving the high humidity and moisture accompanied by intermittant periods of sun. Currently, it's cloudy and cool, but tomorrow is supposed to have some sunshine. That will give them something to grow about! We have noticed that more people have put in gardens, this spring. No doubt, this is due in large part to the economy as well as the "growing" desire to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. We have grown a garden virtually every year, and look forward to the exceptional taste that comes from food freshly grown and picked right outside our door. We never seem to grow enough peppers, though. We love salsa and we cook with lots of green peppers and despite our best planning, we have yet to have enough. We always have lots of extra fruits and veggies to share with out neighbors and co-workers, though. What a blessing.