February 2009 Archives

Lasagna Gardens

Here is a concept that may actually work for me. I am weeding-duty avoidant and prone to ingnoring my garden after the thrill of the first appearance of new plants or "first fruits" wears off. The concept of building a garden above ground on a base of cardboard is appealing. No tilling, no weeding-I think I can do this. The Well Fed Neighbor Alliance (a local group) has mentioned this concept and I will be doing further research. I think this would be a great way to introduce vegetable gardening to your children with less likelihood of stress and failure.

Yesterday's Exchange Everday (e-zine for Childcare Providers) had other options for back yard gardens. I will have a couple of hard copies available in the office if anyone wants one. The link is ChildCareExchange.com and is called Your Own Backyard Farm. It also refers to an article from Mother Jones magazine March 2009.

I like the concept of "20 feet from farm to fork" that they mention. This concept is healthy for so many reasons:

   *You control what is put on the plants chemically -if anything

   *No cleansers in processing plants will be touching your food

   *Little likelihood of ecoli or salmonella infection from food handling and storage

   *Helps fight allergies

   *Gets children outside and moving to grow the garden

   *Connecting to how food is grown provides healthy eating information to children 

   *economic

Please contribute your tips and ideas by commenting on this article.

Full Day classes are open. Please call us before 9:30 if you are not going to be here.

Academic classes (Burgundy, Raspberry and Blue Rooms) do not have class on Monday.

Well, whew! Valentine's Day is over. I am sure we sent your children home Thursday and Friday with more sugar in their bloodstreams than usual. We try not to do that too often. Now it is time for me to focus on my favorite holiday--St. Patrick's Day. (I just might be Irish)

My son kicked off our month long celebration by giving us a steady diet of his new Irish punk CDs this weekend...my daughter and I will counter with some more melodic traditional Celtic later.

In honor of (or due to my own anxiousness for) St. Patrick's Day I will be posting GREEN ideas for several weeks. In fact I am also a big fan of Earth Day so we may keep this up until after April 22nd. I think it is important to raise this next generation with a love for and sense of responsibility to God's world.

Idea number one:

If you have a face book page check out the Well-Fed Neighbor Alliance. It is a local group to promote sustainable local food sources.

They are also promoting a meeting about the availability and benefits of an electric car for in city driving. The meeting is next Thursday morning (the 19th) at 10:00 at the Ramada Oasis.

Our ministry staff study this week was about letting go-getting to the point of feeling at peace with the will of God. What an uplifting and hope-giving thought! God is in control and we can relinquish our worries and fears to Him. He is trustworthy and faithful and the God of love. As we head into Valentine's Day some of us are without "Valentines" in the form of someone to celebrate with but none of us need ever feel alone or unloved. God can fill all voids if we let Him. Allow yourself to go to that place of peacefully resting in His will.

If this is an unknown, foreign concept in your life turn to a trusted Christian leader or a deeply mature Christian friend to help you explore what this means. Schweitzer invites you to seek spiritual guidance here if you are not involved in a congregation elsewhere.

Off the subject, I will be on staff retreat until Wednesday morning. Reach Ashley at 881-1447, ext. 116.