Green Ninja

Summer Salads go Wild!

Summer is the perfect time for fresh salads from the garden. Even if you didn't grow your own vegetables this year you can still impress your friends at your next dinner party by adding some interesting wild additions. It will definitely make for some interesting conversation too! You can also add a splash of color with edible flowers such as calendula or borage flowers. Always be careful to make sure that you have positively identified any wild plants. Avoid plants from areas that have been or could have been chemically treated such as roadsides and sprayed lawns.

For the salad I made pictured above, I added Purslane, Yellow Wood Sorrell and some Calendula flower petals. Purslane can be found often along the edges of flower beds or gardens. It has small smooth rounded leaves and grows close to the ground. It is very succulent and has a mild cucumber like flavor. The plant does have black seeds that you will notice towards the end of summer. Scientists have found Purslane leaves to be high in Omega-3 fatty acid and the stems are high in vitamin C. I think that is pretty good for a common weed. Yellow Wood Sorrell has heart shaped leaves that are divided into three parts (like a shamrock) and yellow flowers. It has a tart lemony flavor.
Wood Sorrell is said to be high in oxalic acid. Some people have reported getting leg cramps due to oxalic acid blocking calcium absorption. I have not heard of any scientific studies to back this up but I would not over do it. I have eaten this before with no adverse effects but some people may have a sensitivity.

I wanted to grow borage flowers this year but I found out about them a little too late to grow my own. They are purple and also have a mild cucumber like flavor like Purslane does. Some friends of mine add chickweed to their salads. I have not found any in my yard yet though. I am overrun with the Yellow Wood Sorrell! If you did grow radishes and let them go to seed and flower; you can add the small white flowers to a salad too. They have a mild spicy flavor similar to a radish.

I would love to hear if anyone reading this has any other wild salad suggestions!

My Insect Collection and Why Insects Are So Important in Your Garden

FINALLY DONE! I felt so guilty collecting these insects. I have been taking an entomology class this summer and this collection was a requirement. I have definitely learned alot by taking this class. I never paid attention to the complex ecosystem of my yard and garden before. I was so amazed.

It is very important to have insect diversity in your garden. You can encourage beneficial insects by planting flowers and herbs that will attract them. The experts at Neo-Terra plant herbs and flowers in vegetable beds to encourage beneficial insects and deter pests. This article - Bugs that are good for your garden! explains that an organic gardener “should not and cannot eliminate every insect in his garden”. By killing one pest you could be impacting the delicate ecosystem by killing other insects. The author of this article gives a good example of how you may harm unintended insects. “Dragonflies are good for your garden too. Dragonflies eat mosquitoes. If there has been spraying in your area for mosquitoes, chances are the spray has killed the dragonflies too.” So even though there are organic pesticides, they should be used with caution and discretion. Building your garden ecosystem can be a more long-term solution for a healthy productive garden!

Need some ideas of what to plant to help build your garden ecosystem? – check out - Milkweed in the Garden at Backyard Chili Bloggin here

Miniature Donkeys at Dugan Farms

These little miniature donkeys are so adorable and friendly! This is Minnie in the picture above on the left. She loves to be the center of attention. I would like to thank Jeff for allowing me and my family to tour his farm and for helping with my insect collection. Here is a neat fact; donkeys are actually purchased by farmers to protect sheep! Donkeys will bond with sheep and protect them from predators such as coyotes. Donkeys scare off predators with their loud braying. If that doesn’t work they will actually attack. Donkeys can rise up on their hind legs and strike with both front feet. Donkeys are good protection against coyotes because they have a natural dislike of canines. I wonder if they would dislike your family dog too.

Is It Right for a State to Own Rainwater?

Pictured above are rainwater collection barrels at Neo-Terra.

This sounds almost crazy. I was told by a friend of mine that some states actually claim ownership of rainwater and will prohibit its collection. I did a little research on my own and discovered that it is indeed true.

According to Marten Law Group , water resources are primarily governed by state not the federal government. There is quite an extreme difference from state to state also.

In Washington there has been much controversy over rain water collection. Lawmakers are considering a permit for rainwater capture systems above a threshold amount. Seattle PI reports that a local experimental non-profit farm may actually be in violation of water laws due to the size of their collection system. Colorado prohibits rainwater harvesting. Marten Law Group also reports “Some other states such as Arizona, Hawaii, Kentucky, Ohio, Texas, and West Virginia are all either regulating or considering regulating rainwater harvesting.” On the other hand, the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico actually requires rainwater harvesting. Collection systems must be installed for any new 2,500 square foot or larger residential or commercial building built within the city. What do you think about states claiming ownership of rainwater?

Thanks George for telling me about this!

Mouse in the House!

Isn’t he cute? Mice can only be cute when they NOT in your house. I have never seen a mouse in my house before. I think he got in when my son had a big sleepover. I think every door to my house was hanging open at one point. There were kids running in and out all day. In case you are wondering, he was safely released!

American Debt Opinion, Not What You Want to Hear

In David Brooks NY Times article - Culture of Debt, he gives his opinion about how Americans have arrived to be more in debt than ever. He states that -

"America once had a culture of thrift. But over the past decades, that unspoken code has been silently eroded."

Even with debt at an all time high and personal savings at an all time low, Americans find ways to justify how they have arrived to be in this position. It helps to have someone to blame such as big banks and credit card companies who entice or trick you into borrowing money. Easy access is one thing but you still have a mind and can say no. If your kids were under peer pressure to do drugs or commit crimes I don't think this mentality would apply. But how is caving into debt peer pressure by wanting to have nice new things or keep up with friends and associates much different? We pass on our culture to our children and through our relationships. Culture shapes and defines who we are as a society. In the last few decades, I think our culture has evolved into one that is much less worried about saving, working hard or being thrifty. Instead of earning it, you deserve it. So many things are defined as needs now instead of wants or would be nice to have. We need cell phones, cable tv, computers, fancy clothes, ipods and the list goes on. Shopping has been embraced and accepted as a way to make you feel better and dubbed "retail therapy". I wonder if having so much available to you can actually make you feel less satisfied?