Terrifying the Things Some Call "Food"

Oooooh boy...  These are the kinds of things no corporation wants you to know...  All the more reason to eat as out of the box as possible and as close to the source as possible...
 http://mobile.dudamobile.com/site/preventdisease?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpreventdisease.com%2Fnews%2F13%2F110413_14-Things-People-Do-Not-Want-To-Know-About-Favorite-Foods.shtml%3Futm_source%3D110413&utm_campaign=110413&utm_medium=email#2965

Making Money

A great article about how to make money when you're living a self-sustaining lifestyle–even in an urban setting.  Frugally Sustainable is such a great website:
http://frugallysustainable.com/2011/10/how-to-make-money-when-living-self/

Factory Farm Landscapes

Think Factory Farms are good for their surrounding environments?  Think again...
http://io9.com/satellite-images-show-how-factory-farms-alter-our-lands-1191099070

Mycological Society of Toronto

I found a Mycological Society of Toronto?!  This exists?!  This is why I love this city...
http://www.myctor.org/
Now I know if I ever want to invest in mushroom knowledge (who wouldn't?  How fantastic) I know where to go.

All of the Pesto!

Derick was cleaning out his garden before the first frost hit for him and he had CRAPLOADS of basil.  I bought a bunch off him for $2 and had a pesto-making fiesta. First I washed it all and took it off it's stems.  

 I threw it in a blender with some fresh grated parmesan cheese, fresh ground pepper, sunflower seeds (could use pine nuts or walnuts or pecans), and lots of good olive oil.

Blend away and cover immediately with a layer of olive oil so that the pesto doesn't oxidize. It still tastes delicious when it does but it's not the prettiest...  (think guacamole gone brown)

I've frozen three and one is in the fridge for immediate cooking deliciousness :)

Clearing Out My Allotment

I took some time and cleared out my allotment a few weeks ago.  Pulling potatoes is the most theraputic!  I also think it would be the greatest for kids to help with–digging holes and planting seed potatoes in the spring and summer, constantly piling up soil around the potatoes during the year, and digging them up when they're ready!  What fun! I also cut some of the proliferating calendula blooms for tea as well as a few pattypan squash

 As I was clearing out my plot I pulled some dandelion root to dry for tea, as well as some more plantain spears to dry for grain.

Lastly I found some mint roots hiding out underground, which I pulled and will plant under my tree to add to my mint/lemon balm/peppermint forest :)

Wild Foragers Society

I found these guys on Facebook and am hoping to join them in a forage soon!
https://www.facebook.com/WildForagersSociety

Nothing quite like learning about new wild edibles....

Self-Care Hiatus Update and Plum Crumble

In continuing my work, I have decided that the only way I can keep this up sustainably is in occasional posts. I have burnt out for the second time in a year and it doesn't make sense to destroy myself over this.  To share stories of mindfulness and sustainability, I need to ensure I am living a mindful and sustainable life first. Otherwise, what am I sharing?
To illustrate my thought, here's a deliciously simple crumble I worked on a few weeks ago with gorgeous Ontario plums:
1/8th the plums and mix them with some sugar and lemon juice in a pie dish
Crumble softened butter with organic oats, sugar, cinnamon, and ginger in a bowl
Top the plums with the crumble and bake on 350C until you see fruit gurgling out the sides (I think around 40mins)

 This is what happens when you rush to try to plate and photograph a beautiful dessert.

Mindfulness. I'm slowing down. Thanks universe.