Our Urban Farm Update

It's finally October. As I type this I have a pot of apple, orange, and ginger slices, a cinnamon stick, a pinch of sassafras, and pumpkin pie spice simmering on the stove. It smells heavenly. Fall is a time of celebration for many, especially those of us in Arizona. Everything outdoors-related can be a bit of a challenge in the summer. Matt and I even discussed using summer as many do winter - as a break from the garden. It took lots of valuable water to grow what we did, and it was a struggle to keep our plants happy. With temperatures below 100, here's what's been going on in our little urban backyard! 

Quail

We finally have our happy quail flock! Though I hear chickens in our neighbor's yards, according to our city laws, we're not really supposed to have them. This is one of the main reasons we opted for quail. The males do crow, but it's much quieter, and if they have females around them they aren't as loud. In fact, I love the sound of their little crows! 

My diet is mostly vegan. There are only two exceptions. The first one - quail eggs! 

All the girls are laying now and we're getting between 3 - 6 eggs a day. Three quail eggs are roughly equal to one chicken egg, so we're eating eggs about once a week. My favorite way to eat them is scrambled. I usually use about 15 for a meal for each of us, adding in lots of veggies, of course! 

I know my ethical situation is unique, but I'll share what I've realized since we began keeping quail. If you choose to do this and you do not eat meat, prepare yourself for the fact that the majority of urban farmers who keep quail are raising them for meat. This, of course, is a far better option than purchasing factory-farmed meat, but be prepared for graphic pictures and open talk about it in quail forums, websites, and books. The second thing I realized is that most people keep quail in a metal cage with no bedding and a wire floor. I've even seen them stacked, with very little head room. We opted for a chicken coop for our babies. Though quail aren't known to sit on their eggs, they do make little nests and enjoy rooting around in the grass for bugs. We give them organic feed and supplement with fruits (frozen during the summer!) , sprouts, and little bugs that don't belong in the garden. I love that I can feed them garden pests rather than spray them. 

Garden

My summer garden consisted of Armenian cucumbers and watermelon, but next year I'll have to pick one or the other, since these guys tend to cross-pollinate. :) In early summer we had peppers and tomatoes, but these died off as the heat increased. I will add that I was pleasantly surprised at how well the grape vines tolerated the heat. One of the lattices ripped down during a particularly intense monsoon, but the vine quickly recovered.

We have some high temperatures coming up this week, but I took a chance and went ahead and planted some fall veggies. First I went to our local Starbucks and got a free bag of coffee grounds that was so large I could barely carry it to my car. I spread them out over the soil, then used a hoe to turn them into the top couple of inches. I filled up the wicking beds and planted strawberries, broccoli, cauliflower, spearmint, celery, kale, and green onion. They are under the shade cloth, so I'm hoping that they can tolerate our last few weeks of high temps. 

Lastly, some of our wildflowers are popping up again! 

That's all for now. Happy Fall!

A Bird's Sturdy Nest

I've been seriously slacking the blog department. I had every intention of keeping this updated when I graduated, but then life happened. :) In the meantime, I decided to share the first chapter of a new project. Let me know what you think! (Pictures from this past weekend.)

Chapter 1 – A Bird’s Sturdy Nest

I write this as I sit in my fancy new backyard swing. My purpose in purchasing the swing was to have a comfy place to curl up and read while enjoying nature at the same time. It’s equipped with two tables, outdoor-grade cushions, and a shade. Needless to say, there is less reading and more observation of the little ecosystem around me. It’s nearly impossible for us naturalists to ignore nature and all the lessons that its careful observation share with us. We currently live in Arizona, home to hot, dry weather, endless sunny days, distinct flora and fauna, and occasional monsoons. It was our first summer monsoon last night that prompted me to write this book. I will attempt to put into words those things that touch me so deeply. I hope that I can convey how wonderful our little planet is. I hope I can encourage you to just notice the world around you. There is so much to learn from the natural world.

Last night’s rain, thunder, and lightning brought all the birds out to play this early May morning. The flowers seem especially happy and it’s a quiet, cool Monday in my Mesa, Arizona home. I sat in my fancy backyard swing with the full intention of beginning my aromatherapy homework. As fascinating as essential oils, holistic healing, and Hippocrates are, they just can’t compete with the calming meditative state that comes with watching a bird fly back and forth between my yard and a neighbor’s tree. Each trip, she carried back only one blade of dried grass or small stick for her nest. Back and forth, back and forth, all morning; building against a backdrop of blue and last night’s storm clouds drifting away. She didn’t enlist other birds to help, she didn’t try to carry more than what was comfortable. She didn’t rush. She patiently builds her nest as I type. 

It was then that I noticed another nest, this one in my little Elm tree. The nest has been in this tree, unused to my knowledge, for at least two years. It looks as perfect as it did last year. It has sat strong in the face of the Arizona summer heat, fierce monsoons, and haboobs. I question if a twig has fallen out of place. It makes me think to our immediate reaction to a storm, other than excitement, of course. Desert rain is a fair cause for celebration.  The merlot is known to be uncorked and enjoyed with doors open on a stormy night. Prior to the merlot, I usually rush outside to take down the shade cloth, bring in anything that could be damaged, and worry about the welfare of my garden. How will it fare in this storm? Will the sunflowers be okay? What about my seedlings? Should I protect them from this rain and wind? It should be noted that 99.9% of the time, the flora in my yard are perfectly fine. Happier, in fact – I’m unable to water them with as much skill and finesse as a May monsoon. 

Yet, here sits the little nest. As the monsoon winds push my little Elm to limits bordering horizontal, there it rests. A little bird built it, twig by twig. It wasn’t rushed. It endures. It sits now as a reminder to me of patience and as a humbling reminder that I am just a human; just one species out of so many on this magical planet. Many of the species on our planet, plants included, have been here in some form much longer than we. They have adapted perfectly. They know that extravagant isn’t always best. They know that less is often more. They know that quality is more important than quantity or speed. How often have we put these lessons to the side? How often we assume that we are superior, that nature can just be ignored, that there is nothing to learn. How very wrong we are. 

Affirmation:

“I walk through life with patience.” 

Summertime Herbal Tea Recipe

It's hot. It's 115 degrees hot. 

I'm a hot tea type of person, but this week I've been craving something a little cooler. I whipped up this tea blend before work this morning and sipped on it all day. It's wonderful room temperature and would be nice iced, too! It's also packed with nourishing herbs that are great for your body and your mind.

Nettle

One of the most popular and versatile herbs, nettle is great for anemia, menstrual difficulties, and many other ailments. It's also super nutritious, containing iron, vitamin C, and other nutrients for our bodies. Its high iron content is why it's especially useful for women.

Rose Hips

Rose hips are the fruit of the rose bush. Just three rose hips contain more vitamin C than an orange! They also contain potassium, B vitamins, and niacin. 

Rose Petal

Ah, the rose petal. It really needs no introduction, does it? These edible petals add a sweet, summery, floral finish to this blend. (PS - Even the rose petals contain B vitamins!)

Hibiscus

You can credit the hibiscus for the bright red tea this blend creates! Hibiscus is also great for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. Oh! It's also packed with vitamin C. :)

Lemongrass

There's just nothing like the zesty, lemony smell of lemongrass! It's calming and uplifting all at the same time. So of course I threw a bit in my tea. It balances out the floral flavors and gives it a good zest. Lemongrass is great for the stomach and digestion. 

To make this herbal tea, just put equal parts into your container of choice and let steep in hot water for at least thirty minutes, then enjoy! I put about a tablespoon each in a quart Mason jar and let it steep 45 minutes. If you prefer a sweeter tea, add a small amount of dried stevia to the blend. 

Enjoy!

PS - If you're in a warmer climate, try making this as a sun tea. Just use cool water and let the sun's energy infuse the herbs!

 

My Story: Why I Stopped Wearing Makeup

I’m going to preface this post by stating that I’m not in any way against the wearing of makeup. This post is about my journey, and it in no way affects my view of yours. 

It’s been about six months since I stopped wearing makeup every day. Why? What sane female of 2015 America would ever say “to hell with makeup!”? (Of course, I’m speaking about those of us that grew up wearing it since our mom’s gave us the okay! YESSS. FINALLY!) In our America, we’re inundated by magazines, billboards, advertisements, movies – any outlet you can imagine – showing beautiful, thin, pore-less women with flawless, radiant skin, perfect teeth, perfect hair, and sparkling eyes. From a young girl, we’re taught by society that that’s who we should be. 

Perfect makeup? Check.

Nails? Check.

Greys? OH NO. 

Anything short of this can be met with comments like “When I look at her nails I seriously wonder if she loves herself.”

That’s a real thing. Someone said that once. 

We’re being taught that we should strive to be this perfect woman who, quite frankly, doesn’t exist. We’re taught that we aren’t good enough, that all signs of aging should be hidden, and that we should play up our features to feel good about ourselves. It works. Who doesn’t feel great after a day of pampering at the salon and leaving with that salon-perfect hair that you can never replicate at home. We love putting on new outfits and leaving the house with perfectly applied makeup. Duh. It feels awesome!

Here’s my fundamental question:

If you were to take it all away. How would you feel about yourself? 

When I discovered my answer, I ditched the makeup. 

It was about six months ago that I decided I wanted to try to go without makeup for a week. Makeup that’s truly natural and doesn’t have harmful ingredients is expensive. (I could write an entire post about how I felt when I first realized my face powder was made with an ingredient that was a known carcinogen) One week. Just to see what would happen. How would I feel? Would anyone notice? Would my skin clear up? Those questions were quickly answered. I felt not okay at all. I felt ugly in my own skin. I felt vulnerable and exposed. I felt like I wasn’t enough. That led to more questions, like “who am I to question what I look like?” I was given this body, this skin, yet I had the audacity to question it? To feel bad about it? I’m a naturalist, a gardener, a tree-hugging dirt-worshipper! (Old bumper sticker) I spend my days marveling at all the beauty on Earth. I advocate a connection with it. When I see an imperfect sunflower, tomato, or animal, I accept them as beautiful quirks in a perfect world! It’s not even a question! Where do I fit into this? How can I look to nature and everyone else in my life and accept them as they are without a second thought, yet be so unable to accept myself? Just because I wasn’t wearing makeup? 

I just wasn’t okay with that. 

Makeup was great, but I realized we needed to take a break. I made a deal with myself. It wasn’t going back on my face until I learned to love myself without it. 

I’m used to not wearing it now, and I even have “pretty” days. (C’mon, girls, you know what days I’m talking about.) I still can’t decide if I want to cover my greys and I do feel a bit insecure if I have to walk through a mall to get to my favorite store, but overall, I’m good with a dash of mascara and lip balm. I might even sneak in some powder and gold-dipped eye shadow if I’m feeling fancy. 

Obligatory makeup-less selfie:

Saturday Morning Poem

Do you see what I see

standing under the sky?

It’s underneath the bumblebee

that just passed you by.

It’s right above the London Rocket,

and nearly too small to see,

but there it is – I see it,

just above the Oak tree!

There’s a little verdin flying –

holding onto it fast

It’s on it that it’s riding –

as it swiftly graces past.

Perhaps it’s with the roses,

in the water on their leaves.

You can see it when it’s snowing,

or in the nests that sparrows weave.

It’s often found in earth –

as young roots search for life.

It’s there they’re given worth –

even when other’s give them strife.

Do you feel what I feel

standing under the sky?

Love is real –

It’s all around you –

Don’t let it pass you by.