Will You Be My Valentine?

Need a last minute gift idea? Consider buying a rose bush online other instead of a bouquet of roses that will die in four days. It will be shipped as soon as appropriate for your zone and will bloom for years to come. Try heirloomroses.com for a great selection of rose bushes.

Orchids are another great choice and about the price of a dozen roses. There are some new easy to care for varieties that are absolutely beautiful. They are available at most local garden centers.

A reusable travel mug and gift card to their favorite coffee joint or just a simple candlelit dinner at home are great choices too.  

And while you're at it, skip Hallmark, go green and make a handmade card with a poem or a picture. Your loved one will appreciate the thoughtfulness and you will save $5.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Local Food and The Farm Bill

This bill could be a step in the right direction for local farmers, but will it pass through the House Agriculture Committee? Considering they passed pizza as a vegetable in school lunches, I'm not confident.
Local Food and The Farm Bill: Small Investments, Big Returns

http://www.ewg.org/agmag/2012/01/local-food-and-the-farm-bill-small-investments-big-returns/

It's CSA Time!

January is a great time to join a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Many farms throughout the country have CSAs to guarantee revenue for the upcoming growing season.  In a CSA, you pay a set price for a share of that seasons fruits and/or vegetables and pick up produce directly from the farmer on a weekly basis. There is a small amount of risk depending on extreme weather conditions, but the risk is usually minimal. I love broadening my vegetable horizons and learning to cook foods that I normally wouldn't buy. Click on the link below to find a CSA in your area and enjoy the fruits of your local farmer's labor.

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/