Each morning I walk over a half a mile from the train to my office. Unless I'm carrying something particularly heavy (which has been known to happen...no comments peanut gallery!) I really enjoy it (at least until the skin-burningly cold temps set in). It is never the same two days in a row and it's fun to be present to the color and commotion of the city.

Today, they were passing out freebies by the Thompson Center. Often I take a pass on such things but when I saw that it was Greek yogurt I accepted a container happily. When I was in Greece I fell in love with the thicker, creamier yogurt they make there...particularly when they served it to me with that deep, amber thyme-honey. Besides, this yogurt was telling me that it was organic, and that its maker donated 10% of its profits "to efforts that help protect and restore the earth". Hmmmm - vague promises there. Obviously those efforts don't extend to refusing to offer those tiny, single serving containers which up plastic use exponentially, though they do appear to be trying to mitigate that in some ways.

Much to my disappointment, this Oikos yogurt tasted nothing like what I expected (or hoped for). It had such a synthetic aftertaste that I felt sure it must be stuffed with aspartame or some other toxic chemical. I checked on Stonyfield's site though, and it appears to have natural ingredients. Perhaps it is the "vanilla flavor" that is setting my taste buds on edge. I am tempted to try the honey flavor but recognize that really, I should make my own damned yogurt. I know that I don't even need a yogurt machine and that it would be dee-lish. Though Stonyfield is in NH, which is much closer to me than CA (where most of our yogurt seems to come from) it would be better for me to make it at home (with local milk) and if I want it Greek style, I just need to strain it.

Perhaps I'll do that in all of my free time.

Wait.

What happened to my free time?

CRAP!

As many of you know, we have four hens, Virgina (Ginny), Tahllulah (Loola), Minnie and Babe. They are Araucanas or "Easter Egg" hens and they do, in fact, lay slightly pastel colored eggs (thus far, ours tend towards teal).

It has been fun learning about chickens. I grew up in the south but not on a farm so this is my first experience of them. Now that they are laying they are very sweet and let you pet them (which may be some kind of "we want a rooster...are you a rooster?...wanna do me?" thing, but that's okay, they mean well). ;>)

Thus far, chicken duty has not been that hard given that we share the chores. Mucking the coop is rather aromatic - but not too bad. I like tending them. It makes me feel closer to the land and life.

Pardon my photography. Chickens don't pose (or ours don't any way).

I've really treasured having a big garden and chickens here in the city. I recognize that it is a rare gift that has helped me to live in my values and it is one that I will miss if we move. I love composting, I love picking food right from the yard, I love feeling like these are little bits of activism and change. The garden got in early this year and has looked very promising, but the lack of sun and heat has it not yielding much more than greens. We have so many things that are small and that want to grow into harvest - but fall seems to be coming in already and I just don't know if there will be time for it all. I am looking forward to fall but am mourning the potential green babies that don't make it.

It seems I'm in the mood to post a lot of pictures! If you'd like an updated visit to our garden click on the link below (click on pics to enlarge). Chicken pictures to be posted some time soon.

Shots of the garden ( are behind this cut: )

One thing I've loved about FB and LJ is that folks are posting lots of pictures of their gardens. Perhaps it is not exciting for everyone to take in shot after shot of brazen tomato plants, coy carrots and slinky bean vines...but I love it.

GARDEN PORN! YAY!

Visit my little green peep show ( just behind this curtain )

Cool offerings for the Chicagoans! I highly recommend Nancy's walks and workshops.

............

WEEDS as Foods.
WEEDS as Medicine.



A Series of in-depth URBANFORAGE classes

In this series we will meet and learn from 25+ common weeds as well as many local trees and wild perennials. We will cover techniques that include: elixirs, infusions, decoctions, energetics, pickling, pestos, pates, dips, spreads, salves, tinctures, infused oils, flower essences, drying, vinegars and wine.


May 30, 9am – 1pm class 3 – HERBS AS FOODS
Pickles, pates, dips, spreads and sprinkles


June 13, 9am – 1pm class 4 – HERBAL SKIN CARE
Infused oils, salves, creams, linaments, compresses


June 20, 9am – 1pm class 5 – TINCTURES & ESSENCES
Medicinal tinctures, glycerites and flower essences

PRICING:
$65/single class
$60/class if 3 or more taken
$275 for entire series ($55/class)

class price includes: light meal, tastings and handouts

- Registration is required 1 week before each class without exception.
- Classes are intentionally kept small to facilitate learning. Maximum/class=10 participants.
- All classes held at 2446 South Sawyer Avenue – Little Village, Chicago.

more info/registration: nettlesting@yahoo.com

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Public URBANFORAGE walks
Sundays 3-5pm (rain or shine!)
$10-$20 donation/person (young kids are free!)


June 07 - meet at Gold Dome building entrance at Garfield Park

July 12 – meet at train tracks Kinzie and Racine streets

August 02 - meet at Japanese tea house in Jackson Park

Well I've been meaning to post about the garden for a while now but early spring has been delightfully busy. There's not all that much to tell (unless you're a gardener and like the dirty details but I won't assume that is the case for all of you). Suffice to say that we've learned quite a bit from last year. We've started things much earlier, paid more attention to companion planting and have much better soil amendments (we have compost and worm bins but we also bought supplemental amendments). There are now structures around the keyhole beds to keep out the squirrel gangs and we've had fun greeting all the perennials that came back (hello sweet raspberry patch!).

We also have chickens. I named mine Tallulah, which is an Irish girl's name meaning "abundance"...it seemed fitting and I thought it went well with "Virgina" (which is what Pam named her chicken, though she's being called Ginny). You can see pics of the chicks and their cute coop here. I want to paint the coop red, but appear to be the only person who finds this desirable (some folks just don't know what's good for them). ;>)

I've included some pics that I took of the garden about a month ago. This was before things were getting nice and green but it is interesting to see them in comparison to the back yard last year.

To keep things neat I have put the pics ( behind the cut. )

I'll try to better shots when things get more established later in the season...it's so much prettier then. In the mean time I am dreaming of basil and other herbs, tomatoes, berries, root veggies, Brussels sprouts, greens, peppers, melons and so much more.

May our summers be blessed and full of joy.

In honor of Earth Day, I thought about putting together some meaningful post about ways to be greener in our busy, industrialized lives. Then I thought about the folks who read this journal and realized that I probably don't have any tips or clues that you folks don't already know.

Have I mentioned that I love my friends?

Enjoy Earth Day...

I was reading an article today which cites a 2007 survey (issued to approximately 9,000 adults by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention) that found that 367,000 children are vegetarians, that translates to about 1 in every 200 kids.

While I was disappointed (though not surprised) to hear that some kids were berated for being vegetarian, I was pleased to hear that the choice of many kids to live a meat-free lifestyle coincides with current discourse about industrial farming, especially of animals, since it is not sustainable. It's exciting to me to think of a new generation of aware, accountable people who care about sustainability. I mean you never know...some folks eat vegetarian because they think it makes you thinner. That cracks me up, obviously those folks don't know about ice cream, onion rings or boursin.

Given these numbers (and the importance of whole foods for growing bodies), I'm hoping you'll consider supporting this Vegan School Lunch Proposal which seeks to require the USDA to facilitate healthful plant-based (vegan) school lunch options to promote public health, freedom from hunger, environmental quality, nonviolence, and kindness to animals.

Please note that this proposal is about providing plant-based OPTIONS in school cafeterias (not about forcing all kids to eat vegan...which I would not support).

It is just me...or does the Aeolus Airship seem like a ridiculously romantic way to travel?



For some reason, it makes aesthetic sense to me if everyone riding the airship was decked out in Steampunk fashions and sporting a devil-may-care-attitude (hey - my brain, my rules).

*sigh* Can you tell that I am overdue a romantic adventure?

Hello all -

I received the note below from folks who heard that I live in a green house and thought I'd pass it along. I don't know these folks personally but I love their goals and offered to spread the word. If you are interested, please contact pinkfork@riseup.net.

-----------
Hi friends,

Please consider joining a new intentional group house this spring based on
permaculture, natural building, urban ecology, art, and social justice,
among other things.

We are a small group of renters who this spring will be moving into a
building where we hope to experiment with things like greywater, compost
toilets, alternative fuels/stoves/ovens, root cellaring, rainwater
catchment, chickens and bees, etc. We will share meals and chores and
support each other in our various efforts. We are in our late 20s and
early 30s, and are currently 3 committed people and are hoping for at
least 2 more to join us. We are aiming to live in either Uptown, Logan
Square, Humboldt Park, or East Garfield Park. We are currently on a search
for landlords who are open to green improvements to their building and/or
have already invested somewhat in them.

Thanks-

As I mentioned last week, I'm trying out veganism for a month. I'm on day 11 thus far and still don't have a firm vision as to how this will fit into my life for the long term.

It is certainly a lot more work and has been more expensive for me. The fact that I am rehearsing a show makes it much more complicated and some days I don't feel like I get a "meal" because I don't eat anything hot. Often I get by grazing on random items; combinations of fruits, veggies, hummus and various carbs with lots of salads along the way (and with Lara Bars as my back up fix). I don't know if that is going to be sustainable for me. While I'm adjusting a bit now, initially I wasn't enjoying eating and I've had a few days of not feeling well. Clearly this is a lifestyle that requires time and effort in the kitchen and balancing that with my schedule is going to be interesting. I do think that with time to cook, this would be a very different experience and one that would be much more pleasant and satisfying.

While I grumble, I will say that for the most part I have not had huge cravings for animal products. I have, however, been seriously missing my decaf with half and half - which is one of my favorite simple pleasures. Thus far I have tried coffee with rice milk (plain and vanilla), soy milk (plain and vanilla), almond milk (vanilla) and hemp milk (vanilla). To be honest, for me, none of them hold a candle to dairy.

Soy and hemp milks seem to be the creamiest - but I have big questions about the impact of soy (on my health, the environment and agriculture at large). The hemp milk is quite expensive and while I can see it is distributed from NY (approximately 800 miles away from me and clearly not local), I do not know where the hemp itself was grown nor do I have knowledge of its impact. I have read that in countries where it is illegal to freely grow hemp (as in the U.S.) industrialized hemp is imported from China and the Philippines (YIKES! That is just not going to cut it and had I read that earlier, I never would have purchased it). I plan to try oat milk next, which is as expensive as the hemp milk, but I can apparently make it myself.

And yes. I know I could just give up coffee...*looks pained*.

I'm trying to do research but often I run into a wall due to the lack of information available about food sources. I notice that this feels like a really challenging sacrifice for me and parts of me feel very proud of sticking with it even when I'm not loving it. Other parts wonder about quality of life and whether or not this is actually supporting my values - or if it is equal to, or less effective than sourcing local, ethical dairy.

While in general, I really like reducing my intake of animal products I'll need some time, homework and calculations to determine if this lifestyle choice furthers my goals around sustainability and accountability. If it does, I have a lot of work to do. I'll need to determine my stance on eating honey, wearing leather and silk...etc. I'll need to see if my body is happy with this and if I'm getting enough B-12 and other nutrients. I also would need to learn to shop for and cook meals that I enjoy and to get used to the fact that many people are really uncomfortable with my making this choice and want to tell me all about it (sheesh).

While it's not all that bad, I would likely swoon with delight over a plate of Mujaddara and I can't help but realize how spoiled I am when so many people in the world have such limited access to food (hot, vegan or otherwise).

Perspective, perspective...

This past October I had the good fortune to attend an Urban Foraging walk here in the city. It was a gorgeous, clear day and much of the city's green life was decked out in its final finery; a last hurrah of color, shape and texture to kiss summer farewell and open arms to autumn.

The walk was led by Nancy Klehm, a local artist and all around fascinating person whose workshops I have recommended before and likely will again. I was very impressed with the quality of the walk, with her knowledge and her ease of presentation. She's someone I could follow around for 5 years, soaking up skills, lore and laughter.

Nancy just launched a new website, Spontaneous Vegetation if you'd like to see more about her work and ongoing projects. She offers some amazing Living Kitchen workshops that not only honor our connections to food, our bodies, the planet and each other - but also recognize the art of food and drink. Nancy considers the impact of food choices without guilt or shame and celebrates the sensual delights of gustatory adventuring. For a green-foodie like me, her work is divine and I plan to take more of her classes to nurture my food activism/sustainable living efforts. I'm also going to try to catch more of her foraging walks and hope to see the city's wild buffet as it thrives in spring and summer.

If you visit Nancy's site (and I hope you will, even if you're not local) you can catch a video podcast from Sky Full of Bacon which features Nancy and veggie-chef, Art Jackson, foraging on the south side. Nancy's bit starts about 5 minutes in and (I think) gives a nice sense of what it's like to be out hiking and snacking with her.

Enjoy!

2008 was a hard year for me. It was also a year that yielded many, many gifts, some of which required some bravery to accept. Having accepted, I find that further courage is needed to actually live those gifts. And so with 2009 upon us, I am feeling open (a wee bit scared), ready to engage and ready to try new things.

One thing I'm engaging at a deeper level is my food activism. I've talked quite a bit about that work here, so I won't repeat my reasons for switching to vegetarianism (and locavorism when possible) 16 months ago but I will say that it's been a rewarding choice for me. I know it's not a choice that is going to suit everyone and I respect that. Our food choices are very personal and are sacred. They have impact, both inside and outside our bodies, and are equally impacted by countless factors.

I have been thinking about my food choices lately and because I have been spouting off about it for so very long, I have decided to try veganism. I have long wondered if eating vegan would further my food activism goals - and to be honest, I really have no idea. I have a dear friend coming to visit in a week who has recently become vegan. So in solidarity with her and as a grand experiment, I am giving up animal products for at least two weeks.

I have a lot of questions (concerns?) about this. Is this choice sustainable for me given my time and resources? Will I actually end up eating more processed foods or foods with higher carbon-footprints? Will I get enough calcium and iron? Can I be vegan without massively upping my soy intake (which for my body is not a good idea)? Will folks find me to be even more of a pain in the ass to eat with then they do now? And most pressing, can I actually live without half and half? ;>)

In talking about it with my roommate I really think that I am more of an Ethitarian. I want to eat as ethically as is possible and I don't think there is a quick fix for that desire. I also don't believe that vegetarianism, veganism or any other eating lifestyle has all the answers. Who knows what will feel most sustainable to me? Each piece of food is different and has it's own impact and history. I don't think I'll be able to step away from the accountability of learning that history and trying to make balanced choices - even as a vegan.

However, it's fun to think about. It makes grocery shopping that much more time consuming as I stand and pour over labels in even more detail but it's exciting to engage a core value at a new level.

I'll let you know how it goes (all yummy vegan recipes welcome here!)

May 2009 kiss your life with passionate joy...

I haven't been posting much these days. I have much that I'd like to share, but very little time to do so. It might seem trivial therefore that I would choose to create a post about lip balm - but I am.

Watch me...( here I go... )

And so in summary, if you bathe and are a greenie...you might want to give LUSH a glance some time (or not, your mileage may vary). Regardless, let this be a reminder for you today: Smile, take a breath, reach out and KISS SOMEBODY! (you never know who might be right next to you and tasting of the divine...)

I cannot help but feel joy today given yesterday's victory. It's been interesting to see all of your posts these past couple of days and I am reminded how much I am fed by sharing time and ideas with people who care about the world and take responsibility for their place in it. While I was not in Grant Park with the crowds last night, Obama's speech there was no less impactful for me. It drew my thankful tears and more importantly, it sparked a renewed drive.

In this year I have been very inwardly focused and with good reason. I have made a lot of personal changes and to do that, I needed to pull back some of the energy that I was giving to community. Of course I write that knowing that it is an excuse as well. While I did need internal focus in these past months, I also stepped back from communal action because I felt burned out, disappointed and bitter that I always seemed to be fighting against the tide even among "like-minded" groups. Voices told me time and time again that I expect too much, from others and from myself, and I wondered if perhaps those voices were right. I've been licking my wounds...and, well...pouting a bit too.

Today the sun shines, illuminating a spectrum of possibility and I find myself eager to step out of the personal sphere I have held so close. I find myself wanting to make plans, to gather hearts, to build a new kind of community. I find myself wanting to give those negative voices the finger! Yes, my expectations will likely be disappointed again (and again, and again). Yes, every green workshop/gathering/action I've co-created and offered in this town has been ill attended or canceled due to lack of interest. But I'm still alive and breathing the truth, beauty and passion of this work and no one can stop me but me.

While R&J will keep me busy into December, I am excited about projects that I'd like to share with others come January and about the food activism and sustainable hearth work that we'll be doing at Wintercamp in February. I'll be meeting with our landlords next month to lay down the plans for next year's food garden (with which we hope to get more neighborhood involvement). I'm pushing for chickens in the back yard this year (wish me luck) and tarirocks and I are hoping to do some community/guerrilla gardening on our block.

There are so many things that we can share and so much we can achieve together; so many ways we can reconnect to the earth, to each other, to ourselves and the divine. We don't have to continue to live as we do today (in fact we cannot) and what might seem to some to be "sacrifice" could in fact be joyous work which draws us together and reminds us of a quality and richness that we have thrown away in favor of disposable convenience encased in plastic.

I believe that if we want change, we cannot sit back and wait for one man or one team of people to make it and hand it to us. It is time to step up, to do more, to take the hand of the stranger next to me as we walk proudly into the fray. I am rolling up my sleeves. I am ready.

Who's with me?

A friend (and avid Star Wars fan) sent me this. It's silly, but I thought you might enjoy it...



I really wanted Darth Vader to be a slab of corn-fed, antibiotic stuffed, CAFO-raised beef...but I guess that wasn't as funny as "Darth Tater"...

There is an amazing person in Chicago who offers fascinating workshops that I thought might be interesting to some of you. Her name is Nancy Klehm, and I attended one of her urban foraging walks a few months ago. I cannot recommend her work highly enough. She's highly knowledgeable and skilled, she communicates well in a way that helps information stick in your mind; she's funny, kind and very open minded.

While my show schedule will most likely prohibit my attending any of these events, I'm passing them along. If you attend one - I'd love to have coffee at some point to hear about what you leaned (I wanna learn how to make my own feta!!!)

Enjoy!



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living kitchen/URBANFORAGE workshops

Sunday, November 2, 2-4pm: URBANFORAGE - medicinal and edible forage walk
Wednesday, November 12 6-10pm: RAW MILK CHEESE 2 - learn how to make mozzarella and feta
Wednesday, November 19 6-9pm: WILD SOURDOUGH & CRACKERS - learn how to make starters for bread and crackers

-------------------------------------------------

12th NOV, wednesday 6-10pm - $100 ($40 mailed deposit due nov 8th)
RAW MILK CHEESE 2 – mozzarella & feta
renneted cheeses are a whole different ball of milk! we are using local raw milk and to be sire, you will be taking home some of both cheeses.


19th NOV, wednesday 6-9pm - $60 ($20 mailed deposit due by nov 15th)
WILD SOURDOUGH & CRACKERS
wild starters, bread and cracker making basics
learn different methods of attracting wild yeast and walk home with a loaf of bread and a bag of crackers.


** price includes all materials, tastings, light meal and take homes **


all classes are for 6-10 participants, and are held at 2446 south sawyer, chicago. 60623 (If more than 10 register, we will move to another location.)

more info: nettlesting@yahoo.com 773.762.0277

The final harvest is nearly upon us. It has come quickly for me this year and I have much work yet to do in the garden. Last weekend I made vat-loads of pesto using every basil we planted this year. I have unearthed the thermals, have been digging about frantically for a hat with ear flaps (wondering again why I chose to live in this clime) and folks around me everywhere are gearing up for Halloween.

I grew up loving Halloween, likely due to my artistic mother who sewed elaborate outfits for me without fail. Aside from the "Native American jute dress/roller skating party incident", every year and every costume was a delight (my mom was really into macrame at the time. It was the 1970's, cut her some slack).

Later in life, when we had our own theatre company - we would host fantastic parties for Halloween. I would pounce on anyone who did not dress up before arriving...dragging them back into my costume stores with an evil grin. I'd spend days cooking harvesty foods in preparation and would serve all the dips, etc. in scraped out squash shells and gourds (oh my over-Venus-influenced self loved that shit!). I learned a great many valuable lessons through those years of celebrations such as:

1) dry ice and in a cauldron of sangria is a bad idea unless you're planning to reproduce scenes from The Shining where blood begins to rush in and fill the halls,

2) never let anyone tell you they're going to make a pumpkin bong in your home...it's impractical, unnecessary and just not healthy, and

3) even though it's natural, a person coated in food coloring will take several days to retain their original skin tone. No amount of rabid scrubbing will change this and skin does rub off.

Ah youth.

So now that I'm older (and dull) I'm looking ahead to a quiet Samhain. Being in rehearsals, it will be one of my few free nights and I am anticipating some simple magic in the garden; something to honor my ancestors, to look at all that was culled this past year (um...wow) and to step into the New Year fully human, fully alive and grateful.

I did consider handing out candy. Despite the consumerism, over-packaging of unethical chocolates and the "HFCS-o-rama" of it all, I do love seeing kids in their get-ups. Our neighborhood looks like it might get some decent foot traffic and there seem to be a lot of families about but I'm opting for sacred garden-time instead.

I did look around and found some nice tips for a more sustainable/ethical holiday. Check out these tips for a green Halloween, as well as some ethical candy. You might also get a giggle from these creative, recycled costumes. While the Rubbermaid Samurai looks cool, my favorite was the dead mermaid...




...the Wal-mart bag is such a nice touch.

If you have 60-seconds to spare, please watch this video from Eat the View. It has been entered into a competition for clips that could inspire the next President to take action on climate change. The finalists are being chosen on the basis of number of views in a single day, so please stop by today - Friday, September 19th - if possible and share the link! (http://www.vimeo.com/1519380)


This Lawn is Your Lawn from roger doiron on Vimeo.

Here's a little save the date info if you're interested...

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What: Elements of Magic

What does connecting with nature look like in the city? What can we learn about our nature from the nature of an empty lot? How can we embody our spiritual beliefs through sustainable living techniques?

In this three day intensive in the Reclaiming Tradition (www.reclaiming.org) we explore the practice of magic and earth-based spirituality by working with the magical and mundane aspects of the Elements of Magic: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. Magically we'll learn and use techniques such as: visualization, sensing and projecting energy, chanting, trance, creating magical space, spellcraft, and ritual. On a more mundane level, we will apply what we know about natural systems to live in right relationship with the earth by finding out how sustainability can weave into our daily lives.

When: Friday Oct 3 evening
Saturday Oct 4 afternoon
Sunday Oct 5 morning

Where: Chicago, IL, Specific Locations TBA

Cost: $75 - 150 sliding scale, work/study available.

For more information or to register contact:
Sayre at sayrevickers@yahoo.com, 773-458-0170
or Jennifer at greenjenbyers@gmail.com.

Who: This intensive is team-taught by Jennifer Byers and Sayre Vickers

Jennifer Byers

I’ve lived in Chicago since 1995, but Tennessee (where I was raised) runs thick in my blood. It is there that I began my love affair with the green world, one that I have continued to nurture and expand even in a city of concrete and steel. I hear the urban world beckoning, begging us to remember its wild, fey, magical places. In these places the elements sing. Won’t you join us in dancing with them?

I delight in finding ways to lighten my step on the land and to serve it in love. I am thrilled to get to share my experiences with Sayre and all of you as we learn and open together to the elements of life.

Sayre Vickers

I live in Chicago, with two bicycles, two cats, and an elm tree named Sheela Na Gig. In the midst of the metropolis I seek for the wild richness of the edges - the bounty of edible ‘weeds’ in empty lots, the sparkling delight and generosity of urban feyfolk, conversation with trees that have watched the city spring up around them.

I have been working to manifest urban permaculture in Chicago for the last few years and am excited to be working with Jennifer to weave my applied experiences of urban sustainability into the magical/spiritual context of this intensive.