Peta's Animal Liberation Project

This project is amazing and horribly saddening. It really puts it into perspective though. It also gives me hope that one day people will see the abuse, exploitation and misuse of animals to be equal to human suffering.

Here's the link to the project:
http://www.peta2.com/alp/

Photos from the project (warning they are graphic):

Homemade Christmas Presents

My family and I were busy making Christmas presents for the rest of our family. Here's what we came up with. We made 5 sets of everything below.

We used recycled jars and filled them with dehydrated organic herbs, fruit and vegetables from our garden, the market and a local farm

Made these cutting boards out of a cedar that fell by our house


Homemade vegan purple sweet potato butter, pickled beets, and sauerkraut

Low-fat, whole food, vegan recipe book

Reusable grocery bag and produce bag made out of recycled fabric

mystic fog

woke up to this today

fall photos

Fruitarian Birthday Cakes

Yummm. My birthday cake

and Joshs

"That's Why We Don't Eat Animals" children's book by Ruby Roth

My little nephews often ask me why I'm a vegan and I don't know how to tell them without horrifying them. I saw this book yesterday and thought it was a great idea for a book. I bought it and plan to show it to my nephews next time they ask me about veganism. Wish I had this book when I was a kid!

A little writeup about the book:

"That's Why We Don't Eat Animals takes a candid, compassionate look at the emotional lives of animals and their plight on factory farms. A colorful cast of pigs, turkeys, cows and many other animals introduce vegetarianism and veganism to early readers.

These Endearing animals are shown both in their natural state--bonding, nuzzling, cuddling, and charming each other with their family instincts and rituals--and in the sad conditions of factory farms. The book shows the effect that eating animals has on our environment, rainforests, and endangered species, but also suggests steps children can take to learn more about the vegetarian and vegan lifestyles.

This heartfelt work is a key resource for parents who want to talk to their children about this timely and important issue."

Alabama Food Matters

So my family and I went to the Food Summit for the first time this year and were amazed by the quality of people we met and the quantity of people that want to contribute to their communities. We are so inspired by the speakers, organizations, and participants. Thank you to everyone who put this amazing event together and thank you for bringing such a wonderful group of people together!

I learned so much about organic farming and permaculture and want to put it to use to contribute locally. So I've decided to officially become an Alabama farmer. Look out for organic watermelons, honeydews and cantaloupes this next summer.

We talked with members of the Greater Birmingham Community Food Partners and came up with a forum for farmers, restaurateurs, organizations, local food advocates, community gardens, community members, etc. so that we can communicate better when it comes to local issues. If you're in the Birmingham area please take a look at the site and feel free to sign up. The site is ALfoodmatters.ning.com

Thanks to my sister Kristen for the design and layout.

Alabama Food Summit

My family and I registered for the Alabama Food Summit last minute yesterday. Anyone else going?



Here's the info from:
http://www.sare.org/calendar/show_events.asp?event=2485

Description: Leaders from across Alabama will meet in Birmingham this November to talk about innovative approaches to improving food security in the state. The 2009 Alabama Food Summit will highlight success stories of community development intiatives featuring local foods and agriculture. On Thursday and Friday, farmers, businesspeople, and leaders from Alabama, the southeast and beyond will share their stories on improving access to local farm products, preserving traditional foods, and addressing environmental and health issues through youth education and alternative farming techniques. Over dinner Thursday, keynote speaker Tom Stearns will talk about Hardwick, Vermont’s success in food and agriculture as the basis of economic development. Friday night will be movie night, Saturday morning hop on your bike or bus for a tour of Birmingham’s community gardens, and stay Saturday afternoon for Jones Valley Urban Farm’s Growing Together community garden workshop.

More information, including registration, programs, and speaker bios, is available online at www.gbcfp.org or www.asanonline.org/forum.htm, or call 205.591.3663.

Sponsored by the Greater Birmingham Community Food Partners, Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network, Auburn University, High Mowing Organic Seeds, Heifer International and the USDA 2501 Program

Website:

http://www.asanonline.org/forum.htm

Contact:

Greater Birmingham Community Food Partners
Phone: 205.591.3663
email: info@asanonline.org

Pitbull massacre needs to be stopped (warning: saddening photos)

Hi everyone. I'm sorry to post the following photos as they are deeply disturbing and saddening, but this issue really needs attention. Please take a few minutes to let the city of Denver know that this massacre against pit bulls will not be tolerated.

Euthanized pit bulls.






Here's a sample letter you can send to the mayor of Denver. It's a good idea to write your own personal letter as long as it's respectful (no need to give animal rights activists a bad name), but it still makes an impact if you'd like to just send the sample letter.

Send to: MileHighMayor@ci.denver.co.us
_____________________________________________________________________________________



Mayor John W. Hickenlooper,

Picking up a newspaper each day, can be heartbreaking enough, but when I read about all the
events happening in Denver, Cincinnati, and Miami, I knew something had to be done. Innocent
dogs are being torn from their owners and either put on death-row, senselessly killed, or being
shipped far away with the promise from owners they won't return to the area. Not only are Pit Bulls
themselves being shipped away and killed, but dogs that LOOK like Pit Bulls. Please stop this ban
now, before it is too late.

Too many broken hearts have already occurred over this, owners crying over the death of their
beloved companions, and dogs never seeing the owners they have come to adore again; all over
their breed. Not all Pit Bulls are "trained to be angry and mean", as you will have read in the news
article. It's all a matter of how they were trained. Please open your hearts, and sign this petition.
After all, if your dogs' breed was suddenly banned, or in danger of being killed off, wouldn't you
want to do something to stop it??


Sincerely,


The Undersigned

_______________________________________________________________________________________


For more information go to http://animalrights.change.org/blog/view/the_killing_of_the_misunderstood_3500_denvers_pit_bull_ban

Plant your pineapple crowns

I learned this in Costa Rica. Don't throw away your pineapple crowns. Twist them off and plant them. After a few days roots will start to emerge and anchor the plant. After a few years, when the plant is large it will flower and fruit. It's a tropical plant so If you live in a temperate climate grow them indoors. Ours have already grown quite a bit after just a few months.

here's a website with more information:
http://www.rickswoodshopcreations.com/Pineapple/pineapple.htm

october photos

whats left of the first lettuce harvest

cranberry hibiscus warming up inside

local persimmons

kitty warming up

beautiful organic dragon fruit

native persimmons

abundance


foraging

crazy cats

i love waking up to this

the beginning of the fruit orchard

sugar snap peas