Inquiry Project Strikes Close to Home

So as part of my teacher training, I have to write a children's nonfiction book. Considering I already have tons of ideas brewing through this blog, I've decided that I am going to write about buying local meats and produce. I can take pictures nearby to use in it and interview farmers/butchers. Should be fun! Look forward to transcriptions of interviews and pictures posted here in the near future!

The Meat Market

Doc and I missed the farmer's market this weekend. He'd been working night shifts and I had a cold, so we ended up going to a local meat market (literally two blocks from us) that afternoon instead.

Harvard Meats is an all natural all organic meat market. They sell kosher meats as well. We ended up buying 2 steaks, a 2 lb roast, and a rack of pork ribs for about $30.00. Not bad, considering that meat is 10 meals for Doc and I. So far, we've just eaten the ribs and they were incredible. Their lean ground beef sells for around $4.50 a pound, but it looks/smells incredible compared to the cheaper ground beef at Walmart.

This store also sells local eggs, cheese, sausage, barbeque sauces and salsas, all organic and natural.

So, pros and cons of the meat market option compared to Wal-mart.

Pros:

Organic and natural products
Supports my local economy
Most products have never been frozen (better taste)
Better quality meats
Within walking distance

Cons:

Not open 24/7
More expensive than Wal-mart


So, to my surprise...buying local and organic meats is actually easier than produce. This place is open Monday-Saturday and relatively long hours while the farmer's market it twice a week and only early in the mornings...as well as seasonal. I'm not sure just yet what I will do for produce when it hits November and you can't shop at the farmer's market anymore.....

Attack of the Fleas

Ok environmentally savvy tree lovers. Here it is. The big leagues. How do you cure a flea infestation without killing all the good bugs in your yard? Better yet, how do you get them out of your house and off your dog when you are pregnant and can't touch flea shampoo? Here are a few of the "green" ways to keep your pet and house flea free!

Borax your carpet: Borax can be found in most laundry aisles at the store. You sprinkle the powder on all your carpetted surfaces and leave it there for 24-48 hours. Use a broom to brush it into the carpet for best results. Then, vaccuum it up! Fleas apparently like the taste of Borax, but it's poisonous to them. (NOTE: it is also poisonous to pets, so please make sure you keep your dog/cat/baby out of the room while it is being Boraxed). After vaccuuming, throw the bag out (like outside) to keep eggs from hatching in the bag and babies from reinfesting your home. Vaccuuming everyday is a big part of keeping the flea population from springing up. You can repeat the borax treatment a week later too. (NOTE: Borax also seems to make my carpet smell fresh and look cleaner too).

Apple Cider Vinegar: One teaspoon in your pet's water dish. Apparently this will make your pet taste/smell bad to fleas and keep them from bringing them in as much or being bitten. Completely safe product.

Tea Tree Oil: This is the money maker right here. We have a tea tree oil soap that we use on our dog. It soothes existing bites and works as a natural flea repellent (repels lice as well, FYI). We wash our dog with it daily right now (we will cut back when there are no more fleas). It's also something you can bathe in at night if, like me, you are worried that you could potentially get bit by the stupid things at night.

Launder EVERYTHING: All fabrics that you can...drown those fleas and their larva and eggs. Make sure to wash pet bed fabrics daily.

Vaccuum daily: This keeps those eggs, larva, and cacoonish thingies from staying in your carpet and settling in.

We did have our house sprayed a few weeks ago. I'm a bit OCD about bugs. However, since then, we've been trying to be as green about this as possible, without letting our house get infested or our dog eaten completely.

Thank goodness for Pillsbury!

That's right! I can eat my non-processed foods and STILL have some chocolate chip cookies baked from a package when I get the craving. This is a new product from Pillsbury (relatively new) that you can find with all of their other cookie doughs. I baked a batch a few days ago and they were amazing. There is a coupon for a dollar off on the Pillsbury website as well, so eat your heart out non-preservative lovers! Quick cookies are still in the card for us.

30 minutes of yoga a day....

Today is day 3 of my everyday yoga adventure. I can only do a limited amount of poses right now, so about 30 minutes is pretty reasonable.

Suggestions for relaxing and getting into the "yoga mood" for busy people:

1. Turn the lights down, have only natural lighting coming into your room and maybe the light of a few candles. It helps lessen distractions.

2. Try streaming Pandora. They have a pre-made "Spa" channel that is perfect for relaxation and focus.

3. Aromatherapy can do amazing things! Try using a scent that is calming (I like lavender) and have it around everytime you are trying to relax. The smell will eventually help your body get into a heightened state of relaxation faster because your body will associate calm with that scent.

4. Try going on a walk afterward. Meditation can highten your awareness of sounds and smells and make your morning walk a bit more interesting.

Yoga Noob? Try GIAM videos. I like these because they have modifications in the videos for beginners and vary the level of difficulty.

If you are in Tulsa, drop by the Yoga Room on Brookside or another walk-in yoga class and try it out. Most drop in classes cost around $15, but if you like it you can buy packages where the classes end up being about $10 a piece (not bad for all the health benefits and stress relief it can provide!)