Suburban Homesteading: Yogurt

So last night I made some yogurt, keeping track of the cost of the ingredients going in to compare with store-bought. It took me about 20-30 minutes. basically: heat milk to 180 degrees to kill bacteria, cool to 118 degrees, mix in 4 tablespoons of organic plain yogurt, and let it sit in a thermos or other set-up that will keep the milk warm (I've heard of using the oven, a crock pot that you turn on and off, a heating pad, etc- I personally have a Yogotherm, which is basically a yogurt-making thermos that cost about $35. It's not a necessity keeps the temp consistent and holds a large quantity).

In doing the math for the raw ingredients, I ended up making organic, plain yogurt for less than 7 cents an ounce, even with the high price of organic milk. This cost is about 40 percent cheaper than storebought, even in large quantities. There were a few things I could have done to make it even more cost-effective- making larger batches (a gallon of milk is cheaper than a half-gallon, per ounce), and using my own homemade yogurt as a starter (instead of storebought). You can use your own yogurt as a starter, which cuts the production cost by about 205. I've seen it recommended that you freshen the starter with store-bought yogurt or freeze dried starter (much more expensive) about every month or so, to keep the organisms in balance.

For the kids, I don't like to let the yogurt sit too long because it gets more tart the longer it sits. On the other hand, it also gets firmer, so it's a delicate balance. It firms up fine for us (more so than the local dairy version, which we loved but vetoed because it had HFCS in it!) but I've heard you can add gelatin or powdered milk for a firmer consistency. I may try the powdered milk, as it's not too pricey and you can get it organic.

As the younger starts eating more solids, I see lots of yogurt in our future, and I think this is a great easy way to get healthy, inexpensive yogurt with a minimum of additives. I think I'll continue to make in bulk, but to use up the larger quantities I may dabble in frozen yogurt and dips and sauces. I envision a tzatziki using the yogurt, the dill from the garden, cucumbers from the CSA, and locally-grown garlic.

In addition to the yogurt, I have vinegar culturing away in the basement (away from little hands). My next project is going to be cheese- I'm going to try the 3o minute mozzarella kit from New England Cheesemaking supply.

So we hit the local farmer's market yesterday. It's still a little thin, being the beginning of the season still. Only a few stands- got some garlic scapes, lettuce, chives, and free range eggs. Some organic, all locally produced. Hard choices between organic and local (I'd like to get both whenever possible, but will take local over organic if it's a) a farm that uses IPM but doesn't have organic cert, or b) its not a heavy pesticide product. Still, a hard balance to strike.

This was my first time cooking with garlic scapes, but they are awesome. I love garlic, and they have a garlic flavor, but it's much more subtle. I mixed it with some walnuts and olive oil to make some pesto, then mixed it with ground beed and whole wheat pasta. Threw in some local greenhouse cherry tomatoes, and it was pretty yummy! Although the 85% local eating thing we want to do is still in it's infancy, and most of the other stuff was not local, I still like the challenge of starting with an ingredient and making a recipe, than starting with a recipe and collecting ingredients. I may hit up a larger local market tomorrow and see what they have...

Suburban Homesteading

So I've decided my new life mission is to localize, localize, localize. Not sure how this will all pan out with going back to work and having less time, but it's important to me so I'm going to make it work. Let me step back and say that I was accused of being elitist because I think people should buy local/sustainably grown foods, unless they are truly impoverished. Hey, that's just my point of view, given the intangible costs to us all that come from the global warming (fuel consumed for growing conventional foods, fuel consumed from shipping out-of-season foods to our shelves year-long, etc), the lack of crop diversification, the pesticides and other chemicals, etc etc etc. If people think they cant afford food now, wait a few years into climate change, crop failures (due to homoginization of crops that leads to failures, etc). I understand that folks make choices- and we're not talking about truly impoverished people who have to choose between food and shelter, but people who make reasonable middle-class choices- maybe to work less and spend more time with kids, or to take an enjoyable but lower paying job, or to have cable tv or internet or other "luxuries"- but these same people then complain that they cannot afford organic/local foods. I think this comes from the way we generally think of food in this country- it is a commodity, fungible with any other food of the same type, and thus looking for the cheapest bottom line seems to make sense. I just wish more people understood the health and environmental issues that factor into "cost."

Additionally there are ways to make local foods cheaper for you. For example, one family who is having a hard time making ends meet has made the choice to have one adult in the couple stay home to save on daycare costs, and not to take an evening or weekend part time job. Although this voluntarily reduces their income, it also opens opportunities to save money and still eat local/sustainably. For example, there is a CSA in our area that allows you to get a week's worth of fresh produce at no cost, save 4 hours of labor at the farm (not necessarily hard labor either- bookkeeping and other office jobs count). Or that partner could get a part-time job for a few hours a week at a local food coop or organic food store, getting discounts, extra cash for quality food, and adult time out of the house. Or the time could be spent gardening (granted, that only works if you have a place to grow food). Am I privileged because I make enough money to buy local/sustainable without sacrificing other things in my life? I suppose so, but I work crazy hard to be able to do that. Would I love to stay home and care for my kids? Sure! But I don't make that choice because other things - stability and security for my family, good healthy food on the table, access to the world outside our little city- are also important to my family. That's my choice. It's all about choices, so I'm not sure that most middle class or lower middle class folks who say they can't afford sustainable local produce actually mean they don't want to make the choices necessary to do so, whether that means working more (which I understand why many people are loathe to do this), or putting more elbow grease into their food (including preserving and putting away local food while in season), or buying what is local and seasonal rather than what fits your recipe, or other creative choices (like the CSA work share, giving up internet, etc). Healthy, sustainable food really should be that important!

That said, rather than continuing in this negative space, I want to use this blog to document my attempts at what I'll call "suburban homesteading." To me, this means putting my own efforts into saving and even producing foods and products that we use. Why?

• To allow us to consume a significant amount of local food, even when it is not in season. By buying more local food, to know better where our food comes from, how it is grown and treated, and who makes it.
  
• To allow us to reduce the amount of unnecessary preservatives and additives in our food. To allow my kids to learn that producing and obtaining food is a process that goes beyond driving to the store.
  
• To save energy by buying fewer products that require packaging, or that are shipped over long distances.
  
• To save money by buying locally in season when things are plentiful and cheap, and saving them for later
• To have healthier foods with fewer pesticides and preservatives, and that have more fresh nutrients
• To be gentler on the environment by limiting our own use of foods that are hard on the environment in so many ways
  
• To honor and resurrect (and teach the kids) about "old-fashioned," simpler methods of food creation and preservation- methods that require time, patience, and attention, rather than just a stroll down the aisle with a squeaky cart. And some that might even be fun or good family activities!

It's going to be a journey with many missteps, I'm sure. And I'm looking forward to it.

Are My Family Vacations Ruining the World?

We're a family of travelers and travelers-to-be. Although I didn't get my first passport until I was 15 years old, I have made up for lost time by traveling where I can, when I can. One of my major life goals was to travel to thirty different countries by the time I turned thirty- by squeaking in a last minute trip to Canada for my thirtieth, I made it, with exactly 30 countries. I want to raise my kids to be travelers too- Boy #1 has already been to Thailand and several stateside locations, and both boys have been to the Virgin Islands. I am proud to be a "traveler", one that packs light (I did a month-long trip to Hawaii, Japan, and Fiji with only a carry-on), and one that tries to really appreciate the locations we visit and take away some lessons for personal growth. I am proud that I embrace other cultures the best that I can, try to avoid being an ugly American at all costs, and always go home knowing more about someone and somewhere else as well as myself. But I also just like to get away, and rest, taand see new and interesting things.

And I want that for my kids. In addition to giving them life experiences to remember and exposure to some of the worlds most beautiful and interesting places, I want them to learn patience, to appreciate other cultures and lifestyles, and to learn that the United States is not the freaking center of the universe. Can they learn these lessons closer to home? Of course. Was our beach vacation in St. John the source of some deep meaningful lessons? Probably not. But I love travel and I want them to be good travelers too.

BUT... traveling is hard on the environment. Something I've avoided thinking about until now. In less than a week we leave on a vacation that involves a cross-country flight AND a cruise. In terms of carbon emissions, flying is terrible for the environment. And cruises? Well, the consensus is that they are worse.

There's also the issue of resources used once at your location- absent an eco-resort or other eco-aware lodging you're almost always going to use more and have a larger impact on the planet than at home. And there's also this dilema - is it better to go to a more developed nation which may already have eco-friendly environments (like hotels or even whole cities that get their power from renewable resources) or at least eco-friendly options, or is it perhaps better to put your money into an economy where a lack of infrastructure and resources leads to practices that are heavier on the environment (like slash and burn farming or poaching of ecological resources) in the hopes that building a tourism industry will help provide incentives for more earth-friendly practices or, at a minimum, provide alternative sources of income.

So I struggle with the right answer, but I think like other earth-impact issues, the answer is complex. I know that for one thing, we won't be giving up our travel anytime soon- it's just to precious to me. We may take more trips closer to home, and maybe check out the train once in a while, but I want my kids to see the world if we can continue to afford it. But making sure there is a world left to see is important to, so I think we will start with these baby steps:

• carbon credits to offset flights and cruises- I do have some doubts about exactly how carbon offests work and whether they really do make a difference, but it's worth a try (even if they do turn out to be just conscience clearers)
• make a concerted effort to stay in eco-friendly lodging where possible
  
• to be more aware of our impact generally- small things like trying to use reusable travel bottles instead of buying throw away "travel sizes" and purchasing fewer one-time convenience products
  
• to try to bring at least one reusable bag with us on trips, just like we [try to] do at home (this is actually just a smart travel tip, depending on where you are going- many European or Asian stores, food stalls, etc do not provide the bags we find ubiquitous here- so this also keeps you from the hassle of trying to fit a baguette, a block of cheese, and a bottle of wine in your jacket pockets)
  
• use public transport when we can, and do walking tours over buses or similar (ths is actually a bit of a cheating one, as that's what we prefer to do anyway)
• renting smaller and/or hybrid cars when we do car rentals

Good links:
Planeta
Carbon Offests (Wikipedia)
Carbon Offest Consumer Guide (PDF)
Responsible Travel

Pre-School Environmentalism

Yes, I admit it. I am a recycling freak. It drives me insane when I see a can or a bottle or other recyclable in the "regular" trash. Last weekend, Boy #1's cooperative preschool had an open house and sold soda by the can. There were a ton of empties around, but they just got stuck in the regular trash. I didn't notice it until we were about to leave, but it drove me nuts. I think next time I'll offer to provide a recycling bin and take the empties home for curbside recycling.

They also use bleach-based and lysol and other chemical nastiness for daily cleaning. Now we'll use bleach on rare occasion if necessary, and there are a few "regular" cleaning products that we haven't yet been able to replace- like the Swiffer Wet Jet. But for the most part we use Seventh Generation and Method products around the house. I used to be a big fan of bleach, but now I think it's just not necessary 95% of the time. One of the other moms (the other lesbian moms, in fact) bring their own cleaner. I think I might do the same- although the other parents may think we're part of some weird lesbian Seventh Generation cleaning cult. Being new to the school, I anticipate (or hope) that I will learn more about the planet-friendly tings the school does do...

So what do some other local schools do to be more environmentally friendly?

• The Friends Community School- used to be right up the street, but just moved to a brand new environmentally friendly, LEED certified straw-bale building.
• The Burgandy Farms Day School- has a bunch of environmental education programs, including a West Virginia Campus for outdoor education, as well as in-school environmentally-friendly programs, like "waste-free" lunch requirements (all lunches brought to school must not generate any waste- have reusable napkin, etc etc)
• Often through parent- or teacher-led initiatives, more schools are seeking recognition under the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education Green Schools Program which requires modeling of good practices among other things,
  

Best additional resources for greener schools:

• Building Green Schools (U.S. Green Building Council)
  
• One Teacher, 20 Preschoolers, and a Goldfish (NAEYC Journal- discusses one preschool teachers integration of environmental awareness into the classroom)
• Green Schools Initiative (includes 7 steps to start to "green" your school)
  

Soda

Soda is the one thing I just can't give up. First, I worried about the sugar/HFCS, so I only drink diet. Then sodium, so I prefer to drink Hansen's rootbeer (no sodium). Now I'm worried about the lining in the cans, the carbonation, and just generally setting a terrible example for the kids, given the amount of soda we suck down each day. Water's fine but just not the same, juice has empty calories for the mos part- what other options do I have? I'd like to cut traditional soda out of my diet by the time the boys get old enough to know they want it . . .

First Topic- Bisphenol A (BPA)

So there's much debate out there on the internets and mainstream press about whether or not the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) poses a health risk when/if it leaches from baby bottles, food-can linings (including resins that line forumal cans), and other plastics that come into contact with foods or drinks. Some say it does some say it doesn't- a quick review of Google News results for BPA highlights both sides of the debate (although the critics of BPA seem to be getting more press time these days...)

Anyway, although I know some don't agree, we've decided to minimize BPA in our house. It's been hard to research the best way to do this with an infant who needs bottles and a toddler who breaks glasses, but here's what we came up with:

• No baby bottles with BPA in them, which required a bit of a financial sacrifice since ALL of our bottles from Boy #1 were Avent, which have the "hard clear" plastic that causes BPA concerns. Instead, we are using Born Free, which, apart from a weird yellow tint and an extra valve piece to wash, are a reasonable, if pricey substitute. Other BPA-free bottles we've found include the Mam Ultivent, and the tempered glass Evenflo. (If we used glass, I think we'd add the Siliskin for extra protection). For milk storage we are using Medela bottles, which are also BPA free.
• No microwaving in plastic- that means take out containers or reusable plastics. We either use our regular dishes (ceramic) or glass containers. My favorites are the Frigoverre, but that could be because I'm Italian!
• For the toddler, we use BPA-free options if we are going to be storing and/or carrying along drinks. We are using (and loving) the new Thermos Foogo thermoses, (is that redundant?) which also have the advantage of keeping drinks cold for a long time. We are using the straw version, but they also have a sippy cup version. We also have some Sigg bottles (that's what I use for myself), but Boy #1 finds the spout a little more difficult to open. I've also heard raves about the Kleen Kanteen, but we're making the move to straws and regular cups (rather than spouts) anyway. We use a ceramic two handled cup for the occasional hot chocolate.
  
• We still use some plastic toddler cups for cold juices and water with meals at home- if we were buying from scratch we wouldn't, but we're hoping Boy #1 will move on to a regular cup soon and it would be really pricey to buy enough BPA-free options to have a cup for every meal and snack (without washing tons of cups).
• We don't eat that much canned foods, and we don't use formula, so we haven't thought about what to do for the can lining issue. Hmmmm....

Best source for more info? This blog, thesoftlanding.wordpress.com, has a ton of detail on different BPA-free options for bottles, cups, and items I never thought about, like teethers and toys. The Green Guide, published at National Geographic, gives a run down of different plastics and their other potential risks for use as food storage and can be found here. (Note this does not include BPA-risks, but covers more cold-food storage)