Published on March 3rd, 2009
1. Begin by downloading this Center for Ecoliteracy free visual guide which promotes nature as our teacher. The guide teaches that sustainable living is rooted in a deep knowledge of our natural world and that it is a community practice which can start with the family in the backyard. Feel free to share these lessons in natural systems with your child’s teachers too.
2. If your child is still to young for reading, make gardening a part of playtime. Think of gardening like playing with toys, make a dollhouse garden, or a mini field for action figurines. The wee garden kit comes with a variety of little goodies to make your own enchanted miniature garden:
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Published on February 24th, 2009
I’m trying very hard to pretend that winter is over, and I’m eager to get outside with the kids and dig into the earth. I’m poring over the plant and seed catalogs that I’ve discovered in my mailbox these past few weeks. But things are a little different for me this year; while in years past I’ve opted for plants both showy and exotic, this year I’m going native.
Landscaping with native plants, according to Doug Tallamy in his book Bringing Nature Home, is crucial to the diversity and survival of the wildlife within our ecosystem:
“Unless we modify the places we live, work and play to meet not only our own needs but the needs of other species as well, nearly all species of wildlife native to the United States will disappear forever. This is not speculation…. It is playing out across the country and the planet as I write.”
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Published on February 13th, 2009
I. Hate. Paper. Mail.
I don’t dislike it, I detest it. I don’t need yet another bill from AT&T to sit on my desk. I pay it all online anyhow. I’ve signed up for internet only billing with a few companies, but for some I’m so panicked about not receiving the email (think mortgage) that I really want it sent to my physical address.
I’ve eliminated some of the obvious junk with 41Pounds, but there’s got to be a way for me to still get traditional mail without the 42 dollar footprint (no that’s not a typo), well, someone had the idea to stop fighting the postal system and migrate to a virtual mailbox.
Zumbox. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on February 10th, 2009
The problem with February? We have had ample time to have our fill of Indiana-located, preschooler-appropriate winter activities–sledding, ice skating, the building of stuff out of snow, the climbing upon great piles of snow plowed off of the street, etc.–and we have had ample time to have our fill of Indiana-located, preschooler-appropriate indoor activities–we’ve had a crafty Christmas, finished our handmade Valentines, read loads and loads of books, and played with little plastic ponies until I’ve started to talk in the pony voice sometimes without even being aware of it–”Neigh, neigh! Climb on my back and we’ll fly to Rainbow Land! Neigh!”
Ahem.
How refreshing it is, then, to occasionally pull on our boots and snowpants and bunny-ear hats and make the long hike over to the big university in our town, which has a biology department.
And that biology department?
Has a greenhouse.
And that greenhouse?
Is open to the public. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on February 2nd, 2009
Buying organic is important. It’s healthier and supports small farmers. But let’s face it, buying organic can get pricey. I’ve learned a few tricks recently, which are allowing us to shave a bit off our grocery bill.
When it comes to organic dairy, make friends at the supermarket. A short conversation will leave you in the know regarding markdowns. I learned that our market slashes prices when dairy is five days prior to its sell by date. I also learned that these markdowns occur around 2pm daily. Now I hit the store in the late afternoon and check for future dates while I’m there so I know in advance when the new markdowns will arrive. Also, watch in store nutrition magazines and circular for coupons. I just found a $2.00 off 2 organic dairy items, when combined with our store markdowns, I can get two gallons of milk for $1.79 each!
(Image from Angela Vetu at Dreamstime under RF-LL) Read the rest of this entry »
Published on January 28th, 2009
Editor’s note: The following post was originally published by OnEarth. I felt it was such a wonderful suggestion and fits right in with the idea of Michael Pollan to turn the White House lawn into an organic farm, that I asked to republish it on Eco Child’s Play.
Dear Ms. Obama:
What will be your first order of business as “Mom-in-Chief”? Here’s a suggestion: invite Malia’s and Sasha’s classmates to plant an organic garden at the White House. Think of the lessons that your children and their classmates will reap.
There can be no grain without pain.
Digging up turf and prepping soil is hard work. Success in the garden is a direct function of the effort that went into creating and sustaining a hospitable environment for plants.
Addressing challenges requires a systems approach to problem solving.
Contrary to popular myth, the most successful organic growers think and act like scientists. They try to emulate not annihilate natural processes.
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Published on January 6th, 2009
Despite the cold weather outside, seed catalogs are starting to arrive in the mail and making promises of the spring to come. If you are like me the idea of getting outside and digging in the dirt makes you giddy with joy. Of course, you don’t have to hog all that fun for yourself. Getting dirty, digging holes, and watching new little plants bloom make gardening with kids double the fun.
Getting kids involved in gardening is very easy to do, no matter if you have a huge yard to grow things in or are using pots on the balcony of you apartment. Even children as young as two can help with basic gardening tasks such as watering, planting, and pulling weeds. Begin by letting your little one in on the planning of your garden. Whether you are growing vegetables or flowers, letting them pick out some of the plants will make kids even more involved. Older children might even enjoy having a small garden of their own. A simple 3 foot by 3 foot square is big enough to grow nearly anything and yet still small enough for kids to manage on their own. Indoor gardeners could give their children a few pots or an entire window box of their own to care for.
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Published on December 24th, 2008
Last week I told you about a great last minute gift my Mom is giving the kids.
Tonight, it’s Christmas Eve and I need a gift for tomorrow. Since I’d rather show up empty handed than with a cheap bit of plastic bought off a street corner, I did a little research and came up with a fantastic gift for everyone from 3 to 99 years old.
The Gratitude Game.
It’s a quick and easy download
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Published on October 6th, 2008
A new study by O.M. Aguilar, a graduate assistant in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Texas A&M University, confirms what previous studies and parents know: Gardening with children makes them more sensitive to environmental issues. As reported in LOHAS, the study found:
Test results indicated that children that had any type of experience with gardening had more positive attitudes toward the environment when compared with students that had not gardened. The study showed that hands-on gardening activities are important to the development of environmentally concerned citizens, and that children’s involvement in informal gardening experiences has as much impact on their environmental outlook as involvement in formal school-based programs.
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Published on October 3rd, 2008
We are having an amazing flush of fall strawberries this year, and the colder nights make the berries super sweet. Given the state of the economy, I feel more pressed to preserve the abundance of food growing in our garden. Making organic strawberry jam is easy, and it is one food item I can easily provide our family a year’s supply of with the help of my children. This recipe makes about 5-6 cups of jam, so I like to double it. You don’t need a pressure canner to can jam; just a big pot will do. You will need to purchase pectin; I like sugar-free, citrus-based Pomona’s Universal Pectin.
Organic Strawberry Jam
In preparation for canning:
Sterilize your jelly jars. You can do this by placing them in boiling water or in your dishwasher. Also, heat up the rings and lids in a pot of water until little bubbles begin to appear, but do not boil. Heat a really large pot of water for canning. The jars must be completely covered by the water. Place a lid on the pot to help the water heat faster.
To make the jam:
- Pick or buy 2 quarts of berries
- Clean the berries, remove the green tops, and mash gently.
- Add 2 teaspoons of calcium water (included in pectin package) to mashed berries
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