We planted seeds over the weekend. We were so incredibly surprised to see how quickly the zucchini and cucumbers have emerged and tripled in size over the past few days.

These plants are special, and a part of a larger movement to reintroduce old variety seed stock back into the market. Heirloom quality vegetables are just that - a vegetable with a history. Like stories, the seeds are passed down from generation to generation within a community. This heritage preserves the qualities of the vegetable. With the vegetable comes a story, and a link to the past.

We purchased these seeds from Seed Savers Exchange, a large family farm in Iowa that is committed to preserving heirloom seeds. I first learned of Seed Savers through the Ravelry group, Crafty Gardeners. From there, as I continued to read Barbara Kingsolver’s amazing book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life I learned more about the amazing qualities of heirloom seeds. We ordered a large batch of the vegetable seeds. We are hoping for the best. This sprouting is a good sign that all is well and there are some fresh juicy cucumbers and zucchini (among others!) to come this summer!

The cucumbers are a variety that was picked up by the larger distributor Abbott and Cobb in the 1920s. This particular cucumber was introduced in 1928 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The cucumber seeds were part of a larger package of seeds called the Heritage Farm Favorites. [you wanna see something beautiful? check out these beets from Italy propagated in the 1840s!]

We selected plant varieties that are well-adapted to our region. We have pumpkins and tomatoes from Pennsylvania and beans from Maryland. As frost is still possible, we have our seedlings protected indoors. However, we are preparing the soil for their arrival. Blessed with sunny skies for the two previous days, Kris and I expanded our existing vegetable plot in the backyard. We diligently shoveled, mixed, and tilled. Tonight’s rain will prepare the soil further for the seedlings arrival. By early May, we should be able to transplant them outdoors.

I am quite happy that we have transitioned into the Earth element for Project Spectrum. I guess you could say I am *ripe* with inspiration for this two-month span. As you can see, gardening will be an important part of this element for me. With these fresh vegetables, I hope to create some delicious “earthy” fresh foods. I hope to also practice more weaving, and maybe stashbust knit a few accessories. I also have some idea for a collaborativeproject for Earth Day and Arbor Day later this month. I would love to hear what you have planned too!

It is still chilly outside, but I can see the small changes that are leading up to spring. Birds are chirping (as we speak) outside of my window, and little flowers are poking their heads above the surface. Very soon the beautiful spring blossoms will be on the trees. And while I will be sneezing and watery-eyed, I will be enjoying the spring.

Funny, because three weeks ago, I was really hoping for a nice big blizzard to finish off the winter. We had a pretty mild winter in Maryland: temperatures were chilly, but snow was sparse. I like seasons to be what they are supposed to be. Winter kind of let me down, and I hope that spring does not pass in the blink of an eye.

Prompted by the promise of warmer temperatures (and perhaps the arrival of the loom that takes space in my office) I have been doing quite a bit of spring cleaning. Kris and I have realized the need to pare down and simplify, and that meant cleaning a lot of things out, and donating them to local charities. After giving away about 200 books to the library, I consolidated my bookshelves, and rearranged my office. The idea of living with less really resonates.

Functional planting is definitely our focus, but we have made some space for the *pretty* too. We recently arranged a indoor dish garden with some cute cacti and succulent plants…

Seeing the green makes me happy.

And for Valentine’s Day a few weeks back, Kris brought home a lovely orchid that just keeps blooming.

We are making grand plans for our outside garden, hoping to plant many vegetables this year, and really explore ways to preserve the harvest. We live in a small house with a small yard, so we have to be creative in order to maximize our space and yield. We are starting some seeds indoors now, and we are planning to keep some plants going throughout the year indoors - primarily herbs that we use in daily meals. We are primarily interested in raising several heirloom varieties of vegetables and fruits in the garden. We have a local farmer/nursery supply that we have enjoyed for several years, and we will be paying him a visit in late April/early May for the seedlings and plants.

Last fall, we started a vermiculture composter - all winter we have contributed our kitchen wastes to the bin, and those little worms are making some great fertilizer for our garden this summer.

In typical fashion, I have been researching and reading up on the gardening and local food movement. Of particular interest are the general books about family farms and living off the land: I am enjoying Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life in audiobook form (while knitting and weaving), and am reading a similar book Coming Home to Eat: The Pleasures and Politics of Local Foods before bed at night. Next up are Four-Season Harvest and This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader. Many thanks to my friends in various Ravelry groups (Crafty Gardeners, Locavores, Sustainable Table, and Homesteaders) for providing daily information and inspiration!

How are you preparing for the changing season?

Two days of rain + warm sun = healthy garden!

My first cauliflower!  I have not grown cruciferous vegetables before, and I am happy to see it actually working.  We planted four cauliflower plants, and all of them set in well, so it looks like that cauliflower soup recipe will be used pretty frequently.  Yum.

Cabbage is one of my favorite vegetables - rotkohl, sauerkraut, and Tofurkey brats, anyone? :)  The colors of this plant amaze me - the mix of green and purple are quite stunning.

We planted these Concord grapes in 2003, and this is the largest batch we have ever had! There are at least 15 bunches of grapes on the plant. They are so photogenic too!

The red-orange lilies are going to pop open very soon!

…and you may recall our little pond project last year…

The plants are growing well, and some are even flowering, and the fish are loving it.  And it is still 100% solar powered.

The pond continues to be a cat magnet…

…and it attracts some other wildlife (particularly amphibian) as well…

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I am a bachelorette this weekend!  Already had a nice dinner with Eunny last night, and I am planning some knitting in public tomorrow for WWKIP day.  With all of the free time (and the scorching temperatures) outside, I think I will have some finished knits over the weekend - stay tuned!

Kris @ Wine in the Woods Festival

Aaron, Melissa, and me drinking up

………

Ethiopian dinner with my sister, Sarah

…before the much-anticipated show by one of my favorite artists…

Andrew Bird live @ the 9:30 Club

(Listen to the whole show here!)

First rose from my new rose bush!

………

Your kind comments and words about my Wren cardigan warmed my heart. Many many thanks!

So it sounds a little trite, but I try to make every day Earth Day.  Thankfully, I have a partner who feels the same way that I do about sustainability, environmentalism, and ethics.  Last year, we made several choices that impact our everyday lives: We converted our home’s energy source to 100% wind energy, and we changed all of our incandescent lightbulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs.  Kris and I continue to recycle fervently, and buy our food and materials in reuseable containers (buying bulk, bringing our own bags to the market, etc.) 

This year, we began to shop (almost) exclusively at our local organic markets.  The fruits, vegetables, and grains are locally grown and produced, and often certified organic. 

Organic Swiss chard [see recipe]

I am a vegetarian, and I am also cutting many dairy products out of my diet.  Kris eats meat, however, and has chosen many organic and free-range meats at the market.  We take the time to do the research and to find out what we are putting into our systems.  I feel that it is completely worth it in the long-run, and I am proud that we have made this decision for our planet, and for our own health. 

Slowly, I am converting other aspects of my life and my daily routine to be more wholesome and sustainable.  Recently, I have started research on cosmetics.  Jenna told me about Skin Deep, a website that assesses the toxins and chemicals used in these products.  It has been extremely helpful (and eye-opening).  

This weekend, I did some garden work.  Until this weekend, the weather was extremely unpredictable.  Cold, windy, and rainy.  We finally had a break in the cycle.  Kris and I are using organic compost and fertilizers in our yard and garden.  We tilled the vegetable garden plot, and I planted some bulbs and roses in the front yard.  Kris also filled the back yard pond (the one we built last year) with new water and started the solar pump. 

There is a lot of media attention and coverage going to green initiatives in recent months.  I am happy to see that the environment is finally receiving some notice.  It seems that it is now trendy and hip to be green.  However, there is so much that still needs to be done.  Years and years of neglect haunt us.  Please consider making some changes in your routines - whether it be shopping locally, choosing organic produce, taking public transportation, changing your light bulbs, or not using styrofoam.  Even crafters can get in on the green:  sew, knit, or crochet yourself some reuseable market bags, recycle some worn-out clothing into a braided rug, and make reusable dishcloths to cut down on paper towel usage. (So I had this idea awhile back, didn’t take action, and then they beat me to the punch:  Sew Green is a great new blog about environmentalism and the crafting lifestyle.  Check them out!)

Clearly, I still have some issues to work on - particularly in the consumption department.  I want to lighten my footprint on this earth.  I want to live a change and inspire others to do so.  I also want to be inspired by you.  I would love to hear about what YOU are doing to help the earth. Please share.