Cascadian Farm Organic Goodness

My family made a cross country move last weekend and while moving can be a lot of work, it doesn't have to have a huge impact on the environment. There are many things that you can do before, during and after your move that can make your transition as Eco friendly as possible. Here are 8 tips that my family used while making our move, hopefully next time you move, these tips can help you too.

1- Get it Sold: Usually, the first thing that you will want to do before moving is sell your existing home. During the listing and selling process, consider using a website with fantastic pictures and details of your home for potential buyers to view rather than those costly home listing fliers. If you do opt for the fliers, instead of loading the 'For Sale' sign box with them, leave them inside your home by the front door. Hopefully, then only really interested buyers will take them and less will find their way to the landfill.

2. It's Time to Downsize: My family decided that the best way for us to make our move as Eco friendly as possible was to majorly downsize. This took a lot of preparation time, but we were able to sell several thousands of dollars worth of things that we no longer used or thought that we would no longer need. You can sell your items via eBay or Craig's List or donate them to your local charitable organization. This saved us a lot in the long run, less things to pack, transport and then unpack when we arrived at our new destination. It also gave us a nice amount of money to use towards moving expenses. Plus, it was nice to see my previously loved items go to new homes where they will live a second life.

3. Pack it Up: Once you have decided exactly what items you are going to take with you, pack it up the Eco friendly way. If you are doing your own packing, consider using recycled boxes, bubble wrap and other packing supplies (you can find a great supply on Craig's List or Freecycle.) My family decided to use a large supply of reusable recyclable plastic bins with locking lids that we have used on our previous moves. This bins are fantastic because they are water proof, have locking lids with handles for carrying, stacked nicely on top of each other in the moving van and can be reused in our new space for storage of season items. Any bins that you are unable to reuse after your move, can be sold or donated. Also, I used linens to wrap up breakables and valuables. I figured I will be taking the linens with me, so they should be put to good use in the process. If you do need to purchase packing supplies, consider choosing supplies that are made of recycled materials.

4. Home Sold-Time to Green Clean: Once your home sells and you have packed up all of your belongings, it is time to give your home one last good cleaning. Consider using all Eco friendly cleaning supplies and when you arrive at your new home, only stock green cleaners in your new kitchen, bath and laundry room.

5. Moving Day: If you are using a moving company, consider choosing one that uses green moving methods including recyclable packing materials, low emissions bio diesel fuel efficient trucks and Eco friendly business practices. If you are moving yourself, remember to pack everything up with Eco friendly packing supplies and then rent your own bio diesel truck if possible.

6. Make It Fun: Moving can be super hard on the entire family, especially if you are all traveling via the moving can, as my entire family did. My husband, nine year old son, 2 dogs and myself all traveled cross country together in a moving van. However, we were able to make it fun by talking, singing, playing games, reading and watching movies. Just continue to remind yourself that a few days of traveling will all be worth it.

7. Bring Your Own Body Fuel: Traveling can be hard on your body, especially if you are eating fast food or truck stop "convenience" store items. We stocked a cooler full of easy to eat, organic snacks, fruits and veggies to keep us going on the road and when we did stop for a meal, we tried to pick the healthiest option available. Also, while traveling bring a reusable beverage mug for each member of your family. It is super Eco friendly and much more affordable to refill a mug at the gas station. And those coffee breaks will be imperative during your move!

8. Time to Get a Good Green Rest: If your move is going to take several days of traveling, you will most likely need to stay in a hotel or two. Try to choose hotels that are committed to sustainability and Eco friendly practices. Green hotels lists hotels that choose water and energy saving equipment and techniques, use Eco friendly cleaning supplies, organic linens and also recycle and compost all waste. Now, that is something that can be celebrated with a good night's rest. You deserve it!

Now that you have made it to your new home, it's time to get unpacked and start living life again. Remember to reuse, donate, sell or recycle any of your packing supplies and enjoy your new space.

How will you or have you made your move Eco Friendly?

Please leave your comments below!

Photo via Alden Jewell

Last month, I wrote about the benefits both ecologically and economically of harvesting rain water. Ecologically, harvesting rain water to irrigate your gardens or flower beds and to wash your car, flush your toilets or to purify as a source of drinking water is a great way to recycle rain water. Economically, using the 600 gallons of water for every 1 inch of rain that falls on your 1,000 square foot roof can equate to thousands of gallons of water that you can reuse each year, saving you a lot of money.

However, many of you had questions about rain harvesting. Today, I am going to answer some of these questions such as; is the rain water that washes off my regular roof contaminated? Where can I buy a rain harvester? How do I set it up? How do I use it, once it is installed? And how to keep mosquitoes from breeding inside the rain harvester?

Hopefully, this will answer some more of your rain harvesting questions and give you more information as to what you will need to start harvesting your share of the rain.

Question: Is rain water that washes off a roof contaminated, will it hurt my gardens?

Answer: The water that washes off of your roof may be contaminated with chemicals, moss or even bird droppings. You can filter the rain water that comes off of your roof with a "floating extractor". A floating extractor floats in the water in the rain harvester, it intakes water from the middle of the tank where the water is at it's purest. The floating extractor is attached to the spigot, so when using the water, you will always be using the cleanest part of the water. You can also purchase a downspout filter that will capture any larger debris that finds its way into your downspout. Many rain harvesters that purchase from your local garden center will come with a built in filtering system. Just make sure to clean the filters on a regular basis.

Question: Where can I buy a rain harvester?

Answer: You can purchase a rain harvester from many local gardening stores. Garden stores typically sell 55 to 75 gallon rain barrels with leaf screens and built in spouts for $50-$250 dollars. It depends on how large and what type of a system you are looking for. You can also make your own rain harvesting system for a fraction of the price. This DIY Rain Harvesting Video shows you exactly how to make one.

Question: How do I set up the rain harvester?

Answer: Setting up a rain harvester is simple. First, decide which rain gutter you want to use for rain harvesting. Position the rain harvester directly below the downspout on level ground, I suggest using concrete blocks to raise and level it. Set the rain harvester on top of the concrete blocks with the spigot facing the garden. Cut the downspout to fit directly above the rain harvester and wait for a good rain storm. Here is a great video on How to Install a Rain Harvester.

Question: How to I get the water out of the rain harvester?

Answer: Gravity is the simplest and most budget friendly way to remove the water from your rain harvester and into your yard. All you need is a spigot at the bottom of the tank. Unless you need the water to move up to a higher level than where the tank is situated, if so, you will need a pump. You can purchase a pump from your local gardening store as well.

Question: How do I keep mosquitoes from breeding in the barrel?

Answer: To prevent mosquitoes from breeding in the barrel, make sure that the barrel is always covered or has a screened top.

I hope this helped to answer some of your rain harvesting questions.

If you have other questions, please leave them below and I will answer them for you!

Photo Via wwarby.

It is 3pm. I want coffee. Or a nap.

My body is stiff and my mind is tired. My productivity is down and my creativity is fading.

I can reach for the coffee, or, instead, I can get moving!

For those of us who sit at a computer for the majority of our work day, it can be a challenge to stay fit and focused during the long, sedentary hours.

The only way I survive and keep my creativity flowing is to keep moving physically.

Here are 5 Ways to Get Your Body (and your MIND) Moving:

1. Stretch – I love to do yoga stretches throughout my day. I found some great yoga-based office stretches at About.com.

2. Take Breaks and Move – I am often too busy to move from my desk for a second. But I try to force myself to take even a quick “moving” break. If you have to, make an extra trip to the copy machine and jog over!

3. Make Lunch Time, Walk Time – I find walking to be the most invigorating, inspiring activity I can do. Most often, I use it as a time to brainstorm and start writing my next piece or proposal.

4. Work the Stairs – Making time for the gym sometimes isn’t an option for a busy working parent. So if you are working at home or at the office, don’t forget the stairs – the busy mom’s Stairmaster! You can do sets up and down the stairs – it is a mini work out in the middle of your day!

5. Get Your Office Moving – As employers realize that healthy workers save them money, companies are becoming more health conscious. If your office isn’t already a “Fit-Friendly Company” you can find tips at the American Heart Association and the AHA Start! program to help your office become a healthier workplace.

Bonus Tip: Skip the sugar; go for protein! When your energy level drops, reach for some nuts, low fat cheese, or plain, low fat yogurt.

The term “organic” has been adopted by the farming community to identify growing methods that sustain soil health, ecosystems, and people. It should be no surprise that Cascadian Farm cares about supporting natural beauty — both on and off the farm.

One of the most stunning examples of natural beauty can be found at a place called Red Rocks, just a short drive west of Denver, Colorado. Red Rocks Park features miles of hiking and biking trails through some of Colorado’s most spectacular scenery. It’s also an amazing performance venue, with over 60,000 people coming to the Red Rocks Amphitheatre every summer for concerts and other events.

Cascadian Farm is proud to support Red Rocks Summer Concert Series for the entire season by donating WindSource® power from Xcel Energy. This will allow Red Rocks to purchase renewable energy for 100% of their electricity needs this summer. This saves the equivalent of 21.8 homes using electricity for an entire year! Other similar examples would be the elimination of emissions from 6,553 propane cylinders (as used for a home BBQ grill), or saving 17,852 gallons of gasoline.

Cascadian Farm has also sponsored Red Rocks Amphitheatre’s “Zero Waste Station,” a recycling center with bins for compost, beverage containers, and paper. Our recycling efforts have prevented over 5.86 tons of recycling and compost from ending up in a landfill.

We are proud to support Colorado’s natural beauty and the wonderful music performed at Red Rocks every year. If you’re in the area, we hope you’ll stop by Red Rocks for a hike, a ride, or an evening of fantastic musical entertainment. Learn more about Red Rocks at: http://www.redrocksonline.com

If you’re a fan of Cascadian Farm on Facebook, you’ll often see us post photos from our events team. We love the opportunity to hand out samples to those who have never tasted our granola bars or cereal. More importantly, we love getting the chance to meet new people and hear their stories.

One of those stories came from Sarah Groff, a pro triathlete from Hanover, New Hampshire. She became an instant fan after receiving a gift bag containing some “very delicious” Cascadian Farm granola bars while competing in the 2009 Hy-Vee Triathlon in Des Moines, Iowa. Well, we immediately became fans of Sarah, too. As a result, we decided to sponsor Sarah and her dream of competing in the 2012 London Summer Olympics.

We really love how Sarah views the world around her, and how she appreciates nature due to her training outdoors five to seven hours every day. “We all have a responsibility to leave this earth in better shape than we found it,” states Sarah. Sarah is also passionate about food and is a self-proclaimed "localvore." She sees the value of shopping and eating locally, and truly understands how farming practices impact the environment.

When she's not traveling around the world, Sarah enjoys a wide range of our products while at home. She told us that she's quite particular about what she puts in her body and makes the extra effort to buy food that is sustainably produced, thus minimizing the damage to surrounding ecosystems. As she travels so frequently, she keeps her freezer stocked with plenty of Cascadian Farm frozen fruits and vegetables. Needless to say, we were flattered and excited to hear this!

We were able to spend a few days with Sarah at her home in Hanover, seeing where she lives and does all of her incredibly demanding training, and got to hear even more about her passion for organic food.

After getting to know Sarah and being quite humbled by her fondness for our products, Cascadian Farm is proud to support Sarah Groff and we hope you’ll join us! We’ll be following Sarah throughout the year and will post updates, photos, and videos here and on our Facebook page. You can learn more about Sarah on her website: http://www.sarahgroff.com, and on the USA Triathlon website: http://www.usatriathlon.org/athletes/sarah-groff

Bottom photo by Adam Groff

The best way to find fresh, local and organic foods that are healthy and delicious is by utilizing your local farmer's market. You can find a lot more than just fruits and vegetables at your local farmer's market too. You can find handmade personal care products, handcrafted items for your home, organic honey, bread, cheese, eggs, milk, meats, wine and even handmade apparel and jewelry. Here are my 6 tips for making the most out of your trip to the farmer's market and getting a great deal while you are there.

1- Go Local: Find a local farmer's market that is close to you at Local Harvest. Local Harvest is a great website because once you find a farmer's market in your area, you can find out more about the farmer's and vendor's that you will find there. Sometimes, the farmer's market will have it's own website where you can find out more about the local vendors and products that they provide.

2- Get Planning: Before you head out to the farmer's market for the day, make a meal plan. There are several questions that you should ask yourself when making your meal plan. Do you know what fruits and vegetables are in season? What meals can you make using these ingredients? How much will you need? You will want some flexibility however, since the farmer's market may not have all of the fresh ingredients that you will need.

3- Come Prepared: Hitting the farmer's market first thing in the morning is when you will have the best selection. Just remember that once the sun in high in the sky, it may get hot. Remember to pack your sunscreen, sunglasses and hat to protect your body from the sun. Also, don't forget to bring your reusable bags or a large basket to carry all of your goodies home in and small bills to pay for your purchases. If you are looking for a great deal, visit the farmer's market much later in the day.

4- Ask Questions: One of the best things about a farmer's market, that you will never get at the grocery store, is the ability to interact with the farmer directly. Do you want to know more about the farm where the products are produced? Are you wondering how to use an ingredient that you aren't familiar with? Do you want to know if the products are organic? Just ask, you can learn a lot by asking just a few simple questions. You may learn that even though the products aren't labelled organic, doesn't mean that they are a member of the dirty dozen. Many small farmer's can not afford the organic certification, so their products may be organic, but not labeled as such.

5- Shop Around: Your local farmer's market may have several vendors that sell the same or similar products. Shopping around to view what quality, price and quantity of the products that you are looking for can save you money. Once you find a vendor that you enjoy and create a relationship with, you may save even more money, since the farmer will remember you and is more likely to give you a discount.

6-Try Something New: While shopping at your local farmer's market, you will probably encounter fruits and vegetables that are unfamiliar to you. Give these new foods a try, you may just find that you really love jicama, cherimoyas or Chayote Squash.

What tips to do use to make the most of your farmer's market experience? Leave your comments below!

Photo Credits:

Bags Photo: Orderly

Jicama Photo: Nodame

All Other Photos: New Amsterdam Market

It’s 2010 and being “green” is no longer just a trendy catch phrase, fortunately it’s become a way of life for many of us (each in our own way). And it’s no longer simply about conserving energy or recycling, being green has extended in the cleaning products we use, foods we eat and our skin care products. Unfortunately, green-washing abounds in the bath and body department. It seems like everything claims to be made with “natural” ingredients. It can be difficult to distinguish which shampoos and body lotions are safe and which are made up of synthetic chemicals (many of which are known or probable carcinogens or reproductive toxins).

As with food, packaging is very often deceiving. It’s really important to read labels to know what we’re “feeding” our skin. The skin is the largest organ of the body, whatever we put on it is absorbed right into the bloodstream. However, according to the Environmental Working Group, only 11% of the 10,500 ingredients in beauty products are tested for safety – pretty shocking!

While I’m no expert, I’ve gotten to know where I can find information about which scary ingredients to avoid. In general, I try not to buy products that contain parabens or phthalates (often hidden under the ambiguous term, “fragrance”). Needless to say, I would steer clear of products that don’t list their ingredients at all!

Since there are quite a few more difficult to pronounce chemicals to avoid, I refer to following websites and their “cheat sheets” to help me make safer skin care choices.

· Gorgeously Green (a great book and website) has a downloadable “Skin Care Shopping Cheat Sheet” that tells you which chemicals to avoid, in order of importance. I keep this in my purse.

· The Environmental Working Group’s site is a great resource, as is their Cosmetic Safety database, Skin Deep (they rate almost every shampoo, skin care and beauty product out there).

· I often refer to Safe Mama, as well, a blog that focuses on safe products for baby. They’ve created a number of cheat sheets listing the safest lotions, sunscreens, etc. for your little ones.

Photo by Kari Burks

What is your biggest weight loss/weight maintenance challenge?

Mine is stopping eating when it tastes too good! I can often resist until it touches my tongue. But then I am gone!

I find it so hard to hit the bottom of the bowl, to take the last bite. So, if I am at home with “more” available, it takes all I can do to not indulge in second and thirds and fourths...

I have eaten a third of a tub of ice cream in the wee hours of the night! (Oh yes – late night eating is when I am at my most vulnerable.)

Here are five ways to battle back when you want to dig back in:

1. Put away the container/left-overs away and refuse to go back. After serving your first, reasonably sized helping, return the tub of ice cream to the freezer and place the scooper in the dishwasher, close the cookie tin and shut the cupboard door, or scoop the leftovers into a container and put it out of sight if it is still too hot to go in the fridge.

2. Have a glass of water with a splash of lemon to clear your palate with a refreshing taste. It feels like a treat and will help you move on instead of going back.

3. Brush your teeth! A sure fire way to get you out of “eating mode” is to brush your teeth. Your teeth feel minty clean and you can focus on something other than that delicious, tempting flavour that was lingering in your mouth.

4. Get moving! Go for a walk. Get up and dance with your kids. Getting outside, or even active inside, will not only help you metabolize your meal, it will get your mind off food.

5. If all else fails, have an apple. If you really feel an urge to keep eating and your teeth just need to chomp on something, grab an apple and enjoy the sweet, refreshing crunch.

You may live in a community where you are allowed to capture falling rain water from your rooftop for reuse. This type of irrigation known as rain water harvesting is a budget and Eco friendly way to reuse rain water to irrigate your gardens or flower beds or even to wash your car and flush your toilets. You can also purify the water and use it as a great source of drinking water.

Since the average U.S. household uses nearly 250 gallons of water per day, the benefits of harvesting rain water can really add up. A household with a 1,000 square foot roof can capture over 600 gallons of water for every 1 inch of rain. Depending on the annual precipitation in your region, this can equate to thousands of gallons of water each year.

Besides being the ultimate in water recycling, rain harvesting also reduces storm water run off which can pollute and contaminate our waterways once pesticides, lawn chemicals, oil, grease, bacteria and debris are washed down the storm drains. Rain harvesting is also a great solution for areas that are prone to drought and water rationing.

When choosing a rain barrel, you will want to consider the size of the area or the ways that you will be using the water. If you plan to use the rain water to simply water your small backyard garden or wash your car, a traditional and inexpensive 55 gallon rain barrel should suffice. They come in an assortment of styles and colors, so you should be able to find one that will look great in your backyard.

If you plan to use the rain water for all of your gray water needs or have a large garden, yard or farm area, you may want to consider a larger rain water collection tank or cistern. Rain barrels are easy to use and install within a few minutes with only minimal tools required. You can even make your own, any large container can be used as a rain barrel.

Do you harvest rain? Would you consider rain harvesting? Please leave your comments below.

Photo via aussiegall.