Before Summer took off for California, she started a book called Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Summer rarely starts just one book. But that’s another story. She left this book on the dresser in our bedroom and curiosity got the better of me so (Cheech is rubbing off on me) I picked it up and read the first 20 pages or so. It has some very real social commentary as well as some very real facts regarding American and their eating habits. The interesting angle the authors took on Americas Eating Habits doesn’t just bash us for eating poorly (fast food, processed food, preservatives, steroids), they bash us for eating food, fresh food, that has traveled halfway across the world to be on the shelves of our grocery stores.
At this point of the story, the Protagonist has just upped and moved her family from the rain starved Arizona desert to the South Eastern United States to an old farm she and her husband own. She went from aqueducts and canals keeping the green lawns of the golf courses (i love to play AZ and NV golf courses) bright green year around to running streams, seasons and a local economy that is mostly comprised of farmers.
Summer and I really want to be able to utilize our property and the beautiful year around weather of the tropics to grow food for our household. Granted, we don’t want a working farm that is going to supply us with all of our food, but we would like to subsidize certain things we would normally buy at the grocery store with things we are growing on our property. We also buy all of our produce from the guys selling local fruits/vegetables on the side of the road (I really like the guys stuff out on the 115 heading towards Mayaguez).
I am getting hungry just talking about this. I am going to make a salad. A salad that Summer and I grew 
Just kidding, I’m heading to McDonald’s.
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I can’t believe that tomatoes started getting ripe AND you learned how to use dropshadows ;), since I’ve been gone.
I really like “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” so far. It has a lot of really good facts and it’s well written. Now I really notice those stickers on vegetables/fruits that tell you where they are from.
I love that we get to grow our own vegetables now. It’s fun (and delicious)!
you hippies!
Tomatoes are great, green beans grow wonderfully (blanch and freeze them), forget about zuchinni and yellow crookneck. Watermelon and peppers are doing well as is eggplant. Keep your eye out for a dehydrator…we can’t find one and really need one to dry out cherry tomatoes, guineos, mangos, papaya, etc. The shipping price to order on line is more than the dryer! If you spot one let us know where and snag one for yourself…you will need it when your fruit gets going! katrina
Oh - do a web search on Red Jungle Fowl Puerto Rico and you will get some photos (look like chickens to me) and a little history. At our house there is roostering around 4 am until 6. It travels around the hills like a stadium wave and sounds like creepy babies and scenes from the Wizard of Oz.
Hey man, veggies look good! How’s Surfs Up doing? You guys been in there at all? How’s poker night going? Are you guys playing downstairs yet? Keep in touch!
Justin - We havn’t been to Surf’s Up since you guys left. We converted to Banana Dang ;).
Poker is awesome. Games seems to be getting bigger and bigger. Have you seen the poker stats? How are you guys? Have you opened up your coffee shop yet?
Sorry Justin….I thought I was breaking a different Justin’s stones….But hope you and yours are happy in your new quest,Mark
I loooved Animal, Vegetable, Miracle!!! Of course I have been way too busy to actually plant something and then water it but I am glad you could:) One of these days…seriously!
HM