You may say, I am only one person…what can i do?  You can support the National Association of Letter Carriers help stamp out hunger by leaving a bag at your mail box, on Saturday May 14, 2011, with non-perishable food items.  That is only 2 days from now.   Make sure that the items you are donating are not out of date or in danger of expiring any time soon.   Don’t have a lot to give; give what you can.  If you are blessed enough to have the means to give…give generously; we all have a responsibility to share our blessings with others.

Support businesses and organizations that sponsor the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive.  This is an amazing grass roots program that blesses your local food banks.  All the food collected by your local mail carrier stays in your local area.  The people you help may be your own friends, family or neighbors. With the economy being so challenging in recent years more people are affected by not having enough to eat.  The numbers of children in homes without enough food is rising.  The elderly are having a harder time making ends meet.  Young wage earners are finding themselves without steady income to support their families sufficiently.   Natural disasters have hurt many families and those people still need to eat.  Churches can’t do it all…they need our help to provide food for those who are struggling with hunger!  Won’t you help?

Would you like to learn more?  Visit their website here:  Stamp Out Hunger and if you happen to have a Facebook account or a Twitter account…then Like them or Follow them to lend your support.  Spread the work online and off.  Tell others about the food drive…encourage others to donate.

Remember to thank your mail carrier.  They are dedicated to helping people stamp out hunger in your community.   Do you know someone who has had to use food from a food pantry or food bank?  Tell them about my friend Connie who heads up a website that teaches people how to eat healthier with the food that they bring into their homes through SNAP, food pantries, commodities, and farmer’s markets.  She does this in a way to help people stretch their budgets and to encourage the people who visit her website to form a community to share tips and ideas with one another.  Her site isn’t just for food stamp users…but for anyone on a tight budget who wants and needs to eat well.  Food Stamp Cooking Club

Mother Conni

I have to say that entering the fray in Babble’s Top 100 Food Mom Bloggers started out simply as a way of honoring my friend Mother Connie.  It has since become more about honoring her AND getting people aware of the impact she is making in the lives of the people who visit her Food Stamps Cooking Club Blog.  You see, Connie has always been about helping people be healthy (she teaches ways to eat healthier while on a tight budget) but she also truly loves connecting with people and encouraging them.

Her blog is one of community.  The people who visit there aren’t simply people who get their groceries from SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-food stamps)…even though that is the name of the blog.  It is also written for, and contributed to by, people who receive WIC  (Women, Infants, and Children), Angel Food Ministries, Commodities, Farmer’s Market coupons or groceries from local food pantries.  Connie encourages people to participate with their cooking tips, shopping or marketing tips, health information and to ask questions that she or her readers may have an answer to.

All of this is done with the intention of helping people to stretch their food dollars and to shop, prepare and serve the healthiest meals that they can to their families.  Connie not only accomplishes this…she has been an inspiration to many.  For all of those reasons…I ask you to go here to Babble’s Top 100 Mom Food Bloggers and nominate her.  All you have to do is find her on page 1 or 2 and click on the “like” button to vote for her.   Thanks a lot.  Oh, and go visit her blog…and leave her a comment; she loves comments…tell her Write Where You Are sent you!

A touch of Spring

Where I live in Michigan, winter weather gets to be a little overdrawn.  Winter seems like it is never going to end.  My way of coping is to dive into seed catalogs and gardening magazines.  It is like feasting on dessert after you have been on a starvation diet.  All of those plants with their lovely greenery and colorful blooms just lights up the soul and lifts the spirit.  Not only that, but when you are trying to buy fresh produce you quickly realize the high cost of fresh fruits and vegetables during the winter.  Cold frame gardening can help relieve the burden on your wallet if you build a couple of frames to supplement your produce needs.

I have discovered a way to try to get around that next winter.  You may find the idea of cold frame gardening interesting as well if you also live in a colder environment.  Some vegetables and herbs can be grown even in zones 5 where it gets cold and stays cold for months on end.

The summer season is relatively short for growing garden fresh produce; so anything that extends my growing period is a welcome thought.  Cold frame gardening may just be the answer.  People from baby boomer age may already be familiar with cold frame gardening but for those who are not; permit me to tell you a bit about growing produce this way.

I have not yet tried it however, I am assured from reading up on the idea that many items can be grown this way.  The idea is to use old window frames as a lid, or the top, of the box that you will construct to grow your vegetables in.  The window is positioned facing south, on a slant, on the top of the four walls of your box and attached by a heavy duty hinge.

Preparing the area where the cold frame will be placed is important.  The area must be dug out deeply into the ground.  Gravel or sand can be put on the bottom layer with composted or rich soil layered deeply over the top of the gravel/sand.  Then you need to either purchase a pre-built, manufactured cold frame or build one.  If you are going to build one you can start by considering these instructions or come up with your own design.

The back of the box of your frame should be slightly higher (18 inches x 14 inches in the front) so that snow and moisture can run off.   Now as for the width of the box, three feet seems to be what most people suggest because you want to be able to reach the plants & vegetables with ease without damaging other plants while you are reaching in to harvest them.  It might be warm in the box; but, you will be on the outside so you will want to limit your exposure to the cold temperatures by being able to get in and harvest quickly.

It is suggested that using the foundation of your home is one way to protect your cold frame from the wind and it may also provide a bit of additional warmth.  People who have greenhouses have also been known to build them on the south side of the structure to harness the warmth and protection from the wind.  If these are not possible, then you can actually insulate the walls of the cold frame with stiff styro-foam board.    When you build the cold frame there are some things to keep in mind.

* use untreated plywood (no chemicals) or use cedar lumber which lasts a long time

* put a layer of gravel deep under the soil for drainage

* in areas of extreme cold, heat tapes or pads can be put under the gravel underneath your planting soil (care must be                taken though when using electricity where you will be digging & watering  to avoid getting electrocuted.

* you will need to prop something under the window to let off steam so as to not “burn” your plants

* a hook latch and a heavy duty hinge in the back to keep the window in place during high winds

If you are interested in a visual example of a cold frame you can go here to look at this version of a cold frame: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-build-a-cold-frame-for-your-garden.html  That illustration shows clearly the idea of a cold frame and how it should work.  Of course, you can come up with your own design that works with the supplies you have.

Weather can be unpredictable and you will need to check on your growing plants daily to ensure that they aren’t getting too cold or too hot.  If you are expecting extremely cold temps you can cover your cold frame with old blankets or rugs.  However, should you choose to cover them…it is important to remember to uncover them again once the danger of the extreme weather has passed so that they can continue to get sun to grow your plants.

Now as to what types of vegetable or plants that is up to you.  But, how wonderful would it be to be able to go out and harvest a salad for your supper from your cold frame?  Or perhaps some herbs, or rutabagas, carrots, beets, cabbage…etc.  You get the idea.  Maybe some fresh garlic or onions would be fun to try to grow.

Or if you get cabin fever and are tired of looking at pure white snow everywhere you look…why not plant some lovely pansies or hardy type flower that has some color and can restore your winter worn soul to joy; just be reminding you that life is ready to burst forth once that snow melts.

Your cold frame garden could also be a great science project to include your children on.  Generations ago, our friends and relatives had to be creative to make their store houses of food last.  They couldn’t just run to the grocery store as easily as we do today.  I am for anything that helps us to be a bit more self sufficient these days and this is something that I really would like to try.  There are health benefits to doing your own gardening as well, getting up and moving is good for the body.  Gardening is emotionally satisfying; and, controlling how your vegetables or herbs have been grown is good too.  You can grow them without the use of pesticides or other chemicals which is a healthier way to grow your food.

Planting your seedlings in your cold frame in the Spring can also speed along your garden plants that you will put in your garden instead of having to wait until the commercial greenhouses open on Mother’s Day in May. The cold frame can be used to harden off your seedlings before they make the transition from the hothouse to your garden once the possibility of frost has passed in your gardening zone.

If you could build a cold frame and could plant anything your heart desires…what would it be?  Or maybe you have already tried this…write in and tell us about your experience.  We would love to hear from some of you seasoned gardeners.

that the environment on Earth can provide.  There is a conference

that is also called, Terra Madre, that brings together delegates from all

around the world to share information and practices that are committed

to growing and producing food in a responsible and sustainable way.

This conference has been taking place since 2004.  It takes place bi-

annually.  This conference brings together all of the wisdom and working

knowledge that supports good stewardship of the Earth and it’s life-

giving components.

Those delegates who participate contribute to the latest knowledge

about sustainability and growing practices which also include scientific

data and sound ecological practices for the relationships between food

producers, growers, shippers, cooks, universities, livestock, fisherman,

agricultural leaders, and scientists themselves.

In recent years there has been a push for genetically modified foods.

However, has been resistance to that movement.  Studies are being done

on the safety of such growing techniques on humans, animals and the

environment.

One of my favorite people in Michigan is one of those delegates.  You

may remember me writing of the Crosby Mint Farm in St.Johns,

Michigan.  I wrote of their farm’s struggle to fight against foreclosure

and their victorious win to keep the organic mint farm, that has been

in their family going back multiple generations.

Linette Crosby is co-owner with her brother Jim Crosby.  They farm the

land with growing practices that continue to renew the Earth with it’s

healthy agricultural farming practices.  This is not a marketing ploy…this

is how they produce such pure mint products and preserve the soil which

has brought their family such a rich heritage of  financial support, family

and relationships inside and outside of their local community. You can see

more about their farm here: http://www.bit.ly/98Wxw4

Linette Crosby is a perfect delegate for the Terra Madre conference.  Trust me,

what she is able to contribute is valuable and the knowledge she will return with

will continue to plant seeds in her circle of influence.  I look forward to all that

she will share with those people wise enough to listen and learn.

This year’s Terra Madre conference will be in Torino, Italy from October 21

to the 25th.  You can learn more about the conference here:

http://www.bit.ly/aFsrfd

        The solution was the wonderful hospitality house that is connected to Spectrum Hospital downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan called the Renucci Hospitality House.   I can’t tell you what a wonderful service this Renucci House offers.  It was built in 1999 and helps to house family members of the hospital’s patients that are in need of having a place close by to sleep and rest.  It was designed to provide comfort and rest for the weary soul.  There is a small healing garden that is darling.  There is a playroom for young siblings or children of the hospital patient.  The staff is wonderful and caring, from the hosts to the cleaning crew.   There is a computer for the patient’s family members to use, a laundry facility, an exercise room…and quiet rooms for relaxing.  The dinning room is open 24-7 and the kitchen is stocked with non-perishable food items for those moments when food or drink is needed.

        The Renucci House was founded by Peter P. Renucci and his wife Patricia Renucci.  Back in 1968 one of their children was born through a premature situation and had to stay in the hospital’s neonatal unit.  This was the basis of their awareness of the need to be close to your loved one who is in crisis.   They helped to fund the Renucci House with a gift of $1.6 million because they wanted to thank the community for what had been done for their family.  This is a gift that keeps on giving with a pay it forward theme that I love.

       The atmosphere is one of love, support and healing.  You feel very comforted if you find yourself in need of the Renucci House.  It goes beyond the staff or the comfortable rooms.  There is a very wonderful program of volunteerism that happens here.  Organizations, churches, families and individuals are encouraged to give of their time, talents, and blessings.  You can volunteer to donate and prepare meals for the families who are staying there.   This is normally a great expense for families who must stay nearby their family members during a hospital stay; it may be an expense the family cannot afford.   Truly, this is a huge blessing and one that shows an important part of caretaking and nurturing of families in crisis. 

         Our family benefitted from several meals that had been prepared and served by some of these volunteers.  It was a service that was provided with joy by the volunteers; and that was a wonderful blessing.  The meals were wonderful from the main dish to the salads, drinks and desserts.  One evening, a church had their youth providing community service help to serve the families of the Renucci House.  It was a group of fifth graders and their mentors.  These people went out of their way to be of service to those who stayed there that evening.  They mingled and interacted with the families and showed great care.   I think it is great that young people are being taught the importance of giving back to a community through volunteering their time, skills and willingness to be of service.  Kudos to those involved.

         Volunteers are encouraged to come and bake in the kitchen homemade baked goods or some other treat.  Put together snacks or care bags for the families.  This also opens the door to have conversations with family members who may need someone to talk to.  Comfort and peace are evident throughout the Renucci House because of the volunteer programs.

        The Renucci House actually operates quite a bit through their volunteer programs…from donated non-perishable food items which stock the kitchen for family members to use when they need it; to volunteers to help pay for the family members stay who can not afford to pay, to help cover the cost of staying in the Renucci House.   This is a big deal if a hospital stay goes on for very long.  Family members may have a hard time paying for their rooms, or much needed items to be able to stay close to their loved ones.   Some volunteers give gift cards to be used at local stores or restaurants in the area.    Perhaps donating a telephone calling card would benefit families who are staying at the Renucci House but have long distance calls to make.   Talk to the manager of the house to see if current magazines can be donated or perhaps you have a nurturing spirit and have time to greet guests or maybe volunteer to help in the library.  Empty nesters  or retirees who find themselves with time on their hands may wish to do something meaningful with all of their spare time.   The Renucci House volunteers provide breakfast and dinners daily…they need a large number of volunteers who are willing to provide this needed service.

       You know, the Renucci House is near to the Lemmen -Holton Cancer Pavilion, the Devos Children’s Hospital, and the Lena Meijer Heart Center; all of these facilities have patients and families.   There is a huge need to support those patients and their families at a time when they are facing some of the biggest battles of their lives.   Often there are so many emotions to deal with such as fear, anxiety, depression, sadness and hope.  The Renucci House provides the basics to allow people to cope with their emotions.   Please, spread the word, volunteer and give help when and where you can.  Having compassion and opening your hearts to opportunities to help is an important part of life…please get involved.   You never know when you or someone you care about may need some of those same things.

        If someone has time or talent to give or just feels moved to donate monitarily to the Renucci House you can contact their house manager at (616) 391-1790.  

 You can view their website here: http://www.spectrum-health.org/renucci .  My family is going to volunteer soon…we may even take our youth group down and prepare a meal for the family members in the near future.  As a family who has benefitted from a stay at the Renucci House recently, I want to say thank you to all of the volunteers, to the staff of the Renucci House and to the Renucci Family themselves for impacting the Grand Rapids community and it’s surrounding area with love, compassion and support.  You are appreciated greatly!

        There is extreme hunger, thirst, a desperate need for shelter and personal safety…and again, a huge concern for predators intent on inflicting the horror of human trafficking/modern day slavery on the men,women and children caught in the natural disaster that is the earthquake that Haiti has suffered.  Good things are happening too, but we don’t hear as much about that…but, we need to so that those helping to make a difference see that goodness can come out of tragedy.

         But there are at least two positives that I want to point out, one is a miracle of another survivor who was found 15 days after the earthquake; a 17 year old girl, now that is a miracle!  The other positive is a pat on the back for those that I saw on a news report who have had next to nothing to eat & drink; and yet, some of those same people have been sharing with their neighbors the last of their valuable items of food and drink.  It reminded me of the old story, Stone Soup…Haiti is creating stone soup.

     For those of you who don’t remember the story of  Stone Soup; it is a story of a travelor who wanders into a village and teaches a lesson about working together and having compassion.  The travelor is hungry and has nothing to eat so he asks a woman for some food.  She denies him because she says she has nothing to give him.  The travelor has a large pot but nothing to put into it.  However, he asks the woman if he can use her fire for cooking and he goes to the well to get water for the pot he carries on his shoulder. 

        Curious, the woman asks him what he is going to cook.  He tells her stone soup.  He looks around the yard and finds a nice smooth rock.  He cleans it off and drops it into the pot of water that is heating up on the fire.  After some time, he tastes it and the woman asks him, how does it taste.  He says well, it is not done yet.  Then he mentions that normally he would add some carrots but, he doesn’t have any.  The woman’s young son says that they have a few carrots in the side garden.  The mother gives her ok to go get them and add them to the pot if he will share with her family some of his stone soup; he agrees and the child gathers the carrots to add to the pot.

       It cooks for a while, and he tastes the soup…mentions that it needs some herbs.  Of course by this time, the children are playing off to the side of the fire; and, one of the boys friends says that his mother has some wild onions growing by her picket fence and runs off to get them.  When he comes back he brings his sister who has two potatoes that she dug up just that afternoon; and his mother follows with a handful of peas that she was cleaning for supper.  Together they throw the wild onions and the chopped up potatoes into the pot as well as the peas that the woman had.  The soup is starting to smell good.  No one had ever heard of stone soup before and it wasn’t long before people were talking about it and coming to watch in case they may learn to make it for themselves.

        The first village woman had gone to her friends house to tell of the stranger and his stone soup.  Her friend says she must see this to learn how to make it as times are hard.  She tells her friend that all she has to feed her family is one dead chicken that she was plucking when her friend came to tell her of the soup.  She takes the chicken with her as she doesn’t want to lay it down on the dirty outdoor table. 

        When the women arrive the soup is sending up a lovely smell and people are starting to gather around the pot.  There were young and old alike giving their advice on what to add and how it would taste.  The pot was very large and so the woman with the chicken asks if she adds the chicken to the pot whether she could bring her family over to share the soup.  Of course says the travelor…the chicken would be a wonderful addition to the soup.  Excitement began to touch those around the fire…they started to think about what they had that could be added, for a small sample of the stone soup.

        A husband and wife happened along in their wagon coming home from the mill.  They had sacks of grain, and inside one of those sacks was some barley they were willing to share with the travelor and his pot for a portion for themselves.  Into the pot went a couple of cups of barley.   The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves about how good the stone soup would taste when it was done.

       Another added some corn, a grandmother had some rice she was willing to share, and a teenager had some beans that he had been shelling for his mother…these they added to the pot.  The travelor said it was nearly done…did anyone else have anything to share…and out of nowhere a rutabaga appeared, along with a few sticks of celery, some lentils, and a head of garlic, some green beans and a fat sausage or two.

       It wasn’t long before the stranger said it was nearly done and did anyone have some bowls to serve it with; the people began to scurry home and came back with not only bowls and spoons but hungry family members who were thankful to have a meal;  when earlier, they had no idea how they were going to find something to eat when alas, they only had an item or two to prepare.  They were all grateful that the travelor had taught them how to make Stone Soup by sharing their blessings with one another.

        This is the story of Haiti…i read a news item this week of neighbors who were sharing the last little bits they had with one another.  One woman said, today I have this to share with my neighbors and friends…tomorrow they will share with me what they have.  In this way we all shall have something to eat and drink.

        In a time when most would understand that desperation has the tendency to bring out the worst in people (and for some it does); I want to celebrate those who in their desperation are finding ways to help one another.  Whether they are sharing their food or water, trying to protect the people from human trafficking, looking for survivors, helping those grieving…or tending to the sick and dying in make shift hospitals…i want to say thank you for finding human compassion inside of yourselves and using it to help a nation trying to survive.  God bless!

       For those who are in real need of a place to live (homelessness), food to eat (hungry), or basic necessities of life…help; real help is the difference between life and death.

        Feeding America is trying to make a difference.  The non-profit organization was created in the 1960′s by John van Hengel.  You see he was a retired businessman who volunteered his time at a food kitchen in Arizona.  He actively sought out donations from area businesses and got more food than that soup kitchen could use.  In talking with some of their clients he found that some of them were gathering food for their families from the garbage bins from local grocery stores.  This sowed the seeds for what is now known as Feeding America.

        Many of us hear the refrain from our children nightly; Mom, I’m Hungry, what’s for dinner?  For those of us who are blessed enough to have food to put on the table that is filling and nutritious it is a mere question that will be answered in time with a meal on the table.  For other families, that is not the case.  In 2008, there were 49.1 million Americans who live in homes with unstable food resources.  Seriously, that is ridiculous!  On the news today I heard that in America, people waste or throw away 40% of their food.  Why?

      No one wants to hear that question from their children, “What’s for dinner Mom, I’m hungry?”; and not have something healthy and nutritious to feed their families.  What can you do to help? 

      If you have money to give…please give it .  For every $1 that is given, seven meals are provided to men, women and children.  You can give directly to them here: http://bit.ly/7yfZQJ   If you don’t have money how about volunteering?  Or maybe become an advocate for them by blogging or writing articles telling of the good that they are doing?  Maybe start a food drive in your local area.  If you don’t wish to do any of those things…maybe you would be willing to click here and support some of Feeding America’s partners:  www.welchs.com/harvest  each time you click there you will be helping to donate 8 glasses of welch’s juice for free…just by clicking!  Amazing isn’t it?  If you go here   http://feedingamerica.org/ : you can see in the bottom right hand side some of their partners who help Feeding America/Second Harvest do what they do so well.  Please support them and let them know how much you appreciate their generosity!

       Another great interesting fact I found out is about an executive director of Feeding America right here in Michigan who was instrumental in helping to restructure over 100 food banks in the United States with just one idea…a mobile food truck.  You see, it used to be that some perishable food items would get donated that had to be used within a short period of time to avoid it becoming un-usuable.  John Arnold, of Feeding America of West Michigan, of  had a great idea to use refrigerated beverage trucks ( beer, soda, water) to take those perishable food items to the people in rural areas before those food items spoiled and became unusable.  What a blessing he has been to people in need!  Thank you John Arnold on behalf of families around the United States.

French Vanilla Triple Berry Holiday Pie 

Ok, if you are short on time or don’t like making pie dough…purchase the Pillsbury frozen roll out dough.  Fill your pie plates (you’ll need two) with the dough and using a fork…randomly poke holes all around the walls of the pie shells and along the bottom of the crusts.  Then bake at 350 until the shell is lightly golden brown.  Cool the shell and set aside.

In a large bowl whip a quart of French Vanilla Ice Cream until it is semi-soft and creamy.  Pour half of the mixture into each pie plate.  Put it in the freezer while you work with the toppings.

Rinse out your bowl that you mixed the ice cream in so that you can reuse it for the triple berry topping.  You will need one can of cranberries (use either the jellied or the whole berries, whatever you prefer).   Add one and a half cups  of frozen blueberries and one and a half cups of blackberries or red raspberries, thawed.  Mix with the mixer until all of the berries are blended together.  Let the berries meld their flavor together for about 20 minutes and then spread over the top of the french vanilla ice cream in the pie shells right before serving.

It is wise to let the ice cream pies soften a bit before cutting and serving to your guests.  You can garnish your pie with dollops of whipped cream.  This makes a pretty pie to serve and a tasty addition to your holiday meal.

Ingredients Needed

2 frozen roll up pie crusts such as Pillsbury brand

1 can of cranberry sauce (either jellied or whole berries-your preference)

1 quart of french vanilla ice cream

1 tub or can of spray whipped cream

1  1/2 cups of blueberries

1  1/2 cups of raspberries/or blackberries again your preference

If you would like more ideas about pie recipes for the holiday and even a pie party giveaway…check this site out: Tidy Mom