Pea Shoots - Delicious, Nutritious and Easy to Grow

I began experimenting with growing pea shoots a few years ago as a transitional crop to bridge the gap between the last of the winter greens and new spring crops. I buy dwarf gray sugar peas, garnish type, from Johnnys Seeds. A 5 lb. bag costs $17.60. I can sow about 8 flats with 5 lbs. of seeds and sell they for $12.00 per flat. Pretty good ROI.

It took several attempts to work out the kinks in my method. This is how i do it.

• I use standard web trays lined with landscape fabric to keep the soil from running out the bottom. Newspaper would work as well.
• I fill the trays half way with my standard worm casting and granite sand seed starting mix. I sprinkle 2 cups of pea seeds evenly over the surface and press them firmly into the soil. I used to cover them with soil but i found that because the seeds are so close together they would push up large masses of soil which were hard to deal with.
• I water them thoroughly.
• I place them on the table under the grow light and cover the trays with plastic to retain moisture. The grow light provides heat that encourages germination. When the weather is warmer i place them in the hoop house. I check them daily and water when needed to keep the seeds moist.
• They will germinate in about 7- 10 days at which time I remove the plastic.
• They will be ready to harvest in about 3 more weeks when the shoots are 3-4 inches tall. If i cut them off above the first couple of leaves i can sometimes get enough regrowth for another harvest.

Packed with vitamins A^[1], C^[2] and folic acid^[3], Pea Shoots are a delicious, nutritious modern slant on the classic British garden pea. Lyndel Costain, B.Sc.RD, award winning dietitian and author of Super Nutrients Handbook, says, “Pea Shoots are a nutritious leaf with high levels of vitamin C and vitamin A. A 50g bag of these tasty greens offers more than half of the RDA for vitamin C, a quarter of the RDA for vitamin A and significant amounts of folic acid. It is great news that this healthy and simple to prepare British vegetable leaf is readily available to consumers.”
source - peashoots.com

That's it! Easy peasy :)

On the Road to Good Health and Longevity

I have been skeptical about modern medical practices for a long time. I never liked going to doctors because they could never sufficiently answer my questions and generally ignored many of the things that were wrong with me like my back pain, tinnitus, and other nagging issues. When I had a heart attack 2 years ago i went to Emory Medical Center, one of the leading teaching and research hospitals in the world. I am sure there is some good, useful work done there, however my experience was mostly disappointing. I had a stent put into one of my arteries by the head of the cardiac care unit. He then became my cardiologist. I was given prescriptions for statin drugs and beta blockers to lower my blood pressure. I have been researching these drugs for years and have concluded that the may do more harm than good. I hated taking statins in the past and refused to take them this time. Before I could be discharged i was forced to take a class by their dietitian. She explained to us how to read the labels on cans and boxes and jars to see if there was fat in them because fat is bad for you according to them. In passing, she suggested it might be a good idea to eat some fresh fruit and vegetables. That was it.

There was never any suggestion that there might be ways to get at the underlying conditions that caused me to have a heart attack in the first place. I was to take the drugs and it was implied that they expected to see me again in 5 years when i would need another stent put in or perhaps even kick the bucket, god forbid.

So i have been floundering around wondering what to do ever since. When my prescription for blood pressure medication ran out i figured it was time find a doctor who might give a shit about me, you know, the person, not the statistic. Fortunately we have pretty good insurance through Robin's place of employment so I went on there web site to search for a doctor in their plan.
I wanted to find a doctor that used a wholistic approach. What a useless and futile effort that was.

Next I googled "wholistic medicine" and found Progressive Medical Center. When i read about their philosophy and there approach to medicine i knew i had found the place i was looking for. They use an integrative method combining the most up to date modern medical practices with many different traditional practices. On staff they have medical doctors, naturopathic doctors, dietitians, acupuncturists, massage therapists and a pain center. Before my appointment i filled out a long questionnaire about my medical history, lifestyle, work history and other things. This was different than any of those types of forms i had filled out in the past. At my first appointment i provided a urine sample, had my blood pressure tested, height and weight measured, the usual routine.

Then I met with the doctor to go over my history. He asked me lots of additional questions about my diet, have i ever been exposed to pesticides through my work, did i have trouble sleeping, did i get tired late in the day, etc. He did a seemingly cursory examination of my body, listening to my heart and lungs, looked at my tongue, looked at my hands and feet, tested my reflexes. No probing my anus to see if my prostate was enlarged, no fondling my testicles while i coughed.
An assistant came in with some results from my urine sample analysis.

Then he began to provide a diagnosis based on his examination and the results from the urine analysis. My face is red (my mother-in-law told me this at christmas) but the rest of me is not indicating that i have lots of inflammation. There is puffiness under my eyes and my eyebrows are disappearing indicating that my thyroid is not functioning well. This was confirmed by the urine analysis which showed i am deficient in iodine which is essential nutrient to the thyroid. The thyroid in intimately connected to the adrenal glands so it is likely that they are not working well either which would explain why i have trouble sleeping and why i get tired in the afternoon. There were other things he pointed out as well. I was very impressed with his diagnostic skills and felt very comfortable.

After that meeting they took lots of blood samples. They are looking for any possible allergens, household, food, pets, environmental. They are looking to see if i have any heavy metals in my body. They look at markers for every system in me to see what is working properly and what isn't. In short they are taking a systems approach to helping me restore my health.

When i returned for my second visit I met with a naturopathic doctor who went over the first test results that had come back. I wrote up a description below. The results confirmed everything the doctor had diagnosed just by looking at me. I will be returning for my next appointment in 3 weeks when they have the rest of the test results back. In the mean time i am on a gluten, dairy and alcohol free diet and am taking lots of supplements and detoxifying substances. I have been on this regimen for 3 days and i already sleep better and have more energy late in the day. I am very confident that i will regain my good health and live a long life.
Unless I get run over by a bus :)

2/2/2012

I had my first follow up appointment at Progressive Medical Center today to go over the first test results and start my detox program.

Analysis
Liver, kidneys, prostate are good
Blood pressure is 155/105. Took an herbal supplement while there which brought it down to 150/97 in 45 minutes
Total cholesterol is 272 which is high. Good cholesterol is low 28. (HDL)
Triglyceride is high 190
Insulin is a little high
Vitamin D is low. Weird!
Iron is low. Now taking supplements
Thyroid is low functioning
Adrenal glands are low functioning. Will know more at next visit.
I have macrocytic anemia
Lots of inflammation. Will know more next time.

Next Step is Detox
"Low allergy, low inflammation diet to aid immune support and recovery"
Gluten, dairy and alcohol free diet for the next month.
Supplements
Foundation detox enhancement. Protein and vitamin powder for breakfast
Fish oil twice a day for inflammation
Iodine for thyroid
CoQ10 for heart health and lipid support. Ubiquinol
Cardiac Cap packets for cholesterol. Improves HDL. CoQ10, niacin, fish oil, red yeast fermented rice
Methyl guard for large cell anemia. B6, folic acid, B12, Betaine
Probiotic packets for gut health
10,000 i.u. Per day vitamin D3
Pro-adrenal for adrenal support to improve immune function and endurance. Vitamin C, B6, B5, potassium chloride, adrenal concentrate, eleuthero root, licorice, ginseng, rhodiola

How I feel now
I wake up with a head full of snot every morning. My head feels like it is blown up like a balloon putting pressure on my face all the time.

I run out of energy after lunch and frequently take a nap so I will have the energy to cook dinner. After dinner I usually feel exhausted although not sleepy. I don't go to bed until 10:30 - 11:30 most nights. I often wake up around 3 a.m. And can't get back to sleep.

I have had tinnitus (ringing in my ears) for many years.

What I want to change as a result of this process

Cardio health- normal blood pressure, normal cholesterol levels
No more tinnitus. The doctors have told me this is related to poor functioning thyroid and probably inflammation.
A clear head.
Have energy all day long.
Regular sleep pattern.

Sonoran Desert Black & White Images

Sonoran Desert Black & White Images, a set on Flickr.

Some photos from my recent pilgrimage to the desert.

Keep on Growing: A Week in the Life ...

Last was busy and productive here at The Funny Farm. The week started on Monday, Martin Luther King Holiday, with a trip to Truly Living Well Wheat St. Organic farm to do some volunteer work. The farm is literally in the shadow of the King Center for Non-Violent Change where there were lots of activities to honor Dr. King that day. After working in the garden my friends and i ate lunch at a nearby restaurant, Noni's, where we had a nice meal featuring locally sourced ingredients. We enjoyed a bloody mary, or 2, garnished with pickled veggies made by our bartender. We returned to the King Center to watch the parade and show our support for Occupy Atlanta which had a large contingent of marchers.

Tuesday i spent the day acquiring the last of the materials i need to finish building the cover over Craven, the cob oven.

Wednesdays are market days for us at the Decatur Farmers Market. We harvested in the morning and headed to the market. In spite of the cold and wind we sold all of our vegetables. When we returned home that evening we were greeted with a surprise package! A box packed full of fruit trees, shrubs and vines from our friends at Johnson Nursery in Ellijay, GA. Woohoo!!!

Thursday i went to Progressive Medical Center for a physical exam, my first in a few years. They practice integrative medicine. They use the latest diagnostic methods to determine the underlying causes of dis-ease and employ the most appropriate methods to restore their clients to optimal health. Their staff includes M.D.'s. naturopaths, dietitians, acupuncturists, massage tharapists and chiropractors. I will be writing more about my journey to restore and heal my body and spirit in future posts.

Thursday afternoon i added to our food forest asian pears, asian persimmons, almond trees, blueberries and muscadines.

Friday morning I spent harvesting for Saturday's market. In the afternoon a young couple came by for a farm tour. Matt had emailed me the week before to ask if he and Melissa could come by on their return journey from Florida to their home in Virginia. We had a nice time discussing the work we do at the Funny Farm and their plans to do something similar in Virginia. I find it very gratifying that people are interested in seeing what we are doing and I love to share our knowledge and experience. Good Luck Matt and Melissa :)

Saturday morning i headed to market where we endured a deluge of rain and some scary lightning. We have some very dedicated customers at our market so we were able to sell a few things before we gave in and called it quits. After i got warm and dry the rain stopped and i went out to the garden to practice with my new camera. I had a great time and produced a few images that made me happy.

Sunday morning i got a lot of seeds planted in flats and into the hoop house. Spring will be here before you know it. In the afternoon i prepared a delicious Bourbon Beef Stew using the grassfed beef i purchased from Tink's Grassfed Beef at the market the day before. Robin and i both agreed it was the best stew we had ever eaten.

Today i am wrapping up a few things before my trip to Arizona. I am so ready to spend some time with my close friends communing with the desert and restoring my mind, body and spirit.

I will holla at y'all next week upon my return.

Oh, and I get to mark a few goals off my list.

Keep on Growing!!!

leekfixer's photostream

leekfixer's photostream on Flickr.

Here are some photographs I made today while learning to use my new camera. Goal #72. Enjoy :)

101 Goals in 1001 Days- Funny Farm Style

I first discovered the meme at the beginning of last year. My friend Lara started her list then and has been steadily completing goals throughout the year and sharing her experiences along the way on her blog Food. Soil. Thread.
She has accomplished some really cool things which has inspired me to start my own list. Making the list was harder than i anticipated. It has taken me 2 weeks to create a meaningful list. I want the goals to be SMART goals for the most part.

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Timely

For the most part they are. Some will need more work to make them measurable. I believe they are all attainable and they are certainly relevant to me. The meme itself places the time constraint on their completion.

I consider this a living document, subject to refinement, updates, changes and so forth. It has certainly helped me focus on making the best use of my time and energy so far this year. With regular review i know i will make good progress on completing these goals.

Oh, look! I can mark the first one off my list :)
Goals with red type have been completed. Goals with green type are in progress.

1. Use the word "meme" correctly in a sentence.
2. Build a smoke house.
3. Travel to another country 2 times.
4. Visit the desert 3 times.
5. Set up our vegetable processing station in the basement.
6. Establish a regular yoga practice.
7. Stop smoking cigarettes.
8. Write and publish a book.
9. Publish 3 articles in a national magazine.
10. Set up a grey water system to use to water the garden.
11. Increase our rain water harvesting capacity 3 fold.
12. Get a new roof on the house.
13. Get solar panels on our roof.
14. Clean out and organize the barn.
15. Acquire a ceremonial rattle from a rattle maker.
16. Clear out and organize the basement.
17. Go to an Acres USA conference.
18. Write a blog post at least once a month.
19. Learn to bake good bread in the cob oven.
20. Finish the root cellar.
21. Get a new warm coat.
22. Learn to play my recorder.
23. Go hiking in the mountains 12 times.
24. Get the water in our pond tested.
25. Get hearing aids.
26. Have different friends over for dinner every 2 months.
27. Regularly attend Atlanta Herbalist Guild meetings.
28. See live music at least 4 times a year.
29. Learn to make sausage.
30. Learn to make pasta.
31. Secure the chicken house and get new chickens.
32. Build a top bar bee hive and start a colony.
33. Build a duck house and get ducks.
34. Get a freezer.
35. Get a half of a hog.
36. Host a pig roast.
37. Get a half of a goat.
38. Plant 10 more fruit trees.
39. Learn the identity of 5 new birds.
40. Collect wild chanterelle mushrooms.
41. Make miso.
42. Set up a meditation room in the den.
43. Paint my bedroom.
44. Plant a few Camellia sinensis.
45. Ferment tea leaves from said plant.
46. Make yogurt monthly.
47. Make kim chee 4 times.
48. Move our bank account to a credit union.
49. Get a massage.
50. Participate in a sweat lodge ceremony with a native American tribe.
51. Practice drawing weekly.
52. Build a rocket stove.
53. Build another cob oven somewhere.
54. Build 2 cold frames.
55. Make a hugelkultur bed.
56. Build a grape arbor.
57. Use the bricks I collected to pave the gathering space.
58. Sell the trailer we don't use.
59. Get a physical examination.
60. Organize my tools.
61. Make a video about the funny farm.
62. Get Funny Farm tee shirts made.
63. Get the garage doors fixed.
64. Organize the garage.
65. Get rid of all the stuff I don't need.
66. Eat less salt.
67. Take better care of my health.
68. Get a physical exam yearly.
69. Organize my seeds and keep them organized.
70. Get a new laptop.
71. Learn how to use my new camera well.
72. Develop a new business venture so Robin can work at home.
73. Organize my digital photos.
74. Teach a gardening class for kids.
75. Let go of my anger and live a life full of love, compassion and empathy.
76. Participate in a week long trance dance.
77. Increase our fruit and vegetable production by 10% this year.
78. Recycle all our electronic stuff.
79. Re-read Carlos Castenada's books.
80. Read 3 science fiction novels a year.
81. Make a cheesecake topped with fresh fruit from our garden.
82. Build a structure with a green roof.
83. Get the composting toilet working again.
84. Grow and sell $2500 in flowers at market this season.
85. Hang my Tibetan prayer flags.
86. Get new gutters.
87. Give the clothes I don't wear to someone in need.
88. Take a trip on a bus.
89. Grow comfrey.
90. Plant American lotus in the pond.
91. Practice drumming weekly.
92. Take the Annabel to the mountains.
93. Go to the beach.
94. Take a trip on a train.
95. Do some volunteer work.
96. Start a personal seed bank.
97. Try eating acorns.
98. Take an herbal medicine workshop.
99. Teach a canning and preserving workshop.
100. Build a coldframe.
101. Grow olives.

Cob Oven Update #5 - She's Hot!

Yesterday i could not stand it any more so i built a fire in Craven, have i mentioned her name is Craven?, with the intention of baking some pizzas. I must say I was a bit apprehensive about getting her all hot and bothered. For all i knew she could totally collapse in a heap of mud... or explode into a million pieces. I built a fire out of old pallet wood and kept it blazing for 2 hours which i figured would be good enough for cooking a couple of pizzas. The fire door worked great at promoting good air flow while allowing easy feeding and tending of the fire. I used the blow pipe a couple of times to rev up the flames.

As darkness fell it decided it was now or never. I assembled the pizzas and (attempted) to put them in the oven :-p It was at this point that I began to learn a few things about cob oven in general and this oven in particular.

This is What I Learned:

1. I need a proper peel- sometimes DIY is just not worth it. I found a restaurant supply on line from which i can get one for under $10.00. Ordering it next.
2. Use a flat surface on which to assemble the pizzas - a cookie sheet with a lip does not allow one to effectively slide the peel under the pizza without messing it up.
3. Do not put too many toppings on said pizza - they fall off with handling.
4. Calzones are easier to handle that pizzas - and taste just as good.
5. It takes a lot of foreplay to get Craven really hot - 2 hours of firing was not enough to heat her enough to even cook pizzas properly. I am guessing 3 hours minimum and 4 hours + to getter her hot enough to make buns in the oven, i mean, bake loaves of bread. This suggests that the abundant thermal mass in this oven will retain heat for a long time once it finally reaches maximum temperature.
6. I need to start stockpiling lots of firewood - i have enough for probably one good firing. I am going to keep my eye open for construction sites, few and far between in this depressed economy. and start cutting brush around here that we've been planning to do for a while now.

While we did have to finish the pizza and calzone for a few minutes in the oven, they tasted great. Smokey, with a nice bottom crust. I look forward to the next time we get to fire her up!