A few years ago, I met a man, an organic landscaper, who told the story of his next door neighbor. He was on his way out to his car one morning when he heard a hello. As he turned and waved to his neighbors, he noticed their 1 year old standing on the grass barefoot, his…
DIY Organic Garden Fertilizer
It’s true – you don’t have to pay extra money for the best fertilizer around. Here’s why and how to make some from common leftover scraps that most people throw away. EGGSHELLS Why: Eggshells nourish the soil by providing a steady source of calcium. Half a teaspoon of dry, powdered eggshell contains approximately 400 mg of calcium….
Natural Alternatives to Pesky Problems
Tackling Sugar Ants, Silverfish, Dirty Ovens and Clogged Drains Cheaply and Naturally ANTS: Each year, as the snow melts and the flowers bloom, I enjoy watching my children as they watch, in awe, at the ants that build their mounds and carry food from wherever they were fortunate to find it, and back to their…
This is a Notice to Inform You… (Pesticide Danger)
Last week my parents received this postcard in the mail. Being that my children play in my parent’s yard quite often, I called the given phone numbers. Truth be told, I would have called no matter what! I first called the New York State Department of Health Center for Environmental Health and spoke with a…
The Age Old Battle: The Bugs Versus Us (How and Why to Safely Protect Your Kids From those Darn Mosquitoes)
The New York Times did a piece last week on mosquitoes, and as one of their suggestions for bug repellent, the author recommended products with DEET. Knowing that DEET has actually been linked to causing damage to brain cells, I was surprised. “The insect-repelling chemical DEET actually functions in the same way as deadly nerve gases and dangerous…
Pass the Peas Please – the spoonful on the right that is! Why I Make Most of My Own Baby Food
I like to know exactly what goes into my children’s bodies, which you have probably figured out by now from reading some of my other posts. I think this picture shows the reason why I make Lila’s food better than I can explain why I do it! These are peas. The spoonful on the left…