Generations of Green

Many of Our Daily Green's readers have wondered how my personal love of green living and organic eating started. I always joke that I didn't have much choice. I grew up on an organic produce farm in the 1970s. (photo below -- pre-digital perfection in photography)

We thought it would be fun to share one of Mama Green's life lessons and I asked her to write up a blog post. Without further ado, I proudly present my new guest columnist, Mama Green, aka Carol Perzy, who runs a small floral shop aptly named Greenfield Gardens, in Litchfield, OH, in the same location since 1971. She will be periodically sharing her years of wisdom and enthusiasm here on Our Daily Green. Please give her a warm welcome!

(There is very little editorial work here, I did tone down her writing enthusiasm of multiple !!!exclamation points!!!, CAPS, penchant for bolding, ~tildes~, underlining and ...ellipses... a wee bit. It hurts the journalism side of my education, although in my mind's eye it helps me hear her passion for these topics.)

1976 -- the article was bigger than my scanner

The GREENFIELD Thumb

It’s early March and time to start my Garden Seedlings. My GREEN thumb is throbbing. I have been able to placate the thumb all winter long. I am a “GARBAGE GARDENER”. As an environmentalist, I am concerned with waste.

A sensible way to deal with trash: “Don’t throw it~ Grow it !”

There are a number of vegetables that can be re-grown to produce a second-time around crop. Many of us have started sweet potato vines. Simply suspend a potato with toothpicks in a glass of water and let it grow. If you plant a garden, the shoots may be removed to start new growth. Or simply enjoy a trailing vine in your kitchen window.

Some of the easiest plants to re-grow: The base of a bunch of celery or romaine lettuce placed in a shallow dish will show green growth in a few days. Use the snips or plant after the roots show. Carrots, turnips, beets and scallions can produce eatable greens in a similar way. Leave an inch of the vegetables, set in water and watch them grow. Add the greens to salad, stir fry, or smoothies.  

If you choose to dispose of scraps... 

COMPOST THEM !

            “GARBAGE IN~ GARDENS OUT” and improve your soil. 

An easy and healthy way to imitate fresh-from the garden produce is sprouting. The health benefits of sprouts make up quite an impressive list, and they include the ability to improve the digestive process, boost the metabolism, increase enzymatic activity throughout the body, prevent anemia, aid in weight loss, lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, prevent neural tube defects in infants, protect against cancer, boost skin health, improve vision, support the immune system, and increase usable energy reserves.

2018

WOW~ and it is SO easy! All you need is a clean jar, some untreated seeds (organic if you can) water and a screened lid, sprouting top or just cheesecloth & a rubber band. Soak your seeds in warm water overnight. Rinse and set aside. Rinse (do not soak) each day until the desired length is achieved. They can be eaten at any stage. To stop the growth, cap and refrigerate for days.

I sometimes let my radishes go until a red tip and green tops show. YUMMY on a goat cheese wheat toast. Favorite sprouts include Mung beans, used in Chinese cooking, alfalfa, broccoli, radish, peas almost any seed that produces a plant. Grains can also be sprouted. Wheat berries make wonderful sprouted wheat bread. Sunflowers are fun to eat.

When all else fails, satisfy you GREEN THUMB by browsing the many colorful seed catalogs and allow yourself a “DROOL or TWO” as we wait for the first harbingers’ of Spring. THINK SUNSHINE!