eat

some of the edibles growing in my garden or in pots on my deck...

Meyer lemon

There are several lemons on this plant!  They are about the size of a couple cherry tomatoes put together.  Here's a photo of the lemon in my hand. ↓  See the beautiful sweet-scented lemon blossom in an earlier POST.

hot peppers

I've brought this plant inside for 2 Winters now.  During that time, it lives in my basement and is very neglected and is watered very little.  It revives when brought outside and exposed to sun and watering.

baby mixed lettuces

Growing lettuce, Asian greens, Swiss chard, and spinach in pots is so easy!  I simply pick the outer leaves and the plants keep on growing.

yellow cherry tomatoes

My FIRST ripe tomato!  I'm so excited!  and it's not even July yet!  Yes, yes, I do know it's small...but it's ripe...and it's my first!

stevia

I have 2 kinds of stevia growing in pots on my deck.  The leaves are a natural sweetener.  The tags says "300 times sweeter than sugar without the calories."  I had a plant in the past which I over-wintered in my basement.  I suppose it was too neglected because it didn't make it.  Stevia is hardy in zones 8-10.  

thyme, rosemary, and a couple basil leaves visible in the back

I love basil!  I grow several varieties, which I start from seed, in pots on my deck.  Both basil and rosemary smell so heavenly!  I bought these 3 plants and put them together in one pot.  Only the thyme is a perennial in my zone, so I'll plant that in the garden in the Fall.

thyme in the garden

Thyme is in the mint family and spreads by runners underground and by seeds.  I think it is a pretty and low growing addition to the garden.  The lavender flowers attract bees.

parsley flower and leaves

The parsley is going to seed.  That's great because fresh, new plants will soon be coming up.  (This parsley is growing in the pot in which the Carolina wrens made a nest.  See that post HERE.)

EAT:  to consume or ingest food to provide for nutritional or medicinal needs, especially for energy and growth.  All heterotrophs* must eat in order to survive.

We all know what eating is, but the question that remains is what exactly is food?  According to Michale Pollan, humans ingest much edible food-like substances.  One of his food rules is "Don't eat anything incapable of rotting.”  (In Defense of Food:An Eater's Manifesto)

In thinking of food, we do need to consider how it was raised.  Our health is at stake.  I won't go into any depth here.  
I will share this list that I recently came across.  It is published by the nonprofit EWG--Environmental Working Group, whose mission "is to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment."  The list is a Shopper's Guide to Pesticide in Produce.  The link is in the list below.  I will share with you here the 3 worst produce items:  apples, celery, and sweet bell peppers.  The website itself is interesting to peruse. 

*heterotrophs--organisms that need carbon but cannot fix it themselves.

LINKS:

115 Michael Pollan quotes

Fresh, the movie, BLOG 

EWG Shopper's Guide to Pesticide in Produce  

I'm linking up with my favorite teacher, Ms Jenny Matlock, as we work our way through the alphabet.  Please do go visit the other students, for you never know what gems you may find--humor, poignancy, information, visions of far away places, stuff you've never even dreamed of!  Check it out HERE.  You may even wish to join in yourself!

photos by me © 2012    all rights reserved