The Dirty Dozen/ Clean Fifteen

The EWG list of produce with the highest instances of pesticides has been revised for this year. There are quite a few changes from the last list.

Here are the "dirtiest" fruits and veggies...the ones you really should buy organic:

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes

And these items tend to be "cleaner," that is, have lower amounts of residual pesticides.:

1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mangoes
6. Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potatoes
15. Honeydew

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I just placed an order for cedar garden beds. They'll be installed this weekend! It's something we've been planning/hoping to do ourselves, but planning and hoping doesn't get it done, especially when combined with laundering, mowing, playing, and all the other constant -ings.

I'm so giddy about this is a bit silly :)

I'm planning a bed for veggies and another for a cutting garden, which has always been a dream of mine. I haven't completed my list of veggies yet, but you can bet there will be bell peppers...i just spent $6 on TWO organic peppers...yikes! We also plan to plant 4ish blueberry bushes this year.

I'm dedicating my garden to my late grandma and hoping she left her green thumb to me when she went to heaven.

I Feel Pretty!

What do you all think of the new look? Next step is getting down to business with the post tagging. Oh, how I wish I'd done it along the way!

Nuke It!

Eco-conscious families seem to have a multitude of conflicting arguments about microwave usage, each one as valid as the others. I myself have mixed feelings about the ol' nuke box...it boils down to this for me:

Cons:

Microwaves are appliances. They are just one more thing--and not at all necessary one--that will end up in a landfill.

They cook food using radiation. Determined to be safe? Yes. A little creepy still? Yep.

They make it easier, and therefor more tempting, to eat processed convenience food.


But I have one. Here's why:

It came with my house.

I don't stand directly in front of it when it's in use (which is often majorly inconvenient).

Sure, it's easier to cook processed junk, but it's also easier to reheat my leftovers and pre-(home)cooked meals.

It uses less energy to thaw/reheat/cook than my stove top.

It uses less energy indirectly during summer months, because my stove and oven make my house hot, which makes my air conditioning work harder.


So, what are your thoughts on microwaves? Do you have one? Do you use it often? Do tell!