Take Time for Nature this summer and help celebrate 50 years of conservation
July 10, 2012
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is celebrating 50 years of conservation by asking Canadians to take some Time for Nature this summer.
NCC is challenging Canadians to incorporate nature into their summer vacation plans, and to share those experiences through the Time for Nature website. Whether hiking, birding, camping, canoeing, or simply exploring the nature in your backyard, each Time for Nature story shared on the website will inspire others to reconnect with the natural world.
Staff at NCC kicked off the challenge by taking their own Time for Nature last week. In a Canadian first, all staff at the organization turned off their cell phones and email for a few days, and left the office behind to reconnect with the great outdoors. Their coast-to-coast adventures – including camping, canoeing, hiking, and biking – have rekindled their appreciation for the natural world they work to protect every day.
NCC has more than a few suggestions to help Canadians choose where to spend their own Time for Nature. Visit the Time for Nature website at www.natureconservancy.ca/timefornature for highlights of NCC properties and natural areas across the country – perfect places for reconnecting with nature.
The challenge is part of NCC’s 50th anniversary celebrations, and is designed to encourage more Canadians to appreciate and enjoy all that nature offers. NCC is also taking this opportunity to thank Canadians for their generous support by inviting them to see some of the places they have helped NCC to conserve — in total, more than 2.6 million acres (1 million hectares), coast to coast.
The health benefits of nature are many and well documented, and include lowering stress, improving mood and cognitive function, and reducing allergies and other inflammatory diseases. A 2010 poll by Ipsos Reid also showed that 9 in 10 Canadians agree that they are happier when they feel connected to nature.
Join NCC and share your Time for Nature stories and photos at Time for Nature.
See you outside!
About NCC
Now celebrating its 50th year, the Nature Conservancy of Canada is the nation’s leading land conservation organization, working to protect our most important natural areas and the species they sustain. Since 1962 NCC and its partners have helped to protect more than 2.6 million acres (1 million hectares), coast to coast.
To learn more about NCC, check out their website: www.natureconservancy.ca.
Some of you know that I was off of work last week. I have added my adventure from my vacation to the map; you can find my story in the Nova Scotia area. - Melissa
Green Earth Organics Inc. is a home and office certified organic grocery and natural product delivery service. We have a wide selection of 100% Certified Organic fruit, vegetables, and other grocery products. We also carry a growing list of environmentally friendly products that make it easier for our customers to tread lighter on our planet. This blog offers exiting information on organic food and healthy eating habits.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
August Prepay Special!
It's back! Get a great deal on organic food by paying in advance.
Prepay for your deliveries and receive a 10% bonus! Until noon on August 31st only, prepay $200 or more towards your future bins and you will receive a 10% bonus credit. For example, if you prepay for $300 worth of food, you will receive an additional $30 credit, for a total of $330 of delicious organic fruits, vegetables, and groceries.
Prepayments can be used starting immediately, so get a great deal starting with your August deliveries! They also won't expire, so prepay now for your deliveries in September and onwards!
To arrange for a prepayment using any method of payment, please call or email us:
Vancouver: 604-708-2345 or info@greenearthorganics.com
Victoria: 250-704-0660 or victoria@greenearthorganics.com
Details: Cannot be combined with any other offers. Prepayments must be made before noon on August 31st, 2012, and the bonus credit will be applied to the account after payment. Credits will be removed from the account if payment fails to go through. No cash value to bonus credit. If account is cancelled before all prepayments are used, bonus credit will be deducted from the account before any prepayment is refunded.
Prepay for your deliveries and receive a 10% bonus! Until noon on August 31st only, prepay $200 or more towards your future bins and you will receive a 10% bonus credit. For example, if you prepay for $300 worth of food, you will receive an additional $30 credit, for a total of $330 of delicious organic fruits, vegetables, and groceries.
Prepayments can be used starting immediately, so get a great deal starting with your August deliveries! They also won't expire, so prepay now for your deliveries in September and onwards!
To arrange for a prepayment using any method of payment, please call or email us:
Vancouver: 604-708-2345 or info@greenearthorganics.com
Victoria: 250-704-0660 or victoria@greenearthorganics.com
Details: Cannot be combined with any other offers. Prepayments must be made before noon on August 31st, 2012, and the bonus credit will be applied to the account after payment. Credits will be removed from the account if payment fails to go through. No cash value to bonus credit. If account is cancelled before all prepayments are used, bonus credit will be deducted from the account before any prepayment is refunded.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Grape and Feta Salad
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
0.5 lb spring salad mix
2 cups seedless grapes, halved
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
DIRECTIONS
Whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Just before serving, toss the salad greens with the dressing. Divide the salad among 8 plates and scatter the grape halves and the feta cheese over each salad; serve immediately.
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
0.5 lb spring salad mix
2 cups seedless grapes, halved
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
DIRECTIONS
Whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Just before serving, toss the salad greens with the dressing. Divide the salad among 8 plates and scatter the grape halves and the feta cheese over each salad; serve immediately.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Creamy Greek Salad Dressing
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of unsweetened milk alternative
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp dry oregano
1 1/2 Tbsp chia seeds
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
Mix the milk alternative, lemon juice, garlic, lemon peel, oregano, chia seeds, and salt and pepper in a blender on high until thoroughly blended.
Scrape the dressing into a container and let it sit for about 15 minutes to thicken. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Makes about 8 servings of 2 tablespoons each.
1 cup of unsweetened milk alternative
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp dry oregano
1 1/2 Tbsp chia seeds
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
Mix the milk alternative, lemon juice, garlic, lemon peel, oregano, chia seeds, and salt and pepper in a blender on high until thoroughly blended.
Scrape the dressing into a container and let it sit for about 15 minutes to thicken. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Makes about 8 servings of 2 tablespoons each.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
LifeCycles Fruit Tree Project
The LifeCycles Fruit Tree Project links people who have surplus produce in their yards with people who have the willingness and ability to harvest it and then delivers it to people and community groups that do not have access to fresh produce. Volunteers harvest fruit from private trees that would otherwise go to waste. Fresh cherries, plums, apples, pears, and other fruit (or sometimes vegetables) are then distributed through community centres and food banks, and shared among volunteer pickers, tree owners and used in value-added products whose sales help support the Fruit Tree Project.
Background
In the 1800s, Victoria was the legendary fruit-growing centre of B.C. The stately old fruit trees in backyards across the city are the legacy of orchards that once flourished in the region's mild climate and fertile soils. The sad part of the story is that the apple has seen its heyday. With our busier lifestyles, few of us find time to cultivate and harvest apple trees and many of Victoria's old apple trees now drop their annual unwanted loads onto someone's lawn. While the wasps and deer gorge on this homegrown fruit, Victorians bring home bags of shiny Granny Smiths shipped from the Okanagan, the US, or New Zealand. Such market varieties are chosen for durability and good looks rather than flavour, quality, or historical importance. As a result, many varieties that were valued in the past for exceptional texture, taste, good storage ability, or tradition are being lost. With them goes centuries of history and careful selection along with our ability to discern and appreciate subtle nuances of their flavours.
The LifeCycles Fruit Tree Project is a celebration of a simpler time when we fed ourselves from our own orchards and gardens, timed the passage of seasons by the ripening of fruit, and discussed pie recipes over the fence with our neighbours. Up and picking since 1998, the Fruit Tree Project joined LifeCycles in 1999 and since then they've been transforming backyard fruit trees into a valuable source of food for the community.
Volunteers
Thanks to hundreds of volunteers and a couple of ladders, the Fruit Tree Project harvests apples, cherries, pears, and other fruit from privately owned trees that would otherwise go to waste. They then share the harvest among homeowners, volunteers, food banks, and community organizations within Victoria. A unique aspect of this project is that a portion of the harvest is set aside to make value-added products that help defray our costs. Last year, their fantastic volunteers and tree owners made it possible for them to collect and redistribute over 36,000 lbs of fruit that would have otherwise gone to waste.
They're just starting to ramp up for the 2012 fruit-picking season and they invite you to get involved as a Tree Owner, Volunteer, or Business Partner.
If you have a few hours a week to spare between mid-July and the end of October, they are currently recruiting Team Leaders (driver’s license required), Assistant Team Leaders, Fruit Pickers, Tree Assessors, Fruit Redistributors, and Office Volunteers.
New volunteers: Use their online form to sign up.
Returning volunteers: Email them with your preferred role for 2012 at fruittree@lifecyclesproject.ca.
Other Ways to Help
If you are a tree owner with fruit to share, please use their online form to register your fruit tree(s) for picking between July 1 and October 31.
Please note: They do their very best to accommodate and meet everyone's needs but are not always able to pick every single tree. They will call homeowners to confirm our arrival time if and when a picking team has been arranged to pick your fruit. Thank you for your patience and support for this important and innovative project!
If you are a local business, they'd love to talk about how you can support their social entreprise by partnering with them. Check out who they've partnered with already and get in touch with your ideas, especially if you'd like to collaborate on creating a new fruit-based product.
Contacts
Fruit Tree Project Harvest Coordinator:
Holland Gidney
fruittree@lifecyclesproject.ca
250-886-9284
Fruit Tree Project Manager & Social Enterprise Coordinator:
Renate Nahser-Ringer
renate@lifecyclesproject.ca
250-383-5800
Background
In the 1800s, Victoria was the legendary fruit-growing centre of B.C. The stately old fruit trees in backyards across the city are the legacy of orchards that once flourished in the region's mild climate and fertile soils. The sad part of the story is that the apple has seen its heyday. With our busier lifestyles, few of us find time to cultivate and harvest apple trees and many of Victoria's old apple trees now drop their annual unwanted loads onto someone's lawn. While the wasps and deer gorge on this homegrown fruit, Victorians bring home bags of shiny Granny Smiths shipped from the Okanagan, the US, or New Zealand. Such market varieties are chosen for durability and good looks rather than flavour, quality, or historical importance. As a result, many varieties that were valued in the past for exceptional texture, taste, good storage ability, or tradition are being lost. With them goes centuries of history and careful selection along with our ability to discern and appreciate subtle nuances of their flavours.
The LifeCycles Fruit Tree Project is a celebration of a simpler time when we fed ourselves from our own orchards and gardens, timed the passage of seasons by the ripening of fruit, and discussed pie recipes over the fence with our neighbours. Up and picking since 1998, the Fruit Tree Project joined LifeCycles in 1999 and since then they've been transforming backyard fruit trees into a valuable source of food for the community.
Volunteers
Thanks to hundreds of volunteers and a couple of ladders, the Fruit Tree Project harvests apples, cherries, pears, and other fruit from privately owned trees that would otherwise go to waste. They then share the harvest among homeowners, volunteers, food banks, and community organizations within Victoria. A unique aspect of this project is that a portion of the harvest is set aside to make value-added products that help defray our costs. Last year, their fantastic volunteers and tree owners made it possible for them to collect and redistribute over 36,000 lbs of fruit that would have otherwise gone to waste.
They're just starting to ramp up for the 2012 fruit-picking season and they invite you to get involved as a Tree Owner, Volunteer, or Business Partner.
If you have a few hours a week to spare between mid-July and the end of October, they are currently recruiting Team Leaders (driver’s license required), Assistant Team Leaders, Fruit Pickers, Tree Assessors, Fruit Redistributors, and Office Volunteers.
New volunteers: Use their online form to sign up.
Returning volunteers: Email them with your preferred role for 2012 at fruittree@lifecyclesproject.ca.
Other Ways to Help
If you are a tree owner with fruit to share, please use their online form to register your fruit tree(s) for picking between July 1 and October 31.
Please note: They do their very best to accommodate and meet everyone's needs but are not always able to pick every single tree. They will call homeowners to confirm our arrival time if and when a picking team has been arranged to pick your fruit. Thank you for your patience and support for this important and innovative project!
If you are a local business, they'd love to talk about how you can support their social entreprise by partnering with them. Check out who they've partnered with already and get in touch with your ideas, especially if you'd like to collaborate on creating a new fruit-based product.
Contacts
Fruit Tree Project Harvest Coordinator:
Holland Gidney
fruittree@lifecyclesproject.ca
250-886-9284
Fruit Tree Project Manager & Social Enterprise Coordinator:
Renate Nahser-Ringer
renate@lifecyclesproject.ca
250-383-5800
Vancouver Fruit Tree Project
The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project Society is dedicated to harvesting and sharing neighbourhood fruit.
Volunteers
Volunteers harvest extra fruit from backyard fruit trees and redistribute it to community groups. In the past 12 years they have picked more than 35,000 pounds of fruit and redistributed it to community centres, neighbourhood houses, day cares, and other community groups.
Fruit picking season begins in late July or early August. Email info@vancouverfruittree.com to join their volunteer mailing list and stay in touch.
There are many volunteer positions available, including fruit pickers (families and kids welcome), delivery drivers, bike delivery drivers, fundraisers, social media assistants, and more. Check out the Fruit Project's volunteer page for more information on all the options.
Tree Owners
Fruit tree owners are a key part of the Vancouver Fruit Tree Project. Your trees help feed people in the community. Here’s how it works:
Other Projects
The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project’s priority is to connect fruit tree owners with volunteers who want to rescue unpicked fruit. They’ll reach out to more than 100 tree owners and 180 volunteers to pick thousands of pounds of fruit this year. But they’re also working on other projects:
The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project
Phone: 604-689-4446
Web: www.vancouverfruittree.com
Email: info@vancouverfruittree.com
Volunteers
Volunteers harvest extra fruit from backyard fruit trees and redistribute it to community groups. In the past 12 years they have picked more than 35,000 pounds of fruit and redistributed it to community centres, neighbourhood houses, day cares, and other community groups.
Fruit picking season begins in late July or early August. Email info@vancouverfruittree.com to join their volunteer mailing list and stay in touch.
There are many volunteer positions available, including fruit pickers (families and kids welcome), delivery drivers, bike delivery drivers, fundraisers, social media assistants, and more. Check out the Fruit Project's volunteer page for more information on all the options.
Tree Owners
Fruit tree owners are a key part of the Vancouver Fruit Tree Project. Your trees help feed people in the community. Here’s how it works:
- They bring volunteers, ladders, and picking equipment.
- They provide transportation to deliver the harvest to community groups afterwards.
- You can arrange to be home when the harvest happens, or tell them when they should come.
- You can tell them how many pounds of fruit to leave on your porch after the harvest.
- They are offering VFTP Memberships for $25, and members’ trees will be our priority for scheduled picks. Becoming a member entitles you to have one tree harvested.
Other Projects
The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project’s priority is to connect fruit tree owners with volunteers who want to rescue unpicked fruit. They’ll reach out to more than 100 tree owners and 180 volunteers to pick thousands of pounds of fruit this year. But they’re also working on other projects:
- Selling galettes (apple tarts) at the Farmer’s Market.
- Training for people interested in being a pick leader or driver for fruit picks.
- Bike trailer training: learn to drive the big cargo trailer!
- Equipment upgrading and repair project.
- Participating in outreach events like the Main Street Festival and more.
The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project
Phone: 604-689-4446
Web: www.vancouverfruittree.com
Email: info@vancouverfruittree.com
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Fresh Apricot Pasta Salad
INGREDIENTS
Dressing:
1 fresh ripe apricot, pitted
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp dried basil
Sea salt, to taste
Salad:
1/4 package rotini pasta
6 fresh apricots, pitted and sliced
1 zucchini, diced
1 bell pepper (any colour), sliced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp dried basil
2 cups spring salad mix or lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
DIRECTIONS
Combine apricot, vinegar, and sugar in blender, and whirl until blended. With blender running, slowly add olive oil until smooth. Stir in basil and salt to taste. Refrigerate.
Cook pasta according to package directions, then rinse in cold water, drain, and let cool.
Combine pasta, sliced apricots, zucchini, bell pepper, and basil in bowl. Toss with apricot basil salad dressing and serve on a bed of salad greens or lettuce.
Dressing:
1 fresh ripe apricot, pitted
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp dried basil
Sea salt, to taste
Salad:
1/4 package rotini pasta
6 fresh apricots, pitted and sliced
1 zucchini, diced
1 bell pepper (any colour), sliced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp dried basil
2 cups spring salad mix or lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
DIRECTIONS
Combine apricot, vinegar, and sugar in blender, and whirl until blended. With blender running, slowly add olive oil until smooth. Stir in basil and salt to taste. Refrigerate.
Cook pasta according to package directions, then rinse in cold water, drain, and let cool.
Combine pasta, sliced apricots, zucchini, bell pepper, and basil in bowl. Toss with apricot basil salad dressing and serve on a bed of salad greens or lettuce.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Tofu Jerky
INGREDIENTS
2 packages smoked tofu
3 Tbsp tamari
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 Tbsp BBQ sauce
2 tsp brown sugar or demerara sugar
DIRECTIONS
Drain the tofu well, then place it between paper towels or clean towels on a plate. Set another plate on top and put a can or other weight on top to press the water from the tofu.
In the meantime, blend the tamari, maple syrup, garlic powder, black pepper, bbq sauce, and sugar until smooth.
Slice the tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices and dip them in the sauce to coat. Place in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for one to two hours.
Preheat the oven to the lowest temperature possible, around 200 degrees Farenheit, and put the oven rack in the lowest position. Line a cookie sheet or two with aluminum foil. Place the tofu slices on the foil. Bake for about 8 hours, turning the tofu slices every few hours. The jerky is done when it is hard and uniformly dark in colour.
2 packages smoked tofu
3 Tbsp tamari
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 Tbsp BBQ sauce
2 tsp brown sugar or demerara sugar
DIRECTIONS
Drain the tofu well, then place it between paper towels or clean towels on a plate. Set another plate on top and put a can or other weight on top to press the water from the tofu.
In the meantime, blend the tamari, maple syrup, garlic powder, black pepper, bbq sauce, and sugar until smooth.
Slice the tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices and dip them in the sauce to coat. Place in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for one to two hours.
Preheat the oven to the lowest temperature possible, around 200 degrees Farenheit, and put the oven rack in the lowest position. Line a cookie sheet or two with aluminum foil. Place the tofu slices on the foil. Bake for about 8 hours, turning the tofu slices every few hours. The jerky is done when it is hard and uniformly dark in colour.
Easy Hot Weather Meals
Summer has finally come to British Columbia! Suddenly, the kitchen is sweltering and the idea of cooking is very unappealing. Besides ordering pizza, here are some ideas for eating cool:
Gazpacho: Cold soup is easy to make and refreshing. There are a lot of recipes online, but for a quick meal, we like just combining Happy Planet Tuscan Tomato Soup with diced green onions, cucumber, fresh herbs, and a splash of vinegar. Add some chile powder or Tabasco for a bit of a bite.
Quinoa Salad: The disadvantage to potato or pasta salads is the boiling water required to cook the carb. Quinoa, however, can be made in a rice maker, making it easy to make without even having to stir a boiling pot once in a while. Quinoa is high in protein, making for a very satisfying salad, and it is fairly neutral in flavour, making it versatile. Try it in your favourite pasta salad recipe or instead of bulgur wheat in tabouli.
Bean Salad: Another one with a lot of recipes online, and super-simple to make without heat if you start with canned beans. For the easiest meal, just open a can of mixed beans, rinse and drain really well, add your favourite salad dressing and diced veggies and fresh herbs. Or take a can of rinsed and drained black beans and combine with salsa , cubed avocado and mango, and maybe a bit of fresh cilantro or parsley.
Bar-b-que Pizza: Think outside of the oven and put your homemade pizza (maybe using a par-baked pizza crust) on the bar-b-que instead. And think about what else you can do on the bar-b-que: there are stir-fry woks, dutch ovens, and many other accessories to cook your whole meal on the open grill. My friends swear by bar-b-qued nachos!
Gazpacho: Cold soup is easy to make and refreshing. There are a lot of recipes online, but for a quick meal, we like just combining Happy Planet Tuscan Tomato Soup with diced green onions, cucumber, fresh herbs, and a splash of vinegar. Add some chile powder or Tabasco for a bit of a bite.
Quinoa Salad: The disadvantage to potato or pasta salads is the boiling water required to cook the carb. Quinoa, however, can be made in a rice maker, making it easy to make without even having to stir a boiling pot once in a while. Quinoa is high in protein, making for a very satisfying salad, and it is fairly neutral in flavour, making it versatile. Try it in your favourite pasta salad recipe or instead of bulgur wheat in tabouli.
Bean Salad: Another one with a lot of recipes online, and super-simple to make without heat if you start with canned beans. For the easiest meal, just open a can of mixed beans, rinse and drain really well, add your favourite salad dressing and diced veggies and fresh herbs. Or take a can of rinsed and drained black beans and combine with salsa , cubed avocado and mango, and maybe a bit of fresh cilantro or parsley.
Bar-b-que Pizza: Think outside of the oven and put your homemade pizza (maybe using a par-baked pizza crust) on the bar-b-que instead. And think about what else you can do on the bar-b-que: there are stir-fry woks, dutch ovens, and many other accessories to cook your whole meal on the open grill. My friends swear by bar-b-qued nachos!
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