Rosemary by Muffet

“…there are some things I know for certain: always throw spilt salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for luck, and fall in love whenever you can.” – Sally Owens, Practical Magic.

Fresh rosemary is a pungent, flavorful, robust herb which works for every kind of food from soups to desserts.

If you’ve never tried fresh rosemary, you are in for a treat. And if you’ve never grown rosemary in your garden plan to plant it in 2011. You’ll want to!

Scared of herbs?

For years I thought herbs like rosemary were only for artists. Yes, artists, not gardeners or cooks! The herb growers in my life grew gardens fit to photograph and spent their days between studio and kitchen. They studied Monet, had home interiors worth putting in magazines, and weren’t afraid of long, complicated recipes with fresh home-grown herbs, like rosemary.

Herbs are for you too!

Unlike the artists in my family, I was more interested in growing carrots and potatoes and reproducing the simple, everyday cooking of my grandmother. I thought there was no place for herbs in my life, except for parsley, of course, which was good for simple soup.

Actually, I had fears of growing herbs, fears which were totally unfounded, as it turned out. Early in 2010 I became friends with Katie Tallo through A-List Blogger Club. Katie wanted to grow herbs and asked me for advice. How could I say I was afraid to try? And once I was growing rosemary I came to really love the flavor.

Starting with rosemary

Among the foods enhanced by rosemary are beans, chickpeas, and lentils – appetizers combining rosemary with pulses work well.

• This simple chickpea and rosemary soup from Oprah has just seven ingredients (eight if you count salt).
• Even simpler is the rosemary frittata with four ingredients from Jules Clancy. I’ve tried this one and it makes a very simple, quick, yummy meal.
• Add the flavor or rosemary without the texture by making rosemary flavored olive oil. White bean and rosemary bruschetta from My Barbarian Table teaches you how to make rosemary olive oil. It’s a little more complicated and takes more time to prepare, but you will have leftover oil to use for other recipes.
• You’ll need a food processor for these crisp herb mushrooms from Nigel Slater – made from garlic, breadcrumbs, rosemary, and parsley.

Rosemary side dishes

Rosemary enhances the flavor of potatoes, sweet potatoes, bread, pasta, and rice. Add rosemary to you side dishes and serve with ham, chicken, pork, or lamb.

• For a traditional holiday meat, potatoes, and veg meal accompaniment try Emeril’s roasted rosemary potatoes.
• Add zest to a casual family or friends dinner with simple rosemary biscuits from the Relish blog.
• The holidays can leave your energy and your enthusiasm for cooking drained. You might even be left with a bare pantry once the feast is over. Try Jules when the cupboard is bare pasta – simple, quick, and tasty, like all of Jules recipes.
• I did a lot of searching to find an easy rosemary bread to try – no-knead rosemary and thyme ciabatta from the Daily Chef blog.

Meat and fish main dishes

Rosemary, traditionally associated with lemon and chicken, is a great flavor combination for a variety of meats, fish, and vegetarian main dishes.

• Jules amazing glazed ham is served up with a dose of good advice on how to avoid the biggest holiday cooking pitfall, as well as with a taste of rosemary. Don’t worry that she’s talking about Thanksgiving, her advice applies equally for Christmas and any other holiday.
• Rachael Ray’s rosemary chicken with garlic and lemon is a classic suitable for all but the fanciest of meals; full of zest for your tastebuds too!
• Orange rosemary salad from the Vegan Joy blog is my choice for a tasty vegan rosemary meal and would be great for any of my southern friends, and those down under who don’t crave warm, filling food for the holidays.
• Squash is inexpensive and easy to prepare. Try this roast squash with lentils and goat cheese from The Sunday Times, UK. Simple and filling.
• There’s something very warming and welcoming about pie. Try this savory, vegetarian (easy to adapt to vegan) root vegetable and mushroom pie with rosemary biscuit topping from the bon appetit magazine website.
• One pot dinners like this rosemary pork chop skillet, which includes squash, from Better Homes and Gardens are great fillers on days when your want to gather family around the table without being formal.
• And for a formal, but simple, meal nothing beats salmon – fired up rosemary salmon from Paula Deen.

Veggies

Whether you like simple cooking or more complex flavor combinations, pull a sprig of fresh rosemary from your plant and add some to your veggies. Here are just a few ideas:

• I’ll bet this one smells and tastes delicious (it could even make a simple meal) – rosemary roasted sweet potatoes with parmesan and red onion from Kalyn’s Kitchen.
• Orange, onion, and rosemary salad from Eat, Move, Thrive – refreshing and healthy!
• Sometimes all you need is something simple – simple rosemary carrots from Taste of Home.
• My kids are big fans of parsnips – I usually keep them as a holiday treat. Try these sauteed turnips and parsnips with rosemary from Epicurious. If you’re not keen on turnip, just double up the parsnips.

Sweets, desserts, meal enders

Rosemary has not yet made it into my dessert repertoire. Guess which one of these recipes I can’t resist trying. What about you?

• Here’s one blogger who knows how to keep her man happy on their anniversary – molten chocolate rosemary cakes from Savour Fare.
• Many recipes call for combining rosemary and lemon. I’ll bet this one is a winner – lemon rosemary cake from Food.com.
• For a simple, elegant, and fresh after-dinner treat try orange, rosemary, and wine bowls from Martha Stewart.
• Crackers, or oatcakes and cheese make a light meal, or an after-dinner alternative to dessert, European style – try rosemary oatcakes from Girl Interrupted Eating, or extra-healthy sunflower, flax rosemary oatcakes from Pattycake. Try with Irish cheddar. Yum!
• While you have the oven on for those oatcakes make some cookies for the kids. And if the kids don’t like rosemary there will be all the more for you! Cornmeal rosemary cookies from Think Inside the Icebox or Rosemary cookies from heaven from Food Loves Writing.
• Last, but absolutely not least – rosemary chocolate truffles from Elana’s Pantry.

I hope this rosemary recipes list grabs your tastebuds and helps your holiday cooking to sparkle. Maybe next year you will grow some rosemary. How could you not?

Which recipe appeals to you most? Did I miss your favorite? Do leave a comment.

Kid tip: children have sensitive taste buds and need time to get used to new flavors. Try sweeter rosemary recipes with kids first, such as the lemon rosemary cake. Many of the savory recipes can be easily done with rosemary on only part of the meal.

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Related posts:

1. Simple Sweet Potato Combinations
2. How to grow herbs indoors
3. Kids in the Holiday Kitchen

Textured holiday swag by Muffett

“Some gardeners never truly leave the garden.” – Alison Kerr, 2010

Some gardeners are seasonal, dreaming of sun-kissed tomatoes, and fresh, crunchy peppers, long, warm summer days and breakfast on the patio.

Some of us grow into a different kind of gardener.

Gardening can get inside your soul, until part of you is always there, in the garden, feeling the leaves stir, the ground water freeze to crystals, and tree roots growing, even in the dark of winter. I’ve become that kind of gardener.

In November there’s less for me to do in the garden, but no less garden thoughts, so I visit my local garden center.

The garden center in winter

Even for new gardeners, or summer gardeners, there are plenty of reasons to visit your local garden center in November – I’m assuming here you’re not a southern hemisphere gardener buying up tomatoes and peppers for your summer garden (correct me if I’m wrong).

I visited a nearby garden center the other day, here’s what I found:

1. Fall and winter themed decor – your local garden center is a great place to find fall and winter themed indoor décor and tasteful gifts for friends, neighbors, and family members – think natural-styled garlands and wreaths, table centerpieces, indoor fountains, and statuary. Practical gifts you might pick up include gift certificates and composters. While you’re there, make a holiday wish list for the tools and accessories you’d love to have for your own garden.
2. Houseplants at your local garden center receive better care than those you’ll find in chain stores and groceries – there’s less risk you’ll soon have a dead plant on your hands! Ask for help with picking out something ideal for your situation – staff members are typically knowledgeable, unrushed at this time of year, and happy to share what they know. My garden center has a wide range of houseplant sizes with prices ranging from under $5 to over $100. Be sure to ask for winter care instructions before taking your plant home – many houseplants don’t grow much in winter and require different care.
3. Spring bulbs can be planted right up until the ground freezes. The ideal planting date may have passed, but there’s still time (I’ve tried it in previous years and I got flowers, if somewhat later). My local garden center has a bewildering array of spring-flowering tulips, daffodils, hyacinths etc on display in a dizzying array of colors. While I prefer native spring flowers, I can’t resist yellow daffodils or red tulips.
4. Potted shrubs and trees can also be planted in late fall until the ground freezes, though they may not do as well as they would in spring. Be sure to water them whenever the ground is dry, but not frozen. Ask your local garden center for planting instructions. Also, ask for reduced prices this late in the season, especially if you are purchasing several.
5. It’s a good time of year to start feeding garden birds, if you haven’t already. You’ll get the best selection of food and feeders at your local wild bird supply store, but if there isn’t one near you, or you’re already heading to the garden center, most garden centers have a range of feeders. Look for Droll Yankee feeders, which are very robust and made in the USA, or other feeders with metal ports (squirrels chew through plastic). I’ve also noticed an increasing range of feeders made from recycled material on sale, which are worth considering. Black oil sunflower is recommended as a top seed to bring in birds. If you already have a sunflower feeder consider adding a second, or get yourself a suet basket. Suet baskets are inexpensive and will attract woodpeckers and nuthatches. My third choice is a niger/thistle feeder.

Most garden centers are peaceful, relaxing places to visit at this time of year – a respite from the bustle of the pre-holiday season. It feels good to support a local business. Be sure to call ahead or check the website of your local garden center for opening hours though as they’ll most likely have reduced hours at this time of year.

Do you visit your local garden center in winter? What thoughts do you have to add?

Kid tip: some garden centers even have model trains on display, which is fun for the kids. A winter garden center visit is a good conversation starter about the seasons and their effect on plants and animals. Let your child have a wish list too – they may see something tempting during your visit. A wish list is a great tool to prevent impulse buying.

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1. Returning to Center
2. Nine Reasons to Nature Garden
3. Local Thanksgiving, Kansas Style – part 1

Zebrina by Tamara Burross

“You don’t have a brown thumb, you just have a green thumb waiting to appear.” – Alison Kerr, 2010

Now that I’ve moved my herbs indoors I’m itching to try my hand at more indoor gardening.

I’m the klutz of indoor gardening

My mom used to grow wonderful indoor plants. My sister has always been good with them too. I’ve always been good at killing them.

It’s true, I’m death to houseplants, easy or not. Mom used to give me any plant she thought ugly but couldn’t bear to throw out.

Within a few weeks, or months, or years even, any plant I’d been given would die. “Ah, too bad!” Mom would say when she noticed the plant had finally succumbed. I think she was secretly smiling.

Selecting easy indoor plants

So, if you’ve never managed to successfully grow an indoor plant you’re not alone. I’ve been doing some research and soon I’ll be going shopping. My selection criteria for an easy indoor plant are pretty tough:

1. Must be listed somewhere as easy.
2. Must be able to survive low light – experience with my indoor lettuce growing has shown that there’s less light in the house, even at windows, than most of us think.
3. Must be safe for pets – one of my cats loves to chew on anything green and I don’t want to cause a vet visit.

Easy, low light, non-toxic plants

Given my tough selection criteria, I’ve come up with this short list of plants:

• Aspidistra – cast iron plant
• Chamaedorea elegans – parlor palm

A little disappointing, isn’t it? I’m also considering trying Chlorophytum comosum spider plant and Tradescantia fluminensis or Zebrina pendula, both known as wandering jew, as hanging plants next to a window. These are considered easy to grow and non-toxic houseplants.

Houseplant benefits – give it a go!

Houseplants provide a range of benefits, from beautifying our homes, to cleaning air and producing oxygen. I’m willing to give houseplant growing another try. I miss my mom and her plants – it would be nice to have some of the ones she enjoyed around. What about you, will you give indoor plants a try?

Your houseplant selection criteria may be different from mine. Here are some good resources: Choosing Houseplants, Plant Care Guide.

Kid tip: teach children never to eat non-food plants. Both spider plant and wandering jew are easy to grow if you get a piece from a friend: spider plants grow babies which can be rooted in water and wandering jew cuttings are easy to root in a jar of water.

Download your copy of Simple Sprouts ebook here (it's Free).

Related posts:

1. What do plants need to grow?
2. Five reasons to visit your local garden center in November
3. How to grow herbs indoors

Rosemary plant by Melissa Sanders

“Herbs are nature’s healthy seasoning.” – Alison Kerr, 2010

As winter looms in the north it’s time to move herb growing indoors.

After my recent lack of success with growing indoor lettuce, I’m eager to learn how to grow herbs indoors without experimenting.

Which herbs can be grown indoors?

Better Homes and Gardens recommend the following herbs for indoor growing: oregano, chives, mint, rosemary, and thyme.

PennState Horticulture has the following to say, “Herbs that can tolerate indirect sunlight include mint, bay, rosemary, and thyme. Lemon balm and tarragon will even grow well in very low light conditions.”

List of herbs

Here is the list of herbs for indoor growing. There may be others, but these are the ones I came across in my research:

• oregano – good
• mint – good
• rosemary – good
• thyme – good
• bay – good
• chives – good – requires a dormant period
• lemon balm – best – tolerates low light
• tarragon – best – tolerates low light
• basil – bad – requires too much light
• parsley – bad – requires too much light
• sage – bad – I’m not clear on why

Moving herbs indoors

If you have outdoor herbs you may want to move some of them indoors for the winter so that you can continue to enjoy them. Leaves can also be frozen or dried for use later (more on that below).

I have the following herbs in my garden and outdoor herb containers: oregano, mint, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, sage, lemon balm, basil, and parsley. I’ll be moving several indoors.

Tips on herb growing and more

Here are some useful websites which teach herb growing indoors, outdoors,  and preserving the herb harvest.

• How to grow herbs indoors in winter from Better Homes and Gardens – a three page guide which includes instructions for potting up nursery bought herbs and also information on moving herbs indoors.
• A video on moving rosemary indoors, again from Better Homes and Gardens.
• Indoor herb growing leaflet from Penn State (link takes you straight to the pdf download).
• A herb garden calendar – spring, summer, and fall herb growing for cool and warm climates.
• Growing herbs in hot climates – fall is the main planting season for hot climates, including Arizona. Visit the Arizona Herb Association for good southern herb growing advice.
• For my friends in Australia and New Zealand, I’m learning about your gardening climate. Here’s one good article on subtropical herb growing in Brisbane. You can find a vegetable and herb calendar for your region at Gardenate.com (covers Australia, NZ, USA and UK climates).
• How to dry herbs provides a brief explanation of the various methods of drying herbs, or you can freeze herbs for later use (you’ll want them for holiday turkey, for roasting with vegetables, and for winter soups).

Herbs are one of the simplest things you can grow, provided you have the right light conditions. Don’t be tempted to try your favorite herb indoors if it needs direct sun; maybe you’ll discover a new favorite!

Have you tried growing herbs indoors? Which herb is your favorite for cooking?

Kid tip: herbs are very strong for children’s sensitive taste buds. Both mint and chives are easy to grow and have more familiar flavor – kids enjoy growing and picking them. Try offering herbs as a garnish rather than cooking them into a dish.

Download your copy of Simple Sprouts ebook here (it's Free).

Related posts:

1. Can I Grow Lettuce Indoors?
2. Fresh rosemary for the holidays: 25 recipes to grab your tastebuds
3. Easy indoor plants for new gardeners

Jordan in Long Underwear by PinkMoose

Winter is here for those of us in the north. For the frugal and green amongst us, with the thermostat turned down, staying warm requires a few resources and a sense of humor.

Funny long underwear is one way to stay warm, but there are lot’s more funky, frugal, or fashionable ways to stay warm this winter. Thanks for the inspiration when I wrote about turning down the thermostat.

1. Funny long underwear – silk, wool, and anti-odor fabrics will do the job well.
2. Hot water bottles – great for pre-warming beds and for snuggling with under a blanket.
3. Flannel PJs – top choice of clothing for keeping you cozy in bed at night.
4. Snuggle-buddy – whoever you have to snuggle up with at night, pet or person.
5. Hot cocoa or chocolate with marshmallows – simply the best after time outdoors.
6. Copious cups of tea – just like the Scots, stay warm with lashings of tea.
7. Fingerless gloves – funky, stylish, or frumpy, they keep your fingers happy.
8. Blankets and throws – for any time you’re sitting still. Wool and cotton are nice and avoid annoying static.
9. Home-made soup and fresh-baked bread – what other food can beat the simplicity and comfort of soup and bread?
10. Dressing gowns, bathrobes, housecoats and wraps – stylish or not, they’re the next best thing to a warm bed.

Find organic long underwear, hot water bottles, cotton bathrobes, wool blankets, fingerless gloves, tea, flannel pj’s, and everything except a live snuggle buddy at Amazon.com.

Which is your favorite way to stay warm?

Download your copy of Simple Sprouts ebook here (it's Free).

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1. 10 Ways to Feel Better in Winter
2. 3 ways to bring more birds to your winter garden
3. 5 Ways to Winter Bird Watch with Kids

Basil Fireplace by Cyrusbulsara

Now that winter is here, how green is your home? There’s a quick way to make it greener.

How do you approach the winter? Are you like a possum, snuggling up and waiting for warmer times, or like the squirrels in my yard, doing maypole chases up and down the trees and scattering little footprints across the snow, enjoying outdoor play and keeping warm through being active? Or maybe you’re like a cat, not able to get enough of the heat and longing for an open fire, or a chickadee, bundled up so you’re twice your normal girth with all your focus on good, sustainable food.

A Quick Way to Green Your Home

Turning down your thermostat is a quick way to green your home. With the colder weather here you can save money and energy and do your part to green the Earth by putting up with some discomfort. While this is a quick way to green your home, it may not be entirely painless.

How many people actually green their home this way though? Do you know what the recommendation is? How low can you go?

Recommended Energy Saving Home Temperature

EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) recommendations are to set your thermostat for 70F or lower when you’re home and awake and 62F or lower when you are out of your house or sleeping.

You might know what you have your own thermostat set at, assuming you have one, but what’s everybody else doing? Answer this little poll and we’ll all get to see.

Motivation to Brave a Colder Home

I was encouraged last year to turn down my thermostat and wear more layers when I read Crunchy Chicken’s Freeze Yer Buns Challenge. Some of Crunchy’s readers are really tough – two hardy souls are braving 55F and many have their thermostat set at 62F. Check the comments to see what others are doing this winter.

To see how much you can save by lowering your home temperature visit the Madison Gas and Electric site and refer to their energy-saving table or try their quick calculator.

You can get more information about programmable thermostats and how to use them from the US Department of Energy.

Do you suffer some discomfort to keep your house cooler in winter? Which animal are you like?

Download your copy of Simple Sprouts ebook here (it's Free).

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2. Make Like a Kansas Possum and Prepare for a Prairie Winter
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Egad! It worked by qwrrty

Once outdoor kids have run off some steam it’s time to get them involved with food in the kitchen. Holiday cooking with kids takes some patience, but after all holidays are about family; Thanksgiving is a great time to be cooking with kids.

There are many things for kids to do in the holiday kitchen. Kids need to know where food comes from – not from packets. These ideas foster independence and learning about local resources for a greener community. Here are some ideas for getting kids involved in your Thanksgiving meal.

Picking, Choosing, Carrying

Kids have their own ideas about what makes for good food. My kids have always been involved in choosing something for the holiday menu.

At the farmer’s market or grocery store kids can help pick out the fruits and veggies and carry something for you. I think conformable net bags, such as these bags from Amazon.com work best for veggies. They’re easy for kids to grasp, and don’t require deliberate arrangement of the items inside. If you don’t have enough reusable bags, consider some like these (this link benefits Loving Nature’s Garden).

Fetching, Pouring, Measuring, Stacking, Grubbing

Kids are great at pouring, measuring and stacking. Have them fill the bowls of sunflower seeds. They can fetch veggies for salsa, transport things to the table and measure out ingredients for cornbread or stuffing. Preschoolers can manage all of these with a little help.

Even the youngest of kids can grub around inside a pumpkin and pull out seeds to roast. Of course they’ll get messy – messy is fun! Be sure to take a photo – they won’t be this young for long.

Slicing and Coring + safer alternatives

Kids with knife skills can slice bread or cornbread, help with sweet potatoes, chop tomatoes for salsa, prepare cheese, or core apples.

Elementary kids can learn to safely handle a knife. I recommend checking your own safe knife skills before trying to teach kids. There’s no specific age for using a knife safely; I’ve run cooking classes for homeschool kids – some were safe right away, some just didn’t get it and required ongoing and very close supervision.

A crinkle cutter is a great alternative for kids not ready for a knife and can be used for potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots or parsnips.

I also recommend an apple corer, peeler, slicer – when I taught apple cooking to kids every one of them went home wanting one of these. I’ve used mine for processing bushels of apples to freeze ready for apple pies – they save some time. They’re also a kind of history lesson in gadgets – we really did have gadgets before we had electricity! If you have a need to own one please consider purchasing through this link and supporting Loving Nature’s Garden.

How are your Thanksgiving plans going? Is your menu ready? Check out Local Thanksgiving, Kansas Style for some inspiration.

Download your copy of Simple Sprouts ebook here (it's Free).

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1. Four Tips for Gardening with Kids
2. Local Thanksgiving, Kansas Style – part 2
3. Green Kids Activities

I am happy today to have as a guest writer Gina Bisaillon. Gina is a Permaculture Designer with many years of experience in renovating and greening homes in places as far apart as Canada and Mexico. Gina writes and shares her enthusiasm and practical knowledge at My Green Home Project. Thanks Gina for sharing your green home tips.

When I returned to Canada after 20 years in Mexico, I didn’t know what to expect. Most of my building experience had been in the mountain climate of Central Mexico – cool nights and comfortable days pretty well year-round. No need for central heating, air conditioning, or insulation. With my permaculture training, it was quite easy to build and live green there.

Greening a Home in a Cold Climate

Here in New Brunswick – one of the coldest and snowiest Canadian provinces – I was starting from scratch, and the fixer-upper I bought needed a lot of work if I was to make it as energy efficient as I hoped.

I had a lot to learn, and I had to learn it through trial and error. Here are ten tips I’ve learned from greening my home:

1. Everything costs twice as much as you think.

2. You can never have too much insulation.

3. A vapor barrier needs to be continuous, or you might as well not have one.

4. Water is your No. 1 enemy: if it leaks through the roof it can ruin your whole house; if it gets into your walls it can kill you and if it gets into your basement it can cause all kinds of problems. But water in an unfinished basement is the least disastrous of all – just get a sump pump or wet-dry vac and a dehumidifier.

5. Caulking comes in several different types and they’re not necessarily interchangeable. You will need ten times more tubes than you thought, so look for quantity discounts. Get plenty of cans of spray foam, too.

6. You don’t need new windows if your old ones are in decent condition and have storms. Just caulk, caulk and caulk some more.

7. Buy local: survey your area for the existence of useful industries or resources. For example, within an hour’s drive of my small remote village I located:

• a lumber mill that manufactures custom trim out of finger-jointed pine (a recycled wood product);
• a kitchen cabinet factory with a retail outlet for their slightly imperfect merchandise (in addition to all my kitchen cabinets, I also found some great cabinet doors there);
• a sand pit (for fill, mortar and concrete, Zen gardens);
• two very different gravel pits (for driveways, landscaping)
• a shale quarry (for my patio flagstones and walkways)

8. Accept your physical limits: I’m 67 and quite strong, but I fell and hurt my shoulders and for a whole year I had to hire people to do many of the construction chores that I had reserved for myself. I’m still not quite my old self.

9. Learn to live without guilt with the shade of green that you can afford, both financially and practically.

• This also means that you should gauge your project according to your age: if you’re young and can afford it, by all means go all the way, but at my age and in my financial situation, some investments, such as solar panels, wouldn’t be worthwhile because I could never recover their cost.  It makes more sense for me to keep that money in case I live till I’m 100!

10. Don’t expect perfection, so that you can rejoice when you do get it. It has helped tremendously that I’m crazy about home remodeling in general!

I love the challenges, I get a lot of satisfaction out of finding unusual solutions to new problems and I’m passionate about recycling and reusing materials. As a result, I’m enjoying the journey as much (more, I think!) than I will enjoy the house once it’s all finished.

You can follow Gina’s green home adventures and find lots of great tips on her website at http://www.my-green-home-project.com

Download your copy of Simple Sprouts ebook here (it's Free).

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This week I came across a style of house building I’d not seen before. Bags filled with earth are used to build the walls. While having something in common with Earthships and some other building technologies I’ve seen, I like the idea of earth bags even more. It’s so simple. Really, I wonder why we’ve not all heard of it.

I have many unanswered questions about the low adoption of the multitude of Earth friendly building technologies which are ‘out there’. Are there some critical flaws in these technologies, or is it simply that local planning infrastructure is flawed when it comes to analyzing and adopting something other than the status quo? Sometime I want to get to the bottom of these questions, if someone else doesn’t get there first. I can hope… my list is getting long.

Oops, I almost forgot the link: Earth Bag Building.

Download your copy of Simple Sprouts ebook here (it's Free).

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Perhaps I have a secret desire to be a Hobbit, living in the Shire, under a hill. Somehow an underground home seems both appealing and Earth friendly. It would be cool and comfortable inside and look so unassuming from the outside. I’ve already shown you an earthship. Here is an underground home that I just love the look of, an Earth House. What do you think?

I love the way there is a pond nestled in between the houses. I just wonder how they built these and how practical they are in a place with lots of rain. Perhaps I can find out more. I’ll be sure to share when I do.

Download your copy of Simple Sprouts ebook here (it's Free).

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