violet222's Profile

Argh! A truly green camping trip would be using stuff you've already got. Second choice: borrowing from friends. Third: buy used, especially from a thrift store.

Get creative. Car camping? You don't need a sleeping bag, blankets will do just fine.

I hate to say it, but when they're bad, the only think I find that works against mosquitos is deet. I don't need the high-test stuff, but it's gotta have deet to work, in my experience. And I'm an organic gardener!

Put chocolate chips and Grape Nuts in a zip baggie. Eat like that, or let 'em bake in the sun and get all melty. When you get to camp and it solidifies, break off chunkies and eat.
Also fun for lunch: a can of stuffed grape leaves.
Apples and peanut butter.
Powdered hummus or tabouleh mix (add water at the trailhead, then eat at lunch with crackers).
Baby Bell cheeses.

Coolio! Their wesbite is very easy to use, I'll be checking it out. For those of us out west, I recommend http://brewforia.com/.

On quesadillas!

Pixie, I googled to find a similar recipe, and came up with this: http://www.healthy-green-lifestyle.com/making-homemade-yogurt.html

I do two quarts at a time, and sterilize the jars with boiling water that I pour over them (I don't have a dishwasher). I inoculate (using plain Greek yogurt for best taste) when the milk has cooled to between 100 and 120 degrees. I add a few tablespoons of dried milk with the inoculant to make it thick. I don't use an oven to incubate, I use a small cooler with hot tap water (around 130 degrees), it seems to get more consistent results. If I make a batch after dinner, the yogurt is ready when I get up in the AM.

Sounds like a lot to think about, but after a few batches, it's like second nature. And it makes organic yogurt much mroe affordable.

Good luck!

Smoked salt. Dill.

For most of us, it's WAY too early to start thinking about planting tomatoes. I can't plant out until mid-May.

I have a goodly-sized garden (about 500 square feet), but a small house with no room to start seeds. I buy starts from small local farms and nurseries. This has the advantage of not just helping local businesses, but of buying proven varieties.

Amanda, I've been making red wine vinegar for several months using the instructions linked to above. Works great! My suggestion is to use a wide-mouth jar. When I used a smaller-mouthed jar, it smelled like nail polish remover for a while (I'm assuming because it wasn't getting enough oxygen). I use a rubber band and cheesecloth over the opening. Works great!

For those of us with birthdays around this time of year, it's bittersweet. Usually people are so busy with the holidays, that we are grateful for the few people who can find the time to celebrate. The Solstice is important, but for me it's overshadowed by my birthday.