Why do organic plums taste so good?

[Veronica]

And organic celery?!

I swear celery had no taste when I was a kid.

A coworker turned me on to an organic fruit and veggie delivery service. I am actually eating fruit and vegetables again. :D

Veronica

[Susan Otcenas]

Because they are actually FRUIT, as opposed to fruit-shaped objects.

[OakLeaf]

I'm all for organic, if for no other reason than to stop poisoning farmworkers fercryinoutloud ... but to be fair, I think the difference in flavor is between fresh and local vs. grocery store, not between organic and what I refuse to call conventional since it changes every year.

[Owlie]

My guess is that the plants are under more stress than ones grown conventionally, so they produce more anti-pest compounds that we interpret as flavor. (Who decided to eat veggies anyway?!) The theory holds for leaves and stems, anyway. Maybe it works on fruit too.

I've only recently come around to eating cucumber. I wouldn't touch it for years. I wish we could easily get organic produce around here. If I want more than my local supermarkets' limited selection, I have to make a 20-mile round-trip. :mad:

[Veronica]

This service is pretty cool. You can get a delivery of only locally grown things - local as in 40ish miles from my house. I can also see what's in each different type of box and they tell you where things are coming from. I'm sure I could get the same stuff at a Farmer's Market, but I'll never go.

Since for the last few years I've been anti fruit and I've never really like veggies, we're currently getting something called fast fruit and veggie. The fruit is good enough that it satisfies my urge for something sweet after dinner. :p

Veronica

[Veronica]

(Who decided to eat veggies anyway?!)

I've always wondered who ate the first artichoke. C'mon, there's got to be something edible in this thing somewhere!

Veronica

[OakLeaf]

Artichokes you can at least see that they started on the leaves and were extra gratified when they got to the heart.

Olives? All the processing it takes to get them even close to edible? I guess someone hungry found a pile of them bruised and partially fermented under the tree, and figured out they had to do that on purpose to the ones that hadn't fallen naturally???

[Owlie]

Garlic, onions, and chile peppers are the ones I don't get. "Hm, this looks like it might be good to eat" [chomp] "AUGH!!! It BURNS! IT BURNS!!! Let's eat more of it!"

Clearly our ancestors were masters of the use of multiple exclamation points.

[malkin]

While we're on the subject, who figured out coffee?


I have a plum tree that is as organic as the day is long, but the fruit tastes like Puh!

I'm going to try Raleigh Don's non-recipe for plum stuff to see if it makes something tasty.

[GLC1968]

Actually, it's likely not 'organic' vs 'non-organic' that produces the best flavor but the variety of the produce. If you grow the same mass-produced varieties of fruits and veggies (the ones engineered because they are disease resistant, travel well, high yield, ripen appropriately for mass production, etc), then yours will taste an awful lot like the ones you buy from the grocery store.

If you grow or buy from a farmer, varieties that haven't been engineered to death, they will taste about 1000 times better. That's why heirloom tomatoes taste like an entirely different species than the big boys from the grocery store.

We have 5 varieties of plums in our yard. Some are delicious, some suck for eating but make great prunes and others are best left to the birds (literally). :) There used to be 1000's of different varieties of apples grown (and easily available) in the US...now there are like less than 50 different varieties commercially grown. Same for broccoli. Did you know that 95% of all broccoli grown commercially in the US is the exact same variety? It's insane from a sustainability, long term health and production point of view. Not to mention, some of those other varieties just plain taste better!!

[Veronica]

This week I am getting lemon cucumber. I've never heard of such thing.

And lots of tomatoes! :D

Veronica

[bmccasland]

This week I am getting lemon cucumber. I've never heard of such thing.

And lots of tomatoes! :D

Veronica

OOOH, lemon cucumber - I used to get it when I lived in NoCal. Yum!

I hit two different farmer's markets last week - checking them out. Pretty much the same sellers, which I expected since the market days were different. After being in France, I was saddened to see that no one was selling meat, poultry, eggs, or dairy products. A colleague told me about a Sunday market that's full venue, so I'll try that one next.

[OakLeaf]

Around here there's very little animal product at the farmers' markets - most of the local pastured meat, dairy and eggs are sold either at natural food stores or from small producers' doorstep (keep your eye out for signs on your rides). In the "big city" there's a central market with a butcher that sells some local meats. If there's an Amish or Mennonite community in your area, it's probably worth a ride to check out the farm stands now and then.

In the winter we belong to a CSA that gets pastured meat and dairy from not too far away, and even though we normally opt for vegetables only in our weekly basket, they can order extra meat if we let them know ahead that we want some.

[Eden]

Really? The weekly one over here (Central District) usually has at least one guy who has beef and lamb, several fish sellers, and I think maybe one who did poultry - but I can't remember.... They have a big deli style case, but I can't for the life of me remember exactly what was in it.... I don't recall anyone with eggs though. The weekend one in West Seattle definitely had meat and poultry the time I went last year.

[lovelygamer]

Garlic, onions, and chile peppers are the ones I don't get. "Hm, this looks like it might be good to eat" [chomp] "AUGH!!! It BURNS! IT BURNS!!! Let's eat more of it!"

Clearly our ancestors were masters of the use of multiple exclamation points.

Hysterical!

[GLC1968]

I don't know about Washington, but in Oregon, you won't find dairy at a farmer's market unless it's pasteurized and in that case, you might as well buy it at a local grocery anyway. Farmers are not allowed to sell raw dairy away from the farm where it's produced. I believe there is an exception for raw cheese from a certified dairy, but not for milk.

We do see eggs and different meats regularly at the local farmers markets around here. (and honey and produce and flowers and jams and etc....)

[ccnyc]

In the NYC Greenmarkets farmers can sell cheese made from raw milk, but not the actual raw milk itself. The only milk sold there is pasteurized. Plenty of raw sheep and goats milk cheeses in addition to raw cows milk cheeses.

Lots of fruit growers sell there but I don't think any of it is organic.

Plenty of lamb, chicken, duck, turkey, fish, and grass-fed beef farmers/vendors. Chicken, duck and ostrich eggs. All local. It is a really wonderful Greenmarket.

[Dogmama]

And organic celery?!

I swear celery had no taste when I was a kid.

A coworker turned me on to an organic fruit and veggie delivery service. I am actually eating fruit and vegetables again. :D

Veronica

Celery is on the dirty dozen list - things that have lots of pesticides. So organic is definitely better.

I always buy organic when it's available. DH had colon cancer and I'm fairly rabid about keeping our diets a clean as possible. I also like the fact that we aren't poisoning the earth.

[Pedal Wench]

Out in the middle of nowhere, colorado, we came across a few apricot trees growing wild on the side of the road. We were dangerously low on water and food (the road was so pretty, we kept going long past where we were supposed to turn around) and the apricots, although tiny, were amazing -sweet, and so flavorful. We gorged, and grabbed a handful to take back with us. So fun!

Edit: the trees were just dropping tons of fruit onto the shoulder, just rotting away, so we didn't feel bad taking a tiny fraction. Hope that was okay.

[OakLeaf]

I believe the milk laws are federal, and I think the rule is people can sell aged cheeses made from raw milk, but not fresh cheeses. There have definitely been USDA raids :rolleyes: :mad: but I think some localities do some of their own enforcement, too, and it's sort of a matter of doing what they can get away with. I know one dairy that sells all manner of raw milk products - including butter - boldly labeled "Pet food only, not for human consumption." Okay, my dogs loved butter. :p

Even if you get pasteurized dairy products, other than a couple of Amish country brands, grocery store dairy isn't going to be grass-fed, not even organic grocery store dairy.

[GLC1968]

I believe the milk laws are federal, and I think the rule is people can sell aged cheeses made from raw milk, but not fresh cheeses. There have definitely been USDA raids :rolleyes: :mad: but I think some localities do some of their own enforcement, too, and it's sort of a matter of doing what they can get away with. I know one dairy that sells all manner of raw milk products - including butter - boldly labeled "Pet food only, not for human consumption." Okay, my dogs loved butter. :p

Even if you get pasteurized dairy products, other than a couple of Amish country brands, grocery store dairy isn't going to be grass-fed, not even organic grocery store dairy.

Actually, that's not entirely true. States set the laws concerning raw dairy but within the framework of the Fed. I believe the fed gov only regulates commercial operations. So in Oregon, it is perfectly legal to sell raw dairy as long as you abide by the rules (which are pretty funny and put in place to ensure that there is a big difference between your local farmer and a commercial dairy). The laws are definitely enforced here, too. Most states have laws against raw dairy for human consumption though. I know we are kind of special that way. I can sell raw milk and raw milk products (of any type) from my home/farm...but I cannot advertise or transport it. And I am limited in the number of animals I can have on property that are able to lactate (whether or not they are at the moment) which varies by breed.

I buy pasteurized, pastured dairy at my local grocery store every week! It's ridiculously expensive, so you wouldn't find it at a regular grocery store, I'm sure, but this place sells a lot of this type of stuff. I buy pastured butter and heavy cream and you can get whole milk, too. But yeah, it's not raw. I've found some of the same stuff (Organic Valley brand - but it is 'pastured'...not the regular stuff) at various Whole Foods as well.

[Veronica]

I think I've seen Organic Valley at my grocery store too.

Funny, I've never thought about getting pastured dairy. My grandfather raised cattle and it never really occurred to me that they might be eating something not from a pasture. I'm glad I don't drink much milk now!

I didn't get a lemon cucumber; a regular one instead. At least it looks like a regular one.

Veronica

[OakLeaf]

Organic Valley's pasture standards (http://www.organicvalley.coop/why-organic/pasture/pasture-policy/) are higher than the minimum and I will buy their products from time to time, but except for one seasonal butter, their dairy products are far from being 100% grass fed...

[Veronica]

I bought some Organic Valley milk today. I don't drink any straight milk so I'll be relying on Thom to tell me if it's different. I do like that I can read about my farmer and that it's someone somewhat local.

Veronica

[GLC1968]

Organic Valley's pasture standards (http://www.organicvalley.coop/why-organic/pasture/pasture-policy/) are higher than the minimum and I will buy their products from time to time, but except for one seasonal butter, their dairy products are far from being 100% grass fed...

Is it even possible for a dairy cow to be 100% grass fed? Our goats live on pasture, but we supplement with hay and grain when they are lactating otherwise they don't get enough protein. From the OV site, it sounds like cows lead a similar life?

Honestly, I'm more concerned with how the animal is treated and cared for (ie, no antibiotics, no hormones) when it comes to dairy. I reserve my 100% grass-fed requirement to the meat I eat and the butter I buy (both of which you should only be able to get seasonally anyway).

Oh, and the pastured milk at our store is from a local farm and sold glass returnable bottles...not from OV. It's also not always available, so I guess that makes a lot of sense. I have never bought it, but I like to see that it's an option for people who drink milk. :)

[OakLeaf]

Is it even possible for a dairy cow to be 100% grass fed? Our goats live on pasture, but we supplement with hay and grain when they are lactating otherwise they don't get enough protein. From the OV site, it sounds like cows lead a similar life?

You know, I wondered about that. We get a couple of different cheeses that are labeled "cows fed 100% grass," but I haven't actually asked the guy at the farmer's market what that means. I personally would count hay as "grass," even though some of it is likely to be alfalfa. Wouldn't alfalfa have enough protein? And especially now with the drought, people are feeding spring hay to their livestock now. It's going to be a rough winter. :( But I digress.

I'd expect any mineral supplement they need would come from their salt lick and wouldn't technically count as "feed." :p

The thing that got me about OV is that the cows only need to be on pasture for a third of the year, and even during that third, 70% of their feed can be something else. So, only 10% of their total annual diet (i.e. 30% for a third of the year) needs to be pasture. That doesn't sound like "supplementation" to me.

[GLC1968]

Yeah, alfalfa is definitely higher in protein and would probably work for cows or real dairy farms. We couldn't use it exclusively because we had no way of keeping the non-lactating or non-pregnant does and wethers out of it. It's way too rich for goats that don't have higher calorie needs and can cause trouble (and fatness!). Goats are a little different from cows and sheep anyway. They can't survive on grass alone. They are more like deer and NEED weeds, seeds, grains and other things to supplement grass.

I was thinking about this thread on my drive home last night. I would bet that cheese (and seasonal butter) could be considered 100% grass depending on what time of year the milk is harvested. I mean, the cow might not be on grass 100% all year, but the milk comes from what the cow has been eating recently. After a spring on nothing but grass, the milk would be all 'grass-produced' (yeah, that's not a real term!). It's a little different than grass fed meat where what the animal ate for its whole life matters more.

[Veronica]

But it is better than how cows are handled for "regular" milk. As a society we've gone towards everything quick, cheap and mass produced. It's going to be hard to turn that around. Most people aren't going to want to pay to have animals treated more humanely and to have less "crap" in their food.

I pay $3.39 for as gal. of "regular" 2% milk at my grocery store. OV is $3.99 for a half gal. We can afford the extra $6.00 - $10.00 a week to get something that is more natural. But I bet most Americans would say it's a waste of money or question why it's more expensive.

Veronica

[Owlie]

But it is better than how cows are handled for "regular" milk. As a society we've gone towards everything quick, cheap and mass produced. It's going to be hard to turn that around. Most people aren't going to want to pay to have animals treated more humanely and to have less "crap" in their food.

I pay $3.39 for as gal. of "regular" 2% milk at my grocery store. OV is $3.99 for a half gal. We can afford the extra $6.00 - $10.00 a week to get something that is more natural. But I bet most Americans would say it's a waste of money or question why it's more expensive.

Veronica

Well, I certainly can't afford it. I don't think it's a waste of money if it's important to you, but if I ate only grass-fed/ethically produced/organic food, I don't think I could afford to eat.

[GLC1968]

Well, I certainly can't afford it. I don't think it's a waste of money if it's important to you, but if I ate only grass-fed/ethically produced/organic food, I don't think I could afford to eat.

Yeah, we pay for it because we can, but that certainly hasn't always been the case and I totally get that. In fact, in many ways I feel like it is my duty to pay for it precisely because we are in a situation where it's possible for us. I want the healthier, more humane, local, fresher, better for the environment, whatever stuff for my body, but I also want to support the people who are producing it because I know that not everyone can.

We don't take fancy vacations, wear fancy clothes or even buy bike things much anymore...but we are spending a bloody fortune on food. I consider it an investment in my future health and the future health of the planet. Or...at least that's what I tell myself when I am spending $70 on 6 items at my local grocery. :eek:

[Veronica]

Yeah, we pay for it because we can, but that certainly hasn't always been the case and I totally get that. In fact, in many ways I feel like it is my duty to pay for it precisely because we are in a situation where it's possible for us. I want the healthier, more humane, local, fresher, better for the environment, whatever stuff for my body, but I also want to support the people who are producing it because I know that not everyone can.
:

You said what I felt. Thank you!

We've worked hard to get where we are, made some good decisions and HAD a lot of good fortune. When were first married, I was a college student and pretty much had no income. Thom was a Lance Corporal in the Marines. He made $1000 a month and our rent was $525. OMG, the arguments we had over money!

Now that we can, we support the things we believe are important.

Veronica

[Becky]

Yeah, we pay for it because we can, but that certainly hasn't always been the case and I totally get that. In fact, in many ways I feel like it is my duty to pay for it precisely because we are in a situation where it's possible for us. I want the healthier, more humane, local, fresher, better for the environment, whatever stuff for my body, but I also want to support the people who are producing it because I know that not everyone can.

Where's that "Like" button? :)

[Susan Otcenas]

... I don't think I could afford to eat.

This is one of the reasons I belong to a CSA.

One of the biggest costs in fruits and vegetables is the costs to pick/process/ship, etc.

But at my CSA (1.5 miles from my house), the members do the picking and bundling. (Each member is asked to volunteer to pick/bundle twice during the 29 week season). Members pick up their veggies at the farm each week.

29 weeks = $800 = $27.50 per week.

I picked up my share today. I got:
1) 2 heads lettuce
2) 1 bunch Kale
3) 1 bunch basil
4) 1 bunch parsley
5) 6 cucumbers
6) 5 zucchini & summer squash
7) 1 bunch purple carrots
8) 1 fennel
9) 4 tomatoes
10) 5 red potatoes
11) 8 green apples
12) 2 onions
13) 2 garlic bulbs
14) 1 head cauliflower
15)
16)
17)

I'm having a brain fart on the last 3 things, but I know there were 17 items, because they number them up on the dry erase board each week. It's probably going to drive me crazy until I remember them... :o

As members of the CSA, we share in the success of failure of each crop, so some weeks or seasons, there's less and others there's more. This season has been pretty good so far. But even in weeks or seasons when the haul is lighter, I still feel like I'm getting a lot of food for the money being spent, especially compared to the costs of organics at the grocery store. Our CSA is *not* ceritified organic, but it's quite small - feeds less than 100 families - and we know the farmers. We know that while they do use fertilizers, they use everything as natural as they can (manure, etc.), don't spray nasty pesticides, etc. We buy fresh eggs from them every week as well, and sometimes cheeses that they make from their goats.

I feel very fortunate to live someplace where I can get my vegetables from people I know, just down the road a piece. And one of the reasons I choose to do it is because like GLC and Veronica, it seems to me that the more people support it, the more common (and therefore less expensive) it will become as more farmers move to a healthier, more sustainable way of farming.

[OakLeaf]

Yep, we pay for it one way or another. That segment in "Food, Inc" was pretty compelling (not that any of us didn't know already how our society subsidizes both sick-making "food"-like substances and the medical care to treat the diseases caused by eating that cr*p. So those who have to rely on subsidies - both consumers and farmers - are really stuck. :( :( :mad: )

Wow, that's a huge CSA share, Susan! Do you split it with other people? We belong to a winter CSA, and the two of us really have to work to eat all the veggies! It's a good thing our joining the CSA coincided with my deciding to eat less grain, because there wouldn't be room in my diet for much grain. :p In the summer I grow enough of our own that we just buy a few things ad hoc. But for comparison, I just got the weekly email from the farm - they don't do a summer CSA, but they have $20 weekly baskets by order - this week's includes:
2 lbs Potatoes
Arugula
2-3lbs Eggplant
3 Red or Orange Bell Peppers
1 pint of our famous Bread and Butter pickles
Choice of Yellow Squash, Okra or Collards
Basil


Really, I consider my personal health a happy side effect of buying organic (remember that some of the most toxic chemicals are used on non-food crops such as textiles). Mostly I choose organic because of the estimated 10,000-20,000 US farmers and farmworkers every year (http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/cb/ppdc/2006/june06/session7-occup.pdf) who are physician-diagnosed as having been poisoned by pesticides (http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2012/06/pesticides-farm-workers-poison-epa). When you take into account long-term exposures and undiagnosed illnesses, the number is likely much higher.

I know I'm lucky to be able to afford to feed and clothe myself without poisoning other people. It makes me really angry that this is a matter of luck.

[Blueberry]

I'm going to throw out an unpopular opinion:

Sometimes, it's a matter of how much work you are willing to put in and how many convenience foods you are willing to give up in order to be able to afford to eat food that is 1) organic and 2) grown in a more sustainable fashion. If you don't plan, don't want to put in the time to cook, and don't want to be organized about packing food, then yep - it's expensive.

When DH and I were in college, we did not eat out. We couldn't afford to. We cooked all of our own meals, and just didn't eat much meat.

Even now, I make my own granola instead of buying pricey cereal with who knows what added to it; I usually cook my own beans instead of buying canned; I make my own yogurt instead of buying it - organic milk is way cheaper than organic yogurt; I buy foods in bulk instead of pretty packages; I shop the same farmers at the market and know who will give me a deal/save extra good stuff for me (and they, in turn, know I will buy from them in preference). You still can't drag me in a Starbucks - if it's the only option when I travel, I will get a drip coffee. I will not buy their convenience foods (scones, sandwiches, etc.). I do eat out, but it's selective. I know where I can get good, healthy food, and not break the bank. However, I'm going back to school. My budget is getting ready to be more limited - and I'm going to prioritize my organic rolled oats over eating out; same with my organic milk.

I do recognize that there are some people whose budgets are so limited that they are already doing all of these things and they can barely afford to get by. Those are not the people I'm talking about. I have a LOT of sympathy for those people. I have too many acquaintances who will say they're too poor to eat well and that we spend "so much" money on food, and then stop for a latte and a scone twice a day, eat sushi takeout for lunch or Chipotle, order pizza for dinner, go out for Chinese food several times a week, etc., etc. They need to re-prioritize a bit, IMO.

[GLC1968]

I have too many acquaintances who will say they're too poor to eat well and that we spend "so much" money on food, and then stop for a latte and a scone twice a day, eat sushi takeout for lunch or Chipotle, order pizza for dinner, go out for Chinese food several times a week, etc., etc. They need to re-prioritize a bit, IMO.

I totally agree with this. In fact, today is day 30 of a 30-day stretch of 100% super clean eating that my husband and I have been doing (Whole30). As part of this, we have been spending quite a bit more on food than we usually do (did you know that Starkist albacore tuna pouches are packed in soybean broth? - to avoid that, I'm buying Wild Planet tuna pouches at $3.50 a pop!) and eating a very large quantity of it. At first, we both balked at it quite a bit. BUT, when we realized that 98% of all meals MUST be made at home now, we realized that in fact, we were saving money. For us, eating out and groceries were from two different budgets and I'm sure we weren't the only ones to think of it that way. When we put both costs together, the ridiculous amount of money we are spending on groceries now is tempered quite a bit by our lack of dinning out.

[Susan Otcenas]

Wow, that's a huge CSA share, Susan! Do you split it with other people?

Nope. Jeff & I eat a diet very heavy in fruits & veggies. It wasn't always that way; once upon a time I rarely bought "green things". But I have far more respect for my body these days, and what I ask of it. A diet composed of not much more than meat, starches and fats was not healthy and was making us both fat.

Now I have vegetables at nearly every meal, breakfast included (I made a kick@ss omelette this morning with spinach, mushrooms, basil, chives & feta, most ingredients being from the CSA). Some evenings I make nothing BUT veggies for dinner. Big piles of cauliflower, broccoli, squash, kale, seaweed, zucchini, etc., with my favorite ginger-miso dressing for some zing. Maybe some beans or quinoa on the side. We still eat meat (sometimes), but it's no longer the centerpiece of the meal.

I can't say that I get through 100% of our share 100% of the time, though. A few weeks ago we got 4 heads of lettuce. Didn't quite make it through all of those. I have 3 kholrabi in my fridge that I haven't decided what to do with yet; need to figure something out before they spoil. (Last year I did a kholrab-cabbage-carrot slaw that was pretty tasty.) I don't always get through all the cabbage we get. But the vast majority gets consumed pretty readily.

One thing I've found to be very important is to spend at least one evening per week cleaning, cutting and prepping the veggies. I don't want to have to go home after work and wash & chop stuff just to make dinner. By the time I get home, I'm HUNGRY and I need to get something on the stove quickly, before I either a) make a bad food choice instead (a la "screw it, I'll just make a pot of pasta; the veggies can rot!") or b) toss my hands in the air and go out for sushi. ;)

[sookiesue]

We also prioritize organic, local food in our budget. We recently evaluated our expenses and realized that we do spend a lot more on food than most families probably do, but like GLC we also consider it an investment in our health and especially the health of our children, and a step in the positive direction in taking care of our planet.

In working on our budget, we decided to cut out going to restaurants except for a few special occasions and we are saving money by buying food to make at home, even if the food is more expensive, organic choices.

It does make me a little sad when I hear other people talk about how they 'can't afford' organic foods, but they drive large trucks around town or go on many fancy vacations each year. They really CAN afford it, it's just not a priority. There's a difference.

I really wish that healthy food was more easily available to those who truly have financial struggles, and I think that if there were more people who supported - in fact, demanded - organic or at least local and sustainable farming, that could eventually turn the tides and help make it accessible to everyone.

Think of the long-term health benefits to the population if everyone had access to fresh fruits and vegetables every day!

[Veronica]

NerdFitness (http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/) had an interesting post about priorities today.

Veronica

[GLC1968]

Susan - if you ever have cabbage that you won't use, call us! Cabbage is a staple in our diet now and we can only grow so much due to space (and aphids).

[Blueberry]

I have a farmer who grew napa cabbage just for me:) She sold it well, but there were always 2-3 large heads waiting for me in season. It'll be back in the fall. Homemade kimchi, cabbage salad (use instead of lettuce), various sautes, etc, etc. LOVE cabbage!!

[Susan Otcenas]

NerdFitness (http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/) had an interesting post about priorities today.


The bit about not enough time to clean the house...ouch. ;)

[GLC1968]

I have a farmer who grew napa cabbage just for me:) She sold it well, but there were always 2-3 large heads waiting for me in season. It'll be back in the fall. Homemade kimchi, cabbage salad (use instead of lettuce), various sautes, etc, etc. LOVE cabbage!!

We use the regular head cabbage as 'noodles' in about a billion different recipes. And the leaves make great taco 'shells', too! ;)

[Veronica]

The bit about not enough time to clean the house...ouch. ;)

My excuse was I killed the vacuum. My new vacuum came today - darn that Amazon Prime!

Sometimes NF is just geeky. Other times it really resonates with me. :)

Veronica

[Adventure Girl]

My excuse was I killed the vacuum. My new vacuum came today - darn that Amazon Prime!Is it a Dyson?:p

[Blueberry]

The bit about not enough time to clean the house...ouch. ;)

Oh I'll say it - riding my bike is much more of a priority than cleaning my house. Keeping my house model clean: not a priority. Keeping my house sanitary = a priority (no dirty dishes in the sink; minimal mold in the bath, etc.).

[Veronica]

Is it a Dyson?:p

LOL

No. :D

Veronica

[GLC1968]

. Keeping my house model clean: not a priority. Keeping my house sanitary = a priority (no dirty dishes in the sink; minimal mold in the bath, etc.).

I love your strategic use of the word 'minimal' here! :p

My house is rarely clean for more than a couple of hours at a time when company comes over. With three large dogs, a cat, a farm, surrounded by farms constantly in harvest of one thing or another AND construction going on in all three bathrooms, the deck and the kitchen...clean is a dirty word in my vocabulary.

I'm happy when I'm clean. Screw the house. ;)

[Blueberry]

I love your strategic use of the word 'minimal' here! :p

Heh. I clean it - it comes back pretty quickly (stupid claw foot tub with 2 shower curtains will do that). With 3 felines - same thing. The dog is in residence at my dad's until cooler weather (at least) - but 3 felines, 2 people and all the bikes in the house is bad enough....

[sookiesue]

i love your strategic use of the word 'minimal' here! :p

my house is rarely clean for more than a couple of hours at a time when company comes over. With three large dogs, a cat, a farm, surrounded by farms constantly in harvest of one thing or another and construction going on in all three bathrooms, the deck and the kitchen...clean is a dirty word in my vocabulary.

I'm happy when i'm clean. Screw the house. ;)

++++1!

but two kids, two cats, one dog, and not as much construction.:)