Hydroponics idea & a question on nuts & update on my conversion during pregnancy

[Guest guest]

Hi all-

An idea for hydroponic growing: I use a worm bin to dispose of my kitchen scraps

so it doesn't go into landfills, (we used to compost it, but with the huge

increase in produce after heading down the raw path, we could never gather

enough " brown " to match the " green " !) Worms love melon rinds, mango skins,

wilted or yellowed greens, even tea bags- just take out the staple! With the

castings I make " worm tea " and spray it onto the foliage (make sure you dilute

it and water first or it may burn your plants- it's strong stuff!) But it sure

does wonders for all my plants and flowers- there even seem to be some bug

repelling benefits. Although I have not grown hydroponically I imagine it would

be a great way to get back some of those lost nutrients in an organic and earth

saving way.

 

Now my question on nuts. I have just started soaking raw nuts to use in

smoothies and recipes and I am curious how long they can be kept soaking. I used

up all the almonds making milk one day and a smoothie a couple days later, but I

haven't had as much use for the brazils and the walnuts seem to have a strange

appearance, now 5 days later. I also dehydrated some almonds that I'd soaked

with a bit of fresh rosemary from our garden for snacking and they are

delicious, but I am not sure where to store them- in the fridge or in an

airtight container in the pantry?

 

Oh and for those who are interested my pregnancy is progressing smoothly, I am

actually going raw faster than I expected- it seems every time I eat SAD I feel

sad, and I get really grumpy and some of those complaints that they attribute to

being pregnant (heartburn, constipation, tiredness, etc) rear their ugly heads.

But if I go mostly raw, with the occasional brown rice (I want to start

sprouting to replace the need for grains) and some cooked beans (plus I also

can't seem to give up cheese and triscuits!) then I don't have the same

" symptoms " (which I am beginning to think are not at all due to pregnancy but a

more sensitive- pregnant- body's way to tell me that what I am eating is not

right!). I am following some recipes, but I am also rediscovering a passion for

" cooking " -food prep. I find that I love to be creative with what I have on hand

and as I learn more and more from following recipes, I am able to apply that

knowledge - plus raw food is

much more forgiving and versatile in the preparation process.

 

 

Happy Monday!

 

Tiffany

Grace's mom

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elchanan <Elchanan

rawfood

Monday, August 6, 2007 10:27:41 AM

[Raw Food] Hydroponics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Theresa,

 

 

 

Living away from the tropics, as most do nowadays, involves compromises.

 

Whenever we can personally control what goes into our food, we're probably

 

better off. So although hydroponically grown plants probably don't receive

 

the full spectrum of nutrients available to soil-grown plants, they also

 

don't receive all the poisons, either. Compromise? Yes. Probably a favorable

 

one? In my view, yes.

 

 

 

Best,

 

Elchanan

 

_____

 

 

 

rawfood@ .com [rawfood@ .com] On Behalf Of

 

trills4u

 

Monday, August 06, 2007 7:58 AM

 

rawfood@ .com

 

[Raw Food] hydroponics

 

 

 

Does anyone garden with hydroponics in the winter or anytime? What do you

 

think of it? If you use it or not? Good or bad?

 

 

 

Theresa \o/