A Fave: Vermont Farm Table

Why oh why can't I have ten dining tables in my house?

There is something irresistible about a table made of reclaimed wood. Nothing marries the new with old better than a well-designed modern wooden piece, and the Vermont Farm Table Company is on top of their game when it comes to well-designed. As they put it so well:

"We are a small and dedicated team. We live and breathe Vermont, embodying what we believe makes this little corner of the country so wonderful. A dedication to the good life, through celebrating the simple things. When we aren’t in the shop building tables, we are out hiking, skiing, or discovering a new swimming hole. And we are most definitely always thinking about the next meal. We take pride in what we do, sourcing our materials responsibly, and then turning them into something that will last for generations."

When it comes to custom touches and quality products, this small Burlington, Vermont, business is truly the epitome of success. If you have a vision for what you need, it's the small local business like this that will bend over backwards to make those ideas a reality better than any particle board box store can. Check out their website for more gorgeous products ... or ideas for my next Christmas present (because who can't use another dining table?!) : www.vermontfarmtable.com 

  

 

  

  

Best Ever Kale Chips? Is This Possible?!

     I'll admit, it took me a long time to like homemade kale chips. But like so many healthy things, once I got the taste for them, I couldn't stop! It's a good thing kale and so many other awesome cool-weather-growing greens are easy to find locally grown in greenhouses all over the northeast. It makes these chips healthy not only for me, but for the environment, too! 

     If you've never liked or tried kale chips, I'll confess that the first time I tasted kale it was what I imagined a horse eating. It was a tough, stringy, unappetizing green thing that I could not possibly imagine myself being able to digest before asking for more. Good thing I am often wrong!

     I once had a very smart person admit to me that though she has a low-sugar family, it's always how she manipulates her child's taste-buds to change. "Start by putting a bit of honey, maple, or sugar with something unpalatable, and ease out of the sweetness a little each time your kid tastes the food again. Slowly they get a great association with something they would have otherwise hated outright." Add in some locally-sourced maple sugar from a nearby sugar-house, and never was this smart piece of advice more helpful than with bringing me to a full-out kale addiction. Do try this sweet treat; you'll think a bunch of local kale is one of the tastiest things ever!

Ingredients

• 1 large bundle curly green or purple kale
• 1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) melted coconut or avocado oil
• Seasonings of choice (i.e. pinch sea salt, 2 tsp of sugar or maple sugar) 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (107 C). Use convection bake if you have it to speed cooking time and help chips crisp up even more.
2. Rinse and thoroughly dry kale, then tear into small pieces and discard any large stems.
3. Add to a large mixing bowl and drizzle with oil and seasonings of choice. Toss thoroughly to combine, using hands to distribute the oil and salt and sugar evenly.
4. Spread the kale over 2 large baking sheets, ensuring the kale touches as little as possible to help them crisp while baking.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the pans around and lightly toss/stir kale to ensure even baking. Bake for 5-10 minutes more, or until kale is crispy and very slight golden brown. Watch closely as it can burn easily.
6. Remove from oven and let cool slightly - chips will crisp up even more once out of the oven.
7. Enjoy immediately! Best when fresh. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Ash Fusion Pioneer Chairs

A fusion of Forest Stewardship Council certified African mahogany with New England ash? Handcrafted wood and rope chairs made in a local post and beam workshop? Someone is speaking this girl's language!

These neat little jewels are sustainable little treasures I recently found in the teeny tiny town of Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire. Just over the border from Massachusetts near Keene in one of my favorite parts of New Hampshire, Pioneer Chairs is the family business that produces these mobile masterpieces for indoor and outdoor use. The chairs are advertised as "therapeutic, sustainable, & fold for easy transport and storage." I'd call them "gorgeous, creative, quality, local pieces of art."

  

      

The Cookies of New England

http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2014/10/share-your-cookie-tips-and-tricks/

It may be after the holidays, but baking season is still in full force as I look out my icy winter windows. Now that so many of us have relaxed on our New Years resolutions a teensy bit, let's talk baking. There is almost nothing better than standing by a warm oven on a cold January Day, and doing so in a cloud of sweet-smells wafting from anticipated warm cookies, to boot! 

Taken from a recent Bobs Red Mill blog, here are some incredible New England cookie recipes, by the state. Though my family's goal has been getting to all six New England states this year, I think I may just have to add trying a cookie from each!

Connecticut: Nutmeg Log Cookies

Maine: Lemon Blueberry Cream Cookies

Massachusetts: Boston Cream Pie Cookies

New Hampshire: Molasses Cookies

Rhode Island: Cranberry-Walnut Stuffed Shortbread

New-York-the-Adopted-New-England-State: Apple-Pie-Stuffed Snickerdoodles

Vermont: Maple Frosted Sugar Cookies

My Planet-Friendly New Year's Resolution

Every year I make a number of New Year's resolutions. And whether or not they last, I am often proud for however long I can keep them up because they are backed by a good intention.  These resolutions are never about fixing a broken piece of me, but are often about how I take care of myself or how I interact with the people and places around me.  But this year I am trying something different. I'm making a New Year's resolution all about how I spend money. Let me explain...

Inexpensive clothes whisper to me often. "Buy me, buy me!" They can be cute, trendy, and tossed out if they get stained or worn-out. They can be an easy quick fix when I've eaten too much Thanksgiving stuffing, or after a week of sickness makes me suddenly cozy up to my scale while my baggy clothes sag.

But the lure to buy what will become future throw-aways is especially prevalent for a number of people during the holidays and January, when we need our spending money to go its farthest. It's easy, then, to fall into the cycle of buying from cheaper chain stores, watching as the items wear out quickly, and then throwing them away when we look at them and think, "No one will want to wear this worn out old thing!"

According to a fascinating Huffington Post article about the Goodwill Cycle, 12.8 million tons of textile waste went into US landfills in one year alone. Unfortunately, only approximately 15% of textile waste in America is recycled or donated. But the problem is not just in how we need to recycle or donate more. The problem is, according to The Atlantic, Americans now buy five times as much clothing annually as they did in 1980. The statistic blows my mind.

And calls me out big time.

To be a conscious consumer means to think ahead about one's own personal waste that will end up in the local landfill. Just because something is cheaper does not necessarily mean it's a smart financial decision in the long run. Cheaper items that wear out more often end up requiring more of your money to be replaced, and in the process have also cost the environment more. For example, it makes economical sense to buy a $200 locally handmade bag that'll last 15 years over a $75 bag that will last two years. But additionally, it's even better to have something that's durable, well made, and can handle the demands of everyday use without falling apart. Plus one bag in the landfill is better than two.

When studies have repeatedly shown smaller businesses to produce higher quality items, there is little argument to be made that cheaper items are better for the environment or the local economy. So one of my resolutions this new year is to stop buying cheap items, and rather to value my financial and environmental investment in buying higher quality things so often made just around the corner.  I challenge everyone to think about how this year can be the year of changing how we consume.

Here's to a locally-made 2017!

New England Holiday Suggestions

Getting excited about the holidays?

Me, too!

If you live in the Northeast or are visiting over the holiday season, here are some great links to the local holiday sights and gatherings you won't want to miss!

Connecticut: http://www.ctvisit.com/articles/follow-lights-holiday-cheer

Maine: http://mainetoday.com/holiday-2/the-holidays/embrace-the-holidays-35-cant-miss-holiday-events-in-southern-maine/

Massachusetts: http://www.massvacation.com/events/

New Hampshire: http://www.nhmagazine.com/Calendar/

New York the-adopted-New-England-State:  https://www.iloveny.com/events/festivals/#.
WEgmQ4WcGM8

Rhode Island: https://www.visitrhodeisland.com/what-to-do/events/

Vermont: https://vtdigger.org/2012/12/02/listing-of-vermont-holiday-events-this-december/

'Tis the Season... to Shop Local Online!

Lean in closely while I tell you one of my all-time favorite, secret tips for buying local gifts...

1. Go to Etsy.com

2. Type in what you'd like to search for in the search bar.

3. When the page changes, look in the left-hand margin, where you will see a section called "Refine your search."

4. Choose a custom location by typing in your state, or a nearby state.

Voila!  Easy peasy, you have just found hundreds of people creating goods right next door to you, often offering custom orders and colors in the exact way you want!  Don't like the etsy price? Message the maker and see if you can visit them locally, avoid shipping charges by picking up, etc!

Today I am looking up locally-made pillows for a sea-obsessed, nautical friend in Maine, and there are almost too many great options, just from that one state alone. How perfect will these pillows from Cobalt Sky Studio be?! I may just have to order one for every local human I know...

Give it a whirl- you, too, will be addicted to easy local shopping from the comfort of your couch in no time!

 

  

Worth the Quick Read

While I sat digesting turkey and pumpkin pie, I came across a great and fast read by MSN money today. As you prepare for tomorrow's Small Business Saturday, here are

9 Things Small Business Owners Wish You Knew for Small Business Saturday 

Small Business Saturday 2016

*** Quick Reminder!***

Forget Black Friday. Mark your calendars! Small Business Saturday is November 27th, 2016!

Check out what I wrote last year about this awesome holiday that supports America's 28 million small businesses, or find out more from the Small Business Association. Nestled between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, this awesome holiday in its seventh year of existence is all about supporting the small businesses found in your community. According to the Wall Street Journal, currently two out of three new jobs in the US are from small businesses, and with 95 million people having taken advantage of Small Business Saturday in 2015, both employment and small spending is expected to rise to even higher levels for small businesses this year.

Dine small, shop small, entertain small.

It's huge.

Election Season: One of the Local Living's Best Tools

I always laugh when someone is surprised by my insinuation that the internet is one of the local movement's best tools.

No, seriously.

The internet is a great resource to figure out the ins and outs of local issues, local producers and businesses, and even local people. And never is this quite so important as it seems to be right before an election.

Yeah. I'm going there. The election.

It doesn't matter whether you love or hate the two most well-known candidates in America. There are hundreds of other candidates that may be just as important to know about.

I'm talking local politics. Critical, crucial, cardinal, local politics. The problem is, few people seem to know who's who. Or what the issues are what. After all, I'll be the first to admit that I watch national news five thousand times more often than local news. And not just because local newscasts -whether in tiny Norcross, Maine, or bustling New York, New York- are the cheesiest things ever recorded. National news "feels" more important talking about its big issues, and therefore people like myself are easily swayed into thinking it matters more. Not true at all.

I have recently returned from living in a country

in which voting was not a reality, I appreciate

my privilege to be able to VOTE today

more than ever!! Thanks, Susan and co! 

Critical, crucial, cardinal, local politics are where we have the most power. -And feel the effects of our politicians so incredibly directly, whether its on the roads they've approved, the schools they've carried out initiatives for, or hospitals they've funded. Some of them may be all the way over there in Washington, but they still are representing things that are important to little ol' us in our neighborhoods, our states, and our regions. You can imagine, then how alarming it is to me that so many of my local friends and readers have expressed a lack of knowledge about how to know who to vote for in upcoming local elections. Or how to even find out who's on the ballot.

But don't be embarrassed. And don't worry. You're not alone. It's not too late.

You don't need a law degree to make an educated vote. The internet has some answers for you. Or at least, is again, a great resource to help you figure out the ins and outs of local issues, local producers and businesses, and local candidates stances. Find reputable sources and dig in!

What is the second most powerful thing a person who wants to support local can do? A thousand times over, the first thing has to do with your dollars: how you spend your money sends the loudest message about what you support near and far. But the second thing is your homework for today:

Do your research. And VOTE!

Here's some fantastic help:

https://ballotpedia.org/Main_Page

http://www.vote411.org/

https://projects.propublica.org/represent/

Supporting Local Seasonal Festivities: Roger Williams Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular

Living it up in a New England fall?

I think so.

The leaves are in their full glory, the weather's gorgeous, and the festivities are endless.  While we try to pack in what we can before a New England winter takes hold in just a few short weeks or months (why, why, why?!), there are oodles of local activities designed to bring people out of their homes to, as a community, enjoy the local fall fun of living in such a place! While we relish our local community-based apple orchards and pumpkin patches, my family discovered another fall festivity that is sure to become a family tradition.

Let me introduce you to the Roger Williams Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, located in Providence, Rhode Island. As a nighttime display of 5,000 illuminated jack-o-lanterns on the ground, in the air, and sitting atop water, this walk along the Roger William's Zoos pristine Wetlands Trail will tickle your sense of whim, art, and magic, whether you are nine years old or ninety. This was truly the most fun "art show" my child has ever walked through, visiting the elephants before taking in incredible pieces of skilled pumpkin carving and creative landscapes. It's worth a drive and a late night for the little ones. Just the way this 7 year old's mama likes it: not bloody or gory or spooky, but yet somehow magically Halloweeny in every way.  I highly recommend this spectacular "Spectacular":

http://www.rwpzoo.org/jack-o-lantern-spectacular

  

If Rhode Island's too far, don't fear! Here is a fantastic list by New England.com of the 5 best pumpkin festivals in New England. Apparently we have some traveling to do next year!

https://newengland.com/today/travel/new-england/things-to-do/5-best-pumpkin-festivals-in-new-england/

Baking Fall in New England

My middle name is pretty much "Hides-Veggies-In-Everything." It's true. I never make a baked-good without a fruit or veggie hiding inside. But as my child will attest, it's not as painful as you'd think.

As we celebrate our local fall products and produce, I have a great recipe to share with all you baked-goods lovers out there who think it's impossible to make a healthy donut. In New England, not an apple orchard or grocery is without apple-cider donuts come October. And though I love them, my family has recently found a recipe we've latched onto that is by far the healthier (dare I say tastier?!) fall equivalent. These donuts, in which I use roasted mashed butternut/pumpkin from my backyard New England garden, are chocked full of healthy hidden veggies and nostalgia-inducing fall flavors.  Whether you find some apple cider donuts or try making these healthy Baked Fall Donuts yourself, it's a great time of year to live in New England! Happy Fall!

 Baked Fall Donuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C

Donuts:

1 and 3/4 cups of flour (we use gluten free, which works very well in this recipe!)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/3 cup high heat oil (coconut, sunflower, and safflower all work well)

1/2 cup brown sugar or raw sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup roasted and mashed or canned pumpkin or butternut (butternut is naturally a little sweeter, so I healthily lower the amount of sugar slightly when using it!)

1/2 cup milk (our dairy-free household thinks coconut milk, almond milk, or rice milk work great, too!)

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

1/4 cup buttermilk (our dairy-free household thinks coconut milk, almond milk, or rice milk work great, too!)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1. Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients in until just combined. (Be careful not to overmix or it makes the batter more chewy than fluffy!)
2. Grease a donut or mini muffin pan very well. Divide the batter among the molds. Bake 12 – 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  (I don't own a donut pan, so I use a muffin tin, then punch out the holes after baking by using a small round lid off our jar of olive oil. It doesn't sound fancy, but I promise, it works well! See picture above.)
3. When the donuts are completely cool, dip them into the glaze, or dust them with powdered sugar, or sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. This step is up to you, depending on how much sugar you are comfortable with. Confession? The glaze has the most sugar, but is sooo tasty, you won't want it any other way!
4. Listen to your donuts... I think I can hear the pumpkin thanking you that this was its destiny.
5. Eat! They’re okay on the second day, but insanely delicious when fresh!

**Most recipes I post are ones I have altered so much they don't have an original source outside of my kitchen. But this recipe is very very similar to a recipe on texanerin.com. Do check it out if my chicken scratch above doesn't convince you quite enough of just how tasty these fall goodies truly are!

 http://www.texanerin.com/100-whole-grain-baked-pumpkin-donuts/