OMG! Apple Fest 2009!

I've had the hardest time thinking about a gardening/agriculture related topic to talk about this week - perhaps it's because my mind was more focused on teaching a lecture on weed reproduction strategies to a class of undergrads or writing a methods section for my thesis. All the rage on my Facebook newsfeed from Cornell friends however has been about APPLE FEST 2009, quite possibly one of the best events Ithaca has to offer. Remembering that APPLE FEST 2009 (note: all references to APPLE FEST 2009 will be in caps to represent my excitement for the event - it's that good!) is this weekend, I got to thinking about farmers markets and local foods, and subsequently "localvores" and other recently invented words that seem to be "greenwashing" our lifestyles these days. That's when I stumbled upon a Newsweek article my friend Mike posted.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/216034

Mike prefaced the posting with "Finally, someone is talking sense about local and organic farming. Though, unlike the author, I still eat meat on occasion." I am going to read the article and give a personal review and discussion here. I suggest you all do the same and meet me back here to discuss local food consumption and farmers markets this weekend. Plus, I might share some photos from APPLE FEST 2009!

Plant on and rock on,
Stephanie

Song for the Garden: Quiet Dog - Mos Def

Coffees of Latte Land

Although coffee is not necessarily a garden topic (although if you're living in the south or California, a coffee bush can be used as a nice ornamental in your yard), I find it's a fitting topic for this week's posting as it will coincide with my last days at the cafe I've worked for the last two and a half years. Plus it's a food group for all us Xers and Yers hailing a cab to work or locking ourselves in a university library. So this week let's turn on the brewer, stamp those espresso shots, and share a little coffee chat.

During my years as a barista filled with Bean Fridays, a number of our customers expressed confusion about organic vs. fair trade coffees, and rightfully so. Despite living in Ithaca, a city where the phrases "organic" and "fair trade" are part of the 2nd grade spelling lists, I myself didn't know the difference until I was educated by the Best. To break it down, not all certifications are created equal:

Organic Certified = coffee grown and harvest on a farm that is managed organically (ie: all managerial practices, inputs, and harvesting processes involve the use of products that are carbon-based or non-detrimental to the environment). Generally, if the coffee bag has an organic label shown, the farm has to have gone through rigorous certification processes to meet standards set forth by the USDA or another country's agriculture department.

Fair Trade Certified = coffee grown and harvested from farms that meet labor and trade standards to ensure fair wages and compensation for the workers and farms. Fair Trade coffee DOES NOT have to be organic but it MUST NOT include GMO coffee varieties and CANNOT be sprayed with pesticides that are deemed as noxious or banned one country or another.

With both stamps of goodness comes a price, and both are most likely a higher price than Folgers. Some may argue that this price raise is unfair or unjustified, but in my mind the extra $2.50 I pay for my bag of Fair Trade 6th Avenue Bistro is 100% worth it when it goes back to the farm to ensure better wages for workers of a back-breaking job. For the struggling grad student and unemployed graduate, to drink non-certified coffee is perfectly fine - you shouldn't feel less important than Tom sitting at the table next to yours with his organic French roast. If drinking coffee that has one or the other certification is important to you, do some research and shopping. Many big chain coffee shops (think that cafe with all the green, and the other from the same city with all the red) ensure that all their coffee blends are certified Fair Trade. Some farmers markets or coops have organic coffees that are pretty close in price to their non-organic cousins. Never underestimate the use of coffee punch cards, coupons, or other forms of rewards for bulk purchases. Bottom line, we're a thrifty group of generations and with a little effort you're bound to find a coffee that meets your budget, taste, and lifestyle choices.

It's the end of an era for me at the cafe, but my love for a dark roasted coffee and a well made cappuccino will always remain a part of my life for years to come. Cheers to you, Baristas of Latte Land!

Rock on and plant on,
Stephanie

Song for the Garden: Silver Moon - Blitzen Trapper
Song for the Cafe: Sleepytime in the Western World - Blitzen Trapper
(I imagine they're playing it throughout Terrain this season, and if not, they should!)
Photo from Wiki Commons

Meet Me at the Fair

This past weekend I got a message from my friend Mike asking “Were you a judge in the flower competition at the [New York] State Fair? Some of the judges’ comments sounded like they were written by you:

‘Crowded arrangement on candle sticks distracts from centerpiece.’

‘Purple flowers do not work with theme of ‘Going Green’.’

‘Stem lengths reflect dimension amazingly; Rock on!’ ”

Mike’s message made me laugh for several reasons, one being the fact that each statement was very similar to my vernacular, but also because they reminded me of the hyper-critical comments I had received on my junior floral designs for the State Fair back in the late 90’s. Twice I had entered designs, one for the container competition and another for the centerpiece challenge the next year. I can distinctively remember the centerpiece competition, as the theme was “Dance the Night Away” and being in my 12^th year of dance classes I was certain I could come up with a design that would blow the judges off their feet (pun oh so intended).

Being the NYS Fair, there are rules and regulations a designer must follow when putting together their design. Generally a theme is given, with a description that is everything but forthcoming, and one must incorporate a background to display your design. For “Dance the Night Away” used star gazer lilies (star gazer… night… get it?) as my main flowers with lily-of-the-valley and some greens as fillers, all of which were placed into a pair of old pointe shoes (dance shoes… dance… get it?) filled with Oasis. It was ingenious! Who would ever put flowers into pointe shoes? Certainly not Salvatore Capezio or Hans Christian Anderson’s Karen.

The day of judging I can remember seeing women in their 50s and 60s setting up their designs that were full dining rooms, all matching the floral pieces they displayed. Seeing the exotic flowers, colors, and interesting pairings excited me as I thought “I wish I could be those ladies.” The judges’ comments for my design were just as a mixed bag as Mike’s relayed comments; some enjoyed the use of star gazers and others found my pointe shoes to be “distracting from the overall design and theme.” After that day I always felt the judges were confined by rules and vague theme descriptions rather than being open to creativity, and traded my days of NYS Fair floral competitions for days assistant teaching dance sessions to younger summer classes. Every year I go to OFA in Columbus, OH however, I relive my short days as a young floral designer with the design competitions and smile when I see comment cards that read “Excellent portrayal of the theme; uses of Oasis wire adds depth and whimsy. Rock on!”

Plant on and rock on,

Stephanie

Song for the Garden: Daylight - Matt & Kim

Photo Credits: SEW 2008 - "Joey" in container at OFA 2008

I'm Too Sexy for this Lawn

Cornell and Ithaca kids have arrived in town and that means Fall 2009 is just around the corner. As August closes it's a great time to update your fall wardrobe, not only for graduate school or the office but also for the garden. As requested by Kevin, I have pulled together a short list of must-haves for Fall 2009.

Lumberjacks Unite
Seen throughout the GAP, J. Crew, Urban Outfitters, and even Target, plaid seems to be making a comeback. What once was associated with lumberjacks and 90s grunge bands is now hip and chic. Search the GAP and Target for your ATM deals; browse Urban Outfitters (BDG Breezy Button-Up Shirt seen here) for Gold Card glam.

DIY Denim
Across the covers of Nylon and Ready Made, denim is staking its claim - and appropriately so, as denim is perfect for fall activities in the garden and at the bar. When the temperature drops, bust out your last season jeans to flaunt in the garden - your knees will appreciate the coverage when you kneel to harvest bulbs. Also, it's a smart fashion choice when working with hedge trimmers when cutting back trees and shrubs, and from shovels when dividing your hostas. Check out Ready Made for a DYI work shirt, patchwork jeans, and romper. You'll look great and save money too.

Green Garden Accessories
Fall calls for cleaning up the garden after a beautiful summer and preparing for next year. You are destined to get down and dirty with your plants, tearing out annuals, dividing perennials, and trimming back trees and shrubs. Why not do it all stylishly?! Today's Garden Center recently released its list of Top Products for 2010, in which Angela's Garden is featured for it's garden accessories. There is a plethora of gloves, hats, aprons, and bags to choose from, and Angela plays off the ever-so-popular Vera Bradley print theme. Angela also has a line of "green" accessories, which are made from organic fabrics and nontoxic dyes.

West County Gloves is also one of my favorite recent finds. Finally, empty Evian and Poland Spring bottles are going to good use, in the form of gardening gloves! The gloves come in a number of different styles, including ones for kiddies. Check out the website to learn more and get your own pair; I'm getting mine in pink.

That's it for now - I'm off to find the perfect pair of wellies.

Plant on and rock on,
Stephanie

Song for the Garden: Tenderoni - Chromeo

Stay Tuned...

Hello friends!

It has been an incredibly busy week here for the plant geek/fashionista - thesis writing, loan exit interviews, explosions at the cafe, weeding and lawn mowing, the list goes on! As a result, I will not have a formal post this week. However! I will have TWO postings next week: one on garden fashion for fall (thanks for the request, Kevin!), and another on either top garden magazines or what to plant for fall (Crystal is dieing to know what to do with her weedy garden patch before frost).

Until then, plant on and rock on,
Stephanie

Song for the Garden: Hurry Up and Wait - Stereophonics

Give Me My Plantkinz!

Through conversations with friends and old residents during House Dinners, I have learned that a number of my friends don't have plants because they claim to have black thumbs. Just last week my friend and cafe supervisor Heidi mentioned she feels she lacks knowledge about growing "real" plants and is a much better "virtual farmer" with Facebook's Farm Town application. Well Heidi, growing real plants just got a thousand times easier with MyViolet.com!

MyViolet.com (created by the global African Violet grower Optimara) is like Webkinz for plants. Like Webkinz, MyViolet plants come with their own online authorization code when purchased at big box stores as well as a number of local garden centers. Once you have created your online account, you can register your plant by giving it a name, selecting its variety (the Stephanie is a personal fave), and uploading a personal photo of your new pet plant. Dr. Optimara is by your side every step of the way, giving you health tips and assisting you with regularly updating your violet's "health chart." Although you don't get MyViolet points or cash to update your plant's "room" or "dinner menu" as with Webkinz, I think it's pretty cool that you can share the growth and progress of your violet with other budding plant lovers on the MyViolet blog. It's quite possibly the next best way for "plant" people to interact together online next to Farm Town - and hey! you're growing a real plant!

Although some people may claim African Violets are "grandma plants" or old fashioned (I personally have always associated violets with my grandfather's kitchen), Optimara is clearly bringing the plant into the 21st century with this website. Not only is the company making violets "cool again" through the use of online technology, it is also making it easier for new generations to keep house plants through online education and social interaction. MyViolet.com takes away the stress and worry of killing a plant, and in my book less stress is always a good thing. So for everyone out there who is a little afraid about killing their house plant, fear not! MyViolet.com is there to help you learn, grow, and become a better gardener.

Plant on and rock on,
Stephanie

Song for the Garden: Technologic - Daft Punk

Blame it on the System

A week ago I had a short conversation with a NYS apple grower at a cocktail party. He is a relative of a friend of mine and as a member of the Silent Generation he has a wealth of knowledge and experience in agriculture. As I explained my masters thesis project and outlook on agriculture – that organic AND conventional farming have both benefits and drawbacks, and to farm efficiently and environmentally agriculture should take the best practices from both systems to create a more “holistic" one– the grower expressed his disdain for organic certification. He claimed that the certification and process of organic farming under the current definitions and regulations is flawed and has a number of practices that can have notably detrimental effects on the environment. Some organic pesticides are known to be toxic to fish, a problem for local watersheds if runoff occurs during large rainstorms or spring snow thaw. Others such as Pyrethrum are toxic to beneficial insects. However, organic farming promotes practices such as no till and the use of cover crops to control for weeds and build soil health.

My relatives have a beef cattle farm in southern New Hampshire, and even though it’s not certified, the farm has been “organically” operated for nearly 100 years. The angus beef cattle are all free range and grass fed year-round. My uncles have decided not to go through the organic certification because of their age (one is in his 70s, the other in his 80s). However, can one argue that the farm is NOT organic simply due to the lack of certification, even if the practices used day to day on the farm could be considered as “organic”?

In closing the heated discussion with the apple grower, he asked what my future brings after the thesis – a job in the floriculture industry. He laughed at my answer, and said “well until next time, while you’re having fun with your flowers, I’ll concentrate my time and efforts on what really matters – making food.”

Ok class, flowers versus food. Discuss.

Plant on and rock on,

Stephanie

Song for the Garden: Ramalama (bang bang) - Roisin Murphy (it's SYTYCD Finale time, people!)