Area voters spoke loud and clear in Tuesday's election, with over 70 percent of the voters soundly voting NO on the penny sales tax increase to support area public transportation initiatives. Whether you were on the yes or no side of the issue, what we can all agree on is that Atlanta area traffic is nightmarish, one of the worst in the nation, and is unacceptable to the vast majority of drivers. However, the bottom line is that building new infrastructure doesn't necessarily guarantee people would choose to use public transportation as a means to get from point A to point B anyway. We're in…
With Gwinnett County schools starting in less than two weeks, many area families are scrambling to purchase needed back-to-school supplies. The good news is there’s absolutely no need to break the bank. By purchasing only what your child needs, buying high quality made items and focusing on shopping locally or on-line, you can save a ton of money while being kind on the environment at the same time. My recommendations of tried and true back-to-school items include: Clothing: While I understand this may not work with the older crowd (who likely prefer brand new clothes), you can save a ton …
Using an unusually large chef’s knife, my father would slice a whole cantaloupe in half, scoop out the seeds and then fill one half of the fruit with a huge scoop vanilla bean ice cream. Now that’s what I call dessert! Of course, back then, we picked the cantaloupe out of our backyard garden and we called it a muskmelon (I never even heard the term cantaloupe prior to moving to Atlanta and a little research shows that the vast majority of these melons grown in the U.S. are actually muskmelons, the difference being in the network of webbing on the skin of the melon). Regardless of what you …
My uncle is a career farmer and his main crop for over 40 years has been corn. Having full meals that consisted solely of Uncle Al's corn on the cob was a staple of our summer meal schedules while I was growing up, and I loved every serving. I look forward to this time of year every summer, when July and August meals are anchored with platters of corn. Our CSA boxes from Riverview Farms often contain a dozen plus ears of organic corn, starting in early July, often stretching to the end of August. My favorite method of cooking corn, because I feel it brings out the best flavor in the kernels…
As temperatures in the Atlanta area surpass record temperatures and fireworks pepper the sky, you are likely not thinking that it's an appropriate time of the year to dig in your garden. However, it’s absolutely not too late to plant your favorite summer veggies. Crops like tomatoes, okra and cucumbers love the summer heat, and your garden will produce well into the fall by putting in a first or second planting of your favorite summer crops. In our neck of the woods, it wouldn't be unusual to have fresh tomatoes and peppers to whip up a garden salsa at Halloween (or even Thanksgiving). To …
A decade ago, I had never stepped foot in Peachtree Corners. Furthermore, I can honestly say I had never even heard of Peachtree Corners, even though I had lived in Atlanta since 1994. I was living near Decatur at the time, and my then fiancée worked at Checkfree (now Fiserv). One morning, when his car wouldn’t start, I gave him a ride to the office, and after dropping him off, I quite unexpectedly found myself driving through nearby neighborhoods off of East Jones Bridge, delighted with the charm of the area and the feeling of community I immediately felt. I stopped in front of a house …
May is here and with it, opportunities abound to obtain fresh, locally grown organic produce. Kicking of its fifth season at the end of May, the Peachtree Corners CSA (community supported agriculture) has been integral in bringing organic food to our area. The largest certified organic farm in the state of Georgia (Riverview Farms, one hour north) delivers weekly boxes of unbelievably delicious and nutritious, freshly picked, organic, locally-grown produce. The program has been a raging success, serving over 200 area families. I’ve personally been a member of the CSA since its charter, …
Chances of frost in our area are nil as Mother Nature gives the green light to dig in the dirt to plant all summer veggie delights, starting this weekend. What to plant in your edible garden now through May 1: Tomatoes (plant) Corn (seed- must plant at least several rows for pollination) Green beans- bush or pole (seed) Zucchini and summer squash (plant or seed) Cucumber (plant or seed) Melons- watermelon, canteloupe, honeydew, etc. (plant or seed) Okra (plant or seed) Peppers- all varieties (plant) Eggplant (plant) Sweet potatoes (vine) Herbs- basil, oregano, thyme, etc. (plant) …
Growing up, my family held a massive Easter Egg Hunt every year. Complete with over 200 hand-dyed eggs, neighbors, friends and family members from far and wide and of all ages would come to compete for who could find the most eggs and the illustrious Golden Egg. Prizes included lottery tickets, chocolate bunnies and cold hard cash. The annual hunt was serious biz, and I'm delighted to have carried on the tradition at my house, using plastic eggs vs. the real McCoy (because, let's face it, coloring 200+ eggs is a little nutty! Sorry Mom...). We, too, typically host between 50 and 60 guests…
Ten years ago, my dad extensively researched our family tree, tracing back our roots to the 1600s in France, and from there discovered our family's migration to Canada in 1637. Being a gifted professional writer, he put together a stunning collection of information and photographs and presented it to each of us for Christmas. Upon hearing the news that my grandfather, my last surviving grandparent at age 90, died last week, I dusted off my copy of the Montri family history book and was quite stunned to uncover information that I had somehow not noticed previously– the vast majority of my …
I’m sitting at my kitchen table, happily sipping my morning green tea. As I’m looking out the window at the birdfeeder that I filled just two days ago, wondering where the statement “he/she eats like a bird comes from” (because the birds in my yard eat like it’s their last supper), and the feeder is almost empty. I also notice that, gulp, my lawn needs mowing. Ugh. It’s that time of year, again- when the lawn needs mowing, when I spend too much time in the yard pushing the noisy beast around and around and around, hoping that at least the labor counts towards a workout of some kind. What …
Even though temperatures have been dipping below freezing all week -- and I woke up this morning with snow on my roof -- the fact that Valentine's Day was yesterday triggers that it's time to get those spring vegetable seeds in the ground. I've purchaced my seed packets, and I'll be spending the weekend digging in the dirt. Below is a list of the varieties of vegetables that I've personally had very good luck with this time of year: Lettuces: arugula, romaine, spinach Root vegetables: carrots, beets, turnips, radishes Greens: kale, collards, swiss chard, mustard Broccoli and cauliflower …
After saving the seeds of several of my summer garden favorites (basil, cantaloupe, okra, tomatoes and watermelon), this past summer, I thought I’d try my hand at seed starting. One of my long-time gardening friends recommends seed saving since, over time, plants will adapt to the micro-climate of your yard and therefore have stronger root systems, heartier growth and production. Since seed saving and seed starting is a new venture for me, I attended the Jones Bridge Community Garden mini-seminar last weekend with master-gardener-in-training (and founder of the community garden), Mim Harris…
On New Year’s Day, my very kind and very ambitious neighbor, Sonia, stopped over to ask if I had any interest in competing in a triathlon with her in May. She’s approaching a milestone birthday and was looking for a training buddy to join her. As someone who recently celebrated a, ahem, milestone birthday, I fully understand the need to memorialize and honor a landmark day. When I turned 30, I set a lofty goal of completing a full marathon — 26.2 miles. For someone who doesn’t run, it would be a challenge indeed, and I was determined. I teamed up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Societies’ …
OK folks, it’s New Year’s resolution time. Everyone’s golden opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start a new habit (or kick an old one) is knocking at our door. Perhaps losing weight or starting an exercise regimen has made its way onto the list of goals for 2012. Again. Why not try a completely fresh approach to the new year? May I suggest that you consider a resolution to create a more sustainable lifestyle for yourself? If you are seeking to "green up" your life, begin with small changes you are truly interested in and can easily incorporate into your life. For example, if it’s just …
We're in the home stretch now for gift buying season, and if you're like many, you've waited until the absolute last minute to purchase gifts for friends, neighbors and family. With only a few days left until Christmas, it is definitely too late to order something on-line and have it shipped to arrive in time. Thankfully, there are many opportunities to purchase unique gifts and support the businesses right here in the Peachtree Corners area. Ideas include: A gym membership for the family at the Robert Fowler YMCA. If you've never toured the facility, it is a beautifully renovated Green …
With only 10 shopping days until Christmas, shoppers are in the home stretch of the gift purchasing season. If you are on the search for unique holiday gifts, perhaps a present revolving around a gardening theme would be welcomed. I've narrowed down the list to my favorites and categorized them into groups- people who are thinking about gardening, those who are new to gardening, individuals who are already gardening, the hard-core gardener and lastly, children. And really, people passionate about growing their own food would love any of the gifts listed below. Thinking about gardening: …
What started as an effort to provide her infant triplets with the most nutritious food she could, evolved into a thriving local business. With a customer base of over 300 and an average of 100 orders a week, Peachtree Corners resident and baker, Karen Ford, is providing healthy snacks for all ages. "People kept asking me to make my bread and muffins for them. It wasn't really my intention to start a business; it truly evolved on its own," commented Karen. 13 Moons Bakeshop of homemade goodness is run out of Karen's home where she employs three bakers. Her products contain only freshly …
With temperatures dipping into the 30s this week, Jack Frost is here and is nipping at more than our noses. Cool season vegetables (think lettuces, broccoli, kale, collards, spinach, chard, etc.) like the colder weather that fall and early spring provide. However, from December-February, the temperatures are generally too chilly in our area for continued growth, and the plants go dormant. Typically, come January, when the weekly vegetable deliveries from Riverview Farms CSA (community supported agriculture) cease and my garden goes into hibernation, I tend to go into a bit of a depression, …
Did you know that 73 percent of the garlic consumed in the United States is grown in China. This baffles me, primarily because garlic is so incredibly easy to grow and requires such little maintenance. There are two varieties of garlic: softneck (the kind you can braid the stalks) and hardneck (which produces edible garlic scapes). Both will grow well in our southern climate. Along with onions, shallots and leeks, garlic is a member of the genus allium. Garlic has countless health benefits and has been found to have antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activity. Garlic has a powerful …
