The Greening of Gavin

I Support Food Not Lawn

@ By 4 Comments

For those who don’t know, I have a passion for growing my own food here.  In fact I am so in to growing our own food that I ripped up all our lawns and replaced them with garden beds and fruit trees.  The vast majority of our plants are edible which is by design.  I’m a big advocate for Food not Lawn!

Gavin Webber's lawn before

Before with Lawn

Now, I had often wondered if this trend was catching on.  It didn’t seem to matter how far I walked around my neighbourhood, I couldn’t find anyone else with food growing in their front yard.  Maybe I’m not as trendsetting as I think I am.

Grow food not lawn - Veggie patch, January 2010

After with Food

Anyway, I was pleasantly delighted when I was contacted by Sue St Jean who lives in Rhode Island, USA, who also grows food in her 464 sq metre yard.  I caught up with her over the weekend and recorded a chat which will be published via tomorrow nights podcast episode.  It was really interesting to learn how she grows so much food in her small urban block and her front yard, and still manages to make it look really nice which gets the neighbours onboard and manages a big crop.

Then as luck (or fate) would have it, Christie, one of my Facebook followers and podcast listeners brought this story to my attention.  It was regarding food not lawn!

http://tedxinnovations.ted.com/2015/06/25/spotlight-tedx-talk-the-new-neighborhood-trend-lawns-made-of-food/

It’s about Tim Rinne who lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA, who was very worried about climate change and food scarcity, so he decided to take action.  He ripped up his own lawn and started to grow food.  This had a massive ripple effect throughout the neighbourhood and many other families now grow their own food in their yards.

His story was so inspiring that I had to embed the TED talk into this post.

 So here’s to growing food not lawns and all the trailblazers throughout the suburbs who are trying to make a difference and set an example to show that it is easy growing food with a bit of practice.

Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow for my chat with Sue St Jean!

TGoG 104 – Budget Cooking without Waste

@ By 3 Comments

Listen to the Episode Below (00:43:55)
Download Listen in a New Window iTunes Stitcher SoundCloud Leave a Review Clammr It Subscribe via RSS Subscribe on Android RSS Patreon

Budget cooking without waste is our theme this week.  We talk about all the ways we save money in the kitchen feeding our family.  Includes 101 things to do with Zucchini (just joking)!

Also during the show we talked about using quality ingredients, growing and using herbs, growing your own veg, how to get your kids to eat veggies, how to use leftovers effectively, how to get 3 meals out of a single roast chicken, and how you can save up to $75 a week by taking your own lunch to work.  We also drooled over Kim’s freshly baked Cranberry & Macadamia cookies and Chocolate Muffins.

Kim's home baking

Kim’s home baking

This episode is chock o block with tips and tricks to save money, and still be green in the kitchen.  Budget cooking without waste!

Don’t forget that this show is financially supported by you, the listener, via Patreon.  If you believe the show adds value to the sustainable living community and you would like to support the show, please pledge your support at http://www.patreon.com/greeningofgavin.  Any pledge small or large is most welcome, as it keeps the show growing week by week.

Become my patreon!

And finally will this podcast episode help someone you know? If so, help them out by sharing it using the social media buttons now!

Potato and Leek Frittata

@ By 3 Comments

Potato and Leek Frittata is one of the simplest meals to make.  You only need a few ingredients that are readily available at the greengrocer or in your own garden.

In fact it probably wouldn’t surprise you to learn that this meal I made for lunch today was 100% homegrown on our little suburban food farm!  I grew the leeks, potatoes, eggs, parsley, and beans.  I harvested the veggies about 30 minutes before I cooked our lunch, so you can’t get much fresher than that.

Potato and Leek Frittata

Here is how I made it.

Potato and Leek Frittata

Serves two

Ingredients

  • 6 free range eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 large leek, halved and finely sliced
  • 2 medium potatoes, skin on and diced
  • 2 sprigs parsley, roughly chopped
  • 2 runner beans, sliced.
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  1.  Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add leeks and saute until translucent.
  2. Move leeks to side of pan, add potatoes and fry for 5 minutes or until soft.  Stir to ensure even cooking.
  3. Mix leeks and potatoes and shake pan to distribute evenly over bottom of pan.
  4. Turn heat to medium.  Pour eggs into frying pan and cover with lid.  Sprinkle chopped parsley and runner bean over top.
  5. Cook until eggs have set.  If frittata is still runny on top, place frying pan under grill until cooked.
  6. Turn out onto a plate and divide into portions.  Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Potato and Leek Frittata

Not only is this dish simple, it is very delicious and healthy.

What do you think; is it something you would try?