Gretchen Kruesi

Koji for a Touch of Sweetness: Koji Sorbet

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 21, 2021 / Comments Off on Koji for a Touch of Sweetness: Koji Sorbet

The possibilities with koji are endless; cheese, condiments, bread, the list goes on! Let’s not forget about that sweet tooth. It might seem crazy, but koji sorbet is sweet and tangy, making a perfect treat for a warm summer’s evening. If you’ve mastered the simple homemade koji recipe, put your koji to work in this delicious,…

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Defending Bovines, Butter, and Beef

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 14, 2021 / Comments Off on Defending Bovines, Butter, and Beef

Beef and dairy products have received a fair amount of backlash within the last decade or so. We have been told that beef is a big proponent in the increase of obesity and other chronic diet-related diseases, as well as dramatic environmental damage. However, more and more people are speaking out that this is not…

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lemon bars

Luscious Lemons: Classic Lemon Bar Recipe

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 14, 2021 / Comments Off on Luscious Lemons: Classic Lemon Bar Recipe

Everyone loves homemade lemon squares and these refreshing sweet and lightly tart lemon squares are the best. With a buttery crust that is sturdy but tender enough to bite through and a thick and luscious filling with a balance of sweetness and tangy lemon brightness, you can’t beat this recipe. The following is an excerpt…

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rain garden

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring, the Rain Garden is Growing

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 13, 2021 / Comments Off on It’s Raining, It’s Pouring, the Rain Garden is Growing

With temperatures rising and the summer heat in full swing, your plants and crops need as much water as they can possibly get. What better way to do that than building your own rain garden? A rain garden will absorb rainwater run-off and use this water to then help grow the plants planted in the…

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The Magic of Exploring the Outdoors After Dark: Q&A with Chris Salisbury

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 12, 2021 / Comments Off on The Magic of Exploring the Outdoors After Dark: Q&A with Chris Salisbury

Chris Salisbury’s newest book Wild Nights Out has just been released and encourages us to venture out into the unknown of the night. Wild Nights Out is the go-to guide for exploring the outdoors after dark. It boosts the resilience and self-confidence of children and adults, and instills a lifelong love of having fun in…

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variety of produce

The Fresh Food Farmacy

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 7, 2021 / Comments Off on The Fresh Food Farmacy

Health care is one of the most talked about topics with availability and expenses constantly under scrutiny. Insulin prices have skyrocketed and those who need it are barely able to or cannot afford the life-saving medicine. There are other systems in place that have a new take on health care which prioritizes eating fresh and…

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The Five Keys to Photosynthesis: Caring For Your Plants

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 5, 2021 / Comments Off on The Five Keys to Photosynthesis: Caring For Your Plants

There is more to growing than just the basics of sunlight and water. In fact, there are five important factors in determining how well your plants or crops will do: sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, soil organisms, and nutrients. Luckily it is easy to maintain healthy plants, healthy food, and healthy living soil. The following is…

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Three Ways to Improve Your Mindset

By Gretchen Kruesi / June 30, 2021 / Comments Off on Three Ways to Improve Your Mindset

We don’t realize how much our mindset affects our day-to-day activities until we become in tune with our bodies. Through practices like self-talk, mindfulness, and optimism, we can vastly improve our mental and physical health. The following is an except from Peak 40 by Marc Bubbs. It has been adapted for the web. If your personality traits…

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bug on plant

Reestablishing Balance: Nature’s Cure

By Gretchen Kruesi / June 29, 2021 / Comments Off on Reestablishing Balance: Nature’s Cure

In No-Till Intensive Vegetable Culture, renowned organic grower Bryan O’Hara describes the methods he developed during a multi-year transition of his Connecticut vegetable farm to a no-till system. His resilient crops are testaments to the value of letting the inherent biological functions in soil do their work. The following excerpt discusses reestablishing balance among microbes,…

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bees on comb

On Swarms and Stings

By Gretchen Kruesi / June 24, 2021 / Comments Off on On Swarms and Stings

To a beekeeper, thousands of bees concentrated in one area isn’t a nightmare–it’s an opportunity to help the bees find a new home safely when necessary. It does not always come naturally though; some of the most seasoned beekeepers were scared of being stung at first.  It takes a lot of time and patience to…

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water

The Right Way to Hydrate

By Gretchen Kruesi / June 23, 2021 / Comments Off on The Right Way to Hydrate

Everyone knows water is important, but advice on how much to drink is wildly different. “Drink your weight in ounces of water each day”, “drink before you’re thirsty”, “drink eight 8oz glasses”, and the list goes on. Unfortunately, you can drink too much water, and it can be detrimental to your health. Read on to…

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Greens with Garlic and Chili

Adding Some Pizazz to Your Greens

By Gretchen Kruesi / June 15, 2021 / Comments Off on Adding Some Pizazz to Your Greens

It’s difficult to come up with new and interesting recipes to spice up your greens, whether they’re store bought or foraged. In Alan Bergo’s new book The Forager Chef’s Book of Flora, he gives recipes like Greens with Garlic and Chili as well as Dotty’s Wild Green Salad to add some flair to what might…

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Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

By Gretchen Kruesi / June 10, 2021 / Comments Off on Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

If you’ve been feeling drained and running ragged from lack of sleep, you are not alone. The average adult gets around 6.5 hours of sleep every night while the recommended amount is 7-8 hours of sleep. To upgrade your performance at work and home, sleep makes all the difference in your ability to keep up…

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How to Grow Okra Microgreens

By Gretchen Kruesi / June 9, 2021 / Comments Off on How to Grow Okra Microgreens

Microgreens can be used as a garnish or addition to provide great nutrients to your meals. Recently, okra joined the list of delicious microgreens. You can grow your own at home! Okra can be grown using an aquaponics system; find a use for any gallon-drums you have left in your garage or shed. The following…

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spinach and mango smoothie

Fantastic Frozen Fruit Smoothies

By Gretchen Kruesi / June 8, 2021 / Comments Off on Fantastic Frozen Fruit Smoothies

Nothing says summer like fruit smoothies. But what’s better than a fruit smoothie? A frozen fruit smoothie. When it’s too hot to cook a meal, and sandwiches or salads aren’t appealing, try one of these delicious recipes. Not only will they cool you down, but you’ll get plenty of nutrients, too! The following is an excerpt…

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cheese

Say Cheese! Four Cheese Recipes to Keep You Smiling

By Gretchen Kruesi / June 4, 2021 / Comments Off on Say Cheese! Four Cheese Recipes to Keep You Smiling

Attention all cheese lovers! If you’re looking for recipes to satisfy all your cheesy needs, then look no further. Try out some of these fun and easy recipes next time you’re craving homemade cheese. How To Make Your Own Chèvre Using Natural Ingredients Making cheese at home may seem like a time and labor-intensive process,…

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night animals illustration

Moths: Nighttime’s Kaleidoscope

By Gretchen Kruesi / May 26, 2021 / Comments Off on Moths: Nighttime’s Kaleidoscope

While butterflies may take all of the attention during the day time, moths are the celebrities of night. There are over 2,500 species of moths in Britain alone, yet they are often ignored. Author Chris Salisbury is trying to change that. The following is an excerpt from Wild Nights Out by Chris Salisbury. It has…

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Breakfast

Should you skip breakfast?

By Gretchen Kruesi / May 26, 2021 / Comments Off on Should you skip breakfast?

When it comes to whether or not you should skip breakfast, there is a lot of conflicting information out there. Some research claims that skipping breakfast is the key to loosing weight. Others, on the other hand, have proven that skipping breakfast could cause your metabolism to slow down and make you gain weight. So, what’s…

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cooking

10 Cooking Projects to Keep You Extremely Well-Fed

By Gretchen Kruesi / May 21, 2021 / Comments Off on 10 Cooking Projects to Keep You Extremely Well-Fed

Are you looking to add new recipes to your repertoire? Look no further! We’ve compiled some of our favorite cooking projects and recipes that will nourish you all year long. Making Amazing Amazake Rye Bread Ready to take your rye bread to the next level? This new twist on an age-old recipe is perfect for…

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Doorway with night sky

Redeeming the Dark

By Gretchen Kruesi / May 12, 2021 / Comments Off on Redeeming the Dark

Are you afraid of the dark? If you said yes, don’t worry, you aren’t alone. But have you ever wondered why the dark gets your blood racing? In his book Wild Nights Out, author Chris Salisbury explains where that fear comes from and then encourages us to face that fear and go out and explore the night (and…

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camp fire stories

Keeping the Smoke Hole Open

By Gretchen Kruesi / May 7, 2021 / Comments Off on Keeping the Smoke Hole Open

It’s no secret that social media has changed us, but is it necessarily for the better? Author Martin Shaw puts social media on the spot as he reflects on how today we face more “societal flatness” than ever before. The tonic? The old stories. The following is an excerpt from Smoke Hole by Martin Shaw. It…

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TREES OF POWER

Learning from Our Arboreal Allies

By Gretchen Kruesi / April 30, 2021 / Comments Off on Learning from Our Arboreal Allies

Akiva Silver owns and operates Twisted Tree Farm, a homestead, nut orchard, and nursery located in Spencer, New York, where he grows around 20,000 trees per year using practices that go beyond organic. His background is in foraging, wilderness survival, and primitive skills. He has been observing nature intensively for the last 20 years, cultivating…

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granola and yogurt

Kickstart Your Day with Homemade Granola and Yoghurt

By Gretchen Kruesi / April 26, 2021 / Comments Off on Kickstart Your Day with Homemade Granola and Yoghurt

If you’re looking for a flavor-packed granola recipe with many delicious ingredients, then look no further! This granola recipe is a go-to for famous London restaurant Towpath’s breakfast regulars. As a bonus, they included their simple yoghurt recipe, which completes the meal. The following is an excerpt from Towpath by Lori De Mori and Laura…

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reeds

Inheriting the Earth

By Gretchen Kruesi / April 22, 2021 / Comments Off on Inheriting the Earth

Farmland covers 38 percent of the land area of the Earth and is a major contributor to climate change. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Soil and plants have the capacity to store huge amounts of carbon in the ground, thus how we grow food can be one of the key solutions to…

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look up

Dealing With Crossroads: Something to Hang Your Heart On

By Gretchen Kruesi / April 20, 2021 / Comments Off on Dealing With Crossroads: Something to Hang Your Heart On

At a time when we are all confronted by not one, but many crossroads in our modern lives—identity, technology, trust, politics, and a global pandemic—celebrated mythologist and wilderness guide Martin Shaw delivers Smoke Hole. Here, he invites us to put down our phones and lower our gaze to the prayer mat. In Martin’s own words “In…

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