Buckets of Water

Two years ago, I volunteered a lot of my time at my son's school with the PTA Environmental Committee (aka Green Team).  My first big volunteer opportunity was for the Fall Festival...it was then that I became a master at asking for and receiving donations.  During that time, I spent a lot of time with another volunteer-- Barbara-- that like me was always trying to make simple changes in the things that she did to lessen her (negative) impact on the environment.  One day, she went on about how "all the buckets of water" around her house drove her husband nuts.  I, honestly, didn't really know what she was talking about... buckets?  Really?!  And... I was too embarrassed to ask (why??  I'm not sure)... so I just shook my head in agreement like I got it.

This I knew:  The Earth is covered with water, but out of all that water only 1% is fresh usable water and every bit of water that is on the Earth today... has ALWAYS been here... 

I am humbled by water as it is the ultimate in reuse.

Needless to say, I spent a week trying to figure out what in the world she was talking about...

I was bound and determined to "get" it.  SO... every time I used water I thought... "Buckets??  Why would she have buckets??"  Of course, there's the shower thing... but we turn on the water when we get in (don't have to let it heat up... it's already heated :) ).  SO... I thought and I thought.  Then the simplest of thoughts came to me, 

"Where can I save water?  What water doesn't have to go down the drain?  How do *I* use water more wisely??"

And with those thoughts... all of these ideas rushed to me about being a conscious water user and moving beyond just turning off the tap while brushing my teeth or washing dishes.

Every bit of water that goes down the drain goes to a water facility where it's treated and cleaned for reuse.  (On that note, everything we put down the drain by flushing or garbage disposal that can be removed is done so at the water treatment facility and sent to the landfill... save a step and quit flushing stuff or using the garbage disposal.)   

SO...The first thing that I did was stop pouring water from boiling pasta, steaming or shocking veggies down the drain.  It's no secret that nutrients find their way into the water... why not water plants with it or just pour it outside? So I use a sieve or strain my pasta/veggies into a colander set over a bowl... when the water cools... I dump it outside in our bushes, yard, etc. :)  I do the same with drinking water that has sat around, extra coffee... you name it... it finds it's way outside and never down the drain.

So, I don't have buckets of water all around my house, but I do understand why she did.  By not pouring water down the drain... I reuse water to reduce buckets of waste and so much more  :)

My Garden of Herbs

Five years ago--on Mother's Day--my husband and 2 children (then 3 and 11 months) planted me my very first herb garden. At the time, I had been talking about wanting fresh herbs for at least a year. I was an avid watcher of the Food Network... and one day on The Naked Chef... Jamie Oliver talked about using fresh herbs.  He said (in loose quotes... this was at least 6 years ago... so this is the gist of how I remember it),

"Using fresh herbs is great, but the idea of fresh herbs is that they're FRESH... not drive to the store 'fresh'... fresh does not come in a package."  

What he said, has been morphed over time... but the meaning of what he said has held strong for me for the past 5 years.  Using fresh herbs should be an organic process of cooking where you reach for herbs that are growing from the soil...when they're supposed to be growing... the idea of fresh herbs as a packaged product really undermines what using "fresh" is all about.   

So... that year, my husband got a big half wine barrel and various other pots and planted my most used herbs: Thyme, rosemary, parsley, chives (didn't use quite so much), dill, and basil.

5 years later, a cross-country move to St. Louis and back to Wilmington...I still have an herb garden... it's just in a different form. No longer contained to a wine barrel (it's now home to a contained forest of mint)....now my herb garden grows along the side of my house. It's also grown in the variety... I now have planted an unconfined forest of mint, rosemary, oregano, flat-leaf parsley, dill, thyme, lemon thyme, chives, sage, "Italian" basil, lemon basil, cilantro, chocolate mint, and a bay bush.  The only original plant that I have from that original Mother's Day herb garden are the chives. They've doubled and quadrupled in size... and while I don't use them as much as some of my other herbs... I LOVE having the ability to use them when I choose to :)  As with all my herbs, I cut what I need, when I need it and leave the rest to grow.  No plastic container, no rubber-bands, no twist-ties needed... and that means no waste.... because it takes nothing more than me and a pair of scissors.

My favorite thing about chives is their flowers.... ;)

Here's some Parsley and Dill growing from seed...

A little of my Mint forest and some Sage....

Rosemary and Thyme,

Cilantro,

Oregano,

and Basil.

What to do with all those herbs??  Get cooking (or let them grow and flower for the pollinators ;)).  

Over the past couple of years, I have made the commitment to only use fresh herbs from my garden.  That means that I only use what herbs are growing in my herb garden during a given season.  I'm able to reap the bounty of Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, Oregano, Mint and Chives through all seasons.  Parsley comes and goes throughout the year.  I only use basil in spring and summer... yes... I make loads of pesto to keep in my freezer to last me all winter.  I try my best to center my cooking around what is growing...if a recipe calls for an herb that's not growing, then I make a substitution for something that is... the best flavor comes from the freshest ingredients... and you can't get any fresher than your own backyard (or patio or windowsill).

Here are a few photos of some recipes that I've tested for The Blissful Chef using herbs straight from my herb garden....

Since I'm recipe testing, I can't give out recipes.  BUT...  Magical Raw Tacos (above) were featured on The Blissful Chef Blog... SO make them...with whatever you have growing... they are absolutely AMAZING Magical ;)