Organic Half & Half

I have a top 10 favorite things to eat list. On that list is guacamole. If you can perfect the art of the Guac you are a crowd favorite at every party. I’ve been meaning to write my recipe down because to tell you the truth I just go by taste so the next time I make it I will work on an actual recipe. But for those of you who have experienced an incredible guac than you know what I am talking about. The meating avacado that comes to life as the salt and cilantro dance with chopped up cilantro. It’s heavenly.

Well, I just came across this recent report and OH&H had to share. Take a look:

Kraft Foods Inc. is being sued for misleading consumers about a chemical concoction questionably labeled as “guacamole” dip. Although guacamole has been made for hundreds of years out of avocado, Kraft’s chemical dip features yummy stuff like hydrogenated oils, starch, food coloring, and other synthetics–with less than 2% of the dip composed of avocado. According to Claire Regan, vice president of Kraft Foods corporate affairs, “We think consumers understand that [the guacamole] isn’t made from avocado.”

I honestly don’t even want to make any comments. I am just amazed that our food industry is spiraling out of control. So on to more fun things like a successful cleanse Everyone has been asking and even wanting to know how they can get their hands on the same wonderful stuff I just used. Sorry for the delay so be looking for a post tomorrow about all the details. I’ll leave this tease: I feel great, my tummy has sucked in a bit, lost the Turkey Day pounds, and it’s safe to say all things that were dark and wrong inside my belly are no more.

SB

Well what an adventure already! The “movements” have already started and it is great. I guess it’s not great that I’m running to the Loo 3 times a day but it’s great to know we are “cleaning the pipes” right now. Some have asked does it hurt, do you feel sick, and many other fun questions. So here are some not so fun details…stop reading now if you don’t want to hear about the bowel movements of SB.

During the pre-cleanse I take a pill that is full of magnesium. The purpose, to “oxygenate” and loosen harden fecal matter down in the rusty pipes. So for 3 nights I’d take this pill on an empty stomach and then go to bed. Without fail, every morning I’d wake up, drink a big glass of water…and then in about 5-10 min I would have to run to the bathroom. What came out was very pudding like. Sorry for the imagery but that is the best way to describe it.

Yesterday was the offical start date of the 10 day cleanse. 1 hour before or after breakfast and lunch I have to mix this awful powder into 8 ounces of water. Not going to lie…yuck O. And then you chase it with another glass of water and an Aloe Vera Pill. The aloe is to sooth the havac you are putting on your system. At night you repeat the oxygen pills.

This morning was day 2 and it was my first “solid movement”…and then after the solid was more of the other stuff. This is a cleanse at its best! To take this thing up another notch I have gone with an Anti-Fungal diet. The below is a list of what not to eat. Essentially trying to take out all things fungus LOVES to eat on. Take those out and you kill the bad guys. I honestly feel so good…this shall become a yearly Post-Thanksgiving endeavor.

NO processed meats (bacon, sausage, deli meat, etc)
NO beans
NO fruits except for berries, green apples, & grapefruit
NO sauces
NO sugars
NO dairy except whipping cream and butter
NO peanuts or pistachios
NO nut butters
NO oils besides olive oil & coconut oil
NO sweeteners besides Stevia

The tough parts have been to be off my beloved coffee for this past week. Caffeine headaches truly blow. And oh yeah, the whole taking sugars out…S-U-C-K. But I feel amazing. Clear head, more energy, and my stomach is starting to shrink a tad, lose some weight, and the gunk is leaving thy system.

Stay tuned for more of SB’s joyful Christmas stories!
SB

So not sure how many of you out there experienced the Freshman 15. There are probably some ashamed they put on the Freshman 30 . I was reminded of my college days of eating KC Masterpiece and Velveeta Shells and Cheese as I might have gained a ridiculous amount of weight during this past week of Turkey and Sweets. Why is it that we do that to ourselves? I’m once again convinced that sugar is a drug…addictive and oh so lovely. And like all things bad for you the fun only lasts for a moment before the substance wears off and nothing is left but a fat body curled up on the couch watching football.

There is nothing like a good cleanse when you feel super dirty. Like a washing your hair after 3 days of camping. I just feel yuck after eating crud for a week, so in honor of the Holiday 20 I just put on I will be starting an All Natural Cleanse this week put out by Aerobic Life. It is 10 days and to be honest it scares me. Why? Well because I’ve heard the stories.

“I did a cleanse for the first time and corn came out. I haven’t eaten corn in 6 months.”

To learn of the grotesque things that come out of our body not only frighten me but enlighten me to why we are so unhealthy. Did you know that 95% of diseases come from the colon? A cleanse literally cleans out harden fecal matter that has been stuck for years. Years! Ok, so I really don’t want to go into too much detail of how disgusting it all is but I am doing the cleanse. Why? So I can have many stories to tell you and then to have proof it works. To then encourage everyone out there reading to get healthy as well.

So stay tuned for the next 10 days as I take a journey like none other. Here’s to good pooping.

SB

The day has finally come. I have a huge announcement to make. I am the proud parent…of 2 baby…TREES! That is right, a Bradford Pear and scrawny Red Oak. This past weekend I got my hands dirty and wore myself out digging huge pits to put these beautiful trees in. This morning I found myself drinking coffee on the front porch staring at these beauties of God’s creation and wondering: how much should I water them, those stakes are not working well, wonder if the roots are ok, and I need to destory all the weeds covering the front yard.

When I was growing up we had a Chinese family that lived next door and they were always out in the front yard pulling weeds. No spraying of poison, they just did it the good ol’ natural way. And so did I. I found myself enjoying the process of grabbing the weed at the base and doing the wiggle pull until out popped the entire root system. There was this sense of satisfaction as I rid my territory of all these pests. The worst was pulling only to rip the top off. Blast! The sudden horror of knowing that weed will rear it’s ugly head soon was irritating.

There is something special about owning a home. You get this sense of pride in taking care of things and making sure all is in order. It’s my home. I care about weeds and scratches and trees. It’s as if the 50 X 150 plot of land I now own is a reflection of me. I got to thinking of this new world I have just entered into and I sat and thought about how God views things. He cares about those little weeds in our life that aren’t really destorying our lives…they just make things look ugly. So I guess that is where I am this week. Searching my heart and life for the “weeds” that have slowly taken over. I seemed to always look for the things that are destructive and want to make sure they are out of my life. But what about the “weeds”. I find myself having my own agenda all the time, which then causes me to be selfish, which causes me to not be kind, which then makes me forget about real grace, which then becomes a “weed”. I hope to find “weeds” that have slowly taken over my life…and grab them by the root…and do the wiggle pull.

SB

Low fat, saturated fat, reduced fat, good fat, bad fat, fat free, healthy fat, smart fat. Most of us don’t know what to do with this F- word. Its confusing at times and the only “truth” we know about it is what the Marketing Food God’s tell us to eat. Butter bad, margarine good. Beef bad, chicken good. Egg yolk bad, egg white good. Stick with me and I will blow your mind about the Relevant Real Deal Holyfield of FAT. (queue applause)

Its when we’re about to get into the shower and we’re as naked as Frank the Tank that we all experience groupthink: Cellulite Sucks. We stare, pinch, grab, twist, and cry as we jiggle the fat in the mirror and watch it ripple like waves on the north shore. And our immediate solution is if I eat less fat then I will get less fat. Little fat in my diet means little fat IN MAH BELLEH! There is a theory called “lypid hypothesis” and it states that there is a direct relationship between the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet and coronary heart disease. The creator of this theory was Ancel Keys and in the late 50’s this was hot. A dude named Nathan Pritikin jumped on board and said lets do the “low fat diet”. People loved it. Ashlee Simpson with a new nose kind of L-O-V-E! And why wouldn’t they since they started losing weight. I’m sure most of us have done this and seen results. But problems arose. Raise your hand and say “AMEN!” if this has happened to you…it was hard to stay on the diet, not much energy, and sure enough the pounds came back with vengeance. Why is that?

Our bodies need fat. Fat, which we all know comes from animal and veggie sources, give us the energy we need to think and be active. Its the essential building block for cell membranes and all kinds of hormones (more on how it effects stress in future posts). Fat acts like Fed Ex in the body because it carries Vitamins A,D,E, & K all through the body. We have to have it. Good fat is great for the body but the Food Giants can’t make money on their crap low fat food if we’re not buying it.

100 years ago heart disease in America was very rare. It just didn’t happen. Can you guess what is the leading cause of death today in the good old U.S. of A? We don’t eat animal fats like juicy steaks anymore. Butter use to be a huge part of the American diet, now its “I can’t believe this has no taste.” We have walked away from the beef, eggs, bacon, whole milk, butter, cheese, and we are now enjoying pooches and tires around our waists. I could start citing study after study about entire people groups who are healthy and have little heart disease issues but where’s the fun in that. YOU want to hear about something cool like how NASTY partially hydrogenated oils are. PHO is used because it is the cheapest to produce and its found in things like margarine and shortening. Also known as trans fat its in more things than you realize. You’ll love the process of Hydrogenation.

Its when you take polyunsaturated fats (some forms are veggie and/or canola oil) which are suppose to be liquid at room temp and make them solid at room temp. Sounds fun already. Now make note that poly fats go rancid when heated. Its why after frying a vat of chicken the oil smells. So they take the oil that is yucko from the extraction process and fill it up with metal particles like a nickle oxide. Now that it has the nickle as a catalyst its put into a cooker at high temp and high pressure. Always good to keep heating things that smell more foul the more you heat it up. At this point you have a mess so they put emulsifiers in to give it a better look and feel. But here’s another problem, it smells so bad they have to put it through high heat again to give it a good hose down. Can’t have the death syrum smell now can we? You in love with Trans Fats yet? Well, how about if I told you the orginal color of maragrine is actually grey, and that they have to bleach it and then dye it to get it to look something remotely like butter. Trans fats are found in EVERYTHING these days. Its toxin heaven and your body hates you for it. Heart disease, diabetes, getting sick all the time, cancer…and if that doesn’t freak you out then know it even effects the MOJO if ya know what I’m sayin’.

So let’s get fat. I’m not saying overweight kind of fat. But lets start eating GOOD saturated fat. The kind found in meats, tropical oils, and butter. What you will start to find is you’ll actually eat less. Ever have a bag of chips for a snack but then was just hungry 15 min later? Try grabbing a piece of Ezekiel Live Grain Bread, toast it, and then smother organic butter all over it. You’ll not only have a huge smile but you will be satisfied. For breakfast try frying and egg over easy and eat it with some bacon. Have some organic strawberries with it and you will be good to go!

When God made the egg there is a reason He included the yolk. He knew what he was doing when he came up with the avocado. He’s a very smart Creator and knew one day how amazing guacamole (I promise that recipe is coming soon) would be. Nut butter is good for you (crowd gasps). Start reading and researching yourself. Start noticing that over the last 50 years America is getting unhealthier and fatter. Pay attention to what is in your chips, cookies, fast food, snack bar, and on and on the list goes. The problems started when we lost in touch with our roots. I’m not saying go out today and wrap a stick of butter in a tortilla and call it “good for you”. But what I am saying is don’t be afraid of fat. Hey Hey Hey good fat will do wonders for your body!

Coming soon. Cholesterol and Stress. Triglyceride levels and how they don’t just come from fatty foods. The kind that gives you the heart disease (fat in the belly area is first sign) is made from the liver from the excess sugar in your diet that is not being used. Oh the world of sugar, we’ll save that for next time.

SB

Well hopefully you are ready for another Super Food because this baby is like blueberries on steroids. There are mucho benefits to Goji Berries and here are just a few:

*busting at the seams with all 8 essential amino acids
*coming out the wazoo with trace minerals: copper, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, germanium…
*pound for pound the orange can’t even step into the ring when it comes to Vitamin C
*the carrot is jealous of the beta-carotene bisceps that bulge out of this berry

Grown in the Himalayan Mts the delicate fresh berry is not even touched by human hands, but shaken (shake it, shake it shake it. shake it like a Goji Mat Farmaa!) onto mats to dry. I caution all those that venture into “Getting your Goji on”, it may do things you never knew was possible. Leaping tall buildings in a single bound, running to work, and having X ray vision are just some of the many “changes” you’ll go through. A small handful a day is all you need. I repeat. A very small handful.

I heard it through the Gojivine
For much longer will you feel fine.
Oh I heard it through the Gojivine,
Oh and it’s firming up my behind.
Honey, honey yeah.

It’s Friiiday. I’m listenin’ to Fiddy. Shakin my rump. Gettin my Goji on. It’s a gooood day.

SB

I had to give everyone this link that has started an interesting discussion. Take a look at what some people’s views on Organic Life is. OH&H chimed in to give opinions on the topic. Would love to hear what everyone out there has to think about it.

How you feel/think the way you eat affects your daily life? Future life?
What do you think a Christian’s view of the topic of eating should be?
How far is too far? (still talking about eating right)

SB

When I think of chocolate I immediately think of Willy Wonka. I have not seen the most recent Johnnie Depp version (heard it was good) but you just can’t go wrong with a classic like this. Do you remember the classic moment below when Augustus dives in cause he can’t help him self? So this is for lovers of all things delicious so I hope this “super food” brings you a big smile. You can now have chocolate in a very healthy way. If you heard dark chocolate was good for you then hold onto your Wonka Bars because you’re in for a treat.

First thing you need to know is that chocolate and cocoa come from CACAO. That word is pronounced: KA-KOW. The raw form of chocolate is cacao. Cacao is the seed found in the cacao fruit. Now, in the world of Hersey’s and Mars they take cacao and heat it up, press, twist, and then add sugar, milk, vanilla, and a bunch of other chemicals I can’t even pronounce. Studies have shown that people who said they were allergic to chocolate were actually allergic to milk/dairy and not the actual chocolate (cacao).

So lets talk about this delightful treat. Its jam packed with crazy goodness.
Magnesium-mineral that effects building bones and balancing brain chemistry
Serotonin-anti stress neurostransmitter
Anandamide-”bliss chemical”, tastier than smoking pot and its legal
Phenylethylamine (PEA)-chemical in our brain released when we are in L-O-V-E (hubba hubba)
Flavonol-antioxidant, its that good stuff that makes Green Tea so great for you

Its a cornucopia of all things wonderful for your body like anti-oxidants and chemicals that make you giddy inside. Lets talk about how to use Naked Chocolate. Here is a simple recipe you can whip up super fast and enjoy as a snack. Put it on a cracker or if you’re like me just lick it off a spoon like I do

Start off by making a small batch and then start get crazy with this and have fun. Just put a bit of this and little of that. mix the below ingredients together…experiement with it. Add your own raw twist to it and enjoy.

*raw cacao nibs - small handful.
Nature’s First Law is the only brand I’ve seen and it comes in a browish bag. Look for it in the baking aisle.
*goji berries (or any kind of dried fruit) - small handful
Nature’s First Law also makes goji berries or you can find them in the bulk bin aisle of WF.
*raw almond butter - 2 good scooops.
To save on cost you can try roasted almond butter or raw cashew butter.
*raw honey - generous squeeze.
Finding local honey is always great for allergies. They ate it in the Promise Land so don’t be scared of it!
*little pieces of organic banana - 1/2 should be enough.
If you stick your finger down the middle of a banana in naturally splits into 1/3. I usually do that then cut it up into small pieces. Apples could also be used instead of the nanner.

Comment below and share at OH&H new additions to this recipe. And for the love of all things organic don’t forget to SPRINKLE THE FLAX on this mofo.

I’m working on a chocolate bar recipe and and also figuring out how to make a chocolate milk type drink (without the dairy). Stay tuned for more recipes to come.

SB

We at O.H.&H. are starting a new campaign for better eating. Its called SPRINKLE THE FLAX! Ground flax seed is a simple, easy way to spruce up your daily health…and all you have to do is SPRINKLE.

*Your body wants EFA’s or Essential Fatty Acids - Te Quiero Mucho Omega-3. You can’t get the O-3’s from inside the body so you’re going to have to eat it. Fish is a great source for 0-3’s but lets all be honest, its hard to eat fish every day. Not enough EFA’s have been linked to getting sick, losing hair, cholesterol issues, skin problems, heart problems, and much more. So if you can’t afford to dine with wasabi every day then Sprinkle the Flax!

*Fiber - ah yes, the wonderful magic of fiber. When I think of fiber I think of my college roommate Doug drinking Metamucil and I think of a natural “snow plow”. It just gets the job done. You get Insoluble (snow plow) and Soluble (helps regulate blood sugar) Fibers from the Flax.

*Lignans - ok, to be honest I had no clue really what this stuff is but through some studying I learned its a Phytoestrogen. Sounded like something woman get when they’re REALLY mad but come to find out its an ANTIOXIDANT. And we all know that we need those. Must I say it again, Sprinkle the Flax!

So go out and get you some Ground Flax Seed and get to shakin!
-on your cereal, granola, or oatmeal
-in muffins, cakes, or cookies
-its perfect on pancakes or waffles
-try it in salads or over fruit
-take a bath in it or rub it on your feet
-mix it into meatballs, burgers, or meatloaf

I hope you enjoyed this installment of Organic Life. Stay tuned for Raw Chocolate and Goji Berries

SB

It was well over a month ago that Garden Adventures really got kickin. I was entering the world of Organic Farming and I would just dream about a bountiful harvest.

18 ‘Best Boy’ Tomato plants
3 Cucumber plants
3 Green bean plants
16 Yellow Onions
16 Jalapenos
3 rows of Carrots
And then 2 good size already grown Cherry Tomato & 2 Roma Tomato plants.

Today:
3 Cucumber plants
2 Yellow Onions
1.5 Jalapenos
1 row of Carrots…barely
2 Cherry Tomato plants

At the rate the Plot is going now I will be able to make 1 large Cobb Salad in July. Sad. Its just all too sad. Every other day I made my journey out to see how many Snails and Slugs were rotting away from the Organic “Death” Pellets only to realize someone was still dining in at Cafe Eat All You Want. Defeated I asked the guy at the nursery again and THIS time he says, “Well, I don’t think thats slugs. Maybe its a rabbit or a squirrel. ” Oh beat me with a stick! Rabbits? In North Dallas?

So sure enough we place chicken wire around the plants and our problem stops. SIGH. So with my new move I finally score but I’m still behind. I now understand Mr. Fudd’s frustrations.

Little Creatures - 2
Dumb Organic Farmer - 1

SB

I officially hate slugs.  As a kid I tried the medieval torture by salt on these tiny creatures and out grew it thinking it was cruel and unusual punishment.  I have no idea why I thought that…everyone raise your Morton’s high and start shaking! 

Why the anger you ask?  Because they are devouring my tomato plants.  They are attacking at night like Ninjas.  In 36 hours, slugs and snails have some how managed to eat all the leaves and most of the stems off 15 plants.  Don’t slugs move at an incredibly slow rate?!  I think its like 1 foot every hour.  So I did the math and I think there are approximately 75,000 snails and slugs hiding in the backyard.   Woe is me I cry!

I have spread coffee grounds, ash from my fire place, and organic pellets that give them a slow death.  Deep evil laugh.  I will not go down without a fight!

Snails and Slugs – 1
SB – 0

Let the games begin…
SB

“God didn’t screw up.  We did.”  -Craig Keaton

Do you know what baseball on TV, Oakley knockoffs, and Elvis impersonators have in common?  They’re not as good as the REAL thing.  Most people know the benefits of Organic.  Your food tastes better and its actually food.  Processed food is not what your body wants.  If you don’t believe me then start paying attention to how you feel after you eat.  Do you get hungry only an hour or so after you’ve eaten?  Are you overweight?  Do you feel tired in the afternoon?  I understand.  That was me as well.

So lets shed some light on the world of Organic.  First of all what is Organic?  Well, lets simplify it because I like things simple.  When it comes to veggies and fruits Organic means no toxic, chemical, pesticides, herbawhats, and insectajunks are put into the water supply or soil.  Everything’s natural.  You know, like God intended it to be.  What you put into your body is free of poison.  Strong word huh?  Well, its true.  The stuff put on your produce is IN your produce and it can be classified as carcinogens.  Yuck!  And when you put junk in you’ll get junk out.  Studies have shown how it effects your immune system, reproductive system, and much more.  There are even strong links to miscarriages.  Yikes.  Not fun.  One way I’ve really felt the difference is allergies.  I use to take meds galore and now I’m wonderfully freed from that.  I’m confident that’s what hell is going to be like.  Eternal allergies and the Wiggles playing on loop.

How about your meat?  Well, if you knew what was actually happening to your chicken you would not want to touch it with a 10 foot poll.  Do you know why they juice up chickens with hormones and antibiotics?  So they’ll be full grown in 40 days and not the NATURAL 80 and so they won’t get diseases.  Yes the D word.  Because living 40,000 to a shed just isn’t what it use to be.  And when chickens are in tight places they peck at each other and spread the D word everywhere.  Yummy to the tummy huh?  More on meats in future posts.

Ever been to a hole in the wall burger joint?  You know, one where the service sucks but that makes the experience even better.  Juke box playing in the background when you come in and about 17 code violations before you make it to counter to order.  Now here’s a question.  Have you ever dropped your fry on the ground and then picked it up and ate it?  Not unless someone triple dog dared (Christmas Story) you would you even THINK about eating that fry.  So why in the world, if you’re afraid of a little dirt would you put CRIZZAP into your body every day?

Shopping at Whole Foods doesn’t have to be scary.  You will actually find it to be better than any grocery store you’ve been to.  Start slow.  Treat it like a first date.  You don’t want to do the “lean” (While You Were Sleeping) too soon.  Pace yourself.  So try getting some chicken breasts and apples, and then give WF a kiss on the cheek and say “good night”.   Go back the next week and try some natural peanut butter, eggs, and some organic broccoli.  Before you know it you’ll be going "steady" with WF and loving every minute of it.  Don’t be shocked by the prices either.  We can make that work.  Just remember, we’re not in Jr. High any more and we’re not getting picked up in mom’s mini van.  Great dates can sometimes cost a little bit more.  But a little extra coin is a small price to pay for True Love

Its not God who got it wrong.  Our bodies were meant to eat natural foods.  You can try every diet trick in the book but I have a feeling the Maker of our body knew what He was doing when He made them.  Started eating food that is real.  You’ll be amazed how much your body will love you.

More Organic life to come…SB

Welcome to OrganicHalfAndHalf.com!

If you’ve known me for any length of time then you know where the name comes from.  Organic has become a new way of living for me.  Organic, raw, real.  I don’t think I could do life any other way.  With my friends, relationships, marriage, and even what I put into my body. 

This is me POL or Pre Organic Life.  Oreos, Twix Bars, Sweet Tea, Chicken Fried Steak, Kraft Singles, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Wendy’s #6 Biggie Sized, and mucho potato chips.  I was going to give you a picture of me from a profile view so you could get the full Homer Simpson like belly shot but instead I went with what looks to be a Buddha like replica.  I have no idea where that shirt is but it was a classic.  Cartoon kids with cartoon Jesus "We’re Kicking It Up With Jesus, Beaver Kid Style."  Props to Beaver Baptist Church in Munford, TN. 

This is me EOL or Enjoying Organic Life.  Hawaii ‘05 and I’m sporting my IN & Out Shirt.  I’m actually eating real food now.  No more Barry Bonds Chicken and Beef.  The stuff I eat now is clean.  I limit my dairy intake and try to steer clear of flour but I have weaknesses   Live Grain Breads and Fruits that taste like, well fruit.  You might be saying I have no clue what he’s talking about.  Stay tuned because one of my new categories is "Organic Life" and I’ll be discussing some of these new ways of enjoying food that tastes oh so good and YOUR BODY WILL LOVE YOU FOR IT!

So do you like the Avacado?  Its foreshadowing of my Famous Guac recipe.  Yes, I do plan to share that one   And I enjoy having the categories and how this webpage laysout.  I’d like to give all credit to My Blogging Miyagi:  Crystal.  She has helped me get this puppy off the ground.  I’d also like to welcome all you myspacers.  Not sure how many of you guys still keep up with Organic Half & Half now that its somewhere outside of the Kung Foo Grip MySpace has on your life but if you did come over then I say, "Bienvenidos!"

So the Half & Half…can you guess?  Thats me guys.  I’m Half AND Half   Half White Boy.  Half Korean Boy.  My father grew up on the tabacco fields of North Carolina and my mother grew up on a rice field in South Korea.  My dad was in the airforce, met my mom overseas, and 9 days later they decided it was love.  They were married within 3 months!  They moved to Tampa, FL and out came this half and half baby.  Thats me.  We jumped back on a plane to move back to Korea and thats where my Big Sis was born.  Well, she’s really 4 yrs younger then me but the girl has taken care of me all my life so I call her my B.S.

So here’s to Organic Life!  Sharing REAL stories and AUTHENTIC life is what this site will be about.  All comments are welcome and encouraged.  Hopefully you’ll laugh a bit, enjoy the recipes, and see into a new way of living that has changed my life over the last 3 years.

SB

Ok, so nobody calls them Toe-MA-toes.  But some do think its a vegetable.  No matter what you may say about these little red goodies there is one thing for certain.  There is nothing like vine ripe tomatoes.  I grew up eating tomato sandwiches that my ‘Gran’ would make in North Carolina.  Fresh white bread, some Duke’s Mayonnaise, and a couple thick slices of vine ripe heaven.   

This past weekend Christine and I decided it was time to start planting.  In one of the pictures you can notice the rows and how they are elevated.  We have no idea if that is what you’re suppose to do but the same people that told me the worms were good to have I think told me to do that as well.  Can’t remember.  Hope you enjoy the pics and as more things happen you’ll see new stuff.

One thing that hit me square in the face as I was looking at The Plot after we sowed seeds was this.  If these plants do not give me great tomatoes I’m going to be pissed.  Seriously, I’m going to be livid.  We got the tray, then we added the seeds and did the whole greenhouse thing.  Then we plowed, and turned the soil, and tossed and turned that soil.  I think about all the things that went into getting just those seedlings into the ground and if they don’t give me tomatoes then they are useless.  Oh I will be so flippin mad!

That’s when I realized that I don’t think we “get” some of the things Jesus said.  Its just tough when we live in a world of computers, offices, and 401Ks.  Here are some of those words that don’t mean the same anymore…

“Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

SB