Fast Five – Edition No. 1 (Spring Edition)
This post is the first in a series designed to provide you with easy-to-digest resources as you expand your knowledge on topics related to healthy living and stewardship.
Each of the five topics includes a link for learning more, along with short description of the resource and/or an action point to apply the learning. Feel free to tag Erica in your Instagram stories if you find value in the information or decide to follow through on any of the action points!
- Kids Gardening – Teaching our little ones about food and getting them involved
Check out this page, which is filled to the brim with tips and information related to gardening with children.
Home gardening can be an excellent way to cut back on food packaging and the energy consumed in transporting produce. It also helps children learn to value the hard work that goes into planting and tending to the food we eat. (Photo from Eartheasy.com)
- Eating Seasonally – What is growing this month and what can I make with it?
Eating locally and seasonally can be a great way to minimize waste and save money. (Bye-bye saran-wrapped cucumber shipped from across the country!)
Educate yourself on the front end of your next grocery store trip by reading this article by Wellness Mama. The article has a list of seasonal fruits and veggies, along with links to a handful of recipes for those fruits and veggies, for EVERY MONTH of the year. So helpful!
Don’t forget to tag Erica in your Instagram stories of you happen to grab some of that yummy March produce on your next grocery run!
- Composting – How to get started and the benefits of participating
Considering starting a compost pile to reduce food waste? Check out this resource to get get the ball rolling! It is very comprehensive and contains information outlining the who, what, when, where, why, and how of composting.
Before you know it, you will be a composting pro! Your trash can and garden will thank you!
“Compost is organic material that can be added to soil to help plants grow. Food scraps and yard waste together currently make up more than 28 percent of what we throw away, and should be composted instead. Making compost keeps these materials out of landfills where they take up space and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas.” (Quotation from the linked website)
- Road Trips – Being thoughtful about what you bring and what you buy
Anyone go on a road trip this spring? What are your best zero (or low) waste tips for travel? Kathryn Kellogg of the blog Going Zero Waste shares her top tips in this article.
Even if you do not have any trips scheduled, there is still value in learning ways to minimize waste generated from travel in general, whether that’s to and from work, on grocery store or park runs, and even for simple trips to church and back.
- CSAs – What are they and how do they help me with my healthy living and stewardship goals?
For those new to the concept and interested in learning more, check out this post from Live Simply! It answers a lot of frequently asked questions, as well as gives the author’s experience with her local options.
If you live in the Louisville or Lexington areas, here is a local farm’s page explaining how their specific CSA works. (We have personal experience with their veggie, egg, and meat CSAs and would definitely recommend them!)
Lifelong learning is a big part of this blog, and more specifically, lifelong learning about healthy living and stewardship. If you are feeling a nudge to learn more about any of these topics, we encourage you to lean into it! With this, if you come across any other helpful resources, don’t forget to share with our community in the comment section at the bottom of the post!
Yours truly,
Erica Barlow
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