Flora Springs Winery

Recently, I was able to enjoy some wines from Flora Springs Winery and Vineyards. Both wines were enjoyable, competitively priced, and come from green farming methods.

Flora Springs, a third generation winery in St. Helena, California, offers a wonderful selection of wines and they use sustainable and organic farming practices (20% is certified organic, with another 240 acres to be certified this year). The winery, owned by the Komes-Garvey families, own 650 acres of sustainable vineyards. All of their wines come from their estate grown fruit to ensure that they maintain the quality of their wines. In December 2007, Flora Springs implemented solar power at the Komes Ranch on Zinfandel Lane, enabling all of their red wine production to go completely off the grid. (per Flora Springs Facts, Jarvis Communications).

Flora Springs 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – This Cabernet has a spicy, pepper aroma with a piquant, berry flavor and velvet feel when you drink it. The tannins hit the back of your tongue but do not over power this wine. Cabernet Sauvignon is typically paired with beef and heavy pasta dishes; and I really enjoyed this wine with both spaghetti Bolognese and beef stroganoff. The heavy cream sauce and beef in the stroganoff really complemented the spicy aroma and flavor of this wine. This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and all of the grapes come from 3 of the Flora Springs vineyards. At $36, this is priced very competitively with other Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons. The Winemaker notes that this wine should be enjoyed now through 2014.

Flora Springs 2008 Oakville Sauvignon Blanc, Soliloquy Vineyard – This wine is brand new to the Flora Springs collection. This pale yellow wine smells of tropical fruit, citrus, and floral notes. None of the aromas overpowered one another. The Oakville Sauvignon Blanc has a floral, citrus taste as well. This wine is 100% Oakville Sauvignon Blanc from their Soliloquy Vineyard. I enjoyed this wine both alone and with lighter meals. Although this is not a typical pairing, I really enjoyed it with home made chicken noodle soup. The light chicken broth really complemented the flavors of this wine. The Oakville Sauvignon Blanc retails for $20.

If you enjoy Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, consider Flora Springs. With their estate grown grapes and competitive pricing, they are a must try. For more information about Flora Springs Winery and Vineyards and their wines, visit: http://www.florasprings.com/.

Review Disclaimer:
The Wine Mom has a review policy in effect that promises to only post reviews on products my family or I absolutely love. You likely won’t hear about the products we didn’t like, and you can be guaranteed that I won’t post a review just because we got a product for free.

Flora Springs Fence

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Purple Basil

I have noticed that some of the plants in my yard really struggle to do well.  I water, we have mulch, but they never look like the plants in my parents’ yard.  My Mom reminded me that they have been composting for years and her plants do well from all of the nutrients.  I decided that I wanted to compost, but space is an issue so I need to find a creative alternative.  This led me to search for a small compost bin. 

I was introduced to Sophia Chiang, who has been blogging about her composting experience on Random Rants and Raves http://ophiesay.blogspot.com/.  Her compost bin is small, manageable, and a great place for me to start.  She uses composting worms (also known as red wrigglers).  Chicago’s weather is often too hot or two cold for traditional composting.  Small composting can be done affordably and indoors.

I plan to purchase an inexpensive shallow plastic bin.  I will drill some small holes for ventilation, and buy some worms.  The worms are supposed to multiply quickly, so I shouldn’t need many to get started.  I have the soil, newspapers, and fruit and vegetable scraps will be easy.  The worms are readily available online but I may call around to a few garden shops first. 

 In my quest to find composting options, I found other options that would work well in small yards or for those of you who would like to ‘test’ the idea of composting before making a larger investment.  Jessica Butcher, registered dietician and nutrition writer for the Examiner in Grand Rapids (http://www.examiner.com/x-14696-Grand-Rapids-Nutrition-Examiner), offers the following suggestions:

•           Within your vegetable garden, section off a small area with simple ‘chicken wire’ and use this space to place and rotate your compost waste. This makes for a wonderfully convenient space as you are simply able to open the wire fence or lift the wire and move your compost over your garden for the winter with ease.

•           Place a wire cage off to the side of your yard and use this to place all of your compost. Rotate as necessary with a stick or pitchfork.

•           Have an old garbage can around that you are no longer using? Poke some decent sized holes for aeration and use this for your compost. The lid is great for locking in the warmth and it is very easy to roll the can around for mixing up the compost!

If you are only starting to consider composting, here is another great reason.  “Tidy, easy and handy in the smallest yard – and they even can help you lose weight!  Composting worms need fruit and vegetable scraps to survive – so if you want to keep your worms healthy, you need to be eating healthy too,” says Mary Ellen Psaltis, Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant.

I invite you to join me on this journey.  I plan to write about the realized benefits over time and if nothing else, get my family eating more fruits and vegetables to sustain our new pets!

Flowering Garlic Chives

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This week, I’d like to introduce you a great eco-friendly designer from Norway, Unni Strand. The girl does everything! From up-cycling, organic gardening, mom extraordinaire and a great teacher who inspires her students to be more earth friendly and eco-conscious.

Tell us a little bit about you.

My name is Unni Strand, I live in Norway, have two children (18 and 4), a partner and a cat. I feel fortunate. And of course, I am!
I live close to the wood and not far from big cities. (OK, I know that’s relative, since Norway’s biggest city is Oslo and have only 550 000 inhabitants…)
I love chocolate, eggplant, cats, hens, latte, flowers, printing, sewing and spring. And I truly care about the environment!

I run two Etsy shops: Strand Redesign where I recycle old fabrics with screen printing and sewing and Unni Strand where I sell t-shirts upcycled with new prints.

strandredesign.etsy.com

So you live in Norway, Tell us a little bit about your country.

I asked my son to help me with this one. He says: “We think we have a lot of snow, but we don’t. And it’s cold and awful.” And I guess it is partly true, if you don’t dress well. But with the right clothing you could have a great time outside with the children in winter. And summer is occasionally warm and lovely. We sometimes even have real heat periods. I am proud to tell that I grow peaches and grapes in my garden.

What prompted you to pursue a sustainable/green lifestyle?

I have been trying to figure out where my environmental obsession started. Besides living near nature and coming from a family of gardeners, I think it might have started with the book The ark of Barbapapa (Annette Tison and Talus Taylor) I had as a child. This book discusses pollution in terms children can relate to. In short: The Barbapapa’s saving the animals, then the humans fixing the world. In the book, the world is getting more and more grey as people pollute and they also chase the animals. The Barbas come to rescue, build a spaceship and take all the animals away to a green planet. After a while, the people start to miss all the animals, clean up the world and plant trees and flowers. –Finally, all the animals return.

” I really loved the drawing of how nice the world looked when it was cleaned up and replanted. Such an inspiration, and it gave me the hope that it really is possible!”

What are examples of things that you do in your everyday life reflecting an eco-friendly and earth conscious lifestyle?

I compost the food leftovers and other vegetable and fruit waste into nutritious soil for my garden. I keep a vegetable garden. –Have grown vegetables since I was 8 years old and had my own garden since I was 20.  And of course, only natural fertilizers and no spraying with pest control.

heirloom potatoes from my garden

Everyone should grow some vegetables! In their garden or a container or whatever they have! There is too little food in the world and too much unused land.

I save gift wrapping paper and ribbon from presents we receive and reuse it. I use the lawn movings for mulching in flower and vegetable beds. –It keeps weeds away and provides fertilizing.
I try to buy locally grown or organic food. I try to drive as little as possible, but this is really the hardest part for me since I work far from home.

I try to make as many of my presents myself. The habit I am most proud of is that I have started to use only reusable shopping bags whenever I shop. (My partner doesn’t, so we still have plastic bags for the garbage…) The hardest part was to get used to always keeping the totes in my handbag. And of course, I use my own recycled shopping totes!

What do you do professionally? And how do you incorporate sustainability in your work?

I am a teacher, teaching art and design subjects in high school. When I talk about design or materials science, I always incorporate sustainability and fair trade. I think my students actually might be a bit fed up with this. It really surprises me how little they know and care about these issues.

In my redesign business, I reuse fabrics and I use only recycled shipping materials.

As a designer, what is your design philosophy? What inspires you?

I love to work with textile. And I have a need to create. Sometimes I am too creative for my own good and cannot sleep for all the ideas I have.
I do screen printing and redesign. I want to make new favorite objects out of old, unloved fabrics or clothes! I want to make shopping totes that make people want to use them instead of plastic bags. And I want my up-cycled t-shirts to be so cool that people prefer them before new tees.

unnistrand.etsy.com

I am inspired by nature, mostly flowers and animals. I like it if I can make my designs express a hint of humor. Before, when I did weaving I also aimed for that humor bit, but believe me, it’s far easier with printing than with the loom!

While pursuing a sustainable lifestyle, do you have any books/magazines/websites etc that you recommend where one can find info on how to incorporate eco-friendly options in our day to day life?

Etsy has opened a new world to me with lots of handmade and redesign. Team Eco Etsy has a great blog!

Who do you listen to currently? Favorite bands?

I want to share some great Norwegian artists with you!
Donkeyboy comes from the area where I live. They are quite new and have had a hit in Norway the last months. If you follow this link, you’ll hear their great song Ambitions:
http://www.myspace.com/soundberg

I like punk, and we have this great Norwegian punk singer, Ida Maria.  You can listen to her here:
http://www.myspace.com/idamaria

And then we have the calm and masculine band, Madrugada: http://emi.no/madrugada/

What is the last book you read?

Divas don’t knit, by Gil McNeil. -A lovely book where knitting and knitting recipes play a natural part. I can’t wait to read the follower.

In 10 years, where would you like to be?

I would love it if I could make a consistent income from my designs! I hope to be able to work part time with this. But I do need my teaching too! I love working with the students!

Thank You, Unni!! You can visit Unni at the following places: blog, fb page, strandredesign, and unnistrand

XoXo,

Kristina

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Hope you are having a great summer and have some fun times planned for the weekend!It’s been a while since I last posted here at momfuse.

Oh Boy! So much has happened over the past few months and I’ve just really been gradually adjusting to all the changes. Loss of special someone, major decisions, really just the day to day happenings that life throws our way but at times we are not fully prepared for.

So to cheer things up and get things going again, I decided to share a little craft tutorial you might enjoy making for the remaining days of the summer.

Can you believe it’s almost over? School will pick up again soon and August is now here!

This tutorial is: how to make a lavender sachet. I originally posted it on my blog to start up a little feature I have there every week (well, honestly right now it’s try to have every week) : How To – Tuesday. It’s a great way to up-cycle selvedges and scrap fabrics.

And by the way, if you do have some how-tos, recipes, tutorials (they can be about anything, the more the merrier) that you would like to share, let me know! I’m always looking for fun things to make and to share.

Enough of my banter! Here is the tutorial:

1. Cut fabric to make two 5×5 pieces. Trim the edges with a pinking shears to prevent fraying – I forgot this step when making these so make sure you don’t

5. Pin the handle in the middle of the top edge.

6. Sew the top. Back stitch at both ends. And Voila!!

These little sachets make great gifts. You can use them in your dryer, drawers. They also make soothing heated eye masks that will drive away headaches and tensions.

Have fun!!

Photo Credits: William Patrick Butler

XoXo

Kristina

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Tomato

Many people are considering “trying” some sort of garden or potted garden.  I have had both large gardens and potted gardens due to many moves over the years.  I have learned that even if you don’t have a large yard, or really any yard, you can still have a garden.

Here are some reasons to consider a potted or full garden:

1. Nothing tastes better then fresh produce or herbs.  I swear by it.  They smells, look and taste so much better.  The best tomatoes that I have ever eaten are fresh and just picked, not aged in a box and on grocers’ shelves.  I live in Chicago so my growing season is very short.  I live for the 3 months of summer that I get my fresh food fix.

2. If you are worried about pesticides and growing practices, this gives you a chance to control everything that goes into your food.  People hear the word organic and instantly think the price went up 20% but that really isn’t so.  You can buy generic organic soil, veggie “soap” sprays to prevent bugs and critters (red pepper flakes and home made sprays can help too), and watch your plants grow.

3. Gardening can save you money down the road.  The initial investment of soil, seeds, tools and pots can be a little expensive but for the most part, those are a one time investment.  If you are really thrifty, you can save seeds from your favorite fruits and vegetables and plant those!  I have had “accidental” plants from seeds in my own pots.  We have so many vegetables that we typically give 1/3 away.  You can also make sauces and salsas (which can be frozen), and do canning (not something I have done but there are numerous recipes available to can your own produce).

4. For those of you with children or even grandchildren, it is a way to get your kids involved in science and their food.  Our ten year old helped me plant this spring and enjoyed doing it.  The kids don’t necessarily like all of the food that is planted but they are excited to watch it grow.  Depending upon their age, you can explain how the plants grow, why they need water, sunlight, and nutrients in the soil.  Our two year old loves “watering” the plants and himself.  Watering is an activity on its own.

As far as maintenance goes, it all depends upon what you want from your garden and the weather.  We haven’t had the hottest summer so we don’t need to water every single day.  Some of our plants, such as lettuce, spinach, cilantro and dill, need to be replanted about half way through the summer.  They get bitter and fewer leaves to eat.  Spinach actually grows better in the spring and fall so you can replant it a few times through out spring, summer, and fall.  Plants such as squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers take longer to grow.  You will only do one planting but have plenty of vegetables to share.

Another way to save money and not have excess produce, is to split the workload.  If you have a friend that has the same desire to start a garden, then determine who will grow which plants.  Once the “crop” comes in, you can split the produce.  It will save both parties space and money.

If you are still unsure, talk to neighbors that gardens or the gardening professionals at your local garden store.  They can tell you what grows well in your area and how much maintenance is needed.

This subject is near and dear to my heart.  I love having fresh food and herbs with my meals.  It makes such a big difference and the flavor is more intense.  You might even want to enjoy it with a glass of wine at dinner!

Cheers to your gardening success!

Basil

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It’s no secret that being GREEN is the new “in” thing to do.  Unfortunately, out-of-pocket cost, and overall practicality can often be a big deterrent to fully realizing those aspirations of living a totally eco-friendly life.

So, we’re going to work toward brining you interesting and easy ways the average parent can bring his or her family a little more in line with the environment.  We’re looking to uncover some basic steps to achieving a little more balance with the environment, without busting open your kids’ piggy banks or forcing you to give up the family car in favor of bicycles.

This week we’re going to focus on food.

Let’s face it, there’s always room for improvement when it comes to buying (and eating) the right foods.  I’m not going to dive into the semantics of what is or isn’t healthy because that will likely change as the wind blows.   But, The Wine Mom and I have been working together to offer some suggestions for scoring fresh, organic produce that won’t drain your checking account.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
Basically, consumers can pay a local farmer for fresh, seasonal produce, which can be picked up from the farm, or delivered either to a central neighborhood location, or even directly to your door.  Tens of thousands of families have joined CSAs and enjoy the benefits of supporting local farmers while savoring some of the freshest produce available.  To learn more or to find one in your area, visit http://www.localharvest.org.

Local Produce Stands and Farmers’ Markets
Most major cities and even small towns offer some form of farmers market and many families view a visit to the market as a form of entertainment.  Farmers’ Markets are a great way to expose the little ones to a wide variety of agricultural products they normally wouldn’t find in suburbia.  Also, as an added bonus, many farmers are anxious to unload slightly blemished produce at a reduced cost.  I scored a huge box of bruised Georgia peaches for $8 at the local produce stand….they made great jam!

Delivery Services
Many non-profit, co-op and for-profit delivery services are popping up all over the country.  The idea is simple…they provide fresh (usually local) produce and grocery products directly to your door for about the same price, or less than what you’d find at many national chains.  You get to shop online and pick the products you want each week (or bi-weekly if you choose).   They do all the thumping, sniffing, and squeezing to make sure you get the best product possible.  Overall, it’s one of the most affordable and convenient methods to grocery shopping I’ve found!

One such company is called spud!  Spud! is currently only available in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Victoria and Calgary, but they’re still worth featuring.  Over 50% of their products are organic and they’ve teamed up with The Wine Mom to make grocery shopping easier and more eco-friendly. Sign up at http://www.spud.com with the code MOMFUSE to get $25 off over your first 4 orders.  The offer is good until Dec 31, 2009.  This offer is great for parents that are short on spare time.

If you aren’t lucky enough to take advantage of Spud! we have a few other delivery options you might find useful.   A simple google search will also generate plenty of options we haven’t covered here.

Phoenix
http://www.boxedgreens.com

Boise, Idaho area
http://www.BrownBoxOrganics.com

Sequim, Washington (Olympic peninsula)
http://www.nashsorganicproduce.com/

Chenango and Madison Counties, New York
http://www.madisonbounty.com/
www.chenangobounty.com

Long Island
http://www.goldenearthworm.com

Pennsylvania
http://www.GoodApples.com

Indianapolis and Cincinnati
http://www.farmfreshdelivery.com

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WOW! What an eventful week, it has been! Two iconic public figures: Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson, dying on the same day. The House of Representatives passing the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. The US Soccer team battling it out with Brazil for the FIFA Confederations Cup.

The climate bill, I’m not sure what to make of it. I still need to read up on it because I don’t really understand the impact it will have on regular consumers like you and me yet. Environmental groups seem to be divided about the effectiveness of the bill and what it would accomplish. Yes, clean energy is important, creations of “green” jobs would be a beneficial advance especially now that jobs are scarce. Increase in energy cost, affects on the environment in the long run and many other questions are left open. So I’m tabling it for now.

The US-Brazil game: although, we didn’t win, it was still an amazing and incredible game. The US team had a two goal lead for 64 minutes to the five-time world cup champion, in their first ever final in major FIFA tournament! Amazing and incredible!

Photo Credit: ussoccer.com

With round the clock news coverage, Michael Jackson’s death became the highlight of the week. And as a true product of the 80s, I took a stroll down memory lane. Back in the days, I made a VHS of Michael Jackson’s videos, that I recorded straight from the TV and use to replay over and over again. I have no idea where that tape is now, but I am not ashamed to admit that I spent some time on youtube cruising through his old music videos and jamming to his tunes, over the weekend.

Despite the controversies and the eccentric lifestyle, Michael Jackson is undeniably a star that the word couldn’t ignore. He transcended cultures, genders, borders, reached hero worship fame and inspired many followers around the world. Some call him Wacko Jacko, but even his worst critics would have a hard time denying that many of his songs called for social justice and changes then, and they apply today more than ever as the world’s social landscape is adjusting to our 21st century reality.

These words can easily be the anthem to the efforts for more eco-friendly and sustainable practices. As a reminder that our natural resources are not unlimited, and that we need to care and become good stewards of the gifts nature has given us.

“What about sunrise
What about rain
What about all the things
That you said we were to gain.. .
What about killing fields
Is there a time
What about all the things
That you said was yours and mine…
Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we’ve shed before
Did you ever stop to notice
This crying Earth these weeping shores?”

In 1985, Michael Jackson along with many other recording artists sent out a call to action in response to the drought and famine affecting Ethiopia. The messages in We Are the World still echoes loudly today, more than twenty years later as we are facing a Global Food Crisis that is affecting people in both developed and developing countries

“There comes a time
When we head a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
And it’s time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all
We can’t go on
Pretending day by day
That someone, somewhere will soon make a change”

So in the midst of a lazy summer afternoon with scorching heat index and lovely conversations, reminiscing about childhood memories and cheering for our soccer team, I got a sweet note from my friend Lio saying that he posted some pictures from the Galapagos Islands. Mind you, I’ve been waiting to see his photos with anxious anticipation for almost a week! The Galapagos is on my list of must visit place. I want to spend more than a week’s time there to explore and discover its magical secrets. Yes, it is the home of Darwin’s finches and the birthplace of the theory of evolution. Remarkable, yes! But to me, it’s simply magical! It’s a testimony of how wonderful our world is, and how when we think we know how and where species are supposed to live, there is always a curve ball thrown in there such as marine iguanas and penguins living on the equator!

XoXo

Kristina

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I know that this is a few days past, I did it on purpose.

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Why, you might ask? Well, because I believe we should “have a date with the planet” all year long, not just on a special day when we are bombarded by the media to do so. I don’t have reservations toward assigning a day to bring to light particular issues. However, I do have a problem with how we eagerly get our “green on” on times like Earth Day, World Environment Day, etc. But then, easily slip back in our ways and forget all the reasons why it is important that we make a commune effort to preserve our home.

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I’m not one to push political agendas. Honestly, politics make me shudder in disdain most of the time. I, however, firmly believe that it is past time we start looking really closely at the way we spend and waste our resources.

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Yes, the natural resources, that was gifted to us, are here for to enjoy and use but many are not replaceable and once they are gone, they are gone for good. Sustainability and conservation are becoming more and more important as the earth slowly turns into a red planet instead of a green or blue one. The saddest part is that 80% of our natural resources are consumed by only 20% of the world population. Places like Dubai, where natural resource is nonexistent, consume more than a whole entire continent, without any established initiatives to offset consumption or pollution.

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There are many statistics that are supporting the fact that it is time for us to wake up and make changes. Numbers such as how humanity managed to deplete millions of years of natural growth in less than a century depict our new reality. Clean water is becoming a commodity in many parts of the world. Grains are produced at exponential rates yet we are in the midst of a global food crisis. The majority of our agricultural endeavour is geared toward livestock feed and bio fuel. While said livestock live in confined and crowded spaces without seeing a single blade of grass. Thousands of marine species are dying at exponential rates in our oceans because of polluted waste crowding the marine floors. Landfills are slowly becoming the new landscapes of our world. The glaciers are rapidly melting, raising the ocean’s water level at an equal pace. So much so that places like New Orleans, which reside below sea level, will soon become distant memories. How can we turn a blind eye to these images? How can we accept that our children will live in a world where 200 million climate refugees will become a natural part of their lives by the year 2050 (that is in our lifetime!). I refuse to believe that we will stand by and not respond to our world’s desperate call. It scares me to even imagine the new earth our children will come to know and live in. It is time to stop basking in our pessimism, shed our creed loyalties, and come together to find ways to preserve what is left. Yes, numbers and statistics can be translated in many ways, but the facts painting our new landscapes are not images that we can avert our eyes from or erase. They are clear calls for humanity to take actions for we are the chosen stewards of our world.

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Sustainability is possible. Humanity has rapidly evolved over the past century with new technologies. Commodities become more and more available in our modern societies. But at what price? How high do the stakes need to rise before we decide to take actions? I am not advocating for us to revert back to the stone ages. However, we need to be mindful of our consumption and seek some means to conserve the small part of our natural treasure that still remains. If we can create computers so small that they can fit in the palms of our hands yet connect us despite millions of miles of distance. I believe we can find ways to provide clean water to every human population, to have ways where we work along with nature’s evolution rather than against it, and to prevent hunger.

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If you have a moment, check out: Home at http://youtube.com/homeproject – It premiered on World Environment Day (June 5th) and will be available for free in many different languages/subtitles until June 15th. Home is the beautiful story of our planet, showcasing it’s natural marvel and the sheer miracle of its existence.

XOXO,

Kristina

http://washwhendirty.com

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I hope you are doing well. Personally, I’ve been enjoying the weather, getting excited about fun times outside this summer, taking care of things so that I can re-open my etsy store. You know, busy hustle and bustle of daily life. This post is going to be pretty short, I just wanted to invite you to watch a video at: the story of stuff. It’s a 20 minute long video, it’s insightful and definitely puts things in different perspective. So check it out, and would love to know your thoughts about it.

XOXO

Kristina

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1. Tea Mug Cozy in Blue – Knitstorm

2. Floral Recycled Magnetic Locket Set – Polarity

3. Vintage Fabric Quilted Coasters – rikrak

4. Sweet for my Sweet – Carnation Flower Pin – Marang97

5. Beach Ball Genuine Sea Glass Cage Earrings – SeaFindsDesigns

6. Yellow Nuno Felted Art Shawl – lizetfrijters

For more lovely handmade and eco-friendly items, visit etsy

XOXO,
Kristina

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