Blue Zones

Albert Lea, MN is a Blue Zone community. My aunt lives there and it's been interesting to hear about the positive changes that are happening. So, I finally went to the www.bluezones.com website to see what it was all about.

Here you can take an assessment of your own life very similar to www.realage.com where, based on your answers, gives you biological "real age" compared with your actual age. I like the Blue Zone community because it seems to be more doable; more real world. Here are the top tips. The website states that you can add up to 14 good years to your life and stay younger along the way. The idea of adding "good" years strikes a note. Nice!

1. De-convenience your home – lose the remote, buy a light garage door and lift it yourself, use a shovel instead of a snowblower
2. Eat Nuts – Have a can of nuts around your office or home, eat a handful daily
3. Drink Sardinian wine – Sardinian canonau wine has the world's highest levels of antioxidants. Drink a glass or two a day
4. Play with your children – this is excellent low intensity exercise and will strenthen a family. Both associated with longer life expectancy
5. Grow a Garden – This proven stress reducer will put your body through the range of motion and yield fresh vegtables
6. Hour of Power – Downshift daily with a nap, meditation, prayer or a quiet walk--destressing is a proven way to slow aging
7. Eat Tofu – Arguably the world's most perfect food, eaten by the world's longest lived women. Contains a plant estrogen that makes skin look younger
8. Get a Tan – Doctors are rethinking the notion of slathering yourself with sunscreen. Up to half of Americans are Vitamin D deficient--a condition that can double your chance of dying in any given year. A tan not only looks healthy, it is.
9. Donate your large dinner plates – eat off 9 inch plates as the Okinawans do and reduce calorie consumption at dinner by 20-30%
10. Write Down your Personal Mission – Know and putting into practice your sense of purpose can give you up to a decade of good life.

Honey Bee Colony Collapse Disorder - Research in SD

There is more buzz about the bees in South Dakota. South Dakota is one of 13 states where the federal government is doing research on the declining bee population.

In Spearfish, I have seen many bees in my garden, particularly on the chive flowers. I wonder, for those bees visiting my chive flowers, does their honey taste like an onion? Actually that sounds delicious! We've had a good number of honey bees and those giant fuzzy bees -- so big, you could pet them. When you are thinking about planting flowers, consider those flowers that bees love in order to attract them to your garden.

South Dakota was second in overall honey production in the US (2008) so this is an important issue. Also, in South Dakota, there is absolutely no reason to buy anything other than LOCAL honey! Search out your local farmer's market or ask your grocery store.

Here's more information on CCD (Honey Bee Colony Collapse Disorder).

Chives!

Chives grow so well in the Black Hills and they are an absolute visual delight in the garden. About three years ago, I started with two small chive plants which has now blossomed into A LOT of chives. I am one of those gardeners who loves to let things go to seed hence my plethora of chives. The lavender flowers are not only cute and delicious (a slightly more subtle chive flavor) - they look wonderful in salads.

They also come back happily every year. No garden in the Black Hills should be without chives.

Okay, the BEST Gluten Free Pancakes!

Gluten free pancakes! After many, many attempts, the best gluten-soy-dairy free pancakes have emerged from our Spearfish kitchen.

Here's the skinny:

Start with the Gluten free flour mix here, pour a steaming, hot cup of rich coffee and do this:

1. Sift gluten free flour mix before measuring 1-1/2 cups of the mix
2. Then re-sift with 1 TSP salt, 3 TBL fine sugar and 1-1/4 TSP baking powder
3. In a separate bowl, slightly beat 2 room temp eggs with 3 TBL melted coconut oil (make sure it's cool), 1-1/4 cup rice milk (not too cold - better room temp)
4. Then mix the liquid into the dry ingredients with a whisk.
5. Use coconut oil to grease a frying pan or griddle between batches and make sure it's hot (a few drops of water dance on the surface = ready). Use an 1/8 cup measuring cup to make small, 3-inch cakes. Watch the heat - I usually flux between medium high (to start) to medium on my electric stove.
6. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar for oh so yummy pancakes.

I typically make two batches so I can freeze some for breakfasts during the week. They freeze great -- just lay them on parchment paper individually in the freezer.

Enjoy!

New Community Garden in the works in Spearfish

Every community needs a community garden and Spearfish is in the process of getting theirs. It's a grass roots effort being coordinated by Hills Horizon, a non-profit organization who "helps encourage the development of sustainable lifestyles through education, community interaction, and efficient design". There have been work parties getting the plot ready for summer and I was able to help on Saturday morning. This wasn't just some girlie weeding and planting! No, this was using this huge drill to dig post holes and carrying 6x6 and 4x4's up a hill prepping for a fence. I have the bruises to prove it! I love projects like this and the people who make them happen.

To get to the site, go east on Elgin Street past State Street. The garden is just east of the horseshoe courts. This is also the same (unnamed) park where the soon to be Spearfish Dog Park will be.

Hills Horizon also organizes the new Farmers Market in the Spearfish City Park which kicks off on Saturday morning, June 5. As well, they will be drawing for garden plots at the Hills Horizon Community Garden at 9:30 am. RSVP by phone, email, facebook, or face-to-face to get your name in the hat for a plot. Questions? call Josh at 645-1705.

Great things are happening in the local foods market in Spearfish!

Gluten Free Baking Flour Mix

I've been cooking gluten free for almost eight years and although, I would not call myself an expert, I've learned a TON about the ins and out of gluten free baking. In fact, I also do not use soy or dairy or anything artificial which adds a level of complexity.

There are many flour mix recipes that can (somewhat) substitute for wheat flour. I've tried many, many different combinations and the following is the best version and can typically be used in place of a regular recipe calling for flour. Of course, in a pinch, you can buy pre-made mixes but they are very expensive.

I like to make a big batch of this mix and keep it in the refrigerator so it's always handy. I use it all the time so not sure exactly how long it will last.

Mix together:

4 cups chick pea flour (or amaranth or millet or I've used a chick pea/fava mix)
4 cups white or brown rice flour
2 cups arrowroot starch
6 cups potato starch

One thing to add, I always like to sift the flour before using in recipes which really seems to help the texture.

Earth Day 2010: Rapid City

This is great news! From Dakota Rural Action


This year Dakota Rural Action West is working with Western Dakota Tech and The Mayor’s Green Cities Task Force to celebrate Rapid City’s first real city-wide Earth Day event. There have been numerous recognitions and celebrations of Earth Day in Rapid City, sponsored by a variety of civic and social groups but the Earth Day celebration planned for April 22nd, 2010 at the Western Dakota Tech Campus will be the composite of all interested groups, city offices, schools, sustainable enterprises, and the public.

The event will feature exhibits from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, showcasing local companies and organizations with information on green jobs, new technology, cutting edge building and construction practices, earth- friendly products, environmental businesses, ecologically safe products, and opportunities for individual stewardship. There will be solar and human powered car demonstrations hosted by SD School of Mines and Technology and a children’s poster contest and green topics video competition.

A Sustainability Summit will follow, sponsored by Rapid City’s Green Cities Task Force and featuring speakers on a variety of sustainability topics, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

Dakota Rural Action and members of our West River Small Farms Committee will be giving away copies of the just released 2010 SD Local Foods Directory and other information and goodies at the DRA exhibit. For more information on the event go to www.wdt.edu or call Stephanie at DRA West (605) 718-4957.