Blogs for January, 2015
checkout the archived city farm blog articles to learn about our takes on farm & city life
checkout the archived city farm blog articles to learn about our takes on farm & city life
I was extremely fortunate to be invited by Studio Animal Services to train the puppies again for the 2015 Budweiser Super Bowl commercial. We trained the puppies for about three weeks, they were approximately 8 weeks old when we started, and then in the middle of December we headed up to central California to shoot the commercial on location.
Once again (and as always in past commercials) the amazing team of Budweiser Clydesdales were involved and being trained by Robin and Kate Wiltshire of Turtle Ranch in Wyoming, assisted by the ever present Budweiser ‘handlers’ – a team of great guys who make sure these horses want for nothing – who also assist Robin in the training.
I tried to take as many photos as I could, but my days were slammed with 8-10 hours of puppy training, 7 days a week right up until the shoot. Luckily we had many people around who took some great photos as you can see in this post.
We had 8 puppies – all of which were trained to do various things that were needed for the commercial. I was joined again by best friend and fellow trainer at SAS Deborah Dellosso – there’s nothing we enjoy more than training puppies!!
Do you plan to grow your own onions? Tell us over on Facebook or Twitter @TheCityFarm!
(Photo Credit: The New York Botanical Garden)
I’ve used this blog to confess a few of my odd habits and/or stories, my coffee cravings and how the grounds help my garden grow, my sage-smudging blunders, my jonesing for fresh-squeezed-lemon in hot water before I can greet Facebook or the sun.
And now I confess my proclivity to all things odd as I admit, though I don’t remember any of my actions, I am a night-time-showering/sweater-
Even if you don’t ward away evil by planting oregano near your home or dream the winning Lotto digits, the herb has been linked to good lung health, due to its carvacrol and rosmarinic acid content. According to Organic Health’s Website, “both compounds are natural decongestants and histamine reducers that have direct, positive benefits on the respiratory tract and nasal passage airflow.” And it’s a great flavorful seasoning for Italian dishes.
How to grow your own oregano:
And check out The City Farm’s handy garden tote, to keep all your growing tools on hand!
Will you be growing your own oregano? Tell us here, or over on Facebook or Twitter!
Whether you are feeling under the weather or just want to warm up, this easy & delicious recipe is great for the whole family. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 chicken, cut in pieces
1 onion, cut into quarters
3 carrots, cut into two-inch lengths
3 celery stalks, cut into two-inch lengths
1 small parsnip
Generous amount of parsley sprigs
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Put ingredients into a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover by 1″.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer.
Occasionally skim off the foam that rises to the top. Cook about 1 hour.
Discard parsley, and cool until fat rises to the surface. Skim off fat. Heat, and serve with noodles or matzo balls in these fun bowls!
(Photo Credit: Pinterest)
I have been living a lie. I don’t remember when I heard that celery was a “negative calorie” food, that munching on the crunchy green stalk burned more calories than it provided as food. Looking up the history of celery on Wikipedia, I learned that is a lie. But celery is part of weight-loss diets, as it provides low-calorie dietary fiber. And, not only great for weight loss, added crunch in your stir-fry, or as a vehicle for peanut butter, the seeds of celery plants are also often used as an oil in the perfume and pharmaceutical industries, as well as in spices (have you tried celery salt?).
Last week I wrote about greening your new year with a garden space inside. Kick off your indoor garden by growing your own celery! It’s quite easy, and after reading about it on RealFarmacy, the boyfriend and I decided to give it a go. I can’t wait to cut a stalk of celery off my own plant.
We (okay, *I*) named our new celery plant Cecil. It’s day 3 in the potting soil, and he’s already growing like mad, helped along by a weekend of rain in L.A. Have you set green-growing intentions for 2015? Will you try growing your own celery? Tell us here in the comments, or over on Twitter @TheCityFarm.
(Photo Credits: Stoop celery: Rebecca Snavely; Celery in oatmeal tins: RealFarmacy)
Resolutions are SO 2014. So this year, instead of making new year’s resolutions, I set intentions. It’s probably no different, but I’m hoping that by embracing a different term I might make these intentions realities, ways of life.
The dark winter days paired with the feeling of a fresh start and new intentions make this month a perfect time to create a garden nook inside, to add some green and growth to a corner of your life. Take a look around — is there a space that is stocked with unused tchotchkes? A stack of sweaters you might take to your local shelter, or that collection of CDs you can transfer to the cloud, and create room to grow green things? Look for a spot with natural light, or where you can connect and hide a cord to plug in some plant lights.
Search your cupboards for favorite jars or cups to create a collection of unique planters – and take a look at our City Farm collection to add a few new pieces for variety: a gum ball jar or wire bottle tote to display cut flowers? A votive cup to house a succulent? A ceramic bowl? Choose different shapes and heights to create an eclectic space that is uniquely you.
Creating a work station is part of the fun of making the most of small spaces – is there a spot to store your potting soil, a small trowel, a watering can?
With weak winter light, if you plan to start seedlings, and you’re feeling extra crafty, check out this how-to guide to transform an old bookshelf into an indoor grow light / plant stand!
Next week, kick off your indoor garden by growing your own celery! Until then, keep up with us on Facebook & Twitter. Happy New Year!