Growing Thankfully

Since Richard brought me back to his home state, I have been soaking up the beauty. Now, as winter approaches, I wish I had a dollar for every time someone said to me with a worried face, "So...this is your first winter in Maine?" (Of course, I'd give my fortune to ReTreeUS.)

This question is ironic because the mountains of New Mexico (my home state) already have about 20 inches of snow. But it is also a valid concern, because the winters here are equipped with shorter days and more moisture to send the temperature straight down to the bone.

Whether or not I am prepared for it, and whether or not it's as dismal as many Mainers claim, I am impressed by the vitality of living things native to this region.

For instance, the Mainers who warn me about the climate. They have welcomed us with open arms, and many of them are taking part in our Holiday Tree Campaign.

Not to mention the apple trees these residents grow, which are an inspiration to us all.

Northern Spy apples at our neighbors' house in mid-November.

They are shining, red and nutritious even long after the first snowfall. These particular apples are especially inspiring to the ReTreeUS program because they are spray-free. All of our apples will be chemical-free and (hopefully) thriving long into the school year for all of our participating students to enjoy.

Equally amazing are the blueberries on our land. They're not fruiting, of course, but they are glowing brightly well into the season of gray winter skies.

Native blueberries light up the landscape just before our Thanksgiving snow.

I am a firm believer that we are shaped by our surroundings. Thankfully, the plants are still showing off as the season brings us closer to dormancy. Likewise, Richard, ReTreeUS and I are glowing, too.

Thanks to kale, another survivor of harsh climates, we are eating well. (See below for our Thanksgiving kale recipe.) And, thanks to the tough yet generous locals, our program is growing as the trees go to sleep. All season, we will be preparing to install four orchards in schools and plant over 2,000 trees!

We appreciate those who have given the gift of trees this holiday season, and everyone who will! We also appreciate Flatbread Pizza in Portland, where we will continue to raise support at our benefit dinner January 31st. We hope you'll stay tuned for more details on that evening, and that whatever warms and inspires you this season keeps you smiling and giving thanks.

Here are two pieces of the french toast described below. (Those are a couple of veggie sausage patties on the side.)

Savory French Toast: A Nutritious, Delicious Recipe for Thanksgiving Brunch*
Serves 2-4

You Will Need:

hearty spelt, whole wheat, or multi-grain bread - 4 slices
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
pinch of red NM chile or paprika
1/2 cup cheese - grated or thinly sliced
1 cup kale - very finely chopped
1 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, scramble the eggs, paprika or red New Mexico chile, and milk with a fork or whisk. Add half of the kale and cheese, and mix those in with the eggs. Soak a piece of bread in the mixture. Flip to make sure you've covered both sides.

Heat a skillet to medium-high. Melt 1/8 of the butter and put the soaked toast on the skillet. Add a little of the fresh kale and cheese to the toast's upper side. Wait until the cheese on the bottom is golden and crispy, then add some fresh butter to the pan, flip, and repeat on the other side. Salt and pepper to taste.

* Some of my friends have an aversion to eggs. Others are vegan. If this sounds familiar, please know that you can make an egg-free version that is equally delicious. You can even make it with a cheese and milk substitute if you don't eat dairy.

All you need to do is grill your bread with some butter in the skillet and add the kale on top. Then add the cheese (or cheese substitute) and flip the bread over in the pan. Then add more kale and cheese. Flip again and cook until both sides are golden and crispy.

A Healthy Halloween Brings Happy Holidays

A healthy person is a happy person, and it is the goal of ReTreeUS to promote health...even on the holiday dedicated largely to candy and fright! We celebrated with an apple tree jack-o-lantern and local apple treats (find our sauce recipe on the previous entry).

Our apple tree pumpkin glows on Halloween night!

We would have dressed up as Kaptains Kalaroo (the kale superheroes of our own imaginations) at a family Halloween party in Cape Cod, but we changed our plans at the last minute. That's because we were traveling back from a New Jersey visit during the legendary snow storm...of late October.

We decided to get off the snowy road and stay in New York for the night. As we watched the snow fall from our room, it felt more like the holidays of winter than the autumn days of Halloween.

And thinking ahead turned out to be a good thing, because, as most people know, thoughts of holiday gift-giving start early, too.

I mean no offense to the man in red, but I am often annoyed to see Santa at the grocery store no later than November 1st. We haven't even had our Thanksgiving feast!

However, there is a way to take the consumerism out of the upcoming season, which then can make rushing the holidays a more worthy cause. When is it a bad time to spread gifts of positivity, light, and hope--especially if it means contributing to a sustainable system, and using fewer resources?

I say, it's never too early.

That's why we've come up with a guilt-free holiday shopping option:

Eva Simmons, a student at one of our participating schools, poses in the snow and shows her tree-appreciation.

From today (November 1st) until the New Year (January 1, 2012), you can spend $5 for a tree to be planted in a friend's name. Just fill out the form (to be posted on our website shortly) and give the name of the gift recipient. We will provide a certificate, which you can then disburse to your friends. Or, to make it even easier, we will send the certificate to each recipient directly. It's your choice.

Your gift will fund the planting of one tree in our nursery, which will then be planted in an educational school orchard. Your friends will be honored to know trees have been planted on their behalf, and children will benefit from the beauty, nutrition and knowledge that tree provides. The effect of your gift will live on in perpetuity, fostering sustainability and citizenship for generations. Your gift will be for all of us, and for the earth.

So, thanks for spending a few dollars on this special gift of trees!

...and thanks for promoting a healthier, happier holiday season.