Many will argue that every year is a time of change, and that 2012 will be no different. Of course, no one knows what kind of change will come about next year, but I believe--and I hope--to see a continuation of the positive movement we've begun this year.
In this entry, I will describe my hopes for the coming era. Understanding that I am no authority on the matter, I will set forth my hopes for the way our world is going. Because, if we think it and speak it and dream it enough, I believe we can make it happen.
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Many Americans are ending their year feeling financially strained. And we ReTreeUS Co-founders can certainly relate. Starting a non-profit is just as it sounds: not profitable.
We are buying land for our trees and gardens. We are ordering seeds, rootstock and saplings. We have just enough to cover our costs--not enough to pay ourselves for the labor--and yet we're grateful for every penny we have.
As it turns out, this is the perfect opportunity for us to demonstrate what we hope others will do. It is our goal to take the exclusivity out of organic food, and to help communities grow organic produce for themselves and their families...on a budget.
As our pocket books shrink, however, the passion of the global community seems to grow.
It is my hope, and I do see some evidence, that we are distancing ourselves from the idea of bigness. Bigger cars, consuming more oil, bigger TVs, showing off the material wealth of a few privileged people, bigger supermarkets, containing bigger, shinier apples...these staples of our society are becoming less important.
I turn now to a quote from the late American political icon Robert F. Kennedy:
It is not more bigness that should be our goal. We must attempt, rather, to bring people back to...the warmth of community, to the worth of individual effort and responsibility...and of individuals working together as a community, to better their lives and their children's future.
As ReTreeUS works to build warmer communities, stronger individuals, and a brighter future for our children, we have found far more success with individual membership contributions than with grantors and national corporate sponsorships. Those who are inspired by what we do have given generously, and we are happy to use those funds to further our mission.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with support from The Big for a mission like ours, but it seems fitting that the real loyalty, the real driving force for our programs, is coming from our members...and those who choose to support us as clients of Votenet Solutions (visit their website to learn more). It's so fitting, because we are here for the communities, for the schools, for those who can't afford to buy organic food in the store, and for the children.
As we learn to thrive on a tiny budget, we will continue to share tips on how to provide nutrient-rich, pesticide-free meals. We will continue to draw connections between living well and loving the earth. And we will do this, I hope, with the support of a changing world. I see a world with new priorities--like environmental sustainability and social justice. A world that understands the importance of community is a world that, too, understands the part it plays in the planet's systems. A world where our children climb trees and grow apples; where they grow up and teach their kids to do the same. This is the world I want to live in.
Below is a recipe for not just one inexpensive, nutritious, and delicious New Year's meal, but also the potential of many more meals like it to come.
Impress Your Friends and Family with this Yummy Spaghetti Squash Dinner (and make more of it for zero dollars)...Because Fast Food is Last Year's Cheap Solution
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| Spaghetti squash dinner, served in its own shell. |
Ingredients:
One spaghetti Squash
Feeds two to four people. This vegetable is easy to grow and provides many vital nutrients such as Vitamin A, Iron, Vitamin C, Omega 3 and 6-fatty acids, and more! If you're watching your weight, it is also a great substitute for pasta.
Tomatoes
fresh (or canned, this time of year)
Herbs
basil, thyme, peppers, etc.
1 Tbsp Butter
Salt
Pepper
2 leaves of Kale (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (pressed)
Cheese (grated)
You can mix it up with mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan, or Romano. You can usually find cheeses at a Farmers' Market. Most take EBT cards, and many cities have indoor winter markets.
Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Carefully cut the squash into two pieces, length-wise. Remove the seeds and other loose material from the inside with a spoon and set aside. (Do not throw away!)
Fill a large pan with a 1/4 inch of water on the bottom. Put the squash, face-down, into the pan and bake for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cook the tomatoes down (add water if they are fresh). Add garlic, herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
Take the pan out and flip the squash over, exposing the inside portion.
If you have melty cheese like cheddar or mozzarella, there is no need for butter/salt here. Put the cheese into the hollow part of the squash and put it back in the oven for 5 more minutes. Then, take it out one more time and add kale to the inside. Cook for five more minutes, or until you can easily remove the noodle-like squash pieces with a fork.
Once it is fully cooked, you can take the squash out of its shell with a spoon, mix it with sauce, and put it back in the squash shell for a lovely presentation. Then, add the Parmesan or Romano, pepper, and serve.
***Saving the Seeds: As your family helps you clean up (wink, wink), one person can do the dishes while another separate the seeds from the muck you saved. Compost the non-seed material, and rinse the seeds in a colander. Put a towel in and under the colander to dry them off.
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| We LOVE saving seeds for next year. |
Then wrap them in a paper towel, store them in an envelope of paper bag, and set them in a dry, dark place until spring.
Then, you can plant them, and recreate this meal for free!
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| This is where we'll store our seeds. You could also use the refrigerator, just to preserve freshness. |
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