The Wisdom of the Gaucho

Nothing says Autumn quite like fresh apples, and nothing says organic, sustainable, local agriculture quite like growing your own fruits and vegetables right in your own backyard.  If you’re interested in growing apples but are concerned that your location may be unsuitable for growing them, you’ll be happy to know that there are many varieties well suited for warm climates. One of the most important factors in deciding if a fruit tree will be successful in your area is the number of chill hours required.  The definition of chill hours varies, but generally is defined as the number of hours below 45 degrees during fall and early winter.  This time is required for the tree to go dormant and begin its preparations for budding and fruiting the next spring.  Figuring out your USDA Hardiness Zone ( find it here ) will help you determine the number of chill hours in your region and from there can help you investigate which fruit trees will flourish in your yard. ...

With the demise of traditional pension plans and the projected future of Social Security in doubt there has never been a more important time for individuals to seize the initiative of saving for their retirement. But with many different options to choose from, it is imperative that retirement money be invested wisely and with as many tax advantages as possible.  Both 401(k) accounts and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) are important vehicle s to save for retirement, but which to choose from ? Here are some of the attributes of both 401(k) accounts and IRA's and how each can help you meet your retirement savings goals.  Funding your 401(k) account through your employer is the perhaps the most important investment step that you can make. Not only do many companies offer to match your contributions to these accounts, but 401(k) accounts have the important characteristic of being tax deferred, meaning that all interest and growth of principal is not taxed until th...

At our vegetarian and gluten free homestead we're always craving recipes that have a couple of common characteristics, namely that they're simple and novel. My significant other is a vegetarian and has Celiac disease, and is thus forced to eat gluten free. Since I never want food boredom to set in for her, I'm always on the lookout for a new recipe. This particular recipe came partly from a cookbook and partly from kitchen experimentation. This happens to be a fun recipe too since it's for sloppy Joe's, a food that for most people reminds them of childhood days eating sloppy Joe's at home or in the elementary school cafeteria. Please bear in mind though that this recipe should be much better for you than the mystery stuff that was in those sloppy Joe's we all ate as kids. Ingredients you'll need: 1/2 an onion, chopped 1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped 1 cup of cooked brown rice 1 cup of cooked beans of your choice (I prefer pinto or navy beans, b...

What better way to savor the flavor of summer berries than to capture the essence of blueberries and currants at their mid summer peak. Blueberry currant jam is sweet and tart and tangy all at the same time, and both blueberries and currants are nutritionally dynamic foods that should be a part of a well balanced diet. This easy jam recipe will ensure that you have the fresh picked flavor of summer at your fingertips all year long. As I mentioned in a previous recipe for Raspberry Currant Jam , adding currants to a jam recipe means that you don't need to add any additional pectin to get the jam to set properly. Currants are chock full of natural pectin and the jam will set magnificently with no added pectin, using only the naturally occurring amount in the currants. Currants also have high levels of Vitamin C (four times more than oranges), are rich in anti-oxidants, and add a great tart flavor to compliment the blueberries. Here is your ingredient line up: 1 quart (4 cu...

As tax season rapidly approaches, it's good to dispel a few rumors, assumptions, and preconceived notions about your tax accountant or tax preparer. Here are just a few things to keep in mind as you're interacting with your tax professional this tax season. These are five statements that your tax accountant could probably make if they were being one hundred percent honest with you, as well as some ideas on how to alleviate the situation. I didn't actually do any of the work on your tax return. That sharply dressed professional you met with and handed over your shoebox of receipts to probably didn't do any of the work preparing your return. The work was done by an entry level accountant, the lowest person on the totem pole in the office. Hopefully this was still a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or someone with at least a four year accounting degree, but it may be someone who's not even that qualified or has a year or less of experience. After being pr...

Every Fall we're deluged with the bounty of the garden and usually astounded by some of the late harvested veggies - kale, cabbage, onions, and beets, that seem to hang on and even thrive after a few frosts.  Between the beets that we grow and the big grocery bags full that Alycia's parents bring us every Fall, we have a ton of beets. If you've never had beets before, you should give them a try.  They can be baked, roasted, boiled, or pickled and are high in fiber and anti-oxidants.  During the height of beet harvest, I usually make a large pot of borscht (see Beets and Borscht and Biscuits picture below), freeze some beets for later use, and invariably have a huge amount left over.  Years ago I discovered how tasty pickled beets are, so the remainder of the beets usually get pickled. If you haven't tried before, I would highly recommend you try your hand at pickling them.  It's honestly a very easy (but moderately messy) process. The most tim...