This past planting season, my wife and I took to an Odyssey all our own. In a neighborhood known for their old majestic Oaks and Maples and sprawling green lawns, we took to introducing a vast organic edible landscape for all eyes to see. Exposing this transformation to all who traveled past our home was not the focus, but the good sun exposure located in the front yard resulted in neighbors and commuters alike the chance to gaze upon the fruits of our labor.

Over the course of the growing season we have played host to almost two dozen strangers awed by the sight of edibles in the all to often green expanse of lawns our society has come to know as the norm. Whether it was the strawberries, pumpkins, tomato & pepper plants, or the giant sunflower stretching to the sky, they voluntarily came… like a bear drawn to honey. People, both young and old, spoke of how attractive and fun the fruits and veggies looked in the landscape, they offered up their experiences with vegetable gardening, as well as let us in on a trip down memory lane when speaking fondly of their parents and the vegetable garden they kept that was an integral part of their day to day food menu. I could hear James Earl Jones in my head, as he proclaims to Kevin Costner about building the baseball diamond in a field of corn…, ‘people will come Ray, people will most definitely come’.

And that is exactly what has happened… we opened up our landscape to our passion… sustainable organic vegetable gardening, and as a result, it touched something buried deep within the souls of all individuals that visited with us this summer. We are creatures of this fine planet, and no matter how much wealth and material gadgets we collect, we can’t separate ourselves from our natural beginnings… our connection to source. This fall, take the time to connect with the outdoors around you, If you are fortunate enough to have a yard out your backdoor (or just a patio), identify an opening in the current landscape and plant some vegetables. To experience first hand a seed growing to maturity, bursting with good, clean organic fruit is a truly spiritual experience. To taste the season’s harvest is quite simply icing on the cake.

So get out, plant some edibles, and be prepared to welcome in your neighbors for some friendly garden side chats. Enjoy!

I spend most of the year in a big city… a far cry from the wilds of Montana.  At first glance, the big city is devoid of agriculture, farming, and open space, let alone a wild animal or two (except for all the damn squirrels).  As a result, we try to bring a little of Big Sky to the urban core of KC.

We have transformed our a-typical residential landscape into a productive plot full of edible goodies; Pumpkins, gourds, corn, onions, pole beans, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers and blueberries to name a few.  All raised from organic seed in the basement, then transplanted into organic compost / soil beds that we shoveled, wheel barrowed and placed to perfection.  The only thing we have to do is sit back, do some selective weed pulling and pest control management, then reap the rewards of a bountiful harvest come fall.

We were rudely awakened from this fairytale dream when we noticed ‘all’ our adjacent home-owners using a regular lawn service that sprayed toxic liquid pesticide / herbicide to kill off weeds and bugs.  The city, complete with two-million people, concrete and steel as far as the eye can see, and an apparent disregard to the long term harmful effects of using toxins in our environment, had shattered my illusion that I could bring a slice of my beloved Montana to the streets of Kansas City.  Aside from the obvious need to educate my fellows citizens, I took solace in the fact that I would be spending my summer in the very mountains that I loved so much… that far cry from city life and the obvious disconnect with nature that we all relay so heavily on.

Arriving in Montana this June was the exact medicine I needed.  Away from the constant noise, the rat race on the interstate and battling for that open parking space.   My back yard, though not much different in size from that in KC, is filled with both edible and native plants.  The apple and cherry trees are full with buds, knowing this harvest will be a good one.  All was good again, as nothing could shatter my storybook vision on life in the ‘root.

What’s this?  The developer of the neighborhood is spraying Roundup on the undeveloped lots adjacent to my home!  The wind, blowing west to east, is breezing across my yard.  Don’t people realize this stuff causes cancer?  Quick, get the kids inside.  Now out the door and tell this person to stop spraying alongside my property line.  What just happened… was I dreaming… a nightmare!

The local paper, Ravalli Republic, leads with a story the next morning about the Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge.  They speak of the annual hand-pulling event, where volunteers spend time enjoying a BBQ while lending a hand in ridding the area of noxious weeds.  The story seems fine, except for the picture of the spraying going on to kill off the weeds.  Does it occur to anyone, that if one needs to wear a special bio-containment suit, that the chemicals in the spray can’t be good for you?  A ‘Wildlife Refuge’ is a designated place where all animals, birds, insects take a respite from the harmful effects of over-development.  The use of toxic pesticides and herbicides has no place in a refuge… let alone anywhere.  The owners and operators surely know that we are part of a system… an eco-system.  They are spending countless hours and dollars to preserve the very fact.  Continued spraying of toxins on plants will in-turn effect the creatures feeding on the plants.  The aphids, grasshoppers and lady bugs will suffer… the birds, toads and snakes that eat the insects will suffer, the coyotes, hawks and fox that eat the smaller critters will suffer.  Not too mention the deer browsing on the forage, the trout in the stream, and the countless children that walk through the fields will ultimately suffer.  Where was this all coming from?  Had the county and its inhabitants shifted their connection to nature after I had moved away in ’09?  What else might be going?

The same paper, but different day, reports the local USFS will be aerial spraying a toxic chemical over the forests to deal with a number of noxious weeds.  The article even documents that the chemical will indeed cause health hazards!  I think… Is anyone else reading this?  Where have we all gone wrong?  National headlines speak regularly about polluted watersheds, honeybee colony collapse, the health hazards of consuming foods (plant & animal) when treated with toxic pesticides & herbicides.  The valley was built on agriculture and farming… where are the voices of the people?

I was left to believe that there really wasn’t much difference between the mindset of the people in the city and rural America.  Why was society as we know it allowing our very environment… the place we eat, breath and live, to be continuously polluted with a ‘head in the sand’ mentality to the long-term effects of toxic applications?  Furthermore, why were we as a people allowing such continued use of toxins when we know such use has a direct correlation to poor long-term health?  After all, isn’t our health the only thing we really own?  It screams to me the need for education… for alerting all people from DC to Darby, that there is a known cause and effect for managing our forest, our fields, our food.  We can choose to do things in harmony with what has always been, or we can choose a course of action in direct contrast to this connection to source.  For me the choice seems so clear.

On a positive note, the organic food industry topped $25 Billion dollars in 2010.  That says that people are paying attention to how our resources are managed, and voting with their purse strings.  People are asking the right questions… where do our foods come from and what is in them?  Farmer’s Markets are blossoming across the country, and as a result, people are talking to each other and learning in the process.  I need to be a voice to advise others.  Proclaim the positive results of using organic / biological applications in food growth & pest management.  Pretty soon folks will be throwing their coffee grounds into the garden instead of the trash, placing weevils in their knapweed fields and letting Ladybugs eat away the seasonal aphids infestations.  All at the zero cost to health of the next-door neighbor, the foraging deer and the ecosystem as a whole.  In turn, making this blue planet a better / healthier place to live.

I am trapped inside my own home.  No, not locked in and unable to leave, but rather don’t wish to leave for fear of beating someone silly for the choices they are voluntarily making every minute of every day.   The reasons are many, and quite frankly don’t know where to start, but I must… perhaps through venting I will avoid a possible life sentence on manslaughter charges.

It starts every Monday of every week, when the red pickups rumble down our street.  Lawn Care professionals their called, but I have to query how the term ‘care’ ever could be justified.  Men in long pants, long sleeve shirts (mind you it is summer in KC and the temps are in the mid ‘90s), boots, and gloves… some even with breathing masks, come to treat the neighbors’ yards for weeds.  Not armed with buckets and hands for weed pulling, but rather toxic pesticides / herbicides to make the grass grow green and lush just so you can spend all that extra time you have to mow and water it each week.  Does anyone stop to ask why the uniform / protection?  What risk does little Fluffy, Rover, or one’s children have by walking on these recently treated lawns? Studies show that immediate and/or continued contact to such agents cause disease and illness in laboratory test animals, but still no media coverage, no parent groups picketing, no government intervention.  Ugh!!  Just last week, we had to bring our 10 week old inside during the weekly tour as the toxic fumes were breezing across onto our driveway.  Thanks!  Does this now void our Organic gardens?   Beyond the immediate health risks to the employee and land owner, what about the water table, the local ecosystem (birds eating the bugs in the lawns, the fish swimming in the creeks filled with the toxic run-off), our beloved Honey Bee (colony collapse -  ever heard of it?), the soils and their long term viability, and on and on?

During the week I have to hold my tongue as I live life around my fellow man.  Perhaps I should jump into every conversation inserting my beliefs, but I want to believe that those yet to see the light will evolve into something bigger than themselves.  Maybe I bite my tongue because I just don’t know anything about the latest spray tan technology, what a Nintendo DS is, or the latest value meal at McDonald’s… either way, these seem to be the topics of conversation of most parents at the tennis courts during little Timmy’s practice, at karate class during little Susan’s lesson, in the dentist office during little Johnny’s check-up, or poolside on a Sunday afternoon.  When did people’s focus shift from what was the most important aspect of one’s life, their health and the health of their children, and onto such concerns as materialistic ego driven choices?

Ok, so things are not as bleak as I portray.  There is a conscious group of fellow men and women partaking in real change! There are the local farmers’ markets during the week, showcasing local organic goodies.  There is the local chef down the street, that after a number of back and forth conversations, updated the menu to indicate Gluten Free options while indicating a real intent to purchase locally and organic when possible.  There is the local school, that after spending a few hours with, has decided to entertain a sponsored Organic stand in the lunch room in the coming fall semester.  Not to mention that the year 2010 saw consumers shell out a robust $28 Billion towards the Organic food industry, which is now expected to reach $60 Billion in the next 5-7 years!

I focus on the topic of Organic Food, as it will be this industry that will drive change across all industry sectors.  The majority of the items we consume, both internally (food and liquid) and externally (homes, cars, knick-knacks) trace their roots back to natural resources.  If these natural resources are poisoned, sick or destroyed, then we will be unable to consume.  Organic Foods equate to healthy crops and grains, healthy water systems, healthy soils, healthy plants & trees, healthy air, healthy fish and animals… Healthy Eco- systems… a Healthy Planet.  So the next time you pull out your wallet, take a deeper look into the item you are purchasing… is it Organic?  Was it produced locally?  Was it made in the USA?  Is the manufacturer supporting Sustainable practices?  Do you really need it?  If you can ask these questions, then in turn I will find myself venturing forth from the confines of my home.  Free to move and mingle with the ever-evolving conscious of the American public.  A group bent on a happy, healthy and abundant tomorrow.

Life is full of noise… made up of enough distractions to disguise where we should be focusing our attention.   Now that we are no longer children (endless hours of playing Nintendo), have graduated college (perfecting keg stands into the wee hours) and settle down into a stable relationship (secure in our own skin while happily enjoying life with that special person at our side), you find clarity.  You realize for the first time that you have free license to take control of your well-being and that of your children.

Contrary to the countless advertisements on radio, television, print and on-line, more often times than not the answer does not lie in the form of a pill… a pill that will have you suffering a rash of side-effects worthy of a Saturday Night Live skit.  You and you alone determine what you and your children put into their body.  With the proper fuel, aka healthy untainted food, you can bring balance to your life.  Depression, mood swings, obesity, ADHD, GI discomfort, headaches & migraines, allergies, high blood pressure, and the list goes on and on.  By choosing foods that do not contain the documented toxins presently approved by the EPA and FDA that are apart of your typical grocery store shelves, you will see an improvement in your health and the health of your children… today, tomorrow and far into the future.

Take ownership of your life, your health and your children’s health… make the time to ask the question where does the food come from that I am choosing to put into my body, and more importantly what is in it?  Look up typical ingredients & terms such as High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Modified Corn Starch, Sucralose, Genetically Modified Foods, as well as a general search on toxic food ingredients.  The case studies available on the toxins readily approved by the FDA & EPA in our foods is staggering, and the findings will have you asking, ‘how can this be true and why is such practice tolerable?’. Such well-documented independent films like, Food inc (http://www.foodincmovie.com/ ) and Future of Food (http://www.thefutureoffood.com/Trailer.html) will open your eyes to ongoing food practices that will make you second guess the next time you buy groceries or visit your favorite restaurant.

Beyond your own personal interest in living a healthy lifestyle, take note that you can embody your children with a healthier, more balanced life experience complete with fewer colds (less trips to the doctor), eliminating obesity risk (healthy self-esteem), heightened mental clarity (better grades), and good health into their adult years (reduced stress on finances and family).  It all adds up, Good Clean Healthy Food results in Good Clean Healthy Lives.

Start today… educate yourself to the truth about the food you eat.  Search for Organic Food Stores in your area, as well as Local Urban Farms practicing sustainable / organic land practices, take a weekly family outing to the local Farmer’s Markets. Talk to your kids about health & wellness and how healthy prepared food benefits all consumers today and far into the future.  Empower your children to take ownership of their lives through watching your own actions, let them know that their health, both today and into the future, is in their hands.

For years now, there have been constant debates at local bars, within town hall meetings and all the way to the White House about the subject of Health Care concerns.  I feel strongly that every tax paying, law abiding American should have access to Health Care.  For if you don’t have your health, you have nothing. That being said, and looking how a good portion of my fellow Americans live their lives, I personally don’t want a share of the medical costs associated with Universal Health Care coming out of my pocket!  My family and I choose to eat properly prepared organic meals, exercise regularly and get a good night’s sleep… We take a proactive approach to health & wellness.  I do not sit hear typing / judging others on how they choose to treat their bodies, nor should I be asked to pitch in financially to take care of these folks when they start to suffer a number of physical & mental ills.

You would have to been living on the moon these last few decades to not know that we (as a society & planet) are sick.  Our water, air, soil, and immunity from disease are all suffering.  One huge component of this fact is the very food that is manufactured in mass and placed on the local grocery store shelves.  Although approved by the FDA, certain practices in the growing / harvesting of these goods, as well as their ingredients, are a direct link to the ills we are experiencing.  Fact: the very Fertilizers, Herbicides, Pesticides, Preservatives, and Chemical Additives, all used to promote either volume in food crops or enhanced flavor, are depleting our foods of nutrition, eradicating our once fertile soils, genetically fostering strains of Super bugs, poisoning are water supply, and ultimately tainting the very food we consume and process within our own bodies.  Exposure of these chemicals through our food is leading to weakened immune systems, more and more visits to doctors, and ultimately degenerative / irreversible disease and some times death.  As a result, Health Care costs run rampant, prescription drug after prescription drug is manufactured trying to combat such ills when in reality they cause more harm than good.

Conversely, and for those folks that still haven’t heard, Organic Food is grown & processed free and clear of any man-made chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, as well as forgoes the use of chemical preservatives & additives in it’s ingredients.  This means plain and simple… They don’t use them!!  Organic Food has shown to have a superior nutritional make-up compared to those previously mentioned, meaning stronger and lasting immune systems, fewer illnesses and less time at the doctors office, better mental capacity and physical wellness into your Golden Years.  Soils are alive with microbial organisms maintaining soil health for seasons and seasons of planting, and the air & water are purified through the natural cycles of the seasons.  No unnecessary prescription drugs that will give you 10 new problems above and beyond the one thing it is ‘suppose’ to cure, and no rampant Health Care costs taxing the system.  Seems like shifting to an Organic lifestyle is a no brainer… so how can we get all folks to embrace this lifestyle?  Easy, Universal Health Care!

I propose a new look at Universal Health Care… and it goes something like this.  The Federal Government establishes a new Health Care Fund that will be used to payout medical costs to Americans as they need such services.  The Health Care fund will be funded by the creation of a new set of Taxes.  These new Taxes, though small at first, will be applied to all man-made chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, as well as preservatives and chemical additives for the explicit use in growing, producing and / or marketing edibles (plants or animals) as well as ornamental flowers, plants, shrubs, and/or trees.  You will note that the tax is not collected at the point of purchase from the buyer, but rather collected from the supplier once manufactured / transported from site of origin.  On the back end of this program, American consumers will be issued a transaction card (much like a debit card) to monitor the purchase of Organic Food & Goods in real time (they would swipe the card upon each purchase).  For every dollar spent on Organic Food & Goods, the holder of the card will earn dollar for dollar reimbursement from the Health Care Fund to be used for medical services at a time of illness.  The more Organic Food and Goods the patron purchases, the more monies will be available should they ever need medical services.  As a result, more and more Americans will be eating healthy, need for medical services will decline as we as a society are healthier as a result of better nutrition, communities will be strengthen through a commitment to local organic farms, air pollution will begin to lessen as no longer are we transporting food sources from thousands of miles away, water sources will start to regenerate through seasonal cycles without toxic applications, and soils will return to a more balanced state welcoming the planting and harvesting of native edibles nature always intended.  Sure there are some finer points to work out, but the foundation is set to put this plan to work.

Before we can expect change, we must believe change is possible.  You must envision the future you want and life it every day.  Tell your family and friends the benefits of such a lifestyle approach and think about how much better off your children, your country and your planet will be by embracing this change.  Organic food in your belly, Health Care coverage for all those willing, and a Blue Planet to live on… what could be better than that?

Whether or not you realize it, Spring is in the air.  The recent warming trend throughout the Midwest has resulted in a cacophony of sounds permeating the morning air… a female Cardinal perched on the Crabapple Tree welcoming the warming morning sun, the steady drip of ice melt down the gutter downspout, or perhaps the neighbor’s dogs’ early emergence from the doghouse with an extra giddyup in their step.  Yes, cabin fever has perhaps come to an end for the season, and with the groundhog not seeing his shadow, we are almost guaranteed of a steady transition into the spring season.  However, before you can enjoy the warm sensation on your skin, the feel of fresh ripe tomatoes in your hands, the smell of fragrant flowers stretching up from your garden, and the rewards of a fruitful harvest in the fall, you have some work to do.  Now don’t panic… steady yourself, envision the goal you would like to accomplish this season and make a plan of action.

Sure the flats are all neatly stacked and ready to utilize, last year’s heirloom seeds are sealed and ready to access and sow at the drop of a hat, and the energy level to get your hands dirty is maxed out, but how best to put it all together.  Before you go willy nilly into a horticulture frenzy, we should first consider a few topics to insure a successful planting season.

No one knows their property better than you.  Where are you looking to create new planting gardens this season?  Does this area receive an abundant amount of sun throughout the growing season (south facing) or it is cloaked in darkness most of the year (north side of the home).  Full sun to full shade will require a different plan of attack.  Throw in soil identification, and you need to know what plants are compatible with heavy clay soils or perhaps sandy soils.  Speaking of plants, are you looking to plant edibles, plants, shrubs, vines and / or trees?

Start by making a sketch up of the property.  Layout the home, driveway and any other hardscape (walks, patio, pool, etc) that need to be taken into account.  Be sure to indicate the orientation of the sketch so you know where the sun rises in the morning (east) and sets in the evening (not east!).  Indicate where the street runs adjacent to the property, as low growing plantings are best along this line to insure good visibility for drivers and pedestrians alike.  Once you have this put together, on a separate paper list out the plantings you would like to see in your yard this year.  Example, vegetables (Tomatoes and Peppers), native shrubs & flowers and a few species for the perennial rain garden.

Your edibles such as Tomatoes and Peppers will appreciate a full sun southern exposure.  Personally I don’t mind some late afternoon shade.  Kansas City can have some brutal July & August afternoons, so sparing your edibles from an hour of blistering sun is a good thing.  Along with proper placement in the yard, you will need a good draining soil, so any amendment to the soil should be done prior to planting.  I like tilling up my soil after the winter slumber, adding some organic compost and doing another round of thorough tilling prior to planting.  The native shrubs and flowers are as easy as reading the description of the species and what it needs to thrive (sun, part shade, full shade, poor draining soils to well drained soils).  A rain garden is a wonderful feature should your yard offer such an opportunity.  Now obviously we can simulate a rain garden experience by overwatering a particular area, but I would not promote such an endeavor – water efficiency and sustainability should be an everyday focus in our annual gardening practice.  To obtain the rain garden in your yard, look to low areas that experience standing water after a rain event.  If there is none, you can create your own with little effort.  Locate your downspouts and pick a spot the water flows to at least 10′ off the home’s perimeter.  Once there, create an impression in the soil to a size you are comfortable… from there select the appropriate native water loving species (in my case; Swamp Milkweed, Pickerel Plant, and Southern Blue Flag to name a few).

The important thing to remember is that plants are a living species, and like all living species they have a will to survive.  Don’t get worked up with all the details.  Focus on the most basic of growing aspects (sun exposure, soil type, & watering needs) and get to planting.  Keep a journal of your actions, monitor the seasons and make adjustments for the following year.  Yes, some plants will die!  Was it your fault, was it a sick plant upon purchase, did you have an extremely hot / cold season, were pests unusually prevalent this year, and on and on.?.  Consult your local county agriculture association, as well as local Master Gardener groups and vendors at your local Farmer’s Market.  I have found that growers of all kind love to talk shop.  It is a great opportunity to learn the trade, garner a few secrets and build some new friendships.

I realize I barely touched on all the topics that can be covered on landscaping know-how.  Not to worry, your pursuits will turn over many stones along the way  leaving nuggets to build your own knowledge on the subject.  For me, I am taking this year to dive in with both feet.  My own residential landscape will be my testing ground this year, as I look to edibles, native plantings, and varying gardens of interest (butterfly, hummingbird, rain, etc).  Follow along as I will advise the good, bad and ugly in hopes of educating myself and all those interested.  Send me your own findings / advice as your growing season unfolds, as I am not alone in the pursuit of further gardening knowledge.  Now, dusted off your gloves, inventory your gardening tools and dream of a bountiful 2011.

As an integral part of this great planet, we (humans) tend to focus on the myopic existence which is our life (eating, working, playing, etc) without much thought to the lifeblood of the Earth.  In taking pause to reflect on our planet, Earth has a story all to itself… both past, present and future.  Whether we stand to accept the position, or bury our heads in the sand pleading ignorance or nonchalance, we are appointed stewards of this great land… this Mother Earth if you will.  Looking over the historical records of old while passing over the many civilizations that have come and gone in recent human accounts (~6000+ years), there has been an unmistakable harmony that each has shared with our planet… our life line.  An understanding that ‘as goes the health of the land, the region, the planet, so goes the health of the people, the empire, the civilization’.  Not until the past several generations, where a combination of technology, industry and modernism, have we seen a distinct separation between planet (nature) and the dominant species that inhabits her lands.  This separation has resulted in drastic changes… Air & Water Pollution, Illness & Disease, Fighting & Unrest, and continued ignorance to what once was.  As stewards in every corner of this planet, we need to realize that each and every action of every day, whether by school children, commuters, corporations and/or governments, has a positive or negative effect on our planet’s health… our health.  For us, as a species, and all inhabitants on this gorgeous globe to realize and enjoy an abundant tomorrow, we must start to live and breath in a sustainable manner.  Where our actions have positive effects on the world around us… focusing on regenerating resources, not depleting resources… the very resources that give us the food we eat, the water we drink, and air we breath.  Abundant Tomorrow’s focus is to aid all citizens willing to listen and act for a better tomorrow.  Through our collective actions we can insure a healthier environment for ourselves, for our children and for the planet as a whole.  Through consulting & design services, social media outreach and proactively living a sustainable lifestyle, AT will do our part to positively effect all people, plants and animals on this beautiful planet… the only planet we have.  So don’t delay any longer, pick yourself up and get started today!