Cold Weather-Can the plants survive??

        I believe today was my last day of composting with the 4th grade and in the senior commons. I would like to continue, but the bin that I dump it in might overload soon- it's getting pretty full. I am debating whether to continue for a little longer after Christmas. Hmmm... also, it has been so bitterly cold outside, I'm not sure whether my plants will survive... I have been putting on the tarps at nightime so as to keep them warm... or warmer, but there's only so much I can do. I have a bad feeling that they're going to die- they are a little wilty. Maybe I should just let them die and then replant once it gets a little warmer, because I honesty don't see much hope. Hmmm... at least there will be the planting of the potatoes in February. And at least I got to harvest raddishes with the 4th graders last Friday. They were really excited about the whole ordeal and I think they are going to donate them to the Soup Kitchen. Though it's not much produce, it's the experience of growing and harvesting that's really important.
Anyways, now that my research paper is done, next semester I'll have more time to read more about organic food and buying seasonably. I really want to read the Omnivore's Dilemma, by Michael Pollan. He is supposedly the food guru. The good thing about this project is that there are always things I can add to it if something unfortunate, such as the dying of my plants, happens. I can always plant more, continue to compost, read a book about it, etc. Well, that's all for now! Peace out until after Christmas Break! WOOOO!!!

The First Raddish

       Last Sunday, my dad and I covered up the plants because it was going to be really cold that night. We used 2 of our own tarps to cover 2 beds and the last tarp we had to purchase from Lowes. I was rather worried about the well-being of my plants because it was supposed to get below freezing that night. I left my plants covered the next day as well because it was bitterly cold outside. Tuesday, I uncovered them to discover them a little shriveled. But, they perked up again when I checked on them the next day. Yesterday, I went to uncover them only to discover my first raddish! It was actually growing outside of the beds on the actual ground, which I thought was funny. Anyways, so I was curious to see how far along the row of raddishes were inside of the beds and discovered that they are all ready to be harvested! They are all popping above the dirt in anticipation of being picked. So, I brought back that first raddish and showed everyone in my excitement. Mrs. Lummus and Mrs. Zion were especially excited for me. In celebration of my success, I taped the first raddish above the doorway of the Senior Commons. Everyone treated it as mistle toe, except instead of kissing, everyone was hip-bumping. It was a good day.
      Anyways, so on Friday, I am going to take the 4th grade class out to see the garden and help me pick the raddishes. Mrs. Lummus wants to give the produce to the Soup Kitchen as a gift from their class because they are going to volunteer at the Soup Kitchen in January. Even though there are not that many raddishes so as to make a significant difference at the Soup Kitchen, it's the thought that counts. Or I suggested that some of the students may want to take home some of the raddishes. I would like to have a day where we enjoy the vegetables we grow by eating them as a class, but unfortunately, raddishes aren't especially popular with kids. Anyways, the research paper is due tomorrow and I'm excited to get if off my chest. Because I did most of the work in the rough draft, I didn't have to stress over it much this week. I edited it last Saturday and was, for the most part, done with it then. That's about it for now. Until next week!

Artificial Sweetener vs. Sugar

As part of my Senior Project, I decided to write a health article for The Silver Scroll on sugar . Here it is:

Myth: diet soda is better for you than regular soda. Fact: It’s worse.

Think Diet Soda is healthier than regular soda? Think again. I’m sure most of you are wary of all the warnings and risks that everything seems to have these days. If you stand in front of the microwave, such and such might possibly happen to you, which can result in death. If you use electronics, which most everyone does, you have the risk of getting a brain tumor transmitted through the radio-frequency. You are probably thinking, “anything might give me cancer, so why bother trying to avoid the bad stuff?” Well, if you don’t at least attempt to avoid the bad stuff (like artificial sweetener), then, in the long run, something serious might really happen. It obviously has happened to people before- I mean, where do you think they get these “warnings” from? Real life! So, here is the cliché list of potential side-effects from using artificial sweetener that you probably won’t take seriously: loss of vision, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, memory loss, visual impairment, weight gain, increased cancer risk (I know you saw that one coming), and even death.  Sound worth it? I think I’ll take stevia with my coffee please (I’ll get to stevia later).

Asking yourself which is the best sweetener to use is like asking, as Dr. Joseph Mercola, author of Sweet Deception puts it, “which would you rather be hit in the head with, a baseball bat or a golf club?” They are both detrimental to one’s health. Girls, you may think you’re doing yourself a favor by buying the diet soda, but the fact is that diet soda does not help shed the pounds.  Studies have shown that it does exactly the opposite. How? Artificial sweetener stimulates your appetite, making you want to eat more than your metabolism can handle. This has been proven with rats. In an experiment, one group of rats was fed yogurt sweetened with artificial sweetener while another group was fed regular yogurt for 14 days. During this time, the first group’s intake of food drastically increased compared to the second group’s food intake. Yes, this applies to the human body as well. Scientists also discovered that the first group of rats’ body temperatures dramatically decreased, meaning their metabolism slowed down. Artificial sweetener not only causes you to eat more, but it causes your metabolism to slow down, which is a double whammy! 

So, what is the solution? Certainly not to resort back to sugar! Sugar, though not as bad for you as artificial sweeteners, still has its definite downfall. First off, it is addictive. Research studies indicate that “sugar may be similar to morphine and heroin in its ability to increase opioids in your brain that produce pleasure” (Sweet Deception). This explains the diabetes explosion in America over the past ten years- we can’t control our own insatiable cravings! Did you know that Americans, on average, eat an estimated 158 pounds of sugar per year? And sugar consumption rates are climbing higher all the time in the U.S. Obviously, sugar is not the answer to our dilemma. Is there a healthy substitute for sugar? Yes: Stevia. Stevia has no calories, and has been tested and deemed safe for consumption (though, haven’t all sweeteners?). It has no effects on blood sugar levels (in fact, it has been proven to help stabilize blood sugar levels) and is the least processed sweetener out there. Instead of causing diabetes like real sugar does, the stevia plant has been often used as a remedy. The good news is there are no reported side-effects of stevia- it’s 100% safe! It is exceptionally sweeter than sugar, so usage of it should be in very small amounts; a pinch will go a long way. Using stevia does take some practice, but the long-term benefits of leaving sugar and other artificial sweeteners behind make the adjustment worth it. Where to find it? A local health store. Trust me, it’s worth the investment.