March/April 2010 - Indiana Living Green Magazine

A toothy dinosaur roams the Taylor property in Zionsville. More on page 17. ©Marianne Peters

p u b l i s h e r

Lynn [email protected]

(317) 769-3456

e D i T O r

Jo Ellen Meyers [email protected]

C O N T r i b u T O r s Ron Everhart

Wendell Fowler

Jesse Kharbanda

Marianne Peters

tom mcCain

Carol Michel

Maria Smietana

C O p Y e D i T O r Joseph L. Bennett

s A l e s [email protected]

(317) 769-3456

g r A p h i C D e s i g N

Wilson Design (317) 624-9900

W e b D e s i g N

Margaret Hsu [email protected]

p r i N T i N g The Papers

Milford, Indiana

s u b s C r i p T i O N s

$18, six issuesIndiana Living Green

1730 S. 950 E.Zionsville, IN 46077

C i r C u l A T i O N

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INDIANA LIVING GREEN is published bimonthly and is printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks.

© 2010 by Indiana Living Green, Inc. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

b u i l D i N g / r e m O D e l i N g

• Sustainable Selections in Countertops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

e N v i r O N m e N T

• Reliable Facts on Climate Change. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

F A m i l Y / h O m e / e D u C A T i O N

• Fish Phone Apps for Moms-to-be. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10• Sustainable Art and Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

g A r D e N

• Homegrown Bounty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

l O C A l F O O D s / b e v e r A g e s

• What Do Those Labels Mean? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

T r A v e l

• Take a Hike on Indiana’s Wild Side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

F e A T u r e s

• Book Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11• Business Service Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

• Eat Right Now . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16• Footprints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6• Green Finds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12• Green, Greener, Greenest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 • Green Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28• Hoosier Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

• News Briefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

• Publisher’s Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

• The Last Row . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

T A b l e O F C O N T e N T s

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ON THE COVER: Easy to grow peas can be trained to climb a string trellis. © iStockphoto

greeN

greeNesTIndiana Living Green offers ways

for youto make a difference.

greeN

1. Understand food labels so you know what you are eating.

2. Choose sustainable fish regularly as a good source of protein.

3. Read, learn and discuss the concepts and effects of climate change.

greeNer

1. Know your food source: Join a Com-munity Supported Agriculture program or visit the farmers market weekly to support a strong green and healthy lifestyle by choosing to eat local. For resources: www.IndianaLivingGreen.com

2. Obtain info about which fish are safe to consume for a healthier you and

which are overfished and should not be eaten at all.

3. Act personally to do your part to reduce your carbon footprint. To learn

more, sign up for a workshop such as the Living Lean and Green series.

greeNesT

1. Grow tomatoes, lettuce, herbs or other foods that you will enjoy. Feel the soil. Understand the process. Share

or preserve the surplus.

2. Join the Meatless Mondays movement to protect the natural resources of the planet.

3. Be involved. Join an organization such as the Hoosier Environmental

Council, which educates and advocates on behalf of the planet.

greeNer

g r e e n g r e e t i n g s

This line from a poem by Douglas Malloch has been with me since grade school days when I first came across it. Even then, not knowing much about “dark days,” I still found it encouraging. If you dwell too long on climate change, the war on terror, peak oil or the economy, you can quickly become overwhelmed and lose hope.

No matter how rough the ride, there is always a bottom out. We just need to keep on riding so we are on track for the upswing, turnaround and new begin-nings. To achieve any goal it’s just as important to keep focus and avoid the distractions along the way. We hope our stories in this issue help keep you upbeat, focused and optimistic about the future. Like many other small businesses, Indiana Living Green has been bumped and thumped along the way, but we are optimistic about the future. We are in the process of making changes to bring you more green lifestyle ideas, resources and events. To this end we are soliciting your suggestions for what you want. We are

also looking to expand our green team with additional sales people for Central Indiana including Indy and Blooming-ton, and with regional outposts in Fort Wayne and possibly Evansville or Rich-mond. Our search also includes a new editor. Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp has decided it’s time for her to move forward with other business opportunities, and I am incred-ibly indebted to her for her professional expertise in helping to launch ILG. If you are interested in learning more or have ideas to share, please contact me. In the meantime, think positive and keep singing; spring is just around the corner! n

Ah, that’s the reason a bird can sing

On his darkest day, he believes in Spring!

F R O M P U B L I S H E R l Y N N J e N K i N s

SUBMISSIONS: [email protected] • Fax: (317) 251-8545 Indiana Living Green 1730 S. 950 E., Zionsville, IN. 46077

m a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 0 5

Be optimistic

Along with the good news of a balanced budget, plus increased attendance, membership and donations, Conner Prairie Interactive History Park also celebrates a 40 percent increase in re-cycling efforts and valuable energy savings in 2009. “One of the goals of Conner Prairie’s strategic plan is to be excellent stewards of our 850 acres of land,” says Ellen M. Rosenthal, the park’s president and chief executive officer. Conner Prairie has a green team that works on initiatives and practices to improve the park’s efforts in sustain-ability. Administrators also request sustainable items from their vendors for paper for marketing collateral, trash bags, soaps and green cleaners. “We also look at green building practices,” said Angela Tuell, the park’s public relations manager. “For example, when we built the new Café on the Common, we looked at water runoff and the use of rain gardens. The runoff does not go to the water treatment plant,” In many ways, she said, Conner Prairie has always been sensitive to its natural environment and preserving its 850 acres. “This has especially become a concentra-tion since our independence five years ago. Our formal recycling program is going into its third year,” Tuell said. The park’s commitment to sustainability is part of its message to guests about the values of people who lived on the land 175 years ago. These residents “naturally recycled and reused food, clothes, tools, buildings — basically everything since they didn’t have the option to simply go buy new,” Thuell said. A part of life in 1836 was the reuse of animal waste. Compost bins can be found in Liberty Corner, where interpreters cook and garden. The park also donates left-over food from events, catering and festivals to a local pantry. Last year, Conner Prairie installed a wind turbine and solar panels, which gener-ated enough electricity to power three homes for a year. The park planted prairie grasses on 200 acres that had been leased for farming. As the area matures, mazes will be created for people to walk among the grasses and wildflowers. The park saw a 40 percent increase over 2008 in recycling efforts. The 2009 stats: aluminum, 3.3 tons; corrugated cardboard, 4.5 tons; office paper, 9.4 tons; plastic, 2.5 tons; glass, 9 tons; and miscellaneous metals, 4.1 tons; total, 32.8 tons. “I am proud of our guests and staff, who each year, raise the bar on our re-cycling efforts, and am equally proud of the impact the prairie restoration, wind turbine and solar panel projects are having on our environment,” Rosenthal said. n

f o o t p r i n t s b Y J O e l l e N m e Y e r s s h A r p

Conner Prairie draws on historic model for today’s sustainability

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Here are some of the Indiana Earth Day events you’ve told us about

Avon April 17, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.Avon-Washington Township Park

www.hendrickssolidwaste.com

Fort Wayne April 18, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.Corner of N. Anthony & Niagara

www.savemaumee.org

Indianapolis April 24, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.White River State Park

www.earthdayindiana.org

Richmond April 17, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.Indiana University East Campus

www.familyearthdaycelebration.org

Southern Indiana May 8, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.Falls of the Ohio State Park, Clarksville

www.fallsoftheohio.org

Vincennes April 24, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.Riverfront Pavilion

[email protected]

Zionsville April 18, 1- 4 p.m.Zionsville Town Hall

www.zionnaturecenter.org

eArTh DAY eveNTs:

Ellen Rosenthal (left)

Prairie restoration at Conner Prairie.

T r a N S p O r T a T I O N

Pedal & Park reaches milestoneIndianapolis— Pedal & Park, an all-volunteer program, is celebrating its 10th season parking bicycles for free at public events in central Indiana. Since is inception, Pedal & Park has parked 19,404 bicycles (and an occasional pair of skates), including a record 3,949 bikes at 15 events in 2009. Volunteers mostly come from the partner organizations — the Central Indiana Bicycling Association, Bicycle Indiana, the Greenways Foundation, Indy Parks & Recreation and the Metropolitan Planning Organization, which provides major funding for the effort. The 2010 schedule has 13 events, plus two more that are tentative but likely, says tom mcCain (sic), one of the Pedal & Park founders. For this year’s events, to subscribe to e-mail bulletins or volunteer, please visit the Web site: www.pedalandpark.org

B U I l d I N g

Ice Miller’s Rypmaearns LEED certificationIndianapolis — Steven Rypma, an associate in Ice Miller’s Green Indus-tries Initiative and Real Estate Practice Group, has earned the Lead-ership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Associate certifica-tion from the U.S. Green Building Council. This non-legal certification denotes knowledge of green design, con-struction and operations. In addition to passing an exam, candidates must have experience on a LEED-registered project, employment or previous employment in a sustainable field of work, or engage-ment in or completion of an education program that addresses green building principles.

NeWsbrieFs

SUBMISSIONS: For the latest news about green living, visit: www.IndianaLivingGreen.com. Submit your news items with high-resolution images to: [email protected].

Nature Conservancy’s new headquarters wins water awardIndianapolis — The Nature Conservancy won one of the city’s first Sustainability Awards for its new headquarters in the category of water. Called the Efroymson Conservation Center, the headquarters at 620 East Ohio St., received recognition from Mayor Greg Ballard for the storm water management system. The building is scheduled to open in April and is set to earn the first platinum LEED certified building in the state. It will capture and control 100 percent of the storm water that falls on the building site. As such the site is not con-nected to the City’s Combined Sewer Overflow, or CSO, bur rather relies on low impact development, such as green roofs, native plants in the landscape, rainwater collection system on roof, a cistern, underground water infiltration that collects overflow, bio-retention area and permeable pavement.

r e c y c l I N g

Recycle option for expanded polystyreneIndianapolis — A company that

recycles expanded polystyrene has a drop-off site that’s open to the public. Createc of Indianapolis densifies the product and sends it to reprocessing plants, which convert it to crystalline polystyrene to be used again by plastics molders. Until recently, expanded poly-styrene (Styrofoam is the most familiar trademark) has been the hardest item to recycle. Clean, white EPS, No. 6 plastic can be deposited in bins on the southside of the Createc building, 6835 N. Guion Road, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

m a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 0 7

Pedal & Park at Bike to Work Day on Monument Circle. © tom mcCain

SnuggleUpWithaScientistThanks to the Internet, scientific data on climate change (usually

found in on-line journals and

magazines) is acces-sible to anybody. Just

be smart about your sources. The best scien-

tific information undergoes rigorous peer review before it

is published. Peer-review means other scientists have scrutinized

the data and conclusions for accuracy, methods and logical arguments. (Nature is a peer-reviewed journal that often tackles climate topics.) But if snuggling up with a scientific journal doesn’t appeal to you, a good place to start is USA Today’s Web site (www.usatoday.com/weather/wteach.htm). It provides a comprehensive index of climate sources for laypeople and educators.

GovernmentAssistance Another source for solid information is the biggest publisher in town: the U. S. government. Government agencies hoard all kinds of information. Check out the Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-tion (www.noaa.gov), and the U. S. Department of Energy (www.energy.gov) for anything from reports between agencies to helpful consumer factsheets. The National Climatic Data Center, part of NOAA, just launched an excit-ing new Web site, www.climate.gov, designed specifically to answer questions about climate research. I love the short video clips of scientists explaining their data — and why we should care about it — in everyday language.

WhatDoWeKnow,Anyway? Climate science is not set in stone. Most scientists agree that gas, oil and coal combustion increases the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere — that’s not a debate anymore. Data

The recent shenanigans dubbed “Climategate” made me even more aware of the need for clear climate information.

Here in Indiana, a state that depends on fossil fuel — especially coal — we can’t rely on hearsay and political

pontificating to make good decisions about our future. So where do we look for information that’s objective, scientific, and up-to-date?

Reliable Facts on Climate Change

b Y m A r i A N N e p e T e r s

8 w w w . i n d i a n a l i v i n g g r e e n . c o m

© iS

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.com

; Mar

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recorded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reveals that “seven of the eight warmest years on record have occurred since 2001 and the 10 warmest years have all occurred since 1995.” For a credible summation about what scientists know and don’t know about global warming, visit www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globalwarming.html. The debate comes when scientists, politicians, and ordinary citizens argue about how much human activity has sped up global warming, and what the consequences of that warming will be on earth’s climate patterns.

KeepLooking,KeepTalking How do we Hoosiers make sense of the good, the bad and the ugly of the worldwide climate conversation? We need to get informed, think critically and share our concerns with one another in open dialogue. Debate fuels conflict; listening and learning builds understanding. But listening is not enough. We need to make bold, informed decisions and take action to preserve our beauti-ful state (one of the world’s best kept secrets) in order to benefit the people, creatures and natural resources we need to thrive. n

Marianne Peters is a freelance writer and editor living in Plymouth. She has a Web site: www.wordsmithwritingservice.com and Weblog: http://hoosierwordsmith.typepad.com

m a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 0 9

Eclipsing any progress Indiana is making on bike trails and bike paths is the unwise and devastating effort to build a new terrain I-69 highway from Evansville to Indianapolis. This project would be an incredible misuse of Hoosier taxpayer resources and would cause irrevers-ible damage to thousands of acres of our wilderness and countryside. While some view this project as inevitable, the truth is that environmentally minded citizens like you can make a difference in getting Indiana to do the right thing — supporting an upgrade of existing roads rather than building a new highway.

5 KEy FACTS ABOuT THIS PROJECT

1. Building the new terrain route would destroy 7,000 acres of prime farmland, precious wetlands and pristine forests.

2. The new terrain route would also cut in half one of the few remaining bottomland forests in the Midwest — the Patoka National Wildlife Refuge.

3. The alternative to the new terrain highway — upgrading the U.S. 41/I-70 route — has minimal environmental costs, and could save Hoosier taxpayers up to $1.5 billion

compared to the new terrain route.

4. The new terrain route shaves less than 15 minutes of travel time between Evansville and Indianapolis over the more cost-efficient U.S. 41/I-70 alternative.

5. Every federal environmental agency prefers the U.S. 41/I-70 alternative route over the new terrain route.

TheTimeToActIsNow The proposed new terrain I-69 project is moving at a faster pace than ever in its controversial 20-year history: The first few miles were built last year, and key federal requirements are swiftly being met. Despite grossly lacking the funds to build the now projected $3.2 billion highway, the state is pushing ahead by proposing to cut corners on safety features — iuncluding using a thinner, less durable pavement — of the highway.

WhatYouCanDo If ever there was a cause to be a green-minded citizen in Indiana, it would be to voice your support for the common sense I-69 alternative — the U.S. 41/I-70 route — and voice opposition to new terrain I-69. Make a major difference in this effort. Make a presentation to your church, Rotary or Kiwanis clubs, and let them know the economic and environmental facts about this project. Write us at [email protected], and put “I-69” in your subject header; we’ll enroll you in a workshop to become an effective advocate. n

Jesse Kharbanda is the executive director of the Hoosier Environmental Council. You can learn more about renewable standards at www.hecweb.org

t h e e n v i r o n m e n t bY Jesse KhArbANDA

Saving Indiana’s Wilderness

To learn

more about

Indiana’s

wilderness,

see page 26.

Fish info for pregnant, nursing women on phone apps

Information about safe fish consumption for pregnant and nursing women is available from a variety of Purdue University sources, including an iPhone application, a wallet card and Web site www.fish4health.net

“We’re motivated to assure that babies are healthy, so our goal is to make sure that women eat fish and that they also make the best decisions to obtain the proper nutrients,” said Charles Santerre, a professor of food toxicology in Purdue’s Department of Foods and Nutrition. “Safe seafood consumption can be confusing when trying to remember which fish are safe to consume and at what frequency,” he said. Through these electronic outlets, as well as the traditional wallet card, women can look up information while they are shopping at the grocery store or eating at a restaurant. Women who make good decisions will reduce their babies’ risk from pollutants while opti-mizing the benefits from omega-3 fatty acids.” Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to brain and eye development, and con-suming mercury at high levels can lead to neurological problems. Recreationally caught fish and fish that is bought in grocery stores or selected in restaurants can contain mercury and PCBs (poly-chlorinated biphenyls) which are pollut-ants that can harm the developing brain. Salmon contains high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, while catfish, tila-pia and canned light tuna contain low amounts of the healthy fats.

Marlin, shark and swordfish are some of the fish that contain mercury or PCBs at levels that exceed safety standards for sensitive populations, such as pregnant or nursing women, women who will become pregnant and young children. The iPhone application and informa-tion about what fish to avoid, fish that are low in pollutants and fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids is available at the Fish for Your Health Web site. Fish for Your Health has recently been expanded to include information specific to individual states, such as ad-visories about eating fish from the local waters. The Indiana link also includes information specific to each county and information in Spanish. “Our preliminary data suggests that our wallet card encourages women to eat more seafood, in part by alleviating their fears of contaminants but also by providing credible information,” Santerre said. The Web site also features a video of Carl A. Behnke, chef and clinical pro-fessor instructor in Purdue’s Department of Hospitality and Tourism Manage-ment, demonstrating how to clean and safely prepare fish. The site also includes a video introduction. n

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m a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 0 1 1

What’s Wrong With My Plant? (And How Do I Fix It): A Visual Guide to Easy Diagnosis and Organic Remedies by David Deardorff and Kathryn Wadsworth, 2009, Timber Press, $24.95, paperback

The title is accurate. It’s a visual guide. It’s easy to use. It’s organic. And it provides help with both di-agnosis and cure. The book is divided into three parts: Part 1 includes flowcharts to help you determine what the problem is. The charts are a series of drawings with yes-or-no questions that lead you to more ques-tions until you arrive at a diagnosis. Once you have a diagnosis, you go to Part 2, which includes information on solutions and remedies, all of which are organic. Where organic based sprays are suggested, the authors emphasize safety and rank the solutions with signal words of “none,” “caution,” “warning” or “danger.” They advocate that any sprays with the last three signal words be used only if needed and not “just in case.” Each chapter in part 2 describes a par-ticular type of problem, such as bacteria, fungi, nematodes or mites, and provides interesting background information on each of these. The authors also offer a lot of good, basic plant culture infor-mation to help prevent some of these problems. Part 3 has photographs of plants with symptoms of many of the problems described in the book. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words and the authors don’t hold back. They in-clude numerous pictures that show signs and symptoms on roots, stems, fruits, flowers and leaves of real plants. I even noticed a picture of an onion with nematodes and realized that I’ve seen that same thing on some onions in my garden. But that’s okay, I can flip back to Part 2 and find organic solutions for

this problem, along with other problems identified. Where does this book belong on my bookshelf? Front and center. I want to be able to easily get to it as I stroll about

the garden being just a bit more observant noticing the signs and symptoms of possible problems. I have no other book that includes so much disease and pest information, so I’m sure it will end up being well read and oft referenced.

By carOl MIchel, www.maydreamsgardens ,

where th is rev iew f i rs t appeared and i s used here

wi th permiss ion.

Great Natives for Tough Places, edited by Niall Dunne, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 2009, $12.95, paperback

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has collected a garden full of native plants

with recommendations on the eight toughest places: sunny-dry; sunny-wet; shady-dry; shady-wet; alternative wet-dry; compacted soil; alkaline soil; and nutrient-depleted soil. The book is easy to read with, 120 plant profiles, including native range, at-tributes and planting guides. Well-known author C. Colston Burrell wrote the plant encyclopedia and Marielle Anzelone tells us how to source, propagate and estab-lish native plants. Gerry Moore explains plant adaptation, and editor Dunne describes the tough places that make gardening a challenge. Ulrich Lorimer provides a diagnostic tool for evaluating soil texture and other qualities. To get us started, Joan McDonald offers five design solutions for tough sites.

B y J O e l l e N M e y e r S S h a r p

bOOK revieWs


Lutron ElectronicsLutron’s eco-minder dimmers feature an LED display that indi-cates to homeowners when they are saving at least 15 percent in energy usage, essentially remind-ing users to dim the lights in order to reduce consumption. The dim-mers were recognized by Building Products magazine for its conservation prod-ucts in 2009. By replacing a standard switch with an eco-minder dimmer, homeowners can save up to $30 per year by extending the life of their light bulbs. The eco-minder comes in two styles: Maestro and Meadowlark, and is available in white, ivory, almond and light almond. Cost: $45 for Maestro; $25 for Meadowlark. For more info: www.lutron.com, (888) 588-7661.

Preserve Paperstone cutting boardsThese non-porous food prep boards are made from 100 percent recycled paper. The bar board, 8- by 6-inches, and prep board, 13- by 8-inches, are knife-friendly and dishwasher-safe. The wave-patterned grip hole makes it easy to hang the boards on a hook or a pot rack. The Paperstone brand board has an easy-to-clean non-porous coat-ing that is free from chemicals and petro-leum-based ingredients. The kitchen cutting board is made with paper that is sourced and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The olive-black prep board and bar board are also designed with soft curves that eliminate sharp corners. Cost: $13.95. Available at www.tuwa.com

John Ritz Organic MittsThese 100 percent organic cotton pocket mitts are like an oven mitt and glove all in one. Quality, thick, absorbent and waffled, a pocket mitt is the perfect thing to pull that organic bubbling cheesy lasagna out of the oven. Available in sand, solid canyon, solid leaf, surf and wheat,

they measure 7 _- by 9-inches. Cost: $7. Avail-able at www.CeleryStreet.com

Enviro-LogMade from 100 percent recycled waxed cardboard, Enviro-Log fire logs burn cleaner than wood while generat-ing 50 percent more heat. They are safe for use in outdoor cooking, and are the only manufac-tured fire logs safe for use in woodstoves. En-

viro-Log fire logs are also ideal for chimineas and outdoor fire pits, and you can even use the ash from your Enviro-Log fire logs as fertilizer or potting soil. Available at select

national retail locations including Home Depot, Walmart, K-Mart, Whole Foods and Meijer. For more info: www.enviro-log.net

greeN FiNDsIndy Wine Trail

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greeN FiNDsFOOd laBelS:

What do they really mean?

b Y l Y N N J e N K i N s

Truth in labeling has long been a concern for consumers. And, though there are some regulations in place to protect us, it’s up to the consumer to understand what is— or is not — guaranteed by the terms used. Here’s a quick rundown of terms commonly used on food labels:

CertifiedOrganic National organic standards for organic certification were implemented in 2002. Referred to as NOP, the National Organic Program is adminis-tered by the USDA. No state has established standards for organic certification. The actual certifica-tion process is handled by private certifying companies or Accredited Certifying Agents. Indiana Certified Organic is currently the only ACA based in Indiana. It is operated by Cissy Bowman, who has long been associated with organic farm-ing education in Indiana.

OtherLabels Out of the 10 years of vigorous discussions prior to 2002 came three levels of USDA certification: 100 percent Organic, Organic and Made with Organic Products. Here’s what they mean. 100 percent Organic is a term that can apply to fruits, vegeta-bles, meat and poultry. The label

signifies the products were produced without the use of most synthetic and petro-leum derived

pesticides and fertilizers, any antibiotics, genetic engineering, irradia-tion and sewage sludge. Animals must eat 100 percent organic feed with no animal byproducts or growth hormones

allowed. The animals must have access to the outdoors. Products labeled Made with Organic

Products must contain 70 percent organic prod-ucts, but may not use the NOP Organic logo. Unfortunately, there exists a 16-page National List of Allowed and Pro-hibited Substances, which identifies allowable sub-stitutes that may be used

if something is not available organically, and the natural substances that cannot be used. Water and salt are also excluded from having to be organic, so the term 100 percent may not be completely accurate. However, the existence of third-party certifiers does give good credibility to the system as long as you understand the limitations of the National List, such as the salt and water.

Natural Although this term is commonly seen on food and snack items, the USDA has only defined the standard for meat and poultry. Meat must be minimally processed without any artificial flavors, colors, chemical preservatives or synthetic ingredients. However, meat raised using antibiot-ics is not excluded from using the term natural. The manufacturer decides use of the term, and the claims are not verified by a third party. The term has no legal standards when applied to foods, and its lack of restrictions, such as the acceptance of antibiotic use, should be understood when purchasing meats or poultry.

Only those farms, crops and livestock

certified by ICO as meeting NOP

standards may use the ICO Logo.

Organic labeled products must be

95 percent organic. Both may use the

Organic logo.

—Continued on page 14


NoUseofHormones The USDA prohibits the use of hor-mones on pork and poultry products. Any claims made on pork or poultry packaging therefore must be followed by a statement that notes the use is already forbidden by federal regulations. Hormone usage is allowed under USDA guidelines for beef. The use of terms to denote the exclusion of hor-mones, such as “No hormones admin-istered” may be allowed with proper documentation. Third party inspectors are not required for either hormone or antibiotic claims, making the use of the terminology weak.

NoUseofAntibiotics Documentation must be provided to the USDA by the producer to demonstrate that the animals were raised without antibiotic use. However third party inspections are not re-quired.

PoultryandEggTerms Legal terminology for poultry raised for meat and egg production has overlapping and distinct meanings. USDA Certified Organic, as mentioned above, is approved by third parties under the guidelines. These USDA guidelines allow certain practices that some consumers have concerns with, such as beak cut-ting and forced molting. While access to outdoors is required, how much or under what circumstances is not defined. Generally speaking, you should assume that Certified Organic chickens are not spending time outdoors. Conventionally raised. Although you may not see the term appear on the egg carton, most — at least 90 percent — of egg-layers are raised conventionally. Un-der industry guidelines the term means stacked battery cages with six hens to a cage, each hen having 67 square inches

of floor space. This is just over 8 inches by 8 inches of space per bird. Cage Free hens are also probably not spending time outdoors. Hens in this environment are generally inside large poultry sheds or warehouses. The term is defined by the USDA without any third-party verification. Beak cutting is permitted. Free Range is defined by the USDA for poultry (not egg) production. Ac-cording to the regulations, the animals must have access to roam and “forage freely over a large area of open land.” However, there are no third party inspectors regulation is minimal. Unless

you know your farmer, do not assume that the chickens are actually spending time forag-ing outside.

OtherTermsGrass Fed — Defined by the USDA but not regu-lated, grass-fed animals are considered by many to produce healthier meat. Eatwild.com offers listings of farms with grass-fed animals, but no direct verification. Eat Wild guidelines restrict the use of grains and hormones, and include being raised outdoors as part of the criteria. The criteria also lead to a

more sustainable farming system. HoosierGanic is a self-policing term originated by growers in the Blooming-ton area in 2008. The term was coined in reaction to the federal government’s assuming control of the word organic. Many small farmers do not have the time, money or inclination to become federally certified. The costs may run several thousand dollars a year, depend-ing on the acreage and crops grown. Instead, the farmers opt to use the terms “natural” or “grown without chemicals.”

HoosierGanic indicates sustainable

farming methods as well as locally

raised food.

FOOD LABELS: WHAT DO THEY REALLY MEAN? — Continued from page 13

m a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 0 1 5

KnowYourFarmer Even more baffled now? As with any government-run program with legal implications, food labeling can be confusing. That’s why many small farm-ers encourage you to ask them about their growing methods or animal care methods and invite you to visit their farms. ILG encourages you to know your farmer by shopping at farmers markets or subscribing to a Community Supported Agriculture program.

reSOUrceS:

• USDA National Organic Program www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop

• Consumer Reports’ Greener Choices www.greenerchoices.org/eco-labels

• Indiana Certified Organic www.indianacertifiedorganic.com

• Eat Wild, www.eatwild.com

• USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service www.fsis.usda.gov/FactSheets

• National Agricultural Library http://agclass.nal.usda.gov/glossary.shtml

Put your newfound knowledge to

use at ILG’s Spring Green Scene

on Saturday, March 6, at the

Indianapolis City Market. The focus

is on local foods and natural

gardening with resources from

vendors and speakers. For details visit

www.IndianaLivingGreen.com

learN MOre:


After dusting off the dreary grayness of winter and savoring spring’s first tender greens, consider the infinite universe below the surface of your skin. Often overlooked, your inner ecosystem brims with trillions of needy inhabitants and chemical reac-tions dependent upon a green, pure, fresh diet harmonious with our design. Americans have departed from the path of nutritional righteousness. It’s stirring, however to see how swiftly the seed of “earth suit ecology” is being reborn within our green consciousness. To restore, give health and maintain the inner ecology, your earth suit needs to function with efficiency to keep ill health from robbing you of the joy of living. As Hippocrates, the father of medicine, waxed poetic in 400 B.C., “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” The Green Movement focuses on the external world of objects and resources; however, while greening what lies beneath your 2 milimeters of skin, you need a methodology for compassionately understanding the mechanisms by which it operates. By foraging from earth’s universal apothecary, we simultaneously nurture and heal our inner and outer milieu. Consuming a rainbow of sustainable local foods, crammed with vital cosmic energy, cultivates, refreshes and strengthens your earth suit’s mind-body ecosystem like a fresh spring breeze. After consider-ing both and making informed choices, you’ll discover local foods are eternally more flavorful, provide more energy, contain vastly more nutrients and make the cooking process a joyful celebration. There are many disquieting environmental factors affecting gut ecology. Our body intelligence does not recognize alien food not preordained for human con-sumption. These “foods” and the air you breathe worm their way into digestion. Mono-crop farming causes deficiencies in trace minerals, such as zinc and selenium, which aid elimination of toxic elements in food and prop up healthy biological processes. Depletion of nutrients by means of mono-crop agribusi-ness compromises below-the-skin ecology and the ability to synthesize essential vitamins; ergo, many people are subtly malnourished, susceptible to disease. Eating without thinking leaves you vulnerable to select foods less healthy for you, your family and Mother Earth. Savor the true flavor; ponder its source, what it’s doing for your viscera and then express gratitude. Your body is your buddy.

Chef Wendell Fowler (www.chefwendell.com) has been a vegan vegetarian for 20 years, prompted by his near-death from terminal viral heart disease. He lost 100 pounds and over-came alcohol, cigarettes and fast food. Death can be rather motivating.

e a t r i g h t n o w bY WeNDell FOWler

Hippocrates was right

If you would like to arrange for ‘Lunch & Learn’ Professional Chef Wendell to speak to your group or organization: (317) 372-2592 or visit www.chef-wendell.com

Two Artists make something Old

New Again

m a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 0 1 7

b Y m A r i A N N e p e T e r s

C r e A T i v e s u s T A i N A b i l i T Y :

Neither Chris Jaworski nor Ernie Taylor has formal art training. What they know about sculpture they learned on their families’ farms: how to

dismantle and repair equipment, how to use what’s on hand. Sometimes whimsical, sometimes abstract, sometimes startlingly realistic, their creations range from tabletop objects to statues more than 10 feet tall. Each artist brings a different philosophy to his creative process, but they have this in common:

the vision to see something new emerging from something discarded.

Above: The Taylors’ mailbox.

Right: A 12-inch tall critter watches visitors at Jaworski’s home.© Marianne Peters

Creative Sustainability Chris Jaworski is also the inventor of the Octopot Garden Vertical Growing System (www.octopotgarden.com), a container garden that can be used in small spaces such as patios or balconies. Jaworski’s artwork and professional landscape design services are available through his web site www.chrisjaworski.com

PuzzlePieces When people ask award-winning artist Chris Jaworski what he does for a living, he says with a smile, “Do you have an hour?” Landscape designer, horticulturist, sculptor, inventor and entrepreneur, he sees possibility in a pile of rusty hardware. Raised on a small farm near South Bend, Jaworski has a passion to honor his rural past by using farm tools to make fine art. He began his sculpting career with equipment from his family’s operation after he saw another repur-posed metal sculpture. “Like most farm-ers, I saw that piece and said, ‘I can do that!’ ”

Working with rescued implements such as “the older the better” tractors and cultivators, Jaworski first dismantles them, but leaves each part intact. “The shape of the metal tells me what it wants to be.” One piece of sculpture can take months as he waits for that last crucial component. Then, after grinding off the rust and debris, he welds the pieces together into a finished work. Jaworski and his wife, Robin, make their home in Union, Mich., on 18 acres along the shores of Baldwin Lake, just across the Indiana state line. A Purdue University-educated horticulturist and

landscaper, he wants to trans-form the site into sculpture gardens where people can enjoy his creations in a natural envi-ronment. Society, he believes, is increasingly industrialized — people need to reconnect with the land before they can think about preserving it. On his property, toothy dinosaurs roam,

fanciful plants bloom and abstract shapes add focal points. “My goal is to offer an environment of art and education that supports the idea of local agriculture and brings atten-tion to the disappearing family farm,” he says. Jaworski’s works have garnered him recognition and many awards, including the 2009 Mayor’s Award at the India-napolis Museum of Art, chosen from among 300 other works; the Best Sculp-ture award at the 2008 Krasl Art Fair in

St. Joseph, Mich.; and the 2008 Carmel International Arts Fair. His sculptures are on permanent display at the Kinsey Institute Gallery at Indiana University.

“It’sHistory,Honey” Ernie Taylor, a spry 80-something, made his living as a welder, a skill that comes in handy nowadays. Like Chris Jaworski, a background in farming taught him to dismantle farm imple-ments, which he now picks up at auc-tions and uses to create unique folk art. Unlike Jaworksi, however, he doesn’t hesitate to reshape each piece into what-ever his imagination conjures up. The field next to his modest home on State Road 32 near Zionsville displays row after row of his creations, often startling passing motorists. Giant spiders crouch, their long legs made of rebar. A dinosaur towers overhead. Whirligigs slowly rotate in the breeze. Taylor and his wife, Dot, gladly give impromptu tours for anyone who stops by. Taylor’s imagination never stops. Af-ter a dead tree trunk clogged up a stream on his property, he hauled it out of the water. In a moment of inspiration, he washed the mud off the roots and stuck the trunk in a barrel. Then he fashioned an eagle out of scrap metal, painted it, and placed it on the trunk, where the


Ernie and Dot Taylor take a break at their farm near Zionsville. © Marianne Peters

Metal staghorn adorns an out-side wall at Jaworski’s Michigan home. © Marianne Peters

m a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 0 1 9

now-bare roots resemble an eagle’s nest. People want to buy his objects, but Taylor isn’t selling. “Money takes the fun out of it,” he said. Eight years ago, after six decades of working hard every day as a welder, he survived a heart attack that left him in a coma for 30 days. Once he regained consciousness, he decided to slow down. At age 72, he learned to play the guitar. Eventually he started sculpting. He and Dot also have several barns full of 19th century farm and household artifacts. Both avid collectors, Taylor says they didn’t start out to be sculp-tors or museum curators, but they enjoy receiving visitors and talking about the way things used to be. “It’s history, honey,” says Dot. Her husband doesn’t dwell on the past, however. He’s busy inventing his next object.

A metal eagle sculpted by Ernie Taylor nests in an inverted tree trunk. © Marianne Peters

Living sustainably means living delib-erately. It takes imagination to incor-porate reducing, reusing and recycling into everyday life, to use what’s on hand instead of always seeking new resources. Ernie Taylor and Chris Jaworski, in making brand new art out of old junk, demonstrate how creative a sustainable life can be. n Marianne Peters is a freelance writer and editor living in Plymouth. She has a Web site: www.wordsmithwritingservice.com and Weblog: http://hoosierwordsmith.typepad.com


More than 19.5 million, or 18 per-cent, grew herbs and 16.5 million, or 15 percent, grew their own fruit. For 2010, 37 percent of households said they planned to increase their edible gardens, and 29 percent said they planned on planting about the same that they did in 2009, the survey found.

Hell-StripGardens If the only place you have to plant vegetables is the front yard, go for it. “It’s time to reclaim our land for our greater good. Take that food-produc-ing garden from the back 40 and put it wherever we want,” said Margie Grace, the 2009 International Landscape De-signer of the Year by the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. The area of ground between a side-walk and the street, sometimes called the hell-strip, is a perfect place for grow-ing food, she said.

Growing our own food looks like it will be as popular in 2010 as it was in 2009. In 2009, more than 41 million American households (including the White House), or about 38 percent, grew vegetables, according to the 2009 Edibles Gardening Trends Research Report, conducted by the Garden Writers Association Foundation.

b Y J O e l l e N m e Y e r s s h A r p

BountyHomegrown

A young gardener waters the Community Heights Community Garden (upper right) at School 88 on Indianapolis’ east side. Photo courtesy Marion County Extension Office.

The Marion County Master Gardeners demon-stration garden at Intech Park grew about 400 pounds of produce that was donated to a food pantry. © Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp

m a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 0 2 1

A container the size of a 5-gallon bucket can hold one tomato or pep-per plant or a bamboo teepee for green beans. Growing food in containers allows you to move the plants to the sunniest places in the landscape.

BuySeedsEarly The best selection comes with the early purchase of seeds. However, this year, there’s additional reason to buy early. Susan Reimer, a blogger for the Baltimore Sun, reports seed merchants are concerned about this year’s supply. Diseases and poor production in 2009 greatly reduced the availability of seed, especially onion sets and cucumber seeds, said Barbara Melera, president of D. Landreth Seed Co., which is celebrating its 225th year in the busi-ness, making it the oldest seed company in the United States.

Hereareafewtipstogetyoustartedandensureyoursuccess:

• Start small. You can always add more space next year. The average size for experienced gardeners is about 600 square feet.

• Grow what your family likes to eat. If no one likes spinach or okra, don’t grow them.

• The site should get at least eight hours of direct sun a day. The soil should be well drained. Access to water is a plus. Take advantage of the sunny spots in your landscape with containers if ground space is limited.


Homegrown

© Fotolia.com

Countertops• Consider a raised bed in urban areas, where yards are small, dense with tree roots and have soil that is heavily compacted. Also, urban gardeners are encouraged to get their soil tested for lead contamination. Contact your local health department for details.

• Fill raised bed with 3 parts topsoil and 1 part compost or rotted manure. These products come in 40-pound bags at garden centers or as planting mixes in bulk from landscape supply centers.

• For an in-ground bed, dig 10- to 12-inches deep. Apply two or more inches of compost or rotted manure and work into the soil. Or, add a couple of inches of bulk planting mix to the soil surface and smooth off.

Always avoid walking on garden beds.

HOMEGROWN BOUNTY — Continued from page 21

Indiana Seed Merchants

• Nature’s Crossroads, Bloomington, featuring the ‘Mr. Trusty’ tomato. www.naturescrossroads.com

• Urban Farmer Seeds, Indianapolis, featuring ‘Money Maker’ tomato. www.ufseeds.com

• Heartland Family Farm, Bedford, featuring heirloom seeds, sold at farmers markets, (812) 279-0480

• Local Harvest, national/local, featuring heirloom seeds, www.localharvest.org/ store/seeds.jsp

For beginners, buy tomatoes and peppers as transplants at the garden cen-ter or farmers market. It may be a little more expensive and the varieties will be limited compared to what is available online or from mail order catalogs, but it’s the easiest. Grow beans, corn, peas, lettuce, squash, melon and most other veg-etables from seed, which can be sown directly into the soil once all danger of frost has passed. Follow the seed packet instructions for the best results. n

Youngsters pick beans at the Felege Hiywot Center’s garden in Indianapolis. Photo courtesy Marion County Extension Office.


m a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 0 2 3

CountertopsFOR SuSTAINABLE-MINDED CONSuMERS

Probably second only to the demands of floors, countertops must withstand moisture, cleaning products, hot pots and pans, ice, occasional slices from a knife, pounding from a meat mallet and more. “A lot of people are worried about allergies and the different chemicals in the home,” said Robyn Baker, a designer with Green Way Supply of Indianapolis. Countertops also hit the consumers’ radar as they plan to build a new home, remodel an existing one or upgrade their kitchen, she said. Here are some examples of counter-tops made with sustainable materials and processes: Recycledglassandcastconcrete— contains at least 80 percent recycled materials. Vetrazzo is one manufacturer that offers many options for size and

color of glass and concrete. It is carried by Carter-Lee ProBuild in Indianapolis. Not as porous as marble, yet as durable as granite, this material withstands heat and is easy to clean. It does not contain glues and other products that can irritate allergies. It costs $40- to $90 a square foot, making it comparable to other solid surface products, such as Corian. This material requires application of a sealant every few years, Baker said. Recycledpaper — usually made of 100 percent recycled cardboard. “This

does not look like paper,” Baker said. “It looks more like soapstone. It wears well.” One brand is PaperStone, which Green Way Supply carries. Although the material resembles stone, it gener-ally offers a softer, warmer appearance. Made with a non-petroleum-based resin, it darkens over time to resemble the gradient colors of natural stone. Regular wood cutting tools can be used on this product. Expect to pay at east $30 a square foot.


Worry about chemicals and concerns about the environ-ment fuel consumer interest in the countertop, one of the toughest and most-used surfaces in the home.

Vetrazzo’s Floating Blue recycled glass countertop. © 2008 Joel Puliatti

Recycledglasstiles — made with recycled ceramic tiles and generally more moisture- and stain-resistant than regular tiles. These tiles are usually 100 percent recycled product. They wear well and come in many colors and styles, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. One of the more popular brands is Terra Green Ceramics, made in Richmond, Ind. Recycledplastic — amount of recycled product used varies depending on manufacturer. Regardless of recycled content, this product keeps plastic bottles, bags and PVC out of landfills. Some may flex over time, and the mate-rial is not recyclable. It runs $50 to $100 a square foot.


COUNTERTOPS FOR THE SUSTAIBALE-MINDED CONSUMER — Continued from page 23

Solidsurface — Torzo Surfaces are made with many agriculture by-prod-ucts, such as recycled wood, cashew oil, wheat straw and sugar cane. Besides the normal use as horizontal surfaces, Torzo products also can be used for vertical applications such as paneling, dividers and cabinets.

Concrete: $100 per square foot.

Marble: $50-$100 per square foot.

Granite: $50-$100 per square foot.

Wood: $50-$100 per square foot.

Ceramic: $10-$30 per square foot.

Limestone: $50-$100 per square foot.

Slate: $50-$100 per square foot.

Quartz: $50-$100 per square foot.

Stainless Steel: $100-$200 per square foot.

Laminate: $25-$50 per square foot.

Solid Surface: $90-$150 per square foot.

Source: www.CounterTopsKey.com

cOST cOMparISON

PaperStone’s Obsidian recycled paper countertop. Photo courtesy PaperStone.com

Vetrazzo’s Champagne recycled glass counter-top. © 2008 Joel Puliatti

m a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 0 2 5

Otheroptions:

Reuse — Last year, Indianapolis resident Julie Rhodes shared with Indiana Living Green readers her experiences remodel-ing the family’s kitchen. She lives near downtown and is passionate about sus-tainability. For her countertops, she re-cycled an old chalkboard that had hung in a school classroom. Used doors also have been used as countertops along with stainless steel pulled from demoli-tion or restaurant remodeling projects.Refinish— Countertops, including Formica, can be refinished or painted. This is usually 50 percent less expensive than replacing countertops and reduces the amount a time a kitchen (or bath) may be out of commission. For the best looking job, hire an expert. n

reSOUrceS:

• U.S. Green Building Council’s Green Home Guide to Countertops, http://bit.ly/9dik95

PaperStone’s Chocolate recycled paper counter-top. Photo courtesy PaperStone.com

Wild Side


“Sometimes it can certainly seem, while fighting with trucks for space on one of our numerous superhighways, that factories, farms and pavement cover every square inch of Indiana. Happily, that’s not true. Tucked here and there around our state are hundreds of natural areas that are open to the public and worth seeking out. Some are real gems,” he writes in the introduction. Many of his 150 selections fall under the few-to-no-facilities category and will likely challenge hiking, wilderness and backpacking skills. Others are familiar treks. Habeck, who grew up in Florida, moved to Indiana in 1982 as a graduate student at Purdue University. He works for the Indiana Department of Environ-mental Management in risk assessment. “I’ve been traipsing around Indiana for more than 20 years,” he said. He first started taking notes on his hikes in the mid-1990s, thinking he’d develop a Web site and post his experi-

ences there. Eventually, though, he opted for a paperback book, which lists GPS coordinates, driving instructions, refer-ences and a brief narrative of each locale. All of the areas in the book are Habeck’s favorites, but the extra special ones come with a star. The book divides Indiana into eight regions, each reflecting topographical, ecological or geographic uniqueness. Here’s a sampling from each:

Dune and Prairie RegionGibsonWoodsNaturePreserveHLakeCounty

Gibson Woods Nature Preserve protects the largest remaining example of a rare landform known as dune and swale, in-cluding a rare black oak savanna. Three trails: Short or Prairie Dune Trail, which

TAKE A HIKE ON INDIANA’S


If you are looking for an informative and personal take on the wild side of Indiana, Michael Habeck leads the way. His recent-ly released book, Wild Indiana, celebrates some of the state’s well-known and lesser-known wilderness areas.

is close to the Nature Center; Self-Guid-ing or Nippissing Lake Trail, about one-mile long; and the Long Trail, which ventures into the eastern portion of the preserve. Amenities: bathrooms and wa-ter available at the nature center. Info:(219) 844-3188; http://bit.ly/85ZNoV

Lake County RegionPotatoCreekStateParkSt.JosephCounty

At 4,000 acres, Potato Creek is one of Indiana’s largest state parks. It was carved out of farmland. “Parts still have the appearance of overgrown fields,” Habeck wrote. Nevertheless, the park has grown on him, especially the Indi-ana Department of Natural Resources’

Wild Indiana by Mike HabeckSundew Press, $11.95

Indian paintbrush at Gibson Woods Nature Preserve. © Ron Everhart

Wild Side

m a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 0 2 7

efforts to return previously drained wetlands to their original state. The result has been an important nesting side for osprey, a large, fish-hunting raptor. Amenities:nature center, campground, bathrooms and cabins. Info:(574) 656-8186; http://bit.ly/6Y9K6H

Upper Wabash RegionFoxIslandNaturePreserveAllenCounty

The 600-acre Fox Island County Park is part of the largest continuous block of forest remaining in the county and a favorite spot for birders. Fox Island Nature Preserve covers 270 acres in the park. The name comes from an “ancient dune that was once an island in the river of melt water released by the Wisconsin glacier.”Amenities:nature center, water, bathrooms. Info:(260) 449-3180; http://bit.ly/7URYkQ

Middle Wabash RegionCleggBotanicalGardensTippecanoeCounty

“This little known destination includes several well-maintained trails that ex-plore ravines and stream banks adjacent to Wildcat Creek.” Many of the trees are labeled. “Habitat includes woods, oak savanna, gravel hill prairie, the latter quite rate in Indiana.” Amenities:none. Info:(765) 423-1325.

Till Plain RegionMoundsStateParkMadisonCounty

The state park preserves several earth works created by Native Americans at least 200 years B.C. The Great Mound, which is about 1/4-mile in circumfer-ence, “is a must see.” Avoid the con-gested and noisy Trail 5, he suggests. Amenities:camping, nature center, toilets, water. Info: (765) 642-6627; http://bit.ly/6RxDVK

Lower Wabash RegionTwinSwampsNaturePreservePoseyCounty

This nature preserve is one of the last remnants of an ecosystem that once dominated southwestern Indiana. Bald cypress and swamp cottonwood dominate one of the swamps. “No mat-ter where you are in this outstanding

preserve, you have an excellent chance of encountering one or more reptiles or amphibians...(and) various biting insects. Bring repellent.” Amenities:none. Info:http://bit.ly/8xOEEU

Hill Country RegionO’BannonWoodsStateParkHarrisonCounty

Formerly Wyandotte Woods State Recreation Area, O’Bannon Woods’ star hiking adventure is the Adventure Hiking Trail, “a knee-busting 20-mile loop” that passes through the park and the adjacent Harrison-Crawford State Forest. The one-mile Ghost Trail, built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conserva-tion Corps, runs along a “small creek bed with short, stiff climbs and descents, but nothing terribly challenging.” Amenities: nature center, campground, showers, water. Info: (812) 738-8232; http://bit.ly/5FDgOW

Southeast RegionCalliNaturePreserveJenningsCounty

A substantial stretch of the two-mile loop through the preserve follows the Muscatatuck River, including a scenic stretch that features “limestone cliffs that rise 20 or 30 feet above the op-posite bank and are often undercut by the river.” Also, hikers will see hemlock groves, meadow and a white and red oak fused into one tree. “Calli is the best place I know of to see (the native spring ephemeral) twinleaf in large clumps in several locations.” Amenities:none. Info: (812) 346-5553; http://bit.ly/6sDtF1 n

Cypress tree in Twin Swamps Nature Preserve. © Ron Everhart

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Food trends, like hair styles, tend to run in cycles, so it should come as no surprise that even vegetables are not exempt from the fickleness of fashion. Some years, everyone wants rainbow chard and mini eggplant. The next season, they’re so “yesterday” that even the compost pile won’t take them. So what’s a poor produce farmer to do? We comb the seed catalogs, plant flashy new varieties of old favorites, and – if we’re really brave – branch out into crops we’ve never dared to grow before. If we’re lucky, one or two of the addi-tions might thrive in our soil type, and we’ll have a new hit to stuff into the recyclable totes that hang from the arms of our buying public. Between farm chores, we growers also keep one eye and ear on the media, from Facebook to HGTV. We know that if something is big in Boston or Berkeley, it might soon become hot in the Heartland. I’ve also learned to rely on my per-sonal “food channels,” an East Coast-dwelling brother and sister-in-law who are avid gardeners and devoted foodies. So when they mentioned microgreens a couple of seasons ago, I had to pay attention. Microgreens, it turns out, are a re-invention of the humble sprout, which once populated salad bars and deli sandwiches from coast to coast. Instead of starting life in a sprouter, though, the seeds are densely sown over a layer of soil or growing medium spread in a shallow pan. After a couple of weeks of warmth and watering, they’ve become a tight little table-top garden of baby shoots and leaves that’s hard to beat for taste, nutrition and sheer visual appeal. It all sounded too easy, so I took the microgreen plunge early last year, before my gardens had much to offer by way

From Merely Green to MicroGreen

of full-grown spring crops. I tried pea shoots first, having watched another farmer sell them with great success. When I was rewarded a couple of weeks later with healthy little leaves that had taken almost no effort to grow, I was sold on the concept. Next came wheat grass, a good use for the wheat kernels I had acquired for reasons I couldn’t remember. Wheat grass took even less effort to grow than the pea shoots, and it yielded a minia-ture pasture of bright green stems that was just begging for a tiny cow and a toy tractor. The taste was unremark-able, but I soon learned that wheat grass wasn’t meant to be eaten solo. Instead, it was supposed to be thrown in the juicer to become part of mixed-vegetable beverages that are all the rage in trendy juice bars. As a farmer, I’m more accustomed to crop failure, so two successes in a row left me admittedly dazed. Nevertheless,

I was ready to move up to popcorn shoots, used as a salad garnish. Unlike the wheat grass, these toddlers were anything but boring, packing a degree of sweetness that puts even sugar cane to shame. Clearly, they weren’t meant to be eaten solo either, but for totally different reasons than the wheat grass. Had the outdoor farming season not pulled me back to reality, I could easily have kept on growing microgreens for-ever. A quick Google search confirmed for me that I would not have run out of candidates, as almost any seed-sown crop known to man can be eaten at the micro-stage. Given enough springtimes, I may just make a dent in that venerable list. n

Maria Smietana is a refugee from the corpo-rate world who now writes and grows organic produce on her mini-farm in Boone County.

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March/April 2010 - Indiana Living Green Magazine