September/October 2009 - Indiana Living Green

ENERGY

• Solar Installations Heat Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

FAMILY/HOME/EDUCATION

• Worm Compost at Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

GARDEN/NATURE

• Lights Out for Bird Migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

• Purdue Gardens Have International Flavor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

LOCAL FOODS/BEVERAGES

• Alternative Crops Take Root . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

FEATURES

• Book Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

• Footprints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

• Green, Greener, Greenest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

• Green Finds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

• Green Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

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

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

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

Put worms to work on kitchen scraps. SEE PAGE 24.

TABLE OF CONTENTS :

I N D I A N A L I V I N G G R E E Nis published bimonthly and is printed on

recycled paper with soy-based inks.

© 2009 by Indiana Living Green, Inc.Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

P U B L I S H E RLynn Jenkins

[email protected](317) 769-3456

E D I TO RJo Ellen Meyers Sharp

[email protected]

C O N T R I B U TO R S :Sue ArnoldJoe Bennett

Shannon CagleKatelyn Dunntom mcCain

Meghan McCormickMaria Smietana

Jennifer StreisandRenee Sweany

C O P Y E D I TO RJoseph L. Bennett

S A L E [email protected]

(317) 769-3456

G R A P H I C D E S I G NPaul Wilson Design(317) 624-9900

W E B D E S I G NMargaret Hsu Stout

[email protected]

P R I N T I N GThe Papers

Milford, Indiana

S U B S C R I P T I O N S$18, six issues

Indiana Living Green1730 S. 950 E.

Zionsville, IN 46077

C I R C U L A T I O N20,000

T H E GREEN C A L E N D A R

VISIT IndianaLivingGreen.com FOR THE MOST UP TO DATE CALENDAR!

ON THE COVER: Solar array on Columbus home of Michael and LizGreven. Photo courtesy EcoSource.com

3

GREENER1. Learn more about the migration of birds and theirdependence on native plants.

2. Become familiar with the enormous power of solarenergy and its potential use in Indiana. Support legis-lation that allows clean solar energy to become com-petitive with coal in order to protect our air and water.

3. Whenever you can, choose local grocers, butchers, inde-pendent restaurants, artisans and those businesses thatoffer eco-friendly products and espouse green initia-tives.

Indiana Living Green offers ways for you to make a difference.

GREEN•GREENER

GREENEST

Illustration©iStock.com

GREENEST1. Explore the seasonality and locality of nature by spending time outdoors at parks,preserves or your own backyard. Experience nature firsthand.

2. Consider using solar actively with a solar hot water system or with the installation ofpanels to produce electricity.

3. Go out of your way to shop and support local green businesses. Tell them you appreciatetheir efforts to provide environmentally responsible products, services and information.

4 www.IndianaLivingGreen.com

GREEN1. Get outside to enjoy nature by bird watching and feeding the birds.2. Use solar passively by opening drapes and blinds on sunny days in winter.3. Look for and purchase local produce and meats and locally made products while shopping.

Illustration©iStock.com

PLEASE SENDYOUR RANTS&RAVES TO:[email protected]

Fax: (317) 251-8545Indiana Living Green

1730 S. 950 E., Zionsville, IN. 46077

Most of us have had to deal with new ways to stretch

funds, tighten belts and loosen our grip on what we

considered normal. Fortunately, most analysts’ reading

of the numbers proclaims that with the tax cuts and

stimulus packages, we are finally getting back on track

— back to normal, everyday living. But is that what we

want? Is it what we need? How about a “new normal?”

Living withoutmay have led someof us to reconnect with family, friendsand nature in new ways, finding ourown entertainment and adventure.Hopefully we have learned a newnormal of doing without many of themust haves we used to need. It’s agreener lifestyle — easier on the earth— than the lifestyle of replacingperfectly good “old” with somethingelse just because it is “new.” These arelessons learned the hard way in toughtimes, but they are good green lessons.

One thing Indiana Living Greenhas learned in this struggle is howmuch we appreciate our subscribers!It’s been a tough year for us since, asa free magazine, we depend oneco-friendly businesses to support usthrough advertising so we can delivera green message to you at no charge.But many of our advertisers have hadtheir own struggles in this economy.So each subscription has helped ussurvive this recession.

People occasionally ask whyanyone would pay for a subscription

to a free magazine. Our subscriberstell us they do so either for the conven-ience of having ILG delivered to theirdoors, or because they want to supportILG’smission to provide information,resources and opportunities for andabout local people, events, ideas andlifestyles, and to encourage consumersand businesses to live, work and growin a sustainable manner.

So thanks, subscribers! Yoursubscriptions are the stimulus we’veneeded to help us through our strug-gles. We are grateful! And if you don’tyet have a subscription, isn’t this aperfect time to show your support fora cleaner, greener Indiana?

LYNN JENKINS

Indiana Living Green September/October 2009 5

GREENGreetings! Lynn Jenkins,Publisher

Struggles, stimulusand subscriptions… backto a ‘new normal?’

belief that students can help drive themovement.

“I’m keen on the power of studentactivism,” Brown said. “With their enthu-siasm, the university becomes energized.”

Brown has seen eagerness from othercampus groups as well, including manystudent clubs and departmental greenteams. Over the coming years, he hopesto unify policies on recycling, greencleaning, integrated pest managementand green purchasing.

Apart from leading the SustainabilityInternship Program, Brown teachesclasses in the School of Public andEnvironmental Affairs, and helps tobring green issues to the attention ofstudents, faculty and the administration.“As a leader in sustainability, whatyou’re leading is change,” he says. �

ill Brown isnot new tothe green

scene. Since hiscollege days at BallState University,where he majored ingreen architecture,Brown has been pro-moting, supportingand implementingsustainable practiceson whatever projectshe touches, includingthe “Green the WhiteHouse” campaign duringthe Clinton Administration.

Since March, Brownhas applied his greentouch at Indiana Univer-sity as its first director ofsustainability. For the past severalmonths, Brown, a former biologyteacher and architect at Browning DayMullins and Dierdorf and Mullins inIndianapolis, has focused on sustain-ability initiatives in academic programsand campus operations. That includesenergy, transportation, food, infrastruc-ture, new construction and remodeling.

The Dale native says he’s found his“dream job” at I. U. Brown is excitedabout expanding the university’s intern-ship program, in which students performresearch and help implement programssuch as the campus-wide EnergyChallenge. Nearly 140 students appliedfor 18 spots in this past summer’sprogram. The interest affirms Brown’s

Footprints provides snapshots of Hoosiers who embrace, promote and foster asustainable lifestyle. If you have someone to recommend, please e-mail:[email protected]

SUBMISSIONS

FOOTPRINTS BY KAT E LYN DUNN


B

Katelyn Dunn is a senior at Indiana University studying journalism and non-profit manage-ment and hopes to pursue a career in communications for a non-profit organization.

Bill Brown discusses wetland ecology with I.U.students. Photos courtesy Indiana University

Helping Big Red Go Green

B U I L D I N GFall Creek Place gets

affordable green condos

Indianapolis — King Park Area DevelopmentCorp. has created 13 LEED-certified condomini-ums in The Gramse, an historic, 1915 buildingat 22nd Street and Broadway in Indianapolis'Fall Creek Place. In addition to the affordabilityand green aspects of the project, the building isa candidate for the National Register of HistoricPlaces. This is the first project in Indiana tocombine affordability, historic considerationsand sustainable construction. The renovationfeatures Energy Star appliances, on-demandwater heaters, paints that have low or no volatileorganic compounds, high performance heating,cooling and insulation systems and landscapingwith low water requirements. Eleven of the unitsare reserved for low- to moderate-income buyers,proving that well-built, green, affordable livingis possible in Indiana and the Midwest, said DavidKadlec, a partner in Casa Verde, the builder onthe project.

F O O DPack a healthful lunch for kids

The American Dietetic Association suggestsfollowing the ABCs when it comes to packingyour children’s lunches.A. Aim for four food groups, by including wholegrains, dairy, protein and fruits and vegetables.

B. Be creative. Not all children like the standardsandwich of meat between two slices of bread.Try making wraps, tortilla triangles or a stuffedpita pocket. You might have an easier timesneaking in vegetables, such as a shreddedcarrot or chopped romaine lettuce. Cut upfruit to dip in yogurt.

C. Communicate with your children about theirlunches and include them in the meal plan-ning. Make a grocery list together and haveyour children pick certain items at the store tohelp increase the likelihood they will eat them.For more info: www.eatright.org

Indy Food Co-opto open in Oct.

Indianapolis — Indy Food Cooperative Inc.,expects to open the Pogue’s Run Grocer, 2828 E.10th St., in October. It will be Indianapolis’ firstnon-profit, community-owned grocery store.Over the last several months, the co-op, withabout 200 members, has been renovating the70-year-old, 3,000-square-foot former Lane’s TVstorefront near 10th Street and Rural Avenue, ablighted area with many vacant historic buildings.The co-op leased the building in July 2009.“Putting Indy’s only non-profit, storefront grocerystore in an underserved area of the city meetsan important mission of our group,” said KyleHendrix, president of the co-op.“Finding an adaptive reuse for this property

will preserve and improve another building, aswell as provide jobs and a living wage,” saidPatrick Dooley, co-chairman of the 2012 SuperBowl Legacy, an economic development com-mittee working to revitalize the 10th StreetCorridor during the next three years.For more info: www.indyfoodcoop.org

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

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An east-central Indiana cooperative,Fields of Agape, grows organic goldenflax on its members’ acreage in Henryand Rush counties. Golden flax is thehealth food rage these days thanks toits high content of Omega-3 fatty acidsthat promote heart and cholesterolhealth. There also are indications that itfends off everything from breast cancerto macular degeneration to depression.

In its own way, flax is a wonderplant. Grown in just 100 days, it’sone of the oldest fiber-producing cropsknown to man. The fine, pale fiber inthe stem is called tow, hence the termtow-headed for a very blonde child.Combined with flax’s medicinal qualitiesand lovely pale blue flowers, what’s notto love?

Healthful flaxKeith and Anna Welch, who lead

Fields of Agape, began growing golden

flax for health reasons, but invitedfriends to join them as they took astewardship approach. “Each of uswanted to be a part of producing food,to become a local food resource, to usethe land that we’ve been made stewardsof to produce an edible food productrather than for it to be traditionalagriculture,” says Anna.

Flax is being grown on such amassive scale, you might wonder whyanyone would be interested in a small,but increasing, crop from Indiana.Two words: organic and local. Fieldsof Agape partners with small outletsthat specialize in locally grown organics,from Bloomington to Muncie, withIndianapolis in between.

The greatest difficulty? Keith Welchsays it’s the seed itself. Very similar tosesame seeds in appearance, flax can bedifficult to harvest. But the extra effortis worth it. Fields of Agape has grown

B Y S H A N N O N CAG L E

There’s more than corn in Indiana — a lot more. That’s the overwhelm-

ing message from Hoosier growers literally branching out into a variety

of products previously thought exotic or too unmarketable to attempt.

Specialty CropsDiversify Indiana’s

Agriculture

Keith Welch sits on a tractor lastJuly after planting Judy Avery’s fieldwith food-grade soybeans. a newcrop for Fields of Agape. Otherpartners include Judy Avery (left),Anna Welch and Michael Small-wood. Spartacus, the Welch’s GreatPyrenees, is a canine partner.

PhotocourtesyFieldsofAgape

starters, it’s not the skin or the seeds thatgive chiles their heat — it’s the whitemembrane that connects the seeds to themeat of the pepper that contains theburn (file that with your salsa recipe).

The peppers have exotic and deadlynames like Zimbabwe Bird and TrinidadScorpion. Campbell affirms that taste isstill the trend leader over heat, and hetries to anticipate where the market isgoing. He thinks he’s finally flirting withthe 1,000 mark when it comes to vari-eties he’s attempted to grow. As withSeidman’s fruits, weather can wreakhavoc on a pepper crop, so Campbellbegan renting acreage in other states inan attempt to avoid disasters like floods,hurricanes and unexpected frosts. Underthe name Mild to Wild Pepper & HerbCo., he currently farms peppers in Texasand Florida, as well as Indiana.


its commitment by another 50 acresfor 2009.

Oddball pluotsIn the southeastern Indiana com-

munity of Moores Hill, Gabe Seidmanof Seidman Farm, gambles with MotherNature on fruits he calls “oddballs.”For the past 15 years, Seidman haswowed neighbors and consumers alikeat the Batesville farmers market withplums, peaches, apricots and cherries,the likes of which they’ve never seen.

This year Seidman is focusing onpluots, among other exotics. Pluotsare three quarters plum and one quarterapricot. He’s also taking a shot atapriums, more apricot and less plum.They’re a real challenge, he says,because Indiana’s climate is not theirpreferred growing environment. But forlocals, that’s the very thing that makesSeidman’s fruit their personal ambrosia.

Seidman laments that he can’t growthe fruit organically, but says moderndiseases and parasites make growing a

whole crop nearly impossible. Still, heknows exactly what makes his fruitstaste so much better than similar vari-eties shoppers may see in grocery stores.“Those fruits shipped in from Californiacan’t compare with those grown locallyon a tree. The California fruits arepicked before they’re ripe and don’thave a chance to develop the great sugarcontent that a tree-ripened fruit has.”That would include the “flattened”peaches gaining popularity; Seidman istrying those this year, too. “I probablygive away as much fruit as I sell just toprove to folks that eating fruit grownhere tastes so much better!”

Pepper powerJim Campbell of Johnson County

grows a type of fruit too, but one that’sso hot it can make you cry. Campbell, afirefighter by profession, has spent morethan 25 years growing some of thehottest peppers his hot-sauce customerscan handle. He knows the bulk of fact,fiction and trivia about hot chiles. For – Continued on page 10

In spring, blue flax glows among the wheat.

Photo courtesy Fields of Agape

REFERENCES:

• Fields Of Agape, 8343 N. Rushville Road,Carthage, (765) 914-0944

• Farmers Markets listing,www.IndianaLivingGreen.com

• Mild to Wild Pepper & Herb Co.www.wildpepper.com

Shannon Cagle is a freelance television producer/writer and an avid gardener. She andher husband, Rick Dawson, operate a used bookstore on the Historic National Road inKnightstown called Cobalt Blue Press.


While he jokes that pepper growingis a heartbreaking business and that thepotential for crop disaster makes it aform of legalized gambling, he’ll tell youin the same breath that it’s the stress ofthe Indiana growing season that giveshis peppers their exceptional heat. “It’sreally too hot and humid to grow mostof these in Indiana, but that back andforth between the wilting heat of dayand the cool of night is what gives themthat burn.” If they live through it.

Campbell says most of the hot pep-per growers around the country knowone another, which can make peppergrowing as a business a lot easier. “It’s aphenomenal network really. There areno jerks in the chili pepper business, nocompetitors. Just friends doing the samething I’m doing.”

Campbell started growing peppersto keep his colleagues in the firehousesupplied with heat and wound upproducing enough to sell wholesale.He also markets his own sauces underthe brand name Mild to Wild, and hascreated a specially blended barbecuesauce that can be sent free to the de-ployed active duty soldier of your choicethrough the company’s website. �

SPECIALTY CROPS DIVERSIFY INDIANA’S AGRICULTURE Continued from page 9

©PhotobyJoEllenMeyersSharp

Jim Campbell of Mild to Wild Pepper & Herb Co.,inspects his crop.

It’s easy to make a clean, renewable energy choice for your home or business with the Green Power Option from Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL). Simply specify how much of your electricity you’d like to be generated by environmentally friendly sources such as wind and biomass/landfill gas facilities, and a small premium (typically just a few dollars) is added to your monthly payment. It’s about the simplest, most affordable way you can help the earth breathe a little easier.

To learn more and enroll in Green Power Option visit IPLpower.com or call us at 317.261.8222.

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G R O W I N GGreen&Global

AT PURDUElive. Plots range from 300 to 1,380square feet, and gardeners pay $25 to$50 a year, depending on size. The feeshelp pay for plotting supplies, gardenevents, mowing, tilling and maintenanceof water lines, which the universityprovides for irrigation. The program isopen to the public, as well as Purduestudents and employees.

“The garden area itself is not certifiedas organic, but many gardeners practiceorganic methods of pest control, water-ing and vertical trellis gardening tech-niques,” says Andy Robison, residentiallife manager for Purdue Village. “Manypeople use black plastic for weedcontrol, or grass clippings and strawto prevent weed growth.”

Community initiativeBecause the gardens started informal-

ly as a tenant initiative, no one is sureof the exact history, but Robison believesthey go back to the late 1950s. “Thegardens’ success is in the communitythey foster and the local food productionvalue. Because Purdue Village has manyinternational students, many of thegardeners grow unique vegetables thatare hard to find in North America.”Carlos Iglesias grows a dizzying array

of vegetable crops, including some thatare common in his native Uruguay. Heespecially looks forward to harvesting asmall, round summer squash (Cucurbitapepo) that is related to zucchini and thatIglesias says is delicious when stuffedwith a ground beef mixture and baked.“Friends start calling me in July,

wanting to know when the squash willbe ready,” he says. A geneticist for apopcorn producer, Iglesias is not affiliat-

B Y J O E B E N N E T T

“From July till the end of October,I don’t buy vegetables,” Aloke Bera says,gazing happily at his garden full ofAsian veggies near the Purdue Universityairport in West Lafayette.Bera is one of about 125 people who

grow vegetables for their families andfriends on garden plots Purdue makesavailable to anyone who wants to takeadvantage of Indiana’s rich soil, keepfood production local and reduce stresson the environment.Vegetables from Bera’s native India

and other nations dominate his Purduegarden. He particularly likes to growbitter melon (Momordica charantia),which not only is a staple of stir-frycooking, but also helps ease the effectsof diabetes and other illnesses. Anassistant research scientist at Purdue,Aloke grows tomatoes, cucumbers andokra in another garden behind hisWest Lafayette home.

Organic produceHe says his gardens help exercise his

body and give him peace of mindbecause of the environmental benefits.“I try to grow my vegetables organicallywithout pesticides, which improves thequality of the environment for wildlife,especially bees and butterflies. I have myown composting system, and I use horsemanure from a local farm for fertilizer.”Purdue devotes about 150,000 square

feet of land, divided into 172 plots, tothe garden program administered byPurdue Village, a student residentialcomplex where married students andtheir families, as well as other students,

“Growing morefood locally hasa tremendouseconomic, nutritionaland environmentalimpact. Foodsimported fromdistances greaterthan 40 miles, usefive to 15 times moreenergy than locallygrown food.”

Carlos Iglesias

PhotocourtesyJohn

Sautter

International students grow their comfort foodon 172 plots at Purdue University.

13

ed with Purdue, but is grateful for thegarden program. Familiar crops likecorn, soybeans and cucumbers flourishin his plot, alongside grass peas (Lath-yrus sativus), grown from Uruguayanseed, blue potatoes, varieties of hot andmild peppers, and even peanuts, whichIglesias says do fine in Indiana. He andhis wife eat fresh vegetables all summerand fall and freeze and can enough toget them through the winter.

Sustainable, local food“Growing more food locally has a

tremendous economic, nutritional andenvironmental impact,” he says. “Foodsimported from distances greater than40 miles, use five to 15 times moreenergy than locally grown food.”

Like Iglesias, Mohamed Abdelwahfinds Indiana soil and climate friendly.The Egyptian veterinarian works as aresearch assistant at Purdue while hiswife completes her degree program. Hegrows lettuce, peppers, eggplant, okraand other vegetables for his family andfriends. “In my country, when you havesomething, you share,” he says with asmile. “We will enjoy these all summer.”Ruijun Zhao, a post-doctoral

researcher in computer science, keeps hiswife and 4-year-old twin sons in vegeta-bles, including some Chinese varieties.He gets help from his parents, who sharehis apartment in Purdue Village. Thefamily eats everything they grow. “Thesoil here is much richer (than in China),”he says. “We can plant things closertogether, and it is much easier to keepthings watered.”Robison says administering the gar-

dens is one of the most satisfying thingsabout his job, and he admires the gar-deners who are more skilled than he is.“I administer the gardens but I am not agood gardener myself,” he says. “I havea garden here, but only a few tomatoplants and some squash. I tried to growcilantro and basil, but most of it burnedup in the hot sun!” �

Joe Bennett is a former journalist andretired Purdue administrator, who teacheswriting at the university and works as afree-lance editor and writer.

Photo courtesy John Sautter

Carlos Iglesias grows a round summer squash thatis a favorite food in his native Uruguay.

Visit the Indiana Living GreenWeb site for Carlos Iglesias’ recipefor stuffed round summer squash.www.IndianaLivingGreen.com


LIGHTSOUT.

B Y S U E A R N O L D

The life cycle for many birds includes spring and fall migrations. During their flights,many birds die from collisions with human-made obstacles. The problem is urgent,and conservation organizations, such as Indianapolis’ Amos W. Butler AudubonSociety are joining forces with community leaders, the public and industry and busi-ness to unravel the causes of bird collisions in order to make the birds’ journeys safer.One of the challenges is to find ways to modify the design and use of structures,equipment and vehicles while still having them serve their purposes.



As millions of birds pass throughthe Midwest on their way to nestinggrounds in the North or winteringgrounds in the South, they face a longand arduous journey, made more haz-ardous by tall buildings, wind turbines,communication towers and other obsta-cles. Many birds migrate at night, usingthe earth’s magnetic field and the stars tonavigate to predetermined destinationsthousands of miles away on other conti-nents. Their instincts haven't preparedthem for the existence of buildingsand towers that rise higher than thetallest trees.

Disorienting lightArtificial lighting further complicates

the problem. Birds are attracted to thelights on tall buildings and may collidewith the structures or circle repeatedlyand fall to the ground from exhaustion.More than 100 million birds are killedin the United States each year, mainly asa result of being attracted to and disori-ented by city lights. The good news is,we can dim or turn off those lights andreduce building strikes, the number-onekiller of birds.

Findings from studies first undertak-en in Boston, where large numbers ofinjured and dead birds were found atthe base of tall buildings, were laterconfirmed during migration periods inToronto and Chicago. Chicago was thefirst U.S. city to dim tall building lightsto save birds’ lives. Chicago’s tallestbuildings have all turned off their deco-rative lights during spring and fall birdmigrations. Chicago’s Lights Out pro-gram puts it in the forefront ofAmerican cities taking action to protectbirds. Lights Out is a cooperative effortby the city, the Building Owners andManagers Association of Chicago, the

Chicago Audubon Society andthe Field Museum.

Bird rescuesThe Fatal Light Awareness

Program (FLAP) was formed inToronto to rescue fallen birds(50 to 90 percent of birdsinvolved in collisions may diefrom internal hemorrhaging)and to publicize the problem tothe community. Cleaningcrews, security and manage-ment were encouraged to turn

off lights when their work days end orwhen they leave an area.

Lights Out New York uses theEmpire State Building as the icon for itsprogram of turning off lights in tallbuildings from midnight to 6 a.m. Asimilar effort in Boston has reduced theamount of electricity used for lighting byup to 25 percent.

Lights Out Indianapolis was initiatedby the Amos W. Butler Audubon Societyto protect birds and reduce energy con-sumption. Members are making plansand contacts to focus first on downtownIndianapolis, where the city’s tallestbuildings are. Volunteers have beenworking with building owners and man-agers, conservation group partners, civic

Sue Arnold is a member of Amos W. Butler Audubon Society and the Indiana AudubonSociety. She is a Master Naturalist, an advanced Master Gardener and “plant pig.”

leaders and the public. People who workin tall buildings can influence this out-reach and participate directly by turningoff their workplace lights when theyleave at night.

Individual participation can havesignificant results, too. Small changesat home, involvement at work andactive voice and contribution in yourcommunity can make a big difference inbird conservation. A plus for the pocket-book is reduced light bills and, for theenvironment, reduced carbon emissions.

When should the lightsbe turned off?

Lights should be dimmed, turned off,or shielded by blinds, especially the upperstories, between midnight and dawn in thespring from April 1 toMay 31, and in thefall from Aug. 15 to Oct. 31. Staff work-ing late can use task lighting and turn offthe ceiling lights closest to windows.

Why save birds?Protecting birds has been a driving

force behind the conservation movementsince the early days of unregulated hunt-ing, the use of toxic pesticides, and thedestruction of habitat. Birds are sensi-tive to changes in the environment andeasy to census. Changes in bird popula-tion can indicate environmental prob-lems. Birds are a tremendous resourcefor insect and rodent control, plant pol-lination and seed dispersal. They alsoadd to our economy — at least 46 mil-lion Americans watch birds, and thosebirders spend big bucks feeding thefeathered creatures, buying equipmentand traveling to see them.

How can you help?Turn off those lights and help the

Amos W. Butler Audubon Society con-vince others to do the same. For moreinformation: www.lightsoutindy.org ore-mail, [email protected] �

LIGHTS OUT! Continued from page 15

A 45-minute search on one May morning indowntown Indianapolis found these five birds deadbecause of building strikes. Clockwise from upperleft: Grey Catbird, Kentucky Warbler, Ovenbird, GreyCatbird and Common Yellowthroat.

Photo courtesy LightsOutIndy.org


FOR MORE INFORMATION :• American Bird Conservancy, www.abcbirds.org• Lights Out Chicago, www.lightsout.audubon.org• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Migratory Bird Management

www.fws.gov• Guidelines for siting and construction of Wind Turbines

www.fws.gov/habitatconservation/wind• Communication Tower Threats to Birds, www.abcbirds.org/conservationissues/threats• DNR info hotline for Wildlife Rehabilitators, 1-800-893-4116

Photos courtesy Don Gorney

On June 18, this Indianapolisinsurance company’s parking garagewas lit up, even though it was 4 a.m.when employees are unlikely to beat work.

We need to honor the sacrificesof military men and women, but theIndiana War Memorial and Plazawas aglow at 4 a.m. in June. LightsOut Indy would like to see downtownbuildings extinguish or reduce illumi-nation after midnight. Besides pro-tecting birds, companies would savemoney by reducing energy costs.

A pretty picture, but the floodlightsused to illuminate the Indiana StateHouse contribute to bird deaths andcost taxpayers for unnecessaryenergy use. The lights attract insects,which, in turn, attract birds. The lightsconfuse some birds' navigationalsystems while migrating throughdowntown Indianapolis, and theyfrequently fly into buildings resultingin their death. Several dead birdswere found near the State Houseduring Spring 2009.

SSoollaarrEEnneerrggyyFuture

Sunny for

Michael and Liz Greven’s solar energyarray on their Columbus home.

B Y J E N N I F E R S T R E I S A N D

Homeowners and businesses that use a solar array for power are still the

exception in Indiana, but the answer to the question: Is solar feasible here

on a large scale? is YES! The long-term feasibility of using solar energy is

strong, according to various experts in the industry interviewed by

Indiana Living Green magazine. In fact, the number of Hoosiers who

have inquired about using solar energy in their homes or businesses is

noticeably up in 2008 and 2009, said Jeff Duff, senior engineer at Duke

Energy. As for actual installations, the utility company has processed

approximately seven in 2008, and 11 through June 2009.


– Continued on page 20

“We certainly have seen an increase incalls from homeowners and businessesinterested in setting up a solar array,” henoted. Businesses have inquired, particu-larly the ones that are able to get grants,and homeowners realizing there are moreattractive tax incentives. The vast majori-ty of Hoosiers enter into an agreementwith a utility on billing arrangementsbecause it is the most practical way tooperate a solar system for electric power,said Duff.

Another piece of anecdotal evidencethat points to more widespread use ofsolar is that more solar businesses areadvertising in Indiana Living Greenmag-azine, said Lynn Jenkins, publisher of themagazine in its third year of operation.

“We have seen the number of builderswho are promoting solar installationsincrease,” she said.

Photo courtesy Richard Stumpner

Richard Stumpner’s home in Bloomington has a passive solar system. Eventually the trees will shade the south side of the house in summer but allowthe sun in during winter.

Photo courtesy EcoSource.com

I N D I A NA S O L A R TO U RThe Indiana Renewable Energy Association

will participate in the American Solar EnergySociety’s National Solar Tour on Oct. 3.A first for Indiana, the tour includes photo-

voltaic (solar-electric), solar-thermal and smallwind systems. Tour areas include Indianapolis,Bloomington, Michiana, Lakeshore andEvansville.This is the 14th year for the ASES tour,

which is held in conjunction with NationalEnergy Awareness Month. The world's largestgrassroots solar event, nearly 140,000 peopletoured 5,000 buildings in 3,000 communitiesin 2008. Tours focus on energy-saving tech-niques, sustainable building design, energy-efficient appliances and use of green materialswith real-world examples of costs and money-saving government incentives. Details posted at www.indianarenew.org.


Meteorological detailsThere are some misconceptions that

may be preventing many people fromconsidering a solar array for home orbusiness.

One misconception is that you need a sunny climate to operate a solar systemreliably, but the weather is never perfect.

“You can still generate electricity orheat from solar with cloudy conditions,”said Michael Gibson, a LEED accreditedprofessional research fellow at theCenter for Energy Research, Educationand Service at Ball State University.Gibson is currently working on a solar-powered cooling system. The key is tomake sure the panels are set up andinstalled correctly in accordance withhow much sunshine a particular piece of property gets, he explained.

Computer software is used to makecalculations to maximize efficiency ofthe panels. “There is clearly definedmeteorological data available now, soyou know what you are getting into for a specific place,” Gibson said. Anexperienced solar installer will be able to get the panels and do all of the calculations for you.

Michael Greven, principal atEcoSource Inc., based in Columbus,stressed that understanding how a solarphotovoltaic system works will go a longway toward improving its effectivenessand getting the maximum benefit fromthe investment.

Everything in the home that runs on electricity should operate normallywith solar power, he said. “It’s a verysimple program, really. You have yoursolar panels on your roof, and then youbring that power into an inverter, andthe inverter is kind of the brain of theprogram. The inverter either puts thepower into your house or feeds it backinto the grid.”

There is far less waste than tradition-al coal-powered electricity, which loses alot of power between when the powerleaves the grid and when it gets to your

house, Greven said. He and his wife,Liz, have a solar array in theirBartholomew County home.

“That’s one of the beautiful thingsabout solar power on your roof; you are not losing any power from thosepanels through the inverter into thehouse. It’s all right there.”

More solar power for lessIn June 2009, Greven and his team

installed an array at the home of boB(sic) and Cindy Henning in a subdivisionon the eastside of Indianapolis.

For the Hennings, the entire system,including the labor to install it, will cost $18,000, after a 30 percent federaltax credit, and other financial incentivesavailable to local homeowners arededucted, said Henning.

In addition to more efficient equip-ment, the installation was fast: It tookabout a week to complete.

“The panels themselves are thenewest thing,” said Henning. “Most of the older products produce around175 watts. These panels produce 210watts for the same amount of space.”More powerful panels coupled with better inverters have made the cost of asolar array go down in a short time,modeling the trend of evolving technolo-gy, which typically becomes less expen-sive as it improves.

The Hennings have a net-meteringagreement with Indianapolis Power & Light Co. The utility respondedquickly after the solar array wasinstalled. “They got the meter out within48 hours of when we had it ready to go on the grid,” boB Henning said. “We had informed them a week or twoahead of time, and then two days afterwe were up and running, they installedthe net meter.”

Greven’s EcoSource, Inc., is one of ahandful of solar installation companiesin Indiana, but more are emerging,including Eco Energy Designs, based inIndianapolis. The company plans to

FUTURE SUNNY FOR SOLAR ENERGY Continued from page 19

launch operations in September 2009,said Luke Jackson, president and owner.Jackson and his partners think there is a real need now for this type of businessin the Indianapolis area, and the publicis open to the idea of solar energy. “We thought this would be an excellentopportunity to start in Indianapolisbecause the market is wide open,”Jackson said.

Improving net meteringThe idea of net metering is for

customers to get a credit on the solarpower they don’t use in an arrangementwith the utility company, according toNet Metering, An Overview, a paperprepared by Eric Cotton of ECI Windand Solar in Fairmount. The concept is an important financial incentivedesigned to entice homeowners. It is oneof the ways to make solar power morecommon.

Often, however, the wording todescribe net metering is not entirely correct, explained Laura Arnold, presi-dent of the Indiana Renewable EnergyAssociation, a non-profit organizationthat advocates for businesses interestedin using renewable energy.

There is a little bit of a misnomer in that people refer to net metering asselling electricity back into the grid, butthat’s not exactly what it is, Arnold said.The term net metering comes from theconcept of netting out the differencebetween what you need and any excessyou have. You get credit for the excessby allowing your meter to literally run backwards, she said.

The Indiana General Assembly has tried to pass an expanded net metering law, which that would allownet metering for larger loads, particular-ly, businesses. As of this summer, the net metering rule in Indiana only appliesto homeowners and K-12 schools withsmall capacity. Businesses are excludedfrom the net metering rule, and Indianais now the only state where policy


excludes businesses and other commer-cial and industrial customers from netmetering, according to Freeing the Grid,Best and Worst Practices in State NetMetering Policies and InterconnectionStandards, published in October 2008by the Network for New EnergyChoices. The legislature is expected totake up the issue again in January 2010.

A feed-in tariff is another financialincentive being explored by some utilities in the state, said Arnold. A feed-in tariff is actual cash for renewableenergy produced. It is being used withsuccess in Europe.

“What it does is it allows a customerto be paid for electricity that they areproducing and putting back into thegrid, regardless of their own individualconsumption. With a feed-in tariff, theutility should compensate the customeron what it costs to produce the electrici-ty,” she noted.

On paper, a feed-in tariff is an evengreater incentive than net metering,which is a credit, as opposed to cash.Feed-in tariffs generally apply to businesses with larger loads, notedMatthew McCardle, a spokesperson for Indianapolis Power & Light Co.Currently, IPL has filed a proposal with the Indiana Utility RegulatoryCommission to expand net metering totheir customers with larger loads, and to establish a voluntary feed-in tariff for customers installing systems withcapacities ranging from 50 kilowatts to 10 megawatts. As part of its “smartgrid” plan, Duke Energy is also propos-ing financial incentives for customerswho want to install renewable energy systems.

Manufacturing solar?Although the potential exists in

Indiana for more pervasive use of solarpower, another question with significantfinancial stakes lingers: Can the state bea manufacturing hub for the equipmentnecessary to make solar energy every-

one’s choice?The answer can be found again in

whether manufacturers will want to setup shop here, or whether there will bebetter economic incentives somewhereelse, said Mark Pinto, chief technologyofficer for Applied Materials Inc., acompany specializing in nanomanufac-turing, including solar photovoltaic cellsand energy-efficient glass. Pintoaddressed solar energy’s future in his lecture last spring at Purdue University.

Pinto cites Germany as a place whereincentives have made the country aleader in the consumption and manufac-turing of solar energy.

“Eastern Germany has perhaps thebest incentives for factories for semi-conductors and solar in the world. Theyare both exporting solar and using itlocally,” Pinto said, noting that the climate there is similar to Indiana’s.

The U.S. Department of Energy will allocate $117.6 million from theAmerican Recovery and ReinvestmentAct to speed up commercialization ofsolar technologies, including manufac-turing. In June 2009, the U.S. House ofRepresentatives passed a comprehensiveenergy bill, which allocates investmentsin clean energy technologies, but anenergy bill has not yet passed in theSenate.

Widespread use of solar energy will

FUTURE SUNNY FOR SOLAR ENERGY Continued from page 21


Photo courtesy Richard Stumpner

Solar installation at Richard Stumpner’sBloomington home.

Jennifer Streisand a freelance writer based in West Lafayette, has written more than 100 business articles and taught undergraduate courses in communications at Purdue University. A former broadcast journalist, she holds an Indiana teaching license in English and journalism.

happen eventually, whether the incen-tives are there or not, but it will happenfaster with incentives, Pinto said. Thereare significant global considerations, too.

“The risk is that the United Stateswill become just as dependent on otherplaces supplying the technology,” hesaid. If such a scenario were to result,the reason would again be better economic incentives for manufacturers overseas, and not cheaper labor.

Use what we haveFor the foreseeable future, coal will

play a part in electricity production inIndiana, noted Dick Stumpner, presidentof Stumpner’s Building Services Inc.,based in Bloomington. The company

specializes in passive solar designs forbuildings. Passive solar designs use the natural heat from the sun and no equipment, per se. Stumpner also has asolar array in his home.

“But as more and more people usesolar power and producers find betterways to manufacture the panels, the costof it will continue to come down,”Stumpner said.

The investment in solar energy willonly grow over time, both financiallyand environmentally, stressed Greven.“The situation will only enhance itselfhere if the rates for power go up a littlebit. When we finally harness the sun,think how much more reasonable thingswill be.” �


“It fascinated me to know that Icould take my kitchen scraps and turnthem into a very rich soil amendment,”says Jennifer Molica, a mail order assis-tant manager with Worm’s Way inBloomington. Molica maintains thestore’s in-house vermicomposting bins.“At home, I compost outdoors in thewarmer months, but in the wintermonths, scraps would just get thrown inthe garbage. Using a worm compostingsystem allows one to compost year-round.”

Composting kits make it easyRenee Sweany, co-founder of Green

Piece Indy, a twice-weekly e-mail con-taining tips for green living, started wormcomposting about three years ago. “Afterresearching many possibilities for creat-ing a worm habitat, I decided to invest ina Wormtopia kit,” Sweany says. “At thetime, I wasn’t much of a do-it-yourselfperson, so building my own bin fromtubs seemed like a lot of work, with toomuch room for error.” The Wormtopia,which sells for $134.95 at Worm’s Way,

B Y M E GH A N M C C O RM I C K

Apple cores, banana peels, and coffee grounds may be garbage to you. But

to certain species of worms, they’re a veritable feast. Vermicomposting, or

worm composting, isn’t a new concept. Yet, as people become increasing-

ly conscious about the waste they generate, some are putting worms to

work and receiving in return nutrient-rich compost for their gardens and

flowerbeds.

WRIGGLECompost

OUT OFGarbage

Renee Sweany’s kitchen waste is readyfor worm composting.

Photo courtesy Renee Sweany


serves as a multi-level housing unit forworms and includes one pound of redworms, bedding materials, and a book,Worms Eat My Garbage, by MaryAppelhof.

“You place your worms and kitchenscraps in the bottom tray, then spread athick layer of coco coir (shreddedcoconut husks, which serve as wormbedding) on top,” says Molica. “Oncethe worms have eaten through the layerof food and bedding, they migrate to thenext level to seek out new food. Yourepeat the process on each level, until theworms make their way to the top level.”

Worm selectionOf course, success hinges greatly

upon using the right type of worms (redworms or, in warmer climates, Africannight crawlers work best) and adding theright type of food waste to the bin.Molica recommends coffee grounds, tea

bags, and fruit and vegetable scraps, theexceptions being highly acidic varieties,such as citrus fruit. Avoid adding woodyor thorny produce stems as well.

Chopping up scraps with a foodprocessor before depositing them makesthe process run even smoother. Animalproducts, including eggs, meat, anddairy, should never be placed in the bin,as worms cannot digest these materials.It’s also imperative to store the bin in alocation that keeps a consistent tempera-ture between 60 and 75 degrees.

Storing unit“Most people keep their bins in their

basements,” Molica says. “They should-n’t be kept outside because of the ele-ments and invasion of other insects, suchas centipedes or millipedes, which couldharm the worms.” During her first yearof vermicomposting, Sweany kept herworms inside her home, but later moved


Worm composter can be placed in the garden forready access to castings or worm team.

them to her unheated garage to free up space. “They simply went dormant,” she says. “Then they woke up in thespring with quite an appetite!”

Worm byproductsOnce composting begins, minimal

maintenance is required, although check-ing the bottom level of the bin from timeto time is recommended. “Once you seea dark brown to black, rich dirt-like substance — vermicompost, a.k.a. wormcastings — you can harvest the castingson that particular level,” Molica says.

Gather the castings, taking specialcare to separate the stray worms fromthe compost, and move the emptied trayto the top. Be sure not to discard the

Photo courtesy Renee Sweany

moisture — commonly known as“worm tea” — that flows through thecompost bin. “It is just as nutrient-richas compost and is much more readilyavailable,” Sweany says. “This spring I had an ailing zucchini plant that tripledin size after I added worm tea.”

Because worms typically do not eatproduce scraps as quickly as we humansdiscard them, burying the scraps beneathlayers of newspaper, shredded officepaper, or finely shredded coco coir isimportant to keeping gnats and odorsat bay.

“To harvest good quality castingsusually takes a couple of months,”Molica says. “Red worms are efficienteaters, but they do pace themselves.”

Sweany says it took her worms a little more than a year to produceenough compost for an 18 square-footgarden. “If you want to have some greatcompost for a garden next year, get avermicomposter going right now,” sherecommends. �

RESOURCES :

• The City Farmer’s Worm Composting www.cityfarmer.org/wormcomp61

• Cornell University’s Worm Composting Basicswww.css.cornell.edu/compost/worms/basics

• The Worm Woman, Mary Appelhofwww.wormwoman.com

• Indy Tilth’s Composting Resourceshttp://tinyurl.com/qejswe

• Worms Eat My Garbage by Mary Appelhof

• Worm’s Way, www.wormsway.com

WRIGGLE COMPOST OUT OF GARBAGEContinued from page 25

Freelance writer Meghan McCormick pensGreen Piece Indy (www.greenpieceindy.com),a twice-weekly e-mail with tips for living a greener lifestyle in Indianapolis. A formerIndianapolis Monthly assistant editor, she hasalso written for INtake Weekly and TheIndianapolis Star.


GREEN B O O K R E V I E W S

Real Food for Mother and Baby: The Fertility Diet, Eating for Two, andBaby’s First Foods, by Nina Planck, 2009,Bloomsbury, $17, paperback

In the same straight-forward, sometimes con-troversial, manner as inher previous foodie clas-sic, Real Food, NinaPlanck questions currentnutritional guidelines forbringing up baby. In RealFood for Mother andBaby she rails against anyrules that limit traditional foods such asbutter, whole milk, grass-fed meat, eggsand certain fats (yes, even some fats.)Going against widely accepted concepts,Planck explains that “real” or tradition-al foods are much superior to industrial-ized or imitation foods, and should notbe replaced by artificially created andstripped down entities, which onlyresemble “food.”

From fertility issues through concep-tion, breast feeding and babies’ firstfoods, Planck discusses the hazards ofmodern industrial foods such as mar-garine and other butter-like spreads,corn-fed beef, bleached white bread,processed white sugar and high fructosecorn syrup. She lays out the importanceof specific nutrients for father, motherand baby. Based on her experiences andobservations with her young son, Planckoffers first hand facts and experiencesthroughout this book. Of particularinterest to many may be the nursingdilemma, or more precisely when towean a baby or toddler.

Plank’s conclusions and bold recom-mendations are not born out of her ownopinions, but based on solid researchwith copious notes and a strong bibliog-raphy. The resources and index willmake her latest book a standard formothers who are looking for the bestnutritional guidelines for their babies.

BY LYNN JENKINS

What Can We Do: A Book About GlobalWarming by Cathy Kravitz, 2009, Dog EarPublishing, $16.95 paperback

For families and teachers lookingfor a way to involve children in theglobal warming discussion comesWhat Can We Do, written byCarmel’s Cathy Kravitz. Her book,aimed at third to sixth graders, out-lines the problems, offers discussionpoints and describes what actions wecan take to reduce our carbon foot-print, all in a story format. The storywends itself around a rambunctious

bunch of kids who accomplish quite alot, from completing homework assign-ments about global warming to organiz-ing neighborhood meetings to exploreways to conserve resources. The kids optto play outdoors rather than watch TVor play games on computers. They prac-tice water conservation and ride theirbikes or walk instead of begging forrides from mom. They turn off air con-ditioning and open windows, and theydiscover what they can accomplishwhen working together. Kravitz, a pot-ter, painter and art teacher, also providedthe charming and lively illustrations forthe book.

BY JO ELLEN MEYERS SHARP

Cooking Green by Kate Heyhoe, 2009, Da Capo Books, $17.95 paperback

From Eric Schlosser’s Fast FoodNation to Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal,Vegetable, Miracle to Michael Pollan’sOmnivore’s Dilemma, the last decadehas been chock full of books challengingus to more eco-friendly eating.

However, relatively little has beenwritten on how to improve the ways wecook our food.

Kate Heyhoe’s Cooking Green aimsto address this oft-ignored question.Heyhoe offers a unique book that is halfideas for greening your kitchen and half

“green basicsrecipes.”Heyhoebegins bycrafting theterm“cookprint” in reference to “the impactyou make on the planet when youcook.” The cookprint of a meal,although not given a rigorous scientificdefinition, is useful for getting us tothink about all the ecological choicesthat go into its preparation, from theselection of food to transportation andstorage to the ways in which it is pre-pared. Heyhoe spans the breadth of herdefinition of cookprint, as she offers sug-gestions for improving how we cook.

She begins by looking at the appli-ances we use and focuses especially onovens and cooktops. “The simplest wayto shrink a cookprint is to reach forcooktop recipes first, rather than ovenones,” she writes. The “What to Buy”chapter guides readers through the manyecological dilemmas at the grocery storeor farmers market.

The book includes many tastyrecipes, too, with Heyboe’s focus oneveryday, basic foods that, preparedproperly, help lower a meal’s cookprint.These recipes represent many cuisines,including Mexican, Vietnamese andItalian. The book also has a fine sectionof meat-free main dish recipes. CookingGreen is an essential book, one that youwill want to re-read and use frequentlyas a kitchen resource.

BY CHRISTOPHER SMITH

Smith is editor of The Englewood Review of Books(http://englewoodreview.org), where this review firstappeared. It is reprinted here with permission.


M A R K E T P L A C E


GREENFINDS

Daina’s Petite Pies — Caramel AppleJust in time for fall, Caramel Apple pie is filled with chunks of five varieties ofapples from Appleworks in Trafalgar, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg andtopped with caramel and crunchy streusel. Each bite is interesting because ofthe different apples with a caramelized filling of evaporated milk, cream and acrunchy topping of oatmeal, peanut butter and brown sugar. Daina Chamness’pork, apple, veggie, shepherd’s, tamale, and chicken pies were named IndianaArtisans, a state program that promotes handcrafted, value-added food prod-ucts. An individual pie is $6.95; full size, $20. Available at farmers markets andselect independent grocers. Visit the Web site to find locations and menus:http://dainaspetitepies.com

West Paw Eco Nap Dog BedsYour pooch will love this slim profile dog bed. It will makeowners happy too with its stylish design, durability andeasy maintenance. The machine-washable Eco Napis made with a green eco fabric, which includes anouter shell made of 85 percent IntelliLoft fibers,which are produced from recycled plastic bot-tles. The inner fill is 100 percent IntelliLoft. Theextra large Eco Nap diverts more than 40 plasticbottles from landfills. The fibers are also very durable andstrong to make the Eco Nap unlike any other dog bed available. It’slightweight and makes a great road trip bed for the back of the car. The lowprofile makes it easy to slide under a bed or couch. Made in USA. Cost: $26.99to $92.99. Available at www.TuwA.com

Please send information about your green products to:[email protected], or mail to Indiana Living Green,1730 S. 950 E., Zionsville, IN 46077.

SUBMISSIONS

BE A PAR T O F T H E

GREEN [email protected]

(317) 769-3456


Selling sustainably grown and arti-san-made food is without a doubt themost satisfying work I’ve ever done.What I hadn’t expected was the collec-tion of comedic moments that wouldcome along as a bonus. Folks shop atfarmers markets for a multitude of rea-sons, not the least of which is to getsome entertainment with their fresh gro-ceries. But a prized handful will neverknow the wealth of laughs they provideto us vendors in return.

The major product from our farm isa line of organic whole grain breads, forwhich I have my oven-loving hubby tothank. Most of our clients think hisrecipes are pretty good, but a few believeit’s their duty to vastly improve upon hisingredient choices. The most memorablewas a woman looking for a bakeryproduct without wheat, gluten, dairy,yeast, salt, oil or sugar. She had beenable to get such a creature, in frozenform, from a company in northernIndiana, now sadly out of business.Once thawed, the product had to beeaten quickly, she recalled, because itdidn’t stay edible long. I bit my tonguejust enough to avoid blurting out that itseemed to lack all criteria for edibility tobegin with. She left insisting that wecould make a fortune if we would onlyresurrect this wonder of her culinaryworld.

My husband was once faced with awoman who lingered at our markettable long enough to complain betweenbites of a large Danish pastry that shecouldn’t buy our breads because herdoctor had ordered a no-gluten diet. Thehole that my hubby bit into his tonguethat day may never quite heal. Similarly,not a season goes by that I don’t get ahandful of diabetics who ask if I sellanything they can eat. I call upon thedecades I spent in medical research to

when asked whether his products arefrozen, while the questioner still holdsthe solidly icy block of meat in hishands. But he chuckles most over thedisappointed fellow who announced intohis cell phone that there were nobananas anywhere at the market. Wethink he’s related to the shopper whowas incredulous when informed thatavocados do not grow in Indiana.

The blue ribbon, however, still goesto a veteran egg vendor, who briefly sup-plied a small-town restaurateur with thebest his free-range hens could lay. Thebright yolks turned her cakes “too yel-low,” the client said upon canceling herorder, and her breakfast crowd, nodoubt accustomed to factory-farm eggs,complained that her scramblers andover-easys were starting to taste “toofresh.” �

THE LAST ROWB Y M A R I A S M I E T A N A

give them a brief tour of the benefits offiber and complex carbohydrates as partof a balanced diet, and steer them to thewhole grain side of the table. I no longercringe when they invariably opt insteadfor a bag of my European butter cook-ies.

When the bread shares table spacewith my vegetables, it’s the reaction tomy mix of colorful bush beans thatbrings the most chuckles. One womandeemed them scary, insisting that thepurple ones looked poisonous. I didn’tdivulge that if I were in the business ofpoisoning my fellow citizens, I’d pick aplant that was a whole lot less obviousthan a hybrid bush bean in July.

Food irony is not limited to breadsand veggies, as I learned when swappingstories with other vendors. One beefgrower is continually left speechless

You Wanted WHAT with that Whole Wheat Toast?

Maria Smietana, is a refugee from the corporate world who now writes and grows organicproduce on her mini-farm in Boone County.

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Documents

September/October 2009 - Indiana Living Green