Down on the Farm: Exploring Diselrath Farms

Co-op farms in Indianapolis: I had no idea these were actively being done. But I was pleasantly surprised to learn about Diselrath Farms on the Indianapolis south side.

Tucked inside the 465 loop, Diselrath offers both co-op farming and a farm store open on Saturdays. Members pay a small fee (about $5 per week) and work three hours a week for a share of produce or discount on meats such as chicken or pork.

On this Saturday morning, the Diselraths opened their farm to several local bloggers and "Future Farmers."

The children - from toddlers through pre-teens - loved the opportunity to learn about what goes into the farm, from a simple lesson on crop rotation to what it takes to raise chickens and harvest eggs.

Sarah Diselrath showed the Future Farmers about how they rotate crops each year. If you look closely, these are all the rows of tomatoes, but those furthest to the left were the rows that weren't quite in last year's pig pen! (Hence the power of compost.)

Checking out the baby animals was a highlight for the kids, though this little goat didn't get nearly as much love as the baby chicks.

The kids went to hunt for eggs as well. I think the biggest excitement of the morning was the children stumbling on a hen trying to lay an egg - though I think their shouts of surprise stopped her in action.

There is something to be said about growing your own food. Too many kids are complacent and think their green beans come from a can you get from a store; munching on a green bean freshly picked (as in seconds) is an entirely different experience. Future farmers feeding the future bacon really helps kids connect the dots about where our food comes from.

Ice Age Exhibit: Only a few weeks before you'll be frozen out

While scientists and weathermen are discussing this week's polar vortex, hearken back to a time where a just a dozen degrees cooler temperatures would have been a blessing.

The Indiana State Museum's exhibit Ice Age Giants: The Mystery of Mammoths and Mastodons will be in Indianapolis only a few more weeks, so be sure to stop in and check out the Midwest back in time.

Our family visited the mastadons, mamoths and other Ice Age animals earlier this year, and it was a great treat for our paleontologist wannabe.
This exhibit gives your fossil-hunting, all-things-prehistoric-obsessed kids plenty of Pleistocene points of interest - regardless of their age.

The kindergartener loved digging for bones (no surprise, as he loves doing the same in the Children's Museum archaeology area).

His older sister loved exploring the exhibits

And there were opportunities to get hands-on!

Don't be frozen out of this experience. The exhibit closes Aug. 17, 2014.
You still have a few more weeks. The Ice Age exhibit is included with admission to the Indiana State Museum.

And don't forget to follow Fred the Mastodon on Twitter. Who knew a Mastodon could have a Twitter account! He has a great sense of humor - you won't want to miss his tweets! #IceAgeISM @FredIndiana

Indy Reads: Indianapolis' best independent bookstore

The Indy Reads bookstore, nestled downtown on Massachusetts Avenue, is a treasure chest of used books, new books and community resources for those dedicated to adult literacy.

I learned about Indy Reads some time ago but had not had an opportunity to head to Massachusetts Avenue to check out the bookstore.

The inside reminded me of an old bookstore I frequented during my college years in Lawrence-- high wooden bookshelf with books tall to the ceiling, cozy chairs to snuggle in and read a good book, hot coffee at the ready, and little nooks to nestle in for reading or discussion. The store even had an area on this rainy night for children learning to play chess.

The best part? There is a section for pay what you can afford so that nobody can go without a good book.

I appreciate the fact that not only it's an independent bookstore in Indianapolis but also that all the proceeds benefit programs for adult literacy. I had no idea the extent of literacy problems in our city -- one in five adults struggle to read a basic billboard -- before I talked to the staff.  You will be bet I'll be back not only to shop but to "return" my finished books to go toward the cause. (They take donations.)

Indy Reads is located at 911 Massachusetts Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46202. For more information, call 317.384.1496 or visit its Facebook page.

Green Bean Delivery: 5 reasons to love the "Big Green Box"

Friday evenings, when we get home, my kids go never just inside. Instead, my youngest sprints to the  back door to see if the "Big Green Box" has arrived.

We've been happy members of Green Bean Delivery for years. This organic produce and natural product delivery service has been a wonderful addition in our home as we try to reach a healthier lifestyle.

We heard about Green Bean Delivery through one of the local green magazines, and decided to test it out. My husband initially balked about the price, but as we quickly found the produce far surpassed any of the offerings we could find at our local grocery stores. (That, and at the time, we had toddlers, so not having to check out produce while juggling two little ones was an extra blessing!)

Here are five other reasons to check out - and love - getting the Big Green Box in your home:

1. The quality and options are amazing. I love that I can have delivered to my home organic Asian pears, local apples, local shitake mushrooms and more. And, I love that in those rare instances that the quality isn't up to their standards, they will substitute an item - with an apology!
2. It's completely customizable. Unlike with a CSA subscription, you can decide not to partake in a certain item - or load up on something you love. Needless to say, you won't see a lot of peppers or kale in my box! You can also add on items as well.
3. You can start or stop at any time. Green Bean typically offers a weekly or every other week delivery option, but you can log in and even set your account to deliver on certain weeks if desired. I typically put my account on hold during the summer to support my local farmers, and there is no problem with that.
4. Customer service is wonderful. Any time I have contacted customer service, I have received a response within hours. In the rare instance an item was bad, I was immediately credited on my account. 
5. They look out for their people. We've had several storms that have shut down our city this past winter, and I'm impressed that Green Bean Delivery has sent out notices saying its delaying delivery by a day or two to keep their employees off the roads. 

We usually get a large produce bin every other week ($49), but they have two smaller bin options as well.

Green Bean Delivery has grown to include Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Muncie, Anderson, Columbus, Ohio, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Harrison, Batesville/Oldenburg, Louisville, Lexington and St. Louis. For more information visit greenbeandelivery.com.

New/returning GBD lovers! Green Bean Delivery has a special discount code for you: “15GGMml” It is good for $15 off your first order and expires March 8. It is for new members and reactivations only.

IN Natural Harmony: A new Indy holistic maternity service

IN Natural Harmony, LLC, a new maternity and family service in Carmel, offers holistic services throughout the pregnancy journey and beyond, including doula services, Hypnobabies® and infant massage classes for new and expectant mothers in the Indianapolis area.

Founder Tahwii Porter wants to take some of the overwhelming feeling out of pregnancy, especially for those who are seeking more natural solutions.

"I think pregnancy is such an amazing time in a families life that it should be held as sacred and celebrated... I don't think it has to be a chaotic overwhelming time," says Tahwii, who opened the Indianapolis company in July. "Therefore all my services are holistic, natural, and have green approaches whenever possible.

IN Natural Harmony offers a network of classes and Indianapolis and online services that offer a greener, more natural approach to pregnancy and early motherhood.

"I have always very much been interested in working with expectant mothers using natural and holistic approaches whenever possible," Tahwii says. "I look at In Natural Harmony, LLC as the foundation of what will come in the future as I pursue schooling to eventually obtain a Ph.D. in Natural Medicine. With these credentials I hope to have natural practice working with primarily expectant mothers and being able to expand my scope of practice within In Natural Harmony, LLC. 

"I have truly never been more excited, exhausted, and happy in my life. I feel as though I'm living my life's true purpose."

Find IN Natural Harmony online at INNaturalHarmony.com, on Facebook and Twitter.

5 family-friendly hikes around Indianapolis

Lately we've been blessed with a few more weekend days with my husband, so we've been hitting the road to find some of the best hiking areas within a drive of Indianapolis.

1) Eagle Creek Park: Located on the northwest side of Indianapolis, Eagle Creek is not lacking for things to do: from hiking trails to fishing and boating to naturalist activities. The only downside it seems is that everyone in town has discovered it. There is an entrance fee, and be prepared to pay more if you don't live in Marian County.

2) Mounds State Park: A short trek up I-69 into Anderson, Mounds State Park is packed with history, a great kid-friendly interpretive center, camping, and hours of trails. I will say even the "rigorous" ones were good for my five-year-old; it's more about the incline of the steps than anything.  It's home to earthworks by the Adena-Hopewell people dating to 160 B.C. We were charged a $5 entrance fee for the car.

3) Morgan-Monroe State Forest: Tucked off of State Road 37 in Martinsville, Morgan-Monroe State Forest is on our repeat list for a day of picnicing and hiking and perhaps camping. The kids loved the more challenging switchback trails and rivers interrupted by bursts of sunshine. There is no entrance fee.

4) Southeastway Park: Just past I-74 in southeast Indianapolis, Southeastway Park is a great stop for southsiders who feel the need to hike but can't commit to a long hike or drive time. We discovered this park when looking for native wetlands for a patch our Brownie troop was looking on. No entrance fee; and there are wonderful programs throughout the year, including the annual BugFest coming up on Aug. 25.

5) Holiday Park: In North Indianapolis off of Spring Mill Road, Holiday Park has been an easy excursion for us since we discovered it a few years ago with a day care field trip. They have a fabulous nature center, trails and programs for young children. No entrance fee.

Have you found other areas to hike in and around Indianapolis? Share your favorites.

Getting their Goats

When I heard there was a goat farm in the middle of suburban Carmel, I had to check it out.

So on a hot summer Sunday, the kids and I joined members of Slow Food Indy at a tour of What the Goat Farm, located not far off of U.S. 31 and Main Street.

My son dived in and wanted to hang out with the goats in the barn, but my daughter was a bit reluctant once she heard the eager goats might jump up on her. She finally warmed up though, and was thrilled to find out they loved the asparagus that had bolted. The kids fed them handfuls of grass and asparagus shoots for an hour.

I have to admit, they are awfully cute!

I wanted to "complete the cycle" so to speak and show the kids what the goats could contribute. Since What the Goat Farm doesn't yet sell goat milk products or have a working kitchen, we decided to take our journey elsewhere. 

After giving the goats lots of attention, we went on to Whole Foods, where we splurged on all things goat. We examined the goat milk products in the dairy aisle and settled on a yogurt smoothie. My daughter bonded with the cheese guy as he gave her sample after sample of various types of goat cheese. The kids poured over the goat milk soaps and insisted on a bar for each. So it wasn't the cheapest excursion - as anyone who has lulled into the treats at Whole Foods knows - but the kids loved their day of goats.

Hunter's Honey Farm photos

From our weekend trip to Hunter's Honey Farm:

Some bees were in a tent, which had smoke to hide phermones.

Newly hatched bees were starting to come out, and a mom was able to feed one for the very first time. The new bees eat honey with their little red tongues. (Go figure.)

Pointing out where a bee was emerging. The girls were excited to be the first person to ever see that bee.

Inside, the girls got to fill their own honey bears. (Ours already has been well used!)

Pouring beeswax candles. (Visitors can roll their own candle.) Beeswax is smokeless when it burns!

Hunter's Honey Farm

Honeybees and Daisies. It's a good mix.

Today, our Daisy Girl Scout troop visited Hunter's Honey Farm in Martinsville, Ind., a drive but one well worth it. The 100-year-old honey farm had a Girl Scout day, where the Daisies could visit, see the bees in action, see how the honey gets from the comb to the table, make their own honey bear and create their own beeswax candle.

The girls were amazed to watch bees in action, see tiny bees emerge from the hive and see a young bee lick - yes, lick, fresh honey off a mom's finger. (I didn't realize bees ate honey as well as produce it.)

They learned that smoke staves off the honeybees, that the "boy bees" don't sting people, and that honey has lots of health benefits. I'm interested in testing out the theory that local honey can actually help people with allergies, any idea that sounds much better than giving my allergy-prone child a shot of Claritin every day.

It was a great afternoon, and the activities were able to entertain both my 3 year old and a friend's younger children, who have all had the chance now to make their own honey bears (a source of pride for my little guy) and candles (which were amazingly easy to make.) The honey farm offers these tours and activities on a regular basis, and the price is no worse than an afternoon at the movie or Children's Museum. They have some seasonal activities as well, like a forestry tour and a beehive tour as well.

The Big Green Box

The thrill of a delivered package never wanes. Whether it comes in birthday wrappings or a big brown truck, the arrival of a package brings excitement.

And if it comes in a big, green box, it's like Christmas around here.

A few weeks ago, we signed up for a subscription to Green Bean Delivery, a regional produce delivery service. I thought it was a great idea to bridge until our farmers local markets opened, and was I right. Little did I know how exciting carrots could be.

The first night, a man dropped two large green boxes on our doorstep. The kids were thrilled, ripping the lid out and announcing each of the contents like they won the lottery. "Apples!" "Asparagus" "Mushrooms" they yelled, whooping in between.

The best part? We ate great! For most of the next two weeks, we enjoyed fresh produce and even tried a few new recipes to get more veggies in our diet. Even better, I didn't have the frustration of juggling a 3 and 5 year old in the produce section!

Our latest box dropped last week. All day, the kids were waiting for the man with the big green box. And when the delivery truck finally pulled up around 7:30 that night, it was cause for celebration. The kids couldn't wait to rip open the package and yell out its contents. Just like Christmas. Only healthier.

Season's Eatings: Checking out Green Bean Delivery

Fresh produce at my doorstop! I admit the idea seems intriguing, yet after my CSA experience that ended badly a few years back, I was hesitant. But after checking out Green Bean Delivery, I think I'm ready to dive in for a try. The regional delivery service offers weekly or biweekly delivery of organically grown produce. The good things? I'm able to customize my order, so I'm not stuck with a dozen bok choy or produce I won't eat. I can also tack on anything from buffalo meat to eggs, if I'm feeling inspired with my cooking. The site notes whether the items are local to Indiana/Ohio/Kentucky, from the U.S. or from tropical regions. And, I can place my order on hold at any time, so I can use the service when I need it, like when my garden falters or late fall arrives. I'm particularly excited about the idea because early spring is the hardest for me in terms of eating fresh produce, particulary as our farmers markets (and many farm stands) are not yet open for the season. Not from Indiana? we are talking about options today at the Green Phone Booth today. Check it out!

Turkey marshmallows and other curious creations

Turkey and sweet potatoes. Sure it's on our mind these days. But in marshmallow glory?

That's right. At the Indy Winter Farmers Market opening this Saturday, I tried just that. Nestled among the raw foods, the fall veggies and the tea and meat vendors, was 240sweet, a local producer of gourmet marshmallow makers. We'd seen them at markets past and have been amazed by the varieties they'd come up with (and how spot on the flavors were). But turkey?

My husband and I tried a bite, just browned from a portal burner. Yes, the flavors were true to life, and a combination of packets of turkey and sweet potato marshmallows was the hot seller for hostess gifts that morning. Me, I think I'd have stuck with the salted caramel variety.

Owner Alexa Lemley gave me a window into her world earlier this year.

Why, of all things, did you decide to specialize in homemade marshmallows?

While searching the internet for recipes, I came across one for homemade marshmallows. Since I had never made them before, I decided to experiment. I started off with with Martha Stewart's vanilla flavor. Soon, I was creating my own recipes with ingredients that I found appealing. It was really just a way for me to play with flavors for fun.

How do you come up with the flavor combinations? What's the most unusual flavor you've made or had suggested to you?

I am inspired by the flavors of some of my favorite dishes. For example, Saffron and Pistachio is like kulfi. Avocado and Lime is from my favorite Vietnamese treat, avocado milkshakes. After making some Fleur de Sel caramels, I wondered what a salty caramel marshmallow would taste like. I'm not sure which would be most unusual. In my catering business, I use a variety of ingredients and flavors in my dishes to create foods that my clients request.

How do you get people past the idea of marshmallows being used for cocoa, smores or Rice Krispy treats? What other ideas do you have for them to enjoy these?

Actually, my marshmallows are great in cocoa, s'mores and Rice Krispy treats. However, they stand on their own as a treat. My puffs are also great as a dipper for fondues.

What ingredients are used, particularly for flavoring? Are they all-natural? Organic?

Whenever possible, we use local and organic. We use both granulated and powdered beet sugar from Michigan and Indiana corn starch. I make my own vanilla extract from organic vanilla beans. This summer, I made some delicious puffs using peaches from Double Oak Farms. We don't add any colors or artificial ingredients.


The marshmallows are admittedly a sweet splurge - three packets for $10 - but are a great idea for a stocking stuffer for your favorite foodie!

FTC Note: I received no compensation from 240Sweet for this article. I simply found it to be a fun idea!

Afternoon at Anderson Orchard

Twist and pull.

All the way to Anderson Orchard in Mooresville, I heard that sage advice: Twist and pull, and that way you won't break the bud, and more apples can grow there. So says my well-versed 5 year old.

For our family, field trips mean activity. And while visiting places like Apple Works in Trafalgar have become a fall family tradition, between school and visitors, they will have visited it three times before the snowfall hits. So when I learned about Anderson, and how a fellow family at daycare loved it, we figured it was worth the drive to check it out.

And it was worth it. The children loved hiking (as my toddler put it) through the rows of apple trees and were thrilled to be able to harvest bags of red, yellow and green apples from the low-hanging branches. My toddler announced the apples were "juicy and crunchy" when he snuck his first bite. Pumpkins promised new another visit when their cousin is coming next month. A small shop offered pre-bagged apples of more varieties than you could count, nuts, persmissons and more. And, yes, there was a playground for them to burn off some energy.

Anderson Orchard may become our next fall treat!

Gardening giveaway: Calling all brown thumbs!

Are you a brown thumb? Do you swear you can't grow a thing?

Can you look at a plant and make it wilt?

Relax...we all have those days. I'll be honest and confess that I killed every single one of the seeds I started this spring when I got a little overzealous in transporting them outdoors.

But I'm trying again. And if you are too, I've got a giveaway for you.

Next week, I'm giving away the Black Thumb Seed Collection from Nature's Crossroads, a Bloomington, Ind.-based seed company. The set includes one packet each of pea, radish, lettuce, flower, and kale seeds plus detailed instructions.

You can enter these ways:

1. Post a comment with your worst gardening mishap.
2. Sign up for the RSS feed.
3. Tweet about it.
4. Blog about it.
5. Promote it on Facebook.

The contest ends May 2 at midnight EDT, and I'll announce the winner soon after. Good luck!

I went to the winery, and all I got was a stinking cookie

Any parent who's faced a car trip knows the kids (and you) get restless after a few hours trapped inside. So this weekend, facing a lengthy drive in the car, I tried to plan ahead and pick activities where the kids could run around in route.

On Sunday, our planned activity was Huber's Orchard and Winery in southern Indiana. I figured I couldn't go wrong: an orchard to run around, a petting farm, an ice cream shop and at least one of us could taste a sample of wine.

Then my dear husband stayed home with the flu. And after a winding attempt at getting to Huber from the back roads from Interstate 64 and meltdowns over putting our shoes back on and going to the bathroom, I was the one needing a taste testing -- and really couldn't.

So after avoiding the crowded tasting room, realizing that I don't have hands to hold a bottle if I purchased on, we wandered on to the farm market portion of the area. I asked if they wanted apples. No. I asked if they wanted pears. No. What did they want? An M&M cookie. Drat.

So after all that winding, a quarter-tank of gas and an interesting drop down a back road so steep they have signs like in Colorado (thanks, Mapquest!), we got 10 minute's worth of a great view.

Just wish I had something to toast it with!

Site worth sharing: Sierra Club trails search

Hiking is a favorite activity of our family, though one we don't get to do as often as we'd like. We are always on the lookout for regional trails to check out when the hiking bug bites.

The Sierra Club has recently launched a new site, Sierra Club Trails. It houses descriptions of trails across the country - which you can rate and add your own feedback on. Best of all, it's a wiki, so if you see things that are missing (like I know there are more than six trails in the state of Indiana--heck there are probably at least that many in Brown County alone, which stands out in its absence!) you can add your information to the site.

And it's more than just "this is a nice wooded trail." A Sierra Club rep told the Green Phone Booth:

So if I post a trail in, say, Yosemite, and you've been there recently and saw that part of the trail is really muddy, or the bugs are bad this time of year, or if camping spots are getting really popular and should be reserved in advance, you can update that.

The site is very easy to use and search for the trails you need. (Note to techies: It needs scripts enabled, or you're completely out of luck, especially in FireFox.) It's definitely worth bookmarking for future use. Thanks to the GPB for pointing this site out!

Market time

I made a big parenting mistake last weekend, I'll admit. We didn't hit the farmers market. And I heard about it from kids who knew that Mom wasn't working and we weren't looking at plants or produce. Yes, kids get opinions early, don't they?

So this weekend, in between cookouts and other Memorial Day weekend activities, we'll be sure to squeeze in a brief trip to one of our area farmers markets. We haven't made a decision yet as to which one, but I'm sure we'll have to work to squeeze all of our purchases into the fridge!

We still have a few weeks until many of the smaller markets are open, but there are still several choices in Indianapolis. You can also find a complete listing of farmers market locations online, or download Indiana's 2009 directory of farmers markets, stands, and you-picks.

CSA option for tougher times

Going Local reports that Kiss My Grass Farm in Morgantown is offering an option this season for persons interested in a CSA.

According to Going Local, you can "work off" half the cost of a subscription by assisting on the farm. It's a great idea, as the up-front costs for a CSA subscription can seem overwhelming in today's economic climate. Kudos for their creativity!

CSAs in Indianapolis and Bloomington

Searching for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in Indianapolis or Bloomington for this summer?

There are many options for you to consider. CSA programs range in season length, variety, delivery and share size.

Here are some of the CSA programs serving the greater Indianapolis metropolitan area and/or Bloomington:

• Balanced Harvest
• Big City Farms
• Core Farms CSA
• Double Oak Farm
• Farming Engineers
• Homestead Growers
• Kiss My Grass Farm
• Lost Pond Farm CSA
• Melody Acres CSA
• Nameless Creek Growers Association (Harvest Thyme CSA)
• Old Growth CSA
• Seldom Seen Farm
• Victory Acres

Please note that not while a CSA may state it serves Indianapolis, it may or may not serve your area of town.

While I'm sitting out due to financial considerations in 2009, I am eager to hear about others' experiences this season!

Attacking my very being

I have been accused via e-mail of trying to sabbatoge an Indianapolis CSA, of libel, of slander, and refusing to work with this CSA for a positive gain. The word enemy is a very strong word.

Yet, this CSA has not corrected with details any innacuracies they see, only that I am spreading "lies" about their organization. If I failed to recognize kale, for example, please let me know when it was delivered to me and what it looked like.

I also would like to state I offered to work with this CSA to develop an educational article/Q&A about organic farming, the challenges of a CSA or a behind-the-scenes look at how CSAs differ from a "farmers market" vendor, and I was responded to that "the proposal was inadequate."

Here's the deal. I'm sorry that this CSA owner is so fearful of me and what I have to say on a small green parenting blog that they have to lash out at me. I'm sorry this person doesn't believe in the First Amendment when the opinion differs from him or her. I'm sorry this person came out attacking me from the get-go instead of calmingly correcting any perceived innacuracies or asking to take it offline.

But the reality is this person chose to attack my very being. I pride myself on being an honest person and a person of my word. It's part of my faith. It's part of who I am. And by attacking the core of who I am, this person created an adversarial environment. Frankly, I feel like I'm being bullied with the threat of legal action.

Despite the fact this person has yet to acknowledge that they will retract their claims of libelous behavior from my blog, I will be the better person and remove the name of the CSA from this post per their request. I am also retracting my four-star review on LocalHarvest.

If you are researching CSAs and would like to know more, I will post a link to Indianapolis-area CSAs within the next day and am happy to share with you my positive and negative experiences in fairness with you via e-mail.

Back to your regularly scheduled green mommy blog!