Farmer Kelly

Wow-can it be true that it has been nearly a month since my last post?! I apologize those who look forward to reading. I have been savoring some deeply me time and it has been sacredly delicious! Blizzard season suddenly shifted to dry warmth and the garden transformed from being buried in 2 feet of snow to fully defrosted ground in a week!! I was all about it! I have been playing in the Growing Dome, we got the plastic up on our big hoop house and then, the garden was available for playing as well...hog heaven!! I have been grazing on our sprouting greens and if my hands are filthy from digging in the soil, sometimes I just kneel down and eat like a deer...try it, it's fun, makes me laugh and is just a wonderfully different perspective! We are growing tons of greens (spicy mesclun mix, bok choy, chard, kales, spinach and wild harvesting lamb's quarters) as well as sprouting wheatgrass, sunflower sprouts, watermelon, heirloom tomatoes, corn, basil, radish, broccoli, ETC!

I have been allowing and honoring myself to move in a very natural rhythm lately. If I am digging intently in a bed of the garden and notice a gorgeous sun bow overhead, I give myself the time to lay on my back, stretch out my body and enjoy the beauty I am surrounded by. Seeing the geese fly north (rather than south for the winter) makes me downright giddy....winter can be a long stretch here in northern Montana and it gives me the gift of deep gratitude for sunny days and budding trees. Every year, spring is as fresh as my first and that is a beautiful gift! Two days ago I was riding my bike with a dear friend in Glacier Park in shorts and a tank top, savoring the sun on my skin and relishing the breathtaking beauty and cascading waterfalls. Yesterday, I stepped out of the 70 degree Growing Dome and it was SNOWING...hard! There is a saying here...If you don't like the weather, just wait 5 minutes (it changes quickly!) Happy spring everyone!!

p.s. I have a new yummy snack I have been enjoying...Living Tree Community Tahini with cacao nibs and goji berries...their tahini is off the hook delicious!

Tahini, 16oz, (Living Tree Community)"> Goji Berries 16oz (raw, organic)">



Watching Peace grow! Ma-in-Law planted these kale seeds and I couldn't figure out what was going on as they seemed to be sprouting randomly rather than in rows. That beautiful woman planted them in the shape of a Peace sign and now we get to watch Peace GROW everyday!

Isn't he a doll? That's my hubby installing our 1st vent. The vents open and close with no electricity. From what I understand, the pistons have beeswax in them. When the dome reaches a certain warm temperature, the wax softens and pushes the piston out to open the vent. Later, as it cools, the piston slowly closes. It has been working perfectly!

Sprout Master

How do you grow your sprouts, let me count thy ways...okay, just one right now. My beloved cousin Shonna gave me these Sprout Master trays (sold locally) for my birthday 2 years ago and they have brought an ABUNDANCE of sprouts into my life! Now, I keep 3 trays going at all times. The trays are about the size of a sheet of paper (tray is 8x10) and one day I did the figuring to conclude it cost me about 35 cents worth of seeds per tray! Doing it yourself/growing your own makes this lifestyle very affordable and enjoyable! The process is simple...

Scoop 3.5 tablespoons of dry seed (I usually use a mix of alfalfa, radish, clover and fenugreek) into a cup or bowl.


Cover generously with 2-3 times more water than seeds (You can't add too much water)...


Allow seeds to soak 8-12 hours or overnight.
Pour into tray and spray thoroughly to rinse. Cover with lid. Rinse 1-2x daily and drain well.


The trays are stackable, so it doesn't take over your kitchen! After 3-4 days (when the sprouts are about 1/2 to 3/4 as tall as the tray, continue your rinsing/draining routine, but give the sprouts gentle sunlight all day, so their leaves can turn green with chlorophyll!


After 2 days of sun, eat and savor your delicious Abundance!

Geodesic Dome Greenhouse!!

HAPPY SPRING to you! Many times in Montana, the weather outside laughs at Spring Equinox, but the last 2 days have been sunny and yummy-up to about 50 degrees today, which is a welcome stark comparison to below freezing 2 weeks ago! As you can see, it was approaching 90 degrees in the greenhouse today! It's not even completely sealed and we haven't set up the water tank yet. I was singing in my tank top and fleece pants, sweatin' in my ski socks and Bean boots! Glorious! Several weeks ago, on a sneaky sunny day, we planted lots of seeds. Today, I chanted Kundalini mantras to Kale sprouts...

Snap pea sprouts...

and Spinach sprouts...
while planting flats of tons of other seeds like onion, zucchini, corn, watermelon, sunflower, tomato, jalapeno, parsley, cilantro,tomato, mustard greens, arugula, broccoli, winter squash, cucumbers, ETC!



We'll see how those little babies hang in there during the unpredictable Spring. I am SOO GRATEFUL to be playing and interacting with my plant friends so early in the year. The garden is still covered in feet of snow. Michael and I have been reading and loving ANASTASIA By Vladimir Megre...it is a glorious book that inspires us even more to be in tune to the magic of life surrounding us. Here is a brief summary:

In 1994 a Siberian elder told the entrepreneur Vladimir Megre a fascinating story about the "ringing cedars" - trees respected from Biblical times for their curative powers and the capacity to re-connect human beings with the Divine. The elder told him where such a ringing cedar was growing in the Siberian backwoods. Vladimir Megre set out on an expedition to find the tree. But his encounter with the elder's granddaughter Anastasia transformed him so deeply that he abandoned his commercial plans and, penniless, went to Moscow to write a book about the spiritual insights she shared with him. What happened next thrilled and inspired millions!

Raw Chocolate Pudding!

Mmmm! If you haven't made raw chocolate pudding yet, make some this week! It's so yummy and so easy! Here's a recipe thanks to www.thedailyrawcafe.com. I put mine in a fancy martini glass and topped it with frozen huckleberries! To live for!!

Raw Chocolate Pudding

1 avocado, diced

1/2 c Raw Organic Agave Nectar

1/4 c Raw Cacao Powder

1/4 c water

2 T vanilla extract

1/4 t sea salt

Place avocado, agave nectar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and sea salt in a blender. Gradually add 1 tablespoon of water at a time to achieve a creamy consistency.

Liquid Love :)

Yesterday I felt like going mostly liquid, so before I departed for deliciously Hot Yoga, I made 2 quarts of green smoothie and 1 pint of hemp seed milk with chia seeds. This lasted me all day until I returned home from work and enjoyed a salad and steamed artichoke with my hubby. It was a very simple day and a great way to fuel me in between giving massages!

It is freezing here...literally! Two days ago, the ski hill was closed because it was reporting -24 degrees at the summit, -60 with windchill!!! Zoikes! Michael and I checked on the geodesic dome greenhouse, expecting the few sprouts that have poked up from my planting 2.5 weeks ago would be frozen to death, but it was 45 degrees in there that afternoon! Wow! We are praying the little babes make it through this last cold spell and we have FRESH greens before long. I will take photos soon. Right now, we are depending mostly on the sprouts we grow in the kitchen (which is quite alot) and supplementary greens from the health food store coming in from California.
Enjoy the sunshine for us if you've got it!

Peppery Avocado Caesar Salad Dressing

Although Daylight Saving's Time has granted us light until nearly 8 pm, it is definitely far from Spring. With the recent snow and winds, we were snowed in today! I recently substitute taught Kundalini Yoga classes for my friend that I attended Teacher Training with in Colorado and she needed her bag of books and basket of yoga mats back today, so she drove as far as she could and I got geared up and pulled the yoga mats on a sled across the snowy field. As I hadn't done any asanas (postures) yet, I decided Karma Yoga (selfless service) was my route today!
I decided to try a new raw treat today, so I made the Peppery Avocado Caesar Salad Dressing from Cafe Gratitude's I am Grateful recipe book. It wouldn't be kosher for me to share the recipe, but it is super-delicious! I googled for a recipe to share, so give this one a try...

RAW Caesar Salad Dressing
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup Organic Raw Tahini
1/4 cup organic extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 large garlic cloves
1/2 inch piece of peeled ginger
Celtic Sea Salt to taste
Combine ingredients either in a blender or medium size bowl, and salt to taste.

The base for the one I made today was avocado rather than tahini and oil and added lots of fresh ground pepper, but I like the thought of ginger too! Making a yummy new salad dressing is a fun way to keep salads out of the boring category.

Also, Matt Monarch is deleriously excited that his fiance Angela Stokes will soon be able to return to the States has created a 17% OFF coup0n c0de which you can use on ANY order between now and March 12th. Just type in the c0de ‘VISA’ at the check0ut on his store.
There are also "at cost" specials on tahini, peruvian olives and truly raw cashews – just type - fvsa - in the search field on the top right hand corner of the page to access those prices.
To get started, just click on the Raw Foods Super Store logo above my photo.

I have taken this opportunity to try some goodies I have never tried before like the kale chips. Michael and I have also really been enjoying the 1st Anastasia book and decided to get the 9 book series as an early birthday present to myself (I turn 34 on March 25th!)
Enjoy!

"If every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week (any meal) composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country's oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week. That's not gallons, but barrels. Small changes in buying habits make big differences. Becoming a less energy-dependent nation may just need to start with a good breakfast."
-Barbara Kingsolver in Animal, Vegetable,Miracle