Trustee's Garden in Savannah

First off, let me start by saying that it's a pleasure to be back on track and looking into "Healthy Discoveries" in a new city and state. For those who may not be aware, we've moved from Nashville, TN to Savannah, GA, and I'm starting this lifestyle journey anew.

Although I've lived in the remote areas of the Deep South before, Savannah is different. To me, it is at the same time remote and yet considered a fairly decent size city. Needless to say, it is much smaller than Nashville and therefore does not have some of the places I was accustomed to (Whole Foods, etc) but I am learning that there are nice options here.

Of course, the growing season is a bit longer here and we have access to local farmers and their produce quite readily in and around the Savannah area. One of the great finds that I have yet to personally visit but wanted to highlight today is the Market at the Trustee's Garden in the historic downtown area of Savannah.

I'm sure many of you reading this blog have visited Savannah and marvelled at the history, architecture, and beauty of this old city. For those of you planning to return or planning your first visit, you will surely want to put the Trustee's Garden on your list of must see places.

History of the Trustee's Garden:
Here's an excerpt from the official website: "From 1733 to 1748 Trustees’ Garden was set aside from Savannah as an experimental farm where peaches, rice, cotton, grapes, flax, hemp, indigo, olives, and the mulberry trees essential to silk culture, were grown. Silk was an early promise, and the town’s largest structure was the filature where the cocoons were unwound into silk thread. Queen Caroline was clothed in Georgia silk. However, large-scale silk production did not happen, so interest waned and the garden closed."

Currently, the area of the former experimental garden is now being used once a week to house The Market at Trustee's garden, a market featuring local organic farmers, eco artists, and more. According to the Market's website, this is "an attempt to reinvigorate the first experimental garden of the United States of America."

Isn't that cool? I've always loved history but I love the fact that Savannah was a "first city" for so many things -- the garden, the first planned city in the US, and so much more.


*You can read more about the Trustee's Garden here: http://www.trusteesgarden.com/home
and more about the market here: http://www.trusteesmarket.com/


More to Come
Stay with this blog in the coming weeks as we highlight local farms and more. And if you have a suggestion for a feature, please leave a comment on this post.

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Heirloom Tomatoes and Strawberries

That's what I'm after this weekend at the Farmer's Market in Nashville!

I just got my e-newsletter from the market yesterday and I'm excited. Here's what they had to say:

Life is sweet at the Market!

The long awaited Tennessee strawberry season is here. Local strawberries are to be devoured during the scant weeks they are in season and these sweet little orbs are a great way to start off a fantastic spring at the market.

New to the Market this year is Rainbow Hill Farm from McMinnville, with a truck-load of delicious quarts of berries. They've visited the market several times now on Tuesdays and will be coming back again with a truckload of fresh picked strawberries this Friday as well. Walter has been selling out quick as word spreads about new farmers and
fresh berries at the Market, so come early! And if you miss Walter, wander over to our retail area where you can find a great selection of fresh, sweet berries from Cookeville, Portland and Ridgetop, Tennessee.*

Additionally, they have some Heirloom Tomatoes in the sheds too --

Heirloom Tomatoes Already?

Yes! Our intrepid retailer Randy Barnes has discovered a farmer growing with hoop houses and bringing us heirloom tomatoes nearly a month earlier than usual. You'll find all your favorites, like Cherokee Purple, red Brandywine, Gold Medal and, new this year, Kellogg's Breakfast. Come down and get a taste of summer early.*

I don't know what half of those are, but I'm going to find out!! Yum!

So, if you are in the Nashville area, you might want to grab your 'Green' bags and schedule a trip out this weekend to the Market. Directions and more details can be found here: www.nashvillefarmersmarket.org

*Reprinted from the Nashville Farmer's Market E-news.


Tour De Nash
And, if you happen to be downtown on Saturday the 17th, you might want to check out the Tour De Nash. This annual event provides everything from a 2 mile Family Walk to a 50+ mile bike ride around the city.

Additionally, there is a FREE health and wellness fair during the event. Most participants in the free walks get water bottles for their participation too.

Enjoy your weekend!

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Year for New Beginnings

Numbers are important and associated with symbols, and no one knows that better than our Jewish friends. For them, "numbers have word meaning, which have picture meaning, which have sounds. The Hebraic Year 5768, which will encompass the Gregorian calendar’s Year of the Lord 2008 A.D., is “The Year of Samekh Chet!” That means we are coming into “The Year of the Full Circle of Life.”" Therefore, it is a year of New Beginnings! I've been told that the symbol for this year is an open gate.

That excites me and I fully intend to walk through that gate expectant for what 2008 will bring!

It is a year filled with potential and new beginnings! I'm taking that literally for both my spiritual life and my physical one. Starting the new year with 30 days Raw will be a challenge and, if I make it through, a new beginning with my health.

I want to "up the ante" this year - spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally ...

How about you? Whether you make resolutions, list goals, or simply evaluate your life, the fading embers of the old year and the fresh beginnning of the new one make for an excellent time to re-evaluate, re-prioritize, and re-focus.

Have a Happy New Year!
I'm checking out of the blogosphere for a bit but will be back after the New Year. Posts around here have been few and far between lately. My plan is to post more regularly after the new year -- partly to chronicle my 30 days and partly to sort through the pile of raw/vegan info yearning to be added to this blog.

All the best!

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Wowser ... I am SO trying this!

OK boys and girls. Just a quick entry before I commence to scrubbing my house in preparation for company this weekend.

I just checked my Google Reader and found a recipe that is SCREAMING to be attempted for Thanksgiving. Seems I will brave the store later today to grab ingredients that I lack for this one.

So ... run, don't walk, over to the FatFree Vegan Kitchen blog (have I told you how much I adore this blog?????) for her --- drum roll please ---

Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

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Whole Foods, Kale, and Soup Reviews

Melodie located a page over at the Whole Foods Market website featuring Thanksgiving and other holiday recipes.
Check it out here: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/freshnew/index.html

* Not all of them are vegan (or even vegetarian) so read carefully if you are staunchly vegan for the holidays. For everyone else that is transitioning these might make for good inclusions for this holiday season.

Whole Foods Market also has a list of quite a few blogs they publish. Here is one for the "Whole Body." The latest entry is for mineral makeup that is good for you.


Kale
Kale is a little powerhouse of a plant. If you need proof, just follow this link to learn more
(link was on a post from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen blog)

I gotta tell ya ... I love that blog and the recipes she's postin'. If you haven't looked through her stuff, you SO need to. Last night both Sandye and I made the Rustic Red Kale and White Bean Soup (see post below that links to her recipe) for our families. It was SOOOO yummy!!!

We both had two thumbs up from the entire family on it (except Steph because I totally overdid it on the pepper with mine -- yowser was it hot!) It was so good that my hubby said I could make it everyday if I wanted to.

But I gotta tell ya ... it is one of those soups that makes you want to snuggle under a blanket while enjoying a roaring fire in the fireplace and watching a good movie with family gathered around. It's also one of those that makes you crave a hunk of crusty bread to go along with it.

YUM!!

Now, go on, rush out to the store and get the ingredients because you know you want to make it!

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Pumpkin Hummus

Speaking of using things up that are in the pantry ...

I found this recipe for Pumpkin Hummus over at ChooseVeg.com and I think I'll make it to use up some of those canned veggies. Yes, I know canned are not the best option, but ....

So, the link above is for the video of the preparation. Here is the link to the actual recipe you can print: Pumpkin Hummus Recipe. The recipe is courtesy of Everyday Dish


Fall Recipe Share:
If you have a great recipe that screams "Fall Flavors" please consider sending it over so that we can share it with everyone. (Tonda ... if you are reading this, I want the recipe for the roasted Sweet Potatoes that we had at Pastor's Appreciation Day - hee hee!)

Here are a couple I found but haven't tested yet:

• Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
• The Best Vegan Green Bean Casserole
• The Vegan Holiday Table

Please pass along any that you may have found or created.

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