In the last several years, many have dreamed about chucking city ways and living on the land as a small organic farmer. Here’s the story about Michael Paine, a man who went to college in the Bronx, then joined the Peace Corps and was sent to Lesotho to grow trees.

He concluded that growing food was more pertinent than forestry and when he came home he decided to be a family farmer. The bank wouldn’t lend him money to buy a farm, but based on his wife’s earnings they would lend money to buy a country estate.

It’s an inspiring story and while most of us won’t end up as small farmers, we can appreciate those who do.

How do you use an ordinary item such as a lemon in an unusual way? This video shows you five unique and useful suggestions for using a lemon, including relieving sunburn, removing ink stains, and cleaning your microwave. There’s bound to be something helpful to you here.

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As summer vacation comes to an end, for many of us, thoughts turn back towards school.  Late August to early September feels as much like a beginning to me as January 1st.  It’s that school year rhythm that’s embedded deep in my psyche.  As I consider the new school year, I ask myself a few questions: “What worked well last year?” “What can I do to make things more manageable?”

If you want to make a new school year resolution, but aren’t sure where to begin, here are some suggestions.  Remember, even adopting just one of the following will yield benefits for all.  Happy New School Year!

1. Invest in a quality backpack: While it’s tempting and easy to buy a low-cost backpack featuring one of your kids’ favorite TV characters at a local big market store, spending more now for a well-made backpack will save you a nice chunk of change over the years.  A friend of mine has a daughter entering the fifth grade, and she’s had the same backpack since kindergarten!  It’s still in great shape — no holes or broken zippers; it’s washable, so it still looks fresh; and its classic styling has made it timeless.

2. Invest in a quality reusable lunch kit: Basically, everything noted about quality backpacks applies here.  A sturdy, well-made lunch bag or box and reusable water bottle, made without bisphenol-A (BPA) or lead, will keep your child’s lunches safe over the years.  There are quite a few options available that include reusable dishes, so that you and the planet can be free from endless plastic baggies.  Lunchsense washable lunch boxes can be purchased alone or with a set of reusable, multi-sized, watertight containers made of food grade plastics, an ice pack and a drink bottle.  The lunchbox itself becomes a placemat for your child’s meal.

3. Prepare more school lunches: Sending your kids to school with lunch from home is the best way to ensure that they have the option to eat the things you think are best for them (though, you can’t totally control lunchroom swaps.)  However, in a crunch or culinary imagination slump, it’s easy to quit preparing lunch and to allow kids to buy whatever the cafeteria has cooked up.  To help make preparing school lunches easier, try planning out your child’s lunch menu earlier than the night before.  Schools often send home the lunch menu for the month.  You can create a similar schedule of meals so that you can shop weekly based on the predetermined menu, and know in advance what you’re packing each day.  Having your child help with the menu selections can help you pick meals that will actually get eaten.  Also, if possible, designate a space in your pantry and fridge as the “school shelves,” so that the family will know not to eat certain items, frustrating your school lunch and snack plans.

4. Simplify your schedules:  Soccer, swim team, gymnastics, dance lessons, book clubs, community theater, birthday parties, playdates… getting overscheduled is so easy to do!  Determine your priorities for the year, and honor them.  Isn’t having a family life that is sane and cohesive more important than having a child trying to excel at everything?  Once you get a grasp on what the school workload is, try to limit extra-curriculars to what brings your child pleasure and growth, but minimal stress.  Down time is vital to health and growth.

5. Have a consistent bedtime:  Kids need to get enough sleep at night, and parents need time to unwind.  Figure out what time your kids need to be in bed each night, then schedule enough time for the evening wind down — clean up, baths, book reading — in order to have lights out by bedtime

6. Prepare a nutritious breakfast: We all know that a good breakfast supports a successful day for both kids and adults, yet the things we often associate with breakfast are not especially nutritious: pancakes, waffles, sugary cereals.  Stock your fridge and pantry with easy to prepare breakfasts — eggs, whole-grain cold and hot cereals, quality bread, low-fat yogurt, fresh fruit, nut butters – to make breakfast energizing, healthy and no fuss.  Also, remember that breakfast does not equal sweet.  Consider including savory options such as warmed up beans and brown rice or hummus with whole-grain pita on your breakfast menu.

7. Donate outgrown clothes: Kids grow and grow and grow, making some new school clothes obsolete before they’ve been thoroughly broken in.  Do yourself a favor and immediately donate outgrown clothes to a thrift store or pass them on to someone who can use them instead of cluttering up your home with them.  They will be a treasure to someone and you’ll enjoy not having overstuffed drawers and closets full of clothes no one in your home can wear.

8. Recycle paper: The volumes of paper that kids bring home from school astonishes me.  Newsletters, fundraising material, spelling lists and tests, homework assignments, flyers, doodles.  While some of this material — certain lessons and art projects — are keepers — a lot of it is not.  You know it’s coming, so be prepared.  Make it easy to dump unnecessary papers in a recycling bin or bag in your home, reducing both clutter and landfill trash.

9. Give yourself enough time in the morning:  Being rushed is anxiety-inducing, stirs up anger and is, overall, a lousy feeling.  If you have found your family consistently experiencing the morning rush, it probably means you or certain members need to get up earlier than is customary.  Sometimes a simple extra fifteen minutes is all it takes to make getting to the bus stop, make sure everything’s in the backpack, and have time for good-bye kisses the new normal.

10. Bless your life: In all of the hustle and bustle of having school-aged children, it’s easy to develop the habit of complaining or operating out of a low-grade negativity.  A definition of “to curse” is “to speak evil of.”  Instead, bless yourself, your family, your life.  These years are a passing season, and while it’s not all bliss, give your family the gift of being grateful for the good, the love, the health, the joy, the humor and the blessedness of the day.

Via Care2

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Now that warmer weather is here, seasonal eating has become easier with more and more items coming into season each week. Seasonal eating is based on purchasing foods during their natural (or seasonal) growing times. This means you are eating them when they are at their freshest. Not only are they fresher, but they are tastier too.

Seasonal foods also pack the biggest nutritional punch. That’s because they don’t lose nutrients like fruits and vegetables that are stored or have to travel a long-distance to get to market.

But, did you ever realize that eating fresh, in-season foods actually saves you money?

If you buy items that aren’t in season, you pay a premium for them. How so? That basket of peaches you buy during winter can cost twice as much as it would if you buy it when peaches are in season locally. Having those South American peaches transported halfway around the world shows up in your food bill, not to mention it is very environmentally unfriendly.

And, if you take a look around your local supermarket, you will see that in season, fresh fruits and vegetables are the most inexpensive things there. In fact, just a quick glance at a store’s sale ad usually lists “fresh produce” on sale each week. Those sale items are usually prominently located right at the front of the store’s produce aisle.

While the supermarket is a great place to get a few of the most popular seasonal produce items on sale, the best place to buy what’s in season is at your local farmers’ market.

Not only is shopping at a farmers’ market one of the easiest ways to find in-season, locally grown fruits and vegetables, it can also save you money. Unlike the supermarket, at a farmers’ market you have the option of walking around first and checking out all of the stands to compare quality, selection and price before you buy.

One way to get the best deals at the farmers’ market is to shop the market right before they are getting ready to close. If it’s their last market of the day, most farmers don’t want to have to take produce back to the farm and are more than happy to let you have it for a bargain price. Many farmers will negotiate on price at any time the market is open.

A great resource for finding local farmers’ markets is Local Harvest. Before heading off to the farmers’ market check out Sustainable Table to find out what’s in season in your area. The Natural Resources Defense Council lists food miles and local food availability for every state and every season.

Judi Gerber is a University of California Master Gardener with a certificate in Horticultural Therapy. She writes about sustainable farming, local foods, and organic gardening for multiple magazines. Her book Farming in Torrance and the South Bay was released in September 2008.

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By Blythe Copeland, Planet Green

This Mother’s Day, forget the flowers: Instead, treat your mom to gifts and accessories handmade by other moms around the world, choosing Fair Trade, artisan-made, and one-of-a-kind classics (like jewelry, bags, shoes, and even gourmet snacks) that help impoverished women and local entrepreneurs make their mark on the global economy. From intricate bags beaded by women in Africa to gluten-free crackers from a pair of moms in Colorado, we’ve got a lineup of gifts that do as much for others as they do for you—now wouldn’t your mom be proud?

1. Doreen Mashika Accessories

Designer Doreen Mashika returned to her birthplace in Tanzania as an adult—after an education and business career that took her through Italy, Switzerland, and England—to combine her two passions: luxury goods and vintage jewelry. Now, her collection of bags, bracelets, earrings, ballet flats, and other accessories show off local gems and recycled glass beads. But the best part? All of her pieces are handmade under Fair Trade conditions by women in nearby villages.

2. Earth Divas Bags

Busy moms need plenty of places to stash their stuff, and the Fair Trade bags at Earth Divas have a style for everyone: the beaded hobo with a shoulder strap that ties at the top so you can adjust the length is just right for the new mom balancing bottles and binkies; a clutch made with recycled silk is the perfect date night accessory; and a chic hemp handbag lets working moms carry everything they need at home and at work.

3. Handmade Gifts from Etsy Moms

Browsing the shops of handmade goods on Etsy means you’re guaranteed to find a one-of-a-kind gift (which is especially good news for over-competitive siblings trying to outdo each other on May 9). But stick with shops run by women who are mothers themselves and you’ll be helping other families all over the country (and the world). Check out the Etsy Mom blog for product showcases, interviews with designers-slash-moms, and gift giveaways that will no doubt be better than whatever your sister came up with.

4. Two Moms in the Raw Snacks

If your mom is an aspiring gourmet-health nut, then help her stock her pantry with organic, gluten-free foods from Two Moms in the Raw, a pair of Colorado-based mothers who make granola and crackers that are 100% vegan—and entirely free of oil and refined sugar. Try Garden Herb or Pesto Sea Crackers and Raw Goji Berry or Raw Cranberry Granola for a tasty treat that’s much healthier than your annual sausage-pancakes-and-mimosas brunch.

5. Hands Up Not Handouts Jewelry

Moms love to give advice, and if your moms favorite tip is “Accessories make the outfit” then she’ll love the goods at Hands Up Not Handouts. This company, which sources bright bracelets from Palestine and modern earrings from Rwanda, supports women in both countries with the production, marketing, and designing of the jewelry—and then puts all the proceeds back into the business and the communities where the women live.

6. Women’s Peace Collection Goods

The difference between the Women’s Peace Collection and other female-driven groups is simple: the WPC focuses specifically on helping women in regions torn by or recovering from war. Give your mom a Jerusalem Candle of Hope made by women in Israel and Palestine; a Peace Basket woven in Darfur or Sudan; a beaded bracelet from Afghanistan; drop earrings from Nepal; or a silk bag from Vietnam, and help support mothers and children who are trying to support themselves.

7. Donate to the International Rescue Committee

Maybe your mom has enough stuff. (Most moms do.) In that case, honor her with a donation to the Interational Rescue Committee, a group that works with refugees around the world to address medical issues, education, resettlement, and legal aid. You can make a flat donation kit or purchase an item that will help a mother elsewhere in the world, like a prenatal care kit or a scholarship to summer school for her child.

Planet Green is the multi-platform media destination devoted to the environment and dedicated to helping people understand how humans impact the planet and how to live a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle. Its two robust websites, planetgreen.com and TreeHugger.com, offer original, inspiring, and entertaining content related to how we can evolve to live a better, brighter future. Planet Green is a division of Discovery Communications.

By Becky Striepe, Green Options

There are lots of ecofriendly gift wrap options out there if you’re feeling the traditional, paper wrapping thing. If you want to branch out a bit, though, you might try wrapping some gifts this year using the traditional Japanese method furoshiki. Here’s how!

Rather than paper that gets tossed after a single use, furoshiki involves wrapping gifts in beautiful cloth that can be used over and over again! The Japanese Ministry of the Environment has a great visual guide showing how to wrap all sorts of gift items.

For a little more detail on the various methods, check out this great video demonstration:

Pretty awesome, right? You can really use any pretty piece of fabric as long as it’s big enough. Want to be even more eco-friendly this gift-giving season? Try making your own gifts rather than buying them from the store.