The Launch of LBS.

About: Lettuce Bee Sustainable

This the offical lawnching of the LBS, store at the BlueJay site.  I hope you enjoy it as I do, but first a little about how all this came to be.  LBS, is located on an urban homestead in the heart of New York City. This has become my pet project and a work in progress, it came into existence about two years ago at the hight of the economic collapse. I remember watching a newscast one evening as a reporter told the story of a man who traveled throughout the United States in search of employment within the state he happen to be
located at the moment.  I was amazed by the way he managed to find employment at a time when everyone around me was losing their jobs and their homes.  I was fascinated and inspired by his journey.  Being a family man, I can imaginethe hardships of packing everything up and traveling from state to state in
search of employment. I don't think I've could have done what he did.  Nevertheless, I had to find away to become my every own economic stimulus package and maybe inspire someone as well. Therefore, I embarked on a journey of self sustainability. I own a small property here on staten Island, it became the
first piece towards my steps towards sustainably.  I made some radical changes that year, in choosing to live a less toxic life style, I chose to grow home grown fruits and vegetables, raise chickens for organic eggs, and kept a few beehives for local honey, all this within residential neighborhood.  I want to know how much produce the average Joe, such as myself,  could grow.  We in an era were multitasking is a necessity. Where the act of reinventing ourselves is becoming the norm. I've transitioned from a city dweller into an Urban Farmer. Not only do we as individuals, need to work hard, efficiently and sustainably, so do the very homes we live in.  These were extremely big changes which I made, however, it was enough, in order to maintain this little patch of green earth, enabling me to transform a 100 year old victorian house in to a self sustaining
parcel of land, I also decided to make and sell urban inspired soaps and candles to keep this project going. 

This was the birth of Lettuce Bee Sustainable, it is my story, my journey into sustainability. The  soaps and candles are handcrafted on premise. Each batch of soap is made from natural ingredients and saponified plant oils. No animal products are ever used in the making of soaps. Nor are they test on animals. Furthermore, no artificial dyes, or colors are use.  Scented soaps are made with phthalate free fragrance oils.  The handmade candles are made from 100% bee's wax collected from my hives and other local
beekeepers, then hand poured on site. Packaging is also done by hand, made from 100% recycled materials made in the USA or a sustainable source from a round the world. The goal here is to be sustainable and eco friendly. The mission is to keep it green, while lifting spirits and touching lives with my urban rustic
nostalgic crafts.

Thank you for supporting my cause and for keeping it green. This project is
still in it's infancy, but their will be much more to come. Thanks again and I
look forward to servicing you.

sincerely

F.M

Staten Island BeeKeepers

This has been the busiest spring I believe I  have ever had, and it seems this summer will be just as busy.  I have been working on creating our LBS Soap Brand and promoting beekeeping here on Staten Island.

However, congratulation are in order and kudos to  Ms. Debra Butera the organizer of the Staten Island beekeepers in New York for bringing our hobby to the forefront on our little island.  She's promoting and educating the public about honey bees in the hopes removing the stigma associated with them.  She was given the opportunity to be  interview by a reporter of the Staten Island Advance in regards to beekeeping in an urban setting.

I have added the link where Ms. Butera discusses Beekeeping in Staten island in the Staten Island Advance.

The Sustainable Journey Continues.

It been a while since I posted something about our little patch of green earth. Making the transition into an urban homesteader is not as easy as I thought it would be. Now that spring is about a month way, I am preparing my seed starts for this years veggie patch. However, I don't think I can grow everything I need to sustain ourselves. I will have to make my way to the local farmers' market for fruits and veggies to supplement that which I did not have time to grow or crop failure. This urban homestead project is still a work in progress. Grow beds still need to be built, a new batch of chicks need to be hatched in order replace the older hens. Bee hives need to be inspected and painted. If I find that our bees aren't going make it through this winter, I will have to place an order for a new nuc, or capture a feral swarm. Now imagine doing all of this while you are employed full time. Coming home to take care of my urban livestock after long day at work may seem like madness to you. However, when I decided to live a less toxic life style, this all became part of the package. Add to this the fact that I am still renovating my home while developing this urban farm yard. Nevertheless, I still believe this can be done, incorporating new Eco friendly technology into a 100 year old home, the integration of the new with the old, and so the journey coninues.

The chickens are still doing their thing and hopefully the bee's will make it till spring.
However, we have been quiet busy this winter. Despite the strange weather we had this winter. We managed to collect enough beeswax from the hive to make a few beeswax candles. Hopefully this up coming 2012 season will bring us more of that sweet honey and candle making wax.

This season God willing, I will have a better growing season and more inspiring writing material to motivate you to cultivate your own little patch of green earth.  Anyone interested in one of our beeswax candles just
CLICK HERE.

Sustainable Bee Keeping

This is just a short clip of our Urban bee yard.  It was taken from July till November first.  It now almost Christmas and the weather is still favorable for them.  They are still taking foraging flights and its December 23rd.  Hope you enjoy this clip and  have your self a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


Bee Clip!

Yummy Yuletide Recipes You Will Love

By: Jeremy White


Of all the traditions you'll embrace this Christmas season, few are as resplendent and revered as a bounteous holiday feast. A table full of family and friends with cups that runneth over truly brings joy to the occasion. Here are a handful of recipes to help with your holiday dinner preparations.

We're not chefs and space constraints do not allow us to plan your entire meal, but the recipes here are easy, time tested and will make a nice addition to the other dishes you plan to produce.

Whether you opt for ham, turkey or roast beef as your meat of choice, you won't go wrong with a side of garlic-cheese mashed potatoes. Give this recipe a whirl:

Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
3 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
8 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed
9 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup half and half
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Romano cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper, to taste

Halve potatoes and boil until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain and set aside. Melt butter in pan. In separate pan, bring half and half to boil and remove immediately when it begins to boil. Mash the potatoes. Beat in butter first, then half and half. Add mashed garlic and cheeses, then mix to melt cheeses. Season with salt and pepper and continue to mix until potatoes are smooth.

While you are cooking and the children are playing, you'll need a soothing drink to keep your heart warm and your spirits lively. Apple cider is perfect for this.

Hot Apple Cider
1 gallon apple cider (apple juice will work)
4 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
4 allspice berries
1 orange peel, cut into strips
1 lemon peel, cut into strips

Pour cider into a large stainless steel pot. Place spices and peels into a cheesecloth. Drop cheesecloth into cider. Heat until the cider comes just short of boiling.
Remove cheesecloth and keep cider on the stovetop, over low heat. Serve warm throughout the day.

If you seek to serve a traditional feast, chances are cranberry sauce will find its way to your table. Sure, you can buy a canned sauce. No harm, no foul. If you'd prefer to make your own the day before the meal, however, here's how:

Cranberry Sauce
4 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup apple juice
1 cup honey
1 orange rind, grated

Mix cranberries, juice and honey in a pot. Cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, until cranberries pop. Remove from heat and stir in orange rind. Let cool to room temperature and refrigerate.

Lastly, it isn't a proper Christmas meal if you aren't breaking homemade bread. Try these yummy yeast rolls. It's a batter bread recipe, which is relatively quick and easy for beginning bakers!

Yeast Rolls
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup warm water
2 packages instant dry yeast
1 egg
3 1/2 cups flour

Heat milk, then stir in sugar, salt and butter. Set aside and let cool. Add warm water to large bowl, then add yeast. Stir until dissolved. Add milk mixture, egg and two cups flour to the water/yeast mixture. Beat until smooth and then add remaining flour to make a soft dough. Transfer to a greased baking tray, cover with clean towel and let rise for 30 minutes. The dough will nearly double in size. After 30 minutes, punch down dough and shape into rolls. Place them back into greased baking tray and bake in preheated, 400 F oven until done (10 to 12 minutes).


Author Bio

Jeremy White, a writer for Imaginary Greetings, Inc. (www.imaginarygreetings.com), is a regular contributing author specializing in features, sports, business and food writing, and frequently contributes to a variety of print and online publications. To make your holiday display magical, visit www.holidaylighting.com.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com

A Sustainable Craft.

        I have known Natasha for several years now, working together in health care, and I never knew how talented this young lady is. It was a chance encounter as we exchanged words on an extremely busy night in which she happened to mention, she is a Jewelry designer. Knowing how much I love hand crafted things and love to support local Artisans, I asked her if I could see her hand made jewelry.  She agreed and gave me a private showing of her gallery pieces, and I have to admit she's a natural.

     I have once again been inspired by the talents of everyday individuals, and Natasha has an amazing talent. It never seems to amaze me how the Lord always directs me towards individuals that are on the verge of making their dreams come true. Natasha started jewelry making as a hobby, however  Natasha, has a real passion and Artisan skill to her jewelry which is now becoming a part time business as her clientele grows. My Mum always said  follow your passion and you will be rewarded. And Natasha' is a perfect example of this of an individual who has followed her passion and it is just now paying off.  The following photos are just a few of Natashas' pieces.

                              

     The official launching of Natashas' Jewelry line, Beaded Jewels,will be on November 20, 2011.  Congratulations Natasha on your success.  Anyone wanting to inquire about her jewelry can contact Natasha at the following: email Nillis85@yahoo.com

The True Meaning of Giving Thanks

By: J Gardener


What's not to love about Thanksgiving? It's the start of a four-day weekend. You don't have to get up too early. Sometime in the afternoon, you gather with family to share a huge, delicious meal, with guaranteed leftovers. There's football and a long nap for dad, fellowhip and fun for everyone else. Best of all, except for the food, no shopping is required to have a wonderful day. For that reason, alone, adults love Thanksgiving.

Your kids probably love it, too-a day off from school, filled with lots of treats-but they probably think of Thanksgiving like you did, when you were small; it's that holiday that falls between Halloween and Christmas. We don't wear crazy costumes for Thanksgiving, we don't receive or give gifts, as a rule. So, since kids aren't bombarded with commercials, telling them what they have to get on Thanksgiving (if they want to fit in), it can be hard for them, in our consumer-driven culture, to understand just what it's all about. After all, holidays mean presents, right?

You tell your kids about the starving Pilgrims, who were saved by the gifts of food from the local Indians, and how our country might not have developed as it did, without that act of kindness. But few of us ever mark that kindness as we down our turkey and dressing. It's odd, when you think about it. Thanksgiving is the one holiday that really is all about giving and receiving, but advertisers still haven't figured a way to stretch our credit limits to the max.

So how can you make a holiday with no presents have some real meaning for your kids? You could start with the word, itself. We often forget that Thanksgiving is a compound word-the day is meant for giving thanks. If your kids are old enough to enjoy receiving gifts and blessings, they're old enough to begin learning the concept of thanks.

Before the holiday, sit down with your children and ask them what they have in their lives that makes them happy. They may name a specific toy, or a bicycle, or a game, but chances are, when they really think about it, they'll be happy for the same things you are-family and friends, love and health and a roof over their heads. Make a list of these things with your kids-tape them on the refrigerator, or someplace where your children can be reminded of all that they have to be grateful for.

Talk to your kids about ways they can give at Thanksgiving. It's a great opportunity to teach them that giving comes in many forms. With Christmas approaching, maybe they can think about donating some of the toys they've grown tired of to charity, so that children less fortunate can have a brighter holiday. Or, if your children receive an allowance, they might want to donate a portion of it, between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

There are even volunteer activities appropriate for young children. Something as simple as a neighborhood clean-up can involve many children, with supervision. Local residents and businesses can be approached about donating toward the effort, the proceeds of which can then be sent to a charity of the childrens' choice.

Thanksgiving need not be just the holiday between Halloween and Christmas. Even to your children, it's a day that can have real meaning, and live up to its name.

Author Bio
J Gardener, a writer for Imaginary Greetings, Inc. (www.imaginarygreetings.com), is an award winning screenplay copywriter and a regular contributing author on many family oriented issues. Imaginary Greetings offers highly imaginative personalized family oriented products and services. To learn more about how to make your holiday tree magical vist www.santasornamentshop.com.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com