Are You Getting Your Daily Allowance of Pesticides?

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) publishes an annual shopper's guide detailing the fruits and vegetables that contain the most and least amounts of pesticides. 

How sad is it that we even need a guide like this??? 

Anyway, they call it the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen.  The Dirty Dozen are the twelve most contaminated fruits and vegetables that you need to avoid if possible - buy organic!  The Clean Fifteen are - as obvious as it sounds - the fruits and vegetables that are lowest in pesticide residue.

So, here they are:
     The Dirty Dozen                                                     

     1. Apples                                                             
     2. Celery                                                                 
     3. Strawberries                                                      
     4. Peaches                                                              
     5. Spinach
     6.  Nectarines, imported
     7. Grapes, imported
     8. Sweet bell peppers
     9.  Potatoes
     10. Blueberries, domestic
     11. Lettuce
     12. Kale / Collard greens

     The Sweet Fifteen
     1. Onions
     2. Sweet Corn
     3. Pineapples
     4. Avocado
     5. Asparagus
     6. Sweet Peas
     7. Mangoes
     8. Eggplant
     9. Cantaloupe, domestic
     10. Kiwi
     11. Cabbage
     12. Watermelon
     13. Sweet Potatoes
     14. Grapefruit
     15. Mushrooms

The best way to make sure you are getting safe food is still to grow your own.  For more information go to the Environmental Working Group website.  But beware, you may find more information than you want.

Get your hands dirty!!  (not your veggies)

Duck's Day Out

The ducks got a vacation in the back yard today!



We got the ducks when they were a day old.  Some of the nice people I work with found them without a mother and pitched in for food while I built them a duck house for the winter.  I've heard contrasting viewpoints as to whether or not they will fly south for the winter - better safe than sorry!

We put in a small pool and, as I said, built them a duck house for the winter.  But today we thought they would like a field trip to the water falls - and boy did they!!

They went up and down the stream finding all sorts of yummy tidbits...

...then it was back home to their pond.

Happy Labor Day!

Planting the Pineapple

The roots grew to a length that I thought was adequate so I planted the pineapple in a pot.  I maybe should have let the roots get a little longer, but I think as long as I keep it watered it will be ok.  I will follow up with future posts to let you know!