Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)

Welcome! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the activities we've taken on so far.

Last week we took on the task of sharing information about growing food. In recent times, whether because of the world's economic condition, a need to live "green", or simply that growing vegetables is good, more people are getting interested. So the challenge sent out a call to all gardeners and asked that we share what we know and, hopefully, help others to get started.

First up ... The #CTWW Gang!

These folks hit the twitter "waves" and talked about our challenge using the hashtag #CTWW. Are you on twitter? If so, these are great folks to follow:

@gogreenbeans
@dpixel
@whopaysthepiper
@smallbits
@waxelene
@envirobooty
@thenewauthor
@accessorygal
@cjrthemamiblog
@smilinggreenmom
@coffeecontessa
@groovygreenlivi
@peopletowels
@givetreegifts
@ShoppingCharity
@littlegreenblog

Next up ... The Honor Society!

These folks wrote articles and/or left meaningful comments. To further spread the word, I tweeted, stumbled and facebooked any posts written for the challenge. Let's see what they had to say:

In this POST, Mrs. Green shows us that we don't need a piece of ground to grow food. She lists several ideas including rooftop gardening, apartment gardening and even gardening on a fire escape.

What do cinder blocks and Starbucks have to do with gardening? EcoGrrl tells us HERE and shares what she's growing this year.

For anyone who thinks that starting a garden takes a large investment in soil, fertilizer, seeds, planters, etc. ... check out this ARTICLE by Argentum Vulgaris. He's getting a bumper crop with 6 inches of soil that he made himself, very creative recycled planters, and seeds he gathered. He says ... if he can do it, anyone can!

Alicia had a couple of great tips for us. She plants marigolds at the bottom of the bean tepees and they keep bugs away. She also plants basil next to the tomatoes which, she says, seems to make them sweeter.

Kris accepted the challenge and, for the first time this year, is growing vegetables. She's starting off with some basics like lettuce and will grow one vegetable that she doesn't eat but has other plans for. Hm ... are you curious? Head over HERE to find out what she's doing.

@waxelene offers us this from the Bhagavad Gita "Be intent on action, not the fruits of action." Isn't that lovely?

Awhile back we did a challenge on volunteering. At that time, I shared how Marcy got the help of a few friends to create a garden in her backyard. In this POST she gives us an update and shares what she's planting (her area offers some unique growing challenges so the "usual" crops don't do well). In this ARTICLE she shares some tips and ideas for getting a garden started. She includes a site which will tell people what grows best in their zone.

The Accessory Lady has limited space but she's going to grow something in a window pot. A "little bird" told me that she's growing basil. :-)

Our friend, What A Card, writes a cooking column for a local Patch site (how great is that). She recently wrote an article on herb gardening (you can read it HERE). She includes some great tips for growing herbs, including where to plant them in relation to your kitchen ... which herbs may come back each year without replanting ... and which plants are invasive and are better grown in containers. If that weren't enough ... she also shares a delicious recipe using fresh herbs.

London has started planting. She brings up an interesting point ... in past years she has "over done" her garden and hopes not to repeat that this year. Her comment reminds us not to get over-zealous and plant more than we can handle. Thanks, London ... so nice to "see" you!

The Shopping Charity gave our challenge a mention in three editions this week. WhooHoo! In addition to CTWW, the first PUBLICATION includes articles about fostering dachshunds and a great piece from the Rhode Island Blood Center about a man who has donated blood 600 times. The second EDITION includes a piece about a painting which was created for the Enchanted Visions Project and an "amazing true vampire haunted item" being sold on Ebay. The third EDITION mentioned a couple of your articles ... was it yours?

Marsha is in a new home and is planting a garden. However, she says that the soil is bad so she's going to start composting to enrich it. While this year's garden may not yield as much as she'd like, it'll be a start. In the future, she hopes to install raised beds and, with improved soil, hopes to grow enough veggies to freeze for the winter.

Small Footprints left some comments (who has a name like that?? lol). If one has limited space, consider a vertical garden. It's especially great for veggies that send out runners (beans, peas, cucumbers, etc.). Click HERE for additional information. Better Homes and Gardens recently published free garden plans on their site, including plans for vegetable gardens. It's a great resource for learning what plants grow well together, growing exactly the kinds of veggies you'll use and creating beautiful gardens. You'll find the plans HERE. So what's growing in my garden this year? We're growing lettuce, radishes, Swiss chard, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas, okra, edamame (soy beans), cucumbers, dill, basil, parsley, cilantro, onions and sun flowers for the birds. All of this is growing from seed (most of which we gathered and saved from last year) in, and just outside, our small patio ... in containers.

From previous challenges ...

Kim stopped by. She didn't know that there are so many toxins in our homes. Yep ... it's scary, Kim! Nice to "see" you!

Ann wrote this POST which includes a link to our challenges. She shares that some friends of hers, a husband and wife, have recently learned that they have cancer and Ann wonders if their cancer might be caused by toxins in the house. That is a sobering thought!

Thanks to everyone who participated this week. As always, you teach and inspire us to live a greener life.

This week we're going to challenge ourselves to do something which may make a few people uncomfortable ... but, accomplishing it will have a huge impact. Are you ready?

Many people change their outer clothing daily whether they are dirty or not. Doing laundry often causes extra wear and tear on the material and uses a lot of water and electricity. So this week wear your clothes until they are truly dirty. Yep ... resist the urge to change and wear those duds until they are visibly dirty or they smell.

So what do you think? Can you do it?

Until next time ...

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!