Become an urban farmer...everyone's doing it

Sometimes it just feels so good to exhaust yourself through sheer physical work.  That's how I've been feeling this week as we've been renovating our backyard.  We've laid pavers, spread dirt and rock, planted vines and shrubs (in 111 degrees, no less!).  But the best part of the backyard by far is the 8'x4' raised bed that we built to house our new organic backyard garden.


As a vegan, I care so much about the origins of my food that I eat and feed to my family.  And I know that concern isn't exclusive to vegans.  There's a growing movement of people who are disgusted by the chemicals and nasty elements in much of the food supply, and many of these people have decided to grow their own produce.  Backyard gardens or "urban farms" are popping up all over the country as a response to genetically modified organisms (GMOs), pesticides, and other nasty chemicals that are, unfortunately, now the norm in the foods that we buy at the grocery store.  I've attended two lectures in the last two weeks here in Phoenix about urban farming and GMOs, and each event attracted 200+ people - all clamoring for advice on their farms.


There are a lot of resources to help you get started.  It's particularly challenging here in Phoenix's arid climate to grow produce, so we have resources like Urban Farm and the Valley Permaculture Alliance.  No matter where you live, you can find books and other resources to help you get started.  We made our raised bed out of sustainable redwood, and mixed our soil using fill dirt and organic compost.  I ordered seeds from nativeseeds.org, which guards against GMOs and preserves native seeds from the southwest.  Note: if you care about GMOs (and believe me, if you research them you will!), you don't want to buy ANY seeds from Monsanto, since they are the ones creating the GMO products.  That also includes the brand Miracle Gro.


Even if you only have an apartment balcony, if it gets sun, you can grow things. Consider growing some of your own veggies - you'll be amazed at how delicious they taste and how connected you will feel to the earth!

Connected through compassion

One of the many perks of going vegan is a community of people who are eager to make your acquaintance and support you.  Most of us have friends from work, school, and other places in our lives, but there is something special about a community of people connected through compassion.


When I went vegan, I didn't know anyone who had made the commitment I made.  Sure, I had read books, but those were one-way communications.  I felt alone and very alienated - especially among my own friends and family, many who thought I was becoming an extremist, an eccentric, or other equally perjorative word.  It was a hard transition socially, and I had no one with whom to share my experience who could understand.  I started this blog to document my experience - mostly to those who were still omnivores - and started to use Twitter to distribute my posts.  


Lo and behold I started getting large numbers of followers quickly.  And these people were extremely supportive!  I received messages from people all over the world who were so glad that I had gone vegan and was sharing my experience.  Encouraged, I started to join other vegan groups on LinkedIn, Facebook and also in-person through the Veg Phoenix meetup group.  Suddenly I had a network of people who understood me since they felt the same way.  I was shocked and amazed at how deeply vegans support other vegans.  I have given and received everything from restaurant and recipe advice to business consulting.  Vegan businesses are popping up all over the country (and the world!), and they are being supported by other vegans.


I encourage you to consider a vegan lifestyle.  Initially you may feel that you're giving up something, but you will receive so much more than you ever thought possible.  And I promise to be your biggest supporter of all!

If we can make a difference, why don't we?

Upton Sinclair had it right when he wrote, "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it."


Have you ever had to do something in your job that you felt was morally wrong?  What did you do?  Did you do it anyway, believing (often rightly so) that your career or paycheck could suffer if you didn't?  Unfortunately, that's the plight of so many workers in today's society.  At the end of the day, our mighty corporations and organizations are made up simply of people.  The people in the top leadership positions create the strategy and the "rules", and everyone else below them on the food chain needs to execute.  Even those brave souls who protest are often silenced by the system.


This is how the animal agriculture industry thrives.  They hire workers who, for many reasons, are often not empowered to speak up.  And, in concert with government agencies like the USDA (whose mission is to protect the business of agriculture, NOT protect the American consumer - don't be fooled) and self-interested, powerful politicians, they make money hand-over-fist.  This money is on the backs of the exploited animals and workers.  And they spend billions of dollars communicating with you - the consumer - to assure you that their food is healthy, safe, and as American as apple pie.


But guess what?  Every time we choose not to consume meat or dairy, WE are making the rules.  And the more people vote with their food choices, the more pressure comes to bear on factory farms.  I believe people are ultimately compassionate, but they have been brainwashed into believing animal products are healthy and that eating animals is a normal part of a normal American life.


I believe in a future where animals once again graze in pastures, eating the foods nature intended.  Where they can feel the rain, sun and snow on their bodies and play with their animal friends.  But this won't happen unless we all stand up to what we know is wrong.  You don't need to become an animal activist.  Changing your diet is the most powerful thing you can do.  Please join me in voting for the animals!

Vegan inspiration

As committed as I am to life as a vegan, sometimes it's hard to stay motivated.  I'll admit - I stole a bite of my son's pesto pasta the other day.  And I found myself fantasizing about pizza with cheese yesterday.  I'm not in danger of falling off the wagon, but sometimes, when presented with temptations, it can be hard to remember why a vegan lifestyle is so important.


Luckily, there are books like The Bond by Wayne Pacelle, CEO of Human Society United States (HSUS) and Farm Sanctuary by Gene Baur, founder of Farm Sanctuary in upstate New York.  After immersing myself in these books, I've gotten a full-scale reminder of what's at stake in the world of animal cruelty.  These books are both written by men who clearly cherish animals and have devoted their careers and lives to defending them.  There's a warmth and sense of clarity in both books.  As the most advanced species on earth, we have "dominion" over animals; a responsibility to protect and honor them.  Both books detail the best and worst of human behavior.  They share the depths of cruelty, but at the same time offer incredible hope and tell stories of love and redemption.


My blog will be on hiatus for a few weeks for a series of family roadtrips.  And I embark on these roadtrips strengthened by pride in the small role I play to protect innocent animals.

Being vegan: Always fulfilling but not always easy

Since going vegan earlier this year, I've found that the most difficult part of being vegan is travel.  I generally have few issues when I stick close to home, but travel can be tricky.


We went to L.A. for the holiday weekend, staying with family friends.  I came prepared with soy yogurt, Boca burger and a Clif bar.  All was well until we went to the 4th of July party.  I was hungry since I had been avoiding eating animal products (which is different than my approach at home - I cook delicious recipes with foods I haven't necessarily tried previously).  I spied bean dip and chips, and had a taste.  The dip was delicious.  I must have had at least 1/2 of the bowl when I ran into the woman who brought it.  "Your bean dip is delicious!  How do you make it?"  She responded with "Beans, salsa and lots of cheese.".   


Live and learn.  Next time, I will ask before I dive into anything homemade - no matter how good it looks.  And I will always bring a dish, so I know it's animal product free.


Happy 4th!  

Vegan pets...or not

A few months after adopting a vegan diet, I felt so good that I wanted to share the wealth.  With anyone who would listen.  And in my household, that included the pets.


Our household is overrun by an ecclectic collection of rescued four-legged beasts - 2 dogs and 3 cats.  My husband likes to say this is how hoarding starts.  So no additional pets in the near future.  


The dogs and cats are all healthy and have enjoyed the benefits of high-end dog and cat food.  The dogs inhaled their Blue Buffalo and the cats enjoyed Royal Canin.  I didn't want to mess with success, but I wanted to at least pursue the idea of a vegan diet for the pets.  So I did my research.  Turns out dogs don't need animal products in their diets but cats do.  An amino acid called taurine is essential for cats and they can only get it from seafood and meat.  So I decided to leave our cats on their current diet.


I turned my attention to the dogs.  I purchase everything for the pets at PetSmart, so I visited my local store and talked to the store manager.  He suggested Nature's Recipe vegetarian.  Though it contains a D3 supplement (of animal origin), all other ingredients looked vegan, so I tried it.  Over the period of a week, I mixed it with their Blue Buffalo until they were eating Nature's Recipe exclusively.


They've now been eating Nature's Recipe for almost 3 months and are just as healthy and active as ever.  They don't inhale the food anymore, they tend to graze during the day, which seems to balance their energy too.  So far, I'm very happy with the transition and even if the food isn't as tempting to them, they still get toys and treats so their lives are good.  And we're making a difference to the environment.  

The top 5 stereotypes about vegans: Are they true?

I wrote the below article this week for my examiner.com column, but wanted to post it here too since I thought it was important.  Enjoy!

When you hear the word “vegan”, what do you think?  Do you automatically think you know something about that person?  Do you categorize that person in your mind?  Are your associations positive or negative?  There are many stereotypes out there about vegans, but, as with most groups of people, it’s very difficult to categorize and often your assumptions are far from the truth.  Here are the top five stereotypes and the truth about each.

1. Vegans are all skinny.  I, for one, fervently wish this were true, but unfortunately taking animal products out of your diet doesn’t automatically make you drop weight.  There are many “junk food vegans” out there who love their processed foods and sweet treats.  Oreos and potato chips are vegan.  And while I certainly wouldn’t recommend eating these items exclusively, it can be difficult to turn down all the yummy vegan goodies like cupcake recipes all over the web.  Whole Foods in north Scottsdale carries Fabe’s Bakery mini double chocolate chip cookies that are vegan and don’t even contain sugar.  Need I say more?
2. Vegan diets are based on deprivation.  Vegans don’t eat animal products, but that doesn’t mean that a plant-based diet is about exclusion.  New vegans often discover foods that they had never tried or maybe never even heard about in the past, and these foods become new favorites.  American diets are very much focused around meat and dairy, with plant-based foods considered secondary or “sides”.  When these foods become the centerpiece, however, there’s a lot more energy put into making them unique and delicious.  My vegan mac and cheese (based on the VegNews recipe) has become a favorite among vegans and omnivores alike.
3. Vegans are difficult to please and demanding.  It’s true that vegans often need to ask for slight dietary changes at most restaurants, but savvy vegans know that friendliness and appreciation go a long way toward changing this stereotype.  In fact, many vegans offer to bring homemade dishes to dinner parties so that the host doesn’t need to do anything.  Restaurants increasingly have plant-based options which makes it even easier for vegans to dine out.  If you’re still not convinced, attend one of the next VEG Phoenix meet-up events and judge for yourself.  Omnivores are always welcome.
4. All vegans are animal activists.  This is a controversial topic among vegans.  While some believe that you can’t be a “true” vegan unless you are motivated by the welfare of agricultural animals, an increasing number of vegans have adopted a plant-based diet for dietary benefits or environmental reasons.  In fact, a large number of vegans don’t like the word “vegan” and don’t refer to themselves this way at all.  It’s true, however, that a great many vegans are committed to animal welfare issues and seek to end cruel factory farming practices. 
5. Vegans don’t get enough energy and can’t be hard-core athletes.  Tell this to Carl Lewis, the Olympic sprinter and long-jumper.  Or Ruth Heidrich, a 6-time Ironman Triathlon finisher who has won more than 900 medals and is now in her 70s.  And there are countless athletes from various sports around the world who achieve greatness on a vegan diet.  The fact is that a plant-based diet provides all nutrients needed to succeed at any level of fitness.

Vegans are as diverse as the plant-based ingredients they consume every day.  Ask vegan friends and family about their experiences.  You may be surprised by their answers.