2016 Early Season Garden Projects and Activities

With spring’s arrival and the weather steadily improving expect a flurry of activity both in the garden and here on the Veggie Gardening Tips website! This post will fill you in on what I’ve been up to, as well as what I have planned for the start of this growing season.

My first highlight this year was the PASA Conference that was held during February in State College, Pennsylvania. I left with plenty of new ideas and gardening tips that I will be sharing as I try them out for myself this spring and summer.

Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture Conference

One new concept that I picked up is related to Korean Natural Farming, these techniques involve the use of microorganisms for soil improvement and plant growth, and avoids the application of chemicals, pesticides, or herbicides to the farm or garden. I am especially interested in the homemade preparations such as Fish Amino Acids, Fermented Plant Juice, Indigenous Microorganisms, and other recipes that can be created and used to improve the health and growth of the garden.

Other workshops and lectures that I attended at the PASA Conference and will be writing about this season include; new ideas for intensive vegetable growing; methods for cultivating baby ginger in temperate climates; advanced seed saving techniques including pollination control in small areas, and ideas for saving seed of biennial vegetables; and tips for using low tunnels for winter vegetable production.

Troy-Bilt Event and Garden Installation in Austin, Texas

I’m happy to share that Troy-Bilt has extended my contract and I will be writing and conducting product reviews for the company again this season! Things kicked off with a visit to Austin, Texas earlier this month where the Saturday6 team gathered for a few days of fun and labor. We attended a company presentation, visited the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, checked out some Troy-Bilt products, and worked on a Taking Root project, garden installation for the Travis County Park System.

We were introduced to an upcoming Troy-Bilt product line powered by CORE that includes a leaf blower, hedge and string trimmers, and even a lawn mower that all run without cords or gasoline. I will get my hands on a Leaf Blower powered by CORE this spring and the CORE Mower later this year to share my impressions. The Saturday6 team also joined with a group of young Texas Conservation Corps workers to install a raised bed garden, fruit trees, grape vines, and berries at a local county park.

Sandor Katz’s Wild Fermentation Residency Program

Now that you’re caught up with what I have been doing, I can share some of my plans for the next couple of months. Some of you know that I’ve been delving deeper into the world of fermentation and now I’m very excited to take advantage of the opportunity to travel to Tennessee in a few weeks to take part in a Fermentation Residency Program taught by Sandor Katz the fermentation guru and author of “Wild Fermentation,” “The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved,” and “The Art of Fermentation.”

I’ll spend the week camping out on the property at Walnut Ridge where Sandor’s school is located and will learn about the art and practice of some more advanced skills associated with fermentation. I especially hope to gain experience with the fermentation of grains, legumes, and beverages to create products such as miso, tempeh, sourdoughs, Koji, kvass, and various fermented condiments.

Gardening Projects and Activities Closer to Home

Back at home the major project that I’m planning is to expand my garden by adding new beds and growing areas in several sections of my landscape. Some of my objectives are; to create a garden bed that is focused on pollinator-friendly plants to increase beneficial insect populations, and also to grow more herbs, wild edibles, and medicinal wild plants.

And just in time for this ground breaking and garden expansion I’m planning to review a Troy-Bilt Pony Electric-Start Garden Tiller. I’ve been a user and fan of Troy-Bilt tillers for a long time and I’m interested to put this one through its paces and write a review as I build my new beds and work on a number of other backyard projects where I’m sure the extra muscle will come in handy!

I am also participating in a Foraging/Rewilding Program here in Central PA that began earlier this month and will run into the fall season. The focus is on the identification and use of wild plants, and our group led by Nathan Carlos Rupley will spend one day each month exploring fields and forest to learn more about the plants and fungi that surround us. During the first session we pored over plants such as Spicebush, Hairy Bittercress, Garlic Mustard, Chickweed, Ramps, Skunk Cabbage, and more.

I’ll be sharing my foraging experiences here and hope that I can inspire you to learn some new wild plants yourself this season. So check back for updates, Troy-Bilt equipment reviews, a review of the fermentation residency program, Natural Korean Farming techniques, the status of my garden expansion, and more that I will cover this growing season!

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Deciding if a log home is right for you!

To build or not to build…that is the question. Is building a custom log home something you’ve been considering? Whether you build or buy, your home will be one of the biggest investments you will make, so you want to ensure that your home is right for you. We are not going to pretend and say that a custom log and timber home is perfect for everyone, because it isn’t. Here are some things to consider:

Types of Log and Timber Homes

Firstly, it’s important to understand that log homes have come a long way from the old rustic four-wall cabin tucked away in the woods. There are many different styles of log homes. The three main styles are full scribe, timber frame, and post and beam. Many of today’s designs combine elements from each  style to create a new style known as a hybrid. If you don’t like the look and style of an entire home made of wood, post and beam and timber frame are great alternatives.

Read the full article here, difference between full scribe, timber frame and post and beam homes.

Owning Property

Like any custom home you will need to purchase land in order to build. Generally, you will want to build on property—preferably a more rural setting, and not in an established neighbourhood. A log home may look out of place amongst traditional homes. We aren’t saying that a log home can’t look great next to a more traditional house, because they are custom built, log homes that can be tailored to suit any neighbourhood. However, if you have a small lot it may create some challenges when bringing in cranes and other equipment required to build your home in already developed areas.

Cost to Build

The cost of a custom log and timber home can vary in price depending on size, location, species of timber and special features. On average you can expect to pay 20-30% more than traditional homes but the upside is it will be worth 30-40% more at time of resale. If you have a tight budget and limitations there are other options to consider when you are building such as considering a hybrid, prefab or kit home. But, if you are planning a long term home with character and an appeal that will stand the test of time, a log or timber home could be for you.

For a full breakdown on cost check out our article How Much Do Log Homes Cost?

Maintaining Your Home

There is no doubt about it, homes require maintenance and a log home is no different. If you have exterior logs they will need to be checked for rot and cracks that may occur over time. The south- and north-facing exterior walls require different treatment with preservatives. With a full scribe home settling occurs within the first few years requiring the windows and doors needing to be checked. Log homes can withstand anything Mother Nature throws at them and will stay strong and secure if you maintain them. If you ignore maintenance your home will continue to stand, but it will definitely look weathered so upkeep is important for the health of the logs.

For more information on log home maintenance check our article on Protecting Your Home from Dry rot.

To sum it all up, if you are looking for a home with character and unique appeal unlike the traditional box homes that you can find in any neighbourhood, a log and timber home may be the perfect home for you.

 

 

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Buying Heirloom Seeds Direct from the Farm

The first batch of seeds that I started indoors a few weeks ago was transplanted into the garden last weekend. They are hardy crops like lettuce, kale, collards, and broccoli that can handle a spring cold snap. There are also ginger and turmeric seeds pre-sprouting indoors in flats, and this weekend I will start planting seeds indoors for warm weather crops like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants.

There are a few standard seed sources that I use every year such as Baker Creek for heirloom vegetable seeds, Filaree Seeds for garlic seed stock, and Raintree Nursery for fruit trees and shrubs. But I’m always on the prowl for new and interesting seed sources and today I want to share some seed growers that I purchase seeds directly from.

Fruition Seed Company

First there is Fruition Seeds, a New York based seed house that has their hand in all aspects of growing, developing, and testing the seeds that they offer. They also have a unique focus on providing regional varieties that are adapted to local climates and conditions.

I met Petra and Matthew, the owners of Fruition Seeds a couple years ago in Vermont at a Seed School that was offered by Native Seed Search. Since then we have kept in touch, connected at various gardening events, and corresponded about what’s new and interesting in the seed industry.

Fruition Seeds grows 60% of their seeds and networks with other organic growers, mainly in their region for the rest of the seeds they sell. I love that they identify the grower/source of their seeds and provide information about the farmers that they collaborate with. This year I’m trying a Jamaican Burr Gherkin that I’m hoping will make for a great batch of miniature fermented pickles!

Carol Deppe Seeds

You may know Carol Deppe from her great books; “The Resilient Gardener,” “Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties,” or “The Tao of Vegetable Gardening,” but did you know that she also sells seeds? And not just any seeds but Magic Manna Flour Corn, Beefy Resilient Grex Beans, Eat-All Greens, and Lofthouse Landrace Moschata Winter Squash, for example!

All you have to do is mention grex or landrace and you’ve got my attention when describing seeds, and I’m instantly curious about the diversity and origin of the seed’s genetics. Many of Carol’s selections are the unique and sometimes exclusive varieties that she writes about in her books. Some are varieties that she has developed special cultivation techniques to stretch the growing seasons or to yield more productive and longer harvests.

You won’t find a Carol Deppe Seed Catalog, or even a fancy website that you can order from, instead Carol does business strictly via mail order. She’s not entirely old school though as there is an email list and emails are sent out to subscribers every winter to share the seed offerings for the coming season. But don’t procrastinate because Carol only takes orders from January through April.

Amishland Heirloom Seeds

Amishland Heirloom Seeds was the initial source of one of my favorite tomatoes; the Amazon Chocolate variety. This seed supplier is the passion of one woman who manages the brunt of all the seed production and distribution. In this case there is a website to help speed the order taking but you’ll still have to be patient at times if there are backlogs on the fulfillment end.

If you love unusual and heirloom tomatoes, peas, peppers, and beans this is a great place to explore for uncommon and rare varieties. I had to laugh the first time that I ordered a particular small fruited pepper and that was exactly what I received; a whole dried pepper with the seeds still inside and ready for extraction.

There are no frills here but I’ve always been satisfied with every purchase that I’m made from Amishland Heirloom Seeds. Be warned that quantities are limited and the seed counts are very small. You won’t fill the pantry with the harvest from a packet containing ten of the rare Blue Speckled Tepary Beans, but if you do like I do and grow them out for seed the first year it won’t be long before you have more than you can plant and share.

Common Wealth Seed Growers

Up next is Common Wealth Seed Growers which based in Virginia and I met a few of the farmers a couple years ago at a PASA Winter Conference. They are a collaboration of small farms and growers with a focus on producing open pollinated, organic, Non-GMO, and regionally adapted seeds.

The thing that first caught my eye from the Common Wealth Seed Growers was their selection of squash, pumpkins, and gourds such as; African Drum Gourd, Thai Kang Kob Pumpkin, Choctaw Sweet Potato Squash, Zucca Gourds, Jamaican Tropical Pumpkin, and Bule Gourds.

I typically don’t grow pumpkins and vining squash varieties because of their space requirements but I think I will figure out a way to include their Choctaw Sweet Potato Squash and the Thai Kang Kob Pumpkin in my garden this season.

Supporting Small Scale Seed Farmers and Growers

I noticed that Common Wealth Seed Growers is currently using an order and distribution platform called SeedWise. It looks like a great way for various seed suppliers to make their seeds available directly to the public from one convenient website. The goal of SeedWise is to increase seed diversity and to encourage growers of all sizes to save and exchange seeds. I will have to explore this further and might even use this as a way to share seeds that I save myself!

It’s rewarding to me to be able to support these smaller scale growers and businesses that are dedicated to preserving, improving, and supplying open pollinated and heirloom seeds in contrast to certain corporate interests that would prefer to control, monopolize, and patent our seed supply. I think that it is important to diversify not just our seeds, but also our seed suppliers, and that we should have many resources that we can turn to in order to fill the demand for quality seeds for our farms and gardens.

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Orange Fluff

Orange Fluff comes together in a matter of minutes to create a dreamy dessert that is perfect for just about any occasion.

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of fluffy desserts. From Cranberry Fluff to Ambrosia Salad, these sweet and creamy desserts are some of my faves.

Fluff desserts are definitely one of those sneaky mom desserts that pack in a little extra nutrition without you ever being the wiser. My mom’s recipe always included cottage cheese, meaning our sweet treats were actually packed full of protein.

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3 Door Material Ideas and Their Advantages

When shopping for a new entry door, one of the choices you’ll need to make is the material for the door. Below are 3 options you might want to consider.

Steel:
A steel entry door offers a significant security improvement over hollow or wooden-core doors, since it can’t be kicked in and is extremely hard to bend, even using tools. Using galvanized steel — steel coated in zinc oxide to prevent rust and corrosion, and make it resistant to scratching — manufacturers can create doors that are not only easy to customize and paint, but will last a lifetime.
Most of these doors are made using what’s known as 24-gauge steel, which refers to the thickness and weight of the metal; standard steel doors use a coating that’s 0.0250 inches thick and weighs 1.15 pounds per square foot.
Many steel-coated doors are also Energy Star-certified thanks to the high-density polyurethane foam they contain, which helps prevent heat transfer. It’s also possible to find doors that are steel-coated on their outside face but feature oak or hardwood moldings on the inside, providing a warm inner look while remaining secure outside.
While a steel door can be used as an interior option, they are often prohibitively expensive to place throughout your home. They are typically found on front or back entryways, since they’re not only tamper-resistant but can also support the weight of heavier door lock cylinders.
If you plan to replace an existing wood or hollow-core door with steel, consider hiring a professional installer. Measuring a door properly is only the first step in any installation. The jambs and door frames that support lighter, wooden doors may not be enough to support a metal door, and many steel doors come with more than one lock mechanism, requiring another hole in the jamb. Source: AngiesList

Fiberglass:
The main advantage to fiberglass doors is that they are durable. Fiberglass can with stand the extreme Arctic cold, desert heat, and the damaging ocean salt. Even when exposed to these extremes, they will not crack, split, warp or rot. Fiberglass is also dent and corrosion resistant, as well as being rustproof.
Fiberglass doors are also environmentally friendly. Every fiberglass door that is installed means one less wooden door that is manufactured. This greatly lessens the amount of trees that are cut down for the manufacturing of wood doors. The fact that a fiberglass door lasts longer also means less doors are manufactured.
Saving on energy costs is another advantage to installing fiberglass doors. A fiberglass door is filled with polyurethane foam, which offers five times more energy efficiency than wooden doors can provide. The framed glass entrance doors have either a double, or triple pane, to help cut on cooling and heating costs. Source: WiseGeek

Wood:
Wood is one of the more common choices for a front door. Despite the faux substitutes, nothing can beat the real deal for many homeowners. Modern wood door models are often sandwiches of wood veneer skins over a wood core. This construction tends to minimize the chance of warping, and also lowers cost. When shopping for pre-finished wood doors, look for durable stains and high-gloss finishes, since these will best protect wood. If you’ve decided to apply the finish or stain on your own, make sure to put the finish on the top and bottom edges of the door as well to help prevent it from absorbing moisture. Source: Houzz
There are very few differences in quality when comparing different door materials. We hope this helps you decide what to buy. For more information, please contact us.

Contact:
Mr. Locksmith Calgary
555 Maidstone Drive NE
Calgary, Alberta T2A 4B6
Canada
Phone: (403) 800-9185

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3 Tips for Selling Your Home During Holidays

Thinking about selling your home on holidays? Fortunately, we’ll give some tips that might help you selling your home during holidays, such as: minimizing holiday decorations, keeping it clean, and pricing it right.

Below are 3 tips for selling your home during holidays:

Minimizing Holiday Decorations 
Not everyone has the same love of holiday decorations, and poorly maintained, tacky, or overly religious displays can be a turnoff for potential buyers. Keep the seasonal decorations simple and easy to maintain. 

That applies to the outside as well as the inside of your home – avoid browning out the neighborhood with your awesome light display. Source:  AJC

Keeping It Clean
Keeping the home free of tracked-in mud, snow, and other debris is even tougher in the winter months, and arguably even more important. Vacuum well and vacuum often.

Don’t neglect the outside. Bare trees may show areas of your home that are usually hidden; make sure these areas are clean and presentable. Deal with any cosmetic maintenance issues such as leaf-filled gutters. Keep your yard raked free of leaves to the extent possible and keep your driveway, sidewalk, and front steps free of snow. Source:  FoxBusiness

Pricing it Right 
Buyers at this time of year are typically motivated and not interested in dickering.

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Quiet by Susan Cain

I finally know the difference between shyness and being an introvert, thanks to Susan Cain and her book Quiet.  I always have called myself shy, but wondered why I wasn't shy all the time, just in certain situations--like a party.  Reading Quiet gave me many "AHA!" moments and a better understanding about the person I am today.

Quiet is about introverts, and how they function in today's world, and how they get lost under all the noise of the loud and extroverted world we work, play, and live in everyday.  Introverts--and there are many of us--are those who prefer to work in a quiet space, enjoy conversations with small groups of people instead of large, loud parties, and work best being creative when they have space and peace.  They think things through before making decisions, and are more apt, as leaders, to provide opportunities for other people to try out their ideas.  Extroverts thrive on the fast pace, the aliveness of today's world; they are charismatic and ebullient; they are most of our leaders.  Donald Trump, I think you're an extrovert.  

This is not to say all extroverts are bad, and all introverts are delicate creatures.  Susan Cain stresses that the world needs both, and we need to be aware of how each works best.  Anyone who has sat in a meeting and been told to "brainstorm" shudders at the thought.  Much better to have everyone go to their separate spaces,  come up with their ideas, and then get together to discuss a plan of action.  As the author says, the person who speaks the loudest is not always the person who has the best idea; why should we automatically assume they do--and why take the chance that they don't have the best idea?  

What struck me the most about this book was the understanding I now have of myself.  No one is a complete introvert or extrovert; we all fall somewhere on the scale.  But what makes an introvert push past their apprehension of standing up in front of people, or speaking up at a meeting, is their passion for the cause they support. I would not want to get up in front of people and talk about computer programming, because it's not something that interests me, and I would be very uneasy being the focus of all those eyes.  But, give me a book to talk about that I love and I think people should read--I have no problem standing in front of a crowd of people and talking about it.  When you have something you believe in (for me, it's books and reading), you as an introvert can use those extrovert characteristics to speak up.  

So I'm okay with preferring to sit at home and read a book instead of going to a noisy bar.  I continue to love having coffee and chatting with a small group of friends about books, life, and whatever else we having going on in our lives.  I am okay with being quiet and listening, but I will stand up and be heard if I have something to say.  And yes, it's okay if I'm tired and a bit drained after spending a weekend with my large, loud, family.  I can be large and loud with them, too.  But I know that I'll need to go home and spend time in the quiet afterwards.  

If you think you may have an introverted child, or even an extroverted child, read this book.  It will go a long way towards helping you understand your child, and how they approach the world.  Too many people are told they are too quiet, and meek.  They're not meek.  They just are more alive and fully functioning in a quiet space.  Creativity needs some solitude sometimes in order to pop out.  There is too much pressure on all of us to be loud, work as a team all the time, and be "on".  Well for some of us, it's exhausting, and for some of us, it's just not the way we roll.  And that is okay.

Rating:  8/10 for an enlightening look at what being extroverts and introverts mean; how the world has changed over the past 100 years to embrace extroverts, and how introverts can thrive and succeed in their own quiet way.  

Available in paperback, audio, and e-book format.  

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You can’t lead where you won’t go!

I refer back to the article, Improving Relationships in the Schoolhouse, quite often when considering the work we need to do as school leaders. The article, by Roland Barth, serves a constant reminder that the our biggest challenge as school leaders is to bring out the “nondiscussables” if we wish to see healthy collaborative cultures in our schools.

Barth refers to nondiscussables as “important matters that, as a profession, we seldom openly discuss.” Thinking about this further, nondiscussables include matters that are not openly discussed in 1-to-1, small group or large group conversation. A result of not addressing them is that frustration, cynicism and distrust builds within a school’s culture. As Anthony Muhammad puts it so well in his book, Transforming School Culture, schools are filled with too much “Adult Drama”: “Dysfunctional social interactions between adult professionals within a school environment that interfere with the proper implementation of important policies, practices, and procedures that support the proper education of students.”

School leaders are challenged with the task of both addressing the key issues in our schools but also the behaviours surrounding those issues. Furthermore, as school leaders, we need to look first and foremost at our own behaviour as to whether we are contributing further to the issue and its associated drama.

I received a great reply to a blog post on ‘Leading with Empathy’ from Tamra Wilcox who said “Sometimes a principal addresses the whole staff about the inappropriate actions of a few. Like bringing up an over-extended budget for substitute teachers when only a few teachers have multiple or prolonged absences. Or sending an email about tardiness for recess supervision, when one or two are chronic offenders.” It’s actions like these that our own behaviour, as school leaders, does not help us in trying to ameliorate the culture in our schools. Wilcox concludes their point with the following request: “Please don’t ask those of us who are fulfilling our responsibilities to be accountable for those who are not.”

So, how do we address the above problem as leaders in our schools?

It is about being courageous and bringing the issue out into the open but, more importantly, making sure that the matter is addressed in the correct forum with the right people in the room. A group staff email is no good when there are only one or two people that need to be spoken to individually. Of course, it’s far easier to send out the group email, as it avoids the face-to-face conversation, which is essentially at the heart of all nondiscussables.

It is, however, the role of the leader to take the first bold steps in commencing discussion about any nondiscussable, as hard as it may be.  As Barth, so aptly, refers to a bumper sticker: “You can’t lead where you won’t go!”

Connect with me @richard_bruford

Originally posted on the Ed Leader Blog

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Mini Vanilla Bean Cakes

Mini Vanilla Bean Cakes are topped with edible Easter grass, pastel sprinkles, and an egg shaped marshmallow. So fun!

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Campfire® Marshmallows. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that continue to make My Baking Addiction possible.

I don’t know about you, but I feel like Easter kind of snuck up on me this year. Maybe it’s the fact that it falls in March this year, or that it’s still hovering around 32 degrees here Ohio. I’m kinda thinking it’s a combination of both.

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3 Things Your Kids Must Know about Home Security

When it comes to protecting your kids, we know you will want to have all your bases covered.  Luckily, these short post will cover 3 important things your kids must know about home security, including: security passwords, fire prevention and security alarm basics.

 

Security Passwords
Explain to your kids that you are the only person who should know their passwords. Remind them that giving out their passwords to others (even to friends) can have major ramifications, like someone taking over their social media or email accounts. Source:  SafeWise.com

Fire Prevention
This is one of the most important things you can teach your kids. Teach them about fire prevention and how easily a lit flame can start a house fire. Keep them away from lighters and matches at all times. Make sure your child knows that they shouldn’t cook or use the stove or oven unless you’re right there with them. Tell them how easily grease fires can start a house fire. Teach kids to avoid electrical outlets and plugs and tuck away cords as much as possible. Make sure you have a home fire plan which includes dropping to the floor, holding a cloth over the mouth to avoid inhalation and avoiding hot door knobs and exits when this happens. For older kids, you can also teach them how to use an extinguisher. Source: BestHomeSecurityCompanys

Security Alarm Basics
If your home isn’t already equipped with a home security alarm system, it’s advised that you get one as soon as possible. This is especially critical if there are times when your children are unsupervised at home. At this point, there are a number of alarm systems available that are packed with features, even options that make it easier for children to use them. If you plan to purchase an alarm system, hire a certified and fully trained locksmith to install it. Once installed, it’s your job to teach your children exactly how the home alarm system works and how to use it. Source:Technofaq

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Which Realtor Is Right For You – My 5 Requirements If I Were You

 

So You’re Hiring a Realtor?

But You’re Not Sure Who To Hire?

When Realtors hire Realtors, Want To Know How They Choose?

 

There are times when a Realtor would hire another Realtor for their services.  Here are some of the reasons:

• They don’t want to sell their own house by themselves because they are not covered under errors & omissions insurance.  
• They’re looking to buy or sell a home in another province or country and they have no clue how things are done in that place

I hear a variety of answers when I ask what’s important to people when it comes to their Realtor.  They often say the noble things like honest, full disclosure, knowledgeable, helps them get top dollar when selling or helps them get a good deal when buying, but what surprises me is that what they say doesn’t always reflect what they do.  

People say they want honesty and ethical but they instruct their Realtor to do unethical things.  Or they say they care about knowledgeable, but they choose the Realtor because of the kickback the Realtor offers.  So, it’s quite interesting to see that.

Here are my top 5 requirements if I were choosing a Realtor:

1. Knowledgeable and willing to educate – they must know what they’re doing and be willing to educate me on the process
2. Willing to find the answer, constantly learning – they don’t have to be a know it all, but they have to be willing to go and find the answer
3. Ethical and Honesty through Full Disclosure – this is a given, and full disclosure is pretty clear to spot, if the Realtor keeps just saying “sign here, sign there” without explaining anything, then I know…
4. Thinks of Building a Long Term Relationship with Me (care about my long term goals) – I want a Realtor who cares about my long term goals.  

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Tiramisu Martini

Tiramisu Martini has rich flavors like Kahlua, Rum Chata, and Godiva Liquor. A perfect dessert cocktail for just about any occasion.

We love dessert cocktails! And this easy Tiramisu Martini is one of my go-to party drinks, so creamy and delicious!

One of my favorite things to do in the kitchen is come up with fun and festive cocktails. Dessert drinks are my absolute favorite, and so fun to dream up.

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Learning Is Irregular

Outside of school, most people apply learning across disciplines, scenarios, and experiences. For a majority of our lives as students, we are taught in a system that creates blocks of time for learning specific content, Outside of school, most people apply learning across disciplines, scenarios, and experiences. For a majority of our lives as students, we are taught in a system that creates blocks of time for learning specific content, much like the factory model of production. However, learning should be life and there is nothing linear about life.

Life is irregular—thus, learning is irregular.

We are in the midst of one of the most disruptive, yet exciting times in history: The Information Age. The rate of change has increased exponentially due to the rapid creation of new content that is produced as technology and life have become seamless. The rate of change continues to have an impact on our education system because students today, or Generation Z, have only known life with touch screen technology. Vast amounts of information is readily available to them with the touch of a button or finger swipe across a screen. They are also creating more content than any generation in history, thus they learn in some fundamentally different ways than we are used to.

The linear, factory system of education is counter to the messy, irregular, and creative learning process that our students have grown accustomed to outside of school. Following are three key points to consider as we are challenged to meet the needs of Generation Z.

1. Asynchronous technology makes learning a constant activity. With the emergence of online learning platforms and social networking, students are able to connect, communicate, and collaborate with their teachers and peers to extend learning beyond the walls of the schoolhouse and school day. Time, space, and location are now variables in the learning process whereas they used to be constants. Author Daniel Pink wrote in the Foreword to the book, The New Social Learning,

The use of technology greatly enhances students’ power to learn on their own time, in their own space, and in much deeper ways than ever before. So, let’s embrace it!

2. We must change how we deliver content due to shorter attention spans. We have quickly become a “sound-bite” society in that we are used to chunks of information shared in a compelling manner.Gen Z takes in thousands of digital images and messages a day, so to make learning more relevant to them, we must not only incorporate all forms of multimedia, but empower students to create and integrate multimedia to demonstrate their learning. If we adopt the use of technology in the classroom, this is a natural byproduct.

3. Focus on global skills development through the content we teach. It is often said that Gen Z will change careers 10-14 times before they retire. If this is true, it is impossible to teach them all the content they will need to be prepared for life.We must consider ways to develop the four key global skills of communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking through our specific content areas. Another approach would be to create interdisciplinary courses that provide students the opportunity to apply content in meaningful ways. We should also integrate technology to help students determine what local, regional, national, and global problems they want to solve. This will, without a doubt, create the conditions for students to develop the necessary skills that transcend careers and jobs.

As we grapple with how to catch up to the changing times that occur in every industry outside of our own, we must consider the messy, irregular, and nonlinear learning process and embrace strategies that empower students to demonstrate their learning in meaningful ways.

Be Great,

Dwight

Ideas from What’s in Your Space? 5 Steps for Better Schools and Classrooms by Dwight Carter, Gary Sebach, and Mark White, to be published by Corwin Press in March 2016; available at Amazon

This is also cross-posted at Mr. Carter’s Office

 

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Remembering Apollo 13: Overcoming the Insurmountable

The Apollo 13 mission is one of my favorite stories of endurance.

Image Source: AlanBeanGallery.com

On April 11, 1970 when Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise set off for their mission to the moon at speeds equivalent to 20,000 mph, they had entered a realm of record-breaking proportions.

When they were approximately 205,000 miles away from Earth, an oxygen tank exploded, and their mission to moon was immediately transformed to one of survival.

In the movie version of the story, one of my favorite scenes is when engineers at NASA realize that the astronauts need a way to filter oxygen. They gather around a table and spread tubes, wires, clothing, and other pieces that replicate what exists on the spacecraft.

A team leader says, “Listen up. The people upstairs handed us this one and we have to come through. We have to find a way to make this (he holds up a square box) fit into the hole for this (he holds up a cylinder tube) using nothing but that (points at the table full of items).”

The teamwork between NASA engineers and the three astronauts was simply amazing, and the successful return and splash-down in the South Pacific Ocean was nothing less than miraculous.

A Square Peg in a Round Hole

School leaders across my state of Oklahoma are facing state funding challenges that seem insurmountable. With a $1.3 billion shortfall in state revenues, school districts will be cutting deeply into expenses. Most districts commit 85% or more of their funding to pay salaries. It doesn’t take a degree in mathematics to see that schools will soon have fewer employees to service the same number students.

For school leaders, the challenge is maintaining morale and purpose as we try to figure out how to “put square pegs in round holes” while landing our ships safely for the end of this school year and planning now for launching the next school year.

With all these obstacles in mind, how do we maintain perspective while navigating our schools? Here are three suggestions:

3 Tips for Managing Challenges

1. Be a part of the solution.
Just like the Apollo crew depended on their friends on the ground, take what action that is in your control. Inform parents, contact elected officials and ask them to support public schools, not just with their words but with their actions. November is a great opportunity to elect new representatives if the present ones are unable to plan, prepare, and manage state resources for economic ups-and-downs. This week I took some student leaders with me to the state capitol for meetings with our elected officials (more about that in a future post). We are in this together, and our students are the ones most affected by education laws and policies.

2. Stay unified and focused.
Sometimes critical moments (like budget cuts) may temporarily take our eyes off our goals, but managing the urgent and still maintaining the important are vital. Even as you manage challenges, rely on the power of teamwork, remember best practices, and still reach for the personal and school goals you’ve set for this school year. Encourage team members to stay unified, and don’t let the common enemy become each other. Tough moments often mean consistent regrouping, so cooperate and communicate in reaching goals together.

3. Celebrate the positive.
Every school is different, but if you look closely, you will find students achieving amazing things and building unforgettable moments every day. For instance, last month we heralded one of our seniors who was named a National Merit Scholar. Recently, our varsity girls’ basketball team qualified for state-playoffs for the first time in over a decade. We also had a senior wrestler bring home a state championship gold medal, twenty-five choir members qualified for state solo and ensemble competitions, and one of our FFA students showed a pig that won grand champion at the County Stock Show. These are moments worth celebrating!

Even as you manage changes, celebrate student achievement as a way to remind others why investments in our schools pay enormous benefits for our students today and in their futures.

Conclusion

One of my teachers recently sent me a copy of the Apollo 13 image—an artist’s rendition of the explosion with debris flying around the spacecraft. When I look at it, I imagine the horror those three men must have felt when they realized the effects of the damage. Trapped in space more than 200,000 miles from Earth, their primary mission immediately shifted, and their very lives depended on cooperation and communication among themselves and with NASA.

Surviving difficult times is nothing new to educators, but some situations require deeper courage than others. Whatever challenges you’re facing, keep in mind that amazing feats can be accomplished when teams cooperate and communicate with the same goal in mind. Be a part of the solution, stay unified with common goals in mind, and celebrate what’s working. At the end of the day, helping our students land safely home is why our schools are here.

Now It’s Your Turn

What are other ways you can pull together with your team to find solutions even in the face of challenges? Then think of one thing worth celebrating at your school and share it with others today.

Posted originally at WilliamDParker.com Copyright 2016 by William D. Parker, Connect through Twitter with handle @williamdp or at http://ift.tt/1j5BB4E Check out Will’s new PMPodcast!

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Wedding Girl by Stacey Ballis

This is my first Stacey Ballis book, and I'm sure it won't be my last.  She is firmly under the "chick lit" moniker, but her character Sophie is a refreshing change of pace from the typical lovelorn heroine I've read in other chick lit novels.  I am a big fan of novels where women are faced with rebuilding a life whether it's due to a job loss, or a loss in their romantic life.  I want women to know, even if it's just by reading a novel, that we can continually remake ourselves, and find happiness and strength in moving past a rough patch in life.  

Okay.  I'm off my soapbox!  You've got to feel bad for Sophie:  it's her wedding day, she's spent $70,000 on her wedding, and her fiancee never shows to the wedding.  He doesn't even send her a note.  Instead, guests at Sophie's wedding see on social media that he has eloped to an island paradise with a thin, moneyed woman that is the opposite of Sophie.  Crushed, but being brave, Sophie instead invites everyone to enjoy the food, the band, and the venue.  Sophie throws herself into her party, and unfortunately, pictures flood social media, and she's humiliated.  Sophie is a well-know pastry chef in Chicago, and her plans to open a restaurant with her ex-fiancee were big news, and her humiliation is complete.  

Months later, Sophie has lost her job, sold her condo, and is living with her lively grandmother Bubbles.  She's in debt up to her eyeballs, and burned a few bridges professionally with her bad attitude.  Seeing a sign in the local neighborhood bakery, she starts working part-time, with an eye to getting back into the pastry world in Chicago.  But life, of course, has a way of throwing curve balls, and Sophie is about to get a few tossed her way.  

There is a lot of plot going on in this book.  There is Sophie's relationship with Bubbles, her relationship with her parents, who have been together for 40 years of unwed bliss, her budding career at the local bakery (which is threatened by a new entry into the neighborhood), and there is the annoying son of the owner--Mark, who wonders why Sophie is even bothering to save the bakery.  I found Sophie refreshing because she isn't a size 8, she enjoys food with no feelings of guilt, and instead of jumping into a big job and career change right away, she takes the time to sift through her feelings to decide where she wants to go next with her serious pastry skills.  And most of all, I love the family dynamics between Sophie, Bubbles, and her parents.  Chicago is a big part of this novel, and I always have a soft spot for the city in which my family made home for three generations.   

There's much more going on in Sophie's life, and you'll get the title pretty quickly.  I did feel there was almost too much going on in the plot and in Sophie's life.  I was exhausted!  And it seemed that the end was pretty quick, after many pages of Sophie's life moving a bit slowly.  I would have liked an epilogue.  

Thank you to Penguin-Random House for an advanced copy to review.  

Rating:  7/10 for an enjoyable novel about restarting life, being resourceful, enjoying food and loving the people in our lives.  

This book will be available May 3rd in paperback and e-book format.  

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Growth Mindset: It’s Not the Only Mindset!

The term growth mindset has become wildly popular in educational circles over the last couple of years.  So much so, I’d say it has reached “buzzword” status.  That being said, I’m a big fan of Carol Dweck’s work around growth mindset and firmly believe in the underlying theory around her work, which espouses that students who believe they can grow their basic abilities have greater motivation and higher achievement than do students who believe their abilities are fixed, and that teachers can influence students’ mindsets.

 

 

This year, my staff and I have participated in building based professional learning led by our math specialist and a group of teachers around math and mindset, working to share with everyone that, yes, they can do math and so can our students.  The PD has been meaningful and relevant to not only having educators think differently about math, but also how they view mindset and learning.  As a staff, on other occasions, we’ve also shared and talked about the power of praise and how praising effort appropriately supports a growth mindset, whereas using it differently, while well intentioned, may have the opposite effect.

 

One of my favorite math sessions during our time together focused on the Common Core math practice standard related to perseverance.  The session really resonated with me based on my own personal and professional experiences across a number of years.  As an educator, I have faced situations where I have lost my job due to budget cuts, I’ve worked to find ways to reach students that struggled, and I’ve had to face difficult situations in leadership roles.  Many of those situations, if not all, required a level of perseverance that enabled me to either push through the situation or to “stick with it” until it was solved or got better.  Personally, I’ve been an avid genealogist since my mid to late teens, and my research has spanned 30 years of digging, discoveries and roadblocks.  One particular document that came to me in 1992 provided a clue with a name that I continued to revisit during almost every school vacation for the past 20 years.  It wasn’t until about 2 years ago, after having searched far and wide, that I finally made a discovery related to that document which gave me much new information about my family.

 

First and foremost, I wondered what we needed to do for students that would not only promote a growth mindset, but would also help build their perseverance.  Can perseverance be taught?  Additionally, I also thought about what would have happened to me had I not persevered through my own professional and personal situations. Would I have solved that 20 year family history puzzle?  Could I have solved problems related to leadership that helped me support teaching and learning? I also wondered why some people have perseverance and some don’t, seeing that most schools do not “teach” perseverance.

 

In their blog post from November 17, 2014 “Perseverance and Grit Can Be Taught”, Sean Slade and Tom Hoerr ascertain that both perseverance and grit can be taught.  The authors also share that while they believe it can be taught, it is not easy to do.  I agree that “trial and error” can help develop perseverance, but what about students whose parents don’t encourage that or promote perseverance.  I think about my own circumstances and the fact that my parents did not promote perseverance.  Of course, they didn’t do this intentionally, but obviously times have changed and as a society, we’ve learned more about what helps children grow into successful adults. So how is it that I developed a set of skills around perseverance whereas, other people may not have those skills?

 

Edutopia shared the work of Amy Lyon in its March 22, 2014 post and video titled Teaching Grit Cultivates Resilience and Perseverance (Research Made Relevant Series).

 

 

I was amazed as I watched this video and saw the young boy being “gritty” collecting sap and turning it into maple syrup.  Did he develop this grit and perseverance as a result of his teachers, as a result of upbringing, or is he just naturally “wired” to be someone who will persevere throughout his life?

 

After all this thinking, I’ve come to realize that you can have a growth mindset and think you can improve and grow your brain, but without grit, and most importantly, perseverance, you cannot truly realize the potential of that mindset.  I’ve also been thinking that we cannot leave it to chance that some kids will just “get it” and some will not.  Our job, through good teaching as shared in the Edutopia video, is to provide teaching experiences for our students that will help develop those abilities.  We do not need to find more time in the day or the schedule, and we do not need additional budget monies to help our students learn how to persevere.

 

Shared via choiceschools.com and created by Sylvia Duckworth

The students in our classrooms may grow up to be principals that will need to solve leadership problems, or they may be genealogists that want to solve family mysteries.  More importantly, they may grow into adults that will work to find cures for cancer, solve problems related to social justice, develop technologies that improve the quality of human lives, or help explore new worlds. We can not be complacent around building their capacity to persevere, and we can not think so narrowly that growth mindset is the only mindset in which we need to develop.

 

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The Regent at King Edward – A Courtly Condo Concept

You needn’t be an ardent monarchist to appreciate The Regent at King Edward near Queen Elizabeth Park. Urban royals like you can look forward to well-appointed interiors and extra-high ceilings to match modern architecture that will not disappoint. Penthouse units will enjoy the added benefit of private rooftop balconies. The developer rightly boasts that these homes are “transit-oriented.” They provide unparalleled access to  the King Edward Canada Line and major bus routes. Besides numerous parks, including crown jewel Queen Elizabeth Park, the address also sits close to some of the city’s finest eateries and numerous shopping opportunities.

 

 

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Spicy Taco Cheese Ball

This Spicy Taco Cheese Ball is loaded with bold flavors and can be whipped up in just minutes. It’s perfect for entertaining, or snacking while watching endless hours of March Madness.

This is post is sponsored recipe development on behalf of Fisher Nuts. Thank you for continuing to support the brands that make My Baking Addiction possible.

It’s no secret that I’m not really much of a sports fan. Sure, I’ll happily tag along with my husband to a Browns or Cavs game from time to time, but I’m definitely not a die hard sports fanatic – especially when it comes to college sports, like basketball.

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