FarmTina

Graham Avenue Meats Bachelorette Plan

This is not a tale from my backyard, but I still need to share it with you: I recently purchased what is known as the "Bachelorette Plan" at Graham Avenue Meats in Brooklyn, NYC. It is a big package of fresh meats, in portions intended for cooking for one, for $30. Here's what it includes:

That is so much food for $30. And not only is it a good amount of food, but it's excellent quality food! Graham Avenue Meats is my favorite Italian deli in Brooklyn because they have the most authentic Italian sandwiches (if you are questioning my qualifications to make such a statement, allow me to remind you that my last name is Fugazzotto) and because the owner reminds me of my Sicilian grandpa Salvatore. And the guys who work there remind me of my cousins Dominic and Carmen. And the way the store smells reminds me of Nonni's kitchen. And all the good-natured Italian yelling back and forth reminds me of every dinner ever served at the Fugazzotto house.

I put most of the meat in the freezer so I can use it over the next few weeks, but I ate the sweet sausage immediately. (Side note, I took a sausage making class at The Brooklyn Kitchen last year and it was incredibly informative!)

The Bachelor or Bachelorette Plan: Highly recommended!

Replenish Cleaning Products: Cheaper and Greener and Awesomer!

I came across a great new earth-friendly product today that you guys are going to love: Replenish, which is sold as concentrated cleaning solution that you mix with tap water in a reusable bottle.

Everyday cleaning sprays like Windex, and even the "green" brands like Seventh Generation, are only made up of 5% cleaning solution. The rest is water and plastic, which are resources that need to be processed and shipped, using up all kinds of energy and oil. If you can reuse the plastic bottle and fill it with your own tap water at home, the product becomes cheaper and less wasteful! Watch this quick video below to see how it works. Just like me, I'm sure you'll say, "Why have I never seen something like this before?"

Is That a Challenge, Sun Chips?

Sun Chips claims to have made the "world's first 100% compostable chip package". I'd really like to believe them.

$299 + Pee + Dead Fish = High-End Composting

My NatureMill automatic composting machine (pictured left) was among the gems left behind by the former tenant of my apartment. It is a small electric composter that uses heat and motion to speed up the natural decomposing process of organic materials. I keep it in my kitchen and it magically turns food, paper and plant scraps into fertile soil that I can use in my garden. THIS BLOWS ME AWAY.

So how does it work? What does pee have to do with it? And why does anyone need a $299 machine to do something that already occurs naturally? I suppose those are all reasonable questions. Be prepared to be amazed...