Quick and Easy Guide to a Veggie Garden

Gardening can sometimes seem daunting, and just a teeny bit terrifying.

I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to be that way! We make it more complicated than it has to be. If you have a little patch of dirt that you've been eyeing, then now is the time to sow your seeds (or plants!) and get started!

I'd like to share some answers to commonly asked questions we get about our vegetable gardens. Yes, our gardens are quite large, and we grow a lot of stuff. But you don't HAVE to start out big, and in fact, a small garden may be just what your family needs. And if you happen to catch the veggie gardening bug, well then I've done something good in this world after all.

Is it too late to start?

We live in Ottawa, land of the cold, so early June is definitely not too late! It's true that some plants do well in colder temperatures (fragile greens tend to wilt in the heat,) but many plants are happy to bask in the sunshine. We're still planting seeds now, and will be putting in our seedlings (baby plants) this weekend.

Where do I begin?

Start by thinking about the three things your plants need - soil, water and sunshine. First, assess the location of your patch. Is it in full sun all day, or partial shade? That will help determine which vegetables you should choose. If you are REALLY starting from the beginning (i.e. you want to dig up some grass to actually get to the dirt,) I would suggest this really cool method to save yourself back-breaking work of grass removal. This is also a great way to kill weeds if you don't feel like pulling them.

This next step isn't necessary, but you may want to consider getting a bit of compost to mix in with your soil. And remember to use your grass clippings, leaves and food scraps (no meat or fat) to feed your garden.

Finally, you'll need a source of water nearby (duh) Hopefully you have a hose, or are willing to lug some buckets when needed!

What should I buy?

You really don't need much. A nice pair of gardening gloves will save your hands, a good shovel and trowel. 

As for whether you should start from seed or buy the baby plants, that's totally up to you. If you're reading this now and have decided to start right away, you will probably want to head to a garden centre and get some seedlings. That said, I'm still throwing seeds around like nobody's business! 

We have sadly failed at growing seeds in our home...it's a tricky business, but I'm hoping some day we will get the hang of it!

What do I plant?

This is entirely up to you and your patch location! Most veggies do well in full sun. Start with some simple things - herbs, radishes, and kale are three that I find grow easily and seem pretty pest resistant. Cherry tomatoes are great for kids! A note that squash and zucchini will take over your garden because they are GIANT plants. Think about the vegetables your family likes to consume on a regular basis, and choose from that list. Remember, though, that some of the vegetables we buy are trucked in from much warmer climates and may not grow well here.

What if I kill my plants?

I promise, if you water and maybe do a little bit of weeding, most plants will be fine (but if you have rabbits, I do feel your pain - you may need to consider some chicken wire fencing.)

Gardening is fun and exciting, and part of that comes from never knowing what you're going to get! Will something fail miserably this year? Will you run into a pesky beetle that kills all your cucumbers? Will the one veggie you thought would not work suddenly win the race? Year after year we make notes of what worked and what didn't. A "green thumb" is something that you develop over time, but even experienced gardeners can't control the environment. So don't worry about killing anything, and just have fun with it! 

Finally, make sure to involve the kiddos. Probably too obvious to say, but kids LOVE gardening. Who doesn't like getting dirty, spraying hoses and pulling stuff out of the dirt? Also, veggie gardens are a sneaky way to get your kids to eat their vegetables. Ever since they could eat solids, my babies have been pulling stuff out of our gardens as snacks. They are now quite adventurous when it comes to trying new vegetables!

Do you have a veggie garden? What made you want to start growing your own food?

Celebrating Father's Day in Ottawa

Growing up, my Mum would always say “ask Dad” whenever we presented her with a challenging question. Dad was the bastion of knowledge and facts. He was also the dispenser of punishments, whilst Mum was the hugger, the advice giver. Perhaps because of their differing styles, they made excellent parents and I often try to emulate their example in my own parenting. I still ask Dad tricky questions from time to time, and I always go to Mum for emotional support and advice.

Although my husband and I try not to promote particular gender stereotypes, we do find that we parent our son in very different ways. My favourite activities to do with him are reading together, snuggling, chatting and going for walks. My husband’s top picks are taking him to the park, playing with cars, playing soccer and giving him a bath-complete with toy boats capsizing and lots of splashing!

And in that way Mothering and Fathering are very different schools of parenting, at least in our house.

Of course it’s quite sexist to suggest that all mothers are nurturing and all fathers are fun, but even if they are not traditionally different, parenting styles between the sexes do differ.
Something that brings me great joy is to spy covertly on my husband when he is playing with our son. I find their father/son interactions are so radically different from the way I play with him, and I am able to see my husband in an adorable role of doting father. Some things that they do together sans Mama, include:

•    Laying on the floor, playing cars, complete with engine noises
•    Gentle teasing- “Oh no-you don’t like going to the park, do you???”
•    Chasing-around and around the living room
•    Tickling and wrestling
•    Making up silly songs (many include the word bum)
•    Wearing empty toy boxes on their heads and calling each other “box heads”
•    Watching classic Transformers episodes

In all these ways and more, I appreciate the balance, enthusiasm and affection my husband brings to our child’s life and activities.

So this Father’s day I am going to let Dad sleep in, while I take our toddler to the basement and try and take a leaf from Daddy’s playbook, get on the floor, make car noises and wrestle until we can’t catch our breath.

And then later we’ll treat Dad, by doing one of these awesome Father’s day activities right here in Ottawa and the surrounding area:

Cumberland Heritage Village Museum

2940 Old Montreal Rd, Cumberland: Take a look at all the tools and trades. Participate in a carpentry activity, and watch blacksmith, woodworking, and sawmill demonstrations.

The Aviation Museum

11 Aviation Pkwy, Ottawa - Get an up close look at all types of planes and helicopters.

Billings Estate National Historic Site

2100 Cabot St, Ottawa - Father’s Day Antique Car Show, cars, BBQ, and live music.

Pinhey's Point Historic Site

270 Pinhey Point Rd, Dunrobin - Learn about traditional crafts such as blacksmithing, woodworking, and more. 

Fiona Tapp is a freelance writer, Educator and Mum to one. Check out her blog and portfolio, and find her on Facebook and Twitter.

The Journey of my Dancing Girl

Many of us can relate to being a competitive dance mom. It really doesn’t matter whether your child does dance, hockey, ringette, soccer or swimming. Once your child is competitive the obligation on us increases dramatically. There are extra classes, rehearsals, travel, hotels and let’s not even discuss expense! Do we complain? All the time. :)

But once I see my daughter up on stage dancing it’s all worth it. My daughter, Olivia, started dancing at three years old. So, for the past 8 years we have watched her blossom on the dance floor. Why do we do this? Is she going to be a prima ballerina? I really don’t think so! Is she going to have a career dancing? Who knows! What does she learn by dancing 20 hours a week? 

She learns that she has to say no. If she has an obligation to rehearse at the studio then maybe she can’t always attend a friend’s birthday party. Sometimes there are tough decisions.

She learns time management and has to get her school work done and tests studied for around her dance schedule. 

She knows how to do hair and makeup.  It’s amazing at 11 years old this girl can apply a full face of stage makeup including waterproof eyeliner.  She can do her hair in a beautiful bun better than I could ever do for her.

She’s not afraid to be in front of people. Where I see such a difference is in her presentation skills. On stage performing at competitions there is a lot of pressure on these dancers. It is a wonderful skill that transfers to life. At school she has no trouble presenting in front of a classroom. At events she can speak in front of a group of people.  Dance helps prepare her for her future.

Fitness - She is flexible, graceful and toned. She doesn’t always eat perfectly, but it’s all about balance. 

Friendships - Spending a lot of time with the same group of girls creates a special bond. It’s amazing that even when she is away from the dance studio she is still in contact with her dance friends!

Competition - She learns that sometimes you get marked well and sometimes you don’t. And that it is a few people’s opinions. As long as she has done her best I am happy with that. We listen to the judges tapes and use them as a guide to improve. 

We are blessed! We attended another dance school for many years then left to find a better fit. The original school gave Olivia many skills, nurtured her love of dance, and made many friends that she still has and for that I am grateful. 

This year is amazing.  With the direction of owner Miss Caroleen Harding (who just turned 20 years old by the way) we found where Olivia has blossomed. She is given opportunity, training and a lot of attention because the school was in its first year and small. It’s exciting to see a young lady who followed her passion for dance and open her own studio Creative Edge Dance Academy. Already there are amazing camps such as the Ultimate Dance camp where the dancers will talk about social media, nutrition and respect along with dance. 

I know at 11 years old my daughter hasn’t faced a lot of these issues yet, but I want help her if I can. 

If I think back to my days before children and I watched the other families spend tons of money on activities for their children. I swore I would never be one of those moms! Well, today I am admitting that I was wrong - I am totally wrapped up in the whole dance world and I love it!

Submitted by Connie.

How to support the emotional health of your family

By Kaeli

Balancing the emotional health of your self, your children and your family go hand in hand. Thinking about the techniques that you will need to learn and the time this will take may leave you feeling overwhelmed. How on earth is they’re enough time to become skilled in this area, and wait for your child while they do the same.

What if their emotions show up when you’re going to be late for school? What if you have to get to work? There are plans, schedules and responsibilities that make the move towards emotional health difficult to start.

Luckily there are some principles to keep in mind when you are beginning any journey. You don’t have to be a master all of a sudden. Taking small steps is already bringing you benefits and setting a strong intention so all you have to do is continue to move forward.

Looking at where you place priority in your life is a good practice and ensures that you are living a life that can bring your family fulfillment. Having the ability to honour each person will bring your family the feelings of success and give you the momentum to continue towards the quality of life you desire.

With this in mind you can begin to explore a path towards balancing life with your family.

Find out where you can find more space in your life. How can you avoid rushing and racing around? Try strategies like adding more time for transitions and being selective in the activities you choose.

• Decide on the qualities of interactions you would like to have with your family. They might be freedom, calm or connectedness. Then take steps to relate with these qualities.
• Give yourself compassion when learning new skills.
• Give yourself permission to make choices for your family based on what you value.
• Honour you child’s emotions. You can help them identify their emotions, by witnessing them and allow them the full experience of their feelings. 
• Begin teaching them emotional skills by: helping them identify their emotions, teaching them effective ways to express their emotions, and guiding them to regulate their emotions.
• Help your child by practicing to listen without judgment and by avoiding giving advice. 

When you make your families emotional health a priority a harmonious family life begins to fall into place. Once a person has these skills the time that it takes to implement them is reduced because they gain a sense of control for themselves. This gets you to the heart of the matter. You will have time to be present with your family and everyone will have time to go at their own pace and enjoy life.

Kaeli Van Regan is the founder of Living Inside Out. She combines her love of life and nature with education in Child and Youth Work, Life Coaching and Energy Healing to provide coaching to expand and uplift the family unit. Check her out on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Also check out a free discussion seminar for parents with the launch of Kaeli's new book Parenting Your Way! 

This will be a great opportunity for parents to discuss how to bring in the quality of life that they desire for their families, ask any questions about conscious parenting and even get a book signed!

Details: Wednesday June 1st (book signing starts at 6pm, with discussion at 7:30pm) at Singing Pebble Books - 202a Main Street in Ottawa

Family Friendly Fiddleheads

One of my favourite things about spring is the gradual addition of fresh, local fruits and vegetables to our daily meal plan. One of the spring vegetables I particularly get excited about are fiddleheads.  If you have never eaten fiddleheads before or if you have seen them while strolling through the produce section at your local supermarket but hesitated to pick them up, you are in for a pleasant surprise!

Fiddleheads may look funny, but they taste good!

Despite this vegetable’s unusual curly appearance, fiddleheads are actually quite delicious. Their mild taste has been likened to that of asparagus or spinach, and cooked correctly their texture is crunchy, with a wee bit of leafy chewiness.  If your kids like their green vegetables then they should like fiddleheads.

Storing, preparing & cooking fiddleheads

Fiddleheads should be stored in the fridge and only stay fresh for a few days (I like to buy them the same day as I cook them). They are easy to prepare and cook.

Preparing fiddleheads:

1.      Fill your sink or a bowl with fresh, cold water

2.     Remove any brown outer scales with your hand or by using a cloth

3.     Trim or snap off the ends of the stems

4.     Rinse them again in cold water

Cooking fiddleheads:

Fiddleheads can be steamed, sautéed, stir-fried or (my favourite) barbecued.

How to BBQ fiddleheads

Simply put the washed and trimmed fiddleheads in a bowl and mix with a desired amount of olive oil (not too much, just a tbsp. or two depending how many fiddleheads you have), freshly squeezed lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt and pepper.

Stir until the fiddleheads are fully covered with the oily sauce then place them in tinfoil and fold until just a small portion of the fiddleheads can be seen (to let the steam out).  

Place on the BBQ at about 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until the fiddleheads are bright green and soft in texture (a fork will easily pierce them). Be careful not to overcook them or they will become mushy.

Fiddleheads facts

Fiddleheads are high in omega 3 fatty acids, fibre, vitamins A and C as well as potassium, iron, manganese and Vitamin B Complex. They are also a great antioxidant food.

Fiddleheads are grown mainly in the east coast of Canada from ostrich ferns, so although there are several different varieties of ferns, including some grown in the woods or even in your garden they should not be consumed. Only expert harvesters can safely identify edible fiddleheads, so don’t just pick any old fern head and cook it up or you risk getting very ill! 

The fiddlehead season is very short – usually a month maximum (around April and May) and unlike some fruits and vegetables that gets imported you generally won’t see fiddleheads in stores if they are not in season. They grow quickly and must be picked the day they sprout – before they turn into full out ferns!

Fiddleheads are a delicious seasonal treat and I like to think of them as the kick off to local produce season! So, have are you a fiddlehead loving family like we are? I’d love to know your recipe! And if you haven't tried them yet - NOW is your chance!