I know it is actually easier and definitely cheaper in the long run to be organic. One just needs to be a bit more attuned to what is going on with the plants and take appropriate measures instead of a one gun fits all aproach of chemicals. The challenge here is trying to get a little harvest in the mean time while building the soil organic matter and food web. I've noticed that mulch laid down her seems to decompose about four times as fast as a similar mulch put down up there in Michigan. They do say that the higher the zone number the larger the amount of organic material needed to amend the soil. I grew up near Traverse City, Michigan and still spend time up in Alden (South end of Torch Lake, to the east of the Grand Traverse Bays.) I wish I could afford to live up there full time. I like the cornmeal idea as it not only feeds microbes but in turn combats some fungal diseases. Same with milk against powdery mildew while at the same time fertilizing.

We've started eating a lot of pork here, trying to eat leaner meat and all. Here are 2 recent pork recipes that we've enjoyed a lot: * Champagne Pork Chops in Chipotle-Mustard Cream Sauce * Moist pork chops in a spicy cream sauce. Very easy and quick to put together. Chipotle Mustard works really well in this recipe, but you can use any flavored mustard. Ingredients: 4 boneless Pork Chops For Marinade 1 Cup Champagne 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic 1 Tablespoon Steak Seasoning 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil For Pan Sauce 1 Cup Champagne 2 Tablespoon Chipotle Mustard 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream 1 Tablespoon Parsley, chopped (fresh if possible) Directions: 1. Put all marinade ingredients into a ziplock bag along with pork chops. and let marinate for up to 24 hours. 2. Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. 3. Add pork chops, turn down heat to medium, and cook pork chops on both sides until browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes. 4. Remove pork chops from pan. 5. Deglaze pan with champagne. 6. Wisk in mustard and cream. 7. Stir in parsley. 8. Return chops to pan to heat through. - and - * Baked Pork Chops with Parmesan-Sage Crust * Ingredients: 1 1/2 Cups Breadcrumbs (made from crustless French bread or store bought) 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese (about 3 ounces) 1 Tablespoon Sage (dried) 1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest 2 Eggs, large 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour 4 Pork Chops (each about 1 inch thick) 2 Tablespoons Butter (1/4 stick) 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil Lemon wedges (optional) Orange wedges (optional) Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 2. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, sage and lemon zest in pie dish. 3. Whisk eggs in medium bowl to blend. 4. Place flour on plate; season generously with salt and pepper. 5. Coat pork chops on both sides with flour; shake off excess. Dip chops into eggs, then coat on both sides with breadcrumb mixture. 6. Melt butter with oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. 7. Add pork chops to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. 8. Transfer skillet with pork to oven. Bake until pork chops are crisp on the outside and meat thermometer inserted into pork registers 150°F, about 20 minutes. 9. Transfer pork chops to plates. Garnish with lemon wedges and orange wedges, if desired, and serve.

Here's one that doesn't require any cooking. 1 large bar of Zote, or 2 small bars 1 1/2 cups borax 1 1/2 cups washing soda Grate the soap, add the borax and soda and combine. An empty 5 lb pail from Sun OxyWash (an OxyClean clone, sold here at Dollar General stores) is ideal. Use 2 tablespoons in a front loading washer. If you are making soap for a front loading washer, or a top loading HE washer, DO NOT use Kirk's Castile soap. Kirk's is specially formulated to create lots of suds. You want a low sudsing soap in an HE machine, or you will get suds lock. This is not good, and can damage the washer. Fels Naptha, Zote, Sunlite are laundry soaps and all good choices.

Here's 10 recipes. It's pretty forgiving as to formulations by the looks of the recipes. Some like to add water softener, OxyClean, dishwashing detergent or other additives to help with their needs. 10 Homemade Laundry Soap Detergent Recipes Recipe #1 1 quart Water (boiling) 2 cups Bar soap (grated) 2 cups Borax 2 cups Washing Soda Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is melted. You can keep on low heat until soap is melted. Pour the soap water into a large, clean pail and add the Borax and Washing Soda. Stir well until all is dissolved. Add 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed. Cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. Stir the soap each time you use it (will gel). Recipe #2 Hot water 1 cup Washing Soda 1/2 cup Borax 1 Soap bar Grate the bar soap and add to a large saucepan with hot water. Stir over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted. Fill a 10 gallon pail half full of hot water. Add the melted soap, Borax and Washing soda, stir well until all powder is dissolved. Top the pail up with more hot water. Use 1 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel). Recipe #3 Hot water 1/2 cup Washing Soda 1/2 cup Borax 1/3 bar Soap (grated) In a large pot, heat 3 pints of water. Add the grated bar soap and stir until melted. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir until powder is dissolved, then remove from heat. In a 2 gallon clean pail, pour 1 quart of hot water and add the heated soap mixture. Top pail with cold water and stir well. Use 1/2 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel). Powdered Laundry Detergent - Recipe #4 2 cups Fels Naptha Soap (finely grated - you could also try the other bar soaps listed at the top) 1 cup Washing Soda 1 cup Borax Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container. Use 2 tablespoons per full load. Recipe #5 Hot water 1 bar (4.5 oz) Ivory Soap - grated 1 cup Washing Soda In a large saucepan add grated soap and enough hot water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is melted. Fill a large pail with 2.5 gallons of hot water, add hot soap mixture. Stir until well mixed. Then add the washing soda, again stirring until well mixed. Set aside to cool. Use 1/2 cup per full load, stirring well before each use (will gel) Recipe #6 2.5 gallons Water (hot) 1 Bar soap (grated) 3/4 cup Washing Soda 3/4 cup Borax 2 TBS Glycerin Melt bar soap over medium-low heat topped with water, stir until soap is melted. In a large pail, pour 2.5 gallons of hot water, add melted soap mixture, washing soda, borax and glycerin. Mix well. Use 1/2 cup per full load. Recipe #7 2 cups Bar soap (grated) 2 cups Washing Soda 2 - 2.5 gallons hot water Melt grated soap in saucepan with water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is dissolved. Pour hot water in large pail, add hot soap and washing soda. Stir very well. Use 1 cup per full load. Recipe #8 2 gallons Water (hot) 1 bar Soap (grated) 2 cups Baking soda (yes baking soda this timenot washing soda) Melt grated soap in a saucepan with enough hot water to cover. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently until soap is melted. In a large pail, pour 2 gallons hot water. Add melted soap, stir well. Then add the baking soda, stir well again. Use 1/2 cup per full load, 1 cup per very soiled load. Powdered Laundry Detergent - Recipe #9 12 cups Borax 8 cups Baking Soda 8 cups Washing Soda 8 cups Bar soap (grated) Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub. Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load. Recipe #10 - (Powdered) 1 cup Vinegar (white) 1 cup Baking Soda 1 cup Washing Soda 1/4 cup liquid castile soap Mix well and store in sealed container. I find it easiest to pour the liquid soap into the bowl first, stirred in the washing soda, then baking soda, then added the vinegar in small batches at a time (the recipe foams up at first). The mixture is a thick paste at first that will break down into a heavy powdered detergent, just keep stirring. There may be some hard lumps, try to break them down when stirring (it really helps to make sure the baking soda isnt clumpy when first adding). Liquid Detergents Note: Soap will be lumpy, goopy and gel-like. This is normal. Just give it a good stir before using. Make sure soap is covered with a lid when not in use. You could also pour the homemade soap in old (and cleaned) laundry detergent bottles and shake well before each use. *If you cant find Fels-Naptha locally, you can buy it online (check Amazon). Optional: You can add between 10 to 15 drops of essential oil (per 2 gallons) to your homemade soap.