Category: Director’s Notes

Do you know what your air quality is? (Hint: "F")
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Do you know what your air quality is? (Hint: “F”)

By Kurt Heidinger on Jan 07, 2012 in Director's Notes, How the Valley Works, citizenship, consumerism, ecology, economy, imagination, sustainability, technological determinism

The most basic fact, and grounding premise, of biocitizen is that there is no such thing as “environment” because we cannot separate our bodies from air and water. What the EPA calls the “environment” is actually our body, the “long body.” This is a scientific fact, not some new age theory. Right now, your body [...]

natural selection by love, and by force
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natural selection by love, and by force

By Kurt Heidinger on Jan 05, 2012 in Director's Notes, GMO, ecology, economy, endosymbiosis, evolution, imagination, sustainability, technological determinism, time

“Natural selection” is a theory of evolution that argues: creatures that transform their physiologies to suit the conditions of their environments survive, and have offspring. Natural selection by love, or eros as it was anciently called, is observed here: Scientists said on Tuesday that they had discovered the world’s first hybrid sharks in Australian waters, [...]

Food plants that grow like weeds: all of 'em!!!
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Food plants that grow like weeds: all of ‘em!!!

By Kurt Heidinger on Jan 02, 2012 in Director's Notes, beauty, bees, citizenship, consumerism, ecology, ecology, economy, endosymbiosis, food weeds, imagination, locavore, permaculture, sustainability, time

Been so hollydazed lately I’m determined, right now, to link you to every food weed I’ve not yet mentioned in the past two months. It’s time to order seeds!! and when we’ve ordered ‘em, we won’t have to think about food weeds anymore…until spring. We’ve looked @ mustards, tatsoi, wineberries, black walnuts, arugula, shallots, tomatillos, [...]

Biocitizen interviewed by the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies
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Biocitizen interviewed by the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

By Kurt Heidinger on Dec 29, 2011 in Director's Notes, GMO, citizenship, consumerism, ecology, economy, endosymbiosis, evolution, sustainability, technological determinism, time

Click here & listen to our lively discussion of how Monsanto’s patented “Round-up Ready” “Terminator” food corn seeds are breeding a new sub-species of corn rootworm that is resistant to “Cry3Bb1.” Here’s an academic report and a news report about our new neighbors, the BT resistant corn rootworm. (If Monsanto owns the patent on the [...]

Food plants that grow like weeds: black walnut
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Food plants that grow like weeds: black walnut

By Kurt Heidinger on Dec 22, 2011 in Director's Notes, beauty, ecology, economy, endosymbiosis, evolution, food weeds, imagination, locavore, sustainability, time

Once they get going in a microbiome, black walnuts take over. They exude chemicals into the soil that prohibit the growth of other plants. But—if you have room to grow them—that’s a good thing, b/c they’re beautiful, offer the best furniture wood, and produce oil & protein -rich nuts. You can de-worm your dog by [...]

Food plants that grow like weeds: arugula
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Food plants that grow like weeds: arugula

By Kurt Heidinger on Dec 21, 2011 in Director's Notes, beauty, bees, consumerism, ecology, economy, endosymbiosis, food weeds, imagination, locavore, sustainability, time

Harvested arugula today: December 21, 2011. Is it global warming, or is it possible I’m becoming a decent gardener? Or is it the seeds—these plants like growing in winter? Maybe 3 “yeses” have allowed this vivacious pile to grace my cutting board, + one other thing: I love sharing the freedom of free food, & [...]

Food plants that grow like weeds: ¡¡frosted!! tatsoi & mustard
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Food plants that grow like weeds: ¡¡frosted!! tatsoi & mustard

By Kurt Heidinger on Dec 12, 2011 in Director's Notes, ecology, economy, food weeds, imagination, locavore, sustainability

I love tatsoi. It’ll freeze and thaw out a few more times before it starts looking ragged: Still yummy when used in stir-fry, soup or stew! Even after a month of frosts, these mustards provide fresh, wholesome nourishment—with an exciting wasabi bite: Stir-fry, soup or stew! Imagine next year, harvesting—right now—the tatsoi and mustard you [...]

Food plants that grow like weeds: wineberry
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Food plants that grow like weeds: wineberry

By Kurt Heidinger on Dec 11, 2011 in Director's Notes, beauty, consumerism, ecology, economy, food weeds, imagination, locavore, sustainability

The raspberries you buy, and you grow, do not taste as good as wineberries. Honest. Wineberries are sweeter, sourer and juicier than raspberries. So why don’t you ever see them for sale? Ans: they’re more delicate than raspberries—their skins so easily break. They’re unmarketable. You can’t buy wineberry plants, either. And if you ever see [...]

Food plants that grow like weeds: tomatillo
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Food plants that grow like weeds: tomatillo

By Kurt Heidinger on Dec 10, 2011 in Director's Notes, economy, food weeds, imagination, locavore, sustainability

Few food plants are as promiscuously weedy, and gastronomically exciting & productive, as the tomatillo. As the main ingredient of salsa verde, the tomatillo is prized south of the border by chefs who regard it as a kind of tomato and serve it raw or cooked. (They’re members of nightshade family; tomatillo means little tomato.) [...]

Food plants that grow like weeds: shallots
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Food plants that grow like weeds: shallots

By Kurt Heidinger on Dec 08, 2011 in Director's Notes, food weeds, locavore, permaculture, sustainability

Shallots are better tasting and more expensive than onions—and, unlike onions, they grow like weeds! Which is another way of saying: they’re easy to grow. I demand you order some starter bulbs immediately. The moment you see mustards coming up next spring, go and plant your bulbs in rich soil, in a full-sun location. They’ll [...]

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