GREEN GARDENING TIPS

As May approaches, many of us will be planting our gardens and working in our yards. We would like to offer some green gardening tips to help make your yard healthy and free of harmful chemicals.

First of all, make sure you have good soil to work with. You can easily have your own soil tested. The University of Tennessee Extension Service has a soil testing lab at Ellington Agricultural Center. The lab charges $6 to test a soil sample (you can mail it or drop it off), and you'll get a computer printout of your soil along with lime and fertilizer recommendations. This lab is also your best resource for plant disease and identification questions. Their phone number is 615- 832-5850. If your soil is not suitable for growing, you can make raised beds and fill them with organic soil. (For a list of local resources in which to obtain organic soil and gardening supplies, please see below.)

Once your soil is in place and you have either purchased your organic starter plants or have started your seeds (you can purchase Seeds of Change organic seeds in the produce section at the ‘Truck!), the next step to a greener, healthier garden is to nix the chemical pesticides, weed killers, and chemical fertilizers. You can layer some all natural compost around your plants. Try making your own compost out of your vegetable waste or you can easily purchase organic compost at various garden spots around town. Be sure to grow a diverse variety of native flowers to attract butterflies and bees which help keep the pests away. Another natural way to help control pests in your garden is to use Neem oil which discourages the bad pests and helps to encourage the good pests. Neem oil is available in the household section at The Turnip Truck.

Using organic mulches such as straw, grass clippings, and leaves will help control the weeds in your garden by creating a barrier. They will also nourish the soil as they decompose. To provide an even more effective barrier for weeds, layer several sheets of newspaper or cardboard underneath the mulch layer. The most important thing to remember about combating weeds in addition to mulching is to be persistent in pulling them as soon as they appear so that the weeds won’t take control!

Having trouble keeping your lawn beautiful? Grow your own veggies instead! In the United States alone, an estimated 40 million acres of land are covered in lawns, making grass the United States’ largest irrigated crop. Tens of millions of pounds of fertilizers and pesticides are used on these lawns. Find creative ways to make your yard beautiful without grass or find ground covers that require less work and water. If you do water your lawn, adopt smarter water habits. Consider adding a rain barrel to your yard to capture the rain water which can then be used to water your lawn or plants. Again, adding mulch and compost to your soil helps your plants retain water and cuts down on evaporation. Using soaker hoses also cuts down on water usage.

When planting new potted plants, you can use recycled containers. If you aren’t comfortable with the idea of reusing your yogurt containers to house your plants, there are plenty of environmental friendly planters available now that are made out of recycled materials. Consider reusing old pots that you already have or re-use old vintage containers. These usually have more character than most new ones anyway.

The following is a list of resources for organic gardening in the Nashville area and, don’t forget, the East Nashville Farmer’s Market starts May 21st . Come join us and speak directly to our local organic farmers and see what goodies they have to offer from their gardens!

• All Seasons (gardening supplies)
  AllSeasonsNashville.com
  924 8th Avenue South
  615-214-5465
• The Compost Farm (organic soil)
  Franklin, TN
  CompostFarm.com
  615-794-1483
• Eaton’s Creek Organics (organic plants)
  ecorganics.net
  615-299-0979
• Gardens of Babylon
  GardensOfBabylon.com
  900 8th Ave N
  Nashville, TN 37208
  615-244-8949
• Tennessee Organic Growers Association (TOGA)
  www.tnorganics.org
• Worm’s Way
  Goodlettsville, TN
  WormsWay.com
  615-851-6262

REMINDER: EAST NASHVILLE FARMER'S MARKET

If you haven't already, mark your calendars as East Nashville rallies to welcome local organic farmers to a weekly gathering, which will take place right here at The Turnip Truck. Join in the excitement Wednesday evenings from 4 to 7 to help us support our local organic grower/producers and reap the benefits of enjoying the freshest all-natural vegetables, fruits, meats, and dairy available.

The first weekly Market, on May 21st, will include an inaugural extravaganza with live music, great food, and our own local artisans.

Here is a list of participating farmers, which may be subject to change up until the event.

Angel Radiance Nashville ASK Apparel Nashville Delvin Farms College Grove Eatons Creek Organics Joelton Gardner Grove Franklin Hatcher Dairy College Grove Jones Mill Farm and Certified Kitchen Lavergne Madison Creek Farms Goodlettsville Mamushi Nature Farm Franklin Paradise Produce Pleasant View Peaceful Pastures Hickman Pipsessewa Herbs / Lisa's Greenhouse Bloomington Springs SonFarm Joelton / Whites Creek Spiral Market Dyeworks Franklin Spring Haven Organic Farm Franklin Three Meadows Farm Columbia Timbertop Farm Ashland City West Wind Farm Deer Lodge

SPOTLIGHT ON OMEGA-3 FATS

Omega-3 Fatty acids are getting quite a lot of press lately. You might be wondering what all the fuss is about. Including good sources of Omega 3 fats in your diet might be one of the most important things you could ever do for your health. Omega 3 Fatty acids are found primarily in wild-caught fish, flax seeds, walnuts, & sea weeds. Fish Oil tends to be the most bio-available source of these health-promoting Omega 3 fatty acids. So, what do these special fats do for you?

1. Freedom from joint pain and inflammation
2. Better brain function / memory / less depression
3. Lower incidence of childhood learning disorders
4. Superior cardiovascular health / blood Pressure / Cholesterol
5. Reduction of breast, colon and prostate cancer

These are just a sampling of reported benefits from Omega 3 Fats. The unfortunate news is that Americans are not getting nearly enough of these life preserving fats. The good news is that there are high quality Omega-3 rich fish oils available to help supplement your diet. Beware, not all fish oil supplements are the same. To ensure that your fish oil is of high quality make sure that 1) it is third party tested to be free of toxic heavy metals like mercury & lead 2) it is processed with low-heat and no chemical solvents and 3) that there is no fishy odor present which warns you that the oil is rancid.

The Turnip Truck sells Nordic Naturals fish oil which is one of the highest quality fish oil brands on the market. Nordic Naturals' award-winning formulas are pharmaceutical grade, doctor-recommended, and third-party tested, showing they are unsurpassed in purity, freshness, and taste, and are virtually contaminant free.

During the month of May all Nordic Naturals products will be on sale. Take advantage of these great discounts and contribute something very positive to your health. See Nordic Naturals specials HERE.