Tia & Terry of the Simple Living Institute

After a year of living with no indoor shower, dishwasher or central air-conditioning, an east Orange County couple calls it an off-the-grid paradise.Terry and Tia Meer built their electric-sipping, super-efficient log cabin down a gravel path alongside the Econlockhatchee River as a way to live what they preach — making as little environmental impact as possible.”You don’t have to live uncomfortably, totally cut off from the world or in a tent to use less energy,” said Tia Meer, 30, recently as she tended one of the couple’s vegetable gardens on their 5-acre plot near Christmas.

Read More No indoor shower. No air-conditioning: Couple lives off-the-grid paradise — OrlandoSentinel.com.

Orlando Weekly Cover Story

By Michelle Gienow

For the past three years, following the typical Michael Pollan–fueled, now-I’ve-seen-the-locavore-light conversion experience, I’ve been trying hard to feed my family good food. It’s more difficult than it sounds; the supermarkets are full of tempting, affordable, food-like products that ultimately owe more to industry than agriculture, once you start reading the labels. It took me an embarrassingly long while to figure out that buying foods so basic that they don’t have a label is the key.

I found myself shopping less and less at the grocery store and instead buying directly from the farmers who actually produce the food, sometimes at the farmers market, sometimes at the farms themselves. Thus it is always local and usually also organic – in practice, if not formal certification – and, helpfully, affordable. I tracked down these farmers and know about the food I’m buying because I’m interested and I ask. In doing this I am, as Pollan urges, voting for systemic change with my food dollars, though in my case that’s sort of a side bonus. This kind of conscious buying has come to be known as SOLE food, for Sustainable, Organic, Local and Ethical.

(Sounds a lot like our Flexitarian philosophy. — Julie)

Read the Full Article at the Orlando Weekly

American Clay Earth Plaster

We are excited to announce that American Clay has selected Dandelion to be a model home for their environmentally friendly natural earth plaster. This month you might catch installer Jeff Barrett applying this cover to the interior of Dandelion during our slow periods.

Volunteers Needed! Help us (eco) prime the walls on Sunday, October 11th in preparation for our new eco-friendly interior. RSVP here or contact us & let us know you are interested in lending a hand.

We are super excited about the transformation as the interior walls are overdue for some TLC, but they are about to get a sophisticated yet au natural makeover. Check out the color palette – we’ve picked out a buttery yellow for the lobby, earthy orange for the main dining room, jasper green for the piano room and sky blue for the back dining room.

This is the first installment in our Community Supported Enterprise (CSE) growth plan, which includes adding a covered patio to the front of the cafe.

www.playground-magazine.com

Ya’ll know we love all things local around here, and Playground magazine is as local as you can get – this regional magazine is a unique gem in our town, chock full of advice on what to do with the little ones, written with sass and full of articles about relevant topics. This edition is green-themed and features articles on Flexitarianism (pg 58), the “Green Block” covering Dandelion & friends (pg 60) and the cover article features three natural mama’s including co-proprietor Julie Norris (Girls Gone Green, pg 33). Pick one up at Dandelion or read it online.

When Sarah Slack feels like having a salad, she doesn’t head for the refrigerator. Instead she goes out to the garden behind her home near the Orlando International Airport and picks salad greens and peppers to quench her craving.”It’s a great feeling to know where my food comes from and to have everything so fresh,” she said.More East Orlando residents are jumping on the local food movement that has been brewing in the area for nearly a year.

Last month Ourlando’s Local Food Alliance — a Progressive Local Alliance for Community Enrichment program — had its first public meeting where more than 50 local restaurant owners, farmers, grocers, policy makers and community members brainstormed ways to get more locally grown food on Orlando’s menu.The benefits of local food include a more healthful, fresh product, a stronger connection between the consumer and their plate, reduced carbon emissions by cutting transportation, and lower food costs.

Read entire article here: From farm to fork | The Voice | Serving Greater Oviedo and Winter Springs for more than 16 years..

It’s a socially conscious gathering spot, one that adds some soul to the Orlando neighborhood near Mills Avenue and east Colonial Drive. Patrons can get an informal education on organic food or natural remedies, and attend potluck dinners, holiday farmers market and celebrations of the new and full moon.

So Norris, who’s having trouble scraping together money to pay the rent and her vendors, has tried a new tactic for generating cash. Touting her cafe’s contributions to the community, she’s now turning to the community for help. She’s asking her customers for donations – in increments of $11.11.

via Dandelion Communitea Cafe asks for donations to help it stay open – OrlandoSentinel.com.

“There is a universal wisdom to healthy eating. Pile on the fruits, vegetables and whole grains and skip the meat and saturated fat. Consume everything in moderation, especially alcohol.

But certain cultures around the world offer further insight with traditional diets that are not just healthy, they also protect our bodies against scourges like cancer, depression, diabetes and heart disease. Researchers believe that following such diets can lead to excellent health; making the transition, however, requires more than just adopting an Americanized version of another culture’s traditional diet.”

via The World’s Diet Secrets – Forbes.com.