Want a fun way to get your veggies? You can try juices based on the Easter Bunny's favorite snack - carrots!
Carrots provide an abundance of nutrition to the body as they are excellent sources of vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin K, biotin, fiber, potassium and thiamine. Colorful and packed with antioxidants, this crunchy vegetable superstar has a lot to offer including nutrients to maintain healthy eyes, teeth, and gums, as well as helpful antioxidants to promote anti-aging properties and healthy glowing skin. Carrots are also known to promote heart health, prevent cancer and strokes, and are helpful to cleanse the body of built up toxins.
Omega Juicers have provided some appetizing carrot juice recipes, in time for the Easter Bunny's visit.
Carrot Ginger Juice
Ingredients:
5-6 medium sized carrots
1 inch of peeled fresh ginger
Press through a juicer, stir to mix the flavors, serve, and enjoy!
Carrot Apple Juice
Ingredients:
4-5 medium sized carrots
2 medium sized apples, cored
Press through a juicer, stir to mix the flavors, serve, and enjoy!
Carrot Strawberry Juice
Ingredients:
4-5 medium sized carrots
½ pint of strawberries
Press through a juicer, stir to mix the flavors, serve, and enjoy!
About Omega Juicers:
Since 1985, Omega has developed the most efficient and reliable juicers available, proudly offering all styles of juicing equipment from its "One Stop Shop for All Your Juicing Needs.” Founded by industry expert Robert Leo, who spent over twenty years developing his vision and experience by listening to consumer needs, Omega remains the only company to offer centrifuge, masticating, and pulp ejection style juicers, in addition to the more traditional citrus models.
Omega offers units that are "Household & Commercially Approved" by Underwriters Laboratories. Omega products are stylish enough for the home and powerful enough for the workplace, and Omega’s track record of durability, coupled with its product confidence, allows the brand to offer up to 15-year warranties on its range of products, which includes juicers, blenders, food prep machines, drink dispensers and more. www.OmegaJuicers.com
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Special Interest Summer Camps for Teens
Do you have a teen with an interest in a summer camp not available in your area that provides an in-depth experience in photography, windsurfing and stand-up paddling, rock climbing and mountaineering, or adventure? Columbia Gorge Teen Camps provide these camps, in-depth and focused, so your teen age 14-17 gets a great deal of experience in that one area, instead of a surface of a smattering of activities. (The high adventure camp does focus on a variety of activities, but activities often not available in other areas, including backpacking, canoeing, mountain biking, climbing and whitewater rafting).
Camps are taught by experienced counselors and are available between July 7 and August 8.
Camps are taught by experienced counselors and are available between July 7 and August 8.
Parenting Pointers: Teaching Kids About Nature
How connected are our kids to nature?
Trips to the zoo, collecting autumn leaves, reading Ranger Rick – sound like memories from your childhood? If you’re like me, then yes, they do.
But here’s a question: do they sound like a part of your kids’ lives today?
It’s an interesting question we parents should all ask ourselves.
On that note, Disney tells us it’s convening a number of top experts on the issue this week in Orlando as part of its Disney Kids and Nature Celebration (the event also includes a day-long youth summit and the screening of its upcoming movie “Chimpanzee”), and we got some insight on the discussion. Former Ranger Rick subscribers, listen up:
According to Richard Louv, a Disney partner and author of the bestselling books Last Child in the Woods and The Nature Principle, every child needs nature. Not exactly a groundbreaking revelation – but certainly one that poses challenges when you look at your weekly calendar (where’d the white space go?).
Here’s some advice we can take away from his philosophy and the bigger discussion in Orlando:
1. Get nostalgic. Take a moment to talk to a grandparent – or even a peer – about his or her favorite nature memories from childhood – was it skipping stones? A favorite picture book about elephants? Drawing horses? Climbing trees? These simple memories might be enough to remind you just how easy it can be to make nature part of your own parenting style.
2. Think manageable. Connecting kids with nature doesn’t require a family trip to Yellowstone (phew). What it really takes is getting your kids curious about animals, wildlife and the outdoors – the world beyond their house and school. What do baby turtles eat? Why do leaves change colors? How do fish breath underwater? What kind of insect is that in your backyard? Hikes, museums, books and videos can all help spark that fascination.
3. Teach early lessons. Intuitively, we know kids need to learn about and appreciate nature. But what are the real benefits? For one, it’s a sensory explosion for their young minds. Reading about how birds build nests, watching a baby elephant play, touching a sheep’s coat, smelling a rose or digging a carrot out of the soil -- all of this stimulates curiosity in young minds.
More important, however, is that it instills a love of nature. And if our kids love nature – won’t they be more likely to protect it?
Trips to the zoo, collecting autumn leaves, reading Ranger Rick – sound like memories from your childhood? If you’re like me, then yes, they do.
But here’s a question: do they sound like a part of your kids’ lives today?
It’s an interesting question we parents should all ask ourselves.
On that note, Disney tells us it’s convening a number of top experts on the issue this week in Orlando as part of its Disney Kids and Nature Celebration (the event also includes a day-long youth summit and the screening of its upcoming movie “Chimpanzee”), and we got some insight on the discussion. Former Ranger Rick subscribers, listen up:
According to Richard Louv, a Disney partner and author of the bestselling books Last Child in the Woods and The Nature Principle, every child needs nature. Not exactly a groundbreaking revelation – but certainly one that poses challenges when you look at your weekly calendar (where’d the white space go?).
Here’s some advice we can take away from his philosophy and the bigger discussion in Orlando:
1. Get nostalgic. Take a moment to talk to a grandparent – or even a peer – about his or her favorite nature memories from childhood – was it skipping stones? A favorite picture book about elephants? Drawing horses? Climbing trees? These simple memories might be enough to remind you just how easy it can be to make nature part of your own parenting style.
2. Think manageable. Connecting kids with nature doesn’t require a family trip to Yellowstone (phew). What it really takes is getting your kids curious about animals, wildlife and the outdoors – the world beyond their house and school. What do baby turtles eat? Why do leaves change colors? How do fish breath underwater? What kind of insect is that in your backyard? Hikes, museums, books and videos can all help spark that fascination.
3. Teach early lessons. Intuitively, we know kids need to learn about and appreciate nature. But what are the real benefits? For one, it’s a sensory explosion for their young minds. Reading about how birds build nests, watching a baby elephant play, touching a sheep’s coat, smelling a rose or digging a carrot out of the soil -- all of this stimulates curiosity in young minds.
More important, however, is that it instills a love of nature. And if our kids love nature – won’t they be more likely to protect it?
Contest: Project ReMAKE
From crafters to makers, “do-it-yourself” is a growing movement at the intersection of creativity and sustainability. Today, Schick Xtreme3 invites creators everywhere to join its quest to shave down landfills. Schick Xtreme3 teamed up with MAKE Magazine to launch Project ReMAKE, an online contest that asks the public to share their most creative ways to reuse everyday objects and materials during Earth Month. The contest will celebrate the most inspiring submissions, in support of the new Schick Xtreme3 Eco razor. The eco handle is made of 100 percent recycled plastic derived from everyday items like clothes hangers and the package is made of recycled paper.
Creators everywhere are invited to submit photos along with a 100-word description of a project made of reused materials–from a chandelier made of used hangers, to a tea light candle centerpiece made out of old plastic Easter eggs. The top five finalists will be chosen by a panel of judges including Mark Frauenfelder, founder of MAKE Magazine and a leader at the forefront of the maker movement. One grand prize winner will be chosen by popular vote and will win a trip to the Maker Faire in New York City, and a sweepstakes winner will receive an eco-friendly Nissan Leaf.
To help launch the contest, Schick enlisted eco-conscious celebrity-couple Amy Smart and HGTV’s Carter Oosterhouse, who created a series of how-to videos on Facebook that guide people through sample projects they can easily make at home (view one Amy & Carter video here. The pair will also serve on the panel of judges with Mark Frauenfelder to select the final grand prize winner.
Join Schick Xtreme3 and MAKE in their efforts to shave down landfills. Project submissions open today, and will be accepted until May 14. People can also get involved by voting for their favorite entry, starting May 28. For more information and to enter the ReMAKE contest, visit, Facebook.com/shickxtreme3 or Makezine.com/project-remake.
About Schick-Wilkinson Sword
Schick-Wilkinson Sword, a leading manufacturer of razors around the world, is a division of Energizer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ENR), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. For more information on shaving and Schick® Xtreme3® razors, visit www.shaving.com.
About MAKE Magazine
MAKE is the first magazine devoted entirely to Do-It-Yourself (DIY) technology projects. MAKE unites, inspires, informs, and entertains a growing community of resourceful people who undertake amazing projects in their backyards, basements, and garages. MAKE celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend technology to your will. MAKE is published quarterly by O’Reilly Media, Inc. which also produces the wildly popular MAKE website (www.makezine.com), the Maker Shed online store (www.makershed.com), and the Greatest Show and (Tell) on Earth, Maker Faire (www.makerfaire.com). “The Maker movement has brought the pre-1970s world of basement workshops and amateur tinkering into the digital age.” — The New York Times
Creators everywhere are invited to submit photos along with a 100-word description of a project made of reused materials–from a chandelier made of used hangers, to a tea light candle centerpiece made out of old plastic Easter eggs. The top five finalists will be chosen by a panel of judges including Mark Frauenfelder, founder of MAKE Magazine and a leader at the forefront of the maker movement. One grand prize winner will be chosen by popular vote and will win a trip to the Maker Faire in New York City, and a sweepstakes winner will receive an eco-friendly Nissan Leaf.
To help launch the contest, Schick enlisted eco-conscious celebrity-couple Amy Smart and HGTV’s Carter Oosterhouse, who created a series of how-to videos on Facebook that guide people through sample projects they can easily make at home (view one Amy & Carter video here. The pair will also serve on the panel of judges with Mark Frauenfelder to select the final grand prize winner.
Join Schick Xtreme3 and MAKE in their efforts to shave down landfills. Project submissions open today, and will be accepted until May 14. People can also get involved by voting for their favorite entry, starting May 28. For more information and to enter the ReMAKE contest, visit, Facebook.com/shickxtreme3 or Makezine.com/project-remake.
About Schick-Wilkinson Sword
Schick-Wilkinson Sword, a leading manufacturer of razors around the world, is a division of Energizer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ENR), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. For more information on shaving and Schick® Xtreme3® razors, visit www.shaving.com.
About MAKE Magazine
MAKE is the first magazine devoted entirely to Do-It-Yourself (DIY) technology projects. MAKE unites, inspires, informs, and entertains a growing community of resourceful people who undertake amazing projects in their backyards, basements, and garages. MAKE celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend technology to your will. MAKE is published quarterly by O’Reilly Media, Inc. which also produces the wildly popular MAKE website (www.makezine.com), the Maker Shed online store (www.makershed.com), and the Greatest Show and (Tell) on Earth, Maker Faire (www.makerfaire.com). “The Maker movement has brought the pre-1970s world of basement workshops and amateur tinkering into the digital age.” — The New York Times
Green Outdoors: Eco-Conscious Yards
Taking care of the environment can begin at your front door. Help your plants do what they do best – create oxygen, store carbon in their roots, cool your house, collect dust and particulate matter and provide places for play and relaxation. Look around your yard and find ways to be more eco-conscious while creating your own natural oasis.
1. Increase the number of trees and vegetative cover around your home. On a hot summer day, the sun can heat dry exposed urban surfaces, such as roofs and pavement, to temperatures 50–90°F (27–50°C) hotter than the air, while shaded or moist surfaces—often in more rural surroundings—remain close to air temperatures. Read more about heat islands.
2. Plant for your climate zone and at the appropriate time. Many people buy plants simply based on looks. But you need to be aware of your climate zone and what grows well in your area. Fall is usually the best time to let trees, shrubs and grasses planted and well established. Reference the USDA Map when selecting plants and contact your local extension office for ideas on plants suited for your area.
3. Water early or late in the day. And, don’t overwater! Let water sink in before the peak heat of the day. Too much water can loosen root systems. So, be sure to use an appropriate amount. And, try to use water from a rain barrel or include new smart water technologies to ensure watering is effective and efficient. Read more here.
4. Compost & leave grass clippings on lawns. Composting is a good way to create your own nutrient-rich soil for creating mulch that enriches your own garden soil or top-dressing the lawn. Leaving the grass clippings fall on your lawn while mowing is another easy way to add nitrogen-rich nutrients to soil. More on how to grow compost.
5. Cut and prune plants and trees to keep them in a growing state. Pruning trees, shrubs, ornamentals and cutting the lawn are important for plant health. They will give off more oxygen and sequester more carbon. Pruning and cutting spurs healthy growth and the natural process of carbon in-oxygen out. More about pruning here.
6. Let your grass go dormant. Grasses can go dormant for a period of time, especially during dry summer months. Turning brown, but greening back up when moisture levels return, is normal. Read more from the Lawn Institute.
7. Encourage beneficial birds and insects to your yard and gardens with plants that attract them. Lure in pest-eating birds and beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, bees, praying mantis, butterflies, by planting certain flowers and shrubs. Here are more tips on beneficial borders.
8. Encourage a backyard habitat. By providing food, shelter, water and cover, you will attract beneficial birds and other wildlife. You may even get your yard certified as a Wildlife Habitat. Here's how to garden for wildlife.
9. Make sure you have some groundcover to stem the flow of run off and capture dust and other particulate matter. Runoff can wash unwanted sediment and fertilizers into our waterways. Be sure to plant some ivy, grass, or other creeping, clumping and spreading plants. Learn more here.
10. Get outside and enjoy your own landscape! Send the kids outside, eat al fresco, play games for exercise, and use your backyard as a learning tool for kids (from assigning outdoor chores to learning science and environmental lessons). Learn more about education lesson plans available through TurfMutt.
By the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute ©2012
About TurfMutt
The free TurfMutt program is a dynamic digital curriculum led by Lucky, a real-life rescue dog who encourages kids (K-5) to protect the land around them and fosters an appreciation of natural surroundings in their own community. In addition to lesson plans, engaging activities, puzzles and videos, students can enjoy an interactive map about ecosystems across the country. With these resources, teachers can emphasize the benefits of landscaping and green spaces in balance with local environments, and instill a new appreciation for environmental issues through scientific investigation.
Lesson plans can be found at: http://turfmutt.discoveryeducation.com/educators.cfm.
For families and homeowners, TurfMutt hosts a blog at TurfMutt.com, discussing ways to take care of plants and the lawn and landscape in a way that works with Nature, not against it.
1. Increase the number of trees and vegetative cover around your home. On a hot summer day, the sun can heat dry exposed urban surfaces, such as roofs and pavement, to temperatures 50–90°F (27–50°C) hotter than the air, while shaded or moist surfaces—often in more rural surroundings—remain close to air temperatures. Read more about heat islands.
2. Plant for your climate zone and at the appropriate time. Many people buy plants simply based on looks. But you need to be aware of your climate zone and what grows well in your area. Fall is usually the best time to let trees, shrubs and grasses planted and well established. Reference the USDA Map when selecting plants and contact your local extension office for ideas on plants suited for your area.
3. Water early or late in the day. And, don’t overwater! Let water sink in before the peak heat of the day. Too much water can loosen root systems. So, be sure to use an appropriate amount. And, try to use water from a rain barrel or include new smart water technologies to ensure watering is effective and efficient. Read more here.
4. Compost & leave grass clippings on lawns. Composting is a good way to create your own nutrient-rich soil for creating mulch that enriches your own garden soil or top-dressing the lawn. Leaving the grass clippings fall on your lawn while mowing is another easy way to add nitrogen-rich nutrients to soil. More on how to grow compost.
5. Cut and prune plants and trees to keep them in a growing state. Pruning trees, shrubs, ornamentals and cutting the lawn are important for plant health. They will give off more oxygen and sequester more carbon. Pruning and cutting spurs healthy growth and the natural process of carbon in-oxygen out. More about pruning here.
6. Let your grass go dormant. Grasses can go dormant for a period of time, especially during dry summer months. Turning brown, but greening back up when moisture levels return, is normal. Read more from the Lawn Institute.
7. Encourage beneficial birds and insects to your yard and gardens with plants that attract them. Lure in pest-eating birds and beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, bees, praying mantis, butterflies, by planting certain flowers and shrubs. Here are more tips on beneficial borders.
8. Encourage a backyard habitat. By providing food, shelter, water and cover, you will attract beneficial birds and other wildlife. You may even get your yard certified as a Wildlife Habitat. Here's how to garden for wildlife.
9. Make sure you have some groundcover to stem the flow of run off and capture dust and other particulate matter. Runoff can wash unwanted sediment and fertilizers into our waterways. Be sure to plant some ivy, grass, or other creeping, clumping and spreading plants. Learn more here.
10. Get outside and enjoy your own landscape! Send the kids outside, eat al fresco, play games for exercise, and use your backyard as a learning tool for kids (from assigning outdoor chores to learning science and environmental lessons). Learn more about education lesson plans available through TurfMutt.
By the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute ©2012
About TurfMutt
The free TurfMutt program is a dynamic digital curriculum led by Lucky, a real-life rescue dog who encourages kids (K-5) to protect the land around them and fosters an appreciation of natural surroundings in their own community. In addition to lesson plans, engaging activities, puzzles and videos, students can enjoy an interactive map about ecosystems across the country. With these resources, teachers can emphasize the benefits of landscaping and green spaces in balance with local environments, and instill a new appreciation for environmental issues through scientific investigation.
Lesson plans can be found at: http://turfmutt.discoveryeducation.com/educators.cfm.
For families and homeowners, TurfMutt hosts a blog at TurfMutt.com, discussing ways to take care of plants and the lawn and landscape in a way that works with Nature, not against it.
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