Follow the Food

Before moving to the desert, we participated in a cross-country bicycle trip that put us up close and personal with some of our food sources. We saw the contrast between big farm corporations and smaller-scale farmers, and heard the stories of local and small town businesses and farmers being run out by larger corporations and chains. After our ride, we read Michael Pollan's book, Omnivore's Dilemma (discussed in a previous post), and started to become more intentional about sourcing our food.

We visited a few farms that were practicing small, local, sustainable agriculture. Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia (mentioned in Pollan's book) boasts a "beyond organic" label, where pigs till the forest, rabbits neutralize waste, and mobile chicken coops permit natural cycles of grass growth. Polyface Farm introduced techniques that have caught on with organic farmers, and we have been hot on the trail!

Despite the lack of water, the Phoenix valley sustains a year-long growing season, and we have been thrilled to find opportunities to support our local (and organic) farmers. Our first find was Bountiful Baskets, a volunteer cooperative that provides local produce and grains on a bi-weekly basis. This organization is run completely by volunteers, and has locations around the country. Their unique status ensures low costs for consumers and high returns for local farmers. We have loved contributing to Bountiful Baskets, and have learned a lot about food seasonality, recipes and cooking/preparation. Since you can never be 100% sure what will be in the next basket, we've discovered several new foods, too (Bok Choy, Fennel, Leeks, and more!), which always turns into a hunt for new recipes.

We'd love to read any comments about your local food options; please share below!

Check back for new recipes and ideas from our most recent basket bounty!

Grand Canyon Revisited

You may recall a previous post about a scouting trip for a future potential field trip to the Grand Canyon. Our team of 4th grade teachers and an incredibly supportive principal were able to make it happen!

First, a recap by the numbers:

149 - 4th grade students and parents in attendance
6 - teachers/staff
3 - days spent at the Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim)
2 - charter buses
4 - A.M. wake-up call to watch the sunrise on our final day

The field trip was a great success, but there are always lessons to learn and ways to improve. There are many things we will try to repeat for next year's trip, and there are a few things we'd change and recommend to others considering this field trip.

Successes:

• NPS Travelin' Trunk Program: We reserved a box of materials about Human History of the Grand Canyon before our trip. This piqued students' excitement, and gave them prior knowledge to access once we arrived.
• Keeping a full schedule (and opting not to include a quiet/nap time) - Any unstructured or idle time almost always guarantees mischief!
• Visiting other areas of interest on our way, including Sunset Crater (as mentioned in a previous blog post) and...

 Montezuma Castle.

• Watching sunrise on our final day - This was a controversial decision, mostly because the sun rises so early in May. We decided to make it optional, and were overwhelmed when nearly our entire group helped each other wake up, walk silently, and snuggle together to watch a glorious sunrise! 

• Reserving Ranger programs - The specific educational Ranger programs for school groups are FREE and align with state content standards. The Rangers are excellent teachers, too!
• We used colored handkerchiefs to identify each chaperone group. This was helpful for quick head-counts for both teachers and chaperones. Students could tie them anywhere that was visible, which also gave them a chance to express themselves in a fun way.
• Preparing student journals for the trip - We created activities/questions that had to be answered about our route and stops along the way. We also included the packet that was provided to accompany the Ranger programs.
• Scavenger Hunt - There is so much to see at the Grand Canyon, and it is nearly impossible to see it all in one short trip. We included all the various historical and educational sites along the South Rim (with questions and info from the NPS website) in student journals. Groups could then decide which locations were most interesting (and feasible). Some groups even got to every stop! Afterwards, students from different groups could discuss what they saw and learned with others.
• Chaperone committees - We couldn't have made the trip happen without lots of parent support. We had parents serve on committees for equipment, food, and safety to assist before, during, and after the trip.

Changes/recommendations:

• Talk with campers about quiet hours before arriving - It's important to keep our camp neighbors and Rangers happy when we are such a large and noticeable group.
• Call ahead to discuss any plans to use the free shuttle buses. The park personnel were incredibly accommodating as soon as they saw 150+ visitors crossing the street to catch a bus for sunset. They ran at least one extra bus every day we were there just for us! I'm sure they'd appreciate a little more advance notice next time.

The successes clearly outweigh the changes, and we received lots of positive feedback from students and parents alike. We saw our entire 4th grade community come a little closer together for this trip, and a lot of fun was had by all. As for the teachers/staff, we feel a lot more confident about planning next year's excursion!

Around Town: Wildlife Park

The spring is a great time to be out and about in the Phoenix area. Cool mornings turn into "just right" warm days, lending to cool and calm evenings. Cacti are in bloom, as well as the rest of the desert's unique vegetation. What better time to check out the wildlife at the zoo?!

We visited the Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium in the West Valley with a few kiddos, and were not disappointed. The zoo boasts over 600 species, including several interactive exhibits. The animals were very active during our visit, and we learned a thing or two from the live "Encounters" presentations.

A few photos of the zoo's inhabitants are sure to make you smile:

Many animals were brought in with injuries that prevent them from surviving in the wild.

Llamas and Alpacas... I always get them confused!

We were up close and personal with the big cats, and just missed a photo op. with the new White Tiger.

This guy's neighbor didn't finish her breakfast... waste not!

One of our favorite stops was being able to walk inside the tortoise exhibit with them!

It's Not Easy Eating Green (or is it?)

One of our many meanderings has been on the topic of food, more specifically, how to maintain a more healthy eating lifestyle. We've tried a variety of diet and exercise programs, ranging from P90X to calorie-counting, with plenty of gym memberships in between!

You can probably agree that consistent, regular exercise is essential. The question of what to eat has always been more vexing. A book that kick-started our proactive search to eat more healthily and sustainably (for both the environment and our own bodies) was The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. Whether you're a die-hard carnivore or a vegan, a health-fanatic or a fast-food junkie, Pollan's book will have you thinking and re-thinking how and what we eat.

Looking for an answer in a nutshell? Take Pollan's advice:

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
(Pollan, Michael. "Unhappy Meals." The New York Times Magazine. 28 January 2007. http://michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/unhappy-meals/) 

Ha! I'm a vegetarian, so I'm two-thirds of the way there, right?

Of course not.

So began our quest to determine which plants should be filling our cart at the grocery store (or better yet, our garden). Stay tuned for future posts about eating our greens!

Discovering Tucson: Sonora Desert Museum

There's something thrilling about seeing coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, and bears roaming the same ground as the path under your feet (rather than behind glass, from a paved road or sidewalk). Touring the Sonora Desert Museum is like hiking a desert trail, and being lucky enough to spot tons of wildlife. You can hike for years without seeing even half of the wildlife that you see in one loop around the open desert there!

Desert Fox

Mexican Wolf

Black Bear

Mountain Lion

Coyote

Javelina

We happened to arrive at the Museum just in time for their "Raptor Free Flights." We followed the crowd, not really knowing what all the excitement was about. It didn't take long before large predator birds were swooping right above our heads, diving and soaring from one branch to another. We learned a lot about birds of the desert, and, of course, got some really fun photos!

Gray Hawk

Barn Owl

Harris's Hawks

Gray Hawk

Harris's Hawk

The Museum also has its own aquarium, which gave us close-up views of creatures you're far less likely to encounter in the desert. We especially enjoyed the saltwater species from the Sea of Cortez.

Garden Eels

Pacific Seahorse

Can you identify this charming fellow?

If you're going to be visiting Tucson, the Sonora Desert Museum is definitely a must-see! It is certainly worth the price of admission, whether or not you get to attend a special program like the Raptor Free Flights. We arrived around mid-day, and stayed until it closed (it's a great spot for sunset!). We could have easily spent the entire day there exploring!

Grand Canyon (Part 6)

I know what you're thinking... "Where are the first five parts?!"

In our short time (almost two years) in the southwest, I am proud to say that I have visited the Grand Canyon six times. It's not exactly in our backyard (more like half a day's drive away). However, I have had many opportunities to make the drive, so I've decided to recap my grand visits in reverse, starting with my most recent visit.

The reason for my most recent visit was more for business than pleasure. My coworkers and I set out to "scout" a potential future field trip for our students. The educational opportunities afforded at the Grand Canyon are limitless - biology, ecology, geography, geology, hydrology, sociology... just to name a few! Since it is a bit of a drive, we've decided to make it a moving field trip, including awesome stops on our way to and from the Canyon.

Looking back at the San Francisco Peaks, the stratovolcano.

First stop - Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.

While I'd driven by this sign a few times, I was never able to visit the park. I highly recommend this park to anyone passing through/near Flagstaff, AZ!


Even if you're short on time, there are some fantastic short walks/hikes available that get you up close and personal with the lava flows.











It seems as if history is frozen in time, and the waysides do a great job of explaining the phenomena. If you have the time (and energy), there are also some more strenuous hikes for different vantage points.





We were happy to find easy walking trails, plenty of parking, an informative Visitor's Center, and lots of picnic tables for snack time. I can't wait bring our Geology lessons to life for our students!

On to the Grand Canyon!

The first view of the Canyon is always spectacular... no matter how many times you've seen it. I am continually amazed by how different the landscape can look based on the time of year and time of day.

Grand Canyon, South Rim, early afternoon

Every time I visit, I see something new. This time, we decided to join a Ranger-led tour. Our "Geology Walk" with Ranger Lapre was entertaining and informative... and you can't beat the backdrop!

Grandeur Point, South Rim

Although we missed sunset on this trip, we were sure to catch sunrise the next day, and it didn't disappoint.

South Rim, near Bright Angel trailhead

Before leaving, I witnessed another "first." A thin line of smoke/smog hovered above the Canyon, and I recalled hearing about the coal plant nearby and the controversy surrounding it. 

View from Mather Point at late morning

On our drive home, we had planned to visit Montezuma Castle, but our unintentional detour led us in another direction. I am reminded that "it's not an adventure until something goes wrong," or...

"...when everything goes wrong, that's when adventure starts." ~Yvon Chouinard

Here's to embracing what goes wrong and what goes right! We'll just have to save that stop for another time (and another post)!

In Remembrance

Dad in Vietnam

In recent years, we have tried to do something meaningful in honor of Veterans' Day, and this year was no different. As a teacher, I make a point to educate my students on what it means to be a Veteran, which always leads to a heartfelt conversation about what children can do to show their gratitude. I also make it a point to spend some time with my father (even if it's limited to a phone call), a proud Army Veteran.

Last year, we hiked Piestewa Peak (formerly "Squaw Peak"), which was re-named to honor Lori Piestewa, the first female Native American to die in foreign combat under the U.S. flag. 

View from Piestewa Peak Summit

This year, we decided to visit the Pueblo Grande Museum, a location that has been on our list of "places to see" since we first learned of these ancient ruins in the middle of Phoenix. During our visit we were treated to a special event - The Gourd Dance to honor Veterans.

After touring the ruins and exploring the museum (details and post to come in the near future), we wandered into a large room. In the center was a large, bright yellow drum, and around it sat three men, a woman, and a young girl. Circular rows of chairs surrounded the inner drum circle, with men and women donning traditional Native American garb, accompanied by various military uniforms, badges, and flags. It was a family affair as grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers, mothers, sisters, and sons all participated in this moving tribute. The Color Guard consisted of the flags of various military branches, including a representative of the Navajo Code-Talkers. As the singing and drumming began, it was hard not to be moved by the sight of World War II Veterans who struggled to walk, moving in honor of those who have and continue to serve.

While we could not take photos of this special ceremony, the faces of the Veterans and the sound of the music will stay with me. It was a powerful tribute and reminder of the service and sacrifice given by so many. I am forever grateful to our Veterans. Thank you.

Inspiration from a Hedgehog

"A little more to the left... there!"

Mike graciously tolerated my insistence on getting the perfect photos of Flat Spiky out in the great Sonoran Desert. By the third photo, I was carefully placing Spiky under various cacti spines, rather than positioning him at arm's length for a perspective shot.

"Teddy Bear Cholla" - AKA "Jumping" Cactus

This fun opportunity for educational photo journalism (thanks to Flat Stanley and my nephew's 3rd grade class) got both of us talking about our previous blogging attempt. After crossing the U.S. by bicycle, touring New England, working on a farm in Kentucky, and making the big move to the great southwest, we ran out of big and exciting blog ideas... at least, we thought we had.

Hedgehog Cactus

Snapping photos of a paper hedgehog next to a cactus that shares its name reignited our excitement for sharing our own discoveries (no matter how small) with anyone who will listen (or read). We were reminded that adventures don't have to be grand excursions or long trips; discovery can happen in our own backyard, the kitchen, a good book...

And so, ladies and gentlemen, we bring you, "A Lovely Meander." What follows will be our own discoveries as we meander our way through life.