After poring over this seasonal produce grid for the best way to order fruit and vegetable features, it's sort of awesome that it worked out to kick off the Eat Seasonal series with scallions. Also known as spring onions, this vegetable is a permanent fixture in my mom's kitchen. I can almost hear her chopping them as I type this! Scallions are in season in Massachusetts from May to September; stock up and try and or all of these six recipes:

1. This scallion pancake recipe takes mere minutes to prep and is a huge hit every single time I make it.

2. The 12-ingredient marinade for these scallion skewers is a little more involved than I would normally prep for a quick family dinner, but you could gain economy of scale by multiplying the batch and storing in your fridge (all ingredients are long pantry shelf life items).

3. This recipe for grilled cubanelles, tomatoes, and scallions is a done deal in 15 minutes. WIN.

4. If you like baking, these scallion and cheddar popovers are a simple, savory option.

5. I’m always on the hunt for good vegetarian recipes for Laurel; this mushroom and scallion frittata offers a good protein hit while using lots of scallions.

6. This 3-ingredient scallion ginger sauce can be your go-to condiment on top of, well, anything apparently.

Image credits: scallion thumbnail via FreeDigitalPhotos.net; all other images via linked websites

After recently sharing about 5 ways to eat local on a budget, I started thinking a lot about tip #2: shopping seasonally. And it inspired me to start a new editorial series! Via Eat Seasonal I’ll share roundups of simple recipes to help you figure out what to do with seasonal produce. I know that every year that we’ve signed up for CSAs, I’ve scoured around for just this sort of thing -- I hope you love the series!

Also, if you’re a food writer, please feel free to submit your recipe links for potential inclusion in a feature! I'd love to hear from you!

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It may sound silly, but I've been thinking a lot of about composting lately, given that we've been having so much fun planting and bringing our little backyard back to life. Since today is Learn About Composting Day (I know this thanks to Kris-Ann), I wanted to share how crazy easy it is to compost. Totally doable and good for the environment. Here's the how-to in 5 easy steps:

1. Get an indoor compost receptacle. This is actually an optional step but a handy one; an indoor compost receptacle allows you to collect kitchen scraps to reduce trips to your outdoor composter. We just use a large plastic bowl with a lid but I'm thinking of replacing that eyesore with this stainless steel Epica composter.

2. Get an outdoor composter. Composters range from simple to fancier (we have one simple and one fancier); here are three good options to consider:

• We bought our "simple" composter at our town DPW for around $30 I think. It's basically a cylinder with a cone inside (to allow for airflow) and a cone lid with a rope handle. If your DPW doesn't sell composters the Geobin Composter is an inexpensive option at $30. The only thing I'm wondering about is a lid, to keep animals out.

• Our "fancy" composter (the EnviroCycle Composter) is out of stock but the Good Ideas EnviroTumbler is very similar. It's a little pricier (currently on sale at Amazon for $116, down from $160) but is so due to handy features. The composter rolls off the base so you can roll it to where you need it in the garden + the base collects the compost "tea," which we pour over our plants that need extra love.

• For a model a bit more in the middle, the Forest City Tumbling Composter is a well-rated option at $99. This composter has two chambers (let one sit while you fill the other) and a good ventilation system.

3. Collect your kitchen scraps! In your indoor composter, collect green matter: fruit and veggie scraps, coffee grounds/filters, tea bags, and egg shells; the coffee grounds, tea bags, and egg shells offer excellent nutrients for compost. Do not include non-plant matter (e.g., meat, beans), which will attract animals.

4. Mix it up. Dump your kitchen compost into your outdoor compost and add some brown matter to it (e.g., dead leaves). And when you're watering your plants, water the compost. Ideally you want a mix of brown and green matter and also water; the brown matter provides carbon, the green nitrogen, and the water moistens the mix to facilitate breakdown.

5. Turn and use. If you have one composter, you'll need to dig up the "black gold" from the bottom. This is one reason I like the rotating composter. However, later on we found we needed/wanted a second composter so what we do is fill one composter through the year and let the other decompose and then switch the next year. We either use compost for new plantings (dig a hole and line it with compost) or it's been great to spread compost + compost tea on existing plants as they've been coming back to life after the long winter.

For more information, you can check out the EPA’s guide to composting, but really, these 5 easy steps have carried us through many years of urban composting. If you have questions, let me know in the comments!

Image credits: Amazon

Today, Debbie shares 5 ways to eat local on a budget:

“Eat local” is a popular sentiment these days, and for good reason. When we eat what’s grown nearby, we support the local economy, reduce the environmental impacts of long-distance shipping, and get food that’s more nutritious than the mass-produced, shipped kind. Of course, one challenge is that mass-produced, shipped products are often cheaper than their small-crop, locally grown counterparts. Here are 5 ways I've learned how to eat local on a budget:

1. Join a CSA. A CSA (community-supported agriculture) has you pay a certain amount up front for your share of that season’s crops. Vegetable, fruit, fish, meat, and grain CSAs are all available in the greater Boston area. Some deliver; others require you to pick up. You don’t get to choose what’s in your share, but the overall dollar value of the share typically exceeds what you pay for it. Find a CSA near you at Local Harvest.

2. Shop seasonally. Produce costs less when it's abundant, so it helps to keep track of what's in season and menu plan around seasonal produce. For those in Massachusetts, refer to this handy in-season chart.

3. Preserve the harvest. Preservation can be as simple as freezing (e.g., I puree and freeze tomatoes) or you can try canning or dehydration (perfect for those who like fruit leather or dried apples). Here’s a good first source for information on home food preservation.

4. Visit a farmer’s market for education. Ask about the growing season. Get recipes. If prices are high, buy only specialty items and tastes of new foods. Another benefit? Booth displays can tempt kids to try foods they might otherwise ignore! Use Local Harvest to find a farmer's market near you, and here are links specific to Massachusetts farmer's markets.

5. Find farms that don’t come to market. Small farms and orchards might not have extra staff for markets, but they want your business at the farm stands and pick-your-own days. Check this local farm guide for options near you.

From a parenting perspective, what's been particularly great about committing to eating local is that my kids see that food is produced by real people. They're starting to understand the basis for every economy in the world and are eating more fruits and vegetables thanks to meeting the growers.

Image credits: Local Harvest Facebook page

Today, Hillary from Mass Audubon shares a helpful baby bird season primer:

Now is the time of year that migratory breeding birds have returned from the south to nest, and each bird has a unique nesting technique. For example, robins fill their sometimes eye-level nests with bright blue eggs. Bluebirds prefer a “cavity” (i.e., a hole in a tree or box). Killdeer camouflage their nests on the ground in gravel areas near soccer fields (so keep an eye out!). Baltimore orioles create a delicate, hanging nest that somehow manages to support several eggs at a time.

Baby birds have a tough road ahead of them. They have to eat, grow, and learn how to fly while keeping an eye out for predators, including other birds and mammals. Even well meaning people can make things harder for a baby bird’s survival by prematurely intervening.

So how do you know when to intervene in what looks like an injured or orphaned baby bird? The first step is to determine what stage the bird is in. This time of year, a baby bird falls into one of three categories:

1. Hatchling. A hatchling hasn’t yet opened its eyes and may have wisps of down on its body. It’s definitely not ready to leave the nest.

Photo by Wendy Barrett for Mass Audubon

2. Nestling. A nestling is older than a hatchling. Its eyes are open, and its wing feathers may look like tubes because they’ve yet to break through their protective sheaths. Nestlings are also not ready to leave the nest.

3. Fledgling. A fledgling is a young bird that is fully feathered. Its wings and tail may be short, and it may not be a great flyer, but it can walk, hop, or flutter. It has left the nest, though its parents may be nearby.

Fledgling photo by Rosemary Mosco for Mass Audubon

Hatchlings or nestlings found out of their nest may require some help getting back into their nest. Fledglings, on the other hand, are best left to fend for themselves. For a quick go-to guide, check out Mass Audubon’s Found a Bird chart. Whatever you do, please don’t try to raise a baby bird yourself (no matter how much your own child pleads). It’s illegal to have a wild bird in your possession, and unlike the fairy tales, doing this has no happy ending.

Baby killdeer photo by Richard Johnson for Mass Audubon

Baltimore oriole with nest photo by Bob Speare for Mass Audubon

Image credits: thumbnail image by Mass Audubon; all other images attributed per captions above

One of the most stressful parts about Violet's recent state of plague was that for the better part of a week she refused bottles and pretty much all solid food, save occasional bites of cheese and blueberries. The logical part of my brain knew that she would eventually drink and eat again, but I was still concerned about dehydration and getting her some calories, particularly because she was so limp and sad and not herself during this time.
During this period, an unexpected little miracle arrived in the mail: samples from Plum Organics. I have known about Plum for a couple of years, but I haven't purchased starter purees of any kind since I've been making baby food (the Beaba Babycook makes it absurdly easy to do so), and at this point, Violet has largely moved on to finger food chunks. However, when I opened the box, I decided to try the purees. Not only had I not seen these yogurt/fruit/veggie and fruit/grain blends before, but it occurred to me that if Violet would actually eat them, she would get a little more fluid in her by way of the liquid content in the purees.

And to my enormous glee and relief, I approached her first with the apple-spinach yogurt blend and she gobbled it up. I also presented some of the apple/raisin/quinoa blend and she gobbled that up too. For the next couple of days, we continued to present her usual foods and she gradually started taking them again, but she readily consumed these purees on each presentation. {Cue angels singing.}

I'm not sure if it was the food novelty factor, the comfort of being spoon fed (as I mentioned, Violet has moved on to finger foods, save yogurt), the taste blend, or something unbeknownst to me (Vi still hasn't sprouted any teeth, so we wondered whether gum pain and not wanting to mash on solids was contributing to her food rejection), but these products were a saving grace. It was a huge relief to see Violet get some calories, and at the risk of a TMI moment, the liquid content of the purees also helped her on the output side.

Violet is finally back to her usual cheerful self, eating her solids, but we are keeping these pouches on hand as a handy and convenient back up/supplement. I especially like having the fruit and grain blends in our arsenal because other than brown rice and quinoa, I never cook millet, barley, or amaranth so it's nice to have those grain options in rotation for variety.

As of this writing, these two new Plum products haven't been fully released in stores. I learned this the hard way when I ran to Whole Foods panicking in dismay in the baby food aisle when this was the only food Violet would eat! After writing the Plum Organics representative who sent the samples, she informed me that the products are available at Toys "R" Us (here are the links for the fruit/veggie/yogurt and fruit/grain blends), then they'll be available at Target in March, Safeway in April, and Whole Foods later in the spring. We've tried every variety except the fruit/grain blend including mango (since we think Vi might be allergic to mango) and all have been consumed happily!

Today, Kate shares a great find for relocating your outgrown kid's clothing and gear:

If you're like me, you occasionally find yourself looking for good ways to pass along the clothes, toys, and gear that your kids have outgrown. Due to generous grandmothers, my daughter's dresser is often overflowing, and I search out ways to share the bounty. Two Little Monkeys, a new children's resale shop in the Union Square neighborhood of Somerville, is a great resource for anyone looking to either unload or pick up clothing, books, toys, and gear (including high-end strollers at terrific prices) for babies and children.
The owner of the store, a mother herself, offers either cash or store credit for items brought in, and purchases based on her existing inventory and the needs and tastes of her customers. All seasons are bought and sold, as are both genders and all sizes through 5T (the owner is looking to expand into larger sizes). The store is roomy and comfortable -- unlike some resale shops, which can feel musty and cramped -- and I noticed MacLaren strollers and a Stokke crib on a recent visit, as well as clothes and shoes in good condition and holiday and seasonal items. Whether you're buying or selling, definitely check out Two Little Monkeys.

Two Little Monkeys, 77 Bow Street, Somerville; 617-222-0043

I've been an avid label reader for well over a decade so it's been disturbing to learn about the US's lack of regulation when it comes to ingredient disclosure. I shared about this in 2008 regarding cleaning and personal care products and now I'm sharing about lack of disclosure and the food industry. Please read my post at the Stonyfield blog and take action to protect your loved ones via Just Label It's 8 steps (they're simple and doable, I promise!). And if you want to learn more, Stonyfield is hosting a free webinar on GMOs November 1 at 12pm EST.

Image credit: Just Label It

When it comes to baby and kids stuff, I'm all for recycling. Subsequently, I'm thrilled to serve as a guest curator for Swap.com's Family Swap Day next Saturday, October 8, in Somerville. Whether you want to outfit your kid for Halloween or score books, toys, clothing, and other family-friendly items, simply bring a bag of items to swap, enjoy the family activity room while we get the goods sorted, then come load your bag full of new finds! I'll be roaming the event, and also wielding my face painting skills, so please come say hi! Now, for two cool deals:

+ + + + +
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winners Darlene, Kate, and Joanna!
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1. Want to be one of three winners to receive a pair of tickets to Family Swap Day? Simply e-mail contests@bostonmamas.com (with "Family Swap Day") in the subject line by Monday, October 3 to enter win.

2. If you'd rather lock in your tickets now, use code BOSTONMAMAS to receive 50% off your ticket.