Dust Factory is the brainchild of two Eco conscience  soul surfers from Southern California. With the desire of transcending the boundaries or traditional fashion Dust Factory is a recycled driven lifestyle brand free from passing trends. Appearing as natural on the shelves of boutiques as on those of an actual vintage shop. Dust Factory gathers fashion forward relics from the past and reintroduces them into today’s market with a style and appeal only found in Vintage Clothing.

While operating their first vintage store, the founders at Dust Factory vintage felt the need to keep an abundant selection of top quality vintage clothing on hand to keep their wide array of customers happy. Unable to manufacture an authentic vintage product a new concept was born.

The concept behind Dust Factory grew to offer retail customers not only vintage clothing, but the best quality vintage clothing available in the market. For the retailer, this saved hours upon hours of searching and allowed them to offer their customers simply the best variety of products out there. The way Dust Factory operates began changing the techniques in the vintage industry and began truly setting the standard of how the industry works.

Today, Dust Factory has grown in operations from one man’s vision to an entire team’s realization. With an knowledgeable and dedicated staff behind it, Dust Factory is now a global wholesaler with its product in the far reaches of the world.

“Our task isn’t easy but our mission is rewarding.” Along with saving over 10 thousand pounds of clothing a month from being put into land fills, Dust Factory distributes what is not usable in the vintage market to those in need through local charities and street shelters.

Dust Factory Vintage Clothing has given us a few ideas of what we can do with our old clothing:

• Take your used clothes to a textile bank. Contact the recycling officer in your local authority if there are no banks in your area and ask why; they may collect textiles through other means. Alternatively you can take used clothing to local charity shops.
• Give old clothes/shoes/curtains/handbags etc. to jumble sales. Remember to tie shoes together: part of the 6% of textiles which is wastage for merchants are single shoes.
• Buy second-hand clothes – you can often pick up unusual period pieces! If bought from a charity shop, it will also benefit a charity.
• Buy things you are likely to wear a long time – a dedicated follower of fashion can also be a green one if items are chosen carefully.
• Look for recycled content in the garments you buy. This should be on the label, though at present there is no conventional marking scheme and some companies do not always advertise the recycled content.
• Buy cloth wipers instead of disposable paper products as the product can be used repeatedly.

If you are looking for more ways to contribute to recycling clothing check out the fashion & Recycling News Blog at  Dust Factory Vintage today.

Laying out a garden gives you the opportunity to be creative while maximizing you food production. Richard Teasta at Richard Teasta Naturals has added some interesting tips on how to layout your garden so that you not only produce great fruits and vegetables, but it looks great as well.

This time of year many of us our getting ready to start our spring gardens, before you start plantin hear are a few tips according to Richard Teasta:

• Think about how you a re going to lay things out.
• Make sure that the plants are compatible
• Do not over plant

For more information check out http://richard-teasta.com/spring-planting-season/

Tilapia Ceviche Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds tilapia, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, (about 14 limes), plus wedges for serving
2 tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 avocados, halved, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Hot sauce
Small tostadas, for serving (optional)

Directions

Combine fish and lime juice in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and marinate for about 8 minutes; drain, pressing into strainer to remove excess liquid. Return fish mixture to bowl. Stir in onion, tomatoes, avocado, cucumbers, and cilantro. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Serve immediately with tostadas and lime wedges.

I call the recipe Fiery Tilapia Taco’s w/ Pico.

This recipe serves two but also makes a great appetizer for up to four people. The salsa or pico calls for vegetables that we were growing in the garden that the fish grew up in, mainly because that is what we had on hand. You can mix and match on the salsa is some of the items this recipe calls for are not available.

You will need the following ingredients:

Ingredients:

• 1 chopped jalapeno
• 2 40z tilapia filets
• 1 anaheim pepper
• 2 chopped tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1/2 tsp white sugar
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
• 1 whole onion chopped
• 1 cup of sliced cabbage
• 1 lemon juiced
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 Tbsp Sour Cream
• 4 corn tortillas
• 1 cut lime
• 1 chopped red pepper

Directions:

Salsa:

1. In a large mixing bowl place finely chop onion, red pepper, anaheim pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, tomatoes.
2. Add 1 tsp of salt, 1tsp of pepper, 1tsp of garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp of sugar and mix in with lemon juice

Tilapia:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In small bowl combine 2 Tbsp Cayenne Pepper, 2 tsp salt, 2tsp black pepper, 2tsp garlic powder, 2 minced garlic cloves then sprinkle fillets with spices.
3. Arrange fillets on grill grate with tortillas, and cook for 3 minutes per side.

For each fiery tilapia taco, top corn tortillas with fish, sour cream, cabbage and salsa. Serve with lime wedge.

We have been very blessed with our aquaponics system and the continued growth of the fish and the vegetables even through this cooler fall season. One of the first reasons that we set up an aquaponics garden was to help off-set our food costs and to have something edible just in-case we needed it for survival. Fortunately for us, with no major catastrophes as far as earth quakes, fires or tsunamis we started to develop a plethora of extra fish.

As the cooler winter months began to slowly approach us we decided it would be a good time to pull a few of our fish out and share them with our friends. Last year when we were in PR we had a freeze and I nearly lost all of my warm water tilapia. This year I have added a couple of tank heaters, but they will only keep a tank so warm. So before it gets too cold I decided to pull a few of the larger fish from the front and back tanks and brought them over to our friends house and got them cleaned up for a surf & turf fish fry. I have to admit I would much rather have a feast with the tilapia instead of having to eat them for survival.

The larger tilapia I decided to fillet and prepare with the rub from my Firey Fish Taco Recipe, the smaller ones I cleaned, scaled and cooked whole or entero. The whole fish I prepared with freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon wedges, minced garlic, salt , pepper, cajun spice, green onion, and cilantro. Both the fillets and the whole fish were equally wonderful. Our friends also served tri-tip an Asain salad, potato salad, and fresh home-made guacamole. It was the perfect meal to get us ready for the annual OB Christmas Parade later on that evening.

So far the Aquaponic System that we helped install in the showcase window at Green Lady Hydroponics in Ocean Beach San Diego, California is doing just great in it’s second week.

Last week we added some goldfish to the system for a couple of reasons. One reason is to check the water quality, if fish live, the water is getting there, if fish die you need to wait a little longer. Gold fish are dirty fish which is good for building the bacteria levels in a new system. They are also hearty fish, which means that they don’t die as easily as other fish species. This makes them the perfect guinea pig for a new system. I am glad to report that all of the goldfish survived and were transferred back to the pond that they came from after they got the system primed.

After waiting a few more days and taking water samples each day we decided to introduce the first batch of Tilapia, to see how they will do. The Tilapia have been in the system for three days now and so far so good. Just yesterday we started getting a good balanced reading on the water levels meaning that the system is starting out according to our plans.

For the next couple of weeks we will be checking the water quality and we will slowly start introducing a few more fish to the reservoir.

Check back for more updates, and if you live in San Diego, stop by Green Lady Hydroponics on Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach to see the set-up.

If you live in the San Diego area and are looking to purchase some Tilapia Fingerlings, you are able to do so at the Green Lady Hydroponics on Newport Blvd. In Ocean Beach

After a journey to Haiti to learn why hungry farmers would burn seeds, the real awakening of what has happened to our food in the US, what we are feeding our families, and what is at stake for the global food supply unfolds in a trip across the United States and other countries in search of answers. Are we at a tipping point? Is it time to take back our food? The encroaching darkness of unknown health and environmental risks, seed take over, chemical toxins, and food monopoly meets with the light of a growing resistance of organic farmers, concerned citizens, and a burgeoning movement to take back what we have lost.

Today in the United States, by the simple act of feeding ourselves, we unwittingly participate in the largest experiment ever conducted on human beings. Massive agro-chemical companies like Monsanto (Agent Orange) and Dow (Napalm) are feeding us genetically-modified food, GMOs, that have never been fully tested and aren’t labeled. This small handful of corporations is tightening their grip on the world’s food supply—buying, modifying, and patenting seeds to ensure total control over everything we eat. We still have time to heal the planet, feed the world, and live sustainably. But we have to start now! http://gmofilm.com/

Sarah Rae Trover from OdeeOh.com, a website geared towards family and child development, points out a specific moment in the film below that shares a great concept that we can do for our children today… for tomorrow.

GMO Film Project Sizzler from Compeller Pictures on Vimeo.

Watch the above video if you have a moment, if not, feel free to skip to the 3:24 mark. There you’ll find Finn. Finn is collecting seeds. All the seeds. He knows the process is simple. Grow a plant from one seed, gather hundreds more.
There’s a quick shot of Finn’s seed packets that say Finn’s garden. What if along with a college fund or a new car we set a goal to send our children out into the world with a garden? With all the seeds they needed to be sustainable? To grow their own food, to take their life and their health into their own hands. To be able to provide for themselves and a family.

According to Sarah Rae Trover at OdeeOh.com,

In the coming years education about what to eat will be as important as the steps to acquire such things and participation in this process can only help spread word that we’re looking for the best quality possible for our families. It doesn’t matter where you stand on this nutritional debate, the idea of starting a seed collection, no matter what the purpose, is still a great one. It’s a perfect hobby to start, even for little ones!

Learn more about this video and project from GMO FILM PROJECT

Day 1(one)

We decided to work with what they had available in their store so that their customers would be able to set up a unit on their own. Because they are a Hydroponics Gardening store, they had pretty much everything that we needed in stock.

We decided to use a clear glass 60 gallon fish tank for the fish reservoir. I don’t necessarily recommend this due to the amount of exposed light in the water, and the potential for intense algae growth, however this is a display and it will be great for people to get the whole grasp of what is happening. They will just need to clean the tank more than average. Next we set up some toggle horses that will support the grow bed.

After we got the fish tank and grow bed in place we added water to the tank. I also added some water hyacinth from one of my ponds, as well as about two gallons of pond water to start filtering into the system to kick start the needed bacteria growth for the plants and fish.

Day 2(two)

On day two we cleaned out the hydroton  that will be used as the growing medium for this unit, and installed an assortment of different greens that will make wonderful salad mixes in a few weeks.

Day 4(four)

On Day four we added four goldfish to the system to start setting the bacteria levels for the system. If all goes well we will be adding some Tilapia to the system in the next couple of days.

Check back for more updates, and if you live in San Diego, stop by Green Lady Hydroponics on Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach to see the set-up.

Coming Soon:

If you live in the San Diego area and are looking to purchase some Tilapia Fingerlings, you will be able to do so at the Green Lady Hydroponics on Newport Blvd. In Ocean Beach

Image Courtesy of Gardenpool.com

What is a garden pool you might ask, well according to the founders of Gardenpool.org

“The Garden Pool was a large run-down pool that is now a closed-loop food production system using aquaponics and is powered by solar energy. The GP was designed to feed a family of four with organic eggs, fruit, veggies, herbs, and fish 365 days a year while using 90% less water than conventional farming methods.

For More information on the garden pool Check Out Gardenpool.org

The Garden Pool in a simple 3D drawing to show size and general layout via Gardenpool.org

For tons of great information on just about anything from raising chickens, to building your own Gray Water systems check out the Garden Pool Blog!

When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. Leviticus 19:9-11a

Each season it seams that we get a little carried away come harvest time. We always have plenty of vegetables for our family, friends,  neighbors… and then some extra. Every gardener that has been blessed in this way, knows that on the flip side there is only a short shelf life on their harvest before it starts going bad and needs to be fed to the chickens or the compost bin.

This year we plan to Plot Against Hunger by donating our extra fruits and vegetables to those that need it more. We even went as far as planting a couple of extra plants just for those who may need it. There are plenty of rescue centers and soup kitchens that lack the funds or ability to serve nutritious meals to their patrons, and home gardeners can help.

If you are wondering how to Plot Against Hunger in your own town the following tips are useful:

1.) Plant-A-Row In Your Backyard:

Plant an extra row (or more) of vegetables in your backyard garden,or just contribute your surplus bounty to local rescue mission! Have herbs you’re dividing? Extra tomato seedlings? They can use them!

What do they need most? The most popular veggies are green beans, tomatoes, eggplant, peas, peppers and squash. Any fresh produce is welcome, though — whatever you are good at growing.

2.) Share Your Backyard:

Do you have some unused garden space to share with other gardeners? Do you need some garden space to grow veggies?

3.) Start a New Plot Against Hunger Program in Your Area:

Are you a church, business, group or individual with some land suitable for a garden? Can you get a group together to maintain the garden for the growing season?

For More Information Check Out Plant A Row for the Hungry (PAR). PAR is a communications program encouraging individual gardeners, companies and community gardens to donate fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers to food agencies and/or soup kitchens to help feed those in need.

http://www.gardenwriters.org/gwa.php?p=par/par_campaign.html