Natalie DeLorenzo

Haha! She does live near Boulder Hill! Not too far from Fox River! Small world! I bet there will be bees that travel between the pollinator gardens at your place and my MIL's and that's pretty cool to me. Gives me something to smile about.

My mother-in-law lives in Oswego/Montgomery, and I just planted a similar seed mix in her backyard! I know that area can be quite clay heavy (or at least around my MIL's house), but after each fall when the wildflowers are cut back and decompose the nutrients will go back into the soil and build a healthier dirt. The flowers will also attract wildlife that will leave behind nutrients and overall lead to a healthier earth, so it should be fine for your fruit trees. The bees thank you!

I'm hoping the seeds I planted germinate okay in the clay heavy soil. Good luck to yours too!

Another thing to keep in mind is that some of those flowers won't bloom until the second year, so you'll have to wait at least one year for the beautiful Columbine's to show up.

Hello!

I've been vegan for nearly 6 years now, and I also like to practice an active lifestyle. I've found what helps my workouts the most is finishing them off with a peanut butter banana smoothie. Nuts are nutritionally dense and fatty, which your body will love after a good workout. (I freeze the bananas and then it's almost like peanut butter ice cream.) Basically just keeping your calories up will help with muscle gain, and fatty protein is key. Pan fried tofu is also one of my favorite things. (I think someone already mentioned coconut milk/cream on this thread and I second that)

But just in general for switching to veganism, look to cultures that don't rely so heavily on meat or dairy in their dishes and just start making those cuisines more of a staple. Bulgur is one of my favorite new whole grains to cook with, and it goes with pretty much any vegetable or vegan protein! while I enjoy the fake vegan meats and cheeses that are more and more on the market these days, they're kinda pricier that what I like to spend, and they're more for just a treat. I agree that a grilled portabella is more enjoyable than a fake meat burger.

So for a quick list of my favs to base meals off of:
Tofu
Peanut butter
Lentils
Coconut milk
Cashews
Bulgur
Middle eastern/eastern cuisines
Pasta or rice (for carb loading)

And of course, any and all vegetables in a variety of colors! Going vegan is something that is personal to how your body reacts. Personally I had trouble keeping weight on when I first went vegan so I had to up my carbohydrate intake at first while my body adjusted. It's just about finding the foods that makes your body it's best! I personally don't use supplements, but if you feel like you need to starting out, it could help with your transition. There's a lot of vegan supplement websites out there. Best of luck to you!

Hi there, so I'm currently living in Chicago (with hopes of moving out soon) and I've been doing a lot of research about cob in this region. So with the understanding that I'm a little north of you, maybe consider strawbale wall construction opposed to just cob. I originally thought that cob was going to be what I wanted to make a home with for my family some day, but in the midwest region the climate would require something with a higher insulation quality. Cob can still be used as a plaster, and interior of the home, but the straw bales will help with the cold seasons, and save on heat.

Another option would be to just do a straw bale wall on the north side of the home to keep the heat from the sun-warmed side of the house escaping out of the cooler north side. Just something to think about. Of course you know your climate better than me, but having originally lived in Michigan for most of my life, proper insulation is high on my mind as far as priorities. Best of luck with your earthen home! I hope to have land of my own someday to do the same!