Why hello there.

Long time, no see.

The last few months have been a roller coaster of ups and downs full of change, travel, loss, new adventures at work, serious illness, and celebration. While I had hoped to have the time and energy to share all of these experiences with you through my blog, it would seem that life had other plans. I am hoping to get back on track and begin sharing with you all again.

A major factor in this is due to a recent meeting. At one of many weekend fundraising events for work, I bumped into a woman that has been in the charleston "green" circles with me since I first moved to the area. Amazingly enough, her and I have talked over email and through blogs for years but the other night was one of the first times we actually were able to talk in person. She shared with me how much she had enjoyed following my adventures through my car free blog and that she had read them aloud to her whole family (minus a few choice words I may have used). Hearing how much they had relished living vicariously through my experiences and mis-adventures was so heartwarming...and honestly very flattering. While I have struggled to keep up this blog, her comments reignited my desire to share my stories with anyone that is interested in reading. Often, I will have to simply share the articles that I write for publications but in between I will try and carve out a little time to post some personal stories.

That being said, here are the latest articles that I have had published for your reading pleasure. As always, the final edited article is often cut down from the original, but hopefully you will enjoy them all the same. These were all featured in the latest issue of Dirt Magazine:

Farm to School

Permaculture

Foraging

Until next time, I hope you are all doing well!

Nik

The Art of Gardening

Here is my latest article about gardening printed in the City Paper... make sure you visit the site to see all of the great pictures! Not my best work but hopefully something to get you motivated in your own gardens :-)

This time of year, it is easy to find yourself intoxicated by the perfect blooms of potted flowers at a garden center and end up at the check-out line buying a cart full of plants with no idea what they are or where you will put them. With a long growing season, a warm climate, and the ability to grow an incredible range of plants here in the Lowcountry, it is no surprise that so many people are inspired to roll up their sleeves and dig in the dirt. But before you find yourself seduced into impulse plant purchases that may not be right for your lifestyle or yard, consider seeking a little inspiration and advice from a few local gardening gurus.

One local gardener who has mastered a number of these gardening styles is none other than Jim Martin, a man who has influenced so many of the beautiful public spaces in Charleston. By the time you have completed a full tour of his garden, it is hard to remember that you have ever been in another. Created with a circular flow, the house and garden ease seamlessly together, filled with unique treasures that speak to world travels and an eye for detail. Martin and his partner David Vegasky have spent the last decade making their garden a place to relax and entertain. Martin explains that in his home garden, "It is not about control. We have busy lifestyles and things are not always perfect in the garden and we make no apologies for that." Trust us, no apologies are necessary.

The tour begins with the intimate side garden which envelopes you with its secret nooks, cool shaded spaces, comfortable chairs, and ordered chaos of plants. Formerly the croquet green, its future was sealed when Martin and Vegasky redesigned it on a napkin at a pub in Asheville. The official transformation had its fateful start on Sept. 11, 2001, to which Vegasky noted, "I don't think of the tragedy, I think of what we created." The former patch of lawn was renovated by building up mounds of soil around a focal point, a tree given by Martin's former mentor, and then filled in with a variety of plants tolerant of part-shade. It was comforting to hear that such a beautiful garden was born on a napkin, built with what was available locally, and tended in their spare time.

Moving from one section of their garden to another is akin to walking from room to room in a home; they have created walls of foliage. I was completely surprised to discover an in-ground pool hiding around the bend, complete with brightly colored pots and an incredible array of bromeliads and succulents generally found in tropical climates. To ensure that Martin's tropical plants survive any cold temperatures during winter, he brings many of his plants onto his covered porch, a little trick that allows him to have a greater variety of cold sensitive plants.

Leaving the pool area on wooden walkways, the garden gives way to a fish pond complete with floating lilies and a covered swing built by Vegasky. The pond uses a combination of fish, filtering plants, oxygenating plants, and pumps to keep it lower maintenance. Providing partial shade to the pond is huge pecan tree, which at one time was the only thing in the backyard. It is hard to believe that the hundreds of plants in the garden were all selected, planted, and stewarded at the hands of these two busy men. Martin assures me that he is far from a plant snob, but he prefers utilizing low-maintenance native plants that are acclimated to the climate while providing habitat and food sources for local insects and animals. With hundreds of varieties of plants that are native to the Palmetto State, seven South Carolina nurseries specializing in selling them, and the support of the S.C. Native Plant Society, there are many opportunities to follow Martin's lead.

The tour ends in one of my favorite kinds of gardens, the edible variety. Simply referring to Martin's the raised beds of mustards, spinach, and herbs, as a "vegetable garden" seems to insult the beauty and structure of the space. The garden is surrounded by a picturesque fence and filled with raised wooden beds, covered sitting area built by Vegasky, pastel colored beehives, and a mural done by the famous Douglas Panzone.

So what advice does Martin have as we plan our spring gardens? "Green is the most important element in the garden," he says. "Interesting foliage is essential in the South because our season is so long. The foliage carries you through the season." He also stresses that a garden is a place to experiment and that gardeners should not to be afraid to make mistakes. To learn directly from Martin, join him at work with the Charleston Parks Conservancy through their public classes and the Park Angels program.

Experimentation is a big theme with another local gardener, Amy Johnson. "It is so fun to experiment in the garden and just see what happens," she say. It is apparent from Johnson's garden, which resembles an outdoor art studio, that a trial-and-error approach has been successful for her. Johnson uses plants, natural objects, and statues as her medium to create plant arrangements that often have individual themes to them. Susan McLeod Epstein with the Charleston Horticultural Society describes many of Johnson's creations as having an almost magical feel that conjure visions of fairies living among the plants. Johnson's use of natural objects in the garden, such as stones and sculptures, help to create a focal point and help keep the garden interesting throughout the season. The Society provides access to day trips, guest lectures, and workshops on gardening throughout the year.

For Johnson, she likes to keep the majority of her in pots because it "is easier to control their environment" by moving them around. She explains that this holds especially true for plants that need semi-dry soil or constant moisture. Selecting the appropriate pot is almost as important as selecting the correct plant to place in it. For high drainage, clay pots with large holes are ideal and for higher moister, a painted, metal, or plastic pot with smaller/less holes can do the trick. If you want to be adventurous and dabble in the world of water plants, then opt for an enclosed planter to retain the moisture during times of drought.

Many of Johnson's creations feature succulents, sedums, and cacti, plants with a preference for well-drained soils. Fellow desert styled gardeners Robert and Roxanne Werowinski, recently featured in Charleston magazine for their amazing collection in Riverland Terrace, also agree with the need for drainage. Roxanne suggests that people need to carefully observe their site to ensure the plants have a lot of winter sun, and they need to create well-draining mounds when planting into the ground. For Amy, she prefers the flexibility of planting in pots so she can select the soil and move the plants as needed throughout the year.

Johnson's advice for gardeners getting ready for the season is to browse the garden section at a local bookstore, head out for a garden tour, or visit a garden store for inspiration. Her favorite gardening book is Succulent Container Gardens by Debra Lee Baldwin. Johnson is also a member of the Charleston Horticultural Society. There will also be plenty of opportunities to get inspired on garden tours this spring with the Historic Charleston Foundation Garden tours and events through April 21 and the Mt. Pleasant Old Village Home, Garden, and Art tour on April 22.

Numerous gardens featured on these tours showcase the more formal designs that can be traced back generations. One of these styles is the topiary garden, a practice of "training" live perennial plants into distinct shapes, creating live sculptures. The topiary garden represents the gardener with an eye for detail, steady hands, and more than anything, patience. Although there are tools such as cages and varieties of ivy that can be utilized to mimic topiary shapes, a true topiary garden is something that takes years to create. One of the most famous topiary artists in the region, Pearl Fryar, has gained national attention for the incredible sculptures he has shaped out of shrubs and trees. Although his personal garden is located in Bishopville, S.C., he had a hand in designing the Heart Garden, a public space off of Anson Street created for the 1997 Spoleto festival in recognition of ironworker Phillip Simmons. For gardeners interested in exploring the art of topiary, the plants used are evergreen, mostly woody, and have small leaves or needles with dense foliage such as holly, myrtle, bay laurel, and European box.

Regardless of what gardening style speaks to you, there are a number of resources, trainings, and events throughout the year being offered through the organizations mentioned above, as well at Trident Technical College, the Master Gardeners Program, and many local nurseries. To get free hands-on training, consider volunteering with community gardens groups, neighborhood gardening clubs, and youth gardening programs in your area.

The Local Tipping Point

If my blog posts are scarce it is because I am burning the midnight oil preparing for Eat Local Month events and also doing some freelance writing on the side. Here is my latest contribution to the Charleston City Paper's "Dirt" magazine.

Brace yourself. I am about to commit the ultimate Southern faux pas. I am going to compare Charleston with a city up North, and even suggest that we can learn something from them. Although the Holy City has established itself as a world-class destination and a foodie town, we are still years behind many East Coast cities when it comes to reaching our full potential.

On a recent trip to Vermont, I found myself drawing many parallels between Burlington and our own Charleston. Take away the obvious differences in climate and geography, and you have two award-winning cities located on the water with unique characters, strong ties to history, a steady influx of tourists, and colleges located in their downtowns. While both locales boast healthy local economies with farm-to-table movements and strong agricultural ties, Burlington is way ahead of the game. But it's easy to see how Charleston could eventually adopt many of its ideas.

Michael Ewan, a former Charlestonian turned Vermonter, has been in Burlington since 2008 and has an interesting perspective on the two cities. "In Vermont, the farming and gardening community is very established. It's not just a trend; it's part of the culture," he says.

The parks and recreation department has dozens of established community gardens, CSAs are popular, farm-to-school programs are strong, and most residents have gardens. As a new arrival, Ewan said it was impossible not to notice the emphasis on eating local produce and products. They have strong programs like the Vermont Fresh Network, Local First Vermont, and the Northeastern Organic Farming Association along with plenty of support from both state and local governments.

Between the centrally located downtown market, the Onion River Co-Op, the Intervale Food Hub, and all the local businesses and restaurants sporting Local First Vermont and Vermont Fresh decals, you practically trip over local products wherever you go. The Onion River Co-Op and City Market, located in downtown Burlington, is a 16,000-square-foot community-owned grocery store. Started as a food-buying club in 1973, the co-op expanded in 2002 when the City of Burlington provided city land to the operation. The store is filled with an array of local products from maple syrup and produce to beer and fresh bread, all of which is priced competitively, making it easy to buy local.

Walking through the co-op, I started wondering how Burlington had become what it is today and why Charleston, while making great leaps recently, is still trailing behind. I realized that both Charleston and Burlington have long histories in agriculture, but their paths diverged because of how the producer communities have been stewarded and supported over the years. A few decades ago, both areas were rapidly losing farmers and their farms. In Charleston, these properties often became timber forest or were sold to developers. Although Burlington lost land too, the city recognized the negative trend and made a ruling in 1987 to rezone their largest agricultural property to exclude industrial and residential growth. Following this ruling, the Intervale Center launched as a community compost facility and farm. In 1989, the farm began Vermont's first Community Supported Agriculture program, which still runs today. By 1990, the Center realized the need to assist new and beginning farmers in cultivating the 350-acre parcel and created the Farms Program, a farm business incubator. The Farms Program has since trained over 40 farmers who have helped to increase the steady influx of fresh local products into the community.

Thomas Case was one of the first of these 40 farmers to receive business incubation for his farm Arethusa. The program provided Case with the property, equipment, and the support he needed to get his farm business off the ground with minimal investment risk.

"The Farms Program helped me start at a professional level," notes Case. Without the program, it would have taken him twice as long and, depending on the availability of affordable land, could have been impossible. He has grown his business into a 20-acre certified organic spread that is rotated between cover crops and six to 10 acres under production. During peak season, he employs an additional eight people as well as a part-time staff for weeding. His farm relies entirely upon the local market, which is fine because his biggest challenge is meeting the demand. A few years ago, he was going door to door to restaurants trying to sell his product. Today, he's the one getting direct calls.

One of the restaurants supporting Arethusa Farm is the Skinny Pancake, a local crêperie. If a foodie, a festival, and an environmentalist had a love child, it would be the Skinny Pancake. It started as a food cart made from reclaimed kitchen flooring and a sailboat trailer. Before long Jonny and Benjy Adler decided to take the show on the road with a veggie-oil-powered school bus. After two years, they put on the parking brake and created a venue for "local culture, local music, and, of course, local food and the farmers that provide it." In the fall of 2010 they audited their business and found that 68.8 percent of their product was sourced locally. Now the company prides itself on providing delicious food, made from local products when possible, that is affordable to the average person. Benjy says being 100 percent local has never been his goal because, as his former professor and famed environmentalist Bill McKibben taught him, a local business can only be truly sustainable if it remains affordable for the average person.

This culture is not solely unique to Burlington. Strong Vermonter pride runs deep throughout the state. It's one of only four states that does not allow roadside billboards, and it has the only capital city without a McDonald's. In fact, McDonald's actually opened a restaurant in downtown Burlington, but it went out of business.

Even more poetic, the former McDonald's building is now one of Burlington's newest farm-to-table restaurants, The Farmhouse Tap and Grill. For General Manager Michelle Risley, the fact that the McDonald's could not survive in their downtown was "a good indication of how Vermont operates and how we like to spend our dollars."

Inside the restaurant, the fast-food chain has been transformed using reclaimed fallen silos, granite, and ash from the area, giving it a genuine Vermont atmosphere. As if having local produce, artisan cheeses, housemade charcuterie, and local beers was not enough, they also have a downstairs parlor complete with a fireplace for the winter months and an outdoor beer garden in the spring. This innovative gastro-pub works with 40 to 50 vendors a year, sourcing between two-thirds and three-quarters of their products locally. The addition of the Intervale Food Hub in 2008 made this process even easier for restaurants and consumers alike. Risley says there's a real sense of camaraderie in the local community that makes the whole system integrate better.

These restaurants are just two among dozens within Burlington that support Vermont's local food movement. "It's rare that you walk into a local restaurant and see that it is not a member of the Fresh Network," says Michael Ewan, who agrees with Risley that Burlington has become what it is today because of the collaboration between farmers, chefs, businesses, and nonprofits, which are all supported by the public. Benjy Adler suggests that these types of movements happen when a city comes to "a tipping point where consumer awareness, organizational support, and farmers come together."

I think Charleston is well on its way to reaching that point. Celeste Albers of the Green Grocer, a longtime advocate for local, organic, and sustainable food systems, agrees, "Charleston has come a long way in the last 15 years. Early on we were far behind, but we are catching up now." These next few years are going to be crucial for ensuring we have a strong local food system to support everyone's needs, regardless of what may come. The beauty of this movement is that everyone is a part of it, and it's not hard to get involved. Meet your farmers, talk to the chefs, vote with your dollar, advocate at your office, and help support those working hard to preserve the history and character of the Holy City. After all, eating locally is something that many native Charlestonians have been doing for generations, so it's time we return to our roots and revitalize those honest traditions.

Nikki Seibert is the director of sustainable agriculture at Lowcountry Local First and was one of the first graduates of their Growing New Farmers program.

	Charleston	Burlington
Farmer Support Programs	Lowcountry Local First Launches Agriculture Programs in 2007.	Northeastern Organic Farming Association creates chapter in 1971.
Incubator Farm	Lowcountry Local First breaks ground fall of 2012.	Intervale opens farm in 1990.
CSA Program	Attempted in 1996 by Celeste Albers, restarted in 2007 by Legare Farms.	1989
Farm-to-Table Group	Lowcountry Local First Launches Farm-to-Table Program in 2008 with the Farm Fresh Food Guide and in promoting the SCDA Fresh on the Menu initiative.	Fresh Network was created in 1997 by the New England Culinary Institute and the Department of Agriculture.
Local First Network	Lowcountry Local First Started in 2006.	Local First Vermont Started in 2007
Food Co-op	None	Opened in 1973.
Food Hub	Growfood Carolina opens in 2011.	Intervale Food Hub opens in 2008.
Farm-to-School	In progress.	Started in 2000, now with over 75 schools participating in the state.
Organic Farms	42 in the State of SC.	508 in the State of VT.

Family Portrait

Is this the best or worst idea ever?

So... for those of you that have followed my blog you will be familiar with my beloved goat Bob and his tail injury. The short story: Bob is a three legged, two year old goat living on Johns Island that has recently suffered a severe bite to the tail from a stallion mini pony. If it sounds ridiculous, well it is. Yet what started as a simple (albeit untraditional) wound quickly turned into a debacle. As a wound located near the dirtiest place known to all mammals, it has been an insanely ridiculous challenge to help heal the open wound. Although the other people on the farm are worried about the survival of the goats, I am the only one with the resources and desire to help dedicate the time to heal them.

After antibiotics, daily visits, salves from fellow farmers, fencing to separate the horses from the goats, a vet visit, more antibiotics, and the use of tail bandages I thought I was making headway. Then the horses started breaking into the goat pen, the wound became even more infected, and I was burning the candle at both ends trying to deal with the whole issue. After a month of driving out to the island after work, discussions of putting the goat down became a topic of conversation on the farm and I realized that something was going to have to give.

So finally, I decided that the only way I could ensure constant care for my four legged ruminant was to bring it home. With a huge backyard, understanding neighbors, and two gated areas I figured we could pull it off despite living downtown. Technically it can be done legally in our area with signatures from our neighbors, but since we only planned on keep him for a week, we figured we could go with verbal approval until he was better. Dan was onboard, the farmer agreed, and we scooped up Bob for a road trip. With a bale of hay, a bag of feed, tennis balls on his horns for safety, and a bearded friend, Bob was escorted over the river and through the woods to our house downtown.

Bob and Dan bonded on the trip over in such a big way- he followed his every move like a shadow. Dan had built a manger inside our double fenced yard complete with bedding, food, and water. Once in his paddock, it became clear that our generally quiet friend was actually very vocal and was clearly worried about being alone. Every time he lost sight of Dan, he completely fell to pieces, bleating desperately, looking for his truck bed comrade. To help ease the transition, we worked in the yard, hung out near his pen, and hung out with him for a few hours. We pondered on the question: Is this the best idea ever or the worst idea ever? But as he settled in, he started munching on lettuce, hay, and grain. As it started to rain, he curled up for

the evening in his new home and started to drift off.

The next morning I woke up and headed out to the pen to check on our new roommate. When I opened the gate, he was no where to be found. We searched high and low but he was gone. My immediate thought was that he had been stolen because there was no way he could have gotten through two gates. We looked for clues, a note, anything but had no luck. Dan and I walked through our neighborhood, looking into yards and listening for goat cries while I teetered on the edge of hysteria at the thought of him being killed. Without any luck, we decided to call Animal Control to see if a loose goat had been reported. To our surprise, they knew all about it.

In the end, Animal Control had come in the middle of the night, gone through both gates, and taken Bob with out leaving so much as a note or a knock on the door. We ended up at the pound waiting for them to open and once they did, there was no goat. In the end, Bob had been taken to Veterinary Specialty Care in Mt. Pleasant. Thankfully, they were so gracious and loving towards our Bob- they shared our frustration with the situation and the lack of consideration that was given to the animal. So, after all of this, we ended up having to take Bob back to Johns Island.

In the end- I think it ended up falling into the "bad idea" category and I regret ever having put Bob in this position. The silver lining is that Dan and Bob have developed a new found love for each other and I have found a great new emergency vet.

The transformation of grief.

There are few things that change your life and leave you feeling more helpless and heartbroken than cancer. To watch someones body fail them while their alert mind looks on powerlessly can test you in ways you never expected and leave you questioning everything. When I was 13, I watched the grandfather that I adored beyond words vanish in a matter of months with lymphoma. At 22, I sat at the bedside of my great-uncle the day he learned that his stomach pain was actually a malignant tumor that would take his life in a matter of weeks. At 26 one of my childhood "adopted fathers" passed away with lung cancer and then not long after another one of my grandfathers was also taken. Over the last 8+ years I have also witnessed the slower battle my aunt fought and lost with breast cancer.

As I type this, one of my step-grandmothers (the family tree is a bit confusing) is slipping away due to pancreatic cancer. I spoke with her yesterday for what will likely be the last time. The conversation started with light joking but before long I found myself desperate to tell her all of things I want her to know in case it was my only chance. We are never really taught the language of dealing with an impending loss but we are instead given default phrases like "you are in our thoughts and prayers" to use as crutches. Instead I told her all of the things I would tell everyone else at her funeral because that is what I would want to hear. I told her that she has always made me laugh with her no-nonsense commentary and wry sense of humor; I let her know how lucky I have felt to have her as a part of my life; and for the first time in knowing her I told her how much I love her.

If there is any grace in cancer, it is found in the time left to say goodbye. For those that survive, it is also the life changing perspective and new found appreciation for every new day. I am thankful to not have lost everyone that I have loved who has been diagnosed with cancer or else this list would be much longer.

Perhaps this tragic dance with death has played a role in who I have become and why I try to constantly push every day to the fullest.

I found this beautiful quote from the Center for Loss and Trauma by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore that captures many of the feelings associated with cancer:

This great undertaking.
This grief.

I don’t believe I have the power
to face it alone.

To conquer the helplessness, the desperation, the agony
in every cell of my body. The pain that winds its way
from the tips of my hair to the tips of my toes.

For the first time in my life
I realize
that I have changed.
That I need others.

Gluten Free in the Holy City

Check out the article I wrote for City Paper on living gluten-free in Charleston.

Imagine that for your entire life you have felt sick. Between the fatigue, stomach pains, and nausea, you have been stuck in an endless cycle of dining roulette. The doctors assume that you are "just sensitive" and treat these symptoms with a variety of medications, but they never find the cause. Yet the older you get, the worse it gets. Before long, there have been visits to specialists, countless tests with inconclusive results, and the uncomfortable feeling that everyone thinks you are a hypochondriac. As the symptoms increase, it becomes impossible to lead a normal life out of fear that your stomach may stage a revolt, especially when it comes to traveling or even spending a day at the beach. You may or may not have been pulled over when speeding for a bathroom and forced by sheer desperation to throw your wallet at the officer's face while yelling, "I am about to shit my pants" and screeching off toward your house. Needless to say, your life is scoring a wee bit low on the fun-scale.

Then the day comes when you are told that there is a cure for what ails you and you will only have to give up one thing and one thing only to feel better: gluten. So, what is the big deal? It is only one little thing, right? And besides, what the hell is gluten anyway?

I can tell you firsthand that giving up gluten is no small feat. For many other gluten-sensitive people, their experiences mirror those described above. In the case of Michael Varnadore of Summerville, he found his answers through two-and-half-years of trial and error. His biggest challenge was gaining a complete understanding of what gluten is and in which products it can be found.

As Varnadore and I have both discovered, gluten's senior superlative was evidently for the "most popular food additive." It is a protein composite found in food processed from wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, and oats. It is valued for its ability to give elasticity to dough, bind ingredients together, and provide a source of protein. In a nutshell, it makes things light, fluffy, and delicious.

From the obvious foods such as bread and pasta to less obvious items like luncheon meat, soy sauce, and french fries, gluten has made its way into almost every product in the grocery store. Just to make things even more complicated, it is not always explicitly named in the ingredients list, which is why there are now a number of companies labeling their products as gluten free. If this sounds a little overwhelming, then you can begin to understand how avoiding it can be more of an art than a science.

Instead of focusing on what cannot be eaten, sometimes it is easier to find out what you can eat. Fresh fruit, vegetables, beans, brown rice, eggs, alternative flours, dairy, tofu, seafood, and certified meat are all safe. There are a number of companies making gluten-free products including bread, snacks, desserts, cereal, and beer, although they will make a serious dent in your wallet.

There are millions of people like Varnadore and me who are negotiating these dietary challenges, yet not everyone has the same gluten-related issues. The spectrum of reactions to gluten can be divided into the following groups: wheat allergy, celiac disease, and gluten sensitivity. Wheat allergies are similar to other food allergies; they can cause hives, respiratory distress, and nausea. Those with celiac suffer from an inflammatory reaction in the digestive system when they are exposed to gluten; the reaction damages the villi (tiny hairs) in the small intestine and leads to the inability to absorb nutrients. Symptoms range from diarrhea to stomach pain, mouth ulcers, lactose intolerance, weight loss, anemia, migraines, lethargy, and joint pain. If you do not get diagnosed or choose to ignore the disease after you have been, you may end up suffering from malnutrition or developing intestinal cancer, diabetes, and other debilitating conditions.

My condition isn't quite as dire. I suffer from gluten sensitivity. Unfortunately, others like me exhibit the symptoms of celiac, but they test negative for a wheat allergy and celiac disease. However, they can alleviate their symptoms by switching to a gluten-free diet.

According to the Mayo Clinic, an estimated one in 100 people suffer from celiac, although many of them are undiagnosed and millions more are gluten sensitive. Although there is no definite number, recent studies have shown that gluten intolerance has steadily increased over the last 50 years. What is causing this rise in the number of cases? A variety of factors are believed to contribute, including an improved capability for diagnosis, the increase of gluten in diets, and the significant rise in other health conditions due to poor lifestyle choices.

Unfortunately for many individuals, it may take years to get diagnosed with a gluten-related condition. Kellen Lawson, an astrophysics major at College of Charleston, was diagnosed with celiac last November after a lifetime of stomach issues, blinding migraines, and malnourishment. Thanks to the keen eye of a friend's mother, a nurse practitioner, he finally underwent testing. Like many individuals who are unable to digest gluten, he is also lactose intolerant, adding yet another challenge to his diet. He has spent the last year learning how to cope with the disease while also attending class, working, and having a social life. Naturally, the things he misses the most are really good pizza and being able to eat out anywhere with friends. The silver lining is that his migraines and stomach pain are gone and he has learned how to prepare the majority of his meals from scratch, which is a good thing, since he says his friends and family "still have no idea what gluten is."

Luckily for Varnadore, Lawson, and many others, more and more people are aware of gluten allergies and celiac disease. There are currently dozens of gluten-free websites, new products on the market, cookbooks, and even gluten-free restaurants. Most major cities have an impressive selection of eateries, grocery stores, and meet-up groups interested in finding gluten-free, vegetarian, locally sourced, raw, vegan, or nut-free food.

So how does Charleston fare in the gluten-free world? Most of the large grocery store chains in the area carry gluten-free products, with Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Earth Fare, Harris Teeter, and Bi-Lo among the best. As for local restaurants, there seems to be a few leading the charge while others slowly get on board.

Tarteletteblog.com's Helene Dujardin, a writer, chef, and fellow gluten avoider, feels that Charleston restaurants still need a lot of education and training when it comes to food allergies. Although local chefs have demonstrated their culinary talents by showcasing local products and creating delicious meals for the all-eating omnivores, she believes that they are still a long way off from addressing dietary restrictions in their menus. Dujardin explains that this is an issue that goes beyond the chefs and begins with those on the front lines: the waitstaff. As the middlemen for the restaurants, the front-of-house staff must accurately communicate the capabilities of the kitchen and, in turn, explain the needs of the customers to the chefs.

Chef Michael Carmel, culinary department head at the Culinary Institute of Charleston, is working on addressing these issues. His students are trained on how to handle food allergies and preferences through a variety of courses from kitchen sanitation to menu development. Carmel believes that catering to those with dietary restrictions, whether it is gluten, nuts, or animal products, "is not only a business opportunity but it is essential." In his eyes, ignoring these groups is limiting your customer base and missing an incredible opportunity to stand out.

Rebecca Powell, head of the Gluten.net Chef to Plate program, echoes this sentiment. "Gluten-free customers are very loyal. If they have a good experience, they come back with their friends and family," she says. Chef to Plate is a national program designed to help restaurants create staff and customer awareness about gluten-free dining by providing free educational materials and listing participating restaurants online. In addition to this program, Gluten.net also provides industry audits and certifications for those interested in getting the gluten-free label for their product.

Although there are not currently any Charleston restaurants participating in the Chef to Plate program, a handful have started to train their staff and create gluten-free menus, including Five Loaves Café, Crave, Caviar and Bananas, Patat Spot, Mustard Seed, Fat Hen, the Daily Dose, 82 Queen, Basil, Café Kronic, Glass Onion, East Bay Deli, Hominy Grill, S.N.O.B., Charleston Crab House, Chai's, and Mellow Mushroom.

Patat Spot owner Phillis Kalisky Mair has always catered to customers with food allergies at her European friet and falafel snack bar thanks in part to her sister's own gluten sensitivity. The restaurant boasts gluten-free falafel, gluten-free fries, and homemade pita, and it will soon offer gluten-free beer and desserts. In addition to catering to those with gluten allergies, she is also conscious of people who are allergic to nuts. Although Mair acknowledges that it is a little more expensive to make some of the products, she has attracted a loyal fanbase. "So many people have food allergies and they have to continuously worry about cross-contamination," Mair says. "We have had customers come in, see our selection, realize that we understand their challenges, and they literally jump up and down."

Chef Fred Neuville of Fat Hen has received similar praise from customers for his wide variety of gluten-free options, accommodating kitchen, and well-versed staff. He relishes crafting new items for the menu that can be enjoyed by customers with food allergies. "There are so many things that you can make gluten free," he says. "Why not make something great so people can come in and enjoy themselves?" After taking a look at the menu, it's easy to see that he is putting thought into action. From gluten-free boiled peanut salad and crab cakes to duck confit and butternut squash rice, Fat Hen makes eating gluten-free dishes seem like fine dining.

When most gluten-free individuals are asked what culinary delights they miss most, two of the most common answers are pizza and beer — especially if the person you're asking is me. Thankfully, Michael Shemtov, co-owner of Mellow Mushroom's King Street and Avondale locations, listened to the collective voices demanding delicious gluten-free pizza and beer. While working at the Mellow Mushroom corporate office in Atlanta, he saw an increasing number of e-mails from customers that had spent their lives loving pizza and beer, only to discover they could no longer have it. Not only were these customers no longer able to come into the pizzeria, but it meant that their families and friends would be coming in less often as well.

"Gluten-free customers have the veto power on eating out with their family, friends, and co-workers, so it is not just about those living without gluten," Shemtov says. "Not catering to these individuals is very shortsighted."

Over a span of two years, the company partnered with a number of gluten-free companies to develop the signature dough they now offer in their restaurants. Pair this dough with a well-trained staff, a separate prep area, and a bottle of Estrella Damm Daura beer, and gluten-free magic is made. Recently, the West Ashley Mellow Mushroom hosted a private gluten-free party in which the entire restaurant was scrubbed down and they served gluten-free friendly food to over 150 customers. Shemtov encourages restaurants to tap into this enthusiastic crowd that he describes as "tremendously loyal" and "very well networked with one another."

In the end, the consensus seems to be that the Holy City has much to learn about gluten sensitivity — but it's getting there. To support and encourage this growth in gluten-free understanding, the first ever Gluten/Allergen Free Expo in Charleston will be kicking off on May 5 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Omar Shrine Convention Center at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant. There will be gluten-free vendors and presentations from nutritionists, doctors, and chefs speaking on gluten-free living. Check out the event website, charlestongfafexpo.blogspot.com, for more info.

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Top 10 Gluten-Free Must Haves

1. Udi brand products, from bread to muffins

2. So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage

3. Glutino brand products, especially the bagel chips

4. Diggity Doughnuts' gluten-free cinnamon-sugar donut holes

5. Redbridge gluten-free beer

6. Patat Spot bean potato cakes with cucumber dill sauce and friets

7. Pamela's Products' gluten-free flour mix

8. Five Loaves Café's soups

9. Gluten-free Chex cereal

10. Vegetarian burger from HoM sans bun

Dan, my chicken man, is at it again. Check out the latest addition to our backyard homestead- the mobile chicken tractor. Using almost completely reclaimed materials, Dan has constructed this sexy little coop at a remarkable speed. Our chateau de chickens will serve as double duty: it provides new forage for our chickens while putting them to work preparing our garden beds by weeding and fertilizing at once. For the next few weeks, the chickens will be moved around the empty beds to get them ready for our spring planting- hooray for backyard chickens!

A Goats Tale

Wednesday I started my day off one of the best ways a person can...on a farm. As if this is not great enough, there was the added bonus of baby animals. Within minutes of walking onto Jeremiah Farm and Goat Dairy I was on the ground cuddling newborn goats. The youngest one was two days old, all legs and curiosity. Its little hooves were so soft and tiny it melted my heart. Yet unlike his sisters, this little guy is not a hot commodity (being a male on a dairy farm) which means he is destined to either end up as a pet or sadly, on someone's dinner plate. It is easy to see people fall in love and adopt this four legged critters when they are sucking on your fingers and staring at you with their trusting square eyes.

For many people, the temptation to adopt baby farm animals is very great, regardless of their experience or housing. I have heard countless stories of people taking in baby chickens, ducks, goats, horses, pigs, etc. only to learn hard lessons in the care, knowledge, and budget it takes to care for these unique creatures. There was even a goat living on Folly beach inside (yep.) someones house. Beyond the need for space, specialized food, medication, and companionship, the often overlooked aspect is the lack of veterinary care available for farm animals. Unlike a dog or a cat owner, those with farm animals often must take matters into their own hands. Medical advice is exchanged online, from owner to owner, and at the local farm supply stores. This is a lesson that I had to learn the hard way with Billy the Goat, who did not survive long enough for me to even understand the problem that led to his demise.

Read about Billy's story here and here .

Even after such a traumatic experience, I found myself wearing rose colored glasses and before i knew it I was wondering if I could sneak a baby goat into downtown without causing a stir. As fate would have it, I actually ended my day with my old adult goat friends and was brought back to reality. I try to stop by and see them at least once a month if not every two weeks to make sure they are doing okay. Bob and Peanut are still hanging in there and now they are kept company by their younger sister Peaches and their two new pony pen-mates.

During my routine corral check, deworming, and hoof trimming, I noticed that Bob was spending a lot of time on the ground. As a three-legged goat, this isn't incredibly odd behavior, but he usually runs to the gate to greet me. When I gave him a once over, nothing was obviously wrong beside a small scratch above his tail. Yet if you are going to own a goat, you also always have to check the back-end to make sure they are no blockages or worms (not so cute now, huh?). That is when I discovered a deep wound hidden under the base of his tail that was oozing with infection. It took both Joseph and I to hold him down so I could clean it up enough to inspect it (while gagging) as Bob screamed the most heartbreaking sound of fear and discomfort. We called our go-to goat people with no avail and since the stores were closed, I headed over to Kipp's house to see if he had any advice or medication. Thankfully he was home and after a long discussion, I left with antibiotics, a tutorial on giving an antibiotic shot to a goat, and syringes. I headed back to the goat pen and illuminated by my headlights, I gave Bob his medication.

For the last two days, I have spend my evenings after work collecting supplies (including pro-biotics, wound cleaning spray, gauze, etc.) and administering drugs to my patient. It appears as though the wound is getting better but as mentioned, I am no expert and it is extremely hard to examine him. Having lost one goat in a matter of days, the last thing I want to do is miss something obvious that could stop his slide downhill. Even as I write this, I am thinking of things I should do, like check his temperature, the color of his gums, and the whites of his eyes.

My hope in sharing this experience is to give people a reality check before falling victim to the temptation to adopt cute baby animals and instead support the family farms that spend their lives caring for these animals by going to visit them.

I personally know of a few goats (and their respective farmers) that would love to have you stop by for a visit.

Goodbye Bogarden.

Please click the link to read my last blog post for the Bogarden: http://thebogardencharleston.blogspot.com/2012/01/goodbye-friends.html

Resolution.

As you may notice, I am making some changes to my blog. I hope that this post is just the beginning of many that will make it more fun, interactive, and interesting for you to join me on my continuous journey towards a more meaningful and conscious life. Keeping my blog updated is just one part of my New Years resolution.

Since 2012 is potentially the end of the world as we know it, I have decided that I am going to spend this year trying to get it right. Instead of a handful of small new years resolutions, I have selected the theme of "Quality of Life" for the next eleven months. Sure, I have some less grandiose plans like swearing off soda (again) but my focus is on finding a balance between all of my commitments, interests, and loved ones while living a healthier lifestyle. Here have been some of my declarations:

1. I will not work at all hours of the day and night.
2. I will say yes to more social engagements.
3. I will spend more quality time with my family.
4. I will try to stay in better touch.
5. I will make time to pursue my interests outside of work.
6. I will plan my meals better.
7. I will find fun ways to exercise.

So far, I have done a pretty decent job with only the occasional slip-up. I have been spending a lot more time with my lady friends, I am enrolled in an Herbal Apprenticeship (more to come on that topic), I went to my first Hip-hop exercise class of the year, I have only had soda twice, and I am already scheduled to see my family in the next few weeks.

That being said, I have a feeling that the next two months are going to be some of the hardest with so much happening at work so if I can make it through April, the rest of the year will be smooth(er) sailing.

Wish me luck!