Jewish
Why Now is the Time to Plant a Tree in Israel (Nothing to do with Tu Bishvat)
There is an old Chinese proverb that asks: When is the best time to plant a tree? We’ll get to the old Chinese answer soon, but first let’s look at the answer that most Jews would give. When is the best time to plant a tree? Tu Bishvat, of course! AKA the Jewish New Year…
Read MoreMaking and Lighting Olive Oil with Kids
In honor of Chanukah, I just ran a hands-on olive picking and pressing workshop for the family’s of the Community Garden of Arnona, a neighborhood in southern Jerusalem. The first step was to pick the olives off the branches that I brought in. Then we had to crush the olives. Then we pressed the crushed…
Read MoreBloomah’s in Mishpacha: What My Rabbi Said
Today, October 14, is an exciting day for me and my mission: a 6-page feature article about Bloomah’s City Farm came out in Mispacha’s Jr Magazine! I am excited and nervous – especially about the cover, because I never expected that they would feature a photo of my son there. My No Photo Policy I…
Read MoreAnimal Instincts: Do Humans Have them?
The amazing thing about living with animals is I get to observe a very powerful force of nature up close: Instinct. For example, my pet hen Stripey knows exactly how to incubate and hatch eggs, even though she never read a parenting book, never saw another chicken do it, and she herself was born in…
Read MoreWhy I never planted peanuts before – and why I did now
My peanuts sprouted! I have wanted to grow peanuts for such a long time but I never did. Since they are legumes (kitniyot). there is a halachic imperative to leave a big space between them and other vegetables (48-60 cm, depending on which halachic opinion you follow) Beans are also kitniyot – another summer favorite…
Read MoreWhy did it take me 4 months to make a single challah?
Because we grew, harvested, threshed, winnowed, ground, sifted, kneaded and baked it, all here in our apartment in Ramat Beit Shemesh. The challah had a perfect smooth texture with a fresh nutty flavor – L’Kavod Shabbos Kodesh!
Read MoreJust Hatched: My New Novel
This week we have an exciting new hatchling on Bloomah’s City Farm. It’s my new novel – Yedidya. I just published it digitally. It’s 100% homegrown with right here on the farm. Here’s a blurb: Yedidya – A Novel in Weekly Installments Based on the shiurim of Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis | Written by Naomi Elbinger…
Read MoreI’m Featured in Gila Manolson’s New Book
Here in Ramat Beit Shemesh, there aren’t too many other farmers. Actually none. I guess you could say that my farming passion sets me apart from my lovely neighbors, who think that bees are scary, manure is gross, and potatoes grow on trees. The fact that I think so differently used to bother me greatly…
Read MoreBirkas Ha’Ilanos Under Lockdown
It’s the month of Nissan and we have a special mitzvah to make a bracha over fruit-bearing trees in bloom. Usually that means that we head out in the neighborhood on a delightful blossom hunt in nearby parks and gardens. This year it’s not so easy but our bewildered, news-saturated souls need this inspiring once-a-year…
Read MoreHow to Grow Horseradish at Home
Pesach is almost here which means it’s the perfect time to plant your Marror – for next year’s Seder! Horseradish is super easy to grow and is started from a piece of the root itself, which most of us will have in our homes in the immediate future. So now’s the time! Here’s how: Step…
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