Radius Garden Tools for Your Organic Garden

Radius Garden Tools combine beautiful design with comfortable ergonomic function.  I can't believe the difference they made in my gardening.  Weeding is now almost enjoyable!  First of all, they're gorgeous. At the same time, they're heavy duty.   The weeding tool gets weeds out almost effortlessly, rendering my old tool obsolete. 

"Garden more, hurt less," is the message from Radius and they are not kidding.   You don't have to work as hard with these.  I don't know how they figured it out, but it works.  The hand tools take the pressure off my wrists and I can get better leverage.   The soft cushy handles combined with the shape really make it possible for me to work in the yard longer and more effectively (you can watch a demo video HERE explaining why the handle is truly ergonomic and how it works).  The curve also makes them convenient to prop on the fence and to hang on to when you have an armful of stuff. 

I love this Transplanter Shovel which makes the job easier.  I have very rocky, almost impossible soil in places and just planted a cherry tree where I thought I'd never be able to dig a hole by myself.  It wasn't easy, but between this and the weeding tool, I got the job done.  It's hefty and well balanced.  All the tools I tried had some weight to them, in  a good way. 

Just seeing them around the yard makes me smile.  The bright cheery green and the cool shapes are functional art.  It's true I'm a design geek, but I'm sure I am not alone in appreciating their great looks combined with burly strength.  The tools come in a variety of sizes, blades, and colors.  Find these awesome garden tools HERE.

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Thule Modernized RACEWAY Bike Rack

Thule's new trunk mount bike rack, the RACEWAY, is a huge departure from traditional trunk racks.  This is a much more sophisticated version of the older mounts with features previously found only in hitch mounts.  Using only four retractable cables (other trunk mounted racks typically use six straps), the rack is very straightforward and its aerodynamic shape gives it a sleek modern look. 

Installing the rack is very easy, it comes out of the box ready to use.  The Thule exclusive FitDial allows you to customize the rack to your car with predetermined settings.  Just find the cooresponding number appropriate for your car, and strap it on, ratcheting the cables tight with the beefy knob on the side.

There are no loose straps to blow around, everything is nice and streamlined.  There is a locking cable to keep the bikes secure and there's also a secondary lock to keep the rack from being taken off the vehicle.  Thule's No Sway Cage keeps bikes from rubbing up against each other or from touching the car.  The arms fold down when not in use and the whole rack folds flat when you need to store it. 

The Raceway is a versatile rack designed to fit a wide variety of cars from hatchbacks, to sedans and minivans.  The narrow arms of the carrier will fit most frames including odd and child size frames.  Remember to get an adapter if you are transporting a women's bike that doesn't have that cross bar since it will need that for leverage.  I would not hesitate to use this rack on a very expensive car as the generous rubber padding on either end provide stability as well as protecting the surface from scratches.  The Raceway does not rattle around, it's a very sturdy premium rack.  It comes in two and three bike versions, and you can find it HERE.

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Meal Ideas for Camping

Need some ideas for what to take camping for meal time?  Here are some kid friendly ideas ranging from easy to a little more complicated, all are relatively healthy and vegan).  Always buy organic and local when possible.

Veggie dogs and veggie burgers--easy, easy, easy!

Oatmeal--perfect for breakfast when it's chilly, just add boiling water and you're done.

Pancakes (bring a mix and cast iron griddle, you can get vegan pancake mix right at the co-op in the bulk section)

Bars for kids--some handy organic bars are great for when you've ventured away from camp and you hear those words, "mama, I'm hungry," even though you ate just an hour ago.

Fruit--bananas are nature's power bars and they come in their own wrappers.  I also love watermelon during the summer, it's refreshing and hydrating and how could you go camping without it? 

Chia makes a great little raw porridge and is hydrating and energizing and easy to pack.  Ideal for backpackers, but super nutritious and wonderful for all.

Organic Corn Chips and Salsa are always nice for those moments when you need something to eat Right Now.  Throw in some avocado and you have a mini meal.  Add hot black beans and you have a hearty meal that will infuse the camp with that home-cooking fragrance.

Hummus and Tabouleh with Pita Chips.  Tabouleh is particularly refreshing in the Summer and when made with quinoa is a nutrition packed dish.  I load mine with tons of parsley, mint and cucumber.

Smores.  That's the classic camp dessert and I never really liked them.  That is until I tried them as an adult, with quality organic dark chocolate and graham crackers (I love the Health Valley organic Amaranth graham crackers) and vegan marshmallows.  Still not my favorite thing in the world, but the kids love them and there's something sweet about tradition.

Image Credit: Kirti Poddar

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Leatherman JUICE Multitool

A good multi-tool is a must have on outdoor adventures.  Camping and traveling bring out the resourcefulness in us and to have something with you that facilitates this is important.  I also love that one small tool can replace a whole drawer full of stuff.  If you'd like to scale down or reduce your carbon footprint utilitarian-wise, here you go. 

Leatherman is known for their reliable multi tools, but I only recently learned that they have a line that appeals to my design sense--the Juice Leathermans. Bright colors make them easy to find in your bag or in the dark, and they are as attractive as they are useful.  Check out this CS4, sort of the middle ground in the Juice series.

This is about the size of a Swiss army knife, but better looking and more versatile. The pliers set it apart from pocket knives and they are easy to use and double as wire cutters.  It comes with screwdrivers--both phillips and flat head, scissors, cork screw, awl, can opener, saw, and knife.

The photo doesn't do it justice, the glacier blue is almost metallic and stands out amongst gear.  It fits nicely in your hand and the tools are accessible and easy to get back in.  It's 5.5 ounces, and around 3 inches in length, so it's a breeze to take along.  Leatherman is based in Portland, OR, the tools are US made and the company is involved in community outreach.  Find it HERE. 

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HANGFIRE HOODIE Perfect for Chillin by the Campfire

First Ascent's Hangfire Hoodie is designed for climbers, with mobility in mind.  It's light weight and I think it makes a great Summer hoodie for biking, hiking, evening walks, and cozying up to a campfire.  The cut is figure flattering, the zippers are placed in such a way that it creates slimming lines and there are seams which do the same.  The sleeves are cut close to your wrists (but not too close) so they wouldn't catch fire while working around a camp building fires or cooking with outdoor stoves.

They call it "textured fleece," but it is not that furry-fleece that we are used to.  This is not bulky at all, it's breathable while exerting energy, and it also repels light rain.  It would be great as an under-layer in colder temps taking you through fall and into winter.  Great all around hoodie, find it HERE. 

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Camp Kitchen Gear

Need supplies for your camp kitchen?  I just discovered Sea To Summit a few months ago and I'm so impressed with their innovative gear.  These X-SETS  are a great way to save space and stay organized in the camp kitchen and can be used over and over.  The bright colors are fun and enable you to color code, and the collapsible silicone rims on the X-Bowl, Mug, and Plate maximize your space.  The bottom of the plate and bowl also function as a cutting board which is a big bonus for backpackers. These would also be great for traveling, slip a bowl into your bag for morning oatmeal or cutting up and serving fruit in your hotel room.

At home I don't use teflon, so why would I use it camping?  GSI OUTDOORS makes a great stainless steel option for those of us who prefer to avoid the non-stick.  The GLACIER STAINLESS COOKSET is a set you'd buy once and pass down to your kids and grandchildren.  It's light weight but made of sturdy 18/8 grade stainless steel.  The gripper that comes with it works great and I like the substantial feel of these, I don't feel like they're going to topple over with hot food.  They come nested in a handy mesh bag and include two cutting boards.

GSI offers all sorts of supplies for the camp kitchen, whether you are car camping or "gourmet backpacking," as they say.  I love that they have an entire line devoted to the concept of gourmet backpacking.

Good food is a great way to treat yourself when backpacking, the food (ie--weight) gets consumed and you don't have to carry it back.  And after hard play, a nice culinary reward is always appreciated.  To the left is their Crossover Kitchen Kit that contains utensils for more complicated cooking.  Find more HERE.

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Eco Friendly REVO Thrive Sunglasses

Have you ever gone looking for your sunglasses only to find that you are wearing them?  Well that's what you'll do with these eco friendly REVO Thrive shades.  Why?  Because they are so comfortable and light weight you forget you're wearing them.  I am not kidding.

These are wonderful for activities that require a helmet.   I love wearing them while riding my bike because the temples are thin and light and the weight of my helmet doesn't smash them into my head the way  it does with some sunglasses.   Revo uses technology that creates a high contrast polarization to help with glare and clarity making them ideal for people who spend time on the water. 

Revo's Eco Collection utilizes recycled material for the frames and a non petroleum based nylons for construction.  They're innovative, comfortable and eco friendly and perfect for the Summer.  Find them HERE.

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