Lomi: Convert Kitchen Waste to Plant Food

Lomi electric composter

Do you compost your organic waste or is the chore too much of a hassle? I must admit, I go back and forth. Recently though, I came across an option for an electric kitchen composter that may have piqued my interest enough to coerce me back into the practice. Reducing food waste into nutrient-dense plant food? Did someone say plants? I like that idea, as long as fruit flies and rotten odours don’t invade my kitchen. However, an under-the-cupboard garbage bin generates both of those problems too. That’s the argument I will use on my hubby to persuade him to give Lomi a try.

Introducing Lomi

Introducing the world’s first Smart Waste appliance, Lomi fits on your kitchen counter, ready to devour your organic (no meat or bones) kitchen waste. If you consume lots of fresh fruit and vegetables like my family does, this might appeal to you too. My morning smoothie alone generates lots of appropriate fuel for the Lomi.

Traditional Composting

I currently have three outdoor composters that are used less frequently every year. The main reason (or excuse) for that is that the procedure takes lots of time. Filling, turning, and emptying the heavy bins is not easy, especially for seniors with arthritic wrists. They are considerably less expensive than the (modern) electric Lomi.

Of the three traditional, outdoor composters I have, my favourite is definitely the tumbling one. It looks something like the first one below, without the fancy colours. I love the fact that it rotates to flip the contents around but it is quite heavy when full, so not the easiest to maneuver. I have to enlist the help of my husband or one of my three sons to rotate and remove it from its base to empty.

The second one pictured appears to have taken those negative aspects into consideration as it stands on legs and features a handle. It also is divided into two lighter chambers. Perhaps that would make it easier to rotate and empty.

I would love to hear comments on which models other gardeners use.

The Current Landfill Situation is a Global Problem

Regardless of your current composting methods, our landfills are filling at an alarming rate. We have to be smarter. Composting organic kitchen scraps with Lomi is a start and something individual families can do at home. A recent post discussed garbage incinerators, an even more significant step in the right direction.

Ground Cherries: A Unique Flavour

ground cherries

Have you ever tasted ground cherries? To me, they taste like a cross between a grape and a cherry tomato. Hubby used to eat them as a child and encouraged me to plant some this past growing season.

What are Ground Cherries?

FoodPrint describes ground cherries as follows:

The ground cherry, also called physalis or cape gooseberry, is a unique fruit. With its papery husk, it looks like a small, orange tomatillo, but its flavor is uniquely sweet: to our palate, a mixture of pineapple, strawberry and green grapes — sweet, tart and vaguely tropical.

FoodPrint

To me, they look like miniature Chinese lanterns.

Plants vs Seeds to Grow Your Own

I was unable to find plants but did manage to order some seeds to start indoors. Unfortunately, as most of my seed ventures are, these were not prolific. Of two seed packets, each containing lots of tiny seeds, I managed to cultivate three plants. The squirrels and chipmunks did not help, every time we looked, they were digging up the seedlings that did manage to survive the process. We moved the last pot indoors when we saw a chipmunk scurrying off with one of our almost-ripe ground cherries. You can tell I don’t spray my plants with herbicides or pesticides. To deter bugs from moving into the house too, I sprayed the soil with hydrogen peroxide often.

ground cherries

My Verdict on Ground Cherries

I love the taste of these tiny, unique fruits but they are lots of work to grow your own. Perhaps I will start looking for plants earlier next spring to get a head start on growing some. And, find a way to deter the chipmunks and squirrels from feasting on them before we can.

Sensitivity to the Sun

sensitivity to sun

Unfortunately, I’ve spent most of the summer trying to self-diagnose my sudden, (more than usual), sensitivity to the sun. Not a great summer-time memory to experience.

Rashes and Burns

My face in particular has suffered through several bad rashes. So bad that it appeared (looked and felt) that my skin was burned.

I’ve also experienced a prickly sensation, but no visible rash or burn, on the left side of my neck, between my jaw and my clavicle. This prickliness occurs after a mere few minutes in the sun, even with sunscreen on.

Sunscreen

I have been a huge proponent of sunscreen over the years, wearing at least 30, if not 50 SPF. I learned this the hard way, after developing brown spots on my face in the last trimester of my last pregnancy. I was told they were due to melasma, AKA pregnancy mask, a hormonal reaction. That was twenty-six years ago, and they were supposed to go away, but I have yet to find anything (topical) to remove them. Due to my uber-sensitive skin, I hesitate to try anything more drastic.

Since then, I have applied sunscreen religiously every morning, 30 SPF on cloudy/rainy days or those I don’t plan to be outdoors much. When I am planning to be outside for longer than thirty minutes, I opt for the 50 SPF.

After my first reaction, I asked the staff at my local Natural Food Pantry for a recommendation for sunscreen for sensitive skin. I purchased the So Good brand in both a cream and a stick. If your skin is sensitive, choose sunscreen that does not contain benzophenone-3, known to cause allergic reactions in some people.

I love how smoothly the So Good sunscreen applies to my skin, even though it has zinc in it (zinc is notoriously sticky to apply). I still experienced a rash and prickly neck after switching sunscreens though. I will continue to use it as I don’t believe my sunscreen was the issue causing the sensitivity to the sun. You can purchase both the 30 and 50 SPF through Amazon as well.

Face Moisturizers

My moisturizers were also suspect, even though I had not changed my routine. After the first episode, I switched to a product also recommended to me at the Natural Food Pantry to moisturize and heal my skin.

sensivity to the sun
Nature’s Aid Moisturizing Skin Gel

This moisturizing gel has worked wonders on my rashy, burned skin. I love it. You can order Nature’s Aid Moisturizing Skin Gel through Amazon if Natural Food Pantry is not convenient.

Foods That Can Cause a Sensitivity to the Sun

Research (Summahealth.org) told me there are several foods that can cause sun sensitivity, with citrus fruits at the top of the list. Other culprits include:

  • Celery
  • Parsley
  • Dill
  • Figs
  • Fennel

Well, it just so happens I had recently started adding celery and lemon peel to my morning smoothies, for their purported memory and anti-aging benefits, respectively. The plan is to leave the celery and lemon out for a few weeks to see if I have any more reactions.

Fingers crossed!