August 21, 2021

Seeing Plastic: The Time I Found Glitter in My Infant’s Eye

August 21, 2021

Nikki’s essay in Sierra Magazine, “One Parent’s Harrowing Encounter With Microplastic,” weaves the tales of having a piece of glitter removed from her cornea a decade ago, and more recently, finding a shiny blue speck of glitter in our infant’s eye with the implications of microplastic pollution on the environment and future generations.

Odd as these stories may seem, microplastic is entering the body all the time. We just don't normally see the tiny particles that are ingested with our food and drinks, the air we breathe, even through our skin. So much so that humans are now consuming the weight of a 4x2 inch Lego block of plastic per month.

Looking at plastic pollution through the lens of the micro, this essay details a recent study revealing the negative implications of so-called “eco-glitter” on the environment, as well as business solutions, national and global policies, and cultural shifts that could lead to real change.

Know Stone Unturned

May 4, 2021

Getting Started: Growing Food and Memories

Know Stone Unturned

May 4, 2021

There are so many reasons to start a garden. For us, growing food is as much about feeding ourselves and our family as it is about joy and curiosity, connection, empowerment, meditation, self-reliance, and resistance. We started trying to cultivate our own nutritious, organic food while living in New Mexico in 2016. Now in rural New Hampshire – five years, three gardens, and two climates later – we’re still growing, and of course, learning! This article chronicles how we built our gardens and provides resources for those in the early stages.

Once initiated, a garden takes on a life of its own. Memories are created each season tending the earth, savoring the fruits of our labor, and sharing the bounty with others. Seeds and soil remind us of our collective future and past, while the act of farming and gardening has the power to heal both people and the planet.

As an unsustainable industrial agriculture system continues to swallow up land worldwide, leading to deforestation, habitat loss, soil erosion, desertification, water pollution, land theft, exploitation, and countless other injustices, organic and regenerative gardening provide people with a way to combat climate change, sequester carbon, protect pollinators, embrace food sovereignty, and challenge the status quo.

Growing organically without the use of toxic pesticides, insecticides and fungicides has always been important to us, and even more so now that we are feeding two young children. We started by making some lasagna.

Squash, tomatoes, and green beans, oh my!

The Lasagna Method & Raised Beds

Just as a garden nourishes us, it also needs to be fed. That makes nurturing the soil an essential part of the process. Living soil is filled with earthworms and healthy microbes that digest plant material, turning dirt into a fertile bed for seeds. Soil can be created and revived by adding compost, minerals, and manure, and growing cover crops.

We’ve used the lasagna method, also known as sheet composting, to build soil in our raised beds. This technique layers compost, mulch and newspaper or cardboard to create heat that transforms the materials into healthy soil over time. The process of creating the garden bed takes only about a couple of hours, depending on the size.

The Recipe

Step 1. Place cardboard or newspaper as the first layer directly onto the ground to block weeds. We used brown cardboard and removed all plastic tape.

Step 2. Compost, mulch, and (in our case) bagged soil, are alternated in layers, like preparing a lasagna. Watering the bed as you layer helps the material begin to break down. We’ve used food scraps as raw compost, and sticks and leaves as mulch.

Step 3. Start planting!

The lasagna method using raw compost in our first raised bed (2018).

The lasagna method layering cardboard, sticks, leaves, and soil in raised beds (2021).

The Result

In our first year gardening in the Northeast, we purchased a large amount of soil to fill the bed so we could plant right away. In our second year, we added just one layer of store-bought soil to the top of the bed at the beginning of the growing season to refresh it after the long winter (over which we did nothing to the bed). In our third year, we didn’t need to add any soil, and by this time we saw an explosion in earthworm activity when we began planting in the spring.

After three years of harvesting food and memories, we moved and left our single garden bed behind. As we put down new roots, we are revisiting the process. This time, instead of using raw compost in our raised beds, we used sticks and leaves as mulch when creating our lasagna layers.

We’ve had success growing in raised beds over the years, but realize many gardeners and aspiring gardeners don’t have access to land. Container growing can be more suitable for apartment living or for those with limited outdoor space. While living in New Mexico, we grew food in 5-gallon buckets under a clear plastic tent with very little knowledge. At that time, gardening itself was simply a thrill, and we were gratified with whatever we produced.

Though this year we are laying the groundwork for our most ambitious garden yet, that sense of gratitude remains. As has become tradition, each spring we love to admire the sprouts shooting up from the earth and take the time to appreciate the daily growth as the season progresses; wonders we have been delighted to share with our son.

In the garden we have found a classroom that we hope will also teach our children: a place to learn and make mistakes, where we can be bold, creative, and also humble in witnessing the magic of nourishing our family from seeds that have evolved with humanity over generations.

Why do you garden? Let us know!

Find More Gardening Resources Here:

Organic Gardening Video Tutorials (raised beds, container growing, wick irrigation, garden planning, and more!)
Lasagna Method
How to Start Composting
Container Gardening “Tiny Victory Gardens: Growing Food Without a Yard” a book by Acadia Tucker
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for determining the plants most likely to thrive in your garden

Land Acknowledgement

Our garden is located on N’dakinna, which is the traditional ancestral homeland of the Abenaki, Pennacook and Wabanaki Peoples past and present. We acknowledge and honor with gratitude the land and waterways and the alnobak (people) who have stewarded N’dakinna throughout the generations.

Learn more about the Indigenous peoples of New Hampshire, past and present, here.

Whose land you are living, working, or growing on? Find out here.

Know Stone Unturned

April 8, 2021

Organic Gardening Video Tutorials: Building Raised Beds, Wick Irrigation, Garden Planning, and More

Know Stone Unturned

April 8, 2021

Over the last year, unprecedented numbers of people and communities turned to gardening to combat food insecurity and improve their health and well being during the pandemic. As we welcome in warmer and longer days this spring, our dreams of gardening through the cold winter months are transforming from ideas into realities.

Much like living soil and the plants and microorganisms they support, tending a garden is an evolving practice. To help both beginning and experienced gardeners acquire new knowledge and hone their organic growing techniques, we collaborated with the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire (NOFA-NH) and Living Earth Farm to develop a series of free gardening video tutorials.

Five short videos cover the following topics:

Happy Planting!

Northeast Organic Gardening_How to build a Raised Bed.png

Wick Irrigation for Container Growing.jpg

Wick Irrigation for Transplants and Seedlings.jpg

NOFA-NH Right Sized Containers for Plants.png

NOFA-NH Organic Gardening Video - Tips on Sunlight.png

Know Stone Unturned

September 4, 2019

I Had a Traumatic Childbirth and I'm Not the Only One

Know Stone Unturned

September 4, 2019

Childbirth is one of the most amazing parts of the human experience, but for some women it can also be traumatizing. When I began to share my traumatic birth with other women I realized my experience was more common than most people think. I am excited to share that Glamour has published my essay on this difficult topic, as it is my hope that this article might bring healing to others who are also suffering.

Read the full article here.

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to my husband, Chadley, for his endless support before, during, and after the birth of our baby boy, Mesa, and to our amazing medical team at Concord Birth Center and Concord Hospital, who kept us all safe. Thank you to our family and friends who listened to my birth story and shared yours. You all gave me the strength to bare my soul here.

Know Stone Unturned

January 20, 2019

Tips for Long-Term Backpacking on a Budget: Part I

Know Stone Unturned

January 20, 2019

Padar, part of Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Each New Year brings with it a welcome refresh, and the excitement of new experiences, relationships, and destinations. Will you be traveling to new vistas this year? We know there’s lots to think about when planning a long trip abroad – passports, visas, finances, gear, health, and just plain traveling all the time – especially when backpacking on a budget. The lightness of your pack is freeing, adding more weight to each item brought along, while you collect stories and insights throughout the journey to carry back with you.

This is the first of two articles sharing some of the tips, tricks and hacks we learned along the way through research, mistakes, and experience during our travels in South East Asia. Here we’ll cover planning your trip, transportation, accommodations, and health and wellness.

BEFORE YOUR TRIP

Passports & Visas: Make sure your passport is up to date well in advance of your trip. Express passport renewal services exist but they’re more costly. Find more information on getting or updating a U.S. passport here.

Some countries require Visas for any length of stay, while others may allow you to visit for anywhere from 1 – 3 months before requiring a Visa. You can determine what countries require Visas by visiting their embassy websites. We used the Department of State website which lists a ton of relevant information by country, including Visa requirements, vaccinations, travel advisories and other tips.

Onward Ticketing: If like us, you’re vision of long-term travel is one of freedom and openness without having every destination pre-planned, you should know that you will often be expected to have an onward ticket when entering any foreign country. We learned this in the wee hours of the morning at Boston International Airport on our way to Indonesia. Eager to get to Bali and expecting to decide where we’d travel next from there, we discovered that we would not be able to board our plane without proof of our onward destination. This applies to anyone flying internationally with a one-way ticket. For the airlines, your onward ticket is proof that you won’t be staying in a country beyond the time allowed, which is often 30 days. We booked a flight from Bali to Phuket, Thailand, on the spot for just under a month after we would arrive in Indonesia. Crisis averted. Thus armed with the knowledge that we would always be at risk without an onward ticket, but still not wanting to pre-plan our entire trip, we discovered an onward ticketing website that offers a solution to this problem. The site allows users to rent onward tickets for $10 with their names on them to use as proof for the airlines. We used it once or twice, and always with success.

Choosing Your Gear: This was one of the most agonizing decisions we made leading up to our trip, but the amount of research put in more than paid off. We both chose Osprey backpacks: the Farpoint 40 for Nikki and the Porter 46 for Chadley. Those numbers correspond to the volume of each bag, measured in liters. We brought packing cubes to condense our belongings and organize our packs, and day pack Osprey bags for everyday living (these bags are super light and fold up into a neat little ball for easy packing when not in use). Nikki also brought a cross body purse, Chadley brought a Martin Backpacker guitar, and both of us took along sealable waterproof bags, just in case. They came in handy.

Pack Light: Less is more, especially in a hot region! Not only will schlepping too much stuff cost you at the airport (see below), but you’ll want to have room to take some special trinkets home with you, including new threads. We saw lots of folks dragging rolling suitcases in the most unlikely places, and even met a backpacking couple with a huge rolling suitcase they called their souvenir bag. You really only need to pack enough clothes for a week or so. (Soap isn’t that hard to find) Ultimately, it’s good to remember whatever you bring with you is what you have to carry, and lift into the overhead bin.

TRANSPORTATION

Your Baggage Weight Matters: We tried to take our bags with us as ‘carry-on’ every time, and usually we were successful. Once however, we had to pay nearly $100 (more than the plane ticket) to have 2 backpacks checked at the last second, because they weighed too much. While we were used to baggage size requirements in the US, in Asia there are also strict weight limits. As your travels go on your bags tend to get heavier. Go to your airline’s website to find out their weight requirements and check your bag online in advance if needed, it’s much cheaper. However if you are able to travel with only carry-on sized bags, you can reduce costs, and more importantly the risk of being separated from your bags.

International Driver’s License: It’s good to look into this if you plan to drive a car or even a motorbike abroad. Getting caught without a valid license by local police could cost you precious time and money you’d rather spend elsewhere. We drove motorbikes without the license and didn’t have any problems, but we were advised by locals to avoid police ‘traps’ on a few occasions.

Expect Chaos at Airport Taxi Stands: The moment you leave an international airport pretty much anywhere, you will likely be bombarded by taxi drivers wanting to give you a lift. This can be overwhelming if you’re not expecting it. If you are expecting it, it’s much easier to hold your ground, choose the right transport for you, and get the price you can afford. Be confident and take your time. Don’t let anyone rush you into a decision. Extra tip: Look up the standard cab rates in the city you’re traveling to before you get there. If you forget to do that, this information is often in the back of your in flight magazine.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Search Multiple Booking Sites for Accommodations: There are often different deals at different times for many hotels and hostels across platforms. We used Agoda, Orbitz, HostelWorld, and AirBNB primarily. And check the hotel website you’re interested in, too. Technology changes, but the concept of perusing multiple websites for the best deals will remain.

Where to Stay: We typically stayed in hotels, hostels, and occasionally AirBNB’s that cost between $15 and $25 a night, with a preference for $15 - $20/night. In South East Asia this was most often achievable. We looked for the following in a place to stay: breakfast included, private room with ensuite bathroom, walking distance to attractions yet outside of the hustle and bustle of ‘town,’ WiFi, and a pool if not near the beach. Note: Staying in the shared room at a hostel will run you much less than a private room anywhere, and can be as little as $5 - $10 per night. This is a great way to stretch your funds while meeting lots of new people at the same time.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

The Dreaded D: Bali Belly, Montezuma’s Revenge, traveler’s diarrhea, whatever you call it – nobody wants it, but almost everyone gets it. Pack activated charcoal and/or clay tablets for a gentle remedy. This always worked for us. That said, if your condition persists, take something stronger and consider heading to the doctor.

Avoid Raw and Uncooked Veggies: Unless you know your salad greens were washed in purified water, that super looking health salad might be setting you up for a day or several in your hotel bathroom in some countries. When in doubt, opt for cooked meals.

Drinking Water: In some countries its best not to drink the tap water without boiling it first to avoid illness. If this is the case, you can take further precautions by not opening your mouth in the shower, and brushing your teeth with filtered water. Pro Tip: Most countries with water sanitation issues use filtered ice, but if you’re unsure whether the ice in your drink is clean, just ask.

Motion Sickness: We're not into pharmaceuticals, but if you’re prone to motion sickness, pack some Dramamine. Rule of thumb, if you hear from other travelers that the route ahead is nauseating – believe it. Nobody wants to be the one person barfing on public transportation all the way to your next destination. Trust us. Additional things that help – Fishermans Mints can calm the stomach, but they are not a solve all.

First Aid: It’s always good to pack a first aid kit, especially if you’re planning on some adventurous hikes. Here’s what was in ours (italics indicate those items we actually used during our travels): band aids, tweezers, alcohol wipes, antibiotics, anti yeast medication, Dramamine, activated charcoal, goldenseal/Echinacea pills, probiotics, melatonin, turmeric pills, solar powered battery charger, hydration pills, anti-diarrheal medication, heavy duty insect repellent, organic insect repellent, feminine products, and sunscreen. These last two items can run you a pretty penny depending on the country, so you might opt to bring them with you.

Vaccines: Depending on where you’re traveling, you may face some mandatory vaccinations. A quick look at the US CDC website per country will help you determine this, along with all the recommended vaccines, which can seem like a long and scary list. Other than what’s mandatory (nothing for where we traveled in South East Asia) the rest of the recommended vaccines are really a personal choice. We opted with two of the plethora of options available - Hepatitis A and Typhoid - and got our shots at Passport Health, which is available in most major cities internationally.

Good to Know: We paid out of pocket because our health insurance would not cover any of the recommended vaccines. If you have great health coverage and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg to get yours at your primary care doctor, obviously opt for that. Passport Health was a good service with kind and knowledgeable staff. We went in Boston, MA, just 24 hours before our flight. Also note, some vaccines require multiple doses over a period of several weeks or months. Do your research in advance so you know what’s required. Regarding insect borne illness – yes, the threat of malaria, and other mosquito born diseases is scary, but unless you’re going to be in the deep jungle trekking for weeks this is probably not a huge issue for you. We bought heavy insect repellent, but never used it and regretted bringing it along. Passport Health gave us a comprehensive booklet with detailed worldwide health information, including what seasons would be worse for certain diseases, as well as the regions affected. All this said – to each their own. Please remember we are not doctors and this is not medical advice.

ENJOY YOUR TRIP!

Elephant Nature Park Chiang Mai Thailand

Long-term backpacking is wondrous, life changing, and often a once in a lifetime experience. While traveling on a budget can be challenging, the experiences you’ll have will far outweigh the difficulties. In the next article we’ll share our tips on budgeting and finances, insurance, identity theft, technology, equipment, and adjusting to long-term travel.

Where are you going this year? Let us know in the comments!

Know Stone Unturned

January 1, 2018

Welcome to Know Stone Unturned

Know Stone Unturned

January 1, 2018

Hi, we're Nikki and Chadley, creators of Know Stone Unturned. Here you'll find a collection of articles, videos, photos and more developed as a way to share our experience, and to promote helpful resources on subjects like Travel, Health & Wellness, Conservation, Sustainability, Art, Science, and Education.

Below are brief descriptions of what these topics mean to us.

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