RV Cooking Show Launches Online Holiday Food Drive - You Can Help

I am blessed and chances are if you are reading this you are, too. I will not go to bed hungry tonight – unlike many Americans – adults and children – among us. The holidays only amplify the situation. Together we can make a difference.

Join your good friends at the RV Cooking Show in our First Annual Online Holiday Food Drive. It couldn’t be easier – simply leave a comment anytime between now and December 31, 2008 on this blog entry noting what you are grateful for this holiday season. It can be a single word, an illustrative story or anything in between. For each comment on this RV Cooking Show blog entry – maximum 3 per person/per week – we will donate 1 item of non-perishable food to a local food bank in the area we are traveling through. I will report back as things progress.

So to recap, partner with the RV Cooking Show to fight hunger this holiday season by:

• Leaving a comment about what you are grateful for this holiday season on this blog entry between now and December 31, 2008

• Be prolific – you may comment 3 times per person/per week

• The RV Cooking Show will donate 1 non-perishable food item to a local food bank for each comment received

• Check back for frequent progress reports (and comment again, okay!?!)

And now for some hunger facts that might blow your mind…

The Department of Agriculture recently released their 2007 Food Security Report. “Food security” seems an odd term to me and fortunately 89.9% (104 million) of US households are food secure. But that means that 11.1 (26 million) households were food insecure meaning at times during the year, these households were uncertain of having or unable to acquire, enough food to meet the needs of all their members because they had insufficient money or other resources for food. Food-insecure households include those with low food security and very low food security. That’s 36.2 million people including 12.4 million children. 2008 stats are expected to be greater.

Don't think you, as an individual, can make a dent in those astonishing numbers?

Have you ever heard this parable: One day a man was walking along the seashore. He noticed that during the night many starfish had washed upon the shore. Enjoying the morning sun and sea air, the man strolled along the sand. Far off in the distance he saw a small figure and as he drew closer he noticed that it was a child. The girl was methodically picking up starfish from the shore and tossing them back into the surf. The man paused for a moment, puzzled, and then asked, “Why are you throwing those starfish?”

“If I leave these starfish on the beach,” she replied, “the sun will dry them and they will die.” The man was thoughtful for a moment, but then he motioned up and down the miles and miles of beach. There must be millions of starfish along here!” he said. How can you possibly expect to make a difference?”

The young girl pondered the man’s words for a moment, then she slowly leaned over, reached down and carefully picked up another starfish from the sand. Pulling back, she carefully arched the starfish gently into the surf. She turned to the man and smiled “You may be right,” she said, “but I made a difference to that one!”

(from the movie Holy Man with Eddie Murphy)

Please, take a moment to comment – if we help even one family, one person, one child we will have succeeded.

Evanne
RVCookingShow

Food as a National Security Issue

I happened to be listening to NPR yesterday when one of my favorite shows came on - Fresh Air with Terry Gross. This was a particularly interesting (to me) show with Terry interviewing Michael Pollan - author of The Omnivore's Dilemma. The show is provocatively titled "Food as a National Security Issue" and it was fascinating.

A professor of science and environmental journalism at University of California at Berkeley, Pollan talks about food as it relates to our use of fossil fuel, a "sun-food" agenda, Argentina's excellent crop rotation - why it works and how we can adopt it, U.S. chickens that are shipped to China to be cut up and sent back to our groceries, and the idea of a White House farmer (much along the lines of what Eleanor Roosevelt did to start the Victory Garden movement in 1943).

Like I said, extremely interesting stuff. Listen to the show here and let me know what you think about this subject and this show...I'd love to hear from you.

Evanne
RVCookingShow

RV Christmas Cards Now Available

I can hardly believe it myself but the holidays are just around the corner!

If you are in the market for unique and whimsical RV Christmas cards I can help. Available in Class A motorhome, Class C motorhome and 5th Wheel, these cards are so well loved that it's not unusual to find them displayed on your friend’s refrigerators in the summer...no kidding!

They’re sold in packages of 20 cards/envelopes for $11.95 per package with free shipping on orders over $20. Supplies are limited so please don't hesitate.

If you're interested in having a peek and learning more log on to my RV Christmas card page.

Happy camping,

Evanne
RVCookingShow.com

RV Cooking Show Takes a Tango Factory Tour

RV enthusiasts across the land can now take a virtual tour of the Tango travel trailer factory in my newly released ‘How’s That Tango Made?’.

The video, which was filmed at the Pacific Coachworks, Inc. factory in Riverside, California, features a tour of the production line, interviews with key Tango designers and staff, and a peek inside a variety of Tango models.

Go ahead, take an inside look at the design and manufacturing process from the comfort of your home. Join me on the tour by clicking on the arrow in the video screen below. I think you'll enjoy it!



Pacific Coachworks, Inc. gives wonderful Tango factory tours. They are free to the public and can be arranged by contacting Pacific Coachworks’ Sales and Marketing Team directly at 951-686-7294.

Let me know what you think...leave a comment below!

Evanne
RVCookingShow.com

Future Full-Time RVer Asks About RV Clubs, Trailer/Truck Combo Weights and More

I recently received an email from a future full-time RVer and thought it might be useful to post it here as lots of the information seems relevant to many of us. Hope you get a thing or two out of it.

Subject: Going Full-Timing

Hi Evanne,

I'm looking for a good site about going full time in the winter and summer at any place. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. Looking for a 5th wheel - what would you think would help me in four-season camping (the biggest I can get) and what would you say the size of truck I would need?

Reply:

Hi,

I’d recommend looking at the Escapees Club website for tons of full-time RV info. They are one of largest full-time RVer clubs around and offer plenty of benefits – including a fantastic mail forwarding service. Here’s their website: www.Escapees.com. Typically we full-timers spend winters in the warm sunny south and summers everywhere else.

As for an RV – start by checking out some online sales sites such as www.RVsearch.com or www.RVSales.com. These will give you an idea of what’s out there and the prices you can expect to pay. Once you have an idea of what might work for you head out to a local dealer or RV show and get inside your models of choice. Here’s a listing of upcoming RV shows: www.rvia.org/AM/customsource/INCL_Shows.cfm?section=local_shows&all=1.

If you’ll be anywhere near Yuma, AZ this January plan to spend a few days at the Quartzsite RV Show – a flea market of sorts with everything and anything an RVer might want or need - www.quartzsitervshow.com.

Regarding a truck and trailer combo – always…ALWAYS buy a bigger truck that you think you’ll need. Never…NEVER rely upon the salesmen’s recommendations – they are salesmen not towing specialists. Instead, take a look at Trailer Life’s towing guides here - www.trailerlife.com/output.cfm?id=42175. This site will give you PDFs for 1999 to 2008 model vehicles.

Best to you – very exciting! Let me know how things turn out, okay?

Evanne
RV Cooking Show
www.RVCookingShow.com