Frugal Friday!

Here we are at the end of the week already. It is amazing how fast the time seems to fly. I was reading the Winterizing Guide put out by the Town Crier and I noticed there was an article on getting your trees ready for winter. It said a layer of mulch 2 to 3 inches thick is helpful. Well luckily, we still have FREE MULCH! That's right. It is free to anyone here on the hill. Many people have already taken advantage of this, but we would like to see even more people jump on the mulching bandwagon.

Now that we have the first snow under out belt, and it is melting, this is a good time to talk about doing some composting. The ground is a little moist and that makes it perfect to start adding some compost to your trees or garden. I have a very simple method.

You will need a container for your kitchen counter. You can buy a fancy, schmacy one, but I use an old stainless steel mixing bowl and an extra pot lid. As I cook through out the week, everything for the compost goes into the bowl. Onion peels, egg shells, coffee grounds, tea bags, banana peels and so on. You know the drill. You can even put a little card board in there like the rolls from your toilet tissue.

Once your container is full, go out to your yard and dig a hole large enough to hold the contents of your bowl. Be sure it is deep enough that nothing can come along and dig it up easily. I usually try to go down about a foot or so. Dump the contents of your container into the hole. I then chop it up with the shovel a little bit and then cover with dirt. That's it, you are done. The contents will slowly decompose and provide nutriets for the plants and you can wash out your container and start all over again.

This is a simple, easy, cheap and quick, way to provide wonderful compost for your trees and garden without the hassel of keeping a large compost pile somewhere in your yard.

So there are two things you can start doing right away to help your garden and they will cost you nothing but a little time.

Sustainable Thursday

Even though we are currently experiencing Indian Summer here on the hill, I know that Old Man Winter is lurking just around the corner. Yes it was beautiful on Halloween this year, but memories of my daughters Trick or Treating in snow linger in the back of my mind. It seems I get complacent during nice weather and tend to forget how it is all winter long. However, this year, I have been trying to plan and think ahead to the long, cold winter months when many of my sustainable practices have to change due to the weather.

The biggest change that the winter brings for me, is not being able to hang clothes outside to dry. Since I do this with a large majority of my laundry, winter presents a challenge when it comes to drying my clothes all indoors! In order not to just throw everything into the dryer, I have come up with the following solutions.

Since I normally use my shower curtain rod to hang wet clothes, I decided to add another shower curtain rod parallel to, but up higher than the one that holds the shower curtain. This has doubled my space to hang wet clothes. Since I put all my shirts on hangers to dry, this gives me double the space to hang them up to dry. These rods can also be used for large items such as table clothes, quilts or sheets.

The next problem I had to solve was for things like sweaters that need to be laid flat to dry. During summer, it is easy enough to lay a clean sheet or quilt on the ground and put things on that to dry in the sun. But with the onset of cold weather, the amount of sweaters being worn goes up and I quickly run out of drying space on the kitchen table. Plus we do like to eat there once in a while. So a quick trip to Amazon dot com helped solve my problem. They now make nifty little contraptions that can be laid over your tub and then folded back up when you are done. So after purchasing a couple, I had another problem solved.

Then came the real challenge. Pants, jeans, pillow cases and so on. Where was I going to dry them? They take up too much space on my shower curtain rods and were hard to move should anyone actually want to take a shower. I thought fleetingly about hanging a couple of clothes lines up in my living room, but I didn't think my husband would prefer that, so I ended up purchasing a very old fashioned drying rack. It is made out of stainless steel and works great! It is extremely light weight and I can move it around or fold it up and put it away. I can sit it in the bathtub if I have something that is dripping wet or put it in front of the heater, or just off to the side behind the sofa. On nice days, it can even be toted outside to the deck.

It holds anything and everything. Jeans to delicate hand washables. Come winter it will be a lifesaver when my husband comes home from work soaking wet from delivering gas in the snow or rain all day long. His previous solution was to hang his work coat on a dining room chair and put it in front of the heater and then spread the rest of his gear around the heater on the floor. Needless to say, this wasn't a great solution and my wooden chairs were taking a beating from it.

Now I can just put the rack in front of the heater and all his outerwear fits on it! Oh happy day. Plus when the grandkids come up, all their snow gear will be happily accomodated on this one rack. No more hats, mittens, coats and snow pants strewn all over my house!

So that just left one more problem to solve. Little things like plastic bags, socks and so on. Once again, Amazon came to my rescue. I found a nifty little plastic frame that comes complete with clothes pins and a hook for hanging. It fits right over my shower rod and has close to 2 dozen pins on it. So now all winter long I can continue to wash and re-use my freezer bags and I now have a place to hang them to dry.

With a little creativity, a little research, a little effort and a little money, I solved all my laundry problems. Living sustainably might take a little extra effort, but I just think of all the electricity and propane I am saving, which then translates into money saved, and the good I am doing for the earth and I am happy to exert the extra effort.

So, what clever solutions have you come up with to living sustainably throughout the winter months when it can become challenging?

Chickens and Salmonella

We have all heard of the recent egg recall due to a salmonella outbreak. Personally I haven't followed this story very closely because I do not buy eggs from the store. I have my own flock of backyard chickens and have since 2001. I cannot bear to think of how these factory farms keep their chickens cooped up 4 to a cage, de-beak them and never let them out into the sunshine. The spend their whole, miserable lives in a cage and their feet never touch the earth. To me, this is just not acceptable. Now with this latest news of salmonella, it makes you wonder if eggs are even safe to eat.

So what is the solution? Well, it is quite simple really. Raise your own chickens. I know, many people have an aversion to livestock, especially in residential areas, however, chickens are really quite easy to care for, do not have to be an eyesore, are quieter than dogs and are a lot of fun to watch. Plus they earn their keep by providing you with wonderful, fresh, healthy, delicious eggs.

If you do not keep a rooster, then there will not be that much noise from the chickens. Yes, they make some noise when laying an egg, but if you had to go through labor and delivery every day or so, you would yell too! The only other time they make a fuss, is if they feel threatened by a dog or coyote, which is actually a good thing as it alerts me that something is outside the coop. They are much nicer to listen to than a barking dog and when they do make noise it is for a reason. Normally they just go about their business looking for bugs, eating, drinking and taking dirt baths,

Chickens are pretty self sufficient and just need a little care from their human each day. They need fresh, clean water, food and a safe, fenced in place they can stratch around outside. The amount of space needed depends on how many chickens you have. Of course, the more chickens you have, the more space you will need for them.

You will need a shelter for them. If you search online, you will find some pretty imaginative set ups. These can be simple or elaborate. Some communities now have a chicken coop tour each summer and some chicken owners take this whole coop buisiness very seriously. If you are only going to have a few chickens, a dog house would work. Just make sure it has good ventilation and protects them from predators and the elements.

Daily care consists of feeding them, giving them water, gathering the eggs and I try to clean out the nest boxes ever day or two. There is always one or two chickens who decide the nest boxes make great beds and settle in one each evening. A couple times a year you will need to clean out the entire coop. A clean coop makes for healthy chickens. This takes and hour or two to accomplish and I usually do it in the spring after winter is over and in the fall right before it begins again. When I clean out the coop in the spring, the droppings and shavings all go into to the compost bin. When I clean it out in the winter, it goes directly into the garden to compost over the winter months. You can also hose down the walls and the floor once the coop is all cleaned out.

In the evening, the chickens will put themselves to bed with no coaxing from you. Just be sure they have a place to go that is secure from preditors. Chickens like to perch at night and it is easy to provide them a place to perch. Wooden closet rods work very well as perches as do tree branches. What you use will depend on your coop set up and what sort of materials you have available to you

They will need a good chicken food formulated for laying chickens and some scratch, which is just cracked corn. You can also provide grit and oyster shell for them. The great thing about chickens though is that they can eat your kitchen scraps. They will eat a wide variety of food from your kitchen, there by eliminating a lot of wasted food. Just don't give them any meat, potato peels or citrus. Fruits, veggies, salad, bread, pasta, they love it all. Even certain plants from the garden are safe to give them. I keep a chicken bowl in my fridge and that is where I put all my scraps throughout the day. Come dinner time, they get their treat. The means there is almost no waste in my kitchen.

Keeping chickens has been such a wonderful and rewarding hobby for my family. There is nothing like going out to the coop and gathering the eggs. I never will tire of that ever. It is still so amazing to me that they do that. The eggs from your chickens will taste so much better than the ones from the store and you will wonder how you ever ate the store bought eggs. You will notice that the yolks are a bright orange rather than a pale yellow. The more fruits and veggies you feed them, the darker and more flavorful the yolks will be come. You can also add flax seed to their diet and there by increase the Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet. Eggs from a backyard flock of chickens that are well cared for can be extremely healthy for you.

There are a couple of schools of thought on how to store eggs once you gather them from the coop. Some wash and refrigerate others do not. That is a decision you will have to make for yourself. Do some research and see which method is right for you. Eggs do have a protective coating on them when they are laid and washing them will remove that coating. I do minimal washing and follow this rule. If there is poo on them they get washed and if there isn't, they do not. I do refrigerate my eggs, although others do not.

If you haven't considered raising your own chickens, think about it. Here is a wonderful link to start your research with.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/eggs.aspx

There are many sites online that have a wealth of information about raising chickens and what the benefits are. In this day and age, it might be wise to go back to some of the old ways, because apparently the new ways are working out so well, but don't get me started on that!

A Kitchen Garden

When I hear the term Kitchen Garden, it conjurs up all sorts of images of a lovely, large picket fenced garden which sits right outside the kitchen door of a quaint little cottage and is just teeming with all sorts of herbs and vegetables. A large willow baskest sits at the ready just outside the garden gate and when I arrive back inside the kitchen, the basket is overflowing with just picked goodies.

But then I wake up and I realize I am still in Pine Cove and that gardening just isn't that easy. While gardening here in the mountains can be challenging for sure, it is not impossible. A lot of gardening success or failure depends on what you are trying to grow. Obviously there are always going to be certain plants that we can't grow due to their water requirements, light requirements or other things that perhaps can't be provided during out short growing season. But there are some things that will grow well up here given the right care and conditions.

I, personally have noticed that herbs seem to do fairly well up here. So that leads me to believe that a Kitchen Garden might be a really great way to start gardening, since it pretty much guarantees some gardening success. While herbs do require sun, they also do great in pots, making it easy to put the garden where the sun is. So instead of saying my yard is too shady to grow anything, you can put a container garden where ever you have some sun. That problem is solved.

Over the past several years I have noticed in my own garden, that rosemary and lavender seem almost indestructable. They pop up in the spring no matter how much snow has been piled on them over the winter and they seem to grow no matter how sporadically I water them. Since both rosemary and lavender like more arid conditions than some other plants in the garden, it makes them an idea choice for here in Pine Cove. It also makes them good to plant in the same area since they have similiar sun and water requirements.

Plus you may not realize that rosemary can be used for more things than just flavoring that chicken you are making for dinner tonight. It can actually be used as ground cover or for topiaries. This makes it not only a fragrant, edible addition to your garden, but a decorative one as well. There is no need to keep this herb only in the kitchen garden. It can go anywhere it will get a fair amount of sun and it will thrive.

Some other things I have had success with is basil, parsely, oregano and sage. These all grow fairly well and I have been able to harvest them and dry them for use throughout the winter. If you have ever stopped to figure out the cost per pound of those little jars of herbs they sell in the grocery stores, you would be flaberghasted at the price. For a few dollars spent on plants and seeds, you can create a wonderful, organic herb garden for all your cooking needs.

A Kitchen Garden can can be as small as a few herbs in pots or as large as a vegetable garden or anything in between. How about a salad garden? A few varieties of leaf lettuce, a couple cherry tomatoe plants and a cucumber vine set the stage for some really yummy summer salads. Remember that a lot of things can be grown in containers making gardening much more portable and attainable for a larger amount of people. So when next spring rolls around, why not give a Kitchen Garden a try?

The Pine Cove Conservation Cafe

I am announcing a new feature on the blog that I hope will go over well. It is the Pine Cove Conservation Cafe. It is all about water saving tips that our customers are using in their homes and gardens. Do you have a great water saving tip? If so, send it in to us at pcwd2675@yahoo.com and I will post it here on the blog. Have pictures of your garden? Send them in and I will post them also.

Just make sure you send your name, street address and what the picture is of. We love to see what is going on in the gardens around Pine Cove. I will start off by posting some pictures of my garden, which is located at 25150 Marion Ridge Dr. within the next couple of days.

Some things I have been doing in my garden are adding compost to the soil for several years now to improve the soil and it's water retaining abilities. I am also using the free mulch we have availabe here at the water district to reduce watering and help retain moisture. I am watering in the evening or in the early morning to avoid mid day evaportation and I have started adding soaker hoses and will eventually move up to a drip irrigation system. I have also started a compost pile, but I need to be more diligent with it as it is just kind of sitting there. I plan to go out and turn it and add some water to it this week and see if I can get it going. I will try to get some horse manure to add to it as well. That usually helps it heat up.

So get out into your yard and take some pictures and send them in. We look forward
to seeing what is happening the the gardens of Pine Covers.

Garden Companions

When gardening, it is always important to remember that just as in real life who gets along with who. Just like in a real neighborhood, certain plants in a garden get along better than others. When planning a garden, try to keep this in mind to increase your chances of success. According to homeandgardensite.com, here are some suggestions for what to plant with what and what to keep seperate from each other.

Companion Planting:

To become a successful organic gardener you need to promote vigorous health in your gardens using various methods; companion planting, composting, mulching, proper watering and using only organic substances; to name a few.

This page will introduce you to companion planting using herbs, vegetables, flowers and even a tree; the willow.

You can help your plants by putting them with neighbors they grow well with. There are also plants that don’t do well together. These pages will help you to grow stronger healthier plants. Strong healthy plants also repel harmful conditions because disease and insects are often drawn to weak plants.

Some plants have substances in their leaves, flowers and roots that attract or repel insects. When you are determined to grow organic it is very important to attract beneficial insects to your garden. For instance, Tachinid flies can destroy squash bug larva. To attract the flies you could plant dill, parsley, fennel or buckwheat, sweet clover, goldenrod, wild carrot or amaranth. Other times repelling a certain insect will be the chosen means of attack. Tansy (fever few), nasturtiums or borage will repel squash bugs.

The following is a guide to help you experiment with what companion plants will work for your area and garden. Also, organic means of control aren’t always 100% effective. The results you are striving for will be a bountiful but healthy harvest, not complete eradication of certain pest.



Alyssum, Sweet - Attracts hover flies which eat aphids.

Anise – Attracts predatory wasps, which prey on aphids and it is also said to repel aphids. Improves growth of any plants growing near it.

Bachelor's Buttons - This plant has a nectar high in sugar content so it is very attractive to hover flies, ladybug, lacewings, and beneficial wasps.

Basil - A good companion with tomatoes; basil improves their flavor and growth and also repels flies and mosquitoes. Keep basil away from Rue.

Bay Leaf - Put a fresh bay leaf in your storage container of beans and grain it will repel weevils and moths. A good mixture to add in your garden would be bay leaves, cayenne pepper, tansy and peppermint for a insecticidal effect.

Beans – Beans will enrich the soil by ‘fixing nitrogen.’ Legumes (beans and peas included) add nitrogen to the soil. Goes well with corn and squash.

Bee Balm - Plant with tomatoes to improve their growth and flavor.

Beets - Beets add minerals to the soil. Good companions would be lettuce, onions and brassicas.

Borage - Plant with tomatoes, squash and strawberries; repels tomato hornworm. Great for attracting bees and more than 100 beneficial insects. Borage may benefit plants growing with it by increasing resistance to pests and disease. Borage will self-seed.

Brassicas – Brassicas are good neighbors to chamomile, peppermint, dill, sage, and rosemary. Some brassicas are broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts.

Buckwheat – Referred to once as, “organic Round Up,” because of it’s quick growth it smothers weeds, even thistle and burdock. Buckwheat accumulates calcium, and attracts bees and hoverflies.

Caraway - if you have hard, compacted soil plant caraway to help loosen it up. Also attracts beneficial insects.

Catnip - Repels flea beetle, aphids, Japanese beetles, squash bugs, ants and weevils. Even mice don’t like to be around it. Mints are invasive, be careful.

Chamomile - Improves the flavor of cabbage and onions. Attracts hoverflies and wasps.

Chervil - Radishes will grow better and increase in flavor when planted with chervil.

Chives - Carrots will grow better and improve in flavor when planted with chives. Repels aphids.

Chrysanthemums – To kill destructive root nematodes (not to be confused with beneficial nematodes) plant C. coccineum type.

Clover – A good cover crop to improve soil. Also attracts beneficial insects. There are many different types of clover, each one with qualities that benefit certain conditions.

Coriander - Repels aphids, spider mites and potato beetles and enhances flavor and growth of many vegetables.

Corn - Produces large amounts of pollen to attract beneficial insects. Sweet corn does well with pumpkins and beans, sometimes referred to as “the three sisters.” Indians grew beans around the corn to climb up the corn stalks and squash on the ground around the corn; with each one benefiting from the presence of the others.

Daisy - Attracts beneficial insects.

Dill - Cabbage will grow better and stronger when planted with dill but don't plant it near your carrots. Reported to help control squash bugs. Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars will eat dill.

Fennel - Attracts beneficial insects that are looking for nectar but can inhibit growth of many plants so plant away from the garden.

Flax - Plant with your potatoes to repel potato bugs.

Four-O’-Clocks – Four-O’-Clocks are will attract Japanese beetles but are deadly to them. People shouldn’t eat them either, watch your little ones around Four-O’-Clocks.

Garlic - Roses benefit from garlic since it repels aphids. Repels Japanese beetles and other insects, good for planting near raspberries.

Golden Marguerite - Attracts ladybugs, lacewings, hover flies, tachinid flies and miniwasps.

Gopher Purge - Gophers and moles don't like the odor. Roots spread about 20 feet.

Horseradish - Plant along with your potatoes to keep away potato bugs. To keep horseradish contained, plant in bottomless pots near the potatoes. Blister Beetles don’t like it either.

Hyssop - Good companion plant to cabbage and grapes because it repels cabbage moths. Don't plant near your radishes though.

Larkspur – Like Four-O’-Clocks, larkspur attracts Japanese Beetles which is also poisonous to them. Larkspur is poisonous to humans.

Lavender – Deters moths, aphids and fleas. Used for ages as sachets to keep moths from clothing.

Leeks - Companion for celery and carrots since it enhances flavor and attracts beneficial insects.

Lemon Balm – From the mint family, which are invasive. Sprinkle around squash plants to deter squash bugs. Rub the leaves on your skin to repel mosquitoes.

Lettuce - Likes to grow with carrots, radishes, beets, broccoli, cabbage, onions and cucumbers. Planting amongst corn will give shade to the lettuce during the hotter months.

Lovage - Good to grow with most plants since it improves their health and flavor; also attracts beneficial insects.

Marigolds - Plant among your tomatoes to ward off nematodes. Plant those with a strong scent. Cucurbits (cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, gourds) will benefit from marigolds planted around them to fight off squash vine borer and cucumber beetle. Seed heads scattered around them help also. Beans and cabbage do not grow well around marigolds.

Marjoram - Improves the flavor and increases vigor of all vegetables.

Mint - Repels white cabbage moth and ants. Also improves the health of cabbage and tomatoes. Helps in controlling ants, rodents, flea beetle, and aphids. All mints are very invasive.

Nasturtium – Helps control squash bugs, cucumber beetles, and whiteflies. Use as a trap crop for aphids. Tasty in salads.

Nettles, Stinging – Spray a “tea” of stinging nettles as an insect control. Soak 4” of nettles in water, strain and spray. “Tea” improves health of the plants that are sprayed.

Onions - Repels carrot flies

Ornamental Grasses - Clump forming grasses provide shelter in all seasons for beneficial insects. Studies have shown dramatic increases in numbers where these grasses are growing.

Parsley – Use as a “tea” for repelling asparagus beetles. Parsley gone to seed will attract parasitic wasps, which are very beneficial.

Pennyroyal – Deters fleas, mosquitoes, ticks, gnats, flies and chiggers; rub the leaves on your skin.

Peppermint - Deters white cabbage moth, aphids, flea beetles and squash bugs. Mints are invasive, be careful when introducing into your garden. A better method for use would be to grow in another location, cut stems and leaves then sprinkle around area you want it's repellent effect.

Peppers, Hot – The roots of hot peppers help prevent root rot and fusarium diseases. “Tea” from hot peppers helps repel insects.

Petunia – This pretty flower is also beneficial in controlling asparagus beetle, leafhoppers, certain aphids, tomato worms, and Mexican bean beetles.

Radish - Repels cucumber beetles so plant with cucumbers and squash.

Rosemary - Companion plant to beans, cabbage, carrots and sage. Repels cabbage moth, bean beetles and carrot flies.

Rue - Repels Japanese beetles in roses and raspberries.

Sage - Companion plant for broccoli, cauliflower, rosemary, cabbage and carrots. Deters cabbage moth, beetles and carrot flies. Keep away from the cucumbers though.

Summer Savory - Plant with beans and onions to improve their flavor and growth. It deters cabbage moth and bean beetles.

Tansy - Plant with fruit trees, roses and raspberries and cucurbits. It deters Japanese beetles, stripped cucumber beetle, squash bugs and ants. Tie a bunch up and hang as a fly repellent. Tansy can become invasive; be careful about letting it go to seed. Do Not plant anywhere that livestock feed, can be toxic to them.

Tarragon – Repels many pests, use generously around your garden.

Thyme - Repels cabbage worms, carrot flies and attracts beneficial insects.

Tomatoes grow well with basil or parsley or carrots.

Willow - Willow (including pussy willow) are valuable because they produce pollen early in the spring for provision for beneficial insects.

Wormwood (Artemisia) - When planted as a border it helps keep animals and many bugs out of the garden. Can improve flavor and enhance growth of plants.

Yarrow - Attracts beneficial insects.

Zucchini gets along with beans or radishes.



UNHAPPY NEIGHBORS: Often space is limited in your garden; try your best to keep these away from each other.

Beans don't mix well with Garlic and Onions (Will inhibit plant growth)

Beets and Pole Beans (Will inhibit plant growth)

Carrots and Dill (Will inhibit plant growth)

Corn and Tomatoes don't mix well. The tomatoes may attract worms that feed on corn.

Cucumber and Sage (Will inhibit plant growth)

Peas don’t get along with Garlic and Onions (Will inhibit plant growth)

Potatoes and Pumpkins (Will inhibit plant growth)

Potatoes and Tomatoes can be attacked by the same blights so don't plant together.

Squash and Potatoes (Will inhibit plant growth)

Tomatoes and Potatoes can be attacked by the same blights so don't plant together.

Turnips and Potatoes (Will inhibit plant growth)


When planting your garden, keep your neighborhood in mind and plant things that get along well together. If you keep this one simple methond in mind, you will have a happier, healthier garden and your harvest will be much better for it. Remember that plants are just like people and some compliment each other and some rub each other the wrong way.

It's Frugal Friday!

I know I have been remiss in my Frugal Friday postings, however, water business before pleasure and I have been keeping busy at the office. So today offered the opportunity to catch up on my blog posts and I am going to take advantage of it.

I know many people think that frugal gardening involves having a lot of junk sitting around in your yard under the auspice of art. But that just isn't the case. I think that frugal gardening is all about re-purposing and recyling things and giving them a new and useful life. And no, I am not talking about toilet planters!

Here's an idea I thought was lovely. Turn an old bird bath or better yet, a two or three tiered fountain, into a planter. Since a bird bath generally isn't very deep, you could set a small planter in the middle of the bird bath and plant some annuals. Then in the bird bath, add soil and plant something like moss, that will provide an carpet of green. If you use a plant in the pot that trails or vines, you will create a lovely, antique, drippy look which goes perfectly in a bird bath.

Use the same method for planting in an old fountain. Check Craigslist, Freecycle, thrift shops and yard sales for fountains that are still beautiful to look at, but perhaps have developed a leak or the owners are just tired of them. I saw one on Craigslist for $10. It had no pump and had 2 tiers. Perfect for planting. These make wonderful, classic additions to a garden. And by using them as a planter instead of a fountain, you will eliminate the need for running electricity and possibly water out to the fountain. This will enable you to locate it any where you like.

If you are lucky enough to find a fountain with two or more tiers, you can make a combination planter and bird bath. Having these types of creative features in your garden also helps provide habitat for wildlife. The birds will appreciate the water to bath in and drink and the cool carpet of moss makes a nice place to stop and rest for a minute.

If you have any ideas on re-purposing an item, feel free to let me know. If you have pictures, feel free to send them in and I will post them here on the blog. Let's see how creative we can get!

Frugal Fridays

It is now after Mother's Day, so I am hoping it is safe to start planting. I have lettuce coming up as well as peas. I put 4 cucumber plants in and one kicked the bucket already, so I am hoping the other 3 hang in there. I have had to cover them several days and nights. I am chomping at the bit to get everything in.

I am also chomping at the bit to get started on some garden projects. My first one is a fairy chair. I found an old wooden chair from the thrift shop in the village. I lined the seat with wire and planted it. I put one strawberry plant in the front and filled the rest with morning glory seeds. I love morning glories and I am hoping they actually grow. The chair is in a sunny spot, but that means the soil is going to dry out very quickly. Once the seeds sprout and are a few inches tall, I will mulch the whole planter to help retain the moisture. Once the morning glories come up, they will grow up and over the chair and down and around the legs and through the garden. It should look very nice.

I did spray paint the chair green prior to planting it. I am hoping that the chair blends in with the plants and it will eventually look like the morning glories are floating in air. Since the garden the chair sits in is full of mint and vinca, there isn't much flower action going on there. So the morning glories will give the mint garden a shot of color all summer long. Stay tuned for pictures.

Sustainable Thursday

Well spring has finally sprung. I think. As we sit at the beginning of the summer season, it is a good time to think about what we can do to be more sustainable. This time of year is so wonderful. After the long, cold winter we just want to fling open our doors and windows and get outside. For many that means the start of the gardening season.

Spring and fall are the best time to plant trees. Try to avoid planting them in the middle of the hot, summer months when their water needs will be high. If you can't get your trees planted withing the next month or two, it might be more beneficial to wait until fall. Trees are an excellent way to help naturally cool your house during the summer months. If you plant deciduous trees, you will then allow the sun into your house in the winter time as well.

Removing excess paving. As we all know, cement really holds the heat. The more of it you have around your house, the more heat that will be retained. Convert pavement to plants. Remember the driveways with two narrow strips of pavement? All that unpaved area between the strips would allow water to soak into the ground, preventing runoff and adding to the cooling of the air. Plants are better than pavement Wherever possible, minimize or even remove pavement, and instead plant the area with low-water-using, low-maintenance plants. Or try the two narrow strips type of driveway if you feel you can go without pavement.

Remember to check your outside irrigation system for leaks. All water that passes through your meter is your responsibility.

Frugal Friday

I know, I know, there is a foot of snow on the ground and they are calling for more in the coming week and here I am posting gardening projects. I have faith that someday it will be spring and we will be able to get in our gardens. I just don't know when that day will be!

That being the case, I will make today's post short, but sweet. The above picture, which Jeanne from Suffolk in the UK, was kind enough to let me use, represents this weeks gardening tip. I especially liked this picture because up until now I had only seen old wheelbarrows filled with dirt and planted like a planter. This picture shows how you can use old galvanzied containers (actually any type of pots would work for this)and fill the wheelbarrow with pots instead of just planting it outright.

Not only does this look adorable, but it is the perfect solution for those who wish to grow some veggies in containers. You can then wheel them around to take advantage of the sun throughout the day. This might work really well for those with very shady gardens. Personally at my home, the driveway gets a lot of the sun that would be great for growing veggies. However, removing it doesn't seem like a very practical idea!

If you don't have any old galvanized containers, they are easily obtainable. You can check yard sale, Craigslist, eBay and thrift shops. If worse comes to worse you can usually pick them up new at feed stores and they ocassionally have used ones as well. It isn't hard to get this "look" and it would definately fit in with our rustic backdrop of the forest here in Pine Cove.

What the heck is permaculture?

As a gardener, I am constantly doing research trying to find the best methods for growing things. Since it is a challenge to grow anything here on the hill, I am always hoping to find ways of growing things that are natural and will attract the local wildlife to my yard. Working in harmony with nature, rather than working against it. In my research I constantly see the word permaculture being thrown around. But what exactly is permaculture anyway? Is it the same as organic gardening? Sometimes I find all these terms to be confusing, and so I thought I would try to sort them out and shed some light on them so we all understand them better and can therefore put them to better use in our own gardens.

From the research I have been doing, I have found that permaculture is primarily about design, while organic gardening is a way of gardening. While an organic garden is a part of permaculture, it couldn't be called a permaculture unless it has been permaculture designed, in which case it would then be more than just an organic garden. Here is a wonderful description of permaculture from the IDEP Foundation's website:

Permaculture design seeks harmonious integration of landscape and people to provide food, shelter, energy and other material or non-material needs in a sustainable way.
This holistic ecological approach to the design and development of human settlements takes into account food production, structures, technologies, energy, natural resources, landscape, animal systems, plant systems, and social and economic structures.

Permaculture is applicable to both urban and rural contexts, and to any scale of design. It is about working with, rather than against, nature.

Permaculture draws upon traditional practices of earth stewardship and integrates this with appropriate modern technology. The term ‘permaculture’ was coined in the 1970s by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren. Work is now being carried out in over 100 countries by many thousands of permaculture design graduates.

Permaculture is about the whole picture, not just the how to's of composting or organic gardening. It is about designing a sustainable environment. It is about providing our needs in a way that works in harmony with nature. It is not only about food production, but about utilizing all our resources. It is about how and what we build and how we live. So just what would a permaculture look like?

Well, in addition to just growing food, it will have habitats for wildlife, birds and pest predators. It should consider the elements of fire, sun and wind in creating micro-climates for plants, animals and for the home. It will also address the cycles of water. It is about placing things in relationship to each other so that they work in harmony as a whole.

The following is a list of design principles from the IDEP Foundation's website:


Permaculture Design Principles

Diversity : Aims to integrate a variety of beneficial species of food, plants and animals into design. This builds a stable interactive polycultural system which provides for human needs and also for the needs of other species.

Edge Effect : In general, there is more energy and more diversity of life on the edge where two types of natural systems overlap. On these borders one can access the resources of both sides. Using the edge effect, and other natural patterns that you observe, creates the best effect.

Energy Planning : Placing the elements of your design in such a way as to minimize the use of energy (including fossil fuels and human labor). Utilizing the energy and resources that you have, first on-site and then from outside the system, as effectively as possible. Onsite energy resources include natural forces such as gravity, windpower and waterpower. This saves time, energy and money.

Energy Cycling : In a natural system there is no waste or pollution. The output from one natural process becomes the resource for another. Recycle and reuse all of resources as many times as possible.

Scale : Creating human-scale systems. Choose simple, appropriate technologies for use in designs. Only create systems that are manageable. Start small and take achievable steps towards an ideal goal.

Biological Resources : Use natural methods and processes to achieve tasks. Find things in nature (plants, animals, microbes) that are supportive of the system design and minimize outside energy input.

Multiple Elements : Support each vital need and essential function in more than one way, so that a temporary failure in one element will not stop the functioning of others. Also, recognize that there is almost always more than one way to achieve any task.

Multiple Functions : Most things can be used in a variety of ways and for a variety of functions. One rule of thumb in Permaculture is to try to design three uses for every element of the system. This can save space, time and complication in any particular project.

Natural Succession : Work with nature and the processes of natural systems. Anticipate future developments through research and observation when necessary.

Relative Location : Place every element of your design in relationship to others so that they benefit from each other. For example, store tools near where they will be used.

As I read more about permaculture, it is becoming very simple and clear. It is basically a method of living and working with nature instead of against it. It is using natural methods to accomplish what we need to do. Most of it is common sense and being organized. Things like putting your kitchen garden that needs tending the most, closest to your back door. Using trees to cool your house instead of air conditioners. Collecting rain water for use during dry periods. Having a compost pile near the garden.

An easy way to think of it is as zones. Zones are guidelines to help plan where things will be placed in a landscape. The key to efficient energy planning is the use of zone and sector planning. To plan what elements to put in various zones, consider how many times per year they will be visited. Put what you use most near to your house or the center of activity. Put those things which are visited least and need the least maintenance in areas farthest from the center of activity. Makes sense, right?

ZONE 0: This is your house zone and the center of activity. It should be an energy efficient, easy to maintain design that provides all your basic needs for your lifestyle.

ZONE 1: Contains your kitchen gardens. These are gardens which need continual observation, frequent visits, watering and work input. This zone would include garden areas for vegetables and herbs, small animals, a place for your garden tools, a compost system, rain water storage, clothes lines, greenhouses and so on.

ZONE 2: This is your Food Forest. A food forest is a dense planting of mixed orchard trees, shrubs, windbreaks, larger vegetables, terraces, possible grey water drainage, bees, bird and bee-attracting plants and so on. Plant and animal species which require care and observation would go in this zone. For example, milking goats or a flock of backyard chickens, fenced in from a pasture.

ZONE 3: This is a Farm zone. Most of us won't have this zone unless we have a large amount of land and live somewhere like Anza. It would include commercial crops, pastures for animals, green manure, aquaculture, low maintenance trees, large systems, big sheds, woodlot, windbreaks and so on.

ZONE 4: This is known as the Harvest Forest and again, most of us won't have this zone in our yards here on the hill and won't be chopping down trees for wood. Zone 4is a semi-managed/semi-wild area which borders forest and is managed for wild gathering, forest and fuel needs, hardy food, unpruned trees, grazing and so forth.

ZONE 5: This is a Wilderness Unmanaged area or a barely managed natural wild area. If you have a large property, you might have a zone like this. Again, many of us will not. This zone is a place for learning and observing. A place where we are "visitors", not "managers".

When you start looking at your house and your yard as zones, it soon becomes clear what the principles of permaculture are and with a little research, you will soon be making effective use of the property you have, not matter how large or small it is. From there you can move onto sustainable and organic practices both in your home and in your garden. Before long you will have your own permaculture happening right in your own backyard.

Sustainable Thursday

This week while searching for an interesting topic to discuss, I came across something I had never heard of before. Keyhole gardens. While they are used a lot in Africa, I had never heard of them before. Their design is very simple and uses permaculture methods and would be very beneficial to gardeners everywhere. Their unique design makes them a combination of a raised bed garden and a compost pile all in one structure. They are extremely efficient and can be custom built to an individuals specific needs. By building the garden about 3 feet high, they are easy for people who may be older, disabled or have back problems to care for. In fact, that is one of the reasons they use them in Africa. Since so many are chronically ill there, these gardens make it possible for them to grow food for themselves and their families.

After doing some research this week, I have found you can make them from a variety of materials and in any size you desire. As the name implies, they are shaped like a keyhole. They are round with a small, angled path on one end. The compost section is right in the middle and the path makes it easy to walk up to the compost pile and add to it. If you don't prefer to have a compost pile in the middle of your keyhole garden, you could have a tree, a water feature or a rain barrel there instead.

Keyhole gardens can be as simple or elaborate as you want. Some are made from stone and others just from wire fencing. You could use bricks, landscape stones, river rocks, fencing or whatever strikes your fancy. You can use recycled materials or have it made to match your home. Let you imagination run wild.

There are many benefits of these types of gardens. It is an excellent way to grow a lot of vegetables in a small space. There is a wonderful article on permaculture and keyhole gardens at www.gardeningknowhow. com/organic/the-essence-of-permaculture-gardening.htm. Also if you do a search on Google for keyhole gardens, you will be able to find a wealth of pictures of keyhole gardens which will give you many ideas on how you too can build one in your own yard. There are many other wonderful articles online as well. This is a topic well worth researching.

Since they retain water better than a traditional garden, this makes them ideal for here on the hill. If you are wanting to do some gardening this summer, I would suggest giving a keyhole garden a try. If you do, send us pictures and let us know how it turns out. We love to hear of everyone's gardening adventures.

Water Saving Kits

Please don't forget to stop by and pick up your free water saving kit. They are free of charge to all Pine Cove Water District customers. Just stop by the office, located at 24917 Marion Ridge Rd during normal business hours and pick one up.

Sustainable Thursday

After a week of fairly nice weather, it seems everyone is ready for spring to arrive. It feels good to have the sun upon my face when I go outside and it is wonderful to see the actual ground again. I know it is early and I shouldn't get too excited yet as Old Man Winter could still throw us a few punches.

However, while the weather is nice it gives us a break and we can enjoy a few spring time activities while waiting to see if winter is gone for good.

1. Hang your clothes outside to dry. Since the sun has been shining and it has been over 50 degrees outside, why not use your solar clothes dryer? You will save energy and your clothes will smell so fresh and good. I can remember during the summer as a child, climbing into freshly washed sheets that were dried on the line outside and smelled so good that I would just bury my face into my pillow and take a deep breath. Then my mom got a new dryer and all that ended.

At my house though, that tradition was revived. When my first child arrived in May of 1977, it turned out to be twins and so I spent all summer that year hanging out dozens and dozens of receiving blankets, crib sheets, undershirts and sleepers. Even though I had a dryer, the clothes came off the line smelling so fresh and clean that it was worth the extra effort. Add to that a couple of freshly bathed and powdered baby girls and the sweet smell of the baby and the line dried clothes mixed together was intoxicating to a then new mom.

It is my hope that all 4 of my daughters will have memories of climbing into sheets dried outside on the clothes line and I hope my grandbabies will have memories of visiting Grandma & Grandpa in the mountains and remember how good the sheets smelled when they were tucked into bed while visiting. Drying clothes outside on the line not only saves energy, it makes memories!

2. Get some compost and mulch into your yard. I love working in the yard at this time of year. Mainly because the soil is so moist and easy to dig up. While it is still to early to do a lot of serious planting, it is a great time to add compost to your soil. We sometimes forget that our trees can use some extra nutrients as well as our garden plants. Once you get your soil amended, don't forget to add a layer of mulch to help the soil retain moisture. Well composted soil holds water much better than uncomposted soil and a layer of mulch will not only help retain moisture, but if you use something natural like woodchips, they too will break down into compost over time and add even more nutrients to the soil.

If you are gardening on a budget, don't forget that Pine Cove Water District is giving away FREE bark chips to be used as mulch. We are also giving away one free bag of COMPOST to any Pine Cove Water District customer that comes in an requests one. We want to get everyone off to a good start this spring, so stop by and pick yours up now!

3. Stop water runoff in your yard. Now is also a great time to go out into your yard and add berms and swales to retain and hold water and/or snow runoff. Check your rainspouting for leaks and add rainbarrels to catch the runoff from your roof. This water can then be used later in the year for irrigation. Check for leaks and repair any you find immediately. Winter can be hard on our pipes and our outdoor irrigation systems. Customers are responsible for all the water that runs through their meter, so catching leaks early saves money, time and property. Don't wait until it becomes a major problem that is going to cost thousands of dollars to fix. What is that old saying? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This is very true when it comes to keeping your irrigation system in top notch shape.

4. Get a jump start on your fire abatement. I know it is hard to think of fire season when we have just seen the last of the snow melt, but we have to remember it is fire season up here all year round. Take advantage of this nice weather to clean off your roof and get your yard raked up. It is easier to work in this cooler weather than it is to work in 80+ degrees. Plus, if you do it now, while others are scrambling to get their abatement done, you can sit smuggly back with your feet up, sipping on an iced tea, reading a good book. When it comes to fire prevention, you can never do too much or do it too soon. Keeping up with fire abatement makes the job easier than when you let it go for long periods of time and saves you from being cited or fined for not complying.

So even though spring may or may not have sprung, there are still somethings we can get a jump start on. Doing some of your gardening chores now will leave you more free time to play when the nice weather does finally comes to stay.

Sustainable Thursday

Here on the hill we like to think that we are community minded. We all say we want to protect what we have here on the hill. But are we really living in a sustainable way that benefits the community as a whole or are we all just lone rangers who think we are community minded, but in reality we are only worried about ourselves. What does community minded mean anyway and how does that affect sustainable living?

I like to think that here on the hill, we all work together for the common good and not for our own individual interests. After all, there is no me in community. In order to live sustainably, you must be concerned about others. After all, in 50 years, many of us will be gone and it will be our children and grandchildren who benefit or suffer from the choices we make today and the lifestyle we choose.

Choosing to live in a sustainable way shows you care. Not only about yourself or your family, but about everyone. It shows you care about the environment, the future, the earth, the wildlife and the community. If we are to preserve our resources, then everyone has to be on board. We have to live in a way that benefits the common good and not just ourselves. It does no good if 50% of us are trying to live sustainably while the other 50% are only out for themselves.

Living sustainably can take on many forms. It is hard in today's world to be 100% sustainable. However, every little thing we do or don't do, use or don't use, can help the future. Some changes are very simple and do not take much effort. Others do take time or effort or money. The key is to have everyone on the same page and everyone doing something!

One thing that is important is to get everyone talking. Remember the days when everyone had a front porch? Just sitting out on the porch swing with a glass of iced tea or lemonade, was a pleasant way to pass a summer evening. As people strolled by, it was easy to greet them and have a chat. Then we all got air conditioning, TV's and computers and porches, screen doors and swings became unnecessary as we all moved inside to climate controlled comfort. Soon people were living in neighborhoods where neighbors didn't know each other.

When you actually know the people who live in your neighbhood, it makes you want to take care of that neighborhood even more. It always takes me longer to do garden chores than I anticipate it will because inevitably while I am out there working, someone walks by and we end up chatting. It doesn't matter if I am in my old overalls with barn boots on and dirt on my hands and face cleaning out the goat pen or planting flowers in the garden or just sitting out there reading. A friendly smile and hello has started many conversations over my fence or garden gate. Each of these encounters allows me to get to know the people who live in my neighborhood and makes me realzie that what I do affects others around me.

With nice weather approaching, lets all make a pact to get outside and interact with each other more. Let's think about the the greater good before we think of what is good for us. Let's all try to do something to live more sustainably and improve things, not only for ourselves, but for our neighbors as well.

Hard boiled eggs

With Easter not too far off, and then summer, the old problem of peeling hard boiled eggs comes back onto my radar. Older eggs are easier to peel, but what do you do if you want to use fresh eggs? I personally have not found a solution to this problem. However, I found this online. I do not know if it works or not, but I am going to try it.

Julia Child's methold of alternately heating and chilling the eggs.

For a dozen eggs, choose the best you can find, preferably pasture-raised eggs. Place them at the bottom of a large, heavy pot and cover with 3 1/2 quarts of cold water. Bring the pot to a boil. As soon as it begins to boil, remove the pot and allow the eggs to sit, covered for exactly 17 minutes.

When the 17 minutes have elapsed, carefully remove the eggs to a large bowl of iced water. Allow the eggs to sit in the iced water for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, put the pot on the stove and bring the water back to a boil. Remove the eggs from the iced water after the 2 minutes are up. In batches of 6, return the eggs to the boiling water for 10 seconds only. Then remove again and place back in the iced water. If you will not be dying or decorating the eggs, crack each egg in several places. Let the eggs rest in the iced water until well chilled.

Now this seems like a lot of messing around to me, however, I am going to try it. It would be worth the extra effort during the cooking process to have eggs that peel easily. Nothing is worse than trying to peel hardboiled eggs that won't peel properly.

Sustainable Thursday

As a long time plastic bag washer, the winter months always present the problem of how to dry them. In the summer, it is easy. I wash and rinse them and then just hang them out on my clothesline to air dry. However, I haven't really found a good place in my house to string up a line to dry plastic bags on. I guess I could do it in the bathroom over the tub or in the kitchen over the sink but I am not sure I would like the looks of such a set up though. I couldn't help but think that there has to be a better way to dry my plastic bags. Throwing them over the handles of the knives in my knife block isn't really cutting it.

So I decided to peruse the web and see if some clever person has come up with a better way or if there is actually a device to aid one in their bag drying dilema. Sure enough, there is a real bag dryer that is made called The Bag-E-Wash Dryer. It is a wooden gadet and either sits on your counter top or can be hung on a wall.

But before I would run out and buy something new, I thought I would like to try to find other items that could be re-purposed and used as a bag dryer. Some things I came up were a retractable rack for drying clothes. The kind that hangs on the wall and then pulls out. You can hang towels, stockings or other lightweight items on it. I have one of these in my shed. It is made from wood and I have been looking for something to do with it for years now. It was given to me and I keep thinking someday I will find something to use this for. I could pull it out and hang bags on it with clothes pins and when it wasn't needed, push it back in again. It wouldn't take up much room and perhaps it could be hung from the ceiling, which would really be out of the way when not in use.

Folding racks that are used for drying clothes could be turned into a bag dryer. I think they would also make great dryers for herbs. If you have had a baby recently, you might have a bottle dryer kicking around that could be re-purposed as a bag dryer.

Another option might be to make one out of chopsticks and small block of wood for the base. All you would have to do is save up your chopsticks and then drill small holes the size of your chopsticks in to the block of wood. Add a little wood glue and push the chopsticks into the holes and viola. Instant bag dryer. I think this would work really well and be very inexpensive to make. Since plastic bags are light, you don't need something real heavy duty.

What about one of those vintage triple rack towel holders? They have the 3 arms that swing out to the left or the right. You could dry 3 bags on one of those if you had one around. Places like eBay or Amazon.com often have vintage items like this for sale and by buying something used, you are recycling and keeping things out of our landfills. Plus there is something very special about previously loved items. They make a house into a home and help save the earth all at the same time.

The website GreenHome.com, reports that a July 2002 EPA report stated that Americans discarded more than 3.3 million tons of low and high density polyethylene bags in 2000. Of those 3.3 million tons only 5.4% were recovered and recycled. Plastic bags are also among the the "dirty dozen" - the top 12 items most often found in coastal cleanups.

America alone produces 10 pounds of plastic bags per year for every person on earth! That is a lot of plastic bags. Washing and re-using plastic bags can make a huge dent in the number of bags that wind up in the landfills. One box (30) of gallon size bags washed and reused 50 times each keeps 1,500 bags out of the landfill!

One additional tip I have found helpful is that if you buy only freezer bags, they last much longer and you can wash them many times over before they wear out or spring a leak.

Storm Brewing

Well it looks like old man winter isn't going away any time soon. Another storm is on the horizon and it looks like we are going to have a cold and snowy weekend ahead of us. Please make sure you have wood where to get easily get to it, propane in your tank, food in your cupboards and some emergency supplies on hand such as flashlights. You just never know when the electricty will go out. Don't go out driving on snow and ice covered roads if it isn't absolutely necessary. Please remember your pets. Don't let them outside in this kind of harsh, cold weather. Give them somewhere warm and dry to stay during the storm. Also check on neighbors if you know someone is elderly or has difficult getting around. Checking on each other can really help prevent a tragedy in cold weather emergencies. If you leave the hill, please remember to turn your water off at your customer valve. We cannot stress this enough. Keep warm and stay safe.

Sustainable Thursday-Solar Ovens

Even though it is only February and there is yet another storm on the horizon, my thoughts are turning more and more to summer. It is about this time of year that I think everyone here on the hill gets a good case of cabin fever. The nice weather of this past week just makes it worse. By getting a taste of nice weather again, it makes it even harder to go back to the snowy conditions we have been experiencing of late. Even though the moisture is wanted, needed and appreciated, there is an inconvienance of truding around in it that makes life just a little more difficult than when there is no snow.

For months now I have been baking bread, cooking stews and making meals in the oven without much thought. The extra warmth the oven brings to the kitchen at this time of year is a welcome delight. However, I started thinking of the hot summer months ahead when turning the oven on or even boiling water on top of the stove will make my little kitchen heat up like an inferno. Even though summer brings much lighter dinner fare, there are still some parts of it that need to be cooked. The pasta for pasta salad, water for iced tea, bread for sandwiches and so on.

I got to thinking about solar ovens. I have seen them for sale and I have seen plans on how to build them. Some can even be built out of cardboard boxes. I don't know anyone that owns one, so I have never seen one in action. But even so, I have decided that this summer, I will build myself a solar oven and see if I can use it to bake bread, boil water and cook simple meals. I get ample sunshine at my house and I feel that this could work.

My reasons for wanting to try this are many. First of all, it will keep my kitchen and house cooler, there by eliminating the need to cool it down with fans or air conditioners. That will save energy and help to keep my electric bill down.

Secondly, the sunshine is free, so why not? Building a solar oven seems relatively easy and cheap to do, so I might as well take advantage of the sun. Since I have a gas stove, I will save propane by not using it, so that is two ways I will be saving energy. Since the cost to make one is relatively low, I should re-coop whatever monies I do spend on the oven in energy savings.

Third, it would give me a way to cook when the electricity goes out. Even though I can use my stove when the electricty is out, I can't use things like crock pots. So I would be right back to square one. Cooking in my kitchen and heating it up with no way to cool it down. Talk about suffering. It is bad enough to be out of electricty, but then having to heat up your house on top of it is cruel and unusal punishment in my book. But using a solar oven, my kitchen will stay cool and hopefully, not heating up the kitchen will help in other ways as well, like keeping the fridge cool for a longer period of time, even though the electricity is off.

Even though this method of cooking seems very low tech, I see only good things coming out of it. My house will stay cool, I will cut down on my propane and electric use, I will be using free energy to cook my food and it won't cost much to set up. I think the only problem will be if the oven doesn't actually work. But I don't think that will happen.

As summer approaches, I will be trying this to see how it works. I will post how I build my solar oven and how cooking it in works out. In the meantime, I will keep working on my winter seed sowing project. It looks like I have peas coming up!

Green Living Thursday

In today's economy, many of us are cutting back. One thing more people are doing more of is packing their lunch or a picnic instead of eating out. This is a great idea for several reasons.

First, it helps you save money, which is a good thing to do anytime, no matter what the economy is doing. Secondly, it can be done very sustainably, which helps the planet. And third, you can control what you are eating by packing your own lunch. This is great for health reasons. You can use healthy, organic foods and drinks without worrying about added sugars, salts or fats. You can also control the portion size which is good for your waist line.

When packing a lunch or a picnic, here are some ways to do it sustainably. Use a re-usable carrier. There are many great, insulated re-usable carriers on the market today at a variety of prices and sizes. If you are packing foods that don't need to be kept cold, what about using an old fashioned picnic basket? You can find many of them at thrift stores or online at places like eBay. By purchasing something that is previously loved, you are now recycling as well. There are containers out there for every budget.

For your food, you will want to use re-usable containers. Again, there are many different things on the market. If you look on websites such as etsy, there are beautiful, hand crafted, reusable bags for your sandwiches and snacks. A thermos is perfect for drinks or soups. What could be better than opening a thermos of hot, homemade soup for dinner? Add a cloth napkin and real silverware, and you have yourself a sustainable lunch kit.

Avoid throw away bags, plastic wrap, plastic bags, styrofoam and tin foil. Don't use single serving containers or individually wrapped items, disposable silverware or paper napkins.

Here are some lunch waste facts from Global Stewards:

ALUMINUM FOIL -More than 20 million Hershey's kisses are wrapped with 133 square miles of foil every day.
ALUMINUM AND TIN CANS -In the time it takes you to read this sentence, more than 50,000 12-oz. aluminum cans were made.
BANANA AND ORANGE PEELS -Food debris in a landfill decompose only 25% in the first 15 years (try composting or vermiculture!)
JUICE BOXES -Most inorganic trash retains its weight, volume, and form for at least four decades.
PAPER BAGS AND NAPKINS -It is estimated that 17 trees are cut down for every ton of non-recycled paper.
PLASTIC BOTTLES, FORKS, WRAP -U.S. citizens discard 2-1/2 million plastic bottles EVERY HOUR .
STYROFOAM -U.S. citizens throw away 25 billion styrofoam cups EVERY YEAR.

Websites like reusablebags.com have a wide variety of lunch supplies. Everything from Bento boxes to insulated totes. They also have bamboo silverware, glass straws, cloth napkins and a wide variety of containers for your lunch items. A Tiffin box, a traditional container from India, is a stackable, many-tiered lunch box. It is reusable and made from stainless steel, and makes a great lunch container.

With the wide variety of items available to us, there is really no reason to be using plastic bags or any other throw away items in our lunches or picnics. While it might seem pricey initially to purchase these containers, over the long run a family that packs one lunch per day can save about $190 a year by using only reusable items. So these items quickly pay for themselves and you can feel good about packing your lunch.

With a little planning, we can create a healthy, organic, sustainable, money saving lunch which helps the planet and our bottom line.