Sustainable

Hitting The Reset Button

Submitted by TimJFowler on Wed, 2015/01/14 - 12:14pm
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Power Reset buttons

A few days into January and I finally have a moment to reflect on the past year. I didn't finish all the projects I wanted to (Shock!). Nor did I write as much as I intended to (Surprise!). But, I did finish some tasks and started a few more. What lies ahead in 2015? Quite a lot.

Really Making The Apples Last

Submitted by EcoMommyo on Tue, 2014/12/23 - 3:44pm
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Apples 2014

As we settled down for some PBS Christmas special last night, I reflected on the winter. A sneak snow storm was dusting the roads outside and it appears that winter has finally arrived, technically and meteorologically. While the apples in Santa Fe are well past their peak, once again we have put some up.

Why I Garden #42

Submitted by TimJFowler on Fri, 2014/08/29 - 2:59pm
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Lanceleaf Coreopsis blooming

Lanceleaf Coreopsis, aka Coreopsis lanceolata L., is yet another native perennial growing in our yard. Lanceleaf Coreopsis is a member of Asteraceae (the Aster family) and it has been blooming for the past month or so. While this flower is currently a single plant, I'm hoping it will spread via rhizome or seed across our yard.

More Info:

Plant Fact Sheet - Lance-Leaf Coreopsis

Coreopsis lanceolata

Why I Garden #41

Submitted by TimJFowler on Fri, 2014/08/15 - 2:21pm
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Mexican Hat flower closeup

Yellow Prairie Coneflower & Mexican Hat are two color variations of Ratibida columnifera a native, perennial flower we have scattered across our front, side and back yards. Once I learned to recognize their leaves in the early season (sometimes a native plant can look like a weed to untrained eyes) these yellow and/or red daisy-like flowers started growing around our home. Bees love these tough and colorful coneflowers.

More Info:

Why I Garden #40

Submitted by TimJFowler on Fri, 2014/08/01 - 10:31am
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Common Yarrow in bloom

Common Yarrow, a.k.a. Plumajillo, blooming in our front yard. Another native perennial, yarrow has slowly grown and spread despite the ongoing drought. With a little rain it blooms and the pollinators love it.

More Info:

Wikipedia - Achillea Millefolium

USDA - Plant Fact Sheet - Common Yarrow

How to Make it Rain

Submitted by TimJFowler on Sun, 2014/07/27 - 3:55pm
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Kitchen Garden & Coop Tour 2014 - Waiting Out the Hail Storm

Have you ever wondered how to make it rain? The folks at Home Grown New Mexico may have figured it out. For the second year in a row the Kitchen Garden and Coop Tour has concluded with a downpour. I can't think of a more fitting end to a tour of permaculture gardens, water catchment systems and chicken coops than a powerful rainstorm.

Banking on the Harvest

Submitted by TimJFowler on Fri, 2014/07/18 - 10:24am
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Petaluma Seed Bank interior 2

Why do banks give up these incredible buildings? The answer is probably very boring and financially sensible, but LOOK at this building and tell me do you prefer an ATM?

Anyway ... on our recent (and too short) northern CA vacation we made a trip to the Petaluma Seed Bank. If you enjoy seed catalogs, you will love this place. We browsed for quite a while and made small withdrawal (i.e. we bought some seeds).

More Info:

Can You Fix It?

Submitted by TimJFowler on Thu, 2014/06/26 - 7:06pm
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Broken - Storm Door Latch and Coffee Grinder

Stuff breaks. This is a fact of life. But, is that stuff fixable?

Here are two recent examples of broken items from our home, a storm door latch and coffee grinder. The storm door was fixed by replacing the inside latch. The coffee grinder wasn't fixable (yes, I took it apart to attempt a repair). The coffee grinder, although it lasted 25+ years, is disposable. The storm door was designed with replaceable parts (latch, handle, screen, etc.)

Why I Garden #39

Submitted by TimJFowler on Tue, 2014/04/01 - 4:11pm
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Santa Rosa Plum Tree in Bloom

One sure sign of spring is our Santa Rosa Plum tree in bloom. With crossed fingers, compost, water and a little help from Mother Nature and Luther Burbank we could have a crop of plums later this year. Barring any late freezes or big wind storms, of course.

More Info:

Prunus x domestica 'Santa Rosa' plum

Fixing a Broken Heart

Submitted by TimJFowler on Fri, 2014/02/28 - 11:08am
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Repaired Strong Mountain Bike Frame

The heart of a bicycle is the frame. The fork, wheels, bars and stem, saddle, pedals, etc. are vital, but they all build upon the frame. I've ridden many and owned a few bikes over the years and have determined through trial and error what I like to ride. I was despondent last fall when I discovered a crack on the chainstay of my mountain bike. I found a loaner bike to ride and pondered the fate of my well loved hardtail...

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