3.14159265

Sprouted Buckwheat Recipes

2012-01-15T16:19:00.006-06:00

I really like to use buckwheat as much as possible because I feel like its the yin to my body's yang. In Chinese medicine, herbs are believed to have hot or cold characteristics that are used to manipulate the yin/yang equilibrium.

Here is a list of cool and warm foods:
http://www.angelfire.com/id/croon/chinesemedicine/yangyinfoods.html

I soaked the buckwheat groats for about 2 hours. Then I put them in a metal strainer and rinsed them thoroughly. Once I felt the water coming off of them was clear, I left them in the strainer for 8 more hours and rinsed again, and left for 8 more hours and rinsed.

Then, I put 1/3 cup of the soaked groats, one banana and a tsp of fresh ground cinamon into my food processor and blended them for a quick 30 seconds. This made a delicious cream of wheat like breakfast food for me and my young daughter to enjoy. It is high in protein, iron and fiber and very nutritious: nutrition facts here.

I then took the rest and blended it with soaked almonds, walnuts, raisins, flax seed and optional prunes or dates, a little ginger, and maple syrup. This made a soft and easy to eat granola on the go snack. Quite a tasty treat! You can also dehydrate or cook on 175 degree heat in pan for 6 hours to make it into crisps.

Now that's what I am talking about!

Kale Chips

2012-01-13T14:55:00.004-06:00

I like to think of different ways to use my garden greens. Here is one tasty for Kale Chips:

I wash my green leaves from Swiss Chard or Kale and pat them dry. Then I cut them in 1.5" squares or triangles with a very sharp knife. I lightly oil a large pizza pan and arrange the cut pieces in a single layer. I like to season the leaves with a mix of sea salt and sesame seeds Or just plain Soy Sauce. Then, bake them in the oven for 12 minutes on 350 degress. They are very tasty and its okay to eat a whole lot of them!

Juice Recipes for Detoxification

2012-01-12T16:51:00.007-06:00

I like to make juice with my juicer. It's very satisfying that I can pluck the organic veggies right from my garden. I am sticking to vegetable juice blends with some herbs and lemon to help the flavor.

Cucumber and Celery are the base of the drink and create the most liquid for the juice. In order to make about 4 cups of juice here is what I use:

2 Cucumbers peeled
5 stalks of celery with tops on
1 bunch of Spinach
6 leaves of Swiss Chard
8 small leaves of Kale
2 leaves of Vitamin Greens (from my garden, also optional)
1 Beet peeled with their tops
1/5 of a Red Cabbage
1 Green Apple (optional)
1 whole Lemon peeled
leftover broccoli stalks
6 sprigs of Parsley
1 tsp of Ginger
1 tsp of Cinnamon

Share with a loved one and enjoy! Drink with a straw if its hard to get it down the first time.

Detoxification for the New Year

2012-01-12T16:39:00.003-06:00

We are doing a detoxification by juicing and eating raw food for the next couple of weeks and thought I would share about the process. I used to work for a clinic that housed patients during a whole detoxification program, so I'm implementing some of the principles and methodologies.

The major components to a detoxification of this kind are:

1. Juice as much as you can and the darker the green the better. Ingesting pure vegetable juice goes directly into the blood stream and boosts your body with vitamins.
2. Eat raw or sprouted foods. Consume only organic foods that contain no caffeine, no toxins, and are easily digested by the body. Sprouted and soaked seeds and beans begin the enzymatic process that make it easier for the body to digest. No gas and tummy aches and more nutrition.
3. Flush out your system by encouraging productive bowel movements. This may mean doing two enemas a day or getting a colonic. A milder way to do this is drinking epsom salt water.
4. Get the lymphatic system moving and exercise. Nothing major as your body is running hard trying to detox, but just a walk, bounce on rebounder, stretching. All good things.
5. Stay positive and focused and try it for a couple weeks, easing into the program and working your way back into a manageable but healthier diet.

Our bodies have an amazing capacity to heal, so trust that it knows how to repair all the damage we cause to ourselves and provide the key ingredients.

BAD Garden Products

2012-01-07T15:13:00.007-06:00

There are a lot of BAD garden products out there and I can speak volumes to this. I find myself at Home Depot walking the chemical aisle and pushing the Weed and Feed products to the back or educating shoppers about what not to use. Some of these chemicals could have an immediate adverse effect on people, pets, insects, animal's health, or can cause cancer down the road.

70 and 80 million pounds of pesticides are annually sprayed on home lawns, trees, and shrubs.

Here is what NOT TO USE:

Fertilizers:
I would not use most any product made by Miracle Gro. Too much Nitrogen causes the excess to run off , this creates problems in our water systems and its not a sustainable nutrient source for your plants. We are trying to create a balance and mimic the master gardener, Nature. Scott's, Ortho, and Vigoro have the same issues with their products and only use their organic lines. Weed and Feed products by nature are counterintuitive and don't work. Yes, it allows for only one application to kill weeds and fertilize the good plants, but these applications should occur almost three weeks a part. Also these products carry a chemical called Atrazene, which is the most widely used herbicide in the United States and should be avoided when you read the ingredients. It has been found locally in Barton Springs in alarmingly high quantities. Click here to see a chart of common chemicals made available and extremely widespread.

Herbicides:

Don't use Ortho's Weed B' Gone, for one example has a cancer causing chemicals such as SODIUM 2,4-DICHLOROPHENOXYACETATE (2,4-D), Carcinogenic with evidence of casual relation to lymphoma, soft tissue sarcoma and other cancers ; neurotoxic; reproductive toxin. farmlands and homelands are being poisoned at alarming rates and can be avoided with careful balancing of organic products or calling a landscape professional who specializes in organic care.

GOOD Garden Products

2012-01-07T14:58:00.004-06:00

All the many products you can use on your gardens and lawn. Well, to start, always select organic and more environmentally friendly products. As individuals, we have a profound impact on not only our immediate surroundings, but are responsible for pollutants that find their way down the water table, into the aquifer and creeks and pollute the water we rely on to sustain life.

That being said, here is the low down:

GOOD:
Fertilizers give the extra nutrients that are soils are depleted of. I suggest using compost tea because it is rich in organic matter and is a liquid that can easily be applied with a hose end sprayer on ANYTHING. The soil is full of microorganisms that work in the soil to balance the good guys and the bad guys. Healthy soil = Healthy plants. Compost tea provides these fungi, bacteria, nematodes that fight the bad guys in the soil and provide extra nutrients. It can be purchased at most local nurseries (not large commercial places like Home Depot) and has to be applied immediately and not stored. I also like any Medina products.

Herbicides attack specific problems and pests in our landscape and should be used sparingly or by a professional. The major disclaimer here is that you don't want to kill EVERYTHING especially when you just fertilized and balanced the good and bad. The bad can overtake quickly so use organic products when possible. I like any product made by Greenlight. This can be purchased at Home Depot and Lowe's and garden stores. Vinegar with at least 75% solution can kill off a lot of harmful pests. I recommend getting The Bug Book by Howard Garrett to identify the pest so you can implement the appropriate solution. Using pre-emergents in the early Spring like Corn Gluten can save a whole lot of time hand picking and spraying weeds later. If you have to spray a pesky Bermuda grass patch or another unwanted leaf with Roundup, us a paintbrush and apply when temperatures are above 65 degrees or put a cone over the bottle to be exact.

General Yard Maintenance

2012-01-07T14:44:00.005-06:00

Taking care of your yard can be overwhelming with all the foreign sounding products to use, the immense amount of time to dedicate to it, and the overall misunderstandings of sustainable maintenance versus immediate gratification. I encourage my landscape clients to use their space to grow beneficial plants that give back so that the time results in a tangible product. In order to better treat your outdoor space, I will post some useful hints on maintenance and what to use and the bad stuff to stay away from.

First here are some general rules:

Lawns:
Apply pre-emergent products to PREvent the latent weed seeds from sprouting into pesky unwanted weeds. I like to use cornmeal by spreading it all over my lawn and garden in late February.
Apply Fertilizer to encourage the good and wanted to come back strong. I like compost tea because it brings healthy microbes to the soil that continue to work for you. Hasta Gro products are good too.
Pull any weeds from the root.
Mow your lawn to height of 1" tall and weekly in the Spring.

Flower Gardens:
Apply the corn gluten mentioned above in early Spring. Use organic fertilizers like Liquid Seaweed or Compost Tea to the perennials that are trying to make a comeback and getting ready to bloom. Add banana peels and Peat Moss to acid loving plants like Roses and Azaleas to encourage extra blooms! Begin to water a three times a week, 10 minutes each time. Scrape back old mulch and replenish with native enriched mulch.

Vegetable Gardens:
Remove Fall/Winter vegetables and compost at home or take to a nearby community garden. Mix in compost to the top 1-2" of soil and plant your veggie starts. Mulch once they are 2" tall.

I will post more on products in the next post....

Meandering and Plants

2011-10-31T16:20:00.003-05:00

I was meandering over to my sister's house and walked past some really great plants that I wanted to highlight:

The first is the Purple Fountain Grass. It blooms in purples tufts (which are actually seed heads) and the grass blades are a mix of bright lime green and deep burgundy.

The second one is a Texas Sage. The ones pictured here are blooming as a harbinger to rain. I like to use them on a perimeter or in a more native setting because they do not do well trimmed and trained.

The third is Purslane. This is often thought as a weed as you can see it growing in a sidewalk crack. I like to think of it as a hardy succulent that you can eat. It has immense nutritional benefits: Cook with a stir fry or toss with a salad, all of its edible. Purslane can be used to treat fever, a couch, stomach ache, headache, and full of Omega 3's and Vitamin C! It is more nutritious than Spinach.

Hardy Cabbage

2011-10-31T16:15:00.004-05:00

So, I am a big fan of chinese cabbage. I love the winter greens that grow in our climate (8b). Their leaves are large and full of vitamins.

I noticed while watering the Mai Tai Cabbage that their form creates a funnel and shoots water straight down to its root system. They are very efficient and cluster together to protect their neighbor's roots with extra shade. Smart and Tasty.

Wildflower Center What's Blooming

2011-09-23T09:40:00.000-05:00

Here is a great resource for what's in bloom now from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. They are also having an event this Saturday where you can take some Native Texas plants home!

I will now rate my top 3 favorite plants from this site:

1) Turk's Cap - hardy shade red blooming plant that usually stays green all year round!
2) Blue Mistflower - prolific bloomer and attracts a flurry of Monarch butterflies!
3) Blackfoot Daisy - dainty white flowers that truly require little water and a lot of heat.

Good bye St. Augustine!

2011-09-20T17:26:00.000-05:00

The City of Austin is desperately trying to manage the water shortages that have been exasperated by the drought and extreme heat. The newest proposal is to reduce homeowner's thirsty lawns. St. Augustine when planted in full sun conditions requires a lot of irrigation to stay healthy. So, if you are willing to convert to a native landscape or more drought tolerant lawn grass, they will provide you with a rebate if you apply by Oct. 15th.

You can read the article here in the Austin American Statesman.

If you are looking for a company that specializes in this conversion, especially using unusual techniques of utilizing native Texas "weeds" as landscape plants in their landscape designs, click here.

Either way, its time for a change!

Pickling Instructions

2011-08-10T13:32:00.000-05:00

Here is another great resource for pickling! I am going to try it and report back on how successful it was.

Resource Guide here

Old Farmer's Almanac

2011-08-10T13:26:00.000-05:00

Here is a great guide on when and how to tell if your veggies are ripe and ready to pick!

http://www.almanac.com/content/ripeness-guide

This is from the Old Farmer's Alamanac , which is such an enjoyable publication to read. I have learned a lot from it.

Zero Waste Initiatives

2011-07-12T21:07:00.000-05:00

What I love about Austin: the Zero Waste Initiatives

Zero Waste Grocery Store called in.gredients the first package-free zero waste grocery store in the country.

Free Paint at Household Hazardous Waste Facility Austin ReBlend is a 100 percent post-consumer, reblended flat paint (with low VOCs) made from paint collected at the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility.

You can drop off hazardous waste there for free:
Facility Location, Hours and Contact Information

Address: 2514 Business Center Drive, Austin, TX 78744 (View Google Map)

Phone Number: (512) 974-4343

Take out boxes this is actually my idea. I hate pizza boxes!!! So, why not have reusable boxes that the pizza gets delivered in and if you pick up, bring your own. Yes, its time for us consumers to take responsibility and spend the extra money to invest in permanent take out containers and eliminate unnecessary waste!!!!

Singapore's Solar Supertrees

2011-07-08T00:07:00.000-05:00

This is worth linking to. Check this out:

SOLAR SUPERTREES

"The Supertrees are magical vertical gardens ranging from 25 metres to 50 metres in height. These structures are an iconic landmark for the Gardens and Singapore. They are also the environmental engines for the Conservatories and Energy Centre, containing solar hot water and photovoltaic collectors, rainwater harvesting devices and venting ducts."

Natural Gardener

2011-06-28T16:03:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite places to spend a morning shopping for plants and to gallivant about is the Natural Gardener. I find inspiration each time I visit. I have included a few photos that captured my imagination.

Want Bees?! Unexpected Attractor...

2011-05-21T15:10:00.000-05:00

In my limited gardening experience, I have never seen any flowering plant attract more bees than the thistle I have let grow to monstrous proportions. Each large mallow looking flower is full of pollen and bees busy with an appetite.My Prairie Sunflowers need the least amount of care and yield a showy display of yellow flowers that can be used for arrangements.
A relative of the thistle is this artichoke plant that I let go to flower. The blooms are quite stunning (enough so that I let forgo the opportunity to eat another delicious artichoke!).

Garden Harvest Time

2011-05-20T16:46:00.000-05:00

I made Thai Basil Pesto using pecans, basil, fresh garlic, olive oil, and sea salt. Delicioso!
The main dish however was a squash and potato casserole made from veggies and fresh herbs out of the garden.

Great Blog on top Perennial Flowers

2011-04-06T08:47:00.000-05:00

Top 10 Drought Tolerant Common Perennial Varieties

Yarrow (Achillea)
Stone Crop (Sedum) All varieties - Fall bloomer
Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
Penstemon (Penstemon) All varieties
Lamb's Ears (Stachys byzantina)
Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata) - Spring bloomer
Coreopsis (Coreopsis) All varieties
Coneflower (Echinacea) All varieties
Blanket Flower (Gaillardia) All varieties
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida sullivantii goldsturm) All varieties

http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com/2011/04/tough-plants-to-kill-my-favorite-top-10.html

Best Ways to Grow Potatoes

2011-04-06T08:42:00.000-05:00

http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/7-ways-plant-potatoes?page=0,1

I think straw is the best coolest way to grow potatoes. All you have to do is fill a container with straw and put the seed potatoes in their. You have to sometimes add more straw if the roots become exposed but so easy to harvest them!

Mountain Laurels

2011-03-09T23:20:00.000-06:00

Spring brings so many sweet scents to the air, and for some unfortunate Austinites, allergies. Enjoy the fruity aroma of the Texas Mountain Laurels blooming all over the place right now. Stop and smell the flowers, or better yet, take one home to smell again and again.

You can also take the seed pods right before the blooming takes place and you will find beautiful red seeds that can be used as beads for jewelry.

Coffee shop landscape

2011-03-09T22:31:00.000-06:00

So, there is this great new coffee shop in town called the Monkey Nest that serves breakfast and lunch, and has wonderful atmosphere. It is located at Burnet and Koenig. I installed the tranquility to help screen the patio from the street and incorporated dwarf potted fruit trees, bamboo, and herbs.

New Day Community Garden

2011-02-27T23:38:00.000-06:00

A community garden is starting up at the Bahai center and we wanted to invite anyone who is interested in having a plot to grow food/herbs/flowers this spring to come be a part!You can find our blog at newdaycommunitygarden.blogspot.com/ or check us out on facebook. Small plots (4 x 10) are available for $10 (6 months) and $20 (12 months); large plots (10 x 10) are available for $15 (6 months) or $30 (a year). We will have a children and youth garden and a food bank plot as well and eventually we will have fruit trees, an outdoor meeting pavillion and a stage! So it will be a great place for neighborhood childrens classes, junior youth groups and events. If you are interested, just write newdaycommunitygarden@gmail.com. Visit us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Day-Community-Garden. We hope to dig-in the ground the last weekend in March so even if you don't want to have a plot, you can still come and meet other people in the neighborhood and lend a hand!

Converting to Xeriscape

2011-01-23T23:42:00.000-06:00

Most of my clients tell me they want to save money on their water bill and that their lawn space is excessive. I tend to agree. I like to convert lawns to aesthetic xeriscape areas and reserve only a small portion of the outdoor space to high maintenance lawns.

I am working on a landscape that had a huge expanse of lawn along the large swath of land along the side yard, planted atop a limestone shelf. We sod cut the St. Augustine and shared it with the neighbors, cut into the hill, exposed the limestone below, built walls and a new fence.
Phase one is complete, and in the Spring we will plant Native and adapted plants that will require minimal irrigation and maintenance.

I'm Back

2011-01-13T22:11:00.000-06:00

I have been away too long, but plan on being back for awhile. So, perhaps I should post something terrific to make up for my absence. hmmmmm.... random coolness

World's Fastest Lawn Mower - 96 MPH

Strangest Outdoor Design - in my humble opinion

Best Permaculture Inspired Home - also in my humble opinon.

Earth bag Photos

2010-08-16T15:24:00.000-05:00

Earth Bag Home finally in completion process. The new family has moved in, and here are some features:

The Front "Dutch" Door is custom fitted with a shelf. To the left is a cob wall with colored glass to allow light through. The floor is made from packed earth with a slate stone landing.
The kitchen is bought from IKEA and custom fit to frame the view through the large glass windows.
Framed in windows light up the dining room. The earth plaster walls are very naturally colored like sunset on a limestone rock face.
The bathroom is custom designed framed in with wood and tile. The dimensions are roughly 3 feet by six feet so the bather can plunge into the depths as the water showers down from a shelf "waterfall".

Large sliding doors made from 4 x 4 cedar and windows.

Earth Bag Plastering

2010-05-12T15:44:00.000-05:00

So, we finally moved on to plastering the walls of our Earth Bag efficiency. We had about 15 people plastering the 625 sqft efficiency and almost finished the whole thing in a day. Thanks to the cement mixer! We hand mixed some of the plaster in a baby pool and that took a lot longer but was more fun!

We used sand, clay, and straw to create an earthen plaster. The walls were previously constructed out of earth bags, bamboo and some wood slats, filled with earth cob mixture and enclosed with chicken wire and lathe. You can see the wall sprouted before we could plaster.

It is a lot labor to do this type of construction , but the materials are local and cheap. I especially love the curved lines of the walls and the good energy of the space when you walk in.

We built our own windows and sliding glass doors and have almost finished putting them in. Next to come.... earth floors and the final color plaster for the walls.

Nopales - Easy Cooking

2010-05-09T10:32:00.000-05:00

A delicious treat that takes a little prep work but easy to harvest cactus pads is called Nopales. You should wear gloves to harvest them because they have very small spines that get stuck in your fingers. Each pad should be about 6" long.

Cut around the entire edge of the cactus pad and then scrub the surface with a bristly sponge. Then you can cut them in thin slices to be boiled. I like to boil them for about 8 minutes, then run them through the colander to rinse off the slime. Then, boil them again for another 5 minutes, and rinse. I mixed them with fajitas spices and beans to make tacos.

You can also grill the pads as a delicious cacti steak!

Artichokes Rock!

2010-04-21T14:33:00.000-05:00

I finally coaxed my artichoke plant to produce me some fruit! They were delicious, and I was able to share them with my friends. I steamed them in a pot for 20 minutes with about 1" of water in the bottom, juice from one lemon, and a clove a garlic. Then, I melted butter and mixed with seasoned salt to dip the leaves in it. Sabrosa!

Thai Coconut Chicken Dish

2010-04-15T13:48:00.000-05:00

I pulled out some last Fall items in the veggie garden to make this yummy Thai dish:

One head of Red Cabbage, a very large Carrot, and a small red Beet.

I added one spoonful of Curry paste and about 14 oz of coconut milk in a pot and simmered on low. I added basil, about a cup of chicken stock, the veggies, and small cubes of chicken. I let this cook for about 12 more minutes on low and voila! A delicious soup! I also heated up some Edamame for an appetizer. Very yummy!

Vegetable Planting Calendar for Central Tx

2010-03-18T15:34:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to the Aggie Horticultural website that shows you a very nice chart on when to plant what veggies:

Vegetable Planting Calendar

Thanks Aggies!

Sprouted Dish

2010-03-17T15:11:00.000-05:00

Sprouts are underrated. They are not that hard to make, expensive to buy, delicious and very nutritious. I recently sprouted mung beans. Here is a blurb about the nutrition in mung beas:

Produced from mung beans, the sprouts are free of cholesterol, and are ideal for anyone counting calories. One cup of mung bean sprouts contains only approximately 30 calories, 3 grams of protein, only 6 carbohydrates, and only .2 grams of fat. Sprouts also contain a high source of fiber, are easily digestible and contain a high concentration of enzymes facilitating the digestive process.

I made a bean salad by sprouting mung beans for 3 days and black eyed peas for 24 hours. I added them together with a little lime juice, a can of Rotel tomatoes with Jalapenos, and slightly cooked green beans. It tasted really good and gives a healthy dose of protein. You can also just add sprouts to any salad to get 20% of your daily protein.

Drawing Landscapes for the Spring

2010-03-10T15:23:00.000-06:00

So, it is Spring and a wonderful time of year to open up the outside to the inside...???....!!!

Here is the latest drawing I did for a friend's back yard for their brand new home. It is understated what a professional landscape can do for your home. It not only adds something like 12% monetary value to the home, but the trees provide oxygen, shelter, shade, wind break, mulch, filtration, erosion control, food for wildlife, and food for humans. We can create outdoor sitting spaces, vegetable beds, butterfly gardens, fire pit, play areas....etc.

go outside!

2010-03-06T22:38:00.000-06:00

it is March....go OUTSIDE!

Saturday, 3/06/10
Beginners Bird Walks at Zilker Park

9:00am - 10:00am

Austin Farmers' Market Downtown at Republic Square Park

9:00am - 1:00pm

Sunday, 3/07/10

HOPE Farmers Market

11:00am - 3:00pm

March 14th

KITE FESTIVAL at Zilker Park

Wildflower Center:

Artists & Artisans Festival
Saturday, March 13, and Sunday, March 14
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

Nature Nights: Astronomy
Friday, March 5, 6 to 9 p.m.

Urban Art Contest
Balcones Recycling Burner Bash

Saturday, March 6, noon to 6 p.m.
2416 East Sixth Street

New Exhibit from Texas Sculptors Society
Tuesday, March 9, to late June

Shou Ping Sculpture Exhibit
Saturday, March 13, to Sunday, May 30

Native Plant Bonsai
Saturday, March 27 to Sunday, May 30

What to do? What to do!

2010-03-06T22:30:00.000-06:00

Weelll, we are finally out of that cold gloominess and moving into the sunny days of Spring. Hopefully we will be showered in rain this season so our rivers fill up and the plants get well rooted. Here are some things to do this month:

TIME TO FERTILIZE!

Use liquid seaweed or compost to fertilize your flowering shrubs, fruit trees, and lawn.

TIME TO PLANT! Here are some suggestions from the Natural Gardener:

Plant vegetable seeds. Beets, chard, collards, leaf lettuce, mustard, peas, radish, EARLY MARCH: Beans, endive LATE MARCH: Cantaloupe, corn, cucumber, eggplant, black-eyed peas, pumpkin, New Zealand spinach, summer squash, watermelon

Plant vegetable plants. Broccoli, chard, collards, leaf lettuce, mustard,

Later in the month you can plant: Pepper, tomato

Plant herbs. Seeds: All hot-weather herbs, such as basil, chives, epasote, milk thistle Plants:All hot-weather herbs and perennial herbs, such as artemesias, basil, bergamot, catmint or catnip, chives, comfrey, scented geranium, lemon grass, mints, oregano, pennyroyal, rosemary, santolina, thyme (Plant all of these the second half of the month. Avoid cool-season herbs such as cilantro/coriander, dill, etc.)

Plant flower/ornamental seeds. Cleome, cypress vine, gomphrena (globe amaranth), marigold, moonflower vine, morning glory, sunflower, flowering tobacco (Nicotiana), and many more LATE MARCH: Castor bean, gourds, luffa

Sara Sanctuary

2010-02-05T10:14:00.000-06:00

Here are some more photos of the other animals on the farm. I had a herd of horses and donkeys following me and my baby around. It was quite a trip!

Pet Adoption Farm

2010-02-05T09:52:00.000-06:00

So, if anyone out there needs an animal of some type, especially a dog or pig, go to Sara Sanctuary in Seguin.

"Southern Animal Rescue Association and its sanctuary were created in response to the problem of abuse and abandonment of companion animals in Central Texas. We have been in operation, officially as a nonprofit organization, since March of 1996. SARA is located on 380 acres, which also serves as a refuge for wildlife. "

I have never seen so many dogs in one place! She had 350 and they were all grouped together in nice sized outdoor kennels. They all seemed well taken care of. My sister adopted a very sweet lab and I got a bonus two free chickens. Here are some of the photos of the dogs:

Green Valentine's Day Gift

2010-02-04T14:01:00.000-06:00

Here is my two cents on Valentine's Day: if you are going to give your beloved a gift, find something that is not a waste and does not require human rights abuse to make it.

Okay, that being said, let's get in the loving and giving spirit!
Ideas:

1) Peace Lily- This is a beautiful low-maintenance indoor plant that improves the air quality and is good luck. You can buy this at the Great Outdoors in South Austin.

2) Indoor Herb Garden- If your loved one cooks, what could be better than having fresh herbs to utilize in the kitchen? You can buy this at the Natural Gardener in West Austin or online here.

3) Seed Packet- You could also order these custom made seed packets of local wildflowers from a very neat business in Fredericksburg called Wildseed Farms. Click Here!

4) Make a chocolate syrup, buy some strawberries, and make a delicious treat. Hint.Hint. If anyone knows me this is my favorite!

Mossarium

2010-02-04T13:48:00.000-06:00

This looks like a fun project: create a mossarium. The little habitat you create is decorative and pleasing to look at. One can get very creative, as I plan on doing at my next girl's craft night.

You need

- a jar with a lid, this is a great use for stinky former-candle jars that you can't put food in

- rocks/pebbles

- water with activated charcoal [you can get an aquarium filter cartridge and split it apart and save the charcoal, add a few grains to your water]

- Spanish moss for drainage [available at craft or garden shops]

- MOSS [with some dirt on the bottom of it]

Earth Bag Definition

2010-01-27T11:58:00.001-06:00

Here is a description of the Earth Bag technique employed at our home project by Nick Moser, the project manager.

"Earth bags are a technique that use local soil to build a strong, efficient and beautiful house. Originally pioneered by Nadir Kahili of the Cal-Earth Institute, the technique has won several international awards for appropriate technology. In its essence, the technique is to take soil from the building site itself, fill the bags, and stack them into walls. The earth bag walls are incredibly durable and provide thermal mass for energy efficiency. The bags are then plastered with earthen plaster to seal the bags from exposure and further solidify the structure. For the interior, walls are plastered and a slab of specially mixed earthen materials create the finished floor. Earth bags are an innovative, efficient and environmental way to build a beautiful home." Nick Moser

The website to his home operation which is definitely worth checking is:
http://www.the-shire.org/

TRUE Action Expands its Operation!

2010-01-26T12:23:00.000-06:00

As you may or may not know, I run a non-profit called TRUE Action, which stands for Take Responsibility for Universal Education. Our first project, GACK, is a primary school in rural Uganda. TRUE is providing an education to children who would have no other opportunities to attend school. We are raising money to expand GACK to an eight-roomed building and will hire three more teachers, and educate 100 students!

Earth Bag Construction Update

2010-01-20T18:42:00.000-06:00

So, we are actually making some progress on the Earth Bag addition. We framed all the walls, hung the sliding barn door and the bi-folding door, and the mud infill has been a whole lot of fun.

We will have a plaster party next month to cover the walls. The final step will be putting in the packed earth floor. Sometimes I go downstairs to check on the project and laugh to myself, "I am making an add-on out of mud and dirt!" Pretty funny.

I felt better when I heard a broadcast about straw and mud construction in Yemen. NPR had a really cool slide show of images from downtown Yemen where they have cob sky rise buildings that have been standing for 4 centuries!

Turnips should be in your Diet

2010-01-20T18:35:00.000-06:00

Note to self: grow more Turnips next year! Delicious and easy to grow.

Garden Gold

2010-01-20T18:31:00.000-06:00

CARROTS! You have not tasted the sweet crunchy delight of a carrot until you have eaten a home grown one. I am lucky to have plenty more still growing in the garden. YUM!

Growing GIfts

2010-01-20T18:13:00.000-06:00

The Art of Loofa. Didn't know it grows on a vine? I had several this year and it took very little water and maintenance. All you need are bees to pollinate the flowers. Once they get as big as the one in the photo, you can dry them out, peel the outer covering, and wash out the loofa inside. Each one has plenty of seeds to share and save to plant again. They are also good to dry out and use as a maraca. I am still drying mine out, but can not wait to use it.

Monthly Garden Events

2010-01-20T18:12:00.000-06:00

The only thing to do is relax and maybe prune some trees and clean up your yard. Next month we will do some more fun things!

January Garden Event

2010-01-20T18:03:00.000-06:00

It is nearing the end of winter, and everything is good and dead. But there are several events always kicking in Austin:

Every Wednesday,

Austin Farmers' Market at The Triangle

3:00pm - 7:00pm

Every Saturday morning

ONE PEACE AT A TIME
Wednesday, January 20th at the Paramount Theater
Doors @ 6:30pm / Show @ 7:30 pm

SFC Hosts a Community Garden Workshop

01/16/2010 - 9:00am - 1:00pm

Location:

Virginia L. Brown Recreation Center

7500 Blessing Ave.

Austin, TX, 78752

Cordwood Construction Workshop

01/20/2010 - 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Location:

Lance Armstrong Foundation

2201 E. 6th Street

Austin, TX, 78702

Local Produce Cooking Class
01/23/2010 - 9:30am - 1:30pm

Location:

Faraday's Kitchen Store

1501 RR 620 North

Austin Green Tradeshow Workshop &
Show Featuring Members of Texas Green Network
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 5:00pm-8:00pm
Please r.s.v.p. at rsvp@TexasGreenNetwork.org

SIGN UP PERMACULTURE CLASS!

Repeats every 7 days until Sat Apr 03 2010 .

01/30/2010 - 9:00am - 5:00pm

Location:

Austin location to be announcedAustin, TX

Permaculture is a design system for creating sustainable human environments. It combines local wisdom with global best practices.

Tree Talk Winter Walk
Saturday, January 23

Ladybird Wildflower Center

Get tips on landscape design and tree maintenance and learn about native species with walks and talks led by local tree experts from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Website:

www.permie.us

Lakeway, TX, 78734

Baby Food from Garden Veggies

2009-12-24T11:52:00.000-06:00

So, I have a lot of yummy foods growing in the garden. I grew a lot of winter and summer squash, and decided to make my own baby food from them. Here is a great site to look up detailed nutrition facts:

NUTRITION DATA

This is a very simple process. I prepared all my winter squash by cutting them in half, scooping out the seeds to roast later and set aside some to save for next year's garden. Then, put them on a pan with a little water and roasted the squash in the oven for about an hour on 350 degrees. I scooped out the meat and put freshly expressed breast milk in the food processor. After blending it up, I spooned it into an ice tray so each serving is about 1 oz. It is a perfect way to store food for later. I did a similar recipe with avocado and sweet potato.

I made the rest of the squash into soups and other dishes to eat later, and roasted all the seeds. The whole family was fed from a few simple vegetables in the garden!

Garden Squash Recipe

2009-12-24T11:38:00.000-06:00

Do you want to impress your guests with an authentic winter squash soup? It is very tasty and relatively easy to make. I like it because it fits with the cold weather, and the gourds are a nice festive addition to the fruit bowl.

So, here is how you can make it:

1 butternut squash per 2 servings
2 TBSP Butter
2 TBSP Brown Sugar
1 TBSP Flax Seed
4 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Ginger
3/4 C Almond Milk

Cut the Butternut Squash in half lengthwise, remove and save seeds for later, and put on a shallow pan with just a little water. Cook in the oven on 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Scoop out the insides and place in a food processor. Add the butter and blend. Next ad the spices and milk. Blend. Use your taste buds to gauge if if needs more spice. If not serve right away in small serving bowls. Bon Appetit!

Another Last Minute Green Gift

2009-12-24T11:20:00.000-06:00

Here is another idea for the procrastinators out there looking for a Green gift that keeps on giving. I like plants. I like to give them to people. The plants continue to give to people. So, here is the idea:

Take a cool glass jar or container you may already have in your recycling like a Topo Chico bottle, Maple Syrup, Spaghetti Sauce, or go buy a unique jar at a thrift store. Fill with water. Find a friend or relative who has a Pothos Ivy and take a cutting. Put it in the jar, and tie a ribbon. Voila! Unique, cool, and easy.

Details: Cut 6-8" lengths of the Pothos Ivy that have one or two air roots. The air roots are the little stubby brown growths which appear along its leggiest portions. Then, submerge in water, and while the roots will take over the container, the leaves will continue to grow. The only maintenance is checking the water level every month.

The great thing about this plant is it purifies the indoor air. So keep a lot of these cuttings around!

Creative Holiday Gift Idea

2009-12-22T18:35:00.000-06:00

Wow! It is already Christmas . . . I have not been very good about posting lately, but I have taken a lot of photos with the intent of blogging.

Here is a cool idea for a holiday gift. I know this is coming late, but a late gift is still a great gift. Go to a Goodwill or local thrift store and find yourself a cool pitcher like the one pictured here. Clean it and fill it with cool beads or marbles at the bottom and a cool fake plant. Last, fill it with fresh clean water ahead of time so the water reaches room temperature.

Go to a pet store and buy a betta or gold fish for under $5 and put it in her new home. You can also find a neat mini bowl for your fish food like the one in this photo. You only have to feed the fish once per day, and clean the bowl every couple weeks. These are great fun to have around! (and better than TV)

November Garden Events

2009-11-18T15:18:00.000-06:00

So, a little late but here it is. Garden Events in Austin in November. Get outside and enjoy our unseasonably warm weather.

Austin's Farmer Market on Wednesday at the Triangle from 3-7. Triangle Park 4600 Guadalupe Austin, TX, 78723 and Saturday mornings downtown.

Time: 11/18/2009 - 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:
Lance Armstrong Foundation
2201 E. 6th Street
Austin, TX, 78702
A Design~Build~Live Monthly Presentation

Our guest presenters will discuss two wonderful, sustainable alternatives to conventional water systems for the residential site.

Time: 11/19/2009 - 6:00pm - 10:00pm
Location:
Daily Juice Cafe
45th&Duval
Austin Green Art, the parent company of Resolution Gardens, turn 5 this month and we're gonna celebrate in the best way we know how - with Food, Community and Music and the introduction of our latest

Time: 11/19/2009 - 7:00pm - 9:30pm
Location:
UT-Austin, Goldsmith Hall, Room 3.120
Corner of Guadalupe and 22nd 2nd floor
Austin, TX, 78712
The UT-Austin Center for Sustainable Development is hosting a film series this semester, and we are bringing it to a close with "The Unforeseen," a documentary about the fight over real-estate develop

Repeats every week until Sun Nov 22 2009 .
11/21/2009 - 9:00am - 1:00pm
Location:
Urban Roots Farm
7651 Delwau Ln.

Repeats every week until Sun Dec 26 2010 .
11/22/2009 - 11:00am - 3:00pm
Location:
Pine Street Station
414 Waller St. SW Corner of 5th Street & Waller St
Austin, TX, 78702
The Sunday HOPE Farmers Market is a weekly community gathering space where local farmers, artisans, community groups, families, and urban consumers can find fresh foods, community programs, artistic c
Austin, TX, 78725
Support Urban Roots while you learn about effective ways to grow your own food

Wall Gardens with Pockets

2009-10-20T14:53:00.000-05:00

I know what I want for the a Holiday Gift:

http://www.woollypocket.com/

These are the coolest and you can hang them up anywhere! I want to make a jungle out of my bathroom!

Great Article

2009-10-20T14:51:00.000-05:00

Here is a great article on Permaculture from the Huffington Post by Linda Buzzell:

Permaculture's popping up all over. It's really catching on with young green activists like Juno star Ellen Page, who recently took a break from Hollywood to talk on the Ellen DeGeneres show about her experiences studying permaculture design in an eco-village near Eugene, Oregon.

Teen Hollywood reports that Page "spent a month living on the settlement and learned how to live more simply -- and how valuable urine can be."

Page told Teen Hollywood "It's about living in a holistic way with the earth and reintegrating our lifestyles with the natural cycles ... It was amazing. Anyone at all who has a passion for it can learn about it and use it in their lives in so many different ways ... like peeing in a bucket and using it on your compost. Pee is an excellent source of nitrogen."

But what the heck IS permaculture, besides peeing into a bucket?

Permaculture is an ecological design system based on deep observation of nature, and can be applied to gardens, farms, landscapes, homes and also to "invisible systems" like communities, economies, societies, our psyches and even our spiritual practices. It's a path towards sustainable living that is patterned on the way nature works, and can be applied in rural, suburban and urban areas.

Permaculture was invented in Australia in the 1970s by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren and is just now really catching on around the planet. The word "permaculture" is an abbreviation for "permanent agriculture" or "permanent culture."

NaturalNews.com reports that "Permaculture is a way of living; it involves sustainability, ethics, community living, harmony with nature, appropriate technology, organic living, organic farming, etc. It is a way to integrate nature and people in the most sustainable way."

"In permaculture, ethics and design principles are used to help us make good decisions for the people and the environment." NaturalNews also tell us that Permaculture follows three ethics:

Care for the land: Actions to protect the environment and improve it. Earth should be seen as a whole.
Care for the people: It involves the physical and psychological aspects, for example providing food and shelter, natural medications, reduce daily hard work, and provide equal opportunities for all people.

Care for the future: It is very important if we want to conserve our resources. Some of the aspects that it involves are recycling, planning, cooperation not competition, supporting local economy, and the use of renewable energy and resources.

My husband and I took the Permaculture Design Course a few years ago and found it incredibly useful and eye-opening. (No peeing in a bucket during our class, though!) What we learned was that the permaculture principles can be applied to every aspect of your daily life as you move towards a happier, more nature-connected and sustainable way of living.

------

Here are a few resources for those who would like to learn more about permaculture:

The Permaculture Institute
"Greening the Desert:" an amazing video of how permaculturist Geoff Lawton turned pure desert into a lush oasis using permaculture.
Ellen Page talking about permaculture on Ellen Degeneres.
"Introduction to Permaculture" by Cathe' Fish is a 6-DVD set of her 2-day workshop with comprehensive, practical information and lavishly-illustrated slideshows. Cathe' covers principles, land, water harvesting, soil, zones, gardens, plants, guilds, bio-remediation, food forests, solar greenhouses, buildings, villages, and more. Available here.

October Garden Events

2009-10-05T13:16:00.001-05:00

Hello October, what do I want to do this month?

Tuesday, 10/06/2009
Chicas Verdes October Lunch Shady Grove
10/06/2009 - 11:45am - 1:00pm

Austin Sierra Club monthly program

Time:

10/06/2009 - 7:00pm

Location:

TSTA Building

316 West 12th St.

Austin, TX, 78701

Worker Ownership in the Green Economy: A talk by Omar Freilla, founder of Green Worker Cooperatives in the South Bronx

10/06/2009 - 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Location:

Hyde Park Christian Church

610 E. 45th St.

Austin, TX, 78751

Thursday, 10/8/09
Shades of Green RADIO Hour
10/08/2009 - 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Saturday, 10/10/09
Austin Farmers' Market

Downtown
8:00am - 12:00pm

Sunday, 10/11/09
Dig-In with Green Corn Project

10/11/2009 - 8:30am - 2:00pm

Location:

Meeting Point - Soma Vida

1210 Rosewood Ave

Austin, TX, 78702

Austin Farmer's Market every Wednesday night

Triangle Park4600 Guadalupe at Lamar & 46th St

Eliza Gilkyson, and great food at The Salt Lick to support Wimberley Valley Watershed Association (WVWA) - workin

10/18/2009 - 5:00pm - 9:00pm

Location:

The Salt Lick

18001 FM 1826

Driftwood, 78619

Garden Pests

2009-10-05T13:16:00.000-05:00

What fine weather we are about to enjoy! October is one of Austin's best months for mild weather days. Here are some pests to watch out for, and how to take them on:

You may notice grub worms in your lawn or garden. This is a clear indication that your soil is lackluster and needs so supplements. The best remedy is to spread beneficial nematodes (obtain at a local garden store), top dress your lawn or garden with rich soil or compost.

Brown patch is another popular ailment noticeable this time of year. Look for large circles of browning lawn, especially in St. Augustine grass. Apply a baking soda spray, and stay away from high nitrogen fertilizers. My experience is main stream lawn maintenance companies overdose your lawn and garden in nitrogen so you grass is extra green, and extra depleted!

Powdery Mildew is another popular one this time of year. You will see this on Crape Myrtles, Lantanas, and other flowering trees and shrubs. Use an anti-fungal spray that is organic or baking sods spray!

Final one to watch out for are those pesky mosquitoes! Put bird feeders out near your home to encourage wildlife. Make a bat house and put it in a high and unused area facing South. These awesome creatures can eat 500 - 1000 mosquitoes in one hour.

September Garden Events

2009-09-01T12:59:00.000-05:00

Here are some garden events going on around town:

At the Wildflower Center:

Austin Museum Day
Sunday, September 20, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Free admission includes the women in Science program to inspire children to pursue science careers, 1 to 3 p.m.

Smithsonian Day
Saturday, September 26
Smithsonian members get in free. Jelly and jam tasting in the store.

Nature-Inspired Origami Exhibit
Through October 4
There's still time to view this spectacular origami exhibit featuring dozens of works by artist Joan Son in the McDermott Learning Center. Works on display vary from a single fold to 1,000 folded butterflies. An 8-foot paper art sculpture of a kimono is among the special offerings. Meet the artist and practice origami from 1 to 4 p.m. October 4.

Garden Design Workshop
Saturday, October 31, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Talk about timely! The Garden Conservancy is partnering with the Wildflower Center to present four talks on gardening in dry climates by well-known garden design experts. The fee for all four talks is $65 for Center and Garden Conservancy members, $75 for the general public and $40 for students with identification. $35 for Friday evening reception, plus a free Wildflower Center garden tour for registered attendees at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Monday, 08/31/2009

12th Annual Recycling & Sustainability Summit

Tuesday, 09/01/2009

12th Annual Recycling & Sustainability Summit

LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance Workshop

8:30am - 5:00pm

Chicas Verdes September Lunch

11:45am - 1:15pm

ACTION: Town Hall Meeting- Quit Coal!

6:30pm - 8:30pm

Wednesday, 09/02/2009

Austin Farmers' Market at The Triangle

Every Wednesday! 4:00pm - 8:00pm

Austin Zero Waste Alliance

7:00pm - 9:00pm

EcoSingles: Connecting People Who Love.... The Planet

5:00pm - 7:00pm

Thursday, 09/03/2009

Consumer Conservation Workshop (by A Nurtured World)

8:30am - 4:30pm

Shades of Green RADIO Hour

1:00pm - 2:00pm

Slow Food Austin Presents Cheese-making at Home: An introduction to technique, flavor, and great ingredients

7:00pm - 9:00pm

Saturday, 09/05/2009

Austin Farmers' Market

8:00am - 12:00pm

Monday, 09/07/2009

Slow Food Austin's Potluck "Eat-In"
11:00am - 12:30pm

I have been busy

2009-09-01T12:57:00.000-05:00

Well, it has been a couple months since my last post because I had a baby this summer. I am now getting the hang of being a mommy, and will be able to manage the blog again!

Texas Veggie Harvest

2009-06-16T12:49:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos of recently picked veggies from the garden:

Texas Veggies

2009-06-16T12:38:00.000-05:00

What is growing in the garden? Here is an update as a couple weeks ago, and I will post more recent photos soon!

April Showers bring May flowers

2009-06-16T12:27:00.001-05:00

Flowers are an added benefit to your landscape, especially for your vegetable garden. They attract beneficial insects likes bees, assassin bugs, ladybugs, butterflies, and many more...

Here are some flowers I like to keep around my garden that are relatively low maintenance, but add beauty and help to the gardens:

Purty Landscape

2009-06-16T12:10:00.000-05:00

I was on my way to a baby shower, and drove by a landscape installation I did six months prior. I had to stop and check out its progress. Here are some photos I took as everything is growing in and the wildflowers were in full bloom:

Volunteer Effort at Andrew's

2009-06-16T11:56:00.000-05:00

Here are the volunteers and after pics:

Volunteer Effort at Andrew's

2009-06-16T11:45:00.000-05:00

In May, I volunteered with the Entrepeneur's Foundation to renovate another school, Andrew's Elementary. I worked with this group last year at Govalle Elementary and was thoroughly impressed with the number of volunteers who came out, and their fundraising efforts.

I suggested that they work on the school my sister teaches at because they were in need of some repair. Luckily, they agreed, and I was in charge of the landscaping again. We asked the Sustainable Food Center to send out some volunteers as well to help co-ordinate the installation and work on a veggie garden in their courtyard!

Here are some before photos of the school (the next post will be the afters):

June Monthly Maintenance Tips

2009-06-08T15:07:00.000-05:00

I don't know if you have noticed, but it is HOT! So, here are a few tips for this month to assist your landscape in its survival:

Lawn-

Depending on the type of grass you have, water on average of 10 minutes 3x/week.

Mow every 8-12 days to keep the roots strong.

Beds-

Water your plants 12 minutes two times a week and air on the side of deep waters less frequently. You can also apply a Liquid Seaweed Fertilizer to them for extra fertilizations and encourage blooms. Mulch, mulch, mulch to keep all bare soil covered, roots cool, and weeds out!

Veggie Gardens-

Mix in some compost, make sure your beds are mulched, and water daily. There is still time to put some melons in the ground if you are running behind. Herbs can be planted too, and they take less water.

Flowers-

Water your flowers three times a week if they are not native, and all can benefit from Hasta Gro fertilizer or Natural Gardener tonic. This will encourage more blooms. Dead head spent flower buds.

New Farmer's Markets in Austin

2009-06-08T14:36:00.001-05:00

The Sustainable Food Center is launching a new initiative to open six neighborhood farmer's markets. They will also be able to except food stamps by using the lone star card!

This is why I like to volunteer for them, because I believe in their programs. I hope they will allow local residents to sell items at the market with limited regulations as well. Times are tough, and being able to trade services and goods is such an asset for community dwellers!

Here are the new markets opening on June 17th:

Wednesdays, 10am-12pm
South Austin Multipurpose Center
2508 Durwood
Austin 78704

Wednesday, 9-11am
Northwest WIC Clinic
8701A Research Blvd
Austin 78758

Wednesdays, 12-2pm
Dove Springs Recreation Center
5801 Ainez Drive
Austin, TX 78744

Wednesdays, 11-1pm
Rosewood-Zaragosa Neighborhood Center
2800 Webberville Road
Austin 78702

Wednesday, 12-2 pm
St. John's Community Center
7500 Blessing
Austin 78752

Wednesdays, 11am-1pm
Montopolis WIC Clinic
1416 Montopolis Dr.
Austin 78741

June Gardening Events

2009-06-08T14:32:00.000-05:00

Here are some things to do to expand your gardening knowledge or to get you outside!

06/06/2009 - 9:00am - 10:00am at the Natural Gardener

Judy Barrett of "homegrown" Magazine presents “What Can I Do With My Herbs?” Judy has been publishing the Texas gardener’s favorite local bimonthly magazine for over a decade.

6/07/2009 - 8:15pm - 9:45pm

Live Music at Barton Springs Pool on Sunday, June 7th, at the Full Moon Swim
Poolside Live, our summer monthly music series at Barton Springs Pool starts
June 7th, with local bluegrass band Onion Creek Crawdaddies.

06/13/2009 - 9:00am - 1:00pm

Come enjoy the best local food in Central Texas, from farm fresh produce, humanely raised meats, artisanal cheeses, prepared foods, coffee and tea. Taste of Summer Day continues Austin Farmers' Market's 2009 Fruit and Veggie Fest - don't miss a demo by Chef Mizael Saucedo of Bess Bistro at 10:30am, and free tastings of the season's best fruits and veggies.

June 17th: SFC launces 6 new local farmer's markets. See previous post for details.

06/17/2009 - 8:00am - 12:00pm

Positive Impact is a not for profit project providing education to the
event industry on sustainability.
This is a free, interactive event suitable for event organizers,
venues or suppliers to the event industry.

To register for this free event please see ‘Education Projects’ at
wwww.positiveimpact events.co.uk

Attendees to this event will:
1. Understand how sustainability can benefit your business by giving
you a competitive advantage
and a greater economic return.
2. Learn about international best practice with sustainability in the
event industry
3. Learn about tools to support the implementation of sustainability
within your events including
carbon footprint measurement

For questions on the event please email
julie at positiveimpactevents.co.uk or call Michele Hallahan
on (512) 731 4851

06/23/2009 - 6:00pm - 7:30pm

Join us in learning about utilizing sustainable energy resources as well as defraying the costs associated through our local power company.

Natalie Marquis with the Texas Solar Energy Society will speak to us about how solar energy has progressed to be a viable source of electricity. Austin Energy will have a representative to educate us about the use of rebates and financing to ameliorate the costs of solar technology. Meridian Solar will have a consultant to answer any site specific questions about our homes and solar installation.

06/25/2009 - 9:00am - 5:00pm

From: Rachel Proctor May

Parks. Trails. Streetscapes. Paseos. Gardens. These are the places that strengthen our identity, nurture our community, and make Austin great. Join CNU-Central Texas in partnership with the American Planning Association Central Texas Section for a one-day action session to figure out what's working, what's not, and what we need to do to more quickly implement the community's vision of a comlete network of interconnected public spaces.

Speakers will cover the design, development, and policy decisions that can make or break a public space plan. Over lunch, Lori Houston of the City of San Antonio and Irby Hightower of Alamo Architects will go in-depth on the best practices and lessons learned from the decade-long San Antonio River Improvements Project. Throughout the day, all attendees will participate in the development of a policy agenda for continuing action.

7.75 units of AICP continuing education credit have been applied for.

$40 for entire day
$20 for lunch speakers only

For more information or to register, please visit: http://centraltexascnu.org/

06/28/2009 - 10:00am - 6:00pm

An artist's studio in South Austin, a historic remodel in Bouldin Creek, a custom home on Hamilton Pool Road. You can see all these and more on Sunday, June 28, at the 2009 Cool House Tour. All the homes on the tour feature energy-efficient, environmentally friendly design, construction and landscaping. The tour includes nine new construction and three remodeled homes, which range from small to large, very affordable to high-end, and are constructed with a wide variety of materials. Four homes have solar electric systems, one has solar thermal. Three of the homes are for sale. At all homes you will be able to talk with the owner, architect or builder, a Green Building staff member, or a TXSES volunteer. Ticket/Guidebooks are $15 and may be purchased at both Austin Central Markets and online at www.txses.org, where you may also view the tour.

Host(s):

Austin Energy Green Building and Texas Solar Energy Society

Website:

http://www.txses.org/solar

More Chicken Photos

2009-05-26T17:33:00.000-05:00

Yes, I have more chicken photos. How fun is that?! You would only understand if you owned a few for yourself. I highly recommend it!

Here are some photos and descriptions of the Bantams we have:

Black Silkies

Mottled Cochin Bantam

White Cochin Bantam

Red Frizzle Cochin Bantam

Ameraucanas

Learn how to Harvest Rainwater in May

2009-05-18T16:04:00.000-05:00

This program is being organized by Design-Build-Live, the Austin-based nonprofit that promotes natural living and sustainable building. See below for event basics, and visit www.designbuildlive.com for details. Advance registration HIGHLY recommended (and absolutely REQUIRED for some events); register at the Design-Build-Live website, designbuildlive.com

-- Friday, May 29, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm ~~~ Council Chambers, Austin City Hall
Harvesting Rainwater & Stormwater to Create Amenities and Solve Problems:
Brad will present simple, inexpensive rainwater and stormwater harvesting strategies and earthworks that hold great potential for replacing volume and runoff problems with amenities such as raingardens, shade trees, verdant landscapes and food. Free; seating capacity 250.

-- Friday, May 29, 7:00 pm ? 9:30 pm, at Boggy Creek Farm ? by invitation
Water and Food Abundance Dinner with Brad Lancaster
By invitation only to sponsors and donor partners; see designbuildlive.com for details.

-- Saturday, May 30, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm ~~~ AMD Lone Star Campus
Integrated Water Strategies for the Home, Landscape, Garden, Farm & Community: A dynamic slide presentation on how to integrate rainwater, greywater and stormwater harvesting to create water abundance in place of water scarcity. Book signing. Free; capacity 300.

-- Saturday, May 30, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm ~~~ The Great Outdoors Nursery
Greywater Happy Hour: An outdoor slide presentation under a canopy of beautiful ancient oak trees. Learn how you can maximize the use of recycled water in your landscape. Book signing; beverages served (not greywater!). $5; capacity 100.

Sunday, May 31, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm ~~~ West Central Austin Residence
Nuts & Bolts of Water Harvesting for the Urban Homestead: Experience Brad in action! Analyze, discuss, and get your hands wet (and dirty) exploring several water capture systems for an urban homestead. $40; Limited to 15 participants!

May Monthly Maintenance Tips

2009-05-06T14:39:00.000-05:00

Here are few tips for the month of May as things heat up:

Plant the following veggies: Cantaloupe, cucumber, New Zealand spinach, Malabar spinach, peppers, summer squash, tomatillo EARLY MAY: Chard, eggplant, okra, sweet potato slips LATE MAY: Watermelon

Make an Herb Spiral and plants some herbs: basil, bay, catnip, chives, comfrey, epazote, lamb's ear, lavender, lemon balm, lemon verbena, Mexican mint marigold, mints, oregano, pennyroyal, rosemary, sage, winter savory, tansy, thyme, yarrow

Plants some annuals, especially Nasturtrium and Marigolds to deter pest from you veg gardens: celosia, cleome, coreopsis, cosmos, four o'clock, gomphrena (globe amaranth), gourd, marigold, moonflower, morning glory, scaevola (fan flower), sunflower, zinnia

Watering Guide:
It is better to water established plants deeper and less often, rather than shallowly and frequently. The exception is newly seeded areas and your veggies, which may need daily watering. Water only as needed; turn off automatic sprinkler systems when we get good rainfall.

MULCH! Make sure to mulch all your exposed beds so there is no exposed dirt!

MOW! Continue to mow your lawn to keep the roots strong and healthy. On average you can mow every 10 days.

May Gardening Events

2009-05-06T13:50:00.000-05:00

Here are just a few gardening events going on in Austin:

Mother's Day Weekend for an exclusive look into some of Austin's most unique gardens. Gardens On Tour on Saturday, May 9, is an annual self-guided tour of select local private and public gardens, including the celebrated gardens of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

May 14th 6-8 PM Texas MammaJamma Ride for Cancer Meeting at GSD&M To learn more about the ride go to mammajammaride.org

Tonight (Mon, 5/4) and tomorrow (Tue, 5/5) Whole Earth Provision
Company is presenting the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour and
Radical Reels at the Paramount Theatre. This year, Wild Basin Nature
Preserve will benefit. A collection from films from around the world
will be featured on all aspects of mountain culture and activity and
the show never disappoints

Learning the Medicine Wheel
Saturday, May 9, 10am-1pm
Alma de Mujer Center, 13621 FM 2769

Come out to Alma de Mujer and learn about the Nahui Ollin Medicine Wheel garden, both its concept and its use. We will discuss traditional approaches to health and healing within the concept of the Nahui Ollin Medicine Wheel.

Don't Weed It, Eat It!
Thursday, May 14, 6-7:30 pm
Alamo Community Garden, 2101 Alamo St.

Amy Crowell will lead this exciting and informative workshop about how to identify wild edible plants. Amy has been eating foods from the wilds of Texas since she was a kid. She looks forward to sharing some of her experiences and knowledge with you!

How to Start a Community Garden
Saturday, May 16, 10am-4pm
Windsor Park Library, 5833 Westminster Dr

A community garden is a place for growing food, friends, flowers and community. Find out how to contribute to the economic, social, and environmental vitality of your neighborhood by starting a community garden. In this workshop, we will cover how to secure land, finding funding & resources, and organizing friends & neighbors to create a community space. We will also take a tour of an established community garden.

There is a high interest in community gardening in Austin, and very limited spaces available at the current community gardens. Come learn about how we can work together to start more gardens! Cost $5 per participant to cover lunch (or you may choose to bring your own).

Composting Information Session
Wednesday, May 20, 5-6 pm
Sustainable Food Center, 1106 Clayton Lane, Ste. 480 West

Everyone can compost (even if you do not have a vegetable garden). There are several methods including using an earth-worm box, trenches, piles and bins we will go over them all.

UT Elementary School HealthFest 2009
Friday, May 15: 8:30-10:40 and 12:30-2:40.
Come visit the verdant UTES school garden and lead groups of kids in fun garden activities, including a garden scavenger hunt!

El Jardin Alegre Fiesta

When: Saturday, May 16th
Where: El Jardin Alegre Community Garden

Come join us for music and good times in the garden! More details to come soon. Mark your calendars!

Chick Cam

2009-04-14T20:24:00.000-05:00

April Garden Events

2009-04-03T20:08:00.000-05:00

Here are all the great events happening in Austin Texas this month:

Plant Swap & Sale: This Sunday from 1:00 - 3:00, the Windsor Park gardeners will be hosting a plant swap and sale at the community garden.
SWAP: Bring a plant or plants you don't need (for example, one gardener will take some cuttings of her chocolate mint and dig up some of the skull cap
volunteers in my garden) and take a plant someone else brings.
SALE: They'll have tiny tomato and pepper plants for sale at $1 a piece
or six for $5.

Garden Work Day: Windsor Park Community Garden is building a fence which will incorporate recycled materials, worm towers and community art. From 2pm-6pm they will be setting posts, ripping donated redwood boards and building frames which will eventually be filled in by local artists, architects, welders, carpenters and anyone else who wants to participate. All help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Windsor Park Community Garden is located at 5817 Westminster Drive, 78723, behind the Austin Mennonite Church which is next door to the Windsor Village Library on Westminster.

3) Wild Edible Plant Walk
Where: Greenbelt in S. Austin (exact entrance TBD)
Date: Saturday, April 25th
Time: 10am-noon
Cost: $20 includes handouts and recipes
Contact: Amy Crowell at EatWild@gmail.com
Come learn about wild edibles in our area. During the walk, you will learn how to identify, harvest and prepare some of the most delicious and nutritious wild foods Central Texas has to offer. Amy has been eating foods from the wilds of Texas since she was a kid. She looks forward to sharing some of her experiences and knowledge with you!

4) Austin Organic Gardeners Club Meeting
Where: Austin Area Garden Center in the Zilker Botanical Garden
2220 Barton Springs Road (just east of the Mopac expressway)
Date: Monday, April 13th
Time: 7-9PM.

Austin Organic Gardeners meet the second Monday of each month (except December) at the Austin Area Garden Center in the Zilker Botanical Garden. In addition to an educational presentation, there is a question-and-answer session and plenty of informative conversation. Members often bring seeds or plants to share. You are welcome and cordially invited to attend our meetings. This meeting's guest speaker is George Altgelt, owner of GeoGrowers and local expert on soil science. He will be speaking on "The Importance of the Home Garden". For more information about the Austin Organic Gardeners Club, visit http://www.main.org/aog/index.htm.

Earth Day Festival

When: Saturday, April 18th

Where: Farmers Market downtown (4th & Guadalupe)

What: We are looking for a creative team to help with the following:
brainstorm & prepare fun ideas
gather tables, chairs & supplies
staff the UpLift booth during the festival*
breakdown the booth at the end of the festival
* Looking for volunteers with knowledge of UpLift to
effectively communicate about the organization

If you are interested in attending the festival and volunteering your time with UpLift, please click on the link below to sign up!

"Permaculture and Finance, Business, Commerce" or "It's a Small
[Local] World After all" - tonight at the Habitat Suites Hotel - 7 pm.
Please attend, perhaps after a visit to the Triangle Farmers Market (4-7),
bring a friend, tell other friends.

Spring Plant Sale & Gardening Festival
Saturday, April 11, and Sunday, April 12
Members Preview Sale Friday, April 10
Native plants for container gardening will be a special feature at the Wildflower Center's Spring Plant Sale, with an egg hunt for families among the weekend offerings. Festival hours are: Friday Members Preview Sale: 1 to 7 p.m. Public Sale Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

chick cam

2009-03-25T15:12:00.000-05:00

Baby Chicks

2009-03-25T14:48:00.000-05:00

Wow! A box full of baby chicks. We ordered them from a farm in Cameron that has some really great varieties of chickens. They can send the chicks to your home in a box, or pick them up. We bought 20 day old chickens and will have to raise them to distinguish between the males and females.

We built a chicken condo for them outside and will transfer for them after four weeks under a heat lamp. They eat a lot and grow quickly. I will write more details about each variety we bought in the next post.

Here are some photos of our chicks from day 1 to week 2:

A Comment:

2009-03-13T14:42:00.000-05:00

"Until I read your blog entry just now, I didn't know that cornmeal could be used to control weeds. I've used it to control black spot on roses, and now that I think about it, I can't remember any seedlings coming up around the roses where I'd sprinkled cornmeal. I did a bit of research and found that cornmeal is said to inhibit germination of seeds -- so it doesn't actually kill weeds, just keeps their seeds from developing. One wouldn't want to use it in a bed where one intends to plant seeds, but it would work fine in beds where you'll be setting out transplants. Thanks for the gardening tips!" -- Barb

Thank you, Barb. And that is true about Corn Gluten that I may not have made very clear. It inhibits weed seeds from sprouting. So, that is why you can use it as a pre-emergent. If you planted veggies or flower seeds, do not put corn gluten on them!

: )

March Garden Events in Austin

2009-03-13T14:31:00.000-05:00

At the Ladybird Wildflower Center:

March 16 Wildflower Days™ Begin
The Center grounds are open every day 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. March 16 until May 31

March 21-22, 2009 This early spring event features the work of local artists and artisans, all working with a nature theme. You will find watercolors, metalwork, pottery, jewelry, photography, woodwork and more, all lovingly made by hand. The festival is open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
Learn more

At the Zilker Botanical Garden:

Mar 18: Free Seminar - Growing a Spring Vegetable Garden 7pm-9pm
Presented by the Travis County Master Gardeners

Mar 21: First Austin African Violet Show and Sale 10am - 4:30p

Mar 28-29: 52nd annual Zilker Garden Festival 10 am - 5 pm
This family friendly event includes a great variety of musical entertainment, guest speakers, children's activities, more than a hundred vendors of plants, crafts, and unique items. (Admission charge.)

Other Events:

Winter 2009 Series. 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays until April 8. Permaculture talks and videos about sustainability. Habitat Suites, 500 E. Highland Mall Drive. Free. 619-5363. www.permie.us.

Permaculture Design Course. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. select weekend days until March 28. Check www.permie.us for schedule. March 7 and March 21-22 design workshops are for full-course students and graduates from design class only. TreeFolks, 10803 Platt Lane. $500 whole course; $60 each day. 619-5363.

Austin Organic Gardeners Club Annual Plant Sale. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 7. Vegetable, herb transplants, ornamentals. Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Road. 443-7187, www.austinorganicgardeners.org.

A Passion for Plants: An East Austin Garden Fair.10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 21. At third annual fair, learn how to landscape with edible plants for you and the neighborhood wildlife. Free expert garden advice. Fun, educational activities for kids, including bugs, bugs and more bugs. Govalle Park, 5200 Bolm Road. Free. 854-9600.

................Or go on a walk and pick a wildflowers for a friend or loved one.....

Weed and Feed

2009-03-13T14:15:00.000-05:00

Why should I never use Weed and Feed?

Here is the scoop:

1. Your lawns needs for weeding and feeding are at different times of the year. First, you want to put down a pre-emergent, early enough to prevent the broad leaf weeds from springing up. This should occur in late February or early March. You apply the fertilizer in late March so your grass greens up at the right time, and not too early during our possible frost dates.

2. What chemicals do they use in Weed and Feed? Well, one of the major chemicals that rings alarms is Atrazine. This stuff is terrible. We have a special responsibility living in Austin for all of Central Texas to not pollute the water table we live on.

3. Studies have shown that Atrazine soaks into the water table, through our limestone caverns, into our Spring water and resurfaces in the many springs and rivers. It effects our wildlife, which in turns effects the balance of our sensitive ecosystems. Frogs were reported to be demasculinized or became hermaphrodite after being exposed at low ecologically relevant doses of the herbicide in the laboratory. Levels as low as 0.1 parts per billion atrazine induced hermaphroditism. According to the study by the USDA, It also effected salmon in the same way.

4. It is toxic to humans when consumed in our drinking water in high doses. Recently, atrazine was found to potentiate arsenic toxicity in human cells, a result that causes concern in areas where drinking water is polluted with both toxins. Even though cancer has been a focus of regulatory action on the herbicide, impacts such as the intra-uterine growth retardation observed in communities with atrazine-polluted drinking water supplies have been given scant consideration.

5. Atrazine can be present in parts per million in agricultural run-offs and can reach 40 parts per billion in precipitation. The global impact of atrazine is staggering.

SO, this chemical should be completely obsolete, yet it is sold to everyday consumers at places like Home Depot who do not always know how to effectively apply the stuff. It should NEVER be used, especially since there are numerous ways to apply a pre-emergent that is just as effective, and does not have the monumentously negative effects.

DON"T BUY WEED AND FEED AND TRY TO GET YOUR STORES NOT TO SELL IT!

March Landscape Maintenance Tips

2009-03-13T13:59:00.001-05:00

Well, it has been awhile since I have posted, and we are now into our second week of March. Austin has finally received rain, and we should be seeing some major growth and flowers popping up. There is no substitute for rain.

Here are some tips for the month of March:

FOOD HARVESTING:
If you did not follow my instructions last month, then you need to add compost to your vegetable gardens and mix in to the first one inch of soil.

Plant vegetable seeds toward the end of March such as cantaloupe, corn, cucumber, eggplant, black-eyed peas, pumpkin, New Zealand spinach, summer squash, watermelon, pepper, tomato

Plant herb seeds or install plants such as basil, chives, epasote, comfrey, scented geranium, lemon grass, mints, oregano, pennyroyal, rosemary, santolina, thyme.

Plant flower seeds such as cleome, cypress vine, gomphrena, marigold, moonflower vine, morning glory, sunflower (try giant ones and teddy bears), flowering tobacco, gourds (grow some bird houses and instruments), luffa (really cool vine that produces loofa sponges you can use!), cockscomb, coleus, gomphrena.

Plant bulbs such as caladium (great for color in the shade), calla, canna, daylily, and elephant ear

PLANT AND SHRUB MAINTENANCE:
It is now time to fertilize those blooming shrubs with a granular slow release one time only, spray them with seaweed as often as two times a month, or use a liquid fertilizer like Hasta Gro. Mix in sulphur to your acid loving plants to make them bloom, and add compost to your potted plants (especially indoor plants and they may need some outside air to freshen them up).

LAWN MAINTENANCE:
Now is the time to aerate your lawn if you have a means to do this. Also, toward the end of the month you can purchase top soil in bulk and have it delivered to be spread at your extreme inconvenience, buy it in bags and spread it with a spreader, or purchase some compost tea and apply it with a garden hose sprayer.

You can also put down a pre-emergent weed killer if you have not already done this right now. Use bagged corn gluten or a Green Light project that is the least toxic as possible. DO NOT USE WEED AND FEED. In fact, if you ever see it at the store, push it to the back, or write a note to customers so no one buys it! (I can write more about this later).

Tis the growing season so keep your lawn mowed to ensure healthy roots. I like to keep my lawn at about a 1.5" height, and it varies slightly on each type of grass.

GOOD LUCK!

February Activities

2009-02-03T08:57:00.000-06:00

We are blessed to have such beautiful weather, while snow and blizzards are dumping on the Northern states! We could use some rain, though, but while it is wonderful, go outside or join one of these fun garden events:

February 3, 10, 17 and 24. The Botany of Food Plants class is being offered Tuesday evenings. Online registration is still open for these and other spring offerings from the Wildflower Center's Go Native U program.

Wed, Feb 4 from 7:00-8:30 pm, Dick Pierce will give his ever-popular Winter Series Talk on "Texology" or "Austin, TX??- Just where is Austin, TX ? How did it get here? Why is it so different (not weird)?" Come and find out - and tell/bring a friend.

Sunday Feburary 8, 2009 from 9:00am ? 5:00pm. Backyard Food Production Workshop.
The workshop is held at a rural farm within an hour drive SE of Austin, TX. The workshop fee is only $100 per person and includes the workshop, notes, and workbooks. Bring your own lunch. Contact cindy@gvtc.com

Saturday February 14, 9am to 11am. Westcave Preserve in western Travis County. Hosted by Westcave Preserve and LCRA. Experience a lush canyon with a waterfall and overhang cave on this hike through golden-cheeked warbler habitat. http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/water/wildland/onlineregistration/ecowebevents.cfm

February 13-15. The University of Texas at Austin will be hosting the 2009 meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U)

Wednesday, Feb. 18th 7PM. Rhizome Collective. 300 Allen Street, Austin. FREE! Join Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew, co-founders of Austin's Rhizome Collective, to celebrate the release of their new book "Toolbox for Sustainable City Living: A Do-It-Ourselves Guide".

Sat/Sun Feb 28/Mar 1 and Wed, Mar 3 (10 hours). Citizen Gardener Course. www.citizengardener.ning.com

February Landscape Maintenance

2009-02-03T08:45:00.001-06:00

It is February, and the potential of gardening is edging forward. I am anxious as my seeds have come in for my spring vegetable garden, my fruit trees are in the ground, and chickens are ordered.

Here are some landscape maintenance tips:

Last chance to some pruning of your trees and shrubs.

Winter is the best time to trim your hardwood trees and shrubs without showy flowers: prune in the dormant season to easily visualize the structure of the tree, to maximize wound closure in the growing season after pruning, to reduce the chance of transmitting disease, and to discourage excessive sap flow from wounds.

The main reasons for pruning ornamental and shade trees include safety, health, and aesthetics. In addition, pruning can be used to stimulate fruit production and increase the value of timber.

If you still want to plant some annual flowers, they will last a couple more months as long as the temperatures stay mild and cool: snapdragons, calendula, alyssum, dianthus, ornamental kale and cabbage, pansy, phlox, stock.

There is a chance to plant some late season veggies as well: asparagus crowns, carrots, most winter veggies in 6" pots have a chance to produce before the changeover, mustard, dill, fennel, chives, mint. Fruit trees, pecan trees, grape and berry bushes.

For your lawn: keep the water and mow schedule the same. If you have ST. Augustine, and have a history of Brown Patch, at the end of the month apply a fungicide. It is not likely to come back this year with the dry weather, but it is a precaution.

Also, at the end of February, I like to put down cornmeal as a pre-emergent weed killer, and a fertilizer in my lawn. You can buy it in bulk from a nursery.

If you do not have a vegetable garden set up yet, now is the time, and order seeds. Barton Springs Nursery has some you can buy in their store.

Good Luck!

Rabbits

2009-01-22T13:59:00.000-06:00

You know what are great companions, magical poop producers, and just plain fun? Little pets.

My mother-in-law just saved some rabbits from going to the slaughter house because she wants their magic poop.

We fed them greens from our carrot and radish tops, and they ate them right up!

There is a company called Rabbit Hill Farm that collects this magical rabbit poo and turns it into great fertilizers for your gardens.

Another example of how us city dwellers are disconnected to our earth roots is the lack of these beneficial friendly furry creatures. (okay maybe you have a dog or cat)

My roomate and I just ordered chickens and will post the chicks and their new coop we are building next month! I will write on that topic later, because chickens are a critical component to your city gardenscapes!

Earth Bag Construction

2009-01-16T08:41:00.001-06:00

Currently, we are building an earthbag construction add-on beneath our home that will be an efficiency. It is the most time consuming and enjoyable project my husband and I have worked on. There is soo much room for creativity and new ideas. I am posting some photos of the initial stages:

Inspiring Landscape Photos

2009-01-14T09:15:00.000-06:00

Here a couple inspiring photo images of installations we did at the landscape company I work for:

These are from an installation I did in Lakeway. I picked some of those pomegranates to see if they will ripen. I like how the Maidengrass looks, even when dormant in the winter.

This one I took in a very disturbing new subdivision in Lakeway. McMansions, wasteful building techniques, etc. etc. you know the kind. But this image caught my eye as I was leaving.

More Garden Veggies

2009-01-14T09:07:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I was mulling around my garden, pulling peas off the vines and popping them into my mouth. I suddenly had the urge to eat a carrot. So, I looked down at my garden and decided to get over my fear of pulling one up too early, and try it anyway.

Too my surprise, it was heavy and longer than expected. I finally extracted the carrot from the earth and just about screamed with delight with how large it was. Not in length, but in girth. It was the largest carrot I have ever seen, and it tasted wonderfully.

Here are some photos, and there is one inappropriate I could not resist taking of my friend staging with it :

I am going to post a good recipe for carrot and broccoli dill salad once my broccoli is ripe for picking. (5 more days)

Farmer's Markets Austin, Texas

2009-01-09T09:30:00.000-06:00

As Whole Foods becomes increasingly unaffordable, and organics expensive, we are left wondering how do we afford to be healthy. My solution is growing my own organic produce, and shopping at the Farmer's Market. You will be pleasantly suprised my how fairly priced these farmers are selling their organics grown locally!

Austin Farmers' Market—Saturdays from 9am-1pm at 4th at Guadalupe at Republic Square Park Downtown and Wednesdays from 4-8pm until December 17, 2008 at Triangle Park between Lamar and Guadalupe.

Bee Caves Farmers’ Market —Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 10am-5pm March through December at 13908 Ste. D., Hwy. 71 W. 750-9152
Bell County Farmers’ Market—Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 7am-sellout at 212 S. Main Street in Temple (and Corner of Central & Penelope on Saturdays). 254-778-2401

Bastrop 1832 Farmers’ Market—Tuesdays 2:30-6pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm year round at 1302 Chestnut St. in Bastrop.

Bastrop Producers Market —Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays 11am-7pm, Saturdays and Sundays 1pm-6pm at 977 Hwy 71 W. in Bastrop (between FM 20 and State Hwy 21)

Brazos Valley Farmers’ Market—Saturday 7am-noon at the corner of Texas Ave and William J. Bryan Parkway and Wednesday (beginning May 24) 4pm-7pm at College Station Central Park.Buda Farmers’ Market—Saturday from May through December from 9am-noon at 100 S. Houston Street. 830-935-3159

Bulverde Farmers’ Market—Saturday from 3pm-6pm at 22954 Bulverde Rd. (FM 1863). 830-935-3159Burnet Farmers’ Market—Saturday May through October from 9am-1pm at 211 East Jackson Street. 512-756-8380Central Texas Farmers’ Market—Friday 3pm-6pm at 2310 Bliss Spillar, Marbridge Ranch Nursery in Manchaca. Coopers Cove Farmers’ Market—Tuesday and Saturday from 9am-5pm at 104 E. Avenue D in Lampasas. 512-752-3616

Elgin Farmers’ Market—Tuesday from 1pm to sellout on 410 N. Main Street.

Fredericksburg Farmers’ Market—Thursdays 4pm-7pm starting May 15th and running through the end of September

Georgetown Farmers' Market—Thursday from 3:30pm-6:30pm April through November at 400 block of S. Austin Ave.

HOMEsweetFARM's Monthly Market Day —Every 3rd Sunday from 2-4pm at 7800 FM 2502 in Brenham. 979-251-9922Killeen Farmers’ Market—Tuesday and Friday from 3pm-6pm at the corner of Park St and Ave. G. 512-756-8380
Kyle Farmers’ Market—First Saturday of the Month April thru November from 9am-2pm at Front Street between Kyle City Hall and the Historic Train DepotManchaca Farmers' Market—Accepting applications from vendors who want to be part of the newest Farmers' Market in Central Texas. Future location next to the Manchaca Post Office. For more information and to request a form send email to Ken Vargas. Manor Farmers' Market—Wednesday from 4pm-7pm year round at Jennie Lane Park, between Lexington and Rector streets. 512-856-2021

New Braunfels Farmers’ Market—Friday May 23rd through December from 3pm-6pm at 205 S. Castell Ave.

Pflugerville Farmers' Market—Every Tuesday from 3-7 p.m., May - October 20, 500 E. Pecan St., Pflugerville

Roundrock Farmers' Market—Saturday from April to July from 8am-noon at City Hall Pkg. Garage, 200 E. Baghdad Rd.Round Top Farmers’ Market—Saturday from 9:30am-1pm at 102 Main Street in Round Top. 979-966-3843Seguin Farmers’ Market—Wednesday from 3pm-6pm and Saturday from 8:30am-noon at 510 E. Court Street, in Seguin. 830-305-3193

Smithville Farmers’ Market—Thursdays from 1pm-sellout year round next to the Railroad Gazebo at Main & First Streets in Smithville.

San Marcos Farmers’ Market—Tuesday from 3pm-6pm year round at 204 S. Edward
Gary.

South Austin Farmers’ Market—Saturday year round from 8am-1pm in the parking lot of El Gallo Restaurant (2910 South Congress).

Sunset Valley Farmers' Market—Saturday year round from 9am-1pm at 2300 Jones Rd—Toney Burger Center.Taylor Area Farmers' Market Association—Monday and Wednesday from 3:30pm-6:30pm at 5th Street and Main Street in Taylor. 512-365-9230Travis County Farmers' Market/Produce Market—Open 7 Days a Week from 8am-6pm in the Spring through October 31 at 6701 Burnet Rd. 512-454-1002

Wimberley Farmers' Market—Wednesdays year round from 3pm-6pm at Lions Parking Lot #1, one mile north of the Y on FM 2325.

Community Gardens in Austin Texas

2009-01-09T09:25:00.000-06:00

Check out all these great Community Gardens popping up in Austin:

Alamo Community Garden—2101 Alamo Street
Blackland Learning Garden—Pennsylvania Ave. across from Kealing Middle School
Cedar Park Community Garden —Elizabeth Milburn Park at 1901 Sun Chase Blvd., Cedar Park
Deep Eddy Community Garden—401 Deep Eddy Ave.
El Jardin Alegre Community Garden—1801 East 2nd Street
Good Soil Community Garden—Southwest corner of 12th and Chicon
Hands of the Earth—7651 Delwau LaneMartin Middle School—1602 Haskell StPeter Tucker Community Garden—ClarksvilleQuilombo Garden Collective—5606 Harold Court
South Austin Community Garden—Cumberland and South 5th
Sunshine Community Gardens—4814 Sunshine Drive
Travis County Southeast Metro Park—Hwy 71 at FM 973
Windsor Park Community Garden—5801 West Minster

If you do not know what a "community garden" is, Wikipedia has a good description: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_garden

There is always a way to make your own food, even if you live in an apartment! Check out my post on patio gardening, or go to one of these community gardens.

Vegetable Gardening Planting Schedules

2009-01-09T09:20:00.000-06:00

http://www.co.travis.tx.us/agext/garden/veggies/planting/janmar.asp

Veggies you can still plant this month are:

Asparagus
Radishes
15-31
Asparagus
Carrots
Leeks
Leaf Lettuce
Bermuda Onion Plants
Parsnips
Garden Peas
Radishes
Rutabaga
Shallots
Spinach

January Maintenance

2009-01-05T10:13:00.000-06:00

It is now January of 2009. A new year that may have less wacky stories in the news, and a time to decompress from the craziness of 2008.

Here are a few things you can do this month to maintain your garden:

Water one time a week or less depending on your plantscape. Your lawns need little water while dormant so continue to water once every 8 - 9 days.

Pick out weeds, turn you compost, clean up your work space to get ready for next month's planting.

Look through seed catalogs and order some Spring seeds.

Plant a tree to commemorate MLK day.

Prune your trees...this is the best time of year to do it. Clean up dead branches and low hanging ones. Always spray paint wounds on Oak trees after you make cuts.

Enjoy some of these warm winter days to take a dip at Barton Springs!

January Garden Events

2008-12-30T16:03:00.000-06:00

It is the cool month of January with all its promises for a new year. Try to start the year with a commitment to get outdoors, and positively impact the environment.

Here are some things to do in January:

This month is free admission into the LBJ Wildflower Center.

Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9-1 Visit Boggy Creek Farms for veggies and flowers: 3414 Lyons Road, Austin TX 78702 (512)926-4650info@boggycreekfarm.com

'Rainwater Harvesting and Waterwise Gardening.' 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 10. This session covers all the basics of building a nonpotable rainwater harvesting system. Learn how to design beautiful gardens for lower water usage. Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Road. Free. www.tcmastergardeners.org.

'Growing Fruits, Nuts and Berries in Central Texas.' 10 a.m. Jan. 10. Workshop with Jim Kamas. The Natural Gardener, 8648 Old Bee Cave Road. Free. 288-6113, www.naturalgardeneraustin.com.

January 10, 2009 9 - 12:00Fruit Tree Management WorkshopDr. Larry Stein, Extension Horticulture SpecialistCall AgriLife Extension office830.257.6568

It's a Jungle classes. 11 a.m. Jan. 9 and Jan. 10: Beginning orchid care and repotting: Bring 6-inch or smaller plant to repot at no charge. 1 p.m. Jan. 10: Mounting orchids: Bring a plant or use one of ours to mount and take home. Weather permitting; call ahead. It's a Jungle, 907 Kramer Lane. Free. 837-1205, www.itsajungleaustin.com.

Saturday, January 10
Gardeners and Global Warming. A free class on the impacts of global warming and how to take actions to limit those impacts. 10 a.m to noon or 2 to 4 p.m.

January 14, 2009 2 pmFredericksburg Garden ClubMickey Benilli, speakerBeekeepingCentral Texas Electric Co-Op

Jan. 17. 'Pruning Grape Vines.' 10 a.m. Come learn timing and techniques for pruning, and shop for the proper grape varieties for the area. The Natural Gardener, 8648 Old Bee Cave Road. Free. 288-6113, www.naturalgardeneraustin.com.

Winter Veggies

2008-12-30T13:26:00.000-06:00

So, currently growing in my garden and ready to eat are the shown in the following photos. I will add my favorite recipes on how to cook them in another post:

Broccoli, Bok Choi, and Tai Sai, and mixed in there but hard to see are Carrots and Radish.

Red Cabbage

The delicate flower that turns into the pea, and smells as sweet and delicious as the pea tastes.

Sugar Snap Peas

Russian Kale

Red Lettuce

Buttercrunch Lettuce

Potted Arrangements

2008-12-30T13:15:00.000-06:00

I think the most enjoyable part of landscaping is arranging plants into pots. This is where you get your bang for you buck. I really like to use succulents that come in all different shapes and sizes.

Living Christmas Trees

2008-12-16T15:29:00.000-06:00

Have you ever thought about buying a LIVING Christmas tree? Why not? You did not know about them, or how much better you will feel after buying one?

Well, there are many benefits to having an alive Christmas tree in your home:

1) They smell better and for longer

2) They don't shed as much

3) It is cool to have a living tree in your home

4) It produces oxygen

5) You can plant it in your yard after decorating

6) You could donate it to local organization or school

Here are some types that work well in Texas:

Italian Stone Pine,

an Aleppo Pine,

a Diodora Cedar,

blue Italian Cypress,

a soft Leyland Cypress,

and if you need something small, a sheared Rosemary

December Maintenance

2008-12-16T15:24:00.000-06:00

It is now cold, and you don't feel like doing anything in the garden!

Well, here are a few items you could take care of this December:

- Collect coffee grinds from local coffee shops as they are in full production in the winter months and have plenty of extra grinds to share for your compost and garden.

- Turn the mulch in your beds to give them a fresh appearance.

- Cut back all your perennials or flowering plants if you have not already done this. A general rule to follow is to cut them back to 6" from the ground. Don't worry, they will come back! and look better than before!

- Mow and water less frequently as plants and lawns are dormant. You will not need to water more than once a week to once every ten days. If a hard freeze is upon us, water very thoroughly to help protect from freeze damage.

- Organize your tools, and garden supplies.

- Buy a living Christmas tree that you can plant in your yard, or donate to a school or non-profit after the holiday season.

- Relax and enjoy a fire! (time to make a firepit ? )

Metal Work

2008-12-09T10:15:00.000-06:00

I just recently finished working on a project with my good friend and very talented art welder by day and engineer by night.

It is a great property off South Congress and Annie St. We used my favorite plants: herbs, veggies, grasses, succulents and cacti.

Click on the photos to the left to see large images. The metal work is fantastic. There will be a fountain in the center with a bench.

Very Cool : )

Fountain Installation

2008-11-10T08:41:00.000-06:00

We sculpted on the same site a waterfall from local boulders to create a very natural and seamless water feature. The water falls into a bed of Hill Country Gravel and filters down into a hidden catch basin where it is recirculated to the top of the fall. I used red yucca and agave all around the feature and one small sumac to screen the irrigation controller and panel.

(Please excuse the neighbor's construction project in the background of the photo. I could not get a photo without capturing their mess.)

Xeriscape Landscape Installation

2008-11-10T08:28:00.000-06:00

Pictured here is a recent drought tolerant installation we installed last week. I look forward to returning to the site in the early summer when everything has taken root, and starts to flush out.

I used all drought tolerant and best performing plants to give color all year long. The plant pallet is: perennial dianthus (blue-gray tinted leaves), pink skullcap, copper canyon daisy, white salvia greggi, variegated Agave Americana, purple lantana, twisted leaf yucca, one Mountain Laurel, one Desert Willow, gregg's misflower, orange bulbine, and rock rose.

November Maintenance

2008-11-03T11:06:00.000-06:00

The weather is just about perfect except that we have seen no rain. We are in the midst of a seriuos drought, and our plants and trees are thirsty!

I recommend giving your plants supplemental water with a deep irrigation 2 times a week. Do the same for any young trees by setting a hose on low, and letting it seep into the roots for 15-20 minutes one time a week.

The grass at my house is not growing very much, due to little irrigation. Mow your lawns every 12-14 days.

If you have not applied more mulch to your beds, now is a great time to do that, or turn existing mulch. You can still purchase and install annual color and seed your lawn with Rye.

Prune spent blooms to encourage your perennials to give you one last show, before cutting them back.

Plant some new garden veggies, so you can harvest on a rotating basis. I just planted more Spinach and Cabbage. Fertilize the ones you planted in October with Liquid Seaweed or Compost.

First Fall Garden Harvest

2008-10-29T16:22:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos of my first Fall Garden Harvest. I will post more photos of the veggies growing in their bed next.

I tasted one of my sugar snap peas this weekend, and I was in heaven. It had just formed into a pod from a flower, and it tasted sweet like a flower. It had such a wonderful taste, and I can't wait until more are ready!

This time around, I just cut leaves from the base of my buttercrunch lettuce, kale, swiss chard, and Tai Sai (chinese cabbage). I also thinned my broccoli plants, and ate the small plants/leaves in a salad.

Monarchs

2008-10-20T12:23:00.000-05:00

Tis the season to watch the Monarchs migrate to Mexico. Several have stopped off in my garden to enjoy the Milkweed, and Gregg's Mistflower. Along with some bees!