An Introduction to Chicken Breeds and Their Eggs Sep09

An Introduction to Chicken Breeds and Their Eggs

So, I wanted a chicken. Just a chicken, you know, for eating and laying eggs and stuff. Well boy-o-boy, I never knew there could be so many from which to choose. Chickens are kind of like dogs. There’s a million kinds and you get different behaviors from all of them. Then again, you eat chicken.  You do not eat Bobo, your oaf of a Great Dane. DO NOT EAT BOBO. If all of this seems overwhelming, the amazing people at Oh Lardy have a great guide to keeping chickens. Our favorite part of the post was the detailed image that serves as a cheat-sheet for what kind of eggs to expect from different breeds of chickens. Check out their...

DIY Soil Test in a M...

Growing your own food and gardening the day away can be fun and relaxing. It can also be frustrating and downright disappointing. One way to mitigate the possible frustration is to do your homework before you ever start planting. Trust me. I wish I had taken my own advice. A great (and pretty...

Building for Free with Papercrete Sep02

Building for Free with Papercrete

You have WAY too many newspapers on your stoop. Junk mail accounts for as much as 50% of your garbage. Your printer is evil and spits out hundreds of misaligned pages. Even if, by the grace of all that is holy, none of these descriptions currently fit your life, the odds are that there is excess paper somewhere in your vicinity. Good news! You can build something out of it. Up-cycle. Recycle. Reuse. Whatever you want to call it, re-purposing old materials to make something amazing is something of an art form. Papercrete is the medium by which some of the most amazing reuse projects are completed (including much of the house to the left). A...

Crowly Folk School Aug14

Crowly Folk School

Remember those things your grandfather just knew how to do? Almost like the knowledge came down from the heavens in the form of flannel-and-hat manna. And, just like the Hebrew people, you grew tired of the gift. Well, thankfully, all is not lost. Folk schools teach skills that are being...

Eat Fresh (or Frozen) Jun09

Eat Fresh (or Frozen...

Growing a successful, lush vegetable garden is a rewarding experience. Of that, there is no question. For those who have two green thumbs, harvest might mean picking more than you can chew. Learning how to properly preserve and freeze vegetables is a great way to enjoy the fruits (and...