The bestest most funniest T shirt I ever saw

In perusing the site of a local hop farm, from whom Jon and I wish to procure new rhizomes, I came upon this little gem at the bottom of the following page: http://www.pmihops.com/products.php

How appropriate given our lenten season, No?

Floating Island Commune

I can't decide if there is something wrong with this idea but right now outside all the snow melted and Syracuse looks like it was just ejected from the bowels of a creature with amoebic dysentery and I just got back from a beautiful week in the sunshine state so this is looking pretty good...

http://www.why-yachts.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl4sbM_O_WA

Who is with me?

Interesting take on national debt

Debt seems to have taken a front and center role in politics (again). While reading this very interesting article on gold, I came upon this little gem of a factoid:

"If you’re worried about massive deficits, recall that our country was founded with debt, debt that was ultimately paid back."

Honey Oatmeal Soap

This weekend we made honey-oatmeal-goatsmilk soap, in a wooden mold.

This is the soap mold.

These are the bars of soap after they are cut up.

Now we have a lot of oatmeal soap... any volunteers to try it out and give feedback?

(We made a 4 pound batch...)

Ingredients: lard, coconut oil, olive oil, goat milk, oats, honey, beeswax, lye

More sunshine

So nature has created smart plants, like the sunflower, that will follow the sun's path through the sky. Well, what about a house (and more season verse daily)? Check this out!!!

New Paltz, NY is where it's at!

This poor, neglected blog...

Needs some sunshine.

 

 

 

 

This sucks

Why do we even bother creating our own environmental laws?

http://www.chinahush.com/2009/10/21/amazing-pictures-pollution-in-china/

pomplamoose

funny

For all you cheese makers

I just read an article about using CLEAN men's handkerchiefs instead of cheesecloth for cheese making or any other form of fine straining.

Woolch

What’s Woolch Mulch?

Woolch. Made from 50 percent wool (a bi-product from yarn and blanket making industries) and 50 percent toothpick-size wood shavings (a bi-product from sawmills), woolch was developed by the Minnesota Lamb and Wool Makers Association and tested at the University of Minnesota. This combination of wool and wood shavings has been used on perennial fruits and vegetables such as strawberries with great success. Woolch prevents weed growth on top and below the mulch, retains soil moisture, keeps the soil cool, and lasts longer than other organic mulches such as straw. For strawberries it even allows the daughter plants to root themselves through the woolch material. The lightweight, felt-like mats of woolch can be cut to fit any fruit, vegetable, or perennial garden patch and generally lasts for 2 years in the garden before degrading in the soil.

For more information :

http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/YGLNews/YGLNewsMay152009.html#art1

Remember Stumpy Tunes?

I have songs to share! And I am craving new music.

Any interest/ suggestions in a music swap? We had that email address a billion years ago...is there a better or easier way to share some music in 2009?

Must have music.

Crazy $, but cool...

and I bet I could make one! Wooly "hammock" for plants!

http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/gardening/woolly-pocket-gardening-company-089775?image_id=212731

Rural America

USA Today has an article about a shrinking NH town that includes some stats that I've never considered before about rural areas.

• 17% of Americans live in rural areas (that seems so small to me!)
• Only 4% of rural Americans make their living farming

The general idea of the article seems to be that governmental policies and funds for rural America are focused on farming and therefore neglect the majority of the people and industries in those areas.

In the grand scheme of things, I'm not sure what this is all coming to...thoughts?

Dont Move Firewood

With the Emerald Ash Borer recently discovered, just across the Niagara River-

I thought this website does a nice job of getting the message across-
Check out how many people in NY (or your state) have made the pledge not to transport firewood....

http://www.stopthebeetle.info

Beer endangerment

Is this true? Have you heard anything about it? Will you have to re-live days of going to Canada for beer?

Dear New York Beer Activist,

At the request of the New York State Brewers Association, we are alerting you to an issue which could dramatically affect your access to the craft beers made by small breweries all across the country.

As you have likely learned, the state of New York recently enacted a requirement that bottled products sold in your state must bear a New York-specific UPC code for bottle deposit and redemption purposes. This requirement will have severe negative impacts on many businesses, including and particularly, small breweries.

More...

Urban vegetable gardens

Read this story: http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/syracuses_community_gardens_ar.html

Now, I have done some research on this topic and it turns out that heavy metal uptake in plants is minimal in normal soil pH.  It also seems lead in urban soils is a common thing.  So the fix would be to bring in some good soil to garden in.

Apparently that is exactly what they did, right Jon?

A Grand Chicken Day Out

It was a lovely day today, so we built our chickens a little temporary playground for some fun in the sun. They are one month old this weekend. The barred rocks - Rocket and his crew.

A broiler and a barred rock - these chickens are the same age!

The reason we call her Fuzzy Longbottoms:

Chillin chicken:

Tartan Day

Will there be celebrations tomorrow?

http://www.tartanday.org/

The Inverse Power of Praise

Yesterday, at work, we had a Youth Development Inservice that focused part of the workshop on the harmful effects of praising youth. This concept was totally foreign to me, but really fascinating. Of course a lot of it depends on context. The research behind reasons not to praise children and youth is very interesting- but what a total change and different way of thinking from what most people are accustomed to! Thought I'd share...


http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/

http://www.alfiekohn.org/parenting/gj.htm


What do you think?

March for Babies

We are going to participate in the March of Dime's "March for Babies" at Long Branch Park this April. If anyone would like to help support our walk by sponsoring us, please visit the link below. Thank you!!!!

The Somerlots