Health & Activity

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Gardens and Chickens and Goats, Oh My!

Submitted by TimJFowler on Wed, 2013/08/07 - 2:00pm
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Garden & Coop Tour 2013 - Friendly Goat

Once again it is high summer and time for garden tours. Santa Feans have a selection of garden tours to choose from. Tours range from Behind Adobe Walls and the Botanical Gardens to gardens that are a bit more home grown. As our garden is relatively modest I find inspiration from similarly DIY gardens.

Catching Water and Butterflies

Submitted by TimJFowler on Wed, 2013/07/24 - 11:06am
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Monarch Butterflies at the Museum Hill Botanical Garden

It is the height of summer and gardens are (or should be) at their best. Our garden is recovering from a hailstorm, so I must look elsewhere for verdant finery. Conveniently, the Santa Fe Botanical Garden at Museum Hill held their grand opening last weekend and our family toured the newly planted grounds. I've seen a few botanical gardens in my day and many focus on obscure and exotic plants from far-flung corners of the globe.

Why I Garden #36

Submitted by TimJFowler on Tue, 2013/07/16 - 10:08am
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Tomato plants after hail storm

Hail! Ugh.

One week ago a fierce thunderstorm hit our neighborhood and it started with a vicious hailstorm. I was in the middle of a project and could do nothing to save the tender annuals in our garden. While the corn survived, most of the chiles, tomatoes, beans and squash were shredded. Many of the perennials are already looking better, but I still need to decide what plants will be replaced this season.

I'm thrilled to have the precipitation, I just wish it had all come as rain. Ugh.

Old-tech Irrigation with Ollas

Submitted by TimJFowler on Tue, 2013/06/04 - 10:24am
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Olla factory at Growing Awareness Urban Farm

The Southwest isn't wet in the best of times and during a drought, like Right Now, it is downright parched. How do you keep a garden growing when the rain doesn't fall? We have to irrigate, but how can we irrigate effectively with scarce water? Drip irrigation is one modern answer, but ancient people had a simpler version of the same idea.

Oh, have you seen our herb garden?...

Submitted by EcoMommyo on Mon, 2013/05/27 - 1:12pm
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a forest of Tarragon

Since it is Memorial Day, we had to grill. It's summer, man! I also had a strong urge to make potato salad. We left the mayonnaise in the refrigerator and went with an herb vinaigrette. However, here is where it gets hinky. The original recipe called for 4 pounds of potatoes to a vinaigrette that contained just 4 tablespoons of herbs (specifically parsley, chives, and basil). All I can say to that is: pikers.

Re-Cycle

Submitted by TimJFowler on Fri, 2013/05/17 - 1:39pm
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Road Bike with new Powder Coat

I hate to throw away "perfectly good" things even when they're a bit scruffy. Case in point, my road bike. I bought this bike from a friend many years ago and have put quite a few miles on it. After a couple of years I re-painted it and replaced some worn parts. Well, after a decade or so of riding it desperately needed another overhaul. Now I have a friend with powdercoating equipment and I've restored the bike to better than ever.

Why I Garden #35

Submitted by TimJFowler on Mon, 2013/04/29 - 1:15pm
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Golden Currant, blooming

Once again the natives in our garden shine despite the drought. This Golden Currant (Ribes aureum) has grown steadily, if slowly, in a far corner of the yard. It has bloomed for the first time this spring, bringing an unexpected splash of bright yellow. I wish I could take credit for the flowers, but this perennial has grown and thrived with only infrequent watering. I'm hopeful that there will be a few currants to eat come the fall.

More Info:

Let's Plant Some Sh!t

Submitted by TimJFowler on Fri, 2013/03/08 - 2:17pm
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Ron Finley - TED talk

To quote Ron Finley, "Let's Plant Some Sh!t"! Ron is a guerrilla gardner in South Central Los Angeles where he has put shovel to soil and redesigned his neighborhood by planting gardens.

“Gardening is the most therapeutic and defiant act you can do, especially in the inner city. Plus, you get strawberries.”

It's time to get off my cushy chair and grow some change in my own neighborhood.

More Info:

All The Green News That Fits

Submitted by TimJFowler on Tue, 2013/03/05 - 1:13pm
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Green Blog Gone

Those of us who live in the U.S.A. are familiar with Freedom of the Press which is a part of the first amendment of our Constitution. But the idea of journalistic responsibility is less familiar, if just as important.

LED Vs. CFL in our Home

Submitted by TimJFowler on Wed, 2013/01/16 - 1:44pm
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LED Omnidirectional "Bulb"

Better to use an LED than curse the power company. That may not be the original saying, but it works pretty well for today. We've had good luck with CFL 'bulbs' around the house, yet technology marches on and LED lights are becoming better and cheaper. I just replaced two failed CFL's* with new LED '60 Watt Equivalent' bulbs. CFL's would have been cheaper to buy, but I'm betting on the longevity and other benefits of LED.

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