Search Results for: label/observations/page/2/2011/04/making-it/page/35/2010/06/the-urban-homestead

881 results

Garage Philosophy

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Thoughtstylings
9 Comments
...fit to re-embrace garage philosophy, to democratize and make practical the observations of the greats of the discipline. Unfortunately, my public school education, almost all the way through grad school, never exposed me to even a cursory survey of philosophy. This might be by design. In the years of cold war paranoia I grew up in, I suspect the powers that be didn’t want people thinking too deeply about the status quo. Or maybe it’s just that our...

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A Pandemic Anniversary

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Thoughtstylings
16 Comments
...out two books on the Pandemic that I read and enjoyed over the summer. Two observations from these books stick with me. First, that we should remember that there are places in the world (such as Syria and Yemen) where things are so bad that COVID-19 is just a minor annoyance. Another point is that we need international solidarity, cooperation and mobilization to face crises like pandemics and climate change. A lack of solidarity triggers, in me, m...

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Growing Pink Oyster Mushrooms

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Gardening, Mushrooms
4 Comments
...re has a tendency not to care about human schedules. Hot Pink Results Some observations from this last experiment. We chose pink oyster mushrooms because they tolerate heat and will grow well at this time of year here in sunny and hot Southern California. I can report that, despite what some have told me, pink oyster mushrooms are delicious and do, in fact, have a vague ham or bacon flavor. While they lose their vibrant pink color when you heat th...

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Stickers for the Organic Gardener

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Gardening, Vegetable Gardening
6 Comments
...Boing a clever re-purposing: “Evil Mad Scientist Labs wants you to proudly label your organic garden with these handsome “Now Slower and with More Bugs!” stickers, originally produced to adorn software products. The influence of the Slow Food movement is increasing, and gardening is getting ever more popular. Even the tech bloggers are posting about local pollinators and getting beehives. In this environment, it is fitting that a new use has been...

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Pasture Standards for Laying Hens

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Animals, Chickens
4 Comments
...n pasture. That said, the non-profit that adjudicates the Certified Humane label has pasture standards. Here’s an excerpt from those standards relating to exterior access for laying hens on pasture: R 1: Pasture area a. Must consist mainly of living vegetation. Coarse grit must be available to aid digestion of vegetation. b. The pasture must be designed and actively managed to: 1. Encourage birds outside, away from the popholes, and to use the are...

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