How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Grub

October 2, 2009

...a bucket. Each morning you empty a bucket full of grubs for your grateful chickens or fish, making sure to reserve a few to ensure future black soldier fly generations. Adult black soldier flies don’t bite and are only interested in flying around looking for sex and, in the case of the females, to find a good place to lay eggs. At $179, the BioPod™ is above our humble slacker budget level, but you can make your own out of the ubiquitous five gall...

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Chicken Coop Deconstructed

Homegrown Neighbor

October 9, 2009

Animals, Chickens

10 Comments

...we can get the supplies, we will start rebuilding. The students will get some real hands on construction lessons and get to build it themselves. Once the paint drys the school will be ready for a big flock of chickens. I think the coop could handle about 20. Next we’ll rehab the big barn and get mini goats and dwarf sheep. This is going to be a jewel of an urban farm and a great educational space!...

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Bird Flu and Industrial Agriculture

Mr. Homegrown

July 27, 2008

Animals, Chickens

2 Comments

...for a host of scary diseases such as bird flu and mad cow disease. Keeping chickens in our backyard has brought home the debate on biosecurity and bird flu. There’s considerable dispute about how these viruses spread, with the industry trying to make the case that wild birds and backyard poultry keepers such as ourselves are a greater threat. A report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Industrial Livestock Production...

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Whiteflies

Mr. Homegrown

July 18, 2008

Pests

2 Comments

...ens and the outer zones being less cultivated and more wild spaces. Mollison and Holmgren’s zones are easily miniaturized for small urban yards. Trees that don’t need much attention can go towards the back, the chickens a little closer and the vegetables and herbs can benefit from being close at hand. For additional information on whiteflys see the Colorado State Extension service’s whitefly quick facts....

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Permaculturalist Paul Wheaton in Los Angeles

Mr. Homegrown

February 25, 2013

Events

3 Comments

...oney to build a chicken coop and run, when you can have healthier, happier chickens without them? Paul explains his super simple backyard chicken raising techniques. [Editor’s note: I know this idea sounds crazy, but read Wheaton’s lengthy explanation here]. 1pm to 2pm Lunch provided by Oh Happy Days! Natural Foods & Cafe Marco Barrantes of La Loma Development Co 2pm Permaculture in the Big City How does Permaculture apply to life in the concrete...

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