Mulch, mulch, mulch!

...on lawns. As far as kids go, a yard full of trees to climb, secret forts, chickens, flowers, vegetable patches and interesting critters and bugs might better lure them outside than a perfect lawn. I know many happy kids who live in such yards. And as a kid myself, I preferred such spaces. I have no fond memories of grass. I do have strong memories of playing in wilder spaces–under trees, among boulders, in a rainy gutter, in the snow, at the beac...

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041 Sounds of the Homestead

...discuss some of the unusual sounds heard around the Root Simple compound: chickens, cats, bees and, yes, Kaiser Permanente’s music on hold. If you want to leave a question for the Root Simple Podcast please call (213) 537-2591 or send an email to [email protected]. You can subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store and on Stitcher. The theme music is by Dr. Frankenstein. Additional music by Rho. A downloadable version of this podcast is here...

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Is the Detroit Urban Farm Revolution Over?

...David and Sky Brown’s house. It appears that a young couple, David and Sky Brown, who bought a $2,000 house in Detroit last May ran afoul of an Animal Control officer on Wednesday. The couple’s goats and chickens were seized over the tearful pleas of their owners. There’s more on the story here. The Browns have asked for help on their blog. If any Detroit area readers know more about this story please leave a comment. Update: there’s a petition....

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019 Garden Nerd Christy Wilhelmi

...at to fill a raised bed with How to deal with shade Integrating livestock: chickens and bees What to do with Peruvian pepper trees (Schinus molle) Attracting pollinators You can also connect with Christy on Facebook and Twitter. If you want to leave a question for the Root Simple Podcast please call (213) 537-2591 or send an email to [email protected]. You can subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store and on Stitcher. The theme music is by D...

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