Chelsea Green
Have you ever wondered about growing perennials? Now’s a better time than ever to get started with them. Here are some low-maintenance perennials suited for gardeners of all interests and abilities! The following is from Perennial Vegetables by Eric Toensmeier. It has been adapted for the web. Perennials: General Overview, History, and Ecology Around the world…
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This year, people all around the world are celebrating a milestone—the 50th anniversary of this international day of action for our environment. Why not celebrate Earth Day by reading about our great planet? We’ve compiled 13 books to get you started! In Courting the Wild Twin, Dr. Martin Shaw invites us to seek out our wild…
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They say history is bound to repeat itself if we don’t take the time to learn from the past. Our decision-making skills and resiliency are essential for survival but, for some, it’s difficult to connect the dots between the cause and effect of said decisions. However, in this day and age, it’s important to recognize…
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If you have an unused stretch of patio, why not make it into a garden? Turning a concrete slab into a verdant garden isn’t as impossible as it sounds, all it takes is time, a compost-fed soil bed, and some good old-fashioned elbow grease. The following is an excerpt from Fresh Food from Small Spaces: The…
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What guiding principles will you need to not just survive the future, but imagine a better one? To answer this question we not only need to look within ourselves, but at our community as a whole, and identify our flaws. By understanding each other, we can work together to build a better future. The following…
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Whether you live in a four-season climate or a small apartment in the city, fresh food at your fingertips is easier than you think! Just follow the directions for this self-watering growing container and you’ll have an abundance of produce in no time. The following is an excerpt from Fresh Food From Small Spaces by…
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Without a greenhouse or expensive equipment, it’s hard to imagine a reality in which you can have fresh and local greens every day. Sprouts, however, are easy to cultivate, mature very quickly, and really pack a nutritional punch. The best part is, you can use them for some great recipes! The following is an excerpt…
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If I may be graphic for a moment—my mouth is watering, literally, as I type this. I have a new food passion, and its name is kimchi. This tangy, spicy side dish can be cooked with pork, in savory pancakes, or as a soup stock. And imagine if you made it with your own fresh,…
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Think you need a vast outdoor garden in order to enjoy fresh produce? Think again! It’s entirely possible to grow your own salad indoors, no matter where you live. If you find yourself dreading heading out to the grocery store for that fresh produce, give indoor gardening a try! The following is an excerpt from…
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There’s nothing quite like having a box of cute, fluffy chicks arrive in the mail. It’s miraculous that a newly hatched chick can survive without food and water for exactly the amount of time it takes to mail a package from anywhere in the United States to anywhere else in the United States. Adding chickens…
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With the birth of spring comes its profusion of gifts—the warm sun, higher temperatures, and (best of all) fertile soil. With each day, more colors seem to burst forth—both in nature and on our plates. This veggie mandala is traditionally served directly on the surface of the entire length of the farm table, but, whether…
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This time of year we always seem to get a hint of spring in the air for a moment, whether it’s the snow storms starting to taper off or a glimpse of grass in your yard. The lure of sweetness calls from the maple trees and we begin daydreaming about all of the wonderous treats…
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What’s better than eating food that tastes delicious? Eating food that tastes AND looks delicious! Beets and carrots are the secret ingredients to liven up your salad. Combine these colorful vegetables and fresh herbs to create a salad that tastes like spring. This excerpt is fromThe Occidental Arts and Ecology Center Cookbook by The Occidental…
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Fresh fruit is a great source of nutrients and flavor, especially when it’s berry season–specifically strawberry season. Take this sweet fruit and make it bubbly with this recipe for strawberry kvass. Let the natural sugars do most of the work for you (besides the essential stirring, of course), and enjoy this refreshing drink. The following…
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Kombucha. The tea beast. The new and trendy health drink. The combination black tea and bacteria ball that is known to cure ailments, heal emotional wounds, and impress houseguests who happen upon it by accident when looking for the dog treats. What’s better than drinking this wonderful tea? Making your own. The following is an…
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Swales are small earthen embankments used to irrigate trees, plants, and pastures. They also capture runoff to help protect soil and plants from excessive rainfall that might otherwise cause flooding and erosion. In the below Q&A, author and permaculture designer, Shawn Jadrnicek, answers questions about assessing your land, building swales near your home, and logistics…
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Do you dream of having your own garden but live in a city or an area with not enough space? Try vertical gardening! Take advantage of plants’ willingness to grow toward sunshine ability to grow in unusual places. There are three techniques involved in vertical gardening: terracing, trellising, and tumbling. Each is designed to maximize…
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Summer is here, and the days of fresh vegetables and local harvests are near. But this doesn’t mean only those with farms and gardens should feel the amazingness of picking their own crops. You may recall a moment last year when your friend asked, “Are those your blueberries?” when you brought pie to the potluck.…
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Have plans to fire up the grill this summer? Want to impress everyone with your grilling skills? Take some advice from the gourmet butcher himself!
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Springtime is in full bloom, and along with the warm sun, fragrant blossoms, and promise of a long, fun summer often comes the edgy restlessness of spring fever. If you’re considering a drastic career change–ditching those stocks and bonds you sell all day for stalks and petals instead, we have some tips to get your…
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The award-winning Paradise Lot takes a behind-the-scenes look at how two plant geeks transformed a desolate urban backyard into a permaculture paradise. At the same time, the pair were hoping to each find their own Eve for this special garden adventure. They succeeded on both fronts–creating an urban, food-producing oasis on a tenth of an acre, and…
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In the face of global threats like climate instability, food insecurity, and water pollution, scientists are looking to how we use our agricultural land for solutions. One such group of scientist-farmers in Minnesota have collectively spent nearly three decades developing what could be the new ecological crop of the future: hybrid hazelnuts. The following is an…
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In his book, Bonsall maintains that to achieve real wealth we first need to understand the economy of the land, to realize that things that might make sense economically don’t always make sense ecologically, and vice versa. The marketplace distorts our values, and our modern dependence on petroleum in particular presents a serious barrier…
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For something that looks like a lump of charcoal, biochar certainly has a great press agent. The subject of books, articles, blog posts, research papers, workshop presentations, conference talks, and various top-ten-ideas-that-will-change-the-world lists. Its potential ability to address a variety of global challenges is indisputably large. So, how exactly do you make this strange material?…
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The facts about climate change are settled. Mostly. In fact, the news seems to get worse, and more urgent, every day. Yet, the more the facts stack up, the less resolve many people seem to have about getting behind solutions that will stem, or turn, the tide. What gives? Economist and psychologist Per Espen Stoknes…
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