Using Cold Frames

Cold frames are one of the greatest resources that a gardener has. They are easy to make, inexpensive and allow for you to extend your growing season. We've been using cold frames for years. Recently, we got ours ready for spring. This is where we will get an early start on lettuces, cabbages, radishes, carrots and green onions. In my opinion, the best reference on extending your growing season and using cold frames is Eliot Coleman's book Four-Season Harvest. Any book by Coleman is a gold-mine of information, but this is one of the best because it provides information that you are unlikely to find elsewhere. He even gets very scientific about what varieties will perform best for you throughout the winter.

I have already started some seeds to go in my cold frame. Most everything that I put in there will be a transplant. I will direct seed carrots, green onions and radish, though. The temperature inside the cold frame is much higher than outside, so even though it is still very cold in Kansas City, I will start plants under the cold frame this week. Don't forget they are there, if you have an unseasonably warm day, they can overheat and die very quickly. Also, don't forget to water these plants. There still isn't a lot of direct sunlight right now, so these plants will grow much slower than they would in the summer. Plants that I put in in two weeks will quickly catch up to the ones I will plant this week. It will continue to be that way until spring.

Cold frames are extremely easy to make. They are basically wooden frames covered with plastic. The weight of the plastic is fairly important, i'm not sure what weight ours is, but don't get the thinnest and don't get the heaviest - it won't let in enough light. We used reclaimed wood to make ours and we have been using it for a couple of years. My husband puts it together using screws, he says, these will hold better than nails. We staple the plastic to the frame, unfortunately the plastic doesn't seem to last us longer than the one season.

DIY Democracy - It's Not Just Voting Anymore

There is a lot more to democracy than just voting. For some, that feels like an important part but it cannot be the only. I believe that to create change and create a true democracy requires the active participation of all of its citizenry. We need to create the neighborhoods that we want to live in, the infrastructures to get good food, make sure that everyone's basic needs in our community are being met and we need to make this a democracy.

We cannot wait for the government to fix problems for us. No matter what your political leanings, it is clear to a growing number of us, that our government equals a power structure whose vested interest is to maintain this power structure. People tend to care about and watch out for those they know and those they spend time with. Our elected officials rarely live in our neighborhoods, instead they reside in gated communities; they don't play at our parks, they have country clubs; they don't eat at the local buffet, the sit at tables clad in tablecloths and eat with silverware, not plasticware; most often their children do not go to our schools, instead preferring private institutions. Who do they fraternize with at these locations? Certainly not me, and probably not you. Instead their days are spent surrounded by other people who also have a financial incentive for things to stay the same.

Therefore, if there are things we'd like to see change, we are going to have to make those things happen. This should be no surprise. History seems to bear this out with little exception. Women were not graciously given the right to vote, they created a situation where it was untenable for anything else to happen. The civil rights act did not come about by people sitting at home drinking beer and watching TV. It only happened after a hard struggle and lots of grass roots support. And on and on.

Luckily for us there are lots of resources to facilitate democracy.

Blogging/Internet - the internet in general provides lots of information gathering opportunities and community building. It is an easy and fast way to disperse information to membership or would be membership. Blogs allow anyone to express their opinions and to be watch dogs of government and corporations. You can use it as community building, also, finding people with similar concerns or needs. It is only a part of this process, it is a tool. I encourage people to find as many opportunities to meet in person as you can and do your community building, when possible, in person.

Run for Public Office - we need more and more of our neighbors in positions where they can help watch out for our communities. Start small - a local school board or city council member. This is where a lot of changes come about that affect us on a local level. Most cities make it fairly easy to get your name on the ballot. Some signatures and some paperwork is enough to often get the process started. There is no better way to feel like you are making a difference than to help someone you believe in to run for office.

Transition Towns - This is a comprehensive grounds up approach that is in response to peak oil and climate change. The goal is to create towns and cities that are sustainable and along the way real participatory democracy is happening. Transition towns are a huge social experiment that is based on the premise that if we wait for the government to respond to peak oil and global warming it will be too late. And that if we act on our own it will be too little, but if we act as a community, we may have the chance to do enough, in time. Trainings are taking off all over the world, and according to the website over 140 cities have already been designated official transition towns. This is an exciting movement and one that bears looking into. The website is here. There is also a great handbook called The Transition Handbook written by Rob Hopkins.

Community Groups - throughout the United States community groups have been formed in response to all kinds of needs, whether it's environmental degradation, police brutality, schools, or people needing good food and housing. Community groups have been a tremendous avenue of change. Join one in your area or start one if there isn't one already addressing things that concern you.

Democracy Training and Groups - Frances Moore Lappe, of Diet for a Small Planet fame, has turned her sites on democracy. She's written two books directly related to creating more democracy. I'm currently reading Getting a Grip. It is set up perfectly as a self or group study book on participatory democracy. It has questions for further thought for each chapter. I haven't read the other but have it requested from the library. It is called Democracy's Edge. Groups across the country have used this book as a guide for them to learn participatory democracy. The Small Planet Institute formed by Lappe, is a treasure trove of information to learn more about this. It also contains lots of success stories of community groups that have used this format to make changes within their communities.

I know there are lots of different ways we can create DIY Democracy and would love to hear your ideas. I hope to make this an ongoing discussion and a continuing column on this blog.

Isabelles' Stuffed Animals

I met this wonderful crafts person on Etsy, a site that sells handmade items. She not only hand knits stuffed animals but she spins the yarn she uses by hand. I asked her to do an interview with me so I could introduce her to my readers. Learning to spin and to knit are wonderful skills and well within the reach of most of us, if there is an interest. Although fairly new to spinning, Isabelle is able to create beautiful yarns that she turns into adorable stuffed animals. I don't want to ruin any of the surprises, so, I'll let Isabelle speak for herself...

Isabelle, can you tell us a little about how you got started making knitted items?

My grandmother taught me how to knit when I was still very young - slippers, scarves... the basic stuff ;) I had kind of given up on knitting due to lack of time (I just finished a bachelor's degree) but realised, while looking for a job, that I now had a lot of free time to spend while waiting for the phone to ring for interviews... So I took out my needles and decided I needed something a little bit more challenging than scarves and slippers... I opted for soft toys :)

I've noticed that more of your items are starting to include handspun yarn - how did you get started in spinning yarn?

I started spinning only a couple of months ago... I had wanted to knit natural fibers for a long time but natural yarn is sooo expensive that spinning it myself was the only affordable option... So I bought a single book on the topic ("Start spinning" by Maggie Casey - veryyy useful!!), and a beginner's kit on Etsy and got started!!


What kind of spinning wheel do you have?

...The greatest thing with handspun yarn is that you don't need a spinning wheel: these were quite expensive so I bought a very simple "drop spindle" (15$ US for the spindle and some fibers to begin with) and was able to start spinning right away while reading my book and looking at several free tutorial videos on Youtube!


How do you choose what fibers you use to spin and then knit with?

Price is an important factor for me since my toys use a big amount of fibers... I try not to spend more than 3 dollars an ounce (+ shipping, which is often nearly as expensive than the fibers themselves since nobody produces them in my area). The softer the better... I love to experiment and have found that alpaca is incredibly soft, and that bamboo fibers feel a lot like silk but are a bit harder to spin...


How long does it take you to complete a knitted stuffed animal that you've spun?

In terms of hours, I'd say 5-6 for the smallest ones and often a day or two for the biggest... The spinning process itself is not that long once you get the hang of it but you still have to set the twist in the yarn by putting it into water then letting it air dry for a day or so... Which makes things longer!

Where can people go to buy your stuffed animals?

I'm trying to list them all on my Etsy shop, called Ptitebaloue, and they might soon be for sale in some souvenir boutiques in old Quebec city :)

What kinds of new projects can we expect from you in the near future?

New models, of course, new types of fibers (I want more bamboo and soy silk! :), 100% natural toys as much as possible... I'm currently trying to get a subvention to improve my products - if it works out many things could happen! :)

Thanks Isabelle for this great interview. Stop by her Etsy store and check all her great stuffed animals. Be inspired. Fiber arts are rewarding and fun skills to have. Find one you like and check it out. Until then, consider buying one of Isabelle's original stuffed animals for a gift for a loved one. Handmade gifts will be cherished for years to come.

Starting Your Herb and Veggie Seeds

This is one of my favorite times of year, I love when the promise of spring lets me justify playing in dirt. I love the magic of a seed popping itself out of the ground. The miracle of this never stops astounding me. As you can imagine, I spend the next couple of months in a kind of perpetual bliss.

Tonight, I spent most of the evening starting my cold weather seeds. Lots of different kinds of veggie and herb seeds. I choose to start most of all my plants indoors. There are a couple of reasons for this. First of all, it gives me a head start on the season. Additionally, it lets me have more control over their growing conditions. Before I go to plant them out in my raised beds, I'll know exactly what I have. This is important to me because I have limited space in my garden. By starting my seeds indoors, I can space them in my garden exactly how I want, I don't have to thin out plants and I don't have to worry about poor germination because I'll know that I all ready have a plant to put there. There are some seeds that don't do well being transplanted and are best suited directly planted in the garden. Some are obvious, such as root vegetables like carrots or radish. Some are less obvious, such as cilantro and corn. For the most part though, I put most of my plants into my garden as transplants.

Starting seeds inside is easy and doesn't require much special equipment. You can start your plants out in a lot of different containers. Personally, I use the seed trays that you can buy at a seed store. But butter tubs, yogurt containers, egg cartons even Dixie cups will work equally as well. Just make sure you have drainage holes in the bottom (and make sure you have this set in something to catch the drainage water.) Fill the container with a seed starting medium. I always buy this, you want it to be sterile and you don't want it to contain any fertilizer, organic or not. Seeds have all the nutrients it needs to get started, it can actually be detrimental for the plant to get too much food right after it sprouts. After they get their first set of true leaves, we will transplant these starts into larger containers, then we will give them some food.

After you've filled up the container with starter medium, place the seed in the medium. The seed package should tell you how deep to put the seed in. A good rule of thumb is the smaller seed the closer to the surface it should be planted, conversely the larger the seed the deeper it will go. A few seeds need sunlight to germinate, the package should tell you this. Make sure you label your seeds, I use whatever I have handy. Popsicle sticks make a cheap marker.

Now, you need to water the seeds. I always water my seeds from the bottom. Because I sell my extra plants, I need to make sure they are the correct plants, if I were to water from above, the medium could float into another tray. Also, once the seeds start to sprout, watering from above could facilitate a condition called damping off. So, I pour the water right into the drainage tray. The medium will soak the water up to the surface. Watch your containers for a couple of hours, adding water periodically until the surface of the containers show it's become damp.

It will take several days for your seeds to start to poke out of the soil, depending on the plant. Plants like lettuce should germinate in about 5 days, some like lavender germinate sporadically and could take up to two weeks. Be patient, during this waiting time, make sure the starter medium does not dry out. Find a happy balance, though, you don't want the seeds to be swimming in water either.

***I forgot to mention light. It is not necessary to have your seedlings in light to get them started. However, as soon as they start to sprout, put them in the sunniest location you can find. By a window or under grow lights will work, I've even taken my plants out in the morning and in again at night so get them in the sunlight.

Some of these plants, we will put outside soon after they get their true leaves (these will actually seem to you to be their second set of leaves, called the true leaves), such as the lettuce. Others we will transplant into larger containers and give them special treatment for a few more weeks in the house, such as tomato or eggplant.

Stay tuned, we are going to talk about how to plant in a cold frame and in a couple of posts, how to build a cold frame. They are easy and really useful for getting a jump start on the season.

Dr. Sketchy's Kansas City

I love to draw. Figure drawing is, perhaps, my favorite kind of drawing. I haven't been able to do this for a while and really miss having a live model. A few months ago, I heard about this fun group called Dr. Sketchy's. In 67 cities across the United States, there are Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art Schools. It's hard to describe it if you haven't been, which if you like to draw, I would strongly encourage. They are part art studio, part burlesque, part festival and 100% outrageous fun. They are self described as what happens when burlesque meets art school. And lucky for me there is a branch in Kansas City.

It is held in this old warehouse, where you have to take a somewhat disconcerting elevator to reach to top floor to someone's loft. The space here in Kansas City is priceless. There is art hanging on all the walls, everything from prints to paintings to bicycles to car parts. There couldn't be a more perfect atmosphere to create. After setting up your art supplies, there is lots of time to socialize and grab drinks from a makeshift bar as people arrive. I'm new, so, I spend lots of time people watching. People from all walks of life start to show up. From those dressed in t-shirts and jeans to goth to steampunk to artsy, it is an accepting atmosphere where it feels anyone can mingle. A different DJ keeps us entertained each week, with a wide assortment of music.

Soon, our rabble-rousing, charismatic uber stylish mistress of ceremonies takes the stage. She makes announcements and gets everyone excited like we're at a show. Then she introduces the performer for the week. This week the performer is Lu Foxx. The performers are burlesque dancers and bring all the style, all the theatrics, and all the show(wo)manship to modeling. Lu Foxx was an incredible model to draw. Striking fun, animated poses, she warmed us up with ten one minute poses. Dressed in a long flowing half skirt and a scanty bikini top, she used props to create wonderful poses that were a delight to draw. Next, come a couple of 5 minute poses as we start to get in the flow. About every half hour, the model takes a break. More time to get an alcoholic beverage from the bar and to socialize with the other artists. This pattern continues throughout the evening - half hour of drawing, twenty minute break, for about 4 hours of drawing. All for $6 entrance fee, really a bargain.

Often there are contests, best of drawings selected by the model. Many put our best piece on the stage for the other artists to look at and for the model to select her favorite. This night's prize was a free membership to the local clay guild. This is one of my favorite parts, I love seeing what others are creating. All skill levels sit together equal on the stage, from beginners to awe inspiring. Pencils, pastels, markers, paints, and even photos are used to capture the essence of Lu Foxx throughout the evening.

Another highlight of the evening is the show. Before the long poses, the performer will awe us and delight us with a sampling of her talents made all the more challenging by the makeshift small stage. And Lu Foxx did not disappoint. Regaled in feathers and tiger prints, she seduced us, grinding and twisting, dancing and stripping down to a thong and pasties. The audience joins in, hollering and cheering her on. Soon it's over, her 30 minute pose complete. I was pretty excited, this week my drawings weren't too bad and I had a wonderful time. Two Sundays from now is all ready marked on my calendar for the next Dr. Sketchy's Speakeasy. Maybe, I'll see you there.

Starting Perennial Seeds the Cold Moist Stratification Way

I love growing perennials. How can you not be grateful to a plant that returns year after year despite your neglect. Not only that but it gets larger and more beautiful along the way. I'm particularly enamored with perennials that are native. They are especially suited to the natural conditions of where i live and thrive despite my lack of care. So, you will tend to see a lot of posts on my blog about growing perennials.

This year, I've decided to start some perennials from seed. There are several ways to propagate plants, planting seeds is but one. Some of the seeds that I got don't require any pretreatment and I will just start them in seed starter when I'm ready. However, some of the seeds need to believe they have been in the ground over the winter in order to sprout. One way to do this is to actually plant them in the fall. This is a great way, it's easy and reliable. However, I want more control over where I plant the ones I'm keeping and also, plan to sell some of the extra plants. So, I'm going to start mine using cold, moist stratification. This will trick the seed into believing there has been a winter.

I'm experimenting with a couple of different ways to see which gives me better germination. The process is fairly simple but takes some advance planning. You need to start the seeds about 4-8 weeks in a cold place before you can plant them in your seed starter. All in all, this means it will take about 2-3 months before your seeds will actually germinate. To start the seeds you will need some baggies, paper towels and some sterilized medium - such as vermiculite or seed starter. I've chosen seed starter medium. Some seeds will need to be scarified before you start them, this means to scratch or weaken the seed casing. This should be noted on your seed packet if it is necessary.

For half of the seeds, I wet a piece of paper towel and just put the seeds directly on top of it. Make sure the paper towel is just damp and not soggy, once you put it in the plastic bag you do not want a lot of water sitting in the baggie. The water will not evaporate and you don't want your seeds sitting in water or they will rot, not sprout. For the other half of the seeds, I put a small amount of seed starter on the damp paper towel. I then placed the seeds on the medium, dampened a little more and then folded up the paper towel and put it in the baggie. Again, make sure the whole package is not too wet.

Then place in the refrigerator, I put mine in the fruit crisper drawer. They will be in here for several weeks, so you should check on them periodically. You want to make sure they don't dry out, or that they aren't staying too wet. Also, if they start to sprout while in the refrigerator go ahead and take them out of the refrigerator and plant them in whatever you are going to start them in.

In about 4-6 weeks, I'll be pulling these out and getting them planted in pots. So, stay tuned for more tutorials.

Check Out This Great Blog Post

Just read this awesome post on the website Passionate Green. It's about the great work the Humane Society is doing to promote animal welfare - and not just cats and dogs, livestock animals also.