The Dirty Work...

And they're out!

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Tue, 25 May 2010 01:07:00 +0000

The fence is dug and up, the ramp is out, the coop is complete (except for permanent roosts and nest boxes) and the chickens are OUTSIDE! (You have no idea how excited the dog is!)

Now, does anyone know how to get them to go in at night? We have been playing Chicken Run for the past two nights trying to get them to go in at night and roost. They are just digging nests under the coop and falling asleep there...HELP! I swear they just were supposed to know how to do this on their own...

14

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Fri, 21 May 2010 18:07:00 +0000

I recounted the chickens last night as they were all roosted for the night. Sitting perfectly still it was easy to see I had 14. Not 13. I guess I was always all right counting and getting 13 as long as I didn't get less...But we for surely, definitely, without a doubt, have 14.

Plastics

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Tue, 11 May 2010 14:50:00 +0000

This week is going to be rainy, all the way to Friday...I have no excuse not to do Spring Cleaning inside because of it. Old clothes to Goodwill, toys to younger cousins, windows washed, all that good stuff.

This year I am adding one more thing to the pile (but I can't decided if I toss it, or give it to Goodwill...can you help with the decision??) Plastics. I showed Andrew the findings from the President's Cancer Panel, and he finally agreed that we could get rid of all our plastics. We are starting in the kitchen.

Here are some of the findings, you can read the full report here.

Approximately 41 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives, and about 21 percent of us will die from cancer. The Presidential Panel noted cancers are becoming more common, particularly in children, and the proliferation of chemicals in water, foods, air and household products is widely suspected as a factor according to the Panel.

What I found most interesting was their list of preventive actions, most of which I have always preached. Here are a few:

Filtering home tap or well water... Unless the home water source is known to be contaminated, it is preferable to use filtered tap water instead of commercially bottled water.

Storing and carrying water in stainless steel, glass, or BPA- and phthalate-free containers.

Microwaving food and beverages in ceramic or glass instead of plastic containers.

Choosing, to the extent possible, food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers and washing conventionally grown produce to remove residues.

Exposure to antibiotics, growth hormones, and toxic run-off from livestock feed lots can be minimized by eating free-range meat raised without these medications if it is available. Avoiding or minimizing consumption of processed, charred, and well-done meats.

Choose products made with non-toxic substances or environmentally safe chemicals.

Reducing or ceasing landscaping pesticide and fertilizer use will help keep these chemicals from contaminating drinking water supplies.

Turning off lights and electrical devices when not in use reduces exposure to petroleum combustion by-products because doing so reduces the need for electricity, much of which is generated using fossil fuels.

Reduce or eliminate exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke in the home, auto, and public places.

While I have been slowly trying to ease away from plastics I always seem to fall back into them. The cute melamine plates for the patio, the fun Transformer set for my son, the cute Cinderella cup for my daughter, you know the drill. It is all going in the box and whether or not that box goes to Goodwill, I haven't decided yet. I did find a site Life Without Plastic which has great options including Stainless Steel cups so I don't have to watch the kids every second when they are drinking! (I'm a little scared of broken glass!) I think this cup from their site is adorable and might be a good replacement for those character cups my kids love so much!

So, do you think you could give up plastics? And what is better, Goodwill (to contaminate other families home, or the dump, to contaminate the soil and where it will end up regardless?)

Finger's crossed

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Fri, 07 May 2010 19:56:00 +0000

It is raining today. All day, cold, miserable rain. In a few hours they say it will turn to snow...

We were spoiled by our warm March and April weather, this small cool down is a total kick in the face.

I'm praying this weekend will be nice-it is jammed packed with parties, bbq's, and outside work that needs to get done! Here's hoping!

Moving day!

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Tue, 04 May 2010 00:51:00 +0000

Yesterday was moving day! The chicks seem so happy in their new home!

They are extremely curious when I come to the door. They crowd around me so much when I change their water and food that I am scared I'm going to step on one!

They are also at that fun stage where they are just figuring out what wings are for. When I'm in the coop, I'm a temporary roost.

The inside, before the big move:

Andrew is still building the roosts and the nest boxes will go in later this summer. We'll start the run in a few days, but the chicks are still too young to go out.

Completed outside:

Almost ready!

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:59:00 +0000

As we speak, Andrew is putting the finishing touches on the coop today. We decided the floor needed some sort of laminate for easy cleaning. So he is just finishing the floor trim and the chicks will be in...which NEEDS to happen NOW because they are getting big! I think I will try to weight them tomorrow out of curiousity...

Our garden has all kinds of yummy things coming up in it already. The potatoes have popped through, the peas are ready for a trellis, the carrots are just starting to come up as well as asparagus and beets. I've already been able to use chives and found some green onions that, even though the garden was tilled 3 times, decided to come back. I've replanted them and we will see how hardy they are! I'm praying for a nice weekend so that I can plant a second crop of carrots and peas and because we need the fence dug for the chicken run! Busy busy, I love spring!

13...

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 17:50:00 +0000

I went to work on Sunday morning for a few hours. The kids went to play at their Grandma's house, and Andrew took care of some dirty work. After a long conversation we decided that Crutches #1 and #2 would not fair well. Even if they did heal mostly, they would be pecked by the other chickens and we would have to worry about re-injury, or injury to the other leg. So I came home and their little box was empty. I'm not asking how or where, but they are gone. Now I'm questioning my ability to butcher the adult hens in a year...

But on the bright side, the coop is almost done. We are just finishing up trim, the door needs a coat of paint, and we will probably paint the inside for easier cleaning. Then the 13 chicks get to move into their new home, which needs to happen fast as their wings are getting full of feathers!

Earth Day is this Thursday and I have nothing planned for the kids and I to do. Perhaps we will spend the day in the garden...Do you have plans yet?

Rain and feathers

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:15:00 +0000

We have finally gotten nice rain these last two day. Before that we were incredibly dry. (So dry in fact that we had a grass fire burn over 300 acres and threaten our yards two weeks ago- thank god for fire helicopters.) But where it burned it it coming up beautifully green, I am so amazed how quickly nature can replenish itself.

Our chicks, who were cute little downy hens a few days ago, are already growing feathers on their wings. They are eating three times as much and I feel like they are out growing their box already. The two with bad legs are still the same. They eat and drink. Crutches #1 (the not so bad leg) seems to be using his hurt leg more. I keep reading that I am supposed to bandage it or make a mock splint, but I'm afraid I'll hurt it more. As long as it seems to be getting better I'm just going to leave it alone. Crutches #2 (the really bad one) seems to be the same. (That is him below)

I think his leg bone was totally crushed at the joint so I doubt he is going to heal. So now comes the hard part. I'd love to let her live, but the other chickens will peck at her, making her life really miserable. It seems a waste to just clock her once and be done when we've got a perfectly good cat who would love to have some fun. Or is that even more cruel?

Chicken...

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 13:32:00 +0000

It has been approaching a year since I have taken to this blog. My laptop broke, my husband got laid off, I began working more, and the time wasn't there. I tugged with emotions as to whether I enjoyed life out of the blog-o-sphere, or if I missed all those fabulous connections I had made.

Well I think it is obvious, I've totally missed it.

Over the past 9-10 months we've been through some small changes, we are still a "green" family. We still have two kids, a big dog, however our yard has finally become grass instead of just mud. We've also adopted into our family 15 new friends.

We now have a small chicken farm. And when I say chicken farm, I mean adorable 2 day old Plymouth Barred Rock chicks living in a box in our garage.

They came in the mail yesterday from Mt Healthy Hatchery. (My husband gets a kick out of saying we got them from the mail. He is used to going to the farm store and getting a straight run of whatever they had.) I knew I wanted to raise laying hens, something somewhat docile and curious, and most importantly, I wanted brown eggs. When I spotted the plymouth barred rocks I fell in love. See adorable...

The kids love watching the chicks. I pretty sure Cade is going to be able to tell the apart as he loves watching their personalities. We have two chicks we are currently nursing. They both have broken legs. One, kind of bad, one really bad. They are in separate boxes and I am hoping they are able to heal. So for now, we feed them, water them, and change their bedding, and spend hours in the garage just watching them.

More reasons to eat Raw Food.

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:37:00 +0000

While this article didn't shock me, it did serve as a reminder that simple is usually better...

Read on about Sand in your Chili and Fertilizer in you Bread...

Yes Men!

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:06:00 +0000

Bananas!

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:14:00 +0000

So, we all know bananas aren't in the dirty dozen, but here is a reason you might want to include them in your "buy organic" list.

Dole is now suing the filmmakers. You can make your own choice.

Organic food, Not healthier???!!

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:11:00 +0000

I've been so bummed out since I've read this article ORGANIC FOOD IS NO HEALTHIER, STUDY FINDS.

Because, on the surface people who buy organic foods, who are not completely educated as to why they do it, might just stop. Plain and simple, plants get their nutrients from the soil. Organic farmers maintain their soil’s nutrient level by adding compost and manure and by rotating crops, whereas most non organic farmers maintain their crop yields by adding synthetic chemical fertilizers to their soil. Every time I hear the word synthetic I cringe. To me a natural environment and something synthetic don't blend.

I don't buy organic foods because I think it has a higher concentration of vitamins. I don't think it is healthier than its chemically sprayed identical twin.

I buy organic because it is more sustainable for our environment. I know my produce is not full of pesticide residue, and I do not worry about health problems related to pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers because mine have been grown without..

If you have an hour, this video is fantastic.

Green Irene

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:24:00 +0000

Don't you wish you could have someone come in and just make your house green for you? Well, you can with Green Irene. Grene Irene offers a green home makeover for just $99. A local consultant will come in and help you become more environmentally friendly and save money. Now you can win a chance for a FREE makeover!! WOW!

Go here to enter!

A simple reminder

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:32:00 +0000

Slowly getting the computer situation taken care of. In other words, for now, my husband and I are learning to share.

It is a lot harder than it looks and I give my kids a big pat on the back for being such good sharers, most of the time!

But for now I'm going out to the garden. The green beans are out, as is the green onions and new potatoes. Corn will be coming soon along with the edamame. Yum! Our final harvest will be leeks. I can't wait.

Whip it up Wednesday: A Refresher

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:16:00 +0000

With all the wonderful fresh fruit and veggies at the farmers markets (and if you're lucky, your backyard!) remember the Dirty Dozen! Ask the farmer your buying from how the veggies are grown, where the farm is, and avoid these 12 if they are not grown with organic practices or organically.

DIRTY DOZEN
(Buy These Organic)

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Sweet Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Lettuce
9. Grapes
10. Pears
11. Spinach
12. Potatoes

CLEANEST 12
(Lowest in Pesticides)

1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn (frozen)
4. Pineapples
5. Mango
6. Sweet Peas (frozen)
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Bananas
10. Cabbage
11. Broccoli
12. Eggplant

Ruby Pinwheel summer sale

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:31:00 +0000

Ruby Pinwheels-I love this store. A small little online boutique that uses real moms to test their products. And, of course, all their products are natural, organic, and hip!
They are currently having their summer sale. 20-50% off regular price. This might be the cutest and truest onesie in the world! I think I might stock up for all the baby showers coming up!

Bummer...

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:28:00 +0000

We've been busy harvesting this last week, and will be busy for weeks to come-so I've been preparing with a lot of pre-typed blog posts. Something I tend to stay away from, but I didn't want to completely abandon my little space. Well, last night my laptop gave me the spinning wheel of death. We're pretty sure everything is lost. Pictures, addresses, links, and prepared blog posts...
Today I found out that my weekend plans are shot. Instead of a relaxing weekend with the kids in the water and sun I now am scrambling to find babysitters- and I haven't even told the kids the trip is off. Since they've been looking forward to it for over a week, this is not going to be fun. I hate breaking their little hearts.
I'm waiting for the 3rd thing to happen- they say bad things come in threes. (I'm praying for a broken nail to get this slump over with...)
Yikes.

Whip it up Wednesday: Laundry

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:23:00 +0000

Making your own laundry soap is a lot of work. I don't do it. I usually buy Seventh Generation or Restore (There is a great little eco-shop near me call The Nest, I can bring in my Restore bottle and they will refill it for less than half the price of buying a new bottle! LOVE IT!)
If your like me and don't have the time to make your own but want to get rid of the chemical bomb going off in your washing machine, here are a few reviews of great green laundry detergents!

Green Daily-Getting Your Laundry Clean and Green

Grist-Its a wash
If you have stained clothing I highly recommend rubbing the stain with dish soap (I use Method) to pre-treat the stain.

Associated Content- Eco-friendly Laundry Detergents that you will Love

Happy 4th of July

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:14:00 +0000

Be safe, have fun, and enjoy the weekend! I will be out till Tuesday.

These two are so excited!

Summer sale!

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:53:00 +0000

Two of my favorite online stores are having great sales right now!

Stewart and Brown is offering and extra 30% off all Sale Items! (Just enter salesale at checkout)

VivaTerra just started their semi-annual clearance sale. New items just added all at great prices!
Check out this ruler table! Wow!
(I'm frantically searching for the perfect corner now!)

Whip it up Wednesday: 4th of July

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:28:00 +0000

I'll be honest- 4th of July is probably our least green holiday around here. We ALL drive north to the cabin, grill over charcoal, take the boat out multiple times, and much to my chagrin, my husband, brother-in law, and others buy and light off fireworks. (Ok, I kind of like it too!)
My husband and I consider the 4th of July as an anniversary of us so we tend to go overboard in celebrating. Plus it is just a great excuse to get together with family and enjoy a few days by the lake.
However, this year, for all our bad I'm going to try to do some good too-
Here's how you can celebrate a more green 4th of July.

If you must use paper plates. Look for compostable, biodegradable ones made from sugar, corn, or recycled paper. (I've noticed that Costco is carrying biodegradable plates and recyclable cups.)
Otherwise GreenPartyGoods is my good to favorite!

Did you know that Disney uses Sekon biodegradable fireworks. (Gunpowder-free “air launch” technology). Hey, maybe you can convince your city to convert next year.

RECYCLE all those pop and beer cans!

Choose local, organic foods. We are able to stop at a fish and farmers market on the way up. It is a never miss opportunity and I love meeting the farmers who grow the food. Plus they have a great home made ice cream stand that the kids love.

Well, how will you go green this 4th?

Moms Meet

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:35:00 +0000

I'm so excited to be a Moms Meet ambassador and meet moms in my area face to face and discuss topics near and dear to us!
I'll be posting more information in the near future about how you can find a Moms Meet group near you-and fill you in on what the heck a Moms Meet group is! (And if you happen to live in Minnesota, email me!)

Whip it up Wednesday: Sleep!

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:43:00 +0000

How to get three kids to sleep...
Take them to the park
Let them run around like crazy 1-2 hours, rain or shine. Provide ample drinking water.
Order pizza, have a picnic inside (too much rain).
Enjoy a small scoop of ice cream with sprinkles.
Run around 10 more minutes.
Read a fantastic book- We are loving Fancy Nancy right now.
Tuck in tight. Add a touch of water.
Enjoy!

I have a house of three tired, sleeping kids. I think I'm going to do the same now too!

I'll be announcing winners of the first two giveaways shortly. Don't forget you can still enter to win a $50 Aveda gift card and a National Parks pass!

Summer fun!

noreply@blogger.com (PS) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:08:00 +0000

Kiwi Magazine recently posted 50 fun and inexpensive summer activities. You can read the full list here. But listed below are some of my favorites and some of my own!

-Make a fort, inside or out, it doesn’t matter!

-Make mudpies after a rainstorm.

-Hang an old sheet on a clotheslines, then fill spray bottles with a mixture of tempera paint and water. Spray away for a unique, colorful masterpiece!

-Bring the paints outside. Let them go crazy. Clean them with a hose!

-Get out the instruments and make a marching band.

-Learn how to skip rocks.

-AMC movie theaters started their summer movie camp. Every Wednesday at 10 they show a kids movie for $1.00!

-See how many new parks you can find in the neighborhood.

-Stop and pick the wildflowers. Bring along a guidebook to learn their names.

-Have an outdoor dance party.

What is your favorite summer activity with the kids?