Using fewer toxic chemicals in our everyday lives is something each of us can do that collectively could make a big difference in our world.
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Time and Space in the Garden
Ideas to Grow More & Waste Less Food By the time you read this, much of the adrenaline and enthusiasm about gardening may have worn off since the arrival of seed catalogs in January. Your vegetable garden may have grown profusely, producing stunning spring and early-summer food. Or, you may have planted your plants too early, only to find them to have flopped over or dried out. While many gardening successes are serendipitous, most are a result of planning. In this article, we’ll tackle how an ounce of planning can produce more and healthier vegetable plants and how you can reduce waste and prevent diseases. Most of the plants in…
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Between a Rock and a Hot Place
Balancing the Sources of Heat in the Home Landscape Take a leaf. No, actually, don’t you dare touch that leaf! Well, why? It’s dead. No good to me now. Well, actually, it’s as valuable now as when it was on the tree. Why? Because it’s going to rot and then become another tree that produces other leaves. Composted leaves are free fertilizer. They’re nature’s oldest form of recycling. The Xerces Society is a non-profit trying to help wildlife, especially pollinators (bees, butterflies, etc.) and endangered species. A few years ago, they promoted a “Leave the Leaves” project in the fall, so there would be protected places for wildlife over the…
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Permaculture on an Impermanent Planet
A soils instructor at OSU begins his talks by telling his students that we understand so little about soil (and many other things) because we humans are too big and don’t live long enough. He illustrates by holding a handful of garden soil and asks who can see the billion bacteria contained in the soil. No one raises their hand. He asks if anyone has been here for the hundred years it took to create just the top inch of topsoil. Ditto. Needless to say, he doesn’t have to inquire about anyone’s existence throughout the millions of years it took to break down mountains into the clay that is found…
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Local Efforts to Stop Food Waste
LOCAL EFFORTS TO STOP FOOD WASTE PROVIDES A MODEL ON GLOBAL STAGE A panel of West Coast leaders shared programs that yield results in dealing with food waste at U.N. Climate Change Conference in Glasgow Headlines from the 2021 United Nations climate change conference can be discouraging. Time is running out, and the leaders of the world are unwilling -or able to give even a little. Climate scientists, legal experts, and politicians argue the final deal out of Glasgow resulted in incremental progress inadequate to address the climate crisis. Many people don’t realize that these summits do more than bring top leaders together to strike international deals. In the background,…
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Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides Offers Consultation Services
Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP) recently released a new consultation service to help community members manage weeds and pests without pesticides. Schedule a one-on-one meeting with their staff to learn how to deal with gardening pests without relying on chemicals that can harm people and the environment. Many common pesticide products impact beneficial bug species and contribute to water pollution. NCAP can help you find safe solutions. This service is offered at a sliding scale, and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. For more info: www.pesticide.org/consultation
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Nut-tritious Foods Rebranded in Mason Jars
Dedicated to being Vegan, Non-GMO, sold in reusable mason jars. The mission at Nut-Tritious Foods is to provide delicious, nutrient-dense nut and seed butters to be used as a daily ingredient for healthy eating in our homes and communities. Fresh roasting brings out a fantastic flavor that customers have loved for years. They are differentiated through their choices not to include salt, palm oils, fillers, or sweeteners (except the chocolate) and their dedication to being vegan and non-GMO. This year, they have rebranded the products into 12oz recyclable/reusable mason jars. Nut-tritiuos Foods is currently at 12 markets and several farmer’s markets such as Lake Oswego, Portland State, Beaverton, Vancouver, Camas,…
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Plan to Plant an Herb Garden
Early spring is the time to plan for all kinds of gardening. Whether starting from scratch or adding to what you already have, be sure to include some herbs in your planning. Herbs come in a variety of sizes and colors, perennials and annuals, but are relatively easy to grow and maintain. So, as you choose your herbs for planting, keep the following ideas in mind. Four Common Growing Basics 1) Lots of Sun Because of their Mediterranean heritage, herbs do best in full sun. Five to six hours of sun is most suitable. A few herbs like mints will do fine in partial shade. The summer annuals – basils,…
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Bugs in the Garden
Bugs, butterflies, and beetles – in our gardens and on our plants. Sometimes we are happy to see them, and often we are not. In either case, insects are necessary for our plants and consequently for us to survive. Some of them flit about pollinating, while others spend time eating and decomposing garden debris. Even the ones we dislike can be food for other beneficial insects, birds, and garden reptiles. Unfortunately, insects are generally in trouble, with almost 40% of insect species at risk of becoming extinct. So what can we do to help save and protect the insect ecosystem? One of the first and easiest projects we can undertake…
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Mountain Rose Herbs Opens Two Aroma Bars
Mountain Rose Herbs announces the opening of two new Mountain Rose Aroma Bars designed to engage the senses through high-quality, ethically sourced essential oils and personal aromatherapy products. “The Aroma Bar is a celebration. We are reinvigorating retail in a post-COVID world,” said Mountain Rose Herbs owner and CEO Shawn Donnille. “As far as we know, a boutique aromatherapy marketplace like the Aroma Bar that carries all-natural, ethically sourced botanical oils doesn’t exist anywhere else in the United States.” Renowned as one of the nation’s largest organic bulk herbs distributors, Mountain Rose Herbs brings more than three decades of expertise in sourcing the finest quality organic, sustainable botanicals and oils.…
