Everything you always wanted to know about — raising chickens?

Raising chickens in the backyard probably isn’t the top item on your to-do list. But that doesn’t mean a quaint little book about how to do so isn’t a terrific read.

In municipalities that allow small-scale residential farming of chickens, the slim copy of Minnie Rose Lovgreen’s Recipe for Raising Chickens that recently crossed my desk will have definite educational value. But for the average cityslicker, it will be Lovgreen’s oddly compelling, down-to-earth voice that’s the real appeal of this book —without a doubt the most delightful and engaging piece of writing I’ve read in a very long time.

Lovgreen probably never thought of herself as a fascinating person. But consider her life story. Born in 1888 in England, Lovgreen was the eighth of nineteen children. In 1912, she and her brother decided to set off for Canada on a ship called the Titanic. But Lovgreen got bored waiting for the ship to be sail-ready, and hopped instead onboard another Montreal-bound ship. Those details alone were enough to make me place my order for Lovgreen’s other book, As Far As I Can Remember; Minnie Rose’s Story, also available at Trillium Press. 

By 1920, Lovgreen had made her way to Washington State, where she met and married Danish-born Leo Lovgreen.  They worked together for 30 years, creating a 170-acre dairy farm, where Lovgreen also learned all about rising chickens. After some 60 years, she decided to collect her wisdom in a simple, hand-lettered 31-page booklet, which was illustrated by Elizabeth Hutchison Zwick.

If you do want to raise chickens the old-fashioned way, this is probably an excellent primer. If not, it’s full of wonderful insights from Lovgreen, and delightful gems of wisdom, such as:

You’re much better off with a broody hen, even if you have to borrow one.

One or two white eggs in a box bring out the value of the brown ones… they look real pretty.

If two roosters get fighting hard, the only way I can do (sic) is to take a board and slap one of them in the face.

A quick read, this is the perfect book for the cottage — as bedside reading or, in a comfy chair in the shade.  But while it’s tempting to characterize it as charming anachronism, it’s worth remembering that Lovgreen lived in a time and place when connections to the land, and to the food chain that sustains us, were much stronger and more visible.

Lovgreen and her husband probably got just about everything they needed to survive from the land, or the local community. When I compare that with the fact that my husband, who’s an elementary school teacher, regularly encounters kids who don’t realize that apples come from a tree, I worry about what we’ve lost by becoming increasingly removed from the realities of food production. Makes you wonder about the nature of our progress, doesn’t it?

And if you read and enjoy this book, you must look for a copy of Betty MacDonald’s The Egg and I, about a young newlywed— also in Washington State ­ — who finds out that her husband has plans to start a chicken farm. The book was made into a sweet and funny little movie of the same name, released in 1947, and starring Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray.  

A (work) room of one's own

Oi has an unusual plan for bringing its product to market

 

An interesting side story to my Hot Home Products piece this week involves a campaign just launched by Oi, a Winnipeg-based company that designs modular furniture pieces that can be configured in various ways to create flexible “cell seating”. The components - made from recyclable plastic -  sit on spiked bases, and come in several colours and coverings, including polyvinyl, polyester and Sunbrella, which can be used outdoors.

Oi cells can be configured to create various seating plans

The twist is that Oi is now offering the pieces at a $399, down several hundred dollars from the original price. The reduced pricing was based on advice from the infamous Dragon’s Den and was made possible by a decision to manufacturer off-shore. Since that price is based on volume, Oi needs to find a minimum of 400 orders to make it worthwhile.

To promote the plan, Oi has come up with a Twitter campaign that can net the top-tweeting “Oi’vangelist” free seating and 400 trees for their community. Clever. I think.

 

 

 

 

Available through a more traditional channel, but in keeping with the theme, Staples  has just launched Martha Stewart’s home office line for Avery, which includes modular trays, boxes, organizers, journals, and accordion files. There’s also a range of sticky notes, including removable chalkboard labels that can be used to label everything from office storage boxes to jars of jelly beans.

 

Colour - work it!

This week’s Hot Home Products column is all about painting with colour, an especially tempting idea in the deeply dreary days of mid-winter. BTW, if you’re leery of painting at this time of year, keep in mind that low and no VOC paints are much easier and safer to work with than older formulations. As long as you can crack a window open for a bit, you should be okay.

Of course, using milk paint is an increasingly popular option, partly because of the subtle colours and slightly chalky finish, but also because you don’t have to worry about fumes. We like local company Homestead House Paints, which now also offer courses on using milk paint. Homestead also makes a zero VOC line.

Some tips for working with colour from Alison Goldman, communications manager for CIL.

Sample first. The colour you love on the chip may not look the same when it’s on your wall, because of lighting and other materials used in the room. Take the time to slap some of the colour on the wall and live with it for a few days. Many companies now offer very affordable sample pots. An oversized chip is next best, but because they’re usually printed — not painted — it’s not the same.

Strong colours show up imperfections, so prep walls carefully. Again, this small investment in time will pay off. And while more and more companies are offering paint and primer in one, I tend not to use them — unless the colour being applied is very close to the one already on the wall.  To get a true colour, you need a blank canvas.

Sharp cut lines count when you are using strong colours. Use a good tape. I like ScotchBlue Edge Lock, which contains a chemical that forms a leak-proof bond, but which comes off easily. Love it! 

Pics above come (in order) from Farrow and Ball, CIL, and Pittsburgh Paint.

Thanks for the advice

An acquaintance of mine was recently kind enough to inform me that he thought it was time for me to hit the Botox. He may be right – I’ve also been told that, at 53, I’m too old for television. But finally, while I thanked him for caring — and sharing — I had to disagree. (And you, television, well, you’ll just have to get along without me).  

I’d just come from lunch with my best girlfriends, and they told me that I looked fabulous. Since we’re all of certain age, we’ve accepted that with the years have come a line or two and that the neckline may be a bit, er, softer, than it used to be. So it’s no Botox or surgery for us, although Dorothy had an intriguing story about a friend who had fat taken from her buttocks and injected into her face. Which is, when you think about it, pretty weird. Not for me.  

What I will commit to, however, is decent skin care. So I was happy to try out product from Weleda, which was sent to me by their most excellent, most generous PR peeps several months ago. I scored Weleda’s Wild Rose body oil, lotion, facial cream and deodorant. First of all, I love that it’s natural, made from plant ingredients from biodynamic farms, and that fair-trade is important to the company. If you’re not yet convinced that you should be concerned about what  is in  your skin care and make-up products, check out the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

In the dog days of summer, you may have to reapply the deodorant, which comes in a glass spray bottle. But spritzing under your arms after work with a cool, rosey-scented liquid is no great inconvenience. And if you’ve been pounding the pavement all day, and your feet feel like ground beef, it’s likewise pretty pleasant to spray those tired puppies. If you apply the body oil after a shower, the scent seems to be especially well absorbed, and   lingers. The oil is also great as an under make-up serum for, ahem, mature skin.

I think I liked the facial cream, but I’m not sure — as my 19 year old daughter, who’s got very sensitive skin, took off with it and refused to give it back. Maybe that was for the best – my friend’s comments indicate it’s probably time for me to move onto the Pomegranate line, specially made for aging skins like mine.

So I’m off in pursuit - for both me and as Christmas prezzies for my gorgeous bestie friends. The stuff is not all that easy to find — Weleda is also sold at some Rexall locations, The Big Carrot and independent health food stores. It's good stuff. Also -  so much cheaper - and better smelling, I'll wager  — than Botox. I'm ready for my close-up.

A cuppa Christmas cheer

Another festive holiday decor idea from designers Jim Connelly and Peter De Sousa that doesn't cost a bomb or add to the waste stream. With it, each guest will find their dinner place easily, and be treated to a lovely  hostess gift.

Festive Tea Cup Name Holder

Supplies

• Old cup and saucer (mis-matched will do)
• Spray paint
• Glue gun
• Miniature Christmas tree
• Tartan fabric
• Faux red berries
• Faux Raspberries/Blackcurrants
• Paper
• Pen

Instructions

• Wash cup and saucer with warm, soapy water to remove grease, dirt or fingerprints
• Let dry completely
• Cover tabletop with newspaper to create a clean work surface
• Spray the cup and saucer with a very light spray of paint**
• Let dry completely
• Repeat two to three coats, letting each coat dry completely until surface has an even finish
• Use glue gun glue to join cup and saucer
• Let dry completely
• Cut a square of Tartan fabric and wrap around the Christmas tree
• Glue the Christmas tree into the cup let dry completely
• Apply some red berries into the tree branches to fill in the open areas
• Add some Raspberries/Blackberries into the tree branches and onto the saucer
• Cut out a piece of paper to make a name tag and write your dinner guest’s name on the saucer

**Do this in a well ventilated area and wear a face mask

Funk it, don't junk - such a jolly idea

 

This week’s Hot Home column includes ideas from designers Jim Connelly and Peter De Sousa for creating holiday décor from recycled elements - like the festive chair (shown above). So clever, so pretty, and so affordable.Instructions are listed below. These boy geniuses have a ton of other  easy and fun projects, which I’ll post over the next few weeks. So keep watching this spot.

Festive Silver Chair 

 Supplies

• Old chair from thrift shop, basement or curb-side
• White bonder primer sealer paint
• Size/glue (for applying silver leaf)
  
• Silver-leaf squares/foil
• Water-based silver paint
• Silver glitter
• High-gloss exterior varnish

 

Directions

•  Wash the chair with warm, soapy water to remove any grease, dirt or fingerprints
• Let dry completely
• Cover tabletop with newspaper to create clean work surface
• Remove the seat from the chair frame
• Paint the chair frame with white bonder primer sealer
• Let dry completely
• Paint the chair with a water-based size/glue
• Let dry completely (the size when dry will remain sticky to the touch)
• Apply the silver-leaf squares or transfer foil to entire chair
• Seal chair with exterior high-gloss varnish
• Let dry completely
• Using a small paint roller and tray, paint the old fabric seat with water-based silver paint (apply heavily if necessary to cover any pattern on the old fabric)
• Sprinkle silver glitter over the chair seat
• Let dry completely

 

Clever cleaner. Clever contest.

Makers of one of my favourite green cleaning products, IQ, have launched a contest called Who cares about this Planet? that challenges Canadians to come up with environmentally sustainable projects that will make a difference in their communities. They’re asking potential winners to create and upload a video of their idea to iQ’s Facebook page. Ten finalists will be selected to share their videos across social networks, and viewers will vote for their favorite project. Each vote will count towards $1 that will be awarded to the grand prize-winner (up to $5,000) that can be used to kick-start the project. The video with the highest number of votes wins.

Why do I like iQ? Two reasons. The corn-derived surfactants do a great job cleaning, and the clever packaging reduces plastic waste. After buying your first bottle from the range, you can then buy small, capsule-sized refills of the cleaner, which you simply mix with tap water before using. Brilliant.

They're baaack - eco energy grants add incentive to make household upgrades

It was pretty much a no-brainer that the federal ecoENERGY Retrofit program would be reinstated in the last budget. Why not continue a plan that’s good for the environment, and the economy?

Naturally, that's being applauded by manufacturers such as Owens Cornings, who make EcoTouch Pink Insulation batts and AttiCat expanding blown-in insulation system and Roxul, which makes stone wool batt insulation (shown above).

According to Owens Corning, an attic insulated to the recommended standard of R-50 will save a half-ton of greenhouse gas emissions annually. It will also make your home more comfortable.

Insulation is just one route to a more energy efficient home. If you want a larger plan, consider having an energy audit done by an organization such as GreenSaver, Ontario’s oldest not-for-profit provider of energy audits and services.

What does a home energy audit entail? To get the full story, go to GreenSaver’s website. Basically, it’s a review of your home’s energy efficiency — inside and out — and includes a “blower test” to measure air leakage. After the review, you get a report detailing suggested improvements and after they’re made, GreenSaver comes back to measure your efficiency gains. That document can be used to apply for various grant programs. 

For more information on government grants and rebates for home improvements, as well as how-to guides for making your home more environmentally-friendly, go to Show Me the Green.

If it’s cooling you’re looking at (and who isn’t during this blast of heat), you might consider whether a ductless system, such as that made by Daikin, would work for you. Many models qualify for eco-retrofit grants, information about which can be found at Natural Resources Canada.

If I had extra money sitting around (dang! why did my 1992 Mercury Sable have to die this summer, forcing me to buy a new car?), I think I’d invest in venting skylight window or a roof window (shown below) from  Velux. (I already have one of their sun tunnels, which has become one of my fave features of my house). If I did, I bet I could pretty much turn off the central AC (which I only use on the hottest of the hot days) as opening a skylight allows hot air to escape. I've been told that some models qualify when they are used to replace inefficient skylights and that each reno that includes an Energy Star skylight is eligible for $40 per skylight. The company’s solar water heaters, which save CO2 from the atmosphere and can lower water bills by up to 60 per cent, would also qualify.

Best to get moving on all this, though. The grant program will close by March 2102, or when the $400 million runs out, whichever comes first.

 

What's next? More sustainable energy, we hope!

Interested in green and sustainable energy? Then check out the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) WattsNext website, the aim of which is  to promote conservation and renewable energy  by showcasing sustainable energy ideas from across Ontario.

To encourage greenies, those signing up to receive updates from OSEA get their name entered in a weekly prize draw. Share a story about an individual or local initiative and you get extra entries in the weekly draw, and your project gets pegged on a WattsNext? map of sustainable energy initiatives.

Or you can submit a video of  an individual or community-based green energy initiative for a chance to win a complete 10 kilowatt solar system. The video with the most views before September 24 will be the winner.  Prizes will be announced at Ontario's Green Energy Field Day, a "doors-open" event showcasing conservation and renewable energy projects across the province.  

Easy being green? Not really. But there is help.

With apologies to Kermit ­— and headline writers around the world  — I’ve never actually thought it was that easy being green. Living a low eco-impact lifestyle is full of challenges, questions and sometimes compromises. So I’m delighted to see that there’s a new website called Practically Green that offers information and inspiration for living more lightly on the planet. You can go there to do a survey that will tell you how green you currently are, and get  tips for amping up your eco quotient. Good greenies are rewarded with fun “badges”. There’s also a blog section, where you’ll find world-famous writers (like me, for example) offering suggestions on how to be eco-sensible in every area of the home. Do check it out.