It'll seem strange to many of you, especially those from colder climates, but I spent last weekend (September 16th and 17th) sowing seeds!
Whether you’ve got a few pots by the front door, or an extensive backyard garden, one of the fun things about green thumbs in the Bay Area is our year round growing season. As we move into the fall, here are some things to think about. It’s a great time to plant greens: lettuces, kales, chards, and spinach are all great fall and winter crops. In late October and November, you can plant peas again. Other great fall and winter crops include brussels sprouts, broccoli, leeks, Onions, and radishes. It’s also time to think about cover crops to enrich your soil; fava beans, winter rye and hairy vetch are all candidates for fall or winter planted cover crops.
If you’re interested in gardening with native plants, fall the time to introduce new plants to your garden. The fall and winter rains will help them get established before next summer’s dry season. It’s also the time to think about planting many landscape plants. Trees, shrubs and ground covers should all be planted now for the same reason – our winter rains will help them establish root systems that will sustain them through the dry summer.
The Ecology Center store has a great selection of gardening books and products. If you want more information on gardening in our neighborhoods this fall and winter, check out Pam Pierce’s Golden Gate Gardening, Katherine Grace Endicott’s Norhtern California Gardening: a Month-by-Month Guide, and Plants and Landscapes for Summer-Dry Climates of the San Francisco Bay Region produced by the East Bay Municipal Utility District. If you don’t have dirt in the ground to play in, you should also check out McGee & Stuckey’s The Bountiful Container, a comprehensive guide to all sorts of gardening in containers.
Out of season seeds are on sale! Come into to the store to get seeds for next season for 50% off.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Organic Cotton Baby Stuff!
You probably know that the Ecology Center stocks a fun selection of organic cotton t-shirts, but unless you’ve been in the store in the last few weeks, you don’t know about our great new selection of organic cotton baby stuff!
I’ve been looking for organic cotton baby items for years. At my last big trade show, I literally went around to every single baby vendor, and no one had anything organic. This month, the market is definitely booming. I have clothing coming in from seven different vendors – t-shirts, onesies, footies, many with matching hats, bibs and blankies. The sizes range from newborn to 4T, and I can order some styles in 6T. Just as exciting is a fantastic line of organic cotton stuffed animals. They’re adorable!
Switching from conventional to organic cotton products is one very important move for those of us looking to live more sustainable lives. Conventional cotton farming uses more insecticides than any other crop, and, according to the Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) “epitomizes the worst effects of chemically dependent agriculture” (Organic Cotton Breifing Kit, PANNA, http://www.panna.org).
Both the volume and the toxicity of pesticides used on cotton are particularly bad, many of the chemicals used on cotton were developed during WWII as chemical weapons – they’re nerve agents. While much of the world’s cotton is grown in the global south, pesticide intensive cotton growing is certainly not a removed problem. Also according to PANNA, in comparing pesticide linked illnesses of farm workers in California, conventional cotton is the third worst offender. In addition to purely chemical problems, Monsanto introduced Bt cotton, a genetically engineered plant in 1996. All of the strains of genetically modified cotton have had serious problems wherever they are grown, many actually showing signs of significantly lower resistance to pests and disease than non GM cotton varieties (Myers, Adrian, Organic Futures: The Case for Organic Farming).
I’ve been looking for organic cotton baby items for years. At my last big trade show, I literally went around to every single baby vendor, and no one had anything organic. This month, the market is definitely booming. I have clothing coming in from seven different vendors – t-shirts, onesies, footies, many with matching hats, bibs and blankies. The sizes range from newborn to 4T, and I can order some styles in 6T. Just as exciting is a fantastic line of organic cotton stuffed animals. They’re adorable!
Switching from conventional to organic cotton products is one very important move for those of us looking to live more sustainable lives. Conventional cotton farming uses more insecticides than any other crop, and, according to the Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) “epitomizes the worst effects of chemically dependent agriculture” (Organic Cotton Breifing Kit, PANNA, http://www.panna.org).
Both the volume and the toxicity of pesticides used on cotton are particularly bad, many of the chemicals used on cotton were developed during WWII as chemical weapons – they’re nerve agents. While much of the world’s cotton is grown in the global south, pesticide intensive cotton growing is certainly not a removed problem. Also according to PANNA, in comparing pesticide linked illnesses of farm workers in California, conventional cotton is the third worst offender. In addition to purely chemical problems, Monsanto introduced Bt cotton, a genetically engineered plant in 1996. All of the strains of genetically modified cotton have had serious problems wherever they are grown, many actually showing signs of significantly lower resistance to pests and disease than non GM cotton varieties (Myers, Adrian, Organic Futures: The Case for Organic Farming).
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Organizing for a Simpler Life
Ok folks,
We've been in a flurry of activity down here. In August, I attended a great trade show, and found a bunch of wonderful new products. The winning category was definitely organic baby! Many of you know that I've been looking for good organic baby products for quite a while now, and all of a sudden there are tons of options. I've got products coming in from seven new vendors, so come on in and see what we have!
I'm also in a flurry of organizing activity. It has to do with the 2nd Annual Simplicity Conference that I just got to attend in Oakland. As usual for these events, I bought some books that I thought would intrigue that audience in particular.... and we've got a collection of Organizing books by Donna Smallin.
Here we have "Organizing Plain & Simple" which, if you're a beginner is great, but if you're an old pro (like I am) at trying to get organized, you'll have heard most of these suggestions before. My favorite so far "The One-Minute Organizer." Because, while I have heard some of these suggestions before, it's great to have them in little bite-sized pieces that you can squeeze into that 15 minutes before lunch, when you don't have time to do anything big... but those small things can really add up! Finally, I'm very much looking forward to "Unclutter Your Mind," which, for me, is the biggest organization project of all!
Here's to organizing!
Jill
We've been in a flurry of activity down here. In August, I attended a great trade show, and found a bunch of wonderful new products. The winning category was definitely organic baby! Many of you know that I've been looking for good organic baby products for quite a while now, and all of a sudden there are tons of options. I've got products coming in from seven new vendors, so come on in and see what we have!
I'm also in a flurry of organizing activity. It has to do with the 2nd Annual Simplicity Conference that I just got to attend in Oakland. As usual for these events, I bought some books that I thought would intrigue that audience in particular.... and we've got a collection of Organizing books by Donna Smallin.
Here we have "Organizing Plain & Simple" which, if you're a beginner is great, but if you're an old pro (like I am) at trying to get organized, you'll have heard most of these suggestions before. My favorite so far "The One-Minute Organizer." Because, while I have heard some of these suggestions before, it's great to have them in little bite-sized pieces that you can squeeze into that 15 minutes before lunch, when you don't have time to do anything big... but those small things can really add up! Finally, I'm very much looking forward to "Unclutter Your Mind," which, for me, is the biggest organization project of all!
Here's to organizing!
Jill
Friday, June 09, 2006
Blithe Tomato: An Insiders Wry Look at Farmers' Market Society
Blithe Tomato: An Insiders Wry Look at Farmers' Market Society
by Mike Madison
Heyday Books
2006
$15.00
I love this book. It's a collection of great little stories about farming, farmers, and markets. The author tells a great story, delves into a somewhat odd obsession with old tractors (perhaps not so odd to farmers, but it is to me), and has a great eye for character. His prose speaks quickly and eloquently, sometimes telling a beautiful tale in less than a page. Opinionated (in a good way), funny and poignant, this is a great selection of scenes and essays, at times requiring me to read out loud to my co-workers (whether they wanted me to or not).
One of my favorite paragraphs in the book is from one of Madison's frequent political forays: "When I checked my e-mail, an image popped up on the screen of an idiotic man dressed in red, white, and blue bunting, deliriously happy over the victories of the Republicans in yesterday's election. I voted, too, but for the most part my candidates did not win. Perhaps democracy in this country is by now a complete failure, with elections openly for sale to the highest bidder. Even worse, democracy might be a success, and the election shows the true character of our people as they cast their votes for a violently exploitative attitude toward the planet and its creatures."
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
js
by Mike Madison
Heyday Books
2006
$15.00
I love this book. It's a collection of great little stories about farming, farmers, and markets. The author tells a great story, delves into a somewhat odd obsession with old tractors (perhaps not so odd to farmers, but it is to me), and has a great eye for character. His prose speaks quickly and eloquently, sometimes telling a beautiful tale in less than a page. Opinionated (in a good way), funny and poignant, this is a great selection of scenes and essays, at times requiring me to read out loud to my co-workers (whether they wanted me to or not).
One of my favorite paragraphs in the book is from one of Madison's frequent political forays: "When I checked my e-mail, an image popped up on the screen of an idiotic man dressed in red, white, and blue bunting, deliriously happy over the victories of the Republicans in yesterday's election. I voted, too, but for the most part my candidates did not win. Perhaps democracy in this country is by now a complete failure, with elections openly for sale to the highest bidder. Even worse, democracy might be a success, and the election shows the true character of our people as they cast their votes for a violently exploitative attitude toward the planet and its creatures."
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
js
A flood of new books
It's been a crazy year so far, and we're starting to get a flood of great new books in. I've decided that instead of trying to organize, categorize, and prioritize which I want to tell you about, I'm just going to start writing. So, keep your eyes on the blog, I'm hoping to give you quick updates on a bunch of 2006's best titles.
js
js
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Top 10 Books in 2005
Top 10 Book list in 2005
I thought it would be fun to publish some top 10 lists – Here’s the first in the series…
Top 10 bestselling books at the Ecology Center Store:
10. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, by John Perkins. This is a startlingly honest memoir of one of the world’s biggest moneylenders, and an insider’s look at international infrastructure and development financing fraud. It’s also very readable!
9. Ecotopia, by Ernest Callenbach. First published in 1975, the 30-year anniversary edition was very popular last year. It’s a fictional, inspirational vision of an ecologically, politically, and humanly workable future.
8. Biodiesel: Growing a New Energy Economy, by Greg Pahl. This is the first of three biodiesel books on the list. It discusses the history, technology and future prospects of biodiesel.
7. Alternative Urban Futures, by Raquel Pinderhuges. A great book by a local professor, author, and Ecology Center board member, it explores sustainable urban development through appropriate technologies in water, waste, energy, transportation and food systems.
6. Gaia’s Garden: a guide to home scale permaculture, by Toby Hemenway. A great gardening book for those of us interested in permaculture for urban and suburban plots of land.
5. Diet for a Dead Planet: How the Food Industry is Killing Us, by Christopher D. Cook. Another local author who’s produced a fascinating, readable, and intense document exposing the inside of the industry that feeds so many of us.
4. Biodiesel: Home Brewer’s Guide, by Maria “girl Mark” Alovert. A locally produced, home made guide to home brew biodiesel from local biodiesel teacher and activist girl Mark.
3. Earth Art Coloring Book, by Sue Coccia. A series of coloring books with intricate animal drawings based on the traditional artwork of the pacific north west.
2. From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank by Joshua Tickell. Always a favorite, this is a complete guide to using biodiesel or straight vegetable oil in your diesel car or truck.
And…
The number one bestselling book at the Ecology Center Store in 2005 was…
1. Golden Gate Gardening: The Complete Guide to Year-Round Food Gardening in the San Francisco Bay Area and Coastal California, by Pam Pierce. Our perennial bestseller, and the one gardening book you really need to read if you garden in or around the Bay Area.
I thought it would be fun to publish some top 10 lists – Here’s the first in the series…
Top 10 bestselling books at the Ecology Center Store:
10. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, by John Perkins. This is a startlingly honest memoir of one of the world’s biggest moneylenders, and an insider’s look at international infrastructure and development financing fraud. It’s also very readable!
9. Ecotopia, by Ernest Callenbach. First published in 1975, the 30-year anniversary edition was very popular last year. It’s a fictional, inspirational vision of an ecologically, politically, and humanly workable future.
8. Biodiesel: Growing a New Energy Economy, by Greg Pahl. This is the first of three biodiesel books on the list. It discusses the history, technology and future prospects of biodiesel.
7. Alternative Urban Futures, by Raquel Pinderhuges. A great book by a local professor, author, and Ecology Center board member, it explores sustainable urban development through appropriate technologies in water, waste, energy, transportation and food systems.
6. Gaia’s Garden: a guide to home scale permaculture, by Toby Hemenway. A great gardening book for those of us interested in permaculture for urban and suburban plots of land.
5. Diet for a Dead Planet: How the Food Industry is Killing Us, by Christopher D. Cook. Another local author who’s produced a fascinating, readable, and intense document exposing the inside of the industry that feeds so many of us.
4. Biodiesel: Home Brewer’s Guide, by Maria “girl Mark” Alovert. A locally produced, home made guide to home brew biodiesel from local biodiesel teacher and activist girl Mark.
3. Earth Art Coloring Book, by Sue Coccia. A series of coloring books with intricate animal drawings based on the traditional artwork of the pacific north west.
2. From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank by Joshua Tickell. Always a favorite, this is a complete guide to using biodiesel or straight vegetable oil in your diesel car or truck.
And…
The number one bestselling book at the Ecology Center Store in 2005 was…
1. Golden Gate Gardening: The Complete Guide to Year-Round Food Gardening in the San Francisco Bay Area and Coastal California, by Pam Pierce. Our perennial bestseller, and the one gardening book you really need to read if you garden in or around the Bay Area.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Now Selling... Bugs
Ecology Center Store: Now Selling Bugs. (Seriously)
Beneficial Nematodes are microscopic critters that prey on a wide variety of insect pests. The Nematodes and bacteria that they bring with them enter and infect the bodies of their hosts and grow and reproduce rapidly, consuming the host as they do so. Because they kill so quickly, they’ve evolved to prey on a wide variety of insects. Most important to a lot of us, they are an effective outdoor control for fleas! In addition, they kill thrips, fungus gnats, weevils and cutworms among many others.
Nematodes do have specific condition needs to survive, with a range of limitations including availability of prey, soil temperature, dampness, light, and others, which means that it’s most effective to replenish their population buy re-introducing them every 4-6 weeks while insect pests are a problem.
The Nematodes are packaged on a refrigerated sponge, so you have to ask for them at the cash register. Use one package per 3,000 square feet, or one per 1,500 square feet for controlling fleas. $13.46 per package.
Cool!
Beneficial Nematodes are microscopic critters that prey on a wide variety of insect pests. The Nematodes and bacteria that they bring with them enter and infect the bodies of their hosts and grow and reproduce rapidly, consuming the host as they do so. Because they kill so quickly, they’ve evolved to prey on a wide variety of insects. Most important to a lot of us, they are an effective outdoor control for fleas! In addition, they kill thrips, fungus gnats, weevils and cutworms among many others.
Nematodes do have specific condition needs to survive, with a range of limitations including availability of prey, soil temperature, dampness, light, and others, which means that it’s most effective to replenish their population buy re-introducing them every 4-6 weeks while insect pests are a problem.
The Nematodes are packaged on a refrigerated sponge, so you have to ask for them at the cash register. Use one package per 3,000 square feet, or one per 1,500 square feet for controlling fleas. $13.46 per package.
Cool!
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