What can YOU do to be more self sustainable?

Started by uptowngirl, January 09, 2011, 10:17:55 AM

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Ernest Street

#15
January 11, 2011, 10:25:29 PM Last Edit: January 11, 2011, 10:46:47 PM by Ernest Street
This barrel only had a 2x4" opening for a gutter but managed to completely fill up 40+ gallons in several weeks while I was busy.
Not being prickly but most people won't even dump out containers or buckets of standing water that breed mosquito's...you have to do it after EVERY thunderstorm even after you were at work.I only post from actual experiments or experience,not just theory or suggestions from the new york times.(My Mom is guilty)
Sealing rainwater run off containers is a job in itself. We are talking about a Mosquito. (and we have at least 3 varieties!)
Remember..We don't have spraying anymore. I have to give blood to be green.
My point is..Please design your run off system to use the water in a timely fashion or actually runoff to a usefull area.
I have seen that storing tepid water for any period of time just breeds Mosquito's.Put a Faucet on the bottom of that barrel and drain it every other day or so.
It's frustrating to watch your neighbors mow their lawns 3 times a week and ignore standing water.
Like Chriswolfgator..I have a memory that at least reaches back to last summer and lessons learned.
Some locals actually don't remember us having a 6 month winter last year..do YOU remember that?

uptowngirl

#16
January 12, 2011, 07:43:29 AM Last Edit: January 12, 2011, 08:24:30 AM by uptowngirl

avs

#17
January 12, 2011, 08:13:57 AM
Great post!  I have a rain barrel and the mosquito dunks keep the mosquitos out - they work in ponds and bird baths too!  I also have chickens and I LOVE them!  We have a pile of leaves we have been waiting for 3 years to compost so that I can use the compost in my raised bed - the chickens have converted those leaves into soil in 2 months!  Free soil to grow free food!  (I save seed so I dont have to purchase seed every year).  And yes the chickens (hens) are hilarious!  After owning them I understand how cruel and inhumane it is to keep them the way agri-business does as if they were part of an industrial factory.  PLUS eggs you get from the grocery are at least 3+ months old - mine are less than 48 hours!  Home grown eggs are also higher in nutrition and lower in fat and cholesterol.

700+ cities in the US allow hens keeping in small flocks - including NY and Chicago.  Most cities require permits so that helps the city make some money too - in addition to the money they are saving by not having so much waste go to dumps.  Many cities that dont allow chickens are changing their laws - Jacksonville needs to catch up.

If anyone is interested in Sustainable Springfield and what workshops we have coming up - just PM me and I will get you on our email list.  In January we have a seed starting class and we are also offering Cooking In Season Classes throughout 2011 with some of the area's top chefs, including Orsay and 'town.  We will also be hosting  a 1 day workshop on Greening Up Your Old Home this Spring.

This Fall we will be holding a NE FL Regional Seed Swap - so if you save seed this is a great place to trade and try some new varieties.

We have built the community garden on Laura Street and are building a Community Orchard on Ionia.  We are going to be building another garden on E. 4th this Spring too.  We are also organizing a Family 5K and are looking for corporate sponsors right now.

We are a 501(c)3 non-profit. www.SustainableSpringfield.net

uptowngirl

#18
January 13, 2011, 09:58:53 AM Last Edit: January 13, 2011, 10:16:51 AM by uptowngirl
Most eight year old little girls ask for ponies or puppies when talking about pets, well no one would ever claim my little girl is like most!  My eight year old little girl wants bees and worms and chickens, I am so proud of her! (of course she already has puppies and a pony of sorts!). What is a Mom to do but supply the wishes of her little girl, especially such smart ones!

Last night her special request worm factory arrived via the US Postal Service (I know our postman  and certainly our UPS man thinks we are nuts!). The excitement began when the Uncle Jim's Red Wiggler sticker was spied by the girl. A mad rush to rip the tape (without the use of scissors) started, ending eventually with mom and a pair of scissors helping out. Inside the box was what appeared to be a large stacked plastic pagoda with a spigot. Removing the lid of the pagoda we spied a bag, a MOVING bag. It turned out to be the 2,000 worms we ordered at half price with the worm factory. As we unstacked the worm factory we found a little worm factory directions and worm care booklet. Basically we needed to add some screws to the feet of the factory, the spigot, and mix in some coconut coir (included) and organic dirt, and add it to two of the four trays. Next came the worms, and some green stuff ( kitchen leftovers). Apparently worms will eat just about any kitchen scraps except citrus (well they will eat citrus but it kills them!).  According to the directions, just add the kitchen scraps to the first tray, and the worms will climb up and eat it, leaving behind gorgeous dirt for your garden. When the green stuff is gone, you add more.  Besides the great dirt, worms leave something else behind called worm tea: Worm tea is worm castings which have been soaked in water and oxygenated. The extra oxygen causes a bloom of the good bacteria, plus the added benefit of nitrogen, phosphate, calcium, magnesium and potash. I just bought a bag of this at King St. Feed store as it is useful for many thing especially insect control like fleas in the yard!

So far so good. We have the factory set up, worms are at home, food from last night is already gone! Extra bonus, the city does not regulate worm factories (now how ridiculous does that sound!). Now let's see what happens :-)

avs

#19
January 13, 2011, 10:04:06 AM
I have that same worm factory and what I think is the absolute coolest is that you can shred your junk mail in a paper shredder and put it in there and the worms will eat it and BAM! turn it into soil for growing your vegetables!  Junk mail into vegetable medium - more free soil!  I LOVE that!  I hope she loves the worm factory!

uptowngirl

#20
February 20, 2011, 07:56:30 PM
Well the rhode island reds have been in at the King St farm supply- like a $1.99 I believe. Also visited the Green Eggs no Ham chicken lady at the swap meet today and she had lots of gorgeous silkies, frizzles, and other wonderful bantams (including some really rare french hens) and baby ducks! It was packed and everyone was showing off their "urban chicken farms" Legal or not it seems a LOT of people are keeping chickens in the city.

Update on the worm farm- everything is going great with the worms, and I have tons less paper waste. I like AVS have a shredder for junk mail and the worms busily eat it up. No tea yet, but so far a fantastic natural recycling option.

I purchased two different composters a couple of weeks ago, one is a giant spinning ball, the other is a tumbling barrel. Both hold about 55 60-gallons of compost, and cost around 60-70 dollars. The jury is still out on which one is better, or if it is a tie but it is a lot of fun testing them!

Trying to be more sustainable is fun!

BridgeTroll

#21
February 21, 2011, 11:40:29 AM
Can you post the names of the composters or a link to their site?  How was the set up?  Where did you put it?
In a boat at sea one of the men began to bore a hole in the bottom of the boat. On being remonstrating with, he answered, "I am only boring under my own seat." "Yes," said his companions, "but when the sea rushes in we shall all be drowned with you."

Dog Walker

#22
February 21, 2011, 11:51:40 AM
People who live on islands like the Bahamas or Bermuda get real serious about "rain harvesting".  Most of the houses there are built on basements that are actually huge water storage tanks - 20,000 gallons and up because there is NO ground water.  ALL of their water must come from their roofs.

But....I wonder what they do about birds on their roofs?
When all else fails hug the dog.

NotNow

#23
February 21, 2011, 12:28:50 PM
Very cool suggestions and ideas. Thanks.
Deo adjuvante non timendum

BridgeTroll

#25
February 22, 2011, 07:13:56 AM
I would be interested to hear about your daily experiences with the composters.  Turning (or forgetting), Ease of use, output or yield, likes and dislikes, pros and cons etc...

I think there are many out there who like the idea of composting but are concerned about space, smell, time.

Motitivate us!! :)
In a boat at sea one of the men began to bore a hole in the bottom of the boat. On being remonstrating with, he answered, "I am only boring under my own seat." "Yes," said his companions, "but when the sea rushes in we shall all be drowned with you."
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