Archive for the ‘Home & Ranch’ Category

Scary Foods (or why we should support local food producers)

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

by Catherine Haug, January 26, 2012

Supporting local food producers (gardeners, CSAs, farmers, orchards, ranchers, dairies, etc.) is not only an excellent way to build a strong community, but also the best way to ensure the quality and healthfulness of the foods you and your family eat. A side benefit is a cleaner, sustainable environment and  reduced energy consumption. You can effect food production practices by voting with your dollars.

Given the basic truth of “you are what you eat,” I am astounded at the toxic and unhealthful junk so many of us eat without giving it a second thought. Big Ag and its control of our media have certainly done a good job at getting us to make unhealthy choices voluntarily and enthusiastically. The problem is endemic in our society and affects all aspects of our diet.

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Time to tap (for sugar)

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
Detail of tap & collector

Detail of tap & collector

by Catherine Haug,  February 1, 2012

I just received an email from from Kathie L:

The weather is quite favorable to tap right now.  It’s earlier than I’ve done it the last three years but we’re seeing temperatures in the 40s during the day and freezing overnight and predicted to be so for a while now.

We tapped our trees just this afternoon and the sap is coming out great!

Kathie did the presentation last fall on Sugar Tapping. See Gathering Summary: Sugar Tapping with Kathie Lapcevic for all the details:
  • Selecting a maple or birch tree for tapping
  • When to tap
  • How to tap (includes equipment needed)
  • Collect the sap
  • Cooking down the sap to syrup
  • Pouring off
  • Storage of the syrup

See also Kathie’s handout: Maple & Birch Tapping at Home, by Kathie Lapcevic.

    Knitting for Kids in Need

    Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

    Cat's felted hat; knit scarf & mittens

    by Catherine Haug, February 1, 2012 (photo, right, by Cat)

    Christmas For Kids is a local non-profit group in the Flathead. The information below concerns Lakeside, but surely we have kids in need throughout the valley – even right here in Bigfork.

    February’s gathering topic (The Craft of Knitting, etc., with Carol Marie, February 15, 2012 is all about knitting and related crafts. If you would like to knit but don’t know how, contact Carol Marie at Witty Knitters (837-5648) for information on classes. Also, I knit and have taught knitting in the past and am willing to take on 1 – 2 students who would start by knitting scarves for kids – scarves are the easiest item to knit.

    Read on for information from Barb Hicks regarding this local Christmas for Kids project. (more…)

    Urban Gardening: Ideas for growing edibles in small spaces

    Saturday, January 21st, 2012

    by Catherine haug, January 21, 2012

    Thanks to Edd for the article on Care2.com upon which this post is based: 5 Ways To Kick-Start Your Own Urban Vegetable Garden, by Beth Buczynski (1). You don’t need a lot of space to grow a veggie garden, and many options are fairly portable, too.

    The 5 ways are: (more…)

    Growing Your Own Food, All Year Long

    Sunday, January 15th, 2012

    by Catherine Haug, January 9, 2012

    I just happened upon an interesting website: Landscaping Revolution. It is primarily about permaculture, but has a section on Growing Your Own Food All Year Long. Here’s a list of topics discussed, by page: (more…)

    Repurposing Magazine & Newsprint Paper

    Sunday, January 15th, 2012

    by Catherine Haug, January 13, 2012

    Do you have any creative ideas for reusing/repurposing magazine and newsprint paper? Or do you know of an artist or otherwise creative person who does this? Back Porch View Magazine wants ideas for an article in the Spring issue of the magazine.

    Contact Chris at 480-6134 or apibooks(at)yahoo(dot)com [Note: address disguised for security.] Or see the magazine’s About Us page for other contact options, or to learn more about the magazine.

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    On a related note, one of my memoir chapters will be published in the Spring issue, so be sure to pick one up! For those who don’t know, my memoir is about growing up in 1950s-60s Bigfork, where my parents owned a bar in the village. This chapter is called The Great Cribbage Tournament.