by Catherine Haug
Our website got a comment from Kurt in Texas, concerning a website of archived texts/books regarding old-time skills including homemaking, cooking, sewing, etc., published in the 1800s and early 1900s. This archive site also has useful books on other sustainability topics such as blacksmithing. Read on for the text of the comment, and a sampling of archived books. (more…)
by Catherine Haug, December 26, 2011
Could your laundry detergent could be toxic?
At our January 2011 event Making Soap at Home with Kathy Mansfield, and subsequently with my post Soaps vs Detergents, we discussed the difference between detergents and soaps. One of the main differences is that many detergents are toxic, while soaps are not. Telling the difference gets tricky, though, because many so-called commercial ‘soaps’ are really detergents.
So, what’s toxic about laundry detergent and other household cleaning products? Are there alternatives? (more…)
by Catherine Haug, Dec 7, 2011
There’s a new community group of interest to those of us who are learning the old, time-tested and low energy methods of gardening, food preparation and homemaking in general. There are several chapters in the Flathead (see below), including one in Bigfork. To learn more about this growing national organization, check out The Farmgirl Sisterhood website.
“We are Sisters — a sisterhood of farmgirls. We’re country, we’re city, and every texture and stripe in between. It’s not at all about where we live, but how we live.”
“Farmgirl is a condition of the heart.” (more…)
by Catherine Haug, November 2, 2011
Using leaves in your compost or as mulch is an excellent way to return nutrients to the soil. But it’s not as simple as just piling them on. The Composter Connection has a great article on composing leaves: Using Autumn’s Bounty: Leaf Compost, Leaf Mulch, Leaf Mold, by Bill Kohlhaase.
You can read the entire article online, but here’s a few notes I made as I read the article. (more…)
by Catherine Haug, November 14, 2011
Last month I posted Taming Stormwater with Trees; this month I want to talk about use of trees and shrubs around your home. Did you know that trees around your home can increase your property value by 15%, and improve your odds of a sale? Why would this be?
Properly maintained trees and shrubs add to curbside appeal because of their beauty, but they also provide the following benefits:
Read on for information on: Siting a tree; Planting a tree, and Tree care. (more…)
by Catherine Haug, November 11, 2011
From the Organic Consumers Association or OCA (1):
We are fast approaching a tipping point in terms of climate disruption, food production, financial meltdown, and Peak Oil.
To survive and thrive in turbulent times we will need to organize ourselves at the grassroots level to carry out a series of Organic Transitions – not only in terms of food and farming, but also in transportation, housing, health, and education.
While remaining engaged in pressing governments and businesses to green and revitalize the economy and stabilize the climate, OCA believes that we must “dig in” and prepare ourselves locally and regionally to become as “organic” and self-reliant as possible.”
We at ESP are at the forefront of this transition, by working locally to prepare for the approaching storm, and living more healthfully and happily in the process. See Surviving the Approaching Storm for the rest of the OCA article which focuses on the premise that “Organic can feed the world”. (more…)