by Catherine Haug
Hungry for Change is a 90-minute documentary sequel to Food Matters. (2) The sequel is available for a free viewing, in its entirety, through March 31; the first 40 minutes of the original is available for free viewing as well. Read on for more about these films, and for links to the free viewings. (more…)
by Catherine Haug, March 19, 2012
In this article, I discuss the basics of fitting a sloper to a particular body as well as fitting in general. See also previous articles in this series:
This discussion will include:
D. Bates Squash Garden in August
by Catherine Haug, March 20, 2012
(photo, right, by Don Bates)
It’s time to get busy preparing your garden for the season. Some of us already have gardens; some are thinking about creating a garden; and others are utilizing their local community garden (such as Bigfork-Ferndale Community Garden at St. Patrick’s). The seed companies have sent out their seed catalogues for us to drool over. Have you caught the gardening bug?
Mother Earth News has some great articles on garden design, soil health and other gardening topics:
Red Tail Hawk at Raptor-Cam
by Catherine Haug, MArch 14, 2012
Many of you may know that I spent my career-life in Portland, Oregon, a very environmentally-conscious city. While there, I joined the local Audubon Society chapter, and I continue to get their newsletters.
Five years ago, the Audubon Society and a local radio station (KGW) installed a raptor cam to spy on a nest in the middle of downtown Portland. What the cam captures is streamed live, online at kgw.com/lifestyle/raptor-cam. You can also follow this on the Raptor-Cam facebook page and on the raptor cam blog.
This cam has captured the pair of hawks and their 13 young hatchlings over the previous five years, and will continue until the nest is no longer used.
by Catherine Haug, March 11, 2012
Are you concerned about the chemical dangers lurking in your cleaning supplies? Check out WomensVoices.org for their new report: Dirty Secrets (scroll down on that page to download the complete report); see also their article How Top Cleaning Supply Companies Rate. I’m totally disgusted by the deceits practiced by commercial cleaning product companies to hide/disguise their cancer-causing ingredients, and am committed to using locally made, full-disclosure products; how about you?
Last year we had a gathering on homemade soap (see Gathering Summary: Making Soap at Home), and this year we hope to have an event on making your own cleaning supplies. The latest issue of Back Porch View magazine has an article on making your own laundry soap.
And now, there’s a Montana-local laundry detergent (and another version for baby’s laundry) available at Bigfork Harvest Foods and Swan Valley Herbs. It’s called Keligreen (see their Facebook page), and comes in a returnable plastic jug (50¢ credit toward your next jug). I’ve added this product to my earlier post: Soap vs Detergents.
More about Keligreen:
by Catherine Haug, March 1, 2012
Cat's felted hat; knit scarf & mittens
This is just a short synopsis; you can find more detail in the complete, printable pdf file: Gathering Summary: The Craft of Knitting, etc.. There were no handouts.
Carol brought lots of samples of knitted as well as crocheted, felted & needle-punched items to view. Her friend Roxy demonstrated how to use a drop spindle to make yarn from roving. Several audience members brought in-progress and finished knit items.
Read on for presentation topics, references & resources. (more…)