Viking Turf Homes

The folks over at Failblog came up with this interesting article on viking turf houses. The technique is very similar to cob construction and provides for a tremendous amount of thermal mass. Though the original designs were very unhealthy (Fire pit with no chimney/flue? No thank you!) these could be adapted as mid-term to long-term expedient shelters.
-TL

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Making Changes

Simple Living: A Cool Lifestyle for a Hot Planet

Duane Elgin, who introduced Americans to Voluntary Simplicity in the 1970s, believes conscious living can save the world. And the time is now.

This article is a reprint with permission to share if credits are in place. I felt that it stated many important factors. To continue reading the whole article, you will end up going to their site, but its a good read. Please take time to leave comment here and also share any lifestyle changes you made voluntarily or felt you needed to do because of changes in the world. Cher

November/December 2009

By Duane Elgin

Simplicity is not an alternative lifestyle for a marginal few; it is a choice for the mainstream majority, particularly developed nations. Photo By Povy Kendal Atchison Global trends indicate that a rapidly developing “world storm”—a planetary systems crisis—will push the human family to make deep and lasting changes in our approach to living. We confront many simultaneous challenges: climate disruption; an enormous increase in human populations living in gigantic cities; the depletion of vital resources such as fresh water and cheap oil; the massive and rapid extinction of animal and plant species around the world; growing disparities between the rich and the poor; and the spread of weapons of mass destruction. We are being pushed to wake up and learn to live far more sustainably by making profound changes in our manner of living, consuming, working and relating. Simplicity is not an alternative lifestyle for a marginal few; it is a choice for the mainstream majority, particularly in developed nations. Even with major technological innovations in energy and transportation, it will be crucial that people embrace simplicity as a foundation for sustainability and change our overall levels and patterns of living and consuming. Fortunately, we can introduce simplicity into our lives in several ways. A garden of simplicity For more than 30 years, I’ve explored the simple life, and I’ve found that the most useful and accurate way of describing this approach to living is with the metaphor of a garden. I see seven ways to grow in the “garden of simplicity.” As with other ecosystems, the diversity of expressions fosters flexibility, adaptability and resilience. Because there are so many pathways into the garden of simplicity, this cultural movement has enormous potential to grow. Consider the seven steps below and how they could help you simplify various aspects of your life. The multiple meanings of simplicity Compassionate Simplicity (Humanity) Simplicity means to feel such a strong sense of kinship with others that we “choose to live simply so that others may simply live.” Compassionate simplicity is a path of cooperation and fairness that seeks a future of mutually assured development for all. Uncluttered Simplicity (Physical Space and Time) Simplicity means taking charge of lives that are too busy, too stressed and too fragmented. Cut back on clutter, complexity and trivial distractions, both material and nonmaterial, and focus on the essentials—whatever those may be for your unique life. As Thoreau said, “Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.” Civic Simplicity (Community) Simplicity means a new approach to governing ourselves, recognizing that to live more lightly and sustainably will require changes in every area of public life—from transportation and education to the design of our cities, public buildings and workplaces. Frugal Simplicity (Personal Finances) By cutting back on spending that is not truly serving our lives and by practicing skillful management of our personal finances, we can achieve greater financial independence. Frugality and careful financial management bring increased financial freedom and the opportunity to more consciously choose our path through life. Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | Next >>

Growing Roses in your Garden

(My rose bush this season just before blooming, tipped over it was so tall; but covered with bloom buds!
After blooming, I removed the tall canes as I have to dig it up and move it away from the Spruce tree.)

I was working in the garden today and wondering what I could do with those long
canes that needed to be trimmed off my rose bushes. It seemed like such a waste of
nature just to toss them to the compost pile.

A couple of very long ones I tried weaving into the open part of one of my garden
arches to fill a large gap for my morning glories to climb on and it worked out! So
I kept the four longest ones and wove them into the top to give the vines more of
a support to attach itself to.

I know from experience that the best trick I ever came up for making my rose s
happy was to tuck banana skins in the soil near the plant. This worked so well that
my rose bush shot up past the 6ft spruce that is growing near it. I didn't have the
heart to cut off the branch just because I wanted to see what it would do!



So finally it bent over in an arch over the garden and produced several dozen red
roses along its length! It was just so pretty! I fear though that this red climber is
the root stock to my original pink rose which the top had died in a winter freeze,
but the hearty stock, even though its red, I feel I can live with this older style and
somewhat wilder rose.

Roses are a little more work at times but are well worth the beauty and color they produce.


The New York State flower is the wild rose. My mom used to have one in our back yard with dozens of delicate yellow blooms all over it each season. She never had to do any extra care to it, and even though there were a few Japanese beetles, there didn't seem as many as there are now. My family used the method of a jar with water and taking them off the branches with the lid and checking once or even twice a day during their peak time of visiting your plant. They have learned they emit a hormone for mating that attracts other beetles to your plant. If you remove them early, you might get away with not having to use a poison. I only use the systemic when needed as I wont spray my flowers. This helps break the cycle without harming bees passing through and which do not chew on the leaves.

Seed Trains - Seeds for everyones garden

With gardening seeds going up in price and sometimes not always being able to find that extra special variety that grandma grew; we started to develop "Seed trains".
You might ask "What is that!" Well, here in New York State, we started trading seeds with other fellow gardeners and seed savers. Eventually we had people from other states join in to want to swap favorites and heirloom seeds.

With all this talk about genetically modified seeds; many of which are being developed not to produce viable seed, or you have to sign a contract with the company (such as monsanto) to say you will not save seed and you will purchase new seed each season. I think its terrible when we continue to develop rules on people against what comes natural just so you can make more $$ per person.

I can see being paid for the toils of your labor for growing crops; but to make seeds that grow in your soil illegal to own and control is like saying - "Im going to sell you this pet, but if it has puppies, I can sue you!" This makes me want to grow my own produce more and more. Not to purchase any products knowingly with these seeds crops used, and to become more self suffient so that by buying or trading original heirloom or natural seed, I am making a conscious vote as to what I feel is important to me and my humanity.

This brings me to my original thought. Seed Trains.
People collect seed from their garden plants and flowers. Label and date them and reuse those seeds for future gardening or trade with others.

Collecting seeds is not only fun and money saving, but guarantees that you will have seed from your favorite tasting tomato and not have to settle for a perfectly tasteless tomato that is modified to keep bugs away but also probably you as well. I do not think I wish to eat food full of "natural insecticides" As much as this seems cool and step saving, it also takes from the total value of the vegetable grown. This is also apparent with more variety of blooms in color but not much scent. That is why we tend to like some of the older style garden plants that attract butterflies and birds. Healthy for them and us too.

Anyone who wishes to become involved in a Seed train can do so by stopping in to visit at CNYPlantcycle http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cnyplantcycle You do not have to live in New York to enjoy the benefits. In fact once you take a look at who is involved, you will see they are from all over and enjoying the benefit of seed swapping and seed trains. Some even post their lists which they are willing to send some seeds to you for just a S.A.S.E. (Self addressed stamped envelope)

You learn more about gardning this way as well as learning about a variety of food we used to grow in our gardens and include in our diets before we became more limited to corn, beans and potatoes. Those are great veggies too, but so are some of those we grew up with as kids or were loved by our grandparents.

If your not used to seed saving or trading, you are not alone! You can easily learn just by participating or asking questions. Each year I learn more about gardening just by trying a new variety or saving seeds from the best tasting tomatoes of the crop from my own garden. Seed saving is something we should teach our children as it is as important as some of the other life skills.

Conscientious Recycler Does Something Smaller

I was pleasantly suprised today to find out one of our local citizens made the news by making a statement about waste. For one year, she saved all the non-recyclable plastic or refuse that could not otherwise be recycled at her home. This included any napkins or plastic she might use at restaurants! The reporter who went to interview her expected to see several bags worth and was amazed to find only about 5pounds of trash total in a single bin.

See the live News Clip and a picture of Liz!


http://www.wtvh.com/




I know hard she works at something really important because, if you ever went walking on most city streets now days your going to see some papers blowing around. This bothers a lot of us but we choose to ignore it. Its someone else responsibility.

I have met Liz several times and she is always there to listen to anyone
who might wish to offer a way to make our city greener and encourages
any amount of positive energy no matter how small and make it so worth
wile. Her energies have wide effects into various regions from
recycling, growing a community garden, or even bringing life back to
some of neighborhoods with reclamation; including Habitat for Humanity
on the near West side.

People can get involved through Syracuse grows, Slow Food, as well as
through the Alchemical Nursery Project which supports permaculture, and
green living. (alchemicalnursery.org)



On top of that, she also loves to crochet non-recyclable materials as
much as I do!
Gotta love that! Cher