Editors Comments November 2012

While Jacqui and I were in the UK and intermittently out of internet contact, work on the Newsletter has continued due to some dedicated and busy Transitioners; thanks to Christine for helping us implement the new work flow plan utilizing Melissa’s excellent suggestions, namely dropbox and meetings, Melissa has really stepped up her organizational efforts to help us the newsletter and blog the next step, and Robyn has been so busy with workshops, trainings and the like I don’t know where she found time to write it all up, but she did the results make up the bulk of the content for this issue.

As part of the aforementioned next step we have several newsletter positions that need filling.

Editor - responsible for gathering and proofing content for each issue and updating, maintaining and backing up the list of subscribers.

Community events coordinator - responsible for collating community events information into a monthly info calendar for each issue.

As we approach the one year anniversary of Foothills Transition, there are many exciting developments underway. One of the ones I’m most excited about is workshops of which there are several. I don’t suppose these will happen more than once every 2 or 3 months at first but even this may require a team of folks to make each one happen successfully. Here are my suggestions for that team.

Team leader - overall management of the logistics and scheduling of the workshops

Publicity - responsible for preparing all marketing press releases, snippets and newsletter articles relating to the workshops.

Logistics support - arranging of materials, presenter support, and site details.

Much of this work should be able to happen electronically and if we can get this team together with a full complement it will mean less time for each volunteer.

The Fisherman's Garden: Lenior's Urban Garden Resource!

A few months ago we posted an article about the beginnings of the Lenior Family Food Initiative. Since then, John and the team at UUofCC has been hard at work in their community garden, named The Fisherman's Garden. In just one growing season, they have donated more than 450 pounds of produce to Yokefellow and The Lenior Soup Kitchen!

You can follow along as they share their progress and lessons learned through their website, which has several articles and links for learning more about container and urban gardening.

Here's a sample of one of their projects you can start any time of year: Rain Harvesting!

Rainbarrels
Water is one of the three pillars of gardening, (along with sun and soil!) and you can't grow a garden without it. Water conservation is a double whammy opportunity- to save money and make your garden grow better. Rainwater is free- free of chemicals used in city water and free of charge!
Here is the basic idea- find a down-spout off of your roof's gutter and catch the water before it runs away. This is where the rainbarrel comes in. If you can raise your rain 
barrel above your garden you can water using only gravity- it does not get much more low-tech.

In most non-arid climates the formula is simple. You will need 1 square foot of roof to water one square foot of garden. The trick is storing enough  water, barrels are good. but it might take more than one, in which case a cistern might be better. Cisterns are just very large plastic containers and come in sizes from 300 gallons to 30,000 gallons.  That said, 2- 55 gallon food- grade barrels with detachable lids would be a good start for a 12'x4' or 16'x4' raised bed garden. If you want to know more email us email us or contact  your local water and soil conservation district office.

Health and Well Being meeting

This is a reminder that we will have a Health and Well Being Transition meeting this Thursday, 10/18, at 6:00 PM at:

10 North Summit Avenue, Granite Falls, NC. This is a commercial building on the left side of the road set among residential homes - about a quarter mile from the turn off 321A (flashing light at the turn).

A Lesson Learned by Uncle Bear

A few months ago I began making bird feeders using landfill-bound frozen dinner trays, snap-on covers, and screw tops for jars made from plastic. Realizing my supply was limited to what came from my kitchen, I started asking neighbors and friends for materials. While I had never given any thought to the large variety of things that could be used to produce tray type bird feeders, I assumed I had seen everything - that is - until I was given….

When the visitor handed me a bag and announced that its contents would make great apartment balcony feeders, I became excited. However, my excitement immediately vanished when I peered into the paper sack. Staring at the contents my only thought was, “How long do I have to wait, after my visitor has departed, before I throw this unwanted trash away?” There was absolutely no way I was going to produce tiny bird feeders out of former snuff containers!

Sitting and scowling at the tobacco holders, I started pondering, “What if I…Or if I tried…How about…However….?” Picking up one of the containers I began experimenting. In the end the aluminum lids were sent to a recycling center, while the plastic containers, with all identification removed, were used to produce excellent tiny bird feeders.

This experience taught me a valuable lesson. If someone gives me something I find objectionable or worthless, rather than discard it, I now take the time to ponder what might be done with it. Thus far, I’ve been able to utilize all of the “objectionable and worthless” items given to me.

PERMACULTURE * Letting Nature Control the Pests

About this time of year you can look at your garden and assess the amount of damage done by unwanted pests versus the abundance due to avoiding those pests, hopefully without the use of harmful man-made chemicals. Fortunately, permaculture offers very effective ways to keep those pests in check using organic means.

Remember, the first rule of permaculture: None of this requires more work on your part. Second rule: The first rule is true because you are designing relationships that enable nature to do the work for you,

Your helpers in this design will include not just the feathered and four-legged varieties, but insects, spiders and the multi-legged soil creatures, too. I will focus here on the insect world. Of course, first and foremost, building a fertile basis with healthy soil is your first and best line of defense. We will assume you have done that. Then it helps to view the whole of the insect world knowing that the beneficial insects far outnumber the bad ones.

Your objective is to attract the beneficial ones by providing them with a habitat and shelter that enables them to breed. Part of creating this habitat is knowing which host plants attract which beneficial insect, and the other part is of course knowing those insects’ favorite meal and identifying those on your plants.

Here is a quick-view chart, but note that it is a good practice to grow many species of flowers (your beneficial insects’ shelter and food) so that several types are always in bloom to allow these insects to fatten up for breeding.

Local Crafts Person Highlight: Painterchic Art, Joelle Broughton

Joelle Broughton of Painterchic Art is a local artist who produces works on recycled leather and reclaimed lumber. To find out more about her and see some of her amazing pieces of art check out her website. Painterchic Art   Joelle Broughton (Proprietor) 8967 Fair Oak Dr. Sherrills Ford NC 28673 (828) 478-2466   (Website) www.painterchicart.com (Email) painterchicart@gmail.com   Paints on wood and produces art work on leather. Materials used: reclaimed and salvaged lumber, scrap leather, old jewelry, buttons, pins, discarded metals, etc.

Local Crafts Person Highlight: African Heritage USA

Looking for some creative gift or a unique accessory? Check our the creations of Charles Kimso of African Heritage USA. Charles makes individualized jewelry, buckles, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces from recycled aluminum, brass and copper as well as painting with oil and water color. Charles has showcased his work in Hickory Art Crawl as well as teaching watercolor classes at Resource Warehouse. Contact information below: African Heritage USA Charles Kimso (Proprietor) 506 3rd Ave. SW Hickory NC 28602 (828) 238-4219 Kimso2thad@yahoo.com Manufactures individualized jewelry Types: Belt Buckles, Bracelets, Earrings, Necklaces Materials: Recycled aluminum, brass, copper ***Also does art: Paintings (oils / water)