Councilmen Want to Astroturf Los Angeles and Turn it Into a Big Minigolf Course

November 3, 2014

...put golf courses. It does not belong in residential landscapes, especially in the parkway. Thanks to Travis Longcore, science director for the Urban Wildlands Group, for tipping me off to this situation....

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A New Reality

Mr. Homegrown

April 3, 2014

Thoughtstylings

42 Comments

...ations) is not allowed. We need to tell a different story. Bloggers in the urban homesteading movement can join together to cross-promote each other’s efforts. We can continue to offer an alternative through our writing, video, live webinars and, of course, face to face meetings. I need to step up to the plate too. Years ago I worked as a video editor and cameraman at a university television station and at a PBS affiliate. I need to put everything...

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Why We Have No Vegetables: Raccoon Gangs

Mr. Homegrown

March 24, 2015

Animals, Gardening

6 Comments

...mpoline/wrestling ring. Apologies for the haphazardly applied banjo music. The Crittercam may have revealed an emergent phenomena: raccoons in urban locations discovering the benefits of social behavior....

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My Apologies to the Skunk Community

Mr. Homegrown

March 19, 2015

Animals, Gardening, Pests

21 Comments

...k: raccoon and skunk diets overlap considerably. Both are highly adaptable urban foragers. In the case of our raised beds, both the skunks and raccoons are digging for figeater beetle larvae (Cotinis mutabilis). These huge larvae must be a delectable treat, the equivalent of a raccoon and skunk sushi party. Maybe I should overcome my squeamishness and join in the nightly feast. A plate of Cotinis mutabilis larvae ceviche could just be the next hip...

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038 The Ground Rules with Nance Klehm

Mr. Homegrown

February 18, 2015

Composting, Gardening, Podcasts

3 Comments

...resulting compost along with mushrooms and plants to bioremediate damaged urban soils. Nance describes The Ground Rules as “re-imagining waste and biological infrastructures.” You can find out more about the project on the Social Ecologies website and on Nance’s personal website. There’s also a video about The Ground Rules. If you’re in Chicago you can visit Nance and Emmanual Pratt’s exhibition, For the Common Good: Meet the Remediators. Nance’s...

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