Saturday Linkages: Comfrey, a Parking Rock Star and Voracious Worms

March 22, 2014

...houp-talks-parking-in-berkeley/#.Uyyal0F4Lo4.twitter … Residents Fume Over Lead Contamination of Soil in their Neighborhoods http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/03/20/im-a-teacher-im-pregnant-im-worried-residents-fume-over-lead-contamination-of-soil-in-their-neighborhoods/#.UyyaMvrmk2E.twitter … How to Age Wood Tutorial – http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/how-to-age-wood-tutorial-guest-post-from-que-linda … Dog Portrait from Corrugated Cardboard by...

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Getting Out of Your Head

Mr. Homegrown

October 8, 2018

Thoughtstylings

10 Comments

...lity is only comprehensible through internal mental imagery. Idealism will lead you to skepticism about the nature of reality which will, in turn, send you on a trajectory towards the absurd musings of Elon Musk who, apparently, can’t tell if he’s living in a simulation. People who wonder if they are in a simulation tend not to be the people who garden, dig ditches, weld things, read this blog or form meaningful face to face communities. It should...

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Phytoremediation of Heavy Metals

Mr. Homegrown

February 25, 2014

Gardening, Lead

13 Comments

...t’s a former toxic waste dump. Here in our neighborhood we’ve got a lot of lead and zinc–lead from paint and gasoline and zinc from brake linings. These heavy metals don’t magically go away. They are elements, and short of an alchemical transformation you have to physically remove them, cover them up, or apply phosphate so that plants don’t take them up as readily. One promising strategy is phytoremediation, the use of plants to uptake heavy metal...

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Live Like a Stoic for a Week

Mr. Homegrown

November 25, 2013

Thoughtstylings

7 Comments

...an important question: “Can the ancient philosophy of Stoicism help us to lead better and happier lives?” This week they’ll be providing everything from a Stoicism Handbook to recorded meditations to help wake your inner Seneca. They are also asking for people to participate in a week-long experiment to see what kind of effect Stoic philosophy can have on day to day living. Check out more information here: http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/stoicismtoday/...

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Our New Straw Bale Garden–Part I

Mr. Homegrown

April 23, 2013

Gardening, Straw Bale Gardening, Vegetable Gardening

26 Comments

...e have enough compost for the beds. The problems presented by our property–lead and zinc contamination and a backyard that is up 30 steps–make straw bale gardening a promising solution. Bales and fertilizer are easier to carry up the stairs than bulk soil. It will be cheaper than buying soil. No lead and zinc. I was also inspired by this attractive straw bale garden in Arizona. It will be a garden that changes over time. I like the idea of watchin...

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