The Great Beekeeping Debate

...untry is a different question than how to keep a few hives in a biodiverse urban area. To be fair, the first question is essential since it’s how we currently keep everyone fed. But much of the advice given to large scale beekeepers does not always apply to small scale backyard beekeepers. The hubris can go both ways. Those of us on the natural beekeeping side can also think we understand the whole better than we do. We can fall into the same redu...

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Saturday Linkages: Modem Sounds, HOAs, and Hand Counting

...t.co/9s6lQIQc6a — Root Simple (@rootsimple) September 9, 2016 5 Make-Shift Urban Survival Lights When the Electricity Goes Down https://t.co/kSgRehCXAw via @sharethis — Root Simple (@rootsimple) September 5, 2016 Well said, Carol! It's 90 degrees in the shade — have you watered that tree? https://t.co/AJj90FJbTn #drought #LANHM #ilovetrees — Root Simple (@rootsimple) September 2, 2016 New #DIY video, how to install a french drain https://t.co/...

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Paper Wasps: Your New BFFs

...ative European variant is more the wasp you will likely be dealing with in urban/suburban North America, because unlike their native counterparts, Euro wasps aren’t shy. They are the ones who will build a nest by your back door, or on the side of your mailbox. Paper wasps build those distinctive, easy to recognize papery nests made of many cells. There are other types of native wasps which build with different materials, such as mud. Honeybee colo...

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094 The American Woman’s Home

On the podcast this week Kelly and I discuss a 19th century urban homesteading book written by Catherine Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe, The American Woman’s Home. The book was written mostly by Catherine, with some contributions from Harriet (author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin). It’s likely that Catherine realized that attaching her famous sister’s name would sell more copies. Published in 1869, The American Woman’s Home covers a great deal of terri...

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Julian the Apostate’s Sleeping Advice: Sleep on the Ground and Your Mattress is Freeeeeeeeeee

...h blowback particularly if you’re a young hipster. I predict that soon after I spot the first pallium wearer at our local Trader Joes, REI will come out with “tech” palliums suitable for hiking, urban philosophizing and sleeping. Addendum: Kelly pointed out to me that fantasy literature is full of examples of cloaks doubling as bedding. Save Save Save Save...

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