Archive for the ‘Green Living’ Category
I Am An Egg Snob…
By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - Until recently I thought my chickens' laying lives were over. Imagine my surprise when I discovered over a dozen eggs hiding behind a pile of outdoor furniture. These yolks are the dar... more
The Politics of food, Being an AG-Tivist
By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - Why HB574 is Important: When it comes to fresh milk and dairy products, I want to be able to support the farmer(s) of my choice and procure the foods that I believe to be healthful for... more
Missoula Parks & Recreation Presents: Run for the Trees and Doggie Dash
F.Y.I. - Missoula Parks and Rec presents Run for the Trees 5k/1 mile Fun Run/Walk on Saturday April 13th and the Doggie Dash 5k/1 Mile Fun Run/Walk & Doggie Expo on May 5th. ... more
DIY Underbed Dresser and Storage
By LISA HENSLEY - We've run out of space for dressers in my boys' room, so I repurposed the drawers from an old, ugly dresser and a nightstand into two underbed storage sets!... more
Heirloom Market Celebrates Official Grand Opening January 26th
By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - On January 26th, the Heirloom Market is holding its official Grand Opening at the Missoula County Fairgrounds. Come celebrate with us!... more
Shorten a Floor Lamp
By LISA HENSLEY - I have a preference for the kind of light that comes from torchiere lamps—you know, those floor lamps that point upward and throw the light so well? But I have limited floor space.... more
Is Black Locust the Ultimate Permaculture Tree?
By PAUL WHEATON - You can spot where the old homesteads are in Montana by the stands of black locust trees. They're famous in permaculture circles as nitrogen fixers.... more
Hand Washing Dishes Versus Dishwasher: Which Saves More Water?
By PAUL WHEATON - The misconception that washing dishes with a dishwasher saves water is an great example of how people succomb to greenwashing myths.... more
Missoula Gifts That Encourage Reuse
By LISA HENSLEY - Still have people left on your shopping list? Here are a few Missoula-centric ideas that will spread cheer and encourage people to Reuse IT this Christmas. ... more
How to Make Recycled Christmas Wrapping Paper & Bows
By LISA HENSLEY - I never have much wrapping paper on hand, but when Christmas rolls around, I get all wrapped up in the holiday spirit and make my own festive, recycled wrapping paper.... more
Horticulture of the United States of Pocahontas
By PAUL WHEATON - The foundations of sustainable horticulture seem to include permaculture, bio-dynamism, respectful harvest, and a symbiotic relationship with nature.... more
Humanure and Composting Toilets
By PAUL WHEATON - Recently, I visited Missoula’s wastewater treatment plant to learn about the reuse of treated wastewater as a source of irrigation and fertilization.... more
Compost-Based Bio-Energy Systems
By PAUL WHEATON - When done properly, composting creates a great deal of heat – heat that can be harnessed to heat water and create usable energy.... more
How to Keep Deer from Eating Your Stuff
By PAUL WHEATON - The creative ways people attempt to control deer seem endless, but they aren’t generally effective. There is ONE thing that really gets it done.... more
City of Missoula Begins Leaf Collection on Nov. 6th
F.Y.I. - The City of Missoula will begin fall leaf pickup on Tuesday, Nov. 6, starting in the downtown Special District #1.... more
This Winter, Save Energy with Just a Tiny Bit of Knowledge
By PAUL WHEATON - The real solution to energy sustainability is to get information passed as far as possible. This, friends, is saving the world with a bit of knowledge.... more
Solar Food Dehydrators for the Fall Harvest
By PAUL WHEATON - The fall harvest is upon us. Apples, plums, kale, and tomatoes abound. In the quest for sustainability, solar-powered food dehydrators are on the rise.... more
Replacing Irrigation with Permaculture
By PAUL WHEATON - There are scads of ideas of what permaculture and irrigation are. For me, I see a good permaculture system as one that has eliminated irrigation.... more
Photo Gallery: The Missoula Hay Bale & Corn Maze
By SILKE JAUCK - Have you taken your children to the Missoula Maze yet? Lucky you, it's open until November 4 on afternoons and evenings Thursday to Sunday.... more
The Many Benefits of the Amazing Sunchoke
By PAUL WHEATON - Sunchokes (aka Jerusalem Artichokes) are one of the best homesteader crops, especially for those wishing to be self-sustaining.... more
Photo Gallery: Missoula’s New Favorite Down-and-Dirty Race
By SILKE JAUCK - On Sept. 15, I saw one of the funniest events I have ever seen. The crowd dressed as everything from a bride to a moose. Behold, the Dirty Dash.... more
Take a Walk: Exploring Historic Fort Missoula
By SILKE JAUCK - Fort Missoula is the perfect place for a leisurely afternoon stroll. Nestled between the Bitterroot River and South Avenue it's quiet, green, and open.... more
Take a Walk: A Stroll Around the University Campus
By SILKE JAUCK - A few days ago, I took a walk down memory lane at the University of Montana. I'd forgotten how beautiful campus is and how many hidden gems you can find.... more
Paul Wheaton on Polyculture
By PAUL WHEATON - A polyculture is a mix of plants all trading their unique goodness with other plants. All plant-eating animals are designed to eat plants from a polyculture.... more
Cultivating Outdoor Leadership with Missoula’s AWOL Institute
By SILKE JAUCK - Missoula's recently-founded AWOL Institute provides young women the experience of overnight backpacking trips and unique learning opportunities.... more
Take a Walk: The Maclay Flat Loops
By SILKE JAUCK - Though the Maclay Flat trail loops near the Bitterroot River are not long, they offer a bit of everything, from an easy stroll to abundant bird watching.... more
Paul Wheaton’s CFL Video goes live
By ANDY COMMONS - Think CFLs are good? Paul Wheaton has just produced a video that says otherwise. Andy sheds light on the issue.... more
Tired of Tilling? Try Seed Balls
By PAUL WHEATON - Ever thought of lobbing seeds into your field? No tilling, just a good arm? Seed balls are used in no-tilling cultivation to get seeds established.... more
Eliminate the Cost of Chicken Feed
By PAUL WHEATON - I used to sell my chickens for nearly the same price I paid for feed. I found ways to not only eliminate feed costs, but provide higher-quality feed! ... more
Can Pigs Build Ponds?
By PAUL WHEATON - Don't even THINK of using a pond liner if you have pigs around. Paul Wheaton shows us a better way to seal a pond using pigs.... more
Take a Walk: The Glacial Lake Missoula High-Water Mark
By KP NICHOLS - 15,000 years ago, Missoula was underwater. Today, you can hike to the highwater mark on Sentinel and Jumbo and use your imagination to fill in the details.... more
How NOT to raise chickens
By PAUL WHEATON - This comic artist is exceptionally brilliant at capturing very common and complicated issues that can arise for people who have never raised chickens before. I think the desire to steward chi... more
Take a Walk: Mission Mountain Ridge
By SILKE JAUCK - For those who like to travel beyond Missoula city limits, the breathtaking Mission Mountains have plenty of foothills and nearby ridges to explore.... more
Take a Walk: Wildflowers on Waterworks Hill
By SILKE JAUCK - Windswept and seemingly barren, Waterworks Hill reveals its charm when you step foot on it. It's perfect for a short, easy walk with rewarding views.... more
My Inexpensive, DIY Kitchen Remodel
By LISA HENSLEY - When we moved into our house, we planned to update the kitchen. In the end, we saved thousands of dollars refinishing the cabinets ourselves.... more
Take a Walk: The Quilt Barn Trail
By SILKE JAUCK - The Quilt Barn Trail winds its way through Missoula's Orchard Homes neighborhood, past historic barns adorned with quilt-patterned murals.... more
It’s Bird Nesting Season in Missoula
By SILKE JAUCK - About 3 months ago, we built birdhouses for our trees, barn, and garden. To our surprise, a family of Killdeer birds chose to nest on the ground instead.... more
A Pinterest Project: Get Organized with DIY Spice Jars
By ERIN TURNER - My kitchen was being overrun by all my spices until I stumbled on a great project I saw on Pinterest: Recycle old bottles into DIY spice containers. ... more
Eat Local and Eat Well with Community Supported Agriculture
By ERIN TURNER - Community Supported Agriculture farms have started to become popular in Missoula. They're a great way to eat healthy, local, economical food.... more
Frugal Living: Eat Tapas, Cut Your Grocery Bill
By ERIN TURNER - Serving tapas-style food, a traditional Spanish small-plates meal, is a delicious, easy way to cut your grocery budget significantly.... more
Frugal Living: Go Green and Grow Your Own Food
By ERIN TURNER - Growing your own food is making a huge comeback. Not only are homegrown fruits and veggies healthier, but you can save a ton of money, too.... more
Contain Yourself: How to Plant a Container Garden
By BILL CARAS - Gardening in containers is easy and rewarding. In our Missoula climate, many plants love containers and can be more productive than when planted in-ground.... more
Frugal Living: Learn How to Save at Staples
By ERIN TURNER - I like to shout-out my favorite stores in Missoula that offer some great deals and coupons. This week, learn how to save on supplies at Staples.... more
Frugal Living: Spring Cleaning on a Budget
By ERIN TURNER - Spring cleaning is in full swing at our house! Unwilling to pay $250 for a professional cleaning, I found a frugal way to clean our microfiber furniture.... more
Attention Migrating Birds: Free Room and Board in Missoula
By SILKE JAUCK - Two weeks ago, I noticed the first Red Robins and knew spring was on its way. To welcome them, we put up 10 deluxe bird houses on our property.... more
Greenwashing Light Bulbs
By PAUL WHEATON - The object propelling the greatest greenwashing scheme of all time is the CFL.... more
Winter Warmer: Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
By LISA HENSLEY - I do all the meal planning, shopping, and cooking for our family. Sometimes, trying to come up with ANOTHER meal is more than I’m up for. That’s when I get a rotisserie chicken.... more
Keep those branches, twigs, rotten logs, and Christmas trees!
By PAUL WHEATON - Paul Wheaton shows us ways to recycle wood. These tips sure beat making a big pile and burning it!... more
Testing to see if you are an Eco Poser
By PAUL WHEATON - It's cool to be green. Especially in Missoula. Here's how to test to see if you are an Eco Poser.... more
Being Noble
By PAUL WHEATON - Paul talks about people, community, intentional community, being nice, mean and even noble.... more