“A chicken in every pot” – 1928 Rep. Party campaign slogan
“Don’t have a pot to put it in” – 1928 Dem. Party response slogan

It’s time to get back to more regular posting! There’s been so much going on that I haven’t had the brain power to formulate a coherent blog post, but I have to start somewhere.

May 2005 - we quickly realized we needed different feeders =)

Today, it’s chickens. And coops.

We’ve had chickens before – in 2001-2002 and again in 2005, but we moved so much that it was impossible to keep them. Now that isn’t such a problem. My husband and I will be building our house soon, but our chicken coop can be built to be movable, and our new house won’t be far from the old, so we’re good there.

I’ve never built a coop before, but that’s ok. Hubby has building know-how, I have the plan.

At http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/extension-aben/buildingplans/poultry you can find lots of coop and other building plans for chickens, and I’ve decided on 6195 – good for 40-50 chickens. They’ll also have a large enclosed run, but the main thing in these long harsh winters is a large enough coop for all the chickens to be happy inside all winter.

Of course I’m only planning and dreaming – you might remember I’m in Alberta, Canada, with my husband and kids, and for as mild as a winter as we’ve had (“only” a week of -20+c temps, mild otherwise), the ground is still frozen and covered in 6″ of snow. It’ll thaw eventually and we can get moving with this project. My goal is eggs by next winter.

In other news, we’re getting close to the point of finishing the immigration process (I hope…) and I’m working hard on getting my soap business going. I’m expecting to have everything ready so as soon as we are legal, I can do all the business paperwork/legalities and be in business, selling both online (will ship to the US and Canada) and in local farmer’s markets.

If you want to see how that’s coming along, visit the Alberta Handmade Soap Co. website and/or visit and like the AHSC facebook page.

Now, my wonderful reader -do you have chickens? Or have had them in the past? If you have any blog posts about them, or advice for my other readers, please leave a comment and link below!

This is a guest post from Tiger Sheds.

Summer brings blooming flowers, sunny days, and warm weather to backyards around the world. Entertaining guests or neighbours in the yard is a pleasant alternative to eating indoors, but it can be difficult for homeowners to constantly cook and transport food between the kitchen and the yard.  Pre-existing garden sheds provides an excellent starting point for homeowners who want to create a garden kitchen for outdoor parties.

The complexity of the new garden kitchen will depend on the homeowner’s budget, goals, and technical expertise. Although a homeowner can hire a contractor for more elaborate garden kitchens, some relatively simple upgrades can turn any shed into an outdoor cooking area.

Electricity and running water can significantly increase the number of dishes that a homeowner can cook in their garden kitchen, but it is difficult for homeowners without a high level of do-it-yourself expertise to install both elements.

A grill or wood oven can be installed instead of hooking the kitchen up to electricity. Although grills and wood ovens are not as convenient as electric stoves, they do not require electricity and may provide a different flavour to certain foods.

However, running water is more difficult to replace in a garden kitchen. Recycled rainwater systems are one alternative, but the water typically needs to be purified before it is fit for human consumption.

Running a direct pipe from the main house to the garden kitchen is often the safest option. Homeowners will need to drill a small hole in their basement or outside wall, dig a deep trench from the house to the garden kitchen, and then install a small sink or spigot in the kitchen. The trench should be deep enough that it won’t be uncovered by eroding soil, and a water quality test should be performed at the garden kitchen’s end of the pipe.

The shed’s walls should be replaced with either a four-post design with no walls and a roof or more windows should be installed. The no wall design leaves appliances open to the weather, but a garden kitchen with only some windows can isolate the cook from his guests. A completely open air garden kitchen must be secured against rodents and other animals.

The roof should have some form of water-resistant shingles to protect appliances, and all-purpose carpet may be used for the floor.

The necessary tools for a conversion will vary depending upon the totality of the makeover. For example, pipes and wrenches may be necessary if the homeowner is installing a sink. However, some tools that may be of use include:

• circuit tester
• electrical tape
• level or T-square
• roofing shingles
• weather-proof caulk

Common tools like a hammer and nails will also be helpful.

Converting a shed into a garden kitchen can be a simple project for do-it-yourself homeowners, or an elaborate backyard upgrade for people with larger budgets. A homeowner can be cooking for friends and neighbours in their yard for the entire summer after as little as an afternoon of work on the conversion.

This was a guest article from Tiger Sheds.

Please read this post in it’s entirety.

This is a fairly simple contest, just email me a picture of your, or a family member’s, hands during/after you’ve been gardening. The top 4 dirtiest hands will receive a bar of my handmade gardener’s soap! Any kind of gardening counts – planting seedlings, preparing your garden space, etc. NO CHEATING. Please be mature and honest – don’t just run outside and slop around in the mud.

Last day to enter: April 12, 2011 at 5pm Pacific

This soap is mostly natural – all natural ingredients with the exception of the very small amount of fragrance oil used. I have been using a bar from the batch at my kitchen sink for a couple weeks and love it. I think you will too, it really gets the gunk off my hands and leaves them nice and soft. It’s got great lather and bubbles. This soap has a high amount of “scrubbiness” and is not recommended for highly sensitive skin or children.

I will send the winners an email after a couple of weeks asking for feedback on the soap, so please expect this and respond, even if you end up hating the soap!

Value: Approximately $10 USD | Open to residents of the US and Canada

Ingredients: Local Tallow, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Cocoa Butter, Distilled Water, Gardener’s Scrubby Mix (Whole Ground Oats, Cornmeal, Coffee Grounds, Lemon & Orange Zest, Dill Weed), Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance.

Boring legalities: This is a contest/giveaway held by me, Amy Williams of garden-of-eatin.com. Entrants and winners are under no obligation to buy anything, ever. Your email address and other information collected will only be used for the purposes of this giveaway and then deleted. The soap you receive is a gift from me to the winners and the winners agree, upon receiving your gift, not to hold me responsible for any injuries or other issues that may occur during use of the soap. As with any bath/body product, I recommend the winners test their soap on a small area of skin before full use. Do not get soap into eyes.

How to enter:

Email me at amy_e_williams@hotmail.com and include a picture as described above. The winners will be chosen on April 12, 2011 after 5pm Pacific and notified by email, as well as on the blog and facebook. The winners will have 24 hours to respond with a mailing address. If I don’t get a response, someone else will take that person’s place.

Are you ready?!?

I rolled 1-14 at random.org, with each commenter being 1 to 14

1. Jasmin
2. Myra Henderson
3. compostings
4. sara9894
5. christinemv
6. SalemMom
7. Bobby M
8. Patti Reid
9. Jeff Kyle
10. Christine
11. shanyag
12. jesse f
13. noelrich
14. jamie wright

And the result is 6 – SalemMom. According to SalemMom’s website, she is also known as Dynee Medlock and has “liked” both pages as required so she qualifies as a winner! Congratulations!! Watch for a message on facebook from me (Amy Williams) today!

Thanks to everyone who entered. I wish everyone who entered could win! Keep an eye out for future contests!

Clean Air Gardening is giving away a Spin Big Compost Tumbler, valued at $170, to one lucky winner! Only available in the lower 48 US states.

To enter, simply “like” both Clean Air Gardening and Garden of Eatin’ on Facebook and post a comment to this blog post.

Only those who comment on this blog post, that have “liked” both Facebook pages, will be eligible to win.

Winner will be chosen at random using random.org. If the first winner has not “liked” both facebook pages, another “roll” will be done, and so on. So make sure you’ve “liked” both our pages! The contest will run until July 11, 2010. A winner will be drawn July 12, 2010.

About the Spin Bin Compost Tumbler

We’ve seen a lot of different compost tumblers since we started this business back in 1998, and the Spin Bin composter is our new favorite.

The Spin Bin has a large 60 gallon capacity making it the perfect size for most homeowners. The bin itself is molded in the USA of 100 percent recycled plastic. The dark color absorbs light, heating up the contents inside to boost the composting process.

Wide locking lids on each end make adding materials easy, no matter which end of the compost bin is up.

With 20 ventilation slots, the Spin Bin has superior aeration compared to other compost tumblers. These slots also act as drainage holes for the compost tea to easily drain out into the soil.

Along with the ventilation slots, the bin also has four compost thermometer ports (one on each panel), giving you quick, easy and mess-free access to monitoring your composting process.

The Spin Bin compost tumbler sits on sturdy, 1 inch thick, powder coated steel legs that are made to last outside in the elements. The legs lock together when assembled, making it easy to move the composter around the yard or garden without the legs falling off.

And because the Spin Bin body sits off the ground with its locking lids, animal pests cannot get into the bin to the materials inside.

Spin Bin Compost Tumbler Technical Specifications:

• Made of 100 percent recycled plastic.
• Holds up to 60 gallons of materials (9.3 cubic feet).
• Extremely sturdy and durable 1 inch thick, powder coated steel legs.
• Assembled Dimensions: 26″ W x 32.5″ D x 45″ H

Spin Bin Composter Feature Overview:

• 20 ventilation / drainage slots — means that your tumbler will give you superior aeration of the contents, one of the keys to successful composting.
• 4 compost thermometer ports — so that you can easily keep track of how well your compost is doing.
• Dual locking lids — make it easy to add materials to the compost tumbler, no matter which end is up.
• Sturdy Powder coated steel legs — will effortlessly hold your bin for years outside in the elements.
• Easy assembly design — means that you’ll only needs a Phillips screwdriver to put the bin together.
• Wide mouth — for easy access to contents inside.
• Compost instructions embossed in each lid — so you’ll always have the instructions handy.
• Large 60 gallon capacity — is the perfect size for most homeowners.
• Ribbed interior design — gives your compost bin added strength and superior mixing action.
• 90 Day No Risk Free Trial — so that you can buy with confidence.
• Sealed, off the ground design — keeps animal pests away.
• 2 year manufacturer’s warranty — so you know it will last for years to come.
• 100 percent recycled plastic — construction is environmentally friendly.
• Dark color — absorbs light and helps heat up the materials inside for quicker composting.
• Tumbles in place — so it’s easy to keep your compost mixed up and aerated, which makes for faster composting.

About Clean Air Gardening

To the winner -

There is no cost for the winner. Clean Air Gardening will cover the cost of the product and the shipping fees. All Clean Air Gardening needs is the winner’s address, which they will only use for this one time shipment. The composter is the winner’s, to keep. They never have to return it. Should the composter arrive missing any parts or happen to have any other problems with it, they can contact us and receive our normal customer service as if they had purchased the bin from us.

To prevent fraud, I will contact the winner on facebook via a direct message to obtain your email and mailing address, which I will in turn provide to Clean Air Gardening. After I have sent your information to Clean Air Gardening, I will delete your information and promise never to use it ever, for any reason.

Garden of Eatin’ (and owner Amy Williams) assume no liability for this contest. Any issues that arise must be dealt with directly, between the winner and Clean Air Gardening.

A review is requested, but absolutely not required, of the product.

Working on sprucing up the blog for this gardening season, a little at a time! My first step was installing a new comment system, which I’m really not sure about yet. Let me know what you think – is it a keeper?

Another “change” is I’m willing to review gardening products finally…I’ve been asked in the past but hesitated and ended up not doing them. This year however, I’ll do a free HONEST review of your garden product, targetting a large and wonderful gardener audience. Limited to one a week. Just email me for the mailing address and what you’re sending. Products sent for review won’t be returned.

Can you believe it’s the first day of Autumn already and almost October? The stores are filled with Halloween and Autumn decorations and quickly filling up more with Winter/Christmas decorations. Crazy!

If you live in Oregon, OSU’s Extension Service has a great calendar to let you know what you should be doing each month.

Here’s October:

Planning

• If needed, improve soil drainage needs of lawns before rain begins.
• Register to become an OSU Master Gardener volunteer with your local Extension office. For more information, check online.

Maintenance and Clean Up

• Drain or blow out your irrigation system, insulate valve mechanisms, in preparation of winter.
• Recycle disease-free plant material and kitchen vegetable and fruit scraps into compost. Don’t compost diseased plants unless you are using the “hot compost” method (120° to 150°F).
• Use newspaper or cardboard covered by mulch to discourage winter and spring annual weeds or remove a lawn area for conversion to garden beds. For conversion, work in the paper and mulch as organic matter once the lawn grass has died.
• Clean and paint greenhouses and cold frames for plant storage and winter growth.
• Harvest sunflower heads; use seed for birdseed or roast for personal use.
• Dig and store potatoes; keep in darkness, moderate humidity, temperature about 40°F. Discard unused potatoes if they sprout. Don’t use as seed potatoes for next year.
• Harvest and immediately dry filberts and walnuts; dry at 95° to 100°F.
• Ripen green tomatoes indoors. Check often and discard rotting fruit.
• Harvest and store apples; keep at about 40°F, moderate humidity.
• Place mulch over roots of roses, azaleas, rhododendrons and berries for winter protection.
• Trim or stake bushy herbaceous perennials to prevent wind damage.
• To suppress future pest problems, clean up annual flower beds by removing diseased plant materials, overwintering areas for insect pests; mulch with manure or garden compost to feed the soil and suppress weeds.
• Cover asparagus and rhubarb beds with a mulch of manure or compost.
• Clean, sharpen and oil tools and equipment before storing for winter.
• Store garden supplies and fertilizers in a safe, dry place out of reach of children.
• Prune out dead fruiting canes in raspberries.
• Western Oregon: Train and prune primocanes of raspberry
• Western Oregon: Harvest squash and pumpkins; keep in dry area at 55° to 60°F.
• Western Oregon: If necessary (as indicated by soil test results) and if weather permits, spade organic material and lime into garden soil.
• Central/eastern Oregon: Prune evergreens.

Planting/Propagation

• Dig and divide rhubarb. (Should be done about every 4 years.)
• Plant garlic for harvesting next summer.
• Propagate chrysanthemums, fuchsias, geraniums by stem cuttings.
• Save seeds from the vegetable and flower garden. Dry, date, label, and store in a cool and dry location.
• Plant ground covers and shrubs.
• Dig and store geraniums, tuberous begonias, dahlias, gladiolas.
• Pot and store tulips and daffodils to force into early bloom, indoors, in December and January.

Pest Monitoring and Management

• Monitor landscape plants for problems. Don’t treat unless a problem is identified.
• Remove and dispose of windfall apples that might be harboring apple maggot or codling moth larvae.
• Rake and destroy diseased leaves (apple, cherry, rose, etc.), or hot compost diseased leaves.
• Spray apple and stone fruit trees at leaf fall to prevent various fungal and bacterial diseases. Obtain a copy of Managing Diseases and Insects in Home Orchards (EC 631) from your local Extension office.
• If moles and gophers are a problem, consider traps.
• Western Oregon: Control fall-germinating lawn weeds while they are small. Hand weeding and weeding tools are particularly effective at this stage.

Houseplants and Indoor Gardening

• Early October: Reduce water, place in cool area (50-550F) and increase time in shade or darkness (12-14 hours) to force Christmas cactus to bloom in late December.
• Place hanging pots of fuchsias where they won’t freeze. Don’t cut back until spring.
• Western Oregon: Check/treat houseplants for disease and insects before bringing indoors.

I know at least one of my readers is a Master Gardener, but most are not and I wanted to spread the word. I’m not going to get a chance to go through the program this year (too busy!) so I hope someone can “take my place” (even though I didn’t have an official one!).

The Oregon State University Master Gardener™ Program is an Oregon State University (OSU) Extension Service program that educates Oregonians about the art and science of growing and caring for plants. This program also facilitates the training of a highly educated corp of volunteers. These volunteers extend sustainable gardening information to their communities through education and outreach programs.

There’s even an online course! More information: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/training

I found this cute planter while searching for organizing supplies for a post on my organizing blog, that would look nice on my deck and allow portability in a move. And kind of matches the two hanging planters that I used last year, but I killed the flowers I had in it (I haven’t bothered hanging them in the new house). I can’t keep anything alive that doesn’t provide us with food. And ok, that’s becoming questionable too. I still don’t know why all the red taters died while all the russets flourished. Sigh.

While contemplating how to create the layout of my garden this year, I stumbled upon GrowVeg.com I didn’t even bother looking for anything else, it’s exactly what I wanted, and more. The GrowVeg system lets you:

• Create Plans: Quickly produce garden plans, add plants and change the layout. Either metric units or feet and inches are supported.
• Growing information: Just click for full details of how to grow each plant, where to position them etc
• Spacing and Crop Families: Clearly shown by the colored area around each vegetable
• Personalized Planting Chart: Print a chart showing how many of each plant you require and when to sow, plant out and harvest them. Our advanced system works out the dates for your own area.
• Reminder Emails: Reminds you what needs sowing and planting out in your garden (optional)
• Easy Crop Rotation: Plan next year’s garden and it shows you where to avoid planting each vegetable

So not only can you create a map, you can organize where to put the plants based on family if you want, and it tells you when to start the seeds and transplant them if needed. You get a 30 day free trial, after that it’s $25/year, or $40 for 2 years. While the company is in the UK, the system is completely set up for you to enter your zip code and recieve customized planting date information. Try it!