Oregon Tree Hugger

I chose raised beds to get a fresh start on these cold, clay soils. Interested in making your own straw bale raised beds? Read on for the details of how it was done and what went into the planning process.

What are you going to do when you find out your yard is really a giant swimming pool? Grab a shovel, make the hole bigger, and dive right in!

I had to visit my local landfill the other day, to dump the deck I took out. If you ever wanted motivation to reduce your consumption and your trash output, just sit around at your local landfill for a while. What kind of lessons can we learn from a landfill? Don’t be lazy, think about the materials you use, look out for the little guy, and more.

Lost Creek Farm has had some fantastic Certified Organic vegetable starts at the Saturday Market. I picked up a lovely little Stupice Tomato plant from them. I think you can also pick them up at their CSA dropoff locations, like 18th & Chambers or 2115 Arthur. Happy Gardening!

Why start from seeds? First of all, it is cheaper to start from a seed than it is to buy pre-started vegetables. Secondly, I can get a greater variety of plants, because mail-order seeds are very easy to obtain. Third, it is just kind of fun to grow your own and let your kids participate in the process. (And if it doesn’t work out, don’t put too much pressure on yourself—you can always buy vegetable starts from a store, a plant sale, or the farmer’s market later in the season! Want to know more? Read on for the rest of this handy guide.

I am replacing my old, rotten deck with a mixed stone and groundcover patio. The project began with removing the old deck and assessing the area underneath the deck for my plans.