Brummet's Conscious Blog

Columbia Land Trust Events Manager and certified Oregon Master Naturalist Peter Condra was a guest on the City Cast Portland podcast , talking about the importance of native plants and Backyard Habitat 's work to transform urban green-spaces into thriving habitat.  https://portland.citycast.fm/podcasts/why-you-should-make-space-for-native-plants-in-your-garden?utm_source=Columbia+Land+Trust ~~~     Follow the Brummet's & Find their  Books:   on Amazon Visit:   Drum It With Brummet Blog Subscribe:   Brummet Media​ YouTube Channel​  ​ ~~~

 -- Positive News --  Have you heard of the term “agrihood” before?  How about “agritopia”?  Or “sustainable development”?  If you haven’t, you’ll soon see a lot more about this interesting project that tis growing across the planet.  Agrihoods are new residential neighborhoods that are designed around a healthy concept of biodynamic living – they are not only energy efficient, built to include solar power and electric cars, but they also surround a working farm. I’m sure you’ve seen modern neighborhoods built near and around golf courses, wine vineyards, recreation centers and parks… so I’m sure you can visualize what an agrihood would look like. This is a new concept built on old traditions, using modern technology and sustainable development design (see Urban Land Institute http://uli.org or Civil Eats http://civileats.com ) The farms in these neighborhoods are, typically, certified organic and include com...

Of Asphalt and Cement There is a lot of new "green space" movements happening across the planet - schools and universities and even hospitals are increasingly putting in gardens.  A recent issue of the Seeds of Diversity magazine  shared several articles about school and college programs that work with seed saving organizations using grants, volunteers and donated seed to create new grow-out programs helping to ensure there will be a variety of plants available to future gardeners.  I read a post on Facebook that LA has passed a bylaw that reverses other, closed-minded laws…  laws that prevented people from growing gardens in empty lots and unused, uncovered (no asphalt or concrete) lots and spaces. Today, where ever they are allowed - people are taking up shovels and expressing creativity and concern for the environment and where their food is coming from by replacing front lawns (often unused space) into gardens. Restaurants are creating gard...

-- Brummet's In the Media --  Drop by this site to find my article on converting urban properties into biodiverse parks, along with before-and-after pics of two properties we have owned over the years :  http://thegreengrandma.blogspot.ca/2014/07/a-canadian-backyard-habitat.html I had so much fun putting this project together this article for Hana's blog and share my passion for gardening consciously. :) If people would like to find out more here are a few resources:  http://www.cwf-fcf.org   http://seeds.ca   http://pollinationcanada.ca Also check out the archives of my radio show (on hiatus since December) via this page below and look for " Sunday Gardening " episodes: http://brummet.ca/radioarchives.html   Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, their radio program, blog, and more at: http://brummet.ca * Support the Brummets by telling your friends, clicking those social networking buttons, or visitin...

-- Quote of the Day -- “… You can see all different kinds of bees with every flush of flowers (throughout the year). Bees see in UV – so red is not the most popular color, blue, orange, yellow, and white are the hot colors if you are a bee. …What we can do …in our own little small lots… like people with an apartment with only one flowering basket… you can make ensure that you have a range of different plants that flower at different times, having hummingbird feeders… there are many different things we can do. …Bees will pollinate on rooftop gardens, which are more than 20 feet in the air, and are becoming more popular. (Gardeners can) ensure there is adequate pollen from February to early November, plan for pollinators by giving them a strip of undisturbed south-facing sandy-silty soil… or leave a snag (old log) in the landscaping for them to nest in, and stop using pesticides .” ~ Nathalie Chambers Today's quote originates from the May 1st Sunday Garden epis...