Singing' in the Rain (Barrel?)

Never thought I'd say this, but we love our rain barrels. We picked them up in Thunder Bay at Eco Superior a few weeks ago: two sturdy 220-litre barrels. We paid $60.00 each for them, but if you're a  Thunder Bay resident you get 'em even cheaper if you bring your water bill with you.

Because that's the whole idea behind these rain barrels: to save on tap water when watering your garden, and use free rain water instead. And with the summer heating up it's safe to say our veggie garden is very happy with them. Without this free, clean water our veggies wouldn't be looking as healthy as they do now.

And in cities, rain barrels also help reduce the load on storm sewers and waste water treatment facilities.

The other very cool thing about these barrel is they're a recycled product. In a previous life they were used to store and transport Greek olives. They were slated to go to the landfill, destined to become part of the growing garbage problem our society is experiencing.

Well, not if it's up to the non-profit organization Rainbarrel.ca! They obtained tens of thousands of barrels and retrofitted them with a spigot at the bottom, a 6" hole and a filter basket at the top and a simple yet effective overflow hose which also doubles as a connector in case you're hooking up multiple barrels (as we will).

These recycled barrels are environmentally friendly (in several ways), durable, cost-effective, and people all over Canada just love 'em. Oh, and did  mention they'll save you money in the long run? So give Eco Superior a call (at 624-2140) to arrange a time to pick one up. Or more than one!

The Babees Are Safe

The last 4 weeks have seen little blog action, but we're back again! Not that there was nothing to blog about, but life has just been too darn busy for any weekly updates; and being on an intensive 2-week film shoot followed by a week out of town didn't help much, either.

Still, much has happened and is happening. We'll be offering our "Intro to Solar Energy" and "Living off the Grid" evening classes through Confederation College this fall again, dates will be posted shortly. We're also mulling a full-day "Advanced Wind Power" workshop, and will announce more as soon we have made a final decision.

Our House Tours also prove to be very popular, with a steady stream of folks visiting our place. Word on our Eco B&B is getting around, pulling more and more guests, all of them lovely people we thoroughly enjoy having.

In the mean time, our previous blog about the bee hives that beekeeper Tom placed on our property drew a lot of response, many expressing concerns about the fact that there was nothing in place to scare the bears off. Of course they were correct in this, and of course Tom was aware of this issue as well. So 3 weeks ago he installed an electric fence around the hives, specifically designed to keep bears at bay.

So call us solar geeks, but what we like about it it's a solar-powered electric fence; and I can tell you first hand that it works. In case you're wondering why the hives are sitting on those cement blocks, that's to keep them out of reach of another predator: skunks, of all animals. Skunks love burrowing into those hives with their long sharp claws and aren't deterred by any stinging.

So far we've had a pretty good, almost average summer, making happy bees (and people). Our fields are filled nectar-filled wildflowers and clover is growing abundantly; I can't think of any better excuse to go easy on cutting the grass...

Our New Babees

It's nice to have a lot of land that hasn't been sprayed for decades. Especially if you're a beekeeper and are looking for just that to place your bee hives.

Tom is just such a beekeeper who placed 2 hives not too far from our house today. It's a great spot with lots of southern exposure, mature trees providing shelter from the elements, and surrounded by lots of clover and wild flowers that the bees are so fond of. More hives may follow if this works out as hoped.

Northwestern Ontario holds a unique position in the Western hemisphere; it's the last remaining enclave that is free of bee mites and other diseases that currently kill honey bee colonies on a massive scale pretty much everywhere else. Mono cultures, widespread use of pesticides and large-scale intensive bee keeping practices are just a few of the reasons for it.

So far our bee-healthy pocket has been able to keep it that way, thanks mostly to the ever-vigilant regional beekeeper's association and its inspectors. Bees are an essential component in this fragile house of cards called the environment. No bees means not only no honey, but also no pollination of flowers, trees, vegetables, fruits. You know, the stuff we humans need to live.

We're looking forward to see how these colonies will do, the first official honey bee population on our property. Of course it's not an entirely selfless act, as I'm sure there is some great honey in it for us - from our own wild flowers!
Here's hopin' our resident bear won't find out about it...

Save The Planet: Pee In The Shower!

Okay guys, fess up: we've all peed in the shower from time to time. We all do it, yet nobody will ever mention it. It's almost as if by not talking about it it's not happening. There's a stigma attached to it; for some reason in our overly puritanical North America, peeing in the shower is, well, not done (technically).

But why? Is it filthy? Not really. Impolite? Oh come on. Unsanitary? Nope, urine contains no bacteria. So why are we so self-conscious about it?

The Brazilians asked themselves the same question and not only realized there's nothing wrong with it - it's even beneficial for the environment! The logic is simple and undeniable: each time you pee in the shower, you don't have to flush the toilet: tadah, some serious water savings.

So the federal government of Brazil commissioned several PSA's (Public Service Announcements) to encourage this aquatic activity. And what better way than to have kids make the call (kids love a good pee joke, plus they're not self-conscious - yet), and what better medium than animation?



Hey! Wasn't that Mahatma Gandhi peeing in the shower...?!

Nolalu's Very Own Country Market

Noticed how Farmers Markets and Country Markets just seem to pop up all around us? Same for the small rural community of Nolalu: as of yesterday we now have our very own Country Market, thanks to Leo Hunnako and Jacomyn Gerbrandy who made it happen!

You'll find it every Friday from 4:00 till 8:00 pm at the intersection of Hwy 588 and 590 at St. Urho's parking lot (a variety & hardware store, restaurant, bar, gas station and golf course all in one).

This first edition had 6 vendors selling their wares from the back of their trucks and vans, from plants and vegetables to handmade soap and artwork - and much more. More vendors will join as the growing season progresses.

Local markets selling locally grown food and handmade items are a wonderful addition to  any community. You know you're getting excellent value for your money and whom you're getting it from (not some anonymous multinational but your hardworking neighbour), the money spent stays in the community, you don't have to travel all the way into town (smaller carbon footprint) and it's just plain fun to hang out and chat for a bit. And should you feel like something to eat or drink, Jacob's Cafe is only a few steps away.

Local markets are also a significant step on the way towards food security. Food prices are rising at the same pace as the steadily rising price of gas (oil). Here in our part of the province most of our food gets trucked in from enormous distances, making that food more and more expensive - not to mention what it does to the quality of the food and the carbon footprint involved. Country markets can be an answer to this issue.

Hope to see you some Friday afternoon at the Nolalu Country Market. You can't miss it, just look for the signs!

Knock, Knock. Who's There?

A soft thumping sound revealed a smaller kind of wildlife last Saturday: a turtle trying to get in, probably looking for a sheltered place to lay her eggs.

The unseasonable warm weather must have brought her out early this spring. The long range weatherforecast predicts balmy temps and lots of sunshine, so her eggs stand a good chance of making it  (not inside, though!).

Hope her baby turtlets grow up to be as beautiful as their mom.

Backyard Moose

I sometimes joke that we don't need to go anywhere to spot wildlife, we only have to look out the window and there it is: deer, bears, eagles, moose, you name it. Still, some wildlife appears more frequently than other, moose being of the more elusive kind.

It's always a treat to encounter a moose, that icon of the north woods - especially if it happens to amble by in your own back yard. I've spotted this female a few times now, always at dusk. This time she gave me just enough time to get my camera.

I always marvel at how hard to spot they are despite their bulk (think horse-sized), and how graciously they move.

Unfortunately we're seeing less and less of them. The moose population has dropped rapidly in this region over the past few decades, from several thousands in the 1980's to a few hundred now. At the same time, the deer population increased dramatically.

Climate change is the main culprit; the milder, shorter winters are great for the deer who now survive in much larger numbers. However, deer transmit a brain parasite (the "deer tick") that is fatal to the moose. Basically, a lot more deer also means a lot more dead moose.

Second, in longer, hotter summers moose tend to eat less, and as a result their odds to survive the winter (on less fat storage) decrease proportionally. On top of that, longer and hotter summers also result in less wetlands for the moose to graze and cool off in, which doesn't help, either.

What it means for Northwest Ontario's moose population is anybody's guess, but it's safe to assume things will get a lot worse for the moose before it gets any better.

As for us, we're just happy to have over 30 acres of beaver ponds for the moose to roam around in. And don't feed those deer...!

Ain't It The Truth

(click to enlarge)

Sometimes I feel like that guy with the glue brush... (with thanks to Wiley Miller and his brilliantly perceptive comic strips).