Although we at BobVila.com are probably more likely to encourage homeowners to build and maintain their own chicken coop, I felt a sense of obligation to share with the world the potential pitfalls of such an endeavor.
This persuasive piece by a New York Times writer may give some folk second thoughts about raising chickens in their own backyard. It turns out there's a little more to it besides tossing some feed around every now and then and finding new ways to incorporate the dozens of daily fresh eggs into the family's meals.
No, there are diseases, predators, hens that won't lay, and the occasional case of gender identity -- just imagine when that grown hen you expected to start churning out eggs begins crowing at the break of dawn. Small wonder many municipalities have ordinances against roosters.
So read up and get the pros/cons list ready.
Who has some chicken-raising horror stories to share?
Don't be alarmed. Those humanoid figures are not, in fact, caught in the massive web of the Spider Queen. This behemoth -- while resembling a cross between a trampoline and a fishing net -- is in fact a hammock-like structure that was featured at this year's International Garden Festival at Jardins de Metis/Redford Gardens in Quebec. The smiling faces occupying its triangular sections are enjoying a little R&R while hovering over the aromatic flora planted in the garden just below. Scents from lemon geraniums, lavenders, catmints and other such olfactory delights are wafting through the nylon safety netting more commonly found underneath circus trapeze set-ups.
The "Dymaxion Sleeps," as it is named, was designed by Jane Hutton and Adrian Blackwell and installed by Creations Filion. I think a smaller version would actually make a marketable product for the everyday residential garden or lawn -- a sort of outdoor family-friendly hub for napping, reading a book, whatever. Clearly it's a draw for the toddlers. Maybe it could come with a "spiderweb" adhesive option, so Mom and Dad know the kids aren't going to disappear when adult backs are turned.
What do you think? Would you want a Dymaxion Sleeps in your backyard?
One of my favorite memories as a kid growing up in New Hampshire was coming across old stone walls in the woods. Rock walls in the New England area are estimated to run a total of 250,000 miles. But, given the increased popularity of weathered stone in home improvement projects, those walls are now under assault. Thieves in Londonderry, NH used heavy equipment last year to dismantle a 500 foot section of wall for resale.
State government is moving quickly to stop the plundering. A bill recently signed by the NH governor upped the fine for stealing stones to "triple damages against thieves, plus attorney's fees, to restore a picked-apart wall," which could in effect cost up to thousands of dollars. I think this is great -- and think we should throw them in the stockade while we are at it. What do you think: Recycle old stone walls or preserve the beauty of the woods?
A lot of interesting products are thrown our way over the Twitter wire. Among them, this stood out: Fence Fabric. It's a vinyl covering that transforms wire fences into pictures of more pleasant images such as ivy covered brick walls or hay fields. Judging from their before and after gallery, the coverings are pretty effective -- viewers often have to do a double take before fulling figuring out the illusion. I want to buy one for our local power plant -- I imagine it would look much nicer as a flower garden.
What do you think: Pretty or Pretty Random?
And if you've got an interesting product, submit it to us via Twitter.
With an uncertain economy, many Americans are embracing their more agrarian roots by growing their own vegetables and even raising chickens. According to the New York Times, chicken hatcheries can hardly meet demand as coops are popping up from Brooklyn to the rural West. The trend made us revisit the idea of the Eglu, a chicken coop that looks, surprisingly, stylish. Is a hen house in your future? Tell us some of your plans to grow and raise your own food.
With drought plaguing parts of our nation and the cost of water use rising, this article in the SF Chronicle has 15 helpful tips for reducing your water bill. Among the suggestions:
Are you serious about your lawn? If so, this page from Cornell University could be an indispensible reference for all the diseases that can plague your turf. Each link on the page provides an overview of the disease, symptoms, pictures, disease cycle information and control strategies. After reading, you will be able to differentiate gray snow mold from a necrotic ring spot and be well on your way to being a lawn care expert.
