Dig This...

The guy is speaking in Russian (I believe), but it doesn't matter, the video on his Facebook page speaks for itself.  He's invented a cool tool to turn soil using bicycle handlebars.  The only unfortunate thing is it looks like he is demonstrating it on soil that has already been worked; I'd really want to see how it does on virgin soil.

When It's A Cat's Ear....

When is a dandelion not a dandelion?

When it is Hypochaeris radicata, also known as Flatweed, False Dandelion, and Cat's Ear.  My mom asked me what the yellow flower out in the yard was, and my first answer was "DYC", which stands for "Damn Yellow Composite".  That gives some indication of the, um, "affection" botanists have for that class of flowers, because of the difficulty in narrowing down exactly what it is.  In the end, the Peterson Field Guide to Wildflowers: Northeastern and North-central North America on Google Books ended up being most helpful in coming up with an identification, but IdentifyThatPlant.com Dandelion and Cat's Ear made me confident that I had identified it correctly.

Learning more about it, Cats Ear is quite interesting.  It is edible, although it may be toxic to horses in large quantities.  Unlike dandelion, it is not supposed to be bitter, and like chicory, you can dry and grind the root for a coffee substitute.  I don't drink coffee, so I won't be trying that, and it's a bit late in the season to be eating the leaves, as they are probably quite chewy by now, but I look forward to sampling some next year.

Related articles

• Dandelions Need Love too.
• 7 Little-Know "Superfoods" You Can Find In Your Backyard
• Common And Powerful Healing Plants You Can Find In Your Back Garden
• Why Should You Eat Dandelion Greens?
• Natural rubber from dandelions

I'm Not Batman....

Skreened.com

Preparing for Storms

While this article at Planning and Foresight is focused on winter storms, we're having some stormy weather this week.  Except for not needing so desperately to keep warm, there isn't that much difference between summer and winter storms.

Marking Contours with a Simple A-Frame Level

I'm getting ready to make an on-contour hugelkulture bed with upslope swale, so I've been looking for a quick and easy way to mark contours.  One of the best guides I've found is Hesperian's Community Guide to Environmental Health.  The linked page not only describes how make the A-frame level using just sticks, string, rocks, and (optionally) nails and maybe a bottle, but also where and how to make contour barriers to prevent erosion.

Little Free Libraries

Love to read?  Imagine having a box in your front yard where new books show up like magic.  It's not just a dream, it's the Little Free Library movement. 

For Seed-Saving Addicts...

Caleb at the Open Pollinated blog has come up with a unique way of making seed packets:

The interesting part is the design was originally meant for powders.