East Austin Garden Fair- tomorrow, Saturday, April 16th

Come to a great garden fair - Rain or Shine!
Saturday - April 16, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm 

Parque Zaragoza Recreation Center - Gymnasium 

2608 Gonzales Street, Austin, TX 78702

 

Free: Admission, Plants (vegetables & herbs), Garden buckets, Garden books/magazines and soil screening for food gardeners. Easy instructions for soil sampling at http://austintexas.gov/soilkitchen

 

Visit with friendly gardeners regarding:

• Bee Keeping, Backyard Chickens, Bugs & Butterfly Gardening
• Growing Fruit, Citrus, Vegetables & Herbs
• Preserving Your Harvest & Food Safety
• Lawns, Turfgrass & Tree Care
• Drip Irrigation Methods & Rainwater Harvesting
• Straw-bale Gardening, Grow Boxes & Keyhole Gardens
• Firewise Landscaping & Native and Adapted Plants
• Composting Basics & Worm Composting
• Houseplants, Terrariums, Greenhouses & Hoophouses
• Aquaponics, Community Gardens & Bio-intensive Methods
• Caring for Garden Tools & much more!

  
Kids will have a great time with 20 activities on bugs, birds, bees, butterflies, seeds, herbs, leaves, soils and seeing nature up close. Get an apron and build a tool box at the Home Depot Kid's workshop.

 

For more information, please call 512-854-9600

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/travis/local-extension-resources/east-austin-garden-fair/ 

Inside Austin Gardens- Demonstration Garden

Remember how I told you about the upcoming garden tour?  Well, it happens this Saturday.  I wanted to give you a peek of a garden on the tour that I get to see each time I go to work.  It's the demonstration garden at 1600-B Smith Road Austin, TX. 

This garden is planned and created by our Master Gardener volunteers and they have been working really hard to get it ready for the tour.  I think their hard work has paid off because it looks fantastic!  Not only is it wonderful to wander through to look at the plants, but you also get the wonderful smells from blooming roses and, when I'm lucky, someone brings in some goodies for me to take home.  They are growing a bunch of produce out there as well.  I've been eyeballing the cantaloupes for awhile since I can never seem to get them to grow.  I found out recently that they were volunteers!  Wish my garden would magically grow cantaloupes.

They have a really cool wicking bed that they installed a little over a month ago.  It was really neat to see how they set it up.  If you don't know what a wicking bed is, stop by and you can learn all about how to create your own.  I also really like how many of the food-producing plants are intermixed within the landscape.  It's almost like you can forage as you stroll leisurely through the area.

The other feature I love about the demo garden is the insects that can be found.  It is a certified Wildlife Habitat, so it allows me to wander through with my camera to get shots of various insects- beneficials and pests.  They have milkweed and passion vine, so I can find monarchs, queens and gulf fritillaries each year.  I usually can track down swallowtails, skippers, blues and sulphurs at certain times as well. 

Please consider adding the demo garden to your schedule.  Daphne Richards, horticulturalist extraordinaire, will be here all day to answer any questions on plants.  This location will also be KID-FRIENDLY with activities for kids with our Junior Master Gardener group.  Patty Leander will be presenting on Vegetable Gardens and Roz Garrett will be doing two presentations on Eating Like a Rainbow.

Saturday, October 20, 2012
9AM- 4PM
www.insideaustingardens.org
Tickets are $15 in advance (purchased at the website above); $20 the day of the tour or $5 per individual garden (purchase at the individual gardens)

2012 Inside Austin Gardens Tour 2012

Saturday, October 20, 2012
9AM- 4PM
www.insideaustingardens.org
Tickets are $15 in advance (purchased at the website above); $20 the day of the tour or $5 per individual garden (purchase at the individual gardens)

I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peek at a few of the gardens on the tour.  I am even more fortunate to have one of them located right outside my office each day.  Each garden incorporates not only native and adapted plants that you see here in Central Texas, but also edible items- fruits, veggies and herbs.

Since I'm not the average garden blogger, I think I was drawn to things "not the norm", but I also used the opportunity to steal ideas to incorporate at home.  And this is where I need to apologize.  Yes, I had my camera with me and yes, I took photos.  Here comes the but- BUT the laptop where I moved the pictures died this morning and I can't get to the photos. ARGH!  There is consolation, though.  You can either go to the above website to get some sneak peeks or you can go to some of the other bloggers write ups about the gardens to see their photos.  Best of all, you can attend the tour and see the gardens IN PERSON!

The first garden- Carolyn & Michael Williams- had an idea for keyhole gardening that I am stealing for myself and the boy.  She had taken a wheelbarrow, drilled holes in the bottom and filled it with soil to plant veggies in.  The center had a wire ring for a mini-compost pile.  She waters from the compost area & it send out compost tea into the barrow.  The best of all, it can be moved anywhere in the garden!  I also fell in love with the super-friendly cat I found while looking for insects in the shrubbery....if you see Callie, give her a hug for me.

The next garden- David & Jennifer Phillips- had another idea that I'm stealing.  Since moving last year, I've been missing my veggie garden from the old house, but I couldn't figure out how I want to grow veggies in the new place.  I now have my solution after viewing this garden- galvanized stock tanks.  Jennifer said they cut out the majority of the bottom of the tank,  filled with soil, rigged up drip irrigation and got to planting.  The thing that blew me away at this garden was the rainwater collection system.  They casually said, "the rainwater collection is around the back."  I went back to check it out and it was MASSIVE.  It was not what I was expecting at all.

The Doyle/ Matthews gardens were so bright and colorful.  I fell in love with the washer pit at the Matthews house and am adding another item to my "honey do" list (I'm sure hubby will be thrilled).  The other thing that fascinated me at these homes was the Rover ants tending aphids on some of the plants.  I know...weird; it's the bug nerd in me.

Renee Studebaker's garden was mind boggling to me.  She has one of those "found item" type gardens set up into various "rooms" that all seems to work together somehow.  I cannot fathom how people pull that type of thing together and I'm always in awe of them.  It's like those girls in high school who always looked so great when I was lucky to get on a pair of clean jeans and a t-shirt because fashion was SO not my thing (it still isn't if you haven't noticed...).  Anyway, I digress.  This garden had a grape vine growing on this kind-of giant umbrella stand thing that was so cool.  I, of course, found some more bugs here to ogle.  This time it was a hover fly at some flowers.

Here is where I bow to the masters- other blogger's takes on the gardens can be found here:

Garden Ally
Rock Rose
Digging: Donnis & Doyle Garden
Digging: Matthews Garden
HomeOlogy
Kiss of Sun

Each garden will have not only garden viewing and plants for sale, but also presentations on a variety of topics.  There will be different topics presented at each garden, so check www.insideaustingardens.org for each schedule (click on each individual garden to see the presentations at that particular location).  Topics include things such as:

• Firewise
• planning an edible landscape
• spice up your food with herbs
• grow your own garden party appetizers
• American Indian medicine wheel herbs
• the vegetable garden: what to grow & why
• unconventional landscape snacks: collecting and cooking insects

Soooo...guess who is giving that last talk?  That's right!  Yours truly.  I hope that it will be a hit; people are disgusted but fascinated at the same time about eating insects.  I will talk about how to collect insects, rear insects and prepare insects.  We'll also cover the all important question of WHY (because Wizzie is crazy?....no.....) people should include insects in their diet.  I have some recipes and OF COURSE some goodies to sample!  Join me....chocolate covered crickets- bet you can't eat just one!

Inside Austin Gardens Tour

When: Saturday, May 14, 2011, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Cost: single entry $5 OR $10 pass for entry into all gardens

Event occurs rain or shine

This year, the tour focuses on water-wise gardening.

The Inside Austin Gardens Tour 2011 will include gardens that feature rain-water collection systems, drip irrigation, xeric and native plant selections, rain gardens, shade gardens, and water-conserving practices. As in years past, the event will include gardening demonstrations and education sessions at each location.

I got a sneak peek of some the gardens this week and was blown away by the variability of water conservation ideas.  I am looking forward to not only seeing the gardens I didn't get a peek at but also having the opportunity or taking a second look at the gardens to figure out what I can incorporate into my own garden.  Sometimes I look at my yard and get overwhelmed and think that I have such a long way to go.  These gardens show that I can do this- it just takes some planning, hard work and time.

Here are my thoughts on the gardens I toured.

3712 Holt Drive

Mounded lush beds greet you and guide you either to the front door or to the gate that takes you into the backyard.  Bringing in soil and mounding it to create spaces and good drainage is something that I really need to take to heart.  I'm on clay and it's just a bunch of muck when (if) it rains.  There were also many bug related items throughout the garden.  I particularly loved that the owner had a shallow dish filled with pebbles and rocks that can be used by insects for a drink of water.

The backyard seems like a bunch of little rooms to me with seating areas sprinkled about.  There is no grass which would be fantastic- no watering or mowing- but maybe not practical right now for me with the boy around. It does inspire me that I can create a beautiful backyard with much less grass.  I love the dry creekbed with tumbled glass and the mason bee boxes to encourage native pollinators.

3303 Doolin Drive

I have been fortunate enough to watch the progression of this yard.  It began as a large area of St. Augustine grass with bamboo that tended to creep forward more each year.  It's now what I consider zen- I can imagine plopping on the large flat rocks and meditating in the mornings.  I love the dry creekbed that helps direct water to flow down the hill into a rain garden area.  The really amazing thing to me- besides the attention to detail- is that everything was done by hand including moving the cut pieces of sidewalk around to create a new walkway, retaining walls and decorative house number display.

4603 Palisade Drive

One thing comes to mind with this garden (other than my own personal jealousy)- LUSH!  This has the most beautiful hell strip I've ever seen.  I was scheming last night when I got home figuring out when and how I should rip the grass out of my own hell strip to fill with plants.  Walking through the first part of this garden I was amazed at how large and thriving the plants were, a sad comparison to the same or similar specimens that I have at home.

 2303 Spring Wagon Lane

This a is very clever idea that I plan on incorporating soon.  The owner said they get about a bucket of water per day from the AC condensate and they use it water plants in the front yard.  The rain water collection system at this house is also something I aspire to; it's huge!

They have removed grass from the front yard and replaced with Texas sedge for an effect that is visually stunning.  I loved the way that the sedge was little tufts that moved gracefully in the breeze.  There are also berms around the area to stop, keep and direct water to where it is needed.  The backyard is an productive garden with raised beds and berms to grow fruits and vegetables.



I plan on heading to the tour this Saturday, so maybe I'll see you at one of the gardens!

Austin's 3rd Annual Funky Chicken Coop Tour

Chickens in the City: Austin's 3rd Annual Funky Chicken Coop Tour

For families looking for something new and different to do this Easter weekend, we invite everyone to come and join the fun at Austin’s Funky Chicken Coops! On Saturday, April 23, 2011, Austin-area poultry keepers will open their backyards to the public for the third year in a row, to show off their chickens and their urban coops. After such a huge turnout for the 2010 tour, with at least 1500 visitors, we knew we'd be having a great time with this year's tour! Chickens and other backyard livestock are growing in popularity. Besides being easy-to-care-for pets, chickens provide insect control, supply delicious fresh eggs, and help create better yards and gardens. Most chicken owners report that it's just plain fun to have them around.

Visitors to the tour sites will see how recycled materials can be transformed into a low-cost coop or how a fashionable coop can enhance a landscape. Our backyard coops show the many ways that chicken (and other poultry) housing can be incorporated into a city residence without violating city ordinances or creating a nuisance. Many of the homes on the tour have featured various alternative energy sources, such as solar panels, along with other environmentally sound practices such as rainwater harvesting and xeriscaping. A lot of the coops on the tour also have interesting and unusual features; for example, one of our tour hosts on this year's tour keeps dairy goats along with chickens and another has a chandelier inside the coop!

Our organization, Austin Funky Chicken Coop Tour, operates in association with another local organization, The Sustainable Food Center, http://www.sustainablefoodcenter.org. The tour will be a fundraiser for the first time this year, with all proceeds (after expenses) to be donated to the SFC. The SFC will be raffling off prizes donated by our sponsors throughout the day at our Information Center on the day of the tour, located at Buck Moore Feed and Pet Supply at 5237 North Lamar Blvd. All attendees are eligible to enter a free raffle to win a brand new chicken coop from our sponsor Mobile Chicken Coops! The coop will be donated by Josh Hudgins of Mobile Chicken Coops: https://mobilechickencoops.com/. The drawing will be held shortly after 4:00 pm, following the end of the tour.

2011 will mark the first time for us to offer a commemorative poster. Artist Joe Wirtheim, of http://victorygardenoftomorrow.com/, has created unique artwork for the tour. Wirtheim is an artist advocate who is using his art to promote civic innovation and social progress through better food, better gardens, and better cities. These posters are available through his Etsy Store http://www.etsy.com/shop/joeseppi. Our commemorative T-shirts, based on the poster design, are available at the SFC Farmer’s Markets as well as Buck Moore Feed and Pet Supply, while supplies last.

Urban chicken-keeping continues to be a growing trend and The Funky Chicken Coop Tour will include coops all over the Austin area. We're hoping to have more people than ever interested in checking out what Austin poultry people are doing to keep their birds housed and happy. Maps to the coop locations can be downloaded from our website at http://fccooptour.blogspot.com. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Printed copies of the map will be available in limited quantities at select locations, also listed on the website. So, make some time on Easter weekend to check out this free event. The free, self-guided tour will run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m, rain or shine.

TIME AND DATE: April 23, 2011

10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Rain or Shine

Free

URL: http://fccooptour.blogspot.com

CONTACT: Christy Sanders

512-487-7737

pr@austincooptour.org

RESOURCES: See our website for chicken coop tours in other cities and other urban poultry resources.

***** The Austin Funky Chicken Coop Tour is held in partnership with Sustainable Food Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your contribution as a sponsor is a tax-deductible donation. Proceeds from the event will benefit Sustainable Food Center www.sustainablefoodcenter.org. Thank You For Supporting The Austin Funky Chicken Coop Tour!!!!

Volunteers needed for spider survey!

I'm looking for volunteers to help with a spider survey. This is limited to those in the Austin area.

I want to compare spider diversity in various yards. You can use pesticides (synthetics or natural products) or no pesticides at all. If you usually don't use pesticides and need to for something that pops up, that's okay too as long as it's documented. I just want people doing what they normally do in their yard to put out cardboard strips to survey for spiders. You can do the survey in your veggie garden, your flower bed, a greenhouse, trees in your yard, etc.

I'll provide materials for you to use. You'll be responsible for putting out the items in your yard, collecting samples, documenting any pesticide use and getting samples to me or calling me so I can make arrangements to get the samples from you.

Right now, things are pretty fluid as to a timeline. Once I get enough volunteers lined up, I can nail things down further, but I hope to get started by the end of June and go through summer.

If you're interested in helping out, let me know!

Austin's Funky Chicken Coop Tour

Just an FYI for those of you that might like to attend......y'know, chickens are great consumers of bugs that might wander into your backyard.....

Austin, TX Feb 9, 2009 -- Seattle has one. Raleigh has one. But Austinites like to be at the leading edge of all trends. So, when a group of local backyard poultry enthusiasts realized that Austin lacked an annual backyard Chicken Coop celebration, they took action. The result? Austin's first free Funky Chicken Coop Tour.

Urban chicken-keeping is on the rise in cities across the USA, and for good reasons. Chickens can be easy-to-care-for pets, provide insect control, supply delicious fresh eggs, and help create better yards and gardens. Most chicken owners report that it's just plain fun to have them around.

On Saturday, April 11, 2009, Austin-area chicken coop owners will open their backyards to the
public. The free, self-guided tour will run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and showcase a variety of
poultry projects in a variety of settings, from urban to rural.

Visitors to the tour sites will see how scavenged materials can be transformed into a low-cost coop; or how a fashionable coop can enhance your landscape. Visitors will have the chance to see how chicken coops integrate into larger projects, such as organic gardens, sustainability and permaculture efforts, and school projects.

The tour hosts will be able to answer questions on chicken care, compliance with city ordinances,
coop design, and more. If you are thinking about keeping chickens in your own backyard, you'll get some great ideas for your own successful project.

The Funky Chicken Coop Tour will include coops all over the Austin area. A map of participating
coops will be available for download prior to the tour from http://fccooptour.blogspot.com/. Tour sites will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

TIME AND DATE:
April 11, 2009
10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Free

URL:
http://fccooptour.blogspot.com/

CONTACT:
Judith Haller
Member, Funky Chicken Coop Tour Planning Committee
jhaller@io.com
512-453-2378