Tip Tuesday: Bottomless Green Onions

on February 21, 2012

The next time you cook with green onions, save the whites and roots and plant them in an accessible spot and they’ll grow right back.  Take this tip a little further and using kitchen shears, only cut what you need, leaving the bulb in the ground to regrow.

Don’t forget that Tuesday 2/21 @6pm we have our meet

Categories: Do It Yourself

Chickens, Goats & Bees 101: New City Laws

on February 20, 2012

Everyone in town is ECSTATIC that the new laws have passed for raising backyard farm pets. Tuesday 2/21 @6pm we’re having a free discussion that will talk about the laws and how to raise healthy, happy animals. The laws go in to effect March 15th, so now’s the perfect time to gather quality info!

Location:
City Farmers Nursery 4832 Home Ave., San Diego, CA 92105

We expect this class to be PACKED, so please carpool.

Also, **we’re planning on recording and sharing this class** so if you cannot make it, don’t worry.

Free event.  No cost to attend.
For more information on the laws: http://bit.ly/xsmRWr

For more in-depth information, come to our FREE Raising Chickens class on Sunday 4/1 or our FREE Raising Goats class on Saturday 4/14.

Categories: Classes

Freebie: Download and Print Our 2012 Class Schedule

on February 12, 2012

If you’d like to keep up with our free classes (next Saturday @1pm we have our Soil Magic Class!), click this link and print our 2012 Class Schedule.

 

p.s. Feel free to print a copy for your local library or office to share our classes with your friends.

Categories: Free download

Tip Tuesday: Brushing your Ears (of Corn!)

on February 7, 2012

This week’s tip comes from Real Simple Magazine.  Take an old toothbrush and quickly brush off the silk from fresh corn.

Threads disappear in seconds and corn is ready for consumption!

{via}

Categories: Do It Yourself

City Council Approves Changes to Urban Agriculture Regulations

on February 1, 2012

Congratulations to all of the tireless individuals who supported, stood up for, and helped pass the following law changes. {Source}

Chickens:

  • Roosters prohibited.
  • Up to 5 chickens allowed with no setback requirements from the onsite house.  The coop must be located outside the required setbacks.
  • Up to 15 chickens allowed with no setback from onsite house.  The coop must be outside required setbacks, or at least 15 feet from property line, whichever is greater.
  • Up to 25 chickens may be kept on premises, as long as the coop and outdoor enclosure are a minimum of 50 feet from any residential structure.
  • The coop must be predator proof, watertight, ventilated, easily accessed and cleaned, with a minimum of 6 square feet per chicken.

Miniature Goats:

  • Can be kept at single family homes and lots developed with single family homes.
  • Miniature goats only.  Must be de-horned.  Males must be neutered.
  • Shed must be located outside required setback, predator proof, watertight, ventilated, easily accessed and cleaned, with a minimum of 5 square feet per goat.
  • Enclosure must have minimum 5-foot high fence, minimum pen area of 400 square feet, excluding shed.
  • Goat products allowed for personal consumption only.

Bee Keeping:

  • Allowed Citywide.
  • For up to 2 hives:  Must be located no closer than 30 feet from offsite residence and 50 feet from right of way.
  • More than 2 hives:  Must be located 600 feet from offsite residence and 100 feet from right of way.
  • No more than 2 hives allowed per lot.
  • Must have 6-foot screen unless located 8 feet above grade.
  • Required compliance with recognized best practices for bee keeping.

Farmers’ Markets:

  • Daily Farmers’ Market Stands which sell produce (no value-added merchandise) could be permitted in all commercial zones.  They could be no larger than 5-feet deep and 16-feet wide.
  • Weekly Farmers’ Markets could be permitted as a limited use in all commercial zones (except commercial parking zone) and IL-3-1 Industrial Zone.
  • Retail Farms could be permitted in all of the Commercial Regional, Commercial Office and Community Commercial Zones, as well as IL-3-1 Industrial Zone.

Community Gardens:

  • Allowed to sell produce in residential zones one day per week.
  • Allowed with Neighborhood Use Permit in the IL-21 industrial zone.

Most of the changes are expected to go into effect in mid-March.

Click here for more information.

Categories: General News

Tip Tuesday: Love, Chickens

on January 31, 2012

Your yard hens love you, that you already know. But what you didn’t know is that their eggs can love you, too! Here’s a super tutorial that turns your hard boiled eggs into a thing of poetry. Or something like that!

{Via: 9gag http://9gag.com/gag/81636/)

Categories: Do It Yourself

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