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Links of Interest (To me at least).

 


I thought I should create a little links page.  As I come across other blogs or pages that interest me I'll include them here.  For now these are in no particular order but that may change in time.   You can always email me directly if you wish as well.    If you have a page or link you would like me to share, let me know!


City Mouse in the Boondocks Facebook page - when we have something that's related to the page but just doesn't fit here.  

 

Educational and Environmental Websites 

 

Neuroqueer solarpunker:  Follow his Facebook page, always thinking and always interesting this is one of the better "solar punk" sites I've found.

 Climate Victory Gardens - I won't lie, it's a bit more political than I would like but it does contain some good info.  Of course, if your fighting for a greener world you have to be a bit political.

No Mow Movement - Generally speaking it's the home of the No Mow May movement and the related Slow-Mow movement.   Let your yard run wild in May and then only mow it every two to three weeks after that.

Blue Thumb -  A combination of conservation groups and business groups working to create watersheds and to restore the prairies.  Lots of free info and general help.  Possible green washing.

Native Plants Online - exactly what it sounds like. 

Land Art Generator - A combination of renewable energy projects with public art, urban planning and design.  Many of these projects are in the real world now and are really beautiful and functional.

Playing in the Dirt - Designed by a forest and ecological educator, this site has a lot to offer teachers and students of any age.  Lots of ideas about how to get your students hands dirty too.



Personal and Fun Sites:

Scooter Revolution! - My now defunct motorcycling blog, from when I lived in Florida. 

Independent Order of Odd Fellows - This is one of the world's oldest service organizations, and I am a member.   You can be too. 

 Tasting History - History and tasty food.  This YouTube channel has it going on.  I actually plan on trying a few of these dishes as we go.

Townsends - A historical reenactor whose channel dives into the history of the last 200 years or so. He also tries to recreate various food and beer from that time period. Some interesting stuff.

Legal Eagle - Curious about the law and how its applied, misunderstood, broken or mistreated?  This is an entertaining and always interesting channel where a real Lawyer explains the law.   You just might learn something.  

My Personal Facebook  page - I have to admit I'm iffy about posting this.   However I can always change it around.   

Learn to make Cheese - A Facebook page that is full of good people and better information.  As a total noob to cheese making, I feel comfortable there.    


Resources near me:

Sunshine Farms Cat Rescue - Adoptions and very low cost spray and neuter services.  Highly Recommended

Stoneboro Fair - This is what my adopted town is known for.  

Mercer County, PA - The "what the hell to do" site

The Macoskey Center - A resource I hope to use more in the future as we move towards a more self sufficient lifestyle.   The Official website is here.  

Local Harvest - Various farm shares and farmer markets, with a searchable map.   

Munnell Run Farm - Educational working farm located in nearby Mercer, PA

Mercer County, PA extension office  - various continuing education classes

PA Solar Power Info.- exactly what it sounds like.  Great informational site.

Shenango Crest - A local organization working with rural areas on improving the environment.  

Rustbelt Natives - A nursery concentrating on native plants


Seeds and Gardening info

 Seed Savers Exchange - Yes, they are a non-profit seed organization whose roots (no pun intended) are in the simple exchange of heirloom and rare seeds.   So any company that supports a diversity of food and helps to keep historical crops alive deserves a link at least.  

Burpee - Probably the one company that everyone knows.  

Botanical Interests - An online catalog only but the company did come highly recommended to me.   

Apple Search - one man's effort to keep rare apple species from disappearing.    

Tree Pittsburgh -  Urban forest protection and tree planting.   

The Allegheny Front - Environmental news organization for all of Pennsylvania.  

Native Plants - from our bird loving friends


 

Energy Resources - 

Home Energy Audit - While this site is specific to Northwestern PA, it's still not a bad idea to check with your local energy company to see if they have a similar program.  

BPI Certificated Contractors

MAREA - A great resource on "alternative energy" with an emphasis on Solar Power. 

Wood Heat vs Pellet Stove - Interesting side by side comparison. 


Homesteading resources and other reading material:

 

How to Start a Homestead - Exactly what it sounds like.  A practical step by step guide.  

Why I'm a Homesteader - An opinion piece that I don't exactly agree with but I understand their reasoning.  

Homesteading in Suburbia - Part of the Tenth Acre Farm blog which is not a bad site in its own right. 

Homestead.org - A good sight with good info, but your mileage may vary.   

The Not so Simple Life - Interesting article about a family owned farm/homestead 

Hobby Farming - Good and informative article.  Something I am going to come back to again and again.  

A Farm Girl in the Making:   A lot of recipes and it may seem "to commercial" but some good advice here and there.  Plus, some scrumptious looking food.  You know I like to eat right?

Homestead America:  Another "for profit" homestead site but what I like about this one is the amount of simple, free info they give.   But seriously...I am tired of everything being commercialized.

Backyard goats and Backyard poultry - exactly as advertised.   We may not be there yet...but you never know.

Homesteading in PA - Brief but informative with some interesting info.

Treehugger.com - Quickly becoming one of my favorite sites.  Interesting and informative articles on a little bit of everything.    

5 Acres and a Dream - from someone that has been doing this for about 12 years now.  A great blog and resource site.   

PA Eats guide - general website about what plants are edible in the surrounding area

 



 



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What all the cool kids are reading.

On Marches, Strikes and being a keyboard warrior.

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Maybe it's time I got serious about solar

  When my wife and I bought this house nearly 6 years ago, we made some upgrades.   We put on a metal roof, replacing the original shingles, replaced the floor in the kitchen, both bathrooms and the downstairs den.  We ended up upgrading the pellet stove (twice!) and added some insulation; one of the jobs I want to do in the coming year is to insulate the garage, mostly to keep the freezers we have in the garage from becoming damaged. It's only in various home improvement shows that the work to improve your home is done all at once and somehow in 1 hour.  For most of us its an ongoing never ending project. One of the important improvements that I've been wanting to make but have kept putting off for various reasons has been solar panels.  Now, I'm thinking that it may be time to least do something. The main reason we have been putting off this improvement was cost and how long it would actually take us to pay off the panels.   I'm 60 years old now...
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A bit of foraging....in praise of the lowly dandelion and other ramblings.

 I consider myself a researcher.   Meaning that I find something of interest and I have to learn all I can until that research itch is satisfied.   I've actually made a career out of it in some ways.  Hopefully not dressed like this Foraging for food has never really interested me much.  I have a passing interest in it because of my desire to make my yard into a edible lawn.   For example I planted an edible (although non native) dogwood tree.  I'm planting or have planted a variety of native perennial fruits and veggie's.  It is an ongoing process, simply because in the back of my mind some post apocalyptic traveler will come across this and have nourishment for a few days. I have identified and used purslane, sheep and wood sorrel, curly dock and; what I believe is fiddlehead ferns in my yard before.  However not being 100% sure about the fiddlehead fern, it's not made it into a dish or salad yet.   Some ferns look...
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