Good resource

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Best-Resource-of-Government-Energy-Efficiency-Financial-Incentives-for-Anywhere-in-the-USA&id=1044749
Good article.

Seed Saving

Ever wonder about those precious heirlooms that were ferreted away by our great grand parents? I know my great grand parents were seed savers. They grew the same wonderful foods year after year. When they passed away, those seeds were past to other family members. Now, those heirlooms are gone. No one in the family gardens like my great grand parents once did. My father still gardens like they gardened. He still follows the same traditions every year putting plant after plant in the ground, but he doesn't start his from seed. He buys the plants.

Seed saving is important. Not only to save those precious heirlooms we all grew up on, but for the fact that prices are going space bound with each passing day. How much did you pay for milk the last time you bought it? How much more expensive was it from a year ago? Apply this principal to everything else you purchase at the grocery store and start looking at your grocery bill escalate like gas prices. It is a disgusting reality. One that more and more people are struggling with everyday.

Save seeds, save money. There are numerous resources on how to save seeds. One is at the Seed Savers Exchange.

Garlic!

Yummy photos of lots of garlic.

http://sev.lternet.edu/~jnekola/Heirloom/garlicC.htm

Culinary Lavender

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Lavender.htm

This is awesome place. Pictures, recipes and history.

Mmmm Smell that garlic

Stand back vampires. I have garlic and I'm not afraid to use it.

I love garlic. It's easily incorporated into a myriad of dishes. Not only does it add flavor, it helps to boost the immune system. And if you play your cards right, it can be used as an insect repellent.

Those virtues aside, growing garlic isn't too tough either (this coming from the woman that got three tomatoes off a single pathetic upside down tomato plant, right?). It does, however, take a bit of patience.

There are a few different types of garlic and the one that we see the most in the market is Artichoke Garlic. It comes in numerous forms ranging from the purple Asian types like Purple Cauldron and Chinese Purple to Susanville. These are by far the easiest to grow which, of course, is why we see it the most often.

There is also Porcelain, Silverskin, Purple Stripe, Cerole, Rocambole... you get the picture.

Grow in soil that isn't too damp and in a location that gets plenty of sun. Growing garlic is a self sustaining practice as you grow it from a clove. Each clove will produce one plant that can be packed with anywhere from 10 to 20 cloves ranging in size. Cloves should be planted upright about an inch down and are traditionally planted on the shortest day of the year. Harvest your garlic when the leaves brown. Hang your cloves in a cool dry place so that they dry instead of rot.

Template Blues

My template keeps poofing on me so if you notice a ton of things missing it is because I can't get it to stop poofing. I did get the template working again so I'll get the things back up that I had before. I'm still figuring this stuff out so be patient!

Tomatos, Pumpkins and Carrots

Disaster. Complete and utter disaster. The upsidedown tomato that I did produced like three tomatoes. That's it and it has withered and died with no hope of spawning anymore. The tomatoes were the most delicious ever, but we got only three from our pathetic little plant. My father laughed at me when I told him of the disaster. But its better than nothing!

The carrots were coming right along and were getting *huge*. Last week something ate every single one of them. *sigh*

And the pumpkins. Don't get me started on the pumpkins. The plants were healthy. They were producing beautiful blooms.

Something ate them, too. I have little stubs where my pumpkin vines used to be.

How utterly depressing. All week it has been just depressing.

But I learned something important. I can grow stuff and grow it well enough for critters to take a chance that my dogs will eat them alive if caught sneaking into my fenced area. That thought lifted my spirits.

And there is always indoor gardening. I've been thinking more and more about hydro, aero and aquaponics. I suppose we'll have to see about a aeroponic system. I've been browsing around town and finding very little support for such things in Knoxville. Something that irritates me more than I care to mention. I'm going to figure out something to get on track with an aeroponic system.

More on that later!

Wind Energy

http://www.siliconsolar.com/solarenergy/forumdisplay.php?f=42
Wind Energy Government forum to learn about Wind Energy.

Greenbaba

With the stirrings of solar energy becoming much more popular, I found this site dedicated to solar gadgets of all sorts. Not only will one find solar desk lamps and solar fan cups, but there are seriously affordable solar garden lamps and other practical stuff. I'm huge on buying domestic, so be very surprised: this is a Chinese company.

Hybrids

I was looking into the cars that only emit water vapor as the only byproduct.

Buyer beware.

Who are you kidding?

Hybrid cars 'not so green'

Hybrid Car

Have a look and compare hybrids before you buy.

San Francisco Offers Solar Panel Incentives

http://www.topix.com/tech/2007/12/san-francisco-offers-solar-panel-incentives
A little older, but useful none-the-less. Go San Francisco!

Harvest

Lots going on this time of year. Tomatoes are getting ripe. Cucumbers are producing like made. Vegetables in general are coming into full color. But that never stops the reading.

Thanks to Patti Moreno, I've been introduced to Susan Harris' site on gardening. It's a great place, be sure to check it out.