I'm not sure what gardening blog or message board I was reading when I came across Cow Pots, but the product immediately appealed to me. You may already know about them if you're a fan of the TV show Dirty Jobs, which featured them a while back. Basically, Cow Pots are seed starting pots made from composted cow manure.

Cow Pots have a lot of very appealing features. They were designed by diary farmers who wanted to do something constructive with their excess manure and reduce the pollution created by their dairy. Manure is a renewable resource and fully biodegradable, unlike plastic, which takes petroleum to produce and doesn't break down in landfills. Plus, you can put your Cow Pots directly in the ground once your seedling is ready to be planted. That eliminates the possibility of damaging your seedlings during transplant.

I ordered two 12-packs of 4 inch pots and planted some tomato, pepper and eggplant seeds last weekend. The pots were sturdy and dry and didn't have any noticeable odor.



One thing I have to keep in mind is that this kind of pot tends to dry out more quickly than a plastic pot, especially in the dry Southern California air. So, my Cow Pots will need to be watered more frequently.

Cow Pots also promise to help grow healthier, studier seedlings, because of the fertilizing aspects of the pot. I'll have to let you know if that claim turns out to be true.

Bill Niman and Nicolette Hahn Niman have made a brilliant suggestion for the Obama's next sustainable step now that they've put in a vegetable garden: chickens! There's certainly plently of room on the White House grounds for a nice coop and run. Think how happy their guests will be to have fresh free range eggs for breakfast. Oh, and I bet Malia isn't allergic to chick fluff!



Perhaps us backyard chicken enthusiasts should start a petition.

Here's a silly little thing I came across on the Internet today: Gonzo, his beloved Camilla, and some singing chickens.



Enjoy!

Recently, I got a little pamphlet in the mail along with my bill from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. It asks, "How Water Wise Are You?" There's little chart that allows you to compare your water use to the median water consumption of DWP customers.

I was happy to get this chart, because I've been wondering how well we've been conserving water, especially since our recently-planted fruit trees require more deep and frequent watering than most of our other landscaping. When I looked at the chart, I was delighted.

For a lot that's less than 7,499 square feet, the median winter water use, measured in HCF (hundred cubic feet), for a 2-month period is 24. Our water use for the last two months was 6 HCF. That's a quarter of the typical amount. My first reaction was, "Yippie!" My second reaction was, "Dang, how do people using the median amount afford their water bills?" I love it when caring about the environment translates into saving money. So often, it's the other way (i.e. buying organic or fair trade).

Dakota and I discussed why we manage to be so far under the median for water use, when, honestly, I don't feel like we work that hard at saving water. Obviously, part of it is that there are only two of us. But I don't think that can account for all of our water saving. Here are some factors I think help quite a lot:

1) Front-loading washer
Two summers ago, we got a new front-loading washer. It uses less water (and power) than a top loading washer, and less soap. I love it.

2) Low-flow shower head
When I moved into my house, I almost immediately installed a low-flow shower head. It's such an easy way to save water, especially when you're a big fan of hot showers. Gone are the days when a low-flow shower head meant an annoyingly low-pressure bathing experience. These days, water-saving shower heads make your pressure better, not worse. At least, that's what happened at my house. Almost six years later, our Earth Massage Showerhead is still going strong. It makes a big difference for us because Dakota usually takes two showers a day: one to wake up and one to clean off the sawdust after work. Both are vital to his happiness.

3) Toilet policy
In addition to having a low-flow toilet, like most houses in Los Angeles, we tend to not flush after every trip to the bathroom. No need to get into details, but I believe many hippies have signs in their bathroom beginning with the phrase, "If it's yellow, leave it mellow..." We don't have that sign, but we agree with the principle. Treehugger calls it the "Selective Flush." Some people are kind of grossed out by this idea, but it's how I grew up, so it seems completely natural to me.

4) Lawnless living
The single biggest water savings for us, I'm guessing, comes from our lack of a grass lawn. When I moved into the house back in 2003, there was a small lawn in the front, but Dakota and I took it out pretty quickly. In its place, we planted a mixture of California native plants, other low-water-use bushes and cacti. Now that the plants are established, they need very little water to flourish. I honestly can't remember the last time I watered the front yard. It's definitely been at least three months. We have a similar landscaping plan in the back, although obviously the vegetable garden and fruit trees do require watering several times a week. Still, I think our lawnless lot is what keeps our water bill so low.

I love our California native plants, too. Here are a few that have thrived over the years, despite intense dry heat and bad soil.

White sage. Has a very sage-y smell. The leaves are a really pretty pale green.


California fuschia. This one spreads sideways and has bright red flowers, which attract butterflies and hummingbirds.


Needle's buckwheat. This produces little white puffy flowers and grows like crazy. I'm constantly cutting it back. We have two varieties of buckwheat in the yard, the other is Red buckwheat.


I can't remember the name of this one. It blooms yellow, daisy-like flowers and the leaves have a wonderful, herbal smell. It also grows nicely from cuttings. I have two more bushes in the backyard from cuttings from this plant.

Basically, we make almost no sacrifices in order to keep our water use low. We still take showers when we want and have a clothes washer and a dishwasher. I certainly put some back-breaking labor into getting the front yard plants established, but now that they're in, they require almost nothing from me. It's nice to know saving water can be fairly easy. Pretty soon, it'll likely be a requirement for living in Southern California. Maybe once the city is done giving out CFLs they'll move on to low-flow shower heads and cacti.

Here in Los Angeles, it's almost summer garden time. Hurrah! I believe this will be my fourth year gardening in my current yard. As you might guess, I've become quite a gardening expert over the years. Actually, that's not true. You would be guessing incorrectly. Sorry. BUT, I have learned a few things, and I've decided to share those few things on this blog. Hopefully one or two readers will find them helpful.

Tip #1: Start your seeds early!



Every year, I start my seeds earlier than I did the year before. And, every year, I realize that I should have started them even earlier. I think in Southern California it's particularly hard to get your timing right because all the seed packets say, "plant after the last frost." Um, what if you don't have frost, ever? I think my new rule of thumb will be: Plant when you don't have to wear socks to bed anymore. I guess this only works if you live in a house with very minimal heating capabilities, like ours, but perhaps you can find an analogous temperature test for yourself. (Perhaps, plant when you can walk your dog in the morning without getting painfully cold fingers.)

It's especially helpful to start the seeds for fruiting plants--tomatoes, peppers, eggplants--early. This is because, not only does the plant have to grow, but then it has to bloom, make fruit and the fruit has to ripen before you can eat it. This process can take a while, and if you want to be able to get several harvests from your plant before it dies, you gotta get things moving in early Spring.

I planted some tomato, pepper and eggplant seeds in small pots last weekend. And I will probably plant a few more rounds of seeds in the upcoming weeks. For seed-starting, I prefer using the 3 or 4 inch pots you get from the nursery when you buy a small cactus or flower. If you use smaller pots, they dry out more quickly, and you have to transplant really tiny plants into bigger pots at some point. Really tiny plants are really easy to kill.

So, that's tip #1. Look for more tips in the coming weeks. I think I have at least 2 or 3 more pieces of gardening wisdom in me. Definitely 2.

Every year around this time, a mysterious vine appears on the borders of my yard. It's bright green and fast-growing. Typically, I cut it back so it doesn't grow over my bushes. I have no idea where it comes from, if it was planted by my house's former residents or if it grows wild. Here it is growing on the fence at the bottom of the yard.



Close-up.



Does anyone know what this vine is? Is is an invasive species I should dig up and destroy, or just a slightly-annoying Spring visitor?

In the last month, I have managed to acquire some very nice, and eco-friendly, new items for our living room.

The first was a new bed for Nigel, our faithful animal companion. Nigel firmly believes in living a green lifestyle, but he also has rather specific needs when it comes to where he rests his head. So, after looking around at various organic and eco-friendly pet bed options, I decided on the Tuckered Out model from West Paw. It was a bit pricier than the beds I usually get Nigel, but its design seemed perfect for the way he likes to sleep, and the cover comes off for easy washing, so it should last quite a while.

West Paw Design is a pet product company with a commitment to green manufacturing practices, including material reuse, waste minimization and energy efficiency. And, all their products are made in their Montana factory, where they believe in paying their workers a fair wage, including health benefits. Nigel's new bed is filled with IntelliLoft fiber fill, which is made from recycled plastic bottles. As you can see, he finds it quite cozy.



Last weekend, we made an even bigger upgrade and finally purchased a new fancy leather chair for our living room. Dakota and I have essentially been shopping for this chair for three years. We were looking for something that was comfortable but still slim and stylish enough not to overpower the space. Our house is quite small, and the living room is where we spend most of our awake indoor time. It seemed important to find just the right chair.

Happily, I finally found what we were looking for at the Cisco Brothers store on La Brea. Isn't it lovely?



Cisco Brothers is a furniture company headquartered in South Central Los Angeles. From what I have read, the owner, Cisco Pinedo, seems very committed to running a sustainable business and to being a positive force in the community. Since 2006, Cisco Brothers have used exclusively FSC certified hardwoods in their upholstered furniture and reclaimed wood in their cabinets and tables. In addition, they use water-based glues and environmentally friendly detergents to wash their fabrics.

Cisco has several showrooms around Los Angeles, and their style falls somewhere between traditional and modern. I felt very happy to purchase a chair that looked great and was made in Los Angeles with an environmental conscience.

Check out this hefty bunch of kale from my deck containers. I love those dark green leaves; they just scream "healthy!" This bunch was consumed for dinner last Friday night. I boiled the chopped leaves and stems and then sprinkled them with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Tasty.



And speaking of fresh, seasonal food, I'm very excited about a resource I just read about on the Garden Punks blog. It's a handy Eat Local tool from the Natural Resource Defense Council, which tells you what produce is in season in your region. It even breaks California down into Northern and Southern and distinguishes between the early and late parts of each month.

For Southern California in early March, I should be eating: asparagus, avocado, beets, broccoli, grapefruit, lemons, tangerines, turnips, spinach and, of course, kale. The tool seems great for menu planning. It tells you what will be on sale at the store, or in the stalls at the farmers' market, before you leave your house.