Vertical Gardening

Two years ago when I started designing the Batholith House I decided that I needed lots of sun and houseplants. As a hobby-level horticulturist I get a real kick out of growing indoors during the dead of winter.

In today's homes floorspace is the most heavily used geometric plane in the house. We place just about everything but the cupboards, hanging pictures and light switches on or close to the floor. What interests me is how to utilize space more effectively and creatively through the expanded use of the vertical dimension.

Vertical Gardens are a great way to use neglected vertical planes while oxygenating and beautifying our homes (interior or exterior). Take a look at the following sites on Vertical Gardens and Living Walls and expand your horizons.

http://www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com/mainen.php
http://www.verticalfarm.com/Designs.aspx
http://www.thegrowspot.com/know/f5/vertical-gardens-living-walls-53838.html
http://greenroofs.wordpress.com/2008/08/21/patrick-blancs-vertical-garden/
http://landscapeandurbanism.blogspot.com/2008/09/reading-list-vertical-garden.html
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/05/student-designs-vertical-garden-rainwater-harvesting.php
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/06/sky_farm_propos.php
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/09/mithun_architec.php
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/06/joost_bakkers_v.php
http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/ecology/15-living-walls-vertical-gardens-sky-farms/1202/3
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/at-europe/patrick-blancs-vertical-garden-for-the-homeparis-france-053154

Soap

I was watching the movie Gandhi several years ago and was blown away. It is a must see for most people out there. One of the events that got me was Gandhi's movement for people to produce their own fabrics for clothes. Its amazing how we take simple things like fabric for granted when it has such tremendous value. Now something tells me spinning your own yarn and weaving it is more time consuming than most peoples schedules can afford. I then found a project that is very rewarding, fun, and yields a product that connects you in a similar way....SOAP.

Everyone needs it and I don't think I have to write down a list of reasons.

So here is a great recipe that I have repeated five or six times now. It works like a charm and is a good starter soap. WARNING....The lye used is extremely corrosive! It may be best to keep young children and animals away during this project.

The recipe doubles well. I usually make twice the amount listed below.

Ingredients:
12 oz or 340 grams 100% lye (use less lye for a more moisturizing soap)
21.5 oz ice cold water (distilled if possible)
5 lbs, 7 1/3 oz (2.48 kg) vegetable shortening
1 oz essential oils for fragrance (optional)
3-4 tablespoons of cosmetic grade clay powder (optional)

Equipment:
1 or 2 qt glass bowl
6 quart sturdy plastic or stainless steel mixing bowl
4-8 qt stock pot
a large and sturdy plastic or wooden mixing spoon
Rubber or latex gloves
Safety Goggles
Distilled White Vinegar
Thermometer
Electric Mixer
Surface to safely place mixing spoon covered in lye
Plastic forms or molds to pour unhardened soap into for curing. Do not use metal pan as they tend to corrode. Glass does not flex making it hard to free the hardened soap (I usually find good stuff at the thrift shop for this)

Instructions:
Step 1: Lye Water Prep
Chill water ahead of time. Pour water into glass bowl. Using the stirring spoon, pour lye gradually into the chilled water, stirring gently until the lye is all dissolved. The lye solution will be very hot due to the reaction of water and lye. Air cool to approximately 85F (around an hour).

BE CAREFUL and do not spill or splash!!! The lye in solid and dissolved form is extremely hazardous. As always...use protection! Neutralize spills on skin with vinegar or flush with lots of water. Best to do this near a sink with a spray hose for this reason. Clean up table top spills with paper towels and immediately. A ventilated area is good... an exhausting smoke hood on the stove works well.

Step 2: Melt the fat
Scoop shortening into a stock pot and heat over medium until fully melted. Shut off heat and cool to approximately 95F (around an hour).

Step 3: Saponification (soap making time)
Pour the cool liquid fat into the mixing bowl. Set electric mixing blades into the fat and turn on to low speed. Very carefully and slowly add the cooled lye solution to the fat. You will see the fat go from transparent to opaque yellowish white. Keep mixing as evenly as possible and do not stop.

The soap slowly reacts and gets thicker and thicker eventually reaching an unset pudding or custard like texture (about 15-20 minutes). Carefully dip the mixing spoon into the bowl and drizzle a spoonful of the soap back into the bowl. The drizzled soap should stand off the surface of the bulk soap forming "tracers" on the surface. Good tracers take time to flow back into the bulk fluid. Tracers indicate that the soap has reacted enough to add fragrance or to pour into molds.

Step 4: Adding fragrance or color (optional but recommended)
Once tracers have formed slowly pour in the essential oils and mix well. You may want to quickly stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl. Start the mixer again to incorporate this scraped up material. Add around three heaping table spoons of clay powder for color. The amount you blend in the clay gives varying qualities. If you want a marbled effect ease off on the mixing after adding the clay. Stop the mixer.

Step 5:
Pour soap into molds. Soap is still very corrosive at this stage as the reaction takes a week or two to finish. Place molds in a safe room temperature area to cure for two weeks. You can taste the soap to see if it is ready. Cured soap will not burn your tongue. You don't have to do this unless you miss the taste (for all of those who had dirty mouths growing up). Two week should do it unless you cured them in a cold place.


Have fun!

Drink Green Drinks

Go green... in your intestines. I recently began a daily supplement of Superfood drink or green drink. Say "drink" five times and you'll feel silly. Anyway, the reason I began this regimen was to reduce the frequency of acid reflux. I live with a bottle of Tums within reach at any given moment. Since my early twenties I've been plagued by heart-burn especially after consuming pizza, orange juice, Mexican food, and many other delicious but detrimental feed-stocks. My assumption was that many foods cause an acid response and there must also be others that cause a basic or alkaline response.

I did a bit of research at the US FDA and discovered that most foods have an acidic pH (<7). Apparently one of the few above ph 7 (more alkaline) includes Bird's Nest soup, conch, and Camembert cheese. How's that for a regular diet?! It seems that my choices where slim and well... challenging to be nice.

Further research brought me into a more wholistic nutrition community where it is believed that certain foods actually promote either an acid or alkaline physiological response. These groups typically tout the benefits of an alkaline blood ph (>7) as preventing cancer, infection, etc. Apparently the dying process usually includes a very low pH (acidic). I don't know if the correlation is well proven though. Of course my motivation was eliminating acid reflux which sometime makes me feel like death.

It ends up that these "alkalizing" sources can most consistently be found in green vegetables, fruits, seaweed, and algae. Well, I eat a fair amount of greens and still have heartburn. My dilemma was how can I eat even more greens without making it a full time job?

The answer: Green Drinks or Superfood Drinks. Powdered and easily concocted with water or juice, Green Drinks provide you with a complex of vegetables, fruits, wheat grass, seaweeds, probiotics, enzymes, dietary fiber and herbs. Some brands claim that you get a full day supply of vegetables from one serving! While I think that eating fresh is the best way to go for high potency nutrition... substantially increasing your veg intake can be a difficult and stomach stretching task without one of these powdered products.

My major advise is to look for one that claims good taste as many brands taste like fish food flakes or worse. A 30 serving supply usually runs from $25 USD to $45. Another turn off with some of these products is their lack of capacity to remain in a colloidal suspension or in other words to not separate and form a thick unsavory green sludge at the bottom of the glass. I've tried a few brands and have had the best experience with Delicious Green 8000. It's available online and is pretty pricey stuff but is the most drinkable of the ones I've tried.

As I've only had a month or so on this stuff I'll get back to you a let you know how I've been feeling. In the mean time drink up and tell me what you think. Props to Ryan for getting me into this stuff. And proprs to my girlfriend, Tara, for drinking it with me in the morning. SOmetimes you need a little peer pressure to get it down the hatch. It's an interesting way to start you day at the very least!

CSA Food Shares

"Buying locally" is something most people hear about today. In a nutshell it puts your money back into your community and reduces transport related costs and impacts (and I'm sure a whole lot of other problems). Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA's) are a great way to keep some of your food supply local and get some of the freshest food on your plate. CSA's charge periodic dues and require an early jump on reserving a spot for the season. As these farms are typically small family-style operations they can only grow so much produce. Each member pays for a share (and sometimes half-shares) of the weakly crop. Every week the member picks up their share of the freshly picked food. Reserve a spot early to ensure you don't miss out!....like I did this year! Check with the farmer before the spring to reserve a spot...it also helps the farmer plan for the upcoming growing season.

Here's a good link to help with this effort. It has a list of CSA's and other food sharing programs around the country listed by state:

http://www.greenpeople.org/csa.htm

Photo thanks to:
http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/

A season for everything

I'm currently reading "Omnivore's Dilemma," by Michael Pollan. Every so often I get into a great book that makes me want to change the way I eat, live, consume, whatever have you. It seems that eating is an especially deep-seeded passion. One's eating habits serve as a de facto constitution and are defended with fervor.

I was raised to be adventurous and particular with my eats. Being socially conscientious with my food was something that I acquired strictly through social interaction and learning (life in Boulder, CO doesn't hurt either). Growing up, the only reason to watch what you ate was spare yourself humiliation during the summer's pool lounging season. Over time I began to realize the benefits of truly watching what you eat. The motivation to do this is different for everyone.

An important element in eating responsibly is purchasing produce that is in season. In-season produce generally tastes better and has more nutrients. Other benefits exist.

Omnivore's dilemma along with the follow books can really change the way you think of what goes on your plate. While they may make you go to the green-side I don't see these books as vegan propaganda but more as well researched non-fiction.

Omnivore's Dilemma - Pollan
Beyond Beef - Rifkin
Diet for a New America - Robbins
Fast Food Nation - Schlosser

New to the game Home Builder's Check List

The following list is directed towards those building a new house on undeveloped land:

1. Dream, Think , Plan - It all begins with a dream. Unfortunately for me thinking and planning were applied a bit thin in the early stages of my project. Often it takes time to plan a house before building. Determine your time constraints between buying the property and beginning construction. Your whole strategy (i.e. financing the whole project and finishing the home) depends on this planned time-line and knowing what you want.
Don't expect to start building immediately unless you buy someone else's jettisoned but started dream. Leave at least 6 to 12 months for planning. In my case it has take over two years. Still haven't broken ground!
Don't expect things to run smoothly or quickly. Your only technique to avoid this is knowing exactly what you want, hiring good people and keeping on top of things.

2. Purchase Property - Attain a good Realtor and start looking. A realtor should be working hard for you. You represent a source of commission and referrals for them. The realtor should be able to hold your hand through this process up until the closing of the loan making sure that all things are more or less taken care of. Keep in mind what you are looking for. The process of deciding in the realm of home building only gets more intense from here.
A good mortgage broker and a cleanish credit report are nice. Before you start, get your accounts in order, file with Credit Bureaus to clear up bad claims, get some money in the bank for a few months. Also, get pre-approved with your broker near the start of your buying rampage.
Research the neighborhood and school district, check out Zillow on neighboring homes' sale prices, and get a good survey of the property from a licensed reputable surveyor firm .
A site survey is pretty much required as part of due diligence in proving the legal property lines before the sale. This should include the staking or ribboning the property line as well. Pinning the corners of the property with a Government Approved marker costs more but is also worth it. Check to see if the property has any of these markers to begin with. You'll usually find a metal stake with some kind of stamp or cap with an official serial number on it. Be advised theat markers are often illegally moved. This process gives you a paper as well as a physical rendering of your property lines.
A topographic survey is more expensive and in my opinion is most worth while when the property has a lot of relief such as hills, a steep slope, a cliff or rock outcroppings. In this scenario it is difficult to plan the layout of the site and cost the excavation without a good topographic survey.
Often the property can be surveyed as part of the closing conditions to the sale. The seller often pays these costs. It saved me $4000.

3. Decide on a Spec home or a custom home:
Spec homes are less expensive and generally quicker to the "ground breakin" than a comparable custom home. Spec homes are usually a set of blue prints bought from an online catalog and tailored to fit the site and codes by an engineer. The changes to design are minimal and can often be done through the spec dealer. Additional changes can be made to these spec plans thus hybridizing the spec and the custom home. This is still generally cheaper than a full custom home in terms of planning costs.
Another option are prefab houses. When I began all of this not much was really nice out there. But today you can find so much. They tend to be very modular, customizable, and quick to build. LEEDS certified sustainable prefabs as well as other great options now abound.
Often you just can't find what you want. If you have a vision... go for it but be advised that it will cost you more time and money in the Engineer's/Architect's office.
Once again, the more developed the idea in your head the quicker you can push it through the steps. Don't leave it up to architects to fully design the house if you want to save time and money. Write up a "Program" of needs, requirements, and desired features... both functional and aesthetic. This will clearly give hired help a good idea of what you want.

4. Find an Architect/Structural Engineer Office
I like both under the same roof. The time saved and ease of it all under a single roof is magnificent. Once again references, interviews, and prior works are key here. MAke sure that the office has at least a licensed P.E.

Find a good General Contractor (GC)
Ask around. This is one that you need to research well. Get first-hand recommendations, referrals, and scope out some of the candidates prior builds. Talk to these people if necessary. A good business arrangement might include something like a fixed percentage on all subcontracted labor, etc.
For those who wish to build solo...Loans are difficult to get in this case unless you are a licensed contractor. If not a contractor then expect higher down payments on borrowed money. The bank essentially sees you as a high risk.

Expanded Scope

I admit the stifling, cramping, constipated rate at which this site expands is dismal. Perhaps only interesting on a geologic time-frame. In the attempt to shake the rigor mortise of this tortoise-like approach I've decided to diversify. This blog will now represent a shish kabob. First some meat or meat-like product then red pepper slice then red onion slice then green pepper slice then garlic clove, then meat or meat like product then mushroom then onion and some more pepper... this time yellow.

My point here is that diversity tastes good. This blog too should taste varied and palatable while tasting less like lifeboat rations.

Here goes nothing....

Polish style Kebobs:

Serves 4 to 6:
The good stuff:

1 pound meat (lamb, chicken, fish, sausage...whatever) or extra-firm tofu (drain and press out water if possible) (cube into 1" x 1" cubes if meat large cubes will take long to cook and may lead to ruined veg)
1 large red onion or sweet white onion (peeled and quartered)
1 red pepper (cut into large squares)
1 yellow or green pepper (cut into large squares)
6 large garlic cloves (not bulbs unless you really like garlic....peeled)
6 large mushrooms (take off stems if you want)
1 small zucchini and or summer squash (circular slices)
1 very small eggplant (optional -- cubed 1"x1" or greater --- leave the skin on)
a handful of small red skin potatoes (optional -- preboiled until cooked)

Basic Marinade:
2 Tbs lemon juice, lime juice or vinegar
2 Tbs cooking oil
1 Tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp green herb of choice (rosemary, oregano, marjoram, thyme etc....)
pinch of chili pepper flakes, powder, or a minced chili
1 Tbs. Garlic powder or fresh minced garlic
1 swig to 1/4 cup booze of any kind... stronger the better

Bachelor's Marinade:
1 cup - Look in fridge mix together any condiments, dressings, or booze.... flavors to ensure... sweet... salty... sour... spicy (a must for me)


Steps:
1. Mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl or plastic ware capable of fitting in the fridge and holding the bulk ingredients.
2. Add all the bulk ingredients to marinade bowl and mix thoroughly. Hands work best.
3. Let marinate for a few minutes to three days.
4. Spark up grill!
5. Skewer successive pieces following rules below. Sometimes using two skewers per kebob helps with cooking.
6. Grill on medium-high heat. Turn and baste as necessary.
7. Serve with lemon wedges, hot sauce, A1, or tadziki yogurt sauce. A rice pilaf or tabouleh is also nice. Can also serve with warm pita or tortillas.

Rules of the kabob....
1. Make it fun to eat
2. Make it fun to look at
3. Distribute ingredients
4. Don't be afraid to try anything from the fridge in or on the kabobs.
5. Marinate up to three days ahead
6. Baste
7. Use tongs to save fingers