Category: Green
Everyone Loves Calvert Farm
That’s the impression I’ve gotten from asking folks about Calvert Farm, source of Greenbelt’s Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, and more goodies on Sundays at the Greenbelt Farmers Market. People also say great things about Pam Stegall Roberts in particular, shown above at the Farmers Market’s opening day for the 2013 season. The Farm Calvert Farm [...]
Kale-a-Rama was Awesome, and so is Veganism
I was soooo impressed with the “first-ever” Kale-a-Rama Festival that was a major happening recently in Roosevelt Center, I had to find out who or what was behind it. Here’s what I found out via organizer Cam MacQueen. Who Made it Happen There were four organizers of the event, all vegans and active the animal [...]
The Green Man Cometh!
If proof were ever needed that Greenbelters 1), care about Mother Earth and 2), know how to have fun, one need look no farther than the Green Man Festival, scheduled to return for the 9th year this coming weekend. This year it’s dedicated to our forests (didn’t someone proclaim this Greenbelt’s Year of the Forest?) [...]
“Less Lawn” Talk Coming Up!
I’ve teamed up with the Beaverdam Creek Watershed Watch Group and GHI’s Woodlands Committee to talk Less Lawn, using THE most convincing visuals I can collect to win you all over to the less-lawn cause. Here’s more background about it all – the why, and the how.
Tram Ride in Patuxent Refuge
When I first posted about Greenbelt’s neighbor, the Patuxent Research Refuge, I determined to come back sometime when the trams were running. Which I did recently, and here’s my short report. Just outside the Visitor’s Center, there’s some fine viewing. Our guide was a charmer named Jim who kept his last name to himself – [...]
New Forest Steward Program AND 10th Anniversary of Greenbelt Forest Preserve
Greenbelt’s Year of the Forest If I thought Greenbelt’s 75th anniversary year was chockful of events, this year may turn out to be just as busy, with two new programs celebrating and taking care of the forests closest to us. Here’s a short explanation (if I got it right) of the programs, and a heads-up [...]
Beaverdam Creek Passes Water Tests with Flying Colors
Test Results It took me a while to figure out where the rain that falls on Greenbelt ends up, but thanks to Mark Cristal here, I’ve learned that it’s the Beaverdam Creek (and then into the Anacostia River). Beaverdam Creek has a watch group that works to protect and improve the creek, and that includes [...]
Got too much stuff? Try Greenbelt’s Freecycle
Freecycle is an international collection of over 5,000 local email groups for the purpose of giving away stuff to folks who live nearby. It boasts over 9 million members worldwide, which makes me feel a bit less special for being one of them, but that’s okay. Before I downsized by moving to Greenbelt I had [...]
BARC’s Compost Research
I stopped by the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center to get a tour of their compost research, led by my former neighbor Walter Mulbry. But any notion that the target audience here is gardeners or even homeowners is way off – this is about composting manure from dairy farms, like the 100-cow farm here. Walter told [...]
First Visit to Patuxent Wildlife Refuge
I finally made the 10-minute-or-so drive to the only wildlife research refuge in the U.S., the Patuxent Research Refuge. I discovered that we have FDR to thank for carving out close to 13,000 acres from USDA and military land to help protect and conserve the nation’s wildlife and habitat. So there’s room for forest, meadow [...]
Not just a Walk in the Woods
Michele Owens, my blogging partner in Upstate New York, recently showed off the wonderful woodland path where she walks with her “big handsome alpha dog” every day. Her story is that it took having a dog that needed walking for her to discover a place she enjoys as much as her own voluptuous vegetable garden. [...]
Greenbelt Solar Homes Tour, Part 2
Click here to read Part 1 of the Greenbelt Solar Homes Tour, which also covers two homes. Stop #3: 103 Ridge Road, home of Joe and Alice Murray With many commemorative events surrounding Greenbelt’s 75th anniversary taking place in 2012, there has been frequent mention of the original town “pioneers.” One could certainly refer to [...]
Greenbelt Shines on Solar House Tour
By Kristin Fletcher Fun solar fact: The earth receives more energy from the sun in just one hour than the world uses in a whole year. Source: Solarbuzz.com Greenbelt held its own in the 22nd Annual Metro Washington, DC Tour of Solar and Green Homes, with six homeowners graciously opening up their doors to share [...]
Food Forest Report
CHEARS, the Greenbelt-based Chesapeake Education, Arts and Research Society, has completed phase 1 of its Food Forest project (one of its many projects), and here’s their report. Great project! Greenbelt Food Forest: Phase I Photo Journal View more presentations from CHEARS
Free Showing of Oscar-Nominated “A Chemical Reaction”
This coming Sunday the 9th at Hyattsville’s Busboys and Poets there will be a free showing of “A Chemical Reaction,” the terrific documentary about the battle to ban toxic lawn pesticides in Canada. Movie time is 5:00 and there will be a panel discussion at 6:15. On tap for the discussion are Dr. Diana Post, [...]
Community Garden Late-August Report
Early this summer I posted the photo above in a story for the Behnkes Nursery blog, but this plot looks much fuller now. In fact, all the plots are looking good, and according to the gardeners there, it’s been a surprisingly good year, despite the heat and drought. That’s because, as I was told, droughts [...]
Master Gardeners at the Market this Sunday
Coming up is the third Sunday of the month, which means that Master Gardeners will be at the Greenbelt Farmers Market to answer all your yard and gardening questions. the Master Gardener in charge of this event, GHI resident Janice Wolf, tells me the Master Gardeners find that they learn as much as they teach [...]
Local AmeriCorps Job Announcement
Good news! CHEARS (the Chesapeake Education, Arts and Research Society) and City of Greenbelt Public Works have been awarded AmeriCorps funding for an 11-month, full-time paid Volunteer Maryland Coordinator position. The Volunteer Maryland Coordinator will work with CHEARS and the city to staff to recruit, orient, and coordinate volunteers to learn permaculture principles, reduce urban [...]
Next Reel and Meal tackles Light Pollution
I was a fan of the New Deal Cafe’s Reel and Meal events long before I moved to Greenbelt – combining a vegan buffet, enlightening documentary movies and expert-led discussions is such a great idea. So almost regardless of the movie, I’m there. But next Monday (July 16) covers a topic I know nothing about [...]
Outdoor clothes-drying is alive and well!
Project Laundry List is a nonprofit promoting the outdoor laundry-drying and fighting the hundreds of (ridiculous) homeowner association rules that prohibit it. Even in relatively with-it Columbia, MD! I’ve spread the word in frequent blog stories on this national blog and elsewhere (I love their Top Ten Reasons to Line-Dry) and was pleased to find [...]
