the map we're following from texas to florida. and back again

and we’re headed to florida.  the second week of december.  upwards of 15 of us will be making the trek along the southern coast to end our journey in fort myers, florida, for the echo agricultural conference – attended annually for dialog and demonstration of alternative technologies in the wonderful world of farming.

typically this conference draws the research-based and mission-minded farmer folk.  but these year we’re gonna spice things up with our ragtag group of cohorts.  and maybe a rabbit for vermicompost (and cuteness).  and maybe a bucket toilet.  and maybe a solar oven.  but most certainly some songs and a baptist hymnal or two – for panhandling purposes in between the occasional dumpster dive for discards.

along the road we hope to meet other mad farmer types.  thus we’re stopping in jackson, mississippi for some dairy cows and their keeper as well as in hotlanta, georgia for some good ol’ urban agriculture-ness.  and perhaps a visit to another farm with free-range rabbits and mushroom cultivation.  but the sky’s the limit – and we’d like to meet new friends.  particularly in the lovely lands of mississippi, georgia, louisiana, alabama, or florida.

but before all that we have to finish w.v.o. conversion.  vehicle inspection, registration, title transfer.  installation of the crazy bed-table.  and the addition of pillows, blankets and people.  in the process of such essential non-sense, we might be thwarting some governmental bureaucracy – but for God’s sake.  so please pray for our continued construction, conversion, and creativity – and eventually safety as we prepare to hit the road.  God willing . . .

(pardon the excessive references to c.s. lewis, tolkien or children’s literature in general)

solar system is the technology which necessitates being inevitable in the contemporary days and the days coming. Here is a list and detail about eco friendly gadgets which are going to play important part in our day to day life. As electric devices may expensive and consume unnecessary energy and needed uninterrupted power flow let we look over an alternate to electric power generation = Solar System.., read more>>>

Filmtools continues to expand our “Green Team” projects. Just recently, we acquired a  Sun Oven and wow – we are impressed. It has a thermometer that you can watch as it quickly begins rising. So far, we’ve seen it read 300^°. We are experimenting with vegetable stew for starters, and so far so good. The only problem we’re having is that the customers are asking more about the oven than they are for our camera, grip and electric gear. (Kidding!)

Filmtools is also remodeling some of the downstairs area and we’re taking over the recently vacated upstairs section for our offices. For both sections, we are adding Solatube® Daylighting Systems. These “solar tubes” channel daylight from the roof and spread it evenly throughout the room.  We’ll be able to turn off most lights and probably not have to use any electrical lighting upstairs during daylight hours. We’ll be sure to take pictures and share them with you when the project is completed.

Below is a video of Paul Munsen, President of SUN OVENS International, demonstrating the Sun Oven.

Sun Oven Official Site

Roasting meat is easy in a solar oven. Not only does cooking with solar save money on electricity, but it makes the meat more tender and juicy than a conventional overn. We picked up a fresh 5lb leg of lamb yesterday, and since the sun’s out, I decided to roast it today. Here’s a rundown of how to roast meat a la the sun.

Step 1: Prepare the roast

Remove the packaging and netting, rinse under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Place the roast on a cutting board.

(Note about cutting boards — Glass or plastic work best for raw meat because they can be sanitized with bleach later. Avoid wood because the porous material holds onto bacteria)

Choose your seasonings and rub them liberally all over the roast. Today I chose rosemary, black pepper and sea salt. Other great choices for meats include mixed garden herbs, Indian “curry” mixes, or Spike.

Set up your solar oven to preheat (or preheat your regular oven if you don’t have a solar oven) to about 325 degrees F. Most recipes call for higher heat, about 400, but I strongly prefer the more tender meat that comes from lower, longer heat.

Step 2: Seal in the juices

Heat your roasting pan on the stove top at medium-high and add about 1 tbsp of oil. I use ghee or canola oil because they have a higher smoke point. Place the roast – fat side down – into the hot pan. Let it sizzle and crackle for about 3-4 minutes, or until browned. Turn over and repeat on the other side.

At the this point I also throw some chopped onions, garlic, carrots, celery and tomato into the pan and let them sautee.

Step 3: Slow and low

Now comes the roasting part. Check your oven’s temperature. It should be between 300 and 350 degree F. If it’s much lower, about 200 or 250, your roast will take a lot longer, but it will still cook.

For solar cooking, I use cast iron pots and pans exclusively. They are black and hold heat beautifully. They also lend a lightly smoky, outdoorsy flavor that your guests will rave about.

Cover the roast (don’t use aluminum foil for solar cooking as the shiny quality also reflect away heat!). Transfer the roast to oven, set a timer for 1 hour 30 minutes (for medium rare) and walk away. Enjoy your cool kitchen and lower utility bill to come while the roast cooks outside.

Step 4: Test and rest

Bring the roast inside and set it on the stove. Open the lid and slice into the middle. What color is the center? If it’s pink, you’ve got medium rare meat. Grayer and it’s more well done. Redder and you might think about returning it to the oven for a few more minutes.

Another easy way to test the meat’s doneness is to insert a thermometer. This will give you a more precise reading of the internal temperature. It will be easier to adjust to your preference this way.

Once the roast is how you like it, let it rest covered on the stove top for at least 30 minutes. Remember that during this rest period, the meat will cook a little bit more. It could take a medium-rare roast to medium. So keep that in mind while you’re testing.

After resting, the roast is ready to carve and serve. Enjoy!

http://www.solarcooking.org/plans/

Here are some links for more info on buying, making or using a solar oven and even some full blown 3 course meals, cakes, cookies casseroles,  recipes  solarovens.org sunovens.org solarovens.net This next site provides plans for constructing solar ovens http://www.solarcooking.org/plans/.  You may even come up with some cool new ways and materials.  Some will work and some won’t, either way you can’t help but learn something.  I can promise that every solar cooker you see is  the result of someone thinking of a better way to do it. Who knows you may have an idea that no one has thought of yet. If you do come up with something better — Hey I would love to hear about it.  For questions or to schedule a demonstration for your group here in the Central Valley contact: Marcia Alter 805-458-1241 or email address malter1101@alocom.  And, of course you can see our attempt at making and cooking with a solar oven at holeinthefence.net Episode 6 Something Old, Something New and Something Entirely Different.

Picked up a spaghetti squash from Uncle Ray at the Community Garden stand this morning. Word was, it really does come out like spaghetti noodles. So, I halved it, dug out the seeds, and put it in the solar oven. Three and a half hours later, it seemed done. It was fun to scrape out of the shell, and the noodle-look-a-like stuff is no joke. I found a recipe in the Joy of Cooking book, and tossed the squash with some olive oil, butter, fresh cut herbs and some cracked black pepper.

The verdict? I’d rate it somewhere around 6 on a ten point scale. I added a little brown sugar, just because that and butter were the only things Mom ever put on her squash. It helped a bit. So, not bad, not my favorite squash. I really love a good squash, so it’s tough to rate too high with me. Just nice to eat some squash–reminds me my favorite season is here.

What do you do when you’ve just had a wedding, and your garage is filled with cardboard and packing materials?

YIKES!

Why, build a solar oven, of course!  I used the instructions/plans from The “Easy Lid” Cooker and “Minimum” Solar Box Cooker with one or two modifications.

Find two boxes, one slightly smaller than the other.  My smaller one didn’t have flaps, hence the modifications, but ideally yours would.  You’ll want at least a 1/2″ margin on all sides.  Check to see if you can fit the pots you plan to use for cooking in the smaller box!

My two boxes for solar oven use!

MATERIALS:
-2 boxes, 1 slightly larger than the other, plus some extra pieces of cardboard – FREE
-a pair of scissors or a serrated knife (for cutting the cardboard) – FREE
-Elmer’s white glue, non-toxic and safe for use in a solar oven! – ??  I had it lying around, let’s assume $3
-lots of aluminum foil – $2
-turkey-sized oven bags – $2
-a wire coat hanger – FREE
-newspaper or newsprint – FREE
-black spray paint, non-toxic when dry – $3

TOTAL COST = $10

Your basic supplies

First step – cut the larger box in half.  Glue the hanging flaps down.  Take the side you intend as your bottom, and line it with a big piece of cardboard.  This is what is going to allow the top part of your box to act as a lid.

The lining should be tall, taller than the other half of your box

Take your lid, and hold it up to the liner.  Cut the liner down to the height of your lid, leaving the four corners up to form tabs.

Like so! You can see the corner I left up as a tab

Using your Elmer’s Glue, line the inside of the outer box with foil – all four walls and the floor.

Shiny! Better view of the tabs too

Now plunk your inner box in the outer box, and line the space in between with crumpled pieces of newsprint or newspaper.  This is the insulation for your oven.

We overstuffed ours a little, but we were able to squish it all together later

My outer box was a little too tall for my outer box, so I cut my outer box down to match the inner box.  And since my inner box didn’t have flaps to fold over, I took spare pieces of cardboard, glued them to the inside of the inner box, folded the over the insulation, and tucked the remainder in the space between the outer box and the liner.  Didja get that?  If not, here’s a picture =)

I scored the cardboard with sharp scissors so it would fold in a precise manner

As for the tabs, I found it easiest to tuck them under the flaps.  Cutting them in half down the middle (from the top) helped me maintain the corners.  I wanted the top to fit snugly.  I think I missed one tab and ended up gluing it on the top.  Oh well!  I weighed everything down with a couple of books while I was gluing things, to get it to better stay in place.

Devin shows me exactly what she thinks of my methods...

Done!

Line the inside of the inner box with aluminum foil.

Starting to look (sort of) like an oven...

Make sure your lid still fits, in case you were over-zealous with the paper-packing.  A snug fit is good – less heat will escape.  Since I cut down my liner to fit my inner box, I had to cut down my lid as well.  You don’t want any space between your lid and the top of your oven.

Measure the thickness of your walls.  Draw a rectangle on the lid that matches the dimensions of the open part of your oven.  Cut it on three sides and score the last side with your scissors/knife.  This will be your reflector.

Glue one of the turkey oven bags shut (prevents moisture from accumulating inside).  Glue this to the underside of your lid, over the opening.  Line the reflector part of your lid with aluminum foil (just on the side facing the oven).

It should look like this

You’re almost done.  Now to make your drip pan.  Take a piece of cardboard that will fit inside your oven, flat on the bottom.  Cover it in aluminum foil.  Spray paint it black.

Fancy fancy drip pan!

Cut a piece off of your wire hanger, and use this to prop up the reflector.  The ends of the wire can go into the corrugations in the cardboard.

I ended up propping mine up higher than this to get more reflection

Put the drip pan in the bottom, put the lid on, face the reflector towards the sun, and you’re ready to cook!  Of course…don’t forget the pot with the food in it.

Mmmm...beef stew...

I cooked some beef stew.  The oven DOES work, a fact I am very excited about!  It will get to a temperature of about 300 degrees.  Food inside does not require stirring and will not burn.  It works something like a slow cooker, so you can pop food in it in the morning, and come home from work to a meal.  Prime cooking hours are between 12 and 2 (or so I’ve read).

Best of all?  Cooking in a solar oven takes no power and will not heat up the house!  Make those hot summer months work FOR you.

TIME INVESTMENT: 3 hours

Just so you know, we’re expecting more quail babies later this week!

In a quick aside, I’ve installed a hummingbird feeder in our yard.  Not only will they help pollinate our flowers, but they are awfully fun to watch!

the flock of fine feathered friends.

she sat nearby in the grass. stunned yet trembling. tears streaking her face. i can still feel her hugging her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth – trying to recall those times and places and moments when all is harmonious with the hum of life. and the living.

try as we may to tell our tales of meet-you-meat – entangling stories of diet for a small planet, confined animal feeding operations, immigration and the meat factory industry – four of our youngens still wanted to slaughter a chicken for lunch.

the knife – caked with coagulation – hangs in the hand of a friend – reluctant to carry on the task before him. the head of the chicken still dangles by a tendon or two. she rocks on. the enormity of life and death weighs upon her shoulders. earlier this morning this now lifeless creature was romping about in a field with her fine feathered friends. now she dangles. feathers a flurry.

before we begin the ceremony of the circle of life, we say a prayer of thanks – to God, to the chicken. all life being held sacred. the song “there’s power in the blood” echoing through my head.

the moment passes. tears dry. all the upset stomaches and gut-wretchings have subsided. the pot of water is brought to a boil over the wood fire stove. green beans and okra gathered – to be fried in the cast-iron skillet. the wheat berries pedaled into flour using the bicycle grinder. and some eggs snatched from some more fortunate feathered friends for battering and scrambling.

three pizzas cook in the solar oven. three pomegranates plucked from the tree. a feast is prepared.

if only we all had the power of such experiences behind each meal we share. to be moved to tears with the knowledge of all the beauty and anguish culminating in a meal on top our dinner plates. and to share that joy and pain with our neighbors.

we don’t expect these youngens to reduce their meat consumption or forgo their afternoon bout of guitar hero any day soon. but perhaps they’ll be a little kinder to their lunch ladies – and ask a few more questions about the origins of their food. and perhaps spend some time watching the sunset, longing for the day when they can once again frolic with their fine feathered friends – absolutely and utterly carefree, as the sunsets on another day.

loving on chickens at dusk.

* * *

as part of this whole crazy bus thing – we hope to hold mobile workshops – once every thing is up and running (so please let us know if you’d like to open your homes/farms/urban dwelling shacks with us for conversation, food and/or slumber parties).

we had our first group of experimental guinea pigs last weekend – a collection of junior highers from Community of Hope in Arlington, TX (not Virginia). thanks for showing us grace – and sharing your lives with us.

Yes, yesterday I did burn my fixings for potato salad – or more precisely, the eggs.  I’m actually oddly kind of impressed by that, since I didn’t realize it could be done.  Really now, people, how hard can it be to cook an egg?  Well, I’ve been experimenting with my Mom’s solar oven for a few weeks, and this was the first experiment gone awry.

I needed to cook the potatoes and eggs at the same time, since there isn’t room for two pots in the sun oven.  So I first put the potatoes in the pot, then laid the eggs on top of them, with no water.  I took the eggs out about 2 1/2 hours later, and, well, as soon as I cracked them and saw the brown color, I got worried.  I let MonkeyWrench smell them, and she wrinkled her nose in disgust.  I agreed, so off to the compost bin they went.  The potatoes, cooked an hour longer, turned out fine.  I ended up just boiling a fresh batch of eggs on the stove in water.

So how are eggs supposed to be cooked in the sun oven?  Well, the solar cooking wiki recommends 3-4 hours in a pot of water.  (Which wouldn’t work for me, since they were with the potatoes, which were supposed to be cooked without water).  According to PreparednessPro, you should bake your eggs (without water) for 1.5 – 2 hours.  So that means I cooked mine a half hour to an hour too long.  Not all solar ovens cook at the same temperature either.   Yesterday was a hot August day, and the sun oven probably averaged about 300-315 degrees.   So perhaps I should cook mine a wee bit less time than recommended.  Well, live, experiment, and learn!

P.S.  The potato salad, with the new stove-top boiled eggs, tastes great!

when our heads aren’t in the clouds thinking outlandish thoughts, our hands are usually up to something.  which usually results in dirt under our fingernails or animal feces on our pant-legs (we are farmers – getting dirty is what we do) or with really good food in our bellies (after we’ve washed our hands, but not always after washing our clothes).  however, some of us recently have been working on projects for the Waste-Not Wagon – and we’re eager to share our progress.

some solar ovens.

today's menu: farm fresh granola. made with homestead sorghum and farm-ground wheat germ.

note:  cooker on left hits 175F and cooker on right hits 250F.  still working out the kinks.  just think:  cruising down the highway, our fumes smelling like french fries and granola baking on the rooftop.  splendid! other cooked goods thus far:  brown rice.  and honey-peanut-butter-oatmeal cookies.  also brewing sun tea for kombucha.

rainwater catchment

our beginner barrel.

tucked between our greywater clothes-washer and a dirty pair of carhartts – this barrel’ll get us going ’til we know what we’re doing.  figuring out where to put the gutters on the bus’ll be the fun part.

creating compost.

sometimes we reclaim waste from different locations around town.  like dumpsters.  and some folks call this trespassing onto private property.  others call it gross.  we call it composting.  and sometimes there’s something worth eating, but if not . . .

dumpster location: chili's.

dumpster location: chipotle.

dumpster location: jack and jill's donuts.

community medicine cabinet.

hand grown. hand harvested.

compiled by our very own dr. quinn, medicine woman. coming soon – herbal kombucha for all your healthful detoxification and rejuvination needs.

ALSO:  just received espresso oyster mushroom spawn in the mail, as recommended by scotty at the rhizome collective.  our vermicompost is thriving.  and the sun is spectacularly shining each and every day.  God bless y’all.

I recently finished illustrating a children’s book I wrote called Solar Cookies.

page 8-9

It is about a kid that builds a solar oven

page 14-15

page 22-23

and starts his own solar cookie business to help his Mom.

page 26-27

I sent the book to a children’s book contest. Hopefully it’ll do well. I’m looking for a publisher for it if anyone has any leads.

And after talking for months and months about it I finally made my first solar oven. Thank you Rocio for all the cardboard and help (more like for letting me help you :p)

Solar Oven

It takes about an hour to make a batch of cookies. I plan on starting a solar cookie business of my own. Unfortunately it is the rainy season in Mexico, so the weather often does not help. I’m going to keep experimenting though and figuring out what are the best recipes. I want to make some solar pizza too.

There is a ton of info about building solar ovens on the net. I found this design to suit my needs the best.

      Wed. July 8, 7 p.m., Indian Creek Nature Center, 6665 Otis Rd. SE, FROM MULTIFLORA ROSE TO BLUESTEM: 30 YEARS OF CHANGE: Members-$3; NONMEMBER- $5;VOLUNTEERS –FREE. Rich Patterson has seen much change in his 30 years at the Nature Center. The landscape has changed greatly–for the better–over those years. Join him on a two-mile walk at a leisurely pace to parts of the Nature Center more ecologically healthy because of the dedicated work of Nature Center staff and volunteers. CALL 362-0664 TO REGISTER.

   Wed., July 8, 5:30-8 p.m., Funky Garden Art, Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity ReStore, 725 N. Center Point Rd., Hiawatha. Make one-of-a-kind garden art out of odds and ends at the ReStore. Fee: $25. Call (319) 294-1500.

Thurs., July 9, 7-9 p.m., Indian Creek Nature Center, BEGINNING BEE CLASS: SESSION I- MEMBER – $55/SERIES; NONMEMBER – $85/SERIES. This eight session series is designed for individuals serious about starting a beekeeping hobby. The series will take the participant through the annual cycle of beekeeping from establishing a hive to harvesting and marketing the honey produced. The class members will be actively involved in learning activities by working with the hives at the Indian Creek Nature Center. Call 362-0664 to register.

     Sat., July 11, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friends of Hickory Hill Park will have a garden walk in Iowa City. The walk benefits the group’s stewardship fund for maintenance and restoration work. Four gardens will be on the tour, plus tornado recovery areas on Hotz and Rochester avenues. Speakers will be at each site to discuss prairie plantings, Backyard Abundance and organic lawn care.  Start at 1167 E. Jefferson Street to purchase tickets and pick up a map. Cost is $10 per person or $8 per person if you bike or walk to 1167 Jefferson St. Families are $15. To volunteer or for more information, phone 319-338-5331. To make a donation:  Anyone unable to attend the Garden Walk but wishing to make a contribution should make the check out to LEAF and mail it to:  LEAF, P.O. Box 1681, Iowa City, IA  52244-1681.

    Sat., July 11, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Indian Creek Nature Center’s NATURAL HISTORY WALKING TOUR OF DOWNTOWN CEDAR RAPIDS. MEMBER -$3; NONMEMBER – $5; CHIDREN:$1. Join Indian Creek Nature Center’s naturalist on an urban adventure to investigate the fascinating cultural and natural history of downtown wildlife. Learn about the pre-settlement ecology of the downtown area and how it has changed with urbanization. This 90-minute tour begins at the old Cedar Rapids Public Library parking lot between 5th and 6th Avenues SE on 1st Street. Stroll along the Cedar Lake Trail near the library to discover native plants growing along the Red Cedar River and learn about urban wildlife along streets and buildings as you walk to Greene Square Park and then to return to the library. CALL 362-0664 TO REGISTER.

    Sun., July 12, 1-4 p.m.,  The Fairfax Parks Committee will have a walk, rain or shine, at five Fairfax gardens. Iowa State University Extension master gardeners will be available at the gardens to answer questions. The walk includes the garden of Megan McConnell Hughes, which is featured on the cover of the summer 2009 Country Gardens magazine. Tickets can be purchased at Fairfax State Savings Bank or Guaranty Bank in Fairfax. Tickets can also be purchased the day of the event at the Fairfax North welcome sign at Williams Boulevard and Prairie View Drive. Cost is $5 for adults and $10 for families. Proceeds will be used to buy playground equipment for Hawks Ridge Park.

    Sun., July 12, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Project GREEN will have a garden walk in Iowa City. If you want to know how to garden with deer, this is the walk for you. Four large gardens at the edge of woodlands are featured on the walk, including one property that covers nearly four acres. All gardens are located north of Interstate 80, off Dubuque Street. Cost is $5 for adults. Children under 16 are admitted free.  Start at any of the following sites for a map, which becomes your ticket for the other gardens: Pat and Stan Podhajsky, 3817 Cedar Drive NE; Maggie VanOel, 8 Oak Park Lane NE;   Twila and Dick Hobbs, 9 Oak Park Lane NE; Bill and Michelle Welter, 15 Oak Park Place NE. Wear comfortable walking shoes. The weather may be hot and buggy, so bring along a bottle of water and bug spray.  To learn more, see: www.projectgreen.org              

     Sun., July 12, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern Iowa Pond Society’s pond tour. Whether you are a serious water gardener, Koi keeper, casual pond owner, want-to-be pond owner, or just plain love flowers and water, you won’t want to miss the chance to view the ponds in this year’s 13th annual pond tour. As usual, pond owners and club members will be available at each pond to answer questions. Will also have a plant and small art/craft sale at one of the pond locations. This year’s tour will feature beautiful ponds in the Cedar Rapids/Solon/Swisher areas. Tickets and maps are $5.00 for adults (kids under 12 are free) and are available at all pond sites with all proceeds going back to the community for area landscape and beautification projects.  A good place to start might be 131 Rosedale Rd SE, Cedar Rapids or 3682 Douglas Dr. NE Solon. For more information please call Jackie Allsup 319-934-3665 or visit: www.EIPS.org

   Mon., July 13, 7-8:30 p.m. – Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center, 10260 Morris Hills Rd., Toddville. “True Lilies–Queen of the Gardens,” illustrated lily presentation by lily expert Wanda Lunn of Cedar Rapids. Lunn is an accredited North American Lily Society Lily Judge and just returned from judging at the NALS National Lily Show in Missouri. She will showcase many different true lily cultivars for sun & shade and give gardening hints for growing them properly. Cost: $2.50. Master Gardeners can count it for instruction hours.

     Mon., July 13 – Fri., July 31 – Indian Creek Nature Center, 6665 Otis Rd. SE, OWAA PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT. The Outdoor Writers Association of America Photography Contest winners will be exhibited. The work of noted wildlife photographers features both black-and-white and color photographs. Visit during regular business hours: Monday-Friday 9 AM-4 PM & Saturdays 11 AM-4 PM.

 Wed., July 15, 6-9 p.m., Noelridge Park open gardens, corner of Collins Road and Council Street NE. Tour the gardens with Noelridge staff and Friends of Noelridge volunteers. Activities will be available for children.

   Thurs., July 16- Sat., July 18 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Prairiewoods, 120 E. Boyson Road, Hiawatha. Solar Energy Workshop. This three-day workshop will provide information and experience in installing solar panels to generate electricity. The workshop includes hands-on exposure to assembling pole-mounted solar racks, installing solar modules and wiring of the entire system including modules, disconnects, inverters and grid tie. Approximately half the class will be in the classroom learning how solar energy works. Classroom instruction includes the basics of photovoltaics, racks, solar modules, inverters, basic electricity, design processes and safety. Instructor is Dennis Pottratz, Iowa’s first nationally certified photovoltaic installer (NABCEP). His company, GoSolar, has been in business in Decorah since 1996. He has designed and installed more than 100 working systems. Dennis is a frequent speaker and workshop presenter with I-RENEW. Fee: $250 for the first person from an organization or family; $200 for a second person. Fee includes daily lunch and handouts. Lodging is available at $45 per night. See: www.prairiewoods.org

       Fri., July 17 to Sun., July 19, Seed Savers Exchange 29th annual Summer Conference and Campout at Heritage Farm, Decorah. Organic farmer, author, and teacher, Eliot Coleman will be keynote speaker at 7 p.m. July 18. Other featured speakers include Barbara Damrosch, Coleman’s wife and co-owner of Four Season Farm in Harborside, Maine, and Mike McGrath, host of the popular nationally syndicated show “You Bet Your Garden” on National Public Radio. Coleman is author of “The New Organic Grower,” “Four Season Harvest,” and the newly published “Winter Harvest Handbook”.  The conference will also include several workshops on various aspects of gardening and farming, a panel discussion, field demonstrations, heritage seed swap, lots of good local food, inspiring conversation and even a barn dance. Local vendors will be selling products on Saturday morning. The cost for the weekend conference is $75 for Seed Saver members and $100 for the general public.  One-day only registration is also available. Registration details and a list of scheduled events are available at www.seedsavers.org or by calling Seed Savers Exchange at (563) 382-5990. 

   Sat., July 18, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Nature Photography class at Linn County Extension, 3279 7^th Avenue, Marion. The class will be taught by Jim Messina, a professional photographer with many years of experience in photography and teaching experience.  Topics include exposure, metering techniques, tonality natural lighting, photographic equipment, digital photography and macro photography.  Teaching method includes slide presentations using dual projectors emphasizing comparisons with several examples.  The examples provide a framework of understanding basic principles and practical solutions in difficult field situations.  Extensive handouts are provided for the workshop topics.  You can bring your camera. Register by at the Extension office or call 319-377-9839.  Cost is $ 35.00.  Payment must be made when registering.  Registration will close on July 10.  

     Sat., July 18, 7:30 a.m. to noon, “Green” Day at Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers Market. Area environmental organizations will have space set up at the farmers market.

      Sat., July 18, 9 a.m. to noon, Prairiewoods, Mulch Sheet Beds for Flower and Vegetable Gardens. This workshop will include classroom and hands-on experience building mulch sheet beds for soil used in gardens. Mulch sheet bedding is a permaculture technique used to enrich the soil and decrease weeding. This is a sustainable way to work the soil while retaining water and and to maintain the soil without tilling and the use of chemicals. This workshop will not be held is there is heavy rain. Fee: $10

     Sat., July 18, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. – Daylily and true lily open garden at Wanda Lunn’s home, 526 Bezdek Dr. NW, in Cedar Rapids. Lunn said this will be the height of daylily blooms & the larger lilliums, as well as many other summer perennials.  She will be available to answer questions on cultivation of all these glorious flowers. Lunn says with all the buds, loaded stems & stalks, this promises to be a wonderful summer bloom!

   Sat., July 18, 11 a.m. to noon – There’s nothing like an Iowa prairie in summer. Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center near Toddville is hosting a Guided Prairie Loop Trail Hike.  Participants will learn about the native grasses, wildflowers and prairie wildlife. The prairie loop trail contains an area of sand prairie and a beautiful view of the wetlands below. Meet the naturalist at the kiosk in front of the center. Donations accepted.

    Tues., July 21, 1-2 p.m., Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center, 10260 Morris Hills Rd., Toddville.  Toad Adobe! (Repeat from June 23.) OK, so not everyone finds toads attractive. However, a single toad can consume about 110 beetles, slugs, moths, armyworms and other bugs in a day! Meet our live toad. Make a house for a local amphibian to hang out in your yard. House is made of a clay pot that will be decorated with paint. For all ages. Young children must be accompanied by an adult. Register by July 18. Cost is $5 per toad house. Call (319)892-6485.

   Tues., July 21, 6-7:30 p.m. – The Linn County Conservation Department will hold a public program about turtles at Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center near Toddville.  A naturalist will debunk myths about turtles and show a variety of live turtles.  Please register by July 20 online at www.lincountyparks.com or register by calling 892-6485. Cost: $2.50/adult, $1/child or $5/family.

    Fri., July 24 – Aug. 2, Rummage in the Ramp at Chauncey Swan Ramp, Gilbert and Washington Streets, Iowa City. Ten-day-long garage sale benefitting several area non-profit groups aimed at waste reduction and affordability (most items are priced under $20). Items for donation should be dropped off at the ramp on sale days.

     Sat., July 25, 1 p.m., Indian Creek Nature Center, GREEN AND SIMPLE: COOKING WITH A SOLAR OVEN. MEMBER -$5; NONMEMBER -$8. Create a simple solar oven for backyard cooking. Collect heat energy from the sun to cook simple, tasty meals. Take home basic recipes and techniques. Sample solar-baked foods. REGISTER BY 4 PM ON THURSDAY, JULY 23. CALL 362-0664 TO REGISTER.

     Sat., July 25 and Sun., July 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Garden of Zora and Paul Ronan, 5031 North Marion Road, Central City, gardens open for viewing. The garden of Zora and Paul Ronan is located in rural Linn County.  The garden covers approximately 1 acre surrounding the house.  The remaining 32 acres uses no-till cultivation and wild-life habitat to conserve the soil and prevent erosion. Herbicides are used for weed control but no insecticides are used in crop production.  Over the last 10 years the soil has become healthy again.  Twelve years ago the soil was lifeless and heavily fortified with chemicals and we were never visited by wildlife.  Now, earth worms, birds, critters and varmints both are in abundance.  (Some are more welcome than others.) You may find gopher and moles disturbances in the grass, so walk carefully.  Directions:  From I-380:  Exit at Toddville.  Travel east on County Home Road to Alburnett Road.  Turn north on Alburnett Road.  Turn east on Justins Road (gravel).  Justins Road dead ends at North Marion. Turn north and the garden is on the right. From:  Highway 13: Travel north on Highway 13 to Central City.  Turn west on E-16 (Center Point-Central City Road).  Turn north on North Marion Road (gravel) and travel 1.6 miles.  Garden is on the right. From Marion:  Travel north on North Tenth Street.  Tenth Street changes name to North Marion and becomes gravel when it crosses County Home Road.  Since North Marion is gravel for quite a long way, it is better to travel north on either North Alburnett Road or Highway 13.

    Sat., July 25 and Sun., July 26 – Culver’s Garden Center & Greenhouse in Marion is planning a free Do-It-Yourself Weekend, open to the public. During the event, customers will be able to view displays and collect information on a number of home, lawn and garden topics. In addition, kids can enjoy decorating Culver’s grounds with sidewalk chalk. Free summertime refreshments will be available. Information about Culver’s Garden Center & Greenhouse and Culver’s Lawn & Landscaping, Inc. is available online at www.culverslandscape.com or by calling (319) 377-4195.

     Sun., July 26, 2-3 p.m. – “Slimy Scaly Guided Hike,” The Linn County Conservation Department is hosting an afternoon hike at Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center near Toddville to view reptiles and amphibians basking in wetlands and or on sandy trails.  A naturalist will provide participants with a new appreciation of these animals. Meet her at the kiosk in front of the center.  This is a free program.

Yesterday was nearly ideal for a solar oven test.  High temperature of 98 F, very few clouds, and the longest day of the year.

I preheated the oven (i.e., set it out in the sun), mixed up my mango-banana bread batter, and got it into the pans and the oven by about 11:20 am.  The recipe estimated a cooking time of 1 1/2 hours.

The good news was that the bread baked fine.  It got completely done and was moist.

The bad news was that it took 3 1/2 hours, not 1 1/2.  I don’t know how where these people got their cooking times – must have been the Equator.

The weird news was that it didn’t rise much.  Neither did the cornbread that I tested in December. I wouldn’t want to bake a yeast bread in it unless I had to.

I’m thinking that maybe baked goods are not the best fit for the oven.  I think I’ll try some veggies and/or rice next.  I’m still afraid to put meat in it.  Maybe the next time chicken legs are on sale, I’ll give those a shot.

Read.

Sit quietly indoors.

Drink lots of water.

Read some more.

Watch the U.S. Open.

Don’t think about how high the electric bill will be this month.

It’s not actually 115 degrees, but the heat index is going to be that high.  The high yesterday was 96, and it’s predicted to be 98 today.  It’s just too dangerously hot to do anything outside.  These may be the hottest two days we have all year.  The low temperature last night was 82 degrees.  Whew.

I mowed the yard yesterday, and just about killed myself doing it.  I was panting way before I usually do.  I have a lot of weed pulling to do, but I’m not going to do it today. 

What today is perfect for, is trying out the solar oven again.  The first trial was semi-successful, but it was in the winter.  Today, I’m going to try a recipe in the solar oven cookbook for banana-mango bread.  It sounds great, and is supposed to bake for 1 1/2 hours.  I’ll put it outside at noon, and we’ll see what happens.

Other than that, I’m going to: read, drink lots of water, sit quietly indoors, and try not to think about the electric bill.