But from what I hear, ducks can be *really* messy and *really* stinky. I don’t have personal experience (well, we had ducks when I was 3-5, but I don’t think that counts) but that’s my understanding. I’d look into it more before getting ducks (even though they are SO sweet and cute! If I had more land I would definitely keep rescue ducks as well)

@ Valerie – Heehee, thank lady. =)

@ Ansley – I’ve considered trying a gluten-free month or something to see how my body reacts. I’m quite curious. Good luck with your wheat-free adventure!

I gave up gluten. Pfft, you wheat! I’d been keeping track of the food I was eating and my body’s reaction. I was thinking that when I ate pizza it was the grease that gave me trouble. Mmm…not so much. What finally did it was a friend bringing homemade bread and a few hours later me being in such horrible pain that seriously debated going to the hospital. For 6 hours. No bueno!

Since then, my belly (etc) has been was happier. And I’m discovering new-to-me foods. Like…coconut covered dates and quinoa!

Needless to say, I won’t be starting my day with Wheaties. :-P

I also second the Etsy comment for boots. I LOVE love LOOoVE Etsy and can’t tell you how surprised I am whenever I search that site for something. People are flippin’ amazing!! :D

I got a question for ya Sayward….are your chickens messy or hard to clean up after? I can’t imagine how they would be…I mean, they have the tiniest poops ever, right? lol. See, I was talking to my husband about getting a couple when we move to a house and he was flat out like “NO….HEEEELLL NO!” :( He says he had chickens and ducks when he was growing up and they were dirty and “shit” everywhere.
I thought it would be cool to get a duck maybe too. My friend has a couple, along with some chickens, and she says the ducks are more friendly and social.
Any advice I can use to fire back at my husband? LOL

@ Lily – You should be able to re-use soil but you may want to mix n some perlite to keep the soil aerated and well drained. I’d also recommend adding an organic fertilizer (a couple times through the season) – I like kelp fertilizers because they’re organic, sustainable, and one of the few that are vegan!

@ Kristen – Doesn’t it feel amazing and empowering knowing you are making the best food choices for you and your family?? It’s such a great feeling, I just love it! And I know of (and love) Equal Exchange. Their coffee is great and their chocolate is mmm divine.

And thanks so much for the accolades on the advertising. It was a tough decision to make but I really feel like it was the right one. I’m so glad to hear that it resonates with people. Let’s start an add-free, user-supported blogging revolution!

@ Squiggle – Great questions, I know I’ve totally neglected representing the ladies here on the blog! I do plan to write a few articles on them this spring.

Craigslist is a great resource for both unwanted hens (sad!) and coop building materials. We constructed a large run all along the side of our house. That way they have a lot of space even when they’re ‘caged’. Inside the run is a series of branches for ‘tree’ roosting (which is their natural instinct) in good weather, as well as a small nesting box for poor weather. The box was built by my husband and is super simple. You don’t need anything fancy – 4 walls with a chicken access door that closes (to keep in warmth) and a hinged lid for people access (to refill food and water and remove eggs).

Them’s the basics, but Ill be writing real articles soon. Good luck with your ladies!

@ Annelise – It’s an ever continuing process, ya know? Congrats for keeping at it. =)

And I agree – I WANT SPRING!

@ Valerie – I feel your pain. And unfortunately, I can’t tell you where to draw your line. That line will be different for everyone.

But for me, I find that the internet can be great in cases like these. For example if you go to Ebay and type in the name of the boots you like, you may just be able to find them secondhand. Same with Etsy – they have a ton of secondhand dealers. It’s like thrifting on the internet! =)

Take it from a Mexican, chiles are a GREAT addition to any and all dishes, and the plants are usually small and very “portable”.

Try Jalapeños, Serranos or even Habaneros depending on weather you like “mild” or if you really like heat.

And even if you don’t really like eating them (which would be a shame), the plants look very nice as decorations… once the chiles are ripe and red/yellow.

I run into this problem often. I want or need an item and can’t find it made from recycled or sustainable materials. Where do I draw the line? I know this sound like whining, and it kind of is. How do you all deal with this situation? How do you keep motivated to be green when the option just isn’t there?

Thanks for all your help and support! As Kermit the Frog would say. “It’s not easy being green.”