[ThePostman]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('FilmShack', 'H')ow do I upload a a pfd file for you all to check out?

Thanks Patti

[Aaron]

Just email it to me & I'll post

[malcomatic_51]

Patti,

1) extremely well presented; also an effective trailer in which you packed a lot of information into five minutes. Like others, I was impressed you could get 300lbs of fish out of a 7,000 gallon pond. Think of what all those swimming pools could produce!

2) Would you PLEEZE take some kind of health and safety course in power tool handling? I shut my eyes in horror when you nearly drilled your hand through with the power drill. I grew up bashing my fingers in my father's workshop, so I learned the hard way. The difference is that I never used power tools - they do not give you a second chance, believe me.

3) On that point, power tools will become scarcer or disappear once we drop into a serious energy crunch depression. They are a luxury item - fine when people have loads of cash and feel rich and don't have to worry about spare parts, but once we go into a crisis, forget it. The private lot will be using hand tools. You might be surprised with how fast you can work with them. I once built a 15' plywood kayak using just an 8" hand saw.

4) You used something called (I think) "BT" in the pool to deal with mosquitoes. What is it? Is it a poison?

I hope the above points don't seem too critical. I am impressed with what you have done and with the quality of your trailer. Really very professional. It is just that I am an incorrigible pedant.

[mem]

That was SO compelling...I MUST see more about rabbits, chickens, garden compost, etc....

I think that is the biggest thing I wanted to see from this. I got all the topic teasers, I wanted to be told that in upcoming episodes I will explore: raising rabbits, raised beds, urban aquaculture, etc....

And another thing that I thought I would like to see is visits to other people's solutions (other people have different spaces, different constraints, different interests and specialties, etc). Ok, and the fact that I live nearby and want to be featured has NOTHING to do with this....probably....Or maybe I'm asking for novices to come in to your setting to learn things, more like a training video....not sure what would work, mostly thinking out loud here.

Just a thought, really. I'm quite sure I'm not interviewable....yet....gotta get those mushroom cultures going....



Nice job, really. I think urban gardens are very under served.

[Monkeyfister]

Perhaps I just didn't notice...

I'd LOVE to know what you're up to!


Tony B.

[Monkeyfister]

I think that Expert Village will be more your speed:

http://www.expertvillage.com/

Talk to:

As the site manager for Expert Village, I thank you very much for the kind comments. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far -- we're planning on ramping it all the way up to 75,000 videos, so hopefully everyone can find something to catch their interest.

Jeff Hebert
EV Site Manager
Jeff Hebert

-----------------
Offline Contact Information
Expert Village
2000 South IH-35
Suite Q-11
Round Rock, TX 78681

Phone: (512) 721-0507 (voice)
Fax: (512) 478-4726

expert@expertvillage.com

Business Hours: Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm, Central Time

ASK FOR JEFF HEBERT!
------------------

Let him know that Monkeyfister sent you...

That letter is a comment that he left to my blog, after I ran a bunch of videos from Expert Village. I continue to watch Expert Village, as the site simply is wonderful, and informative, and they seem to take nearly any video from anyone who's "DOING IT RIGHT."

My Blog: http://monkeyfister.blogspot.com

I lean Left, but, I stand with everyone here that Permaculture is the answer to Peak Oil and Climate Change. Together, we can make the future better. Our COMMON goals are the same.

Garden Girl, I REALLY hope that this is the LEAD you've been looking for!

All the best, and PLEASE keep us posted!

BTW... Organic Gardening dot com has a "Garden Girl"... Perhaps "Garden Muchacha" is out of line, but, "Spanish Harlem Garden Girl" (or something to that effect) would be a BETTER BRAND for you... Easier to find right away in a Google Search... As you winnow down all the Marketing situations and names, USE GOOGLE.... If you see too many "Garden Girls" It's time to think of a different name...

Personally, that's how I came to be "Monkeyfister." No one else is me in North America. There's an Audiophile with the same moniker in England (who claimed the name after me), but, we've talked, and he is only concerned with audio. I'm in Navy Marketing... I'd REALLY like to see you succeed!!! We need MORE like you! Just my 2 cents to help you get your wonderful message out there... if you need graphics help, I'll be HAPPY to lend a hand pro bono for you.

You've heard it all already. I'm IN marketing. I know a few tricks...

Lets keep in touch.

Try Expert Village... I think Jeff will LOVE your show.

ps. I sent you a PM, basically, a c/p of this post. Let me know if I can help you in any way.

Garden Girl.... You MUST establish a Website.... You simply MUST... NO video will happen without an established website... And "Garden Girl" has been taken by WAY too many women... I suggest "Spanish Harlem Garden Girl," unique to a Google Search, and all YOU.

Tony B.

[Monkeyfister]

Can be found here:

http://monkeyfister.blogspot.com/2006/1 ... -girl.html

I know that Jeff will notice it...

All the very best to you!



--Tony B.

[FilmShack]

Ludi: Thank you very much. Send it to your friend who knows what adventure that could lead us to. Thank you, I'm holding on.

Postman: This is my marketing plan. I have taken my show directly to the people, first the people that know the most. If they will help with the project, first by helping getting it seen, and then later with the content I've jumped a huge step forward. Wait till you see my Photovoltaic/Listeroid Vegetable oil engine power generator! I should be able to meet experts and put them on television broadening the message and the content. Ultimately I'm a permaculture filmmaker, so I get the entrepenuer thing. For this project it could easily be corrupted so I have to be carefull with it. Some times when writing business plans you get caught up in outcomes. Not my goal, I honestly believe that this project could be the reason I was put on the planet. Think about it, a girl who is into permaculture, who has been a pro-filmmaker for over a decade, who can also present the message to the mainstream. It feels like, as Dan Akroyd said "I'm on a mission from god".

The name things are up for grabs. Willi Evans uses it, a neighbor of mine owns the trade mark to Garden Girl, it is what it is. I got the name from the people that work at the Home Depot so I use it. I'm afraid that my name(Being black/latino) may get in the way of my desire to mainstream the message. But who knows, one step at time. Thank you for your rant, I appreciate it. Now hook me up with some post's somewhere. People respond better when people talk good about them, not when the person is shameless self promoting. So help a sista out.

Thirty episodes is no big deal, I could do that in my backyard. My concept needs to be "sustainable" for hundreds of hours to reach into the mainstream. Thank god I have you folks, we're full of ideas right?

Malcomatic: I have two other smaller ponds where my fry and teenager fish live. The seven thousand gallon pond is the "grow out tank", when I get shooting in March I promise to explain the entire system so you can try it too. Power tool safety. My dad the iron worker taught me the hard way, I have injured myself. My mom says I'm gonna get sued so I promise that when we go out for real I'll be more safety concious. But think about it, because I'm doing the work and the show at the same time I'm busting my ass working twice as hard, and that day was like 100 degrees or something and I just wanted to jump into the pond and do that segment so I could cool off. I agree that these things will get scarce, but to mainstream something I don't beleive scare tactics will work. We have to make it seem as normal as possible to live sustainably, the one energy I don't want to live without electricity. We as a people will definately figure that one out, we just have to be smart about it.

BT is a bacteria. However the fish eat everything, and my water is circulating. I did that segment because the city was freaking over West Nile disease.

Mem: I'm glad you enjoyed it. I can't wait to get to shooting. We will definately visit other experts. Without them it puts too much pressure on me as we expand the show. Besides I don't know everything. This summer I'm gonna open up the garden on saturdays to the public and do a lecture, you'll be welcome to come down with your questions and ideas.

Tony B.: Talk to the expert village folks for me. I really am getting burried with stuff. Send them the link. I do most of my public communicating through this forum. I can't follow to many things at once or I screw them up. I am looking for all the graphic and marketing help I can get. The site adminstrator will be putting up a concept that was emailed to me recently for thoughts and feedback, but the more the merrier. Put me on your blog, hook a girl up! I just saw your blog, you are the best!

Thanks again people. The google site has now been viewed by over two thousand people. Help me out, leave some comments there to explain to others what this is about. I don't want to be defensive on the google site, so help me out on that site. I'm making some knit hats in the next couple of weeks. I would like to give them to those folks who can get the most attention for the site as a small token of my appreciation. Remember I'm preaching to the choir with you folks we have to go for those middle of the road people who sit blindly without a clue. The ones who will be trying to steal our food when the first big oil shock hits.

Off to bed,

Patti
(15 Rabbits, Two Goats, 200 Fish, Two Dogs and Two Cats)

[donsgal]

I saw the video and really like it, but I have been thinking about it the past few days and I have a comment I would like to make.

Lots of people have the notion that they would like to TRY sustainable living in an urban environment. Their hearts are in the right place. But often what seems like a great idea in May turns out to be more work or not what they expected by August.

I have personally seen MANY MANY gardens that were planted with all th best intentions become forgotten and abandoned once the reality of caring for it kicks in.

To this end, I wish that you would NOT put a lot of emphasis on animals. Often people have no idea that animals DO need care. After you are tired from working all day at your 9-5 job, you've been fighting traffic, having to pick the kids up at school, cook dinner, etc., The animals often go neglected.

Yes, I understand that animals are a VITAL part of what you are teaching and the lifestyle you are representing. But I am so afraid that people will buy rabbits or chickens with all the best intentions and end up neglecting them terribly. To many, caring for critters is an appealing and relaxing part of the homesteading concept, but it is NOT for people who are unable or unwilling to commit to their long-term care.

I hope that *when* your show gets picked up that you will please, please, please emphasize to people to NOT get animals for their urban (or other type) homestead unless they are willing to make a full commitment to their care. I'd hate to see well-meaning folks make a terrible mistake.

Thanks for listening. I love the video and support it 100 percent. Being a hand-spinner, I especially loved the part at the end with the spinning wheel.

Donsgal

[cynthia]

Regarding BT dunks for the pond.
Regarding GG's pond, I believe the fish will eat mosquito larvae, but here is this: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05556.html
cynthia

[Loki]

Garden Girl, I'll add to the chorus that I really liked your promo. I would certainly watch your show (but I don't get cable, so hopefully it will be online or on regular broadcast TV). I very much hope you are successful.

Strider mentioned that he linked to your promo on another site. I'm a member of that site and I think you may find the comments there useful. Although that site is quite conservative, they said that if you avoided political (i.e., leftist/progressive) rhetoric, they'd definitely watch your show---Peakoil.com is predominantly "progressive," so you may not realize that there's a large audience of conservatives out there who would be interested in your content. All you have to do is avoid "progressive" buzzwords to appeal to these folks, many of whom practice a lot of what you are doing (think rural, self-sufficient, home-schooling type people). You may or may not agree with their politics, but I think there's an audience out there that you may not have in mind. Being able to appeal to both "progressives" and "conservatives" is definitely a good thing. I can send you the comments if you'd like.

That's about all I can add, though I will offer my services as a copy editor when you make your Web site (which I HIGHLY recommend you do---I think this is absolutely vital). Please contact me if you need an editor's eye. Also, if you happen to find yourself in Oregon, I would be very happy to treat you to a night on the town (sorry for the pick up, but it's not often I encounter an attractive woman in my age range with a strong interest in self-sufficiency ).

[Loki]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('donsgal', 'T')o this end, I wish that you would NOT put a lot of emphasis on animals. Often people have no idea that animals DO need care. After you are tired from working all day at your 9-5 job, you've been fighting traffic, having to pick the kids up at school, cook dinner, etc., The animals often go neglected.

Yes, I understand that animals are a VITAL part of what you are teaching and the lifestyle you are representing. But I am so afraid that people will buy rabbits or chickens with all the best intentions and end up neglecting them terribly. To many, caring for critters is an appealing and relaxing part of the homesteading concept, but it is NOT for people who are unable or unwilling to commit to their long-term care.

I hope that *when* your show gets picked up that you will please, please, please emphasize to people to NOT get animals for their urban (or other type) homestead unless they are willing to make a full commitment to their care. I'd hate to see well-meaning folks make a terrible mistake.

[TonyPrep]

I'd be interested to know just how sustainable this is. I think the word was mentioned a few times.

How much space do you need and is this really an urban garden? There were a lot of animals shown, even if most were small. Animals need feeding and that takes even more room, to grow food for them. Scraps are still food and animals are an inefficient way of using small areas. If you buy food in, then it's not self sustainable, though it may still be sustainable in partnership with others.

And where did you get the chicks from?

[Bat-Tzion]

Shalom Patti
Great work! I would love to be able to utilze this short promo and also a TV show/video in my peak oil outreach work here in Israel, but it presents challenges.
First, you are gorgeous and sexy. That is a big plus for a US network audience but a big minus for me. Why? Because that won't work for two groups of people I am reaching out to--religious men (a bunch of long bearded rabbis) and middle aged women. The religious men make a practice of avoiding looking at women, especially women who aren't dressed modestly. So I cannot post the link to your promo among my network of contacts here.

Second, middle aged ladies like myself might get the depressed feeling that backyard gardening is only for young, physically fit women. You need to send the opposite message, that anyone can do it. Instead of showing off your muscles, downplaying your physique would actually help! Please don't contribute to the already challenging media environment in which people of less than perfect physical form are made invisible and irrelevant. We want to inspire more women, right? So please don't depress us overweight middle aged types. Maybe you could alleviate this problem by doing shows that feature the work of various urban permaculturists, old and young, thin and fat, of every color and persuasion. You know, diversity.

Also if you have various shows highlighting individual urban permaculturists each featured person will have a great opportunity to reach out to their own neighbors and community--the very neighbors who need to know it is really ok to have backyard chickens. Each featured person will be validated and supported by your attention--very important when they are often lonely pioneers.

Third, maybe you should make some statements that support the recycling of materials, and that dumpster diving is really a high-class activity. The promo shows you using a lot of purchased materials. Urban permaculture should be (in part) about using as many recycled/reused materials as possible. The image of scavenging really does have to change, and the sooner, the better.

That's it for now. But really I love your initiative and I wish you the greatest success getting your show on the air to the widest possible audience.

Bat-Tzion Benjaminson
Negev, Israel

[MacG]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Bat-Tzion', 'S')halom Patti
Great work! I would love to be able to utilze this short promo and also a TV show/video in my peak oil outreach work here in Israel, but it presents challenges.
First, you are gorgeous and sexy. That is a big plus for a US network audience but a big minus for me. Why? Because that won't work for two groups of people I am reaching out to--religious men (a bunch of long bearded rabbis) and middle aged women. The religious men make a practice of avoiding looking at women, especially women who aren't dressed modestly. So I cannot post the link to your promo among my network of contacts here.

Second, middle aged ladies like myself might get the depressed feeling that backyard gardening is only for young, physically fit women. You need to send the opposite message, that anyone can do it. Instead of showing off your muscles, downplaying your physique would actually help! Please don't contribute to the already challenging media environment in which people of less than perfect physical form are made invisible and irrelevant. We want to inspire more women, right? So please don't depress us overweight middle aged types. Maybe you could alleviate this problem by doing shows that feature the work of various urban permaculturists, old and young, thin and fat, of every color and persuasion. You know, diversity.

Also if you have various shows highlighting individual urban permaculturists each featured person will have a great opportunity to reach out to their own neighbors and community--the very neighbors who need to know it is really ok to have backyard chickens. Each featured person will be validated and supported by your attention--very important when they are often lonely pioneers.

Third, maybe you should make some statements that support the recycling of materials, and that dumpster diving is really a high-class activity. The promo shows you using a lot of purchased materials. Urban permaculture should be (in part) about using as many recycled/reused materials as possible. The image of scavenging really does have to change, and the sooner, the better.

That's it for now. But really I love your initiative and I wish you the greatest success getting your show on the air to the widest possible audience.

Bat-Tzion Benjaminson
Negev, Israel

[Aaron]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MacG', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Bat-Tzion', 'S')halom Patti
Great work! I would love to be able to utilze this short promo and also a TV show/video in my peak oil outreach work here in Israel, but it presents challenges.
First, you are gorgeous and sexy. That is a big plus for a US network audience but a big minus for me. Why? Because that won't work for two groups of people I am reaching out to--religious men (a bunch of long bearded rabbis) and middle aged women. The religious men make a practice of avoiding looking at women, especially women who aren't dressed modestly. So I cannot post the link to your promo among my network of contacts here.

Second, middle aged ladies like myself might get the depressed feeling that backyard gardening is only for young, physically fit women. You need to send the opposite message, that anyone can do it. Instead of showing off your muscles, downplaying your physique would actually help! Please don't contribute to the already challenging media environment in which people of less than perfect physical form are made invisible and irrelevant. We want to inspire more women, right? So please don't depress us overweight middle aged types. Maybe you could alleviate this problem by doing shows that feature the work of various urban permaculturists, old and young, thin and fat, of every color and persuasion. You know, diversity.

Also if you have various shows highlighting individual urban permaculturists each featured person will have a great opportunity to reach out to their own neighbors and community--the very neighbors who need to know it is really ok to have backyard chickens. Each featured person will be validated and supported by your attention--very important when they are often lonely pioneers.

Third, maybe you should make some statements that support the recycling of materials, and that dumpster diving is really a high-class activity. The promo shows you using a lot of purchased materials. Urban permaculture should be (in part) about using as many recycled/reused materials as possible. The image of scavenging really does have to change, and the sooner, the better.

That's it for now. But really I love your initiative and I wish you the greatest success getting your show on the air to the widest possible audience.

Bat-Tzion Benjaminson
Negev, Israel

[Doly]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Aaron', '
')I figured that the show itself would be the "on the cheap" info, & advertisers would want to present commercial versions of the same kind of thing for less dedicated customers who want to do the "Urban Garden thing", with a few commercial shortcuts.

[JustinFrankl]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Doly', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Aaron', '
')I figured that the show itself would be the "on the cheap" info, & advertisers would want to present commercial versions of the same kind of thing for less dedicated customers who want to do the "Urban Garden thing", with a few commercial shortcuts.

[Bat-Tzion]

Patti
After another look, a few more comments:
1. Don't talk about clothing. Your spinning and knitting may be lovely and fun but the issue of food far surpasses clothing in importance. I think it is irresponsible to waste time on the issue of preindustrial clothing manufacture when food is so important.
2. You need to realize that few women have access to tools (especially power tools) or the strength to use them. Have in mind to describe ways that women can construct things using their strength and simple hand tools. I made whole chicken tractors using just wire to bind together pieces of fencing material. That worked for me at age 48. Advertisers know that women make most purchase decisions so I think it is perfectly fine to cater to their needs on the show.
3. Trees are an absolutely essential part of sustainable urban agriculture. To get American city dwellers to plant useful trees now would be a magnificent thing. Also fuel, medicine, fodder, building material--all kinds of trees! You could explain how to espalier and coppice trees to encourage their planting in tight corners.
4. Use small projects as examples, make sure either women or men could do them. Seniors are the most vulnerable city dwellers and they often have time on their hands. Feature projects they can do. Maybe you could make several shows--one for DIY type men, one for women, one for seniors, and one for kids.
5. Emphasize more space saving projects. Lots of trellises, multiple layer gardens, cucumbers or kiwis trellised on trees or houses, for example.
6. Emphasize food items that people are already used to buying and eating. Your average American may not want to scale and clean fish from a pond but wouldn't mind having some bananas. green beans, or pecans from the back yard--those are easy to get from the tree to the mouth. The processing of the food item is often the step that gets in the way of full utilzation of available food crops.
7. If you feature animals, don't forget the site will also have to produce food to feed them. Show them incorporated into a cyclic ecosystem of plants and animals. Explain the balance between the needs of plants and animals so each one can be arranged in a suitable quantity to feed the other.
8. Dont' forget some aspect of medicinal herbs. Would be great to feature a medicinal herb spiral with a set of herbs for common ailments--avoid running to a pharmacy (if there is still a pharmacy at all! ). This is very much more important than spinning goat or rabbit hair, IMO.

I must confess these comments are based on viewing only the video's pictures--I did not hear the sound.

Ok? What do you think.
Bat-Tzion

[FilmShack]

Hey All!

Now thats what I'm talking about! I love the thought going into the posts! I want to briefly talk about mainstreaming the message. The sustainable message is about self preservation and a healthy world in the future. I recognize that I have taken on a great responsibility and challenge with hope of "packageing" it in bits that slowy move the mainstream into thinking it is in their best interest to live sustainably. Now that moves into the corporate world as well. The executives who have created this monster need to begin to change what they sell and how they sell it for their own self interest as well. The organic food movement has grown into a multi-billion dollar market, they see the money but they don't know how to "sell it" yet.

What I do and others do is simply produce food, and live a lifestyle in tune with nature and natural process. When I first started growing food, my friends where like "I don't want to eat a rabbit poop carrot" and "you are crazy". Just to get my own family to embrace it was a challenge. Everyone said "Chickens are nasty" or "You'll be sorry". That was in the late 1990's. But all of those same people now have embraced it and made a true community out of my Urban Farm.

The thing about permaculture and cottage industry is it's about working with others and building a community. I decided to open to the public on Saturdays, becuase the public kept showing up anyway, and then the natural human "stone soup" of community became a reality. First it was parents with small children, and they always wanted to feed the animals. Now this could be a problem, but I asked them to bring me their weeds and lawn clippings. Boy did they ever! My rabbits and chickens were able to eat their natural diet, with fresh weeds and bluegrass lawn clipping. Neighborhood kids began digging worms from far and wide to feed my fish. Vacant lots were cleared of brush and fed to my goats. I in-turn gave back to them as well, not only did they have cheap entertainment for their family, I let neighbood children harvest the potatos and take it home. That in turn brought those famillies closer together, I could see them pulling weeds together and then comming over to my house, laughing and joking around, quality family time. I raised four Turkey's this year of which one ended up on my neighbors Kevin and Debbies thanksgiving table, another with my Electrician(sorry, but I use electricity) who gave me a great price, and the other two at my house. I have supplied the best compost to my neighbors who don't want livestock but a small kitchen garden. I wave to neighbors I never new before. Waving is something that I have seen in the country, but in my neck of the woods it's now common. (I can't tell you just how nice a couple of bottles of two buck chuck, fresh food and friends in a garden is) So I share all this to say that it is about building community and a spirit of sharing, remember technically what I do is against the law where I live. Thats how far from mainstream the sustainable lifestyle is. It is illegal. I personally believe it is the basic right of a human to feed himself. Our society is-get your food where we tell you to and pay whatever price we tell you to- anything else is illegal.

Now that brings up (Fred Dwyer) a bit, beliefs are the ultimate killers of intentions. If I had listened to my mother's beliefs, who grew up with a backyard flock of chicken's in rural Puerto Rico, that chickens were disgusting beasts, only a step above a pig- I would have never tried raising them. Those belief's would kill my intentions. My intentions are to control my own destiny, as much as I can, the belief that it's too much work, or the problem is too big to start to address, so I'll wait for the government to fix it---that is the killer of intentions, and the government is not comming(we proved that with Katrina). With the livestock, the goal is create a natural environment for them and turn their waste into energy. Any animal if it lives confined in it's own waste will be stinky, miserable and prone to disease. By rotating and sheet mulching I have never had a smell problem. In fact I use my nose as my number one health meter. If the bed is smelly then it's time to move to fresh pasture. Rotational agriculture is thousands of years old, but it is almost revolutionary in our petrochemical world.

At first I was getting a bit sick of talking about my personal appearence. But then, you know what, when people put themselves out there, the way they look and talking about it is basic human nature. So I asked for it. Because my mission(and intention) is to be the Sustainable Living poster person I have to expect it and embrace it. My Fashion sence is about showing the mainstream that by living sustainable doesn't mean that you have to change who you are. As a woman, my entire life it seems, people have been trying to change who I am, tell me how to look and how to act. I believe that part of the power of my show and Garden Girl's personality and presentation is that I am what I am. I still want to shop and buy things that make me look good, and if we try and tell the mainstream that to be sustainable you have to become a hippie the message will remain fringe or esoteric. I'm only five feet two inches tall, it takes me forever just to find clothes that make me appear anatomically correct and not like a little person(I love the Rollof family). The Fashions that I'm wearing are mostly designed by my girlfriend Rory Tahari and her husband Elie who is quite successfull. Their Fashions are found at Sachs and places like that. So my clothes and Fashion sence is all about Sustainable living being Fashionable and I believe for the Western markets it is a critical step in the mainstreaming process.

Now on to direct answers(I'm sorry for being so long winded):

Donsgal: I am with you about animal cruelty. That is the last thing that I want to see happen as well. Now livestock keeping is not for everyone, some people just won't embrace it, nor do we want them to. But there are huge advantages to them. First it was a jump start to building my community base as I described above. Two my methods are designed to make it as easy as possible, I'm big on gadgets--automatic watering systems, no cage cleaning and the reuse of waste as energy. I have my system set up that it is so simple that my dogs require more time than my livestock. So, if you can raise and love a dog or a cat, you can raise and nurture livestock. Now that brings me back to community. I can tell you from first hand experience that nurturing an animal makes you a more compassionate human. I think it is programed into us to take pleasure from nurturing something, from a house plant to a dog or a cat. When I went to the slaughter house with my chickens this year(I can't kill something I raised easily) I was shocked at how healthy my birds were from everyone elses(I made sure I got back my birds and washed'em when I got home). The main thing with livestock is not to approach it like a factory farm but an edible landscape. Donsgal, I am with you, but my methods are so simple that even a cave man do it(LOL). Now spinning! I think I come up with my greates thoughts while spinning. I'm about to shave the flock and spin like crazy! This batch will be me greatest yet! Help post my link around and I'll send you a batch for your wheel if you like(That's community building)!

Cynthia: You're right. My pond is a mosquito death zone, but some people might just want a pond for looks so they will need some natural way of preventing mozquito's and the viral vectors that come with them.

Loki:Which post is Strider? Is that MoneyFister? Let me know and I'll talk there as well. My intentions are to be mainstream, so I want to hear and communicate from with everyone. Let me know where to go and I will. I'm trying to avoid politics and work off of simple common sence and self preservation. I don't even know what I said was politically charged, permaculture? Factory Farms? Spread the word for me in Oregon. I consider myself to be conservative. I'm trying to conserve it! When it comes to the livestock, if you can own a dog, then you can have livestock. Not all people can own a dog, so they should just stay away from the nurturing thing. Thanks for the pick up line. Sweet I still got "it".

TonyPrep: My system(Demonstration Farmette) is in a area about 20'x50', which is the same size space as the average east coast urban backyard. It is really an Urban Garden. I live in the inner city of Boston in a neighborhood called Roxbury, in a house build by Captain William Lambert in the 1700's. I think that I could feed my family and my livestock a starvation diet without outside inputs. But you would be surprised at how many "inputs" are available in the city, especially if you open yourself to being a part of a community. I do buy feed, from a feedstore that delivers it every two monthes. But this is a first step, I still only provide about 25% of my families food and lesser ammounts to my friends and neighbors. I have only been working on this for a decade, gimme more time and experience and we'll see where this goes. I get my chicks from a feedstore fifty miles north of my house or murray hatchery by mail.

Shalom Bat-Tzion: First, thank you for the kind words and I'm glad you liked the video. I'm from New York City and have many close friends that are orthodox jews. I produced a film called "Advice and Dissent" by Leibel Cohen, a rabbinical tale staring Eli Wallach, you should check it out I bet your religious types will love it. So I will have to agree with my man Aaron, there is no reason why Garden Girl International can't have a personality that fits specific cultures. My friend from college Steph(a decendent of Maimonetes) would be perfect, but she makes a bunch of money and it would cost a fortune to get here to do it, but she speaks French, Hebrew, Arabic and makes me look liked chopped liver. Even all covered up.

Now of course that brings me into image and self image. I feel like women have to hold up this burden of beauty, and are forced to jump through hoops to look certain ways, and act certain ways. I feel you. When I was pregnant with my daughter I gained seventy pounds! Imagine me at Five foot two inches tall and 180lbs. It was years of gardening and eating what I grew that got me to my highschool dress size again. I beg you to try it. I never enjoyed "working out" or running in place or any of that, it seems like a waste of energy, and frankly boring. What I did was get dirty! They say diet and exersize is the key to good health, the act of gardening (twenty minutes a day) essentially is the basis of longevity. It worked for me. The goal of my system is to get people outside and producing not consuming, even you Bat-tzion! Design your garden for your needs. For example my system uses tall garden beds, that way I don't have to bend over to work on my garden! I figure back breaking work sucks so why do it? When I first started gardening they said you're gonna have back problems. So I designed a system to be fun and as easy as possible. The last thing I want to do is depress you or anyone else. I want to empower you. It took me years to shed the weight, and I did it all through gardening and sustainable living practices. So what I'm saying is by taking control of you life and being active you will find new self worth, while doing your part to make your world a better place.

As I have said in earlier posts, my show won't be "sustainable" unless I bring others into it, and besides I don't know everything and need other folks to help anyway. I believe that people will come up with solutions to problems I haven't even thought of yet. Some of the best permaculture gardens in the world are in the middle east!

I am all for recycling. I believe in it, as long as it doesn't create too much clutter. I believe in the "Kits" as described by my honey Aaron as well. My garden beds are all different colors because they were almost all made from left overs from a construction project. I think though if I show the viewers what they need, they will find it by any means neccesary whether recycled or bought new. I live in New England, we don't call it scavanging(sounds bad) we call it "Yankee Ingenuity". My dad says "You'll find a way, or make one". Lets make a way! PS get the sound working on your computer.

MacG: You are spot on again! I plan on doing a "pocket change" segment in every episode. Networks are businesses, supported by other business who are trying to get us to consume their products. Fighting that dooms the message to the fringe. We need to get the business to make and sell products that push the message forward, and hopefully I can help do that with this show.

Doly/Aaron: Nothing worth doing should be considered cheap. It doesn't have to expensive, but it can't be cheap. The "shortcut" method, in my opinion, is what got us here in the firstplace. The usage of petrochemical products is part of our society's need for a quick fix. There are no quick fixes in nature. It's fixed when it's ready. Look, a garden bed with all the material purchased new is still less than $100, that inexpensive since you could produce at least that in food. I even convinced a wealthy friend to start his garden even though he didn't need it, he already was a member of a CSA(still is) and a avid Trader Joe shopper. He was lazy so he created a job for a poor kid to tend his livestock and garden for him. I think I'm off topic now, but I agree with both of you.


Justin: Thanks for the comments. Not everybody is going to be able to do it. That is true. However, I have seen my neighbors spend hours remodeling their bathrooms and kitchens. I don't think it's too much work, in fact, when done properly it's barely any work at all. Without using scare tactics, people will see that it is in their best interest(self preservation is a powerfull force). Think about this Urban space as the most valuable space on the planet. In my City land is worth over a million dollars an acre. Why not use it to give back, make you healthy, save money and make it pretty to look at? Most people in the cities and suburburbs see their outdoor space as a yard. Which connotates Yard work, junk yard etc-- A garden makes one think of beauty, contemplation and fresh food. This stuff will enhance your life not take away from it, I promise.

To all of you who have said I need a copy editor. Your right. Put up with my spelling and grammer, I apologize. I'll get there. Thank you folks, keep posting for me so I can have some respect when I go to corporate. They wont listen to one, but they will listen to many.

Patti
PS-this global warming has been a boon to my compost pile and vermiculture, I turned the pile this morning and goodness I have never seen such winter biodynamics in progress!