Preparing the Orchards for Spring

Urban Farmer Update: Over the weekend I attended a pruning workshop held by the Marion County Master Gardeners in preparation for work this week in the orchard. It is the season for late winter pruning and all of the trees are ready for a trim. The plums are showing signs of spring with buds about ready to open. A pear tree appears to be ready to bloom too!

Living in the Willamette Valley

What's it like to live in the Willamette Valley? Here is a collection of photos that Travel Salem put together that gives an idea of how beautiful and fun this little corner of the world can be. And if you are considering moving to Oregon, you should definitely check out the Travel Oregon site. Things really are different here....

Photo by Ron Cooper Photography, Copyright Travel Salem

Recent press

Marcelle Fischler included us in a list of five standout sustainable communities in the United States, pointing out that today's leading developments focus on a particular quality of life that is rooted in an old-fashioned sense of community, as well as eco-friendliness.
http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/eco-friendly-communities-are-surprisingly-retro.html

Eco-Friendly Communities are Surprisingly Retro

By Marcelle Sussman Fischler, Yahoo! Real Estate

December 15, 2011


The decision to live in one of America’s emerging eco-friendly housing developments isn’t strictly about reaping energy savings or protecting the environment.

Surprisingly, what a growing number of eco-friendly housing developments share is an old-fashioned sense of community: homes with welcoming front porches that encourage neighborliness, roads and sidewalks that are pedestrian and bicycle friendly. Locals gather on village greens and frequent farmers’ markets, local restaurants and shops.

As the demand for greener, more energy-efficient homes and sustainable living swells, home buyers from gen X to baby boomers are opting

Happy New Year!

Here is the light show I stepped into on my walk home from Painters Hall last night. It was quiet out and the birds were darting around, really quite a beautiful sight, I felt very lucky to be there.