Balanced Compost

May's Sustainable Living Tip

Keep a bucket of dry leaves, shredded paper, sawdust, wood chips or coconut coir next to your composter so you can easily add the "browns" you need to promote fast, odor-free, and thorough decomposition of organic waste.

More Facts About "Browns" for Composting

1. Composting works best when you have a balanced ratio of carbon to nitrogen in the mix of materials you are composting.
2. Materials with a low carbon to nitrogen ratio are called "greens."
3. Materials with a high carbon to nitrogen ratio are called "browns."
4. Fresh yard cuttings and kitchen scraps are "greens."
5. Dried leaves, shredded paper and cardboard, sawdust, wood chips, peat moss, and coconut coir are "browns."
6. If you have too many "greens," your compost will likely smell bad, get slimy, ball up, and take more than six weeks to finish.
7. If you have too many "browns," pieces won't break down, your compost will never heat up and will take months or years to finish.
8. If you need to add lime to your pile, that's an indication that 1) you have too many greens, or 2) you aren't turning your pile often enough. Add more browns and turn your pile to ensure good mixing and air flow; you'll probably find you get better results with no need for lime.
9. Compost "activators" give a shot of "greens" to your pile. These are the perfect solution for compost piles that are heavy on the browns and aren't getting up to temperature. Mix the activator into your pile and add water; your pile should quickly heat up and start decomposing. If it doesn't, add more water and mix again, or wait for warmer weather. Getting a compost pile going is a lot like lighting a fire: you need to have the right fuel and it may take a few tries to get it started.
   
10. "Digester" style composters are stationary designs that sit on the ground, digesting scraps from the bottom up. Too many "greens" in this type of composter can become densely packed and odorous. Too many browns can also become tightly packed and biologically inactive. A good strategy is to always toss in a layer of greens and then a layer of browns on top. If necessary, you can also use a compost aerator to poke holes down through the layers to help water and air get to the microbes doing the work of decomposing.
11. "Tumbling" composters are a great way to make compost fast, but they also are prone to creating "compost balls" with uncomposted food waste in the middle of the ball. Try adding coarse browns like wood chips or coconut coir to keep clumps from forming. Also, a "poking stick" is handy to have on hand to break up any clumps that do form.
    
12. Your compost pile should never smell like a cesspool. If odors are a concern, it's better to err on the side of too many browns. Your compost will take a little longer to finish, but you'll avoid nasty smells.
13. If I have just one piece of advice to give to novices when it comes to composting, it is that "browns" are NOT optional! Especially in the spring, you really do need to have a plan for adding browns to your compost. Putting nothing but kitchen scraps in your composter is a recipe for a stinky disaster. Think of it like baking bread without the flour: you may end up with something edible, but it's a lot easier to follow the recipe. The good news is that whether it's leaves from your yard, or junk mail from advertisers, almost everyone has a convenient source of browns at hand.
14. Whenever you're diagnosing a composting problem, always remember what you W-A-N-T:
    W = Water
    A = Air
    N = Nutrients (greens and browns)
    T = Temperature
    
15. Keep your compost in mind as you clean up your yard throughout the year. If you can store some dried leaves, sawdust or wood chips over the winter, you'll be all set for next spring's composting season!

Environmental Happenings

What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene and Beyond

F.W. Horch in Brunswick is now open on Mondays!

Store hours: Mon 9:30-4, T-F 9:30-7, Sat: 9:30-6, Sun Closed.

Events in Maine

Thursday, May 7 - Legal Advocacy: Fighting for Environmental Justice, 7:00 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. Featuring David Nicholas, Attorney-at-Law, this event is part of a series sponsored by Friends of Merrymeeting Bay with support and valuable door prizes from Patagonia Outlet in Freeport. Free and open to the public.

Thursday, May 7 to Sunday, May 10 - Food+Farm Examining our access to sustainable food, SPACE Gallery, 538 Congress St, Portland. Co-presented by SPACE, the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, and Cultivating Community. For more information, call 828-5600, email info@space538.org, or visit www.space538.org

Thursday, May 7 - Food+Farm: Ted Ames "Fishing Voices", 7 pm, Space Gallery, 538 Congress St, Portland. The Stonington lobsterman and MacArthur "Genius" winner will discuss his work researching the past and future of wild fisheries and how they can be restored and used sustainably. The event will include a screening of local filmmaker, Cecily Pingree's short film, Fishing Voices. $6 or free for SPACE or MOFGA members, all ages.

Friday, May 8 - Food+Farm: Film "Food, Inc.", 7 pm, Space Gallery, 538 Congress St, Portland. A special advance-release screening of the new documentary exposing how corporations compromise profit over consumer health and safety in the American food industry. The film features such sustainable food luminaries as Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma), Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Joel Salatin (Polyface Farms), and Gary Hirshberg (Stonyfield Farm). Introduction and post-film discussion with Russell Libby, Executive Director, MOFGA. $8 or $6 for SPACE or MOFGA members, all ages.

Saturday, May 9 - Urban Gardening Fair, 9 am, Cultivating Community’s Boyd Street Urban Farm (corner of Cumberland Ave and Franklin Arterial), Portland. A free, family-friendly event featuring a variety of demonstrations including garden preparation, composting, container gardening, rainwater collection and raised bed gardening. With live music, hands-on activities and plenty of opportunities to ask your gardening questions. Free, all ages.

Saturday, May 9 - Food+Farm: Bryant Terry, 7 pm, Space Gallery, 538 Congress St, Portland. Eco chef, author, food justice activist, Bryant Terry works in many facets of food advocacy. He is currently a fellow of the Food and Society Policy Fellows Program and has worked to build a more just and sustainable food system and has used cooking as a tool to illuminate the intersections between poverty, structural racism, and food insecurity. $8 or $6 for SPACE or MOFGA members, all ages.

Saturday, May 9 - Compostmodern Conference on Design and Sustainability, 9 am - 3:30 pm, One Longfellow Square, Portland. AIGA Maine is pleased to present Compostmodern ME - an interdisciplinary conference that explores the range of design thinking necessary to create a socially and ecologically responsible society. Join us for a day of convergence - webcasts, live presentations and discussions at the intersection of design thinking and sustainability. Designers, manufacturers, and business leaders will come together to find inspiration, share knowledge, and explore real world opportunities for transforming products, industries, and lives. For more information, and to register online (by May 6), visit maine.aiga.org. $45 Non-AIGA Members, includes lunch.

Saturday, May 9 - International Migratory Bird Day Festival, 6 am - noon, Pine Tree State Arboretum, 153 Hospital Street, Augusta. Adult bird walks at 6 AM and 8 AM. Children's bird walk at 10 AM. Ongoing festivities from 9 AM until noon including information on caring for birds and attracting them to your own backyard, bluebird information and houses for sale, specimens on loan from Maine State Museum, and more. Children's crafts and activities, including make-your-own bird feeder out of recycled materials, owl pellet dissection, and many others! Please pre-register for bird walks by contacting Toni Pied at 621-0031 or ptsaedu@roadrunner.com

Saturday, May 9 - Sustainable Energy Conference, 8 am - 4:30 pm, Chewonki Foundation, 485 Chewonki Neck Rd, Wiscasset. Chewonki's 9th annual Sustainable Energy Conference will take place on May 9 on the Chewonki campus. The daylong conference features experts and academic leaders in the field of sustainability and renewable energy, and will showcase the latest technologies and vendors from New England. This event features a host of different renewable technologies, including tidal power, geothermal designs, solar heating, residential wind turbines, green building construction, and electric cars on hand to test drive. The conference is open to the public by reservation. If you have questions regarding the conference, please feel free to contact us: pathways@chewonki.org Registration fee includes the workshops and keynote speaker, interactive exhibits, a tour of Chewonki's renewable energy systems, a continental breakfast, and a hearty lunch. $65

Sunday, May 10 - Food+Farm University, 9 am - 5 pm, Space Gallery, 538 Congress St, Portland. The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association helps organize an all-day series of intensive workshops to give attendees the skills to start producing their own sustainable food with a focus on urban/suburban food production. Topics will include small space gardening, beekeeping, chicken care, root cellars, fruit for small spaces and vermicomposting.
9:00 - 9:30 Registration
9:30 - 12:30 Urban Chicken Care (Stacy Collins)
9:30 - 11:15 Grow Your Own Organic Urban Garden (Roger Doiron, Kitchen Gardeners International)
11:30 - 12:30 Vermicomposting (Mark Follansbee, Worm Mainea)
12:30 - 2:00 Lunch Break - on your own
2:00 - 5:00 Backyard Beekeeping & Meadmaking Demo (Erin Forbes, Overland Apiaries & Eli Cayer, Maine Mead Works)
2:00 - 3:15 Basic Root Cellar Techniques for the Basement or Backyard (Cheryl Wixson, MOFGA)
3:30 - 5:00 Selecting and Growing Small Fruit in Small Spaces (Lisa Fernandes, Portland Permaculture & David Buchanan)
All-Day (2 blocks per person): each block is $12.50 or $10 for SPACE or MOFGA Members. Half-Day (1 block only) $15 or $12 for SPACE or MOFGA Members. Buy tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com

Monday, May 11 to Friday, May 15 - Commute Another Way Week is Maine's annual transportation event that promotes the use carpools, vanpools, public transit (bus, ferry and rail), bicycling and walking as cost-effective, healthy and enjoyable alternatives to driving alone to work. Since 1995, hundreds of employers and thousands of commuters throughout Maine have participated in Commute Another Way Day and helped reduce pollution and traffic, made Maine a better place to live. For more information, visit www.gomaine.org

Monday, May 11 - Gardening to Attract and Conserve Beneficial Insects and Spiders, 7 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. If you are interested in natural pest management and learning how beneficial insects and spiders can help control insect pests in your yard and garden, then this workshop is for you. Mike Sowers, Cumberland County Master Gardener, will describe an ecological approach to sustainable pest management that includes the use of practical gardening and landscaping techniques to enhance essential resources for our natural enemies. Participants will learn to identify and attract the good bugs with flowering plants and creative garden design. For information, please call 833-5125. Free and open to the public. Door prizes.

Thursday, May 14 - How and Why to Keep Bees in Top Bar Beehives, 7 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Gold Star Honeybees will present a beekeeping discussion and demonstration of top bar beekeeping. Both experienced beekeepers and "wannabee" beekeepers are encouraged to attend. For more information, please call 729-4050. Free and open to the public.

Saturday, May 16 - Birdathon 2009. Join birders throughout Maine -- from Arundel to Aroostook and Fort Kent to Fort Foster -- for this once-a-year, one-of-a-kind birding event! What is the Birdathon? It’s a bird-watching event during peak migration in which participants try to identify as many bird species as possible. Birdathon is also a great fundraising event for Maine Audubon, supporting our mission to conserve Maine’s wildlife and wildlife habitat. It's not to late to form a team or decide to go it alone, and then head out to count, have fun, and raise money for wildlife conservation. Questions? Call Eric Hynes at (207) 781-2330, ext. 237. Want to register, form a team, or make a pledge? Please call Linda Ledoux at (207) 781-2330, ext. 215.

Wednesday, May 20 - The Green and Lean Lecture Series: Cutting Your Electric Bill 50%, 7 pm, St. John Episcopal Church, 315 Main Street, Southwest Harbor. Green & Lean is a series of monthly lectures which focus on ways to save money and resources. We have adopted a very pragmatic approach -- no technical jargon, no complicated concepts, just straightforward, useable information you can put to use in your own home or place of work. For more information, contact Erika Shriner, 244-3532 or jerika@roadrunner.com

Thursday, May 21 - Preserving the Harvest, 10 am - 1 pm, American Legion Post 35, 413 Broadway, South Portland. Ever wonder how to preserve all those great garden vegetables? Our hands-on food preservation workshops will teach you some basics steps, like how to use pressure canners and water bath canners to preserve pickles, jam, and vegetables. Learn from the experts. We will provide fresh produce and canning jars. You will receive Preserving the Harvest Resource Materials. Registration required. Space is limited. Call the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Cumberland County office at (207) 780-4205 or 800-287-1471 (in Maine) for more information or to register. Registration deadline is May 14, 2009. Course and Materials Fee: $10.00 per person.

Thursday, May 28 - Preserving the Harvest, 1 pm - 4 pm Session A, 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm Session B, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Lisbon Falls County Office, 24 Main St, Lisbon Falls. Ever wonder how to preserve all those great garden vegetables? Our hands-on food preservation workshops will teach you some basics steps, like how to use pressure canners and water bath canners to preserve pickles, jam, and vegetables. Learn from the experts. We will provide fresh produce and canning jars. You will receive Preserving the Harvest Resource Materials. Registration required. Space is limited. Call the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Cumberland County office at (207) 780-4205 or 800-287-1471 (in Maine) for more information or to register. Registration deadline is May 21, 2009. Course and Materials Fee: $10.00 per person.

Saturday, May 30 - Small Farm Field Day, 9 am - 4 pm, MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center, Unity. This is a great day of workshops and demonstrations for farmers, gardeners and homesteaders. Activities will include: scything; yoga; horse-drawn farm equipment demos; pasture raised rabbits and butcher demonstration; poultry exhibit; low-impact forestry woodlot tour; chainsaw sharpening and basic maintenance; timber felling; weed and pest identification; homestead metalworking and blacksmithing; baking in a wood-fired oven; dairy goat milking demonstration; tours of MOFGA's windmill & solar hot water systems; spinning and fiber demonstrations; and a wild and edible plants tour. There will be vendors selling tools, garden supplies and seedlings, and lunch will be available for purchase. Admission $2.

Tuesday, June 2 - Preserving the Harvest, 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm, Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program, 84A Union St., Brunswick. Ever wonder how to preserve all those great garden vegetables? Our hands-on food preservation workshops will teach you some basics steps, like how to use pressure canners and water bath canners to preserve pickles, jam, and vegetables. Learn from the experts. We will provide fresh produce and canning jars. You will receive Preserving the Harvest Resource Materials. Registration required. Space is limited. Call the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Cumberland County office at (207) 780-4205 or 800-287-1471 (in Maine) for more information or to register. Registration deadline is May 23, 2009. Course and Materials Fee: $10.00 per person.

News and Views

On May 1, the National Science Foundation (NSF) released "Solving the Puzzle," a special report calling climate change "the most important puzzle humankind has attempted to solve." In the report, the NSF cited compelling evidence of climate change:

• Ecologists have noted marked changes in the habitats of the species they study -- where they find a particular species and the dates plants first sprout and bloom.
• Ocean scientists have recorded higher temperatures and rising ocean acidity, which alter the characteristics of the most fundamental organisms of the ocean food chain. Coral reefs -- some of which have thrived for centuries -- have died off suddenly as a result of ocean temperatures that exceed the corals’ ability to survive.
• Polar scientists have watched vast tracts of Arctic sea ice melt away.
• Glaciologists have witnessed ice shelves -- once thought too large to be influenced by anything short of cataclysmic environmental change -- break up into icebergs in a matter of days.
• Social scientists have recorded the bewilderment of indigenous people. Their cultural knowledge, which stretches back in time through numerous generations, holds no record of the kinds of environmental changes they are encountering today.
• Paleoclimatologists have discovered -- through tree ring data, ice cores, and other corroborating records -- that the concentration of carbon dioxide, and Earth’s average temperature, are nearing levels that haven’t been reached for hundreds of thousands of years.

The NSF is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; [and] to secure the national defense." With an annual budget of about $6.06 billion, the NSF is the funding source for approximately 20 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted by America's colleges and universities. They are asking for additional funding to help build the "scientific foundation for the tools that humanity may need in the future to counteract the effects of global climate change."

This year, International Compost Awareness Week is May 3 to May 9. If you like to rot a lot, this is a great time to get out some compost and spread it around!

Featured Products

Featured Products for May

Sun-Mar 200 Garden Composter

This innovative outdoor composter is based on a brilliant concept: put yard and kitchen waste in one opening, and remove finished compost from another. Inside the unit are two drums: new material enters the outer drum, fills it up, tumbles into the inner drum, then comes out the middle as finished compost. Suitable for handling kitchen scraps and small volumes of yard waste.

Direct Shipped $275 + shipping
Pick Up in Store $299

Learn more »

Kitchen Compost Bucket - Recycled Plastic

Make your home composting program easier to manage. Perfect for short-term storage of kitchen scraps, this kitchen compost carrier features an optional carbon filter to eliminate odors caused by composting materials.

Small (5.8 qts) $17.95
Large (9.6 qts) $24.95

Learn more »

Compost Swift Activator

Use this non-toxic and concentrated activator to speed the activity of aerobic bacteria in any backyard composter. Dilute one part activator with 8 parts water, then mix into materials to be composted.

32 ounces $19.95

Learn more »

Organic Seeds from Fedco

Grow your own organic garden with MOFGA certified organic seeds from Fedco Seeds. We have more than 50 varieties of their most popular vegetables, herbs and flowers, all heirloom and certified organic. It's time to start putting seeds in the ground!

Organic Seeds Packet $1.95

Learn more »

Last seed reorder May 29. We'll be placing reorders for our seed display until Friday, May 29. If we don't have what you want in stock, we may be able to special order organic seed for you from Fedco.

Worm Castings

Have you tried adding worm castings to your seed starting mix? If you have, you know what an incredible head start these give your little plants! For ensuring plant health and vigor naturally, nothing beats worm castings.

One pound $1.25

Learn more »

Kitchen Compost Pail - Stainless Steel

Do you compost? Our stainless steel compost pail is a stylish way to collect your food scraps for the compost pile or bin. Beautiful enough to leave on the kitchen counter. Easy to carry and clean. Carbon filters in lid contain odors. Replacement filters available. Holds about a gallon.

Pail and filters $34.95

Learn more »

Top Bar Beekeeping

Gold Star Honeybees will present "How and Why to Keep Bees in Top Bar Beehives," a beekeeping discussion and demonstration, at F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods and Supplies, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick on Thursday, May 14 at 7 pm. The event is free and open to the public. Both experienced beekeepers and "wannabee" beekeepers are encouraged to attend.

"It's not about the honey, Honey," says Christy Hemenway, founder of Gold Star Honeybees in Bath, Maine. "It's about the bees!"

Top Bar beekeeping is a simple, bee-friendly, beekeeper-friendly, planet-friendly, and sustainable way of stewarding one of our most important pollinators. Christy Hemenway, founder of Gold Star Honeybees, will discuss the simplicity of working a Top Bar Beehive and the advantages of this method of beekeeping.

Gold Star Honeybees manufactures a kit to build your own Top Bar Beehive using the most environmentally friendly components available. Gold Star Honeybees also offers a Beekeeping Service for folks who like the idea of having bees on their property, but are not able to dedicate the time and energy it requires to keep bees. For more information about the kit and beekeping service, visit www.GoldStarHoneybees.com or call 207-449-1121.

The demonstration on Thursday will take place inside, featuring an empty kit without the actual bees. Space is limited, so those interested in attending are encouraged to call the store at 729-4050 to reserve a seat.

This event is part of the F.W. Horch series on sustainable living. Each monthly event is held at the F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies store, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick on the second Thursday of the month.

For more information about the F.W. Horch sustainable living series, please call 729-4050 or visit www.FWHorch.com.

Solar Powered Salad

April's Sustainable Living Tip

Make the switch to a solar-powered salad by growing your own organic vegetable garden: instead of depending on petroleum to fertilize, transport, and refrigerate your produce, tap into the sun's energy to produce healthy, fresh food for you and your family.

More Facts About "Solar Salads"

1. Fifty years ago, most salad ingredients came from home gardens and farms within 50 miles of the eater; nowadays, most salad ingredients eaten in the United States come from California, Florida, Canada or Mexico.
2. Studies show that the nutritional value of conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables has declined over the last 50 years. Organically-grown heirloom varieties are not suffering from this nutritional decline. Scientists are trying to understand why conventional crops are now providing less nutritional value compared to organic crops.
3. Commercial varieties of lettuce, carrots, tomatoes and other vegetables are now bred for appearance, ability to survive long-distance shipping, and uniform ripening, so an entire crop can be harvested at the same time and sent to market.
4. Heirloom varieties are bred primarily for taste and staggered ripening, to provide fresh vegetables throughout the growing season.
5. Crops grown for salads are mostly water, so you could view our current large-scale agriculture and supermarket system as a very expensive and unsustainable way to transport water across the continent.
6. In cold months, salads consisting of root vegetables are a way to harness solar energy that has been collected by plants and stored for months without any need for batteries or high-tech equipment.
7. Plants create wealth literally out of thin air: during the growing season plants use solar energy to combine carbon from carbon dioxide gas in the air with hydrogen from water to create complex carbohydrates. One tomato seed worth a few pennies can create several dollars worth of tomatoes.
8. Picking fresh food from your own garden eliminates the waste of transportation, storage and refrigeration caused by supermarket produce.
9. Fertilizing your soil with home-made compost avoids dependence on fertilizers synthesized from natural gas and other fossil fuels. Healthy soils require nourishment. A sustainable source of that nourishment is compost you make yourself from food scraps you would otherwise send to the landfill, incinerate, or wash down the garbage disposal.
10. Leafy greens are one of the best crops you can grow to save money, protect your family's health, and improve the nutritional value of your meals. They are also a very flexible plant to grow: you can grow greens in flats indoors, in a container on a porch, in raised beds, or in conventional rows in the ground. Any way you do it, you'll be protecting our country's water supply, cutting down on the number of trucks on the highway, reducing the electricity demand of your local supermarket, and providing your family with affordable nutritional value.
11. Although scientific understanding of human health and nutrition is still in its infancy, there is evidence that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are essential to normal growth and development. Leafy green vegetables and whole grains are the most sustainable dietary source of these nutrients. Fish get omega fatty acids from algae and concentrate them in their tissues, but unfortunately fish oil also concentrates heavy metals such as mercury, which is now a pervasive environmental pollutant from coal-burning power plants. A diet high in leafy greens is a safer alternative to fish oil for omega fatty acids because leafy greens do not contain concentrations of heavy metals.
12. Have young children who won't eat their spinach? Try chopping it and mixing it in with spaghetti sauce or adding it to meatballs if your family eats meat. You'll be surprised how much healthy food you can sneak past your picky eaters!
13. Another fun strategy to encourage your family to eat their veggies is to involve them in planting seeds. While they might not have the patience to help with all the weeding, young kids do like to plant seeds and watch them grow. Try a variety of different kinds of lettuces to pique their interest. Which grow fastest? Which will taste the best? They'll be naturally curious to try eating what they've started. Plus, by the time the harvest is ready they'll have a much better understanding of where their food actually comes from.

Environmental Happenings

New store hours at F.W. Horch in Brunswick:
Mon 9:30-4, T-F 9:30-7, Sat: 9:30-6, Sun Closed.

Events in Maine

TODAY Thursday, April 2 - Carbon Nation: Maine’s Role in Solving the Climate Crisis, 6:00 pm, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, 350 Commercial Street, Portland. Join Conservation Law Foundation and the League of Young Voters for a sneak peek of the upcoming documentary Carbon Nation. This distinctive film strives to find global warming solutions on the local level rather than focusing on the vast problem. Come be a part of the solution and learn about local and state actions Maine can take to address the crucial challenge of climate change. To watch a clip of the documentary, see www.carbonnation.tv

TODAY Thursday, April 2 - Community-Based Lobster Science, 7:00 pm, Bath City Hall. Join Friends of Merrymeeting Bay (FOMB) for the seventh presentation in this season’s Winter Speaker Series. This evening's presentation features Diane Cowan, Director of The Lobster Conservancy. To receive more information on FOMB’s programs call Misty Gorski, Executive Coordinator, Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, at 582-5608 or fomb@gwi.net. Full speaker schedule and biographies are available on the web at www.friendsofmerrymeetingbay.org.

Friday, April 3 - Town Hall Meeting on the Economy, Health Care, War, and the Environment, 6:30 pm, Hannaford Hall, USM, Portland. Sponsored by fifty grassroots organizations, this Town Hall is a chance for citizens to share our vision for what our elected officials and our nation should be doing to deal with our multiple crises at this important time. Democracy only works if the people build it. More information available on the Peace Action Maine web site.

Sunday, April 5 - Japanese and Siberian Irises, 1:00 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. Brunswick Park and Gardens is hosting a garden talk by Sharon Whitney of Eartheart Gardens of Harpswell. Sharon will show slides and discuss the culture of Japanese and Siberian irises. Much of Sharon’s experience comes from her years of association with famed iris breeder D r. Currier McEwen who developed more than a hundred new varieties of irises during his career. Talk is free and open to the public. For more information call 833-5125.

Thursday, April 9 - Gardeners of the Spirit, 7 pm, F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies, Brunswick. Filmmaker Eric Herter will show and discuss his inspirational documentary film, "Gardeners of the Spirit." The film covers the works of 'gardeners of the spirit' across the US, as they build community through the collaborative creation of peaceful, beautiful green sanctuaries in cities, schools, hospitals and prisons. Seating is limited, so please reserve a space by calling us at 729-4050.

Thursday, April 16 - Solar Energy Open House, 6-7:30 pm, 8 Abby Lane, Richmond. How might a solar energy system work in your home? What type of performance can you expect here in Maine? How much does a system cost and what's the payback? Join ReVision Energy to find out the answers to these questions and more! Call Jen at 221-6342 if you have any questions or want to know more about this event.

Sunday, May 3 - Native Orchids, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. Save the date for this next Brunswick Park and Gardens presentation: Jeff Deetz, an orchid expert from Massachusetts, will discuss native orchids.

Thursday, May 7 - Legal Advocacy: Fighting for Environmental Justice, 7:00 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. Featuring David Nicholas, Attorney-at-Law, this event is part of a series sponsored by Friends of Merrymeeting Bay with support and valuable door prizes from Patagonia Outlet in Freeport. Free and open to the public.

News and Views

For the first time since Eleanor Roosevelt planted a "victory garden," a working garden at the White House will provide fresh produce for the presidential kitchen. On March 20, Michelle Obama helped break ground on the new garden which will grow butterhead and red leaf lettuce, spinach, broccoli, onions, carrots and peas, plus a range of herbs. The first family is in good company: seed companies are reporting record sales to home gardeners this year.

Featured Products for April

Organic Seeds from Fedco

Grow your own organic garden with MOFGA certified organic seeds from Fedco Seeds. We have more than 50 varieties of their most popular vegetables, herbs and flowers, all heirloom and certified organic. Seed-starting season is here, and outdoor gardens are just around the corner!

Organic Seeds Packet $1.95

Learn more »

Order on your own from Fedco? Next year put your order in with ours and save on shipping and handling. We place our first seed order in January.

Worm Castings

Have you tried adding worm castings to your seed starting mix? If you have, you know what an incredible head start these give your little plants! For ensuring plant health and vigor naturally, nothing beats worm castings.

One pound $0.99 - ON SALE!

Learn more »

Kitchen Compost Pail - Stainless Steel

Do you compost? Our stainless steel compost pail is a stylish way to collect your food scraps for the compost pile or bin. Beautiful enough to leave on the kitchen counter. Easy to carry and clean. Carbon filters in lid contain odors. Replacement filters available. Holds about a gallon.

Pail and filters $34.95

Learn more »

Kitchen Compost Pail - Bamboo

For those who prefer a more natural appearance in their kitchens, we offer our bamboo compost pail. Just as stylish as our stainless steel, provides the same ability to collect your food scraps for the compost pile or bin. Beautiful enough to leave on the kitchen counter. Plastic liner slips out that is easy to carry and clean. Carbon filters in lid contain odors. Replacement filters available. Holds about a gallon.

Pail and filters $34.95

Learn more »

Home Composting Made Easy

Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for composting in your own backyard. Instead of overburdening your local landfill, learn how to turn kitchen scraps, yard trimmings and paper scraps into "black gold" for your lawn and garden.

Booklet $2.95

Learn more »

Composting and Organic Gardening Books

Drop by the store for a great selection of home composting and organic gardening books. We can help you nourish your soil and your family this year!

Composting Worms

Need to start a worm bin? Get a Chinese take out box of red wigglers (Eisenia foetida), including a healthy dose of food for the worms to work on while your worm bin is getting started plus the mini-ecosystem of creatures that help the worms break down food into castings. When you get your starter package, add the worms and the active compost they are living in to your worm bin. Feed them small amounts several times a week. Within a few weeks you'll have hundreds of worms!

Starter pack of worms $6

Learn more »

Wiggle Room Worm Bin

Let worms eat your garbage with the Wiggle Room worm bin. Stocked with Maine-grown red worms in leaves or shredded paper bedding, this is your basic vermiculture system. Push aside the bedding to feed your worms, and add more shredded paper when necessary. Pop the cork to collect worm tea, a great liquid fertilizer. Everything you need to get started right away (including worms).
NOTE: Available for pick up in store only.

Wiggle Room bin small $39.95 (including worms)

Wiggle Room bin large $44.95 (including worms)

Learn more »

Gardeners of the Spirit

Here at our store, F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods and Supplies, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick, we will host a showing of "Gardeners of the Spirit," followed by a discussion led by Brunswick filmmaker Eric Herter on Thursday, April 9, at 7:00 pm. The event is free and open to the public.

"An Arizona-based group working to install school and community gardens asked us to talk with them about a documentary on their projects," said Herter. "Out of these talks came the idea that the film should cover the works of 'gardeners of the spirit' across the US, as they build community through the collaborative creation of peaceful, beautiful green sanctuaries in cities, schools, hospitals and prisons."

Starting in Maine, Boston, the Bronx and North Philadelphia, Brunswick residents Eric and Hoa Herter began shooting "Gardeners of the Spirit." They then moved by rent-a-car (daughter and all) from Minneapolis to Des Moines, St. Louis, Fort Worth, Phoenix, LA and the Bay Area, seeing vibrant gardens in ruined city-scapes, and recording meetings with remarkable people. "Gardeners of the Spirit" attempts to convey some of the spirit of the gardens and their creators.

Eric will be on hand to discuss his experiences making the film and share information about the proposed Brunswick Park and Gardens. He worked for years as a magazine writer/ photographer/ editor before starting to produce independent TV films for film festivals and local PBS affiliates. In the mid-'90s he became the producer for Associated Press Television in Hanoi, Vietnam, making videos for worldwide broadcast on Vietnamese human-interest and environmental topics. While with AP, he met and married Tran Thi Hoa, a photographer doing photo assignments for non-governmental organizations (NGOs). After their daughter was born in the late '90s, Hoa and Eric teamed up to produce video documentaries for the UN, international broadcast networks, and NGOs doing development and environmental work in Vietnam . Several of their environmental films are re-broadcast regularly in Vietnam.

Space is limited, so those interested in attending are encouraged to call the store at 729-4050 to reserve a seat.

This event is part of the F.W. Horch series on sustainable living. Each monthly event is held at the F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies store, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick on the second Thursday of the month.

For more information, please call 729-4050 or visit www.FWHorch.com.

Compost and Castings

When starting seeds, use 1 part finished compost or worm castings to 3 parts potting mix to give your little plants a healthy head start without synthetic fertilizers.

More Facts About Compost and Castings

1. It's easy to make your own compost or worm castings from kitchen scraps.
2. When micro-organisms decompose organic matter, the result is called "compost". Finished compost is dark brown or black, crumbly, and has a mild organic aroma like mushrooms.
3. When worms process organic matter, the result is called "castings". Castings look like wet coffee grounds and smell like healthy soil.
   
4. Both compost and castings provide essential nutrients for growing plants.
   
5. Most families can produce enough compost or castings to provide a rich mix for starting their seeds.
6. You'll need to add some dry materials like shredded paper, leaves, or clean sawdust to your kitchen scraps. Adding these materials helps the decomposing process go faster without nasty odors.
   
7. A plug-in kitchen composter like the NatureMill reliably produces compost in two weeks by maintaining the perfect conditions for hot composting by microbial cultures. The compost it produces is ready to use right away, or can be stored for later use.
   
8. Worm bins generally take a little longer to produce results--about six weeks start to finish--depending on temperature, the type of food scraps, and the appetite of your worms. Worm castings can be used as is, but if you plan to store them for later use, you'll probably want to dry them first.
   
9. Worms like the same temperatures as we do, but will tolerate cool temperatures down to the mid-50s and high temperatures into the mid-80s. They work best in the low-70s.
10. If you put a worm bin in your basement, use a portable thermometer to determine the temperature range. Near the boiler is often a convenient and relatively warm location.
    
11. Keeping your kitchen scraps out of your garbage benefits you and your community; neither landfills nor incinerators need wet organic waste.
12. Whether you make compost or castings, most of your kitchen waste will literally vanish into thin air as the process creates water vapor and carbon dioxide.
    
13. Compost and castings improve the texture and health of soil, helping it retain moisture while allowing roots to penetrate.
14. Recycling organic nutrients back into the soil completes the cycle of life and allows new plant growth to occur without requiring exogenous synthetic chemical inputs.
15. Building healthy soil with compost and castings is an essential part of successful organic gardening.
16. Besides mixing compost or castings in your seed-starting medium, you can also use them as a top dressing periodically in your garden, around trees, or on your lawn.
17. A kitchen compost pail makes it easy to collect scraps. A tight-fitting lid with a charcoal filter controls odors and keeps everything contained until you're ready to add it to your composter or worm bin.
18. It's fine to toss your kitchen scraps in an outdoor compost pile all winter. They won't start composting outdoors until warmer temperature arrives, but there's no harm in letting your food waste freeze and thaw before it turns into compost.
19. Some people even store their kitchen waste in their freezer until spring. This isn't as crazy as it sounds. It actually helps your freezer's efficiency to be full rather than empty, and if you ever lose power, hunks of frozen garbage can keep your food cool. Just make sure you label everything carefully!
    
20. Composting equipment, information and supplies, including worms and worm bins, are available year round at F.W. Horch in Brunswick and online at www.FWHorch.com.

Featured Products for March 2009

Organic Seeds from Fedco

Grow your own organic garden with MOFGA certified organic seeds from Fedco Seeds. We have 56 varieties of their most popular vegetables, herbs and flowers, all heirloom and certified organic. Seed-starting season is here!

Organic Seeds Packet $1.95

Learn more »

Ordering on your own from Fedco? Put your order in with ours and save on shipping and handling. We'll be placing our next order TOMORROW (Thursday, March 5) to beat their March 6 backorder deadline. After March 6, Fedco seed orders are filled from stock on hand.

Worm Castings

Have you tried adding worm castings to your seed starting mix? If you have, you know what an incredible head start these give your little plants! For ensuring plant health and vigor naturally, nothing beats worm castings.

One pound $1.29

Learn more »

Kitchen Compost Pail

Do you compost? Our stainless steel compost pail is a stylish way to collect your food scraps for the compost pile or bin. Beautiful enough to leave on the kitchen counter. Easy to carry and clean. Carbon filters in lid contain odors. Replacement filters available. Holds about a gallon.

Pail and filters $34.95

Learn more »

Home Composting Made Easy

Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for composting in your own backyard. Instead of overburdening your local landfill, learn how to turn kitchen scraps, yard trimmings and paper scraps into "black gold" for your lawn and garden.

Booklet $2.95

Learn more »

Can O Worms

Conveniently compost your kitchen scraps all year round with the help of hundreds of hungry red wigglers. Having trouble finding the compost pile under the snow drifts? Why not bring the action inside with your very own worm colony? Start now and by summer you'll have a nice supply of worm castings, the very best fertilizer you can make.

Can O Worms bin $125 (worms sold separately)

Learn more »

Composting Worms

Need to start a worm bin? Get a Chinese take out box of red wigglers (Eisenia foetida), including a healthy dose of food for the worms to work on while your worm bin is getting started plus the mini-ecosystem of creatures that help the worms break down food into castings. When you get your starter package, add the worms and the active compost they are living in to your worm bin. Feed them small amounts several times a week. Within a few weeks you'll have hundreds of worms!

Starter pack of worms $6

Learn more »

Wiggle Room Worm Bin

Let worms eat your garbage with the Wiggle Room worm bin. Stocked with Maine-grown red worms in leaves or shredded paper bedding, this is your basic vermiculture system. Push aside the bedding to feed your worms, and add more shredded paper when necessary. Pop the cork to collect worm tea, a great liquid fertilizer. Everything you need to get started right away (including worms).
NOTE: Available for pick up in store only.

Wiggle Room bin $39.95 (including worms)

Learn more »

Environmental Happenings

What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene and Beyond

New store hours at F.W. Horch in Brunswick: we're now open on Mondays!

Store hours: Mon 9:30-4, T-F 9:30-7, Sat: 9:30-6, Sun Closed.

Events in Maine

Thursday, March 5 - Meet Your Local Farmers, 6:30-8:00 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. Seth Kroeck of Crystal Spring Farm, Russell Libby of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, and Sue Segeant of Patchwork Organic Gardens discuss their commitment to a local economy that honors and preserves Maine's farming traditions. Moderated by Tom Settlemire of the Brunswick / Topsham Land Trust.

Saturday, March 7 - Hands On Fermentation Workshop, 1:00-3:00 pm, Freeport Community Library, Freeport. Local organic farmers Chris Colson and JoD Saffeir will share their experiences while working at Tenuta di Spannocchia in Sienna, Italy. Hands-on sauerkraut making / lactofermentation workshop to follow. For more information, visit www.FreeportLibrary.com.

Tuesday, March 10 - Cooking with Locally Grown Food, Noon-1:30 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. Ken Cardone of Bowdoin College Kitchens, Kris Lindsey of Hannaford Bros. Market, Aaron Park of Henry & Marty's Restaurant, and Amy Winston of Focus on Agriculture in Rural Maine Schools discuss the benefits and challenges of cooking with locally produced food. Moderated by Tyson Weems of The Health League, Inc.

Wednesday, March 11 - Book Discussion: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, 6:30-8:00 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. Facilitated by Gary Lawless of Gulf of Maine Books and Eloise Humphrey of El Camino Restaurant.

Thursday, March 12 - Starting an Organic Vegetable Garden, 7 pm, F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies, Brunswick. Master gardener volunteer Brett Thompson explains how to start your own organic vegetable garden. Are raised beds a good idea? Will mulch save you time on weeding and watering? How can you improve your soil? Join us to find out. Seating is limited, so please reserve a space by calling us at 729-4050.

Sunday, March 15 - Caring for Rhododendrons and Azaleas, 1:00 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. Brunswick Park and Gardens is hosting a garden talk by Tom York of York's Rhododendrons to discuss the proper care, feeding and pruning of rhododendrons and azaleas. For more information, call 833-5125.

Sunday, March 15 - Energy Forum, 3:00 - 5:00 pm, Bath Middle School, Bath. Bath Democratic Committee and Cool Bath invite you to an Energy Forum in support of the Maine Renewable Energy Sources Act (Feed-in Tariff Bill). Did you know that there is a bill under consideration by the state legislature that offers the people of Maine a chance to sell "green" electricity at a premium, making the purchase of solar photovoltaic and wind electric turbine systems more affordable? Panelists are Peter Drum and Paul Kando of the Midcoast Green Collaborative, the organization that drafted the legislation; Senator Seth Goodall (D) District 19; Rep. Les Fossel (R) District 53; and Mike White, designer and builder of Eco Village One, Island Carpentry. For more information, email Polly Shaw - polly_shaw@myfairpoint.net.

Monday, March 23 - Off the Grid: Tours of a Working Farm, 10 am-Noon, Milkweed Farm on Gott Lane, Brunswick. Owners Lucretia and Michael Woodruff, with Eloise Humphrey of El Camino Restaurant, will show visitors how a small family farm works. The family raises their own vegetables, turkeys, pigs, chickens, eggs and dairy products.

Tuesday, March 31 - The World According to Monsanto, 6:00 - 8:30 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. "The World According to Monsanto" is a provocative documentary by French filmmaker Marie-Monique Robin that unveils the motives and work of the Missouri-based biotechnology giant Monsanto. The film leads the viewer to explore the history of food and the seed upon which we rely for sustenance. Questions and Answers to follow the film.

News and Views

MIT's Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change finds that it is more likely that global warming by the end of the century will be greater than previous studies have projected. The MIT researchers used an in-house computer model known as the MIT Integrated Global System Model that incorporates new insight into how the climate system functions. MIT's "Greenhouse Gamble" conveys the "range of probability of potential global warming" via roulette wheel graphics. The output unveiled in February 2009 shows that the odds have shifted in favor of larger temperature increases. "The take home message from the new greenhouse gamble wheels is that [...] the dangers are much greater than we thought three or four years ago," said Ronald G. Prinn, professor of atmospheric chemistry at MIT.

Tainted peanut products in North America have made 604 people sick, sent 187 to the hospital and killed eight so far in 2009. The salmonella outbreak in processed peanuts also has led to more than 2,000 product recalls in the U.S., more than any other food epidemic, according to Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, a food distribution and safety specialist and associate dean at the Levene Graduate School of Business, Faculty of Business Administration, University of Regina. "Globalization has had a significant impact on how we eat and has kept food prices at reasonable levels. But an unfortunate side affect is that our capacity to manage risks has been severely compromised," writes Dr. Charlebois. "The 'cheap calorie' factor is also putting a lot of pressure on food industry stakeholders. [...] Today, Canadian and American consumers spend only about 10-12% of their disposable income on food purchased from a store. That number was at around 25% less than a generation ago."

Clearance Corner

We've got some great deals for you in our "Buy One, Get One Free" Clearance Corner. Need to prime or paint a room? Get two gallons of Safecoat wallboard primer for just $31.90! Stop by or give a call to see what we've got in stock. At the moment, we're still clearing out American Pride and Safecoat paint, Durostain wood stain, and a variety of AFM sealers. Let us help you save your lungs and your money!

Organic Gardening Workshop

On Thursday, March 12, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, our store will host a gardening workshop, "Starting an Organic Vegetable Garden," by Master Gardener Volunteer Brett Thompson. The workshop is free and open to the public.

"We'll help you get started growing your own organic vegetables," says Brett Thompson, a Master Gardener Volunteer and F.W. Horch manager. "Our workshop will emphasize organic and sustainable methods of gardening because that's just the way we are."

Topics will include the pros and cons of raised beds, how to reduce weeding and watering by using mulches, and methods of improving your soil. No prior gardening knowledge is assumed or required. Time will be provided for questions and answers.

Space for the workshop is limited, so those interested in attending are encouraged to call the store at 729-4050 to reserve a seat.

This workshop is part of the F.W. Horch series on sustainable living. Each monthly talk is held at the F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies store, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick on the second Thursday of the month.

Solar Spaceheating: February's Sustainable Living Tip

Using solar energy for space heating is five times more affordable and four times more efficient than using solar energy to generate electricity.

More Facts About Solar Space Heating

1. Solar space heaters (solar air thermal systems) collect heat from the sun and pump it inside on sunny days, while preventing heat from escaping at night or during cloudy days.
2. Because they consume no fossil fuel during use and rely on solar energy that shines directly on the building where they are installed, solar space heaters have the lowest total environmental impact of any heating system available today.
   
3. Solar space heaters have been successfully used in Maine since the 1970s. During that decade's energy crisis, several magazines published “do-it-yourself” plans for building solar space heaters from spare lumber and plate glass.
4. Unlike the “do-it-yourself” wooden boxes from the '70s, modern solar space heaters feature aluminum frames, optimized glazing and absorber plates, back-draft dampers, and thermostat controls. Their expected useful lifetimes is 30 years.
   
5. At Maine's latitude, solar space heaters are typically installed vertically on southern-facing walls. This maximizes winter solar gain and eliminates snow accumulation concerns.
6. Solar space heaters cost about $1,700 per installed kilowatt, compared to $9,000 per installed kilowatt for solar electric (photovoltaic) systems.
7. Total installed cost for a 1.5 kW SolarSheat space heater from F.W. Horch is $2,500, or you can buy the unit for $1,979 and install it yourself.
8. Solar space heaters require no electric or plumbing connections, so they can be easily installed by carpenters or homeowners. They work just as well on a house in the suburbs as on a remote camp in the wilderness.
   
9. In new construction, solar space heaters can be built into southern-facing walls, taking the place of siding.
10. On existing buildings, solar space heaters are mounted on top of the existing siding or on the roof.
11. Solar space heaters can also be ground mounted with heating ducts installed underground.
12. The SolarSheat space heater has an SRCC efficiency rating of 625 watts per square meter, more than four times higher than a typical solar PV (electric) panel, which has an efficiency of less than 150 watts per square meter. (Solar efficiency ratings are based on insolation of 1,000 watts per square meter.)
13. The reason solar space heaters are able to achieve four times greater efficiency than PV panels is that solar space heaters absorb a wider spectrum of solar energy and transfer the sun's heat energy rather than convert it to an electric current.
14. During summer months when no space heat is needed, a solar space heater can simply be covered to shade it from the sun, or it can be controlled by a thermostat to prevent it from transferring heat inside.
15. Combination solar space heaters and solar water heaters are available. These units operate as space heaters during the heating season and as water heaters during the rest of the year.
16. Maine's solar rebate program covered solar space heaters. It is unclear whether state funding for this program will continue, or whether federal funding will become available. According to Efficiency Maine, “Rebates for solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal installations are no longer available, as of January 16, 2009. Due to high demand and resource limitations, all of the funds made available for these programs have been allocated for this year. Under current law, the programs are due to receive renewed funding in January of 2010.”
17. Solar space heaters can be used to reduce the heat load of any building with a sunny wall or roof, but they are best used in combination with electric heat or with high efficiency direct-vent combustion heaters that allow for air-tight and super-insulated construction.
18. Climate data and heat loss models show that super-insulated buildings with heat storage and heat recovery ventilation systems can be heated entirely by solar space heaters to maintain a comfortable 68 degree Fahrenheit temperate year round in Maine.
19. While reducing heating bills by 100% is theoretically possible with solar space heaters, heat load reductions of 25% to 50% are more reasonable targets for existing homes that are well insulated and weatherized. The remaining 50% to 75% of the heat load could be met with a wood stove or electric space heaters.

Featured Products for February 2009

Organic Seeds from Fedco

Grow your own organic garden with MOFGA certified organic seeds from Fedco Seeds. We have 56 varieties of their most popular vegetables, herbs and flowers. Seed-starting season will be here before you know it!

Organic Seeds Packet $1.95

Learn more »

EcoFan Airplus 802

Enjoy warm air from your wood stove, circulated throughout your room instead of rising to the ceiling. Watch this fan operate quietly with no external power or batteries, using just the energy flow from a hot surface. This three-bladed EcoFan is more effective than its two-bladed cousin because it moves more air.

150 CFM fan, nickel or gold $149.95

Learn more »

BioBricks compressed wood

Way more convenient and reliable than cord wood, BioBricks and Night Logs are compressed, dried sawdust for use in wood stoves. The bricks are easy to light and burn for 3 hours. Logs require a bed of coals, then provide heat for 6-7 hours. Keep these on hand and you'll never have to worry about wet wood or bugs!

38 lbs BioBricks $9.95

32 lbs Night Logs $12.50

Learn more »

Maine-Made Drying Rack

Our best seller at Common Ground Fair, this large drying rack features a unique design, thick birch dowels, and a lifetime guarantee from the craftsman who makes them here in Maine!
Large drying rack $75

Learn more »

Maine Balsam Draft Stopper

Handmade in Maine with fragrant balsam harvested from the paper and lumber industry, these attractive draft stoppers halt cold drafts from doors and windows. Covered with 100% cotton in assorted patterns.

30" for windows $15.95
42" for doors $19.95

Learn more »

SolarSheat Space Heater

The SolarSheat hot air collector is a self-contained and self-powered sustainable solution for space heating. Mounts on a south-facing wall or roof. No need for plumbing or electricity -- these 4' by 8' units have a built-in solar-powered fan to blow in warm air whenever there is sun. Now anyone can go solar!

1500 watts $1,979

Learn more »

Convectair Electric Space Heater

Perfect as a complement to a solar space heater, or anywhere you need a heating boost, the Convectair Apero electric space heater works on the proven principle of natural convection. Hangs on the wall and plugs into a regular 120 volt outlet. 1250 watts $257

Learn more »

Vornado Electric Space Heater

The unique fan design of Vornado electric space heaters distributes heat quickly and evenly throughout a room, eliminating cold spots and maintaining a consistent, comfortable temperature. Easily portable; can also be operated in the summer as a fan only. Plugs into a regular 120 volt outlet.

1500 watts $99.95

Learn more »

Environmental Happenings

News and Views

The New York Times reports that the installation of new renewable energy equipment is expected to decline by 30 to 50 percent in 2009 due to the credit crunch and global recession.

Here in Maine, the state solar rebates are no longer available. Efficiency Maine says that as of January 16, 2009, "all of the funds made available for these programs have been allocated for this year."

An international panel of 155 scientists from 26 countries has issued the Monaco Declaration, stating that "severe damages are imminent" as a result of increasing ocean acidity. Burning fossil fuels pumps carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The oceans absorb some of this carbon dioxide, which reacts with ocean water to create acids. The increasing acidity of the oceans is interfering with the growth and health of shellfish and eating away at coral reefs, a processes that will eventually affect marine food webs. "The chemistry is so fundamental and changes so rapid and severe that impacts on organisms appear unavoidable," said James Orr, head of the symposium’s scientific committee.

Events in Maine

Thursday, February 5 - What's Bugging Us? Browntail Moths and More, 7 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. Learn about Browntail moths with Charlene Donahue, a Forest Entomologist with the Maine Forest Service who was recently elected president of the Maine Entomological Society. For more information, call Misty Gorski, Executive Coordinator, Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, at 582-5608 or email fomb@gwi.net.

Saturdays in February - Parent-Child Nature Walks, 1-2 pm, Wolf’s Neck Farm, Freeport. Bring your family and come take a guided 1-2 mile walk in the winter woods! You and your children can learn how to identify different plants, read animal tracks, and understand what different species do to survive a Maine winter! All ages welcome. Fee: $10/adult, $5/children under 12. Meet at the Haze Hut next to Little River Farmhouse.

Sunday, February 8 - Community Supported Food Fair, 1-4 pm, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 27 Pleasant Street, Brunswick. Meet your local farmers and fishermen and learn how to sign up for a farm or fishery share. Fourteen farms will attend the event in Brunswick. Other locations on the same day around the state include Belfast, Canaan, Ellsworth, Farmington, Hallowell, Newcastle, Norway, Orono, Portland and Saco. Admission is free! For more information, visit www.MOFGA.org.

Thursday, February 12 - Sustainable Coffee: From Crop to Cup, 7 pm, F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies, Brunswick. Join Bob and Carmen Garver, owners of Wicked Joe Coffee, for a free cup of organic, fair trade, and shade grown coffee, and to learn about the sustainability of the global coffee trade. Carmen recently returned from a sustainability trip to El Salvador where she met coffee farmers and worked along side them. Seating is limited, so please reserve a space by calling us at 729-4050.

Sunday, February 15 - Herb Garden 101, 1 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. Brunswick Park & Garden hosts Betsey-Ann Golon, co -owner of Common Folk Farm Organic Herbs. "Herb Garden 101" is for everyone who loves herbs. Betsey-Ann will offer handouts on a simple "potted" garden to a garden of "Simple Abundance" that integrates herbs, fruits and vegetables. Free and open to the public. For more information, call 833-5125.

Sunday, February 15 - Irreplaceable Wildlife in a Warming World, 1:30 - 3 pm, First Parish Church, 425 Congress Street, Portland. View beautiful photos of endangered species. Learn from Maine advocates what you can do. Slide show and panel presentations featuring Anne D. (Andy) Burt, Environmental Justice Consultant, Maine Council of Churches; Andy Whitman, Director, Natural Capital Initiative Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences; Jym St. Pierre, Nature photographer & Maine Director of RESTORE: The North Woods; and Tara Thornton, Maine Coordinator, Endangered Species Coalition. For more information, call 268-2108 or email tthornton@stopextinction.org.

New store hours at F.W. Horch in Brunswick: we're now open on Mondays!

Store hours: Mon 9:30-4, T-F 9:30-7, Sat: 9:30-6, Sun Closed.

Clearance Corner

We've got some great deals for you in our "Buy One, Get One Free" Clearance Corner. Need to prime or paint a room? Get two gallons of Safecoat wallboard primer for just $31.90! Stop by or give a call to see what we've got in stock. At the moment, we're clearing out American Pride and Safecoat paint, Durostain wood stain, and a variety of AFM sealers. Let us help you save your lungs and your money!

Sustainable Coffee Talk

On Thursday, February 12, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, our store will host "Sustainable Coffee: From Crop to Cup," a talk by Bob and Carmen Garver, owners of Wicked Joe Coffee . The talk is free and open to the public and will be held at our store, F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods and Supplies, 56 Maine St., Brunswick.

"Our mission at Wicked Joe Coffee is to roast epic coffee in a manner that is kind to the earth and to the farmers who painstakingly grow our tasty beans," says Carmen Garver, who recently returned from a sustainability trip to a number of Rainforest Alliance coffee farms in El Salvador, meeting the farmers and working alongside them.

According to some estimates, coffee is the second-largest commodity trade on the globe, employing 25 million people worldwide. All of the producing regions are in equitorial latitudes -- none in the continental United States -- while the primary consumer markets are in temperate regions. Those attending the talk will learn how coffee is grown, harvested, processed, shipped and roasted. The Garvers will discuss the vast environmental and social impacts of the coffee trade, and explain what it means for their Brunswick roastery to be a USDA Certified Organic Operation and a member of the National Organic Program.

Free samples of organic, fair trade and shade-grown coffee from around the world will be provided. Seating is limited, so those interested in attending are encouraged to call the store at (207) 729-4050 to reserve a space.

This presentation is part of the F.W. Horch series on sustainable living. Each monthly talk is held at the F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies store, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick on the second Thursday of the month.

Environmental Happenings

What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene and Beyond

Brunswick now has two winter farmers markets!

The Granite Farm Winter Market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at 93 Casco Road in Brunswick with several vendors from the Crystal Spring Farm market offering eggs, poultry products, pies, whole birds, soy candles, canvas bags, goat meat, herbs, vegetables, frozen soups and vegetables, baked goods, maple syrup, honey, apples, flowers and wreaths. Vendors interested in this market can call Debbie Cupo of Granite Farm at 729-5275.

The Brunswick winter farmers market has opened in Fort Andross in Brunswick, just a block away from F.W. Horch. From January through April, every Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon, market vendors will offer baked goods, dairy products, vegetables, turkey, chicken, pork, eggs, beef, seafood, honey, candles, crafts and alpaca wool. To find the farmers market, use the west tower entrance toward the left of the building, near the antique store and flea market. Vendors interested in the winter market at Fort Andross can call Dean Zoulamis of Mother Oven Bakery at 837-9028.

According to an article in the Times Record, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection fined M.W. Sewall & Co. $6,247 in connection with a West Bath development near Long Cove Brook. No state permit for the development had been issued, and DEP staff observed that a single-family home had been built within 75 feet of the brook and "erosion controls were not adequate or properly installed to prevent erosion and that sediment had been discharged into the brook." The developer agreed to "restore buffer areas" and "remove the remaining sediment from areas in and adjacent to Long Cove Brook, and permanently stabilize all disturbed areas."

Thursday, January 8 - Seed Starting: Grow Your Own Organic Food, 7 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Learn how to start seeds, build your own light stand, and make paper pots. Space is limited! To reserve a spot, please call us at 729-4050.

Thursday, January 8 - Land for Maine's Future: Protect It While We Can, 7 pm, Cram Alumni House, 83 Federal St., Bowdoin College, Brunswick. Join Friends of Merrymeeting Bay (FOMB) on Thursday, January 8 at 6 pm for our annual potluck supper, brief annual business meeting and election and at 7 pm the featured presentation, 4th in this season’s Winter Speaker Series: Land for Maine’s Future: Protect It While We Can. The evening presentation features Tim Glidden, Director of the Land for Maine’s Future program.

Saturday, January 10 - Saving Money, Energy and the Environment, 9 am, Woodfords Congregational Church, Portland. Learn how to identify and eliminate energy waste. This free workshop is a 'how to' class for performing basic energy audits for congregations. For more information, call Maine Interfaith Power and Light at 721-0444.

Tuesday, January 13 - Whale Research and Conservation, 7 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. Nan Hauser, President and Director of the Center for Cetacean Research and Conservation and Principal Investigator of the Cook Islands Whale Research Project, will give a multimedia presentation that includes amazing photos, video, recordings of humpback whale songs and tales about her field work with dolphins and whales. For more information about Nan and the Center for Cetacean Research visit whaleresearch.org

Thursday, January 15 - Sustainable Portland by 2030! How Do We Get There?, 4:30 pm, Portland Museum of Art, Portland. Join Portland Society of Architects and The Urban Land Institute at a forum to identify and discuss strategies for achieving a sustainable Portland. This open forum brings together community leaders, citizens and Gary Lawrence, an expert on developing communities that address human need and environmental limitations. Free admission. For more information, visit portlandarchitects.org

Sunday, January 18 - Children's Ice Fishing Derby, Lake St. George State Park, Liberty. Experience ice fishing as a family, thanks to the "Take It Outside" initiative. The Maine Department of Conservation Bureau of Parks and Lands will provide everything you need, including traps, bait and instruction. To preregister and for more information, call Lake St. George State Park at 589-4255.

New store hours at F.W. Horch in Brunswick: we're now open on Mondays!

Store hours: Mon 9:30-4, T-F 9:30-7, Sat: 9:30-6, Sun Closed.

Featured Products

EcoFan Airplus 802

Enjoy warm air from your wood stove, circulated throughout your room instead of rising to the ceiling. Watch this fan operate quietly with no external power or batteries, using just the energy flow from a hot surface. This three-bladed EcoFan is more effective than its two-bladed cousin because it moves more air.

150 CFM fan, nickel or gold $149.95

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BioBricks compressed wood

Way more convenient and reliable than cord wood, BioBricks and Night Logs are compressed, dried sawdust for use in wood stoves. The bricks are easy to light and burn for 3 hours. Logs require a bed of coals, then provide heat for 6-7 hours. Keep these on hand and you'll never have to worry about wet wood or bugs!

38 lbs BioBricks $9.95

32 lbs Night Logs $12.50

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Maine-Made Drying Rack

Our best seller at Common Ground Fair, this large drying rack features a unique design, thick birch dowels, and a lifetime guarantee from the craftsman who makes them here in Maine!
Large drying rack $75

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Maine Balsam Draft Stopper

Handmade in Maine with fragrant balsam harvested from the paper and lumber industry, these attractive draft stoppers halt cold drafts from doors and windows. Covered with 100% cotton in assorted patterns.

30" for windows $15.95
42" for doors $19.95

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SolarSheat Space Heater

The SolarSheat hot air collector is a self-contained and self-powered sustainable solution for space heating. Mounts on a south-facing wall or roof. No need for plumbing or electricity -- these 4' by 8' units have a built-in solar-powered fan to blow in warm air whenever there is sun. Now anyone can go solar!

1500 watts $1,979

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Convectair Electric Space Heater

Perfect as a complement to a solar space heater, or anywhere you need a heating boost, the Convectair Apero electric space heater works on the proven principle of natural convection. Hangs on the wall and plugs into a regular 120 volt outlet.
1250 watts $257

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