May 25, 2020

Sustainable living and gardening

pear blossoms
The weather is finally warm and we have spent most of our time preparing the garden. DK books Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century and Indoor Edible Garden has inspired us to do a few projects this spring like building a compost bin and getting our seeds started indoors.
indoor edible garden
Indoor Edible Garden by Zia Allaway teaches how to make the most out of our space, from using balconies and windowsills to countertops, walls, and even ceilings, to grow herbs, vegetables, and flowers that look amazing and taste even better. There are 28 innovative step-by-step projects, practical tips and stylish ideas for how to create edible indoor gardens using whatever space we have. The step-by-step instructions include how to create a hanging chili and basil ball, how to sprout microgreens in cupcake liners, and more. 
indoor edible garden
The book guides us on how to use our space and light in clever ways, brightening our home with unique living decorations. Inspiring from the start, this book shows off its lush garden projects through beautiful design and full-colour photographs. There are tips on how to grow and care for 30 top herbs, edible flowers, fruiting plants, and vegetables including straightforward explanations of scientific methods such as artificial lighting and hydroponics. Indoor Edible Garden helps create stunning edible home decor, so our living spaces will be fruitful and beautiful all year round. 
Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century
Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century by Dick and James Strawbridge shows how we can adapt a more sustainable lifestyle. Over the years, we have done a variety of different lifestyle changes to keep our carbon foot print as less as possible to benefit the environment. This book inspires the readers to embrace sustainability whether they live in a small townhouse or on a rural small farm. 

rain barrel

We have been using this rain barrel for a few years, which we bought in 2012 at the Green Living Show. You will be surprised how fast it fills up, which is really good for the plants. 

garlic bulbs

Garlic cloves planted last fall. 
Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century contains invaluable advice on making the most of our own resources. This comprehensive guide to modern sustainability covers everything from how to conserve energy in the home, keep bees, and grow crops in an urban garden to recipes for smoking fish, creating nut milks, and preparing greener cleaning products. Each project is fully illustrated and easy to follow, allowing anyone to try their hand at something new. There are plenty of advice and anecdotes celebrating the importance and the satisfaction of a do-it-yourself lifestyle, the authors demonstrate that self-sufficiency doesn't have to mean packing up and moving to the country. By making a few small changes and learning the importance of sustainable living, we can all help the planet.

Here are a few of our projects from this spring...
clay pot painting
Giving some love and decor to clay pots using DecoArt acrylic paint. This is a fun project even young children may enjoy. You will need a pencil, paint brushes, a sealer, and acrylic paint. 
First, draw a design using a pencil.
Then, paint over the design with acrylic paint.
Once the paint dries optionally spray an outdoor sealer so the paint design lasts a little longer.
painting plastic pots
If you have old plastic pots that look boring, see the project we did last year to give colour to some of our old plastic pots using DecoArt outdoor living and texture paint
Started most of our seeds indoors, the above picture is of mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds from the kitchen cupboard. 
compost bin DIY
Building a compost bin to put kitchen scraps and garden waste. 
Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century
Indoor Edible Garden and Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century are two handy books to have and read for anyone interested in moving towards a more sustainable lifestyle. 

Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century
Giveaway:
If you live in Canada and would like to win a copy of 
Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century enter the giveaway using the giveaway tool by June 20th. Please leave comments and follow my social media networks to be eligible to win.
Update: The winner is Alison 
Disclosure: This post is in partnership with DK Canada. Please note that all opinions and thoughts expressed are my own. All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2010 - 2020. Please Ask First

12 comments:

  1. I've always recycled and bought second-hand. Now I'm looking at house buying, with a view to having a garden and growing as many of my fruits and veg as I can.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would love to keep learning to live a sustainable lifestyle. I am a gardener and my husband is a hunter so we are well on our way.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would love a indoor edible garden. It would be great in winter to have fresh herbs.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm interested in self-sufficiency, gardening, and protecting the environment. This book looks like it would have lots of information I need.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I would love to win as this is a topic I have a lot of interest in BUT have little info ON :) I plant my own vegetable/herb garden

    ReplyDelete
  6. I would love to win this book to get some new ideas. Currently we compost, tried to grow some veggies last year, hopeful better luck this year.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love to win this for my amazing almost 14 year old son. He just planted a Ruth Stout garden this year for the first time.. He would love this.

    ReplyDelete
  8. love to win book to learn more. We are growingmore veggies and herbs this year

    ReplyDelete
  9. I've been learning more and more about self-sufficiency and can't seem to get enough. So far I've been planting my own herbs, growing sprouts indoors, making a lot of my foods and products from scratch, etc. I've really enjoyed the process and would love to win the book to learn even more.

    ReplyDelete
  10. My daughter is working hard to be a better gardener and I know she would enjoy this very much. I do recycle and compost for my gardens.

    ReplyDelete
  11. This looks like a great way to start learning more, and taking bigger steps. We have been planting some more veggies this year.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I would like to win this book for my wife. It is the kind of book she would enjoy reading.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for commenting :)