We're a first of its kind hardware store
for urban dwellers. Our passions: Americana,
community gardens, local color, and
everything in between.
(And yes, we geekout on hardware, too!)
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We were really honored to have our Chicken House mentioned in this product line up in Pure Green's Urban Farm Issue.
If you haven't yet heard of Pure Green Magazine, you are in for a treat! With drop-dead gorgeous photography and design, this magazine demonstrates one can be chic and eco-friendly at the same time. I can't wait for Volume 3! ~mb
Our sons are 5 and 3, and were learning about ecology in preschool last week. We do our best to talk about what's good for the planet at home, so I really wanted to have them participate in Earth Day this year. Our local park hosts an Earth Day cleanup every year, and it was easy enough for us to walk down to help out.
It was tough getting them out the door to do a "Clean Up", so I decided to make it fun. (That first picture, by the way, was before they found out about the free bagels!) Each kid brought their own toy truck to carry and dump the trash. This made removing the leaves from their beloved sandbox super fun. Most importantly, they got to feel useful and part of the event, which is really important for kids their age.
Yes, it was quite possibly more play than work, but that's not really the point is it? ~mb
We're excited to announce our first monthly Facebook Gift Card Giveaway.
It's true, Spring is finally upon us, and for many of us that means a fresh start around the home. For some, it means laying irrigation and readying the garden for summer crops, for others it means kicking into high gear on that remodeling project. Whatever it means to you, we think that $50 toward those projects could come in handy right about now. To enter the contest, simply "Like" us on Facebook. Contest rules are found on our website. ~mbTucked away behind a hill in the city of Point Richmond (just a few miles from here) is the Golden Gate Railroad Museum. With 10,000 feet of space, and elaborate scale models, there is no better place to take your train loving little boys (or girls) on a Sunday afternoon. ~mb
More information at http://www.gsmrm.org
Regardless of how you might feel about being carded, I think everyone can agree that a gift card is one of the best kind of cards to get (or give)! Available in any amount you choose, our card comes in both old school (mail) or new school (digital) models.
And with house hunting and wedding seasons just around the corner, it's a great idea to have this baby in your back pocket for the person who has everything (or needs everything, too)! ~mb
Spring is just around the corner folks, or at least that's what the calendar is telling us. Here in Oakland we are fortunate enough to be able to enjoy our gardens year round, but none-the-less, Springtime has me take an assessment of what my garden needs. And right now, my garden is looking rather homely, I mean hungry. The scrawny, yellow leaves make me think a dose of nutrient rich compost is just what the doctor ordered for the plants to grow like crazy when the weather starts to get nice and warm.
This compact composter is the perfect fit for our small yard. While the worms may initially have given me the heebeegeebies- worm composting is actually a highly efficient way to convert kitchen scraps, paper waste and cardboard into nutrient-rich compost. We chose to carry the Worm Factory composter on our website because we felt that its compact size, high output and odor neutrality made it exceptionally well suited for space challenged urban plots such as our own. ~mb Worm Factory Composter $105 at Machen Supply
So I thought I would post a little update that my son's kindergarten assignment came back as our neighborhood school-- No surprises here. I sort of assumed that Oakland Unified gives the illusion of a chance for open spaces, but really it just assigns you your neighborhood school-- that the appeals process is what really gives you a chance at your top choice, or so I thought.
The letters came out a bit early. I actually found out Friday when a friend tagged me on Facebook and I got an email notice to check the post. My friend had a long thread of comments on where their children had been assigned, which seemed like mostly the neighborhood schools, but one got her first choice so I had hoped that we would do as well. But the mail came and the answer was-- no dice. It's hard not to feel a little disappointed.Our first choice for our son was primarily based on the principal and the supportive environment there, but there were a number of other factors. Our neighborhood school is good, but not the best in terms of scores, etc. If we didn't have any other choices it would probably be just fine, but sometimes knowing you have options makes you second guess...
Anyway, we'll appeal to get into our first choice. If we don't get it, it will be fine. And, besides the possibility of keeping it local in terms of playdates, a big bonus would be that we will be able walk him to school. (Go small carbon footprint!) Also, if Glenview Elementary is awarded their K-8 status, that can only mean the school will be more sought after, as the current middle school options in Oakland aren't so great. ~mb
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