The nature of this page is that
it is ALWAYS "under construction".
.
Please check back regularly for
new and updated content!
THE GREATEST RESOURCE OF ALL?
Your Local Library!
The Local Living Venture is grateful to all libraries for the many resources they offer.
We don't have a physical work space so we hold almost all of our meetings in libraries, use computers in libraries, make copies in libraries, and make priceless community connections in libraries.
In particular, we thank:
The Canton Free Library
Like the Canton Free Library on Facebook!
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The Potsdam Public Library
2 Park St Potsdam, NY 13676
Like the Potsdam Library on Facebook!
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The Gouverneur Public Library
60 Church Street Gouverneur, NY 13642
(315) 287-0191
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And the North Country Library System in general!
(there are 48 libraries over 4 counties in their system -- look for one near you!)
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We are all linked!
PAGES OF INTEREST:
PEAK OIL and Beyond
Click this link for a descriptive listing of all 60 episodes of the
Peak Moment Videos that are available through the North Country Library System.
In each episode, Janaia Donaldson hosts grass roots pioneers exploring locally-reliant lifestyles to meet these challenging times. Some topics include: local food production; renewable energy; transportation alternatives; sustainable building; preparedness; psychological, business, and governmental responses.
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Our North Country Public Library Resources Page!
Please click on the title above to check out this project on our website.
Here we list some selected materials -- by subject matter -- that are available through the North Country Library System. We hope you will find it beneficial!
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Report from the Mapping the Future of the Adirondacks retreat that the SLP participated in, in January 2011, as part of the Common Ground Alliance. This was a very interesting exercise where the group envisions the likely scenarios for the region in 25 years (2037) and then works backwards, in essence, setting up events that would help (or hinder) the scenario envisioned...not all of them positive, either! This is the third in a series of workshops being done throughout the Adirondacks, and the State, to help develop a road map for how to get from here to there with a desired scenario -- or (more likely) a synthesis of scenarios. Updates can be found at www.ADKfutures.org. The direct link to the report is here: http://www.adkfutures.org/Timeline-Status/ADK_workshop_3_reportout_Final.pdfo o o
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Nutritious Delicious!
"Low on the Food Chain" Cooking Seminars
For a complete seminar listing plus resource handouts
on all topics please CLICK HERE.
~ our original 2010 workshop ~
Grains & Beans -- Winter Cooking on the Cheap, and Delicious!
After attending this seminar, you will never look at the "lowly bean" in quite the same way again. We will show you delightful ways to make it a treat for you and your whole family!
Grains & Beans Resource Sheet
A twelve-page printable resource on how-to rinse, soak, cook, sprout, and store a large variety of grains and legumes.
Go to our Workshops & Events Resource Page to view or download.
Check our Workshop Schedule as well to see if one of our seasonal series of Nutritious Delicious (& Cheap!) Cooking Classes is being offered soon.
Or, if you want to help make one happen -- cooks are encouraged to participate -- please be in touch! SustLivingProject@gmail.com
Co-presenter Chelle Lindahl was a call-in guest on the NPR program "On Point" on February 16, 2012 - here's what the show's host said about our concept for the Nutritious Delicious! Beans & Grains Cooking Seminar:
"...that sounds like a recipe for eternal happiness."
-- Tom Ashbrook
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2012/02/16/beans (starts at 14:30, ends at 16:10)
Six new seasonal workshops
including
How to Cook Pasture-Raised Meat & Wild Game
as well as
Cooking Vegetarian & Vegan the Healthy Way
and several others!
For a complete seminar listing plus resource handouts
on all topics please CLICK HERE.
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MORE INFORMATION WHEN YOU CLICK THE "ENERGY" LINK ABOVE!
Please click on the link in the title above to view our growing collection of resources and information.
Your contributions are always welcome as well! Please email us at SustLivingProject@gmail.com with your suggestions and favorites.
LOCAL EVENTS OF NOTE
Rocket Stove Mass Heater Instructional DVD
You can help to "crowdsource" (many small contributions funding a worthy project) a new Rocket Stove Instructional DVD by Calen Kennett, with Erica and Ernie (workshop leaders for our rocket stove demonstration project!)
You can sample it on this Kickstarter.com promo
clip. The end product will be a complete step-by-step instructional
video on one of their most useful designs.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/673303251/rocket-stove-instructional-dvd
The deadline is Feb 5th for all pledges to come in. If the fundraiser clears
its goal the DVD will launch by summer. There is also a brand-new booklet on the Art of Fire as an incentive
for this fundraiser. It's being pre-sold at the above link as well.
Also, Check out Erica and Ernie's friend Paul Wheaton's set of rocket mass
heater videos. These are his usual amateur-but-informative technique (see the
video itself for examples).
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulwheaton/wood-burning-stoves-20-the-dvds Rocket Stove Mass Heater Demonstration Project Our Demonstration Project (near Canton, NY) is toured regularly. Check the Workshops & Events page to see if another tour is scheduled soon! If you are on our mailing list (approximately 3 notices per month are sent out) you will receive advance word of these events! Write us at LocalLivingVenture@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list. HydroFracking -- "Shale Gas: Panacea or Shell Game?"
See the YouTube video of the November 2011 speaking engagement at
Clarkson University by Deborah Rogers at this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYzU4bEfJ5U&feature=channel_video_title
If you don't live in Potsdam maps of other towns in St. Lawrence County are in the works so check back to see if your town has been added.
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Please click on the link in the title above to view our growing collection of resources and information.
Wholeshare Informationa program for food buying clubs to purchase organic and sustainable foods online, easily! Announcement: March 22, 2012
"Bonus Bucks" Program
Makes CSA Affordable for Residents of the North Country
*
Once again this year, GardenShare is offering a program that helps
make CSA affordable for more people. For eligible households,
GardenShare’s “CSA Bonus Bucks” program provides a $150 discount off the
cost of a membership at a participating CSA farm. *
CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, is way to buy local
seasonal food directly from a farmer. At the beginning of the season, a
consumer purchases a “share” of whatever the farm produces, and each
week participants receive some of that week's harvest; typically it is
vegetables, but it can also be fruit, meat, maple syrup, eggs, herbs, or
anything grown on the farm. *
To be eligible for the CSA Bonus Bucks discount, the combined yearly
pre-tax income of all household members must be at or below $30,000 for
one person; $37,000 for two people; $44,000 for three people; $51,000
for four people; $58,000 for five or more people. *
CSA Bonus Bucks will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis only as long as funds last, so apply now. For
an application form, a list of participating CSA farms, and more
details about the program, visit GardenShare's website at www.GardenShare.org, or call (315) 261-8054.
Tips from the Healthy Economist:
The Four Steps Required to Keep Monsanto OUT of Your Garden
Much more information also available here: www.sustainablelivingproject.net/workshop-event-resources
Scroll down to the "Gardening & Food Preservation" area for many resources!Be sure to also click on the title above for the full page of Food & Agriculture resources! North Country Jr. Iron Chef Check out these healthy, tasty recipes developed by
regional middle and high school student teams that use a combination of
Local and USDA (commodity) foods that could be realistically prepared in
a school cafeteria:
http://ncjrironchef.org/
Recipes are available on the
event website!
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ALL ABOUT RECYCLING
.
Click the title above to see the resources we've amassed on
what items, how to and where to recycle.
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Twenty Tools for the HomesteadIf you're new to rural life, this is some useful information. Ecological Footprint Calculators Galore!
www.ecobusinesslinks.com/ecological_footprint_calculator.htm
www.ZeroWasteInstitute.org
A snippet: If you ask the wrong question you will get the wrong answer!
Consider this: most people facing the generation of waste ask precisely the wrong question. The question they ask is this – how can I make use of this waste product so that it will be used, not wasted? Generations of people have wasted their time and their society’s time with this wrong question.
What would be the right question? “How do I change what I (we) are doing so that we no longer produce any waste products?” Find that answer and you have really solved a problem worth solving. We can’t focus so strenuously on past mistakes that we never get to design a better future.
Are you curious what Zero Waste would mean in practice? Since ZW means a redesigning, don’t be surprised to learn that a ZW project can mean a project to redesign a product. Do you want to make some changes in your own life that make Zero Waste real immediately? Here are some recommendations.
The only utopian vision is to believe
that the system we are living under today
can go on forever
-- Slavoj Žižek, Slovenian economist
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TRANSPORTATION
& RECREATION
As of June, 2011 bicyclists have a new resource in their panniers! This 15-county biking website
features preferred routes, rides, and trails along Scenic Byways and off
the beaten paths in the Adirondack North Country Region.
"...this new tourism tool meets cyclists' needs by establishing a
presence for bicycling for the first time across the entire
region. Through this site, NYS DOT's Scenic Byways Program and ANCA's
Byways Program build visibility for the Adirondack North Country
region as a desirable bicycling destination for all interest levels." Kate Fish, ANCA Executive Director
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What does it cost you and the planet to not ride your bike?
There are lots of excuses to drive a car
instead of getting out and riding your bike
“It’s too cold.”
“I’m going too far.”
“I don’t want to show up sweaty.”
But these all seem flimsy when you consider the actual impact of choosing your car over your bike.
- The typical American family spends almost $8000 a year to own and
operate a car, when you count the car payments, gas, oil, maintenance
and repairs, licenses, parking, and insurance.
- Transportation of all types accounts for more than 25% of the
world’s commercial energy use, and motor vehicles account for nearly 80%
of that.
- Cars emit 20 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2), a heat-trapping, illness-causing gas, for every gallon of gas burned.
Slowly but surely, statistics like this are starting to make
economic, environmental, and physical sense to people in all walks of
life. In fact, the percentage of people using a bike as their primary
mode of transportation grew 45 percent between 2000 and 2009…in the
United States alone. Click here to read more.
Carpooling Planning Online
Check out www.RideBuzz.org to learn more about ride share information
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- PAID ADVERTISEMENT -
 Paula M. Youmell, RN, MSAmerican Holistic Nursing AssociationOffering consultations in: Holistic and Whole Food Nutrition, Herbs, Natural Healing
Holistic health and healing is a natural approach to life. I
work with my clients to create a happy, healthy life in a way that is
balanced, flexible, fun and free of denial and discipline. The body
heals when we give it what it needs and remove obstacles to healing.
Working together, we create a lifestyle plan that includes whole food
nutrition, herbs, fitness and relaxation techniques to heal the body
physically, emotionally and spiritually. Click here: www.handsonhealthhh.com
Take your health back into your own healing hands just as nature designed our bodies to function. NOTE: Paula is one of our most popular Workshop Presenters and is a fount of useful information.
In a region with talc mines and other risk factors, serious illnesses from asbestos exposure are a real issue If you or someone you know has been exposed,
this is a site you want to check out! Click on the logo or on "survival rates". Get the facts you need from the
Mesothelioma Cancer Network. Help.Answers. Resources mesothelioma survival rate
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The Forager's Online Field Guide is good but also check out their Bookstore page!
http://theforagerpress.com/fieldguide/guide.htm
Specific to within 25 miles of Cortland, NY but much that relates to us further up in the North Country, too! The photos of different lichens, etc. are really helpful.
http://cnynaturalist.com/index.html
Our new page of Wild Edibles Recipes is here! Please feel free to email us with YOUR recipes as well! So far we only have Spring Wild Edibles -- but more content will be added as soon as it comes in! :-)
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GREEN BUSINESS PRACTICES
NOTE that the SLP / LLF does not endorse any of these services but views them strictly as resources for "growing" your knowledge and ability to do so yourself!
USA Government Guides for Green Business:
http://www.sba.gov/content/green-guide-new-businesses
http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/starting-managing-business/managing-business/running-business/green-business-guide
http://www.sba.gov/content/green-business-practices
A really fabulous selection of different "ecological footprint" calculators:
http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/ecological_footprint_calculator.htm
Grow Me the Money
www.growmethemoney.com.au
Guidance is provided for paid members via a website on how to green many aspects of your business.
A Greener Workplace: Planning and Managing Sustainability
Leader’s Guide and Participant Workbook
www.trainingabc.com/product_files/P/WB-Greener.pdf
A training manual to guide your workplace to a greener vision.
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GREEN BUILDING
Your Home Technical Manual
Derived from the book Your Home - Design for Lifestyle and the Future, this is a VERY comprehensive site from the government of Australia. Although there are obvious climatic differences to account for, there is much here that is applicable world-wide.
"...cover(s) all the bases, from the usual suspects of green homes, such as insulation and solar orientation to rainwater harvesting and double glazing...strawbale, mud brick and rammed earth wall constructions...and even adaptable design, like when the inhabitants become noisy teenagers, or develop mobility issues needing walking aids or wheelchairs. There is little about good housing design that is missing from this book." (source: http://www.treehugger .com/files/2011/05/book-review-your-home-manual-for-environmentally-sustainable-housing.php?campaign=daily_nl)350+ pages are available at: www.yourhome.gov.au/technical/index.html
This site should inspire the creative folk among us!
Home-made housing in Wales.
 http://www.simondale.net/house/index.htm
We need your help in adding to this Resource category! Our website is still in development and we'd love to know what sites you have found useful! Please email us at SustLivingProject@gmail.com with your comments, suggestions, and questions too!
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SIMPLE LIVING
Story of Stuff site:
A must-see www.storyofstuff.com
Composting with No Backyard: The basics of small scale indoor composting.
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/no-yard-heres-how-you-can-still-make-and-use-compost.html
Rain Water Harvesting: Our ancestors harvested rain just as naturally as they tilled the ground to grow crops. We lost touch with these local solutions. But now, as the taps dry up, more and more people are reviving this age-old system and practicing it very successfully. Information about harvesting, recycling (greywater), and using various water sources, here: www.greywateraction.org. See also the basic but interesting information in the "Rain Water Harvesting" attachment from India, below (bottom of this page) as well as the Reading List resources for Water Storage, also below.
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HOMESTEADING SKILLS
St. Lawrence University's Sustainability Semester
St.
Lawrence University's Sustainability Semester "broke new ground" in January, 2013 and invites interested community members to participate in the programming for their students. This could include field trips to community members' farms, homesteads,
businesses, etc., summer internships, workshops taught by community
members, and alternative spring break "mini-internships" with community
members. Community partner compensation is available as well. The Sustainability Semester website address is http://www.stlawu.edu/academics/experience/sustainability-semester -- or contact coordinator Cathy Shrady at 315-229-5105 or cshrady@stlawu.edu.
Urban Homesteading: http://urbanhomestead.org
Homesteading Information Directory:
Schools with Homesteading Classes:
- Homesteading Heritage Center for Essential Education (Texas): The school offers a complete curriculum for sustainable living skills from their model four-acre homestead located within their larger 510 acre working farm. They offer single day, multi-day, and three-day homesteading courses.
www.homesteadheritage.com
- Apple Family Farm (Indiana): For three generations the Apple Family Farm has been providing homesteading classes with hands on training, and two to three day classes on topics like; dairy cows, goats, chickens, butchering, soap making, etc.
/www.applefamilyfarm.com/Classes/FarmSchool.htm
- The Institute of Urban Homesteading (California): This school offers a twist on homesteading and simple living. The Oakland, CA school understands that not everyone who is interested in living a simpler, healthier life can live out in the country. They offer urban homesteading classes.
www.iuhoakland.com
- Pioneer School of Homesteading: (Michigan): The Quaker Hill Farm is a Christian-based farm offering homesteading classes to the public. Most courses are about $75 each and cover topics like beekeeping, bread making, medicinal herbs, raising poultry, etc. They also offer online tutorials.
www.quakerfarm.com
You can help create our Homestead Learning Community right here in the St. Lawrence River Valley! For more information about this project of the
Local Living Venture, check out our Future Plans page!
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Healthy Forests
Forest Management Tools
The
Great Lakes Forest Alliance (GLFA) Developed this toolbox of resources
to support landowners who want to enhance forest management and/or get
involved with "emerging Markets", such as bioenergy, certified products
and green building. Whether you own woodlands for lifestyle or
recreational reasons or for financial gain, tapping new opportunities
may be a way for you to maintain your land the way you want and secure
its future.Family Forest Owners ToolboxForestry Best Management Practices
Cornell Cooperative Extension created a website that allows woodland owners to have a more hands on approach to forestry...Click Here To See More
Tree & Shrub Planting
NYS DEC Saratoga Tree Nursery has been Providing New York State with Seedlings for 100 Years
For seedling information go to: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7127.html
Trees from the nursery are grown to be tough, hardened by the
demanding climate conditions of our region. Local seed is best for
growing healthy and hardy trees, adapted to our state's conditions. More
than 200 acres of seed orchards throughout the state are maintained by
nursery staff as seed production areas. For more information, please contact the NYS DEC Saratoga Tree Nursery at:
NYS DEC
Saratoga Tree Nursery
2369 Route 50 South
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-4738
518-581-1439
e-mail: nysnursery@gw.dec.state.ny.us
Check us out on facebook: NYS DEC Saratoga Tree Nursery
The 2013 Spring Seedling Sale will begin January 2nd. 2013 DEC Tree & Shrub Planting for New York State Brochure
Tax Guide For Forest Owners The U.S. Forest Service Northeastern Area just posted a new/updated tax quick guide for forest landowners. This document is the 4th version and is an online publication only. Federal Income Tax on Timber: A Quick Guide for Woodland Owners
Web Site Offers Interactive Management Tools to Landowners Woodland owners can stem
the risk of fires, invasive species, pathogens, and other problems;
better understanding their properties using a new Web site sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service. Family
forest owners can map, protect, and enjoy their woods for years to come
because it helps you ask the right questions, based on your goals for
your land, and refers you to the right sources. The management tools are
available at MyLandPlan.org February 16, 2013 North Country Now. Written by Paul Hetzler
Tuesday, 12 February 2013, Information from the Colorado State Forest Service
New York's Forests In Need of Healthier RegenerationCheck out this radio piece by NPR's WRVO in Central NY about restoring our woodlands to be healthy and
productive, and some of the obstacles woodland owners face while
attempting to do this. This piece features the New York Forest Owners Association(NYFOA) new program
Restore New York Woodlands Initiative.
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THE BOOKSHELF
READING LIST
Big List of Homesteading, Foodie, Back-To-The-Land, Rural Skills, Voluntary Simplicity & Self Sufficiency Books
(mostly from: www.livingasimplelife.com)~ Click HERE to View ~
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Ċ ď Chelle Lindahl, Mar 6, 2011, 6:26 PM ĉ ď Chelle Lindahl, Apr 20, 2011, 7:10 PM Ċ ď Chelle Lindahl, Feb 8, 2011, 9:56 AM
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An Essay on Five Ecoliterate Practices
