Snack happy: An espaliered fruit tree is the ideal way to have a fence and eat it too. Espalier, training trees to grow in a two-dimensional pattern, is popular in Europe but you can learn how to master this technique at an Espalier Symposium this weekend at Northwest Washington Research and Extension Center in Mount Vernon.
The symposium includes lectures and a tour of a fruit display garden. Taste samples of apples and Asian pears. The symposium runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the center, 16650 Highway 536, Mount Vernon. The event is hosted by the Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation and costs $15 for nonmembers and children age 12 and under are free. The event is free for members. For directions to the center, call 360-848-6120. For more information about the symposium, go online to www.wwfrf.org.
It’s raining hen: If you’re looking for a little home cooking and hen-raising inspiration, call off the search. Laura McCrae of Everett has started cool new blog, called Urban Hennery at www.urbanhennery.com. McCrae, who describes her blog as “tales of a country girl wannabe and her downtown hens,” raises hens and dreams of moving to the country someday. She’s big on eating local and has a great selection of links for eating local in Snohomish County as well as gorgeous photos with nearly every post. She shares her experiences of being a dog and chicken owner as well her adventures in canning and home cooking.
Friendly alternatives: Are you addicted to paper towels? Check out the eco-friendly tip site called Ideal Bite (www.idealbite.com), where you’ll find a variety of alternatives to tree-killing paper towels, including organic cotton tea towels and “knitting your own damn dishcloth.”
We were particularly intrigued by the “euro sponge” by Twist: “What if a sponge and a paper towel had a love affair? The result would be these wonderfully versatile euro cloths. They easily wipe kitchen and bath surfaces like a paper towel and absorb like a sponge. Use your euro cloth for everything from spills to regular kitchen cleanup and help us realize our vision of a clean world.”
Buy at www.peacefulcompany.com or at select retailers.
Plan for the home show: Mark your calendar now for the third-annual Everett Fall Home Show from noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 19, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 20 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Comcast Arena at Everett Events Center.
Visit more than 350 booths featuring a wide selection of home-related products and services and attend demonstrations on how to make dramatic improvements to your home, lawn and garden.
Tickets to the show, sold at the door, are $7 ($6.50 for seniors). Children age 16 and younger can attend for free. See www.everetteventscenter.com or call 866-332-8499 for ticket details.
From Herald staff
