Homebrew and cold days

   It’s a blustery and busy week in Great Falls. My article, Blowing in the Wind, ran in the ‘At Home’ section on Saturday’s (Nov.14) Great Falls Tribune. With the constant “breezes” we have this time of year, it’s good to see others making good use of this resource. And with improving technology and decreasing cost, backyard wind power is a viable option. It’s still pricey – a decent unit can cost between $26-$32K – but between federal and state tax incentives, as well as grants and low interest loans, you can have a generator in your backyard that will pay most of your power bill for the cost of a vehicle or couple of snowmobiles.

   This week I’m researching articles ranging from seasonal and specialty homebrews (inspired by the commercial for Samuel Adams’ “Winter Lager”), dye plants for fiber, and annoying bugs… you know, the ones that invade our homes, but really don’t do damage. I’m also thinking ahead to next spring for ideas to send to my favorite gardening magazines. Writing about gardens is one of the things that keeps me sane during our long, cold winters, unless I start homebrewing!

   On the community garden front, I need to hit up seed companies to see if they’d like to donate any of last year’s seed to our 2010 effort. We’re doubling the space of the current garden at Park Place Health Care Center, and it looks like two to three other locations are good possibilities. With more seed, the seniors at Meals on Wheels will enjoy a greater variety of veg, and hopefully we’ll have plenty to share with the other charitable organizations. So much to do, but’s it’s all fun!