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The Asian Carp
The winner of the Ultimate Backyard Makeover
The Peterson Garden is one of the largest community
gardens in the city.
Artessa Home Visions does remarkable faux finishes, like that on this kitchen counter.
A couple of the young people in the garden at the
Gary Comer Youth Center withChef Art Smith
Critters you don't want to see in your garden.
Jens Jensen
Lamanda Joy and Mike at the Peterson Garden
Alderman Tom Allen says it's time for more blue carts.
Christy Webber, green and great.
Hardscape Designs, Inc. , a sponsor of the "Ultimate Backyard Makeover"
Harry Rhodes, Executive Director of Growing Home
Frances Moore Lappé, right, who will speak at the Growing Home benefit. At left is her daughter Anna.
Galaxie Contruction is the chief sponsor of the "Ultimate Backyard Makeover."
Mike, Dr. Wallly, and Ron
Milo Shammas, Dr. Earth
Leave No Child Inside
Islands in the Tongass
Rick Moskovitz
Marsha Belcher of CEDA and Mike
Barbara Minor, Roberta Wilson, Mike, Brian Covell
Milo Shammas of Dr. Earth Company
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June 27, 2010Is it too late to stop the Asian Carp?
The Alliance for the Great Lakes calls it a "nightmare scenario"-- Asian carp entering the Great Lakes through Chicago waterways. And this week, that scenario might have passed the point of no return, as the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee announced that they had captured an invasive bighead carp in Lake Calumet, 6 miles away from Lake Michigan.What's frustrating about this "discovery" is that Asian Carp DNA has already been detected in the waterways below the electric barriers. in fact, the people who developed the eDNA test think that Asian Carp are already in Lake Michigan. But their scientific evidence doesn't seem to make any difference to the various governmental bodies that could actually do something to stop the invasion. Not only that, but the Natural Resources Defense Council's Thom Cmar says that, almost buried in the story about the capture of one fish, is the news that no eDNA testing is currently being done on Chicago waterways!
That's why NRDC's Josh Mogerman is joining me on the show once again. We'll try to talk common sense about an issue that seems to defy that approach. Maybe we can figure out together why, in America in the 21st Century, science is a voice in the wilderness.
The photo on the left is definitely "before."
What will it look like "after?" Stay tuned.
And the winner of the "Ultimate Backyard Makeover" contest is Bolingbrook's Mike Gleason. Our thanks to everybody--especially our sponsors--who participated in the challenge. In case you didn't catch the announcement of the winning entry on Mighty House, we managed to pull Mike out of church to tell him that he had won the contest. As far as we know, the kids had to stay inside for the service.And now comes the difficult part--measuring, designing and installing the brand new backyard. I'll keep you posted on the progress with photos and reports. Once again, I want to give a big THANK YOU to all of the folks who made this contest possible, starting with our major sponsor, Galaxie Construction Company Ltd., as well as
Artesa Home Visions
Earth, Wind and Solar Energy
Marvin Design by Estates Windows
Hardscape Design and Unilock
Robert Schwake Stone Company
Northwind Perennial Farm
Sage AdvicePeterson Garden is having a 3rd of July party!
If you're a regular (or even irregular) listener, you might remember that I've been following the creation of community garden on the north side of Chicago that is on the site of a real World War II Victory Garden. One of the chief movers has been Lamanda Joy, (@TheYarden, for your Tweeters), who has kept me posted on every success and every setback along the way.Now, fittingly, she and her fellow workers are ready to celebrate their accomplishment just in time for the 4th of July. There's going to be a party at Peterson and Campbell and if you want to see this spectacular acheivement and have some fun, reply to the Facebook RSVP page. I hope to stop by for a few minutes myself.
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June 20, 2010
Who is the winner of the "Ultimate Backyard Makeover" contest?
Um...I don't know, because I'm writing this before all of the votes have been counted. But be assured that the winner will be announced today on Mighty House, just after The Mike Nowak Show. However, given the grilling to which we subjected the three finalists on last week's Mighty House, I'm not sure just how eager they are to be back on the program. I guess that winning a $20,000 backyard makeover goes a long way toward easing the pain of a little verbal abuse.I want to give a big THANK YOU to all of the folks who made this contest possible, starting with our major sponsor, Galaxie Construction Company Ltd., as well as
Artesa Home Visions
Earth, Wind and Solar Energy
Marvin Design by Estates Windows
Hardscape Design and Unilock
Robert Schwake Stone Company
Northwind Perennial Farm
Sage AdviceSpeaking of our great sponsors, Lenny Kazlauskas from Artesa Home Visions stops by the show this morning to talk about their superb interior and exterior home work, faux finishing and more. Show your love by clicking on the links above or go to Chicago's Progressive Talk.and investigate the work of ALL of our sponsors.
The "My Backyard Garden" contest winners are here, too!
In May we announced the "My Backyard Garden: 'Keepin' It Fresh'" essay competition for teens in 8th through 12th grade, sponsored by CEDA, in partnership with True Star Foundation, Gary Comer Youth Center, and The Mike Nowak Show. Our goal was to get teens to understand and expalin the benefits of growing local fresh fruits and vegetables.The winners have been announced and they are
Tayler Ulmer from Whitney Young High School
Jose Bhagwandeen from Carver Military Academy
Celeste Campos from Carver Military AcademyI read a number of the entries and I was impressed by the quality and thoughtfulness of the entries. The winners are receiving two tickets to see the White Sox play, up to 8 volunteer credit hours, a letter of recommendation, a $100 gift certificate and more. Not only that, but they will participate in the creation and maintenancet of a backyard garden near the Gary Comer Youth Center. I'll be there, too, and keep you posted with updates and photos.
Congratulations to Tayler, Jose and Celeste!
Do you have critter problems?
I'm talking about deer and rabbits and the kind of animals that can turn your garden into a horticultural wasteland. If so, you might want to hear what Greg Ecsedy has to say. He's the brains behind the Bobbex Company, who have been great sponsors on the show for two years. Bobbex offers a number of products that repel deer, rabbits, groundhogs, chipmunks, squirrels, voles and even Canada Geese.Greg is stopping by to talk about the kind of critlter year it has been. Although he's based on the East Coast, that probably doesn't make a lot of difference to the deer and rabbits in your yard. But I could be wrong.
Leah Pietrusiak is on the lookout for green
That is to say, the intrepid reporter for The Mike Nowak Show will be heading out into the wilds of Chicago in the next few weeks in search of Farmers Markets and other green events. Today I have a sneaking suspicion that she will be in my neighborhood to visit the Logan Square Farmers Market. If you want her to show up at your local market, send me a request at mike@mikenowak.netThe bird houses are on display
You might remember the "Tweet Home Chicago" contest I talked about in April. It was a way to get people to think about the variety of birds that visit this city on the lake. First, though, you should take a look at creativity that's for the birds: www.flickr.com/people/tweethomechicago.If you want to see them close up and personal, 21 houses are on display in the Building Resource center of the Chicago Center for Green Technology, 445 N Sacramento. Two houses are on display at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, 224 S Michigan. There will be some installed at the South Shore Cultural Center and in Lincoln Park. If you're interested in more bird house news, email birds@cityofchicago.org with any questions or comments.
June 13, 2010
Just how remarkable was Jens Jensen?
That's a question that filmmakers Carey Lundin and Mark Frazel hope to answer with their project "Jens Jensen Harmonious World." Lundin is producer/director and Frazel the producer/writer of this look at the landscape architect who almost single-handedly brought the prairie back to Chicago, which had turned its back on nature in favor of the dirty, exploitative world of commerce. To say that Jensen was a visionary is almost to damn him with faint praise. He was much more than that, and Lundin and Frazel plan to bring his story to PBS to introduce him to the rest of the country.Lundin and Frazel have interviewed numerous historians and scholars about Jensen, visited some of his most famous design sites, and even uncovered long-unseen footage of the historical giant, taken shortly before his death in 1951. In fact, the two have just returned from a trip to The Clearing, the school he opened in Door County in 1932. Jensen was, in large measure, responsible for saving the Indiana Dunes from development, and he created the transcendant Fern Room at the Garfield Park Conservatory.
Of course, putting together any kind of film requires funding, and even though there are many sponsors already on board, there is still an opportunity for individuals to contribute to Viva Lundin Productions to make the finished documentary a reality.
Celebrate the Summer Solstice!
My friends at Angelic Organics Learning Center want you to join them during one of the longest days of the year for their second annual Summer Solstice Celebration next Saturday at theFirst Presbyterian Church, 6400 S Kimbark Avenue in Chicago.
Martha Boyd, Program Director of their Chicago Urban Initiative, says that the long day gives folks a chance to engage in all kinds of activities, like weeding & seeding, worm composting, herb & plant walk, checking out bee hives, making a labyrinth, baking bread, making cheese...and a whole lot more. She's stopping by today to tell us all about it.Update from The Peterson Garden Project
LaManda Joy is calling this morning from The Peterson Garden Project, which continues to move forward, despite the small and large setbacks that any effort of this size is going to incur. As you can see in the photo on the left, filling a lot with 140 individual garden plots requires quite a bit of lumber. Then there's the compost. There's water. There's coordination of 140 or more different gardeners. That's why I asked LaManda to stop by on the phone. She's learning a lot and I'm eager to pass that information along to my listeners.By the way, LaManda will be speaking on "Chicago Victory Gardens: Yesterday and Tomorrow" this Wednesday evening, June 16 at the Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society, at the Devon Bank 6445 N. Western in Chicago. She knows her stuff and it's going to be a fascinating talk.
The recycling circus in Chicago continues...
Last week I encouraged everybody in Chicago who cares about recycling to show up at City Council to support Alderman Tom Allen's order to have the city reinstate the Blue Cart Recycling Program roll out. Well, a lot of aldermen spoke, though nothing much was accomplished at that particular hearing. Go to the Chicago Recycling Coalition website to see how the Chicago media covered the story.Meanwhile, the CRC is about to announce its plans to push for the resumption of the Blue Cart roll out. Stay tuned by visiting the CRC home page, or go to the CRC Facebook page.
Last but not least, just when you thought the Chicago City Council couldn't say or do anything stranger, they decide to pile on nearby suburbs for daring to recycling on our turf! Here's how the Chicago Sun-Times reported it.
YO! DUDES! Stop worrying about whether somebody is thowing a plastic bottle in your recycling bin and figure out how to get Blue Carts to another 360,000 Chicago residences that don't have it now!! Sheesh...
You can vote online for one of the three finalists
I'm speaking, of course, about "Ultimate Backyard Makeover", where my show and Mighty House award one incredibly lucky Dad a brand new backyard, courtesy of a lot of great sponsors.We've narrowed it down to three finalists and you can have a say in who wins the big prize, which we announce next week, June 20, Father's Day.To cast your vote, click onto this link to Chicago's Progressive Talk.
June 6 , 2010
Do you want real recycling in Chicago?
Do you want to make a difference?
Show up at City Hall this Monday to support Ald. Tom Allen!!I apologize if it seems like I'm hyperventilating just a little bit but you know how passionate I am about recycling--and how unhappy I've been about the state of recycling in the Windy City.
That's why I'm so encouraged by the image on the left, which looks like a bad impersonation of the Declaration of Independence. The John Hancock signature is provided by 38th Ward Alerman Tom Allen, who is proposing an
Order Directing the Departments of Environment and Streets and Sanitation to Extend the Blue Cart Recycling Program to All City of Chicago Households On or Before September 1, 2010 Using Tax Increment Financing Funds, If Necessary
Whoa. That got my attention. An Order isn't just an Ordinance. It's an Order. And, given the history of the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) program, the attempt to dip into that money could produce some fireworks...and not the Fourth of July kind.
As you can see, Alderman Allen has the backing of another thirteen (colonies?) colleagues, which is a good start to getting the order passed--though the Chicago City Council's history of knuckling under to Mayor Richard M. Daley seems to indicate that this order is a long way from becoming reality.
That's where you come in. If enough concerned citizens show up at City Council Chambers tomorrow, we might actually make our local lawmakers understand that making recycling a reality for the whole city is something that the people of Chicago really care about. The meeting is at 11:00 a.m. on the second floor of City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street. Please be there if you can, and make sure to tell your friends who care about recycling. I'll be there, and I hope that we fire a "shot heard round the city" on Monday morning.
Christy Webber is a Horticultural Rock Star
I'm pretty sure that she would deny it, but there's no doubting that the woman who is behind Christy Webber Landscapes has had a huge influence on the greening of Chicago. All you need to do is see the work that her company has done in places like Millennium Park, Navy Pier, and Midway and O'Hare airports. Christy Webber Landcapes also ventured into the world of retail horticulture when it bought Grand Street Gardens last year.A lot of landscaping businesses start out with a couple of lawn mowers in the back of a pickup truck. To be honest, I don't know how Christy got started in that business. Which is one of the reasons that I'm happy to have her stop by the expansive and opulent south side showcase studios for a sit-down chat with me.
Because I'm one of the founders of the Midwest Ecological Landscaping Association (MELA), you can be sure that I'm going to ask her about how her company is helping to green up the Green Industry. Of course, if you miss this morning's conversation, you can always log onto podcasts of The Mike Nowak Show to catch up with this week's--or any week's--broadcast.
MELA is showing an important film at Cantigny this week
On Thursday, June 10, MELA will present a screening of "A Chemical Reaction." This is the documentary by Brett Plymale, produced by SafeLawns.org's Paul Tukey about how a small Canadian town stood up to the chemical companies and started a movement that resulted in the banning of lawn pesticides throughout our very smart neighbor to the north. Click here to see the trailer for the film.MELA board member Linda Kiscellus, who works for Moore Landscapes, Inc., calls it a win-win situation. Not only do you get to a film that delivers a powerful, important message about the dangers of lawn pesticides, you can come a little early and visit the magnificent Cantigny gardens. Since the online registration deadline expired yesterday, admission is $20 at the door, which is still a great bargain for this important screening. I will be there on a panel to discuss the importance of abandoning the use of rampant pesticide use. I hope I see some of you there.
You have until midnight to get your entries in
I'm speaking, of course, about "Ultimate Backyard Makeover", where my show and Mighty House award one incredibly lucky Dad a brand new backyard, courtesy of a lot of great sponsors. One of them is Hardscape Designs, Inc., which specializes in landscaping, lawn services and yard paving. Lucian Gansca says that laying down pavers is a bit more involved that throwing them on the dirt and walking away. He has a few tips for people who might be thinking of hiring a company to do it for them--or even if they're taking on the task themselves. But because they have helped us out with this contest, we're going to recommend that you help them out and give them a call: 847.966.7620.Now that summer is here, so are Chicago's Farmers Markets
Some are already in full swing, many are starting today, and some will start up during the next few weeks. Here are a couple of sites that will help you figure out where to go for fresh, local produce:
- Planet WCPT (scroll down the page for lots of links)
- Metromix Chicago
- The Local Beet (look for search engine at the top of the home page)
- Illinois...Where Fresh Is
May 30, 2010I'm emceeing for the "Growing Home" benefit this week
Under the category "People Who Just Don't Learn" you can add Growing Home. Yes, this not-for-profit organization does a wonderful job training homeless and low-income individuals how to grow organic food, which prepares those people to get back into the workforce. Yes, 100% of the proceeds they make from sales of organic produce are used to improve their training program and pay for upkeep of their farm sites.But Growing Home's 8th Annual Benefit is this Thursday evening and they asked me to be the Emcee...for the third straight year. You'd think they'd learn.
Actually, Executive Director Harry Rhodes says it's a terrific event--a seated three-course dinner featuring local ingredients, following a cocktail hour with an open wine bar and hors d'oeuvres. What's even more impressive is that this year's keynote address will be given by author, food activist and blogger Frances Moore Lappé . If you don't recognize the name, perhaps you'll recognize the title of the book Diet for a Small Planet, which has only sold more than three million copies since it came out in 1971.
Even better, the Small Planet Fund, founded by Frances Moore Lappé, has approved a matching grant of $10,000 for Growing Home. This means that every dollar raised at the benefit--up to $10,000-- will be matched by SPF
Growing Home's 8th Annual Benefit will be held on June 3, 2010, 5:30 PM at Preston Bradley Hall, Chicago Cultural Center 78 E. Washington, Chicago. You can purchase tickets online at Growing Home.This is the final week in the "Ultimate Backyard Makeover" contest
Mighty House and The Mike Nowak Show have teamed up to give one lucky father the backyard makeover of his dreams...which will be awarded on Father's Day. All you have to do is send us a photo of your deserving backyard--either online or by mailing it in. We'll narrow it down to three finalists...and that's where it gets interesting. Because our listeners will help us make the final decision. To get in on the action, you need to enter before June 6th. Online voting runs from June 7th thru June 20th.You can find the full list of sponsors and contest details at Chicago's Progressive Talk.
And thanks to Galaxie Construction for being part of the contest
Galaxie Construction is the primary sponsor of the "Ultimate Backyard Makeover" and we thank them for that. Galaxie has been around since 1984 and they do all of the things you would expect from a remodeling company: kitchens, bathrooms, roofing, porches and decks, and more.But owner Bruce Pinsler is about to roll out something special. It's a new, ecologically-friendly mold resistant and fire-retardant lumber and plywood called Quantim™ and is available exclusively in the Chicago area through Galaxie Construction.Quantim™ is guaranteed to remain mold resistant for 20 years when properly installed in interior applications that are not exposed to exterior elements.
While this should be a way to reduce mold exposure, the good of the product doesn' stop there. As part of its “Purple With A Purpose” campaign, Alexian Brothers Health Systems Cancer Research Center will receive a portion of all Quantim™ sales. A scaled-down version of a residential home known as the “Purple House” will be on display at Navy Pier and later this summer at suburban shopping malls. The Purple House was designed and built by Galaxie's craftsmen using Quantim™ wood.
June 5 is World Environment Day 2010
World Environment Day (WED), a United Nations effort to stimulate worldwide awareness of the environment is next Saturday, June 5. While Pittsburgh is the official North American host city, you can be a part of the celebration by going to Chicago Botanic Garden for their "annual day of conservation exploration and education."You can visit the new, environmentally acclaimed Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center, learn about Garden adult education classes at the Regenstein Center, and tour the ongoing restoration efforts in the less formal natural areas of the Garden.
Near and dear to my heart, you can also recycle your used plant containers, learn organic vegetable gardening techniques, and bring home an heirloom seedling for your own garden.
If you can't stop by the gardens next Saturday--or even if you can--they've put together a page of great ways to practice conservation and sustainability all year round. Check it out.
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May 23, 2010
We're back at Pesche's in Des Plaines!
If you missed us when we were here three weeks ago, here's your chance to join the whole Self Help Sunday crew LIVE at Pesche's in Des Plaines on Sunday morning from 8am to noon.The Mike Nowak Show and Mighty House, along with Heather Frey, Ron Cowgill, Joe Builder and--oh, my gosh!--meteorologist Rick DiMaio...on what promises to be the hottest day of the year so far. Coincidence? Of course, yours truly will be there, too, and between the two show, we will spend another morning answering gardening and home improvement questions.However, you'd better look out if you're stopping by because we're going to be in the middle of the action and we might ask you why you're buying that plant. (But not in a confrontational way. Honest.)
Milo Shammas, the man behind the Dr. Earth Company, will be back for a short chat. So will Dr. Wally (a.k.a. Wally Schmidtke), Pesche's own "answer man." He's the guy who is usually being followed by a long line of anxious gardeners who are eager for organic answers to their questions. I think that once we get to June, Wally is going to take a well-deserved nap.
Please...this summer, Leave No Child Inside
It's time to separate your children from their video games and their computers and the TV and introduce them to the great outdoors. June is Leave No Child Inside Month, which is an initiative of Chicago Wilderness, which has partnered with organizations all over the state to promote "outdoor play and recreation." I use quotes because that's what they call it. Here's how I describe it: "Let a kid be a kid!" Sorry to shout.One of the organizations working with Chicago Wilderness is the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Director Marc Miller joins the show at Pesche's today to talk about the various activities going on in Illinois and how your organization can get involved. Importantly, a lot of good can come out of the simple act of getting kids outdoors. According to the IDNR website:
Studies show that when children spend time outdoors feelings of anxiety and depression decrease, concentration and performance at school improves, and they gain an early appreciation and love of nature. The exercise that comes with outdoor play and recreation improves weight loss, lowers high blood pressure and contribute to an overall improvement in physical health and fitness. Young people who spend time in nature are also more likely to be strong advocates for the environment as adults.
In a nutshell it's a way to make your children and our society healthy. Get on board.
One more week for the "My Backyard Garden" competition
I just want to remind you that if you know teens in 8th through 12th grade, they are eligible to enter the "My Backyard Garden: 'Keepin' It Fresh'" essay competition. It's all about about expalining the benefits of growing local fresh fruits and vegetables. Here's what the winners receive:
- Two (2) tickets to a Chicago White Sox home game (includes 2 food vouchers and 1-day CTA L passes)
- Up to eight (8) volunteer credit hours
- Letter of recommendation
- $100 gift certificate
- Will be Featured in True Star Magazine & appear as a guest on True Star Radio
and the Mike Nowak Show- Other cool prizes!
My Backyard Garden is sponsored by CEDA, in partnership with True Star Foundation, Gary Comer Youth Center, and The Mike Nowak Show. All entries must be received by next Sunday, May 30th. Here are the guidelines of the competition.
And just 2 weeks left in the "Ultimate Backyard Makeover" contest
Mighty House and The Mike Nowak Show have teamed up to give one luck father the backyard makeover of his dreams...which will be awarded on Father's Day. All you have to do is send us a photo of your deserving backyard--either online or by mailing it in. We'll narrow it down to three finalists...and that's where it gets interesting. Because our listeners will help us make the final decision. To get in on the action, you need to enter before June 6th. Online voting runs from June 7th thru June 20th.You can find the full list of sponsors and contest details at Chicago's Progressive Talk.
May 16, 2010
How are the honey bees doing?
It's a question that would have been a non-sequitur just a few short years ago. But that was before Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) began wiping out European honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies by the hundreds of thousands. I did a story about this phenomenon a couple of years ago for Chicagoland Gardening Magazine. At the time, the consensus among scientists and beekeepers was that the condition was caused by a number of factors, including persistent low-grade pesticide exposure, a condition called Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus, attacks by Varroa and other mites, diseases like the Nosema fungus, malnutrition, stress caused by the transporting of bee colonies to far-flung crops in need of pollination, and more.Geez, either the people trying to figure this out don't have a clue, or honey bees are under constant attack from outside pressures and predators. Personally, I think it's the latter. And if you're not a knee-jerk lefty capitalism-hating conspiracy theorist, you might actually appreciate this recent column on CCD in the New York Times (that bastion of conservatism), that advises us to examine all the factors carefully before jumping to conclusions.
That's why Ken Haller is a guest today. He is the former president of the Illinois State Beekeepers Association and a guy I trust to give me the straight skinny. You can also go to their website to get more information about CCD.
How did we manage to steal Canada's coastline?
I'm talking, of course, about the so-called panhandle of Alaska that extends down the North American Pacific coast, which contains the Tongass National Forest--America's largest national forest--and some of the most pristine land remaining on the planet. The coast has to be the best part of that area, which makes me wonder what kind of scam we pulled on the Canadians. But that's another conversation.The Tongass features 17 million acres of temperate rain forest that is home to brown bears, bald eagles and marbled murrelets, while the biologically rich coastal ecosystem is home to humpback whales, orcas, sea lions and all five species of Pacific salmon. And, of course, there are those trees--those fantastic, lichen and moss-covered old growth conifers that rise like booster rockets into the sky. There is also tremendous pressure from industry to exploit these lands. The problem is that there's basically nothing like this left on earth. I spent many years in the Pacific Northwest and I know the devastation that clear cutting, for instance, can wreak on ecosystems.
Which is why I'm so grateful that Amy Gulick took her backpack and her camera and spent more than two years documenting this sacred ground. She teamed up with scientists and journalists, who wrote essays to accompany her photographs and the result is Salmon in the Trees: Life in Alaska's Tongass Rain Forest, published by Braided River.
Gulick will be in Chicago for a free public presentation at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (South Gallery) 2430 N. Cannon Drive this Tuesday, May 18 at 7:00 p.m. Free Registration is at adultprograms@naturemuseum.org.
We had a drainfly problem at WCPT the other day.
They were all over the place (especially in the women's bathroom...don't ask me why) That is until Rick Moskovitz from A-Plus Pest Control came by to take care of it. The reason we called Rick is that we know his products are safe for the environment. And they're effective.The odd thing is that I already had him scheduled to be on the show. We were going to talk about ants and the controls to keep them marching anywhere but inside your home. We'll still do that. But I have a feeling that we'll talk about drain flies, too.
The "My Backyard Garden" competition is open until May 30
I just want to remind you that if you know teens in 8th through 12th grade, they are eligible to enter the "My Backyard Garden: 'Keepin' It Fresh'" essay competition. It's all about about expalining the benefits of growing local fresh fruits and vegetables. Here's what the winners receive:
- Two (2) tickets to a Chicago White Sox home game (includes 2 food vouchers and 1-day CTA L passes)
- Up to eight (8) volunteer credit hours
- Letter of recommendation
- $100 gift certificate
- Will be Featured in True Star Magazine & appear as a guest on True Star Radio
and the Mike Nowak Show- Other cool prizes!
My Backyard Garden is sponsored by CEDA, in partnership with True Star Foundation, Gary Comer Youth Center, and The Mike Nowak Show. All entries must be received by Sunday, May 30th. Here are the guidelines of the competition.
Thanks to all the folks who helped with "Growing in Austin"
We had a great broadcast yesterday at the Third Unitarian Church in the Austin Neighborhood of Chicago. Just like last year's "Rooted in Austin," the most amazing part of the show was the networking about urban agriculture that happened on site during the commercials and after the program.Of course, some of it happened on air, like when Cob Connection's Chad Bliss announced that he's desperately seeking 30 people to take urban farming jobs during the summer. You can get more information by linking to this flyer. It's for low income people who must meet certain qualifications. And it needs to happen quickly, while funds are available. If you know folks who might qualify, please get them the information.
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May 2, 2010
Self Help Sunday comes to Pesche's Garden Center in Des Plaines!
Both The Mike Nowak Show and Mighty House are broadcasting LIVE! (I love saying that) from Pesche's in Des Plaines this morning. So stop by from 8 to 10 am to get a gardening question answered and from 10 to Noon to get your home improvement question answered. We are nothing if not a full-service one-stop shopping radio station.This is the second of two Dr. Earth Days at Pesche's. So I will be talking to the creator and inspiration for the Dr. Earth Company, Milo Shammas. He's one of those guys who started a business in the back of a truck and built it into something quite a bit larger. Unfortunately, my truck died about a year ago so I'm going to remain destitute. But I digress.
The point is that Milo Shammas believes in the organic method of gardening and he has created something he calls "Pro-Biotic" fertilizers. The Dr. Earth website describes them as "a biological soil inoculant that consists of several species of beneficial soil bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi," which they say produce great results for your plants.
I'll also be talking to Pesche's own Dr. Wally (Schmidtke). He's the in-residence guru, so to speak, and I've been relying on his terrific advice for years. The bottom line is--stop by, have some fun and ask a question. We hope we see you there.The frogs are back!
Actually, they never went away. But I want to call your attention to the Frog Monitoring Field Workshop this Saturday, May 8 at Cook County's Spring Creek Forest Preserve from from 5 to 10pm. Matt Hokanson is a local steward and frog monitor who invites you for a night of "frog fun" (be afraid). Actually, it does sound like fun, to hang out with conservationists--having some snacks, doing some restoration work and listening to frogs call in the night.In previous years, Matt says that the monitors have had to contend with things like nearby rock concerts, which pretty much masked the frog calls. This year, the challenge is different--lack of rains might be keeping the frog population quiet.
Prairie Crossing's 5th Annual Organic Plant Sale
As you might know, WRD Environmental has been a loyal sponsor of The Mike Nowak Show since we started at WCPT more than two years ago. And they're also one of the organizations behind the 5th Annual Growing with Nature: Organic Plant Sale at Station Square in Prairie Crossing, Grayslake, Illinois on Saturday May 8. You can stock up on locally grown organic plants, including vegetables, herbs and flowers grown from seed by students and volunteers at Prairie Crossing Charter School, an environmentally focused public charter school, and the Learning Farm, a nonprofit educational farm near the school.You can also meet Amanda Thomsen, co-author of Grocery Gardening, who was on my show a few weeks ago. She'll be giving free advice on how to grow your own food organically, prepare the food you’ve grown and compost the leftovers to enhance your garden soils. Vendors selling gardening and organic goods will also be on hand.
WRD is the lead sponsor of the event, which benefits the school and farm. I hate to suck up, but they're awesome! Really.
I make my debut on True Star Radio tonight at 7pm!
Yes, I know, I already have a radio show. But this isn't MY radio show. It's a radio show that features local high school students talking about issues that are important to them. And, believe it or not, one of the issues that True Star Radio is focusing on is urban agriculture. CEDA, which is a sponsor on Chicago's Progressive Talk, is sponsoring a contest for students from grades 8 through 12. It's called the "My Backyard Garden: 'Keepin It Fresh'" essay competition, and students can enter by telling CEDA how growing local fruits and vegetables can benefit their communities. Here are the guidelines of the competition.
Here's what the winners receive:
- Two (2) tickets to a Chicago White Sox home game (includes 2 food vouchers and 1-day CTA L passes)
- Up to eight (8) volunteer credit hours
- Letter of recommendation
- $100 gift certificate
- Will be Featured in True Star Magazine & appear as a guest on True Star Radio
and the Mike Nowak Show- Other cool prizes!
My Backyard Garden is sponsored by CEDA, in partnership with True Star Foundation, Gary Comer Youth Center, and The Mike Nowak Show. All entries must be received by Sunday, May 30th.
So I'm going on True Star Radio (WPWX Power 92.3 FM) tonight to be interviewed by Henry (a.k.a. Romeo and a.k.a. Prettyboy), Sharmin’ Jarmin’ and Miss Mina Vee. They have already put me through the ringer with "pre-production interviews," so I know that I will be have to bring my "A" game to the studios in Hammond, Indiana. I hope you can tune in.
