The back garden is home to three raspberry canes, a jostaberry, two blueberries, and a huge bay tree…as well as a small lawn surrounded by osteospermum, roses, buddleia, a very large pettisporum and an even larger conifer which is threatening to take over the garden, if the ivy doesn’t manage it first.

The raspberry canes are just outside the back door and are showing signs of life – small, green shoots. We’ve only ever had two or three raspberries from the three canes – which is pathetic really, but I’m hopeful that this year will be different. Surely.

Next to the raspberry canes is a jostaberry tree – a cross between gooseberries and blackberries. Although I wouldn’t really know as it has never produced any fruit, or anything more than a few leaves. It also has some green shoots and I don’t want to give up on it, so whilst I am still deciding what to do with it, it can stay there…

There’s a large, empty space next to the fruit trees – the whole area is covered with wire mesh and nets to stop the cats and birds getting in…I’m thinking of growing cucumbers there.

Last year I had a go at growing onions in a few containers – they were doing really well until all the slugs got to them. During the winter I bought some copper ‘slug stoppa tape’ which I hope will deter the wretched slugs… I live in hope….

There are also two blueberry bushes in large containers and I was really excited to see that they survived their first winter. But most exciting of all is the small container of parsley. I sowed the seeds a couple of years ago and the parsley just keeps on growing. I picked some the other night to add to a risotto.

In need of a rest, I sat down in the kitchen with my jar of seeds. I keep the seed packets in a sealed glass jar in the fridge. I had completely forgotten what was in there - sadly, most of the seeds were well out of date. So I set off to the garden centre. There are three garden centres near where I live.

I was looking for organic seeds – specifically salad leaves. Mizuna has done well in my garden, so I wanted to have a go at growing more salad type vegetables. At the garden centres, there was a dazzling array of seeds, but very few organic seeds, especially salad leaves. However, I came home with some organic ’cultivated rocket’ and radicchio seeds. And some organic potatoes – Orla – and organic potato fertiliser. I’ll let you know how I get on, next time.

I was on the phone to a friend and we started talking about Freecyle.

“You must join. It’s so easy and it’s so useful, especially at the moment!” my friend enthused.

She then started to rave about all the things she had picked up over the years as a result of ‘freecycling’ and all the great things she had been happy to give away because she or her children no longer needed them.

“I have tried to join my local Freecycle,” I said, “but I just can’t work out how to do it. I would really like to sign up, especially as I want to write about it.…!”

“It’s so easy!” Michelle said, again.

Her enthusiasm was catching.

I was sitting in front of the computer,  so I googled ‘Yahoo Groups‘ which came up with http://groups.yahoo.com. Under ‘Find a Yahoo Group’ I typed ‘Freecycle’ and clicked on search. Over 11621 entries!

“You’ve got to search for your local area,” Michelle said patiently.

So I went back to the ‘Find a Yahoo Group’ page and typed in ‘Freecyle’ and the name of my local  town and clicked on the link. Then clicked on ’Join This Group’.

At this point, I decided to go it alone and thanked Michelle for her help and for encouraging me to get started.

I needed to create a yahoo email account. That was easy enough. Then the screen said I was 3 steps away from joining. The 3 steps included dreaming up an original alias (or you can use your email address- for identification), and explaining in less than 200 words why I wanted to join the group.

After completing the three steps, the screen said:  “Your membership request has been submitted to the group.  You will receive a confirmation email when your membership has been approved.”

So what exactly is Freecycle?

According to their website: “The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,650 groups with 6,243,716 members across the globe. It’s a grassroots and entirely non-profit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns and thus keeping good stuff out of landfills.

“Membership is free, and everything posted must be FREE, legal and appropriate for all ages. To view the items being given away or sought in (your area), you must be a member of the local group.”

In the week since I joined my local Freecycle group I’ve received over 200 emails! The emails appear as and when people post them, but there is an option to receive a daily digest. Each email states clearly in the subject line whether the objects are ‘Wanted’, ‘Offered’ or ‘Taken’, what the objects are, and where the person is based. So you can easily choose which ones to open.

There’s a truly amazing range of items on offer – from baby and toddler clothes and toys, to dining tables, old televisions, sofas, musical instruments, cds, you name it. Some people have also posted wanted items, including tumble dryers, pieces of wood and toys.

Michelle advised me to offer a few things before I ask for anything. I have posted my first offer – and I‘m excited to see what happens….

By Debbie Cowan

How has Freecycle helped you go green - let me know!

Dorset’s Green Book and Directory is now available from local bookshops, farm shops, health food shops, tourist information centres and from www.southcoastbooks.com

Updated 9.4.09 11.27am

EVENTS:

Coming Up:

APRIL 2009

Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 April
Bark Festival
www.barkfestival.co.uk

Wednesday 22 April 7:30
Green Drinks – meetings to encourage networking on green issues 
Purbeck Environment Action Team http://www.peat-da21.org

Thursday 23 April  7.15pm – 9.30pm
 ”Who killed the electric car”
At Oakdale Methodist Church, Oakdale Road, Poole.
Free admission. All welcome. Refreshments. Plus Dorset’s Green Books Book Stall.

Saturday 25 April       
Bean Pole Day
Celebrating the  hazel beanpole! part of National Beanpole week
see http://dorsetcoppicegroup.co.uk

Monday 27 April 17:00-20.30
AGM (annual general meeting) – TRANSITION TOWN DORCHESTER
At the Dorset Construction Centre – Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 3AR
The group’s first annual general meeting. Local food (bring and share) – open discussion – sustainable construction speaker – opportunity to look around the Dorset Construction Centre and Weymouth College and student arts exhibition. Email info@transitiontowndorchester.org to reserve a place…. See also http://www.transitiontowndorchester.org

MAY

Friday 15 May to Sunday 31 May 2009
The Big Green Fortnight taking place throughout Bournemouth and Poole
Closing date to register an event 27 March 2009
Email  emily@deac.co.uk or post it to Emily Bullock, Big Green Fortnight Programme Manager, c/o Dorset Energy Advice Centre, Bob Hann House, Shillito Road
Parkstone, Poole BH12 2BW. Tel: 01202 307413

JUNE 2009

Saturday 20 June 2009
Dorset Cyclists’ Network Annual General meeting
2pm at Wareham Parish Hall, The Quay, Wareham OS ref SY 923 871
Website: www.dcn.org.uk

Friday 26 and Saturday 27 June 2009
Bridport Food Festival
At Asker Meadow, Bridport
Website: www.bridportfoodfestival.org.uk

JULY

Thursday 23 July 2009 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm 
At Kinson Community Centre
Sustainable Environment Consultation Forum
This forum looks at all environmental, housing and travel issues.

**************************************************************************************

PAST EVENTS:

JANUARY 2009

6 January 2009
19:00 Green Drinks – Transition Town Dorchester.

15 January 2009
West Dorset Organic Gardening Group
Renate Diallo talks about the Nicaragua Schools Project.

15  January 2009  2pm
Charcoal Burning Talk
At Honeybrook, Wimborne BH21 4JD 
Telephone: 01202 881120 
Website: www.honeybrook.org
Learn all about charcoal making, particularly looking at Victorian Times.
£3 a person, includes Tea & Cake.
Please ring for availability.

Friday  16 January 2009
19:00 Sustainable Communities Act – Public Meeting – Dorchester

Saturday 17 January 2009
19:30 Screening of “The 11th Hour” – Weymouth

Wednesday 21 January 8.00pm,
The Kings Arms Pub, Langton Matravers, Dorset
PEAT (Purbeck Environment Action Team) meeting.
Email: peatda21@googlemail.com
Website: www.peat-da21.org

Wednesday 28 January 2009   8.00 to 9.30 pm
Fuel Cells and Solar Hot Water -  Iwerne Valley Climate Change Forum
Venue: Jubilee Lecture Theatre, Clayesmore (to be confirmed)
Dennis Carey on ‘Electricity from fuel cells: a non-technical appreciation’
Malcolm and Sally Green on ‘A Foray into Solar Energy’
Email: jaf.ford@virgin.net

Thursday, 29 January 2009
19:00 Meeting of Weymouth & Portland TT – Weymouth

FEBRUARY 2009

Tuesday, 3 February 2009
19:00 Green Drinks – Transition Town Dorchester

19 February 2009
West Dorset Organic Gardening Group
Sculpture in Gardens. 

 APRIL

Saturday 4 April 2009 10am – 5pm
Dorchester & South Dorset LETS AGM
At The United Church Hall, South Street, Dorchester
See www.dorchester-lets.co.uk

***********************************************************************
Dorset’s Green Book and Directory is now available from local bookshops, farm shops, health food shops, tourist information centres, Amazon and from www.southcoastbooks.com

Dorset Farmers’ Markets

February – May – Coming Soon

For further information telephone 01258 454510
Website: www.dorsetfarmersmarkets.co.uk

OUT NOW: Dorset’s Green Book and Directory – the essential reference guide to Dorset’s environmentally friendly, fairtrade, free range, natural and organic products, services and projects. Available from local bookshops, tourist information centres, farm shops, health clinics, health food stores and other local shops and rural stores.

dgb-1-a5-poster-on-sale-now

Dorset’s Green Book and Directory is the essential reference guide to Dorset’s Environmentally Friendly, Fair Trade, Free Range, Natural, Organic and Recycled projects, products and services.

Dorset’s Green Book and Directory is a new annual publication, A5 size, half colour, half black and white, which is packed with articles and information about ‘green’, recycled, environmentally friendly, natural and organic projects, products and services in the Dorset area.

The first half of the book is divided into two sections – the first with articles about all things green and the second includes features on an array of complementary therapies.

The ‘green’ articles include Dorset’s eco-friendly Artists and Craftspeople, For Baby, Ecology – What is Ecological Intelligence by Dr Paul Stevens at Bournemouth University, Energy – hydropower, woodfuel and more, Why Fairtrade?, Finance – Credit Unions and LETS (Local Exchange Trading Schemes), Food – information about vegetables boxes, Friends of the Earth Green Living Tips, Gardening – Community Champions and ’Edible Gardens’, a Green Score Card, plus Homes – Straw Bale Homes by Rob Buckley of the Dorset Centre for Rural Skills, Nature – Common Ground Environment Charity and Free From Plastic Bags, Recycling – Furniture Re-Use Network and Recycle 4 Free, Organic Skincare by Diane Biggs of Goodbodies in Westbourne, and Transport – vegetable oil bio-diesel, and information about Dorset Cyclists’ Network.

Dorset’s Green Book also contains information about Permaculture, Farmers’ Markets, the Wessex Organic Movement and much, much more.

The Directory is an A-Z of Dorset’s towns: Abbotsbury, Beaminster, Blandford, Bournemouth, Bridport, Christchurch, Dorchester, Ferndown, Lyme Regis, Poole, Shaftesbury, Sherborne, Sturminster Newton, Swanage, Verwood, Wareham, West Moors, Westbourne, Weymouth, Wimborne and ‘Dorset Countywide’.

The subdivisions include: Accommodation, Allotments, Architects, Artists and Craftspeople, Burials, Car Boot Sales, Charity Shops, Cleaning Products, Clothing, Fairtrade Shops, Food and Drink, Health and Beauty, Libraries, Places to Visit, Recycling Facilities, Shoe Repairers, Skincare, Stationery, Workshops, Yurts and many others. 

The book has 132 pages and costs £5.99. (There are lots of special offers and discounts inside so you should be able to recoup the cost of the book). 

Dorset’s Green Book and Directory is available from local book shops, tourist information centres, Dorset Libraries, Farm Shops, Fairtrade shops, Health Food Shops, some Health Clinics, rural food stores and other relevant shops and businesses in the Dorset area. The book is also available direct from www.southcoastbooks.com.

To order a copy or to find out where you can buy a book in Dorset email: info@southcoastbooks.com

If you would like a free listing or to advertise in the 2009/2010 edition email the above address or if you would like a mention on this blog, please post a comment or email the above address.

Many thanks

Debbie Cowan – Editor

Dorset’s Green Book and Directory

Welcome to Dorset’s Green Book Blog.

This blog aims to promote all things green ie natural, organic and environmentally-friendly in the Dorset area and to introduce people to a new book for Dorset – ”Dorset’s Green Book and Directory’.

See separate entry – ‘What is Dorset’s Green Book and Directory’ for more information about this exciting new book.

This blog is quite new and I will be adding details of ‘green’ events in the Dorset area. Please let me know if you are organising a green event so that it can be included here.

I will also be including posts about my attempts and those of my friends and people I meet to lead a green or greener life!

Please also let me know about your attempts to lead a greener life.

Many thanks

Debbie Cowan - Editor

Dorset’s Green Book and Directory

info@southcoastbooks.com

To order your copy of Dorset’s Green Book and Directory see www.southcoastbooks.com

About the Editor: Debbie Cowan is a freelance journalist, editor and publisher. For 11 years she published ‘interval’, a free what’s on guide for the Dorset and Hampshire area. and for the past 11 years she has written articles for a wide range of publications including ‘Grow Your Own’, ‘Cycling Weekly’ and the Sunday Times.