You always hear that every living thing affects its ecosystem, so it’s hard to predict what the absence of a species might mean for a given environment.

Here’s a good video illustrating this concept perfectly, by showing how wolves change rivers. Well worth the 4 minutes to watch.

If you have any stories of how the presence of a species (or lack thereof) caused an interesting effect on its eco-system, por favor share it with me.

My friends, I have gathered you here to discuss something very important in the gardening world. No matter how truly green you keep your garden, whether it’s with homemade compost lasagna, or by planting a community garden in your city, there’s one thing that can absolutely destroy it. Something very “deer” to my heart.

If you haven’t guessed, I’m talkin’ ’bout deer! Now, I’ve tried all kinds of things to keep them from demolishing my precious lil’ organic garden — sprinkling hair around the garden, making semi-invisible fences out of fishing line, sacrifices to the Moon God Jokar, even coyote pee.

But you know what? (raises knee up onto stool, props elbow on, looks earnestly into your eyes) None of that worked. I was about ready to throw in the towel to the dastardly deer.

I thought my choices were either build a 15-foot high fence around the garden, or just sit out there with an axe waiting for a deer to try its luck. This year, though, I found a different way (blinks back tears) — a better way.

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Oh heck to the yeah, it’s time, once again, for the Raleigh Tour D’ Coop, the premier tour for backyard chicken raising!

If you’re interested in raising backyard chickens for their juevos deliciosos (literally, “delicious eggs”), in seeing some jawsome homemade chicken coops, or touring some amazing gardens (shrines to mother nature herself!), then you’ll definitely want to check out the 2014 Tour D’ Coop!

I’ve gone three times to the Raleigh Tour D’ Coop, in 2008, 2010, and 2011, and each time you get to see new chickens, cool chicken coops, and interesting garden setups, plus meet a bunch of good peeps who raise peeps (chicken peeps, that is!).

P.S. Durham has its own Bull City Coop Tour, which I attended with much fanfare last fall, and plan to attend this year as well.

Anyhoo, here are the pertinent details, or “deetz” as I’d text it.

When?

Saturday, May 17, 10AM – 3PM

Where?

Cary n’ Raleigh
On Saturday morning, online ticket buyers will get an email with the addresses of each coop. If you buy tickets in person, you can get a map at any of the following locations (see below).

How do I Tickets?

Order tickets online, or buy them in person on May 17 at one o’ these places:

• Urban Ministries of Wake County (site of the Coop Carnival) – 1390 Capital Boulevard
• Whole Foods (Raleigh) – 3540 Wade Avenue
• Whole Foods (North Raleigh) – 8710 Six Forks Road
• Whole Foods (Cary) – 102 New Waverly Place

You only need one ticket per group, dang, what a deal!! I recommend the heck out of this if you’re anywhere near Raleigh; you won’t regret it, and that’s the EcoJoe guarantee.

On Saturday (October 19, to be precise) I awoke to the clinging and a-clanging of a mobile cellular tele-phone message from Bull City Bucks (a great way to earn free mess in Durham, NC). This aforementioned alert alertly alerted me to some alerting news; it was time for the third annual Bull City Coop Tour!

After rounding up the missus, we peeled out of the driveway to go get our $5 map from Bull City Burger n’ Brewery (they also offered maps at the Durham Farmers’ Market). With el mapa en la mano, we were off on this journey of chickens and learning.

If you haven’t yet been on the Bull City Coop Tour, it’s a lot like the Henside the Beltline: Tour D’Coop in Raleigh, only it’s in Durham. Basically, READ MORE »

Do you live near Raleigh?

Did you know that a bunch o’ people raise chickens in their backyards inside the beltline?

Do you wish there was a tour of all these backyard coops coming soon?

If so, then you, my friend, have got your wish, for the 2011 Raleigh Henside the Beltline Tour d’Coop is this Saturday from 10AM to 4PM!

I’ve been fortunate enough to go on the 2008 tour and the 2010 tour, and I can assure you you’ll see some jawsome backyards, houses, chicken coops, gardens, and chickens.

You’ll laugh at the antics of the hens, marvel at elaborate hen houses, and maybe even get to hold a chicken. Plus there are tons of helpful people around to answer your insightful chicken questions.

How Can I Go?

Bring a non-perishable food item or a wad of cash money to one of these convenient locations (money & food goes to Urban Ministries):

• Steven B. Andreaus, DDS , PA1637 Glenwood Avenue , across from the Rialto Theater
• Ornamentea: 509 N. West Street, one block south of Peace Street
• CupAJoe: 2109-142 Avent Ferry Road, in the lower level of Mission Valley Shopping Center
• Whole Foods Market: 3540 Wade Avenue, in the Ridgewood Shopping Center
• Seaboard ACE Hardware: 802 Semart Drive, across from Logan’s Nursery

To find out more, mosey on over to the official website, right about here.

What follows is a strange but true tale about overpopulation and bad natural resource management. Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, I call this story (tosses dust into fire)

The Tale of St. Matthews Island

Move your mouse arrow over the image, and depress the key to view the image.

Does that first panel look familiar at all, perchane? Maybe a little something like THIS
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(Polish Mophead chicken from 501 Mial Street)
Welp, last Saturday was the 2010 Henside the Beltline Tour D’ Coop, a big chicken-coop tour in Raleigh. Me and the lovely EcoTiff donated some non-perishable food at Cup a Joes, got us a chicken tour map, and away we went on a journey of chicken knowledge, touring other people’s eco-friendly yards, and homespun wisdom. READ MORE »