Ask Ruby

K. Ruby Blume has been responding to questions on a wide variety of homesteading topics for years. If you’re wondering when to prune your trees, how to improve your soil, what your bees are up to or why your yogurt isn’t setting correctly, Ruby has the answer or a good idea where to get it! Be sure to include your location and any other pertinent details

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Upcoming Events

May 30, 2013
- Gardening with Native PlantGardening with Native Plant
  
  Time: 6:30 pm
  
  Beautiful and supremely adapted, landscaping with natives is good for the planet, good for your soil, good for backyard wildlife, and a feast for the eye. For every garden and every gardener, every situation and need, there is an eco-friendly native alternative to those box store generics. This workshop offers an overview of common landscaping natives for our region, their growth requirements, and how to incorporate them into your yard and garden. 6:30 - 8:30 pm, GROW Art and Garden Center, Mill Valley at 6:30 pm
June 1, 2013
- Edibles & Container GardeningEdibles & Container Gardening
  
  Time: 10:00 am
  
  Growing edible plants in containers and raised beds has a lot of benefits for urban and suburban gardeners growing in small spaces. If you have problems with poor soil, gophers or other pests, gardening in containers may be a good alternative to growing directly in the ground. Also, containers and raised beds conform to, and make the most use of small spaces, often a major concern for the urban and suburban garden. Explore the different types of containers and raised beds suitable for the place where you live. Learn about building your own containers, vertical gardening, the types of plants to grow where you live, including annual and perennial fruits and vegetables, as well as soil and amendments, and long-term care for plants and trees in containers. 10 am - 1 pm $25, GROW Art and Garden Center at 10:00 am
June 6, 2013
- Eco-ResilienceEco-Resilience
  
  Time: 6:00 pm
  
  Resilience is the ability to shift from reaction to resourcefulness in the face of adversity—to bend like a twig in a flood and not break. The new normal of the 21st century demands a deeper embodiment of this kind of flexibility, so we can remain awake, active and effective at this time. Thankfully, we have a few primary sources of resilience to learn from--the body, the earth. What does it mean to bounce back? What are our best ways of doing so? How can we support one another in being resilient, embodied and highly effective in response to the challenge of our time? In this experiential, ongoing group, we will explore such themes as embodiment, flexibility, personal ecology, optimism, community, efficacy and direct action as we create our Resilient Strategies toolkit. Each of us will have the chance to identify practices that work for us, as well as the opportunity to apply them in our lives. The group will offer participants the strength of community, the creativity of shared dialog and the power of perseverance and practice. Come join this community forum and participate in the evolution of resilient culture. at 6:00 pm
June 13, 2013
- Eco-ResilienceEco-Resilience
  
  Time: 6:00 pm
  
  Resilience is the ability to shift from reaction to resourcefulness in the face of adversity—to bend like a twig in a flood and not break. The new normal of the 21st century demands a deeper embodiment of this kind of flexibility, so we can remain awake, active and effective at this time. Thankfully, we have a few primary sources of resilience to learn from--the body, the earth. What does it mean to bounce back? What are our best ways of doing so? How can we support one another in being resilient, embodied and highly effective in response to the challenge of our time? In this experiential, ongoing group, we will explore such themes as embodiment, flexibility, personal ecology, optimism, community, efficacy and direct action as we create our Resilient Strategies toolkit. Each of us will have the chance to identify practices that work for us, as well as the opportunity to apply them in our lives. The group will offer participants the strength of community, the creativity of shared dialog and the power of perseverance and practice. Come join this community forum and participate in the evolution of resilient culture. at 6:00 pm
- Water! Learn How...Water! Learn How...
  
  Time: 6:30 pm
  
  Learn how to manifest a greater appreciation for water and create a more sustainable lifestyle for yourself by reusing greywater, harvesting rainwater, and rethinking the (potable water) flush toilet. Explore low tech to high tech (and flat out fun!) options from an artist/plumbers eye-view. Come prepared to be inspired! Taught by Christina Bertea, GROW Art and Garden, Mill Valley at 6:30 pm
June 20, 2013
- Eco-ResilienceEco-Resilience
  
  Time: 6:00 pm
  
  Resilience is the ability to shift from reaction to resourcefulness in the face of adversity—to bend like a twig in a flood and not break. The new normal of the 21st century demands a deeper embodiment of this kind of flexibility, so we can remain awake, active and effective at this time. Thankfully, we have a few primary sources of resilience to learn from--the body, the earth. What does it mean to bounce back? What are our best ways of doing so? How can we support one another in being resilient, embodied and highly effective in response to the challenge of our time? In this experiential, ongoing group, we will explore such themes as embodiment, flexibility, personal ecology, optimism, community, efficacy and direct action as we create our Resilient Strategies toolkit. Each of us will have the chance to identify practices that work for us, as well as the opportunity to apply them in our lives. The group will offer participants the strength of community, the creativity of shared dialog and the power of perseverance and practice. Come join this community forum and participate in the evolution of resilient culture. at 6:00 pm
June 27, 2013
- Eco-ResilienceEco-Resilience
  
  Time: 6:00 pm
  
  Resilience is the ability to shift from reaction to resourcefulness in the face of adversity—to bend like a twig in a flood and not break. The new normal of the 21st century demands a deeper embodiment of this kind of flexibility, so we can remain awake, active and effective at this time. Thankfully, we have a few primary sources of resilience to learn from--the body, the earth. What does it mean to bounce back? What are our best ways of doing so? How can we support one another in being resilient, embodied and highly effective in response to the challenge of our time? In this experiential, ongoing group, we will explore such themes as embodiment, flexibility, personal ecology, optimism, community, efficacy and direct action as we create our Resilient Strategies toolkit. Each of us will have the chance to identify practices that work for us, as well as the opportunity to apply them in our lives. The group will offer participants the strength of community, the creativity of shared dialog and the power of perseverance and practice. Come join this community forum and participate in the evolution of resilient culture. at 6:00 pm
July 4, 2013
- Eco-ResilienceEco-Resilience
  
  Time: 6:00 pm
  
  Resilience is the ability to shift from reaction to resourcefulness in the face of adversity—to bend like a twig in a flood and not break. The new normal of the 21st century demands a deeper embodiment of this kind of flexibility, so we can remain awake, active and effective at this time. Thankfully, we have a few primary sources of resilience to learn from--the body, the earth. What does it mean to bounce back? What are our best ways of doing so? How can we support one another in being resilient, embodied and highly effective in response to the challenge of our time? In this experiential, ongoing group, we will explore such themes as embodiment, flexibility, personal ecology, optimism, community, efficacy and direct action as we create our Resilient Strategies toolkit. Each of us will have the chance to identify practices that work for us, as well as the opportunity to apply them in our lives. The group will offer participants the strength of community, the creativity of shared dialog and the power of perseverance and practice. Come join this community forum and participate in the evolution of resilient culture. at 6:00 pm
August 24, 2013
- Canning and Drying the Summer Canning and Drying the Summer
  
  Time: 10:00 am
  
  Rachel Kaplan, 3 Hours, 10am-1pm Learn the simple canning technique for acid fruits and tomatoes. Learn first about safety issues, equipment, ingredients and theory—then jump in to learning the skills yourself. It so simple and easy, anyone can do it. We’ll cover water bath and steam canning, as well as flip kettle canning and make our own apple and tomato sauces. We will briefly touch in on other forms of food preservation including solar drying and dehydration basics. Everyone will go home with a jar of food we’ve canned during the class. at 10:00 am
August 30, 2013
- Women's Herbal SymposiumWomen's Herbal Symposium
  
  Time: 3:00 pm
  
  Workshops in Urban Homestead Design Lab, EarthArt Action and Restoring our Relationship to Place, in the midst of other sustainability workshops, 100s of green goddesses and their children, in Laytonville, CA There are 3 different gatherings of the symposium. Rachel will be teaching during Session Three. Other symposia focus on herbal wisdom, intuitive knowledge, health, nutrition and wellness. All a rocking good time with a bunch of beautiful women. at 3:00 pm
August 31, 2013
- Women's Herbal SymposiumWomen's Herbal Symposium
  
  Time: 3:00 pm
  
  Workshops in Urban Homestead Design Lab, EarthArt Action and Restoring our Relationship to Place, in the midst of other sustainability workshops, 100s of green goddesses and their children, in Laytonville, CA There are 3 different gatherings of the symposium. Rachel will be teaching during Session Three. Other symposia focus on herbal wisdom, intuitive knowledge, health, nutrition and wellness. All a rocking good time with a bunch of beautiful women. at 3:00 pm