For Downey gardener who refuses to use power tools, it's easy being green
31.12.69
Last month, gardener Steve Perez used one gallon of gas.
His main fuel? Rice and beans and malt drinks served by his Cuban family.
That’s because Perez went green.
Perez travels his entire gardening route on a three-wheeled bicycle. He doesn’t use a leaf blower or even electric shears.
All his tools, such as a broom, a rake and a push mower, are Steve-powered. He carries them in a trailer hitched to his bike.
His official title: The Green Gardener-Eco-Friendly-Landscaping-Odd Jobs & Knife Sharpening.
“Most gardeners are just blow and go. That’s what I call them,” he said. “Three guys jump out of their truck with a bunch of power tools, chop up the yard, make a bunch of noise, and then jump back in their truck, all within about 15 minutes.”
He is celebrating one year in business this month.
A typical job for Perez lasts about 90 minutes, and he can’t get to more than five clients a day, he said.
Source: Downey Beat
Jim Sikes: Some kitchen essentials
31.12.69
Frequently, I am asked a similar question: What should I have in my kitchen to cook the best? What do you have that you can't do without?
Lots of food writers have spoken to those questions over the years. I'm not going to presume to have better answers than folks like James Beard, Julia Child and Elizabeth David, to name but a few. But I am going to talk about some things that sure make cooking easier in my kitchen at home. Things I wouldn't want to do without. Things I actually use. I think they will help you, too.
First off, I like items that do double duty — multi-taskers. A single use gadget tends to stay in a drawer or cabinet rather than us spending the time to find it and then clean it afterward.
No question a few good knives are extremely important. I use a 10-inch chef's knife for most everything.
I also have a serrated cheese knife. These are great. They have a blade that cuts well, and the sides are mostly holes. That way soft cheese (or anything else) doesn't stick to the blade when you slice. The same is true for pies and cakes. A cheese knife makes a perfect bread slicer and tomato knife. Deli meats are no match for it either.
Source: Opelika Auburn News