Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Everyone loves getting rid of BIG stuff for free!

This year City of Edmonton will hold 12 Big Bin Events. A weekend event where you can drop off all your large items for free disposal. But remember, if you have anything in good condition check out the Reuse Directory for a listing of vendors who will accept that item for reuse. 

2012 Big Bin Events Schedule

All 2012 events will run from 9am to 5pm.


*New updated location
DateLocationAddress
August 18 & 19Jasper Place9200 163 Street
August 25 & 26Rexall Place *Lot E, 7424 118 Avenue
September 8 & 9Blue Quill11304 25 Avenue
September 15 & 16Commonwealth Stadium112 Avenue &
90 Street
September 22 & 23Ellerslie Facility *2415 101 Street SW

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Welcome May Flowers!

from the Edmonton Naturalization Group's Newsletter
Lawn care time is upon us, but before you reach for your weed hound or industrial vinegar, consider celebrating your dandelions and leaving a few as an early food source for bees.

In fact, providing honeybees with an important food source doesn’t require any effort at all, just don’t mow down your dandelions. As a non-native plant, dandelions are a weed by almost every definition, but honeybees are not native to this continent, either. Dandelions bloom early in the spring, when there are few other flowers. They are a vital source of both nectar and pollen at that time of year, when the bees’ food stores are at their lowest.

A healthier environment for this important and welcome non-native species includes plenty of dandelions.

Dandelion Blossom Tea
Since there are more than enough dandelions for everyone this year, here is my method of preventing some of them from going to seed.
Pick 5 or 6 dandelion blossoms (no stems), check for ants etc. and place them in a mug. Pour boiling water on them and let then steep for 5 minutes. Sweeten to taste and drink. This is a very mild tea, green tasting but not bitter. Dandelion tea is a great liver tonic.
I usually pick a year's supply and dry them on a screen. Once the blossoms have dried they can be stored in glass jars.