The 2nd Annual Green Gift List

The turkey is barely cold before it's time to run out and get that gift-giving machine humming!

For the second year in a row I've rounded up the most eco-friendly, interesting, and practical gifts that I could find using the same criteria as last holiday season:

• must be rated four stars or more
  
• has to cost under $50

With a little research and a lot of well wishes- I present to you Lilliworm's Green Gift List!


GET MOVING!
Yoga is one of my favorite healthy activities. Basically all you need is the knowledge and a mat....and what a mat this one is!

This double-thick gem is not only textured to prevent slipping, but it also comes with a lifetime guarantee. Of course it couldn't make the list without having a green pedigree: it is recyclable and biodegradable! Color options include blue, purple, and black. Current price: $39.95.


GET CREATIVE!
You just never can tell when the desire to create is going to strike you (or the kids on your gift list!), so why not be ready with The Go Artist Travel Pack:

All 21 pieces in this kit will inspire, including notebook, ruler, stencils, and colored pencils- and all are made from natural materials like cotton, wood, recycled paper, and soy. Current price: $20.21


GET USEFUL!
You probably still have those relatives that haven't quite caught the "green" bug, and continue to collect their stash of harmful plastic bags every trip to the grocery store.  Convert them to greenies by selecting their favorite colors in these reusable bags:
 

Each bag is only 49 cents and made from durable ripstop nylon. Once their shopping trip is complete, they can fold it back up to small pouch size and place it back in their purse or glove compartment for the next trip.


GET ORGANIZED!
For those worker bees in your life that can never seem to find a pen or business card when they need one, how about this compartmentalized messenger bag:

This bag has a cotton canvas outside, padded laptop section, and several other snappy compartments to make sure everything is secure in its own space. Current price: $34.19


GET COOKING!
After growing all those organic vegetables this summer, it only makes sense that I promote an eco-friendly place to chop them up: bamboo cutting boards!

The set of three is easy to handle (they have handles, duh!), are lightweight, and are made of natural bamboo- a very renewable resource.  Current price: $18.99


GET SCOOPING!

Dogs are going to poop, which means someone is going to have to scoop...why not in the most eco-friendly way possible?

Every dog owner on your list will appreciate your thoughtfulness (and so will everyone else in the neighborhood) as you provide an earthy-friendly poop pick-up method. Current price: $15.99


GET SQUIRMING!
What worm blogger can resist suggesting an eco-friendly worm toy for the holiday shopping season? Certainly not Lilliworm!

Babies on your list will be thrilled with this toy crafted from natural wood and lead free paint. It squiggles securely on a thick elastic band...plus it's a WORM!!! Current price: $12.99


So now all there is left to do is...
GET SHOPPING!

Feeling Squirmy?

If you aren't then you will after these new pumpkin-eater bin pics!

Remember the pumpkin feast of 2012 and the funny mold?

Guess who's back:

Last year, I learned that this was likely sclerotinia sclerotiorum- not much to worry about in the bin, as the worms would eat it and poop it back out into the same great organic fertilizer they always do! 

Turning over a pumpkin top in the bin can be an adventure...

Pretty slimy!

I pushed around a few pieces and uncovered more wormtastic wonderfulness:

The worms have a lot of work left to do...I have four smaller pumpkins waiting in the wings as dessert!

Speaking of teamwork and wings...Happy Veterans Day and thank you to all who have served or are currently serving in our military!

"the most nonspecific, omnivorous, and successful of plant pathogens"- according to a reference compiled from the University of Hawaii.  - See more at: http://lilliworm.blogspot.com/2012/11/pictures-to-make-you-squirm.html#sthash.gghc71SO.dpuf

I've never seen this type of mold before in my bin, but a quick Google search told me it's probably sclerotinia sclerotiorum, "the most nonspecific, omnivorous, and successful of plant pathogens"- according to a reference compiled from the University of Hawaii. 

There is plenty of time for the worms to gobble that up and push it out before planting season next year, which is good because I don't need any omnivorous pathogens making my organic gardening life any more difficult.

That's the great thing about worms- they are able to take all sorts of disgusting, moldy, rotting things and turn them into fantastic organic plant food. In Australia, there are even giant industrial worm farms designed to process sewage and water waste. You can read a great set of FAQs about these systems at A&A Wormfarm Waste Systems. - See more at: http://lilliworm.blogspot.com/2012/11/pictures-to-make-you-squirm.html#sthash.gghc71SO.dpuf

I've never seen this type of mold before in my bin, but a quick Google search told me it's probably sclerotinia sclerotiorum, "the most nonspecific, omnivorous, and successful of plant pathogens"- according to a reference compiled from the University of Hawaii. 

There is plenty of time for the worms to gobble that up and push it out before planting season next year, which is good because I don't need any omnivorous pathogens making my organic gardening life any more difficult.

That's the great thing about worms- they are able to take all sorts of disgusting, moldy, rotting things and turn them into fantastic organic plant food. In Australia, there are even giant industrial worm farms designed to process sewage and water waste. You can read a great set of FAQs about these systems at A&A Wormfarm Waste Systems. - See more at: http://lilliworm.blogspot.com/2012/11/pictures-to-make-you-squirm.html#sthash.gghc71SO.dpuf

I've never seen this type of mold before in my bin, but a quick Google search told me it's probably sclerotinia sclerotiorum, "the most nonspecific, omnivorous, and successful of plant pathogens"- according to a reference compiled from the University of Hawaii. 

There is plenty of time for the worms to gobble that up and push it out before planting season next year, which is good because I don't need any omnivorous pathogens making my organic gardening life any more difficult.

That's the great thing about worms- they are able to take all sorts of disgusting, moldy, rotting things and turn them into fantastic organic plant food. In Australia, there are even giant industrial worm farms designed to process sewage and water waste. You can read a great set of FAQs about these systems at A&A Wormfarm Waste Systems. - See more at: http://lilliworm.blogspot.com/2012/11/pictures-to-make-you-squirm.html#sthash.gghc71SO.dpuf

The Garden Goes To Bed and Other Scary Pictures

OG2013 (organic garden 2013) has come to a fast ending!

While OG2012 ended with a small harvest and huge chopping endeavor, the lessons learned from last year made it clear a new plan to put the garden to bed was needed.

No more chopping and turning of the stems and stalks- I just ripped them up and churned up the ground with my hand-held three pronged rake.

A last glimpse before it was yanked:

 And an after shot of the stems and stalks yanked out on the left:

One success-in-progress story is the strawberries! My goal was to have them take over the entire bottom section by next year, and they set out to meet my goal with gusto:

They are so excited to be taking over that they are still flowering and producing berries in November!

I am already planning all the delicious ways I can use the berries next season with this kind of determination:

No early November post on Lilliworm would be complete without some post-Halloween squirm-tastic pictures, so on the to real fun!

Of course, all Halloweens start off innocent and harmless enough- jack-o-lantern carving!

This year, I dedicated my design to one of my favorite charities, Best Friends Animal Santuary in Utah, and I used their logo as my template:

Pumpkin guts!
OK, a little closer...
The finished product:

And we all know where they ended up right as the last trick-or-treater was leaving the premises:

Right into the Worm Wigwam, of course!

I helped the worm herd along by loading some of them up into the pumpkin feast:

A certain pet in the house named himself the official dog of the Worm Wigwam and stood guard for me:

Look for more squirmalicous pics this week as the worms work their magic & celebrate their Halloween feast!