Victory Gardens for Bees: eco-friendly Christmas presents

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Gifts for Refugees: Lois Klassen Teaches Us How to Make MCC Kit Bags

Yesterday Lois Klassen taught a drop-in class how to make kit bags for the MCC. Kit bags can be used to send hygiene or school kits to refugees throught the Mennonite Central Committee. They are made from sturdy material and the practical design makes them very useful. The same basic design can also be used to make eco-friendly reusable gift bags.

The pattern is available to download here. We found that one of the instructions didn't make sense. It asks you to put the right sides together to sew the hemmed bag, but that way the hems are on the outside of the bag. It looks simple, but it's actually good to have help to get your head around how the pattern works, but once you've made one, you can ace them pretty quickly.

We listened to soulful Christmas music, noshed on good treats and caught up with one another's news. One person even learned to sew for the first time, which is like watching a little bird learn how to fly. I remember my mom making similar kits with her friends at the Red Cross and The Homemakers. I seem to recall they made comfort kits for new mothers. It feels good to continue this Canadian tradition.

You can just make the bags and donate them, but if you want to fill the kits, and drop them off at an MCC site, here's what you can put inside:

School Kits: http://mcc.org/get-involved/kits/school

Contents (NEW items only)

4 spiral or perforated notebooks (8 1⁄2 x 10 1⁄2 in and 70 sheets)
8 unsharpened pencils
1 ruler (flat, flexible plastic; indicating both 30 cm and 12 in)
12 colored pencils (in packaging)
1 large pencil eraser

Hygiene Kits: http://mcc.org/get-involved/kits/hygiene

Contents (NEW items, in original packaging)

1 adult-size toothbrush
1 large bar bath soap
1 fingernail clipper (good quality)
1 hand towel (dark color)

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Today is a Good Day to Order Seeds for Bees!

One way I cope with the lack of daylight, rainy weather, and lack of companionship from bees in winter is to grab a hot cup of tea and surround myself with gardening catalogues. I plan, I dream and I order seeds. Last year was particularly dark and dreary. I ordered a LOT of seeds. The West Coast Seeds catalog arrived yesterday, which is a cause for celebration in our household. I love the cover photo of the sunflower, but it is lacking something . . . say, a bee or two. Personally I think every garden catalog should have at least one bee on the cover, preferably more. Anyhow, the good thing is Brian Campbell, the company's resident on all things seed and bee-related has marked bee-friendly flowers with a little graphic of a bumblebee. Eh Voila! It's easy to plan your pollinator garden. There's also a little ladybug graphic for plants that attract beneficial insects, which is also extremely helpful.

Have I mentioned how seeds make great Christmas presents? Don't tell anyone, but this year I am giving packs from the Hudson Valley Seed Library because they are exquisitely designed. You can find them at West Elm Market in Vancouver.

Here is a shortlist of some of my favorite seed companies. For a longer list, check out Empress of Dirt's blog post with the companies broken down into regions.

But first, a photo of a Golden Northern Bumblebee (Bombus fervidus), taken at the Glenbow Ranch Park in Alberta.