Brill Razorcut 38 reel mower. You push, it mows!
Looks like Brill has updated the design of their German made reel mowers with the introduction of the Razorcut 38 push mower. I, for one, am glad that they changed the name from Luxus 38 to Razorcut 38. I don’t know how many times I heard people call the old one the “Lexus.” The Brill Razorcut has an updated handle design that is stiffer, and nicer looking. They also added a “spoiler” along the back side that does a little bit better job of preventing grass from getting on your shoes when you are pushing the mower. You can add a grasscatcher to it, if you want. But if you do, be sure to compost the grass clippings! Don’t throw them into the landfill. 5 blades. Weighs just 17 pounds. Has a 15 1/2″ wide cut. Goes from .75 inches to just under 2 inches for the maximum cut. The Brill Razorcut 38 reel mower is available from Clean Air Gardening.
Wednesday ~ January 01, 2008 by Ulrich Posted in Garden Tools | Add Your Comments
The Garden Insect DVD
“Son, what’s this one? Should I kill it?” “No Dad. That’s a Patagonian whooping caterpillar…they kill mosquitoes and find truffles. People pay good money for these” “Oh …How ‘bout this one? “That’s the dog, Dad. Not an insect,” “Are you sure? He looks kinda shifty…” “Yeah…See, the collar? That’s our phone number there…it’s a dead giveaway” “That’s our old number…that’s why I thought….” “Trust me” I think he’s just getting revenge on me. If you don’t have a entomologist for a son, or just don’t trust the little monster this DVD could help. It’s 50 minutes long and was made by filmmaker who also is a organic gardener. It teaches you which bugs are which and which ones are helpful and which ones will eat your socks. The Garden Insect DVD is available from Clean Air Gardening for $24.99
My kid knows everything about bugs. It’s my fault really; when he was just a toddler I used to tell him that whales were insects and giraffes lived in the ocean and all sorts of nonsense. I never expected him to believe this stuff but when he started school and found out I’d been messing with his head he set out to find his own answers rather than asking me. Well, it’s paid off because now when I come across some insect in the back yard I just drag him away from the video games and get him to identify it
Sunday ~ January 01, 2008 by Steve W Posted in Garden Tools, Natural Pesticides and Fertilizers, Organic Gardening, Outdoors | Add Your Comments
Squirrel-Flipping Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder
What we have here is what looks like an ordinary innocent bird feeder. But hidden within the thing is a rechargeable NICAD powered motor and a pressure switch set to trigger when anything heavier than a bird lights on it; a cat, a squirrel…whatever. The perch then spins to send the intruder flying. In addition, it’s a darn fine bird feeder. It sports a polycarbonate tube, a powder coated cap, and holds 5 lbs of squirrel tempting seed. The Squirrel Flipping Bird Feeder is available at Clean Air Gardening for $92.99. 
Honestly, who wouldn’t like to watch squirrels being thrown through the air by a motorized bird feeder? I want to meet the people who thought this up; seriously, they’re my kind of folk.
Tuesday ~ January 01, 2008 by Steve W Posted in Outdoors | Add Your Comments
Copper Rooster Weather Vane
If you are in need of a saner weather vane, the folks at Clean Air Gardening have something a tad more practical. It’s the classic rooster style, made out of copper and doesn’t require a crane to put it in place and $20,000 dollars to get it into a presentable condition. The Copper Rooster Weather Vane is available for $270.99 from Clean Air Gardening.
In Whitehorse, in the Yucatan, there exists the largest weather vane in the world. It’s a decommissioned DC-3 cargo plane from WWII. In 1981 a group of people who probably need additional job responsibilities restored the nine ton warbird and then hoisted it up on a pole so the pilots landing at the Whitehorse airport could tell the wind direction. Seriously. Supposedly it only takes a 5 knot wind to make it turn.
Friday ~ January 01, 2008 by Steve W Posted in Garden Sculpture, Outdoors | Add Your Comments
The Trade Wind Poly-Wood Double Rocker
A lot of people are in this situation and there are options; Personally, I’m going to be getting her a double rocker. Now, it may look just like the ones you find at those down home restaurant and gift shops that seemed to have replaced the chain of blue roofed pecan places we had as kids. But here’s the difference; these are made out of polywood. Polywood is an engineered material made from recycled milk jugs that can be used like wood in furniture building but will resist any type of adverse weather situation you can think of…well anything you could encounter and still be worried about your outdoor furniture. The Trade Wind Poly-Wood Double Rocker is available for $479.99 from Clean Air Gardening. 
When I was looking for a house, my wife had one request; she wanted a front porch. It wasn’t until after I got her the house, with the porch, that I realized that what she really wanted a porch swing like she had growing up. The problem was the porch cover that we would have to attach the swing to had been covered with vinyl siding. There wasn’t going to be a porch swing without a lot of work.
Thursday ~ January 01, 2008 by Steve W Posted in Garden Furniture | Add Your Comments
