Romania’s Letea Forest
by Robert-Phillip Bazoiu
Romania is proud to call Letea Forest its oldest natural reservation - and it has a good reason to being the only forest in Europe where lianas grow. The flowers lend the area a genuine subtropical aspect. As if lianas in Eastern Europe weren’t peculiar enough, Romania's Letea Forest impresses its visitors even more with all its vegetation growing on sand. The combination of the sound of galloping wild horses, rare tropical plants, and sandy terrain all make for a truly extraordinary sight. Found in the equally astounding Danube Delta, Romania's Letea Forest is home to a wide variety of trees such as the Narrow-Leafed Ash, Silver Lime, White Poplar, Black Poplar, and the English Oak, all of them growing bent over and contorted as they follow the water’s course within the soil. Some of these trees have enjoyed the forest’s sands for as much as seven hundred years, more than enough time for wild vines to weave themselves into intricate patterns along their branches. Scattered throughout Romania's Letea Forest one can find wooden benches, crafted from the remains of fallen trees, so one can stare in awe at this seemingly timeless display of trees and sand dunes while catching one’s breath. At the end of the day, one realizes that Romania's Letea Forest stands out as a forest in a niche of its own, far away from more commonplace landscapes and closer to something more surreal, something that serves to remind, nature itself is oft times unconventional.
Explaining why the trees there are bent over.
Seeing as this is my first written blog post I'd be happy with receiving as much feedback as possible. Thanks!
Romania’s Letea Forest
Romanias Letea Forest
Sustainable Practices of Martha's Vineyard
by Katalin Soni
If you have never been to Martha’s Vineyard, add it to your to-do list. If you have never heard of Martha’s Vineyard, you are in for a treat. The following is a brief overview of life on the Island and will help explain why this place is so special to so many. Farms. Lots of farms. Big farms (like Morning Glory) and small farms (like one of the twenty front-yard farm stands you pass when driving on a single winding road.) On the Vineyard, growing local produce is a way of life. The Wednesday and Saturday farmers’ market draws crowds from all corners of the island to sell, buy, and be merry together. With live music and a playground adjacent to the market, the community celebrates fresh produce, baked goods, and small-scale businesses.
In addition to the farmers’ markets, the Vineyard hosts a plethora of artisan fairs and flea markets at which you can purchase antiques, handmade beach-inspired jewelry, fine photography, alpaca-wool products (yes, there is an alpaca farm on the island) and countless other lovely items. At Featherstone Center for the Arts, there are weekly art classes for the public. These classes cover painting, pottery, silk screening, drawing, and much more.
The Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival and International Film Festival provide audiences with unique and moving films that are hand-plucked by a passionate, diverse staff. At the end of each film there is a Q & A session featuring someone who was directly involved in the film making process.
The island has a variety of scenery that could please even the most scrupulous traveler. With charming lighthouses, fishing villages, rolling pastures with flowers, horses, and sheep, and enough shades of green to make your head spin, the Vineyard is rightfully a desirable vacation destination. On the west side of the island at Menemsha Beach, hordes of people gather to watch spectacular sunsets with cups of fresh clam chowder in hand. Each beach has a different personality and different perks. At State Beach, you will often find bio luminescence sparkling at night, creating a second starry sky in the water. At South Beach, the shore extends as far as the eye can see in either direction- a vast stretch of salty solitude. At Great Rock Bight, rocks are smooth, shiny and as colorful as Skittles.
On the Vineyard, beach barbecues and fishing adventures are not saved solely for the weekend; each day is beautiful and deserves to be enjoyed. People share their skills and are always willing to cooperate with each other. The land is pure and bountiful, and the island natives are keen to keep it that way. Many islanders respect the natural ebb and flow of time and nature, primarily eating fruits and vegetables that are in season. While the island is heavily populated during the hot summer months, crowds disappear almost immediately after Labor Day weekend. However, Island fun does not stop with falling temperatures. During autumn and winter, the people of Martha’s Vineyard get together for hearty potlucks and lively contra dances. While the Island is generally a picturesque escape from reality, Martha’s Vineyard has its own problems and controversies like any other community. That being said, this place is truly magical and has a great deal to offer for people of all ages.
Sustainable Practices of Martha’s Vineyard
Do you respect wood?
by Hande Ergun
During one episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, we hear Julia Louis-Dreyfus ask and reask the question 'Do you respect wood?', accusing Larry David of leaving a beverage ring on her antique wooden coffee table, asking that he pay for its repair. When everyone chooses to believe her, he devotes himself to finding the real culprit to clear his name for the rest of the episode.
Embellishment for the sake of humor may be inevitable, but it is no exaggeration to say that wooden objects and furniture have an important place in a lot of people's lives. I am sure that there are some people for whom even a simple wooden salad bowl or a wooden rocking chair conjures up some lovely memories of childhood.
I personally have plenty of those memories. My grandmother was fond of wooden furniture, had good taste and had many of them custom-made. Among them were stands with mirrors, nesting tables, coffee tables, arm chairs, chests and bed frames. Yes, they were really pretty and, I think, they carried a sense warmth, especially sitting on carpets which covered every room - as all Turkish homes.
Now I retrospectively realize that my brother and I also used to see them as toys. We used to climb some of those tables if there was nobody around, play and then fall asleep underneath the 8 person mahogany oval dining table, or take out each piece of the nesting tables and then carefully stack them back together. My grandmother, aunt, and mother already had all kinds of preemptive wood protection methods set up. Each of the nesting tables had place mats on them, the French Bergere wingback chairs had small embroidered cloths on the arms.
What Robin Wade brings into people's lives with his craft, especially with custom furniture, is also exactly this; contributing in something that will become a part of their memories and continue living with them. I can now understand and appreciate why my grandmother had furniture made and why she was proud to have them.
Do you respect wood?
Custom Made Desks
Custom is our specialty at Robin Wade Furniture
by Rachel Bergstrand
Feeling a lack of stimulation at work? The problem might be your surroundings—but don’t worry; Robin Wade Furniture has the solution. Each piece of Robin Wade furniture is as unique as the tree it came from. Every item comes embedded with its own individual history, providing the customer with the inspiration needed to power through the work day. Clients who submit a custom order will find they become a participant in Robin’s vision. In the off chance that two customers choose the same exact design, the unique grain of each slab of wood sets each piece apart from its brethren. Let’s be honest, it’s difficult not to get excited to sit down at your desk and get to work knowing that your desk was designed with you in mind.
Custom Made Desks
Custom Desk - in process
Celebrating Mother Nature’s Unique Creations
While researching Robin Wade Furniture, I came across the phrase, “celebrates Mother Nature’s unique creations…” At first I wasn’t sure why this phrase made an impact on me, but I realized that the phrase combines nature and creativity, which in essence is the purpose of Robin Wade Furniture, and most sustainable furniture. The phrase shows a beautiful representation of what naturally torn down trees should be used for.
Sustainability
is defined as a long-term maintenance of responsibility, and
responsible management of resource use. Sustainable furniture allows for
Mother Nature’s beauty to be a part of every home, but also shows that
we are doing our job towards protecting the earth. As Robin notes, it
“gives nature a voice and a personality in your home”, and allows you to
leave all the hard work to him!
Celebrating Mother Nature’s Unique Creations
MSU Showing delivery yesterday
Wednesday local intern James Thigpen and I delivered a trailer (half) full of various pieces of our work for a showing that began today at the Mississippi State College of Architecture. The work seemed to be warmly received. Even by the student's that carried these monsters up the stairs. James mentioned how interesting it was watching the architecture students approaching each of the pieces of nature's slab / art / furniture.
Interesting how architects seem to get my work better than any other segment that I've been able to pin down. I might be able to add architecture students to this group.
I'm hoping to get back for the reception in a couple of weeks.
Mississippi State University School of architecture setup for a showing that begins Thursday.
Martha Stewart likes RWF!!!!!?
Just found out yesterday that we were nominated to Martha Stewart's American Made Contest. Already have a link on the MS site and have received a few votes. If you like RWF, we need your help. You can vote once per day for the next two weeks. Please vote for us!!! Voting is on the Martha Stewart Site
Click on link photo below will get you straight to the MS site. Just scroll down, to find our listing, for the Audience choice awards.
American Made - Martha Stewart
Veggie Thursdays!
by Richard Harris, Brussels
The open air market on Saint-Gilles church square has been operating for centuries starting when Saint-Gilles was a small village on a hillside overlooking Brussels. The fields around the village are where people first started cultivating Brussels sprouts over 600 years ago taking advantage of the many natural springs that flowed down the hill. Now Saint-Gilles is one of the 19 boroughs that make up Brussels and it's a lively mix of different ethnicities and nationalities living in handsome Art Nouveau and Art Deco neighborhoods. As well as the age-old Sunday morning market there are morning markets four other days a week, though they tend to offer more dry goods than food. The Sunday morning market is the classic food market with everything from a fishmonger to a guy who sells nothing but potatoes. In between there are fowl merchants, butchers, vegetable stands, fruit stands, cold cuts and cheese stands, olive sellers, bakers, wine merchants etc. Last year a gourmet/organic evening market was created on Thursday evenings and it's a big success with quite a few prepared food stands and organic beer and wine merchants. The whole square becomes one big café terrace filled with animated conversations as everyone relaxes after a day's work.
EVA (Ethical Vegetarian Alternatives) is a Belgian organization which promotes vegetarian eating through a number of different actions - information stands, conferences, cooking classes, their website, and special events. They promote Veggie Thursdays to get people to eat vegetarian at least one day a week. As they tell it, if a person has one meatless day per week that person will eat 250 less animals during his/her lifetime. And since it takes 22 pounds of grain and 4,000 gallons of water to produce 2 pounds of beef and also since livestock raising contributes one fifth of greenhouse gasses, everyone doing a meatless day will help appreciably to lower the world's carbon footprint. Which brings us to today's event. EVA decided to take advantage of the popularity of the Saint-Gilles Thursday evening market and set up what they claim is the longest vegetarian table ever in Belgium for a Veggie Afternoon/Evening.
The food was phenomenal and everyone had a fabulous time.
Veggie Thursdays in Brussels
open air market on Saint-Gilles church square
Ben Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild
I want to fill my life and my films with wild, brave, good-hearted people. Whatever amount of chaos and disaster that leads to doesn't matter, because you're going through it with the people you love, and in the end, no matter what, the movies come out wild, brave, and good-hearted. Ben Zeitlin
Sounds like a pretty good furniture company mantra to me. It's not showing here yet, but I can't wait.. Cannes and Sundance love it. I'm pretty sure I'm going to. Let me know if it's showing anywhere around here.
Ben Zeitlin
The Greenest Event - Johannesburg
I just ran across this video of the Greenest Event which was held earlier this month in Johannesburg. What an amazing meeting of environmental minds - in South Africa.
the Regenerative House
the regenerative house - portland
by Brendan Thompson, Pacific Grove California
In Portland, Oregon I had the pleasure of helping Scott Howard and his capable crew build an earth bag house. Scott has been a creative builder for most of his life, and is dedicated to bringing more ecological and affordable housing into existence. In 2002 he founded Earthen Hand Natural Building to educate people through hands-on construction workshops. Over the past decade the Earthen Hand team has traveled to Thailand, Jamaica, Mali, and Puerto Rico, teaching and learning from the locals.
Scott's
latest project is the Regenerative House, a modular open-source design
that is extremely cost effective, easy to build and environmentally
friendly. The philosophy behind the Regenerative House aligns with that
of the Living Building Challenge, a competition which recently won the
Buckminster Fuller Challenge “...the highest
possible level of environmental performance, envisioning a built
environment that is fully integrated with its ecosystem. It pushes the
building industry to re-imagine business as usual, and it transforms
building occupants from passive consumers into active stewards of
increasingly scarce resources.”
The
Earthen hand team held a building workshop July 14-31, to create a
prototype of this groundbreaking blend of ancient and modern technique.
The building will be sited at the Wirikutu Peace Fellowship in southern
Colorado, future site of a Shambala Buddhist retreat and ecovillage.
The home achieves its remarkable self-sufficiency through a variety of technologies. Here are some of the most innovative: Hiperadobe: A
plastic mesh bag, rather than a traditional closed-weave sack, encases
small earthbags. This method uses less plastic and allows individual
bags to pack together more tightly without the aid of barbed wire.
Ancient
Nubian vault shape roofing: A curved roof structure follows the inverted shape of a chain hanging
from each end (similar to a parabola). This technique allows for
incredibly strong structural support without using much wood or any
temporary formwork. First used in ancient Egypt, the technique was
revitalized by the 20th-century Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy.
Earth
berm around house: Depending on climate and soil types, the grading
that slopes up to cradle the sides and rear of the building may have
slightly different contours, but the overall effect is a passive heating
and cooling mass that keeps the building warm in cool weather and cool
in warm weather. In the 'urban' version of the designs, buttresses can
be used instead of soil.
Myco-insulation
and mycofiltration: Grown insulation comes in the form of mycelium (the
'root' structure for mushrooms) mixed with agricultural byproducts,
then formed into any shape. These materials can be returned to nature
after use, and careful drying during the formation process ensures that
moisture and mold never become an issue. A mycelium mat and bucket system is also used to filter rainwater and reduce bacteria.
Vertical
gardens and edible landscaping: Making the most of compact spacing for
vegetation, many food needs can be addressed with just a few steps
outside instead of a trip to the supermarket. Solar
heat storage using vegetable oil: In addition to the solar electricity
and energy-efficient LED lights, solar heat can be passively stored in a
tank of vegetable oil in the home. The sun energy is captured by small
capillary tubes just inside the windows that only block harmful rays.
These tubes all lead to the central storage tank.
Earthen Hand is currently raising funds for construction of the Regenerative House and will be keeping video and photo records in order to create a documentary of the process. They currently have a time-lapse video of construction on an earlier version of the Regenerative House on their funding proposal page. For more information, to see the video or to donate, please click here.
the Regenerative House
Co-op Encourages Local Buying
Buy Local First
by Kristina Walsh
You
may have heard the slogan “Buy Local First.” Communities all over the
United States are encouraging shoppers to consider local options when
making purchases. First Alternative Natural Foods Co-op in Corvallis,
Oregon makes it easy for customers to buy local.
Corvallis
is rich in resources. Nearby farms provide fresh produce, berries,
nuts, and other goods. Many items are sold at the Co-op, but people
weren’t always buying. Donna Tarasawa, Marketing Manager at the Co-op
says, “When we first started the program the percentage of local
products we sold was about 16%.”
The program she speaks of is called “Local 6.” Local 6, which began in 2006, is a campaign that encourages folks to buy items that are made, produced, or grown within Benton County and its five nearby counties. Since the program began, the Co-op has seen growth in sales of local products. “We are now edging on 30%,” says Tarasawa.
Not
only does the Co-op stock many local items, but it labels them as
local. That way, customers can easily identify local products and make
choices based on that. Tarasawa says this in itself is not unusual.
“Many other co-ops clearly define and identify their local products.”
However, “I am not aware of any others that have expanded their program
to include restaurants in their city, which we have been able to do in
Corvallis. There may be some, but I do not know who they are.”
Co-op Encourages Local Buying
Hardwood Slab Furniture
by Lindsey Thomas
Hardwood Slab Furniture
Last week at Robin Wade Furniture is all about slab furniture—one of Robin's specialties! Slab furniture typically focuses on the wood's natural shape and beauty, much like this coffee table made by Robin. Slab furniture has an earthy, rustic appeal to it that works in a variety of styles and rooms; it easily fits into the most modern of homes, but also in the most traditional because of its innate beauty. Usually, slab furniture are pieces like dining and coffee tables, but if one searches around, they can also find chairs and benches made out of slabs. Here at Robin Wade, tables are the specialty, and the shown coffee table, in my opinion, is one of Robin's best pieces. This particular coffee table is quite large, thick, and sturdy. This coffee table is warm, it's friendly, it's even stylish and just a little bit off-beat. This piece is one-of-a-kind, just like all of Robin's hand-made furniture.
Hardwood Slab Furniture
Colorado Wildfires
Colorado Wildfires - photo credit: http://blognewsonline.net/?p=1437
By Dan Michels, Boulder, Colorado
The
past few months, wildfires have plagued many western states. Colorado
was by the worst hit. Wildfires have burned well over 692,515 acres and
have cost at least $222.38 million. Hundreds of homes have been
destroyed and families have been displaced.
There are a few reasons these wildfires were so prevalent this summer. Climate change is the elephant in the room. It never seems to be at the top of the discussion but nonetheless is foundational. Climate change does four things to increase the potential for wildfires. First, it adds heat. July was the hottest month on record in Colorado. Second, it adds drought. The dustbowl conditions of the 1930s are said to be coming back. Third, climate change causes lower percentages of snowpack. As of June 1st, Colorado snowpack was 2% of its average. And finally, thanks to pine beetles - insects that are especially thriving in the West due to warmer winters than ever before - the number of dead trees (kindling for the raging wildfires) is on the rise. Pine beetles can destroy up to 90% of forests!
There
are currently wildfires still raging across Colorado. Firefighters from
across the country have been coming in to protect our homes,
communities and of course, our forests, trees, and our natural areas.
Colorado Wildfires
Advertise Your Sustainability
Advertise Your Sustainability
Advertise your Sustainability - Photo credit: Charles Moore
By Dan Michels, Boulder, Colorado
There
a number of American companies that specialize in custom made woodwork
and furniture. Many also claim to use sustainable and eco-friendly
production practices. Businesses that actually do operate sustainably
and use only local American materials should advertise this fact openly
and proudly, but they should also supply evidence on their websites and
in their literature. For example, a Vermont-based woodworking company
explicitly states its social and environmental missions such as its
“Plant a Billion Trees” and “Save the Tiger” campaigns, as well as its
support of other environmentally oriented companies and causes such as
the Rainforest Alliance, The Ocean Conservancy, and the Nature
Conservancy. Their furniture is 100% American made and they pride
themselves in the environmentally sensitive way they practice their
business. The information and details are easy to find on their website.
In
a time of economic uncertainty and recession, supporting local,
American businesses has become all the more important. Outsourcing has
understandably become a divisive and important political hot button.
Opportunities to implement local labor and materials in order to create
jobs and lower transportation costs are as important to the timber and
furniture industries as any others. According to the the Vermont-based
company, “Sourcing hardwoods locally grown and harvested provides
incomes to tree farmers, loggers, sawmill operators, transportation
companies, and numerous other regional service industries. In a time
where many products’ sources are unknown or imported, it is nice to know
we all have the option to support small domestic economies.”
A
woodworking company in Minnesota who claims to make “fine custom wood
products,” professes to be an “eco-friendly business”. However, they
have no information on their website supporting this claim, not once
revealing the source of their wood. If this company is indeed
eco-friendly, highlighting the claim should be a top priority for their
marketing and advertising departments. Information supporting this claim
should be readily available to every customer.
Transparency
is becoming more and more important with the environmentally-minded
community. Providing this sort of information will only help a business
and is becoming highly sought after by consumers. Diane Sawyer of ABC
World News recently produced a series called “Made in America – Where Do
Your Goods Come From?” where she explores this issue. You might just be
surprised, many of the products you think are American-made, are not.
Companies
should overtly state the benefits of buying locally American made
products and must reinforce this message with cold, hard facts about
their production practices. Robin Wade Furniture does just this. They
pride themselves in custom woodwork and place sustainability and
eco-friendly business practices as a foundation for their mission. All
this information is proudly made readily available and is easy for
consumers to access - the way it should be.
Advertise Your Sustainability
A Slab of Time - a timber slab dining table
A Slab of Time - a timber slab dining table
lisa martin, Greenville Texas
One day a squall
With vengeance blew
Swift carnival
Within his view
With mythic strength
Toppled an oak
And dropped its length
As rumbling broke
The anxious skies
Eight years the tree
Napped on its flank
Eternity
And sun it drank
Its marbled grains
And girdled rings
Were magically stained
Recording things
For mankind’s eyes
Recalling the storms
With primitive tools
The artisan performs
The golden rule
To honor the tree
As he desires
His own life to be
When he expires
One day resurrected
Through love reborn
Through Carpenter’s toil
Reclaimed, not forlorn,
Anointed with oil
Not fuel for fire
Not pulp for man’s fables
But splendor inspired
An exceptional table
A slab now perfected
A Slab of Time - a timber slab dining table
Walnut Oil
Walnut Oil
walnut tree leaf - cypress creek, alabama
Robin Wade furniture pieces have always exhibited the beauty of walnut wood. So when Robin asked us to honor this amazing tree, we made sure to celebrate every bit of it--from leaf buds to root tips. Walnuts have become so ubiquitous in our diets that we barely
give a thought about the amazing plants that they are. But I got the opportunity to discover a spectacular and often overlooked component of walnuts: their oil. Walnut oil is uniquely versatile among plant oils, not only because it’s an ancestral part of human diet, but its role in our lives spans such distance in time and geography. So I welcome you to take a look at my article about Walnut Oil in our newly constructed page dedicated just to the Walnut--you might be surprised.
Best
wishes,
--Nancy
Walnut Oil
Inside scoop on Panera Bread's famous Chocolate Walnut Cookie
This morning, during our Saturday farmer's market and Panera Bread stopover, we visited with one of the four chef's that make their wonderfully fresh products each morning. Zoe shared a bit more about their oh so awesome Chocolate Duet with Walnuts Cookie. I'm uploading the short video interview with Zoe as I type. Should be available soon.
things looking UP at the Las Vegas Market
things looking UP at the Las Vegas Market
Although clearly not a record setter, yesterday was an amazingly good first day of the show. The summer market is never up to par with the Vegas winter market. But, we had a seemingly continual stream of traffic throughout the day. And more than a few new friends and fans. Great beginning to the Las Vegas summer market.
I really love this super cool World Market Center. Feel's like I'm walking into a canyon in the middle of this Las Vegas desert. We are located on the fifth floor of building B (above).
Las Vegas Market building B