Chicken keeping 101
Hot on the heels of Raleigh's Hen-side the Beltline Tour D'Coop comes a class all about the ins and outs of chicken-keeping. This week, longtime chicken-keeper Bob Davis will shed light on the merits and joys of keeping chickens at home. Details of their care will be covered, including suggestions for where to get the birds, how to house and feed them and how to care for their health.
You'll need to allow about two hours for the "Chicken Keeping 101" lecture and question session, which will begin 10 a.m. today, 2 p.m. Sunday or at 7 p.m. Monday. You only need to sign up for one class. All lectures will be in Room 159 in Kilgore Hall on the N.C. State University campus. The class is $5 per person. Pre-registration is not required, but you must be on time to participate. Visit www.tourdcoop.com/ to learn more.
Dig in the dirt
Take the kids out to the Garden Hut in Fuquay-Varina on June 11 and let them play in the dirt. At 10 a.m., kids 12 and under and an accompanying family member are invited to dig for taters in the vegetable garden. Nelsa Cox will lead the potato expedition, and your little explorer can take home a potato for dinner. Jack Holland will also show his worm bin and explain how worms make compost.
At 11 a.m., garden guru Carol Stein's Gardeners Forum continues with a presentation on "Attracting Hummingbirds." Learn how to attract these petite beauties to your patch of paradise.
Both events are free.
The Garden Hut is at 1004 Old Honeycutt Road. To register, call 552-0590. Visit www.NelsasGardenHut.com.
Green clean your drain
In "Clean Home, Green Home," author Kimberly Delaney offers tips for keeping the kitchen sink drain clean and clear.
To clean, kill bacteria and prevent clogging, pour a teakettle of boiling water down the drain each week.
To disinfect and sharpen disposal blades, freeze white distilled vinegar in an ice cube tray. Grind the cubes through the disposal while running water.
To deodorize or open up a slow-running drain, sprinkle 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup vinegar down the drain. Cover with a wet rag and let fizz for 5 minutes. Flush with boiling water.
Try This
What: iWavecube
Price: $99 plus shipping and handling
What it does: Harnesses the power of a microwave in a portable size perfect for heating individual portions, soups and coffee.
How it makes your life easier: Its compact size makes it perfect for tight spaces. Because it's lightweight (12 pounds) and has a handle, the iWavecube is easy to move from room to room or take on the road or camping. If you're a family like mine with food allergies, this portable cube is a lifesaver. Pack it, and you'll have a safe and reliable way to reheat individual cups of coffee, soup, oatmeal, small frozen meals, canned vegetables, individual popcorn and tea in your hotel room.
You can add cooking times in 10-second, one-minute and five-minute intervals. There are preset cycles for heating coffee, hot sandwiches, coffee, popcorn, soup and gel packs (for easing and soothing sore muscles).
The iWavecube doesn't warm foods as quickly as a conventional microwave does. The preset coffee mode takes five minutes to heat a cup of java. It's best to watch it during the popcorn mode to make sure it doesn't burn kernels. It measures 10 inches by 10.5 by 12, and its interior is much smaller than regular microwaves. You can only fit one cup of coffee or one bowl of soup or an individual-sized bag of popcorn in it at a time.
Who would use it: Singles, college students, seniors, office workers, campers, spas, families with food allergies or anyone vacationing in a spot where they'll need to heat food in a tight space.
Where to get it: www.iwavecube.com/
