Friday, December 17, 2010

Free Shipping Day... And I love being a Localvore

Hi all - happy Free Shipping Day! To celebrate I'll be having free shipping in the Etsy shop, but I think my free shipping will go all the way until Christmas. This deal also includes international orders! The US Post Office estimates that items shipped to the continental US by First Class mail will arrive by Christmas if shipped by Monday, Dec 20th. Time to find those last minute gifts!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/knittyvet
In other news, we picked up our first winter farm share from the wonderful Swartz Family Farm in North Amherst. Delicious! I love the idea of continuing our local eating into the cold months of winter, and I ADORE their fresh, pesticide-free salad greens!

Wow! Look at all that great produce. And yes... a bad cat.

Happy one week to Christmas!

Friday, December 10, 2010

This one's for the birds

The feeders are stuffed, the kitties are alert, 'tis the season for birdwatching! We've got a column feeder full of black oil sunflower seeds and several resident birds... So far I counted 4 species today - I'll be keeping a list and post more birds as I see them. The pictures I will be posting are taken with gratitude from fellow Etsians' shops. Please click on the photo for more info about the picture or item! For today:

1. Black Capped Chickadee- This lively little guy is also the state bird of Massachusetts. They can decrease their core body temperatures by 10-12 degrees F to conserve energy during cold winter nights! Click HERE to visit a wiki page to hear the chickadee's call.
2. Tufted Titmouse- These birds are generally friendly and inquisitive... and they have a great name! Click HERE for their call.3. Dark-eyed Junco - Another bird with a great name, this little sparrow tends to hunt for food on the ground in small flocks.
4. Northern Cardinal - We all know this common winter bird. We have a male and female pair that visit the feeder on a regular basis. Click HERE for the sounds of a male.
To completely change gears for a moment, I recently received an email from CISA (Community Involved in Local Agriculture) about local eggs, chickens, and other assorted poultry and fowl. Our local farmers are necessary and inspiring - do you have a way you can support farmers in your area?