This Memorial Day, I participated in the Victory Garden Blitz in Milwaukee. We made raised beds and compost bins. 
Here’s the compost bin. It’s built of cedar and wire, and is attached with hooks and eyes instead of screws. It’s lightweight, and with the hook and eye construction, it’s fast and easy to move. The wire construction allows for more airflow, and makes the wood longer-lasting. The wood is untreated, so no chemicals will find their way into your food. I have one that I built over 15 years ago. I think the metal will rust before the wood rots.
Here’s a 4×4 bed, just built. The lumber is hardwood, white oak, a true 2″ and can be made 10″ or 8″ high. It will last much longer than pine or other woods. It’s also untreated. 
Here’s that same bed, partially planted. You’ll want to fill it with clean topsoil. Most soil in the city is contaminated, which is why we build raise beds. When you put your bed on the ground, you’ll first want to lay a few layers of overlapping newspapers on the ground. They will help kill the grass underneath, while still allowing the worms to find their way up into your bed. Worms are good for your soil. 
Here’s a 4×8 bed partially planted. Using 10″ boards, it takes a cubic yard of soil.
I’m making and selling these now. I can make custom sizes for both the beds and the bins. The bins can be made with doors as well. They can be picked up or delivered and installed on location. Call 263.1513 or email me for prices and details.
3 Jun 2009 | 10:54 am | DIY - Do It Yourself, Development, Health | Read 2 comments - Add your comments
Who’s funding real change in the city of Milwaukee?
Is it non-profits?
Some would argue that it’s no longer these 501(c)(3) organizations, which have become increasingly addicted to funding through corporate ties.
Have you read “The Revolution will not be funded?” Its subtitle,”Beyond the Non-profit Industrial Complex,” gives you an idea what it’s about.
Just like political campaigns, organizations which previously relied on grassroots, door-to-door and other people-powered campaigns now rely on special interest money. Many would close their doors without it.
Talk to the creative frontline of non-profits, the organizers and managers, the activists and advocates. Many are full of new ideas, geared to make change, ready to do it. But they are often hobbled by their Executive Directors, who are beholden to their boards (some of whom are corporate reps), who serve the interests of the foundations and corporations that fund them.
This isn’t true of all non-profits, of course. But those of us who have worked for, with or in the non-profit world know what I mean.
Progress will always be hindered if Mutual Aid bows to Special Interest.
It’s time to lift our own heads, DIO (Do It Ourselves), start our own businesses, grow our own food, fund our own causes.
No one is going to do it for us.
9 Dec 2008 | 4:32 pm | DIY - Do It Yourself, Development, Environmental Sustainability, Representation | Read 2 comments - Add your comments
Dear City Plan Commissioners,
I am objecting to the proposal to build a new UWM dorm on the Milwaukee River. I’m asking you to consider the consequences of this project, and take the long view.
I’m not sure why each of you are on the CPC—perhaps it’s because you truly want to see better development in this city, and give a voice to citizen perspective, or maybe it’s just to put another notch in your resume belt.
Right now, you have an extraordinary opportunity. You can rubber stamp this project and let it go the way of another “done deal,†or you can be heroes, and change the tide of what is surely coming upon us—the development of all of the Milwaukee River, north of North Ave.
Please be clear. Neighborhood leaders who have been meeting over the last several months on UWM and river issues do not want this development. The UWM dorms as proposed:
- Are too big, doubling the population of Riverside Park neighborhood without addressing infrastructure needs.
- Are environmentally shameful. High-density developments should never abut a primary environmental corridor.
- Open up development of all of the Milwaukee River at a time we are working to protect it.
- Don’t meaningfully address resident concerns.
- Add more dorm density to North Ave. Three dorms is too many.
- Add more dorm density to the Milwaukee River for a total of almost 1200 students.
- Use public funds in the form of bonds to help finance it.
Continue reading ‘Letter to CPC re: UWM Dorm Development on the River’
8 Dec 2008 | 2:04 pm | Development, Environmental Sustainability, UWM, Water | No comments yet - Add your comments
The preliminary score is in. Yet one more development in a string of them along our river, moving north despite city promises that development would end at North Avenue.
In a move that has all the looks of a “done deal,” UWM has selected the Hometown site along the Milwaukee River as their next UWM dorm location.
The development, owned by Mandel, has the kiss of blessing from the Milwaukee River Work Group (MRWG) and Alder Nik Kovac, who told me just minutes ago that he hopes to support this project.
Continue reading ‘Developers-112, Milwaukee River-O: Hometown site is chosen.’
1 Oct 2008 | 2:40 pm | 3rd District, Development, UWM, Water | No comments yet - Add your comments
This is a response to both Ann Brummitt’s email (you can follow the thread below) and the letter that she sent out on behalf of the Milwaukee River Work Group (MRWG). I apologize for the length and I’ve tried to bulletpoint and highlight the basics, so you can do a quick skim if you don’t have time to read the whole thing.If you are opposed to unsustainable, high-density development along the Milwaukee River, please call (286.3447) or email Alder Nik Kovac (nkovac@milwaukee.gov) a.s.a.p. If you’ve already made your call, thank you.
Starting out with the tiresome disclaimers that anyone who is vocally opposed to this development has to parade out:
A. I am not anti-student. All the students who worked on my campaign, the students who ask me to speak on their panels, the students who ask for my endorsement for their projects or most importantly, the students who are also opposed to developing more dorms on the river will attest to this fact.
Continue reading ‘Rebuttal to MRWG’s support for more high-density development on the river’
1 Oct 2008 | 9:09 am | Development, Environmental Sustainability, UWM, Water | No comments yet - Add your comments
From: Ann Brummitt
Date: Thu, Sep 25, 2008 at 2:04 PM
Subject: Hometown Dorm proposal
September 25, 2008
Alderman Nic Kovac:
The Milwaukee River Work Group (MRWG) would like to express its appreciation to you for hosting the public hearing on September 3, 2008 regarding the proposal for a UWM dormitory at the intersection of the Milwaukee River and North Avenue.
Continue reading ‘The Controversial Letter from the Milwaukee River Work Group’
30 Sep 2008 | 8:48 am | Development, Environmental Sustainability, Green Spaces, UWM, Water | Read 1 comment - Add your comments
Mandel insists that the viewshed will remain protected if they are allowed to build a high-density dorm at the Hometown site (700 students, 50% larger than Riverview). They say that the setback and the height restriction will protect it.
Is the Viewshed protected? Not if you can almost see the trail from Paperboard
But has an independent surveyor, i.e. one not paid by Mandel, tested this? Actually no.
I decided to see if I could figure out if this is true.
I went to Wisconsin Paperboard, just north and east of the Hometown property, and climbed to about 45 ft. I shot a few photos.
As you can see in the picture above, the trail on the west bank of the river is almost visible from that height. But Paperboard is much further back than the dorms will be. In other words, there’s a really good chance that closer to the river–where the dorms will be–one will be able to see the trail. And that, of course, means that someone on the trail can see the dorms.
Aside from the view over the trees, you can see the spaces in the trees themselves, meaning it’s pretty certain that the dorms will be visible during the summer months.
There are spaces in the trees
And setbacks and height restrictions won’t prevent the dorms from intruding into the viewshed from October thru May, when leaves are off the trees.
And let’s not forget that viewshed is really a superficial and somewhat elitist measure of river protection. If you don’t take into account things like use and density, well, let’s just say there are current residents near RiverView dorms who cannot speak for themselves.
Dead Butler Garter Snake
29 Sep 2008 | 2:20 pm | Development, Environmental Sustainability, Green Spaces, UWM | No comments yet - Add your comments