From Play House to Green House....

that is our most recent project! We had not thought about the possibility of converting an existing structure into one of our green houses however this project came to us and we couldn't be more excited about it! We are taking a 200 square foot playhouse and are shoring up the foundation, removing the roof and replacing with the transparent polycarbonate material that is 99% UV protection and lastly adding in windows and doors selected by our client and carefully designed to provide the eclectic look she desires!!

Check out the before pictures and stay tuned for more pictures as we progress through the project!

Dana O'Brien
Owner
A Place to Grow, Recycled Green Houses
Dana@Recycledgreenhouses.com
805 704-1155

Gratitude is such an amazing thing...

especially when you are grateful for a gift from complete strangers! So there I was having a Sunday afternoon full of errands and trips to many stores. While deep in working on our latest project (more information to come!) I received a call from "Bob" whose wife "Joann" had found my wallet in a very busy parking lot!! Bob found my business card in my wallet and gave me a call and I will be forever grateful to he and his wife for this!

It is with a full heart that I share this story of people doing the right thing for the right reason and I will always believe in the goodness of people and their capacity to "do the right thing"!!

Have a wonderful evening and know that we are all connected :)

Dana O'Brien
Owner
A Place to Grow, Recycled Green Houses
Dana@Recycledgreenhouses.com
805 704-1155

Double Digging.......

I had never heard of "Double "Digging" before reading this article from Organic Gardening Magazine. Check it out, I am now a believer and will be busting out my shovel to prepare my garden for next Spring's planting!

http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/double-digging-why-do-it?cm_mmc=facebook-_-OrganicGardening-_-Content-LearnGrow-_-doubledigging

Our First Donated Green House...

is in the planning phase! We met with the Director, Mary Kern, of the San Luis Obispo Montessori Children's School and came up with the location and dimensions for the soon to be green house. The green house will be approximately a 9' x 9' structure with a unique entryway which is the result of it being designed to fit the space that they have available. Ms. Kern is hoping to get some parent participation in the purchasing of some of the wood materials. We are also going to re-purpose some fence boards as exterior siding below the windows.

There is a lot of enthusiasm surrounding this first donated green house! Ms. Kern already has a garden at her school however without a green house last year they had to hand carry their tomato plant seedlings to her brother's green house. Needless to say she is very happy to have their own "Place to Grow" at their school!

In late February, the Montessori school children plant tomato seeds and then later sell the tomato plants as a fundraiser to support the school's art program. I can hardly wait to see this project to completion so look for updates and pictures with a ribbon cutting before Thanksgiving!

Dana O'Brien
Owner
A Place to Grow, Recycled Green Houses
Dana@recycledgreenhouses.com
805 704-1155

A Place to Grow Happiness...

that is what these glass houses are about whether they are artist studios, green houses or even a Pilates studio what matters is that you use them to do something that makes you happy! I just took these pictures of the Artist Studio as it is getting finished out. They have hung the chandelier, put in wood flooring that was left over from their home and finished out the interior walls with pine siding. After checking out the swap meet and several antique stores they found a work bench, cabinet and cool door knocker which they installed above the door! The back wall is prepped for the tile mosaic which is soon to come. I saw the picture of the mosaic and it is a picture of Yosemite featuring  El Capitan, the river and a beautiful meadow, talk about a place that will inspire happiness!

What makes me happy is that Lori and Jeff are happy with their Place to Grow!!

If you want a Place to Grow of your own just give me a call and come look at our supply of windows, we have some really cool windows and doors in stock right now! If you can't come by, let me know the type of window you have in mind and I will send you some pictures of the windows we have in inventory.

Let's Grow!!

Dana O'Brien
Owner
A Place to Grow, Recycled Green Houses
Dana@Recycledgreenhouses.com
805 704-1155

This article I just read got me to thinking...

about places to grow. The article is about planning a beautiful vegetable garden and talks about designing your vegetable garden to be "as beautiful to look at as it is productive." This reminded me of our greenhouses and how they too are beautiful to look at and yet functional as well, I consider them to be  "functional art". In fact wouldn't a glass greenhouse round out any garden? Check out the article, they have some pretty good ideas on planning your vegetable garden!

http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/plan-beautiful-vegetable-garden?cm_mmc=facebook-_-OrganicGardening-_-Content-LearnGrow-_-5+garden+tricks&ref=nf

Happy gardening!!

Dana O'Brien
Owner
A Place to Grow, Recycled Green Houses
Dana@Recycledgreenhouses.com
805 704-1155

Creating places to grow.......

give me such fulfillment! These glass houses are what I consider to be "functional art". We have just completed our first artist studio! This is a 6'x8' glass house that will be used by a friend of mine to carve wood. My friend intends to mosaic the back wall of the studio with a mountain scene to complement the location of it in their backyard nestled between a pine tree and a manzanita bush! Their three waterfall pond provides the perfect background music for this creative space.

As I have mentioned in earlier blogs, A Place to Grow doesn't mean just a place to grow plants, it can mean a place to grow creatively such as this artist studio. I am so happy to be able to create this place of beauty so that my friend can carve her things of beauty and so the cycle goes.

In what way do you want to grow....

Here's to "growing"!!

Dana O'Brien
Owner
A Place to Grow, Recycled Green Houses
Dana@Recycledgreenhouses.com
805 704-1155

I was just wondering about organic fertilizers...

when I ran across this blog which really broke it down and clarified it for me!

Choosing Organic Fertilizers

Please define organic where using superphosphate is concerned. Also when using 10-10-10. Thank you.
Superphosphate is a synthetic chemical fertilizer that is not approved for use in organic agriculture. It is manufactured by treating mined phosphate rock with sulfuric acid. It’s toxic to the microbial life of your soil. Because it’s water soluble, it can also contribute to phosphorus pollution of waterways.
If your garden soil lacks phosphorus, it’s better to apply it in the form of bone meal, rock phosphate, composted poultry manure, or compost made from yard waste and kitchen scraps. These organic materials release phosphorus to the soil slowly as they are broken down by soil bacteria. Fish emulsion and liquid seaweed fertilizers offer a quick phosphorus boost.
The ratio 10-10-10 describes the quantities of nutrients within a fertilizer but doesn’t reveal whether or not it’s organic. That said, the vast majority of fertilizers with a 10-10-10 analysis are synthetic. The three numbers represent the percentages of available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the fertilizer.
Gardeners who are in the habit of regularly feeding their soil with rich compost often find that they have no need for additional fertilizers. If necessary, you can supplement compost with complete organic fertilizers that blend natural sources of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as micronutrients such as iron and calcium. You’ll know which products at the garden center are organic by their “OMRI Listed” label.  —Doug Hall

Posted at 3:33 pm | Permalink | 4 Comments. | TrackBack

Tags: compost, fertilizer, fish emulsion, liquid seaweed, manure, nutrient, phosphorus, superphosphate


I don't know about you but I'm sticking with my compost as once again it is the top choice for our gardens!!

Happy growing!!

Dana O'Brien
Owner
A Place to Grow, Recycled Green Houses
Dana@recycledgreenhouses.com
805 704-1155

Here I sit daydreaming about my garden...

Wondering what kinds of root vegetables we will plant this winter to use in the soups we make. Definitely leeks and parsnips and being of Irish descent (well himself is) I figured we had better plant some potatoes! I was doing a little research and ran across this article that really zeroes in on why growing organic is not only important, but also necessary to keep the intricate balance of nature.

http://www.slowmoney.org.

It really made me think about all of the changes that need to be made and are already being made to insure that the food we eat is safe and nutritious. I hope you take away the same feeling of a need for a tremendous shift, as I have, and a new appreciation for our soil. In the meantime I'll be planting some potatoes!

Happy Gardening!

Dana O'Brien
Owner
A Place to Grow, Recycled Green Houses
Dana@recycledgreenhouses.com
805 704-1155

Stained glass windows...

This past weekend we picked up some stained glass windows from a famous restaurant in Los Angeles called the Dal Rae Restaurant in Pico Rivera.  

www.dalrae.com/about.htm

The stained glass windows represent the original owners who were brothers and raced surreys. The Dal Rae was their first million dollar horse!! There are two panels that have a horse and cart design and a third with red accent bevels. The two horse and cart design windows are approximately 54" wide by 20" high. I cannot wait to see how they will look in one of our glass structures!


There is another stained glass piece that was created by a local artist, Nita Overly, who owned the Sea & Glass Gallery in Cambria and Morro Bay. It is a Corn Stalk panel with Hopi sunburst, pottery and red clay. This is an original piece which is 55.5" wide by 20.5" high. This piece will be stunning in one of our original green houses!

Check out the pictures to the right!

Dana O'Brien
Owner
A Place to Grow, Recycled Green Houses
Dana@recycledgreenhouses.com
805 704-1155

What to do with all those tomatoes...

Here is an article that answers that question, you make salsa and can it for later! What a treat to have fresh from the garden salsa in the middle of winter! Hang on to this recipe because soon we will be wondering what to do with all the tomatoes in our gardens!

http://voices.yahoo.com/canning-homemade-salsa-8920149.html

Happy gardening!

Dana O'Brien
Owner
A Place to Grow, Recycled Green Houses
Dana@Recycledgreenhouses.com
805 704-1155

Everywhere I look I see windows....

every office building, every house, all have windows and they all are interesting and tell a different story. For example, I have a batch of windows to use in a green house that belong to a 4th generation family right here in San Luis Obispo! The house was built in the early 1920s and the windows have that old, wavy glass in them, very cool windows that will look amazing in one of my green houses!

Another connection I am cultivating landed a job renovating a Beverly Hills French Country Style home of which he is giving me the windows he replaces! I am still hoping to get the office building windows from Los Angeles which would be the basis for my standard green house kits.

Stay with me as I grow this venture....

Dana O'Brien
Owner
A Place to Grow, Recycled Green Houses
Dana@recycledgreenhouses.com
805 704-1155

How can you not feel like getting out in the garden...

when it's 80 degrees outside? I recently read this article about organic seeds and how they are getting a little easier to get as more people are becoming interested in them. The last paragraph gives you the names of a few organic seed catalogs, they also suggest looking in your own community first for a local seed company or seed saver exchange.

http://www.justmeans.com/Sustainable-Food-Starts-with-Organic-Seeds/44424.html

And remember if you need a place to grow, I have one for you!!

Happy gardening...

Dana O'Brien
Owner
A Place to Grow, Recycled Green Houses
dana@recycledgreenhouses.com
805 704-1155

It's almost summer which has me thinking....

about planting my garden! I found this great article on growing organic basil and completely agree that if basil could talk "it would scream summer"! So check out this article and get ready for summer!

http://www.bluehorizonfarm.com/organic-gardening/basil.html

Happy gardening and good health to you!

Dana O'Brien
Owner
A Place to Grow, Recycled Green Houses
Dana@recycledgreenhouses.com

So here I sit in a Starbucks in Westwood....

contemplating the fact that i am officially a Certified Renovator for lead paint. What does that mean? It means that I had the pleasure of spending 8 hours in a Contractor's State Licensing course learning how to safely renovate windows that have been painted with lead paint! I know, exciting stuff, for me it really is as a fair amount of the windows I use in my green houses have been painted with lead paint which is a definite health risk, predominantly to children, but also to adults.

The beauty of reclaiming these windows is that I am keeping them out of the landfill, giving them a new purpose And encapsulating the lead paint so as to remediate the risk of lead poisoning!

While in the class I was able to connect with several contractors who demonstrated an interest in what I am doing and a willingness to get me the windows that they are now removing! They also had great ideas when it came to transporting and storing the large office building windows I mentioned in my previous blog.

As I sit here today surrounded by people I do not know (yet!) I am feeling gratitude to those that are helping me and gratitude to those that share my enthusiasm for A Place to Grow....

Dana O'Brien
Owner of A Place to Grow
Recycled Green Houses
Dana@recycledgreenhouses.com

Woman Cave, sounds like a great idea!

So here is an article that really speaks to what I am trying to accomplish with A Place to Grow, check it out!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203370604577265471922759502.html

Let me know what you think....

Dana

Just when I was wondering when it was going to happen...

it happened! I know that sounds vague however what I was thinking was that I needed to secure enough, or even the right kind of, reclaimed materials in order to meet demand (or at least the level of demand I know will be there) in time. Well today I met a gentleman who is replacing all of the windows in his 19 story office building in Los Angeles and he wants to give the windows he removes to me! I can't quite fathom what this means except that it means that a couple of thousand windows are NOT going to the landfill and instead will be re-purposed into greenhouses, artist studios or small residences (Austin & Warren). This is exactly the vision I had with A Place to Grow is to take these windows that are being replaced with current up-to-date energy efficient windows (a win) and re purpose them to make other structures that are functional and unique (another win)!

What does this mean? It means we are moving forward and have an incredible amount of energy in the pursuit of this business venture!!

Sit back and enjoy the ride, we are about to LAUNCH!!!!

Dana

Little glass houses for you and me....

and that is exactly what we have built! Our first greenhouse is 90% complete and I couldn't be happier with how it has worked out. We managed to get all four walls built, transported by trailer and stood in place in just 12 hours! The 12 hours was a lot of learning curve as we needed to make calculations and documentation that will not be necessary for future structures. The roof is on and the door is hung, all that remains is to fill in the open spaces with plywood, install the roof fan and paint. Speaking of the fan, we found a "green" fan that is completely powered by a solar panel mounted on top of the fan! This fits perfectly with our goal to be as environmentally friendly as possible. The plan is to complete the greenhouse except for painting by next weekend!

My sister wants to leave the windows their current color of pale pink and paint or stain the wood around them. The greenhouse is 9'x10' and predominantly glass. Needless to say my sister is absolutely thrilled with her greenhouse and can't wait to get her potting table and shelving in place! She has installed a sink at the back of the greenhouse on the outside of it in order to leave as much growing space as possible on the inside. My greenhouse also has a sink which is a great addition in that it is so much easier to rinse the harvested vegetables before you bring them in the house. Also, it allows me to wash out my pots before I re plant in them to make sure fungus's from prior plantings are killed.

I continue to cultivate business connections to obtain materials. The amount of waste in the construction industry is immense. I will strive to do my part to utilize as much of this waste in order to re-purpose it into something beautiful AND useful!!

We are continuing to discover new uses for our recycled structures. A friend of mine wants to enclose her deck so that she may use it as a studio to paint in. Another friend wants a glass house around his hot tub that would incorporate some privacy glass windows and regular windows. These are two great uses that have been brought to me that I am really excited about! As I mentioned before, A Place to Grow has many meanings as we all continue to grow each and every day in many ways....

Yours in growth,

Dana O'Brien

Can you feel it?

the energy surrounding recycling, reusing or re purposing instead of throwing away? It seems that everywhere I turn I see a new sign of it and appreciate the shift in our collective selves to move toward a more sustainable lifestyle. Whether it's recycling more or just consuming less whatever seemingly insignificant move we make in either of those directions matters.

I recently visited the Habitat Re-Store where I was able to pick up 3 doors for future greenhouses. It is amazing how much awareness there is and how many people are donating materials rather than throwing them away. The premise of selling these used building materials to raise money to then build homes (Habitat for Humanity) feeds right in to my business model of using these used materials to build "places to grow" and then donating a portion of the proceeds to organizations that benefit children! How can I not be enthusiastic?

Speaking of enthusiastic, the design for the first green house is almost complete with construction/assembly to begin within the next week! Now THAT is something to be excited about! Keep an eye out for pictures, as I will be keeping you up to date on my progress.
 
I am laying the bricks and meeting the people who will help move this forward. My gratitude goes out to each and everyone of you that keeps following my progress and encouraging me along the way.

Back soon, Dana