Green Gifts

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“It’s not easy being green.” Kermit T. Frog
Well, it’s getting easier!!

The information below was prepared by sisters Astrid Newenhouse PhD (Senior Scientist in the Environmental Resources Center and the Department of Biological Systems Engineering) and Sonya Newenhouse PhD (President of Community Car, LLC)

Look for these gifts at your local garden center or hardware store. If not available, check the mail order companies listed. Source is listed for items that are difficult to find locally.

Gifts Under $10

  • Building and Using Cold Frames and or Improving Your Soil Handbooks $3.99  www.growingorganic.com (Peaceful Valley store, CA)
  • Eco Watering Spout, new design to make a watering can from a plastic bottle $6, Womanswork
  • Easy Turn Tap Grip for faucet, $3.50 many places and also Lee Valley
  • Mesh bags for onions etc. $5–7.50, Seed Savers
  • Canning funnel
  • Nail brush
  • Soil and Compost thermometer
  • Stainless Steel Apple Wedger $9.95 www.realgoods.com
  • “Pesticide free zone” sign for lawn or yard, Beyond Pesticides, www.beyondpesticides.org
  • Amaryllis bulb in a pot or tulip, hyacinth, and narcissus bulbs for indoors
  • Double hose connector so one faucet can handle two hoses
  • Good quality tape measure for home or field
  • Seeds
  • New types of garden gloves, nitrile,flexible, or cushioned, or fit to women (see Womanswork)
  • Fair trade mittens, scarves, hats ($9-12) Fair Indigo www.fairindigo.com (800) 520-1806
  • Naughty Goat Soaps, Under A Rock Farm, LaFarge WI Facebook
  • Organic maple syrup, sugar, maple cream or candy www.MapleValley.coop (800) 760-1449
  • Reusable bowl covers
  • Eco pots made from grain husks, $9 Gardeners Supply
  • Traditional paste glue, $4.95, Lee Valley

Gift Ideas $10–25

  • Folding pruning saw, also for camping, Fiskars, $15
  • Mechanical water timer for faucet
  • BeesWrap Beeswax and cloth food storage alternative to plastic wrap, www.beeswrap.com/ and other wraps for food
  • Cherry-It Pitter pits 4 cherries at once $15, Bed Bath and Beyond www.bedbathandbeyond.com
  • Hip holster for tools, phone, $16 Womans Work, others
  • Hori Hori Knife, (cross between a trowel and a knife) $22 Gardener’s Edge, others
  • Soji Solar Lantern, white 10’ round $21.99, Real Goods
  • Bare root trees, fruits, perennials locally or check Fedco coop in Maine
  • Leonard soil knife, $18, GardenersEdge
  • Melon and squash cradles for the ‘perfect unblemished melon’ $12.50, Gardeners Supply
  • White floating row cover fabric or Reemay for veggies , local garden center or garden catalog
  • Support hoops for row cover fabric on veggies $15 Gardeners Supply
  • Raised bed corner brackets (metal) Lee Valley or Gardeners Supply
  • Pot maker $12, a form to make seedling pots w/ newspaper, Lee Valley or Gardeners Supply
  • Bushel Basket with handles $14.99 www.groworganic.com
  • Rotary tool sharpener for hoes, spades, to use with your drill $16, Johnny’s
  • Collapsible canvas bucket $16.90 Lee Valley
  • Radius Junior Spade 36 in. or Rake 39 in. $16.50 Lee Valley
  • Over-the-sink-colander, $17.50 www.leevalley.com (800) 871-8158
  • Siphon to empty rain barrel or garden pond $13 Lee Valley, www.leevalley.com (800) 871-8158
  • Min max thermometer
  • Metal plant labels
  • Canning funnel stainless steel $12 , household stores or Lehmans
  • Canning One Handed Jar Lifter $9.50 www.lehmans.com (888) 438-5346
  • UW Extension gives local classes on food preservation
  • Hummingbird feeders, all kinds
  • Wire suet or fruit spirals (3) $10, Gardeners Supply
  • Downspout diverter for rainbarrel $20 Gardener’s Edge
  • Tupperware sandwich keeper $12 for 2 www.tupperware.com
  • Glass food containers for leftovers Vermont Country Store
  • Hanging pocket shoe organizer for tools, gloves, seeds
  • Orchard Mason bee nests for pollination, several places including Garden Supply, Lee Valley
  • Seedling Sprayer $16.50 Lee Valley www.leevalley.com
  • Soil Scoop $19.90 for container gardening Lee Valley www.leevalley.com
  • Transplant Knife $ Lee Valley www.leevalley.com
  • Knee pads or kneeling pads of all sorts, new version has memory foam
  • Soji Solar Lantern, white 10 ft. round $21.99 www.realgoods.com
  • Stainless steel compost pail for kitchen counter $19.95-23.50 Lee Valley
  • Earth Flag, $24.95 www.realgoods.com
  • A string of LED lights to decorate your house using 90% less heat and energy
  • Good quality min/max thermometer, simple large copper or electronic thermometer or wireless
  • Sprinkler stand $40, holds it higher up so it works better
  • Noodlehead flexible sprinkler Gardeners Supply, GardenersEdge
  • Water meter for hose or sprinkler
  • LED headlamp for gardening at night
  • Floral shovel for working in flower beds $16 GardenersEdge
  • Hand-Crank Coffee Grinder $22, Real Goods
  • Good quality hand tools such as DeWit cultivator (Dutch made)

Gift Ideas $25–50

  • Nut gathering rake, for picking up walnuts from your yard $40-$50. Gardeners Supply, others
  • Kits to grow your own mushrooms $14-$60, Field & Forest Products Inc. www.fieldforest.net, (800) 792-6220 (Peshtigo WI)
  • Ceramic Berry Bowl with drain holes, $24.95 many locations and also Gardeners Supply
  • Stoneware Pickling Crock $29-$199, antique stores (beware lead), or new at Gardeners Supply
  • Foley food mill $35-$45, Lehmans,
  • GardenGlide cart $30, GardenersEdge
  • Gardener’s Hollow Leg, a belt sack to collect prunings or harvest $30 Gardeners Edge
  • CobraHead weeder made in WI $25 www.cobrahead.com  (866) 962-6272
  • Cape Cod Weeder, other hand weeders
  • Pruners with ‘power gear’ $36, Fiskars, endorsed for Ease of Use by Arthritis Foundation, GardenersEdge
  • On Plug Power Switch $11 single or $29 for three Real Goods
  • Oven Gloves, great for canning, many places and also Lee Valley
  • Smart Power Strip $39, Real Goods
  • Kneeler, $35, folding, with pad, GardenersEdge
  • Power bulb planter to put on drill, $30,
  • Drip irrigation kit Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Gardeners Supply
  • Waste Free Lunch Kit $45
  • Garden rocker seat $49, Gardeners Edge, Gardener’s Supply
  • Solar powered lights as accents or along walkways, some change color
  • Natural organic clothes, robes, baby clothes, household linens, or pillows
  • Hand crank radio to listen to “Garden Talk” without any batteries
  • Corn broom, Lehmans
  • Laundry line kit and wood wall mount laundry line, local hardware store or Lehmans
  • Upright dandelion weeding tools such as Speedy Weedy, Weed Hound, Grandpa’s Weeder
  • Colorful spiral vegetable stakes $35 Gardeners Supply
  • Root Vegetable Storage Bins $29.95, Gardeners Supply
  • Organic, Made in USA T-shirts (by a Wisconsin Company) www.fairindigo.com
  • Gift certificate to Community Car for access to hybrid cars, vans, a truck, and a mini cooper www.communitycar.com (608) 204-0000
  • Instant Garden Fence kit $45, Gardeners Supply
  • Garden Hat, many places including Clean Air Gardening

Gift Ideas $50–$100

  • 6 months menu planning service by personal chef Patricia Mulvey of Local Thyme $60, cooking with local produce,  www.localthyme.com or basic membership $15/year
  • Colorful rubber hoses $69.95 rubber hose in rainbow color choices Gardeners Supply
  • Kits to make your own cheese: $57-73 The Cheesemaker (WI) www.thecheesemaker.com, $25, New England Cheesemaking Supply www.cheesemaking.com (413) 397-2012
  • Earth Box self contained planter system $55, http://store.earthbox.com (800) 821-8838
  • Flame weeder, Gardener’s Edge, Gardener’s Supply
  • Over-sink cutting board with removable colander $59, Real Goods,
  • Garden scoot on wheels with tractor seat Gardener’s Supply or Gardener’s Edge
  • Food dehydrator
  • Cast iron cookware
  • Organic cotton items such as sheets, towels and blankets, www.Gaiam.com (800) 869-3446
  • New England clothes dryer (50 feet of drying space) $99, Real Goods
  • Drip watering irrigation system, $60 Gardeners Supply, others
  • LED solar powered white holiday lights $80 Gardeners Supply, others

Gift Ideas $100 +

  • Broadfork, $95 Lee Valley or $180 Johnny’s Selected Seeds
  • All-Terrain Landscapers Wagon $129 ,Gardeners Supply
  • Beekeeping starter kit, $150, www.mannlakeltd.com (800) 880-7694
  • Seeders for large scale garden farm $80-$500(with video)  Johnnys Selected Seeds
  • Electric (Ni-Cad battery) hedge trimmer, string trimmer, pole saw, Gardeners Edge
  • Mehu-Liisa Steamer Juicer from Finland, check internet (Amazon) and also Lee Valley
  • Weather station: electronic data on temp, rainfall, wind speed, humidity
  • Toro e-cyler cordless push electric lawnmower
  • Push reel mower
  • Standing raised bed garden, Gardeners Supply
  • FairShare CSA(Community Supported Agriculture) Coalition, buy a weekly subscription for veggies in the growing season www.csacoalition.org
  • PowerKraut subscription $140 and up, http://www.agrilicious.org/Powerkraut (608) 675-3737
  • Rain Barrels $119 – $299 many places including Gardeners Supply, Clean Air Gardening
  • Chicken coop, many places including Clean Air Gardening

Books and Magazines

  • Cookbook “Farmstead Chef” by Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko $19 http://innserendipity.com
  • Farm Fresh and Fast, FairShare CSA Coalition cookbook $25 www.csacoalition.org
  • Michael Pollan’s new book ‘Cooked, A Natural History of Transformation’
  • The Year Round Vegetable Gardener, Niki Jabbour  $19.99 www.groworganic.com
  • The Complete Book of Home Preserving, by Judi Kingri and Lauren Devine $22.95
  • Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables by Mike and Nancy Bubel $14.95
  • Landscaping with Native Plants of Wisconsin, Lynn M. Steiner $24.95 Voyageur Press
  • Square foot Gardening by Mel Batholomew $25 www.squarefootgardening.com
  • The Human Powered Home by Tamara Dean, www.Newsociety.com $29 author has grain mill, blender, coffee grinder powered by her bicycle.
  • EnAct: Steps to Greener Living by Sonya Newenhouse, $14.95 (second edition) www.enactwi.org  (608) 280-0800
  • Set of “Growing Fresh Market Vegetables in WI” series of UW Extension publications
  • HortIdeas email Newsletter $25, Gravel Switch, KY, gwill@mis.net (606) 332-7606,
  • Growing for Market $33 www.growingformarket.com 800-307 8949
  • Mother Earth News (guide to leading a more sustainable life) www.motherearthnews.com $10/yr
  • Mother Earth Living (green lifestyle and design) www.motherearthliving.com $14.95/yr
  • Mary Jane’s Farm (simple solutions for every day organic) www.maryjanesfarm.org 19.95/yr
  • Small Green Roofs: Low-Tech Options for Greener Living by Nigel Dunnett, Dusty Gedge, John Little and Edmund Snodgrass $24.95 Timber Press www.timberpress.co.uk

Home Made Gifts
Seed saver binder (three whole punch sturdy zip lock bags with dividers), Floral stakes or garden stakes made from wire of campaign signs. Cloth napkins, cloth grocery bags, Leopold bench, rain barrels, garden record book, bookmarks, potpourri, wreaths, garlands, soothing neck wrap, homemade soap, oil and vinegar infusions, tinctures, bath salts, window boxes, note cards, pinecone peanut butter bird feeder, trellis of branches or wood, doggie dooley

The Gift of Time
Certificates for services such as soil sampling, tool sharpening, raking, visits to botanic gardens (even in winter), hauling mulch or compost, building a raised bed or trellis, preparing a garden bed, or a massage for the gardener

Gift of Education

Sources

Contact Information
Astrid Newenhouse astridn@wisc.edu
Sonya Newenhouse sonya@madisonenvironmental.com
Source: Enact Wisconsin

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