By: Rob Ryan With the cold weather approaching, we take down the garden and let the soil ‘rest’ for the winter. This is called putting the garden to bed. Our goal is replenishing the soil with nutrients for next year’s growth, and putting down an insulating barrier on top to prevent the good bacteria and fungi from freezing in the winter. This is the garden before. Frost nipped, with a few hardy leafy greens still Read more…
Embarking on a gardening adventure can feel overwhelming! Join our Site Steward and Tool Librarian, Rob Ryan, as he shares his insights and experiences from the vibrant MUD garden this summer. Discover how you can cultivate your own green oasis with confidence! Every new garden is an experiment in adapting to new things and new conditions. This was my first garden at MUD so I had to learn and adapt to the site conditions; and Read more…
Though we may not always see them, and we rarely hear them, bats are integral to life in Montana. This week, I had the opportunity to chat with Kyle Watson from Titley Scientific. Kyle has been with Titley for two years, and she spent an hour with me, letting me ask every possible question I could think of. I left with a heap of new information and many more questions, as is common in the Read more…
I’m sure most of us can recall learning about Johnny Appleseed as children. You know, the sweet man who wanted to feed the world so he waltzed around barefoot, planting apple seeds all across America. The tales are not too far from the truth, but it’s missing a vital piece of information: Johnny Appleseed didn’t want to feed people, he wanted to get em’ drunk! “Johnny Appleseed,” actually John Chapman, was a pioneer gardener who Read more…
1. Tell me a little about yourself! My name is Bryce (he/him), I’ve lived in Missoula for two years so far and have done a variety of things around town. I originally grew up in Salt Lake City, went to school at Utah State University studying ecology and sustainability, and ended up in Missoula following my partner for law school. Since living here I’ve worked serving meat and seafood at the Good Food Store, did Read more…
Haley Hanson’s journey to MUD began in her childhood, where she could often be found wrangling reptiles and amphibians across the landscapes of the Midwestern United States and South America. Her fascination with the natural world led her to study Marine Biology in the Hawaiian Islands, where she contributed to the Marine Fish and Wildlife Service’s efforts to tag green sea turtles along the shores of black sand beaches. Haley later relocated to the towering Read more…
Meet James! James is a long time MUD member, a talented musician, a passionate builder and a wonderful friend. Recently, I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with James checking out his work and getting a behind the scenes glimpse into his creative brain. Read our interview below! 1. What are you working on currently? “Window trim. The old trim was badly damaged and needed to be replaced. I went with a Craftsman style Read more…
In October of 2023, we sent out a survey to our members. As a tool library, we see many of our members during our open hours, at workshops, and around town. As the quiet of winter approached, we sought to find a way to connect with members, seeking feedback and suggestions, in the slower times of the year. We have had the incredible opportunity to pour over these survey results, and dream up ways to Read more…
Meet MUD member Berkeley Loper! Since she was a little girl, Berkeley spent every holiday season getting a Christmas tree by bike. This year she recruited fellow friends and MUD members, Noah, Molly, and Gerald, to join in the tradition. They borrowed the epic MUD bike trailer, a saw and tarps and began their journey. Here is what Berkeley wrote to MUD about her epic winter adventure: “I was so excited to get some friends Read more…
It is December and the holiday season is no longer sneaking up, it’s here! Stores are crowded and people are buzzing about doing their holiday shopping. Couples are whispering around each other and parents are sneaking around their kids all asking “what are you going to get them for the holidays”. So often we use the phrase “get for”, implying this gift must be a physical manifestation of your care for this human. Talk about Read more…
Longtime MUD members may be familiar with the inventory of Container 2 (the garden tool container). You step in and your nostrils are filled with the scent of gas and lawn clippings and you prepare yourself to shimmy past the long row of lawn mowers to get the exact right tool for your project. It’s no surprise that Container 2 is probably the busiest container in the spring and summer (although Container 3 with the Read more…
June 19-25 is Pollinator Week, a time to recognize the importance of pollinators within our ecosystems and share ways to support their wellbeing. At MUD, we have been working over the last 3 years to create a welcoming environment for both native pollinators and honey bees around our site. We currently have one hive of honey bees on our property that help support our vegetable gardens and orchard as well as supplying us with several Read more…
During a recent round of hiring interviews at MUD I noticed a very strong theme developing. Almost every applicant we spoke to at some point credited their mom for inspiring them to take on DIY projects ranging from gardening to building to painting. It made me realize what a special gift a supportive and creative mother can be in empowering their children to be more self-reliant, to overcome challenges, and to not be afraid to Read more…
Written By Kathleen O’Brien, MUD Workshop Coordinator It’s a rather idyllic experience to walk out your backdoor, down the porch, and out to your chicken coop to collect eggs on a crisp morning. Not to mention the joy of cooking with freshly harvested eggs – store bought yolks simply pale in comparison, literally! While chickens are an approachable livestock to raise to meet your sustainable living goals, the upfront costs can be daunting. Undeniably, the Read more…
March 5-11 is the 25th Annual Women in Construction Week which celebrates and promotes the role of women in the construction industry. According to the National Association of Women in Construction website (https://www.nawic.org/), “women numbered 10.9 percent of the entire U.S. construction workforce in 2022” and “the gender pay gap is significantly smaller in construction occupations, with women earning on average 95.5 percent of what men make.” While the MUD tool library and our workshops Read more…
Is your business or organization looking for ways to cut back on unnecessary waste and implement more sustainable practices? Check out the Pledge Zero program with Home ReSource. A talented Home ReSource employee will meet with you to go over your current waste management systems, product sourcing, and general resource use. Afterwards they will create a report and provide recommendations on ways your business can continue to streamline systems and make small, meaningful changes to Read more…
January is often a time of reflection and planning for the new year and for the MUD team it’s no different. Earlier this month our staff and board spent a cozy Saturday at the Missoula Public Library reflecting on our accomplishments from 2022 and getting ready for some exciting new projects in 2023. In 2022 we: And a few things we’re looking forward to in the coming year? What projects do you have on your Read more…
Written by Kathleen O’Brien, MUD Tool Librarian and Workshop Coordinator One of the hardest things I’ve come to learn is that if you want to be good at something, you first have to be a beginner. There are endless questions I’ll ask, followed by confusion, frustration and need for clarification. I want to learn and learn it correctly but starting at ground level can be daunting. Finding a safe space to gain this knowledge is Read more…
MUD and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) have partnered on many projects over the last few years and we are excited to share about our latest project – a demonstration rain garden at the MUD tool library! NWF’s Big Sky Watershed Corps member, Kassie Robakiewicz, was inspired to install a demonstration rain garden when an opportunity presented itself by the Montana Association of Conservation Districts (MACD) grants to fund watershed restoration projects. Choosing the location Read more…
Small changes in our everyday lives can make a big difference for creating a more sustainable future and in decreasing our impact on the planet. That’s why we encourage sharing tools rather than buying them. That’s why we have many demonstration projects around our site to inspire people to try things like rain water catchment, using reclaimed building materials, and growing your own food. And it’s also why we are inviting people to try shopping Read more…
Hello! My name is Emily Kempe and I am an intern at MUD while I work on my master’s degree in social work at the University of Montana. “What is a social worker doing at a tool library?” you might ask. Well, social work can happen at all levels of our society: individual, group, community, statewide and nationally. I personally love doing social work at the community level and MUD is the perfect hub to Read more…
There is something so hopeful about spring. The warming weather. The buzzing bees. The buds on flowers. It feels like anything is possible. And at MUD, we are feeling especially hopeful about all of the exciting things we have planned for this year. We’ve already hosted 6 workshops and reached over 80 participants. New members are coming to the tool library so they can work on all their new spring projects. We celebrated Earth Day Read more…
It all started with a pipe burst on Wyoming Street in February of this year. The property owner (us) had to cover repairs, putting quite the unexpected dent in our budget. Repairs also called for the removal of mature trees from the MUD Site, leaving the street entrance to the site bare. Now, some organizations may have accepted the misfortune, been relieved that the immediate issue was resolved, and kept moving as usual. We aren’t Read more…
As the summer heat rages on, you may have noticed some of your early blooming plants already have dried seed heads. While you can leave them attached to the plant, providing habitat for insects and animals, you can also harvest those seed heads to increase the number of flowers in your garden for the next year. I’ve already noticed a couple of flowers at the MUD site getting ready to be harvested. As sunflower season Read more…
This past month, we’ve had a two-part lightweight fabric-on-frame boat building workshop, led by Mark Jaqua. I got the chance to talk to Mark this past weekend and it was a really great chat. We talked about the accessibility and affordability of the design, the joy that one can take from building a boat, and how much of a game changer having a boat like this could be for someone who doesn’t currently have a Read more…
It’s the middle of May, and you might be looking around your neighborhood and seeing some unkempt lawns. It may look untidy compared to a mowed lawn, but there is a good reason for a person letting the grass grow until June. No mow May makes it easier for early-season pollinators to find food sources, creates habitats for numerous critters, reduces water consumption, and improves biodiversity. It can be easier than regular mowing, The Importance Read more…
Earlier this year, MUD partnered with Job Site Ready for a two-day shed-building workshop. With participants’ help, we built a gorgeous garden shed. That was the first step, though. In March, thanks to our amazing sponsors at Associated Construction Engineering Inc., Prime Lending, and Jackson Contractor Group, we announced a community giveaway for the shed, inviting people all over Missoula to enter themselves or nominate another person or organization to receive a free garden shed! Read more…
It’s Spring. Time to come out of hibernation, time to gather with friends and family with some seasonal veggies and a good beer or root beer. Coax your friends out of their winter caves with a locally sourced, sustainability-minded dinner party. Invite Your Friends and Family Design a dinner party invite using Canva or the app Partiful. Partiful lets you send a digital invite to avoid paper and helps you track RSVPs. Decide on the tones Read more…
If you’re new to gardening you might be panicking. What is a Plant Hardiness Zone? How do you find out which one you live in? Which plants do you buy seeds for and when? How much space do I need? Shhhhh…. MUD’s got you. Our sustainable agricultural certified Site Steward, Dan Gagner, sat down to school us with some great tips and tricks. If you live in an apartment or duplex, you might be working with Read more…
Put down the polyester stuffed bear. Step away from the corny themed jewelry. Avoid the heart shaped box full of drug-store waxy chocolates at all costs. Don’t give your Valentine future waste. This February 14, endeavor to be more heartfelt, environmentally friendly, and economical with our five tips and tricks. 1. Homemade Valentine’s Day Card 💌 For some people, making your own Valentine may seem daunting. If you’re not up to the creative challenge, write Read more…
