Here's the link
Saturday, February 28, 2009
The wide variety of public art
I came across this article and thought some of you would think it was interesting. I know its outside the chicken shack info we have been posting however it does comment on the direction some public art is going. A sculptor Antony Gormley is on a mission to fill part of the Trafalgar Square for 100 days, he has invited people to fill the space for one hour however they please. Its too bad we are not located in the UK, it would be great to fill the space with chickens and a shack.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Materials
Blue Stain
Palettes (Sutherland's giving more away this weekend. If someone with a car want to help get them this would help us)
Straw/Hay (Still looking for the lowest cost or free)
Aluminum Siding (ReSource)
Fencing Materials (Resource)
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Marshall Visit
Hey everyone, sorry about missing today, my bad. I did go out and do some field work in Marshall. Check out my trip to Marshall. I found some interesting structures and history. http://www.flickr.com/photos/baselinegroup/sets/72157614375075533/
Monday, February 23, 2009
T.C. Woods
I called T.C. Woods to find out some information about the wood they mill. Everything they mill and sell is local to Boulder and surrounding area. (I asked about the pine beetle wood and they have some but not a lot.) I asked about a possible field trip and he said he would be happy to give us a tour of the mill and store. Maybe Wed. ?
link
Sunday, February 22, 2009
weekend site research
Here's the inside of Tom's Tavern on Pearl- I liked this site a lot! Very visible, and dirty enough that chickens wouldn't seem overly out of place. Much more up on Flickr (Atmosphere, BMOCA etc- it was hard to look into the BMOCA windows, though). I skipped photographing Design Within Reach, as it just didn't seem like a good fit.
12 Tips for a Successful Coop Design
Building Chicken Coops by Gail Damerow
A Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin
I will bring this to class on Monday but I thought this might start a good conversation on the blog and perhaps in class. Below is a list of 12 tips for a successful coop. With those in mind, maybe we can try to come up with our own 12 tips to make a successful Baseline Group chicken coop.
1. Easy to clean.
2. Good drainage.
3. Protects the flock from wind and sun.
4. Keeps out rodents, wild birds, and other predatory animals.
5. Provides adequate space.
6. Ventilated.
7. Free of drafts.
8. Maintains a uniform temperature.
9. Place for roosting.
10. Place for hens to lay indoors.
11. Offers plenty of light.
12. Sanitary feed and water stations.
24 Hour Fitness
Today I stopped by the 24 Hour Fitness and the space seems great when relating to our discussion on Wed. about the indoor installation. Its quite large and industrial. If you go to our flicker you can see some pics under "potential sites", check out the weird structure on top the building.
I would also like to say thank you to the whole class : ) our breakfast meeting went great! The week prior to the breakfast the Chicken Shack Village seemed so distant and abstract, however after wed. I felt like our decision to try to do a temporary installation indoors really helped me visualize the potential village and made the whole project more concrete. I'm excited to hear from everyone on monday and looking forward to bringing all our research together and see how far we can take this.
Tired Chickens
Hey check out how a chicken can be rocked to sleep. I bet parents wish they could put their kids to bed this easily.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/523487/how_to_put_a_chicken_to_sleep/
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Info from "Chickens in Your Backyard"
I ordered this book "Chickens in Your Backyard" by Rick and Gail Luttmann, I'll bring in on Monday to the Baseline Headquarters. Here is some info we should be thinking about.
Something to consider when designing the Roost (where they sleep) is that they like to sleep with their toes wrapped around the perch. Also if you are concerned about the chickens being bored because of a lack of space some have hung the perch like a swing which in the end provides a roost as well as some stimulation. Beneath the perch should be a dropping catcher, which can be made of wire mesh that is removable for easy cleaning.
The coop roof should be made of a material that will not collect and hold heat, if we choose a metal or wood roof we should add a few small openings to allow moisture to escape and allow in fresh air. We should also think about a way to have some insulation for the winter.
Friday, February 20, 2009
shipping palette give away today!
Hey Everyone,
Today at Sullivan's lumber they are giving away free Palettes. I am going to try and grab a bunch, but if anyone else is interested go pick them up at Sullivan's. Free Resources are always a good thing!!!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Materiality...
What local materials might be fancy enough for our hens? How can our material choices effect the overall design?
Singing for the Beasts
The Ditty Bops, a musical group from California, often tour the country performing at organic farms, even performing for the animals sometimes. Perhaps in the future it would be nice for the site specific class to try to get them to come here. Here is a link to a video of them performing for goats.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
palette shack follow up
I really enjoy the palette barn, and think using palettes is a great way to utilize existing resources. I could also see these structures incorporating straw insulation. I know of a massive field of palettes for sale next to the ReSource2000 in Fort Collins. Could be a great way to produce an aesthetically pleasing Village, in a sustainable way.
Check out what Brad Pitt is doing with Palettes
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://venicepaper.net/images/P_S_Back.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.venicepaper.net/pmt_more.php%3Fid%3D388_0_1_15_M&usg=__ySnVLHzzH9ZtJgvCY68rkI2Aknw=&h=346&w=400&sz=42&hl=en&start=8&tbnid=4zrTEWd9e6kt_M:&tbnh=107&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dshipping%2Bpallet%2Bstructures%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG
The Renegade Lunch Lady
Click here to access the CPR article about how Boulder is trying to "healthify" public school lunches. Scroll down the the article about the Renegade Lunch Lady.
Answers to the questions
What’s on a chicken’s mind? They have a lot on their minds. They have hairdos to consider, plans to hatch, ground to scritch up (treasures), and that whole pecking order thing to worry about...
Does chicken love other animals? No. Other animals are not on their radar because other animals do not have fine feathers and nice legs.
When does a chicken want to be alone, when do they like to be with other ch.? This is a hard question. It's like asking the people in a clique whether they like to be in the clique. Chickens need other chickens to reaffirm themselves, and if you asked them, they would say they like being with other chickens all the time, but secretly each wouldn't mind being the only chicken.
Could there be a space, or architecture where a chicken is proud at? Yes. There should be an outdoor standing and posing space where nice photographs recording the dignity of the chicken could be taken, preferably with a majestic background and strong lighting.
Do chickens see colour? Yes.
When chickens don’t think can you make a story what a chicken should think in your case? I don't understand this question and how it's different from number one.
Are there upper-chickens and downunder-chickens? Could that be an inspiration for making space and chacks? Yes. There are hierarchies too complex for us to understand that have to do with chicken markings, egg color, egg size, and ability to dance. Chickens should be segregated according to class, just like Boulder.
How could the backyardplot be integrated with the chickenchackvill? The backyard could function as landscape decoration to complement the shacks, it could be part of a backyard closed cycle that mimics a larger factory cycle--meaning that the manure is a bi-product just as eggs are a bi-product, it could function as a staging area, or it could be part of a large environmental lesson about sustainability of which the chickens are a part as well.
Could any material be part of the Vill? I think chickens want something a little bit fancy, something that shows we understand their dignity. As long as the materials aren't used in such a way that demeans them, anything is fine.
Do chicken like to be downstairs or upstairs, do they want to chance? They prefer to be upstairs. Do they want to change?? Is that the question? Yes, they want options. They need places for scouting, for posing, for making plans, for eating, and for sleeping in a commune.
Palette Barn
The design sketch that I have hanging in the Baseline Group headquarters includes recycling palettes like this barn.....
.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Straw Bale Chicken Coops
Some of the first straw bale structures were said to be animal shelters. The natural insulation provided by straw bale construction creates a protected home for your lock and can be built on budget.
Onix Website
I have included some info on Onix in my powerpoint which I will post shortly, but there is much more fascinating info to be found here, plus all of their projects with descriptions.
defining our sense of "place"
As the Baseline Group has been branching out and expanding our knowledge of Boulder's land and communities, I recall some thoughts that Gary Snyder presents in his essay,
"The Place, The Region, and The Commons" from his book The Practice of the Wild:
"One's sense of the scale of a place expands as one learns the region. The young hear further stories and go for explorations which are also subsistence forays- firewood gathering, fishing, to fairs or to market. The outlines of the larger region become part of their awareness. (Thoreau says in "Walking" that an area twenty miles in diameter will be enough to occupy a lifetime of close exploration on foot- you will never exhaust its details.)"
"The presence of this tree signifies a rainfall and a temperature range and will indicate what your agriculture might be, how steep the pitch of your roof, what raincoats you'd need. You don't have to know such details to get by in the modern cities of Portland or Bellingham. But if you do know what is taught by plants and weather, you are in on the gossip and can truly feel more at home. The sum of a field's forces becomes what we call very loosely the "spirit of the place." To know the spirit of a place is to realize that you are a part of a part and that the whole is made of parts, each of which is whole. You start with the part you are whole in."
"There are tens of millions of people in North America who were physically born here but who are not actually living here intellectually, imaginatively, or morally."
"The presence of this tree signifies a rainfall and a temperature range and will indicate what your agriculture might be, how steep the pitch of your roof, what raincoats you'd need. You don't have to know such details to get by in the modern cities of Portland or Bellingham. But if you do know what is taught by plants and weather, you are in on the gossip and can truly feel more at home. The sum of a field's forces becomes what we call very loosely the "spirit of the place." To know the spirit of a place is to realize that you are a part of a part and that the whole is made of parts, each of which is whole. You start with the part you are whole in."
"There are tens of millions of people in North America who were physically born here but who are not actually living here intellectually, imaginatively, or morally."
Virtual Tour
Hey Guys check out the virtual construction of an A-Frame. My roommates have this program so it might come in handy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTcugDBEvPk&feature=related
Washington State's Living With Wildlife Tips
Prevent access to fruit and compost. Keep fruit trees fenced, or pick up fruit that falls to the ground. Keep compost piles within a fenced area or securely covered. Cover new compost material with soil or lime to prevent it from smelling. Never include animal matter in your compost; it attracts coyotes. If burying food scraps, cover them with at least 12 inches of soil, and don’t leave any garbage above ground in the area—including the stinky shovel.
Fence extensions are required to keep coyotes from jumping over a 5-foot fence. Angle the top of a woven-wire fence out about 15 inches and completely around the fence. An effective fence extends below the surface, or has a wire apron in front of it to prevent digging.
Build a coyote-proof fence. Coyotes don’t leap fences in a single bound but, like domestic dogs, they grip the top with their front paws and kick themselves upward and over with the back legs. Their tendency to climb will depend on the individual animal and its motivation. A 5-foot woven-wire fence with extenders facing outward at the top of each post should prevent coyotes from climbing over (Fig. 6).
However, all coyotes are excellent diggers, and an effective fence needs to extend at least 8 inches below the surface, or have a galvanized-wire apron that extends out from the fence at least 15 inches (Fig. 6).
Electric fences can also keep coyotes out of an enclosed area (Figs. 7 and 8). Such a fence doesn’t need to be as high as a woven-wire fence because a coyote’s first instinct will be to pass through the wires instead of jumping over them. Digging under electric fences usually doesn’t occur if the bottom wire is electrified.
Figure 6
A six-wire electric fence can keep coyotes out of an enclosed area.
Figure 7
Two electrified wires, 8 and 15 inches above ground and offset from an existing wood fence by 12 inches will prevent coyotes from accessing the fence. A single strand may be sufficient, but two electrified wires will provide added insurance.
Figure 8
Various ways to install a barrier to prevent coyotes from digging under chicken coops and similar places. To add to the life of the barrier, spray on two coats of rustproof paint before installation. Always check for utility lines before digging in an area.
Enclose poultry (chickens, ducks, and turkeys) in a secure outdoor pen and house. Coyotes will eat poultry and their eggs if they can get to them. Note: Other killers of poultry include foxes, skunks, raccoons, feral cats, dogs, bobcats, opossums, weasels, hawks, and owls.
To prevent coyotes from accessing birds in their night roosts, equip poultry houses with well-fitted doors and secure locking mechanisms. To prevent them from trying to go under the fence, stake the bottom of the fence flush to the ground, or line the bottom of the fence with bricks, fence posts, or similar items. Prevent coyotes from digging under a fence or structure see figures below..
To prevent coyotes and other animals from accessing poultry during the day, completely enclose outdoor pens with 1-inch chicken wire placed over a sturdy wooden framework.
Lay large flat stones, concrete patio pavers, or 1/4-inch hardware cloth (held in place with stakes) on the surface of the soil next to a wall. The barrier forces coyotes to begin digging farther out and they will most likely give up in the
process.
Bend hardware cloth into an “L” shape and lay it in a trench so that the wire goes at least 1 foot below ground and 1 foot out from the wall.
Excavate a 3 x 3 inch trench along the side of a wall, and hammer 2-foot lengths of 1/2-inch rebar, spaced a few inches apart, into the ground. Cover the tops with concrete or dirt.
Keep livestock and small animals that live outdoors confined in secure pens during periods of vulnerability. All animals should be confined from dusk to dawn. (Temporary or portable fencing keeps livestock together so that they can be guarded more effectively.) During birthing season, keep young and vulnerable animals confined at all times. Do not use remote pastures or holding areas, especially when there has been a recent coyote attack. Remove any sick and injured animals immediately. Ensure that young animals have a healthy diet so that they are strong and less vulnerable to predators.
Livestock producers have discovered that scare devices, such as motion detectors, radios, and other noice makers, will deter coyotes—until they realize that they aren’t dangerous.
To learn more.....
Monday, February 16, 2009
Sod Chicken Houses?
As long as we're looking at historical pictures, I thought I'd add some pictures of sod homes.
Boulder Historical images
I thought it would be inspiring to look at historic structures.
More can be found at:
http://www.boulder.lib.co.us/carnegie/collections/photographs.html
Straw Bales
Working Collectively
I'm not sure about everyone in the class but this is the 1st time I have tried to work collectively. I don't know to much about how to work collectively and I feel like this is an experiment, I came across this book about working within a group, it has some theories that I guess can be seen as guidelines. We all kind of have this going already within the class room but I kind of feel like we are all different pages and honestly I am confused. So heres the Link to the book, and chapter 3 seems to deal with the different theories. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. I just feel like this could be a starting point because right now I feel like we are all quite scattered and maybe some of the points that the book makes can be incorporated. Chapter 3 starts on page 30.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
Land Use Issue
Hey Yall,
I found a great article about land usage and property rights. The article is a bit dated, so the George Bush he refers to is Bush senior, but it still talks about many relevant issues. Check it out
http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/full_text_search/AllCRCDocs/93-11.htm
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Phone Conference with Onix
We will be joined by Haiko Meijer from Onix via Skype during our class on Monday, Feb. 14th at 10AM. Be prepared to introduce yourself, the work you have done thus far, and have a few questions handy.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Presentation Post
Space/ Site Powerpoint from Baseline Group on Vimeo.
OK, here's my powerpoint in video form, hopefully it's a helpful reference. For the next presentation, I will change the design and detail of the slides with this afterlife in mind.
Here's the Baseline Group's Vimeo page, I'll send out the log-in info via email.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village
Grandma Prisbrey came up in my reading and presentation as a forerunner to contemporary installation and site-based art (which is interesting given that she was working in the 1970s, but nice to see her mentioned beyond a folk/ outsider art context). I really loved the 16mm documentary about her that I saw years ago and was excited to find that you can now watch it online (small, but still). Grandma Prisbrey is quite a character and though it's at best tangentially related to our research I wanted to share the link to the film.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
For those dealing with signs
I just wanted to share this with the class and Jen and Yolanda. I came across this photographer Matt Siber, heres the link.
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