Home improvement

FRI, MAY 20 NOON LEARN AT LUNCH
Raise Backyard Chickens by Leslie Finical Halleck, NHG GM, MS. Learn the basics of starting your backyard flock to enjoy fresh eggs, compost and entertainment! Chicken Sale May 21st.

Give your skin the luxurious treatment it deserves when you learn how to make your own hand-crafted soaps. David Fisher, Guide to Candle and Soap Making at About.com, will show you the basics of making custom soaps from scratch. You will learn the basics of soap making and how to make your own bars of soap in a wide range of styles and scents. Join us for this fun demonstration class and go home with instructions, materials and supplies to continue this enjoyable pastime at home. 5/21 at 12pm, $40

Basket weaving is one of the oldest known utilitarian arts. Using natural materials, Anna Barry, owner of The White Rock Weaving Center, will introduce you to the art of basketweaving. This project, which is perfect for beginners, will allow you to create a small basket that can be used for dinner rolls, napkins or other small treasures. No prior experience in necessary and all basketry materials will be included. Join us to explore this historic and easy to learn art. $45

Organic Farming and Fruit Tree Class at Red Bud Ranch, 353 P. R. 1767 Chico, TX. Jay from organic Rabbit Hill Farm and organic Tropical John are teaching veggie farming & fruit trees in Wise County. Register & coffee at 8 am, classes start at 9 am. Please RSVP to Kathy so they will know how many people to expect, but pay owners $15 fee at door. redbudranch@mindspring.com  Phone 940 644-1849 Cell 214 673-6660. Get directions to ranch from owner, Kathy. It is west of Alvord. There is both farming and ranching here.

Come to this interesting, fun, informative, and free talk by noted Permaculture Instructor and Consultant, Dick Pierce. Permaculture is sustainable agriculture, organic gardening, and green building/living at its best. Dick has taught Permaculture Design Courses in Austin and Martha's Vineyard for many years and will introduce Permaculture from 7-8:30 pm. Come early (6 pm) for light snacks and to talk to various nonprofit groups that will have tables here: DFW Ecovillage, Transition Dallas, Dallas Cohousing, Slow Money, Feed Texas First, and several other nonprofits. REI, 972 490-5989, Guadalupe Peak room, 2nd floor, 4515 LBJ Fwy, Dallas, 75244, located between Midway and Welch on the north access road to I-635 between Guitar Center and Haverty's.

Join the Coppell Community Gardens and the Cozby Public Library for Composting 101 on Saturday, April 23rd.

This FREE class will begin at 2:00 p.m. at the Cozby Public Library (177 N. Heartz) in Coppell.

Diane Lowe, longtime CCG volunteer and current VP of the CCG Board, will be teaching the class. Please note, portions of this class will be held outdoors.

Join us for this FREE class on drip irrigation systems. Billy Kniffen will show attendees how to set up a drip irrigation system using both rain barrels and your water supply.

The class will be held at the Fire Training Room, which is located at 133 Parkway Blvd. (on the south side of Fire Station #3).

It is free to attend and open to the public.

The Coppell Community Gardens will be holding another “Make & Take” Rain Barrel class on Saturday, 4/23. The class will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the Coppell Fire Training Room (133 Parkway Blvd., on the south side of the Fire Station).

The cost of the class is $30 per person (one barrel per person and per household, please). Pre-registration is required for this class and space is limited! All registrations will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. If the class fills, a waiting list will be started.

To register for the class, please send an e-mail with your NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER & E-MAIL ADDRESS to: KCB@coppelltx.gov. You will receive a confirmation verifying your spot in the class or notifying you that you have been placed on the waiting list.