urban sprout's premises now have three chickens, in a rather spectacular chicken dome from Permaculture SA.

These three little hens (although they're not so little anymore) have been with us for roughly 11 weeks, and they've gone from scrawny little hold-in-your-hands chicks, to bustling, robust hens in that short time. We wanted layers, so we sourced buff orpingtons from our former intern, who has a large 'homestead' in Constantia...

Capetonians up Lion's Head - made it to front page of the Sunday Times and the weekend Argus! (click read more for all the pics...)

Join Bill McGibbon's 350.org this weekend in an event near you to connect the dots ()

All across the world people are holding rallies to remind people what has happened in their neighbourhoods, to raise awareness of climate changes, and so connect the dots.

Climate change, says Bill McGibbon in an article written for The Guardian, is actually the biggest thing that is going on every single day...

the mag for curious kids

We recently bought an issue of Supernova. It's a new local mag that our sprite deems 'far better than Kids National Geographic, any day, mom', so it must be.

This isn't the latest edition, it's the one we bought. The latest, issue four, is now out and all about the rhino crisis, so probably really worth laying your hands on.

The mag is published by BK Publishing and is a hand-drawn magazine, which makes it really different. It also has very little advertising, and the advertising there is has been designed inhouse to blend in with the mag - refreshing, no?

Here's what their website says about them:

For more

Fairtrade: the facts

• SA is home to the first Fairtrade wine operation in the world – Thandi Wines (2003)
• wine has become one of the most important Fairtrade products in SA
• as of March 2012 SA boasts 16 Fairtrade certified wine grape producers, and over 39 companies involved in Fairtrade wine-making and trading
• in 2010 17 million bottles of Fairtrade wine were drunk globally
• two thirds of these were from SA
• for every Fairtrade labelled bottle you buy, 50 cents goes back to the farm workers to use for social economic investment (some include education and training programmes for workers and families)
• Fairtrade certification means wine is produced sustainably in accordance with Fairtrade Standards

The latest eat in magazine is now on the shelf and worth laying your hands on to drool over the winning foods that include Earthshine's range of Kale Chips (innovation award), Croft Chickens (best organic or free-range producer), Oude Bank Bakkery (best small producer: Bakery) and Boon Hill Salad Leaves (best small producer: Earth).

This edition is labelled the ultimate green shopping guide and lists farmers' markets, organic vegetables, sustainable seafood and free-range beef etc.

It also has a section on shopping ethically in SA, where urban sprout makes it to the list of websites to visit to stay in the green! (good to know we're still well regarded out there)

Get your copy at a stockist near you.

GROW AND SUSTAIN THE SOIL. 2012. Mixed media on paper. 900mm x 640mm.

GIFT A TREE and stand the chance to win this artwork!

Buy a tree or two for Greenpop's TREES FOR ZAMBIA project and you stand the chance to win this original artwork of a tree.

See our event calendar for details