Jenny from Live Edge Detroit

Before joining her family in the wood business, Jenny Barger was in Marketing and Advertising. It turned out to be the perfect background as she now runs the Sales and Marketing for Live Edge Detroit.

Back in 1984, Jenny’s dad started a tree care and removal business. His heart has always been set on sustainability and conservation, and it often pained him to merely chop unwanted trees into firewood.

So in 2016, Jenny, her brother Joe, and her dad Mike founded Live Edge. They now salvage the trees that Mike’s company removes. Once the wood has been cut and taken back to their warehouse, the crew mills them into new usable material.

Slabs of gorgeous dry wood fill the space. Customers are welcome to wander around and search for the perfect materials for their next project or peruse the finished pieces they have to offer.

“Our vision for Live Edge Detroit was to develop a branch of Mike’s Tree Surgeons, Inc. that focused on salvaging our local resources and making them available for the community to enjoy for many more years to come. Our long term goals are to uphold that initial vision and to see it bloom into a more sustainable and profitable branch of the family business. We aren’t planning to take over the world, but we want to make a difference within the community, and we feel that starts right here in our own backyard.” -Jenny Barger from @liveedgedetroit

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help! I’ve been so fortunate to have friends and past colleagues that have pitched in to help me here and there where I may not have expertise. Let people help you, and if you love what you do, and you’re honest and hardworking, I believe success will find you.” -Jenny Barger from @liveedgedetroit

“Everything I know about wood and trees I learned from my dad! He studied Forestry at Michigan Tech University and has been a longtime Certified Arborist and Urban Forester. He is the go-to for anyone in the Metro-Detroit area that needs arboriculture consultation. Not only is he a vast wealth of knowledge, he has been incredibly patient in teaching his corporate-minded daughter how to identify wood species by grain and bark, and understand what species are good for what types of projects, etc. I am not an expert yet – but I have great resources to fall back on when questions arise!” -Jenny Barger from @liveedgedetroit

“My previous jobs were very instrumental to my professional development, but they were not personally fulfilling in the way that working for the family business has been. Not only has it opened up my eyes to how much the community values and respects my dad and his business, but I also have the opportunity to learn from him every day, and to carry out his dream of full cycle sustainability. It has been the biggest blessing! My advice for anyone in a family business is something that I’ve recently had to realize firsthand, and that is to draw a few boundaries between business time and family time. It can be tough to ‘turn off’ when all of the family members are so passionate about what they do, but sometimes you just have to decompress and be a family. As much as we spend time together talking business, sometimes you just need your dad to be your dad to be your dad!” -Jenny Barger from @liveedgedetroit

Jenny’s dogs, Daisy Duke and Bo Duke

A Simpler, More Sustainable Life

This is the time of year for recollecting and being with loved ones. It’s the season for taking a look at your life and feeling grateful. Perhaps it’s just the right time to rethink your approach to everyday. Maybe we don’t need all the odds and ends we wrap up and give to each other. Maybe we just need to take a deep breath, enjoy the nature around us, and connect with the people that mean the most to us.

Last week, I drove through snow and ice to meet up with Suzy Clark at her winter paradise. She and her husband run a 10 acre plot of field and forest called Sterling Homestead. They grow organic fruits and veggies, which they sell through CSA and local markets, and preserve their harvest during the winter months. Suzy and Joseph live almost entirely off the grid with solar power, wood heat, and no running water in their charming cabin.

Without the distractions of television, internet, and cell phones, there is a sense of peace that exudes from warmth of their home. Over a cup of coffee and the smell of baking bread, Suzy and I chatted about the ins and outs of leading a more sustainable life. Their interest in permaculture practices (that’s environmental design that develops sustainable agriculture modeled after natural ecosystems) has taught them so much. What can you learn from taking a peak into Suzy’s everyday? Maybe we all could take some time to disconnect with technology for a bit and really link in to the immediate world around us.

Check out the winter work outfit that keeps Suzy warm during the bone chilling Wisconsin winter: Carhartt Women’s Sandstone Kenai Parka, Women’s Series 1989 Slim Double Front Dungaree, Force Performance Quarter-Zip Shirt, & Women’s Quilt’s Glove. 

DIY: How to Build Your Own Chicken Coop

Chicken coops are getting really popular in both rural and urban areas. There are so many benefits to starting your own. The chickens are entertaining pets that can also help teach lessons of responsibility to kids and grown ups alike. The eggs they yield are so much healthier and tastier than most eggs you can buy in the store. Chickens can help reduce waste in your household. The fruit and veggie left overs that you would normally throw out can be great food for your new pets. You can also add chicken droppings to your compost to make your garden green. Here area few tips to help you get started:

• When it comes to building a chicken coop, be creative. There are an endless amount of supplies you can use. This is a great time to up-cylce.
• As far as the sizing of your coop, be sure to allow enough space. Generally, 2 to 3 sq. ft. per chicken is a good amount. Also, make sure that humans can fit into the space so you’re able to clean and care for the clutch.
• You’ll need a separate area for feeding, roosting, and laying eggs. For cleanliness sake, leave enough distance between the food and roosting spot to keep manure out of the feed.
• You need at least 1 nesting box for every 4 or 5 chickens. Place the box a few feet off of the ground and fill the bottom with straw. (12x12x12 is a good size)
• One of the most important aspects of a coop is keeping your brood safe. Make sure the walls, doors, and windows are impenetrable to predators.
• Good air circulation is key. Either use strong fencing for the walls or have a few windows with strong wire over it. That way air can move around, but critters can’t get in and out.
• Chickens like dust baths. For this, all you need is a large litter pan. Fill it with wood ash and they’ll have a blast.
• If winters get below freezing where you are, investing in heaters is a good option.
• Decide which breed you want. Here are a few productive types: Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, Australorps and Orpingtons.
• Clean the coop regularly and enjoy the fresh eggs!

Check out Jenny’s outfit here: Carhartt Women’s Rowlesburg Sweatshirt, Original-Fit Canvas Crawford Dungaree, & Longsleeve Signature T-Shirt 

Edible Hut– You Can Eat Right Off the Roof

Mira and Kate met in Detroit in graduate school as artists. Together they like to plan projects that give back to their community and involve nontraditional art works. So Mira and Kate took on an abandoned park in the city of Detroit. Refusing to let good parkland go to waste, they created Edible Hut. It’s one part art and one part sculpture with a small garden and a little architecture thrown in. Together with the surrounding neighborhood, they have been building the hut out of steel and wood, lifting bags of compost up to the roof, and planting edible herbs for all to enjoy. When completed, the community will be free to enjoy a shady and protected respite for gathering, rest, sharing meals, holding classes, watching children play in the park, and maybe even one day selling vegetables. One step at a time, Kate and Mira are doing their part to bring a struggling neighborhood in the city back together.

Kate’s Outfit: Women’s Hamilton Flannel Shirt II, Women’s Straight-Fit Slim Jean, Women’s Soft Hand Gloves, & Women’s Marlinton Jacket Mira’s Outfit: Women’s C-Grip Knuckler Glove, Women’s Quick Duck Woodward Jacket, Women’s Force Long-Sleeve Crewneck, & Original-Fit Denim Jasper Jean The little one’s outfit: Kids Acrylic Watch Hat, Infant Toddler Boy’s Washed Denim Bib Overalls, & Infant Toddler Boy’s Lap Shoulder Bodysuit 

Joan from Windy City Harvest

Joan is one skilled woman. She has a background in carpentry and currently teaches environmental literacy at Windy City Harvest in Chicago. WCH is a program sponsored by Chicago Botanical Garden to train adults in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture. From building hoop houses to compost pens, Joan’s carpentry background plays well into her new position at the farm. It’s always cool to look back and see how your past paves the way for your future. Each skill you gain can only help you be a more dimensional person. Always keep learning and working.

Check Carhartt women’s clothes that can help you get the job done.

Carmella of City Farm in Chicago

Fresh fruits and veggies, right in the middle of the city! City Farm in Chicago takes land that isn’t being used and turns into a productive space. It’s all about sustainability, healthy living, and giving back to the community. This is Carmella, lover of the outdoors. She’s worked at City Farm for the past 3 seasons. Sun kissed skin is proof that working in the midst of nature is good for the body and soul. Carmella always finds a way to work outside, even in the dead of Chicago winters. That’s determination. When it comes down to it, we’d all rather be working in dirt that stuck in a cubicle. Who better to help you get the job done than Carhartt? Carmella is sporting Carhartt Force. A new line that is stain resistant, repels odor, and sweat wicking. It’s perfect for those summer days with your knees firmly planted in the mud while you harvest a beautiful batch of tomatoes.