Buffalo Tool Library ToolRaiser! BRING A TOOL and join Buffalo ReUse & PUSH Buffalo for drinks!

One tool gets you a wristband good for two hours of $2 drafts and $2.50 wine and wells.

Fill our wheelbarrows full of tools so folks can complete their DIY projects and help their neighbors and improve their communities.

Bring a friend, bring their tools! Become a member of the Tool Library, too!

There will also be an auction for a variety of gift baskets including: one from Chefs Restaurant, several loaves from Fancy&Delicious Bread Company, one from Urban Roots, a Pet Basket and a personal massage, one from El Buen Amigo, one from Spot Coffee,  a wine tasting for you and your friends at City Wine Merchant and a few gift cards as well.
If your company or organization would like to donate a gift basket, please contact us at 716-885-4131.

As the weather make its first steps towards warming up, gardeners are itching to get out in the dirt. The only problem is, the weather still hasn’t made a commitment to staying warm yet (as evidenced by that snow we got today). Lucky for you we have Cold-frames for sale at the ReSource.  Starting at $35 dollars, these miniature greenhouses protect your plants from rapid temperature and weather shifts while still helping them get acclimated to being outside.  Towards the end of the season they can add up to a month to your growing season.

We’ve also put together some 55 gallon rain barrels ($25).  Made from food grade plastic barrels, they hook up to your down spouts to divert rainwater out of the gutter and into your garden.  They include screens to keep out mosquitoes  and threaded spigots.

In the search for a sustainable (and cheap) solution to buying plastic planting cell packs we’ve discovered we can just make our own.  We found numerous instructions to make pots  online.  Here are a few examples: Rolled up round pots,  pots that require no fastening and  the one we picked.  We’re pretty happy with the last one even though it’s a little time consuming. We replaced the paper clip with a staple. They’re also square so  they seem to fit well in rectangle flat trays.  The main advantage to any of these designs is that they biodegrade so the plant and pot can go right in the ground. This lessens the chance of harming the plant in the transplanting process. We also won’t run the risk of getting the seedlings sick by reusing old cell packs that may have mold or pathogens in them.

This is a great opportunity for folks who can’t make it out to the ReSource to volunteer, or for anyone who wants to volunteer in front of the TV at home and not in the cold of the warehouse.  If you’d like to fold some pots for us–it’s easy–get some newspaper and practice and then bring us your finished pots or send an email to Greenspaces {at} buffaloreuse(.)org

This Saturday (2/6) The Buffalo Tool Library will host a Circular Saw Skills & Safety Workshop at 158 Eaton St at 10am. We will demonstrate a variety of proper and safe cutting techniques.  You’ll get hands-on training; together, we prep materials and assemble shelves made from reclaimed lumber.  Through this project we will review the proper and safe methods of workspace preparation, material handling and tool use.  Close-toed shoes are a must; please dress warm.  Feel free to bring your own protective eye gear, some will be provided as well. This workshop is free to the public.  We look forward to seeing you.

As winter rolls in to full swing we’re already thinking about our spring planting as the snow falls and the roads get icy.   We’ve been scouring the internet for free seeds for non-profits.  So far we’ve discovered a few interesting options:  Seeds of Change , The America the Beautiful Fund and TomatoBob.com have programs where non-profits can request donations of last year’s seeds.  For the non-non-profit folks take heart and don’t despair.  We will be hosting seedling swap in the Spring where everyone, non profits and individuals alike, can get their hands on some premium seedlings that are ready to go.

Here is a picture from the CAO’s workshop on hoop-house building that took place on Labor Day. Having missed the opportunity to participate in that workshop, I took a little trip over to the Wilson St. Farm in mid November to lend a hand and get a jumpstart on training for our future hoop house. In the spirit of a barn raising, volunteers came out and we all helped put together a hoop house for the Stevens’ farm. Many organizations were represented including: CUFF (Curtis Urban Farm Foundation),UB Environmental Network,  Canticle Farm ,  Lombard Clark Block Club, Friends of the Broadway Market, UB Law, Engineers for a Sustainable World.  This Hoop House is only one on the list of 7 slated for construction in the city by the CAO.  The purpose of a hoop house is so that we can grow fresh food well into November and start plants as early as February.  We’ll keep you posted for the date that our hoop house will be erected.  Come and out; get some practice and help this farm grow food!