http://doityourself.com/greenhouse/growing_rack.htm

www.doityourself.com is a sluggish site w/ a nearly psychotic search engine but it does have some real bargins thought I'd pass my find along!

I broke down & bought the 4 tier growing rack, after I butchered yet another collection of lumber trying to build my own.I had only seen them in catalogues for $72.00-129.00 +15.00 ship, so when I saw it for 59.95 post paid from an on-line co. that I had never heard of I ordered it thinking it might be some plastic knock-off of the fancy growing racks.

Really tho it only has plastic 'do-hickies' for inserting the metal uprights ,crossbeams & shelves. I'm going to add caster wheels to the bottom for easier access.

So far it has stood up to the toddlers' , numerous cats', & 2 ferrets' curiosity. The cover has good light transmission but needs to be unzipped once the seeds have sprouted it gets to be a little sauna in my sunny kitchen. [chives sprouted in less than 2 days time.]

Chicks should be at the post office mon. morning wish them luck!Btw what regions/states call them 'chooks'? and If you northern type states ever thaw out the strawberry plants should be here too! [i'll wait tho if it is still too wet/cold, can't beat 250 chandler 250 cardnial for $45.00!]

-- bj pepper in C. MS. (pepper.pepper@excite.com), March 15, 2002

Answers

chooks is a commonly used term in the UK.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), March 15, 2002.

'cept for us Countrsiders/Homesteadingtodays that NOW call them chooks because of ~Rogo et al......

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), March 15, 2002.

Chooks is not from England, more likely Austrailia and New Zealand I think. We have chicks here.

Alison

-- Alison Homa (alisonhoma@hotmail.com), March 15, 2002.

Can't say where "chooks" originated, but it's certainly common in Australia and New Zealand. Maybe Scots. The origin is obvious, of course - onamatopeic - chooks SAY "chook chook chook" (in a deep sexy throaty voice with vibrato). The word probably got to the USA with gold miners in the mid 1800's, then turned feral - like your "Australian Shepherd" dogs - (no such thing in Australia).

-- Don Armstrong (from Australia) (darmst@yahoo.com.au), March 15, 2002.

'Chooks' is an Australian word meaning chickens. It was probably stolen for use on this side of the pond 'cause it's an easy way to lump all the birds together.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), March 16, 2002.

Thanks! chook sounded 'down east' to me, & i was curious $ i knew somebody out there would know!

-- bj pepper in C. MS. (pepper.pepper@excite.com), March 17, 2002.

Not only do they call chickens "chooks" in Australia, but they call their eggs "googies"!

-- Toni (nomail@nospam.com), March 18, 2002.