How could I not have known we had flying squirrels among us?…
All I Want for Christmas is a Flying Squirrel
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Codling Moth Eradication Part 3: War of Attrition
When do you get the traps out and set? Good question! And the answer is — of course, in keeping with organic gardening tradition — “it depends.”…
Codling Moths Part 2: Let Microscopic Creatures Do the Work for You
The first couple of years I just didn’t know that codling moths had to be attacked with a multi-pronged approach.
Codling Moths Part 1: You Are Being Tested
There’s nothing that strikes fear into the heart of an organic gardener more than a new pest. There’s the moment you discover the interloper: “Now what the hell are you?” you say out loud, to nobody in particular, as you go through the encyclopedia entries in your mind and panic takes hold.
Hug a Western Larch (Larix occidentalis) Today!
With our exceptionally warm October, many trees decided to just keep on photosynthesizing and put off losing their leaves. Then came a weird early cold blast paired with a few inches of heavy snow.
The Book of Difficult Fruit: Arguments for the Tart, the Tender, and Unruly
Arranged in chapters named for each non-supermarket friendly, bizarre and downright hostile fruit she explores, the book is a deep dive into fruit you have probably never heard of.
Twine, Trussin’ Blueberries and Winter Damage
Like most 75 year-old farmers, it is the simple things that interest me. Take twine for instance.
On Growing Weird Vegetables and Honoring My Heritage
Why am I willing to tie up vegetables in paper with string, wait a month then blanch them again after carefully removing their spines?…
With Weed Fabric, All Things Are Possible
I may have mentioned that one of my favorite things to do is bite off more than I can chew and then tend that group of items obsessively using highlighted lists and intricate schedules. I didn’t make an obsessive farmer statement’ for nothing. But I do sometimes know when to say when and to take advantage of a simple, good thing when I see it. Enter weed fabric. This humble product allows me to keep the large lower garden from becoming a jungle (and to have time for fun stuff in the summer like rolling around in Lake Pend Oreille like an otter).
Nothing to Trifle With: Bald Faced Hornets
Objectively, bald faced hornets are quite beautiful, emblazoned in bold black and white, with a powerful look and a sentience that seems to go beyond the usual insect.