The Importance of Knowing your Farmer

Every Monday is like Christmas at my house. That's when I get to pick up my weekly box of fresh vegetables from my CSA  (Community Supported Agriculture).

I love this model of farming!

Plus, I've had the opportunity to meet my farmers. Last summer, the cooperative hosted many gatherings at the individual farms. We could go to the farm and see how things were done and meet our farmers. I could ask questions, have conversations, and learn a lot about organic farming. You certainly can't do that at the grocery store!

Read the rest of this article at Birds and Blooms Blog The Importance of Knowing Your Farmer

Doug Tallamy is Bringing Nature Home

For many wildlife gardeners Doug Tallamy wrote the bible of gardening for life. Bringing Nature Home is a ground-breaking book that has promoted a new paradigm for gardeners around the country.

In Bringing Nature Home Tallamy has laid out the best argument for the use of more native plants in our landscapes that I have ever seen. If we want to create the most welcoming habitats in our gardens for wildlife we must increase the proportion of native plants.

Read More: Doug Tallamy is Bringing Nature Home

Invasive Species Awareness Week

Is English Ivy Swallowing up your house like the photo above? Are you fighting a losing battle trying to control the Chinese Wisteria smothering your arbor? How about that Bishop’s Weed that kills off your spring ephemerals?

All of these are invasive plants. And, because this week is National Invasive Species Awareness week, I thought it would be good to pass along some great resources to help you deal with these plants in your garden....
Invasive Species Awareness Week

Tree Swallows Return

Tree Swallows Return

Tree Swallows are one of my favorite birds because they are one of the earliest birds to return from their southern wintering grounds. When I see my first Tree Swallow I truly know that the warmer, sunnier days of spring really are coming.

How to Attract Monarch Butterflies to Your Wildlife Garden

I was thrilled to see my first Monarch Butterfly of the season this year while in Austin, TX to visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. And it reminded me that I want to create a more welcoming habitat for Monarchs in my Pennsylvania wildlife garden this year.

It’s really easy to welcome Monarch butterflies into your wildlife habitat garden by adding more milkweed for them, because female Monarchs will only lay their eggs on milkweed plants. It’s the only plant that the caterpillars can eat.

How to Attract Monarch Butterflies to Your Wildlife Garden

Doug Tallamy on Invasive Plants

We’ve been talking a lot about invasive plants due to a recent rash of research proclaiming that invasive plants are actually beneficial.

This has given nurseries the idea that they can continue selling these plants with no responsibility for any damage to natural ecosystems because “the scientists gave them permission.”

Some nurseries have even taken this a step further and are gleefully saying “See, Doug Tallamy was wrong about that whole native plant business.”

Doug Tallamy on Invasive Plants

The Early Spring Wildlife Garden

So many exciting happenings in the early spring wildlife garden! Tree frogs are singing, birds are getting ready to nest, butterflies and native pollinators will soon emerge. Are you ready?

The Early Spring Wildlife Garden