To keep my mind on brighter things, I have been thinking about summer projects.
Some of the things I want to do this year are:
1) Build a bat box
Contrary to popular belief, bats rarely bite humans! In fact, they are very helpful to humans. Bats are essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems. Most bats eat huge amounts of insects, including farm pests and many of the nasty bugs that harass outdoor gatherings.
Our backyard is situated on a bluff that overlooks a giant body of water. We love to sit around the fire pit in the evenings and watch the bats swoop in and eat all the mosquitoes.
Here's some great links for building a bat-box. Make it an FHE activity and reduce your population of mosquitoes!
http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Outdoor-Activities/Garden-for-Wildlife/Gardening-Tips/Build-a-Bat-House.aspx
http://free.woodworking-plans.org/bat-house-plans.html
Once you have built your box, here are some tips for attracting bats:
http://www.batcon.org/pdfs/bathouses/attractingbats.pdf
2)Another project I want to continue is creating a native pollinator flower bed. Before doing work with The Prairie Enthusiasts, I naively bought those wildflower mixes you can get in any store, -not realizing that many species in the mix are invasive and/or not native. The problem with non-native species is: the local pollinators don't benefit from them and also, the non-natives can become invasive. I always wondered why people had flower beds in their gardens. It seemed silly to me until I took an entomology class and learned about all the different pollinators.
Did you know that pollinators are responsible for the production of 75% of the food we eat?
Want awesome fruit tree production?
An abundance of tomatoes? Strawberries? Raspberries? Potatoes? Beans? Broccoli? Squash? etc...?
Plant some flowers. You don't need to devote a large area, even just a few pots will do.
For some ideas on finding native pollinators in your area and what you can plant:
http://www.fws.gov/pollinators/PollinatorPages/YourHelp.html
this link is a wealth of information and lists many links to allow you to research specific to your region.
Also, contact your local DNR, FWS, or BLM and find out if they have prairies that you can harvest from.
3) I want to start composting.
Initially, the thought sounds disgusting. But, after growing some vegetables last year, I realized the importance of providing nutrients to my plants. Plus, we are conscientiously trying to eliminate waste in our household and composting is a fantastic solution to both!
There are many ways to compost. Last year we just threw a bunch of stuff into a pile in our backyard. This year I want to get a composting barrel, or at the very least, construct a bin behind the garage. Here are some links for composting tips:
http://www.howtocompost.org/
http://vegweb.com/composting/
http://eartheasy.com/grow_compost.html
4) I want to make bird baths
I have been saying this for years. I don't know why it always gets pushed to the back burner. The magazine article I have kept for YEARS in hopes of making one, is this:
http://www.gardengatemagazine.com/extras/53birdbath1.php
Anyone have any other suggestions?
2 comments:
We made these one summer in Relief Society only we made them as stepping stones. We used rhubarb leaves. They were so cool. You've got some great project ideas there. I like them. Have fun!
Oh, I cannot wait until summer! Although we'll be moving to Mississippi in the summer and that in itself will be interesting...I say we, the four of us, make a commitment to each other to finally make a bat box this summer! Also, what do you think of this website: http://www.americanmeadows.com for seeds/seed mixes? My parents ordered a few mixes from there last year. Harvesting from a local prairie would definitely be the most rewarding (and FUN!) way to go about it, but I wonder if ordering the specific species (not necessarily a mix) would be a better-than-the-general-store route. Aaron has composted for years, so he might have some good tips for you guys. And lastly, you better post pictures of these bird baths!!
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