Events

The Heat is On!

Wow! What a differnce two weeks can make. We just returned from vacation and summer is here for sure! We actually missed the five days of 100+ heat so that was nice but it looks like we're in for more of the same. Summer in the south! The plums and blueberries are ripe and delicious despite having been pummeled by the hail storm in June and the bees have settled into their relaxed summer routine. You see, there are not a lot of things blooming this time of the year so they make frequent short trips to my garden visiting mostly my herbs and certain garden flowers such as sunflowers and purple coneflowers I actually love this timeof year because I get to see the bees up close and personal whereas in the spring, they are flying far away to other nectar sources such as Holly and Tulip Poplar. In the hot, humid evenings, they hang out on the front porch of their hive kind of like our grandparents did before air conditioning! It's just too hot to go inside until the middle of the night sometime. They will begin to make honey again in ernest at the end of August when the Goldenrod and Aster begins blooming and if anyone has planted cotton around our farm they will use that nectar source too. Bees are fun to watch and make great pollinators. They should be encouraged in any garden that wants a bumper crop of fruits and vegetables. Bees, both native and honey bees are responsible for pollinating 1/3 of all the food we eat everyday. So if you enjoyed an apple or some strawberries today, go thank a bee!

Now that the weather is consistantly warm, the animals are busy raising their young. I have seen baby rabbits, squirrels and both the blue birds and chickadees have babies peeping away when I get near their nesting boxes. The parents are very protective of the babies and will wait for me to go away protesting loudly with chirps and flying from here to there trying to distract me before they fly into the box with food. Now that the young are hatched the adults will transition to collecting protein sources for the babies which translates into free pest control for you and your garden. Any bug is fair game but the birds do an amazing job of keeping the good/bad bug ratio in balance. This is why it is so important to be carefull of the chemicals you use in your yard. The bugs ingest them and then the birds collect the bugs to feed to their babies so you can imagine the result. Lowe's and even Walmart are now carrying organic alternatives to harsh chemicals so keep an eye out for these less toxic options. Check out my ecological landscaping page to find more wildlife friendly options in your yard. Try putting some birdhouses and/or bat houses and marvel at the miracle of nature at your doorstep.

Upcoming Classes and Shows

I'm excited to announce my 2008 class schedule! Sharing my knowlege and love of the healing plants is the best part of what I do. If you are curious about how herbs can be used in your daily life, come and join us. In all my classes we smell, touch and taste many different herbs because this is the best way to get to know them! And you will always make something to take home with you. Here is the schedule for my 2008 classes and workshops. They all meet at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden in Fayetteville.

July 12 (Sat) Herbal Body Care I 10am-12pm

August 23 (Sat)Herbal Body Care II 10-12pm

August 23 (Sat) Fresh Herbs Kitchen Wreath 1 -3pm

Please contact the garden for registration information. 910.486.0221 www.capefearbg.org . You must preregister with the Garden.

Yule Mart 2008

The Yule Mart this year will be held November 21-23 on Fort Bragg. This is a great family centered show with plenty to do for the kids and lots of great food as well. I always have special seasonal herhal products just for this show so come and get some Christmas shopping done early and have a picture taken with Santa too!

Yule Mart Images