What can we learn from a walk in the woods? It turns out a lot more than you might think. On a recent sunny weekend, I printed out a couple of Tree Bark Scavenger Hunt pages from Backpack Explorer: Discovering Trees (you can download … Read More

Disease-carrying ticks are found in all 50 states in the U.S. and, as their numbers rise and their ranges increase, so, too, do cases of tick-borne illnesses. As Richard Ostfeld explains, “White footed mice are consistently shown to be the most efficient wildlife reservoirs of … Read More

Whether in the backwoods or the backyard, a sun compass is a fun and simple way to use the sun to tell what direction is north. For best results, start making your sun compass before noon, when the sun is still at an angle, not … Read More

During the process of designing and building coops for Reinventing the Chicken Coop, we became accustomed to quizzical looks when explaining our latest projects. “Why would you want to build a chicken coop?” folks would ask. You see, we are not farmers, chicken experts, architects, … Read More

Climbing beans are the plants that keep on giving and giving and giving! So long as you pick the pods, the plants will respond by simply growing more, all summer long and on into autumn. Climbing, or pole, beans seem to scramble skyward with effortless … Read More

Build a compost pile in four easy steps—pick the right spot, start piling, water it, and turn it. It’s that simple. Read on for tips from Grow Your Soil! guaranteed to save you time. Step 1: Pick the Right Spot Find a spot that is … Read More

On my run this morning, I came across a long trail of caterpillars marching in a head-to-tail procession. My mind began concocting all kinds of stories about why they were lined up and what they would transform into. Perhaps the procession was a mechanism to … Read More

You may think of wildlife as being African elephants and Antarctic penguins, but there’s wildlife all around you. How can you save the wild animals, like birds, foxes, butterflies, and turtles, that live in your neighborhood? Become a backyard ranger and make your own yard … Read More

How do birds find a mate? The approaches of different species are as varied as those of humans. Some birds seem like Casanovas or even Marquises de Sade, while others seem as courtly and reticent as the most genteel Jane Austen characters. Cranes and swans … Read More

While not immune to spring-induced giddiness, members of the Williams family are far more afflicted with a previously undescribed malady called fall fever. We feel the first symptoms on those crisp mornings, just prior to the autumnal equinox, when morning glories open on the latticework … Read More