Covering Ground

Eager, a book by Ben Goldfarb Book Review: "Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers," by Ben Goldfarb

I live in a coastal town with abundant freshwater wetlands that drain to Long Island Sound. Beavers live here, too, and given their penchant for taking down ornamental trees and flooding driveways, their presence is not without controversy.
Green frog Consider these little green critters; they do big things.

They weigh less than a pound, in most cases much less, and they make few sounds. Yet frogs, toads, salamanders, turtles, and snakes have a big presence in the landscape.
Saw-whet Owl overwinters along the Connecticut shoreline but nests farther north. Give a Hoot About Owls

Got bird houses? Lots of people do. But have you got owl houses or habitat? 
Queen bumblebee on purple hyssop by Kimberly Stoner, Ph.D. Flowers for the Queen (Bee)

Don’t mistake their small size for lack of importance in our quality of life. Queen bumblebees are among the earliest insects to emerge in our area, and their pollinating activity is critical to both them and us.
Bumblebee on bush honeysuckle. Photo: Kimberly Stoner, Ph.D. Slow down to see spring's ephemeral flowers

Big bursts of yellow forsythia call out to us in late April, like billboards for spring, easy to see as we fly by in cars, trains, or on bicycles.
Grow Moss in Winter

If I told you there’s something green sparkling in the February sunlight just outside your door, you might be tempted to take a look. Don’t be disappointed if all you find is moss. It sometimes pays to notice the familiar.
Suzie Flores of Stonington Kelp Company Down on the (Kelp) Farm in Fisher's Island Sound

Suzie Flores had no professional farming or maritime experience before 2016. Then her husband, a veteran of the U.S. Marines, purchased the Mechanic Street Marina on the Pawcatuck River in Pawcatuck. He’d been around boats all his life, but was not a farmer.
vegetable harvest Master Gardener Program Turns 40

Perhaps you know someone you consider a master gardener, someone whose skill with plants and flowers is far above average. 
The Triumph of Seeds by Thor Hanson Book Review: The Triumph of Seeds by Thor Hanson

How did grains, nuts, kernels, pulses, and pips conquer the plant kingdom and shape human history? If you find the question intriguing, you'll find some answers in this thoughtful look at the multiple ways societies interact with plants and seeds. As science reading goes, it is easy to follow.
Compost thermometer measures correct heat for killing weeds. Heat up the compost pile & put a freeze on next year’s weeds

My grandma knew something about weeds that too many have forgotten: Hot composting is one of the best ways to kill the seeds. Better yet, hot composting does this without making ash, without a trip to the town dump, and without adding methane emissions at a landfill.

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