As I type this blog the ground outside is covered with an early November snow fall and the winds are bitterly cold and gusting. I am calling a truce to the ongoing battle I have been facing throughout the spring, summer and fall with many of the critters that inhabit the same ground that I inhabit. All of us, the critters and myself included, think the area we inhabit belongs to us and not to anyone else. That’s why the…..
If you read my last blog you will remember I was in the process of preparing to educate a group of 90 year old’s about the science of pumpkin farming. Since I am back at writing a blog again this week you can assume I survived that adventure. 🙂 My 90 year old audience was very attentive and seemed to enjoy my presentation. I think they especially enjoyed following along as I described the pumpkin growing life cycle that I…..
We are in the middle of summer on our little acreage and the battle against nature is in full force. Unless you experience what nature can throw at you you’ll never fully understand what botanist go through attempting to bring plants to maturity. In other words gardening can be a frustrating job. I am reminded of the constant intrusion of nature every morning as I look out our living room window and watch the ‘big bully’ blue jays chase away…..
I know I shouldn’t downplay the climate change idea but I live in the middle of North America so the rising seas aren’t going to affect me. Currently my pumpkin patch is not suffering from a drought. Since I live in Minnesota famous for its brutal winters I’d even enjoy a little winter weather moderation. I am currently under a more serious attack and it has nothing to do with changing climates. I am having a problem with the critters currently living…..
I’m a pumpkin farmer and as harvest time approaches I look back and realize there’s a battle going on in our profession. It’s not with the neighbors or the UPS man who occasionally visits. The spray planes that frequently buzz our house are even tolerated. The real battle is with all the little critters that are living among us and who assume we are renting space from them! The first critter to make life miserable for a pumpkin farmer are…..