"They can't watch the forecast, but the animals know when the season change is on the way. Suddenly, the cats start shedding enormous amounts of fur, and the duck and chicken courtship dances kick into high gear."

I don't know if it's the slight temperature increase or the incrementally longer days, but spring fever has set in here on the homestead. Most of February has been chilly, so today's above freezing temperatures are a welcome respite. I won't miss dealing with the ice, though I don't mind the snow. I'm grateful that we got enough snow cover to help recharge the ponds and soil.

The boys gave both cats deworming pills today using the "burrito method", and it went remarkably smoothly. Reg and Le Mew don't like to cooperate, but the boys have a system after years of cat care. I've been told we should pull the cat care articles off the site because cats are not our primary topic, but I haven't done it yet because I know some people find them helpful.

We also got our chick order in, though the chicks won't arrive until May, as bird flu is causing significant supply disruptions, with some birds not being available at all and others selling out very quickly.

The Spring Gardening online summit starts tomorrow. If you haven't registered yet, it's not too late. It's free, and each days' presentations are live for 48 hours, so you can watch when you have time. My presentation is on Tuesday, when I'll be talking about getting rid of garden pests.

​You can learn more or register to watch for free here.​

Helping you create resilience and abundance,

Laurie (and August IV, August V, and Duncan)

This weeks featured articles...

I jokingly called this week's featured wild plant "foxy broccoli", not because it is an oddly attractive member of the brassica family, but because it tastes something like broccoli, but with a much stronger flavor.

This one's not for folks with timid palates, but for those aiming to hit their "30 different types of plant based foods in a week" goal* to boost the variety of nutrients in their diets, it's worth a try. Learn more about Barbarea vulgaris.

*In the Blue Zones, where some of the longest lived people reside, they found that most eat a wide variety of plant based foods. (Often because they eat what they grow.) Contrast this with mainstream diets, where calories often come from a narrow range of foods, mostly processed grains.

Egg prices are sky high with the runaway culling of so many flocks. If you're thinking about getting your own egg layers, we have a list of top laying breeds of chickens and ducks. There's also an article on how soon to expect eggs, and tips for boosting egg production.

August got his amalgam fillings removed by a holistic dentist recently. While not a pleasant experience, he's glad to have it done. ( I had mine done several years ago.)

One simple thing you can do for gum health (especially as you get older) is oil pulling. It's amazing how oil pulling can remove bits that even flossing and water picking can miss. Learn more about oil pulling here.​