Nearly 20 years ago, we set out to create a self-reliant homestead. Now we produce our own food and our own power, and can tackle whatever craziness this wild world throws at us. If you’re ready take back control from Big Pharma and Big Food and feel confident facing Everyday Emergencies, join us.
Common Sense Home Good News Letter 6/28/25
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"The tiny killdeer chicks ran along the edge of the road, so small that they almost looked like toys. I'd seen eggs in a nest before, and adults, but never babies. They were tiny, fluff-covered bundles of energy, looking like miniature adults on stilts." We saw some precious little ones on our way to a friend's graduation party last weekend - killdeer chicks. I didn't realize this until I started doing some research, but these chicks are precocial, meaning they’re born ready to go—running within hours of hatching on their oversized, spindly legs. Their dabbled, downy coats are perfectly camouflaged for them to blend in to the gravel of their preferred nest sites. If they weren't on the move, we never would have spotted them. Thankfully August had good reflexes and avoided them, but their choice of nest location (gravel) does often put them at risk. Most of the nests I've found over the years have been on the side of the road. I suspect we've had some nesting in the rough area of our property (which we call The Badlands), but I haven't found the nests, only seen the adults and heard their calls. When you're out and about this summer, make sure to keep watch for birds and bats, as they are some of our best defenses against biting insects. (We also saw a bat flying above our heads last night as we were putting the duck patrol to bed. Hopefully this means that the new bat house is occupied!) When you're working on yard maintenance, make sure to leave room for beneficial wildlife when you can. Bird baths, bird houses, bat houses, shrubs or trees that provide shelter - all of these don't take up a ton of room, but offer protection. Toxic sprays (like glyphosate) don't just impact the target species - they can impact wildlife, too. There are other options. I believe supper is almost ready, so I'm going to sign off. Have a good rest of the weekend, and stay safe out there! This week's featured articles...It is deer fly season, and this year's wacky weather has led to more of them around our homestead than I've seen in years. I figured it was time to share "Deer Fly Repellents – Natural Ways to Get Rid of Deer Flies". If you still end up getting bit (I got tagged by one of them already before I realized we had a bumper crop of them this year), we also have tips for dealing with deer fly bites. For those who are already into harvest season, putting up green beans in the freezer is a simple way to stock up. You can check out full instructions here, plus a discussion of blanching versus not blanching. I couldn't decide which one I liked better, so I decided to share both. This is our favorite strawberry rhubarb jam recipe, and yummy strawberry rhubarb crumble. |
Laurie Neverman @ Common Sense Home
Nearly 20 years ago, we set out to create a self-reliant homestead. Now we produce our own food and our own power, and can tackle whatever craziness this wild world throws at us. If you’re ready take back control from Big Pharma and Big Food and feel confident facing Everyday Emergencies, join us.
A few petite blossoms lingered along the path to the coop, strewn like shiny pennies in the sunshine. Though the main bloom time was past, the ever resilient dandelions still put on a bit color here and there, until winter's chill lulled them to sleep for the season. I realized this weekend that I sometimes take wild plants (weeds) for granted. I can't look at a dandelion (or plantain, or lambsquarters, or...) without knowing the plant like an old friend, and thinking about how I could use...
"They looked other-worldly, almost prehistoric. First one enormous ghostly white shape alighted on the pond, followed shortly thereafter by four more. As they moved closer to the house and were no longer blocked from view by the island, their silhouettes became clear - pelicans! Our main pond is not that large, only about 1.3 acres, so we were surprised to see these large water birds stop in. They stayed for less than an hour, but it was a memorable visit." I also found out that pelicans can...
Like a bubbling brook creating music as it splashes over stones, so the trickle (and sometimes torrent) of flowers creates a panorama of color rippling across the landscape. Spruce buds and hazelnut catkins, honeyberries and apricot blossoms, apple blossoms and honeysuckle, a sea of autumberries, and countless other blooms adorn the yard. Time outside is aromatherapy. (As long as the neighbors aren't spreading manure or chemicals or burning trash, or Canada isn't on fire with the wind blowing...