The ReFarmery ReView--The Birds and the Bees and the flowers on the trees
The Birds and the Bees and the flowers on the trees
The ReFarmery was created as a refuge for people and animals alike. As we restore the habitat and food sources around us, we are rewarded by the cohabitation of more species than we can count. To view a photo history of wildlife on the farm, please see the Wildlife Gallery on our About the farm page.
The Birds
We wanted to include photos of our new bird feeders with this issue, but alas, completion of the project took a temporary back seat to planting and weeding to prepare the fields for the coming season. The plan is to hang milk cartons full of sunflower seed around the property to increase the population of corvids (crows, magpies, and jays) on the farm. It seems counter-intuitive, but these smart birds that are so often regarded as pests can be beneficial for a farm like ours. It is actually the smaller song birds that cause more damage to our young fruits, while corvids prefer to take their share from the unreachable-to-us higher branches of trees as the fruits ripen. It is our understanding that the corvids should become territorial about their newfound food source and help keep the smaller birds back in the surrounding fields where their insect controlling ways can be most useful.
The Bees and Other Bugs
As the farm wakes up to spring, the trees and shrubs are pushing food for early pollinators and other beneficial insects.
Young ladybugs sunning themselves in the warm morning light.
Our California Golden currant is an early season bloomer that is popular with all kinds of flying insects in the afternoon sun.
The jasmine plant is about to explode in flowers for spring bees! This one plant produces so many flowers each year that it has overpowered its steel cattle panel frame and needs something more sound to hold it upright in the coming year.
The Bats
Our new bat houses have all arrived. These beauties will be installed 20-30 feet off the ground all around the farm. Nature-willing, they will soon be populated with little pest-eating friends.
And the Biome
The back 40 (feet) have been reclaimed. This winter we finally pulled back the cover over the southwest corner of the farm. Under it we found thriving earth full of life, free from weeds and their seeds and ready to grow food!
Sheltered under light blocking tarps, worms, millipedes and other critters have worked all year to break down the decades of decomposing weeds, twigs and roots that remained in this back corner. Their labors have provided rich soil for the vegetables we will be planting here in the coming weeks.
Fungi and the other microbial life in our soils are precious on a farm. These tiny workhorses further decompose organic material, releasing nutrients for our food plants while also storing an incredible amount of carbon. Though they trigger a gross-out feeling in most of us, a ring of ripe fungus is a sign of health for the land.
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nvest in your local small farm and bring home a share of the freshest and tastiest foods available. When you support sustainable agriculture grown with ethical labor, you help our community grow.
