Nubian Dairy Goats- Triplets born!

Last night we welcomed triplets to our herd of Nubian dairy goats. Dora is an excellent mother, and is busy caring for Dante, Daphne, and Dina. Gestation for goats is about five months. Just hours shy of Day 150, Dora gave us a happy surprise of three beautiful kidlings—two girls, and a boy. Goats often have two kids at once, but triplets is a bit less common.

Goats make delicious milk for us, but they are also important for managing invasive plant species at our Farm. Plants such as Autumn Olive, Japanese honeysuckle vine and Multiflora rose are detrimental to our landscape and our goals for biodiversity, but the invasive plants are tasty and nutritious parts of the goats’ diet. Then, the goat manure is composted on the farm, and it too becomes important for building healthy soils, and growing great native plant species.

Silver Maple buds say Spring!

With a few days of 60 degree (or even warmer!) weather behind us, I noticed the honeybees are out finding pollen to bring back to the hives.  The protein and nutrition in Spring pollen and early nectar is essential for the bees to build brood (reproduce more bees) and then fill the hives with honey as the warm weather comes to stay.

One of the first native species the bees find is Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) The photos show the tree almost ready to flower. It’s bloom precedes the Red and Sugar Maples. Sometimes Silver Maple is overlooked because it has weak branches, but it does grow quickly, and makes a nice shade tree in a moist area where it has room to spread out.  

Perhaps you can identify a Silver Maple near your home or school this week by comparing buds to the photos posted here.         

Happy Holidays!

December holds special days in many religious traditions, but for all gardeners December is the end of another yearʼs efforts to putter, prune, plant, primp, pose, and ponder with our hands in the dirt.

Yellow Springs Farm feels different in December. Our lists are still long, but our working rhythms are more metered and centered. Sometimes we pause to celebrate the monthʼs short daylight hours, and know that the stars will appear brighter and hot soup will taste better because of the season. Other days we focus on the last rich goat milk we enjoy before our does stop producing in preparation for giving birth to kids in Spring. On sunny days, we check in on the garden and nursery plants, some still green, others dormant. All remind us that nature has its ebb and flow, and she dances through each phase with gentle grace and potent focus on things to come. Nature seems to hold no grudges, have no regrets, and does not suffer from angst about tomorrow. She is here in the moment —celebrating today.

We join the spirit of the Winter Solstice and this Holiday season, as we wish you all peace and joy with many good things to come in the New Year. May you find time to share with family and friends you hold dear as you enjoy a Holiday party, a walk outdoors, a special meal, or just quiet time near a warm fire.

With sincere best wishes ,
Catherine Renzi, plus our furry family of dogs, cats, and Nubian dairy goats.

Have you seen Pokeweed today?

Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)

This perennial plant is native to the Eastern United States. It is usually 3 to 8 feet tall. It spreads when birds enjoy its late summer fruit in September. This fruit is especially important for species preparing to migrate. The birds later drop the seeds, so more Pokeweed grows in the following Spring.

Pokeweed develops racemes of whitish flowers in July. Then, by late summer the easily-recognized reddish, purple berries develop and stems turn reddish, too. Do you think you have seen any Pokeweed today along the roadside or on the edge of a wooded area?

Be warned that the roots and fruit are toxic if eaten by humans, dogs, pigs, and many other animals. Native Americans and early settlers used the fruit’s juice for crimson dye, and even boiled the tender, spring leaves as an edible treat.

Pokeweed grows a taproot up to one foot deep, so it is hard work to remove an established plant. To control its spread, cut back Pokeweed before it fruits, and remove roots completely.

When is Grass More than a Lawn?

Perennial grasses such as Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum), Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), and Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans) are native plants to the Middle Atlantic. Native grasses vary in height from two to eight feet, depending on the species and site. These plants are often called warm-season grasses because they break dormancy later than some perennials and grow strongly during the late spring and summer months. Many people find the grasses look best when they show amber and golden fall colors, and dried stalks during winter, long after other plants lose interest. In July, these grasses are in their glory, and starting to grow well.

The native grasses need little maintenance once established. It is best to cut native grasses once or twice each year. Another way they differ from typical lawns is that they grow deep root systems. These roots make the native grasses drought-tolerant and hardy. There is a native grass for any site. Some species prefer dry areas, others are shade-tolerant, and a few work best in wet, boggy areas.

Unlike the traditional lawn, native grasses provide habitat for birds throughout the year. That’s an important dividend for watching birds right outside your windows. The seeds and dried stalks of tall grasses serve as cover for overwintering insect larvae, butterfly caterpillars, spiders, and snakes. Larger, grassy meadows also provide good hunting ground for raptors searching for small mammals and insects. However, you can start a meadow area in just 100 or 200 square feet where you now have lawn. It is often best to begin on a sunny, perimeter area next to some mature trees, a pond, or other natural feature.

When spring comes, the tall grass is full of food sources for birds and holds abundant material for nests made by Eastern Meadowlarks, Sparrows, and Bobolinks, for example. In spring and early summer these grassy areas transition from serving primarily as cover to offering both shelter and food sources for arriving birds and new fledglings.

So, after you establish an area of warm season grasses, when should you mow? It generally takes two years for native grasses to establish good root systems and begin robust growth.  Then, you should mow your native grass once or twice per year. Mowing in late June or early July is good for controlling the growth of non-native grasses without interfering with the seed forming on native grasses during mid-late summer. Mowing in March is also a good choice because it will not disturb breeding birds, and it encourages good Spring growth. 

Birds need tall grasses for food, shelter, and to foster biodiversity that all native species rely on, but perhaps some of your human neighbors prefer to see neatly cut lawns. It helps create tolerance and support for your no-mow area when you educate teachers, students and neighbors about benefits of native grasses. Try to explain that these are native plants with important function in all four seasons of the year, and not just any old weed.