Milkweed and monarch butterflies.

And you thought it was just a weed -

The life cycle of a monarch includes a change of form called complete metamorphosis. The monarch goes through four radically different stages:

1.The eggs are laid by the females during spring and summer breeding months.

2.The eggs hatch (after 4 days), revealing worm-like larvae, the caterpillars. The caterpillars consume their egg cases, then feed on milkweed, and sequester substances called cardenolides, a type of cardiac glycoside. During the caterpillar stage, monarchs store energy in the form of fat and nutrients to carry them through the non-feeding pupa stage. The caterpillar stage lasts around 2 weeks.

3.In the pupa or chrysalis stage, the caterpillar spins a silk pad on a twig, leaf, etc., and hangs from this pad by its last pair of prolegs. It hangs upside down in the shape of a 'J', and then molts, leaving itself encased in an articulated green exoskeleton. At this point, hormonal changes occur, leading to the development of a butterfly (metamorphosis). The chrysalis darkens (the exoskeleton becomes transparent) a day before it emerges, and its orange and black wings can be seen.

4.The mature butterfly emerges after about two pupal weeks and hangs from the split chrysalis for several hours until its wings are dry (often in the morning). Meanwhile fluids are pumped into the crinkled wings until they become full and stiff. Some of this orangey fluid (called meconium) drips from the wings. Finally (usually in the afternoon) the monarch spreads its wings, quivers them to be sure they are stiff, and then flies away, to feed on a variety of flowers, including milkweed flowers, red clover, and goldenrod.

 

Monarchs can live a life of two to eight weeks in a garden having their host milkweed plants and sufficient flowers for nectar. This is especially true if the flower garden happens to be surrounded by native forest that seems to be lacking in flowers.

10-10-10 - A Global Work Party Day.

Yesterday was 10-10-10,  

A global work party day.

Check out 350.org to read the whole story. What did you do on 10-10-10?  Leave a comment.  Share your story.  I was lucky enough to be able to help out at a local school.  Over the last few months volunteers have been working to reclaim the gardens and trails.  It is a wonderful project and I hope to be involved for a long time. I want to be able to watch the gardens grow along with the community of school children and families. I couldn't think of a better why to spent a fantastic Sunday afternoon.

Sheet Mulch - recipe

Sheet Mulch

by Roger Bass

• The night before water the area
• Open up the soil slightly by broadforking.
• Put down a 1" to 2" layer of high-nitrogen material: manure, blood or cottonseed meal, cast off produces green etc.
• Lay down cardboard or newspapers to create a continuous light-blocking layer that will smother existing plants.
• Wet down the layer of cardboard or newspapers.  If possible, mark and cut planting locations.
• Put down another nitrogen layer.
• Add 8 to 10" of bulk mulch, straw, hay leaves.
• Wet it all down again.
• Put down 1 to 2" of compost.
• Add the final layer, 2" of either straw, bark, wood shavings, etc.

The newly mulched area should be ready for planting the next day.

What is soil ??

Saturday some members of Transition Hendersonville were lucky enough to attend a soil building class lead by Roger Bass.  It was a great class and I know I walked away with more knowledge on caring for my soil.

What is soil?  The ideal garden soil is loam, a mixture with relatively equal parts of sand, silt, and clay and 5 to 10% organic matter.
Soil is an ecosystem teeming with microbes constantly breaking organic matter apart.
The soil food web:
Bacteria are the most numerous living components of soil.
Fungi are the primary decay agents in the soil.
In a healthy soil food web, fungi and bacteria do much the same work and share many of the same functions.
Protoza eat mostly bacteria.
Worms eat protozoa.
Termites and ants mix surface and subsurface soil.
A fully active soil food web will have better nutrient retention in its soil and will result in improved soil structure.
Fertilizer is a salt and dries out and kills bacteria and soil life.  If the plant does not immediately use the fertilizer it leeches through the soil to the water table.  Bacteria and microbes eat natural nutrients and release them when they die.  Microbes can remain dormant until conditions are right and then they come alive.  Organic fertilizers feed the soil life.
Clean water comes from healthy soil. Water coming from conventional agricultural fields is laden with excess inorganic nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur.  Water running off a forest is clean.

Now that you know about the soil - you will never call it dirt again !

Thank you Roger

The roof is on !!!

The roof is on !! The dormer has been added.  The chicken house includes a wonderful space for enjoying a great view of the backyard, daydreaming, painting a picture, enjoying a great book or just taking a nap.

Lucky Chicks

The chicken house is almost finished. Here is one of the lucky chickens that will be moving in. She is a beautiful Buff Orpington. Many years ago at the  Hamilton County Fair, in Iowa, the poultry judge was asked to describe the correct plumage color for this variety. Taking out his gold watch he said, "That's the color for Buff Orpingtons." And pure gold they are, symbolic of great value and high quality. Introduced from England in the late 1800's, they became one of the most popular farm fowls in this country. These are large, stately birds of quiet disposition. Easy to dress for the table they are white skinned, plump, and juicy, a beautiful eating bird. Their heavy, full plumage make them excellent winter layers, shelling out brown eggs right through cold weather. They also make excellent setters and mothers. These "Golden Beauties" have been one of our most popular varieties for years and years with their glistening plumage and pinkish white skin. Baby chicks are a soft light buff color. These chickens are truly lovely, sweet ladies.

It is almost moving day - Chicken house - update

It is almost moving day for the chickens.  The roof is coming along and soon the chicken/vermiculture/root cellar house will be finished.