OT: Yards and yard work

[Wayne Howard]

When Connie and I relocated from south of Houston to Central Texas, I left behind my riding lawn mower. The premise was "If it's not growing there now, we are NOT importing it." Which is a handy slogan if you are on rainwater collection for your drinking water. So none of the 8,000 gallons we have storage for goes to watering plants. We are also not using water from the Edwards Aquifer as we don't have a well.

This leads into all the new subdivisions that are going in around us. Grass, new trees because they bulldozed the existing trees to build mansions. And using scarce resources to keep them green. The local water company has actually shut off the water to whole subdivisions because inconsiderate people were still watering their lawns during phase 4 restrictions. And then those same people complain because their lawns are dying.

We do have grass, however. Buffalo and Blue Gamma mostly. So once a year, I get to weed eat the little bit of yard we have. Just to knock down the "weeds" so that the Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes have a chance to grow and bloom before the grass takes over again. 

[Noemi - Ensenada 20]

Those water woes are spreading, even to this Midwest state.  And they're not going away soon.  For some people, the only way they understand that they are doing damage is to take something away.

[Frank B.]

I learned a valuable lesson during my eight years in Oklahoma.  landscape guy told me to forget shallow watering and don't waste your money on irrigation.  Plant sod of a native grass and let the roots naturally grow deep looking for water. In drought conditions it may brown out, but will come back with the first rain. Watering shallow encourages shallow root growth which is not a good thing.  My grass stays just as green as the three neighbors who water every day in the summer.

The back yard is full shade, with many deciduous trees.  I encourage anything that is green to grow there.  It is a mixture of some tall fescue, clover, dollar weed, some things I haven't identified yet and green moss.  In the spring I have wild flowers and I leave it till June to encourage the pollinators. Never gets watered with anything but rain water.

[Brian N.]

Water "wars" are being fought over the entire globe. Years ago we had a place in Vermont, a total of 3 houses on our hillside, all drawing groundwater. Twenty years pass and there is massive development of condos in the valley, and about  25 new homes on an extension road above us on the hill. Nearly everyday, our well was sucking air. We also had a small "feeder" stream to the Deerfield river nearby. The last couple of years that we had the house, the stream was mostly dry. An environmental wake-up call, for sure.

Just this past year we converted our backyard to mostly native plants, such as butterfly weed, blueberry, goldenrod, milk weed and yarrow. Have not had to water the back the entire summer.  I mowed a path through and around, for a great "nature" walk.

[Riley Smith]

If you don't understand about mowing here I'll explain. You do it to keep the snakes ran away. Otherwise you'll be walking on snakes, toads, and spiders. As well as ticks, fleas, and all sorts of nasty insects. And we haven't even gotten into leaves, deadfalls, and jungle which complicate things even more. It's pretty much the price of survival here too, when you have a mate that can grow almost anything.
I do make a point of NOT watering. The most insane thing I've ever seen was the Grants, NM golf course from the top of the mesa. Lush and green, in a landscape of lava and desert.

[Brian N.]

Riley - yes their are certainly many more critters in the yard now. Ticks are the nasty ones, but have been a problem for years even when I maintained a green lawn (white footed mice are a host). But the increase in bees, butterflies, rabbits and a large assortment of birds has been incredible. I've had a good number of voles, shrews, white footed mice and bats, some of which unfortunately end up in the pool skimmer. Have not seen any snakes, but black racers, garter and eastern king snakes have been spotted by neighbors in their yards, as well as the eastern box turtle. We have a resident red tail hawk and at night various owls in the trees. What makes it even more special, and hard to believe is that we are only about 50 miles from Manhattan. My daughter, who lives in Brooklyn (NYC) often comes out with friends to enjoy a weekend "in the countryside" and a short jaunt to fabulous Long Island beaches.

[Riley Smith]

Brian I have a resident black snake. I almost never see it as they are fast and shy but it's been around for several years. I don't worry too much about those, but the cottonmouth I almost stepped on last year was a different story. And I rescued a box turtle out of the pool yesterday, so there are still lots of critters. We had to resort to heavy equipment to clean some of the jungle out awhile back. And I've got some more of it creeping up on the west side of the house. If I had it to do all over again, there wouldn't be a tree, bush, flower, or vine within 50 yards of the house.

I DO have a pool and have to add water from evaporation. It was a promise to the missus; I'd never willing submit otherwise   I also have a water well and no shortage of water, even in drought. Water has never been an issue, it's TOO much of it that is.

[noelH]

Living in a water "rich" area. We have good ground water in terms of quality and quantity.  Then there is L. Superior and all the artesian wells along the coastline. But I collect rainwater for all outdoors use except for the end of season power wash Vela gets. But times are changing. Rainfall has become more days apart resulting in drought conditions routinely with relatively heavy rainfall when it happens. So, for the past couple veggie growing season I have had to occasionally use tap water from the well. Little over 300 gallons of rain barrels end up empty.  Water everything by hand using a 2 gallon ancient steel Haws watering can and newer 3 gallon steel pale. Takes a bit of time, but I don't mind. Some people wonder why?  It's a waste not to. Then the comment "you need to get a life". Whatever that means???

No lawn. Planted ground cover that now has spread over what would have been from my perspective too large a lawn. Haven't had to mow, water, or fertilize a lawn for +30 years.  Mid-summer the ground cover becomes a dense field of tiny flowers. In the mornings and early evenings the buzz of bees is relatively loud. One must step very carefully during flowering season. Never new there was such a variety of different bumble bees in this area.  Also discovered bumble bee which are usually very friendly can sting you multiple times. I always thought bees could only you sting you once.

[Riley Smith]

Yep, bumble bees are bad to the bone. So are yellow jackets. Nests in the ground are like land mines. And then we have red wasps and guinea wasps too, that dearly like to hide their paper nests. You'll be stung before you even knew they were there. We keep a close eye and a can of wasp spray handy during wasp season. As far as "lawn" goes, it is called "grass" by me and is whatever grows there and not some artificial carpet, although we have supplemented the natural there on the beach in a few places because it is such a hostile environment. There definitely isn't a sprinkler system. I let the wildflowers grow along the hurricane wall there and it brings tons of butterflies and other wildlife in to the flowers. I don't think the millionaires like it but I don't care. I also left the last two "cigarette" rolls left by storms to decay to build the soil up. Once, everyone cut EVERYTHING down to the water. And immediately cleaned those cigarette rolls. And the resultant erosion was bad. Over time I've demonstrated that little strip between the water and land is of prime importance and have mostly left it to grow. And I've USED that cigarette roll to supplement the soil along the hurricane wall. Yeah, I understand Wayne, believe me I really do, and go as far as I can in that direction.

[Norm L.]

This trail is meandering a bit. I'm reading a book on the land of Australia. Being about the land much of it is about the life of the First People.
The way they lived was amazing, and still is to some extent. While there were Aboriginal groups that didn't like each other they would all come from up to several hundred miles to gather for eating festivals. Even hungry they would move on from a space with natures food sources so that enough was left so that it could grow and be plenty for the next season. No planting, just natures cycles.
But the mention of bees brought this on. One of their sweet sources was bee larvae. That is the stage that would develop into workers. It provides a source of protein with a sweetness.
Why not try this at home.

[Noemi - Ensenada 20]

Some people wonder why?  It's a waste not to. Then the comment "you need to get a life". Whatever that means???

They're being dense.  What you're doing IS a life.

[Doug SC]

I have eaten bee larvae to see what it was like. Not bad though some of the pollen they are feed can be a bit bitter. Most people think that bears get in the hives for the honey. They actually go for the brood first they will eat the honey, but the protein packs a better survival punch than the sweet. I have lost hives to bears.

[Norm L.]

If you are hungry, you are hungry.
I've heard it said that humans can eat C-rats and MRE's.

[Doug SC]

Opps I meant bears not bees get into hives for the brood in my post below. I did an edit so it now reads what I meant to say.

[noelH]

The Water Wars.
 
WaterWar I, decades ago the then Mayor of the City of Washburn thought it would be a good idea for a major "European" bottle water company to put in a facility utilizing the extremely high flow artesian wells found around Thompson's West End Park. You know, "good paying jobs and a waste having the water flow back into the Lake...." Not. Ends up just a few new poor paying jobs would have been created. No one wants any form of commercial development on prime recreational lake front property. Major local opposition. Maybe why she failed to get reelected. Among other reasons.

WaterWar II, more recently. Similar issue. Tapping the artesian wells, but along the northern side of the Bayfield Peninsula.  Again, major local opposition.  This time the judicial system squashed that attempt.  Maybe due to the Great Lakes Compact preventing diversion of Great Lakes water?

People and $$$$$s. Wake up. Somethings are "priceless".

Another Tangent though.  Our wonderful 7th Congressional Rep who only cares about us during elections season. The four northern counties of the district that border L. Superior add up to an insignificant population relative to the rest of the district.  Wants to change the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore into WI only National Park. I guess he needed to put something on paper that said he did something over the last session of the House of Rep.  Again $$$s. Notes it would bring economic development to the region. No one up here wants more of the "economic development" envisioned by doorknob rep. Tom.  He didn't communicate or consult with the Tribe, the County Board, the Cities of Bayfield and Washburn, the Township Boards that are adjacent to the National Lakeshore. He claims he did. No one seems to remember any communication. Does the Mayor of Hayward,WI that is located +60 miles inland count? He could have picked up a few +s if he would have addressed our lack of housing. Affordable and otherwise. An issue that will just get worse if his concept of bringing in more people with great paying jobs that "will" occur with a designation change for National Lakeshore to National Park. Doorknob!!