Since we needed to stock up on some feed, supplements, and straw, I hopped into my big red truck today and headed for Wilco in Cornelius. The sun was out and it was a balmy fifty-something day -- unheard of for this time of year. I decided to drop down on the backside of Pumpkin Ridge.
One of the neighbors along this route has been installing a new pasture and I've enjoyed watching the progress. Last fall, the soil was tilled and seeded and the fence went in. Recently, a hot wire went up and an adjacent shed has been adapted to provide a run in shelter and a stall area. This afternoon, I was thrilled to see that every fourth fence post supported a birdhouse. Not your average avian abodes either.
These nifty wooden nest boxes are eco-housing in the purest sense. The wood provides protection against the elements and temperature extremes and the location discourages predators. The birdhouses have been built with a sliding side wall and bottom to facilitate cleaning once the chicks have fully fledged. Best of all, each roof is actually a tiny flower bed planted with succulents.
Why install nest boxes along your pasture? It's an ideal way to both help and work with nature. By installing the birdhouses, my neighbor is helping to provide critical nesting habitat. In turn, the birds will help control flies and mosquitoes. Beautiful.
"If one way be better than another,
that you may be sure is Nature's way."
~ Aristotle - Nichomachean Ethics ~
that you may be sure is Nature's way."
~ Aristotle - Nichomachean Ethics ~
There are many wonderful things afoot here at Sweetgrass. My photographic work was just approved for Photographer's Direct, an online "fair trade" stock and assignment photo service. And... we are considering adding a fiber animal crop to our existing grass fed beef. Stay tuned! 2012 is going to be outstanding!
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