We would like to give a little update on the status of the critters, and their friends on the Farm…
Two years ago we began to hear of lot of chatter abut the Monarch butterfly and how they were becoming an endangered species. Both Jackie and I enjoy the Monarchs and their beauty as they flutter about the farm.We began doing a little research and discovered many alarming facts. Some of which we can”t directly change and some we were led to try and do what we could. Research stated that Milkweed was their main source of food and where they laid their eggs. In our 1/10 mile of ditch line we had a few, which we would regularly mow off. We decided to allow the ditch line to grow without mowing and we have good news to report. We have around 100 plants flowering as I am writing. Along with the ditch line we dedicated 3/4 of an acre to a Butterfly Garden and began trying to get the milkweed to flourish over there as well.Thru trial and error we have 150 milkweed plants of 3 different varieties now growing there. We have located many butterfly larvae already on the leaves. We are anxiously awaiting to see what species and to what numbers our success has came to. We are learning everyday more and more how delicate life can be and how man can have a different effect on survival or destruction.
We are planning a third acre in another parcel far across the field, just in case of a bad crop so they have a back up food source in the future.
We will move on to another of the critter friends that we are attempting to assist in their fight for survival on this great planet, the Honey Bee. This is our second year for having an Apiary. We began with 6 hives and 6 boxes with approx. 12,000 bees. We harvested 4 gallons of honey last year and helped with the making of 6 more queens and hives to assist people starting their own hives. This year we have watched our bees go crazy. We now have approx. 200,000 bees and are anticipating around 25 gallons of honey. We are very very happy with the speed of which life is returning to our farm. When we decided to bring the farm back to how the good Lord had intended it to be, we asked our Pastor to Bless the farm. He drew a Blood line of Jesus around our property and prayed for the the health and rejuvenation of the farm. God has truly blessed us.
In trying to do our part, we have went pesticide and herbicide free and have allowed 3 feet of grass to grow between the field and the forest for ground cover and that brings us to the status of our critters. For the first time in many many years we have spotted at least 15-20 rabbits a dozen turkeys, a few more squirrels a couple of baby skunks and a fox all living in our small but very alive 22 acre farm. Every morning or evening we are delighted to see at least 6-15 deer leisurely having breakfast or supper in our alfalfa/clover field.
Stay tuned for an update on the Pond, full of life and flourishing.
~The Coyote Cabins Family
