Author Archives: Ann Lovejoy

Battling Weeds With Rodents And Beetles

Posted on October 9, 2017 by Ann Lovejoy

Once summer harvesting ends, cool season cover crops can restore soil health in the veggie patch. Deep mulches of compost or aged manure can nourish tired beds, but cover crops can do even more. Where new beds or lawns are planned, cover crops can eliminate the need for destructive tilling, acting as living mulch to restore soil fertility and reduce winter erosion. Recent research shows that cover crops can also reduce weed seed numbers by providing cover for seed-eating beetles and rodents.

Ick? Not really; both critters consume significantly more weed seeds when cover crops provide shelter and protection from predators. Purdue researchers found that when beetles and rodents had cover crop protection, the weed seed burden was reduced by as much as 400% compared to fields without cover crops. Surprisingly, the soil cleaning effect continues even when rodents eat high numbers of the beetles. Continue reading →

Posted in fall/winter crops, Garden Prep, Soil, Sustainable Gardening, Sustainable Living, Weed Control | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Homemade Biscuits And Standby Soup

Posted on October 2, 2017 by Ann Lovejoy

Last week I had a request for tall, curving branches needed for an art project. It turned out to be an annual Day Of The Dead display at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. Each year, a remarkable artist, Araceli Cruz, weaves magical displays combining memorabilia with leaves and flowers under arching branches. This year, Araceli will work with the Friday Tidy to create an outdoor version at the library, which we’ll decorate with garden gleanings, from empty bird nests and fallen foliage to seedpods and bundled twigs. I think this charming, loving tradition will become part of my own gardening style, combining as it does the natural and ephemeral, the spiritual and the down-to-earth in the deepest way.
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Posted in Garden Prep, Health & Wellbeing, Recipes, Sustainable Living | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

A Peace Cafe

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Ann Lovejoy

I’ve been thinking and talking with friends about ways to encourage the momentum of that initial event locally. Recently, I got permission from Eagle Harbor Congregational Church to host a monthly Peace Cafe in the Fellowship Hall. The idea is to make a time and place for coming together to share experiences and ideas that can help build kinder, stronger, and more resilient community for all of us. I’m inviting our local branch of Indivisible to participate, as well as local faith communities and anyone who is interested is definitely welcome to come and talk and listen.
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Posted in Nutrition, Recipes, Sustainable Living | Tagged , | 2 Comments

A Cascade Of Cucumbers

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Ann Lovejoy

Admiring An Underrated Vegetable Since I moved this spring, I haven’t had a place to grow vegetables, but fortunately I am blessed with friends who do. I was recently given a basket of mixed cucumbers in various sizes and shapes … Continue reading →

Posted in preserving food, Recipes, Sustainable Living, Vegan Recipes | Tagged , , | 5 Comments