Earth friendly gardening in the Kootenays region of British Columbia, Canada

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     Since birds can get sick from moldy bird seed, it is a good idea to keep bird food in your feeder always dry in the snowy or rainy weather. Usually the roof of the birdfeeder doesn't provide sufficient protection.

    I protect my birdfeeder from rain and snow with an additional little "roof" made of cardboard covered with plastic and fixed above the roof of the birdfeeder. It works beautifully.

    Last year I had at least six different species of birds visiting my birdfeeder during winter. It is a great pleasure to watch those little sparks of life happily feeding on the organic sunflower seeds, crushed peanuts and cracked corn. It is difficult for them to find another food sources now, when everything is covered with a thick layer of snow.

   I feed them only during winter and do not overfeed them, so they have to look for the natural food sources as well. In summer they, in turn, will help me to keep my plants healthy by picking insects. During summer months most of smaller wild birds live almost entirely on insects and their larvae. They also feed their young on insect food.

    On the first calendar day of winter, the shortest day of year, I received the following announcement:

11^th Annual Nelson Garden Festival

200 Block Baker St. Nelson, BC

12^th May 2012, 10am to 3pm

info: www.ecosociety.ca  250 354-1909

    Isn't it wonderful? It remains me of the poem by Sudie Stuart Hager, He Knows No Winter :

He knows no winter, he who loves the soil,
For, stormy days, when he is free from toil,
He plans his summer crops, selects his seeds
From bright-paged catalogues for garden needs.
When looking out upon frost-silvered fields,
He visualizes autumn's golden yields;
He sees in snow and sleet and icy rain
Precious moisture for his early grain;
He hears spring-heralds in the storm's turmoil­
He knows no winter, he who loves the soil.

Photo credit:  www.stumbleupon.com

I prefer to grow my own

Spotted Wing Drosophila (Fruit Fly)

fast spreading new pest in B.C.

    Spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii), a serious new fruit fly pest of soft fruit and berries, was first identified in British Columbia in 2009. It is now widespread in Coastal and Interior fruit growing areas of B.C. Read more at

http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/swd.htm