Rock Piles
One of the simplest ways to create habitat for a wide variety of organisms is to just pile up a bunch of rocks. Many insects, snakes, small rodents and amphibians prefer to live in the dark spaces between the rocks. The rocks tend to hold heat once the sun goes down and also provides shade during hot days.
Dead Wood
As tempting as it may be to collect wood for the woodstove, leaving logs and brush where they fall invites mosses, fungi and insects to take up residence and thrive. It is fascinating to watch the slow transformation of a dead piece of wood as it sprouts green moss, lichen, and occasionally mushrooms bursting through to the surface.
Pond Plantings
Wetlands are a magnet for wildlife wherever they exist. By planting selected native species in and around the pond, we create food, shelter and inviting spots to rest or hide from predators. A huge variety of birds like red-winged blackbirds, swallows and migratory geese are drawn to this habitat. Insects and their larvae live in and around the pond, providing food for the birds and amphibians. Pond plantings are also beautiful and provide a tranquil setting for reading a book and watching the ducks.
Bird Houses
Bird houses are a staple of any farm property. We are lucky to have such high Biodiversity here, including a wide range of birds. Birds typically have no trouble finding places to call home but the strategic placement of bird houses provides safe homes and the opportunity for us to watch them build nests and raise young. Plus we love to Create stuff around here and building bird houses is fun!
Bat Houses
Bats are a hugely important member of our ecosystem, and they eat mosquitos! We enjoy nightly aerobatic displays by little brown bats. These fuzzy little friends live predominantly in tree hollows but we are building bat houses to provide extra safe space for them. We hope to help build up their numbers in the area to keep the mosquitos in check.