by Catherine Haug, January 6, 2013
To see all kitchen hints on this site, see: Kitchen Hints. If you’d like to submit a kitchen hint, send it to me and I’ll publish it. Note that if you don’t want your name used, just let me know.
The following hint comes from a new member of our community, Sheree Tompkins. (more…)
by Catherine Haug, Dec 4, 2012
Oftentimes those wild critters that we like the least, need our help. For example, honeybees and native bees that are suffering from the overuse of pesticides, yet are so essential for pollination of edible and other plants, landscape and wild flowers, etc..
And now another maligned critter is on Montana’s radar for study and protection: the bat. This nighttime creature has long been feared – most recently because of rabies – but they provide important benefits for those of us who live near water and wetlands, by keeping mosquitos in check, not to mention other insect pests that plague farmers and gardeners.
Bats in eastern parts of North America are under threat from a fungal disease called white nose syndrome. While this disease has not made its way here, Montana has begun a statewide research project to collect baseline data about our state’s bats. Students at Bigfork High School are playing a key role in this project, as reported in a December 3 Flathead Beacon article: Facing Threat of Disease, Montana Launches Bat Research Project.
Interested in encouraging bats in your yard? Read on. (more…)
Soapberry Shrub
by Catherine Haug, Sept 2, 2012
Photo by Catherine Haug
First I want to be clear on this point: this post is not about whether our warming trend is human caused. This post is about what we all are observing this year throughout Montana, and what we can – and should- do to avert trouble from the drought.
The last two winters, Montana was blessed with heavy snowfall in the mountains, and we all rejoiced that drought was over. Little did we guess that this summer would be one of the driest on record and that drought east of the divide would be so intense and devastating to our forests and our agricultural economy.
It’s not been as bad here in Western Montana, but yesterday, I found strong evidence of the effect of increasing drought in my own yard. (more…)
by Catherine Haug, August 12, 2012
The summer issue of Organic Matters, the magazine of Montana Organic Association (MOA) had a great article on Pollinators: Your Stealthy Partners, by Anna Jones-Crabtree of Vilicus Farms (in Havre (2)), with Jennifer Hopwood of the Xerces Society (3).
At a recent short course on pollinators in Great Falls, the only farmers in attendance were Organic! Now that tells you something … For key points from the short course, with my notes added, read on.
by Catherine Haug, May 27, 2012
Each and every day, every moment in the day, we are exposed – at risk – for disease from infectious microbes. You can’t avoid them, and since there are far too many microbes to decimate them all, we’re better off learning how to live with them. They are, after all, everywhere. And the way to live with them without giving in to them, is by building and maintaining a strong immunity.
How does one do that? One way is to start with children. Research has shown that children who eat dirt (as I did – pulling up carrots from my Dads garden and eating them without washing) have stronger immune systems than those who are raised in a sterile environment.
How can this be? Because many microbes – even some pathological ones – are beneficial. Our own native flora prove this true: (more…)
by Catherine Haug, May 27, 2012
We have become a society afraid of infection, leading us to seek ways to avoid contamination. Infectious bugs live on just about every surface we encounter (including our own skin and hair), and are also present in the air we breathe, so it is impossible to avoid these bugs. But there are things we can do to reduce exposure and enhance our immunity.
NOTE: there are also non-infectious diseases such as cancer that cannot necessarily be avoided by avoiding contamination, but may be avoided by enhancing your immunity
First, lets explore the most contaminated surfaces we encounter every day, then look at ways to enhance your immunity so you don’t succumb to contamination or exposure to infectious disease. (more…)