The Hugues Homestead

Friends sharing 📸s of The Homestead Heart as class Valentines, gift toppers, mantelpieces, yoga decorations, and gifts just to let friends know they are loved. 🥰

Lots of growth this past hot week!..and a bunch of bolted carrots 🥕:(

Posting this to review a little closer since I’m finding points interesting: https://www.grit.com/farm-and-garden/do-it-yourself/winter-sowing-zm0z16jfztri?fbclid=IwAR3X14_6N0NKWzgPnj6rHyePf4CuZqM507Q9KhW-79Wh-oKuLK1m9HuWtGI

Winter Sowing Your Seedlings - Farm and Garden - GRIT Magazine Learn how to start your seedlings earlier and easier with winter sowing.

ℌ𝔬𝔴 𝔱𝔬 𝔯𝔢𝔠𝔶𝔠𝔩𝔢 ℭ𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔪𝔞𝔰 𝔱𝔯𝔢𝔢𝔰?

Wondering what to do with your tree to avoid just throwing it in the trash? The National Christmas Tree Association has some advice for you!
Read more >> http://bit.ly/2gzpIvF

- Soil erosion barriers: Some communities use Christmas trees to make effective sand and soil erosion barriers, especially for lake and river shoreline stabilization and river delta sedimentation management. Here’s an example of just such a project, called “Balsams for Brookies.”
- Fish feeders: Sunk into private fish ponds, trees make an excellent refuge and feeding area for fish.
- Bird feeders: Place the Christmas tree in the garden or backyard and use it as a bird feeder and sanctuary. Fresh orange slices or strung popcorn will attract the birds and they can sit in the branches for shelter. (Make sure all decorations, hooks, garland and tinsel strands are removed). Eventually (within a year) the branches will become brittle and you can break the tree apart by hand or chip it in a chipper.
- Mulch: A Christmas tree is biodegradable; its branches may be removed, chipped, and used as mulch in the garden.
- Paths for hiking trails: Some counties use shredded trees as a free, renewable and natural path material that fits both the environment and the needs of hikers.

Here is another interesting read from the NYT, "Don’t Just Throw Away Your Christmas Tree" https://nyti.ms/38pIjTJ

Image: eastern white pine, Steven Katovich, Bugwood.org
~MB