WriterByNature.com

May 13, 2008 2:52 pm

Sedges have edges
Rushes are round
Grasses are hollow right up from the ground.

There are exceptions to this basic rule. But poetry is a valuable learning tool in nature study.

I am blessed with an amazing range of nature educators. Some are dedicated to teaching. Others do not even know they are teachers, but their impact rivals that of Barry Keegan.

I taught 12-year-old Caleb how to harvest wild garlic. He responded with that well-known poem by an unknown poet, before bounding off to share his new discovery with his parents.

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March 16, 2008 5:43 am

This is another indoor nature activity.

A good time to do this is late winter, before the trees wake up.

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March 12, 2008 6:49 am

Plants will grow in many different containers, given the right conditions. An advantage to using containers is that you can move them to maximize growing conditions.

Try adapting unusual containers such as milk cartons, baskets, canisters or plastic containers. Be sure to poke holes in the bottom of the container. Line the bottom with 2 to 3 inches of small gravel, then fill the container with topsoil.

Here are some things you can plant in spring and summer: (more…)

February 24, 2008 7:04 am

Finding a blow-down, where a live tree has fallen down, can be a lucky opportunity in a survival situation. The pine tree that fell just before our survival class began, provided pine needles for tea, pine inner bark for food, boughs to cushion and warm the floor of our shelter and baskets for heating liquid during our trek.

This photo shows how the pine branch was peeled and the folded basket. (more…)

January 10, 2008 6:52 pm

This is a neat recycling project. Try making new paper from old paper you would otherwise throw away. The results can be surprising.

Many types of paper that can be used include:

1. Computer Paper (unprinted)
2. Newspaper (If you want a grayish colored paper)
3. Magazines
4. Egg Cartons
5. Old Cards (For heavier paper)
6. Toilet Paper
7. Paper Bags
8. Non Waxed Boxes (Pre-soak in warm water)
9. Office Paper
10. Tissue Paper (For finer paper)
11. Typing Paper
12. Napkins
13. Construction Paper (more…)

December 21, 2007 6:08 am

The shortest day of the year is not only the darkest, but often the coldest day. Here are some ways to celebrate the fact that after December 22, 2007 at 6:08 AM GMT, the days will start getting longer: (more…)

October 22, 2007 7:14 am

Nothing intrigues a child more than a simple machine.

After cleaning all the black walnuts we’d harvested a month earlier, I was back to share my walnut cracker with Bird Lady and her grandchildren. (more…)

October 15, 2007 6:17 am

I met my dear friend Bird Lady at her daughter, Melissa’s house. Black walnut trees have filled their yard with a bountiful harvest.

It’s a whole lot more fun to clean walnuts with people than by myself. It’s more scrubbing using a hose than a pressure washer, but the time goes faster when it’s a game.

So off we went, three adults, one 5-year-old and one 4-year-old, to fill buckets with walnuts. It’s sort of like an Easter egg hunt, with cheer and a joyous plop every time a walnut lands in a bucket. (more…)

September 17, 2007 7:29 pm

Black walnuts are nutritious and well worth the effort to gather. This is a messy activity, so be sure to wear old clothes, old sneakers and cover your hands with gloves, unless you want to be dye-stained for several weeks.

Here’s what the tree looks like:

Here’s a closeup of the branch and the nut:

If you have a paved, flat driveway and an area with a picnic table, it’s easier to clean a large quantity of nuts.

These instructions come from my foraging buddy, George Johanson, who not only works hard to harvest these treats, but shares them with everyone he meets. (more…)

September 4, 2007 11:39 am

Plants will grow in many different containers, given the right conditions. An advantage to using containers is that you can move them to maximize growing conditions.

Try adapting unusual containers such as milk cartons, baskets, canisters or plastic containers. Be sure to poke holes in the bottom of the container. Line the bottom with 2 to 3 inches of small gravel, then fill the container with topsoil.

Here are some things you can plant in late summer or early fall: (more…)