Herb Gardens: The Ultimate Escape

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz –

Your life is completely packed with crazy schedules and pressing deadlines and that new-fangled cell phone that you bought to help you keep up with it all is driving you absolutely crazy.  Some days you just want to shut it all off and hide from the world – even if just for a moment.  What you need is a soothing place to catch your breath, have a few moments of stillness and something beautiful to take your mind off it all.  But what?

Alien Invaders: Armadillos in the Midwest

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz –

Many people who don’t live in the Ozarks are surprised to learn that there are armadillos here. This is obviously because most people do not associate these odd animals with the mid-south, but rather think of them as creatures from such dry states as Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.  While I never thought much about armadillos before I came here, I have come to learn the hard way that they are both an intriguing and terribly frustrating creature.  And while I am a self-avowed animal lover, I must admit that my frustration with this scaly critter has occasionally reached murderous proportions.

Saving Seed Begins in Spring!

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz

If you are one of the millions of gardeners who want to try their hand at saving their own garden seeds this year, spring is the perfect time to begin.  And the best way to have a successful seed harvest is by selecting the right plants, spacing them properly and maintaining control of the pollination process.  For the beginning seed saver this is sometimes a bit confusing, which is why I’ve put together a tidy list of the easiest seeds to save and exactly how to save them in your garden starting right now!

Acres USA

Acres USA magazine has been in business for 35 years – publishing articles related to commercial-scale organic and sustainable farming. I am very excited to be a part of the March issue and am looking forward to being a regular contributor!

You can check them out at http://www.acresusa.com/magazines/magazine.htm 

Return to the Wild: A Deer Story

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz –

About this time last year, Dean and I were working on a new garden bed beside the front porch.  It had been a warm spring and the weather was perfect for working outdoors.  We were both intently hacking away at the compacted soil with our shovels and rakes when I happened to look up.  What I saw took my breath away.   Not two feet from Dean stood a doe quietly nibbling at the clover in the grass.  My heart raced.  This couldn’t be happening, could it?  She was close enough to touch.  Thinking she would bound away at the slightest breath, I stood like a statue, absorbing every little detail.  She raised her head and looked into my eyes and right then, I knew she was no ordinary deer.