Got a Critter Question?

...Our guest on the next episode of the Root Simple Podcast will be Lyanda Lynn Haupt, author of The Urban Bestiary: Encountering the Everyday Wild. We’re interviewing her tomorrow (Thursday) so if you have a question about coyotes, moles, raccoons, opossums, squirrels, rats or any of the other creatures that visit our urban backyards, leave a comment....

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Our Phoebe is gone

...kidney stones this Friday. It’s been quite the week! If you listen to our podcast, you can expect it to go up on Thursday or Friday, instead of Wednesday. Thank you all again, all of you, for your support. I’m going to going to eulogize Phoebe a bit after the break, more for my own sake than anything else, since I don’t keep a diary. Expect it will be long and maudlin. Bring tissues. Phoebe was born with the Grim Reaper stalking her, but because...

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How to Squirrel Proof Your Fruit Trees

...g, killing, hunting. I don’t have the heart to do this and it’s illegal in urban areas but it is what professional orchardists do. Electronic or visual frightening devices. According to UC Davis, these don’t work. Squirrels aren’t dumb. Dogs. Maybe, but it depends on the dog. Our late doberman was more interested in alerting us to the mail carrier’s rounds. He was more interested but, ultimately, unsuccessful in his 13 year battle against skunks....

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So Much Poultry, So Little Time

.... -Someone needs to put together an urban version of the 4-H club to bring urban agriculture programs to the inner city. Maybe it’s already been done, but from what I’ve been told urban 4-H clubs are all about nutrition, science fairs, and maybe training guide dogs. Kids desperately need contact with nature and animals. Let’s grow some food! But we may need to hippify the uniforms a bit . . . -When the economy hits the skids people start thinking...

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Saturday Tweets: Cutting Through the Kudzu

...sal http://t.co/ZnUwxviSBp via @DiamondBarPatch http://t.co/UeoVXo2uuu — UCUrbanAg (@UCUrbanAg) August 26, 2015 Oslo builds world's first bumblebee highway http://t.co/ZbSwjYWW9E via @TheLocalNorway — Root Simple (@rootsimple) August 26, 2015 Plant from 130 million years ago is among 'first flowers': study http://t.co/cPjiftSKZK via @YahooNews — Root Simple (@rootsimple) August 24, 2015 Summer of Science | Even When You Go Off the Grid...

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