The peepers have come back.
“Peepers” are one of the first
signs of spring which we listen
for. These little marshy
woodland frogs make a loud,
chirpy call, which sounds much
more like a bird or insect than it
does the classic frog “croak.”
We didn’t hear peepers from
the meadow ponds for a couple
of years, although we were never
sure why. But a few weeks ago
their after-dark serenading
started up, announcing the time
of change to their neighbor
hood- and ours-as the ponds in
the meadow come alive.
Actually there was more ac
tivity than usual there all
through the winter, since a
whole colony of muskrats has
claimed squatters rights to the
area. They had the ponds pretty
much to themselves for many
weeks, until the first group of
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Full/Queen h‘ =r + : J-- r= ’
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Our Price $159.95 [ ' |
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OUR CASH PRICE |
WITHCOUPON
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f Special
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Canada geese descended onto
the melting ice one late Febru
ary morning, hooting and honk
ing about their arrival.
The Farmer wasn’t too im
pressed with the invasion of the
muskrats, since-like most ro
dents-their tendencies to dig
and chew whatever’s handy
causes considerable damage. In
this case, it’s to the sides of the
ponds, where they excavate
houses with entrance, exit and
travel burrows, erode banks and
cause pond wall weakening.
While walking with Derra Dog
around the ponds after dark one
evening, I nearly fell into a hole
where one muskrat burrow had
collapsed.
Right behind the geese’s ar
rival came a couple pairs of
ducks. Most are mallards, but
one elusive stranger we finally
identified as a blue-winged teal.
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Our Price $129.95 ■
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I Reg. Ret. $1029.95 OhHUH
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Our Price $249.95 \ 1 )
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Reg. Price $889.95
OUR PRICE _ fflwf'
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HUNDREDS OF OTHER ITEMS!
3019 Hempland Road, Lancaster 397-6241
Stores In: UNCASTER • YORK • CARLISLE, PA
STORE HOURS; Mon.-Frl. 9-9 • Sst. 9-6; Sunday 12 to 5 PM
• No Refunds
* No Exchanges For purchases with ■ chock, bring FINANCING
.3E • Cash A Carry drivers hetnaa and phona numbers AVAILABLE
Not rssponsJMs lor typographical snort. W* isasrvs the right to subsSMs grit Hints
We hoped that it might have a
mate nesting somewhere nearby
and they would stay on with the
rest of the noisy feathered flock.
Our two goose nests where
goslings hatched out last spring
are again populated with hens
glued to their sitting posts. Be
tween them, a flock of about 10
others —maybe last year’s
youngsters—hang around, the
first time we have ever had extra
geese in residency while pairs
are nesting. One of the nest
guarding males chases them, but
only when we go for a walk at
the ponds. Guess he has to prove
that he’s doing his job.
Recently I spotted yet another
nest, this one being warmed by a
mallard hen, who chose a volun
teer willow tree at the goldfish
pond as her brooding spot. She
built the nest on the bank where
the willow has grown a large
limb section gracefully dipping
down and out just inches from
the water surface. The site
seemed relatively secluded from
passerbys.
Except for the family of last
year’s kittens, which tag along
when Derra and I take our eve
ning walks. We must look like a
silly parade: one person, one
dog, and several multicolored
cats trailing along. Those cats
promptly spied the duck nest;
she hopped off, quacking and
splashing. I coaxed the cats
away, vowing to stay clear of the
$OOBB
area until the eggs had hatched.
But, a day later, The Farmer
noted that she was off the nest
and the eggs missing. Raccoon?
Fox? Cat? What was the cul
prit?
Along with the ponds’ stirring
of animal and bird life comes the
return of the plants which we
enjoy watching grow and flower,
many of which The Farmer has
planted over the last several
years. Green cattail and rush
blades poke up through the
dead, brown debris of last year’s
growth, one big clump piled into
a muskrat lodge in the big pond.
Japanese and Siberan iris spikes
rise up from the edges, while the
first wide, round leaves of water
lily plants spread reddish-tinted
circles on the sparkling water.
Mowing for the first time
around the ponds last week was
a pleasurable chore, a chance to
observe the meadow ponds
coming back to vibrant life.
Then I spied yet another pond
resident, curled up basking in
the sunshine on the willow’s big
limb hanging out over the water.
Just inches from where the duck
nest had been, lay a snoozing
Mr. (or Ms.) Water Snake.
Do water snakes eat duck
eggs? And even if they do, water
snakes have a right to be there,
too. It’s all part of pond life. The
good. The bad. The wiggly.
But given a choice, I’d take
the ducks over the wigglies.
Sweet Meriam’s Farm
don’t want unusual looking to
matoes.
In June, customers can expect
boxes full of lettuce, mesclun
mix, spinach, chard, collards,
kale, broccoli, cabbage, cauli
flower* beets, radishes, turnips,
peas, and carrots. In July expect
beans, onions, cucumbers,
summer squash, tomatoes,
peppers, and potatoes. August
brings eggplant, cantaloupe,
honqydew, and watermelon. In
September they can enjoy the
cool-season vegetables again
while October brings sweet
winter squash and pumpkins for
pies and carving.
Sweet Meriam’s Farm also
—■ ■ ■
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Call 1 -800-683-5858
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prfmi 531 old Skip pack Rd.
tic* a I Harleysville, PA 19438
JUgAJ on the Web:
www.chop-rite.com
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 29, 2000-B3
Compost Piles
The steamy, heaping mass of
leaves, twigs and kitchen scraps
is nature’s kitchen at its best.
In case you’ve never seen a
compost pile, it’s a big pile of
grass clippings, leaves, kitchen
scraps, dirt just about any
thing from your garden or yard
that you would normally throw
in the trash.
Inside the pile, bacteria and
other tiny microorganisms feast
on all the organic material in the
compost pile. (Organic material
is naturally made materials,
such as leaves, vegetable peels
and twigs.) Bacteria release
water vapor and heat as they de
compose the waste. The added
heat helps “cook” or break
down the material. Eventually,
with the right mix of ingred
ients, heat and moisture, the
compost pile changes into a soil
like mix. The whole process is
very similar to how fallen leaves
decay in a forest.
So why bother with a compost
pile? The finished product is
rich in nutrients that the soil
needs to grow healthy plants
and vegetables.
Plus, composting helps the en
vironment. Food and yard
wastes make up about a quarter
of the waste going into landfills.
By turning it into compost, it all
gets recycled for a good use'
(Continued from Page B 2)
offers value-added salad and
stir-fry mixes from the state
inspected kitchen in the large
stone farmhouse. The mixes are
an easy dinner answer for busy
families.
“The beauty ..of fresh-grown
food,” Markley explains, “is
that you don’t need long, in
volved recipes. Fresh vegetables
are easier, less time consuming,
and have a flavor all their own -
you don’t need lots of spices and
sauces to add flavor.”
Anyone interested in buying a
share or in CSAs can contact
Kristen Markley or Nell
Hanssen at Sweet Meriam’s
Farm at (570) 658-8512.