Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Domicile Ecophile is Now on Instagram
Follow us on Instagram! We'll be using Instagram primarily as a photo gallery for our contributors. Enjoy!
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Our First Introduction Video I Now Live
Our first "real" video is finally ready. It's just a short introduction to who we are and what we are about. There isn't much to it, but I thought it necessary to establish an intro video before we start serializing a bunch of videos on various topics.
One clip had to be cut because the file was corrupt and kept crashing the video editing software. Unfortunately it was the clip where I introduce myself personally. Since I didn't care to re-film it I just left it out. I have no doubt that in the future there will be updates and revisions made to this video as the channel develops. For now, it will do the trick!
One clip had to be cut because the file was corrupt and kept crashing the video editing software. Unfortunately it was the clip where I introduce myself personally. Since I didn't care to re-film it I just left it out. I have no doubt that in the future there will be updates and revisions made to this video as the channel develops. For now, it will do the trick!
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Why Christians Should Care About Climate Change
Perhaps the most direct arguments in favor of Christian conservationism come from Genesis and the creation story. It's a deep subject with many angles, but you can find some of my commentary on the subject in another post. In this post, however, I'd like to approach the topic from other scriptural sources in an effort to broaden my argument and avoid redundancy.
In Luke 12:35-48 we find a familiar passage about the second coming of the Lord. The passage analogizes the return of the Lord to the coming of a thief in the night. The focus of the passage seems to be that we should have our hearts in the right place so that we might be ready for the Lord's return, and I don't dispute that focus. But as with other passages, we Christians often have the tendency to extract the primary lesson from a passage of scripture while simultaneously ignoring all of the ancillary lessons. We learn, one way or another, that a passage is "about" a particular topic or principle, and we start to ignore any other lesson it could teach us.
Such is the case with this passage. The focus of the passage is about being ready, so it's easy to overlook the fact that Jesus explains how to be ready. “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them" (12:42 NLT). Conversely, Jesus describes that "a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished (12:47 NLT). Following the specific analogy, we know that a "faithful servant" is one who is independent and responsible enough to manage the other servants; which to me means someone who teaches, leads, or manages other believers. But I believe there is also a broader lesson to be gained here.
In a broad sense we see that the good servant is one who is "faithful, sensible," and responsible. The servant who is punished is unfaithful and wasteful, shirking his responsibilities and spending his time on enjoyment before doing the Master's work. Fundamentally, the core value that makes the difference between faithful and unfaithful is fulfillment of his duty. We find the same core value in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30).
Luke 16 gives us the Parable of the Shrewd Manager. As the parable concludes, Christ wraps up his lesson with these words in verses 10-12; "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?" Again, the focal point is duty. In this parable, Christ makes duty involving physical property a spiritual issue.
It is certainly true that no passage or verse says, "Thou shalt prevent climate change." No commandment is given that "it is a sin to have a large carbon footprint." The Biblical call to faithfulness in duty, however, is unassailable. Few Christians would dispute that the earth is the Lord's (1 Corinthians 10:26, Psalm 24:1) Consider that the earth is God's property and that Luke 16 tells us that if we don't handle others' property in a trustworthy manner, then we will not be given property of our own; neither on earth nor in heaven. For those Christians who believe in the principle of sowing and reaping, consider that the way we treat the Lord's land may impact how the Lord distributes his land back to us. Luke 16 also tell us that what we do with little indicate what we will do with much. How we manage the "little" of our own home, car, and yard indicates to God how we will manage the "much" that He could put under our charge.
For political reasons, many Christians seem to think it is their responsibility to deny climate change, as if their denial is some crusade against some greater liberal agenda that is somehow inseparable from other social hot topics like abortion and homosexual rights. Perhaps our understanding that we are spiritual aliens in the world and our leaders' call to live counter-cultural lives has caused us to throw out the baby with the bathwater; turning us into rebels against secular climate science without a Biblical cause. But consider the possibility that climate change is real (and not requisitely lumped with other aspects of a liberal agenda): If our actions are actually leading to the waste of the earth and the organisms that live on it, then we have gravely transgressed against God's property, and so against God himself.
"But wait," you say, "the whole issue is that climate change isn't real and, therefore, is not the source of some sin against God." The argument that climate change is occurring and is, at least predominately, anthropogenic in origin is another topic for another post and other people besides me are far more qualified to make that case. But let's play that game for a minute and work under the assumption that increased atmospheric carbon dioxide is not actually causing climate change. Even if burning fossil fuels doesn't lead to climate change, obtaining those fuels does lead to massive water pollution through hydrofracking and oil spills. Burning them to generate electricity and power our vehicles does lead to widespread air pollution in the form of particulate matter (soot), carbon monoxide, and VOCs. Burning coal can lead to acid rain which destroys aquatic ecosystems and degrades forests. None of that sounds like faithful stewardship of God's property. Even if the tons of carbon dioxide produced by cars, industries, and power plants don't lead to climate change, developing more energy efficient automobiles, appliances, and buildings and developing alternative fuel sources helps conserve natural resources and reduces pollution. That does sound like faithfulness to the governance duties God gave us.
And so the list continues: Anything climatologists say we should do to mitigate climate change is also beneficial for additional reasons that have nothing to do with climate change. Christians need to embrace the fact that becoming ecologically-literate, ecologically-sensitive people is necessary if we are to take ownership of the responsibility and duty to which scripture calls us. And that need is not contingent upon the accuracy of modern climate science. "Buying in" to the strategies to mitigate climate change and being open to the message of secular climatologists is not a sacrifice of some conservative badge of honor; rather it is a guide to helping us become the global citizens that God asked us to be.
In Luke 12:35-48 we find a familiar passage about the second coming of the Lord. The passage analogizes the return of the Lord to the coming of a thief in the night. The focus of the passage seems to be that we should have our hearts in the right place so that we might be ready for the Lord's return, and I don't dispute that focus. But as with other passages, we Christians often have the tendency to extract the primary lesson from a passage of scripture while simultaneously ignoring all of the ancillary lessons. We learn, one way or another, that a passage is "about" a particular topic or principle, and we start to ignore any other lesson it could teach us.
Such is the case with this passage. The focus of the passage is about being ready, so it's easy to overlook the fact that Jesus explains how to be ready. “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them" (12:42 NLT). Conversely, Jesus describes that "a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished (12:47 NLT). Following the specific analogy, we know that a "faithful servant" is one who is independent and responsible enough to manage the other servants; which to me means someone who teaches, leads, or manages other believers. But I believe there is also a broader lesson to be gained here.
In a broad sense we see that the good servant is one who is "faithful, sensible," and responsible. The servant who is punished is unfaithful and wasteful, shirking his responsibilities and spending his time on enjoyment before doing the Master's work. Fundamentally, the core value that makes the difference between faithful and unfaithful is fulfillment of his duty. We find the same core value in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30).
Luke 16 gives us the Parable of the Shrewd Manager. As the parable concludes, Christ wraps up his lesson with these words in verses 10-12; "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?" Again, the focal point is duty. In this parable, Christ makes duty involving physical property a spiritual issue.
It is certainly true that no passage or verse says, "Thou shalt prevent climate change." No commandment is given that "it is a sin to have a large carbon footprint." The Biblical call to faithfulness in duty, however, is unassailable. Few Christians would dispute that the earth is the Lord's (1 Corinthians 10:26, Psalm 24:1) Consider that the earth is God's property and that Luke 16 tells us that if we don't handle others' property in a trustworthy manner, then we will not be given property of our own; neither on earth nor in heaven. For those Christians who believe in the principle of sowing and reaping, consider that the way we treat the Lord's land may impact how the Lord distributes his land back to us. Luke 16 also tell us that what we do with little indicate what we will do with much. How we manage the "little" of our own home, car, and yard indicates to God how we will manage the "much" that He could put under our charge.
For political reasons, many Christians seem to think it is their responsibility to deny climate change, as if their denial is some crusade against some greater liberal agenda that is somehow inseparable from other social hot topics like abortion and homosexual rights. Perhaps our understanding that we are spiritual aliens in the world and our leaders' call to live counter-cultural lives has caused us to throw out the baby with the bathwater; turning us into rebels against secular climate science without a Biblical cause. But consider the possibility that climate change is real (and not requisitely lumped with other aspects of a liberal agenda): If our actions are actually leading to the waste of the earth and the organisms that live on it, then we have gravely transgressed against God's property, and so against God himself.
"But wait," you say, "the whole issue is that climate change isn't real and, therefore, is not the source of some sin against God." The argument that climate change is occurring and is, at least predominately, anthropogenic in origin is another topic for another post and other people besides me are far more qualified to make that case. But let's play that game for a minute and work under the assumption that increased atmospheric carbon dioxide is not actually causing climate change. Even if burning fossil fuels doesn't lead to climate change, obtaining those fuels does lead to massive water pollution through hydrofracking and oil spills. Burning them to generate electricity and power our vehicles does lead to widespread air pollution in the form of particulate matter (soot), carbon monoxide, and VOCs. Burning coal can lead to acid rain which destroys aquatic ecosystems and degrades forests. None of that sounds like faithful stewardship of God's property. Even if the tons of carbon dioxide produced by cars, industries, and power plants don't lead to climate change, developing more energy efficient automobiles, appliances, and buildings and developing alternative fuel sources helps conserve natural resources and reduces pollution. That does sound like faithfulness to the governance duties God gave us.
And so the list continues: Anything climatologists say we should do to mitigate climate change is also beneficial for additional reasons that have nothing to do with climate change. Christians need to embrace the fact that becoming ecologically-literate, ecologically-sensitive people is necessary if we are to take ownership of the responsibility and duty to which scripture calls us. And that need is not contingent upon the accuracy of modern climate science. "Buying in" to the strategies to mitigate climate change and being open to the message of secular climatologists is not a sacrifice of some conservative badge of honor; rather it is a guide to helping us become the global citizens that God asked us to be.
Thursday, February 18, 2016
the 2016 Growing Season
There are still more than ten weeks until the danger of the last frost of spring has passed here at DomEc, but plans are in the works for the spring planting season. The main landscape design plans for the home have now been made, starting with the large plants. Last fall an order was placed with Chief River Nursery for a number of natives that will help occupy what is now lawn space.
A sun-scorched corner of the property will receive a Paper Birch. They plants are known for surviving dry, rocky sites and hopefully the shade it provides will reduce evaporation in the surrounding soil where several of our milkweed plants are located. The site may prove to be to sun-scorched for this northern species, but it is the best option I could find to substitute for the Gray Birch that I actually wanted to plant in the site. In addition, birches are great natives that support many insect and bird species and also have great aesthetics because of their textured or colored bark. If you choose one, be sure to purchase a native variety-- There are now many species and hybrids of Asian origin available in this taxon.
Unfortunately, a late summer heat wave killed the sapling American Chestnut that was planted last year. The upcoming order includes a replacement, which hopefully will survive the summer; this time under closer supervision. An American Plum will be added to a portion of the landscape in a yet-to-be-determined location, to be chosen for one of several possible sites. This plant may provide food for animals and humans alike.
Finally two domestic apples will be planted. While our push is always for natives, the greater purpose is sustainability. Home grown produce is a far more sustainable option than flying in fruits and vegetables from warmer climes hundreds or thousands of miles away, so appropriate domestic crops are the sole exception to our "natives only" rule. In this case, the apples also play host to many insects and birds despite their Asian origin, though probably not as many as native crabapple species.
Deer control is the grand challenge for all of these plantings and those already extant on the property. There is a temporary fence being planned to create several deer 'exclosures' around some of the beds. That project will warrant a post in its own right.
Warm weather is on its way!
A sun-scorched corner of the property will receive a Paper Birch. They plants are known for surviving dry, rocky sites and hopefully the shade it provides will reduce evaporation in the surrounding soil where several of our milkweed plants are located. The site may prove to be to sun-scorched for this northern species, but it is the best option I could find to substitute for the Gray Birch that I actually wanted to plant in the site. In addition, birches are great natives that support many insect and bird species and also have great aesthetics because of their textured or colored bark. If you choose one, be sure to purchase a native variety-- There are now many species and hybrids of Asian origin available in this taxon.
Unfortunately, a late summer heat wave killed the sapling American Chestnut that was planted last year. The upcoming order includes a replacement, which hopefully will survive the summer; this time under closer supervision. An American Plum will be added to a portion of the landscape in a yet-to-be-determined location, to be chosen for one of several possible sites. This plant may provide food for animals and humans alike.
Finally two domestic apples will be planted. While our push is always for natives, the greater purpose is sustainability. Home grown produce is a far more sustainable option than flying in fruits and vegetables from warmer climes hundreds or thousands of miles away, so appropriate domestic crops are the sole exception to our "natives only" rule. In this case, the apples also play host to many insects and birds despite their Asian origin, though probably not as many as native crabapple species.
Deer control is the grand challenge for all of these plantings and those already extant on the property. There is a temporary fence being planned to create several deer 'exclosures' around some of the beds. That project will warrant a post in its own right.
Warm weather is on its way!
Monday, October 5, 2015
A New Side at DomEc
Well, four sides. Well actually, four sides of siding. The new project at DomEc is new vinyl siding for the home. The need for new siding comes from the fact that the old, probably original siding, was literally falling off the house. Those cedar shakes (shingles) were badly sun-damaged, thinning and falling apart. The particular under course used was cheap and has become host to myriad insects and attracted a good number of woodpeckers to the house. I can't blame to woodpeckers--They were not the problem. Rather the infested, degraded house covering needed to go.
We decided to go with vinyl primarily because we wanted a long-term, low maintenance option. Any plastic product has its environmental downsides, but in this case it seemed the best option compared to years of applying more paint to wood or another surface; the old paint flaking off into the environment. It seemed better than more wood shakes that would have to be replaced and also painted or sealed. And most of all, unlike expensive brick or other coatings, vinyl is an option that I am able to instal myself, having past professional training and experience.
Another nice bonus of vinyl is that the under-coating is an insulative foam. We opted for better-than-minimum thickness foam which will give us additional insulation capacity up to R-3. Inadequate insulation is, of course, a major problem in winter here at the DomEc homestead. The exterior walls have only R-7 insulation. Most modern homes are built with R-11 or R-13 rating. (The higher the better: The R-value represents the insulating potential of a component where a value of R-1 is equal to the insulative capacity of a 1-foot thick concrete wall.) By adding an additional R-3 layer outside the walls the home is starting to approach modern standards. In some cases, the project is affording me the opportunity to open up the wall from the outside and replace the wall insulation itself with new R-11.
This is a long-term project that will take months to finish with primarily one person working on it and only part-time at that. Progress is slow, but steady. Having started in late August, the building is now a fifth or a sixth covered. More updates are to come, especially when winter comes and the insulation is put to the test.
We decided to go with vinyl primarily because we wanted a long-term, low maintenance option. Any plastic product has its environmental downsides, but in this case it seemed the best option compared to years of applying more paint to wood or another surface; the old paint flaking off into the environment. It seemed better than more wood shakes that would have to be replaced and also painted or sealed. And most of all, unlike expensive brick or other coatings, vinyl is an option that I am able to instal myself, having past professional training and experience.
This is a long-term project that will take months to finish with primarily one person working on it and only part-time at that. Progress is slow, but steady. Having started in late August, the building is now a fifth or a sixth covered. More updates are to come, especially when winter comes and the insulation is put to the test.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Yom Kippur Thoughts
Since today is Yom Kippur, I thought I would read through some of what the book of Leviticus has to say about the occasion. Of course in English, we know Yom Kippur as the Day or Atonement, and while it is primarily celebrated by Jews it has great meaning for the Christian as well. What many people may not realize is the connection between Yom Kippur and conservation.
In Leviticus 23 the Lord says to Moses that the Day of Atonement is meant to be a day of purification and rest. What I find very interesting is there connection between rest and the Sabbath Year in Leviticus 25. In general the Sabbath, the holiest day, is meant to be a day of rest. Purity, rest, and holiness are all tied together on this day. Of course, there is also the parallel between the Sabbath and the creation week, ending in the seventh day when God rested. Wholeness is bound to holiness which is bound to rest.
The Sabbath Year was a seventh year in a cycle and, like the seventh day of creation, was meant to be a holy year of rest. God told Moses that no one was supposed to work the ground. Rather, the land would provide for the people out of the abundance of the sixth year. In that year the Israelites were to eat whatever the land provided on its own from the seeds and plants remaining from the sixth year. Today we recognize the wisdom of this principal: A year of rest would let the land recover from intensive farming. The soil would regain nutrients from lying fallow. Today sustainable farmers use forms of crop rotation to produce a similar effect.
After seven sevenths years of Sabbath came the Year of Jubilee; a fiftieth year of supreme rest and holiness. In this year the Israelites were again prohibited from working the land. This time, the abundance of the land from the sixth year would be so much that it would sustain the Israelites through the seventh year of Sabbath and the following year of Jubilee. God says to Moses in Leviticus 25:23 "When you plant your fields in the eighth year, you will still be eating from the large crop of the sixth year. In fact, you will still be eating from that large crop when the new crop is harvested in the ninth year."
But the Jubilee year didn't stop with sowing and harvest. In that year land was meant to return to its original owners based on tradition family claims. Homes within walled cities reverted to their original owners. Indentured servants were absolved of their work responsibilities and released to be independent citizens again. The essence of the year was to ensure that the every Israelite had the provisions he or she needed to sustain their familys' livelihoods. God recognized that a period of rest and restoration was needed to ensure the sustainability of His people.
And so we circle round to the connections between Yom Kippur and the mission of Domicile Ecophile. We may not all celebrate the Day of Atonement, but we all need to recognize that the land on which we rely for the survival of the human race needs a sabbath. Without a healthy planet we are all on the path to losing the air we breathe, water we drink, and food we eat. Living sustainably means treating God's creation in such a way that it gets the rest that it needs to provide us with our livelihoods.
God provided the Sabbath Year and Year of Jubilee to ensure both the survival of His people and His creation. In that way sustainability is the spirit behind the Sabbath and Yom Kippur. Paul writes in Romans 8:20-21 that, "Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay." Though humanity's imperfection and sin is the source of creation's decay, the redemption that comes through Christ will redeem not only people, but God's whole creation. The day of Atonement is a symbol for that redemption. As we who love God act in a way so as to see "Heaven on Earth" through our actions, let's not forget that God longs for a day when His entire creation will be whole. Let's let our actions not only be an example of Christ-like character, but also an example of sustainable respect for God's creation.
In Leviticus 23 the Lord says to Moses that the Day of Atonement is meant to be a day of purification and rest. What I find very interesting is there connection between rest and the Sabbath Year in Leviticus 25. In general the Sabbath, the holiest day, is meant to be a day of rest. Purity, rest, and holiness are all tied together on this day. Of course, there is also the parallel between the Sabbath and the creation week, ending in the seventh day when God rested. Wholeness is bound to holiness which is bound to rest.
The Sabbath Year was a seventh year in a cycle and, like the seventh day of creation, was meant to be a holy year of rest. God told Moses that no one was supposed to work the ground. Rather, the land would provide for the people out of the abundance of the sixth year. In that year the Israelites were to eat whatever the land provided on its own from the seeds and plants remaining from the sixth year. Today we recognize the wisdom of this principal: A year of rest would let the land recover from intensive farming. The soil would regain nutrients from lying fallow. Today sustainable farmers use forms of crop rotation to produce a similar effect.
After seven sevenths years of Sabbath came the Year of Jubilee; a fiftieth year of supreme rest and holiness. In this year the Israelites were again prohibited from working the land. This time, the abundance of the land from the sixth year would be so much that it would sustain the Israelites through the seventh year of Sabbath and the following year of Jubilee. God says to Moses in Leviticus 25:23 "When you plant your fields in the eighth year, you will still be eating from the large crop of the sixth year. In fact, you will still be eating from that large crop when the new crop is harvested in the ninth year."
But the Jubilee year didn't stop with sowing and harvest. In that year land was meant to return to its original owners based on tradition family claims. Homes within walled cities reverted to their original owners. Indentured servants were absolved of their work responsibilities and released to be independent citizens again. The essence of the year was to ensure that the every Israelite had the provisions he or she needed to sustain their familys' livelihoods. God recognized that a period of rest and restoration was needed to ensure the sustainability of His people.
And so we circle round to the connections between Yom Kippur and the mission of Domicile Ecophile. We may not all celebrate the Day of Atonement, but we all need to recognize that the land on which we rely for the survival of the human race needs a sabbath. Without a healthy planet we are all on the path to losing the air we breathe, water we drink, and food we eat. Living sustainably means treating God's creation in such a way that it gets the rest that it needs to provide us with our livelihoods.
God provided the Sabbath Year and Year of Jubilee to ensure both the survival of His people and His creation. In that way sustainability is the spirit behind the Sabbath and Yom Kippur. Paul writes in Romans 8:20-21 that, "Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay." Though humanity's imperfection and sin is the source of creation's decay, the redemption that comes through Christ will redeem not only people, but God's whole creation. The day of Atonement is a symbol for that redemption. As we who love God act in a way so as to see "Heaven on Earth" through our actions, let's not forget that God longs for a day when His entire creation will be whole. Let's let our actions not only be an example of Christ-like character, but also an example of sustainable respect for God's creation.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Species Updates
After a long summer we needed to make some updates to our species lists. With the addition of many new bird sightings and new plantings like the chokeberry, Swamp Milkweed, Cardinal Flower, and other, the list was becoming a bit outdated. Unfortunately, we here at DomEc didn't have the availability to make these updates incrementally over the summer as we would have liked.
We logged our first reptile at DomEc this summer--a young Black Rat Snake. We don't have a category in the sidebar for reptiles because they are so rare here. The same is true for amphibians; none of which have yet been logged. Hopefully that will change. Birds are now up to 106 species with Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Cape May Warbler added in just the last few days.
Sadly some of the native plants didn't survive the heat wave and lack of rain that has afflicted the Domicile Ecophile property this August. The American Chestnut seedling was one of the victims. Many years ago a fallen tree created a hole in the canopy along the eastern edge of the property. The chestnut had been planted in that hole in hopes of one day replacing the missing tree. There are Eastern Poplar seedlings around the property. One of them might get transferred in as substitute.
Butterfly Weed, a milkweed species, is now finally reproducing on its own. About half-a-dozen seedlings have come up around the small hillside patch that was planted in the summer of 2014. I suspect that since it is a temperate species the seeds may require a form of stratification (temperature changes to break down growth inhibitors in the seed). Temperate plants often employ growth inhibitors to prevent them from germinating late in fall and dying in winter. I suspect our new recruits are born of the 2014 seeds, not the plentiful 2015 crop that is blowing around the property now.
The Dappled Willow that was part of the horrendous (but typical) exotic-based landscape installation present when we took over the property has been pulled. Many of the exotics are now being removed in conjunction with the vinyl siding project that is ongoing. Two Burning Bush, two huge Japanese Barberry, and the willow have been removed so far. In time these will all be replaced with natives or (human) food-producing plants. More updates to come...
We logged our first reptile at DomEc this summer--a young Black Rat Snake. We don't have a category in the sidebar for reptiles because they are so rare here. The same is true for amphibians; none of which have yet been logged. Hopefully that will change. Birds are now up to 106 species with Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Cape May Warbler added in just the last few days.
Sadly some of the native plants didn't survive the heat wave and lack of rain that has afflicted the Domicile Ecophile property this August. The American Chestnut seedling was one of the victims. Many years ago a fallen tree created a hole in the canopy along the eastern edge of the property. The chestnut had been planted in that hole in hopes of one day replacing the missing tree. There are Eastern Poplar seedlings around the property. One of them might get transferred in as substitute.
Butterfly Weed, a milkweed species, is now finally reproducing on its own. About half-a-dozen seedlings have come up around the small hillside patch that was planted in the summer of 2014. I suspect that since it is a temperate species the seeds may require a form of stratification (temperature changes to break down growth inhibitors in the seed). Temperate plants often employ growth inhibitors to prevent them from germinating late in fall and dying in winter. I suspect our new recruits are born of the 2014 seeds, not the plentiful 2015 crop that is blowing around the property now.
The Dappled Willow that was part of the horrendous (but typical) exotic-based landscape installation present when we took over the property has been pulled. Many of the exotics are now being removed in conjunction with the vinyl siding project that is ongoing. Two Burning Bush, two huge Japanese Barberry, and the willow have been removed so far. In time these will all be replaced with natives or (human) food-producing plants. More updates to come...
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