Thursday, June 21, 2012

The Big Picture

It's all about keeping the agricultural spaces open, the greenery visible and the livestock benefiting from lush grass, clean mountain streams and great views.


 
This same environment benefits the numerous wildlife in a big way.
Certain birds only nest in fields, flocks of turkeys power graze all the bugs and sweet grasses, deer herds join the cows as they munch on clover and timothy.
Thousands of finches, bees, hummingbirds and butterflies invade the fields in search of weed seeds, flowers, milk weed, pollen and other tasty treats.


Hawks, owls and other sky predators hunt the mice, moles, rabbits and other rodents that make their homes in the fields.        Fields are alive with all kinds of animals, many we can not see.
Many I do see on a daily basis.



A farmer who is a good steward of the land is a good steward for wildlife too.


So the next time you see a content herd of cattle or a flock of sheep, think of all the wildlife that you don't see that are living in the same foot print of the healthy herd.



Don't forget all the wild flowers that live in cow fields too.

Here is my favorite one.    Blooming all over the field in the last 2 days.



Name this flower.

And tell me what is going on in your field.....
~

4 comments:

  1. humm, some sort of phlox? What ever it is, it's a beauty. Your fields must look gorgeous... as do the critters, domestic and wild! Thanks for sharing

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  2. I agree, Bluets. Your post was most enjoyable and head-on. Wildlife noticed recently at Dog Trot Farm, a mother turkey and her babes, deer and offspring, wood chucks, and dare I say fox. Night time sounds, resident backyard owl and coy-dogs. Life is good! No chickens have been harmed...

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  3. Bluets. They were out in April this year, down here.

    We often see lots of wildlife here. This year is a banner year for bluebirds, but we've also seen a scarlet tanager, an indigo bunting on a fence wire with a bluebird, and lots of orioles. Those are the ones we don't see so much.

    We also have a LOT of swallows (tree and barn) around this year.

    Knock wood, one thing surprisingly we have NOT seen, is many mosquitoes. With the huge swamp running the length of our north boundary, and the warmth coming so early, we would have expected to be covered with them. But so far, only seen them twice when working outside.

    Those birds must be working overtime....

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