Sweet nectar

May 17, 2012 - 9:10pm

Take a walk along the edge of the woods right now and the delightful aroma of honeysuckle will hit you.

Mother’s Day memories

May 10, 2012 - 9:33pm

Timing is the key. Everyone has heard that before. Every place has its treasures, but you must be in the right place at the right time.

Queen Anne’s Lace

May 3, 2012 - 1:31pm

On roadsides those big clusters of white flowers are starting to appear. If we dug them up we would notice a root that resembles a carrot.

Redroot pigweed

April 19, 2012 - 4:11pm

Some tasty greens are beginning to emerge. I saw some young lambsquarter recently and now redroot pigweed is showing itself.

Sheep sorrel

April 12, 2012 - 2:23pm

Some wild plants seem to intrigue kids. Sheep sorrel is one of them.

Prehistoric neighbors

April 5, 2012 - 3:23pm

We are fast approaching the breeding season of the common snapping turtle.

Ornamental weed tree

March 29, 2012 - 1:00pm

This unseasonable weather has finally rid us of those fetid white blossoms on the ornamental pears.

Spring salad

March 22, 2012 - 4:08pm

The name sounds a little imposing, but fear not, Prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola) forms the backbone of a fine salad if collected when young.

Sounds of spring

March 15, 2012 - 9:30pm

These warm spring evenings bring out familiar sounds.

Shepherd’s purse

March 1, 2012 - 1:31pm

Cool weather seems to bring out all those cabbage relatives. Shepherd’s purse is no exception.

Spring mints

February 23, 2012 - 10:11pm

Look around in our soon to be planted fields and you’ll see a mass of pink to purple.

Sign of spring

February 16, 2012 - 10:24pm

The daffodils are beginning to bloom. Those glorious yellow trumpets are springing up everywhere, signaling spring is almost here.

Soldier’s herb

February 9, 2012 - 10:51pm

Few lawn weeds are despised as much as broadleaf plantain. Maybe we should hold our contempt a little bit.

Whistle pig

February 2, 2012 - 10:50pm

Since Groundhog Day is this week, I decided this varmint deserved mention. Farmers and gardeners experience their destructive behavior.

What’s up, dock?

January 26, 2012 - 11:12pm

Now that winter is here, most of us don’t have to mow our lawns. Our flower gardens have probably fizzled out too, but we still have weeds.

Misunderstood scavenger

January 19, 2012 - 4:57pm

They can be a nuisance at picnics and a menace to your car’s finish, but don’t curse the seagull.

Wild but mild

January 12, 2012 - 4:08pm

Now that cool weather is upon us common chickweed is everywhere.

‘Gourmet rabbit’

January 5, 2012 - 6:27pm

Iattended high school and college in the ’70s. Back then people weren’t criticized for wearing fur, a renewable resource.

Yellow rocket

December 29, 2011 - 3:35pm

Winter cress is a common yellow flowered member of the cabbage family. I first learned it as yellow rocket. Many confuse it with wild mustard.

Heritage tree

December 22, 2011 - 8:55pm

When the topic of survival food comes up, acorns can’t be far behind. Unfortunately, not all are created equal.

Versatile wild green

December 15, 2011 - 3:10pm

It sure doesn’t look very appetizing.

Sooth a sore throat

December 8, 2011 - 11:09pm

Slippery elm (Ulmus rubra) is a medium sized tree found over nearly all of the eastern United States.

Long live the beech

December 1, 2011 - 9:42pm

You’re probably familiar with the word beechnut, but likely your first thoughts pertain either to smokeless tobacco, baby food or chewing gum.

Tree of many uses

November 10, 2011 - 9:34pm

Black walnut (Juglans nigra) is one of the most valuable native hardwood trees. It has dark straight grained wood used for furniture and gunstocks.

Wild hickory nuts

November 4, 2011 - 6:14pm

Iremember Euell Gibbons and his Grape-Nuts commercials. He used to say that the malty taste of the cereal reminded him of wild hickory nuts.