Touring the backyard hobby farm

September's Backyard Garden Farm tour was a great way to celebrate the first day of fall. Over 20 of us started the day with coffee, juice, and delicious cinnamon rolls from the local farmer's market. I began the tour showing how periwinkle volunteered to grow in my yard and tried to take over. I also showed how my neighbor’s Japanese maple has a 6’ volunteer in my yard and how I continually pull out other volunteers. We toured the yard with mostly natives of river birch, dogwood, red bud, sweetbay magnolia, arrow wood, winterberry, blueberries, beautyberry, native ferns, Joe Pye, coneflower, phlox, NY Ironweed, and turtlehead.

Our mature willow oaks stole the garden show, and the group admired that our neighborhood had been developed around the native trees, which is why we love living here. We discussed the importance of native plants, not just because they are easy to care for or are drought tolerant but because they are important to our native wildlife populations to sustain the circle of life.

Then we watched little Madison (Michelle’s niece) feed bread to the hens as they walked about. They looked funny because they are starting to molt due to the shortening of daylight hours. I showed the group the size difference in a mature hen egg and a young hen egg. Hard to believe they are from the same breed, but age makes the difference in size.

We enjoyed finding a small corn snake in the hydrangea bush and a large black snake slithering by the goats' area. He has been a regular, trying to snag a few of the small eggs from the young hens. In my potted plants that included some parsley, we found black swallowtail larvae feasting and growing. David, a volunteer here at Adkins, asked if he could open my hive and gave everyone an up-close view. The group was glad we were not too quick to collect honey this year since the hive is only a year old. I shared how the bees line up on the bird bath for a drink of water and how interesting it is to watch.

We discussed the small area it takes to raise dwarf goats and how much fun they give. Madison shared a treat of graham crackers with the goats, and I discussed their care, food needs, and how someday I hope to get milk and make goat cheese. Everyone went home with a fresh half dozen free range eggs, and they were inspired to start a new sustainable landscape practice. I have already received a phone call from one young lady from Washington College who attended and got a goat and asked where I got my small hay rack!  

by Robyn Affron
Visitor Services Coordinator and Certified Professional Horticulturist

Photos by Robyn Affron and Michelle Smith, Arboretum Bookkeeper