Category: Science Tip
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Too many Buzzards to be anything good!
When we arrived at the farm, we noticed a flock of buzzards in the goat yard. Our first thoughts were that something bad had happened to a goat. Upon closer inspection, we determined that the buzzards were feasting on fish. We had a ‘fish kill’. Below is the second day of the fish kill. A…
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Best Guy Ever!
There are not enough pages in a newspaper or letters on the internet to describe the accomplishments and kindness of Dr. Gene D. Luther! Doc passed away this week at the age of 87. Although most people will never know it, they were touched by inventions, vaccines, and research of Dr. Luther. National media used…
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Golden Rod, Bees, and a Science and Safety TIP.
Below are pictures of Golden Rod. Although this plant is not necessarily a favorite of people with allergies, it is a blessing for the bees this year. Due to the drought, the bees are having a very hard time surviving. Just as we had to feed the bees to get them off of the hummingbird…
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Turkeys, Deer, Bear, Science Tip and Museum:
These beautiful Turkeys are starting to show up quite regularly on the trail cameras. Trail Cameras from this week: Not much on the cameras, but we are seeing some healthy deer and healthy turkeys. Below: In the last 20 years, the black bear population has expanded eastward from the Mississippi River. There are two subspecies…
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It takes time to recover from a drought!
What problems are caused by a prolonged summer drought? Well, unless someone is adding water to the lakes, there is a definite drop in the water levels due to evaporation of the water. Science TIP: There are three states of matter: Solid state, liquid state, and gas state. Evaporation is the changing of a liquid…
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Mushrooms, Moths, Butterflies, Watermelon, Zinnias, and Bats
Scientific Tip: Just because it grows in your garden, doesn’t mean it is eatable! Below is a mushroom that was growing under the blackberries in the garden. The mushrooms below are in the family of Argaricaceae (gilled mushrooms). This family has many edible and deadly poisonous mushrooms. NEVER eat or touch a wild mushroom unless…
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What is a proboscis in insects? Zinnias, Water leak, goats, and family pictures.
Science Tip: Proboscis: Think of a straw! In certain insects, a proboscis is a mouthpart that is tubular and flexible used for feeding and sucking. Moths, butterflies, and mosquitoes all have proboscis. In the picture below, the butterfly’s proboscis is bent at a right angle just below its antennae. Look at the video below. The…
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Herbs and Insects:
We all know that herbs add flavor to our food, but did you know that herbs also help in our gardens? Let’s look at Sage, Rosemary, Basil, Chives, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, and Thyme. Sage should be planted by your carrots and cabbage, but NOT by your cucumbers. It discourages carrot rust flies and cabbage moths.…
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Goats, Fruit, and Herbs
Tsunami started limping on Thursday afternoon. At first, she would not put her foot on the ground. We decided to watch her and see if it improved before we rushed off to the vet. She seems to be doing a little better, but then last night she could hardly walk. She has not cried or…
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Have you heard of the SUPER BLUE MOON? Also, Bees
Science TIP: Below are pictures of the Super Blue Moon from last night. This is the last Super Blue Moon until 2037. Unfortunately, the phone camera could not focus on the bright light without blurring. Chanel 5 sums up what makes this moon a SUPER BLUE MOON. Below: The goats needed medication for five days…