Lifestyle

  Proceeds benefit the Springfield Humane Society  Saturday, April 29, at 3 p.m.—SPRINGFIELD— Head to the Great Hall in Springfield this Saturday from 3-7 p.m., to enjoy art, live music, entertainment, appetizers, beverages, and learn about the Springfield Humane Society’s mission, present state, and future.  “We speak for those who cannot speak for themselves,” the…

By Andrea Knepper Editor’s note: Andrea Knepper is a UVM Extension master gardener from Bolton.   Many gardeners find ways to invite beneficial insects into their spaces by planting native pollinator plants, mulching and avoiding pesticide use. Another way to support a healthy beneficial insect community is a bug hotel.  Bug hotels provide a variety of…

  There are simple steps you can take to minimize the spread of disease  As more people start raising their own backyard chickens — whether to enjoy the ultimate in local eggs, or just for fun — it’s important to know the health risks associated with poultry so you can take basic steps to protect…

By Jodi Larison Plant materials have been used to solve crimes on television shows, in books and in real life. The use of plant materials in solving crimes is called forensic botany. Plant materials that have been utilized in solving crimes have included flowers, fruits, leaves, pollen, seeds and wood. From his novel “Fruits of…

By Paula Townsend Editor’s note: Townsend is the manager of Kedron Valley Boarding in Woodstock. At Kedron Valley Boarding, grooming and Daycare in Woodstock, we’re here to help ensure your dog’s physical and mental health all winter long.  Just like people, animals need physical and mental activity, and good hygiene to look and feel their…

By Deborah J. Benoit Deborah J. Benoit is a UVM extension master gardener from North Adams, Massachusetts, who is part of the Bennington County Chapter. Spring is in the air, and what better way to celebrate a return to gardening than to share its magic with children? It’s not too early to start planning now.…

By Bonnie Kirn Donahue Bonnie Kirn Donahue is a UVM Extension master gardener and landscape designer from central Vermont. Winter in New England brings snow, ice and…salt. Salt can be a great asset in the winter for deicing roads and walkways. Salt prevents ice from forming by lowering the freezing point of water, creating safer…

By Deborah J. Benoit  Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) have been on our tables and in our gardens for so long, it's nearly impossible to think of them as growing in the wild. Once upon a time they did just that.  That's not to say that a typical supermarket tomato or a tasty, red Mortgage Lifter or…

Fight the post-holiday blues with a bit of indoor gardening.  Keeping your houseplants healthy and looking their best with a bit of grooming this winter is sure to lift your spirits.  Clip off any dead leaves as they appear. Use a sharp snips or bypass pruner to make a clean cut that looks tidy and…

By Deborah J. Benoit Editor’s note: Deborah J. Benoit is a UVM Extension master gardener from North Adams, Massachusetts, who is part of the Bennington County Chapter.  Terrariums are miniature gardens in lidded, clear-glass containers. Their closed environment requires little care and only occasional maintenance.  The container can be a jar, a glass globe or…

By Liz DiMarco Weinmann Tawdry treachery! Dastardly deeds! Sinful sex! Unrequited love between distraught divas and vain villains! More melodramatic mayhem than in whole seasons of Law & Order and Lifetime Movies! Yes, please! More to the point, “Bravo!” Growing up in an Italian household, I have been listening to opera since I was 5,…

By Deborah J. Benoit Editor’s note: Deborah J. Benoit is a UVM Extension master gardener from North Adams, Massachusetts, who is part of Vermont’s Bennington County Chapter. You’ve probably seen African violets (Saintpaulia) with their neat rosettes of fuzzy leaves and clusters of purple flowers. Native to Africa, the species were discovered in 1892 by…

By Deborah J. Benoit Editor’s note: Deborah Benoit is a University of Vermont extension master gardener.  During the holidays, poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) show off in shades of red, pink, and cream. They’ve been hybridized to decorate our homes during a season when the garden outdoors is fast asleep. Most people treat them as a holiday…

By Deborah Benoiti Editor’s note: Benoiti is a UVM Extension master gar- dener. Do you admire orchids from afar but haven’t considered growing them or giving them to a plant lover you know? Sure, they’re a pretty plant, but orchids have a reputation as being difficult to grow. When you think of orchids, do you…

By Vern Grubinger Editor’s note: Vern Grubinger, who is based in the University of Vermont Extension office in Brattleboro, is the extension vegetable and berry specialist. Thanksgiving is a time for families to get together…and eat! Much of the food traditionally consumed on this holiday originated in the Americas. And today, a lot of it…