animals

We’ve heard the term bandied about in ecological circles—but what are microplastics and how can we avoid polluting our planet with them?

With the Internet flooded with images of seahorses hanging on to pieces of straw, and penguins living on floating plastic islands, and whole swathes of plastic mini-seas floating in the high seas, it’s high time we educated ourselves about microplastics. What harm can they do—to our seas and ultimately our blue planet?

Air pollution, water pollution, and even noise pollution get a significant share of environmental news coverage, and rightly so: research indicates that everything from allergies and stress to cancer and, of course, global warming, could be mitigated by decreasing the pollutants&nb

When my husband and I moved into our new home last month, the first thing we did was hang bird feeders from our deck. Birding is one of my favorite pastimes (bonus: it’s good for you,) and while getting out into nature and seeing birds on the trail is fun, there’s nothing like watching birds flock to your feeders as you nurse a mug of tea or sit down for dinner with the family.

The human race is breaking up with nature and earth—and while Mother Nature may be unhappy about it, it is us who will pay the price in the end. We mindlessly buy things that pollute our home, our planet. Air, water, earth, sound, sight—there’s nothing that we don’t corrupt for our own benefit. So it’s all the more important for our kids, the future generation, to love and respect nature all the more.

Raising rabbits for their fiber, or wool, isn't hard to do. We have raised a large herd of French Angoras for their wool, and have loved every minute of it. They are soft, cute, and even very friendly, but they do need a few additional steps in their care.

Several fruits, vegetables, and nuts that are touted as superfoods to humans are surprisingly toxic to dogs—toxic enough, unfortunately, to kill your pet. What benefits us might not benefit our pets, so it’s important to ensure that certain foods always remain far out of reach for a dog, cat, or even bird. Not sure what’s toxic and what’s not? Here’s a list of foods to put on your “Not for Fido” list and another for the open-door policy—whether that means leftovers, treats, or homemade dog food. 

I was three years old the first time I sat upon a horse and five years old when I was given a pony of my own. Rosa, a miniature pony/Shetland cross was eager to please as I learned to brush her mane, curry her soft sides, and pick her hooves. I loved caring for her, and especially loved getting to ride her in the riding arena or along the dirt track at our farm. It turns out that I wasn’t just having a good time, but actually receiving benefits that have likely lasted into adulthood. Have you ever wondered why anyone would sit upon a horse?

Adding chickens to a small homestead is a very common way to get started with self-sufficiency. They are easy to take care of, will do bug patrol, and turn your kitchen scraps into garden gold. On top of that, you get fresh eggs daily! So, why would you consider adding in ducks?

Have you looked at the ingredients in an Oreo lately? Sure, it's loaded with unhealthy sugars and fats, but your eyes probably skimmed over one important ingredient: Palm oil. Oreos use palm oil, along with many other snack brands most kids (and adults) love to eat. Why is this a big deal? I'm glad you asked.

If you haven’t heard about the latest trend of “goat yoga,” you likely will soon. It’s new, but it is catching on quickly. Goat Yyoga was started pretty recently (in August 2016) by Lainey Morse in Willamette Valley, Oregon, and is quickly becoming a trend.

What is goat yoga, you might ask? It’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like—it’s a yoga class with goats! And adorable, snuggly, curious baby goats, at that.