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Our bird populations are suffering due to a number of human-driven factors. The good news is that if we caused it, we can correct it. Below are hope-filled ways you can help and attract birds in your yard and neighborhood. You can make a tremendous difference for our distressed birds and be an example to others who want to help, but don’t know what to do. Birds are very much like us in what they need to thrive. A safe environment, food, shelter, water, and community. We all d

This is an important opportunity to make comments to the State of Minnesota regarding neonicotinoid pesticides. Pesticide use is the driving force behind pollinator decline. Please add your name to our group comment asking the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to protect our state from neonicotinoid pesticide contamination.

There’s a reason pollinators are all over the news and the internet. The good news is that everyone can do their part to help pollinators survive. In this post I answer many questions that will let you create a pollinator-friendly yard, helping sustain the ecosystem in your corner of the world.

Bob Dahm, May 20, 2026 Turf alternatives have grown a lot lately There’s increased interest in avoiding the traditional Kentucky Bluegrass turf that covers vast acres in the U.S.. But even yards with No-Mow or Bee-Friendly alternative lawns still typically consist of 90% conventional lawn grass. There are many better options available that come very close to no maintenance. The pinnacle of low maintenance and a low-carbon footprint is Native Grass Lawns. Because native gra

by Forks In The Dirt Let’s turn your ideas into a clear vegetable garden design so you can harvest from your own garden this summer! A little planning can go a long way. To that end, I’ve created a step-by-step Garden Planning Guide for you. First, let’s get clear on what YOUR garden goals are. Setting an intention up front (and knowing it will change with/in the seasons) can be a welcome guidepost later in the planning process. Try not to compare your gardens or goals to any

Did you know that you can find native plants in full bloom before the snow has melted? Late April to May is actually a great time to find certain species of native wildflowers. In fact, these plants have some of the most distinct blooms and play a key role in the ecosystem during a time when food is otherwise scarce for pollinators. Spring ephemerals are a unique type of flowering plant that are commonly found in deciduous forests. They can be thought of as our first sign th

I’m sitting in my cozy chair, watching a normal mid-March blizzard, and catch myself wishing: “When this snow melts, I’ll start doing some yardwork.” But I know it’s much too early to be doing any kind of cleanup, lawn work, or planting, but I have the bug to do something! Here are some things you can do, and more that you shouldn’t do this early in the season. Collecting sap and making syrup is an excellent activity for gardeners at this time of year. Right now, the soil

Winter sowing is a method of plant reproduction, especially for native plants that need an extended amount of time with temperatures below freezing. These plants evolved in harsh northern climates and developed a precise method to ensure successful germination.

It's a challenge to be sustainable in a holiday season that is too often a cause for over consumption, but it can be done! In fact, there are many ways to heal the Earth’s climate while still showering friends and family with love and gifts. Go Paperless! Digital gift cards are a great way to give the gift of experiences like fun activities, e-books, massages, sustainable products, dining or music, especially if you support small local businesses. If you want to create the “u

Pollinators can be hurt if you’re overachieving with your fall lawn and yard care.

The primary danger of synthetic herbicides is how they affect the health of people, soil, food, water, air, pollinators, and birds. In fact, the entire ecosystem suffers from the repeated and prolonged use of these products.

WEEDS ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. They are the band-aid or medicine that Nature uses to heal sick, damaged soil.

Clogged gutters, hardscapes next to your foundation, a poorly graded yard, and neighboring yards are common reasons and potential for water issues around homes. Following, I'll review potential solutions for each of these problems.

Every gardener knows that you need water for healthy plants in your garden. Did you know soil needs water to be healthy, too? But it’s a complicated realtionship and there needs to be some helpers to make sure they get along. Protect Soil from Run Off Rain can be friend or foe. Rain on bare soil compacts it and forms a crust that is hard for seeds to push through. The soil that isn’t compacted will erode and wash away and it forms channels and gullies that focus runoff, creat

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere warms the planet, causing climate change. According to NASA , human activities have raised the atmosphere's carbon dioxide content by 50% in less than 200 years. But we can help reverse this trend – right in our own backyards! The easiest solution to remove these gases from the atmosphere is to store them in the soil through the roots of plants. This is called a carbon sink. Plants consist of about 90% carbon pulled from the atmosphere. The mo

Lawns to Legumes is a planting for pollinators grant program that Blue Thumb facilitates with the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources . Any Minnesotan can apply to receive reimbursement for native planting projects and support at-risk pollinators like the monarch butterfly and rusty patched bumble bee. Each spring and fall, a new cohort of participants gets selected to take part in the program. The Lawns to Legumes individual grant program for Fall 2025 closed on M