Did you know honey bees are responsible for over 35 percent of the foods you eat, as well as the honey you enjoy? Honey bees are vital to the health of the planet and to the food chain, as they’re necessary for pollinating more than 90 food crops including fruits, vegetables and nuts — plus […]
outdoors
Posted inFood & Entertainment
The Key Pen Farm Tour and Fiber Arts Show
For 15 years, “Fiber Arts: Threads Through Time” has been a focal event for the Key Peninsula Farm Tour. This free, family-friendly event returns to the Longbranch Improvement Club (LIC), located at 4312 Key Pen Hwy SW in Longbranch, on Saturday, Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The farm tour takes place across […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
5 Safe Pollinators and How to Attract Them to Your Backyard
You water, you prune, you fertilize. But you can’t pollinate. Pollination is essential for a beautiful garden, but it’s also important in the bigger picture of ecology. By welcoming pollinators to your backyard, you’re inviting them to stay in the area and support our apple and cherry trees and genetic diversity. While wasps will pollinate […]
Posted inAt Home
Where to Take Household Hazardous Waste in Kitsap County
Before you dispose of your household hazardous waste, check your product labels. If a container has the words caution, warning, flammable, combustible, danger, toxic or poison and still has product inside, it doesn’t belong in the garbage, recycling or down a drain. But that doesn’t mean you need to keep it forever. Removing unwanted chemicals improves […]
Posted inAt Home
Things to Know When Shopping for a Generator
Increasingly, consumers are turning to generators for power in emergency situations, because the world is unpredictable. In some areas, year-round weather challenges are now the norm and are no longer just confined to a season. “Consumers want and need reliable power. When the electricity goes out, generators keep your home or business humming with light […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Fall Landscape Care to Keep Plants and Pollinators Healthy
As the weather and gardens transition from summer to fall, it’s time to adjust your maintenance practices to ensure the health, longevity and beauty of your landscape. Proper fall care will increase winter survival, support pollinators and reduce your future workload. Continue watering as needed. This is especially important for new plantings and moisture-loving plants. Don’t […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Low-Maintenance Lawn Substitutes for Grass
Editor’s note: This post is brought to you by the experts at Angi, who specialize in connecting consumers with vetted pros, verified reviews and fair pricing for home projects and services. A well-kept lawn is one of the marks of successful homeownership; however, for some, grass lawns just aren’t worth the time and resources. Bright-green […]
Posted inThe Outdoors
The Outdoor Office is the New Office: How to Tune Up Your Space
Tired of those fuzzy video conference call backgrounds and working indoors? Maybe it’s time to move your office outside to your backyard. “I have an outdoor office and enjoy working outside every day with my dog, Mutt Mulligan, nearby,” said Kris Kiser, president and CEO of the TurfMutt Foundation, an environmental education and stewardship program […]
Posted inThe Garden
The Garden for All Seasons
Transplanting themselves from the Bay Area to the Pacific Northwest, Barbara McFarren and Stan Noel found their lovely Gig Harbor view home in 2008, completing the move a year later. The couple was attracted in part by the “good bones” of the garden areas surrounding the house — colorful, mature maples and large shrubs filled […]