Can We Change The Way We Think?

 There was a time when I bought in to the whole idea of having a well-manicured, yard.  And though we still do a good amount of mowing... my thoughts on this subject have changed considerably - enough to make me want to decrease, yet again, the amount of mowing that we do.

Two summers ago, we decided to re-wild a few patches of ground here on the farm.  One large open area that we never used for any activities, and yet had mowed for years and years, was the area between our indoor arena and the upper pastures.  The second area was between our compost piles and our fruit trees.  These had historically been tough areas to mow during the rainy season, as they stayed soggier than other areas for a longer time.

So... one day, we just decided to stop mowing them and to allow Nature to take over once again.

It's an interesting thing to observe... the way that nature reclaims her land.

The first year, these areas were full of grasses, clover, dandelions, and plantain weeds that just grew taller and taller.  We threw our spent pumpkins in these patches, hoping to have pumpkin vines the next year, but alas, they never germinated.  Still, these areas grew and grew - adding new wildflowers each season.

Now, there are goldenrod and hairy asters filling these areas.  

Some mornings,  we see thousands of spiderwebs, spun, literally, overnight in the tall grass - a sign that not only is there a multitude of flora taking hold in these areas, but, there are also insects galore... a smorgasbord for spider-folk.

 And with an increase in insects comes an increase in others that prey upon them, such as reptiles and birds.  Slowly, each year, these areas will attract more wildlife - both flora and fauna - more biodiversity (something for which our current ways of landscaping and farming don't allow.)

As time goes on,
shrubs and trees will begin to emerge in these areas... and with them, more wildlife.

As humans, we name and classify other lifeforms.  In the process we assign varying degrees of "worth" to each species.  We short-sightedly consider how these species are beneficial to ourselves, but forget about their importance in the overall web of life.  How did we decide that purple asters are worthy, but hairy asters are not?  Both have a certain aesthetic appeal.  Both serve as food sources for our pollinators (insects that we have deemed "worthy".)

How did we arrive at this mindset where we need to control every inch of our domain?   Who decided that dandelions were unworthy residents of our lawns?  Perhaps it started with those who had the means to eradicate these lifeforms - the herbicide and pesticide companies?

With so many species in decline, maybe it is time for us to strive for biodiversity in our own yards.  Not only would the earth be healthier for it - so would we.  The first step is to re-imagine our idea of beauty... to see the inherent quality of every single species.   Imagine taking your favorite cuppa with you in the morning as you strode through verdant pathways overflowing with wildflowers, teeming with life - where your morning serenade came from birdsong and the buzzing of bees.  What a magical start to any day!

Perhaps we could give just a little bit of our lawns back to Mother Nature... and then, as we watch the progressive splendor of re-wilding - give her just a little bit more!  

Life is a tapestry whose weft is woven with every imaginable type and color of thread.  Love is the warp through which those threads are woven.  

It might be that we have learned too late how important every single thread is in the tapestry of life.  The loss of a thread weakens the fabric, the loss of many unravels the whole.  We've been trying to patch the holes that we have created for too many years.  Perhaps it's time for mankind to re-weave that which sustains us, and be reminded that all life is equally beautiful. 

PS:   less gasoline used for mowing, and less time spent mowing = win-win!!

And yes... it is still raining here!