Critters

Curious about what’s living in Grandpa’s Pasture Garden?

One of the joys of gardening is discovering that the garden has become a habitat for delightful critters like this frog I found out in Grandpa’s Pasture just yesterday (9/5/21). Some of the lengths of irrigation pipe need new gaskets. Since I haven’t gotten to that yet, several portions of the field puddle during the weeks we have water, and the frogs love it. I’d had no luck catching any “on film” so far this summer even though I’ve seen three of varying coloring, so I was thrilled to pieces when this little guy hopped into the puddle, swam under the pipe, and sat there the whole time I took photos! He probably felt invisible in the water? Some of the critters I’ll introduce you to via this blog will be delightful like mr. frog.

Unfortunately, there are also dastardly critters that live in or visit my home garden next door, and I know they’ll be visiting Grandpa’s Pasture as well. Most of them are small and don’t cause huge amounts of damage. But then there are the deer. A single visit to the garden can mean tomato plants stripped of their leaves — and the tomatoes I was hoping would ripen and make it to my kitchen, vanished! One of my biggest concerns over the winter and early spring will be figuring out how to finance fencing the deer out of 2.5 acres. I’ve also seen elk about a mile away from here on the other side of Highway 20. Hmmm…. Maybe it would be overkill, but I’m thinking I should make sure elk won’t be able to get in, either.

And, of course, there are the in-between critters, the insects and spiders who make the plants their homes and hunting grounds. Although they’re not as cute as frogs or beautiful as killdeer or frustrating as deer, they are fascinating, too.

So join me as we get to know the critters of Grandpa’s Pasture Garden!

—The Midnight Gardener