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Bugs benefitting humans? Doug Tallamy's research and reason lays out an eco-logical banquet of ways insect life supports our own - and he calls on each one of us to return the favor, by growing native plants. Tallamy's message is passionate and practical - and clear enough for us ALL to take to heart.
Tallamy's first book, Bringing Nature Home (2007, Timber Press), has become the go-to best bet for inspiring lawn-lovers to switch allegiance to a truly lively (meaning largely NATIVE) personal landscape. His new book, Nature's Best Hope (Feb 2020, Timber Press), jumped onto The NY Times Bestseller List in less than a month. Read Washington Post short essay from 2-12-20
His first midwestern speaking gigs, in St. Louis on March 6-7, sold out in days. This Earthworms conversation is a great chance to hear THE BEST explainer of how we are part of Nature, and how our personal landscapes - from suburban yards to city balconies - CAN turn around catastrophic ecological decline, if we work together and Grow Natives NOW. We can grow what Tallamy encouragingly calls Homegrown National Park. Dig it!
Music: Big Piney Blues, performed live at KDHX by Brian Curran
THANKS to Sasha Hay and Jon Valley, engineers for Earthworms
Related Earthworms Conversations:
Nancy Lawson, The Humane Gardener (Feb 2019)
Native Plant Garden Tour: See, Grow, Love! (Aug 2017) - look for this tour again in 2020 - and find St. Louis Audubon's Bring Conservation Home program cited by Doug Tallamy in Nature's Best Hope as a program transforming local plant aesthetics.
Lawn Alternatives with Neil Diboll of Prairie Nursery (Aug 2017)
In the Company of Trees, Forest Bathing with Andrea Sarubbi Fareshteh Jan 2019)
Promoting growing and ethically gathering herbs, understanding these plants' healing properties, and appreciating Nature. These are the roots of learning and work of Tend & Flourish School of Botanicals.
Longtime organic farmer Crystal Moore Stevens and botanist Alex Queatham have joined friendly forces to teach others how to appreciate and use herbs. Their first (filled!) Herbal Apprenticeship class is working toward completion of study. Their programs at public venues bring their knowledgable love of herbaceous plants to an increasingly receptive audience.
As Crystal eloquently states, this work is Creating Cultivated Ecologies in the minds, hearts and practices of people exploring the potentials of herbs.
Music: Divertimento (k.131) - Kevin MacLeod from WA Mozart
THANKS to Sasha Hay and Jon Valley, our KDHX engineers
Related Earthworms Conversations: Grow, Create, Inspire with Crystal Moore Stevens (Oct 2016)
Fungus Farming at McCully Heritage Project (Feb 2018)
Kate Estwing Grows, Arranges, Loves . . . Slow Flowers (July 2018)
Labyrinth: Walking Sacred Ground with Robert Fishbone (Sept 2019)