You know the team here at Country Culture loves a good, obscure holiday, but we strongly believe that June 16’s Arborist Appreciation Day deserves more attention. What is an arborist? Also called a tree surgeon or an arboriculturist (if you’re fancy), an arborist is a professional in arboriculture –...

Some of us are guilty of scrolling through real estate websites, perusing properties we have no intention of buying. It’s the biggest version of window shopping you can engage in. Looking at the photos of that eight-bedroom, seven-bathroom mansion on the coast is a fun form of daydreaming. But when ...

If you spot any trees or shrubs that appear to be covered in fake spider webs, those aren’t early Halloween decorations, but rather the work of the uglynest caterpillar ( Archips cerasivorana ), which can be found throughout the Northeast. This pest feeds on several types of hardwood trees and shrub...

Most people only think about turkeys in terms of the delicious and nutritious end product they give us. Sometimes that’s a tasty sandwich at lunch time, and often it’s about that big, beautiful bird being showcased on a Thanksgiving Day table. But we don’t get to enjoy the tasty turkey treats withou...

Container gardening is a good option if you have limited space or want to be able to alter your environment by moving pots around. You will have fewer plant diseases and weeds and less physical stress as containers can be placed at a height requiring less bending. Before deciding to start a containe...

Spinach packs quite the nutritional punch, making it a favorite of people who want to eat healthy without sacrificing flavor. Spinach contains carotenoids such as beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin which can help to prevent inflammation, reduce cancer risk and prevent potentially harmful eye condi...

Composting is critically important year-round, but every so often it’s important to celebrate it, not just participate in it. May 29 is Learn About Composting Day, and to help us do that this year, we’re looking at some of the little folks that make it happen – earthworms. Home gardeners and commerc...

Seeing as May is Respect for Chickens Month , we thought we’d share this article about how to keep them safe from avian flu, which remains a very serious concern across much of the U.S. This story was originally published in our sister publication, Country Folks . Cases of highly pathogenic avian in...

Just as getting your cows’ hooves trimmed regularly is vital to their overall health, so is finding the right person to shoe your horse. That’s where farriers come in. The word farrier first came into common use in the 1560s – “one who shoes horses,” from the French ferrier meaning “blacksmith” and ...

Are the white grubs you dig up in your garden friend or foe? White grubs are the larval stage of certain species of beetles from the Scarabaeidae family including June bugs ( Phyllophaga ), European chafers ( Amphimallon majale ) and Japanese beetles ( Popillia japonica ). These grubs are inch-long ...

Tree huggers unite! May 16 is Love a Tree Day, and you can celebrate by thinking about one of the many ways trees love us back – by providing welcome shade. Various factors motivate the decisions homeowners make when designing their landscapes. Some may be motivated by the ways additions will affect...

Basil is an easy-to-grow annual herb that thrives in Northeast summers and has several culinary uses. Many varieties are readily available. Plant some in your garden this summer to enjoy year-round. Plant basil seeds directly in the garden after all danger of frost has passed and water thoroughly. E...

The first Saturday in May is celebrated as a day for small things with big flavor. The HerbDay Coalition, an organization of five nonprofit groups, started National Herb Day to raise awareness about the useful properties and importance of herbs in daily life. They also encourage people to learn more...

The right tool for the job is essential to working safely and efficiently. This is as true in the workplace as it is in the garden. Novice gardeners may not know where to begin in regards to which tools they need. The following are eight items that can serve as a solid foundation for beginning garde...

Autumn is so often the season that we think about being thankful. It’s no wonder, with harvest season in late summer through early fall, Thanksgiving in November, running water and reliable heating in our homes, that spring is not exactly a thankful season for most people. Take a walk around whereve...