Save the bees, save the world.
Over 80% of human food is supplied by plants. The loss of pollinators would, therefore, lead to an exponential loss of biodiversity, endangering our ecosystems and our diet.
It's scary to think about, isn't it? The changing climate has had such a negative impact on so many things, it can all be a little overwhelming.
When we bought this property in 2022, we knew that we wanted to make some changes. One of those changes was an overhaul to the section that runs along the highway. There were a few trees, a row of sad roses, and lots of green grass. (I really should have taken a before photo)
This Spring, the neighbor brought up his tractor and tore up all of that green grass. We ordered a few bags of native, pollinator-friendly wildflower seed and tossed it all out. (This is what I like to call chaos gardening) That was a bit of a mistake, as it turns out, because we were hit the next week with our first crazy heat wave. It has been a hot, extra dry summer here in Missouri. Not knowing what sprouts were weeds, grass, or flowers, we couldn't walk in the field to water without fear of crushing a potential wildflower. So we left it alone, cheered the few times we got any rain, and cursed when the storms would just miss us.
Honestly, I'd started to give up hope. But then it happened! At the very end of July, I saw the first bloom! Within a few weeks, we had a handful of wildflowers! As of yesterday, there are more than can be easily counted, with just as many buds waiting to open. What was once a boring, manicured lawn devoid of life is now bursting with color and activity from so many different pollinators!
This is just the beginning to the small things we are planning. Next spring we will do wildflowers again, but we will do them with walking paths so they can be watered and used for photography sessions. Anyone can work to make a difference, wherever you are! There are options for every sized space and budget. Make a plan today and get going!