Left Hand Valley Courier - All Local, All The Time

Farming and ranching in the urban interface has unique challenges and opportunities. Boulder County, with roughly one-third of its 740 square miles (157,000 acres of 470,000 acres) on the plains, is...

Our clocks have sprung forward, longer days are upon us and warmer weather is on the horizon. Of course, we should be prepared to get blasted with more cold days and hopefully some snow, but we are...

What's the buzz about native plants? Find out at the 7th Annual Landscaping with Colorado Native Plants Conference! Experts in horticulture, ecology and landscape design share how to plan, plant and...

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the latest first measurable snowfall (0.5") in Boulder was November 26, 1910 (although the records prior to 1948 are suspect)....

As we head into the windier and hopefully snowier time of year, now is the time to make plans to plant a windbreak on your small acreage next spring. Windbreaks make your yard less windy, prevent...

Along with all the garden bounty that comes this time of year is one of my favorites, the apple. It is a crop that has deep roots here along the Front Range. Young and mature apple trees can be found...

What characteristics make weeds so successful with the ability to annoy us and resist our attempts to eliminate them from our properties? Weeds are non-native plants that have been brought here...

What a difference a high pressure ridge makes. After a cool, rainy warmup to the season, gardeners are shocked to face scorching hot temperatures that broil our gardens and lawns. The high pressure...

For many of us, the post-Covid return to normal is still largely an aspiration. While most of Colorado is enjoying not having to wear masks in public places and finding socializing readily available,...

We are already deep into June, but did you know that this month is Colorado Pollinator Month? And June 21-27 is National Pollinator Week? The City of Boulder celebrates Pollinator Appreciation Month...

When we see a plant and it is prickly, we automatically assume it is a thistle and therefore it is a bad plant. The Oxford Dictionary defines a thistle as "a widely distributed herbaceous plant of...

In farming and ranching, much depends on the weather. And unlike a business with a roof (apologies to our controlled environment producers who can be immune) there are myriad weather factors our...

On a recent sunny afternoon, I was talking with Niwot resident Alicia Livitt about compost for her garden. She was explaining that she would like a compost pile, but didn't really see where one would...

We are told to read labels and instructions on just about everything we purchase,whether it is a new cell phone, food or pesticide. This is also the case with seed. If you purchase your seed from a...

You'll know when they're back by their drumming on your roof vents or the side of your house (I spotted the first one this year on Feb. 22 pecking a telephone pole). You may love them or hate them...

One thing that many gardeners have in common is, they pay attention to weather. Especially precipitation levels here in the semi-arid west. So, it may come as no surprise to some of you that...

Agriculture in Colorado can be in a state of challenging realities. Like all spots on terrestrial earth, we are surrounded by abundant nitrogen in the air, but we are unable to get this essential...

You decided that you want to keep a few chickens so that your family has fresh eggs. You have all the equipment to house and feed them, but how do you keep them healthy? The first step which should...

It seems the old Chinese adage (curse?), "May you be born in interesting times," continues to play on from 2020 into 2021. Atop Covid-19, business pivots from farmers markets and foodservice accounts...

While this may not seem to be the best time of year for weed management, it is a good time to start dealing with winter annual and biennial weeds and planning your strategy for the 2021 growing...

With the change in tenants at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, there's a groundswell of interest in one thing close to gardener's hearts. Quiet and not-so-quiet news articles are calling for the tackling of...

Gardening with native plants is not a new concept. There are people who have been doing it for a long time, but it's not what I would call, mainstream. It is, however, gaining in popularity as people...

Native grasses can be used in a landscape either as specimen plants, or for a bluegrass lawn alternative or to create a native prairie landscape. While a native grass lawn or prairie landscape is not...

Once holiday celebrations wrap up and 2020 comes to a close (hooray), it is time to start thinking about the new year. Are you someone who makes New Year's resolutions? For a lot of people, things...

In previous articles, I have written about the damage rodents and small mammals cause to your landscape plants, but larger mammals such as deer, elk and bobcats can damage landscape plants too. Deer...

From simple pleasures to outright splurges, the season for giving is upon us. As you rush to buy gifts for your gardeners, stop to consider what type of green thumb they have. This will help you...

As the weather cools and bears are headed to hibernation, mice may be seeking the warmth of your home and voles may be setting up their homes in your landscaping. How do you keep these unwanted visito...

Earlier this summer I wrote about June being Colorado Pollinator Month. The City of Boulder celebrates Pollinator Appreciation Month in September. More and more people are becoming aware of the import...

Special to the Courier Trees are beginning to lose their leaves, your garden plants are done and if you don't have access to commercial composting pickup, you may want to try composting them in your...

It is a grand understatement to assert that life has been an interesting ride for 2020. Our food system and consumer behaviors during this time have made it through some challenging adjustments and st...

As the heat sets in and our early spring flowers fade and give way to summer blooms and vegetable gardens, you might have pollination on your mind. If not, maybe you should! Simply put, pollination...

Eating at home more lately? You are not alone. Consumer food demand has pivoted abruptly over the past two months from about 50% of meals consumed outside of the home to virtually none. My...