Armchair birdwatchers know how relaxing it is to gaze out the window and find colorful, winged dinner guests feasting on seeds and nectar. A birdfeeder full of food can provide a show all day long during all four seasons. There are countless types of feeders available; each designed to hold specific foods that will attract specific species. Most fans of birdfeeders have several styles around their yards to attract an array of appreciative flying wildlife.

However, if you have squirrels in your neighborhood, you know how fast they can devour a feeder displaying seed or suet. There’s nothing more aggravating than having an unintended animal destroy the food or feeder you’ve worked so lovingly to provide for your feathered friends.

Squirrels and birds are attracted to many of the same foods—seeds, in particular. And the simple fact is that squirrels will eat bird seed faster than you can refill it. They can also ruin a feeder designed for animals a fraction of their weight. They’ll use their teeth to gnaw on anything that has the scent of food. So, what’s a birdwatcher to do?

You can’t blame squirrels for taking advantage of a quick and tempting source of food, but you can stop them from eating the birds’ meals. Luckily, man’s brain works faster than a squirrel’s, and now there are many successfully designed squirrel-proof birdfeeders to suit every backyard enthusiast’s needs.

Since feeders for birds are designed to hang from a post, a roof edge, or a tree limb, they are not out of reach of the crafty squirrels. Squirrels seem to enjoy the challenge of accessing food no matter where the feeder is suspended.

Look for squirrel-proof feeders that are specific to your needs. Make sure you find the type of feeder intended for the species of birds you wish to attract, first and foremost. Consider where you’ll place your feeder. You don’t want a heavy metal feeder hanging too closely to a window. You also don’t want a feeder intended for shade to hang fully exposed to the elements. Also, think about the population of squirrels in your area, to determine the durability required of your feeder. And the size of the feeder should be appropriate to the space you have available.

Some squirrel-proof feeders operate by spring-loaded doors, some by gravity alone, and others by physical barrier. Depending on the type of feed you intend to provide, there are also feeders that have openings so small that only the tiniest of beaks can gain access. The Mandarin Ala Cart Birdfeeder provides four separate feed chambers and a squirrel-proof function that will attract many species of birds while foiling the plans of hungry squirrels.

Until squirrels learn how to feed while suspended in air, their weight and size will keep them out of the newest squirrel-proof feeders, and birders will be able to choose who they wish to attract to the feast they’ve provided.

If you have never tried it before, here’s a great new hobby idea: dehydrate your own food. If you’ve been dehydrating for years, you already know it’s a fun, economical and simple way to make healthy snacks that even the pickiest eaters will devour.

Using a food dehydrator, which forces warm, dry air over fruits, veggies or meat, you remove all the moisture and preserve the food, allowing it to be stored on a shelf for months. You can create chewy, flavorful, and in many cases, low-calorie, snacks like apple rings, beef jerky, dried apricots and papaya wedges. It’s also a great way to have soup vegetables always on hand.

Groceries and health food stores have been selling dehydrated, sun-dried or flash-dried foods for years, and dried foods have been popular since the beginning of recorded history. However, store-bought dried foods are expensive, and they can contain artificial preservatives to increase their shelf lives even further.

If you are a gardener, you know there’s always produce left at the end of the season that you can’t get your family to eat. Dehydrating leftovers is a way to have your harvest extend into the dull, gray winter months when you can’t get fresh veggies.

You can inexpensively make your own pineapple rings, homemade raisins and prunes, fruitcake chunks for rehydrating, and fruit leathers. You can also coat your fruits with sugar, cinnamon or other dried baking spices before drying to create more exotic flavors. You no longer have to crave your favorite fruits when they’re out of season. Make their season last year-round!

Dehydrating vegetables is as simple as slicing or dicing and separating on trays. In two days or less, your food dehydrator will produce crispy, crunchy snacks and pantry staples ready for your culinary imagination. Onions, carrots, bell peppers and celery can all be dried for future use in nearly any recipe. Dried corn cut off the cob, green beans, and tomatoes make unusual crisp snacks that are infinitely healthier than fried chips. You can dry your own pinto beans, root crops, squash and any other vegetables that you want to store for adding to casseroles and soups. Dried foods provide all the nutrients and fiber and none of the refined or artificial ingredients that come with store-bought snack foods.

Making your own beef or turkey jerky couldn’t be easier. If you can slice meat, you can have a great chewy (and long-lasting) snack that is irresistible. You can prepare the meat by soaking it in your favorite marinade first. Like it hot? Don’t hold back on the cayenne! Like it tropical? Try rubbing the slices with Jamaican jerk seasonings before drying.

Don’t forget your herbs. Air drying can cause mold or mildew to form on the tender leaves. Drying herbs in a dehydrator is safer and it also preserves the color and flavor better. Nearly every edible herb is suitable for drying.

Every bookstore and library, as well as the Internet, offers recipe books for creative drying of foods using the sun or commercial dehydrators. It’s easy and a foolproof way to get your family snacking on foods you’ll not only approve of, you’ll encourage!

Asparagus is usually thought of as a crop for the patient gardener because it takes two years to establish itself before it can be harvested. The truth is, after that, asparagus is a perfect crop for the impatient gardener. It literally pops out of the earth, sweet and tender and instantly available for dinner. Plus, the cost savings between growing your own and paying $4.99 for a small bundle at the grocery store is well worth the effort.

It’s a member of the lily family and originated along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and on its many islands. It was considered a delicacy in Ancient Greece as well as in modern times.

The top asparagus varieties in the world all bear the Jersey name, with Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight and Jersey Supreme among the choices.

Why the emphasis on the Garden State? Well, New Jersey is the fourth largest asparagus producing state, behind California, Washington, and Michigan. And Jersey varieties are hardy, able to grow in Michigan and Washington, as well as in Canadian provinces, including Nova Scotia.

Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight and Jersey Supreme are male hybrids. With asparagus, the males are more productive, and the females handle seed and berry production, thus, fewer resources to devote to producing spears.

Both male and female asparagus plants produce an edible vegetable, but the New Jersey emphasis on male hybrids exists because these varieties are resistant to rust, which is a fungus disease to which asparagus is highly susceptible. The males are also resistant to fusarium rot and crown rot.

When you’re ready to plant, it’s best to start with crowns rather than seeds. You can choose from one- or two-year crowns. You won’t be moving the asparagus bed for many years to come, up to 15 to 20 years, so be sure and plant asparagus out of the way on one side of the garden so you needn’t disturb it in early spring.

First, prepare soil by mixing in organic material, such as compost or rotted manure. And then, when planting, spread out the root system and place crown buds upward, 4 to 6 inches below the level of the surface. Cover crowns with 2 inches of soil. Place the rest alongside the row. When new shoots appear, fill in the trench until it reaches the level of the garden. Water when necessary during the summer. Keep it weed-free, and occasionally add compost or manure.

Asparagus does take space. The rule of thumb is that a patch large enough to satisfy an average family of asparagus lovers should contain at least 50 plants, set 18 inches apart. That translates into a planting bed at least 75 feet long and 3 feet wide.

On the other hand, an asparagus bed can do double duty as an ornamental "hedge." Once the harvest is done for the year, the remaining spears are left to grow into tall, ferny foliage — perfect for camouflaging fences or providing a feathery backdrop for the rest of the garden.

Then, the wait begins for harvest. Don’t touch the delicate stalks the first year. The next year, you can harvest two or three times in the spring. This would be the first year after transplanting. Take it easy and don’t over harvest or you’ll weaken the root system. But after that, you can harvest for up to two solid months. When cutting is completed, allow the fernlike tops to develop and produce leaves.

Cut asparagus when the spears are 6 to 8 inches tall. Use a sharp knife to cut the spear 1 or 2 inches below the surface of the soil.

And then, enjoy. Asparagus is one of the delicacies of the vegetable world.

When it comes to keeping a cat-friendly household, there are a few tricks to make odor disappear. We have the pick of the litter on odor control to make your house feel less like a cattery and more like a home.

It can be embarrassing to have people visit if there are cat odors in your home. Thanks to new litters, cleaners and deodorizers - and if you follow some basic advice - pet smells don’t have to be a problem anymore.

There are many way to control the odor of a litter box. The simple rule of thumb is, the more cats you have, the more litter boxes you need. If you’re a three-cat household, one litter box is not enough. Two are definitely required. Hooded covers and charcoal filters for the litter box help control odor. It also helps if you frequently change the litter. Don’t go for an entire week without replacing the old litter. Change it at least every two or three days.

Of course there are clumping litters that claim to allow all of the liquids to be removed in one scoop, but those aren’t necessarily safe for your cat. A cat grooms itself frequently, and tiny amount of litter can be ingested. And that litter can clump in a cat’s intestines and stomach just as they do in the litter pan, basically turning it into cement inside their feline bodies.

Your best bet is to try an odor control product to erase any traces of a kitty scent. Zero Odor® reduces odor to zero. Whenever you spray Zero Odor, its odor-eliminating molecules bond with the molecules that cause odor, and changes them into molecules that can no longer cause odor. It’s non-toxic and bio-degradable, too. Spray it onto litter and any odor is immediately eliminated.

There’s also Odor Assassin, which get rid of bad odors around the house and features a patented ingredient, SE-500, which boosts its odor-fighting power. Another option is all natural NI-712, which attacks the molecular structure of the cause of bad odors and can remove cat urine smells in an instant.

If you are planning any holiday travel with your cats, make sure you take along an odor control product. Car trips with pets are much more fun with sweet smelling animals.

Deer are among the largest of the common garden pests.  They’re also carriers of deer ticks, and deer ticks carry Lyme disease. So, preventing deer from invading your space not only saves your precious landscape and garden plants, but it could be good for your health, too!

There are several ways to keep deer away.You can plant landscape and garden plants that aren’t attractive to deer. Like all mammals, they are attracted to vegetation that smells and tastes good. You can apply scents on or near your plants to deter deer. There are both natural and man-made chemical repellents available in powder, liquid, oil and solid forms. And, there are electronic devices that keep deer heading the opposite direction. Physical barriers, like fences and bushes, are a good defense, but it is not always practical to provide a physical barrier around a large piece of land.  Sometimes, a combination of deterrents is your best bet. Plot Protector is both a physical barrier and a scent barrier that is primarily designed for use in protecting foraging plots until they’re fully established, and are ready to intentionally attract deer.

By using products that smell like the natural predators of deer, such as coyote and fox urine, they’ll want nothing to do with foraging on your plants. Other products work by just making your plants taste and smell rotten to deer, such as Liquid Fence and Plantskydd, which are available in several sizes. Using a foul-smelling deterrent has its downsides, though. Obviously, it’s tough for the person spraying the product to avoid the smell. And, they only work after the pest has tasted it, meaning you’ll lose a flower top or a few delicate hosta leaves before the foraging diner says Yuck! and moves on to your neighbor’s plant buffet.

Homemade liquid repellents can be a cost-saving and effective method, but they’re not always very efficient. Commercial products are carefully designed to be easy to apply, to adhere to plants, to be safe to use on edible gardens, and to be long-lasting, so the product doesn’t have to be reapplied after each rain. One of our favorites is Plantskydd, which repels deer, elk and rabbits. Liquid Fence’s scent is repulsive to both deer and rabbits.

Pre-mixed commercial products are always ready to use, so you won’t need to have a variety of ingredients on hand, and you don’t have to constantly mix smelly concoctions in your kitchen.Also, commercial products are safe for garden use, are tested and are proven to work!

Electronic devices like the Electronic Deer Repeller and the DeerChaser can keep deer away from a large area, with no smell and no mess. One downside is they need some type of power, either electric or battery. The Electronic Deer Repeller applies a shock to the curious animal’s nose when it’s approached, to train it to stay away. The DeerChaser uses sound and light to scare away approaching animals. Deer are skittish, so these devices work well, when they’re within sound and sight distance of the intruder.

Deer in the wild are lovely to look at, but when they’re trampling, invading and ingesting the plants you’ve worked hard to grow, they are a pest and a hassle.It takes only a small effort and investment to find the right deterrent to repel or repulse deer, and it’s well worth the effort, if it means saving your garden and greenery.

Chrysanthemums steal the show this time of year, when their abundant blooms make gardens as colorful in fall as they are in spring and summer. They’re a traditional symbol of fall and one of autumn’s most indelible images, along with carved pumpkins and falling leaves.

Two of the most popular varieties are Belgian Hardy mums and Yoder mums. The European-style Belgian mums came onto the retail scene in recent years and were immediately popular due to their high bud count, with upward of 1,000 blooms on some plants. They also require no pinching or trimming, which makes them easy to grow, and their stems stand up to abuse without breaking. Their rounded habit looks gorgeous in containers or in a flower bed.

Yoder mums are another option. This American classic garden mum has long been a premier fall plant. Created by the Yoder Brothers company in Ohio, they are low-maintenance plants and will thrive and flower for several weeks in full sun and fertile soil.

There’s a kaleidoscope of colors available in all mum varieties, including yellows, golds, oranges, bronzes, reds, pinks and purples. They’ll add a festive touch to your landscape and your mood. Mums create a spectacular splash of color to any garden or front porch. Pot them, hang them in baskets or add to a window box.

When winter approaches, if you prefer to overwinter your mums instead of treating them as annuals, cover with a thick layer of mulch as they hibernate until spring.

Whichever mums you choose, this is a great time to be a gardener with the range of mums available, bred for their prolific blooms, long-lasting colors and exceptional tolerance to both hot and cold temperatures.

Face it, fall without chrysanthemums is like spring without tulips or summer without roses. Shapes and colors abound, with puffy and round bouquet pompons, or lacy spider mums or even daisy mums with button centers in tight clusters of color. You’ll find a range of bloom dates, from very early to late season, so with a bit of planning, you can keep your gardens in living color throughout the fall months.

Humans crave sweets, and honey not only satisfies that sweet tooth, but it’s known to have medicinal and therapeutic uses.  Besides containing natural sugars, minerals and vitamins, it has antimicrobial and antiseptic properties.  Luckily, honey is available in many flavors and varieties, and both gourmets and gourmet-wannabes crave the subtle nuances among the different types.

At GHS, we feature Dutch Gold Honeys.  If you’re a tea drinker, you will really appreciate the benefits of using a pure, high quality honey as a sweetener.  For variety, sample orange blossom honey one day and buckwheat flower the next when you’re sweetening your oatmeal.  The honey’s origin determines the flavor on your palate the same way the grapevine’s locale can determine whether a Cabernet is earthy or full-bodied or floral.  Once you’ve sampled the different varieties, you’ll soon understand why honey is so legendary.  Tupelo Honey is named in more than one song.  Orange blossom honey has a faint scent of orange groves in springtime. Alfalfa blossom honey will transport your senses right to a freshly mown field.

No honey cake tastes authentic without the distinct dark and rich flavor of buckwheat flower honey.  And does anything sound better than a muffin fresh out of the oven, topped with blueberry blossom honey?  Try substituting clover honey in recipes calling for cane sugar or corn sweetener.  Honey is great for soothing a sore throat.  Honey is also noted for reducing allergy symptoms, especially if you consume varieties native to your area.  But why limit yourself to consuming boring mass-produced, grocery-store honey?

Since honey has an indefinite shelf life, most aficionados keep several types on hand.  While pure clover honey is a general all-purpose table and cooking sweetener, the scent and flavor of wildflower honey on warm toast or in hot tea are unique and addictive. Orange blossom honey can’t be beat as a spread over corn bread or chocolate-based baked goods.  The best part is that honey is an inexpensive way to add a gourmet flare to the most basic foods.  Keep some on the table instead of cane sugar for a more wholesome sweetener.  Try a teaspoon of Tupelo honey in a cup of plain yogurt for a great healthy pick-me-up.  Added to sauces and marinades, honey will create a beautiful caramelized glaze on your fish and chicken. 

We would love for you to share your comments about your favorite uses for our honey varieties. 

We appreciate all of our customers who take the time to view our blog entries…so much so that we are giving YOU, as a blog participant, a one-time discount coupon to use on any of our outstanding products. This coupon will give you 10% off of your next total GHS purchase. While checking out, simply type the code BD10108 into the coupon area. This coupon will expire on 10/1/08. Happy gardening!

In areas where a late spring frost or even an early fall hard frost can threaten garden and landscaping plants, there are ways plant lovers can protect them. Weather is unpredictable, even in those areas where plants are suitable for their growing zone. You can protect plants from frost if you are both prepared—and aware of the pending weather.

Soft woods, actively blooming plants, and potted plants are the most susceptible to frost damage. The greatest threat of frost usually occurs overnight when the temperature drops enough to freeze the moisture on plant leaves and buds. The signs of frost damage are usually visible within two to three days and include browned and mushy leaves and buds. To protect plants from frost, you will need to cover them to keep the moisture from freezing.

Plastic can be used to protect plants from frost, but it’s not the best or most effective material, and some expert gardeners warn against it. Plastic or vinyl materials do not breathe, causing moisture to get trapped inside. If the temperature drops low enough, the increase in moisture presents a greater threat to the plants. Instead of plastic, try using natural fabrics like cotton or linen, an opened burlap bag, or newspaper, as a covering to protect plants from frost.

A fabric covering will allow moisture to escape but will still protect plants from frost by preventing the freezing air from coming into direct contact with the moisture. Bed sheets work well for covering large plants and shrubs, as well as young sprouts. Newspaper can be used on low-growing foliage, but won’t stay on top of larger plants well.

In a pinch, you can use plastic sheets, but be sure to remove the plastic covers early in the morning to let the increasingly warmer daytime air reach the plants. If the threat of frost is prolonged and temperatures remain low during the day, be sure to use a fabric covering. When there is a threat of frost, cover your plants before sunset.

You can also purchase commercial coverings designed to protect plants from frost.  These may be more attractive than other methods, but usually bed sheets or burlap work just as well. If your efforts to protect plants from frost fail, you will have to allow nature to take its course. Early spring perennial flowers like the daffodil, tulip, and crocus may be damaged for the current season, but they should return in good health the next spring.

Depending on the weather, some plants may peek out earlier than normal, only to be threatened by a late frost. In some cases, they will bud again but often they will die and you’ll have to start over. Typically, the more established a plant is, the better it will fare. If you have vulnerable plants that would be expensive to replace, it’s best to try to protect them.

The cold, cloudless evenings in the fall, winter and spring may be harmful to your plants. During the day, your plants and the soil absorb and store heat from the sun. As the day turns into night, your plants quickly begin to lose all of their stored heat. Clouds will help to insulate and slow the loss of the heat, but a cloudless, wind-free night will afford no protection from frost. The temperature within the soil and in the plant’s cells may even drop to a few degrees colder than the air.

As the temperature decreases, the moisture in the air condenses into dew, which then freezes when the temperature reaches 32 degrees F. on the plant surfaces. At 32 degrees, damage to most plants may be minimal and only affect a small amount of leaves. However, if the temperature drops far enough for the plant cells to freeze, non-hardy plants will die.

Frost can occur even in supposedly frost-free areas. It is important to heed the weatherman’s warnings of ‘a chance of frost,’ and take precautions to protect your garden.  It is possible to extend your growing season by several weeks if you are able to keep your plants alive through a single early frost!