Life Lessons

Being a changemaker sometimes means you face unknowns and learn the hard way when things don't work as planned. Our nesting box project left us feeling proud to give birds another safe place to nest. The Tree Swallows were interested right away!

Our life lesson came when it was discovered that the depth of the box makes it tough for these small swallows to get out. Tell the story of what happened to the Tree Swallows and how we’re going to fix it so this never happens again. 

There is lots of bird family activity around the Homestead. Do you remember the names of the nesting birds and what they are up to right now? (Robin by the house sitting on 4 eggs, Chickadee near the barn sitting on 7 tiny eggs, House Wren filling many houses with sticks, Tree Swallows making nests in two of the smaller boxes by the horse paddock). 

Our theme of WATER starts with an understanding of the cycle of water on our planet. Can you tell what happens in the water cycle relay and how each part showed one part of the water cycle. Fun Fact: Did you know that the water you drink was once sipped by dinosaurs.  

Our team worked hard to clean up some BIG trash in Crayfish Creek. A huge plastic bag may have fallen off a truck or came down with the flood and ended up spilling into the creek. There were other things found that we pulled out of the river. What were they? (including the goose egg!). We love our little creek and want the critters in it to thrive!

Our last caretaker task was figuring out the best places to go into the creek to stop eroding the bank. Having many feet sliding down to catch crayfish or wade means that plants can’t grow and hold the soil. Next week you should see bigger stakes for these creek doorways. Talk about our new places to get in and out of the creek.

Were there other ways we keep from harming water creatures? (safe footsteps, catch and release, and using slower movements and quieter voices). What are some names of the water critters we might see in or near the stream? (water striders, snails, frogs and toads, different larvae, minnows)

Our time at the Outpost allowed us to practice both our tool-using and tool- making skills. What tool did we make to help us find out about what’s living in the stream? See if you can explain to someone at home how you made a dip net. 

Antman showed us how to check for smaller creatures in the stream like Mayfly nymphs by using a box strainer. What else did we catch a lot of that proved that our stream is very healthy? (Hint: It has claws.) 

We used coffee filters to check out the solids in the water. What was the difference when one person collected a sample and when a lot of people walked along the stream and stirred up the water? Erosion and run-off from nearby fields can make the water less healthy. What can help hold the soil in place? (planting bushes, trees and other plants along the bank)

We were surprised to see how many minnows were caught in Antman’s minnow trap in just a few hours. Do you remember the special food he put inside the trap to attract them? If you like to fish, you now know what type of minnow glows in the dark when you shine a light on it.

There is SO much more about our day. Here are some pictures, now tell YOUR story:)

Here's a skill testing question (smartie question). What new plant did we find today along the trail. Hint: it was sticky and it's name rhymes with Beavers. Do you know what indigenous people used it for and what invention it may have helped to spark? (glue and velcro).

Evening has settled in here, and all is quiet. Can't wait to see you next week on the farm.

Libby, Jester, Sable & Gus Happily Grazing