Happy Dancing Blog

I have never had a productive conversation with a caterpillar, nor asked them a question I received an actual answer to. What you are about to read is based on scientific research done by others and connections I made in my own brain. Please proceed at your own risk.

My quiet place is in the garden. The act of sitting completely alone with my thoughts...

It’s important to remember that your garden is also likely under the effects of the heat. Let’s review what you can do to help keep your soil and little green buddies happy and thriving in the hot summer months

Happy Dancing Turtle’s Garden Team starts 10,000+ seeds on campus every year. They grow plants in many ways–using hoop houses, aquaponics, hydroponics and the beautiful traditional outdoor garden beds on Campus. The Garden Team uses soil blocks for seed starts and recently shared some of their recipes, tips and tricks that also apply to the home gardener.

This interview with The Forager Chef is a preview of his keynote, "The Grocery Store Outside."

It can be tempting to cut everything down in the fall, but leaving some of your garden “messy” through winter is one of the best gifts you can give to birds, pollinators, and your soil.

My family tries our best to reduce the food waste in our kitchen–even just by doing things as simple as not peeling carrots, cucumbers,...

Rs for Resilient Living Series For most of us by this time of year, the idea of getting out to work in your yard, seeing the change of season first-hand, is a delicious dream that can’t come true soon enough. No question–being outside is good for all of us. But some of our go-to yard activities can be detrimental to beneficial insects if we jump into them before the weather has truly changed. Here are some tips: Hold off cutting down plant stems leftover from last season un

Spending time with hands in the soil has been shown to provide significant mental health benefits. Gardening, farming, or simply...

Until embarrassingly recently, I had no clue that composting was even possible in the winter—especially in a cold, snowy, icy climate...

Jim Chamberlin, Happy Dancing Turtle’s Conservation Technician, also operates a 109-acre diversified farm and forestry operation near...

Indoor plants brighten our lives by providing much-needed color in the winter months. Research suggests they may also reduce stress and...

Jim Chamberlin, Happy Dancing Turtle’s Conservation Technician, also operates a 109-acre diversified farm and forestry operation near...

Tips from garden experts on how to divide perennials in the fall.

Jim Chamberlin, Happy Dancing Turtle’s Conservation Technician, also operates a 109-acre diversified farm and forestry operation near...

Food sovereignty advocate and author Diane Wilson (Dakota) wants us to know that the local food movement is actually a very old idea.

In the fall, once the gardens are put to bed, many of us feel the urge to “clean up” our yards. We tend to label fallen leaves, pine...

Pollinators have been all the buzz in recent years as research has shown steady declines in populations.

One of the most difficult problems that gardeners face is proper use of water. They either use too much or too little.

Now that we’ve had a few frosts, many think they can hang up their garden gloves. But think again. If you want a successful garden next year, start this fall. Your garden is still alive and the microbial livestock in your soil need to be fed.