About tedmanzer
I grew up in Old Town Maine and got a B.S. at the University of Maine in Plant Sciences/ minor in Botany. From there I moved to West Virginia and earned a M.S. in Agronomy at WVU. I also met my wife there. She grew up in rural WV as the daughter of tenant farmers who raised cattle and hogs. Their lifestyle at times was one of subsistence and I learned a lot from them. I've always been a foraging buff, but combining my formal botanical knowledge with their practical 'Foxfire-type' background opened up my eyes a little more.
I recently retired from teaching high school agriculture after 25 years teaching with my wife. Until recently I wrote a weekly nature/foraging column for the local paper (dailyadvance.com). I also have written several Christian nature/adventure novels that can be purchased on Amazon in paperback and in Kindle format. One is a five book family saga I call the 'Forgotten Virtues' series. In the first book, Never Alone, a young boy comes of age after his father dies in a plane crash, and he has to make it alone. The second book, Strange Courage, takes Carl from his High School graduation to his recovery from a nasty divorce. The third book, Second Chances, takes Carl from his ex-wife's death and the custody of his son to his heroic death at age 59. The fourth book, Promises Kept, depicts how his grandchildren react and adjust to his death (this one is not yet published). In the final book, Grandfather's Way, his youngest and most timid granddaughter emerges from the shadow of her overachieving family and accomplishes more in four months than most do in a lifetime. I use many foraging references with a lot of the plants I profile in these articles in those books. I also wrote a romance novel titled Virginia, set in rural West Virginia in the early 1980s. It is available on Amazon and is a different type of romance from a man's perspective.
Most of us look forward to a little more living space in summer. The houseplants go to the porch, patio or deck. Some folks don’t do that because of bad past experiences. The friendly patio becomes the patio of death. … Continue reading →
I recently attended a bonsai presentation by Julian Adams, a renowned authority. Mr. Adams stressed that the art of bonsai is not without extensive thought. Every cut, every wire, every drop of fertilizer and every pot must have a reason … Continue reading →
Sweetgums are everywhere. Walk through any southern neighborhood and you’ll see them. Take a hike into any woodland in the southeastern United States and you’ll have no trouble finding them. One reason sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is so prevalent in the wild is … Continue reading →
Posted in foraging
|
Tagged crack foundations, difficult to split, extensive root systems, fast growing, flood tolerance, fruitless cultivars, Liquidambar styraciflua, mixed stands, nasty gumballs, prolific seed producers, sweetgum
|
Too often people choose not to include shrubs that lose their leaves when landscaping their homes. They want their grounds to be green all year. I agree that landscaping should enhance property during all seasons, but there are some deciduous … Continue reading →
Posted in Uncategorized
|
Tagged bright red berries, deciduous holly, dioecious, hermaphroditic flowers, poisonous berries, polygamodioecious, possumhaw, scale, shrub, sooty mold, sunny places, winterberry holly
|
We all think we struggle to make ends meet and it’s harder all the time. Many complain about the economy and the price of everything. Still, I see big lines in front of eating establishments most of the time and … Continue reading →
Posted in Uncategorized
|
Tagged buttons, canning, freezing, frugality, gardens, hand-me-down clothes, leftovers, original fabric, patches, pickling, reused lumber and shingles, separate garbage, straightened nails, waste, zippers
|
Last week I profiled winterberry holly and its landscape design value. A few other shrubs have special appeal in winter, but river birch (Betula nigra) is a tree that also fits the bill. Its light papery bark develops a pleasing … Continue reading →
Posted in Uncategorized
|
Tagged aphids, Betula nigra, doubly serrated, eye-catching, iron chlorosis, River birch, salmon colored flakiness, spiny hazelnut aphid, syrup, thrive in wet places, worm-like catkins
|
A couple weeks ago I wrote about river birch and its beauty in winter. It’s just one of several useful native species. Many are underused in my opinion. One of my personal favorites for naturalizing is a birch relative with … Continue reading →
Posted in foraging
|
Tagged American Hornbeam, blue beech, butterflies, Carpinus caroliniana, ironwood, little pruning, muscle wood, native species, naturalizing, partial sun, shade, under story tree, water beech
|
Some people burn wood to save a few bucks. Others relish the atmosphere of a crackling fire. Still others burn wood to rid their property of unwanted or blown down trees. Quality firewood is a loaded term. Many factors are … Continue reading →
I’ve always said that success is sweeter when you’ve had to work for it. The same is true with food. Convenience foods just can’t match the culinary quality of vittles produced with tender loving care. This is true with most … Continue reading →
Winter is not a typical time to think about gardening. Usually the only thoughts involve ordering seeds for the upcoming season. However, soil often can benefit from winter care. Thus far this winter has been mild. Many people are already … Continue reading →
Posted in foraging
|
Tagged beneficial microbes, common chickweed, compost, compost tea, gardening, Hairy Bittercress, microorganisms, nutrient runoff, organic matter, oxygen rich environment, saturated with water, soil structure, well-drained soils
|
tedmanzer 