Soil: It’s So Much More Than Dirt

Soil: It’s So Much More Than Dirt

All orchids, including this Colorado native orchid, Coralroot, Corrallorhiza maculata, are completely dependent on mycorrhizal fungi to begin their life cycle and and this reliance  continues to varying degrees throughout their life. Photo credit: SPD Unseen, unheard,...
Spring Comes to Joder Ranch

Spring Comes to Joder Ranch

Purple partners: Pulsatilla nuttalliana, commonly known as Pasqueflowers. Often found in colonies one of the first showy blooms in spring. The first flowers of the year always bring a boost of exhileration, don’t they? And when spring comes to Joder Ranch lucky...
The Gambel Oak

The Gambel Oak

The leaves of Gambel oak are pinnately  lobed at least halfway to the midrib, and are rounded. The lower leaf surface has stellate hairs, with five or fewer arms. Fall colors are vibrant! It’s no gamble at all with the Gambel oak, Quercus gambelii, which is Colorado’s...
The UN Decade of Restoration – Are You Helping?

The UN Decade of Restoration – Are You Helping?

 A multitude of insects will be feeding on this native plant, Yucca glauca, in spring, just in time for the Western Meadowlark to feed them to its nest of chicks. The majority of songbird babies must have a high-protein, easily eaten, and digestible diet of insects. ...
Hall Ranch

Hall Ranch

Hall Ranch was calling this afternoon, and I had to go. As the scenery spread out before me, buildings, signs, and overhead wires giving place to brown fields dotted with the occasional ponderosa, I found myself filled suddenly with gratitude for the fact that Hall...