… from Willowdale Farm
Join me as I share photos and content on gardening, garden insects, our dogs, and cooking.
What’s New?
See my Willowdale Farm project at iNaturalist!
Willowdale Farm Awarded Wildlife Habitat Certification from the National Wildlife Federation
In January 2025, Willowdale Farm was awarded wildlife habitatat certification from NWF. Requirements included the provision of native plants, food, water, cover, places to raise young, and the use of sustainable practices. Click on the photo above to learn more.
Winner 2024 Brandywine Conservancy Pennsylvania Pollinator Photo Challenge
In the summer of 2024 I entered the Brandywine Conservancy’s fourth annual Pennsylvania Pollinator Photo Challenge…and I won the adult category! The winning photo of an Eastern carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica, is shown above. Information about the contest, including winners and honorable mentions, is available from Brandywine here.
Willowdale Farm Awarded Pollinator-Friendly Garden Certification from Penn State Extension Master Gardeners
In 2023, Willowdale Farm was awarded Pollinator-Friendly Garden certification from Penn State Extension Master Gardeners. The rigorous application process involved cataloging various trees, shrubs, perennials, and host plants for butterfly larvae. Water sources, habitats, invasive plant species, and use of pesticides were also considered. Visit the Penn State Extension website for more details or click on the image to the right to see the presentation I gave on the certification process at the 2025 Farm Show.
New Pages
NEW PAGE: Who Am I? Full of great photos and interesting facts about common insect garden visitors.
Additional information on the Solitary Bees page, including sharp-tailed bees and sculptured resin bees.
Final presentation for the Master Gardener training program: Flies in My Garden PowerPoint with lots of photos AND Flies in the Garden page (detail not included in blog).
New Galleries
Galleries are now arranged by subject on a single landing page here, including new galleries for the following:
New Blogs
Master Gardener Pollinator Habitat Certification (click photo below for details)
Blogs
The Gardens
The raised vegetable beds; meadow; and pollinator, rose, and kitchen gardens.
Cooking
Favorite foods from the garden and beyond.
Honey Bees
Keeping honey bees at Willowdale Farm.
Insects in the Gardens
And some spiders too.
Our Dogs
Isabella, Matilda, Lilou, and Gigi.