Summer is winding down and it's time to take notice of the things that represent Nature's summer-best before they're gone for the season. Right outside my office window is a display of purple...

If you are looking for something a little different to grace the landscape of your yard, consider planting a honeylocust tree–specifically, 'Northern Acclaim' thornless honeylocust. While the...

While apples are the favorite backyard fruit grown in North Dakota, a surprisingly wide variety of fruits can grow and produce abundant harvests in the northern plains. Since 2006, the Northern Hardy...

It's hard to imagine the 4th of July without fireworks! The first official celebration occurred on July 4, 1777 – one year after the adoption of the U.S. Declaration of Independence – with a...

The last full week of June is named as "National Pollinator Week." Don't worry if you missed it – there are reasons to celebrate pollinators all year long! Pollinators include bees, insects, birds a...

We've needed moisture here in the Great Plains. We've prayed and hoped for rain, and now we're getting it – in some places, more than enough. But during the last couple of weeks, what's dropping...

Well, that seems obvious. But there is a point to this statement and we'll get to that. We've been through a long winter and gardeners have long waited to get their hands into the soil. Tomatoes are...

Tree planting can take place anytime during the growing season. With the cool, rainy season we are experiencing, now is a great time to get some trees in the ground! Trees provide shade, wildlife...

Memorial Day marks the beginning of the summer season. This is a time for celebrating graduations, the end of the school year and family get-togethers. But at the root of this weekend holiday is the...

Communities across North Dakota celebrate Arbor Day as a sure sign of Spring! The state's official designated Arbor Day is the first Friday in May – but communities can celebrate Arbor Day whenever...

As we pick up the pieces following North Dakota's most recent blizzard, just how does this storm compare to others across the northern plains that have made the record books? (Note: this article was...

Maple syrup is not typically thought of as synonymous with North Dakota. Snow, yes. Cold, yes. But maple syrup? First of all, you need sugar maple trees, right? Usually, but we like to "do what you...

Don't look now, but March 1st marked the meteorological beginning of spring. When I was a kid, spring clearly started on March 21 (the vernal equinox – when the sun and the equator celebrate a secre...

Just when you may have reached a milestone in dominating your New Year's resolution to cut out sugar, Valentine's Day appears on the calendar. There are ways around it – you can celebrate with a...

It's been a long winter. We've had our fair share of cold, snow, and even unseasonable rain, turning roads and streets into treacherous icy sheets. Look outside and your eyes are met with a sea of...

Nearly every month of the year has its holidays – some of them to celebrate joyous religious occasions, others to commemorate historical landmarks. And then, some are just plain whimsical....

Breakfast is often stated as the most important meal of the day. On a cold morning, a warm bowl of creamy oatmeal flavored with cooked apple and brown sugar really hits the spot! That is, if you are...

Birdwatching has grown to be one of the most popular hobbies in the U.S. North Dakota is noted as a birdwatcher's paradise, with wide-open spaces, featuring habitats that range from grasslands to...

The Christ Child in the manger and other pictures of the story of Bethlehem have been used in church services from the first century. But the crib in its present form, and its use outside the church...