Rats

...mice and rats, but unfortunately those same cats are also good at catching native birds. Now if we weren’t in enough trouble for advocating bad-ass rat traps, we’ll get in even more trouble for suggesting that folks keep their cats indoors. Indoor cats will catch the rodents, they won’t kill the native wildlife and they’ll live longer by not getting hit by cars. We would have a cat ourselves if it weren’t for our doberman who would, unfortunately,...

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Campfire Cooking: Fish in Clay (& Vegetarian Options!)

...als. Pascal also recommended trying fruit, like pears. He likes pears with native California black sage. Better still, you can skip the clay and use grass instead, which is much easier for impromptu cooking. Grass is good insulator, maybe not good enough for a delicate trout, but plenty good for carrots. Just gather yourself a bundle of green grass. Pascal likes some fallen leaves mixed in with the grass, for the earthy aroma that adds. Do be care...

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Moringa!

...also edible and the plant is drought tolerant and will grow in poor soil. Native to the southern foothills of the Himalayas, the Moringa tree is cultivated in many parts of Asia as well as Mexico and Africa. Here’s what Wikipedia says: The immature green pods, called “drumsticks” are probably the most valued and widely used part of the tree. They are commonly consumed in India, and are generally prepared in a similar fashion to green beans and ha...

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Lessons from the 2018 Theodore Payne Garden Tour

...the stunning stunning Wilson/Leach garden in Altadena (seen above). Native plants gardens in Southern California don’t have to look like a desert! An ad in the back of the tour brochure neatly summed up the vibe: In: Architecture-Enhancing Designs Out: Boring Expanses of Lawn In: Vibrant Climate-Compatible Blooms Out: Stuffy Rows of Annuals In: Lush, Leafy Native Foliage Out: Heat-Amplifying Gravelscape In: Materials that Go with the Flow Out: Sti...

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