The Backyard Naturalists

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us and we’ve officially kicked off the Christmas eason, The Backyard Naturalists are having a conversation about Christmas trees. In this episode, they weigh the benefits of both live and artificial trees then, offer facts, figures and a little trivia about the iconic holiday tradition such as . . .

1. Which state grows the most Christmas trees in the United States?
2. Which county in our home state of North Carolina grows the most trees?
3. How many years does it take to mitigate the environmental impact of owning an artificial tree?
4. What’s the average growth time for a Christmas tree before it’s harvested?

Connect with the Backyard Naturalists on the web, Facebook and Instagram.

Please visit and support our presenting sponsor, Backyard Birds at http://www.thebirdfoodstore.com. A mecca for bird lovers and bird watchers, Backyard Birds is an independent family-owned business located in Matthews, NC (next to Dairy Queen), just southeast of Charlotte.

Thanks for listening to The Backyard Naturalists.  We hope you have a day filled with the wonders of nature. Get outside and take a walk on the wild side! Please don’t forget to leave a 5-star review for The Backyard Naturalists podcast.

Production services for The Backyard Naturalists podcast are provided by Downtown Podcasting. To start a conversation on how you can have a podcast, simply send an email to [email protected].

One of the most listened to episodes of The Backyard Naturalists podcast is our initial conversation in our fourth episode with reptile and snake expert Jay Bell with Reptiles 101. Debbie and Laurie invited Jay back in the studio to talk more about his favorite reptilian creature. 

As a bonus in this episode, we learn that our co-host Laurie spent time homesteading in Alaska and she tells us about her most fascinating creature during her time in Alaska.

We also learn a new, "Word of the Day" from Jay as he teaches and explains one of the many defense mechanisms of some snakes. 

Several snakes are indeed beneficial to our wildlife habitats and yards. The Backyard Naturalists, along with Jay Bell, detail a few of these snakes and the benefits they offer. 

Connect with the Backyard Naturalists on the web, Facebook and Instagram.

Please visit and support our presenting sponsor, Backyard Birds at http://www.thebirdfoodstore.com. A mecca for bird lovers and bird watchers, Backyard Birds is an independent family-owned business located in Matthews, NC (next to Dairy Queen), just southeast of Charlotte.

Thanks for listening to The Backyard Naturalists.  We hope you have a day filled with the wonders of nature. Get outside and take a walk on the wild side! Please don’t forget to leave a 5-star review for The Backyard Naturalists podcast.

Production services for The Backyard Naturalists podcast are provided by Downtown Podcasting. To start a conversation on how you can have a podcast, simply send an email to [email protected].

When you begin the conversation around nature and wildlife, trees certainly rise to the top of the list of subjects. That’s why this week, The Backyard Naturalists decided to give Ralph Ramsaur a call, and start talking trees.

Ralph is an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist and currently serves as the Town of Matthews, NC Landscape Manager and Town Arborist. He’s also the staff liaison on the Town’s Appearance and Tree Advisory Committee and in his free time, maintains the Town’s “Tree City USA” program, which has been in place for over 21 years.

In this first of two episodes with Ralph, Debbie and Laurie frame the conversation around his experience, credentials, favorite (and not so favorite) trees and where and when to start the planting process.

Connect with the Backyard Naturalists on the Web, Facebook and Instagram.

Please visit and support our presenting sponsor, Backyard Birds at http://www.thebirdfoodstore.com. A mecca for bird lovers and bird watchers, Backyard Birds is an independent family-owned business located in Matthews, NC (next to Dairy Queen), just southeast of Charlotte.

Thanks for listening to The Backyard Naturalists.  We hope you have a day filled with the wonders of nature. Get outside and take a walk on the wild side! Please don’t forget to leave a 5-star review for The Backyard Naturalists podcast.

Production services for The Backyard Naturalists podcast are provided by Downtown Podcasting. To start a conversation on how you can have a podcast, simply send an email to [email protected].

In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists podcast, Debbie and Laurie wrap up their series on certifying your wildlife habitat with the National Wildlife Federation with Sustainable Gardening Practices. As one of the five requirements of certification, sustainable gardening practices offer many benefits, not only to your wildlife habitat, but they can help with the budget conscious gardener, too. For example, using native plants and grasses can reduce the need for fertilizers and decrease water consumption.

Make sure to check out the series kick-off in Episode 2, where Debbie and Laurie offered an introduction and overview to the five requirements for a Certified Wildlife Habitat; Food, Water, Cover, Places to Raise Young and finally, Sustainable Gardening Practices.

It's quite simple to create your own natural wildlife habitat. The National Wildlife Federation offers a neat, simple checklist you can use when evaluating your space as you prepare for certification. 

Connect with the Backyard Naturalists on the web, Facebook and Instagram.

Please visit and support our presenting sponsor, Backyard Birds at http://www.thebirdfoodstore.com. A mecca for bird lovers and bird watchers, Backyard Birds is an independent family-owned business located in Matthews, NC (next to Dairy Queen), just southeast of Charlotte.

Thanks for listening to The Backyard Naturalists.  We hope you have a day filled with the wonders of nature. Get outside and take a walk on the wild side! Please don’t forget to leave a 5-star review for The Backyard Naturalists podcast on your favorite podcasting platform.

Production services for The Backyard Naturalists podcast are provided by Downtown Podcasting. To start a conversation on how you can have a podcast, simply send an email to [email protected].

In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists podcast, Debbie and Laurie take a break from their series on certifying your natural wildlife habitat to talk about pumpkins. They share a few interesting facts and figures about our favorite round, orange squash and tie the conversation back to the wildlife benefits of pumpkins.

Here are a few of the links The Backyard Naturalists share during this episode:

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service

The Farmers’ Almanac Information on Pumpkins

Word Record Pumpkin Pie

Birds and Blooms Magazine – Pumpkin Bird Feeders

Connect with the Backyard Naturalists on the web, Facebook and Instagram.

Please visit and support our presenting sponsor, Backyard Birds at http://www.thebirdfoodstore.com. A mecca for bird lovers and bird watchers, Backyard Birds is an independent family-owned business located in Matthews, NC (next to Dairy Queen), just southeast of Charlotte.

Thanks for listening to The Backyard Naturalists.  We hope you have a day filled with the wonders of nature. Get outside and take a walk on the wild side! Please don’t forget to leave a 5-star review for The Backyard Naturalists podcast.

Production services for The Backyard Naturalists podcast are provided by Downtown Podcasting. To start a conversation on how you can have a podcast, simply send an email to [email protected].

Believe it or not, both predators and prey need locations that provide cover. All types of wildlife require cover from inclement weather, too. That’s why The Backyard Naturalists share with you the many ways you can intentionally (and unintentionally) provide cover for the guests of your Certified Wildlife Habitat.

If you’d like more information on how you can turn your garden, backyard or green space into a Certified Wildlife Habitat, please visit the National Wildlife Federation on the web.

Connect with the Backyard Naturalists on the web, Facebook or Instagram.

Please visit and support our presenting sponsor, Backyard Birds at http://www.thebirdfoodstore.com. A mecca for bird lovers and bird watchers, Backyard Birds is an independent family-owned business located in Matthews, NC (next to Dairy Queen), just southeast of Charlotte.

Thanks for listening to The Backyard Naturalists.  We hope you have a day filled with the wonders of nature. Get outside and take a walk on the wild side! Please don’t forget to leave a 5-star review for The Backyard Naturalists podcast.

Production services for The Backyard Naturalists podcast are provided by Downtown Podcasting. To start a conversation on how you can have a podcast, simply send an email to [email protected].

A safe place for a mother to raise her young is a key component in any Certified Wildlife Habitat. Join Debbie and Laurie as they review a few of the common and out of the ordinary places they've seen. They're not just talking birds, but snakes and other animals too.

Connect with the Backyard Naturalists on the web, Facebook or Instagram. 

Please visit and support our presenting sponsor, Backyard Birds at http://www.thebirdfoodstore.com. A mecca for bird lovers and bird watchers, Backyard Birds is an independent family-owned business located in Matthews, NC (next to Dairy Queen), just southeast of Charlotte.

Thanks for listening to The Backyard Naturalists.  We hope you have a day filled with the wonders of nature. Get outside and take a walk on the wild side! Please don’t forget to leave a 5-star review for The Backyard Naturalists podcast.

Production services for The Backyard Naturalists podcast are provided by Downtown Podcasting. To start a conversation on how you can have a podcast, simply send an email to [email protected].

Food is another essential, required component of a wildlife habitat.  This week, Debbie and Laurie discuss which foods are consumed by which animals, and how you deliver the food for a particular species.  They'll also look at protecting the food from animals that don't know how to share!

Is that a copperhead !?!? Are snakes poisonous or venomous? What do I do if I find a snake in my yard? Reptile expert Jay Bell is the guest of The Backyard Naturalists this week and he answers these, plus many more snake related questions from Debbie and Laurie. 

Water is critical to all living beings.  We'll look at various ways and locations to provide it, and how to deter those pesky mosquitoes that like to lay their eggs in water.

If you love nature, make sure you check out The Backyard Naturalists.  We'll be discussing all things nature, from birds to bees, plants to possums, snakes to seed and much more!