The Worth of Nature: Backyard Stories by Alan Haney

Eldridge Cleaver said, “You either have to be part of the solution, or you’re going to be part of the problem.” Cleaver was bright man, a leader in the civil rights movement, but I think he got this one wrong,...

Rumination in My Garden: Backyard Stories by Alan Haney

One of the more cherished benefits from my backyard is the space it allows me for soul-searching and deep thinking. In today’s hustle-bustle world, we too often fill every available minute with mindless things, or at least things that occupy...

Snails and Slugs: Backyard Stories by Alan Haney

A telltale trail of slime revealed where the slug had spent the early morning hours working its way from one side of the broccoli leaf to the other during the night. The past two days of rain opened the opportunity...

Social Events: Backyard Stories by Alan Haney

We have two social events each year at the farm, in addition to many visits with friends and family.  Both of our social events celebrate our union with the earth.  In the autumn, it is cider pressing, usually in October,...

Incredible Ants: Backyard Stories by Alan Haney

I suppose it is human nature to assume that things are more interesting “over the fence”…the “grass is always greener” phenomenon. If we lean too hard that way, we overlook that which is beneath our feet, in our own backyards....