Three of our very nice neighbors have asked us on separate occasions over the past month if we are planning to cut the grass. It's an interesting question. The answer is no. But what makes it interesting is what it means to say no to them. It makes us wonder if we have become the bad new neighbors who are lowering property values with the unsightly mass of five-foot tall grasses scattering their seed hither and yon. What does it say about us to let these grasses grow?
We tell our neighbors that we actually prefer to let the grasses go to seed. The diversity of plants is quite beautiful, and they all become elegant in their dotage. The goldfinches sing an even higher praise. And not only that, the quail family scurries and hides among them at the first sign of trouble. These two acres down by the pond are not lawn. They are habitat. We want it be as wild and natural as these overly ravaged lands can be anymore.
Does that make us bad neighbors? We don't think so. We are good neighbors to the wildlife that also make their home here. We don't spray poisons (like the previous owners). We have plans for flowers, a vegetable garden, fruit trees next spring; and a fence going up this week. We are good stewards of the land, trying to maintain the local flora as best we can.The interesting thing, in writing this post, is trying to determine which grasses are native here. I've discovered it's much easier to identify a bird than it is to figure out what kind of grass we're actually seeing. A whole new world has opened up, and it's going to take some time to see what should be encouraged and what should be yanked. We'll definitely keep you posted on this project.
I'm with you, I'd do the same thing! It'll be interesting to see what happens with the different grasses -- and the neighbors! Hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
I went away from lawns some years back after hearing about the damage they do, but you'd never know it with the sheep around the house. I have to fence flower beds and veggies as you probably will also as the deer were not the best discerners of what I wanted to keep
ReplyDeleteYou can move in next door to me anytime.
ReplyDeleteis their concern fire control or appearance? Fire control is one thing, aesthetics quite another. Keeping a wild habitat for your animals neighbors is a good thing!
ReplyDeleteApparently you are going to be the radical eco-lefties of the hood.
I've really got into native verses invasive species in the past few years. I haven't had to tackle anything as large as you're about to. Good luck and keep us updated.
ReplyDeleteIn the last few years our grassy meadows have gone to goldenrod. Nice to look at in the fall but they are hiding all the grasses. This summer I cut the goldenrod in our east pasture area so the goats and donkey could get to the grasses more easily. I am liking the way the meadow looks and seeing not only the grass but other wild flowers that had been missing or not seen among the goldenrod. I hope to cut more of the goldenrod next summer in other areas to let the grasses come back. (Good luck on the grass ID. There seems to be a totally new vocabulary and mind set required.)
ReplyDeleteKeeping part of your property natural is great for the wild life. Quail are my favorite birds and I would do anything to keep them around.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that same question ends up being asked no matter which coast you live on! Our neighbors have gently asked us similar things too about the roadside.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to deal with someone who wants it cut down to 3/4 inch at all times. You want the grasses to go to seed, and *then* perhaps mow the plants. That deals with the fire control issue, since succulent growing grasses are not as prone to burn. I guess you do have to be diligent if that's an issue, so the dead tall grasses do get cut down.
For us, it's a spring mowing, after those grasses emerge and produce seed and die back. And then it's a fall mowing, similarly, so the summer grasses can go to seed.
And the two mowings (for us) are a good idea, since it also removes the hardwood seedlings that are trying to take over the grassy areas. If hardwoods start to grow up then they're a real fire hazard. That's also a good reason for a once a year mowing, at least.
I wonder what they'd say if you said - no - we're going to burn once a year!! Which is an alternative to mowing ;-) .
Might be worth emailing someone who knows about tallgrass management. I'm thinking Doug Taron might be a good person to discuss this with. Many of the tallgrasses do require burns from time to time - probably something that would be a bit scary in your neighbourhood. They do them in some of the areas I visit in AZ - they want the tall grasses and other plants for cover for the birds, and to reseed, but the grasses are also a fire risk, so they do controlled burns from time to time.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, if it's not a fire risk issue, then your neighbours are probably just down on plants allowed to grow naturally. That's something that irks me greatly. How do they expect butterflies and other creatures to complete their life cycles, and birds to find food if you just keep hacking everything down. In recent years, back in Ontario, as a cost-cutting measure, the township stopped mowing the roadsides the way they used to do. The insect life that emerged from those roadsides the last couple of years I was at the farm was just astounding - plus, the roadsides were just so beautiful with abundant flowers. No doubt, some people thought they were ugly, but to hell with them! (-:
I imagine that when I'm finally in Hawley, that question will arise again and again. But to go up to my property in autumn when the asters and brown-eyed susans are a-bloom is to walk in a world humming with insect wings. It is astounding the number of insects that congregate there! So much beauty!
ReplyDeleteThis year, in this area, folks who had meadows rather than lawns, looked out on green vistas. The lawns all went dead in the drought.
Native bees cannot live in manicured lawns. They need bare ground, such as what you find where there are many broadleaf plants (aka "weeds").
Sometimes on roadsides, I do wish that landowners mowed where tall grass makes it hard to see oncoming traffic. Very dangerous. Fire hazard and poisonous snake hazard...I can understand the impulse to keep it short. But not otherwise. Not at all.
I mow in the immediate vicinity of the house, but not beyond it. I like the diversity of unmown meadows too.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you found this resource already:
ReplyDeleteThe California Native Grasslands Association
http://www.cnga.org/
I really do not understand the insnistence on golf course type lawns. It's a carryover from English lawns of yore, and needs to go away. it wastes water, it's just a control freaky kind of thing.
ReplyDeleteSo there!
Keep in mind that people and their buildings are the non-native invasives in your area and fire is nature's way of clearing the land. As much as you love your tall-grass habitat, your neighbors are seeing "fire hazard". Perhaps you can see your way to a compromise, by mowing a few times during the dry season.
ReplyDeletelove tractors for fence post holes! and good for you about the grasses!
ReplyDeleteCal Fire urges at least 30 feet of clearing for a defensable space, here in the central coast oak savannah. Check with your local Cal Fire stations to see what they require. It's not a bad idea to get to know your fire responders personally. (they love baked goodies) Let their wildland fire wisdom guide your choices.
ReplyDeleteIf there are invasives in your grasses, your neighbors may be anxious about them spreading. You can go to cal.gov for a list of noxious weeds in Nevada County, then keep them cut so they don't go to seed.
What do the folks at Peaceful Valley counsel?
I LONG for the day and place I can let grasses grow! Bravo and brava and ole to you!
ReplyDelete