Not long ago I talked to you all about sharing more of my life. I asked the question "How personal is too personal?" And based on some conversations I had with friends, family and readers (via facebook), I had decided I would go ahead and start writing some of that.
Well, turns out that isn't as easy as I thought it would be. I felt almost like I was stripping naked in a room full of strangers! Eeek! I spent a few hours typing, back-spacing, typing again, back-spacing more, etc...all while getting interrupted numerous times by my munchkins. I started two articles on Hubpages and both sit there today unfinished and unpublished.
It's hard sharing some of those life-defining moments that helped shape me into the person I am today. If I put it out there, I do believe my experiences can help others. But I also know I am making myself a target for some. Does that bother me? I'd be lying if I said it didn't to some degree. I do think I will end up finishing those articles, but I now understand that it's not as easy as talking to a person about it one on one. When talking to someone in person, I've decided that person is ready (or I hope they are) to know those things about me that most would never guess. When publishing my experiences on a public forum, well, I have no control where that goes or who sees it or how they take it. I guess I kind of knew that going into this, but thinking about it while writing makes me more careful about choosing my words.
So anyway, one day, hopefully soon, I'll find the right words and the courage to finish those articles and put them up for all to see. Until then, this will have to be enough :) God bless!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Big Things Are Happening!
Well, a few weeks ago a friend of mine invited me to a party. Actually, she invited me to 3 parties total. I really didn't want to go. It was a home sales type thing and I just don't get into that. I've tried Avon and ended up spending more than I made (that and I had a really hard time pushing the cosmetics because I felt like I was telling people they needed those products because they weren't attractive they way they looked now! Hah!) Anyway, I avoided things like pampered chef, tupperware, the jewelry parties and all of that. I felt that people could easily get by without these things and couldn't bring myself to convince them they needed them, though I do believe that many of these companies do make good products overall.
These parties I was trying to avoid were for Norwex. I finally went to one after my friend called me several times on the day of the 3rd party. I told her that even if I went, not to expect anything because I just don't get into things like this. She said that was fine, and just hoped I would come and see what it was all about. Well, I did, and it changed my mind in a big way!
Norwex is all about earth-friendly, chemical free and effective products. They have a micro-fiber cloth infused with micro-silver (which never launders out of the cloth) that does incredible things. I had to see it with my own eyes to believe it. It does these things using the cloth and water. I watched butter being wiped off a mirror and within seconds that mirror was more streak-free than anything I've ever seen using various cleaners and many paper towels. I watched it wipe up all trace of a raw chicken breast in seconds and it doesn't transfer that nastiness over when you take that same cloth and clean another area. Incredible!
Anyway, I don't want to sound like an infomercial. Needless to say I was impressed. I saw myself getting rid of my sanitizing cleaners, using much fewer paper towels and getting my cleaning done much faster with less headache. I also saw myself being able to talk about these products with friends without feeling like I was pushing something unnecessary on them. I felt so good about what I learned of this company, that a few weeks after that party, I signed up to be a consultant with them.
This is a great opportunity for those looking to make extra money to supplement lost income, or even to become their main income. It's not without effort though. You have to put yourself out there to be successful. You have to be comfortable talking with people, or at least seem like you're comfortable ;-)
Norwex talks about honesty and integrity in their core values--something that impressed me. They're generous to work for, they're generous to their party hostesses too! They also back up what they sell, which is a huge deal for me.
So how has this worked out for me? Well, so far I've done very well and am already coming out ahead in the expense/profit aspect. I've got several avenues I can explore to take this further and I'm getting more and more excited the more I use the products I'm now selling. Win-win!
If you want more information on Norwex and their products, feel free to check out my website: nelliebutler.norwex.biz.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Scammers, Scammers Everywhere!
There were several cars listed in our price range, but some of them jumped out at us because they were in great condition, had low miles and they were priced way below one would expect. I know sometimes people are desperate to sell and will therefore take a loss, but when I saw several of the sellers were taking a $2000 loss on a $3000 car, or a $3000 loss on $4500 car, that seemed a little too good to be true. But there was still a part of me that was hoping that maybe this was legit. I mean, they had several pictures posted for the car, had all the details a person would want to know, and even admitted to a few tiny dings....So I looked for a phone number. There wasn't one. I couldn't find a contact name either. I could only contact the seller via email. Well, that got my suspicion up even more. I was sure at this point that something was up, but I couldn't just let it go. I had to see what this person would say if I expressed interest.
I sent an email saying simply "When can we come look at the car?" The next day I got a deeply personal sounding response:
The 2001 Ford Focus SE is in perfect condition, no electric problems, no accidents/liens/loans. No scratches, never been repainted. Ihave all the car manuals, title,documents. I'm selling this car because my child of only 23 died 4 months ago in a car accident,a drunk driver hit him and his fiancee. He was with his fiance's car coming to our home at his little brother birthday of 15 years old. The car belonged to my son and it brings me bad memories and that's the reason I want to sell it. The last price is $1,500. Me and my husband travel a lot with our business and we want to make this deal through eBay's Buyer Protection Program. I just need your full name,full shipping address, home/cell # so I can open a case.(with no further obligation or fees).eBay will contact you with all the Transaction/shipping details you will need.We will take care of the shipping so don't worry.
We hope to hear soon from you.
P.S. For more pictures please click the link
http://www.use.com/599b37d25b69b92b5cee
Thank you for your interest!Ella and Ben Genton
Also you have here some details about the Focus:
Mileage: 84,300 miles
Vehicle title: Clear
Engine: 2.0L L4 PFI SOHC 8V
Transmission type: Automatic
Well, it turns out I had read up on this type of scam, and knew what would follow. They would require that I wire them the money, and then they would say the car would be shipped. There is no car to ship. Also, eBay states clearly on their website that they do not allow wire-transfers. So you'll be out the money and have no car to show for it.
Anyway, don't fall for a deal like this. Remember that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is! There are ways to get a car that is affordable, and often you can find those deals on classified sites. But never pay for a car you haven't seen from someone you don't know. Don't wire money to a stranger. When you find the scams, report them. And if you're looking for more tips on buying a car, you can read my article on Hubpages here.
Awesome Deal on the Pass of All Passes
I've talked about the Pass of All Passes before, and at that time it was a really good deal. Today though, until 8pm, it's an AWESOME deal! We love this pass. You not only get a season pass for Seven Peaks Water Park (both locations), but you also get access to various sporting events for free, as well as Fun Centers. Right now you can get these passes for under $20! If you live in Northern Utah, you can't pass this deal up.
Here's what's included:
Here's what's included:
The Utah Pass of all Passes includes the following per person:
- Admission to Seven Peaks Salt Lake Waterpark on normal days (and hours) of operation
- Admission to Seven Peaks Provo Waterpark on normal days (and hours) of operation
- Unlimited use of the following attractions at Trafalga Fun Center in Orem: Mini Golf, Blacklight Mini Golf, Slick Track, XD Theater, and Batting Cages.
- Unlimited use of the following attractions at Trafalga Fun Center in Lehi: Mini golf, Blacklight Mini Golf, Laser Tag, Rock Climbing, Slick Track, Bumper Boats, Rush Coaster, Carousel, Kiddie Area, Pirate Ship Ride, Plane Ride, and Lighthouse Ride.
- Unlimited bowling Monday - Thursday at new the new Seven Peaks Fun Center (formerly Karen Pullman's) in Sandy, UT - Now Open!
- One Lift Ticket per person per day to Wolf Mountain Ski Resort from 9 am-4 pm on certain dates (see details below)
- General Admission seating to select Utah Blaze Home Games (Dates to be announced)
- General Admission seating to select Utah Grizzlies Home Games (see details below)
- Unlimited general admission tickets to all Orem Owlz Home Baseball games (see details below)
- Unlimited general admission tickets to all Ogden Raptors Home Baseball games (see details below)
- Unlimited general admission to all Utah Valley University sporting events
- General admission to the Peaks Ice Arena on certain dates (see details below)
Terms and Conditions
*Seven Peaks Waterpark, Salt Lake (formerly Raging Waters):
Grants admission on normal days (and hours) of operation
Also includes exclusive hours for all Pass of All Pass holders from 9:30 – 11:00 AM before the park opens to the public at 11:00 AM!
*Seven Peaks Waterpark, Provo:
Grants admission on normal days (and hours) of operation
Also includes exclusive hours for all Pass of All Pass holders from 9:30 – 11:00 AM before the park opens to the public at 11:00 AM!
*Trafalga Fun Center, Orem:
Grants unlimited use of the following attractions:
-Unlimited Mini Golf
-Unlimited Blacklight Mini Golf
-Unlimited Slick Track
-Unlimited XD Theater
-Unlimited Batting Cages
-Does not include arcade tokens
*Trafalga Fun Center, Lehi:
Grants unlimited use of the following attractions:
-Unlimited Mini Golf
-Unlimited Laser Tag
-Unlimited Rock Climbing
-Unlimited Blacklight Mini Golf
-Unlimited Slick Track
-Unlimited Bumper Boats
-Unlimited Rush Coaster
-Unlimited Carousel
-Unlimited Kiddie Area
-Unlimited Pirate Ship Ride
-Unlimited Plane Ride
-Unlimited Lighthouse Ride
-Does not include game cards or arcade tokens
*Wolf Mountain Resort (Skiing/snowboarding):
Grants one lift ticket per person per day to the resort from 9 AM – 4 PM, Monday-Wednesday on dates below (pending snow conditions):
- February 6-15, 2012
- March 5-21, 2012
*Utah Blaze (Football):
Grants general admission seating to (3) home games (one ticket per home game per pass, game dates to be announced):
Location: Energy Solutions Arena, 301 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah
*Utah Grizzlies (Hockey):
Grants general admission seating to (4) home games
- February 15, 2012
Location: 3200 Decker Lake Drive, West Valley City, UT 84119
*Orem Owlz (Baseball):
Grants unlimited general admission tickets (one per home game per pass)
Location: Brent Brown Ballpark, University Parkway at I-15, Orem, UT
*Ogden Raptors (Baseball):
Grants unlimited general admission tickets (one per home game per pass)
Location: Lindquist Field on Lincoln Avenue, Ogden, UT
*Utah Valley University Sports:
Grants unlimited general admission tickets to all UVU sporting events (one per home game per pass)
*Peaks Ice Arena:
Grants general admission for ice skating during normal public hours on the following dates:
- March 26 - May 26, 2012
*Seven Peaks Fun Center Bowling:
Grants unlimited admission for bowling Monday - Thursday
7984 South 1300 East, Sandy, UT
(formerly Karen Pullman's)
*Seating to all sporting events is first-come, first-served.*
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Income Tax Time!
It's that time of year again. Time for all of us to file our taxes and hope for a great return. This year we were disappointed to find out that we just barely fell short of the medical deduction. Bummer. We did find other deductions we qualifed for though and ended up with a better return that we thought we'd get, so it was all good in the end!
For the last ten or so years we've filed our taxes with Holman's Tax Service. They're a family business based in Brigham City, Utah and they come to our home. You'd think this would cost an arm and a leg. In fact, they are the best deal we've found! Heaven knows that before we discovered them, we spent way too much going to other tax preparers. We even tried doing our own taxes once (not something I'd want to repeat, as I'm sure there were things we missed that could've benefited us).
Anyway, based on our high praise of these guys, several family and friends have also started using Holman's. I highly recommend them, and challenge others to find a more honest, hard working, personable and AFFORDABLE tax accountant. It wouldn't be easy.
So if you're looking for someone to prepare your tax return this year, but don't want to break the bank, give them a call. Tell them Nellie Butler sent you!
Holman Tax Service
130 N 200 E, Brigham City, UT 84302
(435) 723-8764
For the last ten or so years we've filed our taxes with Holman's Tax Service. They're a family business based in Brigham City, Utah and they come to our home. You'd think this would cost an arm and a leg. In fact, they are the best deal we've found! Heaven knows that before we discovered them, we spent way too much going to other tax preparers. We even tried doing our own taxes once (not something I'd want to repeat, as I'm sure there were things we missed that could've benefited us).
Anyway, based on our high praise of these guys, several family and friends have also started using Holman's. I highly recommend them, and challenge others to find a more honest, hard working, personable and AFFORDABLE tax accountant. It wouldn't be easy.
So if you're looking for someone to prepare your tax return this year, but don't want to break the bank, give them a call. Tell them Nellie Butler sent you!
Holman Tax Service
130 N 200 E, Brigham City, UT 84302
(435) 723-8764
These Times Are Tough
I won't sugar-coat it. The last year has been a hard one for my family financially. We've learned many ways to cut costs, which have been great, but in the last four years, we've lost $20,000/year of our income. Not an easy thing thing to recover from, by any means. We've made more than a few mistakes along the way, but so far, with God's help, we've made it this far. Against all odds we were even able to successfully modify our mortgage.
So now I'm looking even more into ways to earn some extra income. It's not so easy to sniff out those legitimate opportunities. On the plus-side, my traffic is picking up on Hubpages, Which means I should get my first check next month. I can't wait.
I've decided to write more articles there, and thought I might do some more personal ones--memoir, or personal essay style. The only thing is, I can't decide how personal to make them. I know that not everyone cares to read about others' trials. But I also know there are others out there with similar experiences who might want to see how someone else has made it through those hard times. But some of the trials I've gone through......well, they're not the usual things people will discuss.
Is there a line that shouldn't be crossed when relating memories from the past? I called my mom and asked her how she felt about this. She's always been very supportive of my writing, and also helped me to not repress those emotions that come from things experienced in the past. She thought it was a good idea, but said to be careful about how much I share. I'm sure there's a balance there, as there is in most things (if not all things) in life. With God's help, I'll find it.
So now I'm looking even more into ways to earn some extra income. It's not so easy to sniff out those legitimate opportunities. On the plus-side, my traffic is picking up on Hubpages, Which means I should get my first check next month. I can't wait.
I've decided to write more articles there, and thought I might do some more personal ones--memoir, or personal essay style. The only thing is, I can't decide how personal to make them. I know that not everyone cares to read about others' trials. But I also know there are others out there with similar experiences who might want to see how someone else has made it through those hard times. But some of the trials I've gone through......well, they're not the usual things people will discuss.
 |
| How personal is too personal? |
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Say it Ain't Broke!
Okay, before I get started--yes, I'm fully aware that's not proper English! Haha!
So last week I was using my laptop (in fact I think I had just finished doing a post here), when all of the sudden it started making a horrible rattling sound. My heart stopped as I stared at it in horror, both waiting for and fearing what would happen next. When the noise continued, I hurriedly shut it off and set it down. I looked around for some assurance that I didn't hear what I just thought I heard. It's nearly Christmas, my laptop can't be broken now! How inconvenient--not to mention potentially expensive!
The only one who could offer any assurance was my one year old....and let me tell you, I wasn't all that comforted by her toothy grin at that moment. I picked my laptop up, gave it a gentle shake to see if there was anything rattling around in there and heard nothing. Hmmm....curious. So I took a deep breath and pushed the button to turn it back on. I started to let out a sigh of relief when it came on, with none of the awful rattling that prompted me to shut it off in the first place.
Well, that relief was short-lived. A message popped up saying that there was a dysfunction with my fan and if I continued to use my computer it would blow up in my face and all would be lost forever! Okay, okay, so it didn't word it exactly like that, but that's about what I got from it. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'd already had the fan replaced six months ago. It just figures that it would go out again, now that the warranty was up LAST MONTH! Ugh!
I knew that sending it to the manufacturer with no warranty was going to cost mega-bucks. I don't have mega bucks. I don't even almost have mega bucks. After much hmm-ing and hah-ing, I decided to check on KSL classifieds. I mean, you can find just about anything on there. There had to be a repairman for sale right? You know what I mean....
Turns out there were multiple listings for computer repair. I narrowed down the search to my area and found one in my very town. That's when those cautionary tales started to come to mind. How did I know this stranger I was about to call could really fix my laptop? Just because he called his company Computer Nerds Consulting didn't necessarily mean I should trust him with my computer, right? Well, I figured I would call, get a feel for the person while talking to them about my laptop issue and then decide if I felt comfortable going that route.
Turns out I was in good hands. Funny enough I'd called a friend of ours whom I didn't know repaired computers in his spare time. Anyway, we had a good laugh about the fact that I hadn't recognized his number when calling it (or his voice when he answered said number), and then he assured me that he could indeed fix my laptop.
Well, I now have my laptop back and it's working better than ever (no more overheating either). I thought I should share my good fortune in finding an affordable and trustworthy computer repairman with others who find themselves in my shoes. They service Utah Valley to Salt Lake Valley all the way to Bear River Valley from east to west (to quote their website). The best part? They come to you at no extra charge! Oh, and they also say that if you're outside of their service area to still give them a call to see if they can help you.
You really won't find more affordable--and more importantly--trustworthy hands to fix your device. Oh and they help with other things too, check out their website for more information.
So if you are in need of some help, give them a call:
Computer Nerds Consulting
http://compnerds.webs.com
801-698-9317
Comp.Nerds@digis.net
So last week I was using my laptop (in fact I think I had just finished doing a post here), when all of the sudden it started making a horrible rattling sound. My heart stopped as I stared at it in horror, both waiting for and fearing what would happen next. When the noise continued, I hurriedly shut it off and set it down. I looked around for some assurance that I didn't hear what I just thought I heard. It's nearly Christmas, my laptop can't be broken now! How inconvenient--not to mention potentially expensive!
The only one who could offer any assurance was my one year old....and let me tell you, I wasn't all that comforted by her toothy grin at that moment. I picked my laptop up, gave it a gentle shake to see if there was anything rattling around in there and heard nothing. Hmmm....curious. So I took a deep breath and pushed the button to turn it back on. I started to let out a sigh of relief when it came on, with none of the awful rattling that prompted me to shut it off in the first place.
Well, that relief was short-lived. A message popped up saying that there was a dysfunction with my fan and if I continued to use my computer it would blow up in my face and all would be lost forever! Okay, okay, so it didn't word it exactly like that, but that's about what I got from it. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'd already had the fan replaced six months ago. It just figures that it would go out again, now that the warranty was up LAST MONTH! Ugh!
I knew that sending it to the manufacturer with no warranty was going to cost mega-bucks. I don't have mega bucks. I don't even almost have mega bucks. After much hmm-ing and hah-ing, I decided to check on KSL classifieds. I mean, you can find just about anything on there. There had to be a repairman for sale right? You know what I mean....
Turns out there were multiple listings for computer repair. I narrowed down the search to my area and found one in my very town. That's when those cautionary tales started to come to mind. How did I know this stranger I was about to call could really fix my laptop? Just because he called his company Computer Nerds Consulting didn't necessarily mean I should trust him with my computer, right? Well, I figured I would call, get a feel for the person while talking to them about my laptop issue and then decide if I felt comfortable going that route.
Turns out I was in good hands. Funny enough I'd called a friend of ours whom I didn't know repaired computers in his spare time. Anyway, we had a good laugh about the fact that I hadn't recognized his number when calling it (or his voice when he answered said number), and then he assured me that he could indeed fix my laptop.
Well, I now have my laptop back and it's working better than ever (no more overheating either). I thought I should share my good fortune in finding an affordable and trustworthy computer repairman with others who find themselves in my shoes. They service Utah Valley to Salt Lake Valley all the way to Bear River Valley from east to west (to quote their website). The best part? They come to you at no extra charge! Oh, and they also say that if you're outside of their service area to still give them a call to see if they can help you.
You really won't find more affordable--and more importantly--trustworthy hands to fix your device. Oh and they help with other things too, check out their website for more information.
So if you are in need of some help, give them a call:
Computer Nerds Consulting
http://compnerds.webs.com
801-698-9317
Comp.Nerds@digis.net
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Even Better than I Thought
We've discovered new series to watch, as well as got to catch up on episodes we'd missed out on with old favorites. Our new favorite is Psych. Too funny! We try to watch an episode each week together if we can. There's also some old movie favorites they offer on there too. They're not always the more popular movies you hear about, but we've found a lot of good ones nonetheless.
As for the new episodes of any series that we can't get through Netflix yet, we can usually find those on the network websites. It's free to watch, but the downside is that we do have to watch the commercials. Perish the thought! Yeah, I remember the day when that was a given. Oh how DVR has spoiled us over the years!
I hadn't realized how satisfied I was with the way things worked out until this week when Dish Network started calling us to get us to come back. Keep in mind that we were happy with their service for the most part, and they were very generous with the discounts because I'd call them and remind them that I was a longtime customer (about 10 years long!) and ask for them to give me a better deal. They would every time. I always had a discount on my bill. In fact, I even wrote an article letting people know how they could do that themselves. You can find it on Hubpages here.
Anyway, I wasn't even tempted to go back. The kids are happy with what's available to them on Netflix. Hubby gets to watch all those History Channel shows he loves so much and I get to find all those romantic British period pieces based on the novels I've loved and even many that I didn't know about. Win-Win!
Oh, and I thought I should mention that Hulu is another option you can look into for new episodes for many TV shows. It's free to use their regular service, or they even have a paid service that offers even more called Hulu Plus. I've only ever used the free service though.
So I just thought I'd let you know how great it's been working out for us. Maybe I've even inspired some of you who looking to save some money to make that jump too.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
The Throw-away Box
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| My 3 youngest children getting ready for the day....sort of! |
As you can imagine, having five children can create a lot of work around the house. Things can get out of control rather quickly if I don't stay on top of things, and getting sick can be a way to turn the house into a disaster area!
Since it can be a lot to handle for me, and because I believe in teaching my children responsibility which they can carry with them into adulthood, I've come up with several tools to get a handle on the mess. The latest tool is "The Throw-away Box." Doesn't that just make you cringe? No? That's okay, it's not meant to make you cringe, but I hope it gets my children's attention!
Believe it or not, it's easier for me to keep the house clean during the times school isn't in session. The kids all know what they have to do so they can hang out with friends, play video games or other such things. So they generally accomplish this at the start of the day and then do their fun things after they're finished.
During the school year, however, the older kids are so bombarded with homework, projects, music practice, sports and activities of that nature that they just come in, throw off their backpacks, take out all their papers, books, instruments, etc; take off shoes and socks and any jackets they may be wearing, run for a snack and then dig in to their homework/lessons/practice, etc.
So regardless of how clean the house is before they get home, it quickly looks like a tornado hit it within the first 15 minutes of them being home. I tried to keep up, but it just made me grumpy. Imagine that! So I decided that even though they have other work to do outside of home, that shouldn't exempt them from cleaning up after themselves! Right? Of course! I don't imagine they'll have a maid with them at college, so they better learn this lesson now.
Here's where "The Throw-away Box" comes in. After a long day of canning and all that entails, and taking care of my younger two children, I was exasperated to watch my freshly picked-up living room become littered in the flurry of my returning school children.
"That's it!" I said. "No more!"
They momentarily stopped in the process of shoveling papers out of their packs and discarding them willy-nilly, to look at their wild-eyed mother. But those wide-eyed, innocent looks weren't going to stop me from laying down the law.
"Tyler, go get me a box." I commanded my teenager.
"A box?" He asked, clearly confused.
"Yes, a box," I affirmed. When he came back with it, I set it down in the middle of the mess in my living room. "You see this box? This is where everything that I find out of place is going to go." I started to pick up their belongings and shoved them in the box.
"Okay." My seven year old didn't seem bothered by this one bit. The older two just watched me warily.
"I'm not finished," I told them. "If, by the end of the day, your things are still in the box, I will assume you no longer want or need them and will take them out to the trash. No exceptions, no second-chances."
They all look horrified and immediately started to grab for the items that I'd already put in the box. I stopped them for a moment to add one last warning: "And if I find any of those items that you've taken out of the box out of place again, they will go straight to the trash. Understand?"
They all ran to put their things where they belonged and at the end of the day, the box was empty. Does that mean I haven't had to put things in the box since then? No. It's only been a few days of this new rule, and so far they've been catching their items before they end up in the trash, but haven't quite stopped them from making it into the box in the first place. On the plus side, the box hasn't been getting as full as it did the first day. Progress? I like to think so!
Anyway, we'll see how this goes. Somewhere we need to find the right balance of work for everyone. School can be demanding, and so can the other activities the kids have going on. That's why I limit their extra-curriculars so they don't get so bogged down. But with five children, that still makes for a full schedule most weeks.
So what do you think? Am I just a mean mom? Or maybe some think I'm a pushover? Haha! What do you do in your family? I'd love to hear your ideas and solutions!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Get rid of Garden Pests Naturally
Anyway, this year we faced a few pests during our gardening ventures. Some of them were recognized and returning foes (such as squash bugs), some were newly recognized problems (like aphids) and some were new and terrible surprises (more on that in a moment).
The squash bugs are my sworn enemy. They feast on the juices of my zucchini and pumpkin plants, while at the same time poisoning them. They mate constantly too, causing their numbers to explode if you don't catch them quickly. Last year was the first time we encountered them and I scrambled for a way to get rid of them.
I nearly went the pesticide route, but a combination of not really wanting that on my fruits and veggies and also considering that one of our neighbors has bees made me change my mind. Instead I squished any bug I found immediately (and tried to ignore the pungent odor that filled the air afterwards) and destroyed the eggs I found on the undersides of the leaves. I think the presence of a garden snake might've helped to push things in our favor too. Keeping ahead of these bugs was tedious, but eventually, the balance was restored and only one of our plants wasn't able to recover.
This year I only found a few squash bugs and killed them immediately, so it wasn't a big deal. Unfortunately, the aphids took their place. I first found those nasty little aphids on our plum tree, which I treated with a mixture of Dawn, canola oil and water to kill the buggers. We saved the tree, but didn't get any fruit from it this year. Next year, we'll know what to look for and nip them in the bud sooner. The aphids caused the leaves to shrivel and curl, and when I uncurled the leaves I found dozens of them hiding there.
Then the aphids made their way to my zucchini. Yes, that squash seems to be a favorite among pests. I actually noticed some lady bugs hanging about, along with some damsel flies and lacewings, so I decided to see what would happen. Those beneficial bugs won out and I finally got to harvest some squash without so much as a single drop of pesticide. Turns out you can order these beneficial bugs on the internet or they may even be carried at your local greenhouse if you find that they're in short supply in your yard.
I feel good about the way we handled these pests because I know we haven't harmed any of our pollinating friends, especially the honeybee! This is no small thing considering the current plight we're facing with the vanishing bee population due to Colony Collapse Disorder. The current data points to pesticides (especially systemics) as a possible culprit, and yet despite the compelling evidence, many of these pesticides are still being used liberally. Well, not by our family :)
If you want to know more about this, we recently watched an excellent documentary on the subject called Vanishing of the Bees and they have a great website where you can find more about it.
And finally, there is the nasty surprise we got in our corn crop this year. I kept finding knocked over stalks and partially eaten cobs of corn littering the ground each morning when I went out to the garden. I couldn't figure out what was causing this problem, so I decided to research it. Turns out it was raccoons. So not only did we have to be careful of them getting into our chicken coop, but we also had to keep them out of our garden. We were able to get rid of them successfully, so I decided to write an article about it on HubPages: How to Keep Raccoons out of a Garden. Hopefully it will help others who encounter the same problem. I never knew raccoons could be so troublesome until this last year. At least we figured out how to handle it without too much trouble.
Well, I just thought I'd share what we learned this year. Hopefully it will help some of you out there facing the same pests!
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