By John Dielman
The Commack Cougars were no match for the Patriots at Ward Melville High School’s homecoming Oct. 19. The home team did not disappoint, delivering a 35-14 win on the big day.
The win topped off the homecoming carnival, and during the game, both the junior varsity and varsity cheerleaders performed as well as the school’s band.
The Patriots now are at 4-2 in Division I, while Commack is 3-3. The Ward Melville football team will travel to Sachem East Oct. 25. Game time is 6 p.m.
By Leah Chiappino
Local libraries are setting aside time this weekend to focus on community, service, and volunteerism. On Saturday, Oct. 19, over 160 libraries throughout New York State are participating in the 3rd annual Great Give Back, a program started by the Suffolk County Public Library Directors Association and the Suffolk Cooperative Library System in 2017. It expanded to Nassau County in 2018, before turning into a statewide initiative this year. Each library selects its own service projects, from medicine disposal initiatives to crocheting mice for local animal shelters.
Lisa DeVerna, head of public relations at Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket, praised the initiative. “All libraries do these types of activities throughout the year. But I love the idea that on one day, ALL of the libraries have community service events,” she said. “It’s a celebration of giving back. When you combine them together, there is a great variety of services throughout Long Island, thanks to libraries.”
To find out what your local library might be planning, visit www.thegreatgiveback.org. The following is a sampling of events open to all with no registration necessary.
Emma S. Clark Memorial Library
120 Main St., Setauket
“At Emma Clark Library we’ve decided to participate by focusing on animals because really, who doesn’t love helping animals?” DeVerna said. October 19 kicks off the library’s pet food drive, which will continue until the end of the month. New, unopened pet food (both canned and dry) is appreciated and all are welcome to donate (residents or nonresidents) and all residents and nonresidents are welcome to donate during library hours, as there will be a bin in the lobby. Call 631-941-4080.
North Shore Public Library
250 Route 25A, Shoreham
From 2:30 to 4 p.m., the community can write letters, draw pictures or make cards to be included in the Operation Gratitude Care Packages that are sent to troops. The organization has a special need for letters specifically written for new recruits, veterans and first responders. While you write and draw, husband and wife Susan and Don will present a concert titled Memorable Melodies and refreshments will be provided. The library is also conducting a sock drive, which will be donated to Maureen’s Haven, a Homeless Outreach serving LI East End for its weekly foot clinic. Call 631-929-4488.
Huntington Public Library
338 Main St., Huntington
At its main building campus, the library will host a Volunteer Fair from 2 to 5 p.m. featuring representatives from more than 25 local organizations including The Guide Dog Foundation, America’s VetDots, Huntington Hospital, League of Women Voters of Huntington, Literacy Suffolk, Northport Cat Rescue Association and Island Harvest. Call 631-427-5165.
Middle Country Public Library
101 Eastwood Blvd., Centereach
575 Middle Country Road, Selden
At the library’s Centereach branch volunteers can write letters to service members from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will also be a tote bag decorating station for homeless shelters and food pantries from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and a pet toy-making station to donate to local animal shelters from 1 to 3 p.m. At the library’s Selden Branch there will be an opportunity to make superhero kits for children in foster care from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., couponing for troops from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and planting of daffodil bulbs from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. All are welcome and no registration is required. Call 631-585-9393.
Cold Spring Harbor Library
95 Harbor Road, Cold Spring Harbor
A Pet Adoption Fair will be held in the library’s parking lot from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Stop by and adopt a new friend and enjoy delicious pet-themed treats provided by IBake and Flynn Baking Co. Call 631-692-6820.
Port Jefferson Free Library
100 Thompson St., Port Jefferson
The library will be conducting an all day food collection drive for a local food pantry for The Great Give Back. Donations of beans or canned vegetables, canned fruit, cereal, oatmeal, pasta, baby wipes, soap, shampoo, conditioner, toilet paper, tissues, diapers, hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, hand lotion and disinfectant spray are appreciated. Call 631-473-0022 for further information.
Smithtown Library
Main Branch, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown
The Smithtown Library will be hosting an Adopt a Soldier, Craft Program from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in which families will be able to make a card or write a letter, thanking a current service member or veteran for their service. The cards will be given to America’s Adopt a Soldier program, a Virginia-based organization involved in veterans support services and outreach. Open to all. Call 631-360-2480.
Sachem Public Library
150 Holbrook Road, Holbrook
From noon to 4 p.m. the library will be taking part in Crochet for a Cause, in which people can crochet blanket squares that will be assembled to donated to local adult homes. Participants can also crochet toy mice for local animal shelters “We settled on that program because it’s a real hands-on program for all ages. Some basic crochet skills are helpful and people are welcome to bring their own supplies, but we will have [needles and yarn],” said librarian Cara Perry. For more information, call 631-588-5024.
Comsewogue Public Library
170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. the library will host a Volunteer Fair for adults and teens featuring representatives from a variety of organizations seeking volunteers. Participants may drop in at any time during the event to learn about where and how they are needed to assist within the community. Call 631-928-1212.
Instead of selling their property to a developer for nearly $2 million, the family of Walter S. Commerdinger, Jr. sold to Suffolk County in 2006 their property on the north side of Lake Ronkonkoma with its historic home, circa 1810, for a reported $1.2 million. The idea, said Commerdinger’s heir, Paul Albert, was to turn the site into a living museum to honor the legacy of the family, regarded as one of Nesconset’s earliest settlers.
The home, which was in pristine condition when sold, has sat vacant for more than a decade now and has been repeatedly vandalized. Despite being awarded $100,000 in grant money for repairs from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, the county has allegedly not yet followed through with its end of the bargain.
Both parties aim to renegotiate the agreement.
Marie Gruick is a member of Nesconset Chamber of Commerce and she’s been helping Albert navigate the situation he’s facing with the government.
“They keep saying they’re broke,” Gruick said. “It’s been a bunch of empty promises. They just gave other communities $500,000 for a parking lot.”
The situation, though, highlights the challenges of preserving history on Long Island and in New York in general. Commerdinger Park and Marion Carll Farm, in Commack, are two examples of families hoping to preserve history with gifts of historic homes and properties to public entities. Both sites have historic homes that have fallen into a state of disrepair.
Sara Kautz is the preservation director of Preservation Long Island. The not-for-profit organization works with Long Islanders to protect, preserve, and celebrate cultural heritage through advocacy, education, and stewardship of historic sites and collections. The organization offers many services for free. She said that more and more places are at risk.
John Kennedy Jr. (R) served as Nesconset’s county legislator in 2006 and helped facilitate the initial transaction for the Commerdinger site. Kennedy now serves as county comptroller and is running for county executive. His wife Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) now serves as county legislator for District 12. She said there are no new updates.
“There’s a contract that everyone is reading through, so Commerdinger can join up with Smithtown Historical Society,” Leslie Kennedy said. “But it’s all in the talk stage.”
Gruick said the park is the last green space in Nesconset and its trails stretch to Lake Ronkonkoma. If the county isn’t interested in maintaining the home, she said, they should give it back. The family formed a 501(c)3 nonprofit, W.S. Commerdinger Jr. County Park Preservation Society, in 2008 to serve as stewards for the site but have been unable to accomplish what needs to be done for the house and its buildings. They say they feel like they’re on a merry-go-round.
“How long is the county going to dangle carrots,” Gruick said.
The most immediate task, Gruick and Albert said, is to get PSEGLI to hook up the electricity to the site, so they can install security cameras to prevent further damage and to get county water hookup. What Gruick doesn’t understand, she said, is why the county is telling them that hooking up to electricity needs to go to bid if PSEGLI is the business that connects electricity.
The county said in response to our inquiries that the order is in with PSEG, which needs to schedule the work. They could not provide a time frame for electric hookup and could only say that the request has been in for a while.
Albert said that he has collections of antiques, including pottery crafted in the first kiln brought to America. He had hoped to move the pieces into the site by now. Formerly a banker, Albert said that he needs a lawyer that specializes in preservation but is unsure who has that expertise.
Kathryn Curran is the executive director of the Gardiner Foundation, a philanthropic group that supports historic preservation projects for 501(c)3 organizations with an education mission, but not for schools.
The foundation offers $5 million in grants annually and said that some projects go more smoothly than others. When a municipality owns a building, she said, they typically have a contract in place with a “friends” group to manage the property.
“The money is allocated to the friends group, not the municipality,” she said.
Because of the “friends” agreements with government, she said the group needs town approval for the work and the contracts it hopes to secure. For some reason, towns or government entities don’t always feel comfortable with the process.
“We’re trying to give historic educational experiences to enhance a community,” she said. “It’s a downtown revitalization gift.”
She said that local businesses benefit when these projects are completed, so she doesn’t always understand herself why governments are reluctant. She said that many people are willing to volunteer as part of a friends group. These people, she noted, are also a precious gift.
“It appears they don’t want to be beholden to private money,” she said.
Gruick and Albert said they are frustrated but remain hopeful. They plan to meet with officials in the Town of Smithtown in the upcoming weeks for help.
Centereach boys soccer, now at 3-5 in the league, had their hands full when they took on Smithtown West. The Bulls sit atop the League III leaderboard at 8-1 after beating the Cougars, 3-0, Oct. 11.
Senior Andrew Agunzo broke the ice for the Bulls 11 minutes into the opening half with a goal to take the early lead. The Cougars struggled for shots on goal as Smithtown West dominated the second half when senior forward Trevor Harrison scored the insurance goal and scored again to seal the deal. Ryan Jenkins had five stops in goal for the Cougars.
The Cougars battled Huntington at home Oct. 16. Game results were not available at press time.
Smithtown West is back in action Oct. 18 when they hit the road, also against Huntington, with a 4 p.m. start.
The Atelier at Flowerfield, 2 Flowerfield, Suite 12, St. James invites the community to the opening reception of The Long Island Young Artists Exhibition on Thursday, Oct. 17 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The evening will feature live demonstrations by artists and complimentary hors d’oeuvres and prosecco. Call 631-250-9009 for further details.
In an effort to eliminate 1,4-dioxane in county drinking water, Suffolk County Water Authority has proposed installing additional treatment systems at sites throughout the county, though costs could be high if plans see the light of day.
In a presentation to Suffolk County legislators, SWCA proposed installing 31 new advanced treatment systems at a number of sites where the levels of 1,4-dioxane are higher than the New York State proposed limit, which is 1 part per billion.
Jeffrey Szabo, SCWA chief executive officer, said the authority is continuing to develop technology that will eliminate toxic chemicals such as 1,4-dioxane.
“We have been working with the health department on our AOP (advanced oxidation process) systems and the results have been successful,” Szabo said.
A concern of 1,4-dioxane is that it can’t be removed through conventional treatment methods and involves a complex process of mixing the contaminated water with hydrogen peroxide, treated with ultraviolet light, which then gets sent to tanks filled with carbon where the rest of contaminants are filtered out. The hamlet of Central Islip currently has the sole advanced oxidation process system capable of removing 1,4-dioxane on Long Island.
The authority says that its systems can destroy 1,4-dioxane molecules to virtually undetectable levels. Szabo said there are close to 100 wells in Suffolk County that need to be treated for the toxin.
The proposed plan could take five to six years to install all 31 treatment systems, according to the authority’s chief executive officer and it would cost between $1.5 and $6 million in capital costs alone for each system.
“We are trying to get this done as quickly as possible, there are things still up in the air,” Szabo said.
The authority is waiting on the state Department of Health to adopt an official maximum contaminant level (MCL) standard. According to officials, they expect to get confirmation sometime in early 2020.
Szabo stressed that the authority and other water providers will need time to adjust to the new standards as well as to implement the new systems.
“This will take time, each system has to get approved by the department of health before it can be installed,” Szabo said.
In the case of the AOP pilot system in Central Islip, officials said it took over two years to get approval from the Department of Health.
“We want to reassure the public that we are doing everything we can,” Szabo said.
1,4-Dioxane has been designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a likely carcinogen associated with liver and kidney damage after a lifetime of exposure to contaminated drinking water. The chemical has been found in industrial solvents, detergents, shampoos and other products.
In July, the state health department began the process of adopting the MCL of 1 part per billion. The department would become the first in the country to set a limit on 1,4-dioxane. Similarly, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has planned to offer $350 million in grants for treatment.
At a forum in February, the Long Island Water Conference estimated the cost of treatment systems for close to 200 water wells contaminated by 1,4-dioxane to be at $840 million.
The authority said it is hopeful it can begin to implement the plan sometime in 2020. In addition, two additional AOP systems are currently in development for pump stations in East Farmingdale and Huntington.
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Port Jefferson flotilla, is sponsoring a competition for high school students called Solution for Pollution. Supported by a New York Sea Grant, the competition is aimed at Long Island public and private high school students, who can submit concepts for reducing trash in our waterways and on our beaches. The focus will be on the Long Island Sound, with special reference to associated harbors. The goal will be to create cost-effective methods to return our waterways to a trash-free sea.
Waterway trash pollution is both unsightly and unhealthy. Trash can contain contaminants that are toxic to marine animals and humans. Much of this trash is the result of individuals and governments assuming that the waterways that we enjoy and live near are virtually infinite sinks for refuse. We observe in the water and on beaches piles of trash comprised of plastic bags and other plastic products. According to National Geographic, there are more than 5 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean.
Cash awards will be given to the top three winning entries. Entries are due by April 1, 2020, and winners will be announced soon after on May 15.
Go to https://solution4pollution.org for detailed information.
To obtain information on New York State required boating courses or to have your vessel inspected by an auxiliary member, contact the Port Jefferson flotilla by email: [email protected]; or phone 631-938-1705. Visit www.cgapj.org for more information.
Herb Herman is the flotilla staff officer for public affairs, Port Jefferson Auxiliary Flotilla 22-6.
It’s that time of year when deer look to mate, and that can result in dangers for motorists on local roadways.
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Environmental Conservation are advising motorists to take care when navigating roads during October, November and December. While deer can be seen all year round roaming around the North Shore, during the fall it’s breeding season.
Two-thirds of the crashes between deer and vehicles occur during the three-month span, according to a press release from the agencies.
In a TBR News Media article from October of 2018, Lori Ketcham, a rehabilitator with Middle Island-based Save the Animals Rescue Foundation, reminded residents that deer don’t hesitate when they are crossing a street, especially in the fall.
“The boys only have one thing on their mind,” Ketcham said. “They’re following the scent so they’re just running. They smell a girl down the street. They run, and they don’t care if there are roads in the way.”
Mark J.F. Schroeder, DMV commissioner and chair of the governor’s traffic safety committee, said drivers should exercise extreme caution during the autumn months.
“When you see a deer-crossing sign along a highway, that means deer have been seen at that location and have collided with cars there,” Schroeder said. “Those signs are meant to warn you to be extra cautious when driving through such locations.”
DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said drivers should be alert during both dawn and dusk. The animals tend to be more active during these periods of the day while visibility is also reduced.
The state agencies also recommend decreasing speed when you approach deer near roadsides as they can bolt out or change direction quickly. If you see a deer, look for others as they are herd animals and usually travel in groups.
Motorists are also advised to brake firmly and avoid swerving if they encounter an animal, as swerving can cause collisions. The DEC recommends not approaching an injured animal as they can strike out with their legs or hooves.
Here are a few additional tips in case of a deer collision:
● Move your vehicle to a safe place. If possible, pull over to the side of the road and turn on your hazard lights. If you must leave your vehicle, stay off the road and out of the way of any oncoming vehicles.
● Call the police. Alert authorities if the animal is blocking traffic and creating a threat for other drivers. If the collision results in injury, death or more than $1,000 in property damage, you must fill out an official crash report and send it to the DMV.
● Look for leaking fluid, loose parts, tire damage, broken lights, a hood that won’t latch and other safety hazards. If your vehicle seems unsafe in any way, call for a tow truck.
According to the 2018 State Farm Insurance deer-vehicle collision study, it was estimated that there were 1.33 million deer, elk, moose and caribou collisions between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018, in the U.S. — down from 1.34 million cited in the company’s 2017 study. New Yorkers had a one in 165 chance of crashing into the animals in 2018, according to State Farm.
New York State Sen. Jim Gaughran (D-Northport) represents Huntington and its surrounding communities with his seat in Albany but also speaks for all New Yorkers as chair of the Local Government Committee, which is responsible for looking at issues that impact the villages, towns and counties.
Over the last month, Gaughran has organized roundtable discussions with many elected officials in his district, on Long Island and in upstate New York. Two common threads continue to surface: environmental concerns, such as water quality and sewage treatment, and high taxes.
Many elected officials, Gaughran said in a telephone interview, were frustrated and feel restricted by the permanent 2 percent tax cap. Gaughran said his feeling is that all elected officials represent taxpayers. If you can imagine how much higher taxes would be without the cap, which was previously temporary, the costs would be even higher.
The following Q&A summarizes some of the ongoing discussions taking place that aim at reducing people’s tax burden:
Why are Long Island taxes so costly?
I’ve been a state senator for nine months and pay property tax, and as a citizen I’ve seen taxes go up and up and up. One of the reasons I ran for office was to address this concern. Before the 2 percent tax cap became permanent this year, municipalities could raise taxes to whatever level they saw fit. Also, the federal government’s elimination of the state and local tax deductions is essentially a tax increase for Long Islanders.
Long Islanders regularly complain about high taxes. Can that reality change? What are some of the best ideas that can be implemented to address concerns?
We are looking at ways to allow villages to build clean energy. There are certain provisions in certain laws that need to be tweaked to remove impediments. Towns and villages already have the authority to initiate projects.
What ideas hold the strongest potential for reducing costs?
Consolidation of services holds the greatest potential. We’d like to make changes to create more opportunities to share or consolidate services such as road repair and police and water districts. It’s not my job to tell local governments what to do. There’s reluctance, so we need to maintain independence. We want to give people the tools they need and provide incentives and take away impediments so governments can share services such as road repair and snow plowing. Villages can combine services with other villages, towns can consolidate services with villages. A simple example: When it snows the Town of Huntington sends out its plows, the Department of Transportation has its plows and villages have plows. You have three different plows in the same area. It’s silly to have plows take care of some roads and not others.
The many different election districts for fire, schools, libraries, villages, towns, county, etc. make it hard to monitor expenditures. Are there any discussions about changing that?
My jurisdiction as chair of the Local Government Committee pertains to village, town and county governments. There’s an education committee that addresses school issues. But, for the 2020 primary elections, state and local primaries will be combined and held in September, which will save tens of millions of dollars over time. The problem is that budgets are on different cycles and it’s been a tradition, but its worthy of investigation.
Our newspaper has noticed that a $2 million home in Southampton pays $6,000 a year in taxes, while a house in Fort Salonga valued at half the value pays more than twice the amount in taxes. Is there any way to address the inequities?
In Suffolk County, tax assessments are done by town. It’s always been done on the local level. I would be against the state imposing local control. One of my big fights is to increase state aid for schools. The most important investment to make is education. Perhaps the money can come from economic development funds.
High property taxes often are attributed to school spending. Education is important, but is there a way to consolidate services?
School districts dictate their own fate. There’s nothing stopping two districts from combining. It’s not a board issue, it’s the voter. Last time it was tried, I think it was on the North Fork, the referendum failed. Long Islanders are reluctant to lose local control. It’s a fact of life. More funding for school and state aid will help.
It’s often stated that increasing costs for retirement benefits in the public service sector (teachers and police) is one of the main reasons for high taxes. Is that true?
The fact is that the vast percentage of costs when you look at a pie chart in any government anywhere is to pay the people that provide the services. We’re fortunate to have many dedicated volunteer fire departments on Long Island. The people offer protection and it’s a tremendous savings. Some communities pay for fireman and it’s a huge cost.
Generally speaking, a lot of people in the public health sector, whether its teachers, police or city health employees, work because it’s something they want to do. Salaries are often lower than the private sector. Their pension benefits are protected. It’s something they’ve invested in. It’s their money. The State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli administers the system. Most years it’s the number one or a top investor in the bond market. Are there abuses at different levels of government? Perhaps, but it’s often caught.
What steps can people personally take to address the situation?
Everyone should participate in local government: village, town, school. People need to pay more attention. Everyone should vote.
Photo from Gaughran’s office
A new study in the Sept. 20 issue of Science has found that in the United States and Canada bird populations have fallen a staggering 29 percent since 1970.
Such a dramatic drop has scientists concerned that the decline could be a sign of an ecosystem collapse. Habitat loss is considered a prime culprit.
Huntington resident Coby Klein understands the big picture. He’s an ecology professor at Baruch College and a guide with the Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society.
“If the arctic continues to become warmer and drier, it will cause larger and more frequent fires,” he said. “Fires kill birds and destroy nesting habitats and drive down populations of sandpipers, gulls, terns, waterfowl and birds of prey that migrate through or winter on Long Island.”
The best thing people can do, if you really have an interest in protecting birds and the environment, he said, is to vote.
Otherwise, the Audubon Society is committed to transforming communities back into places where birds flourish. Sterile lawns, ornamental species, pesticides and herbicides mean that on a local level, the landscape no longer supports functioning ecosystems.
Klein himself said that he lives on a postage-stamp-sized lot and the only native plant that thrives in his yard is poison ivy. But he notes that the Audubon Society is sponsoring a campaign called Creating Bird-Friendly Communities. The program is designed to educate the public on what they can do to help reverse the damage done and revive disappearing bird populations.
Growing native plants is a key component to re-establishing the ecological functions of cities and towns, according to the society and its experts. And they say the concept is easier on the back and wallet.
To flourish, birds need (a) plenty of food, (b) shelter where they can rest, (c) clean water to drink and bath in and (d) safe places to raise their young. Native plants and the insects that co-evolved around them are vital to a healthy system. The more native plants, the Audubon emphasizes, the more food and shelter. More bugs, caterpillars and seed pods on more public and private land is part of the solution.
The Audubon’s Native Plants Database, which is on its website, suggests plants according to ZIP code. The choices were hand-selected by local experts and include information about the birds and creatures it benefits. Serviceberry, for example, is recommended for Long Island’s North Shore communities. The small, shrublike tree with dense branching produces white flowers in the spring followed by red, purple or black berries. It attracts butterflies and caterpillars, as well as warblers and woodpeckers and about nine other types of birds. The database can be a good first place to explore landscape options.
The Long Island Native Plant Initiative’s website is another good resource. The local nonprofit gathers wild seeds and makes native plants commercially available. It also grows and sells the native plant species to local nurseries to increase availability. Polly Weigand, the executive director, recommends requesting native plants from your favorite garden center to increase demand. It’s goal is to reach more businesses in the nursery industry. Once people get into the habit of providing suitable habitats, birds become less vulnerable and are potentially more capable of adapting to climate conditions, according to the Audubon.
Native gardens, experts agree, are also relatively maintenance free and require little to no special irrigation system or fertilizers or toxic chemicals. So, it saves time and money and is a healthier option for people in the long run.
This fall consider practicing less drastic and costly yard cleanup. The Audubon recommends leaving the seed heads of perennials in the garden and skipping the raking. Leaf litter, they say, is free fertilizer, and a good place for birds to forage for worms and other critters. If tree limbs fall, they say, consider building a brush pile that will provide birds with shelter from the wind and predators. Branches settle and decompose over the seasons and make room for the next year’s contributions.
Plant asters and woody shrubs like bayberry and winterberry this fall. The waxy fruit of bayberry provides an important source of energy to migrating birds. Evergreens, too, like cedars, firs and holly, provide shelter and something for birds to eat in winter. In general, milkweed, goldenrod and sunflowers are important plants for the rest of the year.
“When you plant native species in your home landscapes it’s a protective way of ensuring that invasive ornamental species seeds don’t spread and dominate the rest of Long Island’s landscape,” said Weigand.
Overall, the objective is to lose some lawn, or create pathways through it, and create habitat layers. Tall canopy trees produce nuts and provide nest cavities for shelter. Shrubs and small trees throw fruit for bird food and herbaceous plants supply seeds and a habitat for pollinators. Decaying leaves produce the base of all habitats. It also happens to be where moth pupae live, a favorite food of baby birds.
Start small, the Audubon states, and cluster plants in groupings of five or more of the same species. Pollinators, they say, prefer to feed from masses of the same flower. And remember to include a birdbath or hollowed out rock where rainwater collects, so birds have a supply of fresh water.
In the end, you’ve created a backyard sanctuary and a sure method for healthy, sustainable living.
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