So, to start, Happy Earth Day to Everyone!
My dogs and I have been out in the garden off an on all morning, gardening, seeding, weeding, pruning, and transplanting. We plant tress every Earth Day on our property, this year we added five more quaking aspens, a luscious pear, and a Mt. Royal plum. Our DANDELIONS are coming up in fields of gold, and our raised beds are starting to take off.
As dog owners we need to care about our environment, from air, water, soil, and the food it is all producing. Why you ask? Well dogs are what are considered ‘expensive’ to the environment. In a study published in 2009, two scientists in New Zealand claim that to produce enough food and for an average size dog, for one year, it takes 2.1 acres of sustainable fertile land. Food as in other animals that your dog will eat, fruit, and grain, so it is more like a chain. STUDY
Let that roll around in your head for a bit. Two sustainable fertile acres, per dog, per year, to grow the food they need to live. Please just sit on that for a moment.
In comparison, an average size person only needs 1.1 acres of sustainable, fertile land.
So as dog owners, we should be fighting for cleaner air, cleaner soil, cleaner water, no GMO crap from Monsanto in any way, and no chemicals that strip the micro organisms out of our soil. For ourselves, and our dogs, we should be the biggest advocates of all. Planting, tending, enjoying, and advocating.
So go plant something today. Tell the Earth thank you for a life well lived so far. Compost and learn to tend your own soil. Grow your own non GMO foods for your family, including your dog. And spend more time outside with your dog. It is simply good for the soul!
My dogs and kids have grown up in the garden with me, and it has always been our place of comfort and love. May this spread to you all, and then may it spread from there! Nancy
Nancy Tanner 
Great post!! We live in an apartment and we recently started a garden in our windows. We are growing tomatoes, cilantro, peppers, cat grass and catnip. Outside on our patio, we have two maple trees and some other various plants. I love the outdoors and we frequently go on hikes. I’m hoping that we can find a house and start a real garden soon!
Happy Earth Day!
Lauren, happy earth day to you as well. Catnip is on my list for this coming summer. All the best, Nancy
Let me just get this straight, I am not fighting for or against GMO’s. In the interest of not only feeding ourselves, but also our dogs, GMO’s are a way to grow more on less land. There is not one single instance of an animal or human getting sick from a GMO and chemicals do not strip microorganisms from the soil. In fact, fertilizers help the growth of microorganisms to make for better plants. If you think about it logically, why would farmers use chemicals that harm microorganisms that the plants need to grow for them to make a living? They wouldn’t. Please do some more research on these things before throwing out slanderous statements that make farmers jobs even harder and increase the number of people out there who are ignorant because they don’t know any better. It’s Earth Day, farmers make it to where you can eat everyday. Thank a farmer.
Caitlyn, I’m not sure if you are trying to be funny or just looking for an argument – but here it goes –
1 – http://www.responsibletechnology.org/10-Reasons-to-Avoid-GMOs
2 – http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/organic-farming2.htm
3 – http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/07/16/10-problems-genetically-modified-foods-are-already-causing/
4 – http://www.beyondpesticides.org/gmos/reportsandpublications/gmofactsheet.php
5 – and what monsanto is doing to farmers, where I live and elsewhere – not all farmers are signing up to grow GMO by the way, and many who did are backing out – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVgwqpvI1bg
6 – and the bees – and they are pretty darn important for, well just about everything as far as life as we know it http://www.cbsnews.com/news/are-pesticides-killing-off-honey-bees/
7 – http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-seeds-of-suicide-how-monsanto-destroys-farming/5329947
8 – and my hero – http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/08/25/seeds-of-doubt
and the list can go on and on and on.
We have a market garden, and supply food to our whole family as well as sell at the farmers market. We have been bio-diverse and chemical free for 13 years. I do have knowledge on this subject and read all of the time.
I hope you have a great day, eat healthy, and enjoy life ~ Nancy
Beautiful! I especially love the last photo. You and your dog(s) are a true inspiration. 🙂