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STORY AND PHOTOS BY ASHLEIGH NEWNES

IT WAS AROUND this time of year, almost four years ago, when I met my fi rst killdeer. I had walked by a nest of theirs that a friend had pointed out to me, and to my amazement, I got to watch their parental charade play out before my eyes. Like a well-rehearsed theatrical piece, one bird ran in one direction away from the nest, dropping to the ground, fl uttering its wings, revealing its orange body and calling out as if it were hurt, while the other bird quietly ran a few steps, paused, then ran a few more, in the opposite direction.

I wanted to immediately go and help the killdeer fl apping around on the ground calling out for help. That’s when my friend told me, “See! It’s working. You are distracted from the nest.” Their acting had worked, I had moved away from their nest and their eggs were safe. This encounter made me fall in love with nature even more and that was the day the killdeer stole my heart.

Unfortunately, killdeer nests are often found in dangerous places, like driveways, gravel parking lots or fi elds that are to be worked. That was the case for the couple I met all those years ago. They had created their nest in a fi eld that was soon to be tilled. From then on, I vowed to protect those two and their eggs—my own little conservation project. In an attempt to prevent the tractor from running over the nest, I put metal garden row hoops over their nest in a criss-cross pattern. Every other day, I’d go out there to check on them, worrying that the tractor or predator had gotten them.

In time, the pair got used to me, but they never allowed me to get too close to the nest without taking to the stage for their Oscar-worthy performance. They did, however, get comfortable enough to let me check the eggs from a respectful distance.

As time went on, I started to worry that the eggs or the birds would get too hot out in a wide-open fi eld in the blazing Tennessee sun. I did some research and learned that the adults take turns soaking their belly feathers to cool down their eggs. How do they get cuter every time I read about them?

Every day I got more and more anxious that something wasn’t right. Why haven’t they hatched yet? Are the babies okay? They were way overdue from what I read online. I fi nally came to the conclusion that the eggs must not be fertilized. One scorching day, I dutifully headed out there to check on them and was stunned by three little fuzzy heads in the nest. They had hatched! The parents let me get close enough to the nest to photograph the babies, and shortly after, they started their performance. I like to think that they were letting me have my moment like a family member getting their turn to hold the newborn. The parents and babies only stuck around for a few days after that, but they come back to the same spot every year to lay their eggs. I have since moved on but I think about them every time I hear a distinctive killdeer call from the skies or a neighboring fi eld, and it always brings a smile to my face.

BY EDWINA SHANNON

PHOTO BY BINYAMIN MELLISH/PEXELS

seems to be a trending phrase these days. What is it? What does it mean?

Regenerative farming is a direct effort that focuses on rebuilding soils and recreating biodiversity within soils. It is the polar opposite of big agri-business.

Several generations have passed since farming methods morphed into chemically applied improvements instead of the rich, generational farming practices. Enough time has passed that these improvements, which started just after WWII, can be measurably assessed for profi tability, nutritional variants and environmental impacts. Many studies have done as much.

A scientifi c, logical assessment and the charted numbers, devoid of emotional responses, will show an increase in profi ts while decreasing nutritional value of the food produced as well as a death sentence on the native species that once balanced our farmland. With this data, individuals can make choices that affect the individual backyard garden, the couple-of-acre minifarm, the larger farm entity and the corporate farm: Yes, the ability to choose what is important is available to you whether you farm, garden or buy food.

Regenerative work is an approach to growing food that honors the natural balance of the soil while recognizing the interconnectedness of soil with water and air: an earth balance. It starts with focusing on rebuilding topsoil. As rich topsoil develops, carbon in the atmosphere gets caught in the soil. Healthy soil acts as a fi ltration system, so nearby water sources improve in quality.

I am a minimal-effort gardener. Happily for me, the regenerative farming practices do not include disturbing the soil with regular tillage. Regenerative farming allows the microorganisms in the soil to develop their own networks in the ground.

Costs for fertilizer are reduced as regenerative farming rebuilds the natural nutrients in the soil. A well-balanced topsoil is rich in naturally occurring nutrients, which feed the crops. There are many studies that show a higher, usable nutritional level from food produced from naturally made “fertilizers.” All vegetables are not created with equal nutritional value.

Where do you start? Compost.

The basic rules of compost are pretty simple. Keep meat and bones out of it. The compost pile should consist of a balance of “greens” and “browns.” I think of it as the soggy garbage, newsprint paper and clean yard waste. I keep branches out of it. You want to turn the pile over and stir things up occasionally. I am very simple with this and admit to it possibly being more effective with more organized effort.

On John R. Rice Boulevard is the Lane Agri-Park. The Rutherford County Master Gardeners have demo areas there, including a superb example of a three-step composting process located by the gardens.

Minimize Mt. Trashmore a little by returning your garbage to the soil. Every effort helps—helps reduce waste, helps improve the soil which then helps the air and water. We, humans, are a part of this cycle. It is important for us to enhance the natural process which was set up by someone or something smarter than us. Step up and do your part.