Wanderlust Fiber Arts

05/20/2026

05/19/2026

05/15/2026

Great event in beautiful Montana!

05/15/2026

June 26-28, 2026 at the Linn Co Expo! Free admission and parking!

Friendly reminder for our SHEEP TO SHAWL TEAMS, time to get your entries in for the 2026 Black Sheep Gathering!! Entries are due June 1st. Entry form and info on the website- don't delay!! 🐑🐑🐑

05/15/2026

This is an annual event Fall Farm Day. Specific date TBA, but it will be in October at Franks Family Farm. Such a fun event for fiber fanatics, friends and Families. More to come.

04/30/2026

Great Fiber Market Day this last Saturday. Thank you to everyone who came out, all the great vendors and helpers!

04/13/2026

Fall Farm Day 2025 Franks Family Farm, Tumalo OR

02/12/2026

You see: Aggressive, noisy birds terrorizing your yard.
Your yard sees: A free, 24/7 armed security detail.

That group of crows screaming and dive-bombing in your neighborhood this morning isn't random violence. It's a coordinated defense operation. And you are the beneficiary.

HERE'S WHAT CROW MOBBING ACTUALLY IS:

When crows gang up and attack something, they have identified a predator — a hawk, an owl, a cat, a snake, or a raccoon — that threatens their nests AND your backyard ecosystem.

They are doing your job for you.

WHAT THEY'RE PROTECTING YOU FROM:

🦅 HAWKS — Crows mob Cooper's Hawks and Red-Tailed Hawks that prey on your backyard songbirds. Without crow patrols, your chickadees, finches, and cardinals would be picked off at your feeder.

🐍 SNAKES — Crows will mob and drive away rat snakes climbing toward bird nests in your trees. They spot snakes from 100+ feet and respond within seconds.

🐱 OUTDOOR CATS — Crows mob domestic cats that hunt songbirds. That cat slinking through your hedge? The crows already saw it. They're alerting the entire block.

🦝 RACCOONS — Crows mob raccoons approaching nesting areas during the day (raccoons are primarily nocturnal; a daytime raccoon near nests is a threat indicator).

THE INTELLIGENCE BEHIND IT:

- Crows assign sentinels. While the flock feeds, 1-2 birds perch high and scan for threats. This is organized, not random.
- They communicate SPECIFIC threat types. Different alarm calls describe different predators. Other birds — Blue Jays, Robins, Sparrows — understand crow alarm calls and respond accordingly.
- Your entire backyard bird community relies on crow intelligence for survival.

The next time crows are screaming in your trees, don't throw things at them.

Walk outside and look where they're looking. They found something you need to know about.

They're not pests. They're your unpaid security team.

02/12/2026

Squash doesn't need empty ground beneath its sprawling vines — and it thrives with company.
The space under broad leaves can support companions that fix nitrogen, draw pollinators, trap pests, and keep soil shaded, all while squash reaches across the bed.

- Nasturtium — Zones 3–10
Acts as a trap crop, drawing squash bugs, aphids, and cucumber beetles away from vines.

- Marigold — Zones 2–11
Deters squash bugs and vine borers with strong scent while attracting beneficial predators.

- Borage — Zones 3–10
Attracts pollinators to squash flowers and improves pollination rates for better fruit set.

- Radish — Zones 2–11
Breaks up compacted soil with taproots and harvests early before squash vines spread wide.

- Bush Beans — Zones 3–10
Fix nitrogen in soil, feeding heavy-feeding squash plants naturally throughout the season.

- Garlic — Zones 3–9
Natural fungicide that helps prevent powdery mildew on squash leaves.

- Oregano — Zones 5–9
Low-growing aromatic mat that repels pests and tolerates deep shade as vines expand.

- Dill — Zones 2–11
Attracts lacewings, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps that control squash bug eggs and aphids.

- Calendula — Zones 2–11
Draws beneficial insects and adds bright color beneath green squash foliage.

- Sweet Alyssum — Zones 5–9
Honey-scented groundcover that attracts tiny parasitic wasps and ground beetles.

- Lettuce — Zones 2–9
Quick-growing greens that thrive in the cool shade created by squash leaves.

- Thyme — Zones 4–9
Fragrant mat that covers soil, reduces weeds, and deters squash vine borers.

When squash vines are underplanted with purpose, the entire bed becomes a productive ecosystem instead of a pest magnet.