Author: Tom Corson-Knowles
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How to Certify Your Yard as a Wildlife Habitat
There are many options to certify your yard as a wildlife habitat depending on where you live. Why Certify a yard as a wildlife habitat? Here are some of the things you get with a certification: How Wildlife Habitats Help Your Neighborhood Turning your yard into a wildlife habitat can have huge benefits for your…
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Mulch Calculator for Garden Beds
If you’re looking to add mulch to your garden beds or farm, this calculator will help you calculate exactly how much mulch you need. 🌱 Mulch VolumeNature School 🌿 Imperial (ft) 📏 Length (feet) 📐 Width (feet) 🌿 Depth 1 inch 2 inches 3 inches 4 inches or custom: inches 🧺 Mulch volume 0.00 cubic…
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Soil Volume Calculator for Raised Bed Gardens and Containers
Use this free soil volume calculator to calculate the amount of soil you need for raised beds, containers, or fill dirt. 🌱 Soil Calculator Imperial (ft/in) Metric (m/cm) Shape Rectangular bedRound bed / potTriangular bed Length (ft) Width (ft) Diameter (ft) Base (ft) Height (ft) Depth (inches) Bag size Calculate This calculator works for both…
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Q&A with Tom Corson-Knowles on Ecological Landscaping
I was contacted by a landscaping magazine to do a Q&A article featuring ecological landscapers, but I never heard back from them, so I figured I would share the Q&A here on the blog. Other than the U.S., which country’s landscape inspires you the most? Ecuador! The mountains and rainforest there are stunning, and I…
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Birding, Bird Walks, and Bird Classes in Indianapolis
We are blessed to have so many amazing opportunities to learn about birds and great parks for birding in Indianapolis. Here are some of the best bird walks and classes in the area for everyone, whether you’re a lifelong birder or have never been on a bird walk before at all. Sunday Morning Bird Walks…
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Pasture-Raised and Organic Meat Farms in Indianapolis
I’m creating this list for myself, friends, and our community to make it easier to find, connect with, and buy meat from local farmers who are raising animals for meat in healthy, environmentally friendly ways. Here are the principles I used for selecting farms to appear on the list: Tyner Pond Farm I’ve personally visited…
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Natural Building Community in Indiana (Updated 2026)
I’m writing this post because there is a huge interest in natural building now in Indiana, and yet very few active communities that connect, teach, and empower people to engage in natural building in the area. So if you’re interested in natural building in Indiana, you’re in the right place! Please reach out and let…
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How Glyphosate (Roundup) Harms Ecosystems
Glyphosate (Roundup) is the most common herbicide used for ecological restoration globally (about 40% of the time when herbicides are used). Because glyphosate is used to often in environmental restoration projects with the aim to eliminate invasive species (here’s why focusing on invasive species can backfire), it’s important to understand the impacts of using it.…
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List of Every Farmer’s Market in Indianapolis (Updated 2026)
Updated September 2026. Dates and hours may change—check each market’s website or social pages before visiting, especially early/late in the season. Downtown and Central Indy Original Farmers’ Market (Indianapolis City Market) Statehouse Market Indy Winter Farmers Market The Market at White River State Park North Indy Broad Ripple Farmers Market Binford Farmers Market SoBro Farmers…
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The Relationship Between Permaculture and Invasive Species
Permaculture is an attempt to incorporate indigenous wisdom, local ecology, and an understanding that all living beings including humans are connected in the web of life from the tiniest bacteria to the largest whales. Permaculture is a design process, a way of observing, learning about, and caretaking land that is intended to provide sustainable abundant…