What began in April 1995 with the opportunity to provide an occasional gardening article for the Chronicle, a daily newspaper in Willimantic, Connecticut, soon became a weekly series that has continued for the past seven years. While the primary focus has centered upon gardening and landscape management activities, various topics of general interest to homeowners and consumers have also been addressed. With degrees in animal science, biochemistry, and nutrition from the University of Minnesota, South Dakota State University and the University of Georgia, respectively, I joined the faculty of the University of Connecticut College of Agriculture and Natural Resources in 1974. Upon completing more than 27 years of service with responsibilities that included teaching, research, administration and public outreach, declining physical health due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease) resulted in an early retirement. Although my formal training did not lead to a degree within the plant sciences, my upbringing on a dairy and crop farm in Minnesota taught the value of keenly observing the interdependence of nature at an early age. This interest in our interconnected environment has been growing ever since. It is my hope that this compilation of articles will complement the readers’ knowledge and interest in gardening, and the broader wonders of the intricate world present in our home landscapes. The proceeds from the sales of this book will be donated to the Home and Garden Education Center at the University of Connecticut for enrichment of their environmental education programs, and to the Connecticut chapter of the national ALS Association for their use in providing research and support to ALS patients, their families and their caregivers. Paul E. Stake April 2002

Table of Contents Sample Reading 1 Sample Reading 2 Sample Reading 3 Sample Reading 4 Order Form

Staking Out the Home Landscape 348 pp., softcover $18.75