I wonder if moose and elk poop are good for gardens?

Hubby and I are headed out west to Jackson Hole, Wyoming for a week of skiing and moose watching (Tom skis. I moose watch) so its been a busy few days getting our yard ready for our absence.

Tom has rigged up an elaborate watering system that will turn our irrigation system on and deliver water through drip irrigation tubes, ONLY if the rain sensor says that it’s needed. Other plants that are in pots have been moved to areas to reap the runoff from our rain barrels, if nature provides it. On a previous trip, some of our plants blew over and dried out, because they weren’t able to catch any rainfall while on their sides, so today I went out and staked up a few pots so they don’t blow over. I also got all the bird feeders and bird baths filled.

When I got ready to pack, I realized that both of our big suitcases are REALLY beat up. I splurged and bought one new one and I’m hoping that the other one will last through one more trip without resulting in our dirty laundry being strewn all over the luggage carousel at one of the airports.

And I’m thinking that the old, torn up suitcase might be a perfect container to use for a portable garden. My friend Leslie uses old dresser drawers that she finds in people’s trash to plant her herbs in, but the suitcase might be even better, because it will let water flow through AND has convenient handles on the sides to pick it up and carry it. I’ll have to think about that when I get back.

We will get to visit our good friends Jon and Kim while we are out there. Jon and Kim are the couple that were featured in the slideshow for my post about The 12 Benefits of Raised Bed Gardening back in September, 2010.

I love Jackson Hole because there is so much wildlife. They have a huge elk refuge out there where up to 10,000 elk come down in the winter to graze. You can also see moose, wolves, bison, coyotes and bighorn sheep all within a short drive.

There won’t be any gardens for me to visit on this trip (Jon said there is two feet of snow in his yard right now) but I’m sure I’ll be thinking of my gardens back here at home. I’ll have to remember to ask the rangers what they do with all of the elk poop from the wildlife refuge. It sure seems like it would make great compost.