Backyard Camping Adventures
In my last post, I introduced you to my guy. Today I want to talk about one of our favorite things to do together–camping. We absolutely love camping and hiking. When we first met, it was camping and hiking that we bonded over. We’ve been talking for ages about taking a trip up to Tom Jones Mountain in Harriman State Park. It is a beautiful location and not a far ride from our house. There are a few beautiful old lean-to’s scattered in the mountains throughout the park. He had visited this one previously and we couldn’t wait to make a trip up there together.
We finally got around to taking the trip a few weeks ago and it was as gorgeous as I’d hoped and more. The weather was perfect and both the sunset and the sunrise were breathtaking. We hiked, setup camp, built a fire, drank beers, and roasted hot dogs for dinner. All of the things that make my camping dreams come true. Watching the sky turn dark as the stars slowly appeared in the night sky was pure magic.
We took this trip without all of our little ones, but the kids have been talking a lot about camping, too. So before the weather gets too cold, we’re going to do one more camp session, but this one will be in our backyard. As we’ve been preparing for this little at-home adventure, I’ve been gathering tips for you about how to keep your backyard camping adventures pest-free. Enjoy the tips along with some more photographs from our time up in Harriman.
Heading out to your favorite camping spot with the whole family is the perfect way to start summer vacation, and to end it. However, you aren’t always able to get away for a week’s vacation to your favorite campground. So backyard camping can be a wonderful alternative.
From pitching a tent to cooking up smores and roasting marshmallows, it can be a ton of fun to camp out in the backyard for adults and children alike. The trick is keeping the pests away while you have your evening of fun. Here are a few tips that we use to keep pests away when camping in own backyard.
Have the Yard Treated Regularly
One of the top things you can do to prevent pests like ants and flies from ruining your backyard camping experience is to look into a contract with a company like www.moxieservices.com. When you have the yard treated regularly, there is less of a chance that pests will swarm your adventure, running you and your family back inside before the party has even begun.
Invest in Some Good Quality Bug Spray
While having the yard sprayed will go a long way towards keeping pests at bay, mosquitoes are harder to control. That’s why it’s important to invest in some good quality bug repellent before the camp out begins. This is an excellent way to keep them from biting you. If you have major pest issues, make sure that you choose one that has DEET in it, and always, always follow the instructions. If your yard isn’t too bad, you can use essential oil roll-ons like I do. Insects hate peppermint and lavender so those are my go-to rollers to keep the bugs away.
Don’t Give them a Reason to Swarm
Even though you’re camping in your own backyard, you still need to be careful when it comes to leaving food and sticky drinks around. If you leave plates of food or spills that happen around the tent, then pests such as ants are going to be attracted to the smell and will chomp down on you as well. Though it might be tempting to put it off until later, and just laze around the fire, it’s best to go ahead and take anything food-related back into the house when dinner is done, so that you can enjoy the rest of your evening pest-free.
Keep the Tent Flap Closed
The last thing you want to do is invite the mosquitoes to spend the night with you. The best way to prevent them from buzzing around your tent and biting you throughout the night is by keeping the tent flap closed at all times. Keep the pests out, and the people in, that’s the best way to have pest-free fun at your next backyard camping adventure.
Add Garlic to Your Cookout
Many people swear that garlic is a natural pest repellent and wouldn’t have a camping trip or a cookout without it. Consider adding a clove of garlic to the food you’re cooking, as the smell is said to repel any insects that might make their way to your yard, and want to be invited to the party.
These are just a few of the top ways that you can prevent pests from ruining your backyard camping experience. Remember, while some pests are just nuisances, others can carry diseases that can not only harm you and your family but in many cases can prove to be fatal as well. Doing everything you can to prevent them from invading your camping adventure will ensure you not only have a good time but a safe time as well.
Hope that you enjoyed the post, friends. Happy camping adventures to you. xo