Do you remember a few weeks ago we said that a pond in the woods serves a similar role as a coral reef in the ocean? There are so many habitats created in a pond that building one leads to a dramatic increase in the number of animals, insects, birds, and plants living there (this is what is referred to as carrying capacity).
Within 24 hours of digging this test pit (to check the depth we’d need to dig for our pond), a frog had made this hole his home.
In this pool formed behind one of the check dams, salamanders in their larval stage (such cuteness!) hide beneath the submerged leaves.
A dozen or so wild turkey feathers suggest that a turkey drinking from the pool narrowly missed becoming dinner for a fox or coyote.
To further encourage wildlife to take up residence, we built two types of wildlife stacks this week.
These stacks are next to the site we’ve chosen for our woodland pond. The finished pond will be approximately 35 by 35 feet and range in depth from one to three feet to provide varying types of habitat for plants and other wildlife.
Last Friday, a volunteer crew of students from Franklin and Marshall College built access steps to the pond. Volunteer crews are awesome! Thanks for all of your help!
The big day for pond construction is Saturday, September 8th! If you are interested in learning the process of site selection, pond design, pond building, earth repair, using clay as a natural pond liner, and an exploration of native edibles that can be grown in ponds, consider joining us for this hands on workshop: Pond Building
It’s time to celebrate at the Horn Farm! Join us for our second annual Harvest Festival at the farm Sunday, October 14 any time between 2 and 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Chat with Horn Farm staff and members of the Board of Directors and other supporters of the Horn Farm Center. We will meet in the small barn. For those interested in taking a walking tour, we will move into the fields and woods where we will describe the details of our current farm projects: demonstration farm (where the farm internship takes place), the farm business incubator, the woodland restoration project, the riparian buffer restoration, the summer kitchen, beekeeping program, and community gardens.
Drop by Sunday, October 14 any time between 2 and 4 p.m. to enjoy light refreshments and see our current projects in person. All are welcome!
CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Shares
Here is what we plan to include in this week’s CSA shares:
Potatoes
Cherry tomatoes
Leaf lettuce
Heirloom tomatoes
Sweet Peppers
Hot peppers
Watermelon
Onions
Garlic
Mixed herbs
Enjoy!
Upcoming events:
September 4 – Tuesday Evening Farm Crew
September 8 – Pond Building Workshop
September 11 – Tuesday Evening Farm Crew
September 15 – Foraging: Field Walk
September 15 – Basketry, Coppicing, Netting
September 15 – Third Saturday Farm Tour
September 16 –Children’s Discovery Series: Seed to Table
September 18 – Tuesday Evening Farm Crew
September 22 – Hunting, Fishing, Trapping
September 22, 23 – Pawpaw Festival
September 25 – Tuesday Evening Farm Crew
September 29 – Primitive Butchering and Cooking
September 30 – Children’s Discovery Series: The Compassion Project
October 6, 7, 13, 14 – Bowmaking
October 7 – Children’s Discovery Series: Let’s Bee Friends
October 13 – Foraging: Wild Soup
October 14 – Harvest Festival & Annual Open House
October 16 – Bread Baking Basics
October 26 – Offal: Tongue, Brains, and More!
October 20, 21 – Wilderness Skills Overnight Immersion
November 17 – Bread Baking Full Day Workshop
November 17 – Foraging: Roots
December 8 – Foraging: Winter
See you at the farm!