Dry Upland Native Prairie Restoration – Years 5-6

From 2017 to 2022 - A lot has changed We began our prairie restoration in the spring of 2017 - on upland dry sandy soil in the sand plains of Minnesota. Look back at our first 4 years here - Native Prairie Restoration: Years 1-3 and Native Prairie Restoration: Year 4. Year 5-6- 2021-2022: Growth …

Native Prairie Restoration – Year 4

We restored 12 acres to native prairie in the spring of 2017. It's been a bumpy ride, but we've made it to Year 4! Look back at our first 3 years here - Native Prairie Restoration: Years 1-3. Winter and early spring prairie Summer prairie progression Year 4 - 2020: Growth was slow coming into …

Does it Make Sense to Start with Only ONE Honey Bee Colony?

When it comes to beekeeping, two is better than one. Or is it? Does it ever make sense to have only one colony? Attend any bee club meeting or read any honey bee books, and you'll come across the recommendation to start with at least 2 hives. There are solid reasons for this advice! Two …

Native Prairie Restoration Years 1-3

Restoring our native prairie has been one of the most exhausting and frustrating experiences. Read on to see what's happened in the past 3 years and where we are headed next. We chose to restore the 12 acres of tilled field to native prairie in order to restore the land. Our farm has been cropped …

Ohio Spiderwort – Edible, Hardy, and Beautiful

Ohio spiderwort is an edible prairie plant, important to pollinators, that can grow in harsh conditions. Minnesota is tough place to live! It's even tougher for plants. Long cold winters are the hallmark of our state, but most people are unaware that the middle strip of Minnesota is a sand plain - characterized by brutal …