The Woman Hobby Farmer by Karen Lanier

Author:Karen Lanier [Lanier, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lumina Media
Published: 2017-07-19T04:00:00+00:00

Ben Leffew manages the nature preserve at Shaker Village, a unique property that includes a historic landmark, living museum, and working farm. Among the many interests that Shaker Village works to balance, they have restored 1,200 acres of native prairie and lease 750 acres of farmland and pasture. When the restoration project began in 2009, Ben worked with the Kentucky Division of Fish and Wildlife, which was focusing on bobwhite quail habitat. Ben explains, “We take a bottom-up approach…build the habitat and manage for pollinators and native grass, and the birds will show up.” Along fencerows and in marginal areas, native habitat for grassland songbirds is flourishing. Birders are also flocking to the site, a great ecotourism boost.

It might get worse before gets better: Going native isn’t going to be pretty. Tyler Sanderson warns landowners to brace themselves for criticism. Even country neighbors expect neatness, and natural habitats can look woolly and scraggly as they grow into their own beauty. Several treatments of professionally applied herbicides and controlled burns may be required to bring an end to invasive species.

Robert Hoffman warns that the most common mistake landowners make is not adequately preparing their seedbed. He says, “Without giving proper consideration to the establishment of your project, it may be doomed to fail. This can be a reality check for some landowners because although you may decide this month that you want to plant, it may take one to even two years before planting should begin.“

Steve and Leah can vouch for the transition period’s stretching out longer than expected. Steve points out a simple fact about trees: “They really grow slow!” The diverse tree species they selected, including ash, oak, hickory, and fruit trees, mature at different rates. Ten years into their forest project, the tallest trees reached around thirty feet and required pruning. Leah is happy to report, “Now they’re tall enough that I can ride the horses down through the trees!”

Take care of the land, and the land will take care of you: Your long-term goals should include the inheritors of your project. If you have children who will take over, make sure that they are involved now. Results will take time, especially if you start a reforestation project. As Steve reflected, “Three generations before us tried to clear trees off, and here we are trying to plant them again. We are trying to look seven generations down the road.”

The most important thing you can do with your land is to use it for education. Tyler Sanderson points out, “People want their water to be clean, but they don’t understand that mowing up to the edge of their stream is bad.”

Teaching others can take many forms. Shaker Village allows hunting and hosts tours of their restoration projects. You don’t have to run an agritourism business to be a model for other landowners. Simply invite groups of friends over for work parties or volunteer to host an agricultural field day through your extension office. After all, even Winnie the Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood still has a Floody Place.

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