It was a cloudy morning during a precious 3-hour grace period between rainstorms.  Six of us gathered at the Nest and dedicated ourselves to discovering the edible plant species living on just a small part of the Hart’s Mill land.  Our guide,  Kim Calhoun, has spent decades developing knowledge about and relationships with the flora in our midst, and we were excited about this chance to learn with her. 

We shadowed Kim as she gently drew us into the particularities of the native plants that flourish on this land.  Right outside the front door, within our grasp at the edges of the trails, towering overhead – it was impossible to stroll more than a few feet before Kim introduced us to another plant friend—delectable, medicinal, or simply beautiful.  She had already whetted our appetites with a cold infusion of Japanese honeysuckle flowers, sipped in the living room before we set out.  We filled a thermos of boiling water to take with us, because chances were excellent that we’d find ingredients to prepare a yummy tea to enjoy after the walk.

Meeting each plant friend was an exercise in close observation.  Are the stems smooth or hairy?  The leaves simple or compound?  The edges serrated or crenelated?  Is there a fragrance?  Are they safe to taste, and what’s does the flavor evoke?  What portions are edible, and what benefits do they bring?  And this list barely scratches the surface of what we can be noticed and learned about the nature of the flora all around us. 

We hovered over about 30 different plants–looking, touching, smelling, and even sampling –most of which were edible and/or medicinal.  Here’s a tiny taste of what we learned.  Persimmon tree leaves are full of Vitamin C.  The sourwood tree leaves taste, well, sour, and add flavor to pesto.  Wild St. John’s wort leaves contain hypericum oil which turned our fingers purple and can help with nerve pain and mild depression.  Lobelia inflata, a very potent plant, has been used to help people to quit smoking.  Violet flowers and leaves are an amazing food and medicine—chop them into a salad or dry and crush the leaves to make a wild greens mix with other plants.  Also field garlic (good for colds), agrimony (helps relieve stress), resourceful person’s pepper for spice (see picture)…the list goes on. 

We encountered poison ivy everywhere.  Kim learned to call this native plant “sister ivy” from a teacher named Frank Cook who noted that when we hear the word, “poison,” we become fearful and shut down to the possibilities in the plant.  Sister ivy teaches us to be mindful of how and where we are walking.  It comes into disturbed areas to reclaim them and help them heal.  It’s also great food for wildlife.  And if you’re sensitive to it, just pick up some jewelweed, rub it on your skin to de-activate the oils.  Or, or make an infusion that can be sprayed on or frozen into ice cubes and rubbed on your skin.

The Elderberry bush growing on the pond dam was the star of the show!  The flowers are so beautiful and full of benefits too numerous to list.  We pulled the creamy flowers from the stems and dropped them into the thermos with hot water to steep.  After returning to the Nest, we sipped the gentle brew while reviewing all we learned on this cool and cloudy morning together.

Foraging is not for amateurs.  It takes knowledge and experience to know which plants-parts-quantities-and preparations are safe to take into our bodies.  In order to harness the medicine of plants, it’s important to develop a close relationship with them over the seasons. Are you absolutely certain that the plant is edible (or is it a poisonous look-alike)?  Has the plant been sprayed or exposed to exhaust and other toxins?  Is there enough of the plant to harvest sustainably?   Today, we were in safe hands with Kim! 

Kim offers classes and events in wild foods and medicine, yoga, energy work, and massage.  Visit her website at abundancehealingarts.com

As part of the “potato head” group which participated in potato preparation, planting, hilling, protecting, and now harvesting, here is what I have learned so far:

• There is something so exciting about those red, blue, and gold potatoes emerging from the soil, watching then spill out from the dirt makes you just want to break out into a dance! Gathering them from the overturned dirt and disengaging the ones still attached to the plant – there is an intense satisfaction and joy to hold those little and not so little potatoes in your hand— some plants have just 2 -3 big ones, others have 8-10 of varying size, so it is often a surprise what is below ground.
• I can see why having several eyes in one piece is a good thing! My idea that “1 is enough” is valid in that some potatoes will be produced from the plant, but now that the potato project is coming full cycle, I have learned that more eyes means more stalks and more stalks means more opportunities for spuds to grow in the same place…  meaning less work at harvest to get possibly a similar amount of potatoes.  After two hours of digging potatoes for market, I can see this is a good thing, which leads to next point…
• Harvesting is back-breaking work. I have a 2-hour maximum.
• Working in pairs is fun and actually makes the work easier! A threesome is even easier, with little loss in efficiency and much gain in speed.
• In addition to hat, sunscreen, and water bottle, wearing a kerchief or bandanna or a Headwick really helps to keep from dripping everywhere, because, as noted, harvesting is back-breaking work.
• Even so, I can’t wait to do it again!   

Here is a photo of a normal Johnny red potato plant just spilling over with spuds (thanks Marilyn!), and another of the potatoes prepared for market (thanks Margret!)

…this experience awakened memories of my childhood…

It was a cloudy, blustery day—a perfect time to step into the shelter of the woods to marvel at what the natural world is offering this Spring.  Margret, Jenny, and I loosely led eighteen (!) people into an intimate experience through  a cozy area nestled between our southern border and the brook connecting the pond with McGowan Creek. 

The path we chose began on higher ground, allowing us to avoid the rain-swamped areas of our better-known trail network.  Very few Hart’s Millers have been this way, and it was a delight to introduce everyone to the charms of this tucked-away spot.

…showing the children how to taste the sweetness of a coral honeysuckle blossom was a highlight…

We stepped from the Hart’s Nest lawn into a woodland carpeted with a filigree of Creeping Cedar.  This plant, a club moss, is among the oldest species on earth – originating around 500 million years ago and memorialized in ancient coal deposits – and its presence seems to bestow a sense of timeless enchantment. 

…it was great to have time to just stop and notice what’s around me…

As we walked along the southern border, it was striking how different the Hart’s Mill forest appeared from our neighbor’s to the south.  We don’t know the full history of this land, but it’s possible that this forest was clear cut, and even farmed, in the not too distant past.  It was certainly planted with pines at some point.  In contrast, the fairly open mixed-hardwood forest next door gave us an idea of what this land may have looked like many years ago—and may appear again some decades hence.

We made our way down a gentle slope, past a rare collection of large boulders—ideal for sitting and gazing, or closing one’s eyes and resting.  The brook at the bottom connects the pond with McGowan Creek and it was bustling, tunefully shifting the overflow towards the wetlands.  The children in the midst had a high time splashing in the water.  It’s a good thing they wore their rubber boots!

It was time to wander and follow our eyes, noses, and feet.  We indulged our senses, gazing at tiny new Tulip Tree leaves, feeling the quiet presence of the trees, scenting the wind, and listening for…well…anything that captured our attention.  People enjoyed this solo time guided by their own druthers. 

…I don’t often sit outside much, and sitting on a rock feeling the breeze and listening to the leaves was so calming…

The whole experience felt peaceful and laced with wonder.*   We headed back to the Nest under a light rainfall to enjoy a cup of hot tea, snacks, and reflect on what we noticed. 

There will be nature experiences every month at Hart’s Mill.  Be sure to check our calendar and catch the next one.  The land is waiting for you.

…it was all so quiet and calming…

*As I was writing this post, this article out of UC Berkeley showed up in my inbox: Why Is Nature So Good for Your Mental Health?  The link is included in case you are curious.

It’s been a wet, chilly spring but there’s plenty happening on the land.  Hart’s Mill has ten  ecosystems across its 112 acres and each one has its own character and species mix.*  When Margret Mueller and I got together to plan this nature walk, we decided to head  towards the 13-acre splay of streams, trees, and wetlands along our eastern border.  Bloodroot and Spring Beauty have been gracing the brown ground with bright white blossoms since late February.  Flowering Red Maple trees dot the canopy with sprays of magenta.  And with all the rain we’ve been having, the beaver dam displays are numerous and impressive.  

March 16th was a great day to take a nature walk.  The day dawned clear and breezy and seven members met up at the pump house to start heading over to McGowan Creek.  We took a detour to Hart’s Ease, where a Honey Locust festoons itself with fearsome thorns along its trunk and branches, with remnants of foot-long seed pods scattered at its feet.    From there, we headed north towards Cob Haven, pointing out 3 species of conifers nearby: Loblolly Pine, Virginia Pine, and Red Cedar.  At the top of the Far Field, we stopped for a visit with a lone Willow Oak, marveling at its tiny acorn caps and copious branches.  Then we headed into the woods.  

There are 22 species of deciduous trees that I’ve seen on the land so far, but many are immature, unsuccessfully competing with the Loblolly pines planted in the late 1990’s after a clear cut of several large stands.  Not so along McGowan Creek.  Due to the steep slopes and regulations protecting wetlands, this rich strip has gorgeous mixed hardwood trees around 80-100 years old, including magnificent American Beech, Tulip Tree, Red Maple, Oak, and Hickory, while Ironwood and Black Willow proliferate nearer the creek.   

I took this picture a few days later, after a a heavy rain. The dam has been breached. I wonder what it will look like in a few days after the beavers take stock?

Since trees are just starting to bud, the winding wetland expanse is still visible.  McGowan creek, thickly braided with canals and swollen with beaver ponds, is a rich refuge for birds and animals alike.  We walked up to the edge of an impressive beaver dam, the first of many dotting the stream like beads on a string.  Beavers are nocturnal, but the effects of their tireless labors are visible by day in the way that their dams gracefully sculpt the wetland and by the many pointed tree stumps their extraordinary teeth leave behind.  

As for birds, I’ve spied wood ducks, geese, herons (blue and green), and egrets in this area, but they are very skittish and easily spooked.  They steered clear of our group, but I know they’re out there for the quiet seeker.

And speaking of quiet, the wetland is anything but this time of year.  Gazillions of frogs and toads sing their hearts out in a concert that can verge on deafening.  Though they were a bit shy with an audience, we heard spring peepers, bullfrogs, tree frogs and many other amphibious utterances as we strolled down the path.  

Margret, our fungi forager, pointed out Hexagonal Polypore (Neofavolus alveolaris) clustered along a few beech tree branches.  The six-sided pores and golden color evokes a honeycomb.  Some sources say it may be edible but its taste and texture leave a lot to be desired.  Best to consume it in with your eyes only.  

Our group was full of questions, comments, and exclamations of wonder as we wrapped up our walk.  We all felt energized and curiously connected after sharing this attentive conversation with the natural world, together.  

Redbud blossoms

As the Spring unfolds, every precious part of our land will unwrap many flora-and-fauna gifts and surprises.  Each tree, animal, bird, flower, rock, fungus, and soil type has its  story, gifts, lore, and singular beauty, and we’ll be exploring many more as our nature walks continue through the spring and summer.  

Keep an eye out for the next offering in April.  If you have particular knowledge you’d like to share, or something you’d especially like to experience, please be in touch.  We’d love to have you join us!  

*For descriptions, see the excellent Forest Stewardship Plan prepared by the Eno River Association in 2014.

Thanks to an intrepid band of Hartsmilers working through a cold misty afternoon, the Far Loop Trail in the big southeast leg of our land is now passable all the way around. Margret M and Margaret A, Jeffry, George, Paul, Hope, Nell, and Anthony all helped to clear the last segment on the farthest southeast corner of the land — in what we used to call the Forbidden Territory because it is so far out and for so long seemed so impenetrable. There is more work to be done to make the pathway more commodious and level, but is still fully walkable now. I have yet to measure the length exactly, but my guess is about 2/3 mile. — that’s after about the 1/3+ mile hike from the village area to the trailhead.

Our crew celebrated this “Golden Spike” moment when we joined both sides of the loop trail.  Lots of other people worked on this trail too at earlier workdays: I am sure I won’t remember everyone, but those I do remember include Vanessa and Lizel, Tara and Rick with their son John Michael, Virginia, John, Amy, Lisa, and Tami and Whit from Earth’s Turn.  I’ll give myself credit for routing and blazing the trail and plugging away at clearing sometimes alone or with a few others, but it’s been the workday energy of crews like today’s that really made it happen. The hot chocolate at Hart’s Nest at the close of the day was a great treat too.  Many thanks to you all!  

Next steps will be continuing upgrades along the route, and this summer we have plans to build better access on a 100-foot  boardwalk access along the downstream edge of the beaver pond (right now the access is a bit farther downstream and a bit muddy) — stay tuned, and get ready to come help build on future workdays!  

Now, everyone please come and use the trails. The best way to maintain them is to walk them often!  For a map of all the land’s trails, click here.  Enjoy!

Jeffry and Margret of Seeing Stars Farm (SSF), with support and assistance from the rest of the Land Stewardship Circle, held a Last Saturday event on January 26 at Hart’s Nest.  Sixteen people gathered to launch what we are calling the Community Farming Initiative (a.k.a. “Farm-Aid”, minus the famous musicians, sadly). 

Our presentation began with a brief visit to the farm to help folks picture the area we will be farming.  Back at Hart’s Nest, Anthony spoke about our agrarian mission and Paul gave us a brief history of the milestones in HM’s farm development. Jeffry then showed us Bobby Tucker’s Master Farm Plan, indicating the area currently under development for vegetable farming. He explained that Seeing Stars Farm’s existing  arrangement with HM is to farm for ourselves for now with the understanding that this will transition to community farming as soon as appropriate.

Goals:

Our last activity involved using “commitment cards” to get specific information about members’ interest in participating. We were so gratified and excited to find that every single attendee signed on for either a growing team or as backup support! We now have in place two teams, interested in such crops as specialty potatoes, Asian greens, cut flowers, beets, and herbs.

 These first groups are already underway; if there is growing interest (?) we will extend the project in the coming seasons. A huge “Thank You” to the Nest for hosting us, the members of LSC for supporting participation, and the rest of you for your enthusiasm!  Contact Jeffry, seeingstarsfarm@gmail.com, if you’d like to get on board.