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Spirit Tree Farm’s God, Jesus and Nature Focus Difference

ByNaturesGuy Dave

The world is full of concerns about the environment, global warming, biophilia, connecting with Nature, and more dealing with the pluses and minuses of Nature and Mother Earth. There are few that have a God, Jesus and Nature focus. As we’ve been defining what we’re doing at Spirit Tree Farms, it’s been natural to compare…

Sunset Sunflower Bee Zen Serenade
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Sunset Sunflower Bee Zen Serenade

ByNaturesGuy Dave

A native bee on a sunflower at sunset creates a zen-like moment. Coupled with the background of water splashing in the pond and Creation Girl Marnie Kuhns’ extemporaneous piano music, the colors, movement, and sounds help us connect with God in Nature, #BeZen, and #FindNatureJoy. Sunflowers are native to North America, and I believe this…

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Removing Invasive Plants

ByNaturesGuy Dave

When trying to promote native plants, including wildflowers, native trees, shrubs, and more, one of the first steps is to get rid of non-native, invasive plants. Why? The privets, nandinia, amur honeysuckle, Cherokee rose, and other invasive plants often lead to mono-cultures, lack of bio-diversity, AND they crowd out — and even actively prevent —…

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Dragonflies and Nighthawks in a Wildflower Sunset

ByNaturesGuy Dave

Spending weekends and summers at Lake #Winneconne, WI at my Grandma’s cottage was idyllic. We would often go on walks out in nature. It was during one of those sauntering evenings of nature observation that she taught me to “always take a moment to look back where you’ve been; enjoy the view!” The other day,…

Medicinal properties of late blooming thoroughwart - how to harvest and preserve late blooming thoroughwart for an infusion.
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Harvesting and Preserving Late Blooming Thoroughwart

Bymarnie

What is late blooming thoroughwart? What are the medicinal properties of late blooming thoroughwart? And how can you preserve it to use in infusions to assist with fevers and colds? Late blooming thoroughwart (aka late boneset) is a flowering plant in the aster family which is native to North America. It was known as a…

chicken of the woods - medicinal uses, harvesting, preserving, purchasing, northwest georgia
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Chicken of the Woods: Harvesting, Preserving and Preparing

Bymarnie

Our “spirit tree” at Spirit Tree Farms, a pre-Civil War oak that we fondly refer to as “The Old Woman of the Woods,” has produced chicken of the woods mushroom at the end of July 2022 and 2023. This year’s harvest was especially prolific. We harvested the pieces with a knife and then brought it…

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The Tale of the Ugly Front Yards

ByNaturesGuy Dave

Folks who have native wildflower and native plant yards are often criticized by HOAs and neighbors who think yards should be meticulously-kept lawns, regularly cut and fertilized. A recent Facebook discussion in a Native Gardening group reminded me of what had happened to me in my neighborhood in Kingsgate, King County (suburb of Seattle) in…

Butterfly on Crownbeard in Wildflower Spiral
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Crownbeard Frost Flower: Unique Multi-Season Wildflower Available

ByNaturesGuy Dave

Add an unusual perennial wildflower to your wildflower garden that brings beauty and serves pollinators and birds throughout the year! White crownbeard wildflowers are summertime pollinator magnets throughout the eastern USA, and Spirit Tree Farms has bare root plants available! Crownbeards’ Late Summer Blooms Crownbeards — aka Verbesina virginica, wingstem, frostweed, ice flower, or frost…

Using native plants to improve overall wellness

Using Native Plants in Your Meals Can Support Overall Wellness

Bymarnie

Incorporating native plants into your meals can have numerous benefits for your overall wellness. Native plants are those that have naturally evolved and adapted to local environmental conditions, making them well-suited to the specific soil, climate, and other factors in their native habitats. Here are a few ways that incorporating native plants into your diet…