The Fields
The Journey's destination
In 2021, we secured our new environment — 45 sprawling acres of terrain — that would inspire the next phase of our ever-evolving vision. We call it The Fields and immediately began developing a plan to preserve and restore the land to its natural splendor. This has involved discovering, failing, and learning while working with nature's timeline. Since our focus is on preserving craft goods, we apply the same approach to land management, aiming to create a biodiverse wildlife habitat that also allows responsibly harvested natural components to be transformed into craft-related goods like custom furniture and honey.
We undertook a significant overhaul of non-native, invasive grasses installed across the area for cattle grazing in order to shift towards a more native ecosystem. To experience this environment, we created walking paths through our native wildflower pollinator habitats and the forest, allowing visitors to wander easily and explore from the front meadows to the creek and two miles of scaped forest trails. Seating areas at the headquarters, creekside, and in the forest offer various options for enjoying the land based on one's inclination for adventure. As we transform grassy areas, we are planting intentionally to develop a more complex ecosystem and reforesting to enhance carbon capture and filter particulate matter and groundwater pollutants.
PROGRAMS
Pollinator Habitat + Apiary + Honey
Ten acres of native wildflower meadows provide a food source and habitat for The Fields honeybee apiary while supporting the diverse population of native pollinators growing in number and variety. Through remediation, planting, and management, we now boast an impressive array of native vegetation, including yarrow, monarda, black-eyed susan, and coreopsis, to name just a few. The honeybees and other pollinators are frequently seen moving across the property, foraging and pollinating from the fields to the forest and the plantings around DR headquarters. Many songbirds, mammals, and other species also find refuge in the expansive pollinator meadows.
We partnered with Grelen Nursery, Inc. to introduce larger trees for strategic placement in the pollinator habitats, showcasing unique native tree species that benefit wildlife, including hop hornbeam, Kentucky yellowwood, magnolia, sugar maple, black gum, and sourwood. These trees provide much-needed shade and shelter in the otherwise treeless pollinator meadows.
Planting Program for Riparian Buffer, Carbon Capture, Arboretum
Beginning a decade-long renewal process, nearly two thousand native trees and shrubs have been strategically planted under the guidance of native ecology specialists. To restore grassland to forest and create a buffer corridor of vegetation along the creeks that feed into major rivers, we have established a future arboretum and filled in underutilized areas of the property with beneficial plantings.
The installation of our arboretum and riparian buffer zones improves water quality, sequesters carbon, filters pollutants from upland runoff, stabilizes streambanks, and mitigates flooding. Reforesting and planting also provide habitat for wildlife, both on land and in the water, while offering shade and a cooling effect. After ten years, the trees will mature, and their canopy will close, forming a diverse forest and a vibrant habitat for native species. Mammals, birds, insects, amphibians, and other creatures will thrive in this biodiverse environment, rich with food, clean water, and shelter. We have installed nearly two thousand native trees and shrubs, including but not limited to:
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- Red maple
- Black gum
- River birch
- Sycamore
- Persimmon
- Oaks
- American elm
- Tulip poplar
- Black walnut
- Buttonbush
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- Spicebush
- Arrowwood
- Serviceberry
- Black cherry
- Witch hazel
- Red chokeberry
- American plum
- Black willow
- Spicebush
- Crabapple
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- Elderberry
- Ninebark
- Silky dogwood
- Hazel alder
- Hackberry
- Red mulberry
- Shagbark hickory
- American basswood
- American holly
- Winterberry
Forest Management & Hardwood Furniture
In addition to strategically and selectively managing invasive tree, vine, and shrub growth, some naturally felled trees have been milled, air-dried for two years, and kiln-dried for furniture collections.
PRACTICES
Barbed Wire Cutting + Fence Removal
We removed thousands of linear feet of degraded barbed wire along the property perimeter, creating a safe passage for all types of wildlife. Much of this barbed wire was decades old and had fallen into disrepair. Some sections had succumbed to weather and were lying on the forest floor — a serious hazard for any low-lying creature like a snake. We painstakingly cut every piece of the triple-tiered fencing and hauled it offsite. We also removed large sections of electric fencing previously installed to keep cattle within specific parts of the land. This, too, freed up space, allowing wild animals to move unencumbered across the landscape.
Leave the Leaves
Each fall/winter, we leave the leaves on our property. Meaning, we do not bag up or remove the leaves from their natural location, except when leaf blowing off driveways, parking areas, and building perimeters, where we gently move the material onto the grassland and landscaping areas.
Fallen leaves act as nature’s fertilizer — an incredibly rich source of nutrients for the soil and a crucial overwintering and egg-laying habitat for various species, including certain moths and butterflies. Without the decayed leaf matter, their survival becomes uncertain. Dropped leaves contain nutrients that are consumed by detritivores, which are, in turn, consumed by larger predators like birds, reptiles, and mammals. This simple practice is easier for landowners and immensely beneficial for the soil and native species.
Additionally, we leave most of our landscaping shrubs and bushes intact over the winter and do not cut them back until early spring. The hollow stalks of different plants provide essential habitats for various insects, giving them the best chance of survival through winter.
Pollinators Come in All Shapes & Sizes
Yep, honeybees, bumblebees, and butterflies are excellent pollinators. Countless other pollinators are vital to ecosystem support (and that includes supporting us as humans). Some of these may seem scary, like wasps, hornets, and bats, or annoying, like flies, moths, and beetles, but their existence and protection are essential. We strive to accommodate and protect all species.
We Don’t Feed the Animals
While it’s tempting to give our animal friends treats, like corn for deer, it disrupts their physiological functions. Simply planting native flowers, grasses, trees, and shrubs provides all the food they could ever need, either directly from the plants or indirectly from the animals and insects they attract.
No Kill Policy
Some people may find certain critters scary, like snakes or spiders, but they have benefits and are a key part of the larger ecosystem. Whether they find themselves indoors or around the property buildings, we do not kill them or spray insecticide. Not only is the decline in pollinators a concern, but the widespread loss of insects is contributing to ecological imbalance. If you embrace nature, you must embrace the snakes, spiders, wasps, and other creepy-crawly things that are part of it. Plus, they really don’t want anything to do with us; sometimes, they just end up in the wrong location and need to be safely and gently shown the closest exit back to their natural environment.
Limit Lights at Night
We limit our property lighting at night to help pollinators like moths and fireflies. When lights are kept on all or most of the night, insects become disoriented and tire out during the evening. They are often too exhausted to defend themselves the next day, making them easy prey. Limiting nighttime lighting supports the insects that are essential to our ecosystem.
Resources
Build a Brush Pile for Wildlife: VA DOF
Getting Started – Native Plant Habitats: NWF | XERCES Directory
Leave the Leaves: NWF | XERCES | USDA
Limit Lights at Night: Firefly Conservation & Research
Pollinator-Friendly Planting for Your Area: Pollinator Conservation Resource Center