Nurturing Natives
In 2018, The Ash Borer Beatle devasted most varieties of Native Ash trees all across the Eastern half of the United States. The 15 acres of woods on our farm lost almost 200 trees, fallen and left like the dead on a battlefield. This event set us on a course to learn how to help the woods help itself. We do this by cutting and removing invasive species and planting native trees and shrubs. This is a slow, labor-intensive process.
Native Trees
To be a better steward of the recovering woods, Kim started learning everything she could about the trees that are native to the woods and regional woodland habitats. One important source was Lucy Baum - a world-famous Botanist who started her ecological work in the 1920s in Cincinnati, Ohio before "ecology" was even a thing. By studying her books, Kim created a Native "tree" comprised of the trees that are native specific to Woodhaven Farm in Highland County.
