Community members scoured our property to document butterflies, including Zebra Swallowtails and Cloudless Sulphurs. Jan Schaefer (Secretary and Treasurer, Lancaster Butterfly and Entomological Club) and Deb Carmen (Master Gardener, Penn State Extension) provided background and information.

Nothing says “welcome summer” like the arrival of the fireflies!  A crowd came to Homefields for an evening of drumming as the fields came alive with light. There were s’mores at the bonfire and we learned the natural history of fireflies and their unique biology.  It was a great way to celebrate the start of summer surrounded by nature.

Leading the drumming circle was local musician and music facilitator Elissa “Lisa” Fairman of Earth Rhythms LLC.

On May 11, Homefields became a palette of arts for children and adults. This event highlighted local artists and featured art demonstrations by members of the PA Guild of Craftsmen. A blacksmith, painters, illustrators, jewelry artists and more demonstrated their unique craft. The Lancaster County Art association and Plein Air artists sketched and painted so visitors coud see their progress or join in.

There were family-friendly activities such as nature journaling and vegetable stamp painting, and attendees assisted a Millersville University sculpture professor to create an ephemeral art sculpture using natural materials collected at the farm.

Maggie Mowery led hour-long, beginner-friendly, alignment-based yoga practice sessions from May 21 through September 17.

Attendees learned how to incorporate grounding, elongation, and recognition of the natural pulses of the body into their yoga practice. The class was well-suited for those who are new to yoga, as well yogis who are interested in learning more about an alignment based practice.

Maggie Mowery is a certified Alignment Yoga instructor, as well as a certified Hatha Yoga instructor. She has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and teaching since 2017. Maggie is particularly proud of the fact that she is a certified Alignment Yoga Teacher through the Yoga Sanctuary School. “When we come into better alignment in our bodies, we not only give our internal organs more room to heal, but we can also create more space within ourselves to hold compassion and love for others.”

Dr. Aaron Haines started with a talk on bat research being conducted at Millersville University, then took attendees into the field to survey for bats on Homefields property.

The goal of this class was to review how to use remote acoustic recording devices to record bat vocalizations. Remote acoustic survey efforts are a cost-effective way to survey for rare bats in Pennsylvania.  The talk conlcuded with a bat/bird hike, using equipment to identify bat species in active flight. 

Dr. Aaron Haines is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and a Professor of Biology at Millersville University.

As part of a national event, participants received butterfly guides and joined members of the Lancaster Butterfly Club in a walk of the farm property to identify and record all butterfly species found on the farm.  In addition to the butterfly count there werer snacks and activities for kids and workshops on butterfly gardening where experts taught how to create your own butterfly garden. 

Participants also assisted in installing a new butterfly garden at Homefields farm, learning about the natural history of butterflies and their amazing life cycle and behaviors, from butterfly experts.  Local artist Carol Welsh demonstrated techniques for creating watercolor paintings of butterflies. 

Note: This event was hosted and maintained by the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen but took place at Homefields.

Learn how to keep your own nature journal and start a life-long creative habit as you explore native plants in the landscape. Nature Journaling opens a world of beauty and discovery to you as you increase your powers of observation as a naturalist, and improve your writing and artistic skills. There will be plenty to study at Homefields where many native plants transform the landscape.

You will learn to use simple innovative thinking practices such as Four Color Analysis and Investigative Frames to deepen your work and develop new techniques in your journaling style. Books such as field guides to native plants, botany manuals, watercolor for journaling, and “seeing” in nature will be tools to explore. Wherever you are on your journaling journey, a beginner wanting to know how to take the first step, or a seasoned traveler, don’t miss this opportunity to gain new insights and meet up with fellow journalers!

Carol Welsh has been a lifetime educator and a nature Journal artist with PA Council on the Arts. She has studied native plants at Mount Cuba and Botany at Millersville University. Carol is a member of the Lancaster Butterfly and Entomology Club, Muhlenberg Botanical Group and is a regular presenter at the North Museum and other local venues.

Forest therapy (sometimes called forest bathing) is an experience of being fully present with nature. This experience was facilitated and guided by a sequence of simple invitations to notice and interact with nature. Benefits of slowing down in nature include a wide range of physical, emotional, and mental health benefits.

The walk took place on the beautiful grounds of Homefields Care Farm and will end with a tea time, light refreshments, and a campfire.

For information about the benefits of forest therapy, visit foresttherapypa.com/research.html

Jodi Good is a mental health professional who has worked in community based mental health services since 2007. Over the years she has found it rejuvenating to connect with the gentle rhythms of nature. In April 2021, she was certified as a forest therapy guide, and established Nature and Forest Therapy LLC to bring people and nature together. Jodi has guided forest therapy walks for small groups on private and public lands. As a forest therapy guide, Jodi unites her love of people and her love of nature to introduce others to the benefits of slowing down in nature. Jodi supports people to find connection, discovery, and rejuvenation through the shared nature immersion experiences of forest therapy.

Part of the Farm Almanac Series

Carol Welsh delivered 24 events in this series—including 3 Native Plant Garden talks—from May 15 to November 20.

Homefields Farm Almanac focused on a weekly theme related to: Native Plants at Homefields, Foraging for Edibles and Flowers, Sharing Recipes and Cultural History of your Homefields Share, Counting Butterflies, and Pollinators at Homefields. Expert guests were invited and participants will be encouraged to keep a journal or make an entry for the Homefields Almanac. Homefields provided materials.

Carol Welsh has been a lifetime educator and a nature Journal artist with PA Council on the Arts. She has studied native plants at Mount Cuba and Botany at Millersville University. Carol is a member of the Lancaster Butterfly and Entomology Club, Muhlenberg Botanical Group and is a regular presenter at the North Museum and other local venues.

Maggie Mowery delivered hour-long, beginner-friendly, alignment-based yoga practice sessions from May 15 to September 18.

Attendees learned how to incorporate grounding, elongation, and recognition of the natural pulses of the body into their yoga practice. The class was well-suited for those who are new to yoga, as well yogis who are interested in learning more about an alignment based practice.

Maggie Mowery is a certified Alignment Yoga instructor, as well as a certified Hatha Yoga instructor. She has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and teaching since 2017. Maggie is particularly proud of the fact that she is a certified Alignment Yoga Teacher through the Yoga Sanctuary School. “When we come into better alignment in our bodies, we not only give our internal organs more room to heal, but we can also create more space within ourselves to hold compassion and love for others.”

Homefields is a wonderful location for birding, ripe with potential for sightings of unusual species. Local birder William Young led adventurers on a walk through the fields in search of avian life. Since fall migration was picking up at this time, there was a high potential for migrants, including warblers.

William Young is a birder from Lancaster PA. He has been birding since the age of eight, and has travelled extensively in search of birds. As a member of the Lancaster County Bird Club, William actively birds in the Lancaster area. He is editor of The Fledgling, a magazine for and by young birders. He is also working on a book about the famed Lancaster biologist Ted Parker III.

The goal of this class was to review how to use remote acoustic recording devices to record bat vocalizations. Remote acoustic survey efforts are a cost-effective way to survey for rare bats in Pennsylvania.  The talk concluded with a bat/bird hike, using equipment to identify bat species in active flight. 

Bats provide ecosystem services to human societies such as being indicators of ecosystem health and providing control over problem insect species. In the state of Pennsylvania, there are 7 species of bats that are of conservation concern, with 3 species listed as endangered and 2 protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Dr. Aaron Haines is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and a Professor of Biology at Millersville University.

Participants walked through the pick-your-own fields to learn about the many different varieties of basil grown on the farm. Characteristics and uses of each type of basil were emphasized. After collecting some basil, tips on many ways to use were explained and demonstrated (e.g., drying, freezing, making pesto) and participants received recipes and had an opportunity to taste some basil products.

Dominique Didier is a Professor of Biology at Millersville University with an expertise in marine biology and a passion for experimenting in the kitchen. She and her husband live on a small farm near Homefields and keep a flock of Merino sheep.

Nature provided the fireflies, we the campfire, and you the soundtrack for a magical night. Drums, rattles, bells, buckets and sticks set the beat for roasting marshmallows and completing the circle together.

Part of the Farm Almanac Series

Carol Welsh delivered 24 events in this series—including 5 Butterfly Walks—from May 15 to November 20.

Homefields Farm Almanac focused on a weekly theme related to: Native Plants at Homefields, Foraging for Edibles and Flowers, Sharing Recipes and Cultural History of your Homefields Share, Counting Butterflies, and Pollinators at Homefields. Expert guests were invited and participants will be encouraged to keep a journal or make an entry for the Homefields Almanac. Homefields provided materials.

Carol Welsh has been a lifetime educator and a nature Journal artist with PA Council on the Arts. She has studied native plants at Mount Cuba and Botany at Millersville University. Carol is a member of the Lancaster Butterfly and Entomology Club, Muhlenberg Botanical Group and is a regular presenter at the North Museum and other local venues.

Kate Wilson from the SciDome Theater at the North Museum guided us through the constellations and met us at a bonfire on the other side.

The stargazing portion ran from 7:00 to 8:00 pm with the bonfire from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.

Kate Wilson has held many positions at the North Museum of Nature and Science for over 20 years. One of them is in the SciDome Theater, North Museum's planetarium. Kate has had a passion for astronomy ever since she moved from New York City to Lancaster, getting to enjoy the darker skies of the county as a little girl. Today, she loves to share that passion with others and teach about all of the wonders our universe holds. When not working at the North Museum, Kate likes to read, watch horror movies, and look for dark skies near her home in Landisville, with her husband Allan.

Maggie Mowery led hour-long beginner friendly alignment based yoga practice most Sundays from March through the end of October! In these classes, attendees learned how to incorporate grounding, elongation, and noticing the natural pulses of the body into their yoga practice.

NOTE: Classes will be held every Sunday through the end of October!

This class is well-suited for those who are new to yoga, as well yogis who are interested in learning more about an alignment based practice. The class was relatively gentle in nature, but cues were offered for those seeking a deeper variation and more core engagement.

Maggie Mowery is a certified Alignment Yoga instructor, as well as a certified Hatha Yoga instructor. She has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and teaching since 2017. Maggie is particularly proud of the fact that she is a certified Alignment Yoga Teacher through the Yoga Sanctuary School. “When we come into better alignment in our bodies, we not only give our internal organs more room to heal, but we can also create more space within ourselves to hold compassion and love for others.”

Attendees explored how to transform a weedy patch in their piece of the planet into high-functioning wildlife habitats. This outdoor workshop helped develop the skills in:

• Common weed identification

• Ecological practices for weed management

• Ecological practices to repopulate a space into a biodiverse garden

Our collaborative planting project involved editing the herbaceous layer of the existing Miyawaki Plot (rapid forest planting technique) at Homefields, sowing early successional seeds and planting native landscape plugs, grown from volunteer Matt Dilley and KindEarth Growers.

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Elyse Jurgen, owner of Waxwing EcoWorks Co. (www.waxwingecoworks.com), is a community collaborator working to rebuild ecological literacy and biodiversity through hands-on ecological gardening experiences in South Central PA.

She is certified as a Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional and Ecological/Permaculture Designer, along with earning an Ecological Gardening Certification from Mt. Cuba Center. She has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Education, 7-12 Biology Teaching Certification, and participated in Cornell University’s Civic Ecology program. Elyse works alongside homeowners in a participatory approach to their gardening for wildlife needs, infusing educational opportunities during the design, installation, and management process. She invites homeowners to deeply engage with their land to maximize its potential in enhancing human well-being and supporting dwindling wildlife populations.

Homefields is a wonderful location for birding, ripe with potential for sightings of unusual species. Local birder William Young led a walk through the fields in search of avian life. Since fall migration was be picking up at this time, there was a high potential for migrants, including warblers.

William Young is a birder from Lancaster PA. He has been birding since the age of eight, and has travelled extensively in search of birds. As a member of the Lancaster County Bird Club, William actively birds in the Lancaster area. He is editor of The Fledgling, a magazine for and by young birders. He is also working on a book about the famed Lancaster biologist Ted Parker III.

Note: This was a free event.

It is through an anonymous benefactor that this class was offered at no cost.

Have you heard the news about dwindling bee and bird populations and feel inspired to take action, but don’t know where to start? A solution to rebound these critical wildlife populations rests right in your backyard! In this workshop, gain the basic native garden skills and hands-on experience of converting a section of lawn into viable habitat to support critical wildlife species. This workshop will give you confidence to put the skills to work on your own property or community space.

The first half of the workshop explored the fundamentals of ecological site prep and plant placement, based on the plant species’ sociabilities (growing pattern and organization) to create a native garden design on the Homefields farm property. The remainder of the class was a hands-on installation of the group’s crafted native garden design.

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Elyse Jurgen, owner of Waxwing EcoWorks Co., is a community collaborator working to rebuild ecological literacy and biodiversity through hands-on ecological gardening experiences in South Central PA. She is certified as a Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional and Ecological / Permaculture Designer, along with earning an Ecological Gardening Certification from Mt. Cuba Center. She has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Education, 7-12 Biology Teaching Certification, and participated in Cornell University’s Civic Ecology program.

Elyse works alongside homeowners in a participatory approach to their gardening for wildlife needs, infusing educational opportunities during the design, installation, and management process. She invites homeowners to deeply engage with their land to maximize its potential in enhancing human well-being and supporting dwindling wildlife populations.

Maggie Mowery held a series of hour long beginner friendly alignment based yoga practices, from May through the present. She taught attendees how to incorporate grounding, elongation, and noticing the natural pulses of the body into their yoga practice.

The class was well-suited for those who are new to yoga, as well yogis who are interested in learning more about an alignment based practice. The class is relatively gentle in nature, but cues will be offered for those seeking a deeper variation and more core engagement.

Maggie Mowery is a certified Alignment Yoga instructor, as well as a certified Hatha Yoga instructor. She has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and teaching since 2017. Maggie is particularly proud of the fact that she is a certified Alignment Yoga Teacher through the Yoga Sanctuary School. “When we come into better alignment in our bodies, we not only give our internal organs more room to heal, but we can also create more space within ourselves to hold compassion and love for others.”

In this outdoor, hands-on workshop, participants explored how to prepare a living hedgerow site and select native woody species to plant that serve as a provisioning resource for humans and also are highly functioning for wildlife. Together they planted a multifunctional hedgerow on Homefields Care Farm with serviceberry, highbush blueberries, American hazelnut, and more!

The native edible species are generously supplied in collaboration with the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership. Each participant will receive a freebie take home tree sapling as a token of our appreciation of helping to build biodiversity on the Homefields farm!

In this on-line class, participants explored 15 ecological valuable native plants that serve a medicinals/edibles that will got them started on their next homegrown apothecary and community garden projects. Ecological gardeners diversified their landscape with native plants to meet their needs, while also aiding in building essential habitat for wildlife.

Elyse Jurgen, owner of Waxwing EcoWorks Co, is a community collaborator working to rebuild ecological literacy and biodiversity through hands-on ecological gardening experiences in South Central PA.

She is certified as a Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional and Ecological/Permaculture Designer, along with earning an Ecological Gardening Certification from Mt. Cuba Center. She has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Education, 7-12 Biology Teaching Certification, and participated in Cornell University’s Civic Ecology program. Elyse works alongside homeowners in a participatory approach to their gardening for wildlife needs, infusing educational opportunities during the design, installation, and management process. She invites homeowners to deeply engage with their land to maximize its potential in enhancing human well-being and supporting dwindling wildlife populations.

Our home gardens are often designed for the warm growing season, overlooking the potential of a stunning winter garden with snow-capped seed heads and hints of green. In this on-line workshop, participants learned 20 native plants that are best as a winter highlight in the home garden and tips on supporting nesting wild bees, overwintering butterflies, and songbirds throughout the cold winter months.

Elyse Jurgen, owner of Waxwing EcoWorks Co., is a community collaborator working to rebuild ecological literacy and biodiversity through hands-on ecological gardening experiences in South Central PA.

She is certified as a Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional and Ecological/Permaculture Designer, along with earning an Ecological Gardening Certification from Mt. Cuba Center. She has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Education, 7-12 Biology Teaching Certification, and participated in Cornell University’s Civic Ecology program. Elyse works alongside homeowners in a participatory approach to their gardening for wildlife needs, infusing educational opportunities during the design, installation, and management process. She invites homeowners to deeply engage with their land to maximize its potential in enhancing human well-being and supporting dwindling wildlife populations.

As gardeners, winter is often viewed as an opportunity to hunker down in the indoors and browse seed catalogs and design your next habitat garden. Although these are all valuable practices, there is plenty to keep your heart pumping and spirits lifted in the outdoors this winter! In this on-site workshop, skills were honed for 4 ecological gardening practices that are ideal in the winter, including seeding native mini-meadows and invasive species management.

Elyse Jurgen, owner of Waxwing EcoWorks Co, is a community collaborator working to rebuild ecological literacy and biodiversity through hands-on ecological gardening experiences in South Central PA.

She is certified as a Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional and Ecological/Permaculture Designer, along with earning an Ecological Gardening Certification from Mt. Cuba Center. She has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Education, 7-12 Biology Teaching Certification, and participated in Cornell University’s Civic Ecology program. Elyse works alongside homeowners in a participatory approach to their gardening for wildlife needs, infusing educational opportunities during the design, installation, and management process. She invites homeowners to deeply engage with their land to maximize its potential in enhancing human well-being and supporting dwindling wildlife populations.

You are invited to join fellow tree lovers in a rapid forest building workshop, facilitated by Elyse Jurgen, ecological gardener and educator. Explore the experimental restoration technique called the Miyawaki Method by being hands on in the planting of over 300 native tree and shrub saplings of 13 species, including Spicebush, Oak, Redbud, and Serviceberry.

The Miyawaki Method, originated in Japan by acclaimed ecologist Akira Miyawaki, has demonstrated 10 times the growth rate of conventional tree plantings, even in challenging urban conditions. As a result, a multitude of ecological functions are more rapidly realized, such as:

• Carbon sequestration to combat climate change

• Building biodiversity

• Providing supportive habitat for wildlife

• Growing botanical medicines and edibles

• Capturing stormwater runoff

• Regenerating soil health

• and more!

Gain the skills and confidence to apply the process practiced on site at Homefields to your next home lawn conversion project or a shared community space.

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Elyse Jurgen, owner of Waxwing EcoWorks Co., is a community collaborator working to rebuild ecological literacy and biodiversity through hands-on ecological gardening experiences in Lancaster/York County, PA.

She is certified as a Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional and Ecological/Permaculture Designer, along with earning an Ecological Gardening Certification from Mt. Cuba Center. In addition to her ecological design skills, she has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Education, 7–12 Biology Teaching Certification, and participated in Cornell University’s Civic Ecology program.

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Thank you to Lancaster Community Wildlife Habitat and Lancaster TreeTenders for their generous native tree and shrub seedling donation to make this workshop possible. Each participant will also receive a freebie take home tree or shrub of their choice!