If you’ve ever visited our wet meadow in the Grange village, you may have noticed some small pools of water, they’re called vernal pools. A vernal pool is a seasonal pool of water that provides habitat for distinct plant and animal species. They are a unique type of wetland, as ...
If you’ve taken any of the farm tours at Willowsford Farm you often hear Farmer Eric or Farmer Andrew talking about the importance of soil health (image on the left is sharing this message with the Jr. Chef Academy kids). It is difficult to pin down exactly what constitutes a ...
The health and well being of our natural environment is a top priority for the Land Stewardship team at Willowsford, that is why we conduct routine maintenance on our meadows, forests, trails, and open spaces. Brush hogging is one of our upkeeping practices to maintain and improve the overall ...
Ever wondered how chickens produce eggs? Our hens are a cross called Novogen and have been bred to be excellent layers. During peak season one of our chickens can lay an egg up to 5 days a week! It all starts with the yolk, also called an oocyte, and ...
Have you ever wondered where certain animals go during the winter? Some animals like wood ducks, mallards, certain butterflies, and other migratory birds will fly south to find warmer temperatures. While other organisms like skunks, groundhogs, insects, amphibians, foxes and more, stay home and brace the cold weather in ...
Black bears are North America's most widely distributed bear species and can found throughout the United States as well as in Canada and Mexico. More specifically, they can be found right here in Willowsford! We are fortunate enough to have several sightings of a healthy black bears in Willowsford ...
What is “eating in season”? Simply put, it’s actively choosing foods that are grown and harvested during the current season. Think tomatoes in the peak of summer or fresh winter greens. For most of history, seasonal eating has just been eating, a cycle of growth, harvest and consumption based ...
Figure 1. Eastern Screech Owl We are lucky in Loudoun County to have such a wide variety of different owls. To list a few, we have the Eastern Screech owl, Barred owl, Barn owl, Great Horned owl, Short-Eared owl, and Northern Saw-Whet owl. How big do they ...
Birdwatching is a rewarding and accessible hobby that is great for nature enthusiasts of all ages and abilities. Despite being a lifelong nature enthusiast, I had never taken to bird watching until about four years ago. Now, it’s an almost daily hobby ...
Our Land Stewardship team has been busy this year! Our team is responsible for managing over 2,000 acres of protected open space throughout the Willowsford community which includes over 40 miles of trails. From adding new infrastructure (like the obstacle course in the greens!) to working on land restoration ...
International bat week (Oct. 24th-31st) is a celebration of our spooky flying friends and a chance to learn more about just how important bats are! What many people may not know is how big of a role bats play in our natural ecosystems, research ...
If you’ve visited the farm in the past few months, whether to volunteer or go on one of our monthly farm tour wagon rides, you’ve likely seen a tall plant that looks a bit like corn. This plant is actually a cover crop called Sorghum Sudangrass. Cover cropping is a ...