SAND Club Learns about Land Use Now & Then

In May, we visited Dunrovin Retreat Center. Mary Meeds kindly took us on a tour of the grounds, which was a fabulous review of many things we studied this year. First, she showed us their herb garden, where they grow herbs for use in the dining hall. On the tour, we saw jack in the pulpits, spruce trees, marsh marigolds, and many other wildflowers and trees as Mary discussed the challenge of keeping the forest thriving despite the invasion of buckthorn. She also shared with us how they treat their water in order to make sure the St. Croix River stays clean. Finally, we enjoyed a hike through the grounds, and crossed a bridge that goes through their ponds. We ended up at a garden that now grows where folks used to swim (in an old swimming pool). There, we helped weed the garden where they grow much of the food they serve at the Retreat Center.




The second week we visited Little Flower Farm. Chiara took us on an extensive tour in which we got to collect eggs, and touch goats who tried to escape their pens. We saw the greenhouses and fields, saw how the Dowells encourage their hens to lay eggs by fooling them with golf balls, and learned about sheep shearing and how to correctly sharpen and use a scythe. In the end, we enjoyed some truly delicious goat cheese made by Chiara. I think it was profitable for the children to consider the challenges of caring for such big properties.

We finished up the year by talking about what we had learned. Today, just as in years past, we hunt, fish, grow plants, gather plants, and recreate. We also build cities, settle (semi)permanently in houses and build roads. We aren't necessarily "better" than the people of the past, and they aren't necessarily "better" than we are. What truly matters is how we live our lives---are we loving more today than we did yesterday? Are we enjoying and caring for the world God created? Are we letting God work through us? Are we turning our hearts and our lives over to Him? The measure that we radiate hope and joy manifests the condition of our soul.

Wildflowers and Wild Edibles

Attempts to visit some state parks this month for programs on wildflowers went awry. Alas, Saturdays just don't work for our families! Boo hoo for my family as we have most Saturdays free. However, we did manage to squeeze in one big and fun day at our house for a wildflower and wild edible exploring/coloring/painting extravaganza. We started out with a discussion of all the native wildflowers and plants in our yard that Ojibway peoples used for food or medicines around the turn of the last century. There were quite a few because our yard is a jungle. :) We have yarrow, jack in the pulpit, wild strawberry, wild geranium, false salomonseal, nettle, blackberry, and red raspberry. Then we went on a hunt for these and other wild edibles (chives, mint, violets, and maple). We did avoid the nettles. Whew. It was a blast.






Then we headed indoors to color some wildflower coloring pages and then paint our own favorite wildflower.









The following day, my family headed to Wm O'Brien State Park to take in their wildflower walk. We felt pretty big for our britches as we have most of the flowers we saw in our yard!