Last year I went to the Lancaster Conservancy’s Invasive Removal Day at Shenk’s Ferry Wildflower Preserve. In this video, you’ll learn a bit about why we have invasives and how, with people-power, we can spend some of our time removing them to make way for our native wildlife.
Regenuary
I’m not actually going to rename the month for you… January is cool and I respect it’s name! Of course January is a time when a lot of people see an opportunity for new beginnings! Here is a shortlist of things we can do in the new year to regenerate our world and our communities. …
Positive Change by Slowing Down
Forest Ranch Regenerative presents five ways to regenerate the environment and community. One of them is to SLOW DOWN. When we slow down, we see more clearly, and we understand more about each choice and each process. We start to get the “why.” How can we change the belief that “faster is better.” It’s not–not…
This is Forest Ranch Regenerative
Welcome to the Forest Ranch… a space where we come to talk about rebuilding, reconnecting and enjoying the abundance that comes from Earthcare and people care.
Forest Ranch is a place that invokes wildness and human intervention – two things that belong together. We, humans, evolved for a long time with other organisms but at some point, we started changing quicker than everything else due to our ability to mimic other organisms. In any case, we are here, in great numbers but our relationship to the natural world is confusing and inconsistent. Some suggest we don’t integrate telling us to “leave no trace.” Others think that no amount of integration or impact will adversely affect ecosystems or the global climate. So what’ll it be?
PRESTO! Just Add These Things to Your Garden
When we apply these “styles” to our own (microscopic in comparison) yards, however, we tend to leave out that interconnecting web, and instead focus on the outermost layer. This is largely why we struggle with the outcomes: dead and weak plants, having to re-landscape every few years (or sometimes every year!), and often we are unimpressed with the look and durability of these landscapes we attempt to create.
The Insects of Blessing
The Blessing Civic Center was a towering structure in the middle of nowhere which combined a stage and gymnasium. Passionate kids from the several small towns the facility served were already buzzing around. You could tell they were grateful when something special happened here.
The Spice Bush
On a forest walk down in Owl Valley, a friend handed me a leaf. “Smell it.” he said. So I smelled it and then broke the crisp epidermis. A sweet smell like a mix of citronella and roses wafted out. “spicebush.” I said and smiled. I had only recently been told a story about a…
Farm Innovation
Farmers of all types are people worthy of our appreciation. They grow our food and fibers. Most farmers work very hard and make a modest living. It’s not often glamorous but many will say they love it. They love the lifestyle, the vistas, the smells, and the way it structures or at least encourages a…
The Urban Edge
We have been documenting the ongoing journey of Benjamin Weis as he develops a plan to incorporate forest gardening while utilizing the underemployed and the unwanted riparian lands of central Pennsylvania. Watch the trailer here and feel free to contact us with any questions!
The Insignia of the Forest Ranch
The first thing you see is a field of color, a yellow, orange or green color. These colors are found in nature and when seen next to one another represent change and spectrum. Next, our eyes are drawn to the images within the field, an American chestnut branch, Two turkey feathers and from the ground,…
Forest Ranch Regenerative 