Did you know that it takes an average of 10 years for balsamroot grown from seed to develop its first flower? And that a mature balsamroot plant can be decades old? Plant expert Barbara Robinson shared these remarkable facts when we visited our Four Sisters property for a wildflower-seed collection workshop in May. Barbara’s been…
Read MoreTrout Lake Farm began organically growing medicinal herbs in Trout Lake Valley in 1973. Today it grows everything from echinacea to valerian on 280 acres (depending on what herbs are in demand). These days, the farm makes ample room for skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), a herbaceous perennial in the mint family that’s known to reduce inflammation…
Read MoreI was walking through a pine and oak forest at Bowman Creek, juggling a chainsaw and fencing tools, inspecting the barbed wire for winter damage. It was early April and the cattle on our neighbor’s property would be let out to graze in two weeks time. The cluster lilies and lomatiums were in full bloom…
Read MoreWe’re gearing up for Wallacut River restoration 2014! The Lower Columbia River Estuary is the last river stop in the epic journey of young salmon making their way to the ocean. The more food and shelter they find there, the stronger they’ll be when they hit the ocean, and the better their chances are to…
Read MoreSometimes invasive species get so out of control, only a large-scale coordinated attack will eliminate them. Such is the case with indigobush (Amorpha fruticosa) in the Columbia River Gorge. Originally planted as an ornamental, this bush has taken over many miles of shoreline in the Gorge—and that’s not good. Indigobush forms dense thickets along rivers…
Read MoreSurrounded by a gravel pit, an old airport, and block after block of suburban and industrial development, 10-acre Green Cathedral doesn’t exemplify most people’s idea of wildness. On the other hand, it is a cathedral (of sorts). The former farm is one of the last remnants of green space in this part of Vancouver’s Orchards…
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