By Anthony Weston
On Sunday August 4th, a high-spirited band of workers gathered at the crack of dawn (OK, 9am) for a work session dedicated to trail maintenance and improvement. George, Lisa, Randy, Hope, Paul, Amy, Mir, and Anthony started in the most challenging place and cleared the Pond Loop trail, which took continuous lopping, weed-whacking, tripper- and fallen-tree removal, and more.
Reconvening at the far side of the dam, we moseyed along the south side of the Village Loop Trail over to McGowan Creek Loop, clearing as needed as well as enjoying some lovely spiderwebs still decked in morning dew. We took a break to admire a box turtle who turned up in the path.
Then we treated ourselves to a quick romp around the Far Loop — it still needs work, but it is easily passable — and then finished off the McGowan Creek Loop before retreating to the Pavilion for a convivial potluck lunch.
Many thanks to all who took part. At lunch we also got a look at the new trail map being prepared by Lauren Lintz for her NCSU MA project. A few final edits and it will be ready.
Now, for those of you who (we know) desperately wanted to join the trail work but for whatever reason couldn’t make it, a final note. Absolutely the best way to help maintain the trails is to USE THEM! So the upshot is that you can still help! Come out and walk the trails — Lauren’s map will be available on the HM website (my earlier version is up now) with hard copies at the pavilion and Hart’s Nest as well, and you can always call me or Hope (or Paul or Jeffry or Margret). Or just explore! There are many loop options, from brief saunters around the pond to several-mile adventures if you do all the Loops. Most of the trails are run-able as well. Come out and really see the land! Sights like this abound.
It was a cloudy morning during a precious 3-hour grace period between rainstorms. Six of us gathered at the Nest and dedicated ourselves to discovering the edible plant species living on just a small part of the Hart’s Mill land. Our guide, 
We shadowed Kim as she gently drew us into the particularities of the native plants that flourish on this land. Right outside the front door, within our grasp at the edges of the trails, towering overhead – it was impossible to stroll more than a few feet before Kim introduced us to another plant friend—delectable, medicinal, or simply beautiful. She had already whetted our appetites with a cold infusion of Japanese honeysuckle flowers, sipped in the living room before we set out. We filled a thermos of boiling water to take with us, because chances were excellent that we’d find ingredients to prepare a yummy tea to enjoy after the walk.
Meeting each plant friend was an exercise in close observation. Are the stems smooth or hairy? The leaves simple or compound? The edges serrated or crenelated? Is there a fragrance? Are they safe to taste, and what’s does the flavor evoke? What portions are edible, and what benefits do they bring? And this list barely scratches the surface of what we can be noticed and learned about the nature of the flora all around us. 
We hovered over about 30 different plants–looking, touching, smelling, and even sampling –most of which were edible and/or medicinal. Here’s a tiny taste of what we learned. Persimmon tree leaves are full of Vitamin C. The sourwood tree leaves taste, well, sour, and add flavor to pesto. Wild St. John’s wort leaves contain hypericum oil which turned our fingers purple and can help with nerve pain and mild depression. Lobelia inflata, a very potent plant, has been used to help people to quit smoking. Violet flowers and leaves are an amazing food and medicine—chop them into a salad or dry and crush the leaves to make a wild greens mix with other plants. Also field garlic (good for colds), agrimony (helps relieve stress), resourceful person’s pepper for spice (see picture)…the list goes on. 
We encountered poison ivy everywhere. Kim learned to call this native plant “sister ivy” from a teacher named Frank Cook who noted that when we hear the word, “poison,” we become fearful and shut down to the possibilities in the plant. Sister ivy teaches us to be mindful of how and where we are walking. It comes into disturbed areas to reclaim them and help them heal. It’s also great food for wildlife. And if you’re sensitive to it, just pick up some jewelweed, rub it on your skin to de-activate the oils. Or, or make an infusion that can be sprayed on or frozen into ice cubes and rubbed on your skin.
The Elderberry bush growing on the pond dam was the star of the show! The flowers are so beautiful and full of benefits too numerous to list. We pulled the creamy flowers from the stems and dropped them into the thermos with hot water to steep. After returning to the Nest, we sipped the gentle brew while reviewing all we learned on this cool and cloudy morning together.
Foraging is not for amateurs. It takes knowledge and experience to know which plants-parts-quantities-and preparations are safe to take into our bodies. In order to harness the medicine of plants, it’s important to develop a close relationship with them over the seasons. Are you absolutely certain that the plant is edible (or is it a poisonous look-alike)? Has the plant been sprayed or exposed to exhaust and other toxins? Is there enough of the plant to harvest sustainably? Today, we were in safe hands with Kim! 
As much as I have studied racism in the United States, both its history and its very present effects on our day-to-day lives…and also as I have learned how White people rarely know the frequency with which Black people and other people of color are affected by past and present racism…and, also how White people themselves are affected…as much as I have studied all of this, I am aware of how much I still have to learn. 
Remember, childcare is available for all of our meetings and events upon request!
How time flies! Only a few short weeks ago I posted the story of the Community Farm Initiative’s first planting day (see 
It was a cloudy, blustery day—a perfect time to step into the shelter of the woods to marvel at what the natural world is offering this Spring. Margret, Jenny, and I loosely led eighteen (!) people into an intimate experience through a cozy area nestled between our southern border and the brook connecting the pond with McGowan Creek. 
allowing us to avoid the rain-swamped areas of our better-known trail network. Very few Hart’s Millers have been this way, and it was a delight to introduce everyone to the charms of this tucked-away spot.
its presence seems to bestow a sense of timeless enchantment. 
border, it was striking how different the Hart’s Mill forest appeared from our neighbor’s to the south. We don’t know the full history of this land, but it’s possible that this forest was clear cut, and even farmed, in the not too distant past. It was certainly planted with pines at some point. In contrast, the fairly open mixed-hardwood forest next door gave us an idea of what this land may have looked like many years ago—and may appear again some decades hence.
brook at the bottom connects the pond with McGowan Creek and it was bustling, tunefully shifting the overflow towards the wetlands. The children in the midst had a high time splashing in the water. It’s a good thing they wore their rubber boots!
noses, and feet. We indulged our senses, gazing at tiny new Tulip Tree leaves, feeling the quiet presence of the trees, scenting the wind, and listening for…well…anything that captured our attention. People enjoyed this solo time guided by their own druthers. 
under a light rainfall to enjoy a cup of hot tea, snacks, and reflect on what we noticed. 
A group of 20 LUCKY FOLKS showed up for the March Last Saturday event with the dynamic activist and organizer, 
Let’s face it: Hart’s Mill is at a stage where we need to attract more members who are aligned with our vision and mission. It’s not unusual for a few key people to do much of the work in organizations in the beginning, but at a certain point the system needs more energy. Evangeline outlined how starting with as few as five core leaders we can attract fifty, even five hundred more. Sounds impossible? Let’s see how this works!
It all starts with…WHY do we want to build bigger teams? What’s our purpose? What inspires us and keeps us going at the end of a long day? And in particular, why do we want to bring in more people RIGHT NOW? We called out some of the reasons why we will persevere, no matter what, until we actualize our vision. 
So, we’re having an event. RADICAL WELCOME comes next. How prepared are we to craft a really great experience? Are people greeted with a smile? Is there a warm and lively atmosphere? Do people know where to go and what to do, right away? Are there snacks and other comforts? What can we do to help people to be glad they came, from the get-go? Do our guests feel appreciated? Be sure to treat everyone like royalty!
And how about ROLES? Events are multi-faceted and people want to feel useful and valued. (Just ask Nell and George, who felt really good about their event contributions.) Are we clear about the tasks that need to get done, and how to do them? Do people have the tools/information they need to succeed? (BONUS FUN FACT: Do you know the #1 thing people fight about in organizations? Answer: Lack of clarity in roles and goals.) People like to be engaged; to do something that contributes to success. (Note to Hart’s Mill: find ways to get people involved other than inviting them to observe meetings…at least in the early stages….)
Okay, we’re in the thick of the event. Notice what happens. The TALENT SCOUTING portion of the process begins with a debrief. Who really rocked at their job, worked hard, took initiative, and followed through? Who has appetite for the community? What skills did people demonstrate? Name the folks we noticed and would really like to have more involved. 
Evangeline suggested that in these conversations we spend half the time getting really curious about our new friend and finding out what calls to them about our community. But then we need a consistent way to describe Hart’s Mill—a SCRIPT, as it were, so that we all have a common way to describe our community. In the last quarter, we ask our friend for something we need, that they can provide. After they say “yes” (of course!), we CONFIRM the request and follow through until it’s done.
There’s a bit more to it, but these are the basics. This process can be a GAME CHANGER for Hart’s Mill only if we work at it. We need a common way to describe Hart’s Mill (the SCRIPT). We’re so prepared for our meetings–how about being just as prepared for events? Welcome people, assign roles, and follow-up with the stars, one-on-one. Yes, it’s going to take time and effort, and it’ll be worth it to expand our core group and engage the people who are ready and waiting for what we have to offer.
However you characterize it, Saturday, March 16 was an unqualified success. Despite a last-minute panic on Friday, when it rained heavily–yet again!–Hart’s Mill’s initial foray into community involvement on the farm was full of laughter, thoughtful negotiations, and diligent work. Neither the day nor the newly-prepared planting beds could have been more beautiful. Under the guidance of Jeffry and Margret (a.k.a. Seeing Stars Farm), nine new and seasoned Hart’s Millers set right to work, with the specific goal of raising funds to defray our Angel Donor farm loan. 
seven members met up at the pump house to start heading over to McGowan Creek. We took a detour to Hart’s Ease, where a Honey Locust festoons itself with fearsome thorns along its trunk and branches, with remnants of foot-long seed pods scattered at its feet. From there, we headed north towards Cob Haven, pointing out 3 species of conifers nearby: Loblolly Pine, Virginia Pine, and Red Cedar. At the top of the Far Field, we stopped for a visit with a lone Willow Oak, marveling at its tiny acorn caps and copious branches. Then we headed into the woods. 
There are 22 species of deciduous trees that I’ve seen on the land so far, but many are immature, unsuccessfully competing with the Loblolly pines planted in the late 1990’s after a clear cut of several large stands. Not so along McGowan Creek. Due to the steep slopes and regulations protecting wetlands, this rich strip has gorgeous mixed hardwood trees around 80-100 years old, including magnificent American Beech, Tulip Tree, Red Maple, Oak, and Hickory, while Ironwood and Black Willow proliferate nearer the creek. 
and toads sing their hearts out in a concert that can verge on deafening. Though they were a bit shy with an audience, we heard spring peepers, bullfrogs, tree frogs and many other amphibious utterances as we strolled down the path. 
Thanks to an intrepid band of Hartsmilers working through a cold misty afternoon, the Far Loop Trail in the big southeast leg of our land is now passable all the way around. Margret M and Margaret A, Jeffry, George, Paul, Hope, Nell, and Anthony all helped to clear the last segment on the farthest southeast corner of the land — in what we used to call the Forbidden Territory because it is so far out and for so long seemed so impenetrable. There is more work to be done to make the pathway more commodious and level, but is still fully walkable now. I have yet to measure the length exactly, but my guess is about 2/3 mile. — that’s after about the 1/3+ mile hike from the village area to the trailhead.
Our crew celebrated this “Golden Spike” moment when we joined both sides of the loop trail. Lots of other people worked on this trail too at earlier workdays: I am sure I won’t remember everyone, but those I do remember include Vanessa and Lizel, Tara and Rick with their son John Michael, Virginia, John, Amy, Lisa, and Tami and Whit from Earth’s Turn. I’ll give myself credit for routing and blazing the trail and plugging away at clearing sometimes alone or with a few others, but it’s been the workday energy of crews like today’s that really made it happen. The hot chocolate at Hart’s Nest at the close of the day was a great treat too. Many thanks to you all! 
