Early Environmental Roots
As a child, my family taught me the value of honoring the earth and its resources.
When stopping at rest areas during family trips, my Mom and Dad told us we had to pick up twenty pop tabs before climbing back into our car to continue our journey. This was just the beginning of my deeply seated value of respect for the environment.
restoration
A lot of time and effort has been put into restoring the prairies, ponds, and wetlands at Soulful Prairies. We’ve worked hand-in-hand with environmental professionals to create a conducive environment for native wildlife and plants. Through burns, brush cutting, and herbicide applications, we have seen the land recover.
Over the past years, a local farmer has helped us to restore some of the farming fields to make them crop ready. Hay fields were planted, allowing us to produce clean, organic hay for our own horses at Soulful Prairies. We have reseeded with native flowers and grasses to encourage growth of natives to hinder invasive plants. It is an amazing process to watch the land actually heal itself.
Home to Birds, Turtles and Wildlife
Endangered birds and species have been tracked over the years and we see our efforts are paying off. An endangered Blanding turtle was tracked on Soulful Prairies’ property and other unique species continue to emerge as we create an environment that is conducive to their needs. Each year as we stay true to our mission of creating a healthy, natural environment, the native wildlife continues to thrive.
Reusing, working with renewable resources and paying close attention to how our actions affect the environment are important steps necessary for change.
salvage
I am a crazy garage-sale-goer, flea-marketer, garbage-picker, and second-hand-shopper. The idea of having the opportunity to find something old or no longer in use and bring it to life again puts a grin on my face from ear to ear. Many of the materials used in the process of building and decorating at Soulful Prairies are salvaged. All our buildings have a reclaimed aspect. Each barn stall has a repurposed, beveled glass window. The wood in the office and The Barn Loft is all salvaged. The entire ceiling throughout the house is salvaged barn wood. The Cabin was built in the 1800s and is completely original, other than the mechanics.
bees at work
In the process of bringing Soulful Prairies back to its natural and native state, we brought bees to the prairie. A local beekeeper now manages two hives on the property for us. The native plants, flowers, and gardens are flourishing thanks to the bees’ hard work. We are also able to enjoy honey and other bee products that are created from our own Soulful Prairies’ bees. Don’t forget to grab a bottle of honey during your next visit!