Our Foreststead
Our foreststead is quietly tucked into 6 heavily wooded acres in Knox County, OH. Although it is one of the smallest properties we have ever owned, it has proven to be quite exceptional at providing everything we need – include the much needed solice of big trees – something I needed after traveling out west and spending so much time among the Sequoia and Redwood trees.
Our property includes endless resources for foraging, free-ranging, tapping, and more. Despite being mostly covered by canopy, we have successfully grown various fruits and vegatables. The canopy also provides safety for our chickens, turkeys, and ducks.
On this blog we’ll share recipes, canning tips, foraging tips, duck humor, salve recipes, and so much more. Be sure to click here to see all of those posts.
A Harvest in the Understory
With maple trees, walnut trees, jewelweed, plantain, mullein, dandelion, raspberries, blackberries, apples, peaches, plums, mushrooms, and various other edible and medicinal resources on our foreststead, we have abdunant resources here on our 6 acres. In the future more medicinal plants will be added.
Maple syrup season is busy on our foreststead. With nearly 20 maple and black walnut trees, there’s a lot of tapping and cooking sap going on here in February and March.
Various edible and medicinal mushrooms thrive on our property including, but not limited to turkey tail, dryads saddle, chicken of the woods, morel mushrooms and more.
Gardening
In addition to the various resources that grow naturally on our property, we also grow fresh vegetables in raised planter boxes on the few square feet of property we own where the canopy is open due to fallen trees. In this space we grow strawberries, zucchini, watermelon, green beans, peas, potatoes, peppers, peas, corn, tomatoes, thyme, mint, basil, rosemary, and more. We also grow inside our home in a Gardyn tower.
Livestock on our Foreststead
In years past we have had various animals on our properties including horses, goats, pigs, and various species of birds. The foreststead has allowed us to raise forest-fed pork and offers ample opportunity for our flock of chickens, turkeys, and ducks to thrive.
As an early adopter of coturnix quail, we decided not to continue to grow our specialty lines here at the foreststead. Despite the benefits they bring, we opted for more ducks and turkeys rather than quail this time around.
We started with three pigs here. Our last farm included a single sow that farrowed twice for us before being retired when we sold the farm to road trip for a few years.
The kids decided to show pigs in 2025 and we ended up with these three goof balls. At the last minute they pulled out of the county fair and they all lived on our farm until the boys went to camp. Emma, the pig in the middle, stayed on our farm as vegetation control until she passed away peacefully at our foreststead and was buried in the woods she loved.
Wildlife Habitat and Monarch Waystation
Our property is a certified Wildlife Habitat and Monarch Waystation. We have attempted to balance our needs with the needs of the various wildlife in our woods. We enjoy dozens of species of birds, butterflies, deer, fox, groundhog, skunk (okay, they can move along), raccoon, squirrel, rabbit, wild turkey, coyote, and bobcat.
Our monarch waystation was named in honor of my dear friend Rose Herges Conway who passed away from cancer shortly after we purchased this property.
Moss Hollow
Our property, lovingly referred to as Moss Hollow because of the thick canopy and transpiration that creates the perfect atmosphere for ferns, moss, and mushrooms to thrive. The canopy also provides much needed protection for our flock.