A few years ago, my wife and I decided to change the way we manage our 16-acre property in the Brandywine Valley of Pennsylvania, an area that is part of the geologic province known as the Piedmont. Inspired by the work of ecologist Douglas Talamy and the renowned Mt. Cuba Center botanical garden (which is nearby, though over the Delaware state line), we began deploying more native plants and using techniques that support natural systems and encourage biological diversity.

In 2022, as I was completing a Master of Environmental Studies degree at the University of Pennsylvania, I began writing a weekly Substack newsletter documenting our efforts and reflecting on the process and our place in nature. You can subscribe for free, but I hope you will consider an inexpensive paid subscription, which supports my work.