Shane Brown is a lifelong naturalist and the caretaker at Big Oak Canyon, Earthroots 39-acre property in Silverado, California. This blog is a highlight reel of his experiences at Big Oak Canyon.
Join Shane for a 2-hour casual wander observing the flora and fauna of Big Oak Canyon on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month.
*See schedule for dates and times
Second Tuesdays – Plant Walk
Fourth Tuesdays – Birds, Animal tracks and sign
January at Big Oak Canyon was a dry and windy month, but full of discoveries and learning! Little sprouts continued to grow, elderberry leaves started to pop out of bare stems, the winter birds flitted around in flocks, the creek ran clear and cold, and mushrooms and flowers sprang forth. Two campouts filled the canyon with laughter and learning.
Big Oak Canyon Highlights
Projects and Discoveries
Trivia Questions
Answers for last month:
What kind of organism is this orange stuff? Slime mold
Who walked along the pipe? Gray Fox
Who made the tracks here? Bobcat. This is their typical scent-marking scrape.
This Month’s Questions:
This is a beehive in a fallen hollow log, discovered by the forest kindergarten class. What is in the yellow cells on the far right, and in the capped-off cells above them?
What is the name of this lovely, tender, native salad plant?
What plant has a natural rooting hormone that you can use to help cuttings of other plants take root?
What is usually the first migratory bird to come back to Orange County that signifies the coming of spring?
Comment below with your answers!
Blog post was written by Shane Brown.
Shane is the caretaker of Earthroots’ Big Oak Canyon property. He also teaches the Spanish Immersion in Nature and Ancestral Arts programs. He occasionally helps with other Earthroots classes and leads volunteer days at Big Oak Canyon.
