Rosie Burroughs has bees and other beneficial insects and birds on her mind far beyond the warm days of summer when they are buzzing and chirping. Rosie and her family produce organic almonds, olive oil, milk, cheese, and grass-based eggs and meats at Burroughs Family Farm. The stewardship practices they implement provide both nutrient-dense food for their customers and essential resources for wildlife throughout the year. When asked why she doesnât cut down or remove certain vegetation in the fall, Rosie explains that habitat is just as vital in the winter months. Birds feed on the seeds of sunflowers, and pollinators find shelter in fallen leaves and decaying plants.
âFarming and the land is not an ownership, it's a responsibility of stewardship."
âFarming and the land is not an ownership, it's a responsibility of stewardship,â says Rosie. âI am intensely interested in the native plants of our area and also how that's connected to the rest of the ecosystem. I think of all plants as habitat year-round, not just during the warm season, but for the winter especially.â
Burroughs Family Farm has been planting hedgerows for 45 years with a mix of trees, shrubs and flowers. The habitat attracts wildlife that support their operations through pollination and pest control. Rosie loves seeing the pollinators and other beneficial insects swarming her ceanothus and the songbirds and raptors making homes in the trees. The hedgerows also enrich the soil, preventing erosion and supporting underground microbes that enhance crop root systems.
Rosie holds a reverence for the sacredness of the plants and their bountiful provisions for animals, microbes, and humans. She hosts basket weaving classes along with Coast Miwok-Kashaya Pomo basket weaver Julia Parker, inviting others to celebrate plantsâ abundant gifts through the art of basketry. For Rosie, these gatherings honor her Native American heritage and her love of the diverse habitats thriving on the farm.
Learn more about the habitat at Burroughs Family Farm and hear from Dr. Lora Morandin about her hedgerow research in the video below: