Gardens & Ponds
Natural Ways Farm is nestled at the foot of the Venus Fault Ridgeline. The property is thirty acres and is serene and blessed with plant and animal wildlife to excite the visitors senses, whether it the deer bouncing between trees, the bunnies hopping merrily, wild turkeys foraging suspiciously, or the variety of beautiful and lyrical birds including migratory birds such as Finches, Doves, Blue Jays, and Cardinals.
The property is naturally scenic having six ponds, gorgeous oak trees delicately laced with Spanish Moss (Old Man’s Beard) streamers. There are swings strategically located under some oak trees from which one can soak in the serenity.
The farm is blessed with diverse fauna including areas of wild flowers in the summer whose beauty will fill your heart with joy. The views of the sunsets from the farm are beautiful beyond words and no two are alike. Samples of pics are available by visiting Nature Scenes at NWF. The skies also hold a seductive charm, with clear views of the galaxies and shooting stats from time to time. The sunrises compete with the sunsets in beauty. The farm is on a little slice of paradise if you are drawn to nature and all its charms.
The ponds are naturally hosting a variety of fish including Bluegill, Sunfish, Large Mouth Bass, Catfish and other local species. Some ponds have also become home to turtles. We also get visits from alligators during their breeding season. No-see-ums and mosquitos can be pesky at times so if you are planning to visit in the evening or morning, please keep this in mind and dress appropriately to protect yourself. NWF has a fair sampling of insects including several species of bees, wasps, beetles, moths, butterflies, grasshoppers and crickets. We also have a diverse representation of toads and frogs that form a melodious choir during the rainy season. The farm is always teeming with life and activity in a serene environment. It’s worth a visit.
The Gardens contain a variety of plants including but not limited to fruits such as Barbados Cherry, Surinam Cherry, Sugar-apple/sweetsop, Papaya, Passionfruit, Mulberry, Guava, Carambola, Banana, Hog Plum, Elderberry, limes, and Lemons. Herbs for cooking and the apothecary such as Thyme, Sage, Lemongrass, African Basil, Tea Basil, Tulsi Basil, Vervain, Leaf of Life, Mints, Butterfly Peas, Comfrey, Insulin plant, Peppers, Roselle/Sorrel, and Cerasee; legumes such as Moringa, Cow peas, Pigeon peas, and Lima pole beans; vegetables such as Winter Squash, Pumpkins, and Calaloo; tubers such as Groundnut, Sunchoke, Yacon, and Malanga/Coco, Cassava, Sweet Potatoes, Taro/Dasheen; grain such as corn and sorghum. We also grow a variety of sugar canes. NWF is continuing in its effort to diversify the number of fruits, herbs and foods available at different times of the year so that there will always be something in season. The goal of the garden is to achieve food self-sufficiency towards health maintenance all year round.