Landscape Stewards

Fields, Orchards and Gardens

Under the Adopt a Landscape program, whether a volunteer adopts a field, orchard, or garden, they are helping maintain the historic integrity of these cultural resources. Contact us to see which fields, orchards or gardens are available to adopt.

Locations for Adoption:

Fields – The program keeps invasive and non-native vegetation from encroaching on historic properties and losing the farm fields which are important to the story of the area. The adopted field is part of a specific historic property site. For example – at the Treat Farm, this includes the area around the building and into the farm fields; at the Olsen Farm there are fields to the West and East. Many individuals or an organization can adopt the same historic property for the most effective maintenance and cover the most ground.

Gardens – Lawr Farm, C. Olsen Farm. As of July 22, 2018 – the Lawr Farm is available for adoption.

Orchards – Treat Farm, Thoreson Farm, Dechow Farm, Miller Barn, Kelderhouse Farm, Peter Burfiend Farm, Ole Oleson Farm, Eckert Farm, Basch Farm, C. Burfiend Farm, Beuham-Stark orchard on North Manitou, Bufka Farm, Kropp/Eitzen Farms, Pyramid Point, other.

Adoption Process:

Step 1 – Complete our online volunteer sign-up form to be approved as a PHSB volunteer. Indicate your preference for which historic property and type – ie: field, garden, orchard. See our map of historic properties.

Step 2 – Look for an email from our program coordinator confirming your volunteer application and the property you are adopting.

Step 3 – Sign up as a VIP (Volunteer in the Park). Fill out the VIP form. Submit this form to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Visitor Center in Empire.

Step 4 – There will be a training session relevant to the methods used to maintain these types of landscape features in accordance with National Park policies. After you’ve gone through this training (or if you can show you have expertise in this area) pick your orchard, field, or building, and sign up!

Step 5 – After working on a property, submit your report to us at phsb@leelanau.com. We will forward to the Park Building Supervisor.

Project Description:
Field – Volunteers will remove invasive and nonnative vegetation after having received training and identified the vegetation from Park personnel, using only the approved tools and treatment substances. Field clearing training date TBD.

Garden – Volunteers will care for the garden in watering, weeding, planting, pruning, weed whacking around landscape features and buildings, etc. A session with our Master Gardener is a prerequisite.

Orchards – each year the Park offers an orchard pruning workshop in May which we would encourage Orchard adopters to attend learn the skills necessary. We also provide funding for the antique orchard nurseries and fences.

Historic Sleeping Bear is collaborating with the Park and other organizations to do orchard grafting of antique orchards. We will need help with that process too.

After you’ve gone through the required training (or if you can show you have expertise in this area) pick your field, orchard or garden, and sign up!

Time Commitment: Spring, Summer and Fall; twice per month. Island properties will require once a month.

Coordinator:

Impact on resources: A volunteer working in these areas will provide information or perform work that may not otherwise have received attention for some time.

Volunteers Qualifications:
Volunteers must go through the appropriate training for each area. Volunteers should be in good health as these activities involve bending, reaching and some exertion. Care should be taken to provide sun protection and drink plenty of fluids.

The volunteer will record their hours worked in our Fiscal Year, between October 1 and September 30, and provide them to HSB by September 26. These hours are essential for both our, and Park, reporting purposes.

THANK YOU FOR ADOPTING A LANDSCAPE