Hibernia and Wyebrook

Kali on the Rim Trail

Seeking out something different to do for the Labor Day weekend, I suggested to Kali that we combine a short hike with a visit to a sustainable agriculture farm in Chester County, Pennsylvania, about an hour west of home.  Kali liked the proposal - in concept.

In practice, the reality was a bit different.  Getting Kali out of bed on a weekend when she isn't obligated to get up early is virtually impossible.  The farm was only open until 3 p.m., and because we might buy some meat at the farm, we had to go for the hike first.  (If we had hiked after visiting the farm, the meat would have sat in the hot car.)  So, I had to roust Kali to get on the road at a reasonable hour, and finally managed to do so about 9 a.m.

After breakfast, we set off for Hibernia County Park, a Chester County, Pennsylvania park.  The park was an old estate along the West Branch of the fabled Brandywine Creek, the stream most often associated with the Wyeth family of painters who lived and worked along its banks.  We had not previously visited  Hibernia, and hiked three miles along a route recommended by a "best hikes near Philadelphia" guidebook.

West Branch Brandywine Creek

The first 1.2 miles were on an old rail bed converted to a trail paralleling the creek.  Then, the trail veered off the rail bed, climbed a modest hill to the east, and backtracked parallel with the rail bed but on the middle part of the slope above the trail.  This midslope trail was very rocky, and it wasn't long before Kali was complaining about the poor footing.  Finally, we reached the point where the trail descended steeply from the slope and footing got really tricky, which enhanced Kali's mood even more.

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) fruit ready for southbound avian migrants

We are in the midst of a severe drought, and many of the woodland shrubs were wilting, especially on the dry, rocky slope.

I'm lichen this image

Once we got back to the rail bed level, we added another short loop hike, this time through meadows and woods.

Mantis on an Eastern Bluebird nest box

We finally returned to the creek, where we stopped for lunch and watched flyfishers casting for (stocked) trout.

Flyfishing the Brandywine Creek

After we completed our hike, we drove 15 minutes to Wyebrook Farm.  This farmland was slated to be subdivided for McMansions, but a stock and derivatives trader with no agricultural experience bought the farm and turned it into an organic sustainable farm that raises free-range cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, chicken and turkeys.  The farm also has a butcher shop that sells its meat products, and a cafe and restaurant featuring its meat as well.  All of these activities are concentrated in a beautifully restored 18th century stone barn.

Kali outside the Wyebrook Farm barn

This beautiful stone farmhouse is adjacent to the barn

After we bought two steaks and goat milk cheese, we took  a short walk down the hillside below the barn to see some of the animals and the property.

A Monarch - alas, none too common this year

Hints of late summer and early autumn along a farm road

Destined for the butcher, but enjoying a free-roaming life for now

A pond on the property

I barbecued the steaks for dinner that evening.  They were a bit chewy, but it was nice to know the meat's origin.  Kali and I enjoyed the steaks, but we both felt like they were indulgent.  We hardly ever eat red meat any more, and the steaks just felt decadent and a bit irresponsible.  I did remind Kali that, if people didn't buy meat from the farm, the acreage could easily become a subdivision.