Ian ThompsonOct 17, 20206 minAn Unforgettable Year in Native PlantsThe other day, I was listening to a recording of a talk that John Trudell had given in the year before I was born. One of his statements...
Ian ThompsonSep 19, 20205 minBeating the Heat During the Hottest Summer on RecordThe northern hemisphere is just finishing up the hottest summer in recorded history...again. California is on fire. Oregon is on fire. ...
Ian ThompsonSep 5, 20205 minMaking Uksak Ulhkomo: Choctaw Hickory MilkSometimes something happens unexpectedly and it's like the years that separate the present day from an ancient time just melt away. It...
Ian ThompsonJul 24, 20203 minAdapt, Improvise, and OvercomeAdapt, improvise, and overcome. These are words that Amy's father, a 30-year Armed Service veteran and a full-blood Choctaw, has showed...
Ian ThompsonJul 23, 20201 minWe've Got a New Face!We've given our website a new look and rebuilt the blog. Come leave a comment!
Ian ThompsonMay 24, 20203 minConfession of a Man Who Appreciates NATIVE FlowersLike most men, I had absolutely zero interest in flowers - that is until one day when I began to realize that out there beyond the flower...
Ian ThompsonMay 16, 20205 minBuffalo Ice CreamAs intriguing as the name sounds, this post is not about a new flavor offering at Braums. It’s about an amazing native plant, which is...
Ian ThompsonMay 10, 20202 minTurning Dry Bones into Choctaw BowlsA couple of months back, while planting some seed bombs on the farm, we came across something unusual. Out in the tall grass, the...
Ian ThompsonApr 23, 20205 minA Mile of New Fence: Making an Investment in Healthy LandYesterday was Earth Day. When Earth Day came around this year, it found the skies in many parts of the world cleaner of pollution than...
Ian ThompsonApr 5, 20203 minNative Thistle: an Underappreciated Cultural PlantOver the past couple of weeks, an otherworldy-looking species of thistle has been popping up along the wet areas of the Farmstead. ...
Ian ThompsonMar 30, 20204 minTaking Prairie Restoration Experiments Up a NotchToday, we tried out a more intensive approach to restore native grassland on the farm. As we mentioned in earlier posts, quite a bit of...
Ian ThompsonMar 22, 20201 minSpring and the Resilience of LifeWith the sadness and craziness going on in the human world right now, a walk through a natural area can give an important perspective on...
Ian ThompsonFeb 5, 20204 minUpdate on Prairie Restoration ExperimentThe tallgrass prairie is a fascinating and truly beautiful native place. It is a home to over 500 species of plants that build soil and...
Ian ThompsonDec 29, 20194 minDreams to Reality2019 is a year that we will remember the rest of our lives. It has been a time of accomplishing same major goals at the Nan Awaya...
Ian ThompsonDec 24, 20191 minMerry Christmas!Merry Christmas and best wishes in the New Year from the Nan Awaya Farmstead.
Ian ThompsonOct 16, 20193 minInto Thin AirIt was a dark and stormy night. Two rain-soaked sleuths urgently combed the woods along the roadside looking for signs of the young male...
Ian ThompsonOct 4, 20194 minChoctaw Food: Remembering the Land, Rekindling Ancient KnowledgeWe are thrilled to announce that the Choctaw Food book is finally available available on shelves! Part cookbook, part history book, and...
Ian ThompsonOct 2, 20194 minPowered by the Eye of GodIn the Choctaw language, the sun is called "hvshi". The Choctaw ancestors understood the sun as being God's eye watching the earth. ...
Ian ThompsonSep 7, 20195 minFace-to-Face with an AncestorThere is something therapeutic about being around buffalo. In the middle of a week spent on a dead run, it is healing to stand there for...
Ian ThompsonJun 30, 20194 minHome on the Range UpdateBack in February, we posted our plans to build our Green Home on the Range. The new home will be our only residence and will also...