News from The Cottage
Spring at the Cottage: A Meadow Makeover
By Jane Kubale Rutherford
Looking out over the field from the Cottage deck, a transformation is underway, one that speaks of our commitment to being good stewards of our natural resources. With the support of the Boyle County Conservation District and the State Soil Erosion Water Quality Cost-Share Program, we are cultivating the field in a way that will improve and protect the quality of the water in the flow path through our farm to the streams and lake beyond. Called a Vegetative Filter Strip (VFS), the 12-acre area is to be planted in grasses and wildflowers that purify runoff through their fibrous root systems before it discharges into receiving waters. Described as “an edge-of-the-field best management practice”, the VFS also provides good ground cover for important wildlife.
To ensure a good stand of our VFS, the first thing we had to do was described as “competition control before planting.” In other words, we had to kill the existing vegetation. We’re now set to plant on May 15 using a nifty tool – a Truax Grass Drill - that vows “precision seed placement” for our three types of grasses and four kinds of wildflowers. We purchased our seeds from Caverndale Farms, a regional seed company located here in Danville. Our grasses are Big Blue Stem, Indian Grass, and Switch Grass, and our wildflowers are Partridge Pea, Black-eyed Susan, Coneflower, and False Sunflower.
Competition Control Before Planting
We are thrilled that our application for a VFS was one of the 940 approved among the nearly 3,000 submitted. We invite you to come to the Cottage for a stay, sit out on the deck with your head back and your feet propped up, and witness cleaner water, a healthier ecosystem, and a wildlife habitat in the making!
The Cottage Launches Its Spring Photo Gallery (April 2010)
At The Cottage, we have the luxury to wake up each day in an exceptionally beautiful natural environment. Here in Central Kentucky, we take pride in the lush landscapes of rolling green hills, stone fences, and peaceful surroundings. When the first blossoms of spring emerge, they splash their vibrant colors against the winter landscape.
To see examples of more of what spring at The Cottage has to offer, click here to access our photo gallery.
The Cottage Website is 100% Wind Powered (April 2010)
At The Cottage, we understand the delicate relationship we have with the Earth. Our family has nurtured this relationship at the farmstead on which The Cottage B&B resides for 117 years, through sustainable farming practices, responsible stewardship, and social conscience. Because of these things, we are happy to announce that The Cottage website is now 100% wind powered through our partnership with iPower, which has recently been recognized by the EPA as an EPA Green Power Partner.
Wind turbines of all sizes have become a familiar sight around the world for a wide variety of reasons, including their economic, environmental, and social benefits. The potential for wind energy is immense, and experts suggest wind power can supply up to 20% of U.S. and world electricity. Nevertheless, the United States currently produces less than 1% of our electricity from wind. We'd like to change that. To learn more, click here.
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For more information or to make a reservation, please contact Chris Kubale.
The Cottage Bed & Breakfast
2826 Lexington Road
Danville, KY 40422
859-236-9642
info@cottageofdanville.com