Spring Flings

Spring = East on the Medicine Wheel

Spring represents the beginning of life, new beginnings, and the rising sun. It's associated with birth, childhood, and the renewal of nature in spring.

Spring Fling at The Oatlands

Special thanks to Lori Kimball The Oatlands Senior Manager of Programs for inviting us to participate in their 2025 Spring Fling.

Positioned in their stunning flower garden, Sanctuary on the Trail Co-Founder Rene' Locklear White provided a three sisters of corn, beans and squash experience and our West Virginia partners the Friends Wilderness Center General Manager Kimberly Benson shared frozen paw paw fruit tastings during The Oatland's Spring Fling in Lessburg, Virginia on May 17, 2025.

More than 150 people enjoyed the beautiful gardens, family-friendly activities, walking and hiking trails, and walk-through mansion tours. Visitors learned about Indigenous Peoples’ agricultural and horticultural practices from Rene’ and tasted the largest Indigenous fruit in the United States called paw paw from Kim.

The Spring Fling was free and open to the public. People brought picnic lunches and spent the day! Snacks were available for purchase with Gruto’s ice cream truck and Springhouse Farm local meats and cheeses. The property was open from 10 am to 5 pm. Walk-through tours of the mansion were available from 11am to 4pm.

Lori Kimball The Oatlands Senior Manager of Programs (left), the Friends Wilderness Center General Manager Kimberly Benson, and Sanctuary on the Trail Co-Founder Rene' Locklear White (right).

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