“Nature holds the answers, if we learn to listen.”
— Joy Harjo, 23rd U.S. Poet Laureate, a featured guest at our 8th annual benefit
For centuries, dragonflies have mesmerized us with their distinct, unpredictable, and performative dance, so much so, it makes us pause to watch their darting movements or sudden decision to hover over another insect who is unexpectedly on the menu.
Dragonflies are known for their ferocious appetites and hunting skills, aided by the unique independent rotation of each of their four wings, which allows these ancient insects to fly backwards and hover in an instant, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. In this episode of PBS Terra, What Makes Dragonflies So Extraordinary, entomologist Jessica Ware takes us on a journey to discover “why dragonflies are the strongest flyers in the insect world—reaching speeds of up to 30 mph and among the few animals that can hover.” This incredible dragonfly-like insect, she says, ruled the skies even before bats and birds.
Besides their performative characteristics, dragonflies are a sign of biodiversity, serving as an indicator of environmental change, both good and bad. They spend one to two years of their lives as aquatic nymphs –more depending on the species – that require good water quality to survive before they morph into the magnificent dragonfly, according to the National Biodiversity Data Centre.
Our Director of Horticulture, Kimberly Kelly, leads a nature tour at Grace Farms.
Grace Farms visitors will have a front-row opportunity to learn more about nature’s masters of the skies with our Director of Horticulture Kimberly Kelly. During Learning with Nature | Walk with Dragonflies, on Saturday, Saturday, July 26, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, Kelly will take participants on a guided summer walk to experience the awe and wonder of this ancient creature that has been around for over 300 million years. “Their eyes are the largest and possibly the keenest in the insect world, a pair of giant spheres each built of some 30,000 pixel-like facets that together take up pretty much the entire head,” according to an article in The New York Times, citing scientists’ research on dragonfly’s brain, eyes and wings that allow it to hunt so efficiently.
During the month of July, in particular, dragonflies rule the skies. If it weren’t for their vibrant, jewel-toned bodies and wings – saturated colors of blue, green, red and purple – you might miss their dazzling performances that are only on display for a few months, at best. According to the Smithsonian Magazine, the majority of their lives are spent in the water and at the end of its larval stage, the dragonfly crawls out of the water. Its exoskeleton cracks open releasing its abdomen and its four wings where its body “dries and hardens over the next several hours.”
But pay extra attention during this time because as an adult their life span is brief, “typically only one to three weeks, though some make it more than two months,” cites the Smithsonian. Their exquisite movements are a wonder to witness.
Benefits of Dragonflies
Dragonflies can consume hundreds of mosquitoes a day, helping to reduce mosquito populations, in addition to the bothersome horse flies. As an “indicator species,” scientists monitor certain insects, animals, and plants that serve as biodiversity gauges of the soil, water, and air. Besides the dragonfly, frogs and other amphibians are also sensitive to environmental changes due to their thin skin that can sense impurities in the water, according to Smithsonian Gardens. If these indicators species are abundant in the environment, it’s a good sign of biodiversity, while if these species are in decline it’s a sign to look for changes in the environment and what’s behind the decline.
Grace Farms has restored nearly 80 acres of land, turning Grace Farms into 10 bio-diverse habitats. The bio-diversity attracts pollinators including butterflies, bees, and more.
Fostering Biodiversity
At Grace Farms, we’ve restored nearly 80 acres of land, turning Grace Farms into 10 bio-diverse habitats including native meadows, woodlands, and ponds. Grace Farms is now a Certified Wildlife Habitat Garden, Certified Monarch Waystation, Member of the Xerces Society Pollinator Protection Plan, and a founding member of the New Canaan chapter of the Pollinator Pathway. Our stewardship efforts have turned Grace Farms into a model of biodiversity, where the public can learn hands-on through our year-long educational facilitated by our Director of Horticulture Kimberly Kelly, butterfly expert, and President of the International Association of Butterfly and Exhibitors & Suppliers (IABES) and our Education team.
Below are highlights from our on-going stewardship:
- 3 million + various species of native grasses populated our meadow after sowing 18 pounds of native grasses and pollinator plants in 2024
- 2,000 + trees representing 50 different species are a part of Grace Farms’ biodiversity
- 70% of our landscape was converted from mowed lawn to natural meadows
- 140 + species of birds brought back to the area, including the American kestrel, North America’s smallest falcon.
Besides fostering bio-diversity at Grace Farms, installing nesting boxes has help bring the American Kestrel back to the area.
Highlights of Nature-Based Summer Programs
Saturday, July 12, Learning with Nature: Make an Herb Garden 11 am – 12 pm
Come to the Garden at Grace Farms for a hands-on class that connects families with nature. Learn basic gardening skills and imagine starting your own container or backyard herb garden. This class will naturally spark interest and embolden beginner gardeners to grow, cut and cook with their own homegrown herbs!
Each participant will take home an herb to start a garden
The 1,450-square-foot Community Garden grows an array of vegetables and herbs. This open classroom provides a hands-on learning experience.
Saturday, July 26, Learning with Nature: Walk with Dragonflies 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Dragonflies have been around for over 300 million years and are still considered nature’s masters of the sky. With the ability to fly over 30 miles per hour, dragonflies are one of the fastest flying insects in the world. Follow Grace Farms Director of Horticulture Kimberly Kelly on a guided summer walk to experience the awe and wonder of the natural world, dragonflies and all.
Saturday, August 9, Learning with Nature: Extending the Harvest 11 am – 12 pm
Join us in the Garden to learn which crops to sow for fall harvest, as well as methods of extending the growing season with winter hoops, row covers, and fall plantings. Stroll through the vegetable beds to discover ways to overwinter plants and learn about the variety of cover crops that can aid in preparing the garden for next year.
Thursday, August 21, Magnifying Small Wonders 1 – 3 pm
This facilitated family-friendly program will explore the hidden, and surprisingly beautiful, life of insects and nature. Using magnifying tools, equipment, and high resolution micrography, nature enthusiasts of all ages will encounter caterpillars, butterflies, and other amazing insects and natural specimens. Participants will explore the world we cannot see on our own where the ordinary becomes the extraordinary, and experience the awe of nature’s small wonders.
Recommended for ages 8 and up.
Saturday, 23, Learning with Nature: Look at Butterfly
Butterflies have captured the human imagination with their vibrant colors and daytime activity, symbolizing transformation and beauty. The magnificent patterns found on butterfly wings make these insects a wonder to behold. In this indoor-and-outdoor workshop for all ages, we will learn about how butterflies indicate a healthy ecosystem, look at host plants for caterpillars, and enjoy summer moments watching butterflies in the landscape.
Our on-going restoration of Grace Farms’ meadows serves as a haven for our essential pollinators.
Amazing Butterflies Exhibit
Daily – end of August
Navigate the extraordinary metamorphosis of butterflies through an interactive maze and traveling exhibit in the Grace Farms Court, created by The Natural History Museum in London in collaboration with Minotaur Mazes. Adventure through the leaves, learn how to move like a caterpillar, discover an ant that reaps the reward of an unusual friendship, then transform into a butterfly and take flight! This wonderful exhibit offers interactive experiences centered around the butterfly life cycle. Step outside and you might spot live butterflies fluttering through our blooming meadows! Daily
About Grace Farms
Grace Farms is a cultural and humanitarian center located in New Canaan, CT.
We bring together people across sectors to explore nature, arts, justice, community, and faith at the SANAA-designed River building on 80 acres of publicly accessible, preserved natural landscape.
Grace Farms, with its open architecture, breaks down barriers between people and sectors and invites conversation, curiosity, and proximities. This collaborative approach to comprehensively address humanitarian issues and generate new outcomes is reflected across all of our initiatives and the place of Grace Farms.
Membership
Grace Farms members can visit without advance registration and enjoy a 20% discount on paid programs, retail, and dining, invitations to members-only gatherings, complimentary events, and a welcome gift from Grace Farms Tea & Coffee.
Becoming a member helps us advance our mission to pursue a more peaceful world and supports the preservation of the River building and its surrounding 80 acres.
For more information, visit gracefarms.org/membership.
Visit our calendar of events to learn more about upcoming programs.
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