We are enjoying the cooler mornings that lead into Fall, mornings when sunlight spills out over dew-drenched grass and I grab a hoodie because there is just a little chill in the air. I step out into the pasture with no particular mission – just an open heart and curious eyes. But this week Nature had surprises in store. Antelope Horn wildflowers are part of the milkweed family with pale green star-shaped flowers and they now dot the paths I mowed in August. Making my way through a small wooded clearing my eye was caught by something so minute and subtle I almost missed it. The caterpillar was small, maybe just over an inch and looped around an unopened flower. I searched nearby and found another two caterpillars, much much younger and smaller – barely discernible but for signs of feeding. The monarch’s lifecycle is an extraordinary journey and the milkweed family is vital to their survival. I am so thankful to be part of their survival taking place here on the farm. Every monarch and caterpillar needs safe passage and abundant milkweed on their journey; every butterfly that takes flight is the proof of a habitat preserved, a migration made possible.