Native meadow restoration at Shantigar, Massachusetts
The Shantigar Foundation is a gathering place where people seed artistic projects and grow their contemplative practice through creative workshops, meditation, and engagement with nature. Operating on a former dairy farm in northwest Massachusetts, Shantigar offers woodlands, gardens, and fields that quiet the mind and awaken the senses. The organization joins meditative and artistic practices with the healing power of nature to help people live more peacefully on the planet. In recent years, Shantigar has facilitated gatherings dedicated to regenerative land use and stewardship.
Project story
Meadow Rejuvenation at Shantigar
Shantigar is transforming its landscape with help from renowned designer Owen Wormser, author of Lawns into Meadows. Together, they're breathing new life into the property's fields by planting dozens of native perennials and grasses—turning overlooked pastureland into a thriving ecological haven.
The project targets 2.5 acres of existing hayfields, using specialized drill seeding equipment to nestle seeds directly into the soil. This technique dramatically improves germination rates and establishment success.
But planting is just the beginning. Over the coming years, careful management will nurture the newly planted species while eliminating invasive competitors. The result? A landscape bursting with native wildflowers and grasses that will support local wildlife and strengthen the food web—especially for the beneficial insects that keep ecosystems healthy.
This isn't just restoration; it's a reimagining of what pastoral land can become: beautiful, biodiverse, and alive.
Project updates
Team
Native meadow restoration at Shantigar, Massachusetts
The Shantigar Foundation is a gathering place where people seed artistic projects and grow their contemplative practice through creative workshops, meditation, and engagement with nature. Operating on a former dairy farm in northwest Massachusetts, Shantigar offers woodlands, gardens, and fields that quiet the mind and awaken the senses. The organization joins meditative and artistic practices with the healing power of nature to help people live more peacefully on the planet. In recent years, Shantigar has facilitated gatherings dedicated to regenerative land use and stewardship.
Project story
Meadow Rejuvenation at Shantigar
Shantigar is transforming its landscape with help from renowned designer Owen Wormser, author of Lawns into Meadows. Together, they're breathing new life into the property's fields by planting dozens of native perennials and grasses—turning overlooked pastureland into a thriving ecological haven.
The project targets 2.5 acres of existing hayfields, using specialized drill seeding equipment to nestle seeds directly into the soil. This technique dramatically improves germination rates and establishment success.
But planting is just the beginning. Over the coming years, careful management will nurture the newly planted species while eliminating invasive competitors. The result? A landscape bursting with native wildflowers and grasses that will support local wildlife and strengthen the food web—especially for the beneficial insects that keep ecosystems healthy.
This isn't just restoration; it's a reimagining of what pastoral land can become: beautiful, biodiverse, and alive.
Project updates
Team
Location
Massachusetts, United States