October is a wonderful time for you and your family to visit historic Funks Grove. Just 15 minutes south of Bloomington on historic Route 66, this is the largest remaining prairie grove in Illinois.
Settled in the 1820’s by the Funks and the Stubblefields, the area boasts white oaks, bur oaks and sugar maple trees. The Funk family began to harvest and sell sirup here commercially in 1891. The sirup harvesting continues today with education about the process playing a key role today.
Nineteen acres of land were dedicated in 1985 as the Funk’s Grove Nature Preserve. With the addition of Sugar Grove Nature Center in 2004, the area is a natural gem offering plenty of opportunity for hiking, observing nature and participating in educational programs.
Join the Autumn Celebration at Sugar Grove Nature Center on Saturday , October 26, 2019 from 10:00 a. m. to 4:00 p.m. Family fun for all with a pumpkin patch, scarecrow factory, safari exploration rides, music, blacksmith demonstrations and more! Go to www.sugargrovenaturecenter.org for more information.
Fall Out
October is the perfect time to take a drive down Route 66 and turn on to Funks Grove’s shady, color changing rural road which will be leaf laden with fall’s colors. Look up and marvel at the trees as the sun glints through their yellow and orange leaves.
Put your car windows down and breathe deeply of fall’s earthy smells. Better yet…get out of the car and walk through the woods to glimpse the chapel in the trees. Stop to meditate and give thanks for this wondrous place in the woods that all can visit and enjoy. For more information go to www.funksgrove.org.
Drive slowly and watch for deer in the now sparsely covered forest. Fall brings the deer close to the roads as they wander around the forest floor in search of each other and shelter. Who knows what other animals you may see!
Drive down to Sugar Grove Nature Center and take to the trails there. Lots of family fun and nature’s wonders are to be found there including Imagination Grove outside for kids and an indoor bird observation room for the whole family.
Fall out and enjoy the nature around you!
Deanna Frautschi is a local Naturalist who is passionate about connecting families with nature. Using her knowledge of wildlife and her photography skills, she helps others enjoy the nature around them. If you have any questions about exploring nature with your children and grandchildren, you may contact Deanna at Decardinal@aol.com. Join the hundreds who follow her on Facebook where she posts photographs and short video clips of birds and other wildlife taken on her travels as well as in her yard. You can also join her "Nature Lady Lessons" and "Hummingbirds Anonymous" Facebook group pages.
Photos provided by Deanna Frautschi.
