Sheboygan County Cancer Care Fund

The Sheboygan County Cancer Care Fund is a beacon of hope for cancer patients and survivors of our local community. This organization assists in providing financial "gestures" for eligible cancer patients and survivors in an effort to help ease the stress of the financial burdens associated with cancer diagnosis and treatment. Over the years, the Sheboygan County Cancer Care Fund has approved nearly $2 million in "gestures" to assist local cancer patients/survivors. To learn more or to donate to this cause, visit their website: Sheboygan County Cancer Care Fund

The Christopher Farm & Gardens is thrilled to have formed a great partnership with this organization over the last few years, strengthening relationships with so many wonderful members along the way. 

Another way that the Sheboygan County Cancer Care Fund is able to support cancer patients and survivors is through a variety of healthy and active activities. Activities hosted at The Christopher Farm and Gardens for this group include special events, restoration projects, bonding bonfires, game nights, hiking/snowshoeing excursions, and more. These activities provide opportunities to local cancer patients and survivors to be physically active, to create connections with others at various stages of the cancer experience, and to promote their enjoyment of nature through the peaceful and healing qualities of the gardens.

Restoration Projects 

For the past few years, many individuals that are a part of the Survive, Thrive & Be Fit activity group have taken part in CFG land restoration efforts. These efforts include:

• Removal of Invasive Species
• Planting Native Tree & Plant Species
• Collecting Native Prairie Seeds
• Creating Habitat for Native Animal Species

An area of focus for this group has been the Turkey Trot Trail, a system of trails near the Lake Michigan bluffs. This natural area was once used as agricultural land and had become rife with invasive species over time. This area is now being managed by garden staff, along with necessary help from this group of go-getters. Thanks to their efforts, this restored land will be an excellent resource for environmental education as it transitions back to a natural habitat full of native species of plants and animals.

Members of the Survive, Thrive & Be Fit group plant native tree species in the Turkey Trot Trail restoration area. 

Project Tweety B.I.R.D.

In early 2023, a new project was proposed to help one of Wisconsin's most beloved species, the Eastern Bluebird, by creating a "Bluebird Trail" of specially designed birdhouses to accommodate the specific needs of this species. Project Tweety B.I.R.D. (Bluebird Investigation, Rejuvenation & Discovery) was formed and now involves weekly monitoring sessions of all birdhouses along the trail.

Members of the Survive, Thrive & Be Fit group follow standardized protocols needed for data collection, which includes weekly monitoring for types of nests, eggs, hatchlings, and ultimately fledged adults. The collected data is then sent to the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin (BRAW) at the end of each season, where it is added to data collected by other participants across the state. This state-wide data set helps the community better understand the status of this precious native bird species, which can be indicator of overall environmental health. 

2024 Bluebird Season Results

Thanks to the efforts of this amazing group of volunteers, the bluebird population at the farm has increased! Our data from 2024 shows that of the 17 eggs laid, 16 eggs hatched and went on to fledge from the nest, for a 94% success rate. Our birdhouses also helped other bird species - 12 tree swallows successfully fledged, along with 18 house wrens.  

We hope to see some of these fully fledged adult bluebirds return to the farm and use our birdhouses once again! It's customary to see the same individuals return to the same nesting grounds year after year. 

To view our raw monitoring data from 2024, click HERE. 

In late 2024, we moved a few of our existing birdhouses along the Bluebird Trail to new locations at the farm. We are hopeful that these new locations may fare better to attract bluebirds - a species that is indeed quite picky about their nesting habitat. We also added 2 additional bluebird houses to the trail, for a grand total of 14 houses. We're anxious to see these new houses used to fledge even more bluebirds in the 2025 season. Bluebird migration to Wisconsin begins in late February-early March - we will keep any eye out for the first arrivals looking for real estate! 

Click HERE to view the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin's (BRAW) newsletter archive, where they keep annual statewide bluebird trail population data!