Sometimes when you own several businesses and work from home, you forget to get out and about to enjoy the natural beauty of where you live.
Jack Humphrey, editor and founder of GoWayneCounty.com is also a naturalist and in a past life was a professional environmentalist by trade. So while he works in his office at home he is often dreaming of adventures in the great outdoors. He has hiked mountain trails in New Mexico and traveled the Grand Canyon on the back of a donkey, camped out on Ted Turners ranch during one of his “saving the environment” gigs and logged many miles of great woods hikes and river rafting all over the country.
But sometimes simple adventures in nature can be in our own backyards, as Jack discovered this weekend with his dog sidekick, Mojo, and his son Sammy by his side.
Hiking the back woods and cornfields of the Earlham campus lead Jack and his faithful furry friend into the beautiful Earlham Cemetery, where they found the graveyard entrance to Hogwarts at marker 9 1/2. Jack excitedly relayed their great find and also how amazing it was to discover hidden trails and sites in nature that he realized he “never new existed” so close to home.
Later Jack and his son Sammy drove to Dougherty Orchard, just west of Centerville Indiana, to visit with the animals in the petting zoo area.
The orchard is surrounded by large corn fields and a pumpkin patch, with Pappaw’s Honey Farm honey being made right on the premises, or at least the honey combs– as bees buzz all around the orchard collecting the nectar. You can pick your own apples off the trees or fill a bag inside, choosing from many varieties of soft, sweet, sour or crisp apples.
Living in Wayne County offers so many opportunities to explore the outdoors and commune with nature. With Cope Environmental Center, Hayes Regional Arboretum, Wesslers and Dougherty Orchards and more parks than most small counties anywhere, those seeking nature need only step out their door to discover all the places to go in Wayne County.
We’d love for you to share your favorite places to hike and get back to nature in the comments below.
Happy trails!
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