A visit to the Big Cedar: Hikers explore flora, old growth at Meadowbrook Farm

Tour guide and historian Dave Battey led a group of hikers over a Boy Scout-built bridge and through the woods during an October 20 hike to Meadowbrook Farm’s “Big Cedar,” a surviving old-growth tree in the northern corner of the farm. Pointing out the vanished roadways, interesting local, native and noxious flora—interesting examples include the wide-ranging native cucumber and filbert species, the big leaf maple, and invaders like Himalayan Blackberry, Battey annually leads tours of the farm. The big cedar is surviving old growth; It's so large, a younger tree is growing in its branches.

By Seth Truscott • November 19, 2012 9:26 pm
Dave Battey leads hikers over a Boy Scout-built bridge in the slough-riddled section of Meadowbrook Farm
Dave Battey leads hikers over a Boy Scout-built bridge in the slough-riddled section of Meadowbrook Farm

Tour guide and historian Dave Battey led a group of hikers over a Boy Scout-built bridge and through the woods during an October 20 hike to Meadowbrook Farm’s “Big Cedar,” a surviving old-growth tree in the northern corner of the farm.


Pointing out the vanished roadways, interesting local, native and noxious flora—interesting examples include the wide-ranging native cucumber and filbert species, the big leaf maple, and invaders like Himalayan Blackberry, Battey annually leads tours of the farm. The big cedar is surviving old growth; It’s so large, a younger tree is growing in its branches.

Farm tours are now over for the season, but will resume in the spring

To learn more about Meadowbrook Farm activities, visit www.meadowbrookfarmpreserve.org.

Children and adults can explore the huge tree. Some can fit inside.