Nature of the Hollow

Unspoiled Beauty

The farm is comprised of 300 acres of unspoiled beauty, including the signature hardwood species of oak, ash, tulip poplar, hickory, birch and spring beauties such as dogwood and redbud that grace Eastern Kentucky. Hiking trails skirt the valley and take adventurers up to the mountain cliffs, displaying a myriad of wildflowers, mushrooms, geodes and ancient rock formations.

Our nature walks reveal native wildflowers such as Jack in the Pulpit and Dutchmen’s Britches in early spring, Lady Slippers, Mountain Poppies and Butterfly Weed in summer and the Black-eyed Susans, milkweed and ironweed of fall – and this is only to name a very few.

Wildlife viewing opportunities are spectacular. Along with our resident horses and meandering whitetail deer, you may catch a glimpse of grey or red fox, chipmunks, cottontails, bobcats, several bat species, and raccoon, opossum, skunk, and coyote. Once in a while, a fast-moving black bear.

Once extinct here, wild turkey were reintroduced in Kentucky in the 1950s. Now more wild turkeys thrive in Kentucky than in any other eastern state – and you can watch and hear these magnificent creatures here every day.

Bird-song may be our greatest treasure…

Over 60 species have been identified and we are always on the lookout for more. Our favorites may be the Barred Owl with its eerie call and the lonesome sound of the Whippoorwill.

“Snug Hollow has a variety of habitats that provide good birding experience. A small creek flows with a mowed pasture on one side and hardwoods on the other. Along the mowed pastures are thickets good for chipmunks as well as ground birds such as Eastern Towhee, sparrows and juncos. In addition, it has stream beds that with spring rains attract many migrants such as Yellow-rumped Warblers. Barbara has established trails that encompass the different habitats. Taking the trail through the hardwoods yielded Carolina Chickadees and Carolina Wrens in addition to Pileated Woodpeckers, which also traverse the fields from one woods to another. Other birds noted on the trail were a Hermit Thrush, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, and Northern Flickers. Turkeys put on a show along the drive and disappear in the thickets and tall grasses. In a more pine covered area, a Screech Owl was heard most days. The field is great for Red-tailed Hawks, American Crows, and Turkey Vultures. If you want to bird inside with a cup of tea, the feeder by the window lets you get close to Tufted Titmouse and White-breasted Nuthatch. Also, the back porch gives a good view of trees that attract the American Goldfinch.”

~ Barbara Brooks, 59, retired physical therapist, Hillsborough, NC