Our treasured Hackberry Trees

On our farm, we have many hackberry trees (Celtis occidentalis). They are a member of the elm tree family, but seem resistant to the diseases that often trouble elm trees. Furthermore, they are drought tolerant and not bothered by the high winds that we tend to get. In the fall, the small fruits turn to a deep purple color and they are popular with winter birds, especially the cedar waxwing, mockingbird and robin. The tree also attracts many butterfly species including American snout, hackberry, mourning cloak, and tawny emperor. These small fruits are also popular with me. I love to snack on them while doing chores. But be careful not to bite on them too vigorously – you might chip a tooth. Behind their peel is a wonderfully fruity tasting tiny layer of fruit flesh before your teeth hit the very hard seed. But what an explosion of taste you experience!

Homemade laundry detergent using Soapberries

Western Soapberry Tree- Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii

We are so lucky to have an abundance of the Western Soapberry trees on our property. I have admired the beautiful translucent  berries for many years. It wasn't until I met Jackie Dill on one of her wildcrafting excursions in Coyle, Oklahoma, that I learned these berries can be used as laundry detergent soap. Through more research I found out that Native Americans and pioneers used the soap berries. To this day, they are still used in Mexico.

Jackie Dill's recipe was to either use 6 berries in a laundry bag in your washer or to boil 40 berries in 6 cups of water to make a liquid soap. The liquid soap needs to be used within a week or so otherwise it will go bad. If you decide to boil the berries, it is easy to get the black seeds out and they can be used as beads. I used the beads to make earrings and necklaces.

If you use the berries as soap or shampoo, please be sure to test them first because they can be an irritant to some people with sensitive skin. Also, the berries are poisonous to humans- so don't eat them! My goats, however, love to eat them whenever they find them.

What we love about the laundry soap is that it is perfect for the zero-waste lifestyle enthusiast.

Feels like October

It's starting to feel like fall in Oklahoma. Cooler temps call for some awesome hot chocolate (of which we've shared some in our vacation rental, Faith) and movie nights! And, because Halloween is near, you know we have Hocus Pocus on DVD.The perfect end to days spent exploring the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge or Medicine Park. 

Top 5 Oklahoma Summer Things

It's summer here in Oklahoma...and many other places in the world. Here are our Top 5 Things to Do in (SW) Oklahoma. So when you're staying at the Stone Turtle, you'll know how to get the most of your time here.

5. Movie afternoons at Liberty Theatre

When it's just too dang hot outside, we like to head over to Carnegie for a move. The Liberty Theatre  is the oldest continuously run movie theater in Oklahoma. It's just a 20 minute drive to Carnegie, and you can make it an idyllic small-town summer moment to remember with a visit to the diner just down the road and a picture in front of the amazing town mural. Find out movie titles and times here.

4. Early Morning Kayaking 

Bring your kayaks and paddle on Lake Lawtonka, in Apache, OK, or in the Wildlife Refuge. We know some lovely spots. 

3. Coffees in the Refuge

We love to brew some coffee, pack our coffee mugs, and find a nice spot in the Wichita Mountains to sit and observe the gorgeous Oklahoma prairie.

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2. Morning Swims in Medicine Park

You haven't experienced Medicine Park until you've taken a dip in Bath Lake and enjoyed a scone and coffee at Cobblescones Coffee Shop. Swim monitors are there starting at 10 AM. $3/person.

1. Watching the sun set from the Stone Turtle

It's our number one Oklahoma Summer Thing. The view of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge from our vacation rental, Faith, is one-in-a-million. And, you can still see the stars from the Stone Turtle, so sun set watching turns into star gazing.

Credible Mentions:

Plum picking on the back forty. Maybe that's our top "country" thing to do: picking wild plums.

That Stone Turtle Vibe

The Stone Turtle is special. Not just because it's the home of 5 million different colors, but it's got a this vibe. One you feel when you make a cup of coffee and curl up with a good book (like the Why Cafe - one of our faves!), or when you sit on the deck and watch the sun set behind the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Honestly, it's just something you have to experience for yourself, which you can through Air BnB.

Sunset stretching over the Slick Hills

Oklahoma sunrise

Our vacation home, Faith. 

We're still here

Can you believe it's 2018? We can't! So much has happened. The Stone Turtle is more colorful than ever, and we are converting Faith into a vacation rental again.

Faith is getting an interior up-cycled makeover. Faith received a blue and green exterior paint job, and is getting a little shabby chic flare on the interior. But, not new shabby chic (aka the kind you buy). We're talking the real deal. Upcycled Crown bottles, repurposed ladders, and whatever else we can get our hands on.

Who said mobile homes can't be romantic? Why mobile homes, you ask. We love mobile homes because they can be moved, so there's less of an impact to the land. That's why when the time came to choose between real cabins or mobile homes, we consciously chose mobile homes. We want the Stone Turtle to be relatively untouched when our time here is up.

We're close to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and Medicine Park - that hasn't changed. We'll be accepting reservations as of August 1, so find us on AirBnB if you're visiting our area. We'll be posting about all the exciting changes here.
Stay cool,
~Danielle

5.5

5.5.

The number of years we have been business.

 It's been a grand time.
We've had so much fun decorating,
finding books and movies, and meeting people 

from all over the world.

We are sad and happy to inform you that
we will no longer be accepting reservations.
Sad because our lodging journey is ending.
Happy because something new is blossoming.
Quite literally as Prairie Herbcraft will continue
to grow and host workshops at
the Stone Turtle.

Thank you all for supporting us!
We couldn't have had this wonderful
experience without you!

Greetings from the Stone Turtle,

Danielle & Ingrid