Blazing Star believes a common thread underlies the restoration of native ecosystems and the practice of natural and organic agriculture: the health of living soil communities.
The oak trees of the midwest savanna rely on partnership with adapted soil organisms to obtain and convey nutrients. The same is true with crops and living soils. Blazing Star is committed to soil health and agricultural and gardening products sold by Blazing Star must first do no harm.
In 1990, Blazing Star was begun as a nursery to grow out and keep alive native seed and plants rescued from a developer’s bulldozer in suburban Chicago.
Within a few years, individuals, schools, and businesses were using it (and stock acquired from other sources) to begin the recovery of plant and animal communities lost during agricultural and urban development in areas now ready to be returned to their pre-settlement state.
Blazing Star provides educational, restoration and design services to county and municipal governments and corporations by
- producing and participating in native landscaping seminars
- providing lecture services to garden clubs, civic and school groups
- creating restoration management plans
- designing outdoor classrooms
Blazing Star can provide seed and plants for special projects put out to bid, as well as to individuals (depending on availability). Blazing Star specializes in the hard-to -propagate.
