Fieldnotes: A Springtime Update

It’s been a while since my last post—and like many gardeners in the Midwest, I’ve spent the last few months tucked inside, surrounded by seed trays, grow lights, and dreams of summer. The snow has melted, our sandhill cranes are back, and the land is beginning to wake up once again.

Between tending tiny sprouts and sipping cups of coffee on chilly mornings, we’ve also been busy with something special: Fieldnotes.

Many of you have asked about the name, and I’m glad you did—because Fieldnotes is more than just a name. It’s a little play on words - those that know me know I love a good double entendre… (okay, maybe in this case multiple plays on a word), and all of them speak to the heart of what this space is becoming.

First, Field—a nod to nature, of course, and to the space we’ve built among the rolling hills and burr oaks. It’s here, where we grow, gather, and ground ourselves - just off the field. But Field carries a deeper significance, too. It speaks not only to the literal fields of nature, but also to the concept of a "field" in the sense of sport.

Fieldnotes is a hub for both education and practice. It’s where we support the pursuit of perfection in the game of golf, offering a space where skill and passion meet the natural beauty of the land.

In essence, Fieldnotes is where learning and growth—take root, and where the field of nature and the field of play come together in perfect harmony.

Then, Notes—the fragrant notes of flowers in the garden, and also the tasting notes of flavors from the herbs we grow here and craft into our products. Whether it’s a delicate herbal tea or a soothing balm, each product carries the essence of nature's offerings.

Notes also extends to the music that fills the air at Fieldnotes. Music Notes are a big part of what brings Fieldnotes to life. There’s almost always a playlist going—sometimes upbeat and full of rhythm to keep us moving during long days of planting, digging or tending; sometimes soft and jazzy, as we enjoy the calm of a Saturday morning.

Fieldnotes has its own soundtrack—colorful, ever-changing, full of life. Songs from all decades and genres blend together old and new memories like the patchwork of blooms. It’s another layer of joy, another way we mark time and make meaning. Music notes, like scent, has a way of rooting us in a moment—and that, too, is the essence of Fieldnotes.

Then, Notes—the notes we take about the world around us. In nature, there’s always something new to observe, something worth remembering. Just like logging milestones in life, we jot down the rhythms and cadences we experience here at Century Oaks.

We keep track of the little things—the arrival of the cranes migrating home to their nesting spot along the shores of Lake Veronica, the first hummingbird sighting of the season, and the unexpected visitors who pass through our haven. Each date marks another moment of connection to the land, and weave together the larger story of this place we cherish.

The act of noticing and recording the seasonal shifts and subtle changes becomes a way to honor the rhythm of nature. It’s a living log that grows with each passing year, one that we can return to, revisiting the joys of spring and summer and the quiet beauty of autumn and winter.

Much like a field journal, Fieldnotes is our way of documenting life’s fleeting moments, preserving them in a space that’s both tangible and meaningful. These are the stories of our days—captured in the scents of blooming flowers, the flavors of the harvest, and the small, observations that remind us of the magic of moments.

At its core, Fieldnotes is about memories. It’s about capturing time and feelings, and bottling them up—sometimes literally, in the form of our products. In our gathering place and mercantile you can find handcrafted goods made here at Century Oaks Collective. Each product holds a bit of this land’s story—of seasons passed and blooms yet to come.

Here’s to new beginnings, warmer days, and a season filled with notes worth remembering.