Founded in 1992, Monarch Watch is an education, conservation and research program based at the University of Kansas that focuses on the monarch butterfly. Working with other conservation groups, the program tracks monarch migration and has established “Monarch Waystations” — habitats where these butterflies can thrive — throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

While Slater Farm isn’t officially a Monarch Waystation, it has all the requirements: milkweed, sun, nectar sources and shelter.

“[When I purchased the property] I thought, ‘Well, I’m going to leave these big areas of milkweed because I know that monarchs are having a hard time,’” Halsey said.

In the past few years, the monarch population has experienced a bit of a rebound. Last winter, Monarch Watch reported that the overwintering monarch population covered nearly 15 acres.

“We’re still pretty low,” Rae said. “We had a very good year last year, but it wasn’t anywhere near as good as back in the 90s.”



A ‘magical’ experience

A nature lover, Halsey has loved monarchs since she was a little girl growing up in Fairfield, Maine.

“When I was little, I remember very clearly putting a chrysalis in a jar with my mom and my dad and watching it transform, and then letting it out and watching it fly away,” said Halsey. “It made it feel so personal and so magical, and it made them special after that. I hear a lot of people say they remember doing that.”

Halsey currently lives next door to Slater Farm, which features a beautiful but rundown farmhouse and adjoining barn, both built in the early 1800s. All along, her intentions have been to renovate the farmhouse and move in, but it wasn’t until this year that she dove into the project full force.

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While working on the house in July, she started to see the first monarch caterpillars, identifiable by their yellow, black and white stripes. They were eating the tall milkweed plants right down to the ground.

“She has been seriously blessed,” said Rae. “If she’s got a good supply of milkweed, that’s what they’re coming for, and on top of that, the adults need nectar flowers.”