Caring for the Land
April 16 @ 3:00 pm – April 19 @ 12:00 pm CDT
We warmly invite you to join us for our upcoming Caring for the Land weekend! Our next event is scheduled from Thursday, April 16, to Sunday, April 19. This year, we are constructing a new zendo, and depending on the weather and construction progress, there may be opportunities for volunteer work, including landscaping, painting, and other emerging needs. As always, there will be plenty of work available for clearing trails, cutting up deadfalls, and eradicating invasive species.
The Hokyoji Zen Practice Community is situated in the scenic bluff country of southeastern Minnesota, near the Mississippi River. Spanning 105 acres of heavily wooded bluffs, wetlands, and abandoned farmland, Hokyoji hosts diverse wildlife habitats, including old-growth oak and walnut trees. However, the environment at Hokyoji faces challenges due to the overgrowth of non-native species, such as European buckthorn, Japanese honeysuckle, multiflora rose, and others. These invasive plants are choking out the regrowth of native species and hindering the re-establishment of the original ecosystem. Additionally, the construction of the new zendo has created some site disturbances and altered certain landscape features that will need to be addressed.
We provide accommodations in the Guest Hall and offer ovo-lacto-vegetarian meals, fostering companionship and engagement in meaningful, satisfying work. At the end of each day, after a rewarding day’s labor, you can enjoy a quiet period of meditation to soothe your tired muscles!
Here is a photo taken in late winter showing the new zendo under construction. There will be a need for landscape work and site improvement, depending on the weather and construction status.
The area depicted in the accompanying photo shows a hillside at Hokyoji, where the undergrowth is tangled with young honeysuckles, buckthorn, plum, and various thorny plants. Young walnut trees are also trying to emerge. Without intervention, this area is likely to become dominated by honeysuckle, making it nearly impenetrable!
