This time of year, I start mornings with a walk through the woods. I never imagined that one day I’d be able to walk through a forest just a few steps from my front door. At this early hour, the chickens are just starting to come down off their roost. In an hour, they will start scratching their way through the thick brush, searching for good things to eat.

The forest provides so many good things. A quiet place to walk, a constant buffet for the chickens, and clean air are just a start. “One acre of trees annually consumes the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent to that produced by driving an average car for 26,000 miles. That same acre of trees also produces enough oxygen for 18 people to breathe for a year.” Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.