A few years ago I decided my New Year’s resolution would be to take an adventure every month. I succeeded my goal that year, and I have kept it going every year since. Sometimes my adventures take me far away, to other states or even countries, and sometimes they are just exploring places just outside my backyard, but they almost always prove to be fun. Fast forward to this month, January 2022. It’s been a doozy for me. COVID is still wreaking havoc (and it finally caught me) and a few other personal devastating times almost made me forget my yearly goal. But luckily my darling friends Erin, Tricia joined me on a short trek last weekend to Dayton to check out Aullwood Audobon Center and Farm to check out some larger-than-life trolls.
Getting to Aullwood Audobon Center
Aullwood Audubon Center is just over an hour drive from Columbus, located at 1000 Aullwood Rd., Dayton Ohio. It is open from 9 AM to 5 PM Tuesday through Saturday and 1-5 on Sunday. Cost is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors over 65 and $8 for children 4 to 10. Dogs on leash are permitted on the grounds.
When visitors arrive at Aullwood Audobon Center & Farm they must first check into the visitor center to pay the entry fee and receive a copy of map. There is also a special commemorative map that visitors can buy with the complete story of the trolls on the back. To see all the trolls and the nest it is about a 3 mile loop. Plan about two hours to see them all. However, there are two parking lots (one at the visitor center and one at the farm) and visitors can park at one end to see some of the trolls and then move their car to view the rest of them.
About Aullwood Audobon Center & Farm
Aullwood Audobon consist of two locations: Aullwood Nature Center and Aullwood farm. In total it is a 200 acre nature sanctuary, and the two areas are connected by 6 miles of walking trails. The education center has classrooms, interactive displays, exhibits and animals. They also have a birdwatching room and gift shop.
The farm area and Wyse Pavilion can be rented for events. It consists of farm buildings and animals. Visitors can view a duck pond, herb garden, a sustainable garden, chicken coop, bee yard and more.
About the Artist & Trolls
At Aullwood Audobon Center and Farm you can find the the latest project by Danish artist (and worlds leading recycle artist) Thomas Dambo. Dambo started making large sculptures in his native Denmark and there are now about 80 of them located across the planet. Nine of them are located in the United States and Puerto Rico. The lastest exhibit in Dayton, Ohio is called “The Troll that Hatched the Egg” and features 3 trolls and a nest.
Bibbi, Bo & Bodil
The three trolls at Aullwood Audobon Center & Farm are a family. The baby, standing at 17 foot fall, is Bibbi. She has wings, playing homage to Dayton- the birthplace of aviation.
Bibbi’s wings are made from old plastic totes that are stained. The hair of the trolls is made of grapevines collected at Aullwood Audobon Center.
After viewing Bibbi, visitors continue on the hike and next come across the dad, Bo.
Bo is seated at the confluence of two streams. The streams were frozen when we visited, making them very photogenic. Bo is holding onto a walking stick, which is an actual tree.
The posted guidelines said to stay on the trails but to hug the trolls because they love to be hugged. So we did just that.
And lastly came the mother, Bodil.
This one was a little bit confusing to us, because we didn’t know the full story of the trolls. But I am going to share it with you now…
The Troll that Hatched the Egg
The inspiration behind “The Troll that Hatched the Egg” is a fairy tale created by the artist. A metal bird drops a big metal egg and the baby troll runs to get the egg and bring it back to her parents. They want to find the metal bird to take the egg back, so they build a birds nest to try and hatch it.
The baby, Bibbi, builds wings to try and fly.
Making of the Trolls
Artist Thomas Dambo made the heads of the trolls in Denmark from discarded dollar store shelves. While the heads were shipped to the US, everything else is locally sourced. He upcycled such things as shipping materials, fallen trees, pallets, and metal canisters. The trolls took 800 hours of manpower to make from a whole team of creators.
The artist, Dambo, hopes that visitors will see the beauty of nature and the importance of preserving it. While the trolls are permanent exhibit created just for Aullwood Audubon, the wooden structures will probably only last about five years. Eventually the materials will deteriorate, returning to the earth from which they came.
Beautiful Aullwood Audobon Center & Farm
Aullwood Audobon was beautiful, even in winter. The staff at the visitor center told me the best time to visit is spring, when the wildflowers are in bloom. They often have events, so check out their website for more information.
The Hairless Hare Brewery & Blackbird Meadery
Most of my adventures involve a stop at a local brewery, and this trip was no different. The Hairless Hare Brewery & Blackbird Meadery is located at 738 N National Rd in Vandalia. This small family-owned brewery & meadery in one was packed when we arrived. There were lots of tables, and TVs to enjoy a game. They also have a patio.
When we visited, they had 8 meads on tap (click here to see what mead is offered). In addition, they had 12 beers, offering everything from pale ale, sours, wheat beer and stouts. Click here for the list of beers. Beyond the full-size pours, you can also do flights and growler pours.
They also have a pretty extensive food list, but their specialty is pizza, which is also offered with a gluten free crust. The brewery-meadery is open Wednesday & Thursday from 4-10, and Friday and Saturday from 2-10, though the kitchen closes at 9. They have dine-in and curbside pickup options.
https://catchingkatie.com/blackhand-gorge-state-nature-preserve-sand-hollow-winery/Thanks for reading my blog today. I hope you get to visit Aullwood Audobon Center & Farm to see the trolls yourself. Try your best at Catching Katie soon with my next adventure, let me know if you have some suggestions, and I welcome your comments : ) In the meantime, if you are looking for some more outdoor adventures, check out Lake Katharine State Nature Preserve or Caesar Creek State Park.
-Catching Katie
Leave a Reply