The Buena Vista Butterfly Farm Story
By Lish Baylor
Guest Writer
I have always dreamed of standing in a field surrounded by Butterflies. 
It was the happy place I would always go to when life got a little too tough. One day I was at the memorial service for my supervisors’ niece, Gina; and her young children released butterflies. Something inside me came alive. When I got home that evening, I began to research information on raising and releasing butterflies. I have been a Social Worker for most of my adult life, and I felt this was an opportunity to do something to feed my soul.
My husband is a General Engineering Contractor who specializes in weed abatement. The Butterfly Farm is neutral territory, and a balance of man and nature. Daryl began rototilling chunks of land on the ranch, I planted, and planted and planted some more. The first years were dedicated to planting my "Field of Dreams". I knew if I had planted the nectar plants, and allowed the host plants to grow, I could have a self sustaining Butterfly Garden.
Now I look at those "weeds" that I had spent so many years trying to eradicate, and say with a smile, "That’s the cater-pillar host garden". You can plant pretty nectar flowers, and the Butterflies will fly in, have a drink and move on; much like a fast food drive-thru. BUT, if you leave the host plants for their offspring to live on, they will dine in, spend some time in the honeymoon suite, lay their eggs, and the cycle continues in your own backyard.
My Field of Dreams
I grew up on a farm in Iowa, and really hated cleaning the manure from the barn on weekends, when my friends were going to movies and having fun. I vowed I would never scoop poop again. My family reminds me that now I have come full circle as I scoop caterpillar poop. My only response to that is, "I use a tiny shovel now".
We recycle and reuse as much as possible. We do not use toxic 
chemicals or pesticides and we conserve energy and water by changing our daily living habits. We encourage others to do the same. Everything we do has a cause and effect on our world. We are a certified Mon-arch Way station, as well as a certified Butterfly Habitat for North American Butterfly Association. I am President of the California Chapter of Butterfly Rescue International, and Wings of Hope.
Our Butterflies are shy, so we aren’t open to the public; however, they love to go on road trips to Weddings, Funerals, Graduations, Birthdays, Tea Parties, schools, libraries, and other special events. Be the change you want to see in the world. Check out our website for more information and how to order your own butterflies. www.buenavistabutterflies.com
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