Toni sometimes welcomes visitors to her property for a tour, though she doesn’t have a regular schedule just yet. During our Saturday morning visit, Toni took us around her gorgeous and historic property on St. Croix’s South Shore, overlooking the turquoise Caribbean Sea, the green lawn dotted with various large cages where she keeps her injured birds of prey and other birds in recovery. It’s the perfect spot for this non-profit bird sanctuary, with sea breezes and tropical trees.  Toni has everything from cattle egrets to great egrets, peacocks, to chickens, a friendly (and hungry!) pelican, and most spectacularly, several red-tailed hawks, a Peregrine falcon, a kestrel and a merlin. She showed us a baby cattle egret who squawked for food and perched atop her head, and a large white crane who is fully rehabilitated but still hangs around the property for feedings.  Of course, as soon as the food came out, the pelican came up, bobbing his head and flapping his wings, going crazy for the little fish she was tossing out for snacks.

Toni then showed us her amazing birds of prey. It’s not often you can get to see, and even touch, these predators up close. These birds are with her for the long haul, as they have injuries that will never allow them to fly in the same way again, due to broken wings, lost wings, etc. Many of these birds have been shot with guns or completely lost half of wing, which renders them unable to fly, hunt or feed themselves. Toni has taken these magnificent creatures in and provides them with food, shelter and companionship. Two red-tailed hawks live in the same cage, a male and a female and have partnered and started mating. They have laid two eggs, but unfortunately, they have not resulted in a baby chick as of yet. Toni will still keep trying to get them strong and healthy enough to nurse an egg full term and maybe there will be a new red-tail on the horizon!

The birds of prey are tame enough to be petted and used for demonstrations in schools and for environmental groups that arrange tours with Toni. She also brings her blind blue pigeon Miracle to visit the kids. It’s really important to her to teach them about the proper treatment of animals– not just our pets (although that is important too), but the animals that we interact with in our natural environment of St. Croix.

Finally, Toni invited us inside to show us some of her paintings. Toni might be even more well known for her detailed and expressive watercolor and oil paintings of birds and wildlife. You can even see some of her work on the current issue of St. Croix This Week! With a background in science and training in medical illustration, Toni brings a lifelike detail to her colorful portraits, and because she is so emotionally connected to these animals, perfectly captures their essence and spirit. She usually has an annual art show at Walsh Metal Works gallery in February, so keep an eye on our calendar for her next event! It’s a rare opportunity to experience her newest work.

It was a rare and inspiring opportunity for us to get to experience the work that she dedicates herself to every day.  She is able to do this work through private donations and a supportive community, and the birds of St. Croix are lucky to have someone as skilled and caring as Toni looking after them.

And, while we were finishing up our tour, someone stopped by Toni’s house with a baby pearly-eyed thrasher they had picked up on the road. Toni accepted the little baby bird and we helped feed it in her living room… a bird lady’s work is never done.

You can make donations to the St. Croix Avian Sanctuary by calling (340) 773-1839.

We have also created a video of our visit to the St. Croix Avian Sanctuary, please watch it and share with your friends! It is linked right here:  Toni Lance and the St. Croix Bird Sanctuary

Do you know anyone who might be missing a goldie puppy from the Cotton Valley area?? Let us know!

UPDATE: Puppy’s home has been found! Go Island Network!

VISFI has been hosting Slow Down Dinners for several years now, as a way to raise funds for their community programs, and to educate people about the importance of locally grown, organic food. Over a 6-course organic, local, gourmet meal, we were able to enjoy the relaxing ambience of the the farm, which is tucked away in the western hills in the rainforest, and learn more about the Slow Food Movement and how important it is to our world right now. The movement was started in Italy in the 1980s as a reaction to the opening of a McDonald’s restaurant in Rome, and aims to preserve cultural cuisine, promote growing your own food, and ethical buying in the local marketplace.  Jay, one of the farm staffers, rightly pointed out between courses that two of the most important issues we are facing right now are climate change and health care. Changing our lifestyles to incorporate local, organic food is a way in which we can affect change  in our daily lives and support a grassroots movement that aims to promote the health and well-being of our planet and its inhabitants. The dinner, aside from being delicious and a wonderful time, was also incredibly inspiring and educational.

But, on to the food! Arriving at the farm just before 6 pm, we stashed the drinks we brought, claimed seats at one of the long communal tables set up on the covered mahogany porch of VISFI’s main building and went on a short walk to explore the grounds. After spending some quality time with the most adorable baby goats and sheep we headed back to settle down for the meal. The first course was a passed appetizer of a fried breadfruit chip topped with a beet slice, cilantro pesto, cashew and pomegranate seeds. It was divine (I had two). Chef Keith Weitzman spoke a bit about each course before they came out, and the farm staff carefully explained all the components of the food. Knowing each green in the salad or soup really makes one think about each bite, slow down and savor the food.  The second course was a crepe stuffed with green papaya and green mango chunks in a soft, creamy sauce. Our vegan friends were served the papaya and mango in a pepper boat, with wing beans, which I had never seen before and were deliciously fresh tasting and crunchy.  Onto the third! Big bowls of vegan kalalloo were served topped with crispy, smoky strips of sweet potato “bacon.”  Then a green salad with so many different greens, we kept asking the staff to name every one. If I recall, it included amaranth, sorrell, and moringa. Finally, it was onto the fifth course, inspired by Chef Keith’s grandmother’s Hanukkah meals– green banana latkes topped with smoked mahi, yogurt sauce and some kind of red garnish (I forget what it was) that was amazing. The smoked mahi had a rich flavor, and paired with the texture of the latke and the tartness of the yogurt, and the crisp garnish, it was a perfect combination. Somehow I had room for dessert which was a cake made of oats, mango and fruit juice; so moist and tasty you’d never believe it was vegan.

We spent some time hanging out after the meal, finishing up the rum and chatting with program director Nate Olive about some of the services and programs VISFI provides to the community. Check out the VI Locally Grown market– it’s an online market for ordering local produce and products. Just place your order online at vi.locallygrown.net between Sunday and Tuesday, and the VISFI staff will drop it off to you at Polly’s the Pier in downtown Frederiksted. VISFI is also starting school gardens and offers various programs and workshops to the public throughout the year. The suggested donation for the dinner is $60 and it feels great to support such an important cause.

There are so many ways in which we can support local food and agriculture here in the Virgin Islands.  St. Croix used to be known as “The Breadbasket” and I was shocked to learn that 99.5% of all of our food is imported. That’s a big carbon footprint. It’s easy, delicious and healthy to buy local– support the VISFI online market, or check out the La Reine Farmers Market on Saturday mornings, and the Beeston Hill Farmers market on Saturdays.  Luca’s ArtFarm market is also starting up again after their move to Longford, on the South Shore, and they will be selling on Saturdays from 10-1 and Wednesday afternoons. And definitely check out the Slow Down Dinners at VISFI for a way to learn more about this movement, eat some delicious local, organic food and enjoy the beauty of the farm.  Bon appetit and happy ethical eating!

It’s nice to see the streets filled with visitors and cruise ship passengers and knowing that our local shops, restaurants and tour operators are benefitting from the business. I know everyone on St. Croix at this time of year is thankful to be in such vibrant and beautiful place filled with warm people, laughter, and lots of Cruzan Rum. Our holiday weather is nothing to sneeze at either. Fall in the Northeast has it’s charms but I can’t ever argue with 85 degrees and sunny! So this year, let’s be thankful for the warm atmosphere of St. Croix that comes as much from the people as it does from the sun.

There are so many great events going on this Thanksgiving weekend, I know I am going to be exhausted by Sunday! Tonight, Monday, there are the famous and fun Crab Races at the Fort Christian Brew Pub in Christiansted, starting at 5 pm, or you can put your noggin to the test with Trivia Night at the Palms at Pelican Cove, from 7 to 9 pm.

Thursday is obviously the day to worship at the altar of the almighty turkey, but being in St. Croix means you can give thanks over some fresh mahi mahi or wahoo too!

Friday night is Jump Up in Christiansted! We do Black Friday (official first day of holiday shopping) right! Instead of 5 am stampedes into a department store, Crucians make it into a party! Christiansted will be jamming from 6 pm until 10 pm. If you can’t make it downtown for the festive food, music, and dancing, be sure to watch on the web via our Harbor Cam– you’ll be right in the middle of the action. 

If you don’t get all your holiday shopping done on Jump Up night, Sunday, November 29th, from 10 am to 5 pm, is the annual Starving Artist Day at Whim Museum. Local artists will be selling their handcrafted wares, so you’ll be sure to find something extra special and unique for everyone on your shopping list.

Then we’ll start all over again the next week! Can you believe Christmas and Festival are around the corner? We will be keeping you up to date on all the events and happenings. Be sure to check back on our event calendar, and keep up with us on Facebook! We hope to see you around town!

Leave us a comment letting us know what you are thankful for this Thanksgiving. We are definitely thankful for our dedicated readers and everyone in the GoToStCroix.com family. Thank you!