February's Finest and March Forward....!!

 

February 21, 2024

This Week: Silver Maples: Winter Birding February 22 Even in winter, birds are out and about looking for food. Dress for the weather and join us on a short hike to look for signs of bird activity. Craft a small bird feeder to lend our bird friends some help! All skill levels welcome. Bring binoculars or borrow ours. Register here. Frelinghuysen Arboretum, 353 East Hanover Avenue, Morris Township, 07960. Ages 55 & older, active seniors; Cost: $15 per person. Preregistration is required.   Skunk Cabbage Safari February 22 Skunk cabbage may be stinky, but it sure is amazing! Did you know that it makes its own heat to melt snow or that it's the first flower of the spring? Discover all of this plant's secrets as you hunt for it emerging along the trails, guided by a naturalist. You'll never look at skunk cabbage the same way again! Sign up here. Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area, 472 Boonton Ave, Boonton, NJ 07005. Ages 6 & up; Cost: $5 per person. Preregistration is required.   Little Farm Friends: Tractors and Transportation February 23 How did people travel before they had cars? You'll find out in the transportation exhibit! Sit on an old-fashioned tractor and pretend to drive the cars from over one hundred years ago. Join us here. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ 07960. Ages 3-5 with an adult; Cost: $10 per child. Preregistration is required.   Winter Birding for Adults February 23 Just because many birds have left for the winter doesn't mean there aren't still lots of birds to see! Start indoors to view the activity at our feeders before we head out on the trails to see which intrepid birds have decided to stick it out in NJ. Bring binoculars or borrow ours. Click here to register. Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, 247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham Township, NJ 07928 Age: Adults; Cost: $8 per person. Preregistration is required.

Spotlight On: Maple Sugar Festival March 9 We're excited to bring back our annual maple sugar festival where we celebrate all things maple sugar! There will be guided maple sugaring history walks, sap cooking demos, taste testing, maple cream making, games, crafts and more! We'll even have a real maple farmer on hand selling his syrup products.   Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, 247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham Township, NJ 07928 All ages; Cost: $6 per person. Walk ins are welcome!   Summer Camp Registrations are open! Hurry! Early registration is key! Ensure your child's spot in their preferred summer camp program, as spaces are limited, and programs fill rapidly. Don't miss out! Explore our summer camps here.   The Art of Tea Blending  February 22 Join us for a wonderful cuppa tea! Learn the history of tea and blending teas. Experience the mixing of herbs for wellness and relaxation. Register here. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ 07960. Age: Adults; Cost: $30 per person. Preregistration is required.   Educating Educators: Learning and Teaching about Animal Tracking February 24 Calling all teachers, naturalists, environmental educators, scout leaders, and homeschool parents!  Let the experts at the Great Swamp teach you what and how to teach about a variety of natural history topics.  The first half of the program will be dedicated to learning the deep background knowledge you need to teach each topic, while the second half will showcase a variety of lessons and activities to use with different ages. This month focuses on how to find and read animal tracks and signs in the winter to better understand what wildlife has been there and what they've been up to. Click here to register.  Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, 247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham Township, NJ 07928 Educators; Cost: $35 per person. Preregistration is required.   Shrubs throughout the Year February 24 Wondering if you can keep your garden looking spectacular all year? Ann Fahey, Superintendent of Horticulture Education, will "walk" you through a year of shrubs in this dynamic lecture. Bring a photo of your own garden and she will give you a few ideas to enhance it. Light refreshments will be served. Reserve your spot here. Frelinghuysen Arboretum, 353 East Hanover Avenue, Morris Township, 07960. Age: Adults; Cost: $25 per person. Preregistration is required.

Look What's Coming: Bamboo Brook Grounds and History Tour March 2 Enjoy the grounds and discover the history of Bamboo Brook, the former home of Martha Brookes Hutcheson, with this guided tour. Bundle up and wear comfortable walking shoes. This program runs rain or shine. Meet at the bottom of the stairs in front of the Hutcheson house. Register here. Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center, 170 Longview Road, Chester Township, NJ 07931 Age: Adults; Cost: $15 per person. Preregistration is required.   Candlemakers (pt. 1) March 6 Learn how to make your own candles using personalized scents. Register here. The Cooper Gristmill, 66 Route 24, Chester, NJ 07930. Ages 14 & up; Cost: $25 per person. Preregistration is required.    BSA Forestry Merit Badge Workshop March 9 Winter tree challenge!  Explore the native forest while completing your Forestry Merit Badge. Walk the trails of the Frelinghuysen Arboretum, create a field notebook, find native and non-native trees and learn how to plant trees and start others from seed.  Some prerequisites must be completed at home; more information will be given at time of registration. Secure your spot here. Frelinghuysen Arboretum, 353 East Hanover Avenue, Morris Township, 07960. BSA Scouts ages 11 & up; Cost: $25 per scout. Preregistration is required.     Recipes, Remedies, and Rituals Rare Book Botanicals, 1500s-1800s Exhibition on View—Ongoing—until April 2024 Explore selections of bound printed and manuscript works of collaboration and the exchange of botanical information from the Elizabeth Donnell Kay book collection.  They highlight defining the relationship between humans and the natural world and include personalized herbal recipes, medical remedies, and gardening rituals. These literary conversations reveal confidence in encyclopedic narratives and expectations that locally sourced old and new plant varieties were beneficial for mind, body, and soul. Come visit the museum and get a glimpse of this rare historic display of botanical knowledge from the archives of Morris County Park Commission. Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ 07950