MORRIS COUNTY PARK COMMISSION SPRING 2018 Pathways civil war invades morristown Butterfly Bonanza! BORN TO BE SHORN MORRIS COUNTY PARK COMMISSION • SPRING • 2018 2 Born to Be Shorn A SPRINGTIME CLASSIC! Where else can you witness the hand-shearing of sheep, up close and personal, as it was done in the past without using electricity? Celebrate spring at Born to Be Shorn, on Saturday, May 12, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cooper Gristmill in Chester Township. Bring the entire family to a truly unique and fun experience. Meet the baby lambs, and watch as an expert sheep shearer skillfully gives each sheep its own ‘haircut’ to remove its woolen fleece, which has grown thick since last spring. Be amazed by the various processing steps that turn the ample cut fleece into woolen fibers and fashions. Weather permitting, watch as plain fleece turns brilliant natural colors as it is dyed in a pot over an open fire. Help with hands-on activities, such as weaving, spinning, or making a fiber craft to take home. Make the day truly memorable with a tour of the 1826 water-powered Cooper Gristmill – the only fully water-powered gristmill in New Jersey that still produces flour and meal. Admission for Born to Be Shorn is $3 per adult, $2 per senior (65+), and $1 per child age 4 -16, FREE per child age 4 & under, and Friends members are half-price with a current membership card. For more information, please call 908.879.5463, or visit morrisparks.net. Night Time Hiking Adventures! FRANTIC FUN RUN 2018 E xploring the trails by flashlight or moonlight is like exploring another world. Nocturnal animals, such as owls, frogs, raccoons, and bats are starting their ‘day’ as the sun sets, while chipmunks, songbirds, and turtles are quieting down for their night. This spring, there are opportunities for you to enjoy sunset in the forest on a guided hike with a staff naturalist. Adults and children, age 5 and older, can hike the nighttime trails of the Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center in Chatham Township on Friday, April 6, at 7 p.m. Enjoy handson activities along the trails to experience the amazing adaptations of nocturnal animals and to listen for the wildlife. Perhaps you’ll spot a flying squirrel gliding by, hear frogs calling, or glimpse an opossum peering down from a tree. Preregistration for a time slot between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. is required. These easy-level walks are over flat trails and boardwalks, and last approximately 60 to 75 minutes. The cost is $6 per person. Please call 973.635.6629 to register. On Sunday, April 29, at 7 p.m., join the staff at Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area in Montville Township for a springtime Full Moon Hike to view April’s ‘Pink Moon,’ as it was known by Native Americans. On Thursday, June 21, at 7 p.m., join a Summer Solstice Hike to Tripod Rock to officially welcome the beginning of summer on one of the longest days of the year. During both hikes, follow your guide along the darkening trails of the Pyramid Mountain ridgeline. Adults and teens age 16 and older are welcome, and the cost for each hike is $5 per person. Flashlights are welcome, and preregistration is required. For more information or to register, please call 973.334.3130, or visit morrisparks.net. save the date! 5K Race and 1-Mile Fitness Walk/Run CHIP TIMED 5K RUN Tuesday, June 26 )RVWHUÀHOGV /LYLQJ +LVWRULFDO )DUP Kahdena Road, Morris Township For Info & Registration PRUULVSDUNV QHW ))5 UHFUHDWLRQ#PRUULVSDUNV QHW 3 Luck O’ The Farm: Welcome, Irish Farmhands and House Servants! Experience a day in the life of Irish immigrant farm workers and house servants who worked for the Foster family at Luck O’ The Farm on Saturday, April 14, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm in Morris Township. During the 19th century, America became a melting pot of diverse cultures that immigrated to this country. The Irish were among those who came in search of new opportunities and a more prosperous life. Irish immigrants settled in the Morristown area, and many of them worked at Fosterfields for its owners Charles Foster and his daughter Caroline. Spend the day as a farm worker, and lend a hand helping with planting, animal care, and other barnyard chores. Roll up your sleeves to weigh eggs, plant some seeds in flats, and pump water. Get to know the farmer’s wife, “Mrs. Cahill,” in the Creamery building, and help her churn cream into butter. Stop by the Carriage House to assist “Andrew Gibbons,” the coachman, with his chores, and chat with him about his job. Just for fun, climb on board an open-air wagon for a ride around the farm, and move your feet to dance an Irish jig! Be sure to follow the enticing aromas to the Farmhouse kitchen, and discover what traditional Irish foods are being prepared on the wood-burning cook stove. In the cozy Farmhouse parlor, observe an amazing demonstration of how to knit a warm Aran sweater. In contrast to the Farmhouse, home to the farm foreman’s family, is The Willows, where the Fosters lived. At The Willows, you can be an Irish house servant. Get to work and help with various spring cleaning duties, such as washing laundry, beating rugs, stacking wood, and polishing silver. At the Visitors Center, make a craft to remember your special day at Fosterfields. In the Transportation Exhibit, take a selfie with the Rockaway carriage that Coachman Andrew Gibbons drove. Be sure to try out all of the fun interactive displays! Admission for Luck O’ The Farm is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors (65+), $6 for children ages 4 - 16, $4 for children ages 2 & 3, and FREE for ages 2 & under. Friends members are half price with a current membership card. For more information, please call 973.326.7645, or visit morrisparks.net. 4 MORRIS COUNTY PARK COMMISSION • SPRING • 2018 CAMPOUT ON T HE BEACH AN OVERNIGHT EVENT ! F RIDAY, JUNE 22 (rain date: Sat. June 23) Sunrise Lake Beach Club Lewis Morris County Park, Morris Twp. Registration Required by June 18 morrisparks.net $45 per tent site GAMES, SWIMMING, CAMPF IRE ST ORIES, MARSHMALLOWS OVER A CAMPF IRE, AND CONT INENTAL BREAKFAST ! Fairy Day Sunday, June 24 The Frelinghuysen Arboretum 353 East Hanover Ave., Morris Township, NJ 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. • $30 per fairy house Fairies will once again be visiting The Frelinghuysen Arboretum and to prepare for their stay, tiny houses need to be built. Families are invited to celebrate the 11th Annual Fairy Day on the Sylvan Terrace, and build a home for these visiting wee folk. All supplies- bark, branches, mosses, feathers, and stones are provided, or bring your own. At 3 p.m., when all the houses are completed, join in a colorful, musical procession around the gardens to marvel at WKH ÀQLVKHG SURMHFWV :HDU \RXU RZQ IDLU\ ÀQHU\ LI \RX like! Enjoy complimentary crafts and snacks. Recommended for ages 5+. Register at arboretumfriends.org. 5 New! Pre-School Gardening Program GARDEN BUDS Get outside to garden in this new adult and child nine-week gardening series at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morris Township. Beginning Tuesday, April 17 through June 12, from 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m., Garden Buds, or parents and kids age 4 and 5, get their hands dirty, and learn how to plant a variety of vegetables, from lettuce to beets, to teeny-tiny cucumbers. Kids will love watching the changes in their garden as the season progresses, while learning the right way to use tools when needed. Best of all, they can taste what they’ve grown, and take the rest home to share! A limited number of gardens are available for this series. The cost is $60 per gardening pair, which includes all materials, activities, and tools. Preregistration is required. For more information or to register, please call 973.631.5004. Park Alliance The Morris Park Alliance looks forward to continuing two new efforts. The Family Photo Challenge (formerly Scavenger Hunt) will be held again this summer, and the Second Annual Community Awards will accept nominations in early fall. The Alliance continues to work on two major fundraising projects as well, a picnic shelter at Central Park of Morris County, and updating the exhibits at the Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center. Excitement abounds for the pilot, bike-share program at Loantaka Brook Reservation. Fifteen bikes will be available to rent with stations at South Street, Kitchell Road, and Loantaka Way. We could not plan these activities without our donors and sponsors. In 2017, donations and sponsorships came from Atlantic Health/Morristown Medical Center, Connect One Bank, First Energy Foundation, Goldman Sachs, Mount Tabor Historical Society, MARDOG, Morris Area Freewheelers, and NJ Healthy Communities Network. Individuals and families sponsored five memorial park benches, and certainly the golfers participating in the annual golf outing must be recognized! Dasherboard sponsorship at Mennen Sports Arena continues to draw business interest from neighbors, such as Arthurs Tavern. Mr. Victor Haverly kindly provided generous donations to Trails Management and Tourne Park. There are many opportunities to support the programs and facilities of the Park Commission and to participate in fun activities. Check out the website at morrisparkalliance.org, or Facebook.com/Morris-County-Park-Alliance. MORRIS COUNTY PARK COMMISSION • SPRING • 2018 6 Join The Annual Butterfly Bonanza! Butterflies – their delicate wings are works of art, their metamorphosis is intriguing, and their value as pollinators is often overlooked. Celebrate the beauty and importance of New Jersey’s butterflies and other pollinators at the annual Butterfly Bonanza on Saturday, June 9, from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area in Montville Township. This event is packed with excitement, entertainment, and education for all ages. Enjoy a guided ‘Bug Safari’ tour of the butterfly garden with a naturalist. Discover how to bring butterflies to your own yard with native plants available for purchase, travel through lifecycle stations to experience metamorphosis, and walk through the ‘Hall of Arthropods’ to meet unusual live insects and other invertebrates. Meet a local beekeeper from Gooserock Farm in Montville, and see an active hive. Locally produced bee products will be available for purchase. Create butterfly origami, and listen to live music and stories. The highlight of the event is the ever-popular Pollinator Parade at 2 p.m. Join the procession of costumed staff and visitors disguised as animals that pollinate plants, such as hummingbirds, moths, bats, bees, and, of course, butterflies. Learn a pollination song, and follow performer Ken Gallipeau around the event as he sings for all to join. Wear your own pollinator costume, create a costume at the Pollinator Parade Craft station, or parade along waving our scarves and streamers! All ages are welcome. Admission is $4 per adult, $3 per child age 3 - 10, and FREE for ages 2 & under. For more information, please call 973.334.3130, or visit morrisparks.net. Lewis Morris County Park Morris Township You don’t have to travel far to enjoy a day at the beach! Enjoy swimming, volleyball, beachside activities, and sliding down the Zoom Floom. For an extra fee, explore Sunrise Lake on a paddle boat, or jump and climb across the Wibit, DQ LQÁDWDEOH REVWDFOH FRXUVH Tiny Tot Tuesdays Hours of Operation: Weekends: May 26 – September 3 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Weekdays: Tuesday – Friday June 26 – August 24 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. *Tuesdays in July 11 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Information: 973.267.4351 (May 26 - Sept 3) 973.326.7616 (September - May) recreation@morrisparks.net Tuesdays in July (9:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.) Together, parents and toddlers can explore the beautiful water and sandy beach of Sunrise Lake. FREE for toddlers 4 and under. 7 Civil War Invades Morristown During the Civil War Encampment Weekend at Historic Speedwell! Step onto the battlefields of the American Civil War and into the lives of those involved at the Civil War Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, June 9 and 10. The Second New Jersey Brigade is stationed at Historic Speedwell in Morristown and is the sponsor of this unique two-day event that presents the lives of Civil War soldiers more vividly than textbooks. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, the re-enactors present the daily lives of soldiers culminating with a staged skirmish. Speak to the soldiers about their daily life of cooking, dress, and general setup. Cover your ears as the massive period cannon will amaze you! Watch the training drills, daily mail call, and a staged skirmish each day. A Civil War-era Signal Corps group authentically demonstrates how important messages were sent between units using colorful flags to send signals. You’ll think you have traveled back in time! You will be astonished to learn about the basics of battlefield medicine for soldiers who suffered injuries or disease. Visit the medical area where re-enactors care for the ‘wounded’ and demonstrate how these emergency units ran during battles. Around every corner, there is something to experience. While enjoying your visit to the past, tour the National Historic Landmark Factory Building with an interactive, hands-on telegraph exhibit and the Vail Home that was built more than 150 years ago. Explore the exhibits on the Speedwell Ironworks, a granary full of early farm implements, and watch the enormous 24-foot overshot waterwheel turn in the Wheelhouse. Admission is $7 per adult, $6 per senior, $5 per child age 4 - 16, and FREE ages 4 & under. For more information, please call 973.285.6550, or visit morrisparks.net. Celebrate Juneteenth Want to learn more about this era of American history in a new and different way? Stop by the Morristown Green on Saturday, June 9, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. to celebrate Juneteenth, when the final group of enslaved African Americans in Texas were told that slavery had ended. Experience reenactors, Emancipation Day art activities, fascinating stories, songs of freedom from noted performers Kim and Reggie Harris, and much more! A FREE shuttle is available from Historic Speedwell to the Juneteenth events on the Morristown Green and back. The celebration continues at 3:30 p.m. with Journey to the Beloved Community: A Discussion on Race at the Morristown United Methodist Church on the Green. Childcare is provided on-site, so adults can engage in the conversation. Join community members to talk about race relations, past, present, and future, as discussion leaders help us work towards an understanding and appreciation of diverse perspectives. The Juneteenth celebration on the Morristown Green and the Discussion on Race are part of the 175th Anniversary Celebration of Bethel AME Church in Morristown. The Juneteenth celebration is made possible by a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. For more information, please call 973.285.6550, or visit morrisparks.net. FREE parking and FREE shuttle service available. 8 MORRIS COUNTY PARK COMMISSION • SPRING • 2018 ! D E T N A W P L HE SUNRISE LAKE BEACH CLUB MAY 26 – SEPTEMBER 3 BOAT ATTENDANTS & CASHIERS must be at least 14 years old. LIFEGUARDS must be 16 years old or older ZLWK D :DWHUIURQW &HUWLÀFDWLRQ Lewis Morris County Park • 270 Mendham Road, Morris Twp. HELP WA NTED! CAMP SUNRISE LAKE TRAINING: JULY 5 & 6 CAMP: JULY 9 – JULY 27 CAMP COUNSELORS 18 years old and older - preferred Lewis Morris County Park • 270 Mendham Road, Morris Twp. CONTACT: 973.326.7616 OR RECREATION@MORRISPARKS.NET 9 Sunday, April 1 through Monday, April 30 Gallery Exhibit: Nature’s Beauty by Charles T. Miller Enjoy this photography exhibit of well-known area artist Charles T. Miller. His outstanding talent delights your eyes with spectacular scenes of nature. Time: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: FREE. Sunday, April 1 through Friday, November 30 Opening Day at Mahlon Dickerson Campground Experience several different camping opportunities. Tent Sites, Adirondack Shelters, and RV sites are available. For info and reservations, call 973-697-3140. Location: Mahlon Dickerson Reservation. Cost: Varies based on reservation. Sunday, April 1 Animal Egg Hunt: Easy Ages 4 & Up. Discover which animals lay eggs, and head out on the trails for a wild animal egg hunt. Time: 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $2 per person.* Monday, April 2 Toddlers &Tykes: Peepers & Quackers Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. The frogs are singing. Enjoy a story read aloud and a guided walk as we listen for these noisy amphibians. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per child.* Frog Jamboree All Ages. The spring peepers and wood frogs are calling from the spring pools. Learn about these two frogs while listening to their chorus. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per person age 3 & up.* Monday, April 2 through Sunday, April 8 A Special Spring Break Photo Scavenger Hunt Take advantage of time off from school with this special scavenger hunt designed to ‘Take it Outside.’ Record your findings with your camera or cell phone, and take home a prize for the entire family. Time: Any time between 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $10 per family, cash only please. Tuesday, April 3 Teacher Training Workshop: Project WET Teachers of grades K - 12. Project WET is an award-winning interdisciplinary conservation and environmental education program emphasizing water. Activities are presented that develop your students’ understanding of water and conservation, while emphasizing student interaction with the natural world. Time: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $25 per person.* Baby and Me Hike Put your baby in a backpack, and explore one of many wonderful Morris County area trails. All adults are welcome to join. Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Mount Hope County Park, Rockaway Twp. Cost: $2 per adult. Call 973.635.6629.* Sign Up For SUMMER CAMP! Opening Day at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm Welcome to a new season at Fosterfields! Say hello to the farm animals, help with chores, tour the Foster home, The Willows, enjoy unique programs, and explore the interactive Transportation Exhibit. Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Last admission to the farm is 4 p.m. April through June: Open Tuesday - Saturday. Closed Holidays, Sundays, and Mondays. Please call 973-3267645 for additional 2018 hours of operation. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission to the farm and The Willows is $6 per adult, $5 per senior (65+), $4 per child age 4 - 16, and $2 per child age 2 & 3. FREE per child 2 & under, and Friends of Fosterfields and Cooper Mill members with a current membership card. Special event fees may apply to certain programs. Intro to Geocaching Ages 7 & Up. Geocaching is a great outdoor activity for families. Use a GPS unit and a map to locate hidden treasures, called ‘caches,’ along the trails. All materials are provided. Time: 10:30 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per person.* Family Reservoir Ramble Ages 7 & Up. Schools out, so get outdoors with the family, and enjoy a relaxing hike along the Taylortown Reservoir. Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $1 per person.* *Preregistration is required Yoga for Nature Kids Spring Break Lunch Hike Ages 2 - 6 with an adult. Little ones learn yoga-like poses and movements to represent the animals and plants around them. A walk on the trails and children’s literature compliment the poses. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per child.* Ages 8 & Up. Spend your break outdoors on a trek to Tripod Rock. Pack a nut-free lunch or snack to enjoy on the hike. Parents are welcome. Time: 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain Cost: $3 per person.* Wednesday, April 4 Sprouts: Spring Beginnings Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. Take a walk to search for signs of new spring growth, read a seed story, and explore different types of seeds together. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $5 per child.* Family Fun in the Forest! Ages 5 & Up. School’s out, so get outdoors with your family, and spend some time together learning about the terrific lives of trees, with family games, activities, and a craft. Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per person.* The Fungus Among Us Ages 5 & Up. Enjoy a walk and talk with a fungus enthusiast. Gain an understanding of the role fungi play in the ecosystem and how to classify the mushrooms found along the trail. Time: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per person.* Thursday, April 5 Spring Has Sprung All Ages. A perfect Spring Break activity! Hunt for frogs in the spring pools, peek at flowers emerging through the leaf litter, and spy on arriving spring birds with a naturalist. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per person age 3 & up.* Home School Days: Project Plant - Stem Cuttings Ages 6 - 10. Explore how plants spread and multiply. Propagate plants to take home and to plant at the Arboretum. Each week, experience a different method of creating new plants through indoor and outdoor activities. Time: 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $8 per child, or $30 for the series of 4 classes.* Kettle Hole Hunt All Ages. Kettle Holes are clues to the Great Swamp’s glacial past. Explore these fascinating habitats. Time: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per person age 3 & up.* Friday, April 6 What Would You Do: Worst Case Scenario Ages 6 - 10. Would you know what to do if disaster strikes while you are out in the wild? Try different scenarios to learn techniques for keeping safe. Time: 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per child* Outdoor Skills: Fire Building Ages 10 - 15. Satisfy your appetite for adventure, and learn wilderness and survival skills. Learn the elements that make a successful and safe campfire, different fire structures, and various ways to ignite the fire. Time: 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $10 per child.* MORRIS COUNTY PARK COMMISSION • SPRING • 2018 10 Friday, April 6 Night Hike Adventure Ages 5 & Up. Bring your flashlight, and take a guided nighttime adventure. Groups head out with a naturalist every 15 minutes to learn about and listen for nocturnal wildlife, participate in hand-on activities, and explore the trails in the darkness. Time: Time slots from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $6 per person.* SEE PAGE 2 Saturday, April 7 Frog Jamboree All Ages. The spring peepers and wood frogs are calling from the spring pools. Learn about these two frogs while listening to their chorus. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per person age 3 & up.* Emerging Ephemerals Hike Ages 10 & Up. Enjoy a moderate hike to Bear Rock while learning about early-blooming plants and their significance for a healthy ecosystem. Time: 10 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $2 per person.* Epistles & Erasures: The Poetry of Address & What Is Unsaid Opening Day at Cooper Gristmill Experience the powerful energy of the Black River as it runs the 1826 Cooper Gristmill’s huge waterwheel and four floors of machinery to grind grain seeds into flour. How much flour do you think is produced daily? History and technology fans and families can find out the answers, and much more! Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. The last guided tour of the Gristmill begins at 3:30 p.m. April through June: Open Saturdays, only. Please call 908.879.5463 for additional hours of operation. Location: Cooper Gristmill. Cost: Admission fees apply to certain programs. The suggested donation to tour the Gristmill is $3 per adult, $2 per senior (65+), and $1 per child age 4 - 16. FREE per child under age 4, and Friends of Fosterfields and Cooper Mill members with a current membership card. Join 2018 Honoree Artist Emari DiGiorgio in this craft talk and writing workshop. Learn a brief history of the epistolary poem (the letter as poem), try two guided writing exercises, and share your work informally. Workshop open to all levels. This program is sponsored by the Friends of Historic Speedwell. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: $30 per person.* To register, call 973.285.6537, or email mmcfarlane@morrisparks.net. Grape Juice and Cheese Art Opening Reception Join the unveiling of the work of this year’s Honoree Artist Emari DiGiorgio, of the Writers’ Theater. This poetry artist has created a contemporary piece inspired by the collection of Historic Speedwell. Time: 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Saturday, April 7 & Sunday, April 8 Farm Know-How: The Willows’ Ice House 1 5 1 55 9 1 5 45 5 5 1 5 5 5 95 35 Discover how the Ice House was used in the days before modern refrigeration. Learn about ice harvesting tools, and move small ice blocks with ice tongs. Visit the powerful draft horses that can pull a load of ice with ease. Time: 2 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. Marvel at a room full of these beautiful, diminutive houseplants. Learn growing tips, receive advice from the experts, and purchase a few of these lovely plants to take home. Time: Saturday: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: FREE. Sunday, April 8 Scavenger Hunt Sunday: The Route of Clean Water Follow the clues around the site to learn how the Vail family got clean drinking water in the 1800s. Time: 12 noon - 6 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Monday, April 9 Nature Through Art & Writing Ages 7 - 10. Spring Break is a great time to flex your creative muscles in a natural environment. Hike with paper and pencils, listen to nature-themed poetry, and create your own natureinspired writing and drawing along the trail. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per child.* Awesome Animal Artists Hitch a Ride! Join the farm staff for a leisurely open-air wagon ride around the historic farm. Time: 10:15 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. African Violet Club of Morris County Annual Show and Sale Opening Weekend at Historic Speedwell Enjoy a Speedwell Sampler, and find out what’s new at Historic Speedwell in 2018! Experience a variety of traditional fun and games for the entire family. Save 10% off purchases in the Friends of Historic Speedwell Gift Shop. Time: Saturday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday: 12 noon - 6 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. *Preregistration is required Ages 5 - 9. Budding young artists learn about a new native NJ animal each month with indoor and outdoor activities. Learn to draw the animal, and make a masterpiece to take home. Adults are welcome to stay and participate. Time: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per child.* Tuesday, April 10 Baby and Me Hike Put your baby in a backpack, and explore one of many wonderful Morris County area trails. All adults are welcome to join. Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $2 per adult. Call 973.635.6629.* Yoga for Nature Kids Ages 2 - 6 with an adult. Kids learn yoga-like poses and movements to represent the animals and plants around them. A walk on the trails and children’s literature compliment the poses. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per child.* Nature Tots and Tykes: Peepers and Quackers Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. The frogs are singing. Enjoy a story read aloud and a guided walk to listen to these energetic amphibians. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $5 per child.* Underwater World Ages 7 & Up. The pond is alive with aquatic insects. Search for these hidden creatures, and learn about their interesting life cycles. Wear boots and old clothes. Time: 10:30 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per person.* Spring Has Sprung Walk All Ages. A perfect Spring Break activity! Hunt for frogs in the spring pools, peek at flowers emerging through the leaf litter, and spy on arriving spring birds with a naturalist. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per person age 3 & up.* After School Hike Ages 5 & Up. Looking to get outside after school? Relax, and enjoy an easy hike filled with nature topics and activities. Time: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $3 per child.* Wednesday, April 11 Sprouts: Helping Mrs. Robin Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. Robins and other birds are returning. Look for signs of the early birds, and help them gather materials for their nests. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $5 per child.* 11 Home School Adventures: Bird-Brained Ages 5 & Up. Learn about the adaptations, homes, behaviors, and songs of these amazing winged creatures. Hike the trails to observe and identify birds with binoculars and by their calls. Time: 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $8 per child. Thursday, April 12 Nature Detectives Ages 7 - 11. Use your detective skills to look for signs animals leave behind. You could find an animal track, scat, or even some animal bones. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per child. Home School Days: Project Plant - Seeds Grades 1 - 4. Explore how plants spread and multiply. Propagate plants to take home and to plant at the Arboretum. Each week, experience a different method of creating new plants through indoor and outdoor activities. Time: 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $8 per child, or $30 for the series of 4 classes.* Survival Skills for Kids Ages 6 - 9. Develop your wilderness smarts with an introduction to basic survival skills. Learn how to prepare for your hike and proper trail behavior. Take home your very own hiking safety kit. Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $8 per child.* Growing Small Fruit Learn to grow strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and other small fruit with Peter Nitzsche, Morris County’s Agricultural Extension Agent. Receive Rutgers Scarlet Strawberry plants to take home. This program is eligible for 1.5 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s. Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $20 per person.* Friday, April 13 Mud Exploration Ages 5 & Up. Dig into marvelous mud to discover the animals that call this mucky habitat home. Wear boots and old clothes. Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per child. Saturday, April 14 Industrial Heritage Tour: Split Rock Iron Furnace Join this rare opportunity to visit Morris County’s only standing iron furnace and to explore the village that supported its operation. Led by Joe Macasek and Bierce Riley, the tour includes new research that has expanded the story of the site, a look at the impressive stone furnace stack, the forge site, and an examination of the archeological remains of this once-thriving community. Moderate amount of walking, sometimes over uneven terrain. Wear sturdy shoes. Time: 10 a.m. Location: TBA. Cost: $5 per person. To register, call 973.292.2755, or email macgraphics1@verizon.net. Outdoor Skills: Finding Water Ages 10 - 15. Satisfy your appetite for adventure and learn wilderness and survival skills. Learn ways to find water and treat it using what’s in your backpack. Time: 10 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $10 per child.* Grow Your Groceries: Transplant Your Seedlings If you are starting vegetable plants from seed, or if you attended the Seed Starting Workshop in March, you won’t want to miss this talk on transplanting. Bring your seedlings or use ours, and get your hands dirty as we transplant them into 4-inch pots. This program is eligible for 2.0 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s. Time: 10 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $20 per person.* Big/Little Blacksmithing Junior Blacksmiths, and their grownups, are invited to attend this hands-on blacksmithing class led by Billy Barret, of Bill Barret Custom Knives, as they learn the basics of blacksmithing. This program is sponsored by the Friends of Historic Speedwell. Time: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: $30 per pair. To register, call 973.285.6537 or email mmcfarlane@morrisparks.net. Luck O’ The Farm: Welcome, Irish Farmhands and House Servants! As a farm worker, help with planting, animal care, and barnyard chores. At The Willows, become a house servant, and help with some spring cleaning. Experience Irish culture through food, dance, music, and a familyfriendly craft. Time: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: $8 per adult, $7 per senior (65+), $6 per child age 4 - 16, and $4 per child age 2 & 3. FREE for children under age 2, and Friends members are half price with a current membership card. SEE PAGE 3 Plant Sale Preview Take a sneak peek to discover what is new and exciting at the 23nd Annual Plant Sale. Chair Ilona Ontscherenki highlights a selection of fabulous plant picks for gardens large and small. Attendees can preorder a number of featured plants. Time: 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: FREE.* Saturday, April 14 & Sunday, April 15 Family Photo Scavenger Hunt Grab a camera or phone, and stop by the Haggerty Education Center for this month’s nature photo scavenger hunt. Take a photo of every item, and get a prize. Theme and prizes change monthly. Time: Any time between 9 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $10 per family, cash only please. *Preregistration is required Sunday, April 15 Trail Treasure Hunt All Ages. Enjoy a seasonal nature scavenger hunt where families work together to follow clues and find the answers to nature riddles along the trails. Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $2 per person age 3 & up.* Trashy History: Pollution in the 19th Century Pollution isn’t a modern invention. Attend this talk to learn about what caused pollution over a hundred years ago and what was done to fix and prevent it. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Monday, April 16 Toddlers & Tykes: Flying Friends Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. Enjoy a story read aloud and a guided walk as we learn about these beautiful, feathered creatures. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per child.* Wild Animal Experts All Ages. Discover amazing facts about New Jersey wildlife each month. Each program showcases a new animal through interactive games, a naturalist-led trail walk, and lots of science. Time: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per child age 3 & up.* The Truth about Ticks Ages 16 & Up. Learn about ticks’ lives, debunk myths about Lyme Disease, and discover how to protect your families and homes from becoming tick havens. Time: 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $3 per person.* Tuesdays, April 17 through June 12 Garden Buds Ages 4 - 5 with an adult. Instill a love of gardening in preschoolers, and maybe even dust off your own green thumb in this nine week hands-on gardening series. Beginner gardeners plant, harvest, and even taste vegetables straight from their gardens. Time: 1 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $60 per gardening pair.* SEE PAGE 5 Tuesday, April 17 Baby and Me Hike Put your baby in a backpack, and explore one of many wonderful Morris County area trails. All adults are welcome to join. Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Hacklebarney State Park, Chester Twp. Cost: $2 per adult. Call 973.635.6629.* Nature Kids: Terrific Turtles Ages 4 & 5 with an adult. Learn about turtles with a short walk to the pond, and make a turtlethemed craft. Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per child.* Wednesday, April 18 Sprouts: Earth Day, Hooray! Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. Learn about ways to help take care of the Earth, and take a walk to discover many ways the Earth takes care of us. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $5 per child.* Sign Up For SUMMER CAMP! MORRIS COUNTY PARK COMMISSION • SPRING • 2018 12 Thursday, April 19 Home School Days: Project Plant - Plant Division Ages 6 - 10. Explore how plants spread and multiply. Propagate plants to take home and to plant at the Arboretum. Each week, experience a different method of creating new plants through indoor and outdoor activities. Time: 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $8 per child, or $30 for the series of 4 classes.* Earth Day is Every Day Ages 5 & Up with an adult. Learn the origin of Earth Day and simple ways that you can be an Earth steward in this indoor/outdoor program. Make an eco-friendly craft, and enjoy a short hike. Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $3 per person.* What’s So Great About… Hoop Houses Frelinghuysen Arboretum Gardener Andrei Dezso gives an informal talk on how the horticulture staff uses and maintains its hoop house. Get a behind the scenes look at how some of our plants are over-wintered. This program is eligible for 1.0 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s. Time: 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $10 per person. Saturday, April 21 PHS Gold Medal Plants Chuck Hinkle, a member of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Gold Medal Plant Committee and the Garden Supervisor at Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College, speaks about his favorite plants, focusing on the winners of this prestigious award. This program is eligible for 1.5 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s. Time: 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $25 per person.* Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration: Historic Health What did people living in the 1800s consider a healthy diet? Experience this cooking demonstration as historic recipes are prepared on the open hearth. Time: 12 noon - 6 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Yarn Dolls and Button Whirligigs Create a yarn doll and button whirligig. See how much these fun toys of the past can be enjoyed by children today. Parental assistance needed. Time: 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. Saturday, April 21 & Sunday, April 22 Family Photo Scavenger Hunt Grab a camera or phone, and stop by the Haggerty Education Center for this month’s nature photo scavenger hunt. Take a photo of every item, and get a prize. Theme and prizes change monthly. Time: Any time between 9 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $10 per family, cash only please. Sunday, April 22 Best Dressed in the Vail House: The Ails of the Vails During this interactive guided tour, learn about mid-nineteenth century methods of practicing medicine through the experiences of the Vail family. Excerpts from home-owner Stephen Vail’s journal, doctors’ accounts, and historical artifacts within the Vail House tell stories of early healing practices. Re-enact 19th century disease symptoms and be treated by a ‘doctor’ with real early American medicine remedies. Recipes for healing candies are also provided. This program features costumed interpreters leading tours of the Vail House. Come and experience a realistic slice of life in a historic place. Time: 12 noon - 6 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Sunday Fun-Day Hiking Series Ages 7 & Up. Spend one Sunday afternoon each month exploring Morris County’s beautiful parks. A naturalist guides you through the natural and historic highlights of each park on a moderately challenging hike. Dress for the weather. Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Kay Environmental Center, Chester Twp. Cost: $2 per person. Call 973.635.6629 to register and for directions.* Cooking Demonstration: Serious Spinach Cooked or raw, spinach is so nutritious and one of New Jersey’s earliest spring crops. Learn how to make the most of this vegetable with savory and delectable dishes. Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $30 per person.* Earth Day Family Photo Scavenger Hunt All Ages. Challenge your family to locate seasonal wildlife in celebration of Earth Day. Bring a camera or cell phone and a sense of adventure. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per person age 3 & up.* Monday, April 23 Bird Bingo for Seniors Adults Only. Learn the language of birds. Each program incorporates a new set of bird calls and information to help the enthusiastic birder polish their ID skills. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per person.* *Preregistration is required Tuesdays, April 24 through May 29 Junior Naturalists Ages 6 - 9. Explore the plants, animals, and geology of New Jersey through experiments, games, and hikes. Time: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $55 per child.* Tuesday, April 24 Baby and Me Hike Put your baby in a backpack, and explore one of many wonderful Morris County area trails. All adults are welcome to join. Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Hedden County Park, Randolph. Cost: $2 per adult. Call 973.635.6629.* Family Science Day: Lenape Life! All Ages with an adult. Learn about the Lenape Indians while rotating through handson activity stations designed to challenge families to work together and make new discoveries. Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $8 per child age 5 & up, $5 per child age 3 & 4.* Wednesdays, April 25 through May 30 Nature’s Little Explorers Ages 2 & 3 with an adult. Discover the wonders of nature together through six weeks of walks, activities, and crafts. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $55 per child.* Puddle Jumpers Ages 4 & 5 with an adult. Explore the trails with your preschooler, and learn about the natural world through the season during six weeks of walks, activities, and crafts. Time: 1:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $55 per child.* Wednesday, April 25 Sprouts: Arbor Day, Hooray! Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. What better place to celebrate trees than the Arboretum? Learn why trees are so important and help plant a tree, too. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $5 per child.* Thursdays, April 26 through May 31 Nature’s Little Explorers Ages 2 & 3 with an adult. Discover the wonders of nature through six weeks of walks, activities, and crafts. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $55 per child.* Puddle Jumpers Ages 4 & 5 with an adult. Explore the trails of the Great Swamp with your preschooler, and learn about the natural world through the season during six weeks of walks, activities, and crafts. Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $55 per child.* Thursday, April 26 Home School Days: Project Plant - Spring Bulbs Ages 6 - 10. Explore how plants spread and multiply. Propagate plants to take home and to plant at the Arboretum. Each week, experience a different method of creating new plants through indoor and outdoor activities. Time: 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $8 per child or $30 for the series of 4 classes.* Saturday, April 28 Plant Spuds! Dig in, and help the farmers plant potatoes. Return later in the season to harvest some spuds to take home. Time: 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. & 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. 13 Meet the Servants at The Willows 4th Annual Tubbs Lecture: Dr. Allan Armitage During a special hands-on guided tour, learn about the domestic help at the Foster home, The Willows, during the WWI era. Help the maid with some household chores, and assist in the preparation of historic foods for the cook to bake in the wood-burning cook stove. Time: 1 p.m. & 2 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. The Tubbs Lecture at Willowwood Arboretum honors the memory of Henry and Robert Tubbs. This year’s guest speaker, Dr. Allan Armitage, is well-known as an award-winning writer, speaker, and researcher throughout the world. Enjoy his lecture, “Tales from the Garden,” a book signing, and walk through the garden. This program is eligible for 3.0 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s. Time: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Location: Willowwood Arboretum. Cost: $30 per person.* Call 973.326.7601. Hooked on Rugs Learn how to make rugs using traditional ‘rug hooking’ skills. Watch as demonstrators use a hook to pull loops of yarn or fabric through a woven base to make the creative coverings. Crafts and tours of the Gristmill available. Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Cooper Gristmill. Cost: Suggested donation. Call the Leech! Did you know that in the 19th century, doctors were sometimes called ‘leeches?’ Join us as we perform some exploratory surgery on the topic of medicine in history and then dig a little deeper. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Saturday, April 28 & Sunday, April 29 Family Photo Scavenger Hunt Grab a camera or phone, and stop by the Haggerty Education Center for this month’s nature photo scavenger hunt. Take a photo of every item, and get a prize. Theme and prizes change monthly. Time: Any time between 9 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $10 per family, cash only please. Sunday, April 29 Hike and Yoga: Moderate Ages 18 & Up. Join an interpretive hike with a staff naturalist that includes a break for standing yoga poses with a certified yoga instructor. After a mindful return, finish up with a restorative yoga session. Bring your own mat. Time: 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $15 per person.* The Truth About Ticks Ages 16 & Up. Learn about the lives of ticks, debunk myths about Lyme Disease, and discover how to protect your families and homes from becoming tick havens. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per person.* Upcycle Sunday: Rag Trivet Get the most out of your things, just like in days of old. Upcycle rags into trivets, and keep them out of the landfill. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. SEE PAGE 4 Tuesday, May 1 through Thursday, May 31 Gallery Exhibit: Abstract & Realism in Nature Members of the Art League of the Chathams exhibit works in a variety of media, such as oils, watercolors, pastels, acrylics, collage, and photography. Time: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: FREE. Tuesday, May 1 Baby and Me Hike Put your baby in a backpack, and explore one of many wonderful Morris County area trails. All adults are welcome to join. Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Dismal Harmony, Mendham Twp. Cost: $2 per adult. Call 973.635.6629.* Wednesday, May 2 Spring Migration Bird Walk, Meadows and Edges Naturalist Bill Lynch leads this walk through the meadows and forest edges to search for both spring migrants and breeding birds. Please register online at njconservation.org. Time: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. Location: Bamboo Brook OEC. Cost: FREE.* Full Moon Hike: Moderate Sprouts: Wonderful Weather Ages 16 & Up. Hike up to the ridgeline to view the setting sun and the rising full moon. Return along the trails by moonlight. Bring a flashlight. Time: 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $5 per person.* Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. Explore the gardens, and learn how spring weather is helping the plants grow. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $5 per child.* SEE PAGE 2 Sign Up For SUMMER CAMP! Home School Adventures: We Love Dirt! Ages 5 & Up. Discover the secret ingredients that make soil so much more than ‘dirt.’ Participate in hands-on activities, and take a walk on the trails to explore the soils of the Great Swamp. Time: 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $8 per child.* *Preregistration is required Wiggle Time Ages 3 - 6 with and adult. Enjoy creative movement, crafts, and history immersion experiences. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Friday, May 4 Outdoor Skills: Outdoor Cooking Ages 10 - 15. Satisfy your appetite for adventure, and learn wilderness and survival skills. Learn how to make an easy recipe using a cast iron skillet over a fire. Time: 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 pm.. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $10 per child.* Saturday, May 5 Morning Bird Walk: Moderate Ages 12 & Up. Many colorful songbirds are migrating through New Jersey at this time of year, and Pyramid Mountain is a wonderful place to spot them. Bring binoculars, or borrow a pair of ours. Time: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $2 per person.* Weekend Family Walk All Ages. Take to the trails to discover the unique animals and plants. Everyone’s certain to learn something new. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $2 per person age 3 & up.* Hitch a Ride! Join the farm staff for a leisurely open-air wagon ride around the historic farm. Time: 10:15 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration: Museum Favorites Everyone has a favorite recipe, even museum staff! Experience this cooking demonstration as historic recipes are prepared on the open hearth. Time: 12 noon - 6 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Farm Know How: The Arch and The Willows Architecture Meet at the Stone Arch, and walk up to The Willows to look at its exterior Gothic Revival-style architecture. Find out what restoration projects are planned at the house in 2018. Time: 2 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. Saturday, May 5 & Sunday, May 6 23RD ANNUAL PLANT SALE by The Friends of The Frelinghuysen Arboretum The wait is over for The Friends of The Frelinghuysen Arboretum’s highly anticipated plant sale. Expert advisors assist you in curating your garden and building your collection with trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, vines, herbs, or heirloom tomatoes. Cash, checks, or credit cards accepted. Time: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: FREE. Family Photo Scavenger Hunt Grab a camera or phone, and stop by the Haggerty Education Center for this month’s nature photo scavenger hunt. Take a photo of every item, and get a prize. Theme and prizes change monthly. Time: Any time between 9 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $10 per family, cash only please. MORRIS COUNTY PARK COMMISSION • SPRING • 2018 14 Sunday, May 6 Scavenger Hunt Sunday: Factory Restoration Celebrate National Historic Preservation Month as you follow the clues around the building to learn about the restoration of the Factory Building, a National Historic Landmark. Time: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Trail Treasure Hunt All Ages. Calling all treasure hunters. Enjoy a seasonal nature scavenger hunt where families work together to follow clues and find the answers to nature riddles along the trails. Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $2 per person age 3 & up.* First Sunday Tour of The Frelinghuysen Arboretum Meet in the lobby of the Haggerty Education Center for a tour of the grounds. Learn the site’s history, and enjoy the beauty of this exceptional horticultural site with a knowledgeable tour guide. Time: 2 p.m. - 3p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $3 per person, exact change please. Monday, May 7 Toddlers & Tykes: April Showers Bring May Flowers Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. Enjoy a story read aloud and a guided walk as you look for early spring blossoms. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per child.* Wild Animal Experts All Ages. Discover amazing facts about New Jersey wildlife each month. Each program showcases a new animal through interactive games, a naturalist-led trail walk, and lots of science. Time: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per child age 3 & up.* Tuesday, May 8 Baby and Me Hike Put your baby in a backpack, and explore one of many wonderful Morris County area trails. All adults are welcome to join. Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Buttermilk Falls, Mendham Twp. Cost: $2 per adult. Call 973.635.6629.* The Fungus Among Us Ages 5 & Up. Enjoy a walk and talk with a fungus enthusiast. Gain an understanding of the role fungi play in the ecosystem, and how to classify the mushrooms found along the trail. Time: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per person.* Friday, May 11 Nature Tots and Tykes: National Public Gardens Day Bugs, Slugs, and Other “Ughs” Tours Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. Enjoy a trail walk to spot some of the tiny creatures that call the mountain home. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $5 per child.* After School Hike Ages 5 & Up. Relax, and enjoy an easy hike filled with nature topics and activities. Time: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $3 per child.* Wednesday, May 9 Spring Migration Bird Walk, Forest Interior Spring migration continues as we venture into the forest to search for migrants and breeding birds. Spy on species that prefer the taller trees and denser vegetation of mature woodland. Please register online at njconservation.org. Time: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. Location: Bamboo Brook OEC. Cost: FREE.* Sprouts: Mother Nature Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. Look for mother plants and mother animals on a guided walk, and create a gift to take home just for Mom. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $5 per child.* Celebrate this event with a tour of one or more of the Morris County Park Commission’s exceptional horticultural sites. Learn the fascinating history, and view the beautiful gardens in these one-hour tours conducted by a knowledgeable garden guide. Please wear sturdy walking shoes. Time and Location(s): Willowwood Arboretum - 10 a.m. Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center - 11:30 a.m. Frelinghuysen Arboretum - 1:30 p.m. Cost: FREE. May Flowers: Spring Ephemerals Industrial Heritage Tour: Fort Hancock-Homeland Security 1895 Join this all-day tour of Sandy Hook and surrounding areas led by Joe Macasek and Bierce Riley. Tour Fort Hancock, visit the site of the proving grounds, and see coastal fortifications dating from the 1860s to the 1960s. Feel free to explore on your own after the tour, visit the beaches, or ride the bike path. Wear sturdy shoes, and bring your lunch, as there is no food service. Time: 10 a.m. Location: TBA. Cost: $5 per person. To register, call 973.292.2755, or email macgraphics1@verizon.net. Outdoor Skills: Outdoor Cooking Ages 10 - 15. Satisfy your appetite for adventure, and learn wilderness and survival skills. Discover how to make an easy recipe using a cast iron skillet over a fire. Time: 10 a.m. - 12 noon Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $10 per child.* Ages 5 & Up. Enjoy a walk and talk about the early spring ephemerals, wildflowers that bloom before the leaves shade the forest. Time: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $2 per person.* Saturday, May 12 Spring Things Hike: Moderate Ages 16 & Up. Spring in the forest boasts calling frogs, stunning wildflowers, and roaring falls. Hike the trails of Turkey Mountain, and view beautiful spring scenes. Time: 9 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $1 per person.* Wiggle Time Ages 3 - 6 with an adult. Enjoy creative movement, crafts, and history immersion experiences. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Make a family-friendly version of a push-pin design. Create your own pattern, or trace an outline provided. Parental assistance needed. Time: 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. Under the Floorboards Learn more about Historic Preservation and the plans for the future of the Vail House by taking a behind the scenes tour in the Historic Vail House basement, which will be restored and reinterpreted in the future. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Saturday, May 12 & Sunday, May 13 Family Photo Scavenger Hunt Grab a camera or phone, and stop by the Haggerty Education Center for this month’s nature photo scavenger hunt. Take a photo of every item, and get a prize. Theme and prizes change monthly. Time: Any time between 9 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $10 per family, cash only please. Sunday, May 13 Wildflower Walk: Easy Born to Be Shorn Celebrate spring at the Gristmill by following the steps to turn fleece into woolen fiber. Visit the lambs, and watch the ewes’ fleece being hand-sheared without using electricity. Have fun with handson activities, such as weaving, spinning, and crafting. Take a guided tour of the 1826 waterpowered Cooper Gristmill to complete the day. Time: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Cooper Gristmill. Cost: Admission for this program is $3 per adult, $2 per senior (65+), and $1 per child age 4 - 16. FREE per child under age 4, Friends members half-price with a current membership card. SEE PAGE 2 *Preregistration is required Tin Punching Designs Ages 5 & Up. Find out what all the buzz is about, at least for bees and other pollinators, while spotting spring blooms this Mother’s Day. Time: 10 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $2 per person.* Mother’s Day at Willowwood Arboretum Celebrate Mother’s Day with a tour of the beautiful gardens at Willowwood Arboretum, including the extensive lilac collection. Enjoy some light refreshments courtesy of the Willowwood Foundation. Purchase some baby lilacs to plant at home or give to Mom. Time: 12 noon - 4 p.m. Location: Willowwood Arboretum. Cost: $5 per car. 15 Best Dressed in the Vail House: Behind the Scenes During this tour, get a peek at the showcase highlights from the collection, and discuss how they are kept in museum-quality condition. This program features costumed interpreters leading tours of the Vail House. Time: 12 noon - 6 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Mother’s Day Wildflower Walk All Ages. Celebrate Mom and Mother Earth on this wildflower walk. Learn about the bouquet of flowers the forest has to offer in this family-friendly tour. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $2 per person age 3 & up.* Monday, May 14 Adult Forest Meditation Walk Ages 18 & Up. Begin your morning with a quiet, contemplative walk through the woods, led by a naturalist. An hour spent in natural surroundings, supplemented by inspiring nature readings and guided meditation, helps you meet the challenges of the day. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $2 per person.* Yoga for Nature Kids Ages 2 - 6 with an adult. Kids learn yoga-like poses and movements to represent the animals and plants around them. A walk on the trails and children’s literature compliment the poses. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per child.* Birding Basics for Seniors Adults Only. Learn how to properly use binoculars, and develop good technique for spotting wild birds. Enjoy an easy walk and a visit to the bird blind. Bring binoculars, or borrow ours. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $2 per person.* Awesome Animal Artists Wiggle Time Ages 5 - 9. Budding young artists learn about a new native NJ animal each month with indoor and outdoor activities. Learn to draw the animal, and make a masterpiece to take home. Adults are welcome to stay and participate. Time: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per child.* Ages 3 - 6 with an adult. Enjoy creative movement, crafts, and history immersion experiences. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Tuesday, May 15 Baby and Me Hike All Ages. Enjoy this sensory exploration of the unique ‘wet forest.’ Time: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per person age 3 & up.* Put your baby in a backpack, and explore one of many wonderful Morris County area trails. All adults are welcome to join. Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Tourne County Park, Boonton Twp. Cost: $2 per adult. Call 973.635.6629.* Pyramid Mountain Super Hike: Strenuous Ages 16 & Up. Enjoy a trek along the widest loop of the Pyramid Mountain trails. Bring plenty of water and a snack. Time: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $2 per person.* Wednesday, May 16 Birding By Ear As more and more leaves cover the trees, it becomes increasingly difficult to see birds. Take the time to stop and listen for the vocalizations of Wood Thrush, Hooded Warbler, and more. Please register online at njconservation.org. Time: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. Location: Bamboo Brook OEC. Cost: FREE.* Nature Walk with the State Director Join State Director of The Nature Conservancy Barbara Brummer on a guided walk through the woods surrounding the Kay Center. Learn and identify bird and animal species, and discover blooming flora in the rich forest of the Black River ravine and floodplain. Please dress for the weather. Bring binoculars if you have them. Time: 10:30 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Kay Environmental Center, Chester Twp. Cost: FREE.Call 908.955.0356.* Thursday, May 17 Sights, Smells, and Sounds Walk What’s So Great About…Bulbs Learn about the bulb varieties now in bloom. Discover how they were planted, why they were chosen, how they are deer-proofed, what pests and diseases to monitor, and more. This program is eligible for 1.0 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s. Time: 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $10 per person.* Friday, May 18 Peaceful Bees Ages 4 & 5 with an adult. Discover fun facts about these flying insects, make a craft, and learn to dance like a bee. Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $3 per child.* Saturday, May 19 Black River Furnace Walk Discover the early industries along the Black River with industrial archeologist Joe Macasek. Enjoy a three-mile moderate walk along the Hacklebarney Branch of the railroad, lower millpond, mid-1800s iron mining and bloomer forge, and Kay’s dam. Meet at the Cooper Gristmill parking lot. Time: 10 a.m. - 12 noon. Mill opens after the walk. Location: Cooper Gristmill. Cost: $5 per family. *Preregistration is required Beloved Personalities in 1920s Children’s Books Third Sunday Tour of Bamboo Brook Become acquainted with Winniethe-Pooh, Raggedy Ann and Andy, Dr. Dolittle, and Cuffy Bear, whose adventures were loved by children a century ago. Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. Meet in the first parking lot for a tour of this beautiful garden. Learn the site’s history, and enjoy the beauty of this exceptional horticultural site with a knowledgeable guide. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Bamboo Brook. Cost: $3 per person, exact change please. Mosaic Master Class Join Eleanor Parr-DiLeo of Designs by Eleanor in Towaco, NJ, and discover the joys of mosaic. Learn to use the different tools, and make your own night light. No art or mosaic experience is required. This program is sponsored by the Friends of Historic Speedwell. Time: 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: $35 per person. To register, call 973.285.6537, or email mmcfarlane@morrisparks.net.* Saturday, May 19 & Sunday, May 20 Family Photo Scavenger Hunt Grab a camera or phone, and stop by the Haggerty Education Center for this month’s nature photo scavenger hunt. Take a photo of every item, and get a prize. Theme and prizes change monthly. Time: Any time between 9 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $10 per family, cash only please. Sunday, May 20 The World of Peonies with Dan Furman of Cricket Hill Garden Cricket Hill owner Dan Furman’s lecture covers the botany and cultivation history of peonies in China, Japan, and the US. Learn how to create a successful peony garden, including growing requirements for the east coast. Dan brings lovely peonies to sell. This program is eligible for 1.5 Rutgers Master Gardener Time: 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $25 per person.* Upcycle Sunday: Self-Watering Plastic Bottle Planter Get the most out of your things, just like in days of old. Upcycle plastic water bottles into self-watering planters, and keep them out of the landfill. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. SEE PAGE 4 Annual Lilac Party and Wine Tasting at Willowwood Arboretum Enjoy the intoxicating fragrance of lilacs in bloom at the Willowwood Foundation’s annual garden fundraiser. The Lilac Party and Wine Tasting features artisan spring wines. Stroll through spring gardens, and taste tempting tidbits while listening to a cappella music provided by The Ten. Place your bids at the garden-themed silent auction featuring unusual plants. Time: 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Location: Willowwood Arboretum. Cost: $90 per person.* Email wwfoundation@ willowwoodfoundation.com for information. Sign Up For SUMMER CAMP! MORRIS COUNTY PARK COMMISSION • SPRING • 2018 16 Monday, May 21 Saturday, May 26 Toddlers & Tykes: Meet the Servants at The Bugs, Slugs, and Other “Ughs” Willows Sunday, May 27 Sunday Fun-Day Hiking Series Wednesday, May 30 Home School Adventures: New Jersey Canines Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. Learn about some of the tiny creatures that call the Great Swamp home. Take a walk on the trails to see which can be spotted. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per child.* Ages 7 & Up. Spend one Sunday afternoon each month exploring Morris County’s beautiful parks. A naturalist guides you through the natural and historic highlights of each park on a moderately challenging hike. Dress for the weather. Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Mahlon Dickerson Reservation, Jefferson Twp. Cost: $2 per person. Call 973.635.6629 to register and directions.* Ages 5 & Up. Learn about the foxes and coyotes that frequent the local forests. Take a walk to look for signs of their presence, and talk about why this habitat works for them. Time: 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $8 per child.* Bird Bingo for Seniors Adults Only. Learn the language of birds. Each program incorporates a new set of bird calls and information to help the enthusiastic birder polish their ID skills. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per person.* Tuesday, May 22 Baby and Me Hike Put your baby in a backpack, and explore one of many wonderful Morris County area trails. All adults are welcome to join. Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Schiff Nature Preserve, Mendham Twp. Cost: $2 per adult. Call 973.635.6629.* Nature Kids: Feathered Friends Ages 4 & 5 with an adult. Make your own binoculars to use on a walk to look and listen for birds on the trails. Learn to mimic bird calls with your voice, too. Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per child.* Wednesday, May 23 Sprouts: Love Bugs Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. Hunt for bugs big and small on a garden walk, and construct an adorable bug craft to take home. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $5 per child.* Wiggle Time Ages 3 - 6 with an adult. Enjoy creative movement, crafts, and history immersion experiences. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. During a special hands-on guided tour, learn about the domestic help at the Foster home, The Willows during the WWI era. Help the maid with some household chores, and assist in the preparation of historic foods for the cook to bake in the wood-burning cook stove. Time: 1 p.m. & 2 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. Plant Pole Beans Help the farmers stake poles and plant a variety of beans. Once harvested and dried later in the season, the beans will be shelled for winter cooking. Time: 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. & 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. Saturday, May 26 & Sunday, May 27 Family Photo Scavenger Hunt Grab a camera or phone, and stop by the Haggerty Education Center for this month’s nature photo scavenger hunt. Take a photo of every item, and get a prize. Theme and prizes change monthly. Time: Any time between 9 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $10 per family, cash only please. Saturday, May 26 through Monday, May 28 Opening Weekend: Sunrise Lake Beach Club Kickoff summer at the beautiful Sunrise Lake Beach Club. Relax on the beach, enjoy a boat ride, or challenge your child to a race on the Wibit. Time: 11 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Location: Lewis Morris County Park, Morris Twp. Cost: $7 per adult, $6 per child & senior (65+), FREE age 4 & under. SEE PAGE 6 Woodland Tree Walk: Moderate Ages 7 & Up. Native trees have bursting buds after their dormant winter period. Learn to identify these woody plants by their bark, twigs, and leaves on a guided walk. Time: 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $2 per person.* Tuesday, May 29 Baby and Me Hike Put your baby in a backpack, and explore one of many wonderful Morris County area trails. All adults are welcome to join. Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Lewis Morris County Park, Morris Twp . Cost: $2 per adult. Call 973.635.6629.* Family Science Day: Insects! All Ages with an adult. Discover the wonders of insects, while rotating through handson activity stations designed to challenge families to work together and make new discoveries. Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $8 per child age 5 & up, $5 per child age 3 & 4.* Wiggle Time Ages 3 - 6 with an adult. Kids enjoy creative movement, crafts, and history immersion experiences. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Thursday, May 31 Painting with Flowers Ages 6 & Up. Explore the amazing variety of colors in flowering plants, and paint a picture using natural pigments. Time: 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per person.* Friday, June 1 New Jersey Public Gardens Day Tours Celebrate this event with a tour of one or more of the Morris County Park Commission’s exceptional horticultural sites. Learn the fascinating history, and view the beautiful gardens in these tours, conducted by a knowledgeable garden guide. Please wear sturdy walking shoes. Time and Location(s): Willowwood Arboretum - 10 a.m. Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center - 11:30 a.m. Frelinghuysen Arboretum - 1:30 p.m. Cost: FREE. National Donut Day Friday, June 1 through Saturday, June 30 Gallery Exhibit: My Art in Nature by Alexadru Gagiu Mr. Gagiu’s oil and pastel paintings dance with beauty and emotion, and show that art has the power to elevate the human spirit. Time: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: FREE. Saturday, June 2 Outdoor Skills: Orienteering Ages 10 - 15. Satisfy your appetite for adventure, and learn wilderness and survival skills. Learn how to read maps, and use a compass to complete various challenges. Time: 10 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $10 per child.* Falling for Ferns: Moderate Ages 10 & Up. Take a hike with a naturalist to learn about ferns, and discover tricks to identify them. Time: 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $2 per person.* Hitch a Ride! Join the farm staff for a leisurely open-air wagon ride around the historic farm. Time: 10:15 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration: George Washington’s Birthday The Father of our country may have been born in February, but we’re going to celebrate civics in June by featuring recipes that would have been used during Washington’s Birthday celebrations in the 19th century. Experience this cooking demonstration as historic recipes are prepared on the open hearth. Time: 12 noon - 6 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Since 1938, National Donut Day has honored the Salvation Army lassies who shared the comfort of home by baking and serving donuts to American troops during WWI. Learn about these brave women, and sample a free donut. Time: 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. *Preregistration is required 17 Buzzes and Baas on the Farm Bees and sheep are important friends on the farm. Make a beehive with fingerprint bees or puffy painted sheep. While your creations dry, visit the real ‘buzzes and baas’ at the farm. Be sure to pick up your special craft to take home. Parental assistance needed. Time: 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. Family Nature Crafts: Fairy Furniture Ages 6 & Up. If you build it, fairies will come! Fairies are a magical part of every garden, and in this workshop, design and decorate several pieces of fairy furniture to welcome fairies to your garden, or to bring to Fairy Day on June 24. Time: 1:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $15 per person.* Saturday, June 2 & Sunday, June 3 Family Photo Scavenger Hunt Scavenger Hunt Sunday: We The People Celebrate civics and NJ as you follow clues around the site to learn about our rights as citizens and how Stephen Vail implemented the law as a judge. Time: 12 noon - 6 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Trail Treasure Hunt All Ages. Enjoy a seasonal nature scavenger hunt where families work together to follow clues and find the answers to nature riddles along the trails. Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $2 per person age 3 & up.* Sunday Fun-Day Hiking Series Ages 7 & Up. Spend one Sunday afternoon each month exploring Morris County’s beautiful parks. A naturalist guides you through the natural and historical highlights of each park on a moderately challenging hike. Dress for the weather. Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Mount Hope County Park, Rockaway Twp. Cost: $2 per person. Call 973.635.6629 to register and for directions.* Grab a camera or phone, and stop by the Haggerty Education Center for this month’s nature photo scavenger hunt. Take a photo of every item, and get a prize. Theme and prizes change monthly. Time: Any time between 9 a.m. 3:30 p.m. First Sunday Tour of The Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $10 per family, cash only please. Frelinghuysen Arboretum Meet in the lobby of the Haggerty Education Center for a tour of Sunday, June 3 the gardens. Learn the history, and enjoy the beauty of this Celebrate our Trails Hike: exceptional horticultural site with a Strenuous knowledgeable tour guide. Ages 16 & Up. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Hike 5 to 6 miles, and celebrate the Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. trails of Morris County for National Cost: $3 per person, exact change Trails Day. please. Time: 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $1 per person.* Monday, June 4 Great Swamp Bonsai Society’s Bonsai Open House Wild Animal Experts All Ages. Discover amazing facts about Enjoy a brilliant display of bonsai New Jersey wildlife each month. trees, some quite ancient and Each program showcases a new all very beautiful. Lectures and animal through interactive games, a demonstrations take place throughout naturalist-led trail walk, and lots of the day, and bonsai supplies are cool science. available for sale. Bring your trees Time: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. for advice or grooming. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Time: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Cost: $3 per child age 3 & up.* Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: FREE. Tuesday, June 5 Baby and Me Hike Thursday, June 7 Keys to Trees Put your baby in a backpack, and explore one of many wonderful Morris County area trails. All adults are welcome to join. Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Sherman Hoffman Sanctuary, Bernardsville. Cost: $2 per adult. Call 973.635.6629.* Ages 18 & Up. Learn the art of tree identification using leaves, buds, branches, and bark of common species. Take home your very own ‘Trees of the Swamp’ ID booklet. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per person.* Wednesday, June 6 Wiggle Time The Birds and the Bees! Ages 3 - 6 with an adult. Enjoy creative movement, crafts, and history immersion experiences. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. The Fungus Among Us Ages 5 & Up. Enjoy a walk and talk with a fungus enthusiast. Gain an understanding of the role fungi play in the ecosystem and how to classify the mushrooms found along the trail. Time: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per person.* Deer Resistant Native Plants While no plant is truly deer proof, Michael Van Clef, owner of Ecological Solutions, LLC and Project Director of the NJ Invasive Species Strike Team, speaks about native plants that deer often leave alone. This program is eligible for 1.0 Rutgers Master Gardener CEUs. Time: 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $20 per person.* Wednesday, June 6 through Friday, June 8 Mini Summer Camp: Woodsy Walkers Ages 2 - 4 with an adult. Explore the trails and a variety of natural history topics with stories, games, walks, and activities. Time: 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $40 per child.* Ages 5 & Up. Enjoy a walk and discussion about how birds rely on insects and arachnids to build nests and to feed their young. Time: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $3 per person.* Saturday, June 9 & Sunday, June 10 Family Photo Scavenger Hunt Grab a camera or phone, and stop by the Haggerty Education Center for this month’s nature photo scavenger hunt. Take a photo of every item, and get a prize. Theme and prizes change monthly. Time: Any time between 9 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $10 per family, cash only please. Friday, June 8 Outdoor Skills: Outdoor Cooking II Ages 10 - 15. Satisfy your appetite for adventure, and learn wilderness and survival skills. Learn how to make a new, easy recipe using a cast iron skillet over a fire. Time: 10 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $10 per child.* Saturday, June 9 Butterfly Bonanza! All Ages. Discover New Jersey’s fabulous butterflies and other pollinators at this annual festival, and learn how they contribute to the natural world. Enjoy games, crafts, live music, activities, bug safaris, and so much more. Time: 12 noon - 4 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $4 per adult, $3 per child age 3 & up. FREE per age 2 & under. SEE PAGE 6 Civil War Weekend The 2nd NJ Brigade brings the battle between the Blue and the Gray to life through camp life demonstrations, musket and artillery drills, mail call, bayonet drills, cannon firings, a medical demonstration, skirmishes, and much more. Time: Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: $7 per adult, $6 per senior, $5 per child age 4 - 16, FREE per child under age 4. SEE PAGE 7 Sunday, June 10 Second Sunday Tour of The Willowwood Arboretum Meet by the parking lot directory for a tour of this beautiful Arboretum. Learn the site’s history, and enjoy the changing beauty of this exceptional horticultural site with a knowledgeable tour guide. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Willowwood Arboretum. Cost: $3 per person, exact change please. Piglet Weigh-In! Meet the piglets born this spring, and help the farmers round them up for weighing. Guess which piglet weighs-in as the heaviest. Time: 1 p.m. & 2 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. *Preregistration is required MORRIS COUNTY PARK COMMISSION • SPRING • 2018 18 Monday, June 11 Bird Bingo for Seniors Adults Only. Each program incorporates a new set of bird calls and information to help the enthusiastic birder polish their ID skills. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per person.* Awesome Animal Artists Ages 5 - 9. Budding young artists learn about a new native NJ animal each month with indoor and outdoor activities. Learn to draw the animal, and make a masterpiece to take home. Adults are welcome to stay and participate. Time: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per child.* Tuesday, June 12 Baby and Me Hike Put your baby in a backpack, and explore one of many wonderful Morris County area trails. All adults are welcome to join. Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Kay Environmental Center, Chester Twp. Cost: $2 per adult. Call 973.635.6629.* Nature Tots and Tykes: Turtle Time! Wednesday, June 13 through Friday, June 15 Mini Summer Camp: Woodsy Walkers Saturday, June 16 Industrial Heritage Tour: Denville to Rockaway-Morris Canal Greenway Walk Ages 2 - 4 with an adult. Explore the trails and a variety of natural history topics with stories, games, walks, and activities. Time: 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $40 per child.* Join industrial archaeologists Joe Macasek and Bierce Riley on a tour of the seldom-visited stretch of the canal along the Rockaway River between Denville and Rockaway. When completed in 1831, the Morris Canal extended 102 miles across the rugged highlands of New Jersey, from Phillipsburg on the Delaware River, uphill to its summit level at Lake Hopatcong, and down to New York Harbor at Jersey City. Along the way, investigate the site of the Beaver Brook Feeder, the crossing of the Hibernia Mine Railroad, and look for canal sites in downtown Rockaway. This tour involves quite a bit of walking along trails and city streets, as well as some off-trail exploration. Time: 10 a.m. Location: TBA. Cost: $5 per person. To register, call 973.292.2755 or email macgraphics1@verizon.net.* Wednesday, June 13 Wiggle Time Ages 3 - 6 with an adult. Enjoy creative movement, crafts, and history immersion experiences. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Flat Water Canoe Skills Ages 12 & Up. Have fun, and learn canoe strokes, equipment, and safety in this introductory course. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. This class is a prerequisite for participation in all other MCPC canoe programs. Time: 5 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. Location: Split Rock Reservoir, Rockaway Twp. Cost: $10 per person. Call 973.334.3130.* Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. Enjoy a story read aloud, and take a walk to the stream to search for turtles sunning themselves. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $5 per child.* After School Hike Ages 5 & Up. Looking to get outside after school? Relax, and enjoy an easy hike filled with nature topics and activities. Time: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $3 per child.* In recognition of National Dairy Month, gather at the Farmhouse kitchen to see an ongoing cheesemaking demonstration. Time: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. Saturday, June 16 Hammerin’!: Blacksmithing Masterclass Nature Kids: Buggy Bugs Ages 4 & 5 with an adult. Take a guided walk to look for bugs, and enjoy a bug-themed craft afterwards. Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per child.* Cheese Fest! Evening Canoe Paddle Ages 12 & Up. Enjoy a leisurely paddle on Split Rock Reservoir, finishing up before sunset. Canoes, life vests, and paddles are all provided. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Register today - space is limited! Canoe Skills course is a prerequisite for this program. Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Location: Split Rock Reservoir, Rockaway Twp. Cost: $20 per person. Call 973.334.3130.* Ages 13 & Up. William Barrett, of Bill Barrett Custom Knives, leads a beginner blacksmithing class on basic blacksmithing technique. Prior experience is helpful, but not necessary. All supplies are provided, and you can work on a project to take home. Space is limited, so register early. This program is sponsored by the Friends of Historic Speedwell. Time: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: $30 per person. To register, call 973.285.6537, or email mmcfarlane@morrisparks.net.* *Preregistration is required Hook, Line, and Sinker! Father’s Day Geocaching Cast a line to see if any fish are biting at the pond. Catches of the day are tossed back. Time: 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. Ages 7 & Up. Geocaching is a great outdoor activity for families. Use a GPS unit and a map to locate hidden treasures, called ‘caches,’ along the trail. All materials are provided. Time: 10:30 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per person.* People-Power Day Tour the Cooper Gristmill, and watch demonstrations of tools powered by hands and feet. See a foot-powered scroll saw, one and two-man saws, angular boring machine, stone jack, treadle sewing machines, and hand drills. Try some tools, yourself. Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Cooper Gristmill. Cost: Suggested donation. Saturday, June 16 & Sunday, June 17 Family Photo Scavenger Hunt Grab a camera or phone, and stop by the Haggerty Education Center for this month’s nature photo scavenger hunt. Take a photo of every item, and get a prize. Theme and prizes change monthly. Time: Any time between 9 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $10 per family, cash only please. Sunday, June 17 Grow Your Groceries: Sensational Salads Best Dressed in the Vail House: The Judge is in! Along with running the Speedwell Ironworks, Stephen Vail was also a prominent judge in Morristown. Vail presided over one of the most infamous trials in local history, the trial of Antoine LeBlanc. Join us as we find out what it was like for Stephen Vail to be a judge. This program features costumed interpreters leading tours of the Vail House. Time: 12 noon - 6 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Third Sunday Tour of Bamboo Brook Meet in the first parking lot for a tour of this beautiful garden. Learn the site’s history, and enjoy the beauty of this exceptional horticultural site with a knowledgeable tour guide. Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Bamboo Brook OEC. Cost: $3 per person, exact change please. Bring Dad to this garden talk featuring some unusual salad ingredients. Focus on growing techniques, great varieties, pests, diseases, and when and how to harvest. Taste a few salads prepared right from the garden. Recipes accompany the talk. This program is eligible for 1.5 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s. Time: 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $20 per person.* Monday, June 18 Toddlers & Tykes: Turtle Time! Father’s Day Hike: Moderate Put your baby in a backpack, and explore one of many wonderful Morris County area trails. All adults are welcome to join. Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Patriot’s Path, Mendham Twp. Cost: $2 per adult. Call 973.635.6629.* Ages 7 & Up. Spend the morning on the trails celebrating Father’s Day, and visit some famous ‘rock stars’ in the park. Time: 10 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $1 per person.* Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. Enjoy a story read aloud, and take a walk to the pond to search for turtles sunning themselves. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Great Swamp OEC. Cost: $5 per child.* Tuesday, June 19 Baby and Me Hike 19 Wednesday, June 20 Wiggle Time Ages 3 - 6 with an adult. Enjoy creative movement, crafts, and history immersion experiences. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. Thursday, June 21 What’s So Great About… Native Perennials Native perennials endure winter weather and return with vigor in spring or summer without much help from us. Tour the Lindner Perennial Garden to see a great example of a well-tended perennial garden. This program is eligible for 1.0 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s. Time: 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $10 per person. Summer Solstice Hike: Moderate Ages 16 & Up. Hike to Tripod Rock, and view the latest sunset of the year from the ridgeline on the first official day of summer, 2018. Flashlights are welcome. Time: 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $5 per person.* SEE PAGE 2 Friday, June 22 Butterfly Walk with the North American Butterfly Association Join experts on this walk through the meadows in search of late spring butterflies. Please register online at njconservation.org. Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Location: Bamboo Brook OEC. Cost: FREE.* Campout on the Beach Begin your adventure with swimming, boating, and Wibit fun! Enjoy a campfire, storytelling, smores, and more at this overnight event. Wake up to a light breakfast served beachside. Time: 7 p.m. - 9:30 a.m. Location: Sunrise Lake, Lewis Morris County Park, Morris Twp. Cost: $45 per family. For info, call 973.326.7616.* SEE PAGE 4 Saturday, June 23 & Sunday, June 24 Family Photo Scavenger Hunt Grab a camera or phone, and stop by the Haggerty Education Center for this month’s nature photo scavenger hunt. Take a photo of every item, and get a prize. Theme and prizes change monthly. Time: Any time between 9 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $10 per family, cash only please. Saturday, June 23 Gardening with Wildflowers Ages 12 & Up. Engage in an interactive demonstration to learn which native species should be in every garden. Plant your own wildflower to take home. Registration is limited. Time: 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $5 per person.* Integrated Pest Management: To Spray or Not To Spray? Learn the history of IPM, threshold determination for certain pests, and techniques for adopting these practices so that chemical use is the last resort with Horticulturist Marc Zukovich. Disease resistant plants, bio-rationals, systemics, nematodes, and more are part of the discussion. This program is eligible for 2.0 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s. Time: 10 a.m. - 12 noon. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $20 per person.* Farm Know-How: The Creamery Tour the Creamery, and discover the building’s role in milk and butter processing. In the lower Barn, help the farmers brush the Jersey cows, weigh the milk, and test its temperature. Time: 2 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. Jersey Lightning: A Story of Booze, Apples, and Local Industry Long before NJ became known for its wineries, another alcoholic beverage was the King of the Garden State. Look back at the history of Apple Jack, also known as Jersey Lightning, and how its production was a major industry in NJ. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell Cost: Admission. Sunday, June 24 Upcycle Sunday: Newsprint Vase Get the most out of your things, just like in days of old. Upcycle newspapers into vases, and keep them out of the landfill. Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Historic Speedwell. Cost: Admission. SEE PAGE 4 Tuesday, June 26 Baby and Me Hike Put your baby in a backpack, and explore one of many wonderful Morris County area trails. All adults are welcome to join. Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Jockey Hollow National Park, Harding. Cost: $2 per adult. Call 973.635.6629.* Fairy Day Fairies will once again be visiting The Frelinghuysen Arboretum. To prepare for their stay, tiny houses need to be built. Families are invited to celebrate the 12th Annual Fairy Day on the Sylvan Terrace, and build a home for these visiting wee folk. Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $30 per fairy house.* SEE PAGE 4 Cooking Demonstration: Beets Can’t Be Beat Soup, salad, entree, and even dessert. We make an entire meal based on this one versatile vegetable – the beet. Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $30 per person.* Race through history on a crosscountry trail in this chip-timed, 5K race. Open to all ages and skill levels. If a 5K is not for you, try the 1-Mile Fitness Walk/ Run. Time: 5:30 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.: Packet Pick Up & Day of Registration 6:45 p.m.: 1-Mile Fitness Walk/ Run Start 7 p.m.: 5K Race Start Location: Fosterfields. Cost: $20 preregistration until 6/17. $25 race day registration. For info, 973.326.7616. Morris County Park Commissioners Barbara Shepard, President Stuart Lasser, Vice President Anthony N. Abrantes, Sr. • Julie C. Baron • Betty Cass-Schmidt William Cogger • Edward G. McCarthy • Richard Seabury, III • Matthew Tal The Morris County Park Commission invites people with disabilities to our sites and programs. If you or a family member *Preregistration is required Frantic Fun Run at Fosterfields Pathways is a publication of the Morris County Park Commission David D. Helmer, Executive Director info@morrisparks.net or 973.326.7600. Published by the Morris County Park Commission P.O. Box 1295, Morristown, NJ 07962–1295. Kathy Salisbury, Director of the Ambler Arboretum at Temple University and former President of the Native Plant Society of NJ, returns for an in-depth, practical guide to the best native plants to grow for cut flowers. This program is eligible for 1.5 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s. Time: 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Cost: $25 per person. Saturday, June 30 Wonderful Wildlife Hike Ages 7 & Up. Calling all animal enthusiasts. Bring binoculars and good listening skills to observe wild critters on Turkey Mountain. Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Location: Pyramid Mountain. Cost: $1 per person.* Herbalicious! Pathways Lois McClellan–Wnek, Executive Editor Friday, June 29 Native Plants for Cut Flower Gardening SEE PAGE 2 Gather at the Farmhouse herb garden to discover how herbs enhance the taste of food. Make a sachet to take home. Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. Meet the Servants at The Willows During a special hands-on guided tour, learn about the domestic help at the Foster home, The Willows, during the WWI era. Help the maid with some household chores, and assist in the preparation of historic foods for the cook to bake in the wood-burning cook stove. Time: 1 p.m. & 2 p.m. Location: Fosterfields. Cost: Admission. *For program and registration information, please contact the appropriate facility: Cooper Gristmill/ Black River County Park 908.879.5463 Fosterfields Living Historical Farm and The Willows 973.326.7645 The Frelinghuysen Arboretum and The Haggerty Education Center 973.326.7601 Golf Information 973.326.7602 Great Swamp OEC 973.635.6629 Historic Speedwell 973.285.6550 Industrial Heritage 973.285.6542 Kay Environmental Center 973.635.6629 Mahlon Dickerson Reservation 973.697.3140 Mennen Sports Arena 973.326.7651 Park Police 973.326.7632 Park Reservations 973.326.7631 Pyramid Mountain NHA 973.334.3130 Recreation 973.326.7616 TTY Relay 7–1–1 20 MORRIS COUNTY PARK COMMISSION 0 SPRING 0 2018 .D?i?i/A jaw/m?) 14W We ?x I: Have a blast discovering nature with activities geared toward each age group. Programs include hikes, games, canoeing, swimming, crafts, and team-building events. Ages 2 - 17. . A gardening program for kids to learn that with a little work and much patience, the food you grow is often better! Ages 5 - 13. I Learn jumps, spins, moves, ice dancing, and much more for skaters of all ages and abilities. Kids - Adults. 7% WW Crush the competition by strengthening fundamental hockey skills. Ages 6 - 13. Fun in the sun with swimming, boating, hiking, games, theme-days, and more! Ages 5 - 14. 24? 14% (46 7mm interactive, hands-on activities, and games. Ages 7-14. _7?e??mei?0w/ Mupm?mdema/ Detective work, handcuffing techniques, county jail tours, and special guests introduce you to the career of a police officer. Ages