Tag Archives: howard county conservancy

An Exhausting But Fun Day at Greenfest

Posted on April 14, 2012 by AnnieRie

Every year, it seems to get bigger and better. Greenfest at HCC was the place to have fun for young and old alike, with indoor and outdoor activities, booths, classes and with live animals in one of the areas. The Conservancy was out in the main corridor this year, since we left the owl home. Crowds and other animals aren’t Ranger’s favorites.

But, we did bring some interesting things for the kids to touch, like a coyote pelt and a black snake’s discarded skin.

The children were fascinated with the snake skin and loved to touch the softness of the coyote pelt. It did seem to escape the notice of the County Executive who we saw stopping at booth after booth and conversing with the exhibitors.

Just kidding. It was nice to meet Ken Ulman, and we are glad that the county sponsors events like this one. After my volunteering time at the Conservancy booth, we spent time wandering, learning and just having fun, so I couldn’t believe how quickly the day went.

We purchased some cheese from Bowling Green Farms, and brisket from TLV Tree Farms. Thanks to both Howard County Farms for providing the mini farmer’s market. Their web sites are linked on my local resources page.

I will be stopping out at TLV since they are open on Saturdays to add some new herbs to my garden. They had a wonderful array of plants and herbs there today. They will be at the Wednesday, Friday and Sunday markets, I believe.

The list on the farmer’s market web site of vendors is slated to come out this week. Kathy Zimmerman of the HCEDA office confirmed that. The Howard County Farmer’s Markets open three weeks from Wednesday, the first market at the new Miller Library in Ellicott City. I think it is great we have so many young farmers here. Supporting them and helping them succeed makes the county a better place.

My husband did the circuit of the vendors, took a few classes and thankfully restrained himself from bringing home dozens of samples and giveaways. After all, we are retired and trying to rightsize. I do like the notepad with a cover from recycled cardboard.

We were very proud to see that HoLLIE and Ann Strozyk received Robinson Foundation awards. I worked with Ann on curriculum ideas as part of my HoLLIE internship last year.

What I love most about Robinson and the Conservancy? Anne Robinson donated to start the Foundation, and the Nature Center is a tribute to a Howard County woman who believed in giving something that our children and their children will enjoy. Just like Ruth and Frances Brown donated their land to the Conservancy to connect people with nature. The children seemed to have fun today, too.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I love living here. I think Money Magazine had it close but not quite correct. Maybe to them we were number two in the best places to live, but to me, the whole county is special and we are the best place to live. Call me Pollyanna, but being here for 38 years is a testament to how much this county means to me.

Not that I didn’t come home today and collapse for a nap, after all day out and running around. At least, being retired, I can excuse the two hour nap before dinner.

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Too Much To Do This Weekend

Posted on April 13, 2012 by AnnieRie

Like everyone else around here in the Howard County area, I am seeing lots of things to do every weekend now that spring has arrived.

It is funny how all the big events start clustering together in April and May and cluttering our calendars.

What to do? What to do?

Greenfest is where I will be, since I volunteered to spend three hours manning a booth for the Conservancy. The hike to the river is where I’d like to be, but can’t navigate treacherous hills until I have more mobility in my neck.

The Housing Fair is happening, but since we aren’t in that market, it didn’t make my short list.

HoCoConnect did a really good summary of what is going on at Greenfest, and I will add what I want to see. He also highlights two other events I missed.

Well & Wise has a list of upcoming events, too. They include the announcements of the Conservancy events this week and next.

At Greenfest, I will be attending at least two workshops, one on stormwater management in your yard, and one on backyard composting. We do compost some, but I can always use more tips and tricks. I wish I could do the watershed walks, but they conflict. Hubby is going to hear Cathy Hudson talk about raising chickens in the morning at 11am, while I am working at our table. And, just walking around talking to vendors is interesting. I applied last year for the lottery for a free energy audit, and won. We now know what we need to do to finish the weather proofing of our house, making it more energy efficient. As I said above, what to do, what to do?

Don’t forget, there will be a mini farmer’s market there too.

Sunday morning I may make the trek into Baltimore to check out the market for some herbs from Knopps Farm, one of my old favorite vendors when I went to visit family in Severn. If you have never taken a Sunday morning drive to this market, you are missing one of the largest and craziest markets around here. Worth the drive up I-95. There are 45 vendors registered for this year, some with crafts, some with food products, others with produce, meat and dairy, and we love the excitement.

Go early if you do want to find things. It is just an amazing array of food, people and good times. South Mountain Creamery and Zahradka Farms are there. My source of dairy most of the time, and my winter CSA. Both of these vendors will be at Glenwood in four weeks, but until then Baltimore is a good place to get their products, particularly for Elkridge and East Columbia Hoco residents. The market is set up under the Jones Falls Expressway.

And, then of course, I get to come home and file income tax. Not letting MD get those few dimes of mine until the very last minute. At least we broke even and get a few bucks back from the Feds. Hmm, I didn’t check, do we get an extra day or two? Yes, google my friend, says we have until Tuesday, so if the weather is nice, we can spend more time downtown.

I love spring!

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Some History of Mt. Pleasant

Posted on April 11, 2012 by AnnieRie

We recently took a guided walk around the Howard County Conservancy property looking at the buildings through the eyes of the historians. Much of the property is being preserved, in order to keep examples of agricultural heritage so important to Howard County. The farm was named Mt. Pleasant by the Brown family members who lived there. The family owned the land from 1692 until they donated it to the Conservancy almost 20 years ago. Parcel names and boundaries changed over the years either by marriages, or bequeathing of properties to the various children, and the 232 acres are what remained that Ruth and Frances Brown donated. Together the sisters taught school in Howard County for a combined total of 97 years.

Head up the driveway towards the top of the hill where many of the buildings still stand.

The farmhouse is the centerpiece of the property, and you can’t see it until you get far into the grounds. It sits high on the property with vistas in many directions. I can only imagine how peaceful and quiet it was before Waverly Woods and I-70 were added. You can hear the interstate traffic faintly these days.

It was built in stages, with the front of it, seen from the parking lot, a newer addition. New, being relative, that is. The original log cabin is still under the siding covered walls near the rear of the house, the logs were covered over as the family grew and expanded the house. Inside there are three separate staircases, and connections between the different parts of the home.

The front of the farmhouse is used for offices now, and the rear is the home of the caretaker’s family, so it is not open to the public. This view from the rear shows where one of the “front” entrances is located, which faced west-northwest.

There are numerous outbuildings as well. Many of these are in stages of preservation. Some are used for demos. Besides the ones I picture, there is a carriage house, a corn crib, a bank barn, and wagon shed. One of the two coops now holds the resident chickens.

The smokehouse and second coop, once used to house guinea fowl. No one knows why those cut outs are there.

When can you see much of the property used as it may have been used years ago?

At the annual Fallfest in October is one time. Including demonstrations in the blacksmith shop. Also this year, there will be a wonder walk in July that showcases what it was like to live and farm on the land.

The Montjoy barn, which is always a draw for people visiting, was moved to the Conservancy from Ellicott City and reassembled. It would have been torn down to make way for development in its former location.

There is also a three acre honors garden on the grounds, where you can find examples of plants native to this area.

Finally, stop in and get the arboretum guide, and you will find trees on site that are beautiful specimens like this American Elm behind the farmhouse, and while back there look carefully and find the outhouse and the foundation for the ice house. Lots of history on the property. So much to discover on your own, or on one of the Conservancy wonder walks. I volunteer here and never get tired of exploring the trails, walking the pathways, visiting the chickens and goats, looking for birds, or just chilling out.

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This Saturday: Hike to the Patapsco River

Posted on April 10, 2012 by AnnieRie

With all my talking about Greenfest, I forgot that this is the second Saturday, when the free wonder walks take place at the Howard County Conservancy.

At 10 am, join the leaders, two of the volunteer naturalists, as they lead you on a spring hike across the property and down a stream side trail in Patapsco State Park, to the Patapsco River. Last year, we did this hike in March, with little spring foliage or flowers. This year promises a real treat, with lots in bloom.

The hike starts at the Gudelsky Center, and there will be opportunities to turn around and return easily to the center, if the hike proves too strenuous or long.

It will take at least two hours, total, to do the hike and explore the area where the railroad tracks border the river. There is much to see down there, including some ruined remains of old structures.

You can do the hike in the morning and come hit Greenfest for its final few hours, if you are ambitious.

If you can’t make it to the Conservancy this Saturday, never fear. The Earth Day celebration, bird walk, and clean up is scheduled for the 21st. Or, stop in at Greenfest this Saturday, at the Conservancy’s table there, and pick up the event flier for the rest of 2012.

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Getting Ready for an Art Reception and Auction

Posted on April 2, 2012 by AnnieRie

On the first Monday of every month, the Program Committee for the Howard County Conservancy meets to plan the execution and assignments for each month’s events. Today we discussed the finalization of plans and the potential assignments for the volunteers at the upcoming Art Reception and Auction scheduled for the 19th of April at 6 pm.

I saw when I arrived that at least one piece already had a sold sticker on it, having sold for the buy now price. These SOGH pieces are amazingly beautiful, and affordable as well. They are painted on scrap lumber. They just jump out and grab your attention when you walk in.

I also love all of Greg Mort’s work, and wandered around taking some shots so one of the other committee members could show her husband what Greg had brought to the show.

This piece is one that I like.

All Things Round, the theme, ties in nicely with the nature mission at the Conservancy. While we were meeting, and discussing what should be in the bidding handout, we were already thinking ahead to next year’s date and theme.

I find that volunteering to plan events is satisfying, plus for me as a retiree, a way to continue to connect to people with like interests.

Besides, time spent at the Conservancy is just so relaxing, as after I finished in the meeting, I wandered out, talked to gardeners in the community gardens, and took some pictures of the flowering trees and the barn, inspired by a photograph in the show that is similar in composition (but much better than mine).

Spring is such a beautiful season in Maryland, and the Conservancy property showcases the flowers, trees, birds and farmland of Howard County. Just a great place to visit.

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Winter CSA Week Fourteen – Only Four to Go

Posted on March 30, 2012 by AnnieRie

About 3 pm, the cooler lid was closed. I can hear it from the kitchen. That means CSA delivery. Week fourteen with four more left. Two more dozen eggs to come. Four more deliveries of fresh meat. Then, a week of nothing, followed by the start of my spring/summer CSA at the Conservancy.

This week’s bounty showed how things change when the weather starts to improve.

For a half share, this is quite a bit of veggies. We got:

Beets (well, it was supposed to be plural, but that beet weighs 1 lb, 6 oz.)
Turnips, 3 of them weighing over a pound total
Potatoes, white and red, almost 2 lbs total
Mustard Greens
Spinach, this is a huge amount of spinach, almost a pound
MicroGreens, almost a pound

The microgreens alone at the Silver Spring Market used to cost $14 a pound. Five ounce bags at the store cost $4 if they are organic. CSAs are really a great deal when the weather cooperates. You get an amazing variety of veggies for your investment.

Everything was cleaned and put away. As for the meat delivery this week, it was bulk sausage, all wrapped up in plastic, but not particularly photo worthy. Over a pound of it. Can’t wait to make something with it. I may try out that scrapple recipe again and tweak it a bit.

As for the rest, my husband wants turnip, potato and carrot mash, like I made for a recent dinner. With some fresh sage from my garden used to make sage butter. Fresh rosemary out there too. Sounds like something to use in rosemary roasted potatoes.

Greens, beans and bacon sound good too. Meal planning is fun, when the foods do it justice.

For those of you craving spring veggies, take a jaunt down Rte. 29 Saturday morning and hit the Silver Spring year round market from 10-1, just north of Georgia Ave. on Ellsworth. I am going down to see what’s available in March. Haven’t been there since January, when pickings were slim.

Only six more weeks until the Howard County markets open, and until I get my first box from Sandy Spring. Dreaming of garlic scape pesto and mushroom pate already.

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Hodgepodge Lodge

Posted on March 27, 2012 by AnnieRie

How many of you remember this TV show, on MPT? Do you remember Miss Jean? Do you know that the Lodge has found a permanent home at the Howard County Conservancy?

The show was on MPT in the 1970s. I was in college when it was first shown, and I caught it occasionally while I was babysitting. The lodge fell into disrepair after the show was canceled, but it was moved to the Conservancy and restored.

If you take a short hike on the woodlands trails just east of the main buildings, you can find the lodge.

Walk down the hill past Ranger, the barred owl used for educational programs.

Continue down past the monarch butterfly garden, and turn right at the forest display board.

Wander along the creek until you see it on your left just before a large bridge crossing the East Branch. It is locked but sometimes the staff will open it for people to see the exhibits.

This is a good walk to take with little ones. There is lots to see. Bluebird Houses. Butterflies. Honey Bee boxes. The creek. Old farm equipment.

Before you leave, you can stop into the Nature Center, and check out the animals like the tree frog

and go upstairs to view the art exhibit, All Things Round. Details about the current art exhibit, in my earlier post, Art of Stewardship.

Enjoy Spring! Take a hike and a walk down memory lane.

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The Art of Stewardship

Posted on March 25, 2012 by AnnieRie

All Things Round.

This year’s theme for the juried art show at the Howard County Conservancy.

At the auction on the 19th of April, you may find yourself in a bidding war with me for this piece. This porcelain disk with spirals is stunning in its simplicity. It is an eye catcher when you walk in the room. As are quite a few other pieces.

The details in some of the paintings:

Greg Mort, one of the judges, has a few pieces for sale in the show as well. He will be signing his books at the auction, as will Anne Raver, garden columnist for the New York Times, another of the judges. The third judge, Rebecca Hoffberger, is well known in the area as the founder and director of the Anerican Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.

On Wednesdays through Saturdays, when the Conservancy is open to the public, anyone may wander around the Gudelsky Gallery and look at the art from now until April 19th when the auction takes place and the winners are announced. On the 19th, for $10, a wine and cheese reception is open to all who wish to bid, or just take in the art with the artists present to talk about their work. Many of the artists are local, and if you like their style, you may end up finding a source to add locally produced art to your home.

The art show is one of the recurring programs that the Conservancy holds. At least once a month, there is always something going on at the site on Rte. 99 in Woodstock.

If you want to take a walk on a lovely spring day, and stop in to view the art, it is a relaxing way to spend an afternoon. The Conservancy hours are 9-3 Wed-Sat. Call in advance to confirm that no organization is holding a meeting in the Gallery when you want to visit. The grounds are open during daylight hours for those wanting to wander the gardens and grounds.

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The Woodstock Snowball Stand is Open!

Posted on March 22, 2012 by AnnieRie

Yes, spring is definitely here. The Woodstock snowball stand was open when I left the conservancy after our pot luck lunch for the end of volunteer naturalist training.

They opened yesterday. They also are tweeting the flavor of the day, for those of us addicted to their snowballs.

We had to stop and get our first fix of the season, me with spearmint and hubby with egg custard. They make the best flavors, and they are really generous with how much is put into the cup. Tons of flavor. Great marshmallow toppings. They have other stuff there as well, like ice cream.

The stand has been there since 1974. We started going there in 1982. Thirty years of driving up to Woodstock and sitting around enjoying our icy goodness.

Heaven in a cup. At the corner of Old Frederick Rd (Rte 99) and Woodstock Rd.

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A Day at the Conservancy

Posted on March 14, 2012 by AnnieRie

Today I finally had a day out and about all by myself, without just riding around being chauffeured by my husband and not being able to do much. I went to the Conservancy to be one of the hike leaders for the Howard Legacy Leadership Institute on the Environment (HoLLIE) class finishing their course work and beginning their internships across the county non-profits.

I graduated from HoLLIE and volunteered at the Conservancy, working on planning programs like the one tomorrow night with Tony Geraci talking about healthy lunches for school aged children. The time I spent working with the committee to bring new and interesting programs to the site has been satisfying to me. I have met so many wonderful people, who along with me give freely of their precious time on educational programs, field trips, and much more. The Gudelsky Center is the location for the artwork, and the nature center is in the basement.

We went to visit Ranger, our rescued barred owl who was out last night visiting a County library, I hear.

The bee hives, where Howard County Beekeepers harvest the honey that they sell and give part of the proceeds to the Conservancy, and I buy to use in my cooking.

Today what made it even more fun was the opening of the art exhibit for the juried art show. The exhibit goes through April 19th, when the silent auction takes place. I already have my eye on an amazing piece made of porcelain. There’s also a whimsical one made with marbles. I will be writing about the art show later, once I take a few pics in better light than noon today.

While out and about on the trails, we searched for and found skunk cabbage opening up, along the east branch near the north end of the property. Always a sure sign of spring. A beautiful day, with temps far above what they should be in March.

Tomorrow is a full day there. I will be there for a history walk with the volunteers at 8:30. There is elementary school training for volunteer naturalists at 9:30, and Tony Geraci’s program at 7 PM.

Sometimes I do wonder how I ever found time to work.

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