Beaver Brook Fall 2015 LOG–Save Paper. Read it online!

Beaver Brook Log
CELEBRATING LAND STEWARDSHIP AND NATURAL RESOURCE EDUCATION
Fall/WINTER 2015–2016
Author Kevin Gardner to
be Guest speaker at beaver
brook’s Annual Meeting
B
eaver Brook’s Annual Meeting will
be held Thursday, January 14, 2016,
at the Nashua Country Club. Guest
speaker will be Kevin Gardener, famous
for his knowledge and construction of stone walls
in New England. Come listen to him entertain you
with fascinating facts while actually building a stone
wall before your eyes!
Kevin Gardner is a lifelong resident of Hopkinton,
NH. Like a lot of independent rural Yankees, he’s
been a jack of many trades, a builder, logger, writer,
teacher, radio voice, even an actor and director.
For more than forty years he has been a stone
wall builder in a family business widely known for
traditional New England stonework, particularly
for historic restoration of antique structures. In
2001, Kevin published The Granite Kiss: Traditions
and Techniques of Building New England Stone Walls.
He has also published poetry, songs, and essays,
including “Land of Stone,” an examination of several
historic sites in the Monadnock Region, in the 2006
anthology Where The Mountain Stands Alone.
From 1985 to 2010, Kevin was also an awardwinning performance critic, feature writer, and
producer for NH Public Radio. His pieces on arts,
history and culture have aired on National Public
Radio and the Christian Science Monitor broadcast
network. In 2004, Kevin was a co-host of the
nationally syndicated radio series Storylines New
England, an interview and call-in program about our
regional literature. He has written
and produced other special
programming for NHPR as well.
Kevin is also a longtime
professional actor, director, and
teacher of theatre. He has taught
at the New Hampton School, the
NH Institute of Art, and at St.
Paul’s School. Since 1999 he has
been the Master Teacher of the
course Shakespeare for Performance
in St. Paul’s summer Advanced Studies Program.
He is also a regular Guest Director at Plymouth
State University, a former performance evaluator for
the NH State Council on the Arts, and a frequent
adjudicator of local, regional, and national theatre
festivals. New Hampshire Magazine named him the
state’s Best Theatre Critic in 2008.
Please join us for a wonderful dinner featuring
hors d’oeuvres, Mediterranean chicken, pasta
primavera, and garlic marinated steak tips plus two
additional courses. Enjoy Kevin’s stories, photos of our
major accomplishments for 2015, and a fun naturethemed Silent Auction table.
Tickets are $50 per person; $350 for a table of 8
and can be ordered online at www.beaverbrook.org.
In this issue
From the Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Featured Hike: Beaver Brook Ramble to Spatterdock Pond . . . . . 3
Beaver Brook’s 2015 Fall Festival Art Winners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Meet Our Dedicated Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Homeschool Classes Return! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Fall Festival Raffle and Silent Auction Donors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Trail Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2015–2016 Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Wish List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
The Beaver Brook
Log is a publication
of Beaver Brook
Association, Inc.,
a nonprofit organization founded
in 1964, dedicated to
natural resource education and
land stewardship. Contributions
to the Log of manuscripts, photos, illustrations, and news are
welcome and encouraged. Please
remember to include contact
information with all submissions.
Production Staff
Celeste Philbrick Barr
Tara Happy
Bridget Rines
Christyann Rothmel, Layout & Design
Thom Davies
BBA Trustees
Nathan Armstrong
Bob Bartis, Secretary
Alan Chase
Shirley Cohen
C. J. Husk
Drew Kellner, President
Wally Key
June Litwin
Glenn Lloyd, Vice President
Art Lyford
Jay Nannicelli
David Tully, Treasurer
Rich Wholey
BBA Staff
Thom Davies, Executive Director
Celeste Philbrick Barr, Education &
Community Affairs
Tara Happy, Asst. Education Director
Roisin McElroy, Education
Brandon Rackliff, Asst. Natural
Resource Manager
Bridget Rines, Office Administrator
Peter Smith, Natural Resources
John Spear, Buildings & Grounds
Kelly Walker, Office Administrator
Joyce Woodrow, Finance &
Administration
2
It’s about the land . . . and what you
do with it By Thom Davies, Executive Director
A
couple of years ago we conducted a survey of Beaver Brook donors
to gain a better understanding of why they chose a non-profit
nature educational organization to support. From a list of six options
we asked recipients of our annual appeal letter to rank their reasons for
support. While the results were certainly not scientific the most highly
rated reasons given were: 1) Preserving rural character, 2) 35+ miles
of trails, and 3) wildlife habitat & forest management. Even though
Beaver Brook is chartered as an educational organization and serves
over 15,000 school children and adult students annually, the most
compelling reasons cited for supporting this place revolve around the
land. Other reasons given for donating included: the Summer Nature
Camp, volunteer opportunities, and adult educational programs. When
you consider that those activities too are quite dependent on the
land you can readily see how important the land is to Beaver Brook
Association. Quite simply it is our raison d’etre.
But the 2187 owned, protected, and managed acres are important to
far more than just Beaver Brook Association. The waters of the Nissitissit,
Nashua, and Souhegan Rivers are cleaner because of this land and large
animal species like bear, moose, and bobcat, are able to reside and thrive
here. Countless numbers of hikers, bicyclists, and equestrians improve
their health on the trails this land encompasses and get unlimited doses of
nature. Bees that pollinate vegetable plants and the trees of local orchards
make their home here as do bats that help to control mosquitoes and other
insect pests. Aquifers that source our drinking water are protected by Bearer
Brook’s land as it also provides a significant degree of insulation from urban
sprawl to the residents of Hollis, Brookline, Pepperell, and Milford. City
dwellers from Nashua, Manchester, and Lowell can immerse themselves in
nature not far from their home.
Quite simply, none of what we enjoy about Beaver Brook would be
possible were it not for the
hallowed ground on which it
is situated. Thank you to all
who protect it, respect it, and
reflect it in their support for
its conservation.
Shirley Cohen, longtime Beaver Brook Trustee and
Member of the Corporation, attends Eyes on Owls at
this year’s Fall Festival.
On October 22, John Spear (seated right), Building and
Grounds Director at Beaver Brook, celebrated 40 years
at BBA at a cookout with co-workers at Maple Hill Farm.
BEAVER BROOK
Featured Hike:
Beaver Brook Ramble to
Spatterdock Pond
By Tom Sileo
To read full blog and enjoy all the photos visit www.beaverbrook.org or
www.newenglandrambles.com.
I
head into Hollis, New Hampshire, to ramble at
Beaver Brook Association, a 2,200 acre property
with 35 miles of trails. It’s managed by the Beaver
Brook Association and includes a wide variety of
habitats. This year, I established my own flora and
fauna list for this property, located on this blog site.
After parking at Maple Mill Farm on Ridge Road
in Hollis, I walk farther up Ridge Road to an archway
of trees overhanging the entrance to this property.
Entrance to Property
Before I cross the dark threshold onto the path, I
circle around to the wide open field to my right where
I hear a familiar bird call. I round a corner of the
woodland edge, around a medium-sized black walnut
tree, and soon, I see an indigo bunting, singing about
thirty feet up a black cherry tree. It sings its notes
continuously, in the style of a red-eyed vireo, but with
notes that are more musical. I see its blue and black
back as it rears its head far back and sings: “tareetree-see-see-fee-fee.” Its song might also be written as
“twee-twee-twee-dee-twee-tweet.”
White Baneberry
While looking more closely at baneberry’s terminal
cluster of white berries, several small eyes looking
about, I hear a flicker calling out, a much different call
than that of the pileated woodpecker. Farther along,
where I see enchanter’s nightshade, a stone wall follows
the path. Agrimony grows here, just before I enter a
hemlock forest, with some tall witch hazel mixed in
the understory. Agrimony is an attractive, though not a
showy wildflower; because it doesn’t bloom all at
once, there never seems to be a full raceme
filled with its bright yellow flowers. Instead,
the curved spike is a mix of flowers and
what Neltje Blanchan in Nature’s Garden
(1900) described as “pretty, nodding seed
urns, encircled with a rim of hooks . . .”
As with beggar ticks and tick-trefoil seed
pods, we often become the unwitting agrimony
distributor as those hooks latch on to our clothes.
FALL 2 0 1 5
Chestnut Oak
A red-eyed vireo begins
to sing and a clay-colored
American toad appears at the base of a birch, just off
the path. It seems to be hugging the tree, but what
is its ultimate destination? After leaving its breeding
pond, a toad will wander in search of food. I’ve read
that by October, the toad, assuming it isn’t eaten
itself, will increase its weight by sixty times. Because
numerous toads come out from their hiding places
when it rains during the summer months, it was once
thought that they are rained down from the sky. I’ve
also read that toads consume but one meal per day,
though I’m not sure how accurate that is. This toad
does seem content for now to rest here at the base of
this birch tree.
Whirligig Beetles
I notice a bird flying to a dead tree over the water.
Not seeing where it lands, I scan the branches until I
find a cedar waxwing perched there. I look for other
waxwings, knowing that they’ll often perch together.
Another did fly by, but, just as quickly, it flew away.
Monkey Flower
Before the bridge, a beaver
dam traps some of the water,
but it appears fairly old. While
standing on a rock at the edge
of the water, I notice a beaver
den in the brook-side marsh.
I wonder if a beaver family
inhabits this place. There are a
couple beaver cuts in the forest
adjacent to the marsh, but
they’re older cuts. I wouldn’t
be able to tell without wading
through the marsh for a closer
look at the den, to see if it had
been rebuilt. The small dam
here looks like it’s in disrepair, which wouldn’t be the
case if beavers were present to fix it on a daily basis.
3
Photography by Scot Langdon
Jordan Mazzola, Tish Conway, Tim Quinn, and Eli Mazzola with
Bucky the Beaver Brook Mascot at Fall Festival
Couple enjoying Maple Hill Gardens
2015 Fall Festival art winners
Thank you to all the
volunteers and visitors
at Beaver Brook’s 2015
Fall Festival. Judges
awarded ribbons to the
following people for
their artwork displayed
at the 35th Art Show.
Bird’s eye view of art exhibit in Maple Hill Barn.
“Barred Owl” by Zachary Zahn
Photography
1st prize 2nd prize 3rd prize Zachary Zahn
Kathy Clericuzio
Andrea Waxler
Painting and Other Media
1st prize Stacy Topjian Searle
2nd prize Jill Mudge
3rd prize Paula Mingolelli
Best in Show
Howard Muscott
Best in Theme
Heather Crowley
People’s Choice (Tie) Melanie Chouinard
Zachary Zahn
4
Preschool through 3rd Grade
1st Prize
Broden Pratt
2nd Prize
Evan Reynolds
3rd Prize
Gianna Hebert
4th through 6th Grade
1st Prize
Noah Bagley
2nd Prize
Britney Sayegh
3rd Prize
Max Cohen
9th through 12th Grade
1st Prize
Ashley Mayo
2nd Prize
Ashley Mayo
People’s Choice Children’s Award
Anuhya Chilakapati
Honorable Mention
Isabelle Colantuonio
Mia Karlsson
7th through 8th Grade
1st Prize
Andi Lawner
2nd Prize
Zoe Bertolami
3rd Prize
Miles Keefe
BEAVER BROOK
Cider making at the Fall Festival
Pete Smith with grandson Brayden at the Fall Festival
A farm animal petting zoo was a new feature at the Fall Festival
View from the Loft of the Fall Festival
Jon Siddall shows how to press apples into cider
Enjoying the beautiful day at the Fall Festival
& reciprocal
• Free admission
cooperating
membership at 150
wide
ion
nat
s
ter
cen
nature
on programs
• 10% discounts
transferable)
(discounts are not
newsletter the LOG
s
ok’
Bro
ver
Bea
•
information
• Our introductory
ed maps,
packet, color-cod
ing guide,
wildflower bloom
il guide,
natural history tra
supporter card
window sticker, &
Give the Gift of Nature
this season
E R
M E M B
Honor someone who loves the outdoors with a membership to Beaver Brook
Individual: $50 • Family: $75
New members receive a gift basket with books, free snowshoe rental, and other
nature-themed items as well as a supporter card usable at all ANCA nature centers.
For more information or to purchase a Beaver Brook Membership, visit www.beaverbrook.org.
FALL 2 0 1 5
5
mee t our
dedicated
school year
Teachers
a degree in
Stephanie Doyle has
ed the
join
society & biology and
staff in
ing
Beaver Brook teach
anie
ph
Ste
.
the spring of 2014
m
roo
sh
has added a new mu
ook, which
dimension to Beaver Br
ion. In
reg
is unmatched in the
e also
sh
,
ms
addition to mushroo
found
be
can
loves children and
and
nd
eke
we
offering countless
ce,
tien
pa
r
s of all ages. He
holiday activities for kid
sm is inspiring.
creativity and enthusia
Cathy F
ord
began w ’s interest in biol
ith frogs
ogy
, t
orphane
d baby r oads, and
abb
junior hig
h school its back in
. S
her love
of teach he combined
ing and
animals
to
in the U instruct dog obed
.S. and E
ience
ngl
taught b
iology at and. Cathy
St. Anse
College f
lm
or
joining B ten years befor
e
eaver B
ro
She enjo
ys leadin ok in 2003.
g a
hikes th
rough B dults on full m
o
eaver B
rook tra on snowshoe nigh
ils.
t
6
and highly
a well-loved
is
re
lie
si
a
3 years
Gail B
who spent 2
er
ch
fore
a
te
ed
nc
ampshire be
experie
de in New H
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gr
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t
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fi
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p
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teachin
t is her
ver Brook. I
at
coming to Bea cal way with children th
gi
a
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m
tl
en
nd
a
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tor. Cu
attitude
mazing educa
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a
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ue
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cq
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en at Ja
ishing a gard
can
Gail is establ l in Milford so children
oo
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Sc
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ry
ow
ta
Elemen
d and gr
od is cultivate
learn how fo
Gail Coffey
has been
teacher a
a volunte
er and
t BBA f
or over 2
Gail has
0 years.
also work
ed in envir
protection
onmental
an
The Natu d land conservation
re Conser
for
vancy, th
Nashua,
e City of
NH Audu
bon as w
local land
ell as
trusts an
is motivate
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organizati
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on
s
in N
ted to ins
animals, a
pire child ew Hampshire. Sh
nd habita
ren about
e
ts of New
of nature
the plants
England.
that perv
,
She has
ades all
a deep lo
aspects of
ve
her life.
hiking our
has been
r
the
a
h
u
q
r
a
d is one of but
n
a
s
Jennifer F
r
a
ye
nd,
over 20
hikers arou ty
ic
et
trails for
g
er
en
li
d most
ly persona
fastest an
and friend
g
ul
n
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tf
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h
S
it’s her ea
e.
v
lo
group of
children
pires any
s
in
that the
d
n
a
dgeable
s a BA in
and knowle teaches. Jennifer ha
raises
he
oology. She s and
z
students s
in
S
B
li
y and a
ere in Hol
microbiolog
children h ook has become
d
n
a
s
en
k
r
both chic
Beaver B
ppy that
a
lifestyle.
h
e
er
r
h
a
e
to
w
t
en
m
le
p
t com
the perfec
Ginnie Hoffman is a com
passionate
teacher who develops
special connections
with children by using
songs, games,
and adorable puppets
. Ginnie has been
teaching at Beaver Br
ook for over 25
years and is well know
n for her positive
personality and energetic
spirit. Ginnie is a
lifelong learner and enj
oys discovering new
things every day. She
relaxes by being
creative with crafty pr
ojects.
BEAVER BROOK
r
ed Beave
Jones join as a BS
ie
n
a
h
p
Ste
e h
2014. Sh
is
Brook in
ence and
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mental
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ith a
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ty,
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addition to rved in the U.S.
se
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Stephanie d for a wildlife r
k in
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Force, w
, and a s positive
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J
in New
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to
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te
dedica
fauna.
flora and
Rivka
Sch
been wit wartz has
h Beav
e
Brook
for alm r
ost 10
years.
Sh
environ e also teaches
mental
en
at a co
mmunity richment
teaches
presch
R
iv
ka, a h
a
ool.
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to an a range of top
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c
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Sh
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teas, a
nd tonic
s.
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Tara H Director of Edu
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c
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Assistan ook. Tara’s ex gy
Celeste
r
r
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e
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wind ne e
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t
t
a
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w
s
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c
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Californ
ation
birds an
mmunit
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in
farm in
y
liz
Beave
etime,
other of
n specia
r Bro Affairs at
rest Fre ra
o
technicia gement. As a m
o
F
k
h
a
. She is
l
o
ig
q
o
h
u
h
atic bio
-sc
fun
na
. Ta
an
logist
having
land ma
ch after treasure hunts
a
s
e
M
t
p
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e
a
o
with a
t
k
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ter’s o
py
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f
four, Ta list and is hap ovies, and crea sity and is enjoy
M
& Pol
m
r
ity
icy and arine Science
ier Unive eaver Brook.
on prior unts, host barn
iv
w
R
o
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r
a
k
ed for previously
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t B
th
lead egg
hing deg into activities a
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te love e US EPA.
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sh
with p
r
itie
hikes,
ating he
eople o aring natur
and W s such as w
incorpor
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ild
all ag
designin
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g new n’s Winter o berry pickin
v
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a
Beave
r Bro nd innovativ ernights. In , fitness
ok’s w
e
a
ddition
p
r
ogr
eb site
to
and Fa ams, she m
aintain
cebook
s
pages.
Carol Rit
chie teach
es at
Beaver B
roo
as well a k (since 2006)
s a
Hampshir t Southern New
e Universit
y.
has a Ma
ster’s in E She
SL/
English a
nd a BA
in German
and Engli
sh, but it
was
growing u
p on a fa
encouraged
rm in
Rochester
her love
,
New York
of nature.
leader, Ca
, that
rol
As a dedic
ated Girl
welcome th also provides num
Scout
er
e scouting
ous progr
community
a
to Beaver ms that
Brook.
FALL 2 0 1 5
Kap Siddall is an amazing
pillar of Beaver Brook.
She is a maple sugaring
expert, but her knowledge
of Native American culture
as well as her talent in
finding magic in the forest
is unmatched. Her energy
and experience has led
Beaver Brook to create
many new, successful programs. Kap also constructed our
prized wigwam and labyrinth.
7
Become a Member
Beaver Brook Association attributes a huge part
of its success to the generosity and commitment
of its members. As a private, nonprofit organization we rely on contributions from our visitors
and community members to maintain our trails,
land, and the many historic buildings we use for
environmental education programs.
Your gift allows us to:
• offer year-round environmental education
programs for all ages, all income groups and
learning styles
• actively manage our property and trails using
sound conservation practices
• continue our efforts to further protect land
• map and clear 35 miles of trails and 9
Trailhead parking areas.
Your donation will make a tremendous difference
in preserving the natural world around you,
particularly the local rural characteristics of
Southern New Hampshire.
You will receive a 10% discount on all our
programs, invitations to special events, and early
summer camp registration. You also will receive
admission to our partner nature centers across
North America (ANCA).






$1000+ Global
$500Biosphere
$250 Biome
$150Ecosystem
$75
Community/Family
$50
Individual
View our 2014 annual report online at
www.beaverbrook.org or call the office at
603-465-7787 to have one mailed to you.
In Memory
Beaver Brook lost a great friend,
volunteer, and supporter this fall. Barb
Rottenberg (1922–2015) had been a weekly
volunteer in Beaver Brook’s office for over
ten years. She brought wisdom, enthusiasm,
a bright smile, and a
love of life. We miss
her good humor and
dedication. She made
a difference in the
lives of all those who
knew her.
Barb Rottenberg, celebrates a
birthday at Beaver Brook
8
Homeschool classes RETURN!
Our outdoor classroom is the perfect
complement to any homeschool
curriculum. All of our homeschool
programs integrate science and nature
with math, history, art, and literacy.
Emphasis is placed on all themes being
taught with an interactive, hands-on and
student-led approach enabling your child
to develop a sense of respect and curiosity
about the environment that surrounds
them. Check the web site calendar for
more details. “The Science of Winter”
begins Wednesday, January 6, 2016.
Fall Festival Raffle and Silent
Auction Donors
Amherst Country Club
Attitash Mountain Resort
Bartis Law Offices
Bedford Village Inn
Bertucci’s
Blue Man Group
Boston Swan Boats
CR Coe & Russell Lawson
Buckley’s Restaurants
Canobie Lake Park
Carson City Tire
Chrysanthi’s
Copper Door
Cozy Tea Cart
Cranmore Mountain Resort
Crotched Mountain
Currier Museum of Art
deCordova Museum
Fisher Cats
Frederick’s Pastries
Gail Basiliere
Gibbet Hill Grill
Gunstock
Hildegard Gillette
Innovations Spa
Kim Powers
Kimball Farm Westford
Laurel Hill Jams & Jellies
Loon Mountain
Manchester Monarchs
Mark Daigle
Mile Away Restaurant
Mill Falls at the Lake
Mt. Cranmore
Mt. Sunapee
Orde Farm
Parker’s Maple Barn
Peabody Essex Museum
Pickity Place
Puritan Backroom
See Science Museum
Skydive Pepperell
Storyland
Strawberry Banke
The Cheesecake Factory
The Common Man
The Flying Butcher
The Toadstool Bookstore
Tim Barr Woodworks
Transparent Language
Vertical Dreams
Fall Festival Donors
Brookdale Fruit Farm
Hall Farm
Kimball Family Fruit Farm
Lavoie’s
Lull Farm
The Mixed Border
Re/Max
Fall Festival Sponsors
Ameriprise
BAE Systems
Lumbard & Kellner
Markel
McLane Middleton
Photographer Friends
C1M Photography, Walter Schnecker
Long Hill Photography, Scot Langdon
Lumina Portraits, Kelli Wholey
Sharon Ward Photography, Sharon Ward
Also thanks to donors Kap Siddall, Fred Farmer, Amy
Borlaug, the Baryiames Family, and the Preston Family
Fund for their thoughtful contributions to our organization.
Thank you to volunteers from BAE, Intel Corp, and Life is Good who each
donated a Day of Caring at Beaver Brook’s Maple Hill Farm.
BEAVER BROOK
BBA
Trail
Notes
By Glenn Lloyd
O
n June 6, 2015, Pete Smith and Brandon
Rackliff co-hosted our National Trails Day
activities. Volunteers joined staff at this annual trail
improvement event. Focus was on a significant
clean-up along both sides of the entire Wildflower
Trail. This trail, with its diverse wildflower plantings,
is an important segment of our trail network within
the “Education Corridor” near Maple Hill Farm.
Thanks again to Ollie Stone, Carol Follansbee, Jean
Adamson, Bill Clark, and Peter and Nan Quintin for
their time and effort in completing this project. The
traditional after-work pizzas and soft drinks were
enjoyed by all.
Bill and Dee Wagner, long-time volunteer
members of our trail maintenance group, announced
their retirement in June. Thanks from all of BBA for
their reliable oversight and care of their assigned trail
sections. They will be missed.
Thanks again to Dave Anderson, trail maintainer,
for his work on erosion control. Water diversion bar
systems on both Elkins Road and Red Pine Trail
were recently replaced and upgraded. This controlled
run-off on downhill sections help to keep the trailbed firm and dry.
HELP
D
E
T
N
A
W
Do you enjoy interacting with
children? Are you a confident
self-starter with experience
working with children? Do
you like exploring in the
woods and ponds? If so,
Beaver Brook has a new application and
training program for Summer Camp Counselors. Please
contact the BBA office at (603) 465-7787 to receive an
application; submission deadline is December 31, 2015.
For more information about our summer camps visit
www.beaverbrook.org/summer-camps-at-beaver-brook.
Camp runs between June 27–August 19, 2016.
FALL 2 0 1 5
BBA bridge repair work is ongoing. Recently
railings were installed on Brook Trail bridges at
the Burns Farm property in Milford. Bridges are
continuously monitored and tread boards replaced
as necessary.
The United Day of Caring on September 16,
2015, Pete Smith and Brandon Rackliff managed
a large group of volunteers from corporate entities
participating in this annual event. The group focused
on pruning and brushing to keep clear the entire
woods road from Cow Lane at Maple Hill Farm to
the Beaver Brook Trail terminus at route 130. Thanks
again to all participants for this valuable contribution.
We are looking for Keepers of the Bird Blind for
December through April. This person(s) will fill the
bird feeders at the Bird Observation building on the
Teepee Trail near Brown Lane Barn. Please contact
the Beaver Brook office at (603) 465-7787.
Hooded Mergansers April 18, 2015
Have you climbed this rock before?
Take a hike on the Rocky Ridge Trail
for some trail scrambling.
Can porcupines shoot their quills? No, but the
quills do detach easily. The slightest touch can
lodge dozens of quills in a predator’s body. Look
for porcupine trees on Cow Lane and Big Tree Trail.
Beaver Brook
voted 2015 NH
Family Favorite
For the fifth year, Parenting NH
asked its readers to vote for the
people, places, and things that make
the Granite State a great place to raise a
family. Thank you to the readers for voting Beaver Brook a NH
Family Favorite business.
9
Beaver Brook’s calendar of Events 2015–2016
Fitness Hikes
Annual Christmas Bird Count with NH Audubon
Date & Time: Moderately Fast Mondays, 9:00–11:00 am;
Fast Fridays, 9:00–11:00 am
Hike a variety of trails in the region. Includes snowshoes when needed.
Date & Time: Saturday, December 26, 2015
Location: Lawrence Barn, 28 Depot Road, Hollis, NH
Instructor: Richard Bielawski (603-429-2537 or [email protected])
If you are familiar with bird identification and would like to participate, either
in the field or at home as a feeder counter, join us for this traditional event.
Individuals or groups will be assigned specific areas. We will be counting birds
by day and tallying our sightings over dinner at 5:00 pm.
Holiday Wreath making in the Wine Cellar
Date & Time: Saturday, November 28, 2015,
10:00 am & 1:00 pm; Sunday, November 29,
2015, 11:00 am & 2:00 pm
Location: Labelle Winery, Hollis, NH
Instructor: BBA Staff
Fee: $30
Create a luscious evergreen wreath while
enjoying refreshments in the wine cellar at
Labelle Winery Holiday Bazaar. League of NH
Craftsmen will be selling their creations.
Greens gathering & Wreath making
Date & Time: Thursday, December 3, 2015, 9:00 am
Fee: $25/$22 Members
Enjoy an easy hike to find where all the holiday greens and berries grow. We
will harvest a bag of hemlock, laurel, white pine, and berries then return to the
warmth of Maple Hill Farm for tea, muffins, and holiday music with instruction
on making a glorious holiday wreath. Everyone leaves with a work of art.
Free Guided Hike
Date & Time: Sunday, December 6, 2015
See www.beaverbrook.org/calendar for details.
Orienteering
Date & Time: Sunday, December 6, 2015, 10:00 am
Location: Brown Lane Barn, 52 Brown Lane, Hollis, NH
Fee: $3–$8 depending on the course
Orienteering is a fun sport for all ages. Participants
use a map and compass to find markers at features
in the woods. Instruction is provided. Registration
and starts will be from 10:00 am–12:00 pm at Brown
Lane Barn. Courses will be available for beginners to
experienced orienteers. For more information, contact
Pete Bundschuh at (603) 465-3142 or [email protected].
Connecting Communities:
Exploring Monson Village Hike
Date & Time: Sunday, December 13, 2015, 1:00–3:00 pm
Fee: Free, registration required at www.beaverbrook.org
This hike will take you through the abandoned village of Monson, considered
to be one of the most significant archeological sites in New England. Monson
was an early colonial settlement that existed from 1737–1770 and covered
over 17,000 acres. It was part of Massachusetts at its inception. Our hike will
take us along some of the former roads the settlers used and several cellar
holes from the homesteads of early
settlers. Enjoy the well-maintained
fields, stonewalls, forests, and beaver
ponds of Monson. Terrain includes
trails created on rolling hills. Please,
no dogs on this hike.
Beaver Brook Nature Center & Milford
Historical Society in partnership with
Montachusett Regional Trails Coalition and
Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area
10
Guided Full Moon Hikes or Snowshoe
Date & Time: Fridays, January 22, 2016, and
February 19, 2016, 7:00–9:00 pm
Guides: BBA Staff
Fee: $15
Take time to enjoy the beauty of a winter night
and the potential brightness of the moon.
Cocoa, tea, and cookies to warm up afterwards.
Snowshoes or crampons included.
Daytime Guided Snowshoe Hikes
Date & Time: Monday, January 19, 2016,
Martin Luther King Day; Monday, February 15, 2016, President’s Day, 9:00 am
Fee: $10
Parent & Child Nature Hour
Date & Time: Tuesdays, January 5–February 23, 2016, 10:00–11:15 am
Instructor: Gail Basiliere
Fee: $10 per parent and preschooler; $8 for extra sibling; $64 for series of 8.
10% discount Members.
Each week a Natural Wonder theme with story, craft, and hike. Learn the trails
and about New England wildlife, winter changes, and adaptations with your
children. Dress for the weather and for going outside. For children 18 months
through 6 years old.
After-school Club—Forest Freetime!
Date & Time: Wednesdays, December 2, 9, 16, 2015; January 6, 13, 20, 27,
2016; February 3, 10, 17, 2016, 3:45–5:30 pm
Fee: $20 per class or $180 per session
Forest Freetime is a weekly after-school program
open to first- through sixth-graders that focuses
on exploring nature in an adventurous way while
showing children just how much fun unplugged
play can be! Winter activities include snowshoe
hikes, investigating ice, fort making, sledding,
maple sugaring, and more! Includes healthy
snack. Students coming from HUES and HPS
can be bussed directly to Beaver Brook, but
spots are limited. Children can be personally
dropped off at 3:45 pm.
Two Easy Ways to Register!
(603)
465-7787
www.beaverbrook.org
All classes are held at Beaver Brook Maple Hill Farm,
117 Ridge Road, Hollis, NH, unless otherwise noted.
BEAVER BROOK
The Science of Winter: Homeschool Program at
Beaver Brook
Date & Time: Wednesdays, January 6–March 9, 2016, 10:00 am–1:30 pm
Fee: $350 for ten weeks from January through March. 10% discount for
Members and siblings
The Science of Winter program is designed
to integrate all core subjects as we delve
into the mysteries and wonder of the
science behind the winter season and
instill a sense of curiosity about how our
natural environment changes and survives.
Activities include mapping migrating birds,
tracking animals in the snow, investigating
the physics of snowshoes, calculating the best slope for a sledding hill, and a
fun experiment called “Animal Antifreeze.” Maple sugaring, including the
history, chemistry, and science of the process is also part of the curriculum. All
concepts are taught with an interactive, hands-on, and student-led approach.
A detailed description of daily activities is provided weekly as some activities
will vary based on weather and student dynamics. Please contact us with
specific questions about course content. For ages 6–12.
Snowshoe Adventure for Girl Scouts
Date & Time: Sunday, January 17, 2016, 1:00–4:00 pm
Fee: $12
Registration: www.girlscoutsgwm.org
Enjoy a snowshoeing obstacle course, plus a winter quest to look for signs of
life and animal tracks in winter. Have some warm beverages with a snack and
a campfire (weather permitting).
Beaver Brook 5K Snowshoe Race or Hike
Date & Time: Sunday, January 31, 2016, 10:00 am
Fee: $25.00 pre-entry fee. $30 day of the race.
Registration: https://g2racereg.webconnex.com/bbss2016
Enjoy a snowshoe through the beautiful winter woods of
Beaver Brook. Colorful Beaver Brook Snowshoe 5K t-shirts to
the first 100 entrants. Race director Amarello’s famous kale
soup will be served at the finish line. Running snowshoes
available for rent to first 20 entrants for $8.00.
Herbal and Health Classes
Instructor: Rivka Schwartz
Fee: $20 per class. 10% discount when registered for all five. Register for
one, two, or the whole series at www.beaverbrook.org.
•Oils, Salves, and Lip Balm
Date & Time: Thursday, December 3, 2015, 6:30–8:00 pm
Keep your lips moist year round. Learn to make lip balm with an easy, all
natural recipe. Explore the art of creating salves and learn about medicinal
herbs and oils to help with sore joints, wounds, and antiseptics. Bring
home recipes and a sample made in class. These make great gifts for the
holiday season.
•Anti-Virals and Immune Support
Date & Time: Thursday, January 14, 2016, 6:30–8:00 pm
With winter cold and flu season upon us, explore ways to strengthen your
immune system and learn to make herbals with anti-viral properties,
including herbal infusions and long lasting herbal tinctures/extracts.
Discover ways to create some child (and adult) friendly herbals. Take home
recipes and an herbal blend for making elderberry-echinacea syrup.
•Moisturizer and Face Cream
Date & Time: Thursday, February 11, 2016, 6:30–8:30 pm
Is your skin dry from the cold, dry air of winter? Learn to make herbal
moisturizers and face creams and how to custom blend your product with
FALL 2 0 1 5
Valentine Snowshoe Hike & campfire
Date & Time: Saturday, February 13, 2016, 7:00–9:00 pm
Fee: $50 per couple
Enjoy a peaceful hike or snowshoe along a candlelit trail with your loved
one(s) to a grand bonfire with homemade refreshments, hot mulled wine, and
mulled cider. Enjoy some seasonal entertainment and burn off the sweets by
hiking back to the yurt. Register early as this event sells out quickly.
Intro to Back yard Maple Sugaring
Date & Time: See February 2016 calendar listings,
10:00 am–12:00 pm
Instructors: Kap & Jon Siddall
Fee: $20/$18 Members
This class is for adults interested in learning how
to tap sugar maple trees by identifying, measuring,
drilling and setting a tap, and finally cooking sap to
a finished product. Dress for the outdoors.
Groundhog Day & Mid-Winter Celebration
for Daisy & Brownie Girl Scouts
Date & Time: Saturday, February 6, 2016, 1:00–4:00 pm
Fee: $12
Registration: www.girlscoutsgwm.org
Enjoy the puppet show “Get Ready For Winter” and learn about New England
wildlife, including migration, hibernation, and adaptations needed by wildlife
to survive winter. After looking over some real animal mounts, furs and track,
we’ll head out for a hike on the trails at Beaver Brook to find evidence of
animal activities in winter. Return to the farm for cookies and cocoa.
Two Easy Ways to Register!
(603)
465-7787
www.beaverbrook.org
All classes are held at Beaver Brook Maple Hill Farm,
117 Ridge Road, Hollis, NH, unless otherwise noted.
oils and scents of your choice. We’ll go over herbs, essential oils, and
carrier oils with properties that help dry skin, wrinkles, and redness.
Blending moisturizers will be demonstrated. Participants will go home with
recipes, tips for successful moisturizer making, and a sample of the cream
made in class.
•Delicious Dairy Ferments
Date & Time: Thursday, March 10, 2016, 6:30–8:30 pm
If you are curious about how to make probiotic filled yoghurt, kefir, cream
cheese, and cottage cheese in your own kitchen be sure to join us. Studies
show that eating two servings of yoghurt a day improves your immune
response. Yoghurt can be turned into a delicious spread plain or with herbs.
Kefir has even more varieties of probiotic bacteria then yoghurt. When you
make cottage cheese at home you can create a tasty, probiotic filled dish.
Take home knowledge, recipes, and kefir starter granules. •Tonics
Date & Time: Sunday, May 1, 2016, 2:00–3:30 pm
Tonics are gentle herbs that help lay a foundation for health. They help tone
and strengthen weak body systems and increase vitality. These herbs can
include nutritional powerhouses, heart strengthening herbs, or herbs to
fight inflammation among other properties. Celebrate May Day in nature.
Come hike outside to identify and taste some spring tonics, enjoy hawthorn
cordial, and learn about other useful tonic herbs. Take home recipes,
information, and herbal samples.
11
BEAVER BROOK ASSOCIATION
117 RIDGE ROAD
HOLLIS, NH 03049
603.465.7787
Printed on Recycled Paper. Please recycle the Log.
Non-profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Hollis, NH
Permit #22
General Information
The Beaver Brook office at Maple Hill Farm is located 1 mile off of route 122
in Hollis, NH, is open from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Wish List
Scot Langdon
• Nature th
eme jigsaw pu
zzles for child
ren
with 100 or
less pieces
Beaver Brook trails may be accessed from several public roads and are open
• Summer ca
to the public, 365 days a year, from dawn until dusk. When planning your
mp scholarsh
ip for
hike, consult the map first.
low-income
child To preserve the Beaver Brook environment:
• Provide hea
$250
ling nature pr
• We allow dogs on a leash and ask
ograms for
Home, Hea
owners to clean up after their pets.
lth & Hospice
program for
Leashed animals can alert their owners
children w
ho have lost
a loved one to nearby wildlife while not scaring
• Outreach
$200
Program to a
off other hikers or wildlife.
handicapped
school, orga
• We allow horseback riders and
nization, or lib
rary mountain bikers on designated
• Sponsor a
$300
field trip to B
multi-purpose trails in order to
BA with bus
for low-inc
prevent erosion or impact to
ome school sensitive vegetation.
• Corporate
$500
Partners to ad
• We do not allow any hunting or
opt kiosks an
d events
• Newslette
r sponsor
specimen collecting on Beaver
• Donation of
Brook property.
$500
$1,000 to pr
int 10,000 boo
• We do not allow motorized
kmarks;
1 for each
child to take
recreational vehicles on trails.
home from fi
eld trip
• Excalibur
food dehydra
tor
Thank you to our
Corporate Partners
TERINAR
Y
VE
Hollis
HOSPITAL
12
BEAVER BROOK