Jane Ramsey Captures the Beautiful Landscapes of Bucks County — and Helps Protect Them
| | Painter Jane Ramsey will paint en plein air again at next month's Farm to Table, and her painting will be part of the event auction. | | Eat the Weeds: Harvesting Edible Weeds | Crow Garlic, or Onion Grass, is easy to find and works well in cooking. | |
It takes a lot of weeding for a successful garden. Though it can be a tedious chore, it sometimes offers up a tasty snack! Heritage Conservancy Conservation Easement Steward Katie Toner has the lowdown on which common weeds are edible and even what to do with them in the kitchen.
Check out our guide to edible weeds.
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Love nature & the outdoors?
Volunteer with Heritage Conservancy and discover opportunities indoors and outside.
| | | Spring Carnival at Croydon Woods Brings Out the Community for Nature Fun | After a week of storms, the weather cleared for an evening of education and fun. | |
About 130 friends and neighbors joined our annual Spring Carnival at Heritage Conservancy's Croydon Woods Nature Preserve last Friday. Guests enjoyed nature activities and games and learned about local trees, wildlife habitat, and the importance of caring for the local forest.
Aark Wildlife brought rescue animals for kids to meet, including a great horned owl, a black rat snake, a box turtle, and a salamander. Other partners included the PA Game Commission, East Coast Greenway Association, Silverlake Nature Center, and more. Guests enjoyed arts and crafts stations, face painting, education tables, live music, and food trucks.
Students from nearby Keystone Elementary brought parents along to show them where they enjoy our outdoor classroom, and neighbors came out to learn more about the local woods and our role in protecting it.
| | Heritage Conservancy Receives $10k Grant for New Pollinator Meadow Project | Heritage Conservancy received a grant to make important habitat improvements at one of its protected properties. | |
Heritage Conservancy was recently awarded a $10,000 grant by Aqua Essential and Pennsylvania Environmental Council. The funds will be used to convert a 15-acre agricultural field to a pollinator meadow at Heritage Conservancy's Lindsay Farm property.
Funding was awarded through the "Protect Your Drinking Water" grant program, administered by the PEC with funding from Aqua, an Essential Utilities company. Seed sowing is scheduled to begin in mid to late June.
| | A Field Trip to Historic Aldie Mansion | | Students stepped out into the gardens of Aldie Mansion for a mindfulness activity. | | |
Last week 4th-grade students from Titus Elementary School visited Aldie Mansion for a morning field trip. They enjoyed seeing the historic Tudor Revival home and learned about historic architecture and the art of William Mercer.
Almost 80 students attended, and they circulated in small groups to stations that also included environmental science activities, like identifying aquatic macroinvertebrates in creek water samples to understand stream health. They enjoyed a vivid lesson on the threat of pollution and runoff to our watershed using EnviroScape water table models.
Students enjoyed a mindfulness moment with trees and had the chance to engage their senses during a brief nature journaling session, too.
Read more about Heritage Conservancy's education programs.
| | Meet Beth Beans Gilbert, A Business Leader Who Believes in Giving Back | Beth Gilbert Beans (center) photographed with Heritage Conservancy Board member Chris Chandor and Director of Education and Community Programs Shannon Fredebaugh-Siller. | | |
“We are committed to giving back to local organizations, such as Heritage Conservancy, with the understanding that any investment in our community has ongoing returns, whether through increased economic stability, environmental preservation, cultural vibrancy, or empowered community members,” say Beth Beans Gilbert, Vice President of the Fred Beans Automotive Group.
As part of the leadership team, she has supported our education programs through EITC (the Education Improvement Tax Credit) for several years.
Read more about Beth and her connection to the area.
Learn more about EITC with this webinar video.
| | Arbor Day Tree Planting with Gilmore & Associates | | |
Gilmore and Associates sent out a volunteer work crew for an Arbor Day tree planting at Heritage Conservancy's Lindsay Farm Property. The team planted about 100 native trees and bushes. This is just one of the many ways the organization has partnered with us.
"Every day our team makes improvements to the communities we live and work in, but we are called to do more, to support, volunteer, and donate. G&A is more than an engineering and consulting firm, we are a team, greater than the sum of our parts, committed to making a difference."
- Catherine Palumbo
Director of Marketing, Gilmore & Associates (and one of the volunteers)
| | Thank you to the following Platinum Business Leaders for supporting Heritage Conservancy's mission and making accomplishments possible through their generosity: | | |
And to the following Business Partners for their new and renewed support.
Ally Financial, Inc.
Bucks Country Gardens
Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Univest - Banking, Insurance, Investments
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Native Tree ID Walk
Sunday, June 1, 9:00 - 10:30 AM
Join us for an introductory crash course on tree identification. Explore the diverse forest that is our Fuller Nature Preserve and get better acquainted with native PA trees. Beginners are welcome for this informative walk.
Learn more and register now.
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Farm to Table
Saturday, June 21, 5:30 - 8:30 PM
Our summer fundraiser is a unique way to experience the Russell-Mandel Preserve. Enjoy a farm-fresh dinner, live bluegrass music, social hour, and tours, all in support of our mission.
Tickets are selling fast! Get yours now.
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Pollinator Photography Workshop
Thursday, July 24, 5:00 - 6:30 PM
Join photographer Barry Rauhauser for a walk through the beautiful landscape of our Jackson Pond Preserve. Barry will share expert nature photography tips. All levels of experience are welcome!
Learn more and register now.
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