Join us for Pancake Brunch and Rent-A-Bucket Too!

Gather family and friends on Sunday, March 10th and enjoy a delicious brunch, a walk in the sugarbush, a troll sighting and a leisurely visit to Aullwood Farm at 9101 Frederick Pike, Dayton Ohio! Savor a hearty feast of fresh pancakes, seared sausage, scrambled eggs, hot chocolate and coffee, chilled orange juice and of course plenty of maple syrup. Tour Aullwood's sugarbush, discover the fascinating process of maple sugar making and enjoy the simple wonders of the farm and the outdoors! Continuous serving will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Advance registration is not required; you may simply pay at the door. Prefer to pay in advance instead? Visit https://aullwood.audubon.org/PancakeBrunchTickets now. The cost is $10.00 per adult (age 13 and up) and $6.00 per child (age 12 and under). Join us for food and fun on the farm!

As spring approaches and sap starts running, it's also time once again to Rent-A-Bucket! With your generous donation of $35, $15 tax deductible, you can 'rent a bucket' and have the name of your choice attached to a bucket hanging from a sugar maple tree at Aullwood Farm. In recognition of your support, you will receive a half-pint of delicious Ohio maple syrup! Syrup will be ready for pickup at Aullwood's Pancake Brunch, or you can have it mailed to you for an additional $8 postage charge. Reserve your bucket at https://aullwood.audubon.org/RentABucket today! Proceeds from Rent-A-Bucket provide vital support for Aullwood's educational efforts in the community. Thank you!

Pancake image (top) © George Dolgikh / stock.adobe.com.

Aullwood Farm Sap Bucket Photo (bottom): Aullwood Audubon / Aullwood Staff

Chipmunk Adventures Await Your Preschooler

Come out with a little one and watch the year unfold together, as we explore and share great adventures at Aullwood Farm! Chipmunk Adventures are classes for preschool children, ages 2-5 years old, accompanied by an adult. Wake Up, It's Valentine's Day! on February 14 is our next session, but a variety of different Chipmunk Adventures classes happen one Wednesday a month during most of the year.

Plenty of hands-on activities, art projects, stories, songs and learning experiences await. Share the excitement as you visit with farm animals, hike in the woods, crunch in the leaves and stomp in the snow. Learn more at https://aullwood.audubon.org/chipmunkadventures and explore our complete class listings for the year!

Preschool Child in Class at Aullwood 2019 Photo: Aullwood Audubon / Jennessa Picirrili

Volunteer Corner

(Nenita Lapitan, Senior Manager, Center & Farm)

Aullwood’s spring events will be here soon, and we hope you can help!

Friends of Aullwood Pancake Brunch

MARCH 10, 2024

SHIFTS (your choice): 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. or 12:00 - 4:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Farm

Flip flapjacks and sausages, make scrambled eggs, keep hot or cold drinks supplied, or serve a delicious plate of yummy goodness at Pancake Brunch. Volunteers are needed in all of these areas – please email nenita.lapitan@audubon.org to sign up!

The Big Pull

APRIL 16, 2024

SHIFT: 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Aullwood Garden Metropark

Help heal our woodlands! Invasive, non-native plants choke out native plants and alter the environment. This will be our 12th year protecting the old-growth woodlands around Marie Aull’s home. Join forces with us, Aullwood Garden Metropark, and the Garden Club of Dayton to rip out garlic mustard, bush honeysuckle and other non-native, invasive plants and support Ohio’s Native Plant Month. Everyone will meet at Mrs. Aull’s historic home, and then we’ll split into teams to work on Aullwood Audubon’s side of the property bordering her woodlands and gardens. Please email nenita.lapitan@audubon.org to sign up or learn more.

Native Plant Sale

Prep Week: APRIL 18-19, APRIL 22-25, 2024

SHIFTS (your choice): 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. or 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Event Days: APRIL 26-27, 2024

SHIFTS (your choice): 8 a.m. - 11 a.m., 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.

LOCATION: Farm

Help us prepare for our biggest fundraiser, which also increases native plant diversity in the Miami Valley. Set up and cover tables, water or tag plants, or help in other ways during the event. Please email nenita.lapitan@audubon.org for details.

Aullwood Spring Fest

MAY 18-19, 2024

SHIFTS (your choice): 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., 12 p.m. - 3 p.m., 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

LOCATION: Farm

Help us celebrate spring on the farm, art, and nature! Exciting activities will include an opportunity for attendees to help create a grassland bird mural with Chris Rowlands. We’ll also need volunteers to help with this project. Other ways to support this popular family-friendly event include assisting in our expanded Children’s Activity Area with artistic activities, games and more, taking admission by the carload, selling pop & water, or monitoring a barn. For details, please email nenita.lapitan@audubon.org.

Stay tuned! There will also be two land management projects happening this spring, planting a native plant Welcome Garden in front of the Nature Center and putting in a native plant stormwater buffer at the Farm. More details will be coming soon!

Farm Babies Fest 2023 Photo: Aullwood Audubon / Ken Fasimpaur

Summer Earth Adventures 2024: Find Your Flock!

Aullwood's Summer Earth Adventures 2024 summer camps will run from June 10 through August 9! This year, we will feature 8 week-long camp sessions from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for ages 5-12 and 4 half-day sessions from 9:30 a.m. to noon Monday-Wednesday for ages 4-5. Each week of SEA will feature a different theme as campers explore the great outdoors on Aullwood's trails and farm!



Public registration for SEA will open on Monday, March 25, 2024. Early registration and discounts will be available for Friends of Aullwood members. Members should watch their email in March to stay informed! Getting this newsletter from a friend or on the web? Visit https://aullwood.audubon.org/subscribe and join our mailing list to be notified directly when public registration opens. You can also visit https://aullwood.audubon.org/SEA any time for the latest information. We have a number of SEA scholarships available, so please email us at education@aullwood.org for additional information on these great opportunities!

Summer Earth Adventures 2024 Art: Chris Rowlands

Fresh Arrivals in the Nature Store and Gift Shop

Puzzles and games equal screen-free family fun! New in the Nature Store, we have Where Do I Live Bingo – Match Animals to Their Habitats, Dinosaurs Skeletal Systems Puzzle with glow in the dark bones, and puzzle sticks featuring dinosaurs and jungle animals. Purchase a puzzle or game in February and receive a 4 oz. bag of Amish Country Popping Corn to make puzzle and game night even more fun!

Don’t forget the birds! Aullwood's Nature Store is stocked with a variety of feeders, seeds and suet cakes. Be prepared for the return of hummingbirds in April with a new feeder or a fun hummingbird swing. Remember, Friends of Aullwood members always receive a 10% discount on Nature Store and Gift Shop merchandise, and store sales support Aullwood’s community education programs!



Stop by and shop at the Gift Shop inside our Nature Center any time during regular hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Store admission is always free!

Aullwood Nature Store and Gift Shop January 2024 Photos: Susan Havran / Aullwood Audubon

• FEBRUARY 1 - FEBRUARY 29: The Troll That Hatched an Egg: An Exhibition by Thomas Dambo (Farm & Center)
• FEBRUARY 1 - FEBRUARY 29: The Geo Gnomes of Aullwood (Farm & Center)
• FEBRUARY 6, 13, 20 & 27: Birding the Farm Walks, 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Farm)
• FEBRUARY 1, 2, 15, 16, & 29: Project FeederWatch, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (Center)
• FEBRUARY 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29: Adult Member Discovery Walks, 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. (Center)
• FEBRUARY 10: Sweetheart Rocks Jewelry Workshop, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (Center)
• FEBRUARY 14: Chipmunk Adventures for Preschool Children: Wake Up, It's Valentine's Day!, 10:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. (Farm)
• FEBRUARY 18: Sugarbush Walk, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (Farm)
• FEBRUARY 19: Aullwood Closed for the Presidents' Day Holiday (Center & Farm)
• FEBRUARY 24: Skunk Cabbage Walk, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (Center)

Keeping Aullwood Open in the Winter

Making sure Aullwood stays up and running year around takes a great deal of work, and the winter season is certainly no exception. Snowy and icy weather means early mornings for Aullwood staff, whether it’s a weekday or a weekend! Decisions on weather delays or closings need to be made early to allow staff, volunteers, and the media to be notified in a timely manner. This also means keeping a vigilant eye on upcoming forecasts, before the weather actually arrives.

When the weather hits on weekdays, our priority is taking care of the Farm Preschool. Facilities Manager Ryan Walburn and Grounds & Maintenance Senior Assistant Chris Coleman are at the farm by 5:30 a.m. to begin treating sidewalks and the parking lot for the bus and families bringing students to the preschool. Next, the Nature Center parking lots and sidewalks are salted, and finally, attention is given to the rest of the untreated areas at the Farm. If snow needs to be removed, Ryan and Chris might need to spend all day moving snow around. Their cold weather arsenal includes a pickup truck with a plow and salter, snowblowers, and the humble snow shovel. If snow is 3-4 inches deep, they also use the John Deere tractor.

Even with careful and judicious clearing, Aullwood Audubon has a great deal of sidewalks, driveways and other surfaces to treat. During these past two cold spells, 2,750 pounds of salt was used to melt snow and ice, and it took 40 hours during these time periods to treat all the various surfaces and ensure the safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers. Thank you so much, Ryan and Chris!

Aullwood Farm December 2013 Photo (top): Aullwood Audubon / Aullwood Staff.

Aullwood Nature Center December 2020 Photo (bottom): Aullwood Audubon / Ken Fasimpaur.

Buy and Donate Business Partnerships

Aullwood's partnerships with local businesses provide support for our environmental education programs for children at no cost to you. Please help Aullwood by registering today!

Kroger Community Rewards Program

You can shop until you drop at Kroger and support Aullwood at the same time in just a few easy steps!

* Visit their website at www.KrogerCommunityRewards.com

* Click SIGN IN to access your account or CREATE ACCOUNT to make a new one.

* Once you've logged in, make Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm your charity of choice. Aullwood’s Charity ID Number is YN601.

* Shop at Kroger as normal using your Kroger Plus account and a portion of your sales will support Aullwood’s programs for local children!

* You will know you are giving to Aullwood when you see this at the bottom of your receipt: “At your request, Kroger is donating to Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm.”

Dorothy Lane Market's Good Neighbor Program

It’s easy to join the DLM Good Neighbor Program and support Aullwood! Please keep in mind you must re-enroll each year for this program from Dorothy Lane Market.

* Visit their website at www.DorothyLane.com

* Click IN-STORE on the navigation bar across the top of the page.

* On the next menu under the "What's Happening" heading, click CLUB DLM.

* Scroll down until you see the DLM GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM, then click ENROLL NOW.

* Type in your First & Last Name, Email and Club DLM / Phone Number. Don't have a DLM Club card yet? Click the appropriate link to get one.

* Select Aullwood Audubon as your charity and click SUBMIT. Afterward, every time you shop and scan your Club DLM card, Aullwood will be 'credited' with your purchase!

Thank You for Your Support

Aullwood Audubon and The Friends of Aullwood gratefully acknowledge donations from:



Honda of America Foundation

The Graymer Foundation

The Mary Kittredge Fund of The Dayton Foundation

Sue & Ben Fry

James A. Harrison

Mrs. Joanne Spurlino

The Judy Royer Fund of The Dayton Foundation

Renee & Charlie Anderson

Mrs. June D. Smythe

Katrinka Westendorf

Zoe Hittner

Laurie Siebenthaler Fanning

Carol & Bob Bertrand

Jim & Jan Runkle

Riverdale Optimists

Tim & Karen Beaty

Michael A. Houser

Ms. Margaret French

Bob Lorenzetti

John Siehl

Deb & Joe Armanini

Linda Denney

Bob & Marie Lewis

Rebecca Gebhard

Mikki White

Greene County Community Foundation

Nancy Nerny

Monica Snow

David & Joelle Gibson

Todd & Lora Stowe

Charlie & Dianne Shoemaker

Tera Arthur

Charity Krueger

Eubel Brady & Suttman

Steve & Ellen McHugh

Joanne & Stan Troha

Memorials and Tributes

In memory of Chris Morris:

• Bob & Diane Morris

In memory of Janice Lynn Vescio:

• Theresa Fortuna

In memory & honor of Roselyn Joy Haas:

• Carol & Charles Riggle
• Linda Partain
• The Zechar Family: Michelle, Ben, Krista, Liam, Connor, Owen, Nathan, Chia-jui and friend Ralph Shull
• Christine & Raymond Pikna and Shannon, Rudy & Audrianne
• Constance Kuntz
• Andrew McDonald

In memory of dear son Michael:

• Amy Kasprzak

In memory of Jean Lorenzetti

• Bob Lorenzetti

In honor of Judy L. McCormick

• Beverly Parker

In celebration of Linda Shapiro’s birthday

• Judith Woll

In memory of Judith Royer

• The Royer Family

In memory of Eileen Lucente

• Antonette Lucente
• Beth Fraser

In memory of Clarence H. & Constance Q. Westendorf

• Katrinka L. Westendorf

In celebration of Idele Ports’ birthday

• Lynne Kramer

In memory of Harold and Gladys Dawson

• Thomas & Donna Dawson

In memory of Barbara Gower

• Monica M. Snow

In memory of Glenn Marin

• Linda Denney

In memory of Joeanne Conners on her birthday

• Catherine & Paul Knoop

In honor of Joan and Bob Siebenthaler

• Laurie Siebenthaler Fanning
• Robert K. Siebenthaler



From the Artist's Notebook

(Chris Rowlands, Program Manager, Environmental Arts)

Aullwood Audubon | AskUs@aullwood.org | 937-890-7360 | www.aullwood.org