December is here

The Weekly

News & Updates

December 7, 2022 | Issue 46 - Browser View

December is Here

Beware of deer

A couple days ago I was driving down Pennington Rocky Hill Road and saw a dead buck in the middle of the road. About 50 feet up, I saw a car stalled on the side of the road.

It was sad and costly for both the driver and the deer.

Not surprisingly it was dusk, which is one of the most common times for deer collisions. Also it's important to note that peak mating season for deer in New Jersey runs from late October to mid-December. Here are suggestions to avoid collisions with deer.

In other news, here's a reminder that December is the perfect time for winter seed sowing. My husband placed lots of containers out on our deck which reminded me that I should probably share more about winter seed sowing in future weeklies but here's a little intro I found online to tide you over til I can share more.

Finally, below are pictures and an email we received about a successful native planting. It's always a good time to start thinking about what you might want to plant in the coming Spring!

Unity: A theme to many December holidays

Friends, colleagues, and people on the street have a greater understanding of how interconnected our lives are.

As we close 2022, issues surrounding world peace, global health, climate worries, and international economies are on our minds and impact us locally ...Folks here feel it in everything from our mental health to the inflation hitting our personal pocketbooks.

Yet all the turmoil is resulting in a deeper sense of reflection as we collectively realize that no one can solve major issues in a vacuum. After the recent election, politicians on both sides of the aisle speaking about the importance of coming together to find real solutions. The rest of us are just happy that they finally get what we’ve thought all along — that division is the wrong path and unity is our best hope.

Read the Hopewell Express

Before and After Native Plantings

Today we received a lovely email that we'd like to share. We'll just quote it verbatim:

My wife Mary (who is the real gardener in our family, but I try to help out when I think I won’t do too much damage) and I purchased a set of about 100 plugs and several individual native plants last spring from you folks to put in a berm in her community garden in Glendora. This attempt to introduce native plants into our system succeeded rather well, and I thought you’d enjoy seeing a picture of the result. The attached file shows the berm in which they planted them while they were doing the job, and at the end of the season. As you can see, everything grew amazingly well, and provided a bright spot for everyone near the garden.

FYI, the Gloucester Township Community Garden lies next to the historical Gabreil Daveis Tavern in Glendora. There are 37 plots available (which have all been taken in recent years, with a waiting list), and upwards of 20 gardeners who raise vegetables and flowers therein. My wife Mary is currently the liaison person between the gardeners and the township government, but that will be ending very soon: she’s been doing it for several years.

The people in the first photo are David Rauer and Mary, BTW. He’s one of the gardeners. You can see one of your signs in the second photo: we put two of them up.

Did You Know?

December brings the season of giving. While the most common year-end giving is by check or credit card, FoHVOS has seen a recent an uptick in folks donating securities. We are not surprised. It is easy to do and can be be a tax savvy alternative.

You Can Give More: By donating stock that has appreciated for more than a year, you are actually giving 20 percent more than if you sold the stock and then made a cash donation since you can avoid paying the capital gains and donate the full appreciated value.

You don't need a special account: While FoHVOS accepts funds and from donor advised funds (DAFs), they are not necessary to do a transfer. You can easily transfer securities from any account.

It's Easy: All you do is reach out to Leslie, the FoHVOS Operations Manger and she can share instructions for making a simple transfer. No hassles.

email Leslie

The Outdoor Equity Alliance invites you to...

We are so excited to invite you to join us for this Kwanzaa Celebration! Our partners at the Grounds For Sculpture have graciously opened their amazing space for to the OEA to celebrate Kwanzaa with our friends and partners.

All Kwanzaa celebration ickets include attendance to the

spectacular GFS Night Forms: Infinite Wave!

As the Outdoor Equity Alliance grows, FoHVOS extends out invitation to come along as we join their work towards collective responsibility for our environment, cooperative economic benefits, and justice for our community and future. Come celebrate! Click below for more information!