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The Hawthorn

The Hawthorn
Fall 2013

2013 HOLIDAY BAZAAR

Members Only Dec. 5 Open to Everyone Dec. 7


Mark your calendars now so you wont miss the Merryspring Holiday Bazaar on Christmas by the Sea weekend. Always a special event, the Bazaar gives you an opportunity to double your gift-giving, since every purchase of our wonderful holiday decorations and gifts goes to benefit Merryspring Nature Center. Members will have first choice of the goodies at the Ross Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, at the Members Only Sale from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Holiday Bazaar is then open to everyone on Saturday, Dec. 1, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you are not now a member, you can become one at the Bazaar. Members receive a 10% discount on all purchases. As in past years, the Merryspring Holiday Bazaar will feature a variety of natural and nature-based gifts many crafted by our talented volunteers for your holiday purchases. Balsam wreaths (either decorated or plain), birch bark wreaths, evergreen swags, bundles of greens, winterberry, holly, miniature boxwood trees, and attractive centerpieces will be available at the sale. However, we strongly encourage you to pre-order so you can be sure to get the decorations and color scheme you want. The Merryspring elves are waiting to create something just for you, so check out the catalog by going to the Holiday Bazaar page on the Merryspring website http://www.merryspring.org and clicking on the Bazaar link for a copy of the catalog. In addition to holiday greenery, we will have gloves, tools, and books for the gardener or naturalist on your list. We also will have an array of unique gifts that will be available only at Merryspring during the sale. Here are just a few samples to whet your holiday shopping appetite: delicious homemade spiced pecans, herbal sachets, paperwhites in decorative gift bags or pre-planted containers, supplies to make your own decorations, pet treats, botanical greeting cards, note cards, ornaments, and much, much more. And while youre shopping at the Bazaar, be sure to enter our Holiday Raffle. Tickets are $1.00 each (or six for $5) for a c hance to win a framed loon etching ($200 value), a Merryspring signature balsam wreath decorated with natural materials ($35 value), or a Merryspring Boxwood Table Tree ($25 value).

The Merry Elves Make It Happen


The Merryspring Holiday Bazaar could not happen without the Merry Elves. These wonderful volunteers have been gathering in the basement of the Ross Center on Wednesday afternoons (and some other days, too) during the months of October and November to craft their special nature-based items for the Holiday Bazaar. The ideas they come up with are truly super natural. And they do this every year for the joy of helping Merryspring and the thrill of watching their handmade gifts being enjoyed by so many holiday shoppers.

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The Hawthorn The Hawthorne

Fall 2013

Merryspring Nature Center


P.O. Box 893, Camden, ME 04843 Tel: (207) 236-2239 Fax: (207) 230-0663 Email: info@merryspring.org www.merryspring.org

Inside this issue:


Holiday Bazaar Merry Elves New Garden Manager IRA Contributions Community Outreach Window Dressers The Year in Pictures Events Calendar Merryspring Intern 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 5 6 6 6 7 8

Mission Statement
Merrysprings mission is to practice, teach, and advocate sound principles of ecology, conservation, and horticulture in order to protect our natural environment and to provide natural landscapes and cultivated areas for public enjoyment.

Hours of Operation
The park is open free of charge from dawn to dusk every day of the year. Our offices and library are open Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., or by appointment.

Cindy Gerry Joins Merryspring As New Garden Manager


Cindy Gerry of Lincolnville has joined the Merryspring staff as our new Garden Manager. A native Mainer, Cindy has lived in Greece, Saudi Arabia, and on both east and west coasts of United States. With degrees in psychology and business management, and her work as an Airborne Arabic Linguist in the US Air Force, the next logical step was to work as a professional gardener.

Stewardship Volunteer Opportunities Kitchen Tour Recap Merryspring Reservations

Wish List
Merryspring could use these items: Battery-powered drills Winter bird seed Childrens art supplies Garden trowels, garden tools Bug-catching jars Arch for Childrens Garden

Membership Fees
Individual Family Business $35 $50 $50-100

Cindy has been a professional gardener in the Midcoast area since moving back to Maine in 2000.

As a member of Nancy Jackson's crew and independently, You can sign up for our eUpdates at she was integral in the design, installation and maintenance www.merryspring.org to receive the of a variety of gardens. Working with Nancy Jackson's crew latest news on programs and enabled me to collaborate with a group of very talented events. Or you can visit Mergardeners on a huge variety of gardens, each with its own rysprings Facebook page, where challenges and each with a different esthetic, Cindy said.
Keeping in Touch
you can check on upcoming events. Go to www.tinyurl.com/merryspringfacebook/.

IRA Contributions Okay

Board of Trustees
Ray Andresen, President Glenn Jenks, Vice President Richard Ailes, Treasurer Frank Callanan, Secretary Kathleen Kull Karin Rector Susan Shaw Matthew Speno

As part of the "fiscal cliff" tax compromise legislation passed earlier this year, Congress reinstated taxpayers' ability to take She also has experience in bringing damaged shoreland par- required annual distributions cels into compliance with EPA and DEP standards. She con- from their IRAs and contribute tinues to work with her community on educational and his- those withdrawals directly to charitable organizations like Mertoric gardens. And she has written gardening columns for ryspring, treating them as tax-free the Pen Bay Pilot and Village Soup as The Lady Gardener. distributions. It's a convenient Through this work she developed a strong artistic and practiway to satisfy IRA distribution cal sense towards gardening and will be applying that at requirements, support your favorMerryspring this year. ite charitable causes, and receive a tax break. I came to Merryspring as a volunteer 13 years ago, she This provision, called the qualified charitable distribution (QCD) rule, technically expired on December 31, 2011. But thanks to the American Taxpayer Relief Act, taxpayers can take QCDs for all of the 2013 tax year. If you want to take advantage of the charitable IRA rollover, be sure to discuss the specifics of your gift with your tax advisor.

added. I am very excited to return as the garden manager and look forward to working with the community and the organization to make this a great year. I welcome any and all volunteers to come together to work, to learn, and to Staff laugh. Toni Goodridge, Administrative Mgr. Brett Willard, Program Mgr. Cindy lives in Lincolnville with her almost grown up family Cindy Gerry, Garden Mgr. and several animals.
David Cadbury, Property Mgr.

2013All Rights Reserved

The Hawthorn

Fall 2013

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Community Outreach

Expanding Beyond Our Park Boundaries


Over the past two years, Merryspring has greatly expanded its community outreach efforts. Aside from hosting talks, weekend workshops, and family events like our Winter Ecology Festival and Summer Fairy Festival, the Nature Center is becoming known as an environmental education resource both inside and outside the park. 2013 has been a busy year for outreach. Merryspring has exhibited at the Penobscot Bay Chamber of Commerces Business and Community Expo and presented its childrens and summer programs at the Camden Rockport Elementary School Activity Fair. Program Manager Brett Willard has also been a featured speaker at the West Bay Rotary Club and has Brett Willard spies a woodpecker during a Fairy House promet with local Boy Scout and Girl Scout leadership committees. gram at Jackson Memorial Library in Tenants Harbor. Merryspring has also worked extensively with the Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District, exhibiting at both its annual plant sale and the Conservation Fair at Union Fairgrounds. Brett has taught a variety of topics to children at many area organizations. Some of these efforts have included programs in animal tracking and terrarium building at the Coastal Childrens Museum in Rockland, seed starting and companion planting at the Roc kland Public Library, and building fairy houses at the Jackson Memorial Library in Tenants Harbor. Brett also started seedlings and planted them for the new vegetable bed at the Rockport Public Librarys Childrens Garden. In addition to these programs outside the Nature Center, Merryspring still remains a popular destination for field trips. This year Merryspring hosted field trips from the Warren Community School, Union Elementary School, Camden/Rockport Elementary School, the Pen Bay YMCA, and Youthlinks. Merryspring also partnered with the Rockland Public Library, working our annual Childrens Garden Club program in with the requirements for their Dig Into Reading summer reading program. Many Cub Scout and Girl Scout groups have also held meetings at the park, and members of the Wayfinder School and Pen Bay YMCA Leaders In Training camp have held service learning projects improving the Merryspring grounds. Looking ahead to 2014, Merryspring hopes to forge new relationships and strengthen its existing community partnerships. With several new grounds and education projects on the horizon and a renewed interest in expanding our scope, Merryspring plans to continue being one of the premier nature and horticultural education centers in the Midcoast region.

Brett shows off a nesting box at the Conservation Fair.

Dressing Up Our Windows


No, were not talking about holiday greens or snowflake stencils. Were talking about the energy -saving window inserts that Merryspring recently purchased from Window Dressers of Rockland to help reduce heating costs in the Ross Center. Window Dressers is a non-profit organization that seeks to reduce Maines reliance on fuel consumption by manufacturing and selling insulating interior window inserts at cost to residents of mid-coast Maine. The inserts not only reduce heating costs but also reduce the production of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that is harmful to the environment. Last summer, as part of its weekly lecture series, Merryspring invited Window Dressers to give a presentation on its energyconservation work. Impressed, the Merryspring Board recognized that installing window inserts in part of the Ross Center not only would be a good opportunity to reduce heating costs but also provide a good example of energy conservation. The interior storm window inserts are simple wooden frames covered on both sides with a clear polyolefin shrink film, with a dead airspace inside. Around the outside is weather stripping, which acts as a gasket. The inserts are available for the cost of materials only since all fabrication is done by volunteer labor. Window Dressers estimates that a typical house in Maine loses 30% of its heat out the window, and that installing the inserts could realize a 15% to 25% reduction in heating costs.

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The Hawthorn

Fall 2013

Another Event-Full Year at Merryspring


Weve had a very busy year at Merryspring, conducting more than 100 education -related events that attracted at least 2,000 people to the Nature Center in 2013. This wonderful programming included 36 Tuesday Talks covering topics ranging from heirloom plants to maple sugaring, from integrated pest management to the geologic history of Maine, and from bat echolocation to the social life of woodchucks. It also included 11 weekend workshops on such popular topics as vermiculture, seed saving, pruning, foraging, and canning. Merryspring also played host to a Winter Ecology Festival in February, a Summer Fairy Festival in June, the weekly Childrens Garden Club from July through August, four Free Family Workshops during the summer, the annual All Hallows Eve celebration in October, and a series of art classes during the spring and fall.

Attendees at left take part in a Fall Foraging Workshop with Tom Seymour

Members of the Childrens Garden Club learn about pollination from Brett Willard

Wendy Andresen leads an outdoor class on Tending the Perennial Garden.

Tom Jackson gives pruning instructions during a fall pruning workshop.

The Hawthorn

Fall 2013

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2 0 1 4 Ev e n t s C a l e n d a r
WINTER TUESDAY TALKS
Sponsored by

Allen Insurance and Financial and The First January 28 February 4 February 11 February 18 February 25 March 4 March 11 March 18 March 25 April 1 April 8 Wildlife Migrations on Maines Coastal Islands Beth Goettel Hatchet Cove Farm Reba Richardson & Bill Pleucker East Asian Garden Tour Liz Stanley & Lee Schneller Gardening Off the Grid Regina Bartholemew New Plants for 2014 Hammon Buck Sedges of Maine Matt Arsenault Grassland Birds Noah Perlut Biggest Trees in Maine Jan Santerre Seaweed Botanicals Carly Weinberg Early American Naturalists Richard Judd Veazie Dam Removal Cheryl Daigle
Gardening for Mental and Physical Health
March 15, 10 a.m.12 p.m. Master Gardener Sharon Turner demonstrates the restorative and rejuvenative benefits of gardening.

Winter Ecology Festival


February 1, 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. A celebration of Maines winter wildlife and forests. Hot drinks and snacks throughout the day.

SPRING TUESDAY TALKS


Sponsored by The

First

April 15 April 22 April 29 May 6 May 13 May 20 May 27 June 3 June 10 June 18 June 24 July 1

Climbing in Camden Alan Rees Our Native Bumblebees Amy Campbell Marine Corals of Maine Rhian Waller Dragonfly Larvae as Indicators of Water Quality Sarah Nelson Gardening for Birds with Native Plants Sharon Turner A Birding Tour of Maine Ron Joseph 18th Century Herbs Betsy Ann Golon Tending the Perennial Garden in June Wendy Andresen Weed Identification and Organic Control Eric Sideman To Be Announced NO TALK Rose Day Glenn Jenks

Spring Foraging
May 3, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tom Seymour returns to lead another of his popular wild food foraging walks.

Annual Plant Sale


May 10, 9 a.m.2 p.m. Plants grown in our own perennial and herb beds and greenhouse, along with divisions from Midcoast gardeners, round out this major fundraiser. Members get first pick on Friday, May 9, 46 p.m.

All Tuesday Talks begin at 12 noon and generally last about one hour.

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The Hawthorn

Fall 2013

Merryspring Gets New Intern


Meet Mitch! Mitchell Bartlett is an 18-year-old student at the Wayfinder School (formerly the Community School) in Camden. Mitch has joined Merryspring this fall as our new intern through the schools work placement program. Hailing from Naples, Maine, Mitch started at the Wayfinder School this year, and hell graduate in May with his high school diploma. Mitch came to Merryspring through a community service project where he and others closed up the childrens garden for winter. Enjoying his time at Merryspring, he decided to volunteer here regularly on Tuesday mornings as part of his work placement. When not at Merryspring, he also works at Hello Hello Books in Rockland. Since starting at Merryspring, Mitch has helped with a number of projects: closing up the childrens garden, removing annuals from the annual border, collaring and composting the rose garden, marking trails in the Arboretum, and more. He has also participated in staff meetings and is learning the behind-the-scenes work that goes into the daily workings of Merryspring. Mitch enjoys working outdoors at Merryspring, as well as learning about plants, trees, and wildlife. He also hopes to learn about how a non-profit nature center is run. Outside of school and work, Mitch likes playing lacrosse, drawing, reading, and writing. When he finishes high school, he hopes to go to college in Maine for art and business management.

Stewardship, For Now and The Future


Merryspring is a special plot of land. Look at any aerial view of the area and you'll notice Merryspring is at a boundary of development. To the east and south is a high density of homes, businesses, and roads. The west and north are characterized by woods, streams, farmlands and mountains. To the east are the trappings of human development, to the west those of the environment that supports us. Being situated at the transition between nature and development is ideal for Merryspring's special mission of ecology education. In every season, many groups and individuals traverse the gardens, fields, and trails, following program leaders or their own spirit. In the park visitors benefit from the stewardship of the land: lawns mowed, trails cleared and marked, and signs marking species of flora and features Tierra Club members pose after completing a one-day project. of interest. The lion's share of all stewardship is undertaken by volunteers! And volunteering is easy. Just call or send an email to the Merryspring office (236-2239 or info@merryspring.org) or to Frank Callanan at 236-3807 or frank@dataprone.com. Frank heads up the Tierra Club, a sort of clearing house for stewardship work. Volunteer opportunities range widely. Accomplishments in the Spring and Summer of this year included lots of trail pruning producing large slash piles; weekly mowing and weed-whacking; replacement of a footbridge; installation of a stepping stone path on a low-lying trail, marking the new Interpretive Trail with signs, sawing and removing downed trees, and more. Upcoming events will include installation of additional signage in the trail system, oneor two days in early winter for burning slash piles. And of course there are gardening tasks each season too, from seeding to transplanting through weeding and preparing the winter beds.

Volunteer Opportunities

Merryspring is always looking for more volunteers. We can use your help with our gardens, trails, woodlands, library, gift shop, educational programs, and of course our three major fundraising events. As you can see in the box on the opposite page, Merrysprings volunteers have made and continue to make a tremendous contribution to our success and financial stability through these fundraisers. Right now we are looking for help with the following: Crafting items for the Holiday Bazaar Making merchandise tags for the Bazaar Selling and wrapping gifts at the Bazaar Parking and directing traffic during the Bazaar

The Hawthorn

Fall 2013

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Kitchen Tour Still A Tasty Summer Treat


The Merryspring Kitchen Tour proved to be a big midsummer treat once again in 2013 as more than 550 people our largest crowd in several years enjoyed a festive day of visiting eight memorable kitchens and sampling the tasty treats provided by 16 area chefs and caterers. While it lasts just one day, this annual fundraising event takes months of preparation and perseverance to pull it all together, and for that we are truly indebted to our 2013 KT Committee of Kathie Kull, Dorothea Graham, Edie Kyle, Meg Barclay, Barbara Bausch, Mary Waltz, and Ray Andresen. We are also very grateful to Anne Kilham, who designed a beautiful new logo that will grace our Kitchen Tour for years to come. Merryspring would also like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of this years tour, especially the local homeowners who opened their doors and to the local chefs who provided the culi nary delights for our attendees. Our deepest gratitude goes to these gracious homeowners, without whom there would have been no tour: Marjorie and Bill Bell, Brooks Crane and Weber Roberts, David Dickey, Bettina Doulton, Donna and Greg Knowlton, Maureen and Rick Morse, Linda and Chris Pearse, and Marybeth and Steve Pullum.

Looking for Next Years Kitchens


Were already starting to look for local kitchens for the 2014 Kitchen Tour, which will take place on Wednesday, August 6. If you would like to nominate your kitchen, or know of someone who has recently built a new house or remodeled an older kitchen, please call the Merryspring office (236-2239) or send an email to info@merryspring.org.

Special thanks also goes to these restaurants and food purveyors who provided delicious samples throughout the day: Blue Sky Cantina;Caf Miranda; Cappys Bakery; Conscious Kitchen; FOG Bar & Caf; 40 Paper; French & Brawn; Hartstone Inn; Hatchet Mountain Publick House; The Highlands Coffee House; Inn at Sunrise Point; Laura Cabot Catering; The Market Basket; Megunticook Market; Starlight Custom Cakes; and Vincents at The Whitehall Inn. We would also like to express our deepest appreciation to EBS Style Solutions, which has been the primary business sponsor of the Tour for many years, and to Banger Savings Bank, which has been a co-sponsor of the event for the past two years. Thanks also to Francine Bistro and Shepherds Pie for providing the raffle prizes and to Stonewall Kitchen for providing a gift basket as a door prize. Another round of thanks goes to Hope Elephants, which gave several Tour-goers as extra treat by opening its doors for a special viewing of Rosie and Opal. Finally, wed like to thank the many businesses, designers, craftspeople, and friends who supported the Tour, including: 17-90 Lighting Showroom; A.E. Sampson & Son; Agren Appliance & Television; Bench Dogs; Chatfield Design Fine Interiors; Cold Mountain Builders; Cornerstone Kitchens; Crestwood Kitchens & Bath Design Center; David C. Olivas, DDS; Distinctive Tile & Design; Dominic Paul Mercadante Architecture; Dream Kitchen Studio; Fixtures Designer Plumbing Showroom; Freshwater Stone; John Edward Gillespie, Architect; Judith Grossman Decorating; Kelseys Appliance and Sleep Center; Lee Schneller Fine Gardens; Lighting Concepts; Maine Coast Construction; Maple Street Design Studio; Margo Moore Interiors; McCormick & Associates Builders; Mid-Coast Masonry; Mike Farmer, Farley & Son Landscaping; New View Studio; North Atlantic Painting; Once A Tree; Peter T. Gross Architects; Phi Home Designs; Rankins Hardware & Building Supplies; Rockport Steel; Scholz& Barclay Architecture; Seacoast Security; Silverio Architecture & Design; Smith & MayHearth & Patio Showroom; Stephen G. Smith Architects; Stonescape Masonry; Surroundings; The Good Table; The Harley Company; The Well Tempered Kitchen; Treekeepers/Johnsons Arboriculture; Valliere Design Studio; Viking Lumber; Vision Builders; and Windsor Chairmakers.

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P.O. Box 893 Camden, ME 04843

Reserve Merryspring for Your Event


Remember to think of Merryspring when you or your friends are planning a wedding, memorial service, meeting, or other event. Conveniently located yet away from the noise and bustle of the towns of Camden and Rockport, Merryspring offers stunning gardens and an outdoor hexagon perfect for small ceremonies. A well-tended lawn bordered by flower beds filled with spectacular color from June through September will accommodate a tent for up to 200 guests. For more information about rates and available dates, please contact the Merryspring office at 236-2239, info@merryspring.org or visit www.merryspring.org.

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