The Hawthorn

The Hawthorn
Fall 2014

New Venue, Extended Hours

for Annual Holiday Bazaar
The Merryspring Holiday Bazaar is moving to downtown Camden this year and
will take place throughout Camdens popular Christmas by the Sea Weekend,
making it more accessible to more holiday shoppers.
The convenient new storefront venue is at 8 Mechanic Street, located between
French & Brawn and Camden Merchants Showcase in downtown Camden. The
Holiday Bazaar will begin with the traditional Advance Sale for Merryspring Members on Thursday, December 4th, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and it will continue during those same hours on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for all Christmas by the
Sea shoppers.

Shop for birch bark wreaths crafted by the Merry Elves .

Merryspring members will receive a 10% discount on all purchases throughout

the four-day event. Non-members will be able to purchase a Merryspring membership during the Holiday Bazaar to take advantage of this discount.

As always, the Holiday Bazaar features natural and nature-themed items for your home, your table, your friends, and your guests.
Volunteers have crafted beautifully decorated balsam and birch bark wreaths, evergreen swags, miniature boxwood trees, and
one-of-a-kind arrangements. If you like to make your own decorations, youll find plain balsam wreaths, bundles of greens, winterberry, holly, and other supplies. Shopping for others? Potential hostess gifts and stocking stuffers include seaglass ornaments, vintage paper luminaries, paperwhite bulbs in decorative bags and pre-planted containers, catnip toys, botanical note cards, edible
treats such as homemade spiced pecans, and lots of other wonderful surprises.
In addition, there will be a special holiday raffle featuring a fairy garden centerpiece as the first prize. Other prizes include a collection of nature-inspired old world Christmas ornaments and a handcrafted star.
All proceeds from the Holiday Bazaar benefit Merrysprings programs and workshops and help maintain the parks trails and gardens. For more information, please call 207-236-2239 or visit www.merryspring.org.

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 Ross Center on Friday mornings (and other days, too) since late October to decorate wreaths, make ornaments, cut fabric, tie
bows, and create some unique nature-based items for the Holiday Bazaar. The ideas they come up with are truly super natural.
And they do this for the joy of helping Merryspring and for the thrill of watching their handmade gifts being enjoyed by so many
holiday shoppers.
The Merry Elves at work below in the Ross Center.

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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

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 from 9 a.m.
to 2 p.m., or by appointment.

Membership Fees
Individual

$35-49

Family

$50 99

Business

$50-100

Keeping in Touch
You can sign up for our eUpdates at
www.merryspring.org to receive the
latest news on educational programs, workshops and events. Or
you can check on upcoming events
by going to our Facebook page at
www.tinyurl.com/merryspringfacebook/.

Board of Trustees
Ray Andresen, President
Glenn Jenks, Vice President
Richard Ailes, Treasurer
Tom Jackson
Kathleen Kull
Karin Rector
Sarah Rheault
Susan Shaw
Jeannine Smith
Matthew Speno

Staff
Toni Goodridge, Managing Director
Brett Willard, Program Director
Cindy Gerry, Garden Manager

2014All Rights Reserved

Fall 2014

Presidents Message

Inside this issue:

Theres More To Be Done

Holiday Bazaar

Merry Elves

Presidents Message

New Trustee

Park Etiquette

Education Award

All Hallows Eve

Tuesday Talks Preview

Greenhouse Activities

Events Calendar

Volunteer Appreciation

Volunteer Opportunities

Kitchen Tour Recap

Merryspring Reservations

By Ray Andresen
Our annual Holiday Bazaar is just around the corner, marking
the end of another exciting and successful year at Merryspring.
Weve conducted some 80 educational programs and
classes this year, attracting about 2,000 participants.
Weve restarted our summer ecology camp for kids
after a hiatus of several years.
Weve entertained hundreds of new visitors from here
and away.
Weve put a new roof on the Ross Center, started making improvements to the greenhouse, and installed new
energy-efficient lighting throughout our main building.
Weve made changes to our gardens, our trails, and our
main entrance.
But theres more to be done, and we need your help.
In particular, we need to raise more money to continue making
improvements to your Nature Center. The Hexagon needs a
new roof. The Rose Cottage could use a new roof too. The
greenhouse needs more investment to make it suitable as a
year-round educational resource. And, as you can imagine, the
November 2nd storm wreaked havoc on our 66 acres, toppling
hundreds or trees and leaving most of our trails impassable.
So, as you prepare for the hustle and bustle of the holidays,
I hope you will take the time to read our Annual Appeal thats
in the mail and that you will consider making an additional,
year-end, tax-deductible contribution to your Nature Center.
Thank You and Best Wishes for the Holidays.

Jeannine Smith Joins Board of Trustees

Jeannine Smith of Camden was elected to the Board of Trustees in October. Jeannine moved to Camden from Atlantic
Highlands, N.J., earlier this year, and she brings 20-plus years
of experience working for Fortune 500 companies.
During her professional career, Jeannine was responsible for
an international network of customer support staff and trainers while based in Manhattan. She also was responsible for
large-scale event management while in the corporate world
and has been responsible for fundraising for her volunteer
endeavors as well.
Jeannine graduated from the University of the Sciences in
Philadelphia with a degree in Biology, which included a specialty in genetics and microbiology. An avid outdoor enthusiast, hiker, photographer and gardener, Jeannine decided to
leave corporate life in 2014 and devote her time to her first
loves: the environment, wildlife, and nature conservation.
Jeannine has a long history of community involvement and
volunteerism. Since moving to Camden, she not only became a
Merryspring member but also volunteered to help on the
Kitchen Tour, joined the board of directors at NorthStar Horse
Rescue (based in Rockland), and also served as a volunteer at
the Camden Public Library.
Jeannine currently works at the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland and helps out at both Sage and Surroundings in Camden.

Park Etiquette
Merryspring Nature Center is a
private, member-supported nonprofit nature park and education
center that is open free daily to
the general public. For your own
enjoyment and safety, and to
protect and preserve the park,
please follow these simple rules:
Stay on the paths or lawns and
do not step in the flower
beds.
Leave all plants, flowers, and
wildlife undisturbed.
Dispose of trash properly.
Park in designated areas only.
Enjoy your picnic, but no cooking please.
Footwear must be worn at all
times.
No admittance from dusk to
dawn.
No smoking in the buildings or
on the grounds.
No bicycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, or other recreational
vehicles are allowed on
trails, lawns, or fields.
No hunting or trapping is permitted.
No dogs, except service dogs,
are allowed anywhere in the
park.

The Hawthorn

Fall 2014

Page 3

Brett Willard Receives Excellence in

Conservation Education Award
Brett Willard, the Program Director at Merryspring, received the
Excellence in Conservation Education Award at the Annual Awards
Banquet of the Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District
(KLSWCD) in North Nobleboro on November13.
We are very pleased to present this award to Brett, a talented
young educator whom we have worked with extensively since he
arrived on the midcoast scene a couple of years ago as a Maine
Conservation Corps Environmental Educator at Merryspring, said
Rebecca Jacobs of KLSWCD. He has participated in our Conservation Fair for the past three years, coming up with a new and different activity for students each year. This year he made clouds in a
jar! And this past summer, we collaborated with Brett to design two Brett Willard with summer campers at Merryspring.
weeks of summer camp programming at Merryspring, bringing new life to an old program that hadnt been run in several years.
In his three years at Merryspring, Brett has focused on increasing Merryspring's presence in the local community, including reaching out to schools for field trips and classroom visits, regularly working with local scouting groups on outdoor education and ecology programs, and building partnerships with local libraries and after-school programs as well as other area environmental and
conservation-based nonprofit organizations.
In addition, Brett has curated and organized all of Merryspring's educational programs, including the annual Tuesday Talk series of
weekly lectures for adults, the Weekend Workshop series, a variety of special events, and drop-in science programs for children.
We look forward to continuing the productive and beneficial relationship with Brett that has been fostered over the past two
years, Rebecca added, and know that we will continue to see great things from him.
In addition to Brett, the KLSWCD honored a number of people who have worked to further conservation goals through soil erosion
and water quality protection practices at home, in the woods, on the farm, or on a construction site, as well as those individuals
who have assisted the District with their time and volunteer efforts.

All Hallows Eve Walk Scares Up Fun

Merryspring partnered with the Ashwood Waldorf School on Halloween
to present the annual All Hallows Eve Walk at the Nature Center. This
event has been a huge success for 13 years, and 2014 was no exception
with an estimated 800 children and adults in attendance.
For one magical night, Merryspring was transformed into an enchanted
forest. Scarecrows stood in the gardens. A fortune-teller revealed the
future, and children took to the woods, dressed in fantastic costumes.
A gorilla guarded the rose garden, fairies sat perched in trees, a noble
knight fought a dragon, and some even say a centaur was spotted patrolling the trails. Guides escorted children and families through the jackMerryspring becomes an enchanted forest with scarecrows, fortune o-lantern-lit forest. Along the way, guests were treated to scenes of fantellers, and jack-o-lanterns every year on All Hallows Eve.
tasy and fairy tales acted out by Ashwood students.
The festive fun didnt stop after the walk was over, either! A bonfire
provided a place where families could meet and children could hear
campfire stories, retired Ashwood teacher Ursula Leonore played folk
songs on her accordion, and deep in the woods a campfire burned with
scary stories for older children and teens.
The crowd may have been the largest ever to attend an event at Merryspring. Programs like this are a great way to introduce new visitors to
Merryspring, with many guests visiting the Nature Center for the first
time, and the staff looks forward to partnering with the Ashwood Waldorf School for many Halloweens in the future.

Page 4

The Hawthorn

Fall 2014

Exciting New Season of

Tuesday Talks Begins January 27
By Brett Willard
Program Director
We have an exciting series of Tuesday Talks lined up for
2015. Our acclaimed lecture series resumes on Tuesday,
January 27 and will continue through the following eight
months, bringing a variety of guest speakers and interesting
A 2014 talk on Wolves in Maine filled the den.
topics to the Nature Center.
The 2015 Winter and Spring Series (shown on the facing page) will present a combined 23 weeks of noontime talks.
This schedule features many new speakers and subjects as well as a handful of crowd favorites. Gardeners, naturalists,
and scientists alike will all find something to see during next years lecture series.
Kicking off with a talk on the Environmental Issues of 2015 (with Lisa Pohlman on January 27), our Tuesday Talks will
cover such diverse subjects as How Phytoplankton Rule the World (with Ivona Cetinic on March 10) to Gardening
with Moss (with William Cullina on March 31) to Henry David Thoreau (with Kristen Case on May 19) and to How
to Grow and Make Mustard (with Betz Golon on April 14).
The Summer Series schedule, running from July through October, will be announced in the spring of 2015.
Our 2014 series of Tuesday Talks was a runaway success, with close to 900 guests attending throughout the year.
Many of the talks were so well attended they ended up standing-room-only, including talks on the Biggest Trees in
Maine and Organic Weed Control. We hope to match or exceed that total number of guests in 2015, with a diverse
selection of programs designed for the naturally curious.
Of course, Tuesday Talks are not the only educational events on the Merryspring calendar for 2015. We will continue
to provide an interesting array of Weekend Workshops, art classes, and special events throughout the spring. For
more information on all of our educational programs, check out the 2015 calendar on the opposite page, contact the
Merryspring office at 236-2239, or go to our website at www.merryspring.org.

Winter Is Coming, But the Heat Is On

By Cindy Gerry
Garden Manager
The Merryspring greenhouse will be up and running this winter. After the
holidays, I will be leading workshops on plant propagation, raising micro
greens and sprouts (in the winter), and starting seeds and plants for planting in the spring. Some of the workshops will offer limited greenhouse
space in exchange for help in the greenhouse.
Between the weather and storms, I did not get to do all the dividing and
replanting in the gardens that I hoped to do this fall. So, this spring
assuming we have one I will be working on moving things around between all the gardens to effect a better and more workable design. I am
really excited to make these changes. Volunteers will learn about design,
maintenance, and division AND go home with FREE PLANTS!
My schedule is flexible, so if you would like to coordinate times and tasks
for volunteering this winter or spring, please send an email to me at
gardens@merryspring.org. I will be sure to get back to you.
LETS GROW TOGETHER.

The Hawthorn

Fall 2014

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2 0 1 5 Ev e n t s C a l e n d a r
WINTER TUESDAY TALKS
Sponsored by

Allen Insurance and Financial

January 27

Environmental Issues for 2015 Lisa Pohlman

February 3

Maines Sea Vegetables Sarah Redmond

February 10

Growing Great Vegetables John Fromer

February 17

The Science of Hibernation Rita Seger

February 24

New Plants for 2015 Hammon Buck

March 3

Eat the Suburbs! Lisa Fernandes

March 10

How Phytoplankton Rule the World Ivona Cetinic

March 17

Wild Bird Rehabilitation Laura Lecker

March 24

Gardening and the Mind Sharon Turner

March 31

Gardening with Mosses William Cullina

April 7

Canada Lynx in Maine Jennifer Vashon

SPRING TUESDAY TALKS

April 14

Grow and Make Your Own Mustard Betsy-Ann Golon

April 21

Gaia Theory Alder Stone Fuller

April 28

Bluebirds Jeff Nims

May 5

Mason Bees Kathleen Marty

May 12

Alewives Upstream Journey Lisa Kerr

Propagation Workshop *
January 24, 10 a.m.12 p.m. Learn various methods of increasing your plant
stock through cuttings, dividing, and layering. Instructor: Cindy Gerry

Camden Naturalists Walk

February 7, 10 a.m.12 p.m. Local nature enthusiasts will lead discussions and
answer questions along this free guided
exploration of Merrysprings winter ecology. Snowshoes recommended.

Grow Your Own! *

June 2

February 21, 10 a.m.12 p.m

Microgreens & sprouts provide easy,
H.D. Thoreaus Evolving View of Nature Kristen Case
fast, fresh nutrition all year round. Select
from a large variety of greens & herb
Beekeeping at Merryspring Holly & David Edwards
seed to sprout, take home, and eat.
Tending the Perennial Garden in Early June Wendy Andresen Instructor: Cindy Gerry

June 9

Designing and Using Root Cellars Jim Merkel

June 16

To Be Announced

June 23

Tending the Perennial Garden in Late June Wendy Andresen

June 30

Rose Day Glenn Jenks

May 19
May 26

Vermiculture & Worm Bin Workshop

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

*These gardening-specific classes will take place inside the Merryspring greenhouse.
Vernal Pools Workshop
April 25, 13 p.m. See the Merryspring vernal pool in
full swing and learn how life is flourishing under the
shallow water. Instructor: Phillip DeMaynadier

February 28, 9 a.m.12 p.m

Learn the basics of worm composting
and build your own worm bin to take
home. Instructor: Jack Robie

Garden Kickstart! *
March 21, 10 a.m.12 p.m.
Learn how to start vegetables and flowers indoors for transplanting outdoors in
late spring. Instructor: Cindy Gerry

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The Hawthorn

Fall 2014

Volunteer Appreciation Party!

Volunteers Always Welcome

In what has become an annual ritual, Merryspring held a
Volunteer Appreciation Party on Friday, September 27 to
thank all of our wonderful volunteers. There were lots of
tasty treats and beverages, lots of raffle prizes, and
(thankfully) just a few short speeches. A special slide presentation of volunteers at work played silently on the screen
inside the Ross Center throughout the celebration.
Want to become a Merryspring volunteer? Then stop by the
office or call 236-2239. We are always looking for more
volunteers. We can use your help with our gardens, trails,
woodlands, library, gift shop, educational programs, and 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 by helping out at our Holiday
Bazaar, Plant Sale, and Kitchen Tour.

The Hawthorn

Fall 2014

Page 7

Kitchen Tour Bigger and Better Than Ever

The 2014 Merryspring Kitchen Tour on August 6 was bigger and better than
ever. More than 600 tour-goers visited nine beautiful homes, five of them
with water views, and sampled gourmet treats prepared by 19 local chefs
and caterers. In all, this popular summertime event raised more than
$25,000 for Merryspring, once again making it our biggest and most successful fundraiser of the year.
While it lasts just one day, the Kitchen Tour takes months of preparation
and perseverance to pull it all together, and for that we are truly indebted
to our 2014 Tour Committee of Ray Andresen, Meg Barclay, Barbara
Bausch, Dorothea Graham, Carol Ann Hendricks, Kathie Kull, Edie Kyle, and
Mary Waltz. We are also very grateful to Charlie Graham and Paula Armentrout for the special assistance they gave us before the Tour, and to the dozens of volunteers who helped park cars, check tickets,
guide guests, and do so many other tasks on Tour Day.

Plans for Next Years Tour

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 culinary delights for our at- Were already starting to look for local kitchens for
the 2015 Kitchen Tour, which will take place on
tendees.
Wednesday, August 5. If you would like to nominate
Our deepest gratitude goes to these gracious homeowners, without whom your kitchen, or know of someone who has recently
there would have been no tour: Nance and Jim Brown, Betsy Henshaw,
built a new house or remodeled an older kitchen,
Rene Mathews and Dan Neumann, Sue and Mike Kandziolka, Rickey
please call the Merryspring office (236-2239) or
Celentano and Dyke Messler, Karen and Rob Brace, Linsey Low, Adele and send an email to info@merryspring.org. Were also
Dave Ames, and Jean and Ken Nolan.
looking for more Committee members, so if youd
A round of thanks too for the talented chefs and staff from 40 Paper, Bixby like to help work on setting up next years Kitchen
Bars, Blue Sky Cantina, Cappy's, Comida Latin Kitchen, Conscious Kitchen, Tour, please contact Merryspring right away.
Delvino's, FOG, French & Brawn, Hartstone Inn, Highlands Coffee House,
Inn at Sunrise Point, Laugh LoudSmile Big, Laura Cabot Catering, Lobster
Pound, Market Basket, Salt Water Farm, Vincent's at Whitehall, and
Whale's Tooth Pub who provided tasty treats enjoyed by our tour-goers.
We would also like to express our deepest appreciation to EBS Style Solutions for being the lead sponsor of this event for many years and to Camden
Real Estate for becoming our new co-sponsor in 2014. Thanks also to Stonewall Kitchen for the gift basket used as a door prize and to Francine Bistro,
Shepherd's Pie, and Seabright Pizza for gift certificates used as raffle prizes.
Finally, Merryspring would like to thank the many businesses, designers,
craftspeople, and friends who supported the Tour, including: 17-90 Lighting
Showroom, Agren Appliance, Bench Dogs, Inc., Brad Daggett Plumbing &
Heating Inc., Carol A. Witham Advanced Health & Fitness, Chatfield Design, Christopher Glass Architect, Cold Mountain Builders, Cornerstone
Kitchens, David C. Olivas DDS, Distinctive Tile & Design, Dominic Paul
Mercadante Architecture, Dream Kitchen Studio, Freshwater Stone, Greg
Day Lighting, Hammond Lumber Company, Handle It!, Interiors By Janis
Stone, J W Custom Woodworking, John Edward Gillespie, Architect, Kelsey's Appliance & Sleep Center, Inc., Lee Schneller Fine Gardens, Lighting
Concepts, Margo Moore, Inc., McCormick & Associates Builders, Morningstar Stone and Tile, New View Studio, O B & Sons, Inc., Ober & Barrett
Builders, Inc., Omni Construction, Inc., Peter T. Gross, Architects, P.A., PHI
Home Designs, Priestley & Associates Architecture, Rockport Steel, Scholz
& Barclay Architecture, Silverio - Architecture + Design, Smith & May, Inc.,
Hearth & Patio Showroom, The Good Table, TREEKEEPERS LLC - Johnson's
Aboriculture, Union Hall, Viking Lumber, Inc., and Village Cabinet & Remodeling Co.

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 near Route 1 in Camden and Rockport, Merryspring offers a secluded, quiet location for your event. Stunning gardens and an
outdoor hexagon are 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. And
the meeting room inside the Ross Center can hold 50 people.
For more information about rates and available dates, please contact
the Merryspring office at 236-2239 or go to www.merryspring.org.