Moose Hill Happenings March 2012
Maple Event
Maple Sugaring Festival…40 Years of Sweetness!
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Session 1: Sunday, March 11
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Find out what's happening in Foxboroughfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Session 2: Saturday, March 17
Session 3: Sunday, March 18
Times Each Session:
11, 11:15, 11:30, 11:45 a.m., 12:30, 12:45, 1, 1:15, 1:30, 1:45, 2, 2:15, 2:30, 2:45, and 3 p.m.
Fee Information
Pre-registration rate: $7 per person
Day-of rate: $8 per person
Children age three and younger are free.
Join in the celebration of 40 years of maple sugaring at Moose Hill! Travel back in time and discover the history of maple sugaring during this special 90-minute outdoor, guided tour. Visit a Native American and colonial site meeting with people portraying characters from the past as they go about their daily chores, including making maple syrup. End your travels in the present day at our operational sugar house where we are turning sap into syrup. A taste of the final product will conclude your program. Dress for the weather, but plan to come inside for additional sugaring fun after your tour.
Pancakes with syrup, “sap” dogs, maple popcorn, and more delicious food items will be available for a small additional fee at the Nature Center. Make a simple project to remind you of your maple sugaring experience at our children’s craft table. Test your maple sugaring knowledge at the quiz board. Learn about other Mass Audubon offerings and opportunities. Add your sugaring memories to our Memory Board and check out our images from past sugaring seasons.
Pre-registration is highly recommended, as some time slots may be filled. If you have questions about this event, please contact Patti Austin at paustin@massaudubon.org or781-784-5691. This is a great opportunity for scout and community groups. Please note that the event trail will be closed to hikers during the program, but there are still plenty of trails available for hikers to enjoy.
Rent-a-Bucket
You can help support Moose Hill’s maple sugaring programs by renting a maple bucket. For just $15 you will help support this annual program. All sponsors will be listed at the Nature Center and receive a small bottle of syrup at the end of the sugaring season. All proceeds will go to support Moose Hill’s educational programs. To rent a bucket, please send your name, contact information, and the fee to Moose Hill. We will contact you when your bottle of syrup is ready. Thanks!
Family Programs
Free Star Parties
Join local astronomers for a look at the stars and other night objects through big telescopes. The event is on-going, so drop in for all or just some of the evening. This program is cancelled if sky conditions are cloudy or in extreme snow/cold; call Patti Austin at 781-784-5691 x8103 after 6 pm for a recorded message concerning the status of the program prior to attending. Park in the Nature Center parking lot and follow the marked trail to the viewing field. Bring a flash light for the short, self-guided trail walk.
Session 3: Sunday, March 25; 7 – 10 pm Free
Back from the Amazon!
Join Sanctuary Director, Christine Turnbull for an “armchair adventure” as she recounts her recent Mass Audubon travels to the upper reaches of the Amazon in Peru. Learn about the fantastic creatures that inhabit this extensive freshwater river from the comfort of your chair.
Sunday, March 4; 4:30 – 5:30 pm Free
Moose Hill Walkers
Join Patti Austin for a weekly morning walk. See the arrival of spring while learning the trails for walks later on your own. Participants must be able to maintain a steady walking pace for the hour. Walks held rain or shine. Mondays, 8 – 9 am March 5, 12, 19, 26 Fee: $20- $30 Fee per walk $5 -$8
Solar Arrays for Your Home
Join us for an afternoon of Q & A about going solar. Have you thought about putting up solar arrays but don’t know where to start? Are you curious about the cost? How much energy they will produce for your home? Come meet two Mass Audubon members who have put up solar arrays on their homes. They will share their stories, their energy production, and their experiences. Please ask questions! Sunday, March 25; 3 – 4 pm Free
Around the World with Mass Audubon
Join staff from Mass Audubon’s Natural History Travel Office for a presentation of birding hot spots and other fascinating locations. Enjoy beautiful images and interesting stories during this indoor presentation.
Thursday, March 29; 7 – 7:45 pm Free
Preschool Science
Try your hand at several messy and fun experiments during this all indoor program. Make a gooey substance, experiment with magnets, determine which objects will float or sink, and much more during this hands-on, minds-on class. Thursday, March 8; 10 – 11:30 am March 8; 1 – 2:30 pm Fee per session: $8 - $11
Tree to Table
Maple sugaring season is here. Discover how syrup is made from tree to table. Search for maple buckets and look to see if the sap is dripping. Taste test sap and the final product. Visit our working sugar house to see where sap is turned into syrup.
Wednesday, March 14; 10 – 11:30 am; 1 – 2:30 pm Fee $8- $11
Squirrel Antics
Squirrels are amazing creatures. They can leap from tree top to tree top, raid just about any bird feeder, and provide endless hours of fun animal observations. Observe our bird feeders for red and gray squirrels. Leave piles of seed along the trail for snacks for these amazing creatures.
Thursday, March 15; 10 – 11:30 am; 1 – 2:30 pm Fee $8- $11
Spring Search
Spring officially arrived last week, but what does that mean? Hike to look for signs of spring and play lots of trail games along the way. Make a paper flower to welcome in the season.
Wednesday, March 28; 10 – 11:30 am 1 – 2:30 pm Fee :$8-, $11
Feed the Birds
Enjoy a silly story about a boy who discovers the joys of feeding the birds. Make peanut-free treats for your backyard birds. Check out the birds at our feeders. A short hike may be included to seek out Moose Hill’s feathered friends. Thursday, March 29; 10 – 11:30 am 1 – 2:30 pm Fee: $8 - $11
Ages 6 – 11
Kitchen Science
Science is everywhere! Use items from a typical kitchen to help in understanding the scientific method. Each session will feature experiments based on the themes listed above. Some experiments may be outdoors, so dress for the weather Thursdays; 3:30 – 5 pm March 8; Maple Science Fee $9- $12
Art in the Park
Use nature as your muse while creating art. Each class will feature a variety of art media for budding artists to try based on the topics listed above. We will head outside on some days, so be sure to dress for the weather. Thursdays, 3:30 – 5 pm Session 3: March 29; Natural Items $9- $12
Wednesday Outings
Hike, explore, observe, play games, and have fun while exploring Moose Hill. Participants will help decide the group’s destination for these monthly investigative walks. Dress for outdoor exploration.
Thursdays, 3:30 – 5 pm March 29; Natural Items $9- $12
Volunteer News
Volunteer Opportunities
Would you like to share your talents and your time to be a part of the Volunteer Team at Moose Hill? Opportunities are currently available for a Front Desk Reception Volunteer. Responsibilities include greeting visitors, answering telephones, processing program and membership registrations, assisting with the Nature Gift Shop and other various changing activities. We offer ongoing training, support and some benefits as well. If you are available one morning and/or afternoon during the week, especially during the summer, please call Jan Goba at 781-784-5691 or email her at jngoba@massaudubon.org to learn more about this program.
Wanted: Maple Sugaring Help
Event Weekends
Come join in the magic of sugaring by volunteering for our Maple Sugaring Festival. Volunteers lead groups along the event trail, portray historical characters, run the sugar house (see below), manage indoor activities at the Nature Center, and/or sell maple-related treats. Contact Patti Austin at paustin@massaudubon.org for details.
Sugar House
We need volunteers to operate our sugar house. Contact Rich Savage at rsavage@massaudubon.org for details.
Citizen Science Projects
Moose Hill has several opportunities in helping with wildlife monitoring projects: bluebird house monitoring, amphibian coverboard project, and assisting with the salamander crossing. If you are interested in more information on any of the above Citizen Science projects, contact Christine Turnbull at cturnbull@massaudubon.org. No prior experience is necessary, training is provided for all projects.
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