What Grows On in Rhode Island News

AMC Narragansett Chapter April 2011 Events are in What Grows On in Rhode Island

What Grows On in Rhode Island lists all kinds of outdoor events, including Appalachian Mountain Club Narragansett Chapter. They have scheduled hikes, bike rides, a first aid class, rock climbing course, and several hike/socials. There's even a paddle trip! On April 8, there's a potluck social for new, current and prospective members in Providence.

Other groups that list hikes in Rhode Island's most comprehensive environment-related calendar include Rhode Island Families in Nature. Rhode Island has so many beautiful places to explore. Spend some time outside in our parks, management areas, and beaches this month.

Carrot City: Designing for Urban Agriculture ~ February 25, 2011

Exhibit Hosted by Southside Community Land Trust

in Honor of its 30th Anniversary
 

Who:            Southside Community Land Trust (SCLT)
What:          Official Opening of Carrot City: Designing for Urban Agriculture
When:          Friday, February 25th, 5:00-7:30 p.m.
 
Where: The American Institute of Architects Gallery at 158 Washington St. in downtown Providence (located at the corner of Washington and Snow)
 
Why: Inspire urban design that promotes community food security
 
Southside Community Land Trust invites the public to attend the official opening of Carrot City: Designing for Urban Agriculture, a traveling exhibit showcasing innovative architectural and horticultural projects that enable the production of food in urban areas across the U.S. and Canada, at 5:00 p.m. this Friday. The event is free and is the first in a lineup of events planned for 2011 to celebrate Southside Community Land Trust’s 30th year of helping people grow food in Providence.
 
Last shown at Parsons/The New School for Design, the Providence installation of Carrot City will incorporate local projects, such as the fruit and nut orchard planted in Providence’s Locust Grove Cemetery and various urban agriculture installations planned by the New Urban Farmers in Pawtucket/Central Falls. At 6:00 p.m., two of the exhibit’s curators—faculty members in Architectural Science and Food Security at Ryerson University in Toronto—will give a talk on strategies for city planning, building design, and landscaping that can nourish local food systems.
 
In addition to the opening ceremony, the exhibit will run through March 10th and be open for viewing at the following times:

• Tuesday, Mar. 1       11:00-2:00
• Thursday, Mar. 3      11:00-2:00
• Saturday, Mar. 5       10:00-1:00
• Tuesday, Mar. 8        11:00-2:00
• Thursday, Mar. 10     11:00-1:00

Find out more about Carrot City on their website.

Southside Community Land Trust is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Southside Community Land Trust (SCLT) provides access to land, education and other resources so people in Greater Providence can grow food in environmentally sustainable ways and create community food systems where locally produced, affordable, and healthy food is available to all. For more information, please visit www.southsideclt.org.

Urban Agriculture Spring Gardening Kick-Off ~ February 26, 2011

Join us Saturday for the Urban Agriculture Spring Kick-Off at the Botanical Center at Roger Williams Park! We're hosting a full afternoon of gardening workshops, cooking demos, a seed swap, silent auction & local music. The popcorn machine will be cranking! Come trade extra seeds for seeds you need! There will even be a Kids Corner for young green thumbs!

Urban Agriculture Spring Kick-Off
Saturday, February 26th, 1-4 pm
The Botanical Center at Roger Williams Park
1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence
Free for Community Gardeners and Kids. $5 for General Public.

Workshops at the Kick-Off will be taught by community experts from around the state. Topics include Seed Starting, Vegetable Garden Planning, City Chickens, Collecting Rainwater, Alternatives to Miracle Gro, How to Tap Maple Trees, Home Composting and more! Plus, you can pick up a free 2011 Plant Providence Calendar, your guide to this year's events related to growing food in the city.
 
If you're one of the 250 gardeners who joined us last year, we look forward to kicking off another season with you. If this is your first Kick-Off, don't miss it. Questions? Call Erika, at 401-273-9419 ext: 30.

[Press Release]

Public Tours of Lafayette Fish Hatchery ~ February 22 & 24, 2011

PUBLIC INVITED TO TOUR LAFAYETTE FISH HATCHERY DURING SCHOOL VACATION WEEK

Facility will be Open for Tours on February 22 and February 24

[Press Release]

            PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management invites the public to visit the Lafayette Fish Hatchery in North Kingstown during the upcoming school vacation week.

            Tours of the facility will be offered continuously from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22 and Thursday, February 24.  The Lafayette Fish Hatchery is one of three hatcheries where DEM raises fish until they are stocked in the state's waters. During the tours, personnel from DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife will explain the functions and procedures of the Hatchery as well as the life stages of fish.
 
            In addition to the tours, there will be special activities available for children and their families including arts and crafts and a coloring table.  Highly skilled fly fishing instructors will also be available to teach the arts of knot tying and fly tying.
 
            The Hatchery currently houses about 200,000 rainbow, brown and brook trout in the facility’s outdoor raceways.  In addition, about 200,000 baby trout are located in the hatch house and there are about 400 specially raised golden trout available for viewing in the outdoor raceways.

Directions from Providence: From Route 95 South turn left toward Route 4 South. Take exit 5B toward Route 102/Exeter. Turn left onto Route 2 (South County Trail) and then turn left onto Long Lane. Turn left onto Hatchery Road and follow until you reach the hatch house.

Upcoming Environmental Films in RI ~ February 2011

See The What Grows On in RI Books/Films/Plays/Readings SubCalendar for the details of these and other movies. These are only SOME of the films being shown in or near Rhode Island this month. Too many to list!

Norman Bird Sanctuary opens Camp Registration ~ February 1, 2011

The Norman Bird Sanctuary is excited to announce that online registration for the 2011 camp season will begin at 10:00 a.m. on February 1, 2011. This camp program is accredited by the American Camp Association and provides a fun, exciting way to immerse your children in nature.  In addition to the standard camp programs offered each year, this year NBS is introducing an all new High School Community Service Camp and Chickadees, an extended half-day camp for children ages 4 to 6 years.  To offset the economic conditions in Rhode Island, camp prices will be the same as last year and a limited number of partial and full scholarships are available.
 
For registration information and a list of camp themes and dates, please visit: www.normanbirdsanctuary.org.  If you would like to register for camp but are unable to do so online or would like additional information on scholarships, please contact Nicole Lavoie, Education Coordinator at 401-846-2577 ext.32 or by email at [email protected].

Sign Up for Bee Schools ~ February & March 2011

Why do people keep bees?

It's a good hobby for people who love nature and enjoy watching and learning about bees and the flowers they pollinate and gather nectar from. It insures that you will always have good pollination in your gardens. Some people keep bees because they love honey! Some people even keep bees because they have arthritis and wish to get stung to alleviate arthritic symptoms.

The Rhode Island Beekeepers Association teaches beginner beekeeping classes every year in February and March.

Topics covered include:

• Getting started
• The honeybee life cycle
• Choosing an apiary
• Buying bees and equipment
• Installing package bees
• Catching Swarms
• Bee diseases and pests
• Spring Inspections
• Getting ready for the honeyflow
• Wintering bees

There will be a variety of beekeeping equipment displayed and demonstrated each week. Beekeeping catalogs and other handouts will be distributed and several beekeeping videos will be shown.

2011 Bee School Schedule - 3 Courses

Save the Bay Seal Watch Tours & Exploration Center Hours ~ January 2011

What Grows On in Rhode Island lists all kinds of events, including Save the Bay's Seal Watch Cruises and the hours of their Exploration Center and Aquarium in Newport. January's theme is Planet Plankton. Check out the Calendar today!

Things to Do in Rhode Island Besides Eat and Shop ~ November 2010

Nothing wrong with eating and shopping, but there are other things to do around Thanksgiving!

At least four "Turkey Trots" are listed in Rhode Island, one on T-Day itself (in Middletown), and the other three on Saturday in Barrington and Block Island, with one in Westerly organized by AMC (call to register). These are all listed in What Grows On in Rhode Island.  If you know of any others, let me know! Maybe someone will organize a Turkey Trot near Providence next year.

Audubon has lots of special activities at the Bristol Environmental Education Center on Friday. And RI Families in Nature take their monthly hike on Sunday in beautiful Wilcox Park in Westerly. Again, these events and more are in What Grows On in Rhode Island, the state's most comprehensive environmental calendar.

We've already noted in the news blog that Coat Exchanges are being held around the state on Friday. Need I say those are also in the Calendar?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fall Happening on Neutaconkanut Hill ~ October 24, 2010

Twilight on the Hill
Join us for a Fall Happening on Neutaconkanut Hill
Saturday, October 23
Public Walks at 1 and 2 p m
Meadow event from 3:30 - 6:30 p m
Rain Date, Sunday, October 24

Enjoy a Magnificent Sunset & Views of the City
Meet at the Meadow at the Top of the Hill on Legion Memorial Drive. Parking on Circle Road - attendants will assist
• Walk the forest trails to the King Monument
• Return to the Meadow for the Festivities
• Pumpkin Painting for the Children
• Story Telling (Join in with your own Tales)
• Providence Fire Engine
• Providence Mounted Command
• Roast Marshmallows on the Open Fire
• Hot Cider & Donuts
• The Grand Finale - a Magnificent Sunset on the Hill
• Dress for Walking Forested Trails • No Masks or Costumes please. Bring a Flashlight.
Questions? Call 946-6594 or 943-1219 or e-mail <[email protected]> or <[email protected]>

Directions: Go to nhill.org

Sponsored by the Providence Parks Department & the Neutaconkanut Hill Conservancy Inc.