We warmly invite you to join us for the last of our three Summer Field Days at the Creekhouse (1075 Harlemville Road, Ghent NY) this Saturday, August 20th, anytime from 12-4pm. There will be guided tours of the butterfly house and native plant garden, as well as displays/hands-on activities for the whole family.
This Field Day will also be an opportunity to meet some of our new team members: our new biologist Kyle Bradford (who some might remember from his work with us as an intern and technician many years ago) will be in the Butterfly House, and our current botany intern and soon-to-be new technician Josie Laing will be leading the native plant tours. Conrad and Claudia won’t be at this Field Day, so if you have specific questions for either of them you can get in touch directly.
Butterfly House—The small butterfly house will be stocked with temporary butterfly guests captured from the surrounding farm just before the Field Day and then released again back into the wild right after it. This butterfly “catch of the day” represents the local butterflies active at different times during the season in our landscape.
Native Plant Garden—The native plant garden serves as an example of an informal, low-maintenance, nature-friendly backyard. It is home to more than 100 native plant species (many of them labelled) and the plants currently in bloom are featured at the information kiosk. The garden, including a boardwalk along the stream, serves as a learning tool, an inspiration, and a peaceful place to enjoy!
Displays and Hands-on Activities Featuring Ongoing Research—Kenny and Timo will have dissecting scopes at hand to introduce visitors to a world of colorful and fascinating insects. They will also guide visitors through using a dichotomous key to identify a common pantry item (maybe pasta? maybe candy?) as well as the insects at hand. Anna will provide an overview of our Phenology Research and let visitors experience what it is like to monitor the phenophases of plants and to contribute to the national phenology database through Nature's Notebook.
Native Plant Nursery—We are happy to share seeds for many of the plants growing in the garden as well as a seasonal selection of potted plants grown from these seeds for a donation towards nursery supplies.
The Summer Field Days are free and no registration is required. There is limited onsite parking, but the Creekhouse is an easy walk from Hawthorne Valley School parking lot.
We are looking forward to seeing you!
Anna, Kenny, Kyle, Josie, Kelly, and Timo