There will be a plethora of opportunities for Norfolk residents to honor Mother Earth next week in events surrounding Earth Day.
Saturday, April 18, at 10:30 a.m., the Norfolk Conservation Commission presents “Compost Tea for Gardeners,” at the Hub. Participants will learn about the benefits of—and how to make—nutrient-dense compost tea for their gardens. Monique Bosch, soil health manager for the Connecticut Northeast Organic Farming Association will lead the program.
Great Mountain Forest features in yet another event when Michael Zarfos, Great Mountain Forest’s executive director, leads a Spring Ephemeral Walk on Saturday, April 25, at 10:00 a.m. The walk starts at GMF’s West Gate, across from 181 Canaan Mountain Road, and will last about 90 minutes.
That presentation will be followed Saturday, April 25, at 6:00 p.m. at the Hub by Bridghe McCracken, founder of Helia Land Design, discussing how to use native plants to transform lawns into biodiverse meadows. Her program is also sponsored by the Conservation Commission as part of the Norfolk Nature Alliance’s yearlong focus on supporting pollinators.
Register for both program on the Norfolk Hub ‘s website. [https://www.norfolkhub.org/events]
Pollinators are on the minds of Northwestern Regional School #7 agriculture students as well. They invite all to participate in creating a pollinator garden at the town hall Sunday, April 26, at noon. Flowers and shrubs for the garden will be donated by Norfolk Nature Alliance, and pizza from Icebox Cafe will be provided.
The Church of Christ Congregational will also focus on native pollinators when it holds its children’s Earth Day event on Sunday, April 26, at 10:15 a.m. There will be nature-themed activities such as making pinecone bees. The program, presented in partnership with the Norfolk Nature Alliance and Great Mountain Forest, requires registration. [greatmountainforest.org/events].
All creatures deserve a boost around Earth Day and David Gourley has continued his tradition of building bluebird houses and giving them to the community. They are available at the Hub while supplies last.
Then mark your calendars for a Saturday, May 4, talk at 1:00 p.m. at the Hub, to learn more about the fisher cat from wild-life biologist and master wildlife conservationist Ginny Apple. She will describe the secret life of this remarkable forest predator and the conservation efforts that have helped restore them to our forests.