“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”
—Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, 1962
The world is temporarily on pause. In Vermont, as in many places, education has been turned upside down, non-essential businesses are shuttered, and travel restrictions are in place. Individuals and families are facing new challenges and unprecedented uncertainty. While the familiar rhythm of our daily lives has been, for the moment, fundamentally disrupted, nature persists. Sap is running and amphibians are on the move. Before long, buds will emerge and leaves will follow. Here in Vermont, outdoor recreation has been deemed an “essential function” meaning that during this time of staying safe by staying home, Vermonters are being encouraged to take advantage of the restorative power of nature by making time for socially distanced walks in the woods. Merck Forest & Farmland Center remains open, in a limited capacity, for regional residents looking for a place to ramble.
Although our buildings are closed, and staff are on-site only for essential functions (such as caring for our sheep and chickens), nature is always open. During this time of unmatched adversity, Merck Forest & Farmland center staff are working on new ways to support our community. Our education staff has transitioned from leading on-site programming to producing video-based ecology lessons for families thrust into at-home-crisis-schooling. At the same time, we are collaborating with local community leaders to identify ways to help connect regional food producers with those in need. Through this time, regardless of its duration, we remain committed to serving our community in new and creative ways. Thank you, as always, for your critical support in this effort.
Guidelines for visiting Merck Forest in the time of COVID-19:
• Practice socially responsible distancing
• Keep it local - follow VT’s recommended travel restrictions
• Stay in open areas, all buildings are closed
• Pack it in, pack it out
• Explore with caution, no staff on site to assist
• Keep dogs on leashes at all times
• Avoid touching surfaces such as fences, signs, etc.
In late November last year, in what now feels like a different world, I ducked into a local general store on my way to town. As I scurried from my truck to the door, doing my best to limit my exposure to the freezing rain and snow, thunder rumbled across the valley. Somewhat startled, I looked up to see lightning flash on a distant ridge. I ducked inside, out of the wintery mix, while the sound and light show continued. It was not the sound itself that surprised me, instead it was the timing. Thunder and lightning are typical of a late summer afternoon after the sun has spent the morning baking heavy, humid air—not late fall, when thoughts have turned to crisp, dry winter days and the promise of snow.
Walking into the store, I ran into a friend who was clearly as startled as I was by the unseasonable weather. A good Vermonter, he had a quick quip at the ready, “You know what they say, thunder in fall, no winter at all.”
Vermont’s cultural heritage is steeped in working farms and forests. As such, Vermonters have a near bottomless supply of idioms for the weather. Quite a few of them begin with the classic “you know what they say.” I’ve often imagined who “they” might be. I like to think of “them” as the eclectic crew that gathers in just about every general store across the state for their morning coffee, clad in a mixture of flannel, tweed, farm boots, loafers, long wool town coats, and heavy canvas barn coats. Whoever they are, more often than not, they’re right. Winter did come this year, but not with its usual purpose. Thanks, in part I suppose, to that late fall thunderstorm, this winter had a little less snow and a little more rain, a little less freeze and a little more thaw.
Now, as spring approaches, mud season is upon us. The access road is rutted from the thaw, while the tell-tale tink of sap droplets into buckets, and the hum of pumps pressurizing tubing, is reaching a crescendo around the state—spreading south to north, and valley to summit, as the maple sugaring season progresses. Up on the hill, the trees are tapped, boiling is well underway, and our Sap House has become the epicenter of activity in an unsettlingly quiet world.
In some ways, a lot has changed. In the moment, while we shelter-in-place, it feels like COVID-19 has already fundamentally reshaped the world. Children are schooling at home, employees are working from home, and “non-essential” businesses are shuttered. For many, health risks and economic insecurities loom large. The rhythm of our daily lives has been deeply disrupted, and it’s impossible to say what the lingering impact of this time will be.
Meanwhile, nature persists. The sun continues to rise in the east and set in the west. In many ways, the world is exactly the same as it has always been. Late March storms are blanketing our enthusiasm for spring with heavy, wet snow. Frogs and salamanders, awakened by the season’s first warm rain, are leaving their terrestrial wintering grounds behind for nearby vernal pools. Before long, Dutchman’s Breeches will be blowing in the breeze as the forest floor is carpeted in spring ephemerals. On the farm, our resident ravens have been seen feathering their nest in preparation for this year’s brood. A quick glance at the flock in our pastures shows clear evidence that lambing season is almost upon us.
As we adjust our daily lives to our new, albeit temporary, reality, reports from around the region share news of packed trailheads. In recent weekends, the parking lot here has been nearly full. While people are keeping their distance, and hiking individually and in small groups, it is clear that many of us are thirsting for a connection to the land, seeking the normalcy of nature’s cycles in these otherwise uncertain, challenging times. Like the fall storm that brought unexpected thunder, this too shall pass. That is not to say that we won’t remain changed in unexpected ways by the experience.
For now, it’s sugaring season, and we’ll be boiling until the trees bud out—and you know what they say, which holds true even in these strange days, “wind from the west, sap runs best.”
George Hatch, President
Ann Jackson, Vice President
Kat Deeley, Secretary
Keld Alstrup, Treasurer
Dinah Buechner-Vischer
Jeromy Gardner
Jim Hand
Mark Lourie
Sam Schneski
Sue Van Hook
Brian Vargo
STAFF
Eli Crumley
Grounds/Maintenance
Ethan Crumley Consulting Forester
Cara Davenport Program Coordinator
Kim Davis
Weekend/Visitor Center
Tim Duclos
Conservation Manager
Dylan Durkee Farm Manager
Stephanie Breed
Visitor Center
Chris Ferris-Hubbard
Education Director
Kathryn Lawrence
Assistant Executive Director
Marybeth Leu
Communications Coordinator
Darla Belevich
Visitor Center
Liz Ruffa
Director Of Institutional Advancement
Rob Terry Executive Director
• Check out Page Pond and wait for the first amphibians to appear or go to a pond near you to see what amphibians are out and about.
• Look for early spring ephemerals that are blooming: trout lilies, dutchman’s breeches, violets, jack-in-the-pulpits and red trilliums.
• Get involved in citizen science and document your findings with iNaturalist.
• Pick some forsythia branches; bring them inside, force them in water to bloom.
• Go for a hike, and pay close attention to the trees and forest as you go….what do you notice? See the newly unfurled leaves?
• Start a new nature journal, keeping track of dates when flowers and wildlife start to appear.
• Come up to visit our newborn lambs, expected in May!
• Take a long walk or hike and watch nature waking up.
• Farm animals are being born everywhere! Find a farm near you and visit them.
• Sit quietly in the woods, or in a field, and listen to the world waking up.
• Take up bird watching, or head outside to add to your life-list.
• Pull some invasive garlic mustard and make pesto from it.
• Go foraging, for ramps, fiddleheads - be sure to collect responsibility!
• Take a hike on our Discovery Trail and notice the changing forest composition.
• Watch for “bud-out” on different species of trees...what do you notice?
• Stomp in a mud puddle, or make mud pies!
• Climb a tree and see the world from a different vantage point.
• Fly a kite, make a pinwheel!
• Build a tree fort....for your kids, or yourself.
• Help amphibian migration as they cross the roads on those first warm, rainy nights.
• Watch the greening trees creep up the mountainsides.
• Listen to nighttime peepers.
• Try some maple syrup in a new recipe.
• Help your garden wake up by giving it a gentle rake.
• Watch and listen for ravens, working on their pole barn nest and preparing for nestlings.
Spring is my favorite time of year, as the Earth begins to awaken after a long winter. Pussy willows appear, silvery pink; peepers start up their pond chorus; and American goldfinches begin to slip into their bright coats of yellow. Flashes of red are sported on the newly returned red-winged blackbirds, and the winds bring a freshening of the air. Everything seems alive! Spring signals the beginning of nature’s renewal.
The beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere is marked on the vernal equinox, a date in March that shifts due to the length of time the earth takes to revolve around the sun. The length of time for this rotat, which takes 365.25 hours, rather than an even 365 days. This shift also accounts for our extra leap year adjustment every four years at the end of February. This year, in 2020, the vernal equinox occurred at 11:50 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on March 19th, the earliest equinox since 1896. Latin for “equal night”, an equinox is the fleeting point in time when the sun appears to cross the celestial equator, that great circle in the heavens that is on the same plane as the equator of Earth. The sun rises due east and sets due west as the sun begins to move from south to north. The shift of movement from south to north results in a change from winter to spring in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the March equinox is autumnal, as the change in seasons south of the equator shifts from summer to autumn. With this fleeting celestial balancing act and changing of the seasons comes a cultural element as well. Easter and Passover, both movable religious observances, are set by dates determined by the vernal equinox. Easter is held on the first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox, with March 21 set as the date for the equinox. Eggs, a symbol of fertility and birth, have long been associated with spring, the season of birth and renewal. Legend has it that eggs can be balanced on end during the vernal equinox due the gravitational pull. But all it really takes is a steady hand, patience, and a solid surface. As we move into spring, I encourage you to get outside and delight in all the ways the earth is waking up. Head out for a walk or a hike in a wooded area and observe what is happening all around you...trees budding out, flowers beginning to bloom, bird songs changing, frog choruses sounding. Oh, and try balancing an egg!
Since its inception, Merck Forest and Farmland Center has had a mission to educate. In 1950, George W. Merck, founder of what was then the Vermont Forest and Farmland Foundation, stated that he wanted the foundation to “provide a variety of educational experiences, especially for young people, that all may learn to appreciate the natural world, some may come to feel at home in it, and a few may develop skills for careers in farming, forestry, and land management.” As you walk the land, you can see evidence of his early vision, with stands of Norway Spruce and European Larch dotting the landscape.
Fast forward 70 years. Our mission statement has been revised from “teaching and demonstrating innovative and sustainable management of forest and farmland” to a mission “to inspire curiosity, love, and responsibility for natural and working lands.” I often have people ask me, “Just what do you do up there?” Merck Forest is a draw for many people looking to “get away from it all” and it’s easy to come up for a hike or to camp and push past the farmstead deep into the landscape, to indeed, “get away from it all.”
But what do we do up here? Looking over the programmatic offerings and initiatives that we have, one can find programming for our youngest visitors as early learning centers bring toddlers and preschoolers to Merck Forest to learn about maple sugaring or to visit our farm animals. On the other end of the scale, we host professional certification courses such as Game of Logging, a series of chainsaw safety classes, and SOLO Wilderness First Aid courses. This past fall we were at capacity with our Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) school programs, with over 185 students coming from six schools for the multiday programs. 2019 saw us providing over 84 workshops and programs to the general public, schools, and organizations.
In an effort to continue to deliver mission and serve our community, our education and program team have started producing “Nearby Nature” videos. Find them on Facebook and our website
And why do we do what we do? We face environmental challenges on many fronts: climate change, changing weather patterns, loss of biodiversity, and land fragmentation are just a few that come to mind. As we continue to face these challenges, we are also faced with society having an increasingly greater disconnect to the natural world. Children in the United States now spend, on average, four to seven minutes in unstructured play outdoors, while spending over seven hours a day in front of a screen. With the urgent environmental challenges we face come the need for people who are invested and care for the environment -both for people and for all living things – plants and animals alike - that share this world. By providing programming that allows people, from our youngest participants to our oldest, have hands-on experiences through experiential learning, it is our hope that we instill a sense of curiosity, a feeling of love, and the commitment of responsibility for the natural world.
I’ve seen a child hold a frog with a smile on her face, who moments before was afraid to do so. I’ve seen a student who isolated himself from his peers at the beginning of his time here skip down Old Town Road in the midst of his classmates, laughing and smiling. I’ve read cards from students in which they explain that they didn’t like science before coming to our NGSS programs, but leave enjoying and loving science. I’ve seen the Visitor Center filled to overflowing capacity as they listen in rapt attention at an owl presentation or a vernal pool monitoring training.
This is why we do what we do. We help people connect with the land, no matter who they are. The earth and land may not depend on us, but we depend on the land and the earth.
In the Winter issue of the Ridgeline, I reported out on our recent efforts to benefit our feathered friends through a newly forged partnership with Audubon Vermont’s Bird-Friendly Maple program. As a second component of this bird-related series, I would like to tell you about our efforts to help another cohort of birds, shrubland obligates, through recent forest management efforts.
Among bird species groups, shrubland obligates (i.e. those that depend upon young, regenerating, forests) are in rapid decline, in part because the availability of their requisite habitat is at a modern low. The natural regeneration of much of the forested landscape, post agricultural decline beginning in the 1800’s, has led to shrublands becoming a relatively rare component of the Vermont landscape. Merck Forest shares the history of this working landscape and as such, the situation is much the same here. Among the nearly 3200 acres of land managed by Merck Forest, a mere 35 acres, or about 1%, is currently classifiable as ‘shrubland’. Moreover, many of these areas are nearing, or past, the age at which prime conditions exist for these birds, based on current science supported by data from the Green Mountain National Forest (Smetzer, King, & Schlossberg, 2014).
Yet, bird surveys conducted in 2019 at Merck Forest confirm that these areas are still occupied by shrubland obligate species. Mourning warblers (Oporornis philadelphia), chestnut-sided warblers (Dendroica pensylvanica), Eastern towhees (Pipilo erythrophthalmus), common yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas), gray catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis), ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus; not a songbird, but notable) and other associated species can still be heard in many of these areas, from the oldest and largest current shrubland (25 acres/12 years old patch cut) off of the Lookout trail, to some of our newest and smallest (ex: 2.5 acres/4 years old patch cut) at Viewpoint Cabin. An additional fraction of these 35 acres have been freshly cleared in the last two years and are set to soon regenerate into young forest suitable for shrubland species. The harvest off of the Silviculture trail and that completed along the southern portion of the Stone Lot road are our most recent examples. Our most ‘prime’ shrubland, in terms of current age and condition, is an 8-year-old/6.6 acre cut, running along the northern edge of the westerly portion of Stone Lot road (Image 1). This area is just beyond the eastern border of the farm and an easy walk from the visitor center, making it ideal for visitors to experience. Just look left as you follow the road and enter the woods. I have also encountered some of these species in forest gaps deep in the interior of the forest, such as those created within the Foresters for the Birds demonstration site off of the Hatch trail - although I would posit that these are more likely transient individuals and do not necessarily represent evidence of an established breeding population.
It is important to keep in mind that shrublands are temporary habitats, climaxing in suitability for obligate species, generally, around 8 years of age (Smetzer et al., 2014). Thus, they must be created at a regular frequency on the landscape in order to sustain a population of shrubland birds. This happens naturally through disturbance (wind, fire, ice, disease outbreak, etc.) or prescriptively, through forest management (i.e. a patch cut). Furthermore, there is a growing body of research capturing the relationship between size, shape, and assembly of these habitats to occupancy, abundance, and species composition (Roberts & King, 2017). As applied ecologists, we use this body of knowledge as a means to optimally design and prescribe the creation of these habitats in place of natural disturbance.
(continues)
With this in mind, over the past year we have continued to set the stage for the next generation of young forest on the Merck Forest landscape. Between four sessions of Game of Logging and the work of Merck Forest staff and volunteers, we have started clearing mature forests abutting the current shrubland habitat along the Stone Lot road. This work will contribute toward a more substantial gradient of regenerating forest stands of varying age and formation. As one area grows to become unsuitable for shrubland species, there will be a connected area for these species disperse into. It also complements patch cuts completed in close proximity beyond the northern border of the property of Wind Gap Farm. Such a gradient is much more desirable than a hard transition between habitat types produced with disjointed patch cuts, and at a larger scale, achieves a diverse mosaic of habitat types that lends directly to biodiversity and long-term resiliency. It sounds complex, but the intent is simple: as forests ebb and flow over space and time, shrubland species will be better able to adapt to these natural changes and persist on the landscape.
Notably, 2.2 acres of this work is being funded by the Natural Resources Conservation Service EQUIP program, which covers a small, much appreciated, portion of the costs (fuel, equipment, staff time) associated with planning and completing the work. And all of this work, from soup to nuts, from scientific inquiry to sawing and skidding the trees, is being completed ‘in house’, with the same staff, wearing all hats. This is no small feat. While we are operating at capacity now, given limited staff time and resources, we continue working towards refining our approach and leveraging the means to scale this work in the coming years. Being resourceful and true to mission, we have engaged volunteers and students in the work along the way. These folks have helped to create habitat features and to control invasive bush honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.) that stand to benefit from the newly opened canopy. As such, this is a collective effort and students have an opportunity to both participate in, and more importantly, learn firsthand about the conservation efforts underway. An additional benefit of this habitat work is that it also provides the requisite fuelwood for our rec cabins, staff housing, visitor center, maintenance building, and sugaring operation. A whopping 60 cord are consumed annually and must be sourced from the property on a near continual basis. Anytime we undertake a forest management activity, we must maximize the benefits of the work so as to meet our needs on many fronts.
Shrubland habitats benefit many other taxa in addition to birds; there are too many to go into here. Small and large mammals, from herbivores to carnivores, as well as amphibians, insects, plants and fungi benefit from, if not depend upon, shrubland habitat. Here, again, is another layer of added benefits of this work.
Finally, I am dreaming of establishing a dedicated birding trail on property. Given the close proximity of the Stone Lot area to the visitor center and diverse array of other bird habitats: grassland habitat on the farm, the mature northern hardwoods (including Merck Forest’s sugarbush) south of the farm, and old fields on the periphery of the farm and the Discovery trail, we have a prime opportunity to share our avian diversity and our conservation work with a wide audience. The idea is entering into the planning phase now while we accrue the funds to cover staff time and material necessary to implement the work.
Literature Cited
Roberts, H. P., & King, D. I. (2017). Area requirements and landscape-level factors influencing shrubland birds. Journal of Wildlife Management, 81(7), 1298–1307. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21286
Smetzer, J. R., King, D. I., & Schlossberg, S. (2014). Management regime influences shrubland birds and habitat conditions in the Northern Appalachians, USA. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 78(2), 314–324. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.658
Overview:
In the Winter of 2020, Merck Forest & Farmland staff conducted a Group Selection/Patch Cut in accordance with National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) standards of Early Successional Habitat Development-Management.
The primary objectives for this work were ecological, including:
• Creating next generation young forest in close proximity to an 8-year-old forest patch (6.6 acre, cut in 2011) to the west, thus producing a gradient of young forest of varying ages. The patch cut to the west currently holds grey catbird, chestnut sided warbler, eastern towhee, ruffed grouse, indigo bunting, Nashville warbler, and woodcock. Occupancy of these species generally declines after 8 years. Thus, this cut would produce suitable habitat for these species (and other early successional specialists) to disperse into as the cut to the north ages.
• Increasing the presence of red spruce, a sub-dominant forest species in the landscape. Promoting this species would increase forest/ habitat diversity.
Additional objectives included saw timber harvest to off-set the cost of the work and fuel wood harvest to meet on-property needs.
By the Numbers:
• Location: N43.275098, W-73.159365
• Size: 2.2 acres
• Start Date: 1-2-2020
• Finish Date: 3-1-2020
• Labor Hours: 250
• Harvest:
• 125 Board Feet (BF) Hard Maple
• 5275 BF Red Oak
• 185 BF Soft Maple
• 70 cords of log-length firewood
• Estimated Cost to Complete: $5,000
• Estimated Harvest Value: $8,000
• Cost-share from NRCS: $1,200
An Educational Project:
As an educational non-profit, MFFC seeks to imbed learning opportunities into our operations at every possible step along the way. In the Stone Lot log job, this occurred in a number of ways, with groups working in the stand starting last fall:
• Volunteer groups of local high school students from Burr & Burton Academy joined us to learn about the project and remove invasive honeysuckle to help ensure that, once the cutting was complete, favored native plants would not be outcompeted by invasives.
• A resource management intern from Salem High School learned about and supported operations along each step of the process. His work included making brush piles that will make suitable habitat for small mammals and upland birds.
• Participants in MFFC’s twice-annual “Game of Logging” chainsaw safety course, learned and worked in the stand during their training.
• Women Owning Woodlots, Northeast Woodland Training and Merck Forest worked collaboratively to offer a “Womens Only” Game of Logging course in the Stone Lot area last fall. Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund provided media coverage.
• MFFC staff will host workshops for regional landowners to learn about bird friendly forest management.
• Once the site stabilizes, MFFC staff will be develop a birding trail that will travel through the cut so that visitors can learn about young forest habitat and the bird species that it supports.
by Cara Davenport, Program Coordinator
As a follow-up to last spring’s “Merck Forest Field Day,” this January through mid-March Merck Forest offered “Field and Forest Fridays” as an alternative program to Mettawee’s Friday JISP (a statewide program that allows students to pursue outdoor recreation half a day per week during the winter - to ski, skate etc.) at the Mettawee Community School. During this season, Chris Hubbard and I commuted over to the school to spend Fridays with a group of about ten Mettawee elementary students, both in the school and outside in the newly acquired 148 acre landblock behind the school, Merck Forest’s new “Satellite Campus”.
During a time of year when the weather is highly variable and unpredictable, we stayed flexible and engaged students in a combination of indoor and outdoor activities, ranging from sledding and snowshoeing, to dissecting owl pellets and learning about sugaring. Over the course of the five Fridays that we spent at Mettawee, we experienced the full range of weather patterns typical of this season: warm and sunny, freezing rain, deep packable snow, windy and gray. On one Friday the sun was shining, the sky was blue, but the snow from earlier in the week that we had hoped would stick around was rapidly dwindling. Nevertheless, we headed out and determinedly tracked down the remaining snow to make the most of it; for most of the students it was their first time using snowshoes. Armed with nature journals and shod in snowshoes, in “Oreo cookie formation” with Chris and I flanking the group, we tromped out across the (mostly bare) playground. Acting as “snow detectives” for the afternoon, we successfully located and thoroughly enjoyed a few stretches of snowy ground near the school.
For the weeks when the weather cooperated, we took the students out past the parking lot, crossed over a small stream, marched through the field, and arrived at the edge of the forest. Some of the students, especially the youngest, expressed amazement at how far we had hiked from the school to the woods. In that space, the students learned how to stay safe in the woods and what to do if they are ever lost, played games like “Camouflage”, and invested some significant time and energy in fort-building. On our second-to-last Friday we spent two and a half hours in the woods, constructing a fort by adding branches to a dead fallen pine tree that was resting in the crook of another fallen tree. There was plenty of teamwork and enthusiasm: some kids worked in pairs to carry or drag large branches over to the fort, and others industriously scoured the forest floor for smaller branches and suitable materials to fill in the gaps.
As our second programming opportunity with the “Satellite Campus” at Mettawee Community School, Field and Forest Fridays were a great and fun way to continue to explore how Merck Forest will continue to step into its new role in facilitating the connection between the community and this piece of land. Stay tuned for our next adventures in this space in the upcoming year!
The year 1950 doesn’t seem so long ago: the aesthetics are familiar - poodle skirts and milkshakes - and you probably know someone who was alive then, but it is sometimes helpful to think about just how long ago it really was. 70 years! Over half a century! A gallon of milk cost 83¢. It was only 5 years after the end of World War 2. Harry Truman was president.
It was in 1950 that George Merck founded Merck Forest and Farmland Center, then called the Vermont Forest Foundation, changing the main land use from farming to forestry. Mr. Merck bought up farms that would become Merck Forest and built his foundation so that his conservation efforts could continue after his death. All of this is quite well-known around Merck— if you stop in the Visitor’s Center, anyone working behind the desk could tell you. But what made my last few weeks truly unique was that I got to see and read and handle the history for myself.
As a student at Bennington College, archival work was new to me, but I was instantly pulled in. Most of the documents were from 1950 and forward, but some were from more than a century earlier. I was filled with awe as I held in my hands a bill of sale from 1820 for the Harwood farm. The farm would be passed down for years, before finally becoming part of the land that is now Merck. Even more recent documents, such as the varying maps from dates ranging from 1952 to 1981, are fascinating. To see the progression of Merck in the visible expansion of land on a map is beautiful. Merck has been doing its conservation work for 70 years now, and the concerns being raised then are even more relevant today— the need for natural spaces open to the public, free from industrialization and protected for generations to come.
compiled by Melanie Mislo; Bennington College, Fieldwork Term
1940s George W. Merck purchases land in Rupert, Vermont
1950 George & Serena Merck donate 2,600 acres to create the VT Forest Foundation
1951 Dedication of Carl A. Schenck Tree Farm
1950s Scholarship growth plots established to fund a year of college for a local student
1952 First participation in Soil Bank program
1952 Distinguished Farmer Award established
1952 Advisory Council established
1954 Deer browse research initiated
1955 Vermont Governor Johnson visited for tour
1957 Hosted statewide land use conference
1957 Death of George W. Merck
1959 Dedication of George W. Merck Memorial Forest
1966 Vermont Forest Foundation renamed Merck Forest & Farmland Center
1967 Vote to close roads to public vehicles
1967 Partnership with Student Conservation Association (SCA) initiated
1967 First cabin built at Clark’s
1970 First caretakers hired
1971 Battenkill Watershed Study established
1975 Summer camps established
1976 Winter Study Program established
1977 First sugar house built, now Dunc’s Place
1978 Intern wildlife studies conducted
1981 Record 450 gallons of maple syrup produced
1983 Resource manager & program positions established
1983 Ridge Cabin built
1984 First ever endowment established by Futures Campaign
1989 Joy Green Visitor Center built
1996 Community support tops 500 members, donors, and business sponsors
1997 310 acres of adjoining forest donated in memory of George Merck
1997 Strawbale maintenance building built
1997 Merck Forest celebrates 30 year partnership with SCA
1998 Ned’s Place, a cabin in memory of Ned Winpenny, built
1998 Farm Manager position established
1999 Smartwood® certification of forests awarded by The National Wildlife Foundation
2000 Ecosystem Management Plan established
2000 Bergey wind powered electrical system was installed (wind turbine)
2001 1st ever Smartwood® certification for sugaring awarded to Merck
2001 340-acre Wildlife Demonstration Area established
2002 Merck supports Plant a Row for the Hungry
2002 Merck named Vermont Tree Farm of the Year
2003 Merck develops Stewardship Program
2005 First Annual Sheepdog Trial
2005 Merck celebrates 10 years of community-supported Agriculture (CSA shares)
2005 A rare red Randall Lineback calf is born on Merck Farm
2005 Two year Beekeeping initiative at Merck Forest
2007 Prescribed burn at Merck Forest
2007 SCA/Merck Forest partnership celebrates 40 year
2008 Merck begins the adopt a cabin program
2008 Merck hosts archeology programs for both kids and adults
2009 Merck hosts Burr & Burton Academy as they participate in service learning
2009 Merck demonstrates an entirely fossil fuel-free wheat harvest
2014 The Jersey Boys (Jersey oxen Zeus and Apollo) come to Merck
2014 10th year of Sheepdog trials
2015 Merck adds sustainable mushroom packaging for maple products
2015 Next Generation Science Standards educational program implemented at MFFC
2016 Merck hosts Be Brave Hike-A-Thon
2016 Conservation easement with Vermont Land Trust expands conserved acreage
2016 MFFC hosts United Nations Retreat for a group of 77 delegates
2017 Merck presents at the National Farm-Based Educational Network conference in Concord, MA
2017 Planting of the Vicki McInerney Memorial Garden
2019 Completion of the Thoreau Cabin at Rasey Pond
2019 Maple Celebration Pancake Breakfast surpasses 900 people over 2 days
2019 Twilight on the Mountain establishes annual institutional celebration
2019 BioBlitz organized with assistance from Vermont Center for Ecostudies
“First there was nothing. Then there was everything. Then, in a park above a western city after dusk, the air is raining messages. A woman sits on the ground, leaning against a pine. Its bark presses hard against her back, as hard as life. Its needles scent the air and a force hums in the heart of the wood. Her ears tune down to the lowest frequencies. The tree is saying things, in words before words.”
—Opening of The Overstory
Thus begins The Overstory, the Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times best seller by Richard Powers. Organized in four parts, the epic tale opens with “Roots”, a series of character sketches spanning generations that introduce the reader to the nine main characters. We learn of each person’s connection with trees: at times tragic, at times inspirational, but with each character developing an insight to nature. In addition to the human characters populating the book, Powers includes trees as central protagonists, and we come to know individual trees as though they were human.
The characters’ paths begin to merge in “Trunk,” as they come together to fight the timber companies cutting the last old growth stands of giant redwoods in California. Following a desperate culminating act of arson that ends in tragedy, the characters separate and move on with their lives in “Crown” and “Seed”, as the consequences of their actions hang over them through the years. We eventually see all but one of the characters become environmental activists, attempting in various ways to defend the endangered forests, with varying levels of ramification for their actions.
Powers weaves tendrils of scientific fact throughout the narrative, which at the time of publication was “verifiable, consensually repeated, and agreed upon.” We learn of trees that communicate with each other through the air with chemical signals, warning of predation; of Old Tjikko, a Norway Spruce in Sweden with a root system estimated to be over 9,000 years old; and of the stand of aspen in southern Utah, consisting of approximately 50,000 stems sprouting from a rhizome mass estimated to be 80,000 years old. We learn how of the extraordinary life that exists high in Redwoods.
In an interview with PBS (Dec. 2, 2019), Powers challenges us to reconsider our worldview, to shift our thinking in terms not as humans and nature as two separate things - human separatism – but rather to understand how deeply connected and reliant humans are with the natural world, including the trees so prominently featured in his text.
Most importantly, Powers’ book is a call to action: to save what little old-growth forests we have left, to curb the increasing effects of climate change, to stop the ravage of the natural world, which we – human and non-human alike, depend. It’s a call we ignore at our own peril. Trees can survive without humans. Humans cannot survive without trees. And the trees are saying things, in words before words.
“Look at that!” Twelve apostle trees stand in a fairy ring as perfect as the circles little Nick drew once with a protractor on rainy Sundays decades ago. Centuries after their ancestor’s death, a dozen basal clones surround the empty center, all around the compass rose.”
—Quote from The Overstory, pg. 254
Liz Ruffa, Advancement Office
To add fresh perspective and context to our work in the Advancement Office, I attended the 16th annual Yale Philanthropy Conference in New Haven last month. The daylong convening was an invigorating, informative examination of how innovative partnerships and giving structures, the entry of new generations of donors, the role of philanthropic equity, trends in giving and politics and intersectional philanthropy all add to the “capital continuum” of mission-based community and social enterprise development. Here’s what stood out:
• Philanthropy’s role as “enterprise level finance”
• How to build equity and financial resilience
• Climate change as a catalyst for environmental philanthropy
• Climate Change funding one of philanthropy’s smallest asset groups (5%)
• Environmental Philanthropy’s intersection of land and giving
• Innovative partnerships: Amplifying Impact through collaboration
• Corporate Social Responsibility: Profit and Purpose
• Millennials and Generation-Z: the next global workforce
• Next Generation (N-Gen) leadership: Shaping philanthropy tomorrow.
YPC 2020 tackled the issue of how philanthropy can marshal financial resources and social capital to make lasting, enduring impacts now and in the future. I look forward to weaving these forward-facing strategies and best practices in the work of the Advancement Office at MFFC.
Merck Forest, in partnership with Mara Hearst of Levy Lamb LLC, hosted three food shed forums this winter - two in the Visitor Center at MFFC and one at Pawlet Public Library (due to capacity crowds!). Over three afternoons in January, February and March, more than 40 farms, food producers and their families, statewide sector leaders and resource providers, and community advocates and enthusiasts met to talk about strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges facing our region’s food shed and agriculture’s future.
The series focused on marketing and distribution issues and encouraged farmers, logistics professionals, marketing pros, food hub managers and working lands entrepreneurs to dive into these topics together. We offered panels, keynotes, power points and case studies. Several working lands resource providers also attended, offering services and information about their organizations with the farmers and producers.
While challenges easily detected included transportation gaps, lack of network cohesion and communication, and a need for larger markets to sell into, strengths also quickly emerged: the grit and integrity of our region’s food producers, the beauty and quality of our geographic location, and a desire to explore regional co-marketing and branding opportunities.
Special thanks to: 10 x 10 Logistics, Walnut Hill Farm, Haystack Farmstead, Food Connects, VT Farm to Plate Network, and Erin and Philip Ackerman-Leist for presenting and offering excellent context to these discussions.
More special thanks to: NOFA - Vermont, Poultney-Mettowee and Bennington County Conservation Districts, Rural Vermont, UVM Extension, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and Vermont Law School for their excellent resource sharing and enthusiasm for our region.
These Forums enabled Mara Hearst and Liz Ruffa to quickly mobilize a CSA “box” program when the COVID-19 crisis blanketed the region so quickly. 12 area farms are recouping lost market revenues and local consumers are flocking to this opportunity to access healthy, fresh, local produce in a “one stop shop” format.
The Harwoods, who were farming the land that is now Merck Forest and Farmland Center in the 1800s, grew grains like wheat and rye in addition to other crops in their diversified farming operation. They also grew corn, hay and oats, which they used to feed their livestock. Our flock of 22 ewes, plus our ram and bellwether (Francois and Johnny), are currently in their winter space, the pasture right outside the small animal barn. While it’s a quiet season for them, there are many exciting changes on the horizon as spring approaches. In April their yearly haircut will free them from the thick woolen coats they’ve been growing, just in time for lambing season in May! Then as the land begins to thaw and sprout, we’ll be moving them from one freshly green pasture to another every couple of weeks, giving the pastures time to recover and regrow between rotations.
Here’s a Recipe for Lamb and Polenta: Enjoy!
Cooking Directions:
• Cut the lamb into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper, then toss in the flour until coated. Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pan and bring to heat, then add the lamb to the pan and cook until the meat is browned on all sides. Remove the meat from the pan and keep warm.
• Add the rest of the olive oil to the pan and add the onions, cooking about 10 minutes until they are caramelized. Then add the ginger and garlic, cooking for another minute. Add the rest of the herbs and spices and mix well.
• Add the meat back into the pan with the onions and spices, mixing until well combined. Add the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes to the pan, bringing the whole mixture to a boil.
• Lower the heat to a simmer and let it cook covered on low for up to 2 hours, until the meat is tender. Add a cup or two of water as it cooks if the sauce begins to get too thick.
• An hour into the cook time for the meat and sauce, begin to prepare the polenta. You can either use Instant Polenta, which comes with instructions for preparing and usually takes fewer than 10 minutes, or make it with the regular corn grits or coarse cornmeal (not corn flour!) Bring the water, salt and pepper to a boil and then lower to medium heat.
• Stir the water gently and begin slowly adding the cornmeal/ polenta, avoiding lumps. Once the full cup of polenta is added to the water, lower the heat to a simmer.
• Cover and let it cook for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
• Once it is fully cooked (thick and creamy), add the butter and parmesan cheese, stirring well.
• Serve the lamb and sauce over the polenta. Enjoy!
Lamb and Sauce:
1 pound lamb
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion (chopped fine - about
2 cups when chopped)
3 garlic cloves
1/2 inch ginger, or ½ teaspoon ginger powder
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cinnamon stick (or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup water
Polenta:
1 cup polenta
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
To substitute syrup for sugar while cooking and baking, reduce the baking temperature slightly, (10 - 15 degrees F.) and cut volume by 25%. 2 cups of sugar = 1.5 cups of maple syrup. Also, slightly reduce the liquid in the recipe (by a tablespoon or two).
by Marybeth Leu, Communications Coordinator
In one of Merck Forest’s hillside’s ferocious windstorms last autumn, a venerable apple tree in the meadow adjacent to the Discovery Trail was blown over. Ordinarily this would be considered a big loss – but when Dylan Durkee found it, he realized that this literal windfall* would provide an opportunity for creating something extraordinary. Dylan, Merck’s capable Farm Manager, Sap to Syrup captain and Woodcraft wizard, has milled the apple logs into slabs and is processing the lumber in his kiln; we can expect to see some gorgeous products made of this beautiful wood available in the Visitor Center in the future.
In another example of chance favoring the prepared mind (to paraphrase Louis Pasteur), Marybeth rescued used larch lumber from a dumpster after the re-decking of the Sap House, and has been creating small objects from it. The bookcase in the Thoreau cabin is one such item – finished to resemble driftwood, as it was described in Walden’s Thoreau – and coat hooks and key racks have been personalized with the Merck Forest logo.
Until the apple slabs are ready, some other items produced by the staff from Merck Forest resources are available:
Dylan’s bird’s eye maple and red oak cutting boards
Tim’s pine birdhouses, customized dimensionally for bluebirds
Chris’s Christmas stars/snowflakes made of maple & cherry splints
Marybeth’s coat hooks from larch, furniture & décor made of recycled snowshoes
*Windfall: an unexpected, unearned, or sudden gain or advantage
Freshly cut and milled apple slabs dry slowly until their moisture content is stable at 8%.” photo
Thoreau provided scant detail of the design of his bookcase –an odd oversight for the philosopher and author who typically detailed the minutiae of his finances and daily activities.
by Dylan Durkee, Farm Managerr
Comparison
Merck Forest NOTE: All Data Obtained up to March 25th From Both Years Sugar Season up to March 25th, 2020 Sugar Season up to March 25th, 2019
This chart shows a comparison of last year and this year on March 25th. The season last year went far beyond march 25th as our last boil was April 19th, 2019. We made a total of 893 gallons of syrup last year. While we are ahead of what we made last year at this point in time we still have some season left this year and are hoping for the best.
Q 1. How many taps does Merck have?
A: 2,900 taps
Q 2. What is the Reverse Osmosis (RO) used for?
A: This is used for separating the water from the sugar molecules that are in the sap. Our RO takes 75% of the water away from the sap and it returns right back to the water table. The RO saves time boiling as less water is being boiled off while making syrup.
Q 3. Can you make maple candy out of a dark grade of maple syrup?
A: No, you need to use a light grade of Amber Rich (AR) or Golden Delicate (GD), the latter is preferred.
Q 4. How do you know when to start the sugaring season?
A: This is determined by watching the weather and having a pattern of freezing nights and days that will thaw. You don’t want to start a season too soon or start too late. Looking at our records we typically start tapping around mid-February. The season typically ends around mid to late April.
Q 5. Do you have to add anything to make maple syrup?
A: No. There is nothing added to the sap to make syrup.
Q 6. Does it hurt the trees?
A: Not if you follow NOFA-VT best practices. We follow these organic standards and pay attention to the recommendations from Cornell University to assure we are operating in ways that protect the health of our trees and our forest.
Q 7: What does it mean to be organic?
A: Here’s what it means to us at Merck Forest.
1. We use no lead in our operation, meaning that no lead is used in any of the equipment from the taps to the finish pan.
2. We use organic sunflower oil for de-foaming
3. We tap our trees in accordance with the organic regulations. Each tap must be spaced a foot higher or lower than last year’s tap and 6 inches from left or right from last year’s tap.
4. There are forest management practices that we follow. In short, this means we maintain our diverse population of trees and follow our NOFA forest management handbook for organic standards. If you are interested in organic maple sugaring production and management practices, check out NOFA - Vermont’s Maple Syrup production materials.
Q 8: Why is there a sticker of a bird on your syrup?
A: We collaborated with Vt Audubon Society to help us go through our sugar bush to make changes to our forest management plan to ensure we have an optimal habitat for our forest birds. The sticker represents that we have abided by the proper protocols to obtain this certification.
Q 9: How do you decide what kind of syrup you are going to make?
A: This is determined on a day to day basis by the trees. The trees will produce different grades based on the temperature outside and the microbial growth that takes place in the sap.
Q 10: Sap to Syrup?
A: This depends on the sugar content of the sap. But on average it takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup. These numbers are based on the sugar content of the sap being at 2%. For perspective, when it is the beautiful finished syrup product it has a 66.9% sugar content.
Q 11: How hot does it get in the fire box?
A: It will reach 1000 + degrees Fahrenheit.
Q 12: How much wood do you use in a season?
A: Approximately 10 cords of fire wood is required per season.
Q 13: How long does it take to boil?
A: On average, we could boil 2500 gallons of sap and make 65 gallons of syrup in approximately 3 hours. This process does depend on the sugar content of the sap and so it can vary.
Q 14. You may ask, why is maple syrup so expensive?
A: Well, instead of explaining all the steps to you, next year, I would love to actually have you join me in the process from start to finish to experience the work it takes to make this liquid gold. I promise you’ll never ask this question again.
by Eliza Hamm, Race Director, Nor’east Trail Runs
The 2nd Annual Merck Forest Snowshoe Ultra race took place this year on March first. The first sap run had just been boiled. Before dusk, the day would see feats of endurance, camaraderie, and lots of maple syrup. Two dozen snowshoe runners set off from the Sap House through the crisp winter air to the echoing sound of cowbells, reverberating across the high Taconic valley. More excited than nervous, the snowshoers were a serious lot. They should be. This wasn’t just any race.
Known as the “Toughest sanctioned snowshoe race in the world” the Merck Forest Snowshoe Ultra is also one of the most lowkey and approachable. Athletes meet in the Sap House for hot cider and check-in, where you can find first time snowshoe racers mingling with national champions. Winding through 25 or 50 kilometers of beautiful working Taconic hardwood forest, the race leads snowshoers over 8,500 feet of elevation gain, cresting Mt. Antone a whopping four times in the 50K distance.
As the shadows drew longer, Cody Cutler of Sterling, Massachusetts, was the first to finish his final lap to complete the 50K in 6:33. He did it on a pair of Dion demo snowshoes, which he strapped to his running shoes for the first time (ever). Made in Bennington, Dion provided lightweight racing demos, outfitting over half the athletes looking to try out something more purpose built than the old wooden models. Judging on the times and highfives out there, it looks like they did the trick!
The Merck Snowshoe Ultra is one of 13 races in the area put on by Nor’east Trail Runs, as short as 1 mile and as long as 48 hours. We are bringing a brand new trail race to Merck this October, the Nor’witch Halloween 25K, 50K & 100K! Check out netrailruns.com to learn more about all our events. See you on the trail!
Merck Forest continues to adhere to Vermont’s Stay Home and Stay Safe recommendations, and our Calendar is suspended. We hope to reschedule the following events and activities as soon as conditions permit. You will find full details and registration information at www.merckforest.org/events
HIKES & WORKSHOPS:
Second Saturday Hikes. 2 – 4pm, $5pp. Monthly through October Lift your spirits with a moderate staff-guided hike into our hillside forest.
Volunteer Work Parties. 10am – 3pm, FREE. Last Saturday of the month through October
We might mulch raspberries, prune apple trees or wage war on invasive exotics -- there’s always something to do on the farm!
Wilderness First Aid Workshop. May 2 – 3, 8:30 – 5pm, $200/240. Wilderness First Aid training for backcountry emergencies; CPR component available. Preregistration is required and enrollment is limited.
Basic Chainsaw Safety Workshop. May 9, 8:30am to 4pm, $190pp (Course is full….taking names on a waiting list). Chainsaw techniques and maintenance for beginners.
Early Morning Bird Walks. May 9, 23, June 13, 7 - 9am, $5pp. Conservation Manager Tim Duclos will lead early morning walks to document incoming migratory birds.
Migratory Bird Lecture. May 9, 10 – 11am, $5pp. Birds are arriving or moving through our area: why do they migrate and what challenges do they face? Learn about the phenomenon of avian migration.
Game of Logging Levels 1&2. May 23 – 24, $380pp. (Level 1 & 2 are full. We’re taking names on a waiting list). Precision felling and maximizing chainsaw performance.
Game of Logging, Levels 3 & 4. May 30-31, 8:30 to 4pm, $380. Limbing, bucking and handling difficult trees and storm cleanup
SPECIAL EVENTS:
MFFC Annual Meeting. June 12.
Keynote Speaker: Liz Putman, founder of Student Conservation Association and former MFFC Board member, Advisor.
SUMMER CAMPS FOR KIDS:
Wilderness Day Camp. July 13 – 17
Forest Day Camp (Session 1). July 20 – 24
Forest Day Camp (Session 2). August 3 – 7
SUMMER EVENTS:
BioBlitz 2020. July 25 – 26
Bluegrass Concert. August 1
Mushrooms! August 23. Family Mushroom Hunt (am); Mushroom ID Workshop (pm)
Thoreau Lecture in partnership with GMALL, MCL September 15
Thoreau Hike in partnership with GMALL, MFFC; September 19
Harvest Festival. September 19
Twilight on the Mountain, October 10
Plein Air Painting with George VanHook, in partnership with SVAC, October 11
Meet the Lambs. May 16, 10:00am - 2:00pm, Suggested Donation $3. Have your little lambs meet our little lambs. There will be activities for children of all ages.
Meet and Feed the Animals. (Sunday afternoons from May 24 through October 11) and Farm Chores for Children (Thursday afternoons from July 2 through August 13)
Both events run from 3pm to 4pm, $5/child.
Join Merck staff as we tend the animals and perform routine farm chores.
Merck Forest’s “new normal” is challenging, to say the least. The staff here derives so much joy and satisfaction from our work up on Rupert Mountain.
We miss the action: fielding questions in the Visitor Center about which trails are open and what view is best, how much syrup has been produced and when the baby lambs are coming this spring! We miss the smiling faces, energized kids and and happy pets that spend time here learning, recreating and just enjoying the great outdoors. We hope that you and yours are well, safe and taking good care.
Merck Forest’s Advancement Office is open - so please reach out, I’d love to connect! It has been very gratifying over the last year to hear from members and donors about their excitement with the direction that MFFC programming is taking, conservation work that is underway, and efforts being made to collaborate with neighboring communities.
Community development is no longer exclusively “placebased” - our community here at Merck Forest includes the school networks that we collaborate with, the working lands collectives that we support ,and the conservation consortiums that we partner with. Our outreach materials are opened in Japan, New Zealand and Zurich (we can track that!) We are all part of a global community that treasures open spaces, relishes backcountry recreation, champions experiential education and understands the power of outdoor leadership, on a number of levels. We take our stewardship of these 3,200 cherished acres seriously and know you do too. Please be in touch and stay in touch. Inspiring curiosity, love and responsibility for working and natural lands isn’t just our job, it’s all of our jobs. We are always better, together.
Saturday, October 10, 2020
Second Annual Twilight on the Mountain Frank Hatch Sap House, Merck Forest & Farmland Center Celebrating 70 Years of Connecting People and Nature For Sponsorship information, contact liz@merckforest.org
In trying times, we must all seek ways to support one another. During April, May and June, Merck Forest & Farmland Center will allocate 25% of all new membership contributions and/or on-line syrup sales towards providing direct support to our region’s families and community members in need. Learn more about this initiative here: merckforest.org/specialproject or contact liz@merckforest.org
Here’s how you can help:
• Not a member yet? There has never been a better time to join Merck Forest and support our environmental and community initiatives
• Has your membership expired? We want you back! Rejoin today.
• Already a member, and still want to help? Purchase an additional membership as a gift and transfer it to a friend, neighbor or family member.
• Already a member, but can’t think of anyone to gift one to? Consider an on-line syrup purchase.
from the OXFORD DICTIONARY
More information about our Rupert Resilience Initiative will be shared soon. Membership information can be found on our website or by contacting liz@merckforest.org
philanthropy phi·lan·thro·py /fə’lanTHrəpē/ noun
1. the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes.
Forest & Farmland Center is on a mission to inspire curiosity, love and responsibility for natural and working lands
