Natural Enquirer: July/August

Natural Enquirer N e w s l e t t e r f o r S p r i n g Va l l e y S u p p o r t e r s a n d Vo l u n t e e r s

vol.8 no.4 • July-Aug. 2017

In this issue...

Much of inquiry into the natural sciences or history starts with a seed of knowledge planted within the mind of a curious recipient. Not only is it important that this seed lands within a fertile mind, open to new discoveries, but the seed itself has to include elements of fact, mystery and provocation – i.e. a good seed. From there, inquiry can lead to expanded knowledge, further discoveries, growing passion for a topic, advocacy for protection, etc. Like planting seed potatoes, unearthing interesting historical tidbits, or nurturing a tiny silk moth caterpillar – all discussed in this issue of the Natural Enquirer – the results of inquiry can be enriching and yield surprising and beautiful results. Spring Valley is all about encouraging inquiring minds to nurture their awareness of local nature and history, expanding their sense of place and responsibility to protect it. Consider this your official invitation!

Inside Mid-summer’s Night Dream Moths.....................2

Volunteer News Contents

Controlling Weeds with Spuds............................3

Volunteer Information..........................................7

What’s Happenin’.............................................. 4-5

Volunteer Calendar........................................... 8-9

One Hundred Years Ago and Then Some..........6 Spring Valley General Information....................10

Schaumburg Park District

Visit www.parkfun.com and take our Spring Valley Program Survey.

S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a y / J u n e 2 0 1 7

Mid-summer’s Night Dream Moths

T

by Dave Brooks

hey are the real-world equivalents of nocturnal wood sprites, gossamer-winged fairies flitting in and out of the shadows and into the light. Although many people may have never seen them, a single glimpse of one of these beauties will take your breath away and not soon be forgotten. They are the imperial moths or giant silk moths, known scientifically as the Saturniidae. While numerous species of these large and showy moths exist in North America, we can usually rely on seeing only a handful here in northern Illinois. Many a curious child has discovered giant silk moths after discovering an oval leaf-wrapped cocoon in autumn and keeping their find in a jar until the cocoon reveals its mysterious inhabitant. Just as often, if the jar is kept indoors over winter, the beautiful silk moth emerges well before the weather has warmed outdoors, dooming the moth to a short un-mated existence. Better to keep these silken treasures outdoors or in the garage, where they are exposed to winter temperatures and will therefore hatch when warm weather arrives.

The most common giant silk moths to be found in our area are the Cecropia moth and the Polyphemus moth. These are their Latin genus names, and while I have never come across a common name for them, I feel none is needed. They are distinctive enough that Latin will do. Both moths are stunning in appearance, with large eye-like spots on their wings, rich colors, furry legs and bodies, and wing spans between 4 ½ and 6 inches. Their larvae are equally impressive, growing into chubby green caterpillars often over 3 inches in length.

Cecropia Moth Polyphemus Moth While the caterpillars are prodigious eaters, adult moths do not eat or drink during their short lives. The adults typically live for a week to 12 days, living for one purpose only, and that is to find a mate.

The large feathery antennae of the males are chemo-receptors that detect any hint of female pheromones on the breeze and track down the source of the ‘scent.’ The antennae of the females are scant in comparison.

Another common silk moth is the truly ethereal Luna moth, sometimes called the moon moth. These lime green beauties with 4-5 inch wingspans are graced with long tassels which hang from their hind wings. When the moths fly, these tails twist against each other in a rolling motion, adding to the enchantment of seeing one of them flying. The fourth common silk moth in our area is the Imperial moth. These mostly yellow, brown and sometimes, magenta colored moths more readily come to lights than the other silk moths.

They are therefore more commonly seen at night.

Luna Moth

Imperial Moth

Silk moths may appear in our area anytime between May and August, depending on the species. Both Luna moths and Polyphemus moths have two generations each year. Overwintering pupae emerge in May or early June, and the progeny from these moths mature and emerge in late July or August. Cecropia moths occur as a single generation each year; however only a small percent emerge in late spring. The majority do not emerge from cocoons until late June or early July. Imperial moths occur as a single generation which emerges anytime between June and August. The caterpillars of all silk moths feed on a wide variety of tree leaves, growing successively larger in stages called instars. The caterpillar must shed its exoskeleton (skin) as it grows.

After the fifth instar, the now sausage-sized green caterpillar begins to spin a cocoon, often weaving leaves into the structure. The finished silken shelter for the pupa is a tough, dense fabric which is not easily broken into. Mice, though will chew into the cocoons to eat the pupa during winter.

Polyphemus Larvae

Although still relatively common, giant silk moths have been declining in recent years due to habitat destruction and pesticide use. Entomologists who study them have found that they often increase in number in areas with smaller trees and open habitat. It is guessed that as trees mature and habitat becomes more dense, birds become more numerous and increase predation on the moths. For this reason, new suburban areas with plantings of new young trees have potential to help boost numbers of silk moths.

Giant silk moths are sometimes discovered, by chance clinging to the side of a building during daylight hours. If found in the morning AND the wings appear shrunken, observe them quietly for a few hours but leave them be. These moths have just emerged from their cocoon and must expand and dry their new wings before flying away in the evening. A moth discovered later in the day may have begun to lay eggs. If so, placing the moth temporarily inside a large jar or box will result in eggs being laid on the surface of the container. The tiny caterpillars that emerge several days later can be raised on a steady supply of fresh leaves until ready to build a cocoon.

One of the best ways to see them is to search bushes and leafy areas in late autumn for cocoons. By patiently storing the cocoon in a garage or unheated room until springtime, you can observe the newly emerged adults up close on that magical warm day in late spring or early summer. Knowing now how short a time they have to fulfill their life’s purpose, you can then ceremoniously release them into the night.

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Imperial Moth Caterpillar

S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a y / J u n e 2 0 1 7

Controlling Weeds with Spuds

I

by Walter Plinske

n the days before herbicides such as Roundup or Paraquat, farmers employed other strategies in their ongoing battle against the weeds that contended with their chosen crops for survival. One strategy was crop rotation. Crops would not be grown on the same piece of ground year after year the way field corn is grown today with its deleterious consequences. Instead, the seasonal use of a field would rotate between growing grass for pasture, roots for man and beast, and cereal crops such as wheat. Root crops are “cleaning crops,” ideally providing the next season’s cereal crop a weed-free slate on which to thrive. While there are many root crops, including beets, turnips, rutabagas, and mangels, the most important is the potato. By being planted in rows, the roots have to be hoed several times during the season, thus cleaning the field of weeds in the process.

Potatoes belong to the nightshade or Solanaceae family, which includes tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, tobacco, and deadly nightshade. The tubers are not true roots but modified stems. The eyes from which new potatoes sprout are descended from the leaves that grew on the stem. Potatoes have above ground fruits that look like green cherry tomatoes which are full of solanine, a poison that is part of the plant’s defense against animal predators. Farmers do not use these seeds for growing a crop but instead they cut up the tubers and plant the pieces. Tubers used this way are called seed potatoes.

Potatoes are the world’s fifth most important crop. Only sugarcane, wheat, corn, and rice are more important. When the potato arrived in Europe on the heels of the Spanish conquest of the Andean Mountain region of South America (where potatoes were first cultivated), it had trouble finding a foothold in the population’s hearts and stomachs.

People had not eaten tubers before and the plant was a member of the nightshade family. Potatoes were thought to cause leprosy and immorality. Nowhere in the Bible Seed Potatoes are they mentioned. Eventually people recognized that this peculiar plant could produce more food on less land than any other crop. Most of northern Europe, where in time the potato would prove to be the most advantageous crop, stubbornly resisted it. Eventually the autocratic powers ordered their peasants to grow them, the modus operandi of the time.

Those reactionary rustics were eventually proved correct about their fears by science. The solanine found in the potato leaves, fruit, and tubers can be toxic even in small quantities.

It has both pesticidal and fungicidal properties that are the plant’s defense against insects, disease, and predators. Most solanine occurs in the skin or just under the skin of potatoes.

Peeled potatoes contain 30-80% less solanine than if they are unpeeled. If potatoes are exposed to light, they will “green” and contain a more dangerous amount of the chemical.

Van Goghs’ “Peasants” Green potatoes should always be peeled if they are used at all. Solanine poisoning is primarily displayed by nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, headaches, and dizziness. Commercial varieties are screened for acceptable levels of this pesky glyco-alkaloid.

On the other hand, the up-side of the potato is that they are so full of vitamins that a person could survive on a diet of nothing but potatoes. They are a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of potassium, copper, vitamin C, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, dietary fiber, and pantothenic acid. Potatoes also contain a variety of phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity. Supplementing this meager menu with milk could ensure that a population could be free of the famines that plagued Europe before the potato’s arrival. This was true until the potato blight of the 1840s ravaged the endless fields of them that stretched across northern Europe. In Ireland, where potatoes were almost solely relied upon for food, the blight ruined most of the crop and led to starvation and ultimately mass emigration.

At the Volkening Heritage Farm this season, we will be growing at least five different varieties of spuds with colors ranging from white to red to yellow. It is best to use certified seed potatoes, even if they seem a bit pricey. Using spuds from the super market is not advisable because they are sometimes treated with a growth inhibitor. Planting the remainder of the crop from the previous year could mean inviting over-wintered pests into the patch. Prior to planting them outside in rows 3 feet apart with about a foot between the “seeds”, the potatoes are cut into pieces with 1-2 sprouts each and allowed to “scab” over. Once the plants are 6” tall, earth is pulled up around them, smothering any emerging weeds and insuring the taters that form are not touched by sunlight. This is done at least twice more, “cleaning” the field of weeds!

While the primary rationale for growing potatoes has always been the nutritional food to be harvested, weed control was a side benefit recognized early on by astute agriculturalists always alert for ways to overcome the challenges presented by weeds, pests, and weather.

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Potato Bug

S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • J u l y / A u g u s t 2 0 1 7

Click on program/icon for information and to register online.*

*To create a new account, visit the registration desk at the CRC or download an internet registration form from www.parkfun.com. The form can be found under the registration tab.

Programs will be cancelled three days in advance if minimum is not reached, so register early!

Spring Valley offers an early bird discount on programs. Prices in the current brochure reflect that discount and will be in effect until one week before the date of the program. At that time, fees will increase 15%. Programs with insufficient registration will be cancelled at noon three days before the program. Please take advantage of this opportunity. It is our attempt to serve you better!

FAMILY

ADULT or TEEN

The following programs have a special family rate. By registering ONE child, it is assumed that a minimum of two people (one adult and child) or a maximum of four people are attending. Do NOT register additional people, they may pay on the day of the program.

Dutch Oven Dinner

Friday, July 14 • 6-8 p.m.

Participants will learn how to cook over an open fire using a cast iron Dutch oven.

Family Campout at Spring Valley

Sat., Aug. 19, 4 p.m.-Sun., Aug. 20, 10 a.m.

Sleep over night at Spring Valley. Includes nature walks, campfire cooking and other activities.

{Farm to Fork Festival{

YOUTH

Wednesday, Aug. 23 • 5-8 p.m. • Heritage Farm

Creek Stompers

Join us for a celebration of fresh, seasonal, regional foods! This unique adults-only event will feature some of the area’s top chefs preparing and serving up dishes derived from locally sourced fruits, vegetables, meats and cheeses. Locally made beers and wines will be offered as well. The Heritage Farm on a summer evening will provide the perfect setting to enjoy an unforgettable meal. Registration deadline is Aug. 18.

Saturday, Aug. 5 • 2:00-5:00 p.m.

Get your feet wet and hands muddy as we dive in to look for fish, water bugs, clams and more.

Age: 21+ | Fee: $30

Saturday, Aug. 5 • 9:00 a.m.-Noon Enjoy the bounty of summer’s crop and lend a hand in Spring Valley’s Kids’ Garden.

Garden Party

Insect Safari

Wednesdays • 3-5 p.m.

July 12: Dragonflies & Bees Aug. 9: Butterflies & Moths Hike the trails to catch and study insects, play games, do a craft and have six-legged fun.

Summer Camps

EARLY CHILDHOOD

at Spring Valley

Dino Tracks

Sunday, July 23 • 10:00-11:00 a.m.

Learn about dinosaurs as we dig up the truth and decorate your own dino tooth!

Spring Valley offers a variety of summer camps (full and half-day) for children 5-15 years old.

NEW • Lil’ Stinkers

Saturday, Aug. 5 • 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Join us to discover where skunks live, what they eat and how helpful these lil’ stinkers can be.

For more information, call 847/985-2100 or click here.

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S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • J u l y / A u g u s t 2 0 1 7

Drop-in Days & Weekends

Firefly Fandango - Registration Required Saturday, July 8 • 8:45-9:45 p.m.

Witness one of nature’s marvels as the summer sun sets on Spring Valley’s prairies and woods. This family program will begin with a short discussion on fireflies and how they produce their cool light.

Drop-in Thursdays

Anytime between 10 a.m.-Noon • Ages 3+ • HF July 20 • “Better with Butter”

Help the house frau churn butter then grab a jar and make some of your own! Bread and crackers will be on hand for butter tasting.

Just Desserts

Saturday, July 15 • 1-4 p.m.

Explore the world of wild berries, gather some to make a cobbler, and enjoy the delicious results.

Aug. 17 • “Sundae School”

Help make ice cream from scratch! After you have churned, make your own sundae and enjoy this cool summer treat.

Puddle Hoppers

$2 per person

Saturday, July 15 • 9 a.m.-Noon Explore Spring Valley’s pond, marsh, and any puddles we find along the way.

FREE PROGRAMS Buzzin’ About Insects

Sunday, July 9 • Noon-3 p.m. • NC

Weekend Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides at the Farm

Dive into the wonderful life of insects through games, pictures, and activities; focus on the details that make each unique. Drop by the Nature Center and take your own hike to explore the buzzing around Spring Valley. Refreshments available for a small fee.

Noon-3 p.m.

Old Settlers’ Picnic

Enjoy a horsedrawn wagon ride through Heritage Farm as staff relates information about the farm, animals and the history of Schaumburg’s farm families. Dress for the weather.

Saturday, July 15 • Noon-3 p.m. • HF

First generation German immigrants brought much of their culture and traditions to Schaumburg and the Heritage Farm would like to share them with you.

• Bring a family picnic and partake in the merriment with historical interpretive staff reenacting a summer’s day in the 1880s.

• Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

• Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis the day of the ride ($3/person; children 3 and under are free).

Call 847/985-2102 or click here for more information.

Star-Gazing Party

Saturday, Aug. 12 • 8:30-11 p.m. • NC

It’s time for the Perseid Meteor shower. Several telescopes will be set up around the Nature Center to view the summer constellations and hopefully see meteors, as well. There will be several star-related activities inside the nature center.

NEW • StoryWalk Storytime and Fort Building ®

Friday, July 28 • 10:30 a.m.

Drop-in Weekends

While walking the trails through the prairie you and your family can enjoy reading a book together. StoryWalk® is a fun, educational activity that places a children’s picture book in nature. The StoryWalk® will begin at the entrance to Bison’s Bluff Nature Playground.

Anytime between 10 a.m.-4 p.m. • All ages • HF July 22 & 23 • “Cheese Making”

See the ins and outs of cheese making and learn why it was important to farm families

Aug. 19 & 20 • “Historic Home Remedies”

Sponsored by the Schaumburg Township District Library and the Schaumburg Park District

Join us as we explore historic healing recipes of plants found around us.

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S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a y / J u n e 2 0 1 7

One Hundred Years Ago and Then Some…

O

by Patty Kennedy

ne hundred years ago always seems like a really long time ago in the minds of youth that visit Spring Valley’s Heritage Farm. They, and many other visitors, believe that it must have been the dark ages; and when you add 30 more years to that number, visitors believe that the 1880s must have been backwards for sure!

Stopping to think about it, however, one hundred years ago was really just 1917. In 1917, the First World War was being fought; the United State of America consisted of 48 states; and Henry Ford’s popular Model T was in full production. Going back thirty more years brings us to one of the most open and versatile times in American history. Mail order products were all the rage; railroads crisscrossed the whole United States; and John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company had already been incorporated for more than ten years.

It really is fascinating just how much happened in and around the 1880s. Many of the inventions that we are fully intimate with today, such as the light bulb (1879) and telephone (1876) were already invented. Yellowstone became the first National Park in March of 1872.

Also culturally significant, Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Pirates of Penzance” premiered in New York on December 31, 1879. “I am the very model of a modern major general,” indeed.

Seurat’s “Sunday on La Grande”

In the 1880s, the Impressionist art “Pirates of Penzance” 1879 Poster movement was waning and the rise of Post Impressionism was taking form. By this time, Monet had already painted his famous “Woman with a Parasol – Madam Monet and her Son,” and Georges Seurat’s “Sunday on La Grande Jette,” (a painting currently held and on display at the Art Institute of Chicago) was created in 1884.

Much of the art and literature created during this time period, like Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, published in 1882, Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, published in 1884, and Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” painted in 1889, are now considered classics.

Here is a sample of some other fun facts centered around the 1880s.

• The Battle of Little Big Horn (June 26, 1876) • Thomas Edison invents the phonograph (December 7, 1877) • President James Garfield was shot (July 2, 1881 and died September 19, 1881) • Gunfight breaks out at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, AZ (October 26, 1881) • The Statue of Liberty arrives in the U.S. (July, 1885) • Haymarket Square Riots or Haymarket Affair (May 4, 1886.)

• The Eiffel Tower was constructed (January 28, 1887) • The “Great Blizarrd of 1888” drops over 50 inches of snow on New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Connecticut (March 11-14, 1888) • George Eastman invents the Kodak camera (1888) 1880 Eastman Kodak Camera • Oklahoma Land Rush (April 22, 1889) • North and South Dakota (November 2), Montana (November 8), and Washington (November 11) become states (1889) • Columbian Exposition opens in Chicago (May 1, 1893) The census records for the 1870s shows Chicago as being the 5th largest city in the U.S. with a population of 298,977. By 1880, Chicago had moved up to 4th largest city with a population of 503,185. By 1890, Chicago had shot up the charts to the 2nd largest U.S. city and there it remained until 1990 when Los Angles replaced it.

The following data, which strikes closer to home, are the many cities and villages that became incorporated in Illinois in the 1880s, many of which are along the rail lines.

• Addison (1884) • Maywood (1881) • Rock Falls (1889) • Taylorville (1882)

• Arlington Heights (1887) • River Forest (1880) • Skokie (1888) • Western Springs (1886)

• Libertyville (1882) • River Grove (1888) • Spring Valley (no relation) (1886)

• Lyons (1888) • Rochelle (1886) • Streator (1882)

So, it would appear that the 1880s was not so long ago and far away. We can trace many important events, significant inventions, popular styles of art and literature, and even well-known incorporated towns and states to the 1880s. It was in fact a very busy and innovative time in history. Lots of things took place and maybe it wasn’t so backwards after all.

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S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a y / J u n e 2 0 1 7

Volunteer News Volunteer Want Ads

If you are interested in helping with any of the following activities, please call Judy at 847/985-2100 or e-mail her at juvito@parkfun.com.

Buzzing About Insects

Sunday, July 9 • Noon-3pm Join us as we explore the world of insects through games and activities.

Volunteers are needed to assist with the parking lot.

Old Settler’s Picnic

Saturday, July 15 • Noon-3pm Picnic and partake in the merriment of a reenacted historical summer day.

Trained interpreters are needed to add to the ambiance.

Star-Gazing Party

Saturday, Aug. 12 • 8:30-11pm It’s time for the Perseid Meteor Shower so come out for star gazing through telescopes and various star related activities. Volunteers are needed to assist with the parking lot.

Back to School Campfire

Friday, Aug. 18 • 8-9:30pm Celebrate the end of summer with a campfire complete with s’mores.

Volunteers needed to assist with the parking lot.

Dates to Remember

• Sun., July 9.......................... Noon-3pm Buzzing About Insects • Mon., July 10...............................1-4pm Handy Crafters Meeting • Sat., July 15......................... Noon-3pm Old Settler’s Picnic • Fri., Aug. 4.........................5:30pm-9pm Volunteer Picnic • Sat., Aug 12......................... 8:30-11pm Star-Gazing Party • Mon., Aug. 14..............................1-4pm Handy Crafters Meeting • Fri., Aug 18.............................8-9:30pm Back to School Campfire

It’s Picnic Time!

Mark your calendars for Friday, August 4 and plan to join us at this year’s Volunteer Family Picnic. Bring a family member or friend to join in the fun. We’ll provide all the fixins’, just bring your appetite! The picnic is co-sponsored by the Spring Valley Nature Club which will present its Ellsworth Meineke Award to a deserving club member and/ or volunteer. Invitations will go out in the mail in July.

Pats on the back to the following volunteers...

• Lynn Eikenbary, Sandee Lovisa, Renata Riccobon, Eileen Skiba, Judy Velan, Norina Waugh, and Carolyn White for helping with the spring Green Thumbs school programs.

• Gail Ameer, Betty Bei, Peg Dorgan, Lynn Eikenbary, Mary Harlos, Lydia Tarasiuk, Carol Thomas, and Angela Waidanz for assisting with various bird counts.

• Lynn Eikenbary, Jen O’Reilly, and Carolyn White for representing Spring Valley at various fairs.

Welcome New Volunteers…

• Rich Banducci • Carol Johnson • Saahil Patel • Mia Vollkommer

• Matthew Botella • Adyan Khan • Caroline Pena • Marcia Wysocki

• Maile Fidale • Junaid Khan • Tony Phillips

• Brandon Geary • Dominic Maiorello • Nina Rogers 7

Happy Birthday to…

July

4 Janeen Ross 9 Jack Ponzetti 13 Andy Caccavari 17 Barb Royce 18 Laurie Tatom 19 Mary Matz 21 Donna Turner 25 Joe Vito Alex Volkman

August 4 8

9 11 12 14

18 20

Pat Campbell Janet Bedsole Marilyn Motley Babs Eddington Paula Saban Judy Wood Hedy Otte Diane Shore Carolyn White Janet Kraus Donna Johnson Junaid Khan

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27 28 31

Sue Gallios Tom Poklen Nancy Fallen Kathy DeGeus Caroline Pena Kayley Stoner

21 Saahil Patel 22 Amanda Kraus Kristi Overgaard 24 Sandee Lovisa Julie Worsham 26 Carol Anagnostopoulos 28 Pete Justen Lydia Tarasiuk 30 Nancy Filo 31 Nancy Schaefer

S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • Vo l u n t e e r C a l e n d a r

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

JULY 2017 Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

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Farm Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10am-4pm Cabin Closed Bold indicates volunteer activities Italics indicates programs which may be taken as complimentary by volunteers See “What’s Happening” for program descriptions

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3

4

5

6

Independence Day

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Buzzing About Insects Noon

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Handy Crafters Meeting 1pm

M-F

•Wee Sprouts 9am •Puppet Pals 9:30am

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17 M-F

12

18 •Skills for Outdoor Survival 9:15am •Junior Historians 9:30am

23

24 M-F

Schaumburg Community Garden Club 7pm

19 •Insect Safari 9:30am •Nature Pirates 10am

30

25 •Wee Sprouts 9am •Puddle Paddlers 9am

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M-F

See next page for camps week of July 31-Aug. 4

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•Safari Adventures 10am •Paint by Nature 10am

•Lil’ Gardeners 9:30am •Junior Historians 9:30am

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•Lil’ Nature Keepers 1pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm Sierra Club 6:30pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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•Better with Butter Drop-In 10am

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•Puddle Hoppers 9am Old Settler’s Picnic Noon •Just Desserts 1pm

•Dutch Oven Dinner 6pm

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•Cheese Making Drop-In 10am

•Cookin’ Up History 10am •Lil’ Dig 1pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

•Dino Tracks 10am •Cheese Making Drop-In 10am

•Firefly Fandango 8:45pm

•Insect Safari 3pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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Spring Valley Nature Club 6:30pm

•Historian’s Apprentice 9:45am •Chores and Chortles Mini Camp 10am

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•Victorian Finishing School 9:45am •Lil’ Artists 1pm

•Nature Quest 9:30am •Valley Ventures 9:30am

W-F

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•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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•Science Sleuths 10am •Lil’ Creek Stompers 1pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

•Farmer Boot Camp 2:30pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • Vo l u n t e e r C a l e n d a r

Sunday

Monday

July 31 M-F

Tuesday

AUGUST 2017

1

•Story Time Explorers 9:30am •Junior Historians 9:30am

2 •The Big Dig 10am •Cookin’ Up History Mini 10am

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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7 M-F

8 •Chores and Chortles 9am •Critter Club 9:30am

14

Handy Crafters Meeting 1pm

9

15

20

21

22

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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4

10

5

•Garden Party 9am •Lil’ Stinkers 11am •Creek Stompers 2pm

Volunteer Picnic 5:30pm

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12

•Habitat Hikers 1pm •Farmer Boot Camp 2:30pm

Schaumburg Community Garden Club 7pm

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•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm Sierra Club 6:30pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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•Sundae School Drop-In 10am

Star-Gazing Party 8:30pm

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•Back to School Campfire 8pm

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•Historic Home Remedies Drop-In 10am •Family Campout at Spring Valley 4pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

•Historic Home Remedies Drop-In 10am

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

Saturday

Friday

•All About Frogs and Turtles 1pm •Let’s Get Messy 1pm

Spring Valley Nature Club 6:30pm

•Historian’s Apprentice 9:45am •Outdoor Engineers 10am

Thursday

3

•Insect Safari 3pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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Wednesday

23

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•Farm to Fork Festival 5pm

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•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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Farm Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10am-4pm Cabin Closed Bold indicates volunteer activities Italics indicates programs which may be taken as complimentary by volunteers See “What’s Happening” for program descriptions

S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a y / J u n e 2 0 1 7 Spring Valley • Schaumburg Park District • 1111 East Schaumburg Road • Schaumburg, Illinois 60194 Schaumburg Rd.

N Plum Grove Rd.

Spring Valley is a refuge of 135 acres of fields, forests, marshes and streams with over three miles of handicappedaccessible trails, a museum featuring natural history displays and information, and an 1880s living-history farm. Spring Valley is open to the general public. Admission is free.

Vera Meineke Nature Center

Volkening Heritage Farm

PHONE VERA MEINEKE NATURE CENTER...............................................847/985-2100 VOLKENING HERITAGE FARM......................................................847-985-2102

135 acres

HOURS

Vera Meineke Nature Center

Nature Center Grounds & Trails...............Open Daily...............8AM-5PM Volkening Heritage Farm Grounds..........Closed......................Dec.1-March 1

The earth-sheltered visitor center provides an introduction to Spring Valley’s 135 acres of restored prairies, woodlands and wetlands and three miles of trails. The center contains natural history exhibits that change seasonally, a demonstration Backyard for Wildlife, an observation tower, classrooms, an extensive library, gift sales area and restrooms.

NATURE CENTER/MUSEUM HOURS: Year Round.............Daily*.......... 9AM-5PM FARM INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM HOURS: Nov. - March............Open for Special Events April 1 - Oct. 31.......Tue-Sun...... 10AM-4PM Mon............ Buildings Closed

Volkening Heritage Farm

Step back into the past for a look at Schaumburg as it was in the 1880s – a rural German farm community. Help with seasonal farm chores, participate in family activities and games of the 1880s, or simply visit the livestock and soak in the quiet. Authentically dressed interpreters will welcome and share activities with visitors throughout the site.

Spring Valley Birthday Parties

We’ll bring our outreach program to your site. Topics include forests, worms, spiders, mammals, owls, food chains, food webs, wetlands, and the water cycle. Students will participate in hands-on activities, songs, and games. Topics may be adapted to students in grades one through six, and are aligned with Illinois State Standards and NGSS.

Looking for a unique, fun, and educational venue for your child’s birthday? Spring Valley is the answer! Two party themes are available. A hayride can be added for an extra fee. Call Spring Valley for more information.

Spring Valley Firepit and Shelter Rentals

Make your next scout group, business or family gathering something special! Spring Valley offers the use of a picnic shelter and fire pit in a wooded setting near the Merkle Log Cabin. Use of the site includes firewood, trash/recycling receptacles and benches, as well as picnic tables. No alcohol or amplified music permitted. Restrooms are available at the Heritage Farm or Nature Center, a 5–10 minute walk. The adjacent Merkle Log Cabin contains a restroom and may be rented for additional fees.

Programs at Spring Valley

School, Scout and adult groups are encouraged to take advantage of Spring Valley’s Environmental Education Program. Programs change seasonally and are geared for specific age groups. Correlations to the state standards, connections with NGSS, and activity sheets are available on the SPD website, www.parkfun.com.

Learn local history with a visit to the Heritage Farm. Elementary and high school students recreate farm life in the 1880s with Hands on History; second graders experience it through Heritage Quest.

Children from the age of four through second grade will learn about food, farmers, and farm animals in Farms and Foods.

Scout Badges

Hourly use fees:

We offer many opportunities for scouts. Our programs will help with your badge, pin or patch requirements. Call for more information or stop in for a brochure.

Spring Valley’s mission is to educate area residents regarding the natural and cultural history of the Schaumburg area and how people have and continue to interact with and upon the landscape.

Residents:.............. $25

Civic groups:...............................$25

Non-residents:....... $40 Corporate/business groups:.......$55

SCHAUMBURG PARK DISTRICT BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS:

NATURAL ENQUIRER STAFF: Mary Rice.......... Editor

Mike Daniels Sharon DiMaria David Johnson George Longmeyer Bob Schmidt

Judy Vito............ Volunteer Coordinator Dave Brooks...... “In this Issue...”

Scott Stompor.... Graphic Artist

SCHAUMBURG PARK DISTRICT WEBSITE: www.parkfun.com

E-MAIL:

springvalley@parkfun.com

MEMBER:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Tony LaFrenere

Participants should dress appropriately for weather conditions.

*All facilities closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day

Environmental Outreach Program

SPRING VALLEY MISSION STATEMENT:

Unless otherwise noted, all programs are held rain or shine.

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