Natural Enquirer: September/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.5 • Sept.-Oct. 2017

In this issue...

Fall is soon upon us and trees will gradually change from the green of summer to the multi-colored spectrum of autumn.

Cool breezes foretell a major change in the weather and the cobalt blue sky reminds us that nothing stays the same forever. In fact, the only constant is change! The articles in this issue of the Natural Enquirer deal with a different, but very real constant – death! In one article, we read about death by mosquito; in the other, death by petticoat. In one, we read historical fact; in the other, historical fiction. Both remind us that research is important, especially in this time of fake news and manufactured “facts”. Travel with us on a journey of “fact finding” and enjoy unraveling the past.

Inside Bad Air...................................................................2

Volunteer News Contents

Death by Petticoat................................................3

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

What’s Happenin’.............................................. 4-6

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

Spring Valley Annual Pass Information............10 Spring Valley General Information....................11

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 • S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 7

Bad Air

by Walter Plinske

T

here is something very much alive and thriving on this planet that has been the scourge of humanity for untold ages. It is likely that, of all the people who ever existed, nearly one out of every two have died of its effects. Carried in the anopheles mosquito’s salivary glands, and injected into its victim when the female of that species drills for blood, are minute worm-like creatures. They are the one-celled malaria parasite known as plasmodia. Fifty thousand of them could fit into the eye of a needle. Although dozens of them slip into the bloodstream when a carrier mosquito bites, it takes only one to potentially kill a person.

The parasites remain in the bloodstream only a few minutes.

They then find the liver, where they multiply for a week, causing Mosquito few outward signs. Each plasmodium has by then replicated itself 40,000 times when it bursts back into the bloodstream, signaling the body that it is under attack. Headache and muscle pains are signs of the alerted immune system. Severe fever, drenching sweat followed by cold shivering, is the hallmark of the disease.

The parasite’s growth continues exponentially until there are billions of them. The parasites destroy oxygen-carrying red blood cells and, when too few are left, vital life functions fail. The young and those in an already weakened state are the first to succumb.

In a healthier person, the body at last fights off the parasite, giving the survivor some immunity.

Malaria has been with us since before hominids appeared. Since the mosquito and the parasite are both ancient, even the dinosaurs may have suffered from it. Today all sorts of animals have some form of it, be they apes, birds, or snakes. Throughout recorded history, the disease has been making its mark. Some Egyptian mummies show signs of it. Alexander the Great is likely to have died from it, leading to the fragmentation of his empire.

George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Ulysses S. Grant all suffered from it. During the Civil War, malaria claimed a million Union casualties. During WWII, malaria casualties in the Pacific exceeded those from combat. The name of the disease comes from the Italian mal’aria, meaning “bad air”. Malaria raged for centuries in Rome, where it was commonly believed that swamp fumes caused the disease.

A plasmodium is a tropical organism that is critically sensitive to temperature. The speed at which the parasite develops in the anopheles mosquito depends on the ambient air temperature. As the temperature drops, the parasite needs more and more time to develop, until it takes longer than the mosquito life span. Unsurprisingly, malaria thrives in the tropical world. Today it is still endemic in Africa and parts of the Far East. In the recent past it thrived in the warmer precincts of Europe, including Greece, Plasmodium Italy, Spain, and Portugal. In the U.S., malaria was present in the southern states up to around Washington D.C., where the average daily minimum temperature is 66 degrees. Further north and the average temperature caused the threshold for the parasite to pinch off. The east coast was thus divided into two zones, one where malaria was endemic and one where it was not. This divide directly affected the outcomes of both the revolutionary and the civil wars.

The first known remedy for malaria was discovered in Peru and Ecuador. It was the bark of the cinchona tree, a cousin of coffee. Called by locals the “bark of barks”, (quina quina), it came to be known as quinine.

When word of it reached malaria ridden Italy, demand was overwhelming. Harvested in the farthest reaches of the Andes, the bark sold for a fortune. Seeds and saplings were brought to Europe in the hopes of stymieing the South American connection; however, the plants almost always died. It wasn’t until the 19th century that plantations were established in Sri Lanka, India, and Java. Quinine works by disrupting the reproduction of the plasmodium. In the 1940s, a synthetic malaria medicine was introduced. It was named chloroquine and was inexpensive, safe, and provided long-lasting protection against all forms of malaria.

At the same time another innovation arrived in the battle against malaria. It was the insecticide called DDT. Microscopic amounts of it could kill mosquitos for months, long enough to disrupt the cycle of malaria transmission. Unfortunately, DDT came to be overused, not by malaria fighters but by farmers trying to protect their crops from other insects. It was so cheap that many times the necessary doses were applied, leading to tainted soils and waterways, and damaged wildlife.

Today, because of widespread drug resistance, malaria is making a comeback after a nearly successful eradication campaign in the 1960s. The parasites reproduce so quickly that mutations arise that protect following generations from drugs like chloroquine. In addition, some fear that global warming will foster the spread of malaria. But that is another story.

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Chinchona

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 • S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 7

Death by Petticoat

by Patty Kennedy

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eath by petticoat; doesn’t that sound gruesome? Imagine it is over 300 years ago and you are getting ready to cook your family’s dinner over an open hearth. A hot coal suddenly jumps out of the fire and hits your petticoat. You scream and try to beat the flame out but it quickly engulfs you and you die. What a horrible situation that would be! Depending on who you hear it from, however, it is widely believed that this was one of the major causes of death for colonial women in the 1700s. Of course, this story is a myth, and is disproved by Mary Miley Theobald’s book, Death by Petticoat: American History Myths Debunked.

When dealing with any historical story it is important to employ critical thinking skills before repeating or believing it. This is just what Ms. Theobald does over and over as she dispels history myth after history myth in her book. In the case of the petticoat catching on fire, it may be true that a few women burned in hearth fires; however, it was by no means one of the leading causes of death during any time period. The leading cause of death for women in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries was disease. As for death by a petticoat fire, it would have been difficult to do since the fabrics used historically were made from natural fibers such as wool, cotton, linen, and silk. If one of these fabrics got hot coals on them, or if the skirts brushed over a fire, they would have smoldered, smoked, and been singed, but they would not have burned up right away.

On the other hand, polyester―a 20th century invention―would have flamed up and melted. Most times when this kind of story was reported historically, there were other factors at play besides hot coals sparking onto petticoats.

Another history myth Ms. Theobald tackles in her book is, as she puts it, “Myth #56: Some women had their lower ribs surgically removed to achieve fashionably small waists.” This history myth is most certainly not true. Again, critical thinking goes a long way to dispel this story. As Ms. Theobald states, “Not a single example of medical or historical evidence for this procedure exists” (p.110).

The biggest problem with this myth is the extreme life risk that could occur if someone were to have attempted it. Not only is there the worry of infection (no penicillin historically), anesthesia was sketchy at best, and cosmetic surgery as we know it today did not exist.

1840s Small Waist Petticoat

Yet another myth is, as Ms. Theobald puts it, “Myth #59: Quilt designs were really secret codes meant to assist escaping slaves through the Underground Railroad.” This one has no historical evidence to support it at all.

The myth claims that the quilts were put out as road maps to freedom or to convey messages about upcoming danger. “But,” as Ms. Theobald points out, “airing quilts was routine, so how could fugitives tell which quilts were messages and which were products of good housekeeping” (p.116)?

Furthermore, she points out that some of the patterns that were supposedly used actually date to a much later time period. As she states, “…the Dresden Plate pattern (which some claim meant “Go to Dresden, Ohio”) dates to the 1920s, as do the Double Wedding Ring (“Get married”) and the Sunbonnet Sue (“Disguise yourself”)” (p. 116).

Freedom Quilt

History myths can be shocking, intriguing, and fascinating, but if it sounds too simple, too interesting or too good to be true, it is probably not true or only has an element of truth. It is important to know the time period a historical myth is commenting on and important to question anecdotal history. Ms. Theobald does a good job at putting context to these myths. She really brings critical thinking to the forefront and, in the end, manages to debunk a total of 63 history myths in her book and is up to 126 debunked on her blog. If you would like to read about more history myths that have been debunked you are more than welcome to stop by the farm to see Ms. Theobald’s book or visit her blog online at https://historymyths.wordpress.com.

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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

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!

Growing up Wild: Early Childhood Teacher’s Workshop | Saturday, Sept. 23 • 9:00 a.m.- Noon Have fun with crafts, music, reading, and math and receive an activity guide that is correlated to the NAEYC Early Childhood Standards and the Head Start Domains.

PLT: Early Childhood Teacher Workshop | Saturday, Oct. 7 • 9:00 a.m.- Noon

Join us for a half day of curriculum exploration! Developed with Pre-K educators and early childhood specialists.

CANCELLED

Project Learning Tree | Saturday, Nov. 4 • 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.

Join us for a fun filled day in which you’ll learn about and participate in many of the 96 interdisciplinary activities.

Early Childhood Educators’ Combo | Saturday, Nov. 11 • 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.

Receive two nationally acclaimed curricula, Project Learning Tree Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood and Growing Up Wild.

Additional workshops are being developed. For information, visit ParkFun.com/Spring-Valley/programs

NEW • Breakfast with the Birds

Concert at the Cabin

Saturday, Oct. 21 • 7:30-9:30 a.m.

Adults Only - Learn how to use field markings and a guide book to identify unknown birds.

Saturday, Sept. 9 • 5-7:30 p.m. • FREE

Come enjoy wonderful music in a beautiful setting! The Spring Valley Community Concert Band will perform under the shelter on the wooded cabin grounds as evening settles in. Picnic fare and beverages will be available for purchase or bring your own food, lawn chairs and a blanket. Picnic tables will be available.

The music will begin at 6PM. The Merkle Log Cabin is an easy 10-minute walk from the Nature Center parking lot, or you can take a wagon shuttle.

Trails and Ales

Saturday, Sept. 23 • 4:00-7;00 p.m.

Experience fine seasonal beers, tasty seasonal breads and a jaunt through the fall prairie.

Weekly Yoga at the Cabin

Tuesday, Aug. 29-Dec. 19 • 6:00-7:00 a.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 29-Dec. 19 • 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Thursday, Aug. 31-Dec. 21 • 6:00-7:00 a.m.

Thursday, Aug. 31-Dec. 21 • 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Nurture your mind and body in this rustic setting and connect with nature.

ADULT or TEEN

Harper College & Spring Valley

National Public Lands Day

Register through Harper College or call 847/925-6707.

Class held at Spring Valley.

Saturday, Sept. 23 • 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Home Canning & Food Preservation

Participants will learn how people work with nature to heal the land and help restore rare plants and animals. All participants will receive a packet of native wildflower seeds. Refreshments will be available.

Saturday, Sept. 9 • 2:00-5:00 p.m.

This class is filled with everything you need to know to start canning and preserving foods!

Course: LFS0006-001

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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

Weekend Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides at the Farm Noon-3 p.m.

Harvest Bonfire

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, Sept. 16 • 6-8 p.m. • Ages 2+ • HF

Help celebrate our fall harvest time by taking a wagon ride through Spring Valley, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over an open fire and enjoying a lantern-lit tour of the historic barn and house.

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

$7 per person. Children ages 3 yrs and younger are free

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

FREE PROGRAMS

All Ages

Jammin’ Round the Campfire

Breakfast with the Birds

Saturday, Oct. 21 • 6-8 p.m. • NC

Saturday, Sept. 16 • 8:00-10:00 a.m.

Learn how to use field markings and a guide book to identify unknown birds.

Enjoy an evening filled with songs, stories and mores! Grab your favorite instrument (even if it’s just your hands, feet, and voice) and circle around the campfire! We’ll sing classic campfire songs and learn a few new ones, as well. After singing and playing up a storm, satisfy your sweet tooth with roasted marshmallows.

Howl at the Moon Hike

Friday, Nov. 3 • 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Brave the dark and venture into the woods to see what happens when the sun goes down.

EARLY CHILDHOOD

Autumn Harvest Festival

Follow That Leaf

Saturday, Oct. 7 • 10:00-11:30 a.m.

Listen to the story Leaf Man, collect leaves on a hike and follow the clues left behind for us.

$4 per person • $16 per family • 3 yrs & under Free

NEW • Get Ducky

Saturday, Sept. 16 • 11:00 a.m.-Noon Read a story, go on a short hike and make a pair of feet for you to match our duck friends.

How a Spider Spins its Web

Saturday, Oct. 21 • 1:00-2:30 p.m.

Enjoy a book, a short hike and a craft centered around our eight-legged friends.

Johnny Appleseed

Saturday, Sept. 23 • Noon-2:00 p.m.

Walk to the Cabin, make apple prints, eat apple cobbler and read about Johnny Appleseed.

Sunday, Oct. 1 • Noon-5 p.m.

Step back in time and see history come to life at a 1790s frontier encampment and an 1880s working farm!

Food, beverages and children’s activities Sponsored by are available throughout the day. Click here for more information.

Those Darn Squirrels

Saturday, Sept. 9 • 10:00-11:30 a.m.

Read about squirrels and how they get ready for winter. Then go outside to meet them.

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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

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!

Home School Naturalist Group Programs

A Haunting in the Valley

Spring Valley Nature Center and Heritage Farm are the perfect places for hands-on, exploration based science programs.

This fall the following topics are offered:

Friday & Saturday, Oct. 27 & 28 6:15-9:30 p.m.

• Leafy Trees – Compare and contrast different leaves, learn to read tree rings and create a leaf book to take home.

• Squirrels – Explore the fascinating lives of these furry acrobats, learn how to get involved with the citizen science program Project Squirrel and see if you would survive as a squirrel.

• Fishy Friends – Dive in to the watery world of Illinois fish. Discover what they need to survive, where they go in the winter and make your own gyotaku.

• Available every Fall: Conservation in Action, Woodlands, Owls: Predators of the Night, Cycling, Farms and Food, Gardening, Wetlands, Nighttime Nature

Before Oct. 23: $5 per person • Walk-in: $6 per person Enjoy a covered wagon ride to a trail of fun and adventure! Games, refreshments, a live owl and bonfire at the Nature Center.

Click here for more information.

For more information about programs and pricing, or to schedule a program, call 847/985-2100.

YOUTH Cub Scout Saturdays

Select Saturdays Throughout the Fall CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS Scouts will complete the requirements for their Cub Scout Adventures through these hands-on programs offered by an experienced naturalist.

Register for one or all!

Trick or Treating at Spring Valley Tuesday, Oct. 31 • 3-6 p.m. • Free Spring Valley will be open from 3-6 p.m. for trick or treating.

Visitors are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes, explore the doors and nooks of the Nature Center, travel from building to building at the Heritage Farm and enjoy a wagon ride between both sites.

Girl Scout Saturdays

Select Saturdays Throughout the Fall CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS Girls will complete the requirements for their Girl Scout Badges through these hands-on programs offered by an experienced naturalist.

Register for one or all!

Sponsored by

Spooky Campfire Cooking

Saturday, Oct. 21 • 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Get into the Halloween spirit by creating your own edible ghoulish treats.

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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 • S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 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.

National Public Lands Day

Saturday, Sept. 23 • 9am-1pm Join us for our conservation workday and assist with this demonstration of local environmental stewardship.

Help spread the message on how people can work with nature to heal and restore it. Any donation of paper grocery bags for use in seed collecting would be greatly appreciated. Drop the bags off at the Visitor Center.

Autumn Harvest Festival Sunday, Oct. 1 • Noon-5pm We’re looking for volunteers to help at Spring Valley’s largest event – Autumn Harvest

Pats on the back to the following volunteers...

• Emilee Baldwin, Karyn Baldwin, Jeanne Banducci, Peg Dorgan, Lynn Eikenbary and Tessa Sheeks for assisting with Nature Center summer camps.

• Gail Ameer, Eve Carter, Lynn Eikenbary and Carolyn White for representing Spring Valley at Schaumburg’s Farmers Market.

Festival. Activities are held at both the cabin and the farm and include children’s activities and crafts, ticket sales, farm interpretation, and more!

Volunteer shifts times are 11am to 2:30pm or 2:15 to 5:45pm. Also, additional help is needed for set-up on Thursday, Sept. 28. Call if you can lend a hand!

A Haunting in the Valley

Friday, Oct. 27 & Saturday, Oct. 28 We need your help with our Halloween event which will feature a wagon ride to the Cabin for a guided walk along the night trails.

Volunteers are needed for check-in, concessions, family activities, characters, and props. If you’d like to be part of the adventure, give us a call!

Congratulations to…

Leo Salais for being awarded the 2017 Ellsworth Meineke Award for his extraordinary effort in preserving our living heritage through his various volunteer efforts at Spring Valley.

Welcome New Volunteers…

• Emilee Baldwin • Karyn Baldwin • Jackson Kalmar 7

Dates to Remember

• Wed., Sept. 6.................6:30pm-8:30pm Volunteer Meeting • Mon., Sept. 11.............................. 1-4pm Handy Crafter Meeting • Sat., Sept. 23...........................9am-1pm Conservation Workday • Thurs, Sept. 28...................9:30am-3pm Autumn Harvest Set-up • Sun., Oct. 1............................ Noon-5pm Autumn Harvest Fest • Mon., Oct. 9.................................. 1-4pm Handy Crafter Meeting • Fri., Oct. 27..............................6:15-9pm A Haunting in the Valley • Sat., Oct. 28.............................6:15-9pm A Haunting in the Valley • Mon., Oct 31................................. 3-6pm Trick or Treating at Spring Valley

Happy Birthday to…

September 1 3 8 9 11 18 20

Nancy Lyons Liz Entwhistle Peggy Kulis Joe Scacco Nancy Ruffolo Dick Ruffolo Lynn Eikenbary Barb Lam

October 4 5

8 9 12 14

15 16

Rosemary Colbert Michelle Brown Don Olszewski Julie Nilson Marilou Vandrush Sue Ringfelt Bruce Kuhnhofer Ken Ogorzalek Pat Heiberger Eve Carter Tessa Sheeks

23 24 26 27 28

Maggie Justen Gloria Moritz Jim Peterson Dominic Maiorello Gail Ameer Barb Mitchell

17 Caroline Wygant 18 Gene Niewiadomski Simona Stalev 19 Denise Suender 20 Karyn Baldwin 21 Tony Meo 22 Margie Vollkommer 23 Adyan Khan 27 Savannah Pennington 31 Pat Ramos

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

SEPTEMBER 2017

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Farm Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10am-4pm Cabin Closed

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•Cub Scout Saturday 9am •Girl Scout Saturday 11am

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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Labor Day

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Handy Crafters Meeting 1pm

•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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Volunteer Meeting 6:30pm

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•Those Darn Squirrels 10am •Home Canning & Food Preservation 2pm

•Concert at the Cabin 5pm

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

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•Kick Off to Oktoberfest 4pm

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•Breakfast with the Birds 8am •Cub Scout Saturday 9am •Get Ducky 11am

•Harvest Bonfire 6pm

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National Public Lands Day 9am •Johnny Appleseed Noon •Trails and Ales 4pm

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

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Autumn Harvest Festival Set-Up 9:30am

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

•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

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Autumn Harvest Festival Noon

OCTOBER 2017

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

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Handy Crafters Meeting 1pm

Columbus Day

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

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Spring Valley Nature Club 6:30pm

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Schaumburg Community Garden Club 7pm

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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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•Cub Scout Saturday 9am •Follow that Leaf 10am •Girl Scout Saturday 11am

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•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm Sierra Club 6:30pm •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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A Haunting in the Valley 6:15pm

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•Breakfast with the Birds 7:30am •Cub Scout Saturday 9am •Spooky Campfire Cooking 10:30am •How a Spider Spins its Web 1pm •Jammin’ Round the Campfire 6pm

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A Haunting in the Valley 6:15pm

Farm Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10am-4pm Cabin Closed

Trick or Treating at Spring Valley 3pm

Bold indicates volunteer activities Italics indicates programs which may be taken as complimentary by volunteers See “What’s Happening” for program descriptions

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

Halloween 9

A new way to increase the value of your Spring Valley visits and show your support of the Nature Center & Heritage Farm!

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 • S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 7

Spring Valley Annual Pass What you get:

Membership Categories & Rates:

• Free admission to all special events

Individual .................................................... $50 Family** ..................................................... $180 Senior (55 yrs. & over) ................................ $45

• Ticket(s) to the popular Sugar Bush Fair breakfast* • Ticket(s) to Haunting in the Valley (based on availability)*

**Families consist of parents and their unmarried children 17 years and under residing at the same address and/or unmarried children 23 and under who are full-time students.

• 10% discount on seasonal Spring Valley program fees, including summer camps**

How Do I Sign Up?

• 10% discount on Spring Valley gift shop purchases

You may register at any time during the year at Spring Valley’s Nature Center or Volkening Heritage Farm Visitor Center. Annual Passes purchased at events can be discounted by the admission cost to that event! You will receive membership benefits that you may start using immediately – a card will be mailed to you within one week. Present the card any time you attend special events, register for programs or purchase items from the gift shops. All privileges are good for one full year, from the date of purchase.

• 10% discount on facility and picnic shelter rentals at Spring Valley • Guest pass(es) to events you can share with friends* • Access to special ‘members-only’ events and programs • Timely e-mail or postcard reminders of programs and opportunities • A beautiful annual wall calendar, featuring photos of Spring Valley and timely event reminders *number of tickets or passes varies by pass type – individual vs. family

For more information, call 847/985-2100.

**does not include group field trips, contractual programs, or off-site trips

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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 • S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 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 MAry Rice.......... “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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