Natural Enquirer: September/October 2018

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.9 no.5 • Sept.-Oct. 2018

In this issue...

The only constant in life is change! This old mantra is truer today than ever before, with the pace of change seemingly accelerated on a daily basis. If anything, this month’s Natural Enquirer demonstrates that the best way to deal with change is to be informed and adapt as necessary. Change is most difficult when we are blindsided by it, when the rug is pulled from under us and sends us sprawling. By staying educated and informed, we are more likely to foresee changes and at the least, better understand what is driving them and how we can best prepare for them.

An article on the removal of aging dams in the U.S. illustrates the importance of understanding the reasons behind dam removal, even though it surely represents a change to life as usual for people whose lives and livelihoods were impacted by the dam’s presence. An understanding of how the name for something can change depending on location is explored in Corn or Maize—What’s in a Name? Finally, we have a little fun sharing some memorable kid-encounters from this summer past. Kids remind us daily to pay attention. They have a keen awareness of things adults often take for granted, and possibly as a result, are better equipped to deal with change.

Inside Oops, There Goes a Billion Kilowatts!........... 2-3

Volunteer News Contents

Weird, Wild and Wonderful.............................. 4-5

Volunteer Information........................................10

What’s Happenin’.............................................. 6-8

Volunteer Calendar........................................11-12

Corn or Maize - What’s in a Name?.....................9 Spring Valley General Information....................13

Schaumburg Park District

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

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Oops, There Goes a Billion Kilowatts!

by Walter Plinske

Dam Removal

D

uring the Second World War, the British developed a means of attacking Nazi Germany’s dams in the hope of crippling German heavy industry. They did this with a cylindrical bouncing bomb that would skip over the water to avoid protective torpedo nets, dropped at the extremely low altitude of 150 feet. Eventually, special squadrons of Lancaster bombers attacked the dams, resulting in two dams being breached and another severely damaged. Fast forward to this day. Many dams in the U.S. are currently being removed. Unlike the British approach during the war, these are being taken down for a number of ecological, safety, and financial reasons. Wiping out every bridge for 30 miles downstream, damaging buildings 40 miles away, and flooding thousands of acres of farmland is about as far from the current hoped for outcome as one could imagine!

Hoover Dam

Over 3 million miles of rivers and streams run through the landscape of the U.S. Over 80,000 dams, big and small, have been placed on these waters since the first settlers arrived in the 1600s. The first major structure built was a church. The second was a dam. The dams plugged the streams and set them to work, turning gears to grind corn, saw lumber, and to mill flour. By the 19th century, dams powered mills to produce textiles. Before refrigerators, frozen dammed streams offered up chunks of ice to be sawed out and saved for summer. Before skating rinks, people skated over the isinglass impounded waters. By the 20th century, dams were built for electricity production, irrigation projects, flood control, navigation improvement, and a burgeoning recreation industry. Some really deserved the description of “awesome”. Grand Coulee contains enough concrete to cover Manhattan with 4 inches of pavement. Glen Canyon created a lake 186 miles long. And Hoover Dam is as tall as a skyscraper!

Glen Canyon Dam - Aerial View

The common reason why dams are being removed today is fish protection and restoration. Migratory fish such as salmon hatch in freshwater streams, swim out to the sea, and then return to their birthplace to reproduce. Placing a dam on a river causes the fish to paddle in vain at the base of it, blocking off movement upstream.

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Even with “fish ladders” to assist them, roughly 98% of the salmon will disappear from a river.

Many other species are also affected, including shad, mussels, chub, and herring. Dams also fragment rivers. A free-flowing river carries sediment and nutrients downstream and allows plants and animals to move freely along its length. Dams slow and warm the water, allowing lake creatures and plants to replace the former occupants. Sediment slows and drops to the bottom. Some reservoirs have silted up so quickly that in just 50 years, they are 95% full of sediment.

The decision to remove a dam ultimately comes down to dollars. As dams age, they often require expensive maintenance to comply with safety regulations or to just continue functioning. Environmental issues may drive up the costs. Native American tribal rights may also influence the decision. The cost of repairing dams has to be weighed against the benefits they are providing. The age of water powered mills is long gone, but thousands of Grand Coulee Dam silted in mill ponds still linger. With modern refrigeration, all those ponds that provided ice blocks are dinosaurs too. And when a reservoir gets filled with sediment, it can no longer provide water storage.

Removing a dam for safety reasons can be illustrated by the Fox River dam in Yorkville, Illinois. The design of the former low-head dam created an incredibly strong undercurrent which caused the deaths of over 20 people since its construction in the 1960s. The dam itself was roughly a six foot drop, causing the water to build up speed as it dropped. This falling water erodes the stone or concrete on the downside of the dam and makes what is termed a “scour hole”. This feature then makes the water flowing over the dam reverse direction which can spin and trap things very easily. If someone gets too close and is sucked into this undercurrent, no amount of swimming or kayaking experience will save them. Instead of removing the dam, the state of Illinois decided to reconstruct the dam in 2006 with a series of stair steps to make the water drop more gradual. This greatly reduced the dangerous suction of the dam’s current, but still made passage over the dam risky for kayakers. So in 2009, a bypass channel was constructed, creating a whitewater attraction for recreation and hopefully a way for migrating fish to bypass the dam.

Dam removals sometimes have undesirable consequences. Nonnative species formerly trapped upstream may colonize the rest of the river. Pollutants sequestered in the sediments can spread downstream. But in the 100 or so dam removals where numbers are available, fish, lamprey, and eel populations are rebounding, and more sediment and nutrients are heading downstream. Many rivers are starting to resemble their pre-dam selves.

Undertow

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Weird, Wild and Wonderful

S

by Spring Valley Staff

ummer is almost over and what a summer it has been at Spring Valley. We can safely and assuredly say that “A good time was had by all!” The prairie has been spectacular with great expanses of white wild indigo, purple prairie clover, blazing star, leadplant, and royal catchfly parading across the landscape each in its own time. Now the prairie grasses are displaying their small, but beautiful flowers; though without petals, the stamens and pistils are a delight to the eye.

Apart from the prairie, there have been visitors from near and far, camps and campers, and butterflies to keep staff busy interpreting the site and the vision of Spring Valley. We thought it might be a good idea and a bit of fun to share some of the comments, reflections, and casual interactions that have taken place. Here they are in no special order!!

The Summer I became a Schaumburg Celebrity by Kyle Wenz

I have spent a fair number of summers involved with early childhood learners as an environmental educator, but the summer of 2018 stands way above the rest when it comes to these lil’ ones! I spent this summer receiving hugs, getting requests to take pictures, and even signing a few “autographs”; all of which give me a great feeling and are a positive reflection on Spring Valley as a whole. The funny part is that quite a number of these requests came from children and their parents whom I have never met during any program that I can remember! Somehow they recognize my face and/or my name, and feel the urge to come say, “Hi”.

If this continues into the future, it might just be that public appearances by Spring Valley staff are a new revenue stream!

An Encounter with the Unexpected by Derek Gronlund

One afternoon during camp, several girls spent some free-time near the Merkle Cabin, trying to catch frogs in the pond. After many failed attempts at catching a particular frog, the girls devised a plan to trick the frog into the net. They figured that if one of them held the net in the water and stayed perfectly still, the other girls could toss bait into the water to lure the frog closer. While some collected frog bait (mulberries and leaves, which they were convinced were this frog’s favorites), one girl stayed behind to get into position. She went to the small bridge near the waterfall and stepped down onto the rocks that are in the water right by the bridge to get a better reach. She had each foot on a separate rock, and was crouched down, close to the water’s surface keeping herself steady by using one hand to hold on to the bottom of the bridge. In her other hand, she held a net, extended out as far as she could reach. When the other girls returned, they took aim and tossed their “bait” towards the submerged net. Then they waited, silently. It didn’t take long for the action to happen, but it turned out to be a closer encounter than anyone bargained for. Since the girls were so focused on the frog, they didn’t notice that a mink was swimming along the shore of the pond, looking for food. When it got to the bridge, it swam right between the one girl’s legs, and popped out of the water right in front of her. Everyone screamed, and the girl on the rocks lost her balance and fell facefirst into the water, almost on top of the mink. I am still not sure who was more surprised: the girls or the mink!

Caring for Wildlife by Amanda Anderson

During the Puppet Pals camp, one camper, Isabela, found a dragonfly stuck in the water off the pond dock. She was originally scared of it but was brave enough to reach into the water to try and save it.

She held it on her finger until the dragonfly’s wings were dry enough for it to fly off on its own.

Living History Fun by Patti Johnson

I was explaining the harness repair shop to a young girl, maybe 4, a few weeks ago. I explained that there were 500 horses living in 1880s Schaumburg and how people bought their harnesses and then had them repaired. After I finished she asked, “Are you being honest?” Yes, yes I am.

On Wednesday after doing some farm chores (very few, I might add), my campers were complaining, tired, and wanting to sit down.

I said to them, “You are young. I’m old and I have more energy than you do?” One boy turned to me and said, “You’re not old, just older”.

Awwwwwww!

And of course, there’s the kid who asked, “Why does that horse have 5 legs?!?!?!” At Spring Valley, we present farm life as it really was, with no filters!

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Camper with Dragonfly

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Stories from a Weekend Host by Joni Marin

When the Jack-in-the-pulpits are in bloom, I like to open the “pulpit” to show kids “Jack.”

Near the end of the blooming cycle, I drew a smiley face on one of them with a sharpie marker thinking that kids would get a surprise seeing a face on Jack. One young boy about 8 and his mom were on the trail and I started telling them about spring ephemerals and pointed out the Jack-in-the-pulpit. When I pulled up the bloom, I said “There’s Jack.” The boy jumped back with his mouth open. He said, “No way! It has a face on it? No way! The flower grows like that! Wow!” The mother and I started chuckling and I finally admitted that, “No, Miss Joni drew Jack’s face on with a marker. I thought it would be a fun surprise.

I’m not saying it’s okay to draw on wildflowers. This was just a special joke, and it won’t harm the flower.” The boy cracked up and I heard him tell his mom as they walked away, “I thought it was real at first!”

Make It and Take It Sunday Surprise

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Two elderly women came up to two of us and excitedly asked when we were starting the craft activity. They had come to the Nature Center just to do this. When we showed them the craft, I expected them to be disappointed because they may have thought we were making wreaths with dried flowers or something; not a kid-oriented craft. I was wrong. They excitedly said “Oh, we’ll make ladybugs!” They had a great time making the spots and loved how the wings moved. They planned to hang them up on their refrigerators because they were so cute!

You Just Never Know…

I took some people on a nature hike and we ended up at the pond. One girl, about nine, stayed behind and knew an abundance of information about the wildlife. I asked her, “Are you interested in science?” She said without missing a beat “Yes. I plan to be an evolutionary entomologist. I really find it interesting to study how insects change over time.” Wow!

Josh the Monarch Meets Josh the Kids by Carol Johnson

A class of 5 and 6 year old campers joined one of our early monarch releases, outside of the new cages. After successfully naming and releasing a couple female monarchs, I announced that the next butterfly was a boy. We could tell by the distinctive black spots on its lower wings. We needed a boy’s name for this guy. The name “Josh” was shouted out by someone, with an echoing second from another boy, who coincidently was also wearing a “Josh” name tag.

Josh the butterfly was passed around from finger to finger so several kids could hold him, but he was having no part of adventuring out into the big new world.

I explained that sometimes butterflies don’t want to leave because their wings are not dry enough or they sense danger. I placed the timid creature on a colorful Mexican sunflower and said he might want to fuel up on nectar before flying off. He sat there for several minutes so I announced that it was safer to put Josh back in the cage and let him go in the afternoon.

Monarch Release

That announcement was missed by the bulk of the tiny audience. As Josh was being safely re-caged another monarch flew over their heads. Instantly, little hands went into the air, pointing to the butterfly as they roared, “JOSH!” Josh, the boy, brought in a monarch egg the next day. We named it Josh in his honor. Both are roaming Spring Valley now. Have you seen them?

Mixed Measurements by Matt Mercado

Being part of the maintenance crew doesn’t usually leave much time for more than a wave to visiting patrons. So when our work takes us out on the trails, it’s a nice change of pace to see the assorted faces that come to enjoy what Spring Valley has to offer.

If you’ve been here, chances are you’ve seen or crossed paths with the roving bands of children on field trips and in summer camps. One day, while weeding along the trail, the crew was approached by a group of campers stirring up quite a ruckus. You may have trouble believing this but they had just seen a real life dead cicada. With too much excitement to contain, one camper assured us we had to see this sight because “It’s only two miles that way, or two centimeters...I mean just ahead about two percent further.” Seeing the joy and hearing first-hand the knowledge he’d gained was not only reassuring but it was an inspiration to us to keep working hard, even if we have to make sure he signs up for geography camp next year!

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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 at parkfun.com 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. 15 • 9:00 a.m.- noon Join us for a hands-on workshop designed for early childhood educators. Growing Up Wild builds on children’s sense of wonder about nature and invites them to explore wildlife and the world around them.

PLT: Early Childhood Teacher Workshop | Saturday, Oct. 20 • 9:00 a.m.- noon

Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood is specifically designed for educators who work with children ages 3 to 6 and includes more than 130 activities that engage children in outdoor play and exploration.

Project Learning Tree | Saturday, Nov. 10 • 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.

Project Learning Tree is an award-winning environmental program designed for educators, parents and community leaders. Enjoy a fun filled day learning about and participating in many of the 96 interdisciplinary activities.

Early Childhood Educators’ Combo | Saturday, Nov. 17 • 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 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

ADULT

Trails and Ales

Saturday, Sept. 22 • 4:00-7;00 p.m.

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

Harper College & Spring Valley

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

Class held at Spring Valley.

ALL AGES

Home Canning & Food Preservation

Sunday, Sept. 23 • 2-5 p.m.

Learn the process of home water bath canning and make a variety of sauces, pickles and jams.

Course: LFS0006-001

NEW • Morning with the Birds

Saturday, Sept. 29 • 10:30 a.m.-noon Learn how to use field markings and a guide book to identify unknown birds.

Vermicomposting

Saturday, Oct. 13 • 1:30-3 p.m.

Learning how to begin vermicomposting (using worms to process food scraps into compost).

Course: LLG1112-001

EARLY CHILDHOOD Follow That Leaf

Saturday, Sept. 29 • 1-2:30 p.m.

After listening to the story Leaf Man, we will go on a leaf collecting hike.

Breakfast with the Birds

How a Spider Spins its Web

Saturday, Oct. 13 • 8-9:30 a.m.

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

Saturday, Oct. 20 • 1-2:30 p.m.

Join us while we enjoy a book, short hike and craft centered around our eight-legged friends.

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NEW • Nature Play Date

YOUTH

Thursday, Sept. 6, 20 & Oct. 18 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Alongside a naturalist, parents and children will explore natural wonders all around them.

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!

NEW • The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Saturday, Sept. 22 • noon-1:30 p.m.

Explore Spring Valley through the eyes of Eric Carle’s hungry caterpillar!

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!

National Public Lands Day Saturday, Sept. 22 • 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

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.

Spooky Campfire Cooking

Saturday, Oct. 13 • 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

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

Concert at the Cabin Saturday, Sept. 8 • 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.

$5 per person • $20 per family • 3 yrs & younger Free

Autumn Harvest F e s t i v a l

Home School Naturalist Group Programs 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: • Prairie Ecosystem – Explore the prairie, collect plant data and complete a scavenger hunt.

• Insects – Learn the key features of spiders and insects and go on a creepy-crawly safari.

• Seeds – Play games, work in the garden and dissect a seed.

• Mighty Acorns – Get connected to your local Illinois ecosystems!

Enjoy an adapted format of the popular Mighty Acorns program, which gets children involved in hands-on outdoor exploration and conservation work. The program spans the seasons (fall, winter, and spring), so check back this winter for the next offering!

Sunday, Oct. 7 • Noon-5 p.m.

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

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.

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

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DROP-IN PROGRAMS

Nature Center

Heritage Farm

Conservation in Action • FREE

Kick-off to Oktoberfest

Brush Cutting & Invasive Species Removal Saturday, Nov. 17 • 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

German Beer Garden

Friday, Sept. 7 • 4-7 p.m. • Heritage Farm

Join us in our efforts to better our environment by removing unwanted species from our woodlands and learn about the importance of native species.

The Heritage Farm is offering a traditional German biergarten complete with German music, pretzels, refreshments, local craft beer and soda. Bring a picnic dinner for the family, have fun with backyard games and enjoy an evening with us.

Admission sales offered dayof event; admission includes one free pretzel and reusable glass per ticket. Beer and soda available for purchase. Last call at 7 p.m. Runs rain or shine.

Jammin' Round the Campfire • FREE Saturday, Oct. 20• 6-8 p.m.

Enjoy an evening filled with songs, stories and s'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. After singing and playing up a storm, satisfy your sweet tooth with roasted marshmallows.

Admission: $5 per person.

Harvest Bonfire

A Haunting in the Valley

Saturday, Sept. 15 • 6-8 p.m.

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.

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

Friday & Saturday, Oct. 26 & 27 6:15-9:30 p.m.

New • All About Apples Sunday, Sept. 23 • 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Apples have always played a big part in German-American history.

Visit our historic farmhouse and orchard to see all the different things you can do with apples and then come to the Heritage Farm visitor’s center to make your own caramel apple treat!

Before Oct. 23: $6 per person • Walk-in: $8 per person Preregistration is advised—day-of tickets not guaranteed.

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.

Create a caramel apple; $4 per person

Trick or Treating at Spring Valley

Weekend Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides at the Farm

Wednesday, 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.

Noon-3 p.m.

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

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

Sponsored by Sponsored by Spring Valley Nature Club

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

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Corn or Maize - What’s in a Name?

“W

by Patty Kennedy Green

hat’s in a name?” is an age old question that can be as difficult to answer today as it was during Shakespeare’s time. Some objects go by different names even though they refer to the same object. Research is often necessary when wishing to clarify the meaning behind a name. Take the word “corn” for example. Most Midwesterners would seem to be confident they know what corn is.

But did you know The Merriam Webster Dictionary has over seven different entries in the definition of “corn”? It is not until the fourth entry that the dictionary defines corn to mean maize!

From the Merriam Webster dictionary online Definition of Corn 1. chiefly dialectal: a small particle: Grain 2. : a small hard seed – usually used in combination • Peppercorn • Barleycorn 3. British: the grain of a cereal grass that is the primary crop of a region (such as wheat in Britain and oats in Scotland and Ireland); also: a plant that produces corn 4. a: a tall annual cereal grass (Zea mays) originally domesticated in Mexico and widely grown for its large elongated ears of starchy seeds – called also Indian corn, maize b: the typically yellow or white seeds of corn used especially as food for humans and livestock c: an ear of corn with or without its leafy outer covering

Corn

These multiple definitions illustrate the importance of knowing the proper context in which the word corn is being used. If you are in rural England, for example, and hear that the farmer just brought in his corn, it might be smart to look at his harvest before assuming that he was growing the yellow stuff on the long ears (otherwise known as maize). Indeed there is a good chance he was growing wheat.

To further the confusion, when doing historic research the name corn was not always used to refer to maize. Sometime maize went by different names and that stemmed from where past generations first saw the grain grown or from where they received its seeds. As Tom Standage, author of An Edible History of Humanity, points out, “By the 1520s [maize] had established itself in several parts of Spain and northern Portugal, and it soon afterwards spread around the Mediterranean, into central Europe, and down the west coast of Africa.” (p.113) Within 10 years maize had even become established in China. Since the spread of this crop happened so fast and so completely, its origins became obscured. It might be referred to as Spanish corn, Indian corn, Guinea corn, and even Turkey wheat.

Corn Kernel

The first settlers of Schaumburg Township actually referred to maize as Turkey wheat, as is illustrated in Fred Bartles’ letter written in 1848.

The land that is plowed early is planted with Turkey wheat or seeded with oats; the land that has been broken up late is cultivated with wheat and yields magnificent harvests. If the ground has been cultivated with Turkey wheat, it is harrowed under the next year, without prior plowing. In general, all the land is plowed only once, and after Turkey wheat or potatoes the soil is not broken up at all, but the seeds are only harrowed.

This passage is just one example of why not to take words at face value since they can often be relative to time and place. More research is often necessary to help understand and define a word or the name of an object. Without thorough research, we can never truly know or understand the past. Only when we take ourselves out of our cultural and present values can we begin to understand past values and other cultures of today.

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Volunteer News

Dates to Remember

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. 22 • 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

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. 7 • Noon-5 p.m.

We’re looking for volunteers to help at Spring Valley’s largest event – Autumn Harvest Festival.

Activities are held at both the cabin and the farm and include

Pats on the back to the following volunteers...

• Jeanne Banducci, Peg Dorgan, Lynn Eikenbary, Hilary Ellis, Bill Forst, Graham Knott, and Hedy Otte for assisting with Nature Center summer camps.

children’s activities and crafts, refreshment 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 setup on Thursday, October 4. Call if you can lend a hand!

A Haunting in the Valley

Friday, Oct. 26 and Saturday, Oct. 27 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…

Al Vogel for being awarded the 2018 Ellsworth Meineke Award for his extraordinary effort in preserving our living heritage through his various volunteer efforts at Spring Valley.

• Wednesday, Sept. 5........6:30-8:30 p.m. .

Volunteer Meeting • Monday, Sept. 10...................... 1-4 p.m.

Handy Crafter Meeting • Saturday, Sept. 22.............9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Conservation Workday • Thursday, Oct. 4...........9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Autumn Harvest Set-up • Sunday, Oct. 7.................... Noon-5 p.m.

Autumn Harvest Fest • Monday, Oct. 8.......................... 1-4 p.m.

Handy Crafter Meeting • Friday, Oct. 26......................5:30-9 p.m.

A Haunting in the Valley • Saturday, Oct. 27..................5:30-9 p.m.

A Haunting in the Valley • Monday, Oct 31......................... 3-6 p.m.

Trick or Treating at Spring Valley

Welcome New Volunteers…

• Diane Atkin • Ellie Bryant • Eliana Ford • Dan Hess • Kelsey Kaufman • Frankie Suffi • Lorenzo Vendramin

Happy Birthday to…

September 1 3

8 16 18

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Nancy Lyons Liz Entwhistle Alexis White Peggy Kulis Eliana Ford Dick Ruffolo

October 4 5 6 14 15 16

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

• Brigid Brauson • Cynthia Clark • Zach Gross • Lee Hirstein • Linda Steck • Amanda Szotek

Rosemary Colbert Don Olszewski Valerie Kot Ken Ogorzalek Pat Heiberger Eve Carter Tessa Sheeks Caroline Wygant Gene Niewiadomski Wesley Ramirez

20 22 24 26 28

Lynn Eikenbary Dale Harper Gloria Moritz Jim Peterson Gail Ameer Barb Mitchell

19 Denise Suender 21 Tony Meo 22 Margie Vollkommer 23 Ken Carlson Adyan Khan Ahmar Khan 26 Dan Hess 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 2018

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

1

Farm Hours: Tues-Sun 10am-4pm Cabin Closed

•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

2

3

4

Labor Day

9

10

Handy Crafters Meeting 1pm

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

11

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

16

17

18

5

6

•Nature Play Date 11:30am

Volunteer Meeting 6:30pm

12

Schaumburg Community Garden Club 7pm

19

23

24

30

25

7

•Kick Off to Oktoberfest 4pm

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

13

20

14

27

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

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

11

15

•Harvest Bonfire 6pm

21

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

26

8

•Concert at the Cabin 5pm

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

•Nature Play Date 11:30am

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

•All About Apples 11am •Home Caning and Food Preservation 2pm

Saturday

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22

National Public Lands Day 9am •The Very Hungry Caterpillar Noon •Trails and Ales 4pm

29

•Morning with the Birds 10:30am •Follow that Leaf 1pm

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

OCTOBER 2018

Monday

1

Tuesday

2

Wednesday

3

Thursday

4

5

11

12

Autumn Harvest Festival Set-Up 9:30am

Saturday

Friday

6

Spring Valley Nature Club 6:30pm

7

Autumn Harvest Festival Noon

8

Handy Crafters Meeting 1pm

9

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

14

15

16

10

Schaumburg Community Garden Club 7pm

17

18

•Nature Play Date 11:30pm

22

23

24

25

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

28

29

30

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

19

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

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

21

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

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

31

Trick or Treating at Spring Valley 3pm

Halloween 12

13

•Breakfast with the Birds 8am •Spooky Campfire Cooking 10:30am •Vermicomposting 1:30pm

20

•Cub Scout Saturday 9am •How a Spider Spins its Web 1pm

•Jammin’ Round the Campfire 6pm

26

A Haunting in the Valley 6:15pm

27

A Haunting in the Valley 6:15pm

Farm Hours: Tues-Sun 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 • S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 8

SPRING VALLEY | Schaumburg Park District • 1111 East Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg, Illinois 60194 Spring Valley is a refuge of 135 acres of fields, forests, marshes and streams with over three miles of handicapped-accessible trails, a museum featuring natural history displays and information, a new nature playground and an 1880s living-history farm. Spring Valley is open to the general public. Admission is free.

Hours:

Schaumburg Road

Plum Grove Road

N

Volkening Heritage Farm

Grounds and Trails April 1 - Oct. 31.............. Daily................. 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Nov. 1 - March 31........... Daily................. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Vera Meineke Nature Center & Bison's Bluff Nature Playground

Nature Center/Museum Hours Year-round...................... Daily................. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Bison’s Bluff Nature Playground April 1 - Oct. 31.............. Tue-Sun........... 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Mon.................. Noon -8 p.m.

Nov. 1 - March 31........... Daily................. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (weather permitting)

Merkle Cabin

Volkening Heritage Farm April 3 - Nov. 18.............. Daily................. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Mon.................. Museum buildings CLOSED Dec. 1 - March 31........... Open for Special Events & programs only

Spring Valley 135 acres

Unless otherwise noted, all programs are held rain or shine. Participants should dress appropriately for weather conditions.

Vera Meineke Nature Center 847/985-2100

Volkening Heritage Farm 847-985-2102

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.

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.

Environmental Outreach Program

Scout Badges

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.

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 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.

SPRING VALLEY MISSION STATEMENT:

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.

Hourly use fees: 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: parkfun.com

E-MAIL:

springvalley@parkfun.com

MEMBER:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Tony LaFrenere

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