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

InsideSpring Valley General Information ...................11Volunteer News ContentsVolunteer Calendar .......................................... 8-9Volunteer Information .......................................10

Summer Camp Survival ......................................2Buried Treasure ...................................................3What’s Happenin’ ............................................. 4-5The Wooden Shoes of Schaumburg ..................6Monarch Butterfly Project ...................................7

In this issue... People who are wise and mature are often also said to be ‘grounded.’ This probably means different things to dif-ferent people, but what it basically refers to is the fact that these people have their feet solidly on the ground, in the here and now, which allows them to take confident and firm steps forward. They generally know where they want to go. This issue of Natural Enquirer will help you to get grounded. It features a historical treatise on the impacts and causes of soil erosion through history as well as a look at some unique historic footwear. We also learn what it takes to stay grounded while shepherding a group of young children through summer camp and meet two amazing young girls who decided to get their hands dirty to help monarch butterflies.

Natural EnquirerNewsle t te r fo r Spr ing Va l l ey Suppor te rs and Vo lun tee rs vo l .5 no .5 • Sept . -Oct . ‘ 14

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Summer Camp Survival: A Checklist for Beginners by Lauren Podgorski

Now, I know what you’re thinking, “What could possibly be so scary about hang-ing out with ten or so six to eight year olds? Piece of cake, right?” Wrong. All those aforementioned, nerve-wracking experiences can be likened to your first day of summer camp: Did you prepare enough to pass the test of creating an entertaining and engaging day of camp? Are you diving in over your head with all that you want to get accomplished to-day? What surprises, either the weather or unexpected van malfunctions, are lurking around the corner for you today? As you can see, this task can be a little daunting for a newbie. I know from ex-perience; however, as my summer has progressed, the once-thought of chal-lenge has turned into more of a gratify-ing reward. Once I learned the key tools for summer camp survival and success, this job has turned into a very delicious piece of cake. The first tool for success that I learned very early on is to be adaptable. Kids are unpredictable, to say the least. I have quickly learned that the “cool” activities I have planned are actually the “lame” ones. In order to preserve an appearance as a fun, go-with-the-flow counselor, one must always have a back-up plan. If that alternative plan does not work, one must stay calm and simply think on your feet. In my short time as a counselor I have learned that although kids may be hard to please at times, they are also easily entertained. For example, a trip down to the natural play area provides an easy teaching environ-ment about bugs and frogs, while also supplying the entertainment of trying to catch those critters. Even though the kids may not realize it, they are learning through new experiences, and having fun while doing it. This is the sneaky way we counselors adapt to situations, but also ensure kids are learning and

disposition is conta-gious. If you project a confi-dent and fun-loving persona, your camp-ers will mirror your attitude and love whatever activity is planned for them. A happy counselor equals happy campers, which is the ulti-mate goal of summer camp anyway.All in all, my first summer as a camp counselor has definitely been an ex-perience to remember. I have grown so much not only as an interpreter and leader, but also as a person. I have learned many life lessons that I will carry with me in any future endeavor. Addi-tionally, I have found that with the right tools for success, any task, no matter how challenging, can be viewed as a means of personal growth. I take pride in knowing that I have helped grow more than just flowers and vegetables here at Spring Valley. I have helped plant seeds of environmental knowledge into grow-ing young minds, and have personally grown so much as a steward of the land. Reaping those rewards is far more satis-fying than any harvest of crops.

enjoying them-selves at camp.Additionally, I have learned to recognize and appreciate all the teammates I have in my cor-ner of the week-long summer camp campaign. I work with some pretty amazing co-workers that have more years of experience put together, than years I have been alive. Needless to say, they are incredible resources for camp activities and crafts, to bounce ideas off of, and simply for words of encouragement. My summer camps, as well as myself, would not be afloat or successful if it were not for them. They have been my warm place to hibernate after a challenging day of mammal camp, my cocoon to help me transform from an average counselor to

a confident one during bug camp, and my bur-ied treasure of golden ideas during my Diggin’ into Mystery camp. I am eternally thankful to them and all their hard work.Last, but certainly not least, I have come to embrace the phrase, “attitude is a little thing

that makes a big difference.” It is truly amazing how much a positive mental attitude can transform a week of sum-mer camp. Heading into the first day of camp is always scary: trying to read the kids’ personalities, gathering notions of what they like and do not like, and testing your time constraints with them. However, going into that first day with a clear, confident head will only make those tasks easier. Even more, a friendly

Everyone knows that gut-wrenching, pit in your stomach feeling before taking a test, diving into a foreign body of water, or stepping into a haunted house. Adrenaline is pumping. Limbs are shaky. Thoughts are scattered. Now add to that list your very first day of summer camp, as a counselor with no previous experience. Those emotions just multiplied by ten-fold.

Diggin’ Into the Pond

Lookin’ Closely at Diggin’

Fuzzy Wuzzy Camp

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Buried Treasure by Walter Plinske

Not long ago, I looked on as the local topsoil concern, better known as dirt robbers, carried on with their business, scouring the black earth that covered the surface of a displaced neighbor’s acreage. It dramatized what humans have been doing to our soil ever since the plow was invented and erosion soon followed in its wake. Soil erosion has been around ever since there were earth, wind, fire, and water, but man has taken it to unnatural heights to become the very threat to the future. When did this all start? Will there be an end to it?Soil erosion occurs when the balance between the building up of soil and the forces trying to tear it down take on a nega-tive factor. These forces, which include wind and water, have a much greater erosive efficiency when the soil has been loosened by the plow. It began to be noticed thousands of years ago in Mesopotamia. The bottomland of the floodplain there was utilized so extensively that any further agricultural expansion was now situated in the surround-ing uplands. Stripping away the vegetation that held the soil in place and plowing the sloping ground invited erosion until planted crops grew large enough to shelter it from rain. When enough runoff occurs, flowing sheets of water can pick up and transport soil, carving small channels, called rills, which collect into larger more erosive gullies. On steeper slopes sustained rainfall can saturate the soil enough to trigger landslides.In Mesopotamia, the erosion of the sur-rounding uplands poured dirt and silt into the irrigation ditches which criss-crossed the region. Coupled with salini-zation, the nemesis of irrigation, the silt-ing of the ditches eventually caused the breakdown of agriculture and inevitably

With the opening of the Americas to Old World farmers, it may have been expected that the errors of the past

concerning soil would have been corrected. A search for the thick black soils first encountered by the earliest arrivals from Europe, however, shows them to be miss-ing. Evidence for colonial era erosion is apparent

all along the East Coast of America. Estimates of the average soil loss range from three inches to a foot. Within a cen-tury, upstream farming converted many open water ports into mudflats as mate-rial stripped from the hillsides reached estuaries. Silt buried bottomlands and filled in rivers and streams, especially where held back by the numerous dams that dotted the land.By 1900, the plow had reached the high plains, that semiarid swatch from Cana-da to Texas. At first above-average rain-fall encouraged farmers to till millions of virgin acres. When drought returned, it was found that the soil, stripped of its protective native sod, would not stay put under the driving winds that desiccate the region. By the 1930s, the effects of wind erosion introduced a new word to Americans, “dustbowl”. Evidence of its existence sometimes reached across the entire country as billions of tons of topsoil were picked up and filtered out

from Chicago to New York City.Despite progress in soil conservation, mil-lions of tons of soil are still making their way to the Gulf of Mexico. Globally, an estimated 24 billion tons are lost. Eschewing the plow itself by employing “no-till” cultivation has been proving to be the

solution. Crop residue is left in place and seed is chiseled into the ground. Soil is conserved and gas is saved. Since only about 5% of the world’s farmland is worked in this way, what happens elsewhere may well shape the course of history.

civilization. Silt pouring out of the rivers into the Persian Gulf has created over a hundred feet of new land every year since then. What were once seaports are now located 150 miles inland.As agriculture spread through the near east to Europe, the same pattern was followed. As prime farmland was taken, the marginal lands were appropriated by newcomers and other products of a growing population.

In Greece, more than three feet of topsoil has disappeared since then. In Roman Italy, sediment choked rivers turned valley bottoms into waterlogged marshes as plows advanced up the surrounding slopes.

Malaria became a serious problem when silt clogged the Tiber River valley to be-come the infamous Pontine Marshes. The ancients were not unaware of the problem. Solutions such as terracing

and contour plowing are about as old as agriculture itself. Soil building regimens like crop rotation,

planting nitrogen-fixing legumes, and cyclical field-fallowing are just as venerable. They also recognized the value of manure. Manure from oxen, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, and poultry were spread on their fields. They applied crushed limestone and ashes to enrich their fields; how-ever, even then economic pressures forced them to go the cheapest and easiest way. Over time this became the road to erosion and exhausted soil.

Contour Farming

No Till Farming

Gully Erosion

Dustbowl - 1936

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!

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Growing Up Wild: Early Childhood Teacher WorkshopSaturday, Sept. 20 • 9AM-NoonSign up for a hands-on workshop designed for early childhood educators. Growing Up Wild builds on a child’s sense of wonder about nature and invites them to explore wildlife and the world around them.

Project Learning Tree: Educators’ WorkshopSaturday, Nov. 8 • 9AM-3PMEnjoy a fun filled day in which you’ll learn how to use the activities and receive a copy of the PLT K-8 curriculum guide.

Early Childhood Educators’ ComboSaturday, Nov. 15 • 9AM-3PMReceive two nationally acclaimed curricula, Project Learning Tree Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood and Growing Up Wild.

Additional workshops are being developed. For up-to-date information, visit www.parkfun.com/Spring-Valley/programs.

ADULT or TEEN

Extending the SeasonSaturday, Oct. 11 • 10:00AM-NoonExtend your gardening season well after summer ends.

Food PreservationSaturday, Sept. 27 • 10:00AM-NoonLearn the historic importance of food preservation and preserve your own!

Kitchen Traditions: Woodstove CookingSaturday, Nov. 1 • Noon-4PMUsing historic recipes you will make dishes that highlight all the woodstove’s capabilities.

Nature’s Studio: PrintmakingSaturday, Sept. 20 • 1:00-3:00PMExperiment with printing techniques while creating cards, decorative paper and more.

Oktober FestessenSaturday, Oct. 11 • 6:00-8:00PMEnjoy a traditional German dinner in the historic farmhouse, and let Riesling, dessert and good conversation transport you to another time.

Pumpkins Post October 31Sunday, Nov. 2 • 11:00AM-NoonReceive a booklet with pumpkin recipes, crafts, and other ways to indulge in the fall season.

Scare More than Just CrowsSaturday, Sept. 27 • Noon-1:30PMJust in time for Halloween, create a fall decoration - the scarecrow!

Weekly Yoga at the CabinTuesday, Sept. 2-Nov. 18 • 6:00-7:00PMTuesday, Sept. 2-Nov. 18 • 7:30-8:30PMThursday, Sept. 4-Nov. 20 • 6:30-7:30PMThursday, Sept. 4-Nov. 20 • 8:00-9:00PMEnjoy yoga in the woods. Nurture mind and body in this rustic setting.

Yoga, Cider and SoupFriday, Oct. 10 • 7:00-8:30PMEnjoy a relaxing night with of yoga, fresh squeezed cold cider and hot seasonal soup.

National Public Lands DaySaturday, Sept. 20 • 9AM-1PMParticipants 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.

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 are available throughout the day. Click here for more information.

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

Sunday, Oct. 5 • Noon-5PM

Sponsored by

Autumn Harvest Festival

Concert at the CabinSaturday, Sept. 13 • 5-7:30PM • FREECome enjoy wonderful music in a beautiful setting! The Spring Valley Community Concert Band will perform un-der 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.

Harvest Moon BonfireSaturday, Sept. 20 • 6:30-8:30PMHeritage FarmHelp celebrate this rare time of the year 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 farm.

ALL AGESFree - Heaven’s WatchSaturday, Oct. 11 • 8PMView Mars, Uranus, Neptune and more! Program meets in front of the Nature Center. Call 847/985-2100 at 7 p.m. to ensure that the program is running.

Dress Up JackSunday, Oct. 12 • 10:30AM-NoonDress up your Jack-O-Lantern with a closet full of nature, like acorn eyes and leaf hair.

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Fall Color HikeSaturday, Oct. 18 • 10:30AM-NoonJoin a naturalist and explore how and why tree leaves change color in the fall.

Full Moon HikeSaturday, Nov. 8 • 6:00-7:30PMLook for animals of the night and enjoy a full moon walk with something warm afterward.

Sunset AdventureFriday, Sept. 19 • 5:00-6:30PMFollow the clues left behind to figure out who has been prowling the trails at night.

Warbler WatchSaturday, Oct. 11 • 8:00-9:30AMSpend a morning looking for warblers as they stop over at Spring Valley on their journey south.

Horse Drawn Wagon Rides at the Farm Relax and enjoy a 15-minute horse-drawn 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.

Wagon Ride ScheduleWeekends, Sept. - Nov ...11AM-3PMWagon rides will not be available 9/20, 10/4, 10/5, 11/8, 11/9, 11/15 & 11/16

• Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis the day of the ride, starting one-half hour prior to the first ride and until 15 minutes prior to the last ride of the day.

• Tickets are $3/person; children 3 and under are free. • Wagon holds a maximum of 15 people.• Rides begin and end next to the Farm Visitor Center.Note: Wagon rides may be cancelled due to extreme weather (storms or heat) and/or animal health issues. Please call 847/985-2100 or check www.parkfun.com for updated information.Groups of 15 and larger are encouraged to schedule their own group wagon rental. For more information, call 847/985-2100.

Before Oct. 24: $6 per person • Walk-in: $8 per personFri. & Sat., Oct. 24 & 25 • 6:15-9:30PMA Haunting in the Valley

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.

Home School Naturalist Group ProgramsSpring Valley Nature Center and Heritage Farm is the perfect place for hands-on, exploration-based science programs. Offerings change seasonally, so check the program guide regularly.

Fall 2014 topics:• Biscuits and Butter - Learn about 19th century farm life as you

cook on the wood burning stove and churn your own butter.• Insects - Learn the key features of spiders and insects and go

on a creepy-crawly safari.• Prairie Plants - Explore the prairie, collect plant data and com-

plete a scavenger hunt.• Seeds - Play games, work in the garden and dissect a seed.• Available every fall: Conservation in Action, Woodlands, Owls:

Predators of the Night, Cycling, Farms and Food, Gardening, Wetlands, Nighttime Nature

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

Season of ApplesSunday, Sept. 21 • 2:00-3:30PMPlay games, create a recipe book, and enjoy a delicious apple treat.

The Secret Lives of Spring Valley AnimalsSaturday, Sept. 20 • 10:00AM-NoonJoin a guide to discover the who, what, when, and where of Spring Valley’s animal residents.

EARLY CHILDHOOD

Dolled Up for FallSunday, Nov. 9 • 10:00-11:00AMMake a traditional Native American toy - the corn husk doll!

Follow that LeafSaturday, Oct. 11 • 10:00-11:30AMAfter listening to the story Leaf Man, we will go on a leaf collecting hike.

FAMILYThe 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.

Farm, Family, FoodSaturday, Sept. 26 • 5:30-7:00PMThe family will get down and dirty while experi-encing farm life firsthand!

Harvest Garden PartySaturday, Sept. 13 • 10:00AM-NoonHelp us bring in the Kid’s Garden harvest while learning about soil, flowers, fruits and veggies.

Spider Web HuntSunday, Sept. 21 • 11:30AM-1PMLearn about different Illinois spiders, what they eat and why they make their webs.

Wake Up and Work on the FarmSaturday, Sept. 06 • 6:30-9:30AMRise with the sun, hitch a ride with the farm wagon and take care of morning chores.

YOUTH

Fall Campfire CookingSunday, Oct. 19 • 10:30AM-NoonCook some of your own corn delights and find out why corn was so important to the pioneers.

Fall HikeSunday, Oct. 12 • 1:00-2:30PMObserve fall with its changing colors, active animals and changing weather.

Falling for TreesSaturday, Oct. 18 • 1:00-3:00PMDiscover why leaves change color before they fall, learn how to identify common trees.

Jammin’ Round the CampfireSunday, Oct. 18 • 6-8PMEnjoy an evening filled with songs, stories and more! Grab your favorite instrument (even if it’s just your hands, feet and voice) and circle around the campfire! 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.

FREE NATURE PROGRAM

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The Wooden Shoes of Schaumburg byJonathan D. Kuester

When you visit Volkening Heritage Farm you may encounter a delightful, if somewhat puzzling sight, people wearing wooden shoes. Aren’t wooden shoes Dutch? Why are they wearing them at a German Farm? Well, to be fair, wooden shoes are Dutch, … and German and French and Scandinavian and Polish and Russian and the list can go on and on. Through-out most of recorded history the people of Europe and many other parts of the world, have worn wooden shoes. They don’t make great hiking boots and they will never be high fashion but wooden shoes are highly functional for putzing around a garden, mucking stalls, and many other mundane farm tasks. All shoes are not alike however, and this begins the story of the Holzschuhe or German wooden shoes. As with many cultural artifacts that we deal with, one can often determine the ethnic region of a person by the pattern of their wooden shoes. Over the course of millennia, specific patterns developed within certain groups of people allowing us, in this case, to determine the specific type of shoe that was likely being worn in Schaumburg. I say likely because we have no direct proof that the Germans of Schaumburg Illinois were wearing wooden shoes. No original shoes or photos of people wearing them exist in this community. There is a wealth of information about other Niedersachsen Germans and other Europeans wearing wooden shoes in America. This leads us to believe that our Germans were probably wearing them, as well.The next logical question is what did the shoes look like? Were they the classic Klompens found in the low countries of Europe, the Sabots of France, or the pompom topped shoes of Trentino’s and Lombardian’s of northern Italy? Well no, of course not. Anywhere in America and specifically in the Midwest that we find congregations of lowland Germans we find one particular type of wooden shoe. The Westfalische Holzchuhe or wooden shoe of Westphalia is a flat toed wooden shoe with a half mood shaped leather panel over the arch. As its name implies, this shoe originates in Westphalia, a region of Germany laying just to the south of lower Saxony (Nied-ersachsen), the region containing Schaumburg, Germany. Westfalische pattern shoes can be found in the collections of the German communalists of Amana, Iowa. Pictures of the Rhinelanders of Herrmann, Missouri, also show Westfalische pattern shoes and one child’s shoe was found in a private collection in the Westphalic community of Princeton, Indiana. These very similar communities lend credence to a strong connection between Westfalische Holzschuhe and Lowland German Communities.All of this leads us to the conclusion that Schaumburgers prob-ably did wear their wooden shoes in America. They were not alone, however. From the Lorraine to Pomerania, Germans wore leather topped wooden shoes in one form or another. As time passed, wooden shoes wore out and were replaced in large part by rubber overshoes or boots. Wooden shoes were always meant to be somewhat disposable and with the advent of more comfortable footwear they faded from existence leav-ing only scattered remnants of the once common Holzschuhe.

Westfalische holzschuhe

Three examples of German holzschuhe.

Assorted wooden shoes; left to right, Men’s westfalische holzschuhe, German Schwarzschuhe or black shoe, French leather topped sabots,

Dutch klompen, French open top sabot, Women’s westfalische holzschuhe.

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Monarch Butterfly ProjectWe are two fifth graders at Quest Academy in Palatine, IL, whohave recently completed a community service project to help monarch butterflies. We have worked on this project over the last 1 ½ years. We tried to keep the monarchs off the endangered list by planting

milkweed, educating our classmates about monarchs, and encouraging other people to plant milkweed. Milkweed is the monarch caterpillars’ only source of food after they consume their minuscule

eggshell (they finish that in about two minutes at the most). Unfortunately, milkweed is being destroyed by herbicides and modern farming practices.Monarch butterflies start out as eggs. The eggs are found on the underside of the milkweed leaf. Milkweed is a plant that is native to North America. Milkweeds’ sticky white sap is poisonous although the monarch caterpillars consume it. As you may guess, they are immune to the poison and that is why the adult monarch butterflies are poisonous. Once they hatch out as a caterpillar, they eat the egg. They then start eating the milkweed. The caterpillars grow 2,700 times their original weight. Luckily humans don’t do that. An adult would be the size of two elephants!Monarch butterflies are large black and orange butterflies. They are one of the few migrating butterflies. In spring and summer they live in open fields and meadows throughout North America. In winter they migrate to Mexico and California. They can fly over 2,000 miles. In March of 2013, we planted common milkweed seeds. After they sprouted, we transferred them into small pots and moved them to an indoor greenhouse at the Spring Valley Nature Center. Once they were larger, we transferred them to the outdoor greenhouse at Spring Valley where they remained for the winter of 2013. On May 31, 2014 we organized a field trip to Spring Valley to transplant the milkweed that was strong enough to be transplanted into the ground. We invited our class and with them, their parents, and their siblings, it was just enough hands to complete the work. We planted about 40 milkweed plants and still have more in the greenhouse for next spring. All of us walked out to the places that

were designated to plant milkweed. The staff at Spring Valley had put flags in the places where we should transplant the milkweed. Everything went well and everybody had fun.We wanted to expand the number of people helping monarchs beyond the two of us. So, prior to our event at Spring Valley, we made a presentation to our classmates and showed them a movie about monarchs. We also gave them common milkweed seeds to plant at home. Lastly, we invited our classmates to help transplant the milkweed we had nurtured over the last 1 1/2 years. Hopefully with our support and the rest of our classmates’ help, we can all play a part in helping the monarch butterflies stay off the endangered list. With all of the rain we have been having this summer, the milkweed has gotten established into the ground at Spring Valley and is doing well. Keep flourishing milkweed, and may monarchs flutter everywhere!

Baby Milkweed

Group Planting

Girl with Plant

Planting Group

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SEPTEMBER 2014

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28 29 30 Farm Hours: Tues-Fri 9:00am-2:00pm

saT/sun 10:00am-4:00pm

Cabin Closed

Bold indicates volunteer activitiesItalics indicates programs which may be taken as complimentary by volunteersSee “What’s Happening” for program descriptions

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

•Wake Up and Work on the Farm 6:30am

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

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

•Harvest Garden Party 10am

•Concert at the Cabin 5pm

Handy Crafters Meeting 1pm

Schaumburg Community Garden Club 7pm

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

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

•Sunset Adventure 5pm

National Public Lands Day 9am•Secret Lives of Spring Valley Animals 10am•Nature’s Studio: Printmaking 1pm•Harvest Moon Bonfire 6:30pm

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

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

•Farm, Family, Food 5:30pm

•Food Preservation 10am•Scare More than Just Crows Noon

•Spider Web Hunt 11:30am•Seasons of Apples 2pm

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

Labor Day

Sunday WednesdayMonday Tuesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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OCTOBER 2014

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Farm Hours: Farm Hours: Tues-Fri 9:00am-2:00pm • saT/sun 10:00am-4:00pm

Cabin Closed

Bold indicates volunteer activitiesItalics indicates programs which may be taken as complimentary by volunteersSee “What’s Happening” for program descriptions

Autumn Harvest Festival Set-Up 9:30am

Autumn Harvest Festival Set-Up 9:30am

Spring Valley Nature Club 6:30pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

•Yoga, Cider, and Soup 7pm

•Warbler Watch 8am•Follow the Leaf 10am•Extending the Season 10am

•October Festessen 6pm•Heaven’s Watch 8pm

Autumn Harvest Festival Noon

Schaumburg Community Garden Club 7pm

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

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

•Fall Color Hike 10:30am•Falling for Trees 1pm

•Jammin’ Round the Campfire 6pm

•Dress Up Jack 10:30am•Fall Hike 1pm

Columbus Day Celebration 9amHandy Crafters Meeting 1pm

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

A Haunting in the Valley 6:15pm

A Haunting in the Valley 6:15pm

•Fall Campfire Cooking 10:30am

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

Trick or Treating at the Heritage Farm 3pm

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

Columbus Day

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Dates to Remember• Wed., Sept. 3 ............... 6:30-8:30pm

Volunteer Meeting• Mon., Sept. 8 ................ 1-4pm

Handy Crafter Meeting• Sat., Sept. 20 ............... 9am-1pm

Conservation Workday• Thurs, Oct. 2 ................ 9:30am-3pm

Autumn Harvest Set-up• Thurs, Oct. 3 ................ 9:30am-3pm

Autumn Harvest Set-up• Sun., Oct. 5 .................. Noon-5pm

Autumn Harvest Fest• Mon., Oct. 13 ............... 1-4pm

Handy Crafter Meeting• Fri., Oct 24 ................... 5:30-9pm

A Haunting in the Valley• Sat., Oct 25 .................. 5:30-9pm

A Haunting in the Valley

Volunteer News

Pats on the back to the following volunteers...• Penny Perles for maintaining the Native American Garden.• Amy Chagoya and her scouts for helping maintain the Kids’

Garden.• Lynn Eikenbary, Leo Salais, Ellie Vogel and Angela Waidanz

for assisting with Nature Center summer camps. • Gail Ameer, Eve Carter and Lynn Eikenbary for representing

Spring Valley at Schaumburg’s Farmers Market.

Welcome New Volunteers…• Betty Bei • Gretchen Coleman• Colin May • Don Olszewski• Mike Pizzo • Kim Savino

October 3 Michal Pierwieniecki 4 Rosemary Colbert 5 Don Olszewski 8 Julie Nilson 9 Marilou Vandrush 12 Sue Ringfelt 14 Ken Ogorzalek Bruce Kuhnhofer

15 Pat Heiberger 16 Eve Carter 18 Susanne Cannella Gene Niewiadomski 21 Tony Meo

Happy Birthday to…September 1 Nancy Lyons 2 Wendy Robles 8 Peggy Kulis 11 Nancy Ruffolo 18 Dick Ruffolo 20 Lynn Eikenbary Ellen Hanes Barb Lam

25 Kim Savino 26 Jim Peterson Phil Skultety 28 Gail Ameer Barb Mitchell

Congratulations…to Duane Bolin for being awarded the 2014 Ellsworth Meineke Award for his extraordinary effort in preserving our living heritage through his various volunteer efforts at Spring Valley.

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 set-up on Thursday, October 3. Call if you can lend a hand!

A Haunting in the ValleyFriday, Oct. 24 & Saturday, Oct. 25We 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!

Volunteer Want AdsIf 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 DaySaturday, Sept. 20 • 9am-1pmJoin 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 FestivalSunday, Oct. 5 • Noon-5pmWe’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 children’s activities and crafts,

S p r i n g V a 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 4

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SCHAUMBURG PARK DISTRICT WEBSITE: www.parkfun.com

E-MAIL: springvalley@parkfun.com

MEMBER:

Vera Meineke Nature CenterThe earth-sheltered visitor center provides an introduction to Spring Val-ley’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.

Volkening Heritage FarmStep 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 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, and an 1880s living-history farm. Spring Val-ley is open to the general public. Admission is free.

Environmental Outreach ProgramWe’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.

Programs at Spring ValleySchool, 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. Corre-lations 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 BadgesWe 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.

SCHAUMBURG PARK DISTRICTBOARD OF COMMISSIONERS:Mike DanielsSharon DiMariaDavid JohnsonGeorge LongmeyerBob Schmidt

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:Tony LaFrenere

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.

Spring Valley • Schaumburg Park District • 1111 East Schaumburg Road • Schaumburg, Illinois 60194

Vera Meineke Nature Center

Volkening Heritage Farm

Schaumburg Rd.

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135 acres

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NATURAL ENQUIRER STAFF:Mary Rice ......... EditorJudy Vito ........... Volunteer CoordinatorDave Brooks ..... “In this Issue...”Scott Stompor ... Graphic Artist

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

Spring Valley Firepit and Shelter RentalsMake 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.

Hourly use fees:Residents: .............$25 Civic groups: ..............................$25Non-residents: ......$40 Corporate/business groups: ......$55

HOURSNature Center Grounds & Trails ..............Open Daily ..............8AM-5PMVolkening Heritage Farm Grounds .........Closed .....................Dec.1-March 1

NATURE CENTER/MUSEUM HOURS:Year Round ............Daily* ......... 9AM-5PM

FARM INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM HOURS:Nov. - March ...........Open for Special EventsApril 1 - Oct. 31 ......Sat/Sun ...... 10AM-4PM Tue-Fri ....... 9AM-2PM Mon ...........Buildings Closed

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

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

Participants should dress appropriately for weather conditions.

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