Saturday, September 20, 2008
Muster Field Farm, North Sutton
Robert S. Bristol, the founder of Muster Field Farm, stipulated in his will that a working farm always be in operation and that the museum work to support and preserve the agricultural traditions of rural New Hampshire. Today, 240 of the museum's 250 acres are under a conservation easement with the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, and a program of selective cutting and sustainable forest management maintains diverse stands of mixed hardwoods and softwoods.
Join staff and friends at the Forest Society Annual Meeting to sample the best of the Sunapee-Kearsarge region’s local recreation and conservation areas.
John E. Carroll, author of Pastures of Plenty: The Future of Food,
Agriculture and Environmental Conservation.
Carroll, a champion of sustainable food systems that embrace small-scale farming and local food, turns to the
eminent American environmental philosopher Aldo Leopold and his essay “The Land Ethic” from his classic
The Sand County Almanac for the value system on which the sustainable agriculture movement is built.
Field trips begin at various locations and times and will return to Muster Field Farm by 4 p.m. Please select your field trips on the Annual Meeting registration form. Field trip details and directions will be mailed with Annual Meeting registration confirmation packets.
Full day field trips ~ 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
1. "From a Hill to the Mill" Forestry Bus Tour
The 384-acre Haffenreffer Forest Reservation in Canaan has hosted
winter logging operations for the past two years. This morning
woodlot tour will review the results of thinning. A box lunch with
drinks and snacks will be served on the bus. An afternoon tour of the
Durgin & Crowell mill in Springfield will give an insider view of this
state-of-the-art NH wood manufacturing facility. Bus Tour. Cost: $45
per person includes box lunch, drinks, and snacks. Bus leaves from and returns to
Muster Field Farm, Sutton. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Easy walking. Space limited!
2. Mount Sunapee: Land Protection, History, Old Growth
Learn the history of Mt. Sunapee and the successful campaign to
purchase a conservation easement on 1,100 acres on the eastern slope
of Mt. Sunapee! The staff-led hike up the rugged Andrew Brook Trail
will reach White Ledges for excellent views over Lake Solitude.
Andrew Brook Trail hike to Lake Solitude: 4.5 miles roundtrip. Meet at
Newbury Town Hall at 9:30 a.m. to carpool to trailhead, parking limited.
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. A rugged day-hike.
3. Mount Kearsarge: Quabbin-to-Cardigan Land Conservation
A staff-led hike via the Barlow Trail will reach stunning views
at the summit of Mount Kearsarge to focus on land conservation
opportunities along the granite spine of NH, the northern half of
the Quabbin-to-Cardigan regional land conservation initiative.
Interpretation at the summit will share maps and views from Sunapee
north to Cardigan, the White Mountains and beyond. Co-hosted with the
Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Coalition. Hike Barlow Trail to
summit of Mt. Kearsarge: 2 miles roundtrip. Meet at Winslow State Park
picnic area for trailhead parking. The park will charge an admission fee (click here for details) when you arrive. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
A moderate day-hike.
Half day field trips ~ Noon to 3 p.m.
4. Lake Sunapee Boat Tour
Relax and enjoy an early tinge of fall foliage on the hills surrounding
Lake Sunapee during this classic tour of the lake aboard the MV
Mount Sunapee. Join our President-Forester Jane Difley and Trustee
Midge Eliasson to learn local points of interest, the rich cultural
history of summer homes, and contemporary environmental issues
facing Lake Sunapee today. Cost of $45 per person includes light snacks. Meet at Sunapee
Harbor dock by 12:30 p.m. Boat leaves dock at 1 p.m. sharp (!) and returns at
3 p.m. No hiking, easy boat cruise. Space limited!
5. Two Farms and a Forest – Retaining Rural Character in North Sutton
How can towns work to maintain rural character and landscapes while
providing for future economic development as housing subdivisions
change the face of communities? Explore the unique and special
stories behind three important land protection projects in Sutton: the
historic 250-acre Muster Field Farm, the scenic Putnam farm easement,
and the 440-acre King Hill Reservation. Co-hosted by the Ausbon Sargent
Land Preservation Trust. Meet at Muster Field Farm at noon to carpool to
easy walking sites. Noon to 3 p.m. Easy walking.
6. "Here At Eagle Pond" – The Poetry of Place
Donald Hall / Jane Kenyon Conservation Easement, Wilmot
Join friends of former US Poet Laureate Donald Hall and scholars of his
poems and those of poet Jane Kenyon on an easy walk along the shore
of Eagle Pond and through the hay meadows opposite Hall's farmhouse
and barn. Readings will illustrate Don Hall's and Jane Kenyon's literary
connection to the landscape surrounding the 158-acre conservation
easement on the Hall family's historic Wilmot farm. Meet at Eagle Pond
Camp, Wilmot by 1 p.m. 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Easy hiking, 1 mile.
7. Tour the Historic House and Gardens of The Fells
The Fells, Newbury
Three generations of the Hay family enjoyed their summer estate on
Lake Sunapee. This past year The Fells acquired 84 acres at the John
Hay Wildlife Refuge including historic buildings and designed
gardens. This tour will tour woodland paths, expansive gardens and
the main house. Meet at The Fells gatehouse, Newbury at 12:30 p.m. The Fells will charge a $5 admission fee when you arrive. Garden tour 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.; house tour 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.. Easy walking.
