W A G N E R F A R M A R B O R E T U M WFA preserving our land for future generations A Quarterly Newsletter Issue No 34 - Summer 2015 Message from our President Let s catch up on what has been going on with WFA this summer with a message from Jonathan Jeans Page 1 Brite Nites returns for 2015 Fifth year of this spooktacular event is not to be missed! Page 1 Birds, Blueberries & Bees The scouts add beauty and technology to the Arboretum... Page 2 Bird Kiosk Installation of the bird kiosk nearly complete, but there s time for you to support the project and purchase a brick! Page 3 A Gardeners Note... Food for thought... Page 3 Farmers Market Farm to table is more than a concept when you visit our newly located market in town center! Page 3 Tomato Pie Recipe Page 4 Thank you volunteer teams! Where would we be without the help of our volunteers? Page 6-7 Dear Members & Friends... So far, 2015 has been an eventful year and a lot has been happening. With the rebirth of Brite Nites for 2015, a large group of volunteers have been working hard planning the great event and carving pumpkins. We hired a paid event coordinator for the overall event and another coordinator for the haunted house. Plans are progressing well and we expect a great event to take place in October! The Community and Giving Garden Garden are in full swing with 100 plus private plots along with the large Giving Garden. We just celebrated with a pot luck gathering on August 8th. The food was GREAT! If possible, do not miss the event next year. All you need to do is bring a dish and One of the amazingly carved and lighted pumpkin displays you can anticipate seeing at this years Brite Nite event enjoy. There were so many fresh vegetable dishes! Wagner Farm Arboretum s Garden glows in the moonlight for pumpkin event Returning for a fifth year, Brite Nites at Wagner Farm Arboretum, is a Halloweenthemed event that brings a spectacular display of intricately and creatively handcarved and lighted pumpkins, a Secret Haunted Hollow and the Black Hat Cafe. Our garden path is filled with large and impressive sculptures as well as fun and surprising images. Then at the end of the Path, where the pumpkin lights dim into the fog, continue on if you dare into the Secret Haunted Hollow! Don t be caught off guard by ghouls, vampires or zombies. And don t forget to stop into the Black Hat Cafe for seasonal refreshments like cider, Our more formal Children s Garden looks great, thanks to Melissa Nobel and (continued on page 2) (continued on page 8) Summer Issue 2015 1
President s address continued from page 1 a few great volunteers. Please wander over and spend some time there. If possible, we can use more help in keeping the gardens looking beautiful. We have been blessed by two Eagle Scout projects as well. These projects are a bird watch panel that you ll find at the end of the parking lot and a blueberry patch inside the Children s Garden. Make sure you stop by the bird watch and see what birds are local to the area as well as how many you have seen! The trustees thank everyone who has made the Arboretum so successful this year.! W A G N E R F A R M A R B O R E T U M A gift from the Eagles for the birds! Thanks to several hard hours of installing raised beds, the blueberry shrubs were planted. Thanks to Andrew Cantone and fellow Boy Scouts of Troop 228 Warren, the shrubs will be a welcome shelter and food provision for our local birds. Andrew and crew installed the blueberry hedge as his service project to achieve Eagle Scout. He organized and led the team as they installed the raised beds and planted about 30 bushes on Sunday, April 19, 2015. Jonathan Jeans President, WFA And a gift that keeps giving Don t forget to check out the new bird boxes (pictured below) built and installed in the garden by Megan and Brianna Vetter. The Cadettes from Girl Scout Troop 65304 held the Build a Birdhouse event last February to help children learn about local birds as part of achieving their Silver Award. The bird boxes and blueberry bushes provide shelter and food, encouraging more birds to make their home in the Children s Garden at the Arboretum which is located at 197 Mountain Avenue in Warren. The blueberry patch is also ideal for local pollinators like our native bees. The Children s Garden is sensitive to the environmental impacts of bee habitat loss, fragmentation and pesticide use that have caused a decline in native bee numbers over the past several decades. Come to the garden and see what other plants and habitats are helping the birds, bees and butterflies.! Technology has come to the Arboretum! Next time you come to the Children s Garden, make sure you bring your SmartPhone. We have Andrew Cantone to thank for that! As part of his Eagle Scout project last spring, Andrew created an informational sign for the blueberry hedge he and his troop built and installed. For more information about blueberries, all you need to do is scan the QR code on the sign and more information will appear on your phone! Make sure you download a QR code scanner app onto your phone before coming to the patch. We have plans to have a similar QR code sign for the Alphabet Garden Bed to provide you with more information on each of the plants in that garden. Have you ever wondered if one of those lettered plants would work in your garden at home? All you will need is the code reader on your SmartPhone and to scan the sign. More information about each plant will be at your fingertips! Be on the lookout!! 2 Summer Issue 2015
W A G N E R F A R M A R B O R E T U M Bird Watching at the Arboretum Eric Matrone, Eagle Scout from Troop 68 and his buddy were busy at work on Saturday, June 13th. They installed the bird kiosk and laid the brick pavers to complete this project. The kiosk is situated at the Arboretum s entrance to the Warren Township trails. Read more about the project on our website at http://www.wfafnj.org/thegardens/trails/. There is still time to purchase a brick which can be inscribed with your name. Thank you Eric and team for installing this terrific project!! A gardeners note Birds love the colorful new birdhouses set up on the fence posts in the Children s Garden. Melissa Noble s Girl Scouts made them. Have you noticed that huge weeds (enormous, because you ve ignored them) are easier to pull? Happily, I spotted two Monarch caterpillars on my parsley. A serendipitous pairing of plants in the ABC section of the Children s Garden: Two tall beauties, side by side: Waving wands of mauve Joe Pye Weed, next to giant scarlet Moon Flowers. Bright blue Chicory is blooming along our roadsides, often mingling with the Queen Anne s Lace. This variety of chicory is cichorium intybus, native to Europe, but naturalized here. It s not to be confused with curly endive, which is sometimes called chicory. Another chicory relative, c. sativum, is baked, ground and used as a coffee substitute or additive (especially in New Orleans). If you want to pick some Queen Anne s Lace for a bouquet at home, prevent wilting by taking a jug of water with you. Cut the stem and put it straight into the water.! The Farmers Market returns bigger and better than ever By Volunteer, Laura B. Every Thursday throughout the summer, the Farmers Market brings together delicious food vendors, live music and tons of family fun! Held in the center of Warren, the Farmers Market continues to be a big hit with participation growing every week! Joined by a Puerto Rican food truck along with numerous other vendors, the market includes vendors offering homemade pasta, cupcakes, specialty drinks, fruits and veggies galore, fresh cut flowers, olive oils, cheeses, organic meats, artisan breads, nuts, pickles, prepared foods and even honey from Wagner Farm Arboretum! In addition we have some special vendors including the ladies from the Warren library who make weekly appearances with an impressive display. We are excited to announce that foot traffic has increased significantly this year after moving the location from the Arboretum to the center of town. We are optimistic that this new location along with an enhanced repertoire of items we hope to see the current 500 to 600 in attendance continue to grow! Several volunteers from the Wagner Farm Arboretum manage a table handing out information and signing up volunteers; they also take close watch over the event to ensure everything is in perfect order. Mary DeLello, the Market s Manager, does an exceptional job coordinating and keeping everything running smoothly and ensuring that everyone has fun at the same time. It is common to hear vendors comment Nicola s Pasta Fresca, one of the vendors you can find at the market Continued on page 4 Summer Issue 2015 3
Farmers Market continued from page 3 on how caring and supportive the market community is. Lending a helping hand with set up, take down and everything in between! W A G N E R F A R M A R B O R E T U M We are excited to see how the Farmers Market will evolve and continue to grow in the future as well the incorporation of the Wagner Farm Arboretum s mission into the lives of our community. It s a great way to eat fresh and have fun with your food shopping. We hope you ll join us at the Farmers Market next week, but if you can t make it then no worries... we ll be open every Thursday through September 24th. Great food, live music and so much more!! Alyssa and Laura at the Wagner Farm booth Ingredients Classic Tomato Pie makes one 9-inch pie by Karen Manner 10 biscuits from a 7.5 oz package 2 large, perfectly ripe tomatoes, thickly sliced Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Fresh basil leaves (as many as you like), sliced into thin strips 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded Directions Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with non-stick spray. Press the biscuits against the sides and bottom of the pie plate to form the crust. Layer the thick slices from the two ripe tomatoes covering the biscuit dough and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss on a handful of fresh, thinly sliced basil and top the pie with one cup of mayonnaise that is combined with the one cup of shredded cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes on the lower-middle rack of the preheated oven. To ensure a firm not runny pie, let rest for 30 minutes before serving. 4 Summer Issue 2015
Did we hear someone say there s a Fairy Garden in the works? W A G N E R F A R M A R B O R E T U M Perhaps you re wondering where Tinker Bell is hanging her hat these days? Or perhaps you want to know exactly where the Sugar Plum Fairies go on their off season? Why even the Tooth Fairy needs a home base! Well you don t have to look far, because there s a new addition to the Children s Garden and it is really something to see. Still a work in progress, this is the brain child of Lisa Young, Thelma Jarnagin, Mary DeLello and Melissa Noble who worked hard to complete it for it s summer debut. The next addition to the garden will be a water feature, so be on the lookout for that next year. And as the sign says, May god touch butterflies and stars, but please do not touch the fairies, let them dance! The garden is for all to enjoy, but please... don t move the fairies, we think they are very happy here!! Summer Issue 2015 5
W A G N E R F A R M A R B O R E T U M Thank you to all our many volunteer teams who have helped us in our gardens! We couldn t do it without you! Chubb Affinity Federal Credit Union Foundation Citi Group Proquest White Stone Associates Church of the Little Flower Codington Homestead 6 Summer Issue 2015
W A G N E R F A R M A R B O R E T U M For more information on the volunteer groups, please visit: http://www.wfafnj.org/news-classes/volunteer-groups/ JP Morgan Chase Sigma Gamma Rho Morgan Stanley Rutgers - RWJ Medical School Wells Fargo Foundation L Oreal USA Merck and Company Summer Issue 2015 7
Brite Nites returns for 2015 continued from page 1 W A G N E R F A R M A R B O R E T U M hot cocoa, fabulous cupcakes or cookies. Wandering entertainers like a magician, musicians or dancers will keep you delighted on this night that the whole family will remember. Brite Nites 2015 When: October 16,17, 18 and October 23, 24, 25. Entry times are from 6:45 PM to 8:00 PM. Where: Wagner Farm Arboretum, 197 Mountain Avenue, Warren Twp., NJ 07059. Contact: Kim Buonocore; kimb@wfafnj.org; 908-350-7383 Website: www.wfafnj.org Tickets sold online, in 15-minute increments. Admission is $12 Adults, $9 Seniors, $9 Children ages 4-12. Under age 4 are free. No strollers, no pets please.! Illuminated and beautifully carved pumpkins will be just one of the amazing sights to behold at this event. Fun for the entire family. It will not disappoint. Opportunities Wagner Farm Arboretum Volunteer If you d like to get involved, we have many volunteer opportunities available. You ll meet new people and have a direct impact in creating a beautiful natural environment for all generations to enjoy. Whether you d like to pick up a shovel and dig or use your expertise in another area, there is a position for you!buildings and Grounds, Community Garden, Giving Gardeners Project, Education and Community Programs, Brite Nite Committee, Fundraising, Grants, Membership, Volunteers and Public Relations. About the Arboretum: The mission of the Wagner Farm Arboretum seeks to enrich, educate and inspire the community by increasing environmental awareness and recreational opportunities. With this mission statement new and exciting changes will occur at the Arboretum! Stay connected through our website and Facebook page for current information on how you can be a part of the process. Disclaimer: The articles, reviews and news items contained herein should not be interpreted as an endorsement by WFAF of any viewpoint espoused or of any publication cited. Any copyrighted material not specifically authorized by the owner is made available in an effort to advance the public s knowledge and understanding on the subject discussed and therefore constitutes a fair use of such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. Officers & Trustees Jonathan Jeans President Karen Manner VP, Secretary Bill Apgar Treasurer Trustees Ernie Cottrill Melissa Noble Jennifer Perelman Lisa Young Richard Zangara 8 Summer Issue 2015