The Harris Center has honored a longtime supporter and advocate of its land protection efforts. The award was given at the Harris Center's recent 39th annual meeting.

Wanting to recognize the many significant supporters of its land protection work, the Harris Center this year launched its first-ever Lee Baker Land Lover Award. The award is named after Lee Baker, a Hancock resident whose family has been an advocates and friends of projects that protect the Monadnock Highlands.
 
The inaugural "Land Lover Award" goes to Francie Von Mertens of Peterborough, who has led and supported many land protection projects throughout the region, including those involving the Harris Center, New Hampshire Audubon, the town of Peterborough, and others.
 
Von Mertens has served as a trustee for both the Harris Center and New Hampshire Audubon, leads birding trips and programs, and writes the "Beyond Birding" column in the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript. She has been a longtime member of the Peterborough Conservation Commission and Open Space Committee and has instrumental in conserving wildlife habitat in Peterborough and throughout the region.

 

Also during the annual meeting, Hancock author Sy Montgomery gave a stirring and delightful talk about "Our Wild Neighbors." We may never look at our neigbors the same way! Thanks Sy!

 

More than 180 folks turned out last month for another hike to see the haunts of Perley Swett, the "Hermit of Taylor Pond." This was the second hike to Taylor Pond in Stoddard this year, both co-sponsored by the Harris Center and the Historical Society of Cheshire County, and both drew large crowds.

 

Much of the strong interest has been generated by a terrific book recently published by the historical society and written by Sheila Swett Thompson, Perley's granddaughter. "Perley: The True Story of a New Hampshire Hermit," has generated strong sales in area book stores.

 

The hike began near Shinbone Shack, where landowner Don Healy generously agreed to host the arriving hikers. Don and his wife, Joyce, also led a remarkable hike Oct. 4 to three peaks in Stoddard: Brooks, Dakin and Melville hills.

October 24 (Sat) - Monadnock Highlands Waterfowl Safari. At least a dozen species of waterfowl, including loons, grebes and even scoter "sea ducks," are fall migration possibilities on this driving tour of over a dozen lakes and ponds in the region. There's also, a very good chance of seeing an eagle. To carpool, meet leader (and avid birder!) Phil Brown at the Nelson Town Hall at 8 a.m. Returns about 4 p.m. with alternate carpool returning around noon. Co-sponsored by NH Audubon's Monadnock Chapter and the Harris Center. Naturalist on board. October 25 (Sun) - Paddle and Hike to Eliza Adams Gorge in Harrisville. Join Oliver Mutch and Jan Miller on this paddle on Howe Reservoir to Eliza Adams Gorge, a nice feature along the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway. Short hike to the gorge. Meet Ollie and Jan at 10 a.m. at Howe Reservoir parking lot on Route 101 in Dublin; back before 3 p.m. November 1 (Sun) - Elizabeth Marshall Thomas Returns with The Hidden Life of Deer: Lessons from the Natural World. In the fall of 2007, the acorn failure led best-selling naturalist author, Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, to spend a year watching deer in her now-protected fields and woodland on North Pack as they dealt with predators (coyotes, humans, a bear and a bobcat!) and each other, bred fawns in the spring, and made it to next fall's normal acorn crop. Liz will begin at 3 p.m. by reading from the book, hot off the press, and then will be on hand to sign books for sale though the Toadstool, event co-sponsor. Gift-giving season here soon! November 4 (Wed) - Forgotten Fruits: Heirloom Apples and Blueberry History, an evening of talks and tasting with Slow Food Monadnock. Our presenters will be Ben Watson of the Slow Food movement and RAFT (Restoring America's Food Traditions), Tom Burford, aka "Professor Apple," and Roger Swain of Victory Garden fame. Tom Burford is an orchard and nursery designer and consultant, apple historian and author of Apples: A Catalog of International Varieties (rev. 2004) and The Best Apples to Buy and Grow (2005). His family has been involved in the Virginia fruit industry since the early 18th century. Roger Swain hosted the PBS Victory Garden show for 15 years and was science editor for Horticulture magazine. Roger splits his time between his home in Newton, Mass., and his family's farm in Greenfield, where he has amazing ornamental and edible plantings, with lots of fruit trees. Tom and Ben will discuss orchard conservation and restoration, and how Slow Food USA and RAFT are involved. Roger will tell the story of developing the modern half-high blueberry right nearby, at Dr. Coville's summer place on the flanks of Crotched Mountain. We'll have time for a guided tasting of heirloom apples and more. 6:30 to 9 p.m. Pre-registration required. Call 525-3394 or email jacobs@harriscenter.org by November 2. November 7 (Sat) - Fall Fixings for the Eastside Trails. First laid out by volunteers in 1982, the trails east and below the Harris Center need a little work. We'll brush, blaze, and re-route a small stretch or two along Dandylyon, Boulder Train, and Channing trails. Volunteer time on this and other trail projects this year provides match for the Harris Center's grant and helps keep the trails in tip-top shape. Meet Harris Center trails chief Jim Orr (with new tools in hand) at the Harris Center at 9 a.m. Done by noon. November 7 (Sat) - One Hike; Three Swamps. Join Bob Boynton, Oliver Mutch and Jan Miller on this moderately strenuous hike starting at Tophet Swamp in New Ipswich, then on to Hubbard Swamp, and finally ending at Annett Swamp in Rindge. Meet leaders at 9 a.m. at the parking lot across Route 123 from the Sharon Arts Center. Back by 2 p.m. November 14 (Sat) - Hike to Ashby (Mass.) Hills with Views and Chili. The Ashby Land Trust has done a terrific job of protecting land to our south. Join Oliver Mutch and Jan Miller on a 2-mile, moderately strenuous hike to these hills, followed by chili and homemade bread at their nearby house. Meet Oliver and Jan at 10 a.m. at the Ashby town common on Route 119. Done by 2 p.m. November 15 (Sun) - Come Flyaway with Suzie Gilbert. Suzie Gilbert of New York's Hudson Valley is the owner of Flyaway Inc., a wild bird rehabilitation center, where she has nursed countless birds back to the wild. She is also the he author of the new book, Flyaway: How a Wild Bird Rehabber Sought Adventure and Found Her Wings. Gilbert's encounters with these beautiful creatures are sometimes funny, sometimes painful, and they reveal profound truths about animals and about our own lives - lessons of birth and death, suffering and empathy, holding on and letting go. Her captivating program starts at 2 p.m. at the Harris Center. November 21 (Sat) - What's Happening to Our Dark Skies? Illuminating the Challenge of Light Pollution. There are fewer and fewer places in the world today where the stars really shine, where city and suburban lights don't disrupt the true dark sky. We'll hear from Kelly Beatty, a senior contributing editor of Sky & Telescope magazine and board member of the International Dark-Sky Association. Kelly's writings on astronomy have appeared in numerous publications, and his commentaries have aired on National Public Radio. He's been active in efforts to reduce light pollution for more than 15 years, and chairs the New England Light Pollution Advisory Group. Kelly's presentation addresses why we need dark skies and how we can restore them. 10:30 a.m. at the Harris Center.