Daily Archives: August 10, 2009

Saturday, August 22, 1:30 pm – South Middleborough Grange Fair

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The South Middleborough Grange #337 invites you to attend its 52nd Annual Grange Fair at the Grange Hall, 570 Wareham Street, South Middleborough, Massachusetts.  The Grange Fair is held in cooperation with the Massachusetts State Grange.  All exhibits of fruits, vegetables, flowers, canned goods, baked goods, needlework and crafts will be on exhibit beginning at 1:30 pm.  There will also be a baked goods sale and a bazaar.  A chicken pie supper will be served at 6 pm ($8 adults, $3 children), and at 7:15 there will be an auction of vegetables and flowers.  See the most gorgeous pumpkins, squash, beans, tomatoes, herbs, potatoes, onions – many with ribbons attached!  The South Middleborough Grange was organized in 1913 by 98 charter members, and annual events include clam bakes, dances, suppers and meetings with programs.  The annual agricultural fair is a long-standing tradition for the grange and community, and is symbolic of our agrarian past and continued support of rural and agricultural values.

The Grange Fair - An American Tradition

Tuesday, September 1 – Thursday, September 3, 9:30 – 3:30 – Fern Morphology: Beyond the Fronds

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Spend three days at the Wellesley College Botanic Garden (September 1 – 3, 9:30 – 3:30) with Dick Rauh looking at and drawing ferns.  Learn to appreciate the variety of forms and the subtlety of color and texture that characterize them.  Study the fern life cycle, dissections, diagnostic characters and fern vocabulary.  With Dick’s guidance, compose these elements: a drawing of a frond or habit, details of pinna form, sori and scales into a scientific illustration in graphite or pen and ink.  Members of Friends of Wellesley Botanic Garden – $250, Non-Members $300.  Print a reservation form from the web site, www.wellesley.edu/WCFH, or send a check made payable to Wellesley College Friends of Horticulture and mail it to Wellesley College Friends of Horticulture, 106 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02481-8203.

Saturday, August 29, 10:00 a.m. – Fern Identification Workshop

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Field trips are a long standing tradition of the Connecticut Botanical Society.  They provide an opportunity to learn about plants and habitats from some the area’s most knowledgeable botanists, and an opportunity to share your own knowledge with others.  The trips also add to the bank of knowledge of New England flora.  On each field trip. a list is made of all plant species identified, and this list becomes part of the Society’s records.  The Connecticut Botanical Society encourages the gardening public to participate in this Fern Identification Workshop at Lockwood Farm Cottage in Hamden , Connecticut, led by Casper Ultee, Past President of CBS.  Although many ferns are readily identified, some are easily confused with similar species.  This workshop will focus on those and others that are less common.  You may bring your own problem specimens (fronds only, no complete plants, please).   This workshop is limited to twelve participants, and pre-registration is required by contacting the leader in advance at 860-633-7557. For field trips, wear sturdy footwear and bring a lunch.  Sunscreen and insect repellant are also recommended.  For plant identification, you may wish to bring a field guide(s), a hand lens, and a small notebook.  Familiarity with plant taxonomy is helpful, but not required.    Free to CBS members.  Non-members must pay a $15 fee, which includes a one-year membership in CBS, and entitles you to join future trips this season at no additional cost.  For more information and directions, call Casper Ultee at the number above, or log on to www.ct-botanical-society.org.