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ResOURces Newsletter-March 2013 By Fairfax County Park Authority - Tuesday, February 26, 2013 NATURE, HISTORY AND HORTICULTURE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY March 2013   Volume 13,  Number 3 Frying Pan Farm Park's Spring Births     Spring means animal births at Frying Pan Farm Park. This is one of the best times of the year to visit. Follow the arrivals on the sign at Frying Pan's entrance, and see the Kidwell Farm birthing schedule on Frying Pan's website. Then, head out to the farm for a visit with the newborns.       Gather Round the Farmers Table Local farmers and vendors have seasonal produce, baked goods, meat, eggs, herbs, honey, artisan soups and yogurts available for you.  The Winter Farmers Table continues at Frying Pan Farm Park's Visitor Center. Learn about healthy eating and health screenings when the Inova Mobile Health Services bus visits on March 21. Free pony rides, courtesy of SPIRIT, on March 28. The market's open through April 25 on Thursdays, 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at Frying Pan, 2739 West Ox Road in Herndon, VA.    Win Free Concert Tickets Trivia time. Answer the question for a chance to win a pair of tickets to see Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie on Sunday, March 17. It's part of the Bluegrass Barn series at Frying Pan Farm Park. Here we go: Most people identify bluegrass music as the sound of Appalachia, but there were multiple regions, cultures and countries that contributed to its formation. Name one other country that influenced the development of bluegrass music.   Send your answer to nicole.falceto@fairfaxcounty.gov by Wednesday, March 13, 2013. The winner will be selected at random and notified on March 14.   Girls Weekend Out Time for the girls to get away for a weekend. Or for just part of one. It's Girls Weekend Out for Girl Scouts at Lake Fairfax Park April 12-14. It's camping, badges, sing-a-longs and skits for Brownies, Juniors, Seniors, Cadettes and Ambassadors. Register by March 25.    Girl Scout Sleepover at Colvin Run Mill Make your Girl Scout's next overnight visit a sleepover in a park. Colvin Run Mill is hosting a sleepover for Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts on Saturday night, April 27. See the mill at night, enjoy s'mores around a bonfire and churn your own butter for breakfast. Register online.    Those Sounds You're Hearing in the Parks Clucks, squirts, pops, quacks, rattles and chirps. Have you been listening? The parks are getting noisy. Happens every spring. Give an ear to our Calls of Our Common Frogs and Toads podcast, read about wood frogs in action, and take a peek at our wood frogs video in the Park Video box on our website home page. Together, they'll help you figure out the critters behind the noises.    Remembering Gettysburg  The 150th commemmoration of the Civil War continues this spring with a series of lectures about the Battle of Gettysburg. National Park Service historians speak at Fairfax County Park Authority sites on the second Tuesdays of March, April and May. Get details online or reserve a spot by calling Sully Historic Site at 703-437-1794.    Lecture: African-American Dress of the 19th Century  Sully Historic Site this month hosts a lecture about African-American clothing from 1790-1840. Author and history/museum specialist Dr. Ann Wass of the Riversdale House Museum in Riverdale Park, Maryland, will be the guest speaker at Sully on Tuesday, March 19. Space is limited, so please call Sully at 703-437-1794 by March 15 to make reservations.     Reconstruction at Huntley Meadows Begins  After two decades of tracking changes in the wetland at Huntley Meadows and with public support, the Fairfax County Park Authority is taking steps to protect the park's wetland. There will be construction equipment in the park, and some trails will be closed during work to protect the wetland. Details of the project and its impact are on the Huntley Meadows website.   Join Us on Watershed Cleanup Day Help us keep the trash out of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. This year, Fairfax County Park Authority sites are marking spring's Watershed Cleanup Day on March 16 and April 6. Pop on an old pair of boots and lend a hand at one of our parks.    Take Back the Forest is Back Take Back the Forest returns for a second year. Thanks to a grant from REI, Inc., the Park Authority's Invasive Management Area program will be seeking volunteers to wage battle against non-native invasive plants that threaten the natural environment and wildlife habitat of our parks. Take Back the Forest runs this year through April and May. Last year, some 800 volunteers stepped forward to give a little time removing invasive plants and replacing them with native flora. See the video, and then volunteer and join us for an hour or a day during April and May.   We Have a Blog. Here's What We're Talking About: Wood frogs are making noise in the parks The bluebell watch is on at Riverbend Park What you'll see on a winter walk at Riverbend Creating role models and opportunities in the parks   Parks Are Natural For Trails There are 238 Fairfax County Park Authority parks with hiking trails. Find one near you.   Trout Season Under Way There's still time to catch dinner. Three more trout stockings are scheduled at Lake Fairfax Park on March 15, March 29 and April 12. There's information about the spring trout season and information about fishing in Fairfax County Park Authority parks on our website.   Celebrate Earth Day at SPRINGfest Fairfax This is a calendar marker. Fairfax County hosts several programs to mark Earth Day 2013. The big one is SPRINGfest Fairfax from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 27 at the Workhouse Art Center in Lorton. Join us for pony rides, a petting zoo, visits with reptiles, a farmers' market, theatre, games, music, crafts, workshops, a puppet show, tree plantings, a climbing wall and more. Check the website for details.    Plan For April's Community Flea Market   The Community Flea Market at Hunter House in Vienna is Saturday, April 13.   Vendors and visitors will find information online.     Encourage park stewardship by sharing or forwarding this newsletter.   Events in the Parks  Click on the links for information.    Mar. 13: To Build a Campfire, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 7 p.m.  Mar. 13: Certified Interpretive Guide Training, at Hunter House, 8:30 a.m.  Mar. 14: Villa with a View: Civil War Huntley, at Historic Huntley, 6 p.m.  Mar. 14: Putting the Animals to Bed, at Frying Pan Farm Park, 7 p.m.  Mar. 15: Basic Gardening: Gardening with Deer, at Green Spring Gardens, 1:30 p.m.  Mar. 16: Fish & Wildlife Merit Badge, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 9 a.m.  Mar. 16: Watercolor: The Cliff Edge, at Green Spring Gardens, 9:30 a.m.  Mar. 16: Garden Sprouts: Animal Tracks, at Green Spring Gardens, 11 a.m.  Mar. 16: Family Fun: Animal Trek, at Green Spring Gardens 2 p.m.  Mar. 16: Easter Eggstravaganza, at Frying Pan Farm Park, Hourly 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.   Mar. 16: Family Fun: Animal Trek, at Green Spring Gardens, 2 p.m.  Mar. 16: Flying Squirrels: Gliding in Tonight, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 7:45 p.m.  Mar. 17: Winter Lecture: Beatrice Farrand's Legacy, at Green Spring Gardens, 1:30 p.m.  Mar. 17: Go Green: Shamrocks & Snakes, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 2 p.m.  Mar. 17: Wear Green Campfire, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 7 p.m.  Mar. 18: Forest Fledglings: Sounds, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 9:45 a.m.  Mar. 18: Nature Quest, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 10 a.m.  Mar. 18: Feeding Day, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 3 p.m.  Mar. 19: Acorn Adventures: Songs of Nature, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 10 a.m.  Mar. 19: Victory Tea Party, at Sully Historic Site, 2 p.m.  Mar. 20: S'more Wagon Ride & Campfire, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park,, 6:30 p.m.  Mar. 21: Storytime in the Forest, at Huntley Meadows 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.  Mar. 23: Japanese Garden Design, at Green Spring Gardens, 9:30 a.m.  Mar. 23: Nature Buddies, at Huntley Meadows, 10 a.m.  Mar. 23: Easter Egg Hunt, at Colvin Run Mill, 10, 10:45, 11:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.  Mar. 23: Spring Extravaganza Puppet Show, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 2 p.m.  Mar. 23: A Walk Through Time at Walney, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 2 p.m.  Mar. 24: Dinosaur Egg Hunt, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 12:30, 2 and 3:30 p.m.  Mar. 24: Bluebirds in Your Backyard, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 2 p.m.  Mar. 25: Animal Vets Workshop, at Riverbend Park, 9 a.m.  Mar. 25-29: The In-The-Wild Bunch, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 9 a.m., M-F  Mar. 25: Scout Day at Sully Historic Site, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.  Mar. 25: Girl Scouts: Detective, at Riverbend Park, 2 p.m.  Mar. 26: Native American Crafts & Games Workshop, at Riverbend Park, 9 a.m.  Mar. 26: Acorn Adventures: Animal Babies, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 10 a.m.  Mar. 27: Deer Detectives Workshop, at Riverbend Park, 9 a.m.  Mar. 27: Girl Scouts: Senses, at Riverbend Park, 2 p.m.  Mar. 29: Wild Things Puppet Show, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 10 a.m.  Mar. 29: Rabbit, Fact and Fable, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 2 p.m.  Mar. 29: Nature's April Foolers' Campfire, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 7:15 p.m.  Mar. 30: American Heritage Merit Badge, at Colvin Run Mill, 10 a.m.  Mar. 30: Dinosaur Egg Hunt, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center 12:30, 2 and 3:30 p.m.  Apr.   1: Forest Fledglings: Tricky Animals, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center 9:45 a.m.  Apr.   1: Homeschool Wilderness Schools, at Riverbend Park 10 a.m.  Apr.   1: Nature Quest: Eggcelent, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 10 a.m.  Apr.   1: Little Acorns: Tricky Animals, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 11 a.m.  Apr.   1: Girl Scouts: Make the World a Better Place, at Sully Historic Site, 3:30 p.m.  Apr.   2: Acorn Adventures: Fabulous Flowers, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 10 a.m.  Apr.   2: Chasing the Bloom in Southern Appalachia, at Green Spring Gardens, 7:30 p.m.  Apr.   3: Wagon Ride: Birds, Butterflies and Blossoms, at Riverbend Park, 10 a.m.  Apr.   3: Girl Scouts: Senses, at Riverbend Park, 2 p.m.  Apr.   3: Wildlife Wednesdays: Frogs, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 4:30 p.m.  Apr.   4: Dumbarton Oaks Estate and Park, at Green Spring Gardens, 9:45 a.m.  Apr.   4: Thursday Strolls Along the Potomac, at Riverbend Park, 10 a.m.  Apr.   4: Animal Feeding Time, at Riverbend Park, 4 p.m.  Apr.   5: Ponderings: Turtles, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 4:30 p.m.  Apr.   5: Amphibians After Dark, at Riverbend Park 7:30 p.m.  Apr.   6: Hiking for Fitness, at Riverbend Park 8:30 a.m.  Apr.   6: Indian Lore Merit Badge, at Riverbend Park, 9 a.m.  Apr.   6: Workshop: Ikebana Flower Arranging, at Green Spring Gardens, 9:30 a.m.  Apr.   6: Intro to Mountain Biking, at Riverbend Park, 10 a.m.  Apr.   6: Discover Great Parks in Great Falls, at Riverbend Park, 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.  Apr.   6: Spring Wildflowers of Scott's Run, at Scott's Run, 10 a.m.  Apr.   6: Tasting Party: Umami Means Delicious, at Green Spring Gardens, 10 a.m.  Apr.   6: Spring Babies, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 12:15 p.m.  Apr.   6: Kite Fun Day, at Frying Pan Farm Park, 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.  Apr.   6: Japanese Teas, at Colvin Run Mill, 1 p.m.  Apr.   6: Hands-On History, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 1:30 p.m.  Apr.   7: Animal Search with a Naturalist, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 8 a.m.  Apr.   7: Discover Great Parks in Great Falls, at Riverbend Park, 10 and 11:30 a.m.  Apr.   8: Yoga for Gardeners, at Green Spring Gardens, 9:30 a.m.  Apr.   8: Forest Fledglings: Eggciting Eggs, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 9:45 a.m.  Apr.   8: Garden Sprouts: Showers of Seeds, at Green Spring Gardens, 11 a.m.  Apr.   8: Little Acorns: Eggciting Eggs, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 11 a.m.  Apr.   8: Holding on to Home: A Civil War Story, at Sully Historic Site, 1 p.m.  Apr.   8: Jr. Naturalist, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 3 p.m.  Apr.   8: Young Explorers' Series, at Huntley Meadows, 3 p.m.  Apr.   8: Nature Snoopers, at Huntley Meadows 3 p.m.  Apr.   8: Cub Scouts: Elective 35 Historic Games, at Sully Historic Site, 3:30 p.m.  Apr. 10: Kids Korner, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 1 p.m.  Apr. 10: Science for Homeschoolers, at Huntley Meadows, 1:30 p.m.  Apr. 10: Wildlife Wednesdays: Spring, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 4:30 p.m.  Apr. 10: Yoga for Gardeners II, at Green Spring Gardens, 5 p.m.  Apr. 11: History for Homeschoolers, at Colvin Run Mill, 2 p.m.  Apr. 11: Hiking for Fitness, at Riverbend Park, 5:30 p.m.  Apr. 11: Geology 101, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 7 p.m.  Apr. 12: Basic Gardening: Edibles Mix It Up, at Green Spring Gardens, 1:30 p.m.  Apr. 12: Wood Frogs!, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 7 p.m.  Apr. 13: Garden Sprouts: Dirt Dwellers, at Green Spring Gardens, 11 a.m.  Apr. 13: Family Fun: Worm Workshop, at Green Spring Gardens, 2 p.m.  Apr. 13: Sounds of the Night Campfire, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 7:15 p.m.  Apr. 14: Citizenship in the Nation Merit Badge, at Sully Historic Site, 10 a.m.        Extra, Extra, Read All About It   Volunteer   Sign Up for Summer Camps   Subscribe to ResOURces    Build Your Own Rain Barrel    Volunteering: Invasive Management Area Schedule    Register for Classes   Sully Hosts Civil War Lectures     See Our Coupons on Page 160 of Parktakes   ResOURces is online        This is a Fairfax County Park Authority Publication.          If ADA accommodations and/or alternative formats are needed, please call (703) 324-8695. If you would like to receive ResOURces each month it is published, subscribe by signing up for E-News at http://parktakes.fairfaxcounty.gov/enews/sign_up.asp  and select the Natural Resource Management box. If you have signed up for E-News, you will receive ResOURces when it contains information on the topics you requested.ResOURces' email addresses are: ResOURces@fairfaxcounty.gov and david.ochs@fairfaxcounty.gov. Fairfax County Park Authority | Fairfax, VA 22035 | 703-324-8695 | Fax 703-324-3996 | TTY 703-803-3354 | www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources