Historic Happenings Blog

ACT Now to Save the Sourland Forest What do a writer from Florida, a college junior from Wyoming, a recent graduate from Washington, and a volunteer coordinator from California all have in common? They’re working with a local nonprofit to address a major problem - here in Central New Jersey. “We are facing an enormous challenge. Over one million trees in the Sourlands will be killed by the emerald ash borer within the next few years,” said Laurie Cleveland, Executive Director of the Sourland Conservancy. “We reached out for volunteers to help find a creative solution and have been amazed by the response!” Volunteers Claire Hamerlinck, Megan Washington, Saige White, Rui Zhao, Anne Woolley, Lynn Robbins, Hilary Persky and Marylou Ferrara have joined the Conservancy’s Ash Tree Crisis Team (ACT). The group is working together virtually to create a campaign to raise awareness about the issue of ash decline - and provide residents with the tools they need to help restore the forest from thei...

S aturday, March 23  - Hopewell Township, Mercer County Sawmilling and Tree Planting Howell Farm invites visitors of all ages to get a grip on history by grabbing a shovel, saw, drawknife, or cant hook when helping hands are needed to plant trees, cut firewood, make barn pegs and ready logs for the sawmill. The work will begin when farmers use a portable sawmill to cut lumber for barn repairs and restoration projects. Visitors can help by using spud bars to de-bark logs and cant hooks to roll them to the mill. Those who like working the old-fashioned way can use a two-man saw to cut rounds that will then be split into firewood, wheel chocks, and barn peg blanks. Mallets, froes, and drawknives are among the tools that visitors can try. Youngsters can make and take home a barn peg like the ones used to hold together a timber frame barn. Howell Living Farm represents typical farm life between 1890 and 1910. The farm is operated by the Mercer County Parks Commission. It is located at 7...