Mill Creek MetroParks to hold Farm Animal Baby Shower

Mill Creek MetroParks will hold its annual Farm Animal Baby Shower on Sunday, April 6 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Mill Creek MetroParks Farm, 7574 Columbiana-Canfield Road, Canfield. This is a free, family-friendly event.

Families are encouraged to come anytime between 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. to meet new arrivals to the MetroParks Farm including triplet goats, twin lambs and bottle baby calf (all born this spring), chicks, ducks, turkeys, geese, and more. There will also be mother animals who are still expecting. Bring cameras for great photo opportunities. Cake and punch will be served while supplies last.

Farm Animal Baby Shower is also the official opening of the barns at the MetroParks Farm. Barns will be open for the public to come and view the animals Monday through Friday from 9 am – 4 pm, and Sunday from 1 pm – 4 pm through October. Baby animals and their mothers will be here all spring. For more information, please call 330.702.3000 or visit our website at www.millcreekmetroparks.org.

Master Gardener classes begin at Fellows Riverside Gardens

The Master Gardener Program at Fellows Riverside Gardens, a comprehensive course in horticulture suitable for both beginners and intermediate gardeners, is now underway. Participants will learn about caring for plants within the beautiful setting of Fellows Riverside Gardens in Mill Creek MetroParks. Sessions include lectures and hands-on labs on garden design, roses, tree & shrub pruning, herbaceous perennials and many more topics of interest to the home gardener. The program consists of 12 sessions, nine hands-on labs, a take-home final exam and 40 hours volunteer work/practical experience to be completed at Fellows Riverside Gardens. This course runs through October. For more information about attending, call Fellows Riverside Gardens at 330.740.7116.

Newton Falls senior Stephanie Baringer shows MCMP some love!

Newton Falls High School Guidance Counselor Scott, MCMP Marketing Manager Leslie, Stephanie, MCMP Community Engagement Director Samantha at the Tom Holden Memorial Scholarship Awards Luncheon

 

Stephanie Baringer, a senior at Newton Falls High School, recently entered the Tom Holden Memorial Scholarship competition. More than 150 students from all across our Valley entered PSA scripts written about local organizations. A team of judges from WKBN and Caring for Our Community sponsor partners (Huntington Bank, Window World and Dunkin’ Donuts) judged the entries and Stephanie’s PSA, written about Mill Creek MetroParks, was the first runner up!

MCMP Community Engagement Director Samantha and MCMP Marketing Manager Leslie recently met Stephanie, her parents, and her guidance counselor at the Tom Holden Memorial Scholarship Awards Luncheon and had a wonderful afternoon getting to know each other. Thanks, Stephanie! You make us proud!

LC: How did you hear about the Tom Holden Memorial Scholarship Competition?

SB: It was on my school’s website, and I just happened to be looking for something else when I saw it.

LC: What made you want to enter?

SB: I figured, why not? College is expensive and I don’t want to be in debt for the rest of life. You can’t get money if you don’t try. I’ve been doing scholarship applications like crazy for the past couple months.

LC: Why did you choose to write a PSA about Mill Creek MetroParks? Where did you get the idea for the PSA?

SB: When I read through the list of organizations, I got instantly inspired to do Mill Creek MetroParks. It came to me as soon as I saw the name. It automatically came to me, however I think my experience with the park shaped my idea.

LC: How did you feel when you found out you were first runner up?

SB: I was actually really surprised! I didn’t spend that long writing it and I wasn’t expecting to win after I clicked the submit button. It’s nice to know that my idea was good enough to be the first runner up. It definitely boosted some of my confidence.

LC: What’s your best memory of Mill Creek MetroParks?
SB: My best memory of Mill Creek MetroParks is when I had my senior pictures taken there. I had a Newton Falls alumni, aspiring photographer, and friend Bern Talanca take them. It was amazing to see the park in full bloom in June. She had me sit in flower beds, go under trees, and even stand on rock ledges! At one point while we were in the flower garden, she wanted pictures by the fountain. I sat down, and the water stopped flowing. I jokingly raised my hands as if I were trying to raise the water, and it worked! It started to shoot out of the pipes again and I couldn’t stop laughing. Bern was snapping pictures like crazy the entire time.

LC: What are your college plans?
SB: I will be attending the University of New Haven in West Haven, Connecticut to major in forensic psychology in the fall. I will complete my master’s degree there as well. Go Chargers!

Magic in maple at Mill

Click to read this article at: Vindy.com

Starting Seeds Indoors

Tremendous satisfaction can be gained from growing your own plants from seeds. Some plants, like tomatoes and peppers, need to be started early by sowing seeds indoors. Ellen Speicher, Mill Creek MetroParks Assistant Horticulture Director, answers some questions about sowing seeds inside.

flrstartsQ: I want to start seeds indoors. How much light will the seedlings need?

ES: Lots! Usually more than a windowsill can provide during winter. Also, growing seedlings will lean over toward the light from a window. An inexpensive way to grow better seedlings is to provide artificial light. Set up a work light with 2 – 4 cool white bulbs and suspend the lights only a couple of inches above the seedlings. Raise the light to keep it above the plants as the seedlings grow. Your plants will grow strong and straight!

Q: Why is temperature important when starting seeds indoors?

ES: There are two different temperatures that help grow strong seedlings. First is the germination temperature, which is the temperature at which the seed sprouts best. This temperature can be higher than the temperature in your home so it helps to use a heat mat especially made for seed starting. As soon you see green growth, remove the heat mat and grow the seedlings at the second temperature range, called the “growing on” temperature. This temperature is often lower than the germination temperature and allows for strong seedling growth. Most seed packets list these temperatures, which vary depending on what plant you are growing.

Q: When should I start my seeds?

ES: Check the seed packet for the proper sow date. Often the date will be written as a certain number of weeks before the last frost in spring. Count back from the last week in May to find out which week you should start your seeds inside.

Q: What is “hardening off”?

ES: This is the process of getting your tender indoor seedlings adjusted to the outdoors. Once temperatures are warm enough to grow the plants outside, slowly adjust your plants to outdoor conditions by putting them outside for a little longer every day. Start by setting them in the shade and gradually get them used to being in the proper amount of sun.

Need seeds? Visit Fellows Riverside Gardens to borrow seeds from our new Seed Library! “Check out” donated flower, herb and vegetable seeds to take home and plant in your own garden. In the fall, harvest seeds from your plants to bring back to the library to restock the Seed Library for next year.

Nature Photography Exhibit 2014 | Photographer Profile: Richard Wyant

Richard Wyant of Youngstown, Ohio won first place in the ‘Monochrome’ category for his photograph, Girls Skipping Stones.
RKWyant

RS: My father, Gus Wyant, was an amateur photographer back in the days of dark rooms, chemicals and film developing so I suppose that’s where my original interest [in photography] came from. I’ve been taking pictures of the MetroParks for approximately 6 years. My brother Tom invited me along for a walk on the trails and I’ve been taking in the sights of the MetroParks ever since. I believe we’ve walked every trail on the map and some that aren’t.

My winning photo was taken a few hundred yards down from the Mill. Skipping stonesThe young ladies throwing rocks in the creek seemed to take me back to a time when life was slower and enjoyment was simple and innocent. This is my second First Place win in the photo contest. A few years ago I won first place in Creative Photo with my Mill Mosaic picture. I’m looking forward to getting a better camera (I’m using a Kodak 12 megapixel camera now) and getting some pictures of the wildlife inhabiting the MetroParks.

The Nature Photography Exhibit runs through March 9 at Ford Nature Center. Click here for event details. Look for more profiles of photographers featured in the exhibit all this week!