Tag: The Rocks

Maple Dinner to Benefit The Rocks Estate

Celebrate the transition from a long winter to a welcome spring with The Rocks’ annual Maple Dinner. This year’s dinner will be held at The Maplewood in Bethlehem, following the loss to fire of the program center at The Rocks. Proceeds from the dinner will benefit The Rocks Fire Fund, which will be used for operating and capital costs in support of the post -fire transition to restore operations at The Rocks.

Returning to wow diners is Chef Joe Peterson of Sugar Hill. Highlights of the evening’s buffet dinner include: Ginger butternut squash bisque, grilled vegetable salad, macaroni and cheese with baby spinach and fire-roasted tomatoes, wood-roasted barbecue chicken, Bali barbecue ribs, and wood-roasted beef brisket.

Dennis Cote of Sugar Hill will provide musical entertainment during the evening.

Cost: $50 per person (cash bar). Pre-registration required. RSVP online or call Maria Stewart at 603-224-9945 x 346. Deadline is March 28th.

(Note: Unfortunately, the Maplewood is not wheelchair accessible.)

RSVP: forestsociety.org/mapledinner

The Rocks Maple Experience

Join us for guided tours of our sugaring operation including horse drawn and tractor drawn rides, tap a maple tree with the group, tree ID, the history of mapling, the NH Maple Museum and sample maple syrup, pickles and donuts. Cost, including both rides, horse drawn and tractor drawn, is $15 for adults and $12 for children.

The Rocks Maple Experience

Join us for guided tours of our sugaring operation including horse drawn and tractor drawn rides, tap a maple tree with the group, tree ID, the history of mapling, the NH Maple Museum and sample maple syrup, pickles and donuts. Cost, including both rides, horse drawn and tractor drawn, is $15 for adults and $12 for children.

The Rocks Maple Experience

Join us for guided tours of our sugaring operation including horse drawn and tractor drawn rides, tap a maple tree with the group, tree ID, the history of mapling, the NH Maple Museum and sample maple syrup, pickles and donuts. Cost, including both rides, horse drawn and tractor drawn, is $15 for adults and $12 for children.

The Rocks Maple Experience

Join us for guided tours of our sugaring operation including horse drawn and tractor drawn rides, tap a maple tree with the group, tree ID, the history of mapling, the NH Maple Museum and sample maple syrup, pickles and donuts. Cost, including both rides, horse drawn and tractor drawn, is $15 for adults and $12 for children.

Cut Your Own Christmas Tree at The Rocks

There is no better place to choose a Christmas tree than at The Rocks Estate, where you can strike out over the fields in search of your ideal holiday evergreen or choose from already cut trees.

Take a tour of the estate on a horse-drawn wagon, browse two shops for gifts and decorations, and choose the perfect handmade wreath and garland for your front door.

Begin your visit with a leisurely walk through the rolling fields of Christmas trees to choose and cut one for your home or select a freshly cut tree from the retail lot at the farm, where willing helpers will load your tree onto your vehicle for you. The Rocks’ beautifully decorated handmade wreaths, garlands, ornaments, and Christmas tree accessories will add festive touches to your holiday décor.

The Rocks opens Nov. 7 and will be open 10 am – 4 pm daily through Christmas Eve. Christmas tree shoppers may select a tree from the farm’s retail lot or wander the fields to Cut-Your-Own Christmas tree beginning Nov. 19. The Rocks will be closed Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 22), but otherwise open daily through Dec. 24.

Tag-Your-Own Christmas Tree

The spectacular colors of fall foliage, Christmas trees, and early holiday shopping: these are a few of our favorite things at The Rocks, and we’ll celebrate all of them each weekend from Sept. 29 through Oct. 20 during our tag-your-own Christmas tree season.

As the hills come alive with the crisp air and bright colors of fall, The Rocks welcomes visitors to meander through the fields in search of a perfect Christmas tree. Early tree-seekers may “tag” a tree and return once the farm opens for the Christmas season, from Nov. 17 through Dec. 24, to cut and purchase the tagged tree. When tagging trees, the more personal flair, the better – ribbons, bows, and baubles are welcome. Once again we will be having a contest of decorated trees in the field. The tag your own tree that has the best decorations and is posted on our Facebook page will be given to the family for free. “We started offering a tag-your-own tree season several years ago, and it’s become a favorite time to visit for many people,” said Nigel Manley, longtime manager of The Rocks. “We encourage tag-your-own customers to really dress up and personalize the tree they select so they can find it easily when they return later in the year to bring it home.

There are lots of other things to do this time of year, too – walk along our trails and visit the interactive Maple Museum.” The Rocks will be open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. during tag-your-own weekends, and both shops will be open for shoppers looking to get an early jump on their holiday shopping. “This is a wonderful time of year to shop at The Rocks,” said retail manager Carleen Quinn. “Both the Rocks Marketplace and the Gift Shop are fully stocked, and there’s plenty of time for browsing without that last-minute frenzy of the holidays.”

The Marketplace is chockful of USA-made items, including many from local and regional vendors, like beautifully handcrafted bells from New England Bells and Puzzles from White Mountain Puzzles Inc. There is a nice selection of locally made Jelly, Jams, and Honey all made in NH. Whether you’re shopping for grandma or the kids, you’re sure to find the perfect gift here. The Gift Shop at The Rocks is filled with ornaments, holiday decorations, and The Rocks’ own maple syrup. Columbus Day Weekend, Oct. 6-8.

The New Hampshire Maple Museum, located in one of The Rocks Estate’s carefully restored historic buildings, will be open for self-guided tours daily during the fall through Oct. 20. The Rocks also boasts a network of pet-friendly walking trails, open daily, year-round, from dawn until dusk. And The Rocks Mobile Tour, with more than a dozen signs throughout the property displaying QR codes, allows visitors to use their smart phones to learn more about the history of the Estate, modern day conservation and management practices, and the different types of Christmas trees grown on the farm.

The Rocks is the North Country Conservation and Education Center of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (www.forestsociety.org), a non-profit membership organization founded in 1901 to protect the state’s most important landscapes and promote wise use of its natural resources. The landmark 1,400-acre Rocks includes numerous buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places and offers Agri- and Eco-tourism opportunities throughout the year. For more information please visit www.therocks.org , e-mail [email protected]rg, or call (603) 444-6228.

Tag-Your-Own Christmas Tree

The spectacular colors of fall foliage, Christmas trees, and early holiday shopping: these are a few of our favorite things at The Rocks, and we’ll celebrate all of them each weekend from Sept. 29 through Oct. 20 during our tag-your-own Christmas tree season.

As the hills come alive with the crisp air and bright colors of fall, The Rocks welcomes visitors to meander through the fields in search of a perfect Christmas tree. Early tree-seekers may “tag” a tree and return once the farm opens for the Christmas season, from Nov. 17 through Dec. 24, to cut and purchase the tagged tree. When tagging trees, the more personal flair, the better – ribbons, bows, and baubles are welcome. Once again we will be having a contest of decorated trees in the field. The tag your own tree that has the best decorations and is posted on our Facebook page will be given to the family for free. “We started offering a tag-your-own tree season several years ago, and it’s become a favorite time to visit for many people,” said Nigel Manley, longtime manager of The Rocks. “We encourage tag-your-own customers to really dress up and personalize the tree they select so they can find it easily when they return later in the year to bring it home.

There are lots of other things to do this time of year, too – walk along our trails and visit the interactive Maple Museum.” The Rocks will be open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. during tag-your-own weekends, and both shops will be open for shoppers looking to get an early jump on their holiday shopping. “This is a wonderful time of year to shop at The Rocks,” said retail manager Carleen Quinn. “Both the Rocks Marketplace and the Gift Shop are fully stocked, and there’s plenty of time for browsing without that last-minute frenzy of the holidays.” The Marketplace is chockful of USA-made items, including many from local and regional vendors, like beautifully handcrafted bells from New England Bells and Puzzles from White Mountain Puzzles Inc. There is a nice selection of locally made Jelly, Jams, and Honey all made in NH. Whether you’re shopping for grandma or the kids, you’re sure to find the perfect gift here. The Gift Shop at The Rocks is filled with ornaments, holiday decorations, and The Rocks’ own maple syrup. Columbus Day Weekend, Oct. 6-8. The New Hampshire Maple Museum, located in one of The Rocks Estate’s carefully restored historic buildings, will be open for self-guided tours daily during the fall through Oct. 20. The Rocks also boasts a network of pet-friendly walking trails, open daily, year-round, from dawn until dusk. And The Rocks Mobile Tour, with more than a dozen signs throughout the property displaying QR codes, allows visitors to use their smart phones to learn more about the history of the Estate, modern day conservation and management practices, and the different types of Christmas trees grown on the farm. The Rocks is the North Country Conservation and Education Center of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (www.forestsociety.org), a non-profit membership organization founded in 1901 to protect the state’s most important landscapes and promote wise use of its natural resources. The landmark 1,400-acre Rocks includes numerous buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places and offers Agri- and Eco-tourism opportunities throughout the year. For more information please visit www.therocks.org , e-mail [email protected]rg, or call (603) 444-6228.

The Trees of Bretzfelder Park

The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests will host local naturalist David Govatski for a presentation titled “The Trees of Bretzfelder Park.” The free program is open to the public and is part of the annual summer Bretzfelder Park Family Educational Series. It will begin at 7 p.m.

Learn howto identify the trees of Bretzfelder Park on this short walk at the park. You will learn the simple techniques to tell the difference between a red and sugar maple or a spruce and balsam fir. We will discuss why trees grow where they do and how to keep them healthy. We will look at the tools a forester uses for measuring the age and diameter of trees.

You will hear the story of the large white pine that is central to the Park where Charles Bretzfelder used to relax and listen to the brook and see the Tree Identification Trail which is open for use year round.

Govatski of Jefferson, NH, retired from the US Forest Service after a 33-year career as a Fire and Aviation Management Officer, Forester and Silviculturist. He worked in Colorado,Vermont, Michigan, Oregon, Maine and New Hampshire and has a Bachelor of Science in Forest Management from Unity College in Maine. He has a  Certificate of Advanced Studies in Silviculture from the US Forest Service and has a strong interest in forest management and co-authored “Forests for the People: The Story of the Eastern National Forests.” His articles on forest history have appeared in several magazines and he is a frequent guest speaker and trip leader. He has worked as a ship naturalist in Alaska and Iceland and will be returning to Alaska in 2019 as a naturalist on the Inside Passage route.

Owned by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (www.forestsociety.org),Bretzfelder Park is managed in cooperation with the town of Bethlehem. The park,bequeathed to the Forest Society in 1984 by Helen Bretzfelder in memory of her father, Charles, houses a classroom, educational trails, a pond, and several picnic sites.

Two series of educational programs are held there each year, in winter and summer. The Bretzfelder Park Family Educational Series will continue on February 20 of 2019.

For more information and a calendar of events please visit www.therocks.org,email us at [email protected], or call 603-444-6228.

 

“Don’t Take Rocks for Granite” at Bretzfelder Park

The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests and Linnea Manley will present “Don’t Take Rocks for Granite” at Bretzfelder Park.

The free program is part of the annual summer Bretzfelder Park Family Educational Series. It is open to the public and will begin at 7 p.m.

Have you ever gone on a hike and wondered “What type of rock is this?” Or “How did this rock form?” or “Where did this rock come from?” Join Manley as she discusses basic rock types and what rocks can tell you about the area you are hiking in. The talk will involve hands-on identification of rocks commonly found in Northern New England. Geared towards a younger audience the program is open to anyone who has ever picked up a rock and wondered “What is this?”

Manley, who grew up in Bethlehem, has her Bachelor’s degree in Geology and her Master’s in Environmental Science and Management. Her research focused mostly on ground water but her true passion is for geology. Manley is now a high school teacher in Middlebury, VT. In her free time she collects rocks, takes pictures and reads books.

Owned by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (www.forestsociety.org), Bretzfelder Park is managed in cooperation with the town of Bethlehem. The Park, bequeathed to the Forest Society in 1984 by Helen Bretzfelder in memory of her father, Charles, houses a classroom, educational trails, a pond, and several picnic sites.

Two series of educational programs are held there each year, in August and February. The Bretzfelder Park Family Educational Series will continue on August 22 at 7 p.m. with a program by Dave Govatski about tree identification.

For more information and a calendar of events please visit www.therocks.org, email us at [email protected], or call 603-444-6