The Evolution of Duke Farms

Wednesday, May 29, 7:30 – 9 pm

Following a brief business meeting, Executive Director of Duke Farms Michael Catania will speak about Duke Farms’ evolution from a 2,750-acre private estate to a public learning center and model of sustainable agriculture, ecological restoration and stewardship.

Courtesy Duke Farms

The meeting takes place in the Education Building at the Mapleton Preserve/D&R Canal State Park Headquarters, 145 Mapleton Road, Kingston.  The event is open to all, and refreshments will be served.  For further details, please call 609-683-0483.

SAVE THE DATES!

* Art acceptance start date for “Legendary Locations” Exhibit                        

Friday, July 19, 2013

For detailed information, click here: LEGENDARY LOCATIONS

* Princeton Nurseries 100th Anniversary Celebration in the Preserve

Saturday, September 7, 2013; Rain date: September 8

* National Public Lands Day

Saturday, September 28, 2013

* “Legendary Locations” Exhibit Opening

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

RECENT EVENTS

Arbor Day Celebration

Saturday, April 13, 2013, 2 to 4 PM

The event began with the planting of a Princeton Gold holly (a Flemer cultivar) in the Arboretum.   Dedicated to the memory of David Paulovic, a plant propagator for Princeton Nurseries, it was ably put into the ground by Bill Flemer, with the assistance of Dave’s family.

President Karen Linder gave a guided walk, providing a close look at the trees of the Preserve, with a focus on identification, natural history, wildlife value and the beneficial role of trees in our environment.

A second tree was planted after the walk, highlighting best practices for getting new trees off to a good start.

Martin Luther King Day of Service Work Session in the Mapleton Preserve
January 21, 2013

24 cheerful volunteers gathered in the Mapleton Preserve for a three-hour work session.  This was the 27th anniversary of the Martin Luther King federal holiday, when millions of Americans honor King by volunteering for a “National Day of Service” in their communities.

One crew removed 15 bags of litter, tires, and miscellaneous junk from trails, paths, fields, and woodland.  The second crew wielded loppers, saws, and brute force to rescue a signature row of flowering trees from certain strangulation by a shroud of invasive vines.

Three cheers for these hard-working volunteers!

What’s for Dinner? A Thanksgiving Day Nature Walk

Thanksgiving Day–Thursday, November 22nd, 2012

Thirty people joined FPNL President Karen Linder for a Thanksgiving Day morning exploration of the Mapleton Preserve.

We  looked for items on the menu for Thanksgiving dinner for the animals and birds at Mapleton Preserve, and found a rich buffet, including berries, evergreen cones, ginkgo nuts, and “syrup,” as evidenced by a trunk peppered with holes made by a sapsucker!

An alert youngster spotted what proved to be a praying mantis case on this beech tree.

National Public Lands Day

Saturday, September 29th, 2 to 4 PM

A hearty crew gathered for an afternoon of stewardship in the Mapleton Preserve, former home site of Princeton Nurseries.  We cleared trees by removing vines, invasives, and brush, mulched trees in the Flemer Arboretum, and collected lots of litter.  Many thanks to our volunteers, and to Jonathan Michalik, who took these photographs!

SCAVENGER HUNT

Saturday, August 25th, 2012

Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands in collaboration with the D&R Canal State Park naturalist organized an old-fashioned scavenger hunt with a modern twist.

Participants used their observation skills and imaginations to gather specimens and photos of items on the scavenger hunt list.

All photos by Robert von Zumbusch

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FPNL Annual Meeting

Thursday, June 7, 2012

“Raising Monarch Butterflies”

Photo by Brenda J. Jones

Kate and Katherine Dresdner have raised and released over 200 wild Monarch butterflies during summer seasons. They talked about this mysterious and magical species, its amazing migration for thousands of miles to its winter home on forested mountaintops in Mexico, and its developmental life-cycle from egg to caterpillar and caterpillar to butterfly.

Migrating monarch butterflies gather in large numbers each fall for their migration to Mexico–Photo by Brenda J. Jones

They described their efforts to increase the survival rate of local Monarchs by harvesting eggs and incubating them under carefully controlled conditions in their home.  Their breathtaking closeups of  Monarchs at various stages of development illustrated their discussion of Monarch raising techniques, health issues, and protection from predators.  They recommended planting milkweed, the sole host plant for Monarchs; an area as small as a square foot is enough to grow a good food supply for the caterpillars. Their interest and passion for this species developed from gardening with native plants and creating habitat for birds, butterflies, and pollinators.

ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION IN THE PRESERVE–April 21, 2012

The celebration began with the official dedication of interpretive signs for the site, the former home of Princeton Nurseries.

On hand to speak about the signs were Dan Saunders of the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office, South Brunswick Township Mayor Frank Gambatese, FPNL President Karen Linder and FPNL Vice President Robert von Zumbusch, and William Flemer IV.

Mayor Gambatese, Karen Linder, Bill Flemer, and Robert von Zumbusch

These new signs were developed by Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands, with the assistance of a project grant funded by the New Jersey Historical Commission.  The interpretive panels will help visitors understand the historic and cultural significance of the site.

Mrs. William Flemer III and FPNL Trustee Anne Zeman

Karen Linder then gave an abbreviated illustrated history of Princeton Nurseries, and the celebration concluded with the traditional planting of a tree–a lovely pink dogwood.

Martin Luther King Day of Service

January 16, 2012

Thank you to all 45 volunteers who made our MLK session a success!