2010 Calendar of Classes and Events

January back to top

STITCH 'N TIME TEXTILES CLUB

Saturday, January 23, 2010
1:00-4:00 p.m.
Education Center
Pre-Registration is Required

Stitch 'n Time is a volunteer-based textiles club where members enjoy learning about the cultivation of fleece, wool dying, and colonial textiles. Club members will use wool from the farm's heritage breed sheep to card, spin, and knit. The club is open to novice and expert spinners and knitters, as well as those handy with a sewing needle or sewing machine to make costumes for our interpreters. The Stitch 'n Time Club meets monthly on the 4th Saturday from 1 pm to 4 pm in the Accokeek Foundation's Education Center.

Additional 2010 Club Dates:

February 27
March 27
April 24
May 22
June 26
July 24
August 28
October 23

To become a Stitch 'n Time Club Volunteer please call Anjela Barnes at 301.283.2113, ext. 34 or email.

February back to top

HELP PRESERVE MARYLAND’S BLUEBIRDS

Saturday, February 6, 2010
1:00-4:00 p.m.
Education Center
Free, Registration is Required
Snow Date: Saturday, February 13, 2010

The Accokeek Foundation has an excellent habitat for bluebirds and maintains over 30 nesting boxes along the Ken Otis Bluebird Trail, which are monitored seasonally by volunteers. We are seeking volunteers to join us Saturday, February 6th as we repair and build new nesting boxes for the 2010 monitoring season. To learn about more volunteer opportunities, please click here.

SHRUB AND TREE PRUNING

Saturday, February 27, 2010
10:00 a.m. to Noon
Education Center, Rain or Shine
$20 Non-Members, $15 Members
Pre-registration required, 5 people minimum

By using proper pruning techniques, you can create healthier plants, save time and money, and stay safe. In this hands-on class we will discuss tools, ground-based pruning methods, when to prune, and important safety information. Please bring work gloves and safety glasses if you have them. Come dressed to work outside.

March back to top

BACKYARD POULTRY

Saturday, March 6, 2010
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Education Center, Rain or Shine, $40 Non-Members, $35 Members
Pre-registration required, 5 people minimum

Would you like to have farm fresh eggs from your own back yard? Raising poultry is a great way to have a ready supply of fresh eggs, control insect pests, and practice sustainable agriculture at a small scale. This class will provide you with the information you need to successfully raise your own flock. Participants will receive a handbook and other take-home materials.

RAIN BARREL VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTOR ORIENTATION

Saturday, March 6, 2010
12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Education Center, Rain or Shine, Free

We are seeking volunteer instructors for the rain barrel workshops held at the Accokeek Foundation. All volunteer instructors are required to attend the Rain Barrel Instructor Orientation and Workshop, which will be held on Saturday, March 6, 2010 from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm. To inquire about volunteering as a rain barrel instructor please call Anjela Barnes at 301.283.2113, ext. 34 or email.

RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP

Saturday, March 6, 2010
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Workshop FREE
Rain barrels may be purchased for $90
Education Center, Rain or Shine
You may register for the workshop even if you decide not to purchase a barrel.

Here's your chance to save money and help the environment! Collecting and reusing rainwater will save money on your water bill, and decrease the impact of runoff on our waterways. Every inch of rain that falls on 1,000 square feet yields 623 gallons of water. That's water you can use for free! The workshop will cover installation, maintenance, and landscaping. For more information, please call 301.283.2113 or email the Foundation here. This workshop is a partnership with The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin.

ADVANCED ORGANIC GARDENING

Class 1: Friday, March 12, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Class 2: Saturday, March 13, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Class 3: Saturday, March 20, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Education Center, Rain or Shine
$90 Non-Members, $75 Members
Box lunches available for an additional $10 Fee for the Saturday classes OR bring your own.
Pre-registration required, 5 people minimum.

Join Ecosystem Farm Manager, Mike Snow, and Horticulturist, Alexia Savold, for an advanced look at organic gardening practices. The class will take place over 3 days and provide an in-depth look at various topics such as planning, seed starting, soil fertility, composting, and cover cropping as well as hands-on work at the Ecosystem Farm and Museum Garden. Some gardening experience required.

BLUEBIRD MONITOR VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION

Sunday, March 21, 2010
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Education Center, Rain or Shine, Free

To learn about more volunteer opportunities, please click here.

SHARED TRADITIONS: – Weaving: The Art of Eastern Woodland Indian Finger Weaving (Workshop) with Rico Newman and Tony Windsor of the Piscataway Conoy

Saturday, March 27, 2010
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Education Center, Rain or Shine
$7 Non-Members, Members Free

“Shared Traditions” is a new series that examines heritage crafts from a cross-cultural perspective. This year we focus on weaving, and begin with a look at Eastern Woodland Indian finger weaving.

April back to top

CHILDREN'S DAY

Saturday, April 3, 2010
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Children’s Day Fee: $5 Non-Members, Members Free.
Chicken and the Egg Workshop Fee: $10 Non-Members, $8 Members. Admission for Children’s Day will be waived for participants in Chicken and the Egg workshop.

Join us for part or all of this day full of educational and entertaining activities! Features of this event subject to cancellation due to weather.

9:00 a.m.-Chicken and the Egg Workshop, Barnyard: We’ll tour the barnyard, talk about heritage breed chickens, and enjoy hands-on interaction with chicks. We’ll also use natural dyes to dye eggs. Workshop fee: $10 Non-Members, $8 Members. Limited to 30 participants. Pre-registration required. Call 301.283.2113 or register here.

11:00 a.m.-Performance of Wally the Water Bottle Followed by Mini River, Education Center: The National Children’s Museum returns with their puppet show of “Wally the Water Bottle” (appropriate for ages 4 and up). After learning from Wally about how damaging litter is to the river’s ecosystem, families will gather trash from the shore of the Potomac in this “mini” river cleanup.

12:00 p.m. Colonial Kids-Where’s Ben?, National Colonial Farm: Mrs. Bolton needs her son’s help, but he is nowhere to be found. As children assist with chores at the National Colonial Farm, they will gather clues to the mystery of “Where’s Ben?”, and will then embark on a guided search for Ben.

ECOSYSTEM FARM VOLUNTEER DAY

Thursday, April 8, 2010
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Check-in at Visitor Center

Ecosystem Farm Volunteer Days will be held every 2nd Thursday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. beginning Thursday, April 8, 2010 through Thursday, November 11, 2010. Volunteers will help by tending to the fields, weeding, planting, and harvesting the farm's produce. This is an excellent opportunity for individuals or groups with an interest in sustainable agriculture, organic farming, or environmental stewardship. Volunteers are encouraged to arrive early as a brief, dedicated tour will be given promptly at 1:00 p.m. Please be prepared to work in the outdoors wearing appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes. Volunteers are also encouraged to bring work gloves, sunscreen, hats, snacks, plenty of water, and to be prepared to work outdoors.

Individuals or groups interested in participating in the 2nd Thursday Ecosystem Farm Volunteer Days, should call or email the volunteer coordinator.

POTOMAC RIVER CLEAN UP

Saturday, April 10, 2010
9:00 a.m. to Noon
Education Center, Rain or Shine, Free

The Accokeek Foundation will be hosting a neighborhood cleanup site as part of the Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup. Join us Saturday, April 10, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon as we remove trash from the shoreline of the Potomac River. Wear boots, gloves, and clothing appropriate for slippery and wet conditions. This is an excellent opportunity for student service-learning credit or group volunteers! Please call ahead or register online and let us know you will be participating.

Groups interested in participating please contact Anjela Barnes at 301.283.2113, ext. 34 or email.

This year’s cleanup will take place at over 300 sites in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and West Virginia - all part of the lands, or watershed, that drain into the Potomac. Locations include fields, forests, parking lots and other ‘inland’ sites, where the trash can be removed before it enters creeks and other waterways. Additional cleanup sites throughout the region need volunteers too! Visit Potomac Clean Up or call 301.292.5665 for a complete list of cleanup sites and to find out more about cleanup sites in the region.

The Cleanup headquarters is the Alice Ferguson Foundation, 2301 Bryan Point Road in Accokeek. Call 301.292.5665 for a local site and spokesperson in your community. Visit the Alice Ferguson Foundation to learn more about its environmental education programs and Trash-Free Potomac Watershed initiative.

RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP

Saturday, April 10, 2010
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Workshop FREE
Rain barrels may be purchased for $90
Education Center, Rain or Shine
You may register for the workshop even if you decide not to purchase a barrel.

Here's your chance to save money and help the environment! Collecting and reusing rainwater will save money on your water bill, and decrease the impact of runoff on our waterways. Every inch of rain that falls on 1,000 square feet yields 623 gallons of water. That's water you can use for free! The workshop will cover installation, maintenance, and landscaping. For more information, please call 301.283.2113 or email the Foundation here. This workshop is a partnership with The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin.

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK – VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION PICNIC

Saturday, April 17, 2010
Volunteering begins: 9:00 a.m.
Picnic Reception immediately follows
Education Center, Circle

April 17–23, 2010 is National Volunteer Week, celebrating and acknowledging the ordinary people who accomplish extraordinary things through service. Lend your hands by volunteering around the Park with activities such as trail maintenance, work in the gardens, and on invasive plant removal. Whether you join us for the morning volunteering activities or not, mark your calendars and join us, along with your fellow volunteer-peers, for a Volunteer Appreciation Picnic honoring all of the Foundation’s volunteers. Please let us know you’re coming by calling 301.283.2113, ext. 34 or emailing us. To learn about more volunteer opportunities, please click here.

SHARED TRADITIONS– Weaving: African American Weaving – A Personal Journey (Talk) with Karen Hampton

Saturday, April 24, 2010
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Education Center, Rain or Shine
$7 Non-Members, Members Free

“Shared Traditions” is a new series that examines heritage crafts from a cross-cultural perspective. This month artist and scholar Karen Hampton looks at African American weaving.

May back to top

WOOL WASHING FROLIC

Saturday, May 8, 2010
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
National Colonial Farm, Rain or Shine

Visitors can observe and ask questions of Stitch ’n Time Club members as they join Mrs. Bolton to wash wool fleeces using Colonial methods. The club will be spinning and knitting the farm’s wool into items that will eventually be available for sale in the Visitor Center gift shop. For more information about joining the Stitch ’n Time Club, email us.

COLONIAL HOME SCHOOL DAY

Wednesday, May 19, 2010
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Visitor Center, Rain or Shine
Registration Required by Monday, May 12th
$5.00 Per Person, Ages Over 2
Children 2 and Under are Free

Calling all homeschoolers! Join the Bolton Family at the National Colonial Farm and spend the day learning about life on a small tobacco farm in the mid-18th century. Children will learn about heritage breed farm animals, crops and gardens, and try their hands at colonial chores. Wear shoes and clothing appropriate for outdoor activities. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the view of Mount Vernon. Drinks and snacks will be for sale at the Visitor Center. Registration is required, but payment will be taken at the Visitor Center on May 19th. For questions about the event, please contact MaryAlice Bonomo at 301.283.2113, ext. 28 or by email.

SHARED TRADITIONS– Weaving: Colonial Weaving (Demonstration)

Saturday, May 22, 2010
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Education Center, Rain or Shine
$7 Non-Members, Members Free

This year’s “Shared Traditions” series on weaving winds up with a look at weaving in the American colonies and a demonstration on our loom.

VOLUNTEER EVENTS IN MAY

To learn about more volunteer opportunities, please click here.

June back to top

NATIONAL TRAILS DAY

Saturday, June 5, 2010
Guided trail walks at noon and 2:00 p.m., trails open all day
Visitor Center

Celebrate National Trails Day on one (or more!) of our six trails: Bluebird Trail, Paw Paw Trail, Persimmon Trail, Blackberry Trail, Riverview Trail, Pumpkin Ash Trail. Special guided trail walks will be offered at noon and 2:00 p.m., but the trails will be open all day. Mark your calendar for a walk in the woods!

SPINNING FROLIC

Saturday, June 12, 2010
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
National Colonial Farm, Rain or Shine

Come and see colonial textile artists in action! Visitors may observe members of the Stitch ’n Time Club as they card, spin, and weave wool from the farm’s heritage sheep. For more information about joining the Stitch ’n Time Club, email us.

SUMMER SOLSTICE MEMBER SOCIAL

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Check back for more information.

VOLUNTEER EVENTS IN JUNE

To learn about more volunteer opportunities, please click here.

July back to top

COLONIAL DAY

Saturday, July 31, 2010
Time: TBA
National Colonial Farm, Rain or Shine
$5 Per Person, Children 2 and Under Free, Members Free

Stroll through the Boltons’ 18th century farm and see demonstrations of cheesemaking, cooking, spinning, woodworking, blacksmithing, candlemaking. Visit a merchant store and learn what colonists were buying on credit. Check back for more details.

VOLUNTEER EVENTS IN JULY

To learn about more volunteer opportunities, please click here.

August back to top

VOLUNTEER EVENTS IN AUGUST

To learn about more volunteer opportunities, please click here.

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AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE DAY

Saturday, September 25, 2010
11 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
National Colonial Farm, Rain or Shine
Fee

A celebration of African American Foodways–Past and Present. Check back for details.

VOLUNTEER EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER

To learn about more volunteer opportunities, please click here.

October back to top

VOLUNTEER EVENTS IN OCTOBER

To learn about more volunteer opportunities, please click here.

November back to top

VOLUNTEER EVENTS IN NOVEMBER

To learn about more volunteer opportunities, please click here.

December back to top

WINTER'S EVE

Saturday, December 4, 2010
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
National Colonial Farm, Rain or Light Snow Showers
$2 Fee or a Canned Food Donation to Support a Maryland Food Bank

Kick off the winter season with our annual Winter’s Eve celebration. Tour the seasonally decorated National Colonial Farm as 18th century lanterns light the way. Join us for cider, cookies, popcorn and singing carols by the fire. The Museum Gift Shop will be open and stocked with unique gifts for all your holiday shopping.