by Kaylin Beach, Volunteer Coordinator Joshua has served the Foundation in almost every volunteer role. Spending most of his time as a Farmhand and volunteer Museum Interpreter, he has supported several of the Foundation’s large events behind the scenes, worked the fields and gardens of the National Colonial Farm, and tended to the Heritage Breed Livestock. His most recent volunteer service included the design and creation of a fake tree for the Visitor Center Kids Corner, to

by Kaylin Beach, Volunteer Coordinator Currently, she volunteers her time for the Accokeek Foundation as a member of the Board of Trustees, serving countless hours to ensure that the Foundation’s direction and leadership are top-notch. During the Accokeek Foundation’s last Fiscal year (October 2018-November 2019), Judy Meade volunteered over 132 hours in her position on the Governance Committee. She played an instrumental part in the review of the Foundation’s articles of inc

Cognizant of worldwide ecological and food security challenges, the Accokeek Foundation has begun taking action to meet these challenges head on. Drawing upon ancestral knowledge, modern innovation, and the passion of creative citizens, the Foundation is in the process of developing a National Food Forest. The Accokeek Foundation’s goal is to revert acres of choked, invasive-prone woodlands back into an Edenic forest of food that will generate healthy soils, reduce greenhouse

If successfully matched with the Accokeek Foundation, the Corps Volunteer will be involved in all aspects of expanding the Agriculture Conservation Corps (ACC) program at the Accokeek Foundation. With the Agriculture Education Manager, the Corps Volunteer will administer and implement this farm-based internship program for area youth. The program will feature applied learning at the Foundation’s National Colonial Farm and certified organic Ecosystem Farm to introduce high sch

The Accokeek Foundation is seeking workshare volunteers for the growing season. If you are interested in the principles of sustainable agriculture and farm market operations, and are able to commit to 2 – 4 hours per week, then join the Ecosystem Farm Workshare Corps. As a workshare corps volunteer, you will receive a weekly share of produce in exchange for the opportunity to be stewards of the land, and working on a nonprofit, educational farm operation as you learn about gr

The end of an old year and start of a new is traditionally a time for reflections on the past and planning for the future. With that in mind, many of us make resolutions with the intention of improving our own lives and the lives of those around us. There are a lot of classic resolutions that people make year after year – to eat better, to be more earth-friendly and sustainable, to exercise more, to spend more time with our families. The problem is that those very broad, very

According to Matt, this early Native American platform used by the hunter-gatherer communities of the Potomac will support runner beans and be surrounded by Jerusalem artichokes and groundnuts. When taking on the Museum Garden, chief interpreter at the colonial farm Matt Mattingly added “master gardener” to his repertoire of extraordinary gifts and talents. Matt has been working hard this winter to transform the interpretation of the Museum Garden, which is located in the par

In partnership with the National Park Service, the Accokeek Foundation maintains six nature trails in Piscataway Park. The Adopt-A-Trail program seeks to engage organizations and community members interested in helping maintain these trails to keep them safe and well-groomed for the park’s 20,000 visitors each year. Adopters will schedule and perform regular trails sweeps throughout the designated length of adoption, and will be responsible for reporting trail conditions to t

It was a beautiful day on the farm last Saturday as 19 volunteers took on the task of freeing fence lines from creeping vegetation and clearing the “leftovers” from the field of the Ecosystem Farm. The late October frost brought about the demise of several of our summer crops, shriveling their leaves and stems, but leaving much of the fruit still ripe and ready to be eaten. The volunteers picked all of the green peppers, eggplants, pak choi, and sweet potatoes that had surviv

Their work on the tobacco barn and Laurel Branch — through the application of “witch’s brew” (turpentine, boiled linseed oil, and pine tar) — will help preserve our 18th century historic buildings from harsh winter weather. The signs they helped to paint and build will provide self-guided park visitors with directions and information about the site. The barnyard fencing they fixed and the sheep shelter roof they replaced will add to the success of our heritage livestock breed

Godiva, one of our spring Hog Island Sheep lambs. If you love animals and would like to spend a few hours each week working on the farm, join the Livestock Farmhands volunteer team on Saturday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm to assist with the successful management of our Heritage Livestock Program. Volunteers will work closely with staff members to help feed, clean the barn, repair livestock fencing, clear brush, maintain pasture and barnyard areas, and more. Livestock Farmhands

In January, a young man named Ian (the son of one of our bluebird monitors) contacted us to see if he could do his Eagle Scout Service Project at the foundation. I had just attended my cousin’s Court of Honor ceremony and I was so impressed with everything he did in order to achieve the rank that I was really excited to get the chance to work with Ian. Ian did not disappoint, and less than four months later, we have an absolutely beautifully renovated Event Kitchen to share w

In the wake of the bombing this month at the Boston Marathon, my facebook newsfeed was inundated with posts and statuses lamenting the state of the world today. Friends and family were sharing thoughts like “what is society coming to?,” “people are pure evil,” and “I fear for my children and their future.” This certainly isn’t anything new–it was the same story after the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut and Aurora, Colorado, and countless other tragedies since, excuse my cli

Volunteers meet on the second Saturday of every month from 1-4 pm, in addition to completing at-home volunteer projects between meetings. Each meeting is themed, and will focus on a particular task or step in the processing of wool from the foundation’s Hog Island sheep flock. Hog Island sheep are a critically endangered breed of sheep with Volunteers are expected to regularly attend monthly meetings and contribute to fiber processing to the best of their abilities. 2016 meet

Responsibilities May Include: Plant, water, and tend plants Monitor plant health and treat for disease, nutrient deficiency, and pests Keep gardens and pathways weed free and accessible Repair garden fences, gates, and interior structures as needed Provide staking, trellising, and other supports to plants as needed Maintain compost bins Harvest, process, and save seed Maintain tools, supplies, and equipment in good working order No previous experience necessary. This voluntee

I am five months and two days (is it really already March?!) into my service year with the Accokeek Foundation, Volunteer Maryland, and AmeriCorps. There are times when I feel as if I haven’t accomplished anything I was sent here to do. I feel as if the weeks are slipping away into months, and there is no way I will possibly meet all of the goals I set for myself in September. The e-mails and calls seem to never stop coming in, the paperwork in all its glorious tediousness se

This volunteer position is to assist with the interpretation of the National Colonial Farm through the belly (and the kitchen), as we explore, sample, and prepare the great regional dishes for which this state is known. The program focuses on educating participants about why we eat what we eat, and how what we eat has changed over time. Responsibilities may include: Cook colonial period foods in a variety of methods, to include but not limited to open hearth, beehive oven, sm

Our Bantam rooster Sir Charles of Norris I’ve never been a big proponent of New Year’s Resolutions. When I get excited about a new idea, or a new philosophy, or a new hobby, I want to start immediately and get incredibly frustrated when things like lack of daylight or normal business hours get in the way. It was always hard to step back and take a deep breath, and begin to plan ahead and set goals for a future period of time, but that’s what I’ve been doing since my first day

“A Plea” by Matt Mattingly Colonial interpreters spin and card wool (but no one to sew!) A new year is upon us and our period clothing is showing the scars of last year’s work! We have rips and tears, fadings and stainings, missing buttons and missing pieces–and I can’t sew! All kidding aside the National Colonial Farm could definitely use a few good volunteers to help us–by that I mean making everything–create some new wardrobe pieces for the coming season. Some Gentry folk

by Matt Mattingly, Manager of the National Colonial Farm and Historic Interpretation You know what I miss the most about Southern California? It’s not the weather–75 and sunny all year round is great for the first week, but after that… not so much. It isn’t the beaches, or the sunsets, or the laid back lifestyle. What I miss is a decent chicken taco. I love chicken tacos to the point that when I used to walk into Olamendi’s restaurant on Pacific Coast Highway I wouldn’t even