WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST

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Rushton Farm Field-to-Feast Dinner Series: #1

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There are 4 events in this series: June 11, July 10, August 28, & September 25 – please take note when ordering your tickets

Come explore the bounty of Rushton Farm, in a series of four field-to-feast dinners during the growing season with Chef Donna Laveran. We invite you to join us in gathering produce from Rushton Farm and helping prepare your own farm-fresh meal. We will meet at the Rushton Conservation Center and then walk through Rushton Farm to find ingredients for dinner, so please come prepared to be outside and to help with food preparation.

In June, we will make use of the first crops of the season, preparing grain bowls with a honey-lime-Sriracha dressing and sugar snap peas, radishes, scallions, greens, and whatever else is seasonally fresh!

The next Rushton Farm Field to Feast Dinners will be held on July 10, August 28, September 25, from 5 pm to 8 pm. We will update menus for future classes closer to harvest time, to ensure that we are making the most of peak produce.

Dinners may be purchased individually, for $75 per adult (over 16), or $285 for the series.

This series of dinners is BYOB. Note: we may not be able to accommodate dietary restrictions. Please email kkg@wctrust.org before buying your ticket with questions or concerns.

See our FAQ page for important information https://wctrust.org/rushton-conservation-center-faqs/

Ashbridge Preserve Tree Planting

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Become a steward to the land and water by planting trees along Ridley Creek with Willistown Conservation Trust! And have fun, too!

As human development expands, Ridley Creek is increasingly inundated with excessive stormwater runoff and sediment from erosion, reducing stream health and threatening the environmental and recreational value of this waterway.

Streamside trees, also known as riparian forest buffers, can combat these threats by filtering stormwater runoff and stabilizing streambanks, thereby improving water quality and reducing erosion. To this end, Willistown Conservation Trust, a land trust with nearly 40 years of history preserving and managing natural land, has received $55,600 to plant 5 acres of trees along Ridley Creek.

You can help protect Ridley Creek from stormwater pollution and transform our natural landscape for generations to come simply by planting trees with us!

At this fun and rewarding event, you will make a positive impact on your community and stream health, network with like-minded neighbors, and learn about the value of streamside forests. This is an excellent community service and learning opportunity for anyone from individual volunteers, to corporate groups, to faith communities, to schools!

This is just the first of what will be several tree planting and stewardship events organized by Willistown Conservation Trust as we work to plant 5 streamside acres with trees! 

Ashbridge Preserve
E Strasburg Road
Malvern, PA 19355

Parking: Please park at the entrance on E Strasburg Road at the south side of the Preserve. You will likely have to park in the grass – follow the parking signs.

You can sign up for different time slots: either 7:00-9:00, 9:00-11:00, or for the entirety of the event (7:00-11:00). Just select your preference when you register.

Rushton Farm Suppers: Burger Night with Chef Brian Storey

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Growing season is upon us! Please help us celebrate the first week of CSA pick-up with a farm-to-table supper at the Rushton Conservation Center prepared by Chef Brian Storey. Featuring 100% grass-fed, sustainably-raised beef from nearby Canter Hill Farm, with house-made brioche buns and condiments, and salads featuring farm-fresh Spring ingredients from Rushton Farm and other local farms. Finished off with house-made dessert, this casual evening on the farm will kick off a season of celebrating the bounty of sustainable agriculture.

Chef Brian Storey is a Willistown resident and longtime friend of the Trust, having cooked for Barns & BBQ and many of our private events. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and experienced restaurateur and chef, Brian works as a private chef for a family in the Philadelphia area.

The event is BYOB and open to all participants 18 and older.

6:00 PM, or immediately after Beers at the Barn for our CSA members

Read our FAQs for important information.

Stories Around the Campfire, with guest storyteller John Black

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Help us welcome the warmer weather with a family evening outside. We will provide the beautiful farm at sunset, the campfire, and marshmallows for toasting. We will hear some Native American creation stories from John Black and we will then invite others to share their own campfire tales. 

Come out and enjoy an evening of storytelling around the campfire with John. Storytelling is an ancient art and has been and continues to be a very important activity in all human cultures.  He has a large collection of stories, mainly from Native American folklore or “Why” stories. He also has several stories that he has written and many retelling of stories from his childhood. John attended a Master Storytellers workshop several years ago where he was able to hone the craft and learn from many wonderful storytellers. John has spent much of his adult life teaching and reconnecting people with nature and using storytelling in the process.

John lives in Browns Mills in a little purple house with his wife Christine and their 2 daughters. They share the house with Tsuki, the dog and Marcel the cat. They share the yard with a myriad of insects, spiders, birds, and many other creatures.

$10/person; $30/family

BYOB and BYO picnic dinner                                            

Maximum of 30 participants

Parking at Rushton Farm, 911 Delchester Rd. Newtown Square, PA 19073; campfire near the Rushton Farm Shed Garden

Conservation Photography Workshop Part II: Composition in Landscape Photography

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In Part II of our Conservation Photography Workshops, we head outside to learn how to frame the perfect nature shot. Conservation Photographer Becky Lewis will discuss composition techniques for landscape photographs and share advice for capturing images that bring your outdoor adventures to life. Meet at the Rushton Conservation Center, and we will then travel by car to at least one location within the protected open space of the Willistown Conservation Trust area. Most of the class will take place outside, so please dress accordingly, and don’t forget your digital camera or smartphone.

Instructor: Becky Lewis is a science educator, wildlife photographer and adventurer. She has spent the last ten years concentrating on her wildlife photography, to share her passion for wildlife and nature with others and advance conservation through photography. Becky has participated in juried art shows and has won best-in-show in a number of venues. In addition, she has headlined three solo shows in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. You can see some of her work on her website: 
https://www.captureitphotographs.com/.

Maximum of 15 participants. Open to participants over 16 years of age.

Read our FAQs for important information.