Duke Farms

Spring Dendrology Workshop
2023-05-06 09:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ, 08844, United States
In this course, we will explore the trees of Duke Farms through the lens of biology, ecology, and biodiversity.

Course Overview
Lecture material on how trees fit into our local ecosystems—both today and into the future—will contextualize the strong focus on tree identification necessary to understand these complex organisms. Some background in basic tree identification is recommended, but not required. This course will be geared toward educators, land managers, ecologists, conservationists, shade tree commission members, and other professionals.
A 1.5-hour lecture will cover tree biology, structure, and reproduction and will be followed by 2.5-hours in the field to discuss tree identification in the spring.
Featured Topics:

Spring tree identification
Tree biology, structure, reproduction
Biodiversity

Continuing Education Units
The Spring Dendrology Workshop is approved for credits from the following organizations.
New Jersey Board of Tree Experts: 4 credits
International Society for Arboriculture: 4 credits
New Jersey Urban and Community Forestry (NJUCF): 4 credits

Prerequisites
This program assumes participants have a basic knowledge of plant species identification and understand general ecology concepts. Please note that field classes will take place fully outdoors and will require participants to partake in fieldwork, including travelling several miles on various trail types (paved and unpaved) and uneven terrain for up to 2 hours.

Program Guidelines
Please stay home if you are sick. Pre-registration is required, walk-ins will not be accepted. No refunds and no exchanging or transferring tickets. Please note that each participant must be registered. Unless otherwise noted, ALL programs at Duke Farms are RAIN or SHINE.
Please note that registration to a Saturday program comes with an entry pass. You DO NOT need to register separately for a Saturday Entry Pass.
Please contact registrations@dukefarms.org with any questions.

Orchids Under the Flower Moon
2023-05-05 20:15 - 21:45
Join us for this unique after-hours program scheduled to highlight May’s full moon over the spectacular Orchid Range.

Meet at the Farm Barn Orientation Center and take in the subtle changes that nightfall brings to Duke Farms during a twilight walk to the Orchid Range. There, we will encounter a wide variety of orchids, many of which are most fragrant at night, and observe the incredible diversity to be found in their structure and ecology. Are their specialized growing conditions and complex pollinator/fungal relationships the reason for the orchids’ reputation as fragile and fickle plants, or is this simply what happens when a species is displaced from its native habitat?
This program is appropriate for adults. Please dress for the weather. Participants should be prepared to walk over 2 miles on paved trails.
Meet in front of the Farm Barn Orientation Center for check-in. We recommend arriving 10-15 minutes before the start of class. We cannot accommodate late arrivals and the class will depart on time.
DUKE FARMS PROGRAM GUIDELINES:
Please stay home if you are sick. Pre-registration is required, walk-ins will not be accepted. No refunds and no exchanging or transferring tickets. Please note that each participant must be registered. Unless otherwise noted, ALL programs at Duke Farms are RAIN or SHINE.
Please contact registrations@dukefarms.org with any questions.

In 2022, Duke Farms celebrates 10 years of working towards Doris Duke’s vision for a more creative, equitable, and sustainable future. As a world class center and leader in environmental stewardship, Duke Farms has inspired countless people to become informed stewards of the land while improving regional environmental health. Duke Farms is committed to supporting and growing a sustainable, better future for all.​

Signs of Spring
2023-04-22 13:00 - 14:15
Mark the return of spring and join us for a nature walk to explore some favorite signs of the changing seasons.

As Spring unfolds, the land reveals much to witness and celebrate. On this nature walk, take time to read the land for signs of the changing seasons: bursting buds, birdsong, buzzing bees, and spring ephemerals—the inconspicuous early bloomers that serve as vital sources of nectar and pollen for native insects. We’ll keep an eye out for these fascinating plants while enjoying all the other highlights of this season of awakening.

Program Preparation
Adults and children 10+ are welcome to attend. Please dress for the weather and bring water. This class is entirely outdoors. Participants should expect to be traveling about 2-3 miles on pavement, gravel, or flat trails for the full duration of the class. Meet in front of the Farm Barn Orientation Center for check-in. We recommend arriving 10-15 minutes before the start of class. We cannot accommodate late arrivals and the class will depart on time.

Program Guidelines
Please stay home if you are sick. Pre-registration is required, walk-ins will not be accepted. No refunds and no exchanging or transferring tickets. Please note that each participant must be registered. Unless otherwise noted, ALL programs at Duke Farms are RAIN or SHINE. Registration to a Saturday program comes with an entry pass. You DO NOT need to register separately for a Saturday Entry Pass.
Contact registrations@dukefarms.org with any questions.

Invasive Plant Foraging Workshop
2023-04-15 10:00 - 12:00
Successfully manage invasive plants while enjoying their nutritional value.

Course Overview
Join professional forager and New Jersey backyard gardener, Tama Matsuoka Wong, in a workshop on foraging invasive plants. She will discuss how many of these plants are used culinarily and medicinally in their cultures of origin, particularly in Asia. This skills based workshop will demonstrate how to work with and cull invasive plants to control their spread in the landscape while enjoying their nutritional and flavorful properties.

About the Instructor
Tama Matsuoka Wong is a forager, weed eater, meadow doctor , lawyer and mother of three. She authored Foraged Flavor, a wild food field guide and cookbook (Clarkson Potter, June 2012), nominated for a James Beard award. She speaks to diverse audiences such as the James Beard House, Garden Club of America, the American Museum of Natural History, Slow Food, schools and has hosted foraging events, from Charleston to Seattle to Toronto. She supplies local wild foods to a select number of chefs and independent food institutions in the NYC area and collaborates with conservation groups and organic farmers on wild farming and foraging. After graduating from Harvard Law School and serving more than 25 years as a financial services lawyer in Tokyo, New York and Hong Kong, she returned to New Jersey and rediscovered her passion for the natural world. She launched Meadows and More LLC to connect experts in the field of meadow restoration, botany and wildlife with people in the community. In 2007 she was named Steward of the Year by the New Jersey Forest Service.
Tama has been featured in CBS Sunday Morning “Our war against weeds” as well as the NY Times “Finding Flavor in the Weeds”, the WSJ, Edible Manhattan, Bloomberg Stealth lawyers, NPR Science Friday, the Leonard Lopate show, among others. She gave a 2013 TedX Manhattan talk on “How I did less and ate better, thanks to weeds”.
Tama lives in Hunterdon County New Jersey with her husband and their three daughters. It is her hope that everyone can unwind and reconnect with the places we came from by rediscovering wild plants and the deliciousness of “weeds.” Now, more than ever, it is time to look at what grows around us through the lens of sustainability, health and deliciousness!
meadowsandmore.com

Prerequisites
This program assumes participants have a basic knowledge of plant identification and understand general ecology concepts. Please note that field classes will take place fully outdoors and will require travelling several miles on various trail types (paved and unpaved) and uneven terrain for up to 2 hours.

Program Guidelines
Please stay home if you are sick. Pre-registration is required, walk-ins will not be accepted. No refunds and no exchanging or transferring tickets. Please note that each participant must be registered. Unless otherwise noted, ALL programs at Duke Farms are RAIN or SHINE.
Please note that registration to a Saturday program comes with an entry pass. You DO NOT need to register separately for a Saturday Entry Pass.
Please contact registrations@dukefarms.org with any questions.

Sugar Maple Exploration
2023-03-04 13:00 - 14:00
From woods to waffle, learn the story of maple syrup.

Travel to a sugarbush to see how trees are tapped for sap then explore the process of making maple syrup and why it is a seasonal favorite. Discover characteristics of sugar maple trees while learning about their habitat range and the impact of climate change. Enjoy this walk-and talk program to find out more about our natural habitats and the many interactions that occur within them.
This class is appropriate for adults.
Please dress for the weather, this class is entirely outdoors. Participants should expect to be traveling about 1 mile on various trail types for the full duration of the class.
Meet in front of the Farm Barn Orientation Center and look for the red flag for check-in. We recommend arriving 10-15 minutes before the start of class. We cannot accommodate late arrivals and the class will depart on time.
DUKE FARMS PROGRAM GUIDELINES:
Please stay home if you are sick. Pre-registration is required, walk-ins will not be accepted. No refunds and no exchanging or transferring tickets. Please note that each participant must be registered. Unless otherwise noted, ALL programs at Duke Farms are RAIN or SHINE.

Into the Sugarbush
2023-03-04 10:00 - 11:00
Join Duke Farms educators on the way to a sugarbush to see how maple trees are tapped for sap.

Travel to a sugarbush to see how trees are tapped for sap then explore the process of making maple syrup and why it is a seasonal favorite. Discover characteristics of sugar maple trees while learning about their habitat range and the impact of climate change. Join us on this walk-and-talk program to find out more about our natural habitats and the many interactions that occur within them.
This class is appropriate for anyone ages 8+.
Please dress for the weather, this class is entirely outdoors. Participants should expect to be traveling about 2 miles on various trail types for the full duration of the class.
Meet in front of the Farm Barn Orientation Center. We recommend arriving 10-15 minutes before the start of class. We cannot accommodate late arrivals and the class will depart on time.
DUKE FARMS PROGRAM GUIDELINES:
Please stay home if you are sick. Pre-registration is required, walk-ins will not be accepted. No refunds and no exchanging or transferring tickets. Please note that each participant must be registered. Unless otherwise noted, ALL programs at Duke Farms are RAIN or SHINE.

Winter Dendrology Workshop
2023-02-18 09:00 - 13:00
In this course, we will explore the trees of Duke Farms through the lens of biology, ecology, and biodiversity.

Course Overview
Lecture material on how trees fit into our local ecosystems—both today and into the future—will contextualize the strong focus on tree identification necessary to understand these complex organisms. Some background in basic tree identification is recommended, but not required. This course will be geared toward educators, land managers, ecologists, conservationists, shade tree commission members, and other professionals.
A 1.5-hour lecture will cover the basics of winter tree identification and will be followed by 2.5-hours in the field to discuss tree identification in the winter.
Featured Topics:

Winter tree identification
Dichotomous keys
Winter tree biology

Continuing Education Units
The Winter Dendrology Workshop is approved for credits from the following organizations.
New Jersey Board of Tree Experts: 4 credits
International Society for Arboriculture: 4 credits
New Jersey Urban and Community Forestry (NJUCF): 4 credits

Prerequisites
This program assumes participants have a basic knowledge of plant species identification and understand general ecology concepts. Please note that field classes will take place fully outdoors and will require participants to partake in fieldwork, including travelling several miles on various trail types (paved and unpaved) and uneven terrain for up to 2 hours.

Program Guidelines
Please stay home if you are sick. Pre-registration is required, walk-ins will not be accepted. No refunds and no exchanging or transferring tickets. Please note that each participant must be registered. Unless otherwise noted, ALL programs at Duke Farms are RAIN or SHINE.
Please contact registrations@dukefarms.org with any questions.

Beginner’s Tree Ecology & ID: Conifer Edition
2023-02-04 10:00 - 11:30
Pining to spruce up your evergreen knowledge? This is the class fir yew!

When the bare branches of winter start to get you down, turn to the conifers for a breath of fresh, pine-scented air. More ancient and more steadfast than the deciduous divas of autumn, our native coniferous trees like red cedar and black spruce deserve a spotlight too. On this walk, we’ll acquaint ourselves with several common species, learn what to look for to tell a spruce from a cedar or a hemlock from a pine, and discuss the fascinating ecology and evolutionary history that sets these trees apart.
Please dress for the weather and bring water. This class is entirely outdoors. Participants should expect to be traveling about 2 miles on pavement, gravel, or flat trails for the full duration of the class.
Meet in front of the Farm Barn Orientation Center for check-in. We recommend arriving 10-15 minutes before the start of class. We cannot accommodate late arrivals and the class will depart on time.
DUKE FARMS PROGRAM GUIDELINES:
Please stay home if you are sick. Pre-registration is required, walk-ins will not be accepted. No refunds and no exchanging or transferring tickets. Please note that each participant must be registered. Unless otherwise noted, ALL programs at Duke Farms are RAIN or SHINE.
Please note that registration to a Saturday program comes with an entry pass. You DO NOT need to register separately for a Saturday Entry Pass.
Please contact registrations@dukefarms.org with any questions.
