Discovering Magic in the Garden

The North Carolina Botanical Garden invites families and children to their 8^th Annual “Discovering Magic in the Garden” celebration on Saturday, April 30 at 2-4 p.m.

Celebrate the wonders of nature by planting a magical seed, discovering life in the ponds, meeting plants that “eat” insects, building a gnome home or a fairy house, searching for garden sweets, going on a scavenger hunt, and more!  A local storyteller will close this enchanting event by sharing fun and interactive garden tales.

Children (and their grown-ups) are invited to wear their most magical costume, so don your favorite cape or fairy wings and join us in the Garden!

The North Carolina Botanical Garden is located off of the US 15-501/NC 54 bypass (Fordham Blvd.) in Chapel Hill.
The fee for the event is $10 per family (cash or check).

For more information or to pre-register, please call 919-962-0522.  Walk-ins welcome

Park Review: Blue Jay Point County Park

Maybe you've never been to Blue Jay Point County Park, but there's a good chance your kids have been there.

The 236-acre Wake County park sits along the shores of Falls Lake and is a popular spot for school field trips, serving about 60,000 school children a year, says D'Nise Hefner, assistant park manager in charge of educational programs. Read more in the WRAL GoAskMom Blog by Sarah Lindenfeld Hall.

Join us at the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education for a day of OUTDOORS fun!

Outdoors Day!
Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education, Currituck Heritage Park

Wednesday, Apr 27, 2011 10 AM to 3 PM

Join us for a day of outdoor fun! Entire event goes 10:00 am until 3:00 pm, individual activities will vary. Drop by and experience the outdoors through various activities such as fishing, archery, turkey and duck calling, laser shot, nature hikes, and much much more!Visit our different stations and learn all kinds of OUTDOOR SKILLS. Activities will include:

· Fishing, crabbing, kayaking, and archery
· Nature walks and photography
· Deer, Turkeys, and Bears…Oh my!· Learn how to talk turkey…and duck
· Go birding and learn about owls
· Play the Laser Shot hunting simulator and much, much, more!

Celebrate EARTH DAY by picking up trash and learn how to get a free T-shirt.

All programs are free and all ages are welcomed! We will also have raffles for prizes throughout the day.

For more information go online at www.ncwildlife.org or call 252-453-0221 and talk to Chet Clark or Sharon Meade.

What's better than spending a day at the beach, filled with exciting and fun activities?!

Raleigh student received President’s Environmental Youth Award on Saturday

A Raleigh high school student was awarded the President's Environmental Youth Award Saturday as part of the Planet Earth Celebration near the State Capitol.

(From left: Brian Bockhahn, State Park Ranger at Falls Lake State Recreation Area; recipient Kyle Kittelberger,
and Stan Meiburg, Deputy Regional Administrator, U.S. EPA)

Kyle Kittelberger, a student at Ravenscroft School, was honored for his project at Sandling Beach at Falls Lake State Recreation Area. The project included the construction of an 80-foot wetland boardwalk and wildlife observation deck. This is a HUGE honor. Congratulations Kyle!

For more information about the award and Kyle's project go here.

Planet Earth Celebration

Saturday, April 16, 2011 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Downtown Raleigh, NC
In & around the Museum of Natural Sciences RAIN OR SHINE! IT'S FREE - BRING YOUR OLD ELECTRONICS
Join us for the 4th Annual Planet Earth Celebration, downtown Raleigh’s premier sustainability festival showcasing all the ways to love the Earth – from repurposed art and music to expert advice on sustainable living.

Throughout the day you can:

• Connect with over 100 local organizations making North Carolina and the Piedmont one of the greenest places to live
• Shop consciously at the Green Bazaar and the Burt’s Bees Tent Sale
• Create earth-friendly art and music with the Scrap Exchange and the Trash March
• Enjoy delicious local eats and live music
• Discover innovative & inspired ways of living

Map and Directions

See what Activities & Exhibitors we have in store!!

Viva Verde Earth Fest

Saturday, Apr 16, 2011 10 AM to 2 PM

North Cabarrus Park, Kannapolis, NC

Citizens of Cabarrus County and the surrounding area come together to celebrate Earth Day with live music, learning, unique recycling opportunities, plant & book swaps, children's activities and MORE!

There will be more than 75 vendors on display with information, products and activities; including face painting, book swaps, crafts, food and more! There’s lots to do for the entire family, including children’s activities, geocaching (or high-tech treasure hunting with GPS devices), disc golf tournaments, music and entertainment.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to come out and celebrate Earth Day and learn new and interesting ways to protect our environment so it’s healthy and enjoyable for years and generations to come!

For more information about Viva Verde go to: http://www.vivaverdeearthfest.wordpress.com/

16th Annual Piedmont Farm Tour

April 16-17 from 1:00-5:00 pm on both days! A wonderful event for families!

Come learn about the Triangle's local and organic farm & food scene. Meet local farmers & tour their farms! With 6 new farms and 40 farms in all, the 2011 Piedmont Farm Tour has something for everyone!

Just a few of the unique treats in store on this year’s tour: Cooking demonstrations, pick-your-own strawberries, wine tastings, ride a Mulch mobile, watch fiber being spun into yarn, learn how they make goat cheese, and much more! We are pleased to add to the tour this year, beautiful Lindale Organic Dairy, a 5th generation farm, an exciting new permaculture-style farm up in Hillsborough - Ever Laughter Farm, and Cozi Farm, which is raising animals near downtown Saxapahaw! And, Suki Roth will be opening up her Herb Haven! These farms, plus lots of your favorites, will make a great tour!

For more information and to buy your tour tickets, visit: carolinafarmstewards.org/pft2011.shtml

Let's G.O.! North Carolina

From the Mountains to the Sea..Let's G.O. NC! Let's Go Outside Rally and march at the North Carolina Zoo on April 9 to kick off a month of events in North Carolina. Event will include a rally with special speakers; reading of the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights!; kick-off of Zoo Trex program; March from Africa to North America on the Zoo's connector trail. Fun and Prizes for participants! Families, youth groups, educators, and organizations are all encouraged to join us on this day!! All other groups wishing to make their Let's Go ! events part of the NCCCAN! promotions of Let's G.O. should register on this site and we will add you to the NCCAN! list of activities that are part of this month-long celebration. Visit the NCCAN! website for more info www.ncchildrenandnature.org

Spring Extravaganza at Prairie RidgeProgram

Family Program Apr. 9th, 9 am -12 pm Prairie Ridge, Raleigh Free

Celebrate the season at Prairie Ridge. Spring is here, so let's get outdoors! Go on a Spring Scavenger Hunt using maps and clues to find signs of Spring Participate in our Kite Flying Festival — Bring your own kite or make one to take home. Enjoy Story Time at 10:30 in our outdoor amphitheater.

Decorate yourself at the Outdoor Classroom and join the 11:30 Parade of the Roaming Gnomes and Prairie Fairies. Participants will also have ample opportunities to learn about local wildlife and how to attract a variety of animals to their own yards. Trails are natural with uneven surfaces and some small hills. Off-road strollers are welcome.

For more information please contact Brian Hahn 919.733.7450 x674, or brian.hahn@ncdenr.gov.

Ultimate Food Fight Erupts as Feds Recook School Lunch Rules

From Education Week Published Online: April 5, 2011 By Nirvi Shah

Across the country, school cafeteria managers, farm lobbyists, food companies, celebrity chefs, students, and parents have started the ultimate food fight. The skirmish is over the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s efforts, prompted by the recent passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, to rewrite the rules about meals served through the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs. At stake is what will and won’t be offered in the breakfasts and lunches schools serve millions of children every weekday. “It’s not your grandmother’s school lunch anymore,” Nancy Rice, the head of the School Nutrition Association, said at one of the advocacy group’s gatherings last month.

Read the full story.

Turtles for Tots

Saturday, Apr 9, 2011 10:30 AM to 11:15 AM Ages 3-5, fee $3

Turtles are terrific! Learn about these interesting reptiles including where they live, what they eat, and how they protect themselves. We will read a story and take a walk to look for turtles.

Please pre-register four days in advance online at http://reclink.raleighnc.gov/. For more information call Nature Programs at 919-831-6856.

Elements of a Child-Friendly Garden

From Simple Kids blog By Catherine Way of Adventures with Kids March 30, 2011

There are many physical and mental health benefits to children in spending time outdoors.

One easy way to increase the amount of time your child spends outdoors is to make your garden an appealing outdoor play space.

What do children want in an outdoor play space? Children prefer natural playspaces that have plenty of opportunities for exploration, challenge, interaction and learning.

There are many ways that you can add child-friendly elements to both big and small gardens. Visit Simple Kids for the full story and to find out what elements you can add to your garden to make it a space where you child loves to be....

Chef Smith Wins Iron Carrot Award at Lunch In!

Chef Jason Smith of 18 Seaboard was awarded the Iron Carrot at Lunch In, an Iron Chef-style competition held at Underwood Elementary School on March 31 for his winning healthy lunch creation featuring rutabaga, the secret ingredient.
Sponsored by Advocates for Health in Action, Lunch In is designed to raise awareness and engage the community to advocate for fresh and healthy school lunches in Wake County. “It was great to see so many kids and their families enjoying healthy, local food—especially rutabaga!” said Laura Aiken, AHA director. “For some, this was their first experience with rutabaga, a locally grown vegetable. Educating children and their families about healthy eating, the foods available to them locally in Wake County and how we can work together to get more local foods into schools is what Lunch In is all about.”

Read the full story at Advocates for Health in Action.

Children & Nature Awareness Month

Friday, Apr 1, 2011 until Saturday, Apr 30, 2011

Today kicks-off Children & Nature Awareness Month! The Children and Nature Network want to encourage families to get outside! The network provides inspriation, ideas, and tips for families interested in starting their own nature clubs.

Visit the Children and Nature Network website to read more about families who have started their own nature clubs.

(Photo courtesy of Haw River State Park, NC)