The Hawthorn

The Hawthorn
Summer 2009

Kitchen Tour 2009: Wednesday, August 5

Save the Date!
How would you like to spend a summer’s day strolling into some of the most
beautiful kitchens in the area, where chefs from local restaurants will ply you
with delectable treats from their menus? The annual Merryspring Kitchen Tour
is your chance to do just that—and best of all, the proceeds from this major
fundraiser are a significant contribution to Merryspring’s annual budget. Spread
the word and bring your friends and visitors!
This year’s tour features an array of kitchens in eight lovely homes in Camden,
Rockport, and Lincolnville. You’ll see a marvelous variety of kitchen appliances,
materials, and décor. Fifteen chefs will be on hand throughout the day, prepar-
ing delicious finger food. As a bonus, homeowners have invited you to visit a
glass-art studio and a woodworking shop. As you tour, you will have two
Masterson Kitchen chances to win a door prize, dinner at Francine Bistro! (continued on page 7)

Art, Nature & Design: a Garden Exhibition

Sculpture has been integral to the experience of the garden since the dawn of western civilization. This summer Art, Nature &
Design will bring sculpture to Merryspring. The brainchild of local sculptress Antje Roitzsch, whose muse and teacher is nature, this
exhibition will allow the public to experience several works, all inspired by stages of plant growth. The sculptures will be carefully
placed throughout the formal garden, dynamic and ever-changing with light, bloom, and growth. Some pieces will be for sale, with
20 percent of the cost going to support the park.
The first piece, Flowering, has been installed in the Children’s Garden and planted with vines of painted-lady scarlet runner beans
and morning glory. Ms. Roitzsch explains, “Mother nature will do the rest and collaborate with Flowering. It will look different
every week and throughout the season: sprouting, unfolding, blooming, fruiting, seeding, wilting and completely dying off. I can’t
wait to witness the journey this sculpture will take. And, eventually the steel itself will rust. I didn’t apply any finish, because the
natural patina, the rust, will be a great color.”
In keeping with Ms. Roitzsch’s belief that sculpture should be experienced
directly, children (and adults) are encouraged to touch and interact with her
work. The German word for understanding and comprehending is begreifen,
to touch. In following the surface with one’s hand, a deeper understanding
and engagement unfolds.
The opening of Art, Nature & Design will take place Thursday, July 23 from
4-6pm. The community is invited for an evening stroll through the exhibition
garden and light refreshments. Please leave your pets at home; they are not
permitted in the gardens.
Join the artist for a slide presentation documenting the sculptures’ creation
followed by a guided tour of the exhibition on Thursday, August 13 at
5:30pm or Saturday, August 22 at 3:00pm. Mark Wallack, Antje Roitzsch, and Terry Bradshaw
install Flowering in the Children’s Garden
Page 2 The Hawthorn Summer 2009

Merryspring Inside this issue:

Nature Center Kitchen Tour 1
P.O. Box 893, Camden, ME 04843 Art, Nature & Design 1
Tel: (207) 236-2239
Fax: (207) 230-0663 Delightfully Sour Sorrel 2
Email: info@merryspring.org
www.merryspring.org Call for Nominations 2
Mission Statement Education Calendar 3-4
Merryspring’s mission is to practice,
teach, and advocate sound principles of Geocaching 5
ecology, conservation, and horticulture in
order to protect our natural environment Plant Sale 5
and to provide natural landscapes and
cultivated areas for public enjoyment.
Lawn Be Gone! 6

Hours of Operation Bumble Bees 8

The park is open free of charge from
dawn to dusk every day of the year. Our
offices and library are open Tuesday-
Friday from 9am to 2pm, or by appoint-
ment.
Membership
Individual $35
Family $50
Business $50-100
Board of Trustees
Margaret E. Barclay, President
Kathleen Kull, Vice President
Patricia B. Algrant, 2nd Vice President
Frank Callanan, Secretary
Ray Andresen
Hildy Ellis
Douglas W. Miller
James Sady
Susan Shaw
Carol Woodbury -Witham
Staff
Toni Goodridge, Administrative Mgr.
Gail Sutton, Buildings & Grounds Mgr.
Bill Sutton, Buildings & Grounds Assist.
AmeriCorps Environmental
Educator
Rachel Potter
©2007—All Rights Reserved
Sign up for our eUpdates at
www.merryspring.org to receive
the latest news on programs and
events.
Visit Merryspring’s Facebook
page where you can check on
upcoming programs and events.
Go to http://www.tinyurl.com/
merryspring-facebook/ We hope
you’ll become a fan.
Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella), center, seen growing
in acid soil amidst Wild Lily-of-the-Valley/Canada may-
flower (Maianthemum canadense) and wild low-bush
blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)
Delightfully Sour Sorrel
by Meg Barclay
Have you been throwing out the baby with the bath-
water? Perhaps, if you’ve been weeding clumps of
sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella) from your garden and
tossing them in the compost. This delectable, grey-
green member of the buckwheat family is a delicious
salad green or pot herb.
The leaves of this European native, growing in a loose
basal rosette, resemble the head of a sheep with a long
nose and two little ears near the stem, giving the plant
its common name and most identifying feature (see
photo). Sheep sorrel has naturalized throughout North
America, flourishing in acid soils. The leaves can be
collected from early spring to heavy frost, but are best
before the plant sends up its slender stalk peppered
with tiny reddish flowers.
Eaten raw, the tender, vitamin-C-rich greens have a
lovely, lemony flavor that can be complemented by
tossing with olive oil and cracked pepper. Wild sorrel
may also be lightly steamed and served with butter or
substituted for the milder, commercial species in
recipes for sorrel soup, enhancing the tartness of the
dish.
Sheep sorrel contains oxalic acid, which should be
avoided by those with certain medical conditions,
including kidney disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
Remember: never eat any plant unless you are sure of
its identity. Seek the advice of an experienced wild
gatherer. Better yet, join us for our Food for Thought
Series programs: Native Perennials and Edibles,
(sponsored by Aldermere Farm), Mushrooming, and
Fall Foraging (see Education Calendar).
Merryspring Needs You:
A call for Nominations
The Merryspring Board is a
dynamic and active group with a
wide range of skills related to all
aspects of Merryspring: garden-
ing, education, writing, finance,
fundraising, natural history, tech-
nology, and personnel, to name a
few. The board is always seeking
to add voices and talents so that
Merryspring can better serve our
community.
Our Nominating Committee is
seeking new Trustees from now
through September 15th. If you
are interested in becoming
involved in the operations of
Merryspring at a deeper level,
please send a letter explaining
your interest and a short resume
to Nominating Committee,
Merryspring, P.O. Box 893,
Camden, ME 04843.
Merryspring appreciates the free
Internet service provided to it and
many other non-profit groups in
Maine by Great Works Internet of
Kittery, Maine. Give them a try!
The Hawthorn Summer 2009 Page 3

Late Summer-Fall 2009 Education Calendar

FOOD FOR THOUGHT SERIES
Held at Merryspring’s Ross Center. Preregistration Required.
Mushrooming with Greg Marley: Sundays, 9-11:30 a.m.—July 19, Aug. 2 & 30, Sept. 13, and Oct. 18; $150 Members/
$175 Non-members (includes a field guide). Acquire the skills to identify and collect common mushrooms of the Maine woods
with a noted mycologist. Call 236-2239 to register.
Native Perennials and Edibles with Rebecca Jacobs: Sunday, July 19, 2pm; FREE – Sponsored by Aldermere Farm
Learn about hardy native perennials and edibles in this lecture. Contact Aldermere Farm at 236-2730 or jjardine@mcht.org to
register.
Erickson Fields Community Garden Presentation: Saturday, September 12, 9am; FREE – Sponsored by Aldermere Farm
A collaborative presentation by a number of groups who have had gardening projects at Erickson Fields Preserve Community
Gardens. Contact Aldermere Farm at 236-2739 or jjardine@mcht.org to register.
Fall Foraging with Arthur Haines: Talk—Saturday, September 19, 7-8pm; $5 Members/$7 Non-members; Workshop—
Sunday, Sept. 20, 10am-3pm; $45 Members/$65 Non-members. Learn about the edible, medicinal, and useful wild plants of
Maine from this research botanist. Call 236-2239 to register.
WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
Space is limited. Call 236-2239 for more information or to pre-register.
A Children’s Exploration of Nature through Drawing with Kathie Gass: 10:30-11:45am - Tues., June 23; Thurs., July
23 & Thurs., Aug. 20; $5 Member family/$8 Non-member family per class. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Explore
the blooms and beasts of the Merryspring gardens with Kathie Gass, artist and teacher.
Designing Continuously Blooming Gardens with Lee Schneller Sligh: Friday, July 31, 10am-2pm; $30 Members/
$40 Non-members. Participants may purchase the required text, The Ever Blooming Flower Garden by Lee Schneller Sligh, for
$20 (a $5 discount) if they pre-order with registration (10% member discount does not apply). Join a popular author and garden
expert for a workshop on garden design. The workshop begins in the classroom and moves out into the garden after lunch.
Turkey Vultures with Barbara Tomlinson of Wild Haven: Friday, August 14, 10-11am; $5 Members/$10 Non-
members. Children attend free, but must be accompanied by an adult. Children of all ages will enjoy bad jokes and fun facts
while seeing this superb glider up close.
FREE PUBLIC EVENTS
Bringing Back the American Chestnut with Eric Evans: Thursday, July 9, 6:30-8:30pm. The Breeding Coordinator and
Vice President of the Maine Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation will describe the progress in developing a blight-
resistant American chestnut and lead a tour of the breeding orchard at Merryspring.
Notes on a Lost Flute: a Field Guide to the Wabanaki—Book Signing & Lecture by author Kerry Hardy
Thursday, July 16, 7:00pm. Join naturalist and author Kerry Hardy for an in-depth look at the traditional food year of the
Wabanaki people, including an exploration of the plants and animals that sustained them throughout the cycle of seasons. Copies
of Hardy’s new book, Notes on a Lost Flute: A Field Guide to the Wabanaki, will be available for purchase.
Art, Nature & Design: Exhibition - July 23 to September 30; Opening - Thursday, July 23, 4-6pm; Slide show and Guided
Walk—Thursday, August 13, 5:30pm and Saturday, August 22, 3:00pm. This summer the work of sculptress Antje Roitzsch will be
exhibited in the gardens. Take a stroll and enjoy how her abstract, organic pieces interact with the forms of nature.
Energy Auditing with Eric Evans: Saturday, October 3, 9-11:30am. Get an in-depth understanding of residential energy
audits. Building Performance Analyst Evans will give a brief introduction followed by a complete demonstration energy audit of
Merryspring’s Ross Center
All-Hallows Eve Enchanted Forest, co-sponsor Ashwood Waldorf School: Saturday, October 31, Sunset. A chance
for wee sprites and goblins to be guided through a jack-o-lantern lit wood filled with fairytale vignettes and to enjoy twilight
refreshments in the garden. (continued on page 4)
Page 4 The Hawthorn Summer 2009

FREE FAMILY PROGRAMS

Children must be accompanied by an adult. Workshops are offered if weather permits.
In case of rain, please check for cancellation.
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES – 2nd Sundays of the month
Nature Journaling: July 12, 1-3pm
Keeping a nature journal is a great way to practice observation skills, and it makes a fun reminder of your trips and adventures.
Take a nature walk at Merrysrping and learn some techniques for making your own journal.
Geocaching Festival: August 9, 12-3pm
Whether you are new to Geocaching or an experienced trekker, this event is sure to please. Visit Merryspring to participate in a
mystery trek, to get advice about equipment, and to learn more about this fun family sport.
Fort Building & Fairy Houses: September 13, 1-3pm
Fall is a great time to spend some time in the woods. Come and build your own secret fortress in the forest or construct a tiny
home for forest dwellers. Merryspring will supply building tips and supplies; you supply the creativity.

NATURE EXPLORERS – 4th Sundays of the month

Bug Safari: July 26, 1-3pm
There is a whole world of activity in the soil and air around us – a bug’s world! We will make our own simple bug boxes and then
travel through the gardens and forest to search for insects of all shapes and sizes.
Herbariums: August 23, 1-3pm
Creating an herbarium is a great way to learn to identify plants. Join Merryspring to make your own plant press and learn how to
preserve flowers and plants to use in a nature journal – or to start your own herbarium.
Trees: September 27, 1-3pm
Trees provide us with food, warmth, shelter, shade … and so much more! Come meet the trees in Merryspring’s forest and learn
how to identify some of Maine’s common varieties.

2009 SUMMER TALKS

Sponsored by

Noon on Tuesdays; bring a bag lunch. Members & Children Free, Others $5
July 7 Midsummer Care and Maintenance of Perennials—Wendy Andresen
July 14 Shade Gardening - Rick Sawyer, Fernwood
July 21 Gardening for the Birds—Joe Gray, Mid-Coast Audubon
July 28 Seed Saving, Neil Lash—Medomak Valley High School
August 4 Gladiolus: Beautiful Summer Bulbs - Paul Cates, Cates Family Glads
August 11 Root Cellaring—Cheryl Wixson, Autumn Crops
August 18 Gardening Goes Vertical: Intensive Raised Bedding Techniques—Shelley Johnson, BreathEasy Farm
Some dates may be subject to change and additional workshops and field trips will be added. Be sure to check our website www.merryspring.org for the latest
postings. If you’d like to be sent news of new programs and reminders of upcoming events, send your name and email address to mersprng@gwi.net. We will
never share or sell your email address.
The Hawthorn Summer 2009 Page 5

Geocaching Gets Kids Outside

by Rachel Potter

Geocaching is the term used to describe the outdoor adventure game of hiding
and searching for treasure boxes with the assistance of a GPSr (Global Position-
ing System receiver.) The game—which originated in Oregon in 2000—is played
all over the world by people of all ages. Geocaching combines healthy, outdoor
activity with the fun and mystery of a treasure hunt and the allure of high-tech
gadgetry—which gives it family-wide appeal.
To take part in the game, players hide watertight treasure boxes filled with small
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmbmommy/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
trinkets (called a “cache”) in parks or
along trails and post the site coordinates online along with information about the diffi-
culty of the hike and the hiding spot. Other players can then seek out the cache by enter-
ing its coordinates into a GPSr and following the resulting directions. Once the cache is
found, players take a trinket from the box and leave one behind in its place.

Anyone can play the game, and all you need to get started is a handheld GPSr and access
to the Internet. There are 839,189 active caches registered worldwide with Geocach-
ing.com, the official Geocaching website, and more than 4200 of those are located in
Maine. Many caches are hidden along scenic trails or near important landmarks, and a
cache hunt can easily turn into a fun and educational day in the woods.
If you are interested in learning more about Geocaching with children, be sure to visit
Merryspring on Sunday, August 9th for our free Geocaching Festival. This event is a great
opportunity to learn more about the game and the gadgets and to participate in a
mystery trek around the park.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/qwrrty/ / CC BY 2.0

Savvy Gardeners Take Home Treasures

For over 25 years, the Merryspring Plant Sale has kicked off the growing
season with fabulous plants at unbeatable prices. This spring was no
exception. Gardeners flocked to Merryspring on May 15th and 16th to enjoy
the beautiful weather and find antique dahlias, hardy perennials, specialty
vegetable seedlings, ornamental shrubs, and hand-crafted trellises to call
their own.
This event would not be possible without the generous support of local
businesses. Fernwood Gardens & Nursery shared a selection of hard-to-find
native and shade plants, The Green Thumb provided a collection of gerani-
ums, and Plants Unlimited donated countless perennials, flowering shrubs,
and ornamental trees. We also thank Camden National Bank for contribut-
ing financially to the sale.
Our heartfelt thanks go to the numerous friends of the park whose generous contributions from their home gardens were the high-
light of the sale.
We are deeply grateful to Buildings & Grounds Manager Gail Sutton, the organizing force behind the Plant Sale, and to the volun-
teers, many of whom began work months in advance to make it a success: Ray & Wendy Andresen; Meg Barclay; Callie Black; Judy
Block; Frank Callanan; Sue Crane; Jane English; Joanne Fagerburg; Sean Fay; Dorothea Graham; Bonnie Janicki; Kathie Kull; Aileen
Lubin; Gail Palmer; Dorothy Magnuson; Doug Miller; Campbell Miller; Carol Robinson; Jim Sady; Susan Shaw; Bart and Pris Wood;
Carol Woodbury-Witham; Sue Worden; and Suzanne Wright. We especially appreciate the efforts of Amy Campbell and Rebecca
Sawyer-Fay who worked countless hours all spring potting, prepping, and pricing, and of AmeriCorps Environmental Educator Ra-
chel Potter and Caroline Fournier who designed and provided educational children’s activities to complement the horticultural
event. Our thanks to you all.
If you missed the sale, you are invited to stop by Merryspring, where divisions from our gardens will be available summer-long
in the area near the greenhouse.
Page 6 The Hawthorn
Lawn, Be Gone!
By Rebecca Sawyer-Fay
Do you really need a lawn? Not long ago, the question would
have seemed preposterous. Homeowners simply assumed
that every properly landscaped, detached dwelling included at
least a patch or two of carefully mown, verdant turf grass.
Now, however, traditional lawns have been joined by graceful
ornamental grasses, low-growing shrubs, and other alternative
ground covers that promise a new, less-static appearance for
21st-century yards.
Today, savvy gardeners who doff the turf-grass straight-jacket
tend to favor a comprehensive approach to gardening, one
that marries the tamed with the untamed. They view fine
fescues and zoysias as just one (possible) element in the home
landscape. Not infrequently, traditional turf grasses are
supplemented (if not outright replaced) by slow-growing
native grasses and sedges that can be mowed into pathways
and borders. (Warning: Because natives have a lower germina-
tion rate and can thus appear sparse, they should not be
grown by gardeners expecting the dark-green, velvety appear-
ance of traditional turf grasses). Among the many alternatives
to traditional lawns are these:
• A garden of low-growing herbs, flowers, and shrubs
mulched with small river stones or coarse gravel. Designed to
appeal to all the senses, “gravel gardens” are a cook’s dream
come true, providing fresh ingredients and inspiration for
future meals. A bench set in one corner encourages quiet
reflection among scented favorites like the smaller lavenders
(Lavendula officinalis ‘Compacta’ or ‘Munstead’), creeping
rosemary (Rosmarinua officinalis ‘Prostratus’), and purple-
flowered chives (Allium schoenoprasum). Free-draining stones
suppress weeds while keeping roots cool (and feet dry).
• An outdoor “room” with walls of hardy privet (Ligustrum
obtusifolium) and a flagstone floor. For carpeting, Corsican
mint (Mentha requienii) or Irish moss (Sagina subulata) fills
gaps between pavers. Furnished with pots of colorful verbena
or hybrid fuchsias, the airy retreat beckons visitors (including
butterflies) on spring afternoons and summer evenings.
• A blanket of ground covers. Pachysandra is just the begin-
ning. Hostas, stonecrops, the smaller rhododendrons, and
daylilies all fight monotony and send a vibrant invitation to
birds and pollinators. In the first three years after planting,
most ground covers require faithful watering and weeding. In
the long run, though, they reduce landscape maintenance.
Wish List
Clean, 32 oz., plastic containers with lids
Clean 1/2 gal. cardboard milk/juice cartons with caps
Clear plastic 1-liter bottles with caps
IdentiFlyer (audio birdsong dictionary) with cards
Bird Calls, no-blow type preferred
Summer 2009
Who needs a lawn? At Merryspring, roses, not turf grass, front a
garden cottage (garden designed and maintained by Glen Jenks
and Faith Getchell).
• A meadow. Unlike prairies, which are naturally free of
trees, meadows require some vigilance to prevent the reemer-
gence of saplings and shrubs. But once established, they yield a
lifetime of pleasure. Among a meadow’s tall native grasses and
flowers, wildlife abounds, and each season brings fresh sur-
prises. Paths mown through meadows delight children, who
play hide-and-seek amid drought-tolerant species.
Gardeners should remember, though, that meadows don’t
come in cans. They require careful site analysis and plant selec-
tion.
Hand-in-hand with the new lawn has come a new tolerance. No
longer do gardeners reach spontaneously for the weed killer
whenever they spot a dandelion or two. They understand that
herbicides can take a profound toll on earthworms and insects,
which are then eaten by birds, dooming the songsters along
with the weeds. Should dandelions or other invaders become
simply too obnoxious, today’s gardeners know that a sturdy
knife is the best line of defense. And sometimes these caring, if
cunning, homeowners have been known to pay Junior a dollar
for every dozen weeds pulled, making clear that roots are part
of the deal.
Merryspring member Rebecca Sawyer-Fay is the author of Gar-
dens Maine Style and Gardens Maine Style: Act II. (Down East
Books).
Bear Skull
Shed deer or moose antlers
Orange Construction Cones
Vinyl Venetian blinds slats
Medium Plant Pots, 1-2 quart
The Hawthorn Summer 2009 Page 7

2009 Kitchen Tour: All you need to know (continued from page 1)

Tickets purchased before the day of the Tour cost $25 and will be available from Tuesday, July 21 through Tuesday, August 4, at
the Merryspring office or any of these locations: Camden—Once a Tree, Party Fundamentals, Stonewall Kitchen, Surroundings;
Rockport—The Market Basket; Belfast—The Good Table; Rockland—Atlantic Baking Company; Waldoboro—The Well-Tempered
Kitchen. Tickets bought on tour day are $30 for all eight kitchens, or $10 for an individual kitchen, and may be purchased at Mer-
ryspring or any home on the tour.
Your “ticket” is a brochure containing information about each kitchen and the chefs, with a map to guide you. The tour route is
clearly marked with our yellow signs, and volunteers are on hand at each stop to help you.
This year’s gracious homeowners and generous chefs are:
Louise & Dick Cadwgan, with Amalfi on the Water (a.m.) and The Brown Bag (p.m.) Enter a drawing for a door prize at this
stop. Win a dinner at Francine Bistro! This kitchen by EBS Style Solutions, our 2009 Tour Sponsor.
Debbie & Mark Masterson with Prism Glass Gallery & Café (a.m.) and Blue Sky Cantina (p.m.)
The Fraley Family with Natalie’s (a.m.) and Laura Cabot Catering (p.m.)
Barbara & John Davidson with Brevetto Kitchen & Wine Bar (a.m.) and 3 Dogs Café (p.m.)
Sarah Price & Stephen Florimbi with Paolina’s Way (a.m.) and The Market Basket (p.m.) Stephen Florimbi’s woodworking
shop will be on view.
Annemarie Ahearn of Salt Water Farm will be cooking all day in her own teaching kitchen.
Jill & Michael Roy with Cappy’s Chowder House (a.m.) and Megunticook Market (p.m.)
Janet Redfield & Scott Dickerson with Peter Ott’s Fine Food & Tavern (a..m.) and Mid-Coast School of Technology (p.m.)
Enter a drawing for a door prize at this stop. Win a dinner at Francine Bistro! Janet Redfield’s glass-art studio will be on view.
This kitchen by EBS Style Solutions, our 2009 Tour Sponsor.
For more information about our featured chefs, go to the Merryspring website, www.merryspring.org, and click on Kitchen Tour.
For more information about ordering tickets, see the website or call the park at 236-2239.

Kitchen Tour Sponsor and Supporters

The Kitchen Tour is enormously grateful for the generosity of our sponsor, EBS Style Solutions in Camden, Rockland, and Belfast,
and for the support of the following local businesses. We ask that you help us thank them with your patronage.
Special thanks to Chez Michel restaurant of Lincolnville Beach for allowing shuttle parking in their lot.

17-90 Lighting Showroom
A. E. Sampson & Son, Ltd.
Agren Appliance & Television
Atlantic Baking Co.
Atlantic Design Center
Bayview Gallery
Beckstrom Architecture & Planning
Bench Dogs
Bernhard & Priestley Architecture
Brown Appliance & Mattress
Chatfield Design
Classical Wood Floors
Cold Mountain Builder, Inc.
Cornerstone Kitchens
Crestwood Kitchens & Bath Design
Center
Distinctive Tile & Design
Dream Kitchen Studio by Mathew’s
Brothers*
Eldredge Lumber & Hardware, Inc.
Francine Bistro*
Freshwater Stone
John Gillespie, Architect
The Good Table
Peter T. Gross Architects, P.A.
Handle It!
Holland & Foley Architecture, LLC
Kelsey’s Appliance Village
Dennis J. King Masonry, Inc.
Landmark Construction, Inc.
Landscape Services
Landworks Design
Laurel Wood Floors
Liberty Cabinet & Design
Lincolnville Family Dentistry Phi Home Designs, LLC
Logan Woodbridge, Inc. ProSource Installations, Inc.*
Lorraine Construction Qualey Granite & Quartz
Maine Coast Construction Rockers Dry Stone Work
Dominic Paul Mercadante Scholz & Barclay Architecture
Architecture*
Schelble Bros., Inc.
Metaphor Bronze Tileworks
Silverio Architecture & Design
Midcoast Marble & Granite
Stancioff Building & Design, Inc.
Morningstar Marble and Granite
The Store
John Morris Architects
Surroundings
New View Interiors
Treekeepers, LLC*
Northport Bath, Inc.
Viking, Inc.
David E. Olivas, D.D.s.
The Well Tempered Kitchen
Oliver Builders, Inc.
Windsor Chairmakers*
Once a Tree
Optimum Performance*
* Thank you very much for your
Party Fundamentals extra support.
 P.O. Box 893
Camden, ME 04843

Bumble Bees: Great Native Pollinators

Bumble bee on Rosa rugosa
Mild-mannered bumble bees (genus Bombus), easily recognized by their plump and
furry physique, are the only North American members of the bee family (Apidae) to
have developed social living. A bumble bee community begins in the spring when a
fertilized female, or queen, awakes from her winter-long slumber inside a cozy cavity.
She flies across the countryside for hours until she finds a protected hole, perhaps an
abandoned mouse nest, stone wall, or foundation. There she begins a colony.
The queen lays eggs and, when the larvae emerge, feeds them on honey she has made
herself. Once the first brood, all sterile female workers, is old enough to assume the
task of gathering food, the queen devotes herself to laying and incubating more eggs
and defending the nest against intruders. As fall approaches, the queen lays eggs which
develop into a swarm of fertile females and males. The males die soon after mating, and
the workers and old queen die by mid-autumn. The fertilized new queens leave the nest
and disperse, each seeking a solitary hibernation site, and the entire colony is
abandoned.

Surprisingly little is known about the natural history of the bumble bee in North America. As honeybee die-offs continue to plague
beekeepers, it is more important than ever to fully understand this important pollinator of agricultural and wild plants, including
Maine blueberries, to protect its future.
Athena Anderson, a doctoral student at the University of Georgia, is researching bumble bee nesting sites. She is enlisting the
public to help her collect data and has asked Merryspring members for their assistance. If you observe a bumble bee nest, please
take the time to fill out her survey by clicking on the bumble bee link at the Merryspring website www.merryspring.org.
To learn more about bumble bees, other native bees, and how you can make your property bee-friendly, read the University of
Maine’s fact sheet “Understanding Native Bees, the Great Pollinators: Enhancing their Habitat in Maine”;
http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/7153.htm.