HMNs Host Their Annual Tour of a Local Large Scale Composting Operation Under a recent late afternoon, cloud-streaked, vivid blue sky, some 15 folks from around the Valley gathered at the compost facility in Crimora, run by Black Bear Composting, to learn how microbes are managed to turn waste into a valuable product. Owner/ operator…

On the evening of Saturday, October 15th, a group of about 12 master naturalists and friendsmet in Harrisonburg to carpool up to Shenandoah Mountain in search of salamanders andpossibly other amphibians. Billy Flint, a James Madison University herpetologist who has devoted his life to studying salamanders and preserving their habitats, led us along the trail…

On September 17, a beautiful Saturday afternoon, seven Headwaters Chapter members plus one guest were led on a mushroom hunt by our own Peggy Plass at the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum at James Madison University. Fortunately, she did not cancel under threat of uncooperative weather, i.e., being too dry. First Peggy taught us three important…

Thanks to Ann Murray for sharing her conference experience with us here! My trip to Virginia Beach for our state conference only took about 3½ hours. I arrived in time Friday to hang on the beach, soak in some rays and watch the wind surfers. Hurricane Earl caused rough tides, so no swimming for me…

Thanks to Pam Gray for filling us in on the VMN annual meeting that most of us missed! Find a Part 2 report on the conference from Ann Murray HERE. The 2022 Virginia Master Naturalist Conference was a resounding success. The Tidewater Chapter worked hard to pull off another memorable and worthwhile conference in Virginia…