On Saturday, Sept. 24, the Simsbury Land Trust will host its 2011 Townwide Celebration. The event will be held at Tulmeadow Farm Field at 255 Farms Village Road in West Simsbury.
Mums are coming into full blossom and pumpkins are ready for picking…
At 10:30 a.m., an Opening Ceremony will be held to celebrate the Simsbury Land Trust’s acquisition of the development rights to all 260 acres of Tulmeadow Farm, permanently protecting the land so it can maintain its natural, historic and scenic value. The ceremony also will signify completion of the organization’s 10-year “Campaign for Simsbury” fundraising effort. The annual celebration will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (In case of rain, all events will be held the next day on Sept. 25, with the ceremony starting at 11:30 a.m., followed by the membership celebration at noon.)
“This special ceremony and family friendly celebration will recognize our members’ tremendous support of the Simsbury Land Trust’s dedicated efforts to protect local and all over Simsbury,” explains Amy Zeiner, Executive Director of the Simsbury Land Trust. “The event is free to all Simsbury residents and features a free barbecue lunch live entertainment and hands-on activities, with guided hikes through the woodlot, the pasture, and a grand tour of the entire farm at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.”
Hayrides will be provided from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. and there will be Pony Rides from 11 a.m. to 12 noon, courtesy of Flamig Farm. The Riverside Reptiles will host special reptile and amphibian presentations in the event’s large Kids’ Tent at noon and again at 12:30 p.m. Tulmeadow Ice Cream will be served to all attendees, while supplies last. Note: Dogs will not be permitted to enter this event.
Preserving the natural beauty of Tulmeadow Farm and other land in town has long been the goal of the Simsbury Land Trust. In 2005, the non-profit organization acquired the development rights from the Tuller family to permanently protect 167 acres of their property, which included the fields north and south of the barns and the farm store. In 2008, the Land Trust secured funds to protect an additional 20 acres that included hayfields, pastures and the triangle of land surrounded by Westledge Road, West Mountain Road and Sugarloaf Cut. With the recent acquisition of the Woodlot, the final parcel, the Simsbury Land Trust now has acquired the development rights to all 260 acres of Tulmeadow Farm, protecting the land from future residential construction forever.
Admission to the Simsbury Land Trust Opening Ceremony and Membership Celebration is free and no reservations are necessary.
For more information, call (860) 651-8773, or visit www.simsburylandtrust.org. Individual memberships in the Simsbury Land Trust begin at donations of $40 and family memberships begin at donations of $60. All memberships include a copy of “The Walkbook”
Submitted by Laura Soll – Simsbury Land Trust