RMR-040: Rosalie Russo and Baa-iley the Goat and Xtreme Roan Adventures

Posted on by July 10, 2014

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Xtreme Roan Adventures – July 25 & 26!

Xtreme Roan AdventuresHard to believe how fast the summer is speeding by and the Adventures will be here.

If you have any friends 6 to 16 years old, be sure to tell them about the great one day nature exploration at roan Mountain State Park, on July 26. Also tell them that there is a free evening of Adventures on Friday evening too!

Baa-iley the Goat Book and Xtreme Roan AdventuresAnd as a very special Adventure author Rosalie Russo will be autographing copies of her Baa-iley the Goat Book. ALL proceeds go to the Baa-tany Goat Project.

Even if you don’t have a kid at the Xtreme Roan Adventures this is a great time to get copies of this book. They are on a special XRA discount of $ 5.00. Autographed!

 

LINKS:  

More information at the Xtreme Roan Adventures web-site.
XRA schedule
XRA registration  ** If you register before July 21 you get a free EarthFare lunch.
Some free group camping is still available. first come, first served.

And as a very special Adventure author Rosalie Russo will be autographing copies of her Baa-iley the Goat Book. ALL proceeds go to the Baa-tany Goat Project.

Even if you don’t have a kid at the Xtreme Roan Adventures this is a great time to get copies of this book. They are on a special XRA discount of $ 5.00. Autographed!

RMR-039: Goats in the Mist and R.M.S.P. Independence Celebration

Posted on by June 26, 2014

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Roan Mountain State Park – Independence Celebration

Listen as Roan Mountain State Park Seasonal Interpretive Ranger, Joe Nowotarski, shares his enthusiasm for the Roan Mountain State Park programs and especially the Independence Celebration, Saturday, JUNE 28.

Yep. The Park is having a big Independence Celebration on the Saturday before July 4th. Check out the full schedule. Go here to download the full R.M.S.P Program Schedule.

Goats in the MistGoats in the Mist:
a BAATANY GOAT PROJECT – UPDATE

Twenty-two goats and one dog made the hike from Carver’s Gap to the top of Jane Bald on Wednesday morning.

Todd Eastin, the goat’s owner, had added a bell onto a collar of Blue, the lead goat.  We could hear the bell somewhere off in the mist before we could see the goats or the herders.

The first paddock on Jane Bald has been expanded a little to north. The Canada blackberries are very thick in the rhododendron. Some of the canes are six feet tall.

Fewer goats and more blackberries mean that the fence will not have to be moved as soon as usual.

Seeing the Baatany Goat Project in action is worth the hike.  Even if you can not make the hike, you can still be a very important part of the balds restoration project. Be sure to check  out the Baatany.org web site for more information on the science behind the Baatany Goat Project.

Become a part of the project by adopting a goat for a month, or a summer, or a year. Go to Baatany.org/goat_adopt.

Xtreme Roan Adventures – July 25 & 26

Only a short 4 weeks until Adventure at the Friends of Roan Mountain kid’s naturalists’ day called the Xtreme Roan Adventures. More information and schedule ay: Xtreme Roan Adventures .org

LINKS:

Baatany.org/goat_adopt

Roan Mountain State Park – Program Schedule (PDF)

 Xtreme Roan Adventures .org

 

 

 

RMR-038: Roan Mountain’s Natural Balds – Naturally

Posted on by June 19, 2014

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Goats up the mountain

“Helping keep Roan Mountain’s Natural Balds Bald Naturally.” – Jamey Donaldson, goatherd

Baatany Goat Project will start on Wednesday with the goats being herded up the mountain from Carver’s Gap to their first paddock on Jane Bald.

You can be a part of the history of the mountain. Adopt a goat for a month, a summer or a year. (You can also adopt one of the guard dogs too.)  Baatany.org/adopt

The name of Jane Bald came from Jane Cook who along with her sister made a November walk over the balds in 1870. Sister Harriet’s complications from milk-sickness made the walk a very serious situation. Listen to the story taken from page 23 of the book: Roan Mountain: History of an Appalachian Treasure by Jennifer Bauer.

Xtreme Roan Adventure leaders Five weeks until the Xtreme Roan Adventures: Kid’s Nature Study, July 25 & 26.
Go to www.XtremeRoanAdventures.org to see the schedule and to learn more about how you can be a part of an Adventure!

 

 

 

Rhododendron-Blooms-scatteredAnd if you have not been able to get to the mountain for the rhododendron and flame azalea blooms, be sure to keep up with the beautiful photography on the Friends of Roan Mountain FaceBook page.

 

LINKS:

Rhododendron Festival Entertainment Schedule (pdf)

Baatany Goat Project article – Kingsport Times-News

Adopt a Goat – Baatany.org

Roan Mountain State Park – Program Schedule June 16-21

Xtreme Roan Adventures – July 25 & 26

 

 

RMR-037: Rhododendron Bloom Report and Rhododendron Festival

Posted on by November 6, 2014

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Rhododendron Festival

Click the player above to hear Bill Watson and I highlight the 68th Annual Rhododendron Festival coming June 21-22, at the Roan Mountain State Park. The famous Rhododendron Gardens are expected to be in full bloom by then too.

Lots of music, arts and food both days. Admission is free. All money raised by the Roan Mountain Citizens Club will stay on the mountain. Some of the money raised goes to scholarships for Cloudland High School students, the Roan Mountain Volunteer Fire Department, and many other local organizations and uses.

Rhododendron Bloom Report:

Rhododendron-Blooms-scatteredThis just in from the Non-Fearless Floral Festival Forecasters on the mountain: 

This looks like it will be a moderate bloom year.
The weekend of June 14, estimate that the rhododendrons will be peaking at lower elevations such as Carver’s Gap, Round Bald, and Jane Bald
Three to five days later, from the 17th through the Festival, rhododendrons are estimated to be  peaking at higher elevations such as The Rhododendron Gardens and Grassy Ridge.

The Non-Fearless Forecasters also raised more questions.
Perhaps a more interesting question is whether the Flame Azaleas will peak before the Catawba Rhododendron. If the weather stays hot, will the rhododendrons peak before the azaleas?
Or is the Flame Azalea bloom based on photoperiod (spring species blooming with long days and short nights) and is the rhododendron bloom based on temperature (early summer species not dependent on photoperiod)?

If there is anyone with answer to these deeper questions please let me know. Briefly.

100_9812_optMark your calendar for Saturday at noon at the Dave Miller Farmstead in Roan Mountain State Park. Monarch raising specialist, Rachael Lowman, will help you understand these amazing creatures.

LINKS:

Rhododendron Festival – Entertainment Schedule

RMSP – Program Schedule – June 10-14

Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy – June Jamboree schedule – June 14

RMR-036: Judy Murray and 40 years of Roan Mountain Conservation

Posted on by November 6, 2014

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Judy Murray and the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy

Judy Murray at her retirement party - Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy

Judy Murray at her Happy Retirement Party (SAHC photo)

Judy Murray, one of the founding members of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, celebrated 40 years of Roan Mountain Stewardship. Her hard work and the efforts of many others have helped preserve and protect our favorite mountain.

Part of the celebration is the June Jamboree on June 14.  That Saturday, you have your choice of five guided hikes:

Kids in the Creek with Lizzy Stokes-Cawley,
Roll & Stroll through the Rhododendron Gardens with Judy Murray,
Yoga on the Mountain with Danielle Faith-Goldstein,
Carver’s Gap to Grassy Ridge Hike with Bill Ryan,
Carver’s Gap to 19E with Tom Gatti **registration closed ** mamximum capacity reached.

More information and registration link at appalachian.org/jamboree.

LINKS:

Kingsport TimesNews April article on Judy’s “retirement”

SAHC June Jamboree (June 14) Hikes

Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy