Category: Volunteer Opportunities

Take Our Survey, Please!

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment
We hope you’ve been enjoying the autumn sunsets!

Hi there, friends. We’ve been planning the activities and speakers for the coming year. So that Donna Lewis can get started with finding speakers, and Pamela Neeley can work on finding activities for us to participate in, we made a little survey you can take.

We welcome your input, whether you are a current member, a lapsed member, a former member, or someone who might be interested in coming to a meeting just to learn about the nature of Texas. It’s important to meet the needs of the people who participate in the Texas Master Naturalist program here in Milam County (and the surrounding area), so we really want to hear from YOU.

Here’s the link to our survey.

Please share whatever you want to. You don’t have to answer every question, just provide any ideas you have, big or small.

Hey! We Have a Class Coming Up!

Let’s not forget that Kathy Lester is putting together another wonderful Master Naturalist class, which starts in January and will be held in central Cameron. Do you know anyone who would be interested in attending? All they need to do is call Kathy at the number below to sign up and get more information! Please share far and wide.

The class times are now 5:30-9:30 pm.

Girl Scout Event at Wildscape

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

We haven’t heard much from the Wildscape project at Bird and Bee Farm, but we got a report and some photos from Catherine Johnson this week. Let’s see what’s going on!

The Texas Master Naturalist, El Camino Chapter recently hosted a successful Milam County Girl Scout program.

A total of 97 people attended, including 52 Scouts.  USDA Conservationists Ben McNally and Tyler Lawson presented a program on soil and shared a walk-through tunnel. 

The soil tunnel

The Scouts enjoyed dinner, gifts, and tours of the Wildscape and the Bird and Bee Farn chickens.

Here’s a collection of photos from the event:

Busy Weekend for Us

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

This past weekend our Chapter members were busy learning and sharing what they learned.

The Chapter members who are also members of the El Camino Real de las Tejas National Trail Association attended their conference on Friday and Saturday. They shared our new wildflowers of Milam County brochure with all the attendees. (I was unable to go, so I don’t have any photos.)

Viewing the photos of the land conference attendees got to see in person.

Yesterday they did field trips of Milam County sites that were on the trail, including the property of Joyce and Mike Conner, Cedar Hill Ranch, which has some important sites on it. They also went to Sugarloaf Mountain and Rancheria Grande. Many thanks to our chapter members who volunteered to help out with the tour.

Chapter members tell a visitor about what we do.

Meanwhile, other members put together a lovely exhibit of plant samples for the herbarium that members of our group helped collect. It was located at the at the Milam County Historical Museum.

Plant samples for use in herbaria.

There was also a display of beautiful photographs Christopher Talbot’s A Photographic Journey of the Trail exhibit. The photos were quite impressive, including a photo of the Graham Swale that Ann Collins and Connie Anderle claimed was theirs, because they are from the Graham family. So yes, fun was had.

Ann Collins and her “family swale.”

Ann, Donna, Linda Jo, and Scott did a great job answering questions and passing out material. After the tour was over, the trail conference attendees came to enjoy the exhibits. Lots of people came in, since the Steak, Stein and Wine Fest was also going on. It was a fine way to do some outreach, and the weather was just perfect.

Wildscape Progress for August

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

 by Catherine Johnson

The Wildscape project at Bird and Bee Farm between Rockdale and Milano has survived the worst part of the summer and the plants are starting to have their fall flush. 

These plants are reblooming!

Eight small trees have been planted, with more to arrive. Donna Lewis donated Senna trees and we have four New Mexico Privet and Vitex as well. 

Continue reading “Wildscape Progress for August” →