LIMESTONE, Maine — Whatever the season, the Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge has always been a great place to stretch your legs and get some fresh air but starting on Saturday, June 9, there’s extra incentive to visit the refuge: Friends of the Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge will be hosting a series of Second Saturday events held — you guessed it — the second Saturday of every month.
For the program’s inception, second Saturday participants can get their hands dirty as much (or as little) as they want during two instructional courses on vermiculture, which in laymen’s terms is simply composting with worms.
From 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., President of the Friends group Betty Rinehart will be teaching two courses on vermiculture, one at 10:30 a.m. and the second at 1 p.m.
Rinehart’s been composting with worms for over a decade and can quickly dispel misconceptions about the process — the worms are specific composting worms called red wigglers, the process doesn’t have an offensive odor to it (as long as composting is done properly), you can keep the worms in any temperature-appropriate room in your home including the kitchen and it’s a low-cost way to keep your plants growing beautifully. Rinehart likes to mix the castings with garden soil for a plant start, but you can also make what’s called “worm tea” used to water plants.
The environmentally friendly project can be done by all ages — it’s so kid friendly that students of New Sweden and Woodland have been vermiculturists for years and all the worms require is a plastic container and some kitchen scraps (as well as a few other items available around the house, which Rinehart will explain in her presentations).
Aside from flexing their mental muscles while learning about vermiculture, Second Saturday participants are welcome to hit the trails of the refuge and enjoy a low-impact picnic lunch (grilling isn’t allowed at the refuge).
August’s Second Saturday, which is the 13th, will feature a nature walk to Chapman Pond and bunker tours will be available to participants interested in learning about the site’s former usage as part of the Loring Air Force Base and the nuclear components housed in the bunkers.
September’s Second Saturday, the 10th, will feature an informative look a the National Wildlife Refuge system and the role the Limestone refuge plays in fulfilling the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s goals.
In observance of National Wildlife Refuge Week, the Friends group will be moving October’s Second Saturday event to Oct. 15 for their annual Open House.
While Second Saturday events provide the perfect opportunity to enjoy the refuge, the trails and visitors’ center are excuse enough to don a pair of comfortable shoes and visit Limestone for an educational experience with a little exercise.
The visitors’ center is currently open with extended summer hours, from Sunday through Thursday. Additional information regarding the refuge can be obtained by calling 328-4634.
