News as of 11/27/2022
Don't Forget to Renew Your Membership.
To renew go to: https://www.andersonparkfriends.org/joinus.
New Horizons Project
Photo: Rome Corners Student @ 2022 Arbor Day; Activity: Learning how to climb a tree with a harness and ropes. Over 60 students participated.
The Anderson Park Friends, Inc. (APF) Board is launching a funding initiative entitled the New Horizons Project to raise funds for the future development of Anderson Farm County Park.
The goal is $20,000. An anonymous donor has come forward and will match, dollar for dollar, all donations, memberships, and revenue raised by APF before 12/31/22. So, $100 donations will turn into $200. Business memberships of $500 will turn into $1,000. The organization has reached about 30% of the goal as of November 8th.
If you like what we do, chip in a little to make a big difference. Go to the New Horizons Project web page at: www.andersonparkfriends.org/newhorizonsproject.
Our vison for the park includes more restored forests and creating new hiking paths, prairies, and pollinator gardens (for monarch butterflies, bees, and birds).
The vision also includes expansion of the Anderson Farm Center. A center piece of the center’s vision is to attract small businesses-growers-by leasing plots of land. Equipment storage and expansion of the irrigation system is needed to make the center more attractive to private growers. Potential plans for 2023 and beyond include making land available to growers in two to five acre increments through long-term leases.
New infrastructure could possibly include a multi-purpose shed, expansion of the irrigation system, and other agricultural equipment. This fall APF will develop a feasibility plan and budget to steer the completion of the project. New infrastructure could be added in 2023 or 2024.
The project’s intent is to use new infrastructure so volunteers can leverage their work in the food pantry/community gardens and other components of the park’s land management plan-forests, prairies, pollinator gardens, savannahs, and wildlife habitat.
2022 Annual Meeting
The annual meeting held on 09/21/22 was a success.
We re-elected Andy Hoernemann as Vice-president and Nancy Murply at Secretary. Please reach out to congratulate them on their election and and recognize their work of the last 9 years. Their efforts and accomplishments have been inspring to the community. We look forward to working with them during the next 3 years.
We also heard a great presentation from Michele Manske, On-Farm Outreach & Engagement Manager for the Savanna Institute. She spoke on Agroforestry in the midwest. The presentation included an overview of the concept, it benefits, and how it is being used here in Dane County at the Silverwood County Park. Go to their Savanna Institute for more great information.
2022 Food Pantry Garden
We plant, we grow, we feed.
As of 11/01/22 the APF Food Pantry Garden has grown over 2,800 pounds of fresh produce to the Oregon, Belleville, and Verona pantries. On some days we are harvesting hundreds of pounds of produce. In addition, less than perfect vegetables go to Little John's Kitchen for further processing.
APF donated over 150 squash to Oregon Food Pantry 2022 Thanksgiving baskets. We need your help to make sure no one goes hungry this for Christmas and the New Year. Remember, Donate now at New Horizons Project.
This year’s goal was to raise over 3,000 pounds of fresh vegetables. Onions, zucchini, tomatoes, patty-pan, acorn, and butternut squash,kohlrabi, purple cauliflower, beans, pepers (3 kinds) cucumbers, and broccoli have already been harvested. The fall crop of radishes and spinach was a great success. Research shows these are the most requested vegetables by pantry participants. New varieties are experimented with each year to learn if they are a better match for the soil and are resistant to insects and disease. Volunteers come from APF members, community groups, and high school students. For example, the Oregon High School girls cross country team volunteers about 60 hours each year.
The Food Pantry Garden produced over 3,400 pounds of produce in 2021. The vegetables were donated to the Oregon Area Food Pantry, Belleville Food Pantry, Badger Praire Needs Network (Verona), and Little John's Kitchen. We also want to recognize Jung’s Garden Center, K & A Greenhouse, and Fitchburg Farms for their donations to the pantry garden. It is appreciated and very timely.
Eagle Scout Success Story
Did you hear about Tyler Ricter's successful eagle project for Anderson Farm County Park? Tyler and other scouts built a large set of compost bins (3) for the food pantry garden. For more information, go to the Oregon Observer article at https://bit.ly/3y7esNA. Our thanks go out ot Tyler, other scouts in Troop 168, and their parents
Woodland Fairy Door Trail
The fairies have come to Anderson Farm County Park! Come out to the park and enjoy the Woodland Fairy Door Trail filled with 13 fairy doors. Search, spot ‘em, and connect with the fairies to conjure up some magic.
What is a fairy? They are a type of mythical being or legendary creature found in the folklore of multiple European cultures. Fairies are often associated with plants and springtime, depicted as pure figures who possess magical powers. In the tales of fairies, they are often mischievous creatures.
Walk the Arthur Sholts Memorial Forest to capture the magic of the fairies. For a complete description of this new project for the community, click here.
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Anderson Farm County Park was established in 2014 and is a passive recreation park in the Dane County Parks system. The park is approximately 310 acres and is a mix of woodland, prairies, and agricultural fields. Other features include rain and pollinator gardens as well as a bluebird trail.
The park is located at:
Forest Parking: 914 Union Road
Dog Park Parking: 804 Union Road
(Town of Oregon; south of the village of Oregon)
Oregon, Wisconsin 53575
The park is named after the Lyman F. Anderson Family farmstead that was founded at the site in 1886. Lyman F. Anderson, who passed away in 2005, was a former County Board Supervisor and served in the Wisconsin State Legislature.
There is a network of woodland trails on the north end of the Park, including a 1-mile hiking trail through the Arthur Sholts Memorial Woods. The woods and five acres of prairie (next to the forest) can be accessed from a parking area off Union Road. Visitors can also walk along the turf trails that border the agricultural fields.
A 35-acre dog park is accessible (with a permit) from 804 Union Road. The dog park includes areas for large and small dogs. An electrical charging station and a vault toilet are available. An additional features include a 7,000 native plant drainage basin and a 10 tree community orchard.
Anderson Park Friends, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization working with the Dane County Parks Division to develop, protect, preserve, and enhance beautiful Anderson Farm County Park. The park is in Phase 1 of the master plan. Our organization is comprised of over 210 members living in Oregon, Brooklyn, and the surrounding townships-Towns of Oregon, Rutland, and Dunn.
The development of the park has a Master Plan. Click here to read the Master Plan.
Join Us!
For more information:
Roe Parker, President
1560 Partridge Hill Drive
Oregon, WI 53575
608-835-3580
[email protected]