Community Corner

News in Brief: Take a Walk on the 'Wild Food' Side

News items from Aug. 7 through Aug. 13.

The Fanwood Environmental Commission hosts a natural walk, the Masterwork Chorus hosts open auditions, and Union County MusicFest offers "VIP" tickets. Here are the week's news briefs:

Take a Walk on the "Wild Food" Side

Our "civilization" has moved far beyond the days when a person could live "off the land" by picking berries and leafy greens.  Today the closest the average person gets to the land is growing a garden, going to a pick-your-own farm or a roadside stand. But what most residents don't realize is that we are still surrounded by hundreds of wild edible plants in vacant fields, meadows, woodlands, and anywhere Mother Nature can grow her merry way.

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Join the Fanwood Environmental Commission on an "Edibles Walk" through the Fanwood Nature Center to find those plants that are hiding in plain view. Educator, naturalist, nutritionist and wild plant expert Debbie Naha will lead participants through the winding trails of the Nature Center in search of nature's own garden, the commission announced in a press release it distributed Wednesday.

Naha is a nutrition science teacher and a featured walk leader at the annual Union County Bio-Blitz every June. She will point-out those plants that can be harvested for salads and snacks, plus a few you shouldn't touch. She also just might share some of her secret "wild" recipes.

Find out what's happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Edibles Walk will take place Wednesday, Aug. 18. It starts at 6 p.m. at the entrance to the Fanwood Nature Center. The Nature Center is located on Cray Terrace (between Helen Street and Terrill Road), where the power lines cross the road. This family friendly event will only be cancelled in the event of a downpour or thunderstorm.

Visit the Fanwood Environmental Commission website for more information: www.fanwoodec.org.

Audition for Masterwork Chorus

The Masterwork Chorus announced auditions for new members for its 2010-2011 season, in a press release it distributed Tuesday. Experienced choral singers with strong vocal and sight-reading skills are encouraged to try out.

The first rehearsal for the 2010-2011 season will take place Wednesday, Sept. 1, at 7:30 p.m. in the Xavier Center on the Campus of the College of St. Elizabeth, Convent Station, N.J. Prospective members are invited to attend this first rehearsal, during which auditions may be arranged with Music Director Andrew Megill for the evening of Thursday, Sept. 2. Auditions will also be held at the Xavier Center.

For more information, contact Becky Adams, membership chair, by calling 908-420-6869 or sending an email to beckyb49@gmail.com. Information can also be found on the Masterwork website, www.masterwork.org.

Become a Friend of MusicFest

The 13th annual Union County MusicFest is coming in September, and for the first time, individuals can support the event as sponsors, the Union County Office of Public Information announced in a press release Wednesday. A limited number of Friends of MusicFest individual sponsorships can be obtained through the Union County Performing Arts Center by visiting www.ucpac.org.

"The Friends of MusicFest program gives fans a chance to enjoy their favorite bands in a great open-air setting, while helping to keep MusicFest true to its roots, which is to offer the best free music festival anywhere," Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders Chairman Daniel P. Sullivan said in the release. "It's a unique and fun way to show community spirit."

Friends of MusicFest sponsorships are available at $150 per person for one day, or $250 for the weekend. In return for their support, individual sponsors receive access to a MusicFest "VIP stage viewing area" and a tent-covered lounge with televisions, bathroos, wireless internet, complimentary afternoon barbeque and drinks, unlimited carnival rides and onsite parking.

The concert festival starts Saturday, Sept. 11 in Oak Ridge Park in Clark, and runs through Sunday. The band Train will headline Saturday. It will be joined by The Bravery, Soul Asylum, OK Go, Jesse Malin and The St. Marks Social, Mike Peters and Friends, Willie Nile, and 61 North.

Spoon will headline Sunday, Sept. 12. It will be joined by The Zombies, Robert Randolph and The Family Band, Suzanne Vega, the Nils Lofgren Acoustic Duo, and Nicole Atkins and the Sea.

Sponsorships from local businesses and institutions help offset the cost of staging MusicFest, the release said, which has allowed organizers to waive admissions fees for all 13 years.  

MusicFest also features The Union County Fair at MusicFest, a full-scale carnival that runs from Wednesday, Sept. 8 to Sunday, Sept. 12.  An additional free concert on Sept. 9, sideshow attractions, children's activities and vendors round out the fun.  For all event details visit www.ucmusicfest.com.


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