Celebrating Wildflowers at The Rocks Estate

Summer tends to be fleeting here in northern New England, so we enjoy every minute of it! To kick off the season – and the annual Fields of Lupine Festival – The Rocks Estate will celebrate its 32^nd Annual Wildflower Festival June 2.

Pink Lady's Slipper at The Rocks Estate

If you’d like to learn more about botany, are wondering which wildflowers and plants are edible, or just love to roam the woods and enjoy nature’s beauty, the Wildflower Festival has something you’ll love!

Several workshops and tours are planned to entertain and educate visitors throughout the day, including birding walks through the historic Rocks Estate, a discussion on identifying various wildflowers, and the Floral Edibles workshop, where participants will learn which local native plants are edible – from fiddleheads and rhubarb to wild leeks and Johnnie Jump-Ups – and how to incorporate them into delicious meals at home.

Walks along the Mile Path, which is open only to guided tours, will also be offered during the Festival. The Mile Path meanders through the Estate, where the Glessner family, original owners of The Rocks, collected and planted an array of flowers. Guides will highlight the rich history of the Glessner family, who summered here beginning in the late 1880s, and the natural world they loved so much. The Mile Path walks are limited to 15 people per tour and fill quickly, so reservations are strongly advised. 

The Wildflower Festival runs this Saturday, June 2, from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. The cost for the day-long Wildflower Festival is $15 and includes lunch and all programs. A $5 discount is given with each lupine festival book presented. For more information or to make reservations, please email us at info@therocks.orgor give us a call at (603) 444-6228.

A whirlwind trip to D.C. - All in the day of a tree farmer!

Rocks Estate manager Nigel Manley took a whirlwind trip to Washington, D.C., last month, in his role as chairman of the Christmas Spirit Foundation (CSF), which organizes the Trees For Troops program. 

The Foundation was one of 20 organizations recognized by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden as finalists in the inaugural Joining Forces Community Challenge.

Joining Forces is a national initiative to provide military service members opportunity and support in areas including employment, education, and wellness. The Joining Forces Campaign was launched in April 2011.

The Trees For Troops program provides farm grown Christmas trees to military families serving at home and abroad. Since 2005, Trees For Troops has delivered over 100,000 Christmas trees. More than 700 tree farms contribute to the program, and The Rocks Estateis a proud participant.

“It’s an honor to be a part of the Trees For Troops effort,” said Manley. “I personally find the program to be a very rewarding way for farmers to give back to men and women who are giving their all for the country.”

Manley and CSF Assistant Director Amy Mills joined other honorees for a ceremony at the White House April 10. They also visited the Pentagon for a reception with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Vice President Biden.

Manley was in Washington for just over 24 hours, returning to New Hampshire in time to attend a board meeting for the New Hampshire Travel Council, of which he is a member. 

It's all in the day of a tree farmer!

Sowing the seed(ling)s and other Summer Fun

Planting from a bucket of saplings.

We’ve been busy this spring at The Rocks Estate planting saplings and fertilizing all 52,000 Christmas trees we have growing on the farm. 

In April we planted 4,000 Fraser fir and Canaan fir seedlings, which will grow into full-sized Christmas trees over the next 6-9 years. Next on the to-do list was fertilizing all the trees we have growing in various fields around The Rocks.

Even with Christmas many months in the future, we’re busy taking care of our trees in the field nearly all year ’round! Later this summer we’ll tackle the annual hands-on job of topping and shearing the trees to ensure they’ll continue to grow into full, beautiful, well-proportioned Christmas trees.

There’s plenty of summer activity beyond tending to the trees at The Rocks Estate, too. We’re gearing up for our 32^nd Annual Wildflower Festival on June 2 and the official opening of our Wildlife Habitat Trail at Bretzfelder Park the following week. Check our online calendar for more information. 

We also have weddings lined up through the summer, as well as a variety of groups coming to the farm for customized tours and talks on topics ranging from formal gardens and local heritage to maple sugaring and the wildlife living on and around the farm. To learn more about the array of experiential tours and educational programs at The Rocks, please visit our website. 

As always, our trails are open in every season, from dawn ’til dusk, so come on up and visit The Rocks this summer – we’d love to see you!

Self-guided Maple Experience returns June 1

Thanks to all who joined our New Hampshire Maple Experience this spring! We had nearly 700 visitors during the seven days of Maple tours, and it seems a good time was had by all.

If you missed the fun during sugaring season, no worries – the Maple Experience at The Rocks Estate returns June 1, when we’ll open the interactive and informative Maple museum to self-guided tours.

As always, the extensive trails system at The Rocks is open daily, year-round. Maps are available at the information kiosk adjacent to the parking lot, and visitors (humans and leashed canines) are welcome to walk the trails from dawn to dusk.

Consider bringing your smart phone along as you explore the historic Rocks Estate. That way, you can take advantage of our new Mobile Tour. With more than a dozen Quick Response (QR) codes, the Mobile Tour enables smart phone users to pull up information about the history, wildlife habitat, and forest management efforts at The Rocks.

And, yes, there’s information about the Maple Experience on the Mobile Tour, too!

Rocks Estate to host Maple Dinner April 14

If you love good food, you won’t want to miss our Second Annual Maple Dinner at The Rocks Estate! Last year’s inaugural Maple Dinner earned rave reviews, and we anticipate this year’s event to sell out quickly, so be sure to make your reservation early.

“This is a great way to celebrate spring and the conclusion of our maple sugaring season and to enjoy local food,” said Nigel Manley, manager of The Rocks Estate.

The Maple Dinner will be held April 14^th at The Rocks, beginning at 6 p.m. Cost for the Maple Dinner is $40 per person, with $10 from each dinner donated to The Rocks Project Fund, which supports the year-round educational programs at The Rocks. The Rocks Estate is the North Country Conservation and Education Center of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.

Returning to wow diners is Chef Joe of Sugar Hill, who will incorporate maple syrup throughout the menu. Dishes will include wood-roasted pork loin with apple maple cream, baked haddock with toasted walnuts and maple drizzle, roasted red potatoes, fresh grilled vegetables, and apple crisp with fresh cream. The Woodstock Inn Station &Brewery will offer two of its local micro-brewed beers to accompany the meal.

To make reservations or for more information, please e-mail info@therocks.org or call 603-444-6228.

Happy Christmas, from The Rocks Estate!

From all of us at The Rocks Estate ~ We wish you a very Happy Christmas!

Thanks to all who visited the farm this season or ordered a tree, wreath, or other great items from our online shop. And for you late shoppers, The Rocks will be open through Christmas Eve – so if you haven’t found a beautiful farm fresh Christmas tree yet, c’mon over!

If you’ve already trimmed your tree and are wondering how to get a Rocks Estate fix during the rest of the year, we invite you to visit our New Hampshire Maple Experience at The Rocks, including an interactive museum and a working sugar house. We run Maple Tours in the early weeks of spring, but the Maple Experience museum is open to self-guided tours year-round.

We also have several trails at The Rocks, which are open for meandering and exploration daily. Our new Rocks Mobile Tour allows visitors to use their smart phones to learn more about The Rocks’ history and the property’s current role as the North Country Conservation & Education Center for the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.

So, there’s plenty to explore at The Rocks during the New Year!

Happy holidays!

Keeping your Rocks Estate Christmas tree farm fresh

Once you’ve selected your farm fresh Christmas tree from The Rocks Estate, there are a few things you can do to keep it fresh and fragrant through the holidays. When a Christmas tree is cut, more than half its weight is water, so much of keeping your tree happy involves making sure it’s able to take in the water it needs. Here are some tips from The Rocks for keeping your Christmas tree farm fresh!

* Before you set your tree up, cut the bottom ½-inch from the trunk. Then place your Christmas tree in water.

* Make sure your tree stand is the right size for your tree – and that it can hold plenty of water in the reservoir. Christmas tree stands should provide a quart of water per inch of stem diameter. (You’ll find Christmas tree stands, watering spouts, and other great accessories at the farm or The Rocks' online shop.) * Check the water level regularly to ensure the base of the tree is submerged.

* Keep your tree away from heat sources like fireplaces and radiators to prevent excessive drying.

* Use Christmas tree lights that produce only low heat to prevent drying. Lights should be inspected prior to use and replaced if they are worn. And they should always be turned off when you’re leaving the house or going to bed!

* When you’re ready to bid adieu to your Christmas tree after the holidays, check with your local transfer station on recycling options. Christmas trees should never be burned in a wood stove or fireplace, as they create creosote and can lead to a chimney fire.

For more tips on keeping your tree farm fresh, visit the New Hampshire Christmas Tree’s tree care page.