 With colder weather and shorter days, sometimes it can be easier to stay on the couch with a warm blanket instead of getting outside. While winter is a great time to remember to rest, relax, and recover, it's also essential to try to stay active and get regular exercise. The shortened days often make it challenging to get exercise outside during daylight. To increase your motivation (and safety!) to exercise, consider finding or creating a group or simply asking someone to exercise with you. If you plan on walking or running in the dark, wear a headlamp, reflective gear, and bright clothes. Check park hours and know which areas allow for activities between dusk and dawn. Winter is one of my favorite times to hike, but parks may have closures or muddy trails at certain times due to the trails' freeze-and-thaw process. Another way to get exercise during the winter is to use available space such as a carport, garage, or cul-de-sac to do a fitness or strength training routine. If you do not have your own equipment for this, check out the outdoor fitness centers Howard County Parks provides. Centennial Lake has an Age Friendly Fitness Lot with ten different pieces of exercise equipment that was built this year. Cedar Lane Park also has a small outdoor exercise equipment area. Meet up with a friend, make a circuit, and enjoy a workout together! If you exercise outside in colder weather, always do a light warm-up to increase blood flow to your muscles. Warming up can help prevent muscle strains and sprains, which occur more commonly when exercising in the cold. Wearing layers can help keep you warm and accommodate temperature increases as you generate heat from exercising. Generally, you should have three layers of clothing. Your base layer is the first of these. Its goal is to wick away moisture as you sweat. Avoid cotton for this layer as it absorbs moisture and stays wet. Instead, consider materials such as wool, polyester, or synthetic blends. Your next layer's job is to provide insulation to help you retain your body heat. Examples of this layer include a fleece zipped shirt, a midweight pullover, or a wool sweater. Finally, add an outer layer, such as a rain jacket, windbreaker, or soft-shelled jacket, to match the weather conditions. Top off our outfit with a hat as the body loses a fair amount of heat from the head. With exercise, blood flows more to our central core region than our extremities, so keep your hands warm with mittens or gloves, and your toes warm with a wool or synthetic blend sock. If the weather does not allow for outdoor activities, be creative in how you can still stay active. Get your steps in by walking at the mall. Remember that challenging housework counts as physical activity. You can also partake in group or virtual fitness classes to stay active. Increase your accountability for these by joining with a friend or gifting someone with an exercise experience this holiday season. Howard County also offers 50+ senior centers with fitness rooms that are much more affordable than most gyms for folks in that age bracket. Finally, consider trying a new sport, such as snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. While central Maryland doesn’t often get enough snow for these activities, a few hours' drive to Pennsylvania, Western Maryland, or Virginia can get you to areas with more snow. The Community Gear Closet at Freetown Farm has a few sets of snowshoes to lend to those wanting to try them. It also has a set of crampons to lend for mountain adventures in the snow. It is also a fun time of year to try orienteering and geo-catching. Have a happy, healthy, and active holiday season! AuthorKaryn Dulaney, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist who has practiced in outpatient orthopedics for almost 2 decades. She enjoys helping patients achieve their personal goals and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. An avid outdoor enthusiast and competitor/participant in various adventure sports, she is passionate about helping others explore outdoor activities for the mental and physical health benefits that come with them. Karyn co-founded the Community Gear Closet, which lends outdoor gear so others can have opportunities for their own outdoor adventures. Events:
These strategies will give you the confidence and vitality to navigate the holiday season easily:
AuthorKaryn Dulaney, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist who has practiced in outpatient orthopedics for almost 2 decades. She enjoys helping patients achieve their personal goals and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. An avid outdoor enthusiast and competitor/participant in various adventure sports, she is passionate about helping others explore outdoor activities for the mental and physical health benefits that come with them. Karyn co-founded the Community Gear Closet, which lends outdoor gear so others can have opportunities for their own outdoor adventures.
Dear Farm Fam, Simon coming atcha with another update from my time farming in New Mexico – Cerrillos addition. On September 30th I said goodbye to Loose Leaf Farm in Albuquerque and started my short journey Northwards to the small town of Los Cerrillos where my next farm, Chelenzo Farms, is located. Well, to be more precise the farm is located outside of Cerrillos; to get to the farm one must drive about 1.5 miles down a bumpy, eroded dirt road that makes the Baltimore potholes feel like driving over a pebble. Once arrived you’ll be in the high desert of New Mexico and met with spectacular views of rolling hills bespeckled with life such as juniper trees, chamisa, cholla, snakeweed, saltbush, prickly pear cactus, and much more. The ecosystem is quite different from the farm I was last at (Loose Leaf Farm) where you would find larger trees like cottonwoods and soil with a higher clay content. The operation of the farm, and thus my daily tasks, differ too. Chelenzo Farms has a herdshare which, much like a CSA, allows community members weekly access to goat milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. Almost every morning I help with milking the goats – something I had never done before which took me a bit to get the hang of. Unfortunately it's not as easy as just squeezing the udder. It requires a consistent but rolling pressure throughout your hand which should be cinched high around the goat’s teat. We get about ½ gallon of milk per day but are currently only milking two of the goats due to some herd health concerns. The goats are mainly breeds that are well adjusted to the mountainous conditions like Nubian and La Mancha. These goats are known for being trusty milkers with higher butterfat content and also having a sweet temperament well suited for a family farm like the one I am on. The milk that isn’t immediately given to the herdshare will be used to make cheese (mainly chevre), yogurt, and ice cream. Making the cheese is surprisingly easy – you just have to get the milk up to 86 degrees F and then remove from the heat and add your chevre cheese culture –1 packet per gallon of milk. You then give it a stir, let it sit for about 8 hrs and then, using a cheesecloth and colander, remove the cheese from the whey overnight. The next morning, voila! you have chevre. We will usually season it with salt and herbs from the garden but it's really a blank canvas for your pallet; add some sundried tomatoes, roasted garlic, berry compote or sugar for a sweeter flair. Once the milking is taken care of, some time is spent with the rest of the herd and the other animals; two pigs and a flock of chickens. The chickens that are currently around are just egg layers for personal use – the chickens for eating were processed a couple of months before I arrived. The pigs arrived just a few days after myself and are being raised for consumption. They arrived as small piglets just a few weeks old but have been rapidly growing since – about a pound a day!
For a goat to be milked it has to be impregnated about once every two years which means your herd can grow rather quickly. This creates a bit of a challenge since goats eat a lot and need space to forage. Some choose to keep some of the kids and raise them to be milked while selling the others. Often when selling the goats they will be used for meat, especially if it is a wether (castrated male) since it does not provide the benefit of breeding. While I was here, two from the herd were killed and processed for meat and hide – a wether that would not sell and a two year old doe with CAE (Caprine arthritis encephalitis), a virus that made her arthritic and unable to be milked. I was not required to participate or even be present for the killing and processing, but I chose to be. This was an incredibly challenging and emotional task as I had grown a connection with the herd. Goats are very social, curious creatures and this herd really found their way into my heart where I found myself having a relationship with each goat. This made me want to see the relationship through with these two goats and I also wanted to learn humane and ethical ways to kill and process goats. As hard as it was, I was glad to be there to honor the goats’ lives. As an advocate for reestablishing a robust relationship to our food, I believe it is very important to know where one’s food is coming from, and for those who choose to eat meat to do their best to find providers that give the animal a good life and a quick and painless death. It is so important to appreciate the offering that another life has made for one’s nourishment regardless of whether that life is of flora or fauna. This farm also has a smaller garden space in comparison to my last farm but we are still able to produce enough food for ourselves and to sell at the local Cerrillos Farmers Market. They have a very laid back market with about eight vendors and there isn’t too much money to be made at market but it's been a great way to build relationships with the community. At these markets I’ve been able to learn about the community garden efforts in town and what tastes to cater to for the locals. This October we were able to bring many leafy greens, sugar pumpkins, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, radishes, turnips, and herbs. It has been fun to learn the trial and errors this farm has gone through to build up a more nutrient rich and living soil in the high desert. Most recently they have found success with a hugelkultur style bed in the rows they grow in.
Aside from the animals and veggies, Chelenzo Farms has also been working on some land restoration and have been planting a variety of desert shrubs, cholla, agave, and cactus. I’ve been able to lend a hand with caring for young agave and had a hand in planting hundreds of shrubs on a steep slope in an attempt to stabilize the soil and reduce erosion. They receive some pretty heavy rains in the summer that can have some pretty intense erosive power. I was present to an unseasonably strong storm during my stay and it was pretty intense to be so high up with a sky covered in a latticework of lightning right overhead. Due to the importance of water in such a dry ecosystem there is some great water capture work being done in the area. I was lucky enough to go to a showing of a docuseries in Santa Fe that captured the work of Bill Zeedyk who is doing some incredible work with low-tech, low-cost projects to “think like water” and restore ecosystems. I would definitely recommend looking into his work if you are interested in that sort of thing – there is definitely plenty of information that could be applied to how we approach stormwater solutions on the East Coast.
My time is now up as a wwoofer and I’ll be sad to be leaving the Southwest, but I am so appreciative for all it has given me during my time here and look forward to returning in the future. I’ll also be happy to return to Freetown Farm and see what everyone has been busy with during my time away! Next time you’re around make sure to say hi :) Ever Growing, Simon
Dear Farm Fam, You may or may not have noticed a lack of presence from your Agroecology Coordinator this past month and that would be due to the fact that I have not been at Freetown Farm since the day after our lovely Food by Freetown dinner. I began my journey to New Mexico that following Saturday for my ‘sabbatical’ where I will be working at two different regenerative ag farms, a month each, through the WWOOF program (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms)! After moving out of my Baltimore apartment and packing up my car I began my trek across the country with Peter, who some of you may remember as our previous agriculture coordinator in 2022-’23. We saw lush forests in North Carolina, gasped at sun tinged mountains in Tennessee, dipped in hot springs in Arkansas, and ate delicious latin food in Oklahoma City where I said goodbye to Peter and continued to the Black Kettle National Grasslands – or so I thought! I instead found myself raptured by covid and holed away in a hotel until I regained my energy (not in my original itinerary!).
During my time in isolation I was able to reflect more on what I saw during my travels and noted that every corner of this country has something to marvel at. I have done other partial or full cross-country roadtrips but I was able to take a largely new route on this drive. A few relevant highlights are;
When I finally made it to New Mexico (covid free) I made my way to Loose Leaf Farm in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque; my host farm for the month of September. Driving through what I learned is a historic agricultural reserve in the city, I was shocked at the breathtaking amount of small-scale (~0.5-40 acres) farming taking place in the neighborhood. Situated in the North Valley near the Rio Grande, Los Ranchos has been rooted in agriculture for years and the community is staving off the purchasing of farmland to be developed into houses and neighborhoods.
Contrary to the common East Coaster belief, New Mexico is not just barren desert. It is home to awe-inspiring mountains, like the Sandias, riparian wonderlands, such as Rio Grande Basin, and yes, desert and scrub lands that are teeming with life. There is a strong connection to the land in Los Ranchos - a common thread I have found in my exploration of New Mexico thus far. The farmers markets are flush with local produce from Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos and Esapnola and attended by many. There are restaurants that purchase a majority of their ingredients from local farmers. A food preservation lending library has been established through Bernalillo County Extension Office and UNM where you can borrow dehydrators, canning materials, and food processors (can we get on that HoCo?). And while not as popular as the East there are still many CSA’s to choose from. I am lucky enough to be here during the chile harvest when the iconic red and green New Mexican chiles are roasted at market, filling the air with a smell inextricably linked with autumn in New Mexico.
Alas, all it is not just chiles and rainbows in this bucolic dream of a neighborhood (although I have been shocked by the number of rainbows bursting over the mountain tops in my short time here). The extreme concentration of wealth and cost of land in this part of Albuquerque make access to long term farming a real challenge - an issue felt by many across the country. Mark and Sarah, the couple who founded Loose Leaf Farm, are well aware of this challenge as they currently lease the ~4 acres they have been working on since 2020. Farming using regenerative practices is a labor of love and requires a lot of time and energy to not only sustain healthy soils but also build new fertile soil. However, when you are investing in soil that you lease rather than own, it can feel like you are setting someone else up for success rather than your own livelihood. This is the case for many who farm in Los Ranchos where wealthy landowners lease their land for others to grow on, allowing those who own the property to cash in on the agricultural tax break. While it is wonderful to be able to take advantage of arable land, it can create challenges when thinking about the long term sustainability of one’s farming operation. And there are also those who still irrigate large green lawns rather than farming – a sight that sorely reminds me of the history of lawns as a status symbol.
During my month at Loose Leaf Farm, I have been trying to learn as much as I can from a farm that focuses primarily on fruit and vegetable production. Believe it or not, this part of Albuquerque is in growing zone 7b - the same as Freetown Farm. This means I have been surrounded by many familiar favorite veggies, although often of different varieties. Some of the familiar tasks I’ve done are saving young plants being choked out by weeds, protecting crops from pests with row cover, planting seeds for fall crops, and harvesting my heart out! Some new territory has been prepping for CSA pickup, mucking the goat pen (an annual task thanks to the deep bedding method), moving the chicken tractor, and harvesting apples for both humans and livestock.
While I’ll be sad to say goodbye to my Loose Leaf friends, I am looking forward to my October, which I’ll be spending with Chelenzo Farms. I hope to offer more insights into New Mexican agriculture in next month’s newsletter, but until then I hope that everyone has been enjoying the East Coast fall (I am sad to be missing October in Maryland – it's truly a magical time of year).
Ever Growing, Simon  With the school season marking the end of summer, it's time to gear up for fall camping and backpacking. Remember, the best campgrounds fill up fast, so securing your spot early is crucial. Take time now to check your camping gear and ensure everything is in top condition. One aspect that both school and backpacking share is the need for a well-fitting backpack. A school backpack should be at most 10-15 % of a child's body weight. It should fit snugly, not extending above the shoulders or sagging towards the buttocks, but resting in the contour of the lower back. Shoulder straps should be loose enough around your child's arms that they can freely move. Place heavier items, such as textbooks, laptops, or notebooks, closer to the back for a balanced load. Place lighter items toward the front of the pack. It is ideal to carry a backpack with each strap over a shoulder. Your child should not have to lean forward, bend to the side, or arch to carry the bag. Similarly, distributing your gear for proper loading can make a huge difference in how your back feels when backpacking. It will also impact your posture, ultimately affecting how efficiently you can move and maintain your balance. An additional consideration for backpacking is the accessibility of items. The bottom section of your pack is best suited for items of medium weight. Since this will be the most challenging place to access, it is the ideal place to pack items you will only need once you stop for the day to set up camp. Your sleeping bag, pad, and sleep clothes are typical items at the bottom of the pack. This strategic packing will make setting up camp more efficient. The center of the pack can be divided into two parts: the front and back portions. The back portion is what is closest to your back. As with your child's school backpack, it is the section to pack heavier items, such as your water reservoir, stove, cook kit, and food for meals. If these heavier items sit too far forward in the pack, the weight distribution will pull you more forward and create strain on your back. You should place your lightest items in the front center of the pack. Examples of these may include light clothes and a camp pillow. Finally, load the top of the pack with items you need access to throughout the day while you hike. These may include your first aid kit, water filter, headlamp, toiletries, rain jacket, pack cover, and snacks. If rain is in the forecast, keeping your tent towards the top of the pack is also advisable so you can quickly pull it out to set up a shelter while the items in the bottom of the bag remain dry. The Community Gear Closet has numerous camping and backpacking items to loan out, including backpacks, day packs, trekking poles, tents, sleeping bags/pads, and camp stoves. Be sure to reach out if you need something for your fall camping or backpacking trip! AuthorKaryn Dulaney, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist who has practiced in outpatient orthopedics for almost 2 decades. She enjoys helping patients achieve their personal goals and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. An avid outdoor enthusiast and competitor/participant in various adventure sports, she is passionate about helping others explore outdoor activities for the mental and physical health benefits that come with them. Karyn co-founded the Community Gear Closet, which lends outdoor gear so others can have opportunities for their own outdoor adventures.
Master Gardeners are hard at work creating a native plant demonstration pollinator garden in Columbia’s Freetown Farm, the home of the Community Ecology Institute (CEI). As part of the 2023 Master Gardener intern class, Debbie Lavine requested Maddie Potter, Howard County Master Gardener Coordinator, approve the site for intern volunteer hour credit. A MOU was drafted, and the site was approved. The purpose of the Freetown Farm pollinator garden is to demonstrate how beautiful intentionally planted natives can be, even in small spaces. CEI is a Howard County nonprofit with the mission of cultivating communities where people and nature thrive together.
Debbie Lavine and Kathy Nolte (both MG 2023), are leading the effort. The Freetown Farm site has some full sun, some part sun, and some deep shade. The team is showcasing a variety of native plants in each area, demonstrating plant groupings that will (we hope) thrive. Already this year, 17 master gardeners and interns have spent nearly 175 hours battling impressive weeds and hauling many wagons full of bricks and mulch. They’ve created meandering pathways and filled beds with donated native plants.
This pollinator garden boasts a healthy population of common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). An arbor supports cascading Maypops (Passiflora incarnata) and Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), attracting an assortment of bees. The Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana) looks lovely next to the Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum). The Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea), Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea), Carolina Cranesbill (Geranium carolinianum), Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris), and Bleeding heart (Dicentra) are starting to fill in the shady areas. An assortment of butterflies, hummingbirds (Trochilidae), and humans (Homo sapiens) also enjoy the garden. The Master Gardeners are cautiously optimistic the new plants will start to outcompete the local weeds, very soon.
AuthorKris Siglin, Master Gardener Intern 2024  In March of 2024, CFIN celebrated its 10th Anniversary! See photos from the past 10 years of CFIN outings below. As we reflect on the successes of the past 10 years and feedback from alumni members, we are preparing to add ways that families can engage with CFIN. Here's what is on the horizon: Beginning in the summer of 2024, we are expanding our programming in order to offer participants a wider range of ways to engage with a Community of Families in Nature. Learn more about our expanded offerings by clicking on the 'About a Community of Families in Nature' button below. We look forward to spending the next 10 years playing, exploring, learning, and care-taking in nature with a new generation of CFIN families, as well as with CFIN alumni families! To learn more about Family Nature Clubs in general or more about CFIN's event offerings, use the buttons below. To receive news and reminders of sign ups, follow us on Facebook and/or join our mailing list! Cfin News and Registration linksWe are enjoying exploring waterways as much as possible this summer! We've dipped our toes in a number of streams including at Howard County Conservancy, along Trolley Trail No. 9, along the Columbia footpaths in Owen Brown, and have plans for two more water access outings [weather permitting-we always avoid our waterways if there has been significant rain in the past 72 hours for water safety issues]. CFIN families have also enjoyed some time at Freetown Farm through our Art and Farm Experiences -- families create an art or craft project and engage in a meaningful adventure in our farm space. We also have been out one Sunday to check out a HoCo Pirate Adventure! Our Hike-a-Month Club has enjoyed a hot, stroller friendly hike along the Trolley Trail; we were thankful for a water access opportunity and saw lots of creatures including little fish, froglets, crayfish, and water snakes. We'll also enjoy hikes at the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, and along the brand new trail in Patapsco State Park. We are gearing up for our seasonal community event; this summer's theme is Pollinators and the plants they love -- It's a Pollinator Party!! Join us for 'bug walks,' arts and crafts, face-painting, games and trivia, and exploration of pollinator friendly spaces. Registration is open for: Seedlings (5 and under with a caregiver) autumn season, our individual Summer Events, and our summer Art and Farm Experiences. Enjoy Photos from Previous eventsCFIN FAQs
related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and stroke. Clothing choice can impact how you feel and handle sweating when it is hot. Wear loose-fitting clothing made of lightweight materials. Choose light-colored clothing to reflect the sun's rays instead of dark colors, which absorb them. A lightweight hat can also help you regulate your temperature by keeping your head cool. If you are doing more strenuous activities in the heat, consider applying pro athletes' methods by wetting your clothing or using small amounts of ice to keep you cool. You can purchase cooling products, such as bandanas, hats, and arm sleeves, designed with small pockets to stuff with ice. You can also buy cooling products that are worn wet, using cold water instead of ice for similar results. Cooling your head, neck, and core can significantly improve your tolerance to heat. Next, it is important to hydrate. Start hydrating before going outside and continue throughout your activity. Bring a soft flask, hydration pack, or reusable water bottle to carry the appropriate amount of water for your activity. Sweating is one of the natural ways our body thermoregulates to maintain its temperature. We need adequate amounts of hydration to be able to produce sweat. If you sweat a lot, a sports drink can aid in electrolyte replacement; however, ones with high sugar content can lead to further dehydration. Continue to hydrate once you come back inside.
Here are a few ideas for summer activities that may offer lower temperatures or cooling opportunities:
**Always consult a doctor about nutrition, hydration, and activity for solutions specific to your body’s individualized needs. Be sure to research any chosen activities, such as hiking or biking routes, to prepare adequately, understand natural hazards, and ensure they are appropriate for you. ** AuthorKaryn Dulaney, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist who has practiced in outpatient orthopedics for almost 2 decades. She enjoys helping patients achieve their personal goals and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. An avid outdoor enthusiast and competitor/participant in various adventure sports, she is passionate about helping others explore outdoor activities for the mental and physical health benefits that come with them. Karyn co-founded the Community Gear Closet, which lends outdoor gear so others can have opportunities for their own outdoor adventures. Hey y'all Preface: This letter is going to start out a little gloomy but I promise that it has an uplifting ending! I encourage you to read to the end.
experiencing a Winter and Spring full of fluctuations, and in the midst of a Summer that is hot, hot, hot, I’m afraid I don’t have any satisfying answers yet. As I spend my second year doing this work full time I am still getting used to having my hands in the soil almost every day and spending much more time outside than I was able to when I was in the world of academia. I try to maintain a sense of wonder in what I experience and many days I’m lucky that all it takes is a moment of pause to take in the natural world around me. However, I still wonder if the earlier blooms that I'm seeing are due to being in a different part of the country than I was 2 years ago, or if it is due to the warmer weather that we've experienced earlier and earlier in the year. I also have been feeling the difference between suburban/rural heat and urban heat on a daily basis. Living in Baltimore, the heat experienced in the city brings on a different kind of worry. It's the kind of oppressive heat where you know that all living with poor infrastructure or suffering from any sort of chronic illness will struggle to maintain any sense of stability and heat related mortality will rise. I am in no way trying to paint a picture of despair or hopelessness. I would not be in the career that I am if I were not fueled by hope. I am hopeful when I see our community come and spend time in nature in our gardens. I am hopeful when I see the bountiful harvest we are able to produce every week and donate to people experiencing food insecurity in our community. I am hopeful when I see a pollinator that I have only seen in pictures buzzing around one of our patches of flowers. I am hopeful when I walk by the pond in our climate victory garden and am greeted by the ‘cheep, plunk’ of a frog jumping into the water. I am hopeful when I see kiddos not even old enough to form full sentences running around in our woods taking in the immensity of a mature tulip poplar, scattering leaves with every pace. I am hopeful when I nourish myself and others with a delicious meal from food that my own hands grew. I am hopeful when I remind myself that the current climate crisis we are in is not my fault, yet I can still be a part of the solution and inspire others to do the same. I am hopeful when I find my hands buried in dirt, nail polish chipped and rings caked with healthy, nutrient-rich soil. And I am hopeful when I spend time with my friends, my coworkers, my family out in nature growing food, growing plants, and growing with one another in conversation about how we can see not only a future but a bright future ahead of us. As someone who has spent time trying to be mindful about searching for hope I wanted to share some things that I have found helpful. I recognize that I am by no means a figure of authority in this field so please take what I share with you at face value. This is a little list that I had put together for myself in a time of anxiety when I needed to hear about solutions and not problems. I hope that these words can instill hope and maybe provide some comfort in a time that can make those two feelings a bit of a rare commodity. I also wanted to offer the chance for folks to take others' words and find solace in them in the way that I have been able to. So without further ado here’s said list: Steps YOU can take towards climate action & building hope:
Hopeful books:
Voices of hope:
Another benefit of cycling is that it is a great form of low-impact exercise. It can help build aerobic fitness and leg strength. The balance and skill required to bike improve coordination, proprioception, and spatial awareness. Cycling increases time spent outside, which is a good source of vitamin D. Being outside also has many known mental health benefits, including decreasing stress levels and improving mood. We are lucky to have bike paths throughout Columbia to explore and ride. Other relatively close, family-friendly trails include the C&O Canal Towpath, the Kent Island Cross Island Bike Trail, the BWI Loop, and the Torrey C Brown Trail. Cycling can also be enjoyed as a social activity. Plan to meet friends for a ride or ride your bikes to an event. If you ride your bike to the Columbia lakefront for fireworks on the 4th of July, BikeHoco offers a free bike corral (bike parking) and a chance to win an E-Bike. If your child is more daring and enjoys off-road adventures, the Maryland Interscholastic Cycling League (MICA) offers a variety of groups that include social rides, events, and races. Local bike shops offer group road and trail rides for adults. Another great resource for getting involved in the cycling community is Free Bikes for Kidz Maryland, where you can donate bikes, volunteer to repair or distribute bikes to kids, or connect with a community organization that partners with them to obtain a bike. The best way to get your child excited about biking is to show an example of your enthusiasm for riding. Young children (ages 1 -4) can begin riding with you on a mounted bike seat or in a bike trailer if they can sit well unsupported. It is recommended to check with your pediatrician before riding with your child, as there is always variability in children’s development. It is also important to check with the bike manufacturer to ensure your bike can carry added weight (most can) and the age ranges recommended for the seat or trailer you plan to use. As your child ages, the next best step is to try a balance bike to learn how to balance and steer a bike before transitioning to a standard bicycle that requires pedaling. Another benefit of biking is that it is an environmentally friendly activity. You can decrease air and noise pollution and fossil fuel consumption by running a few errands weekly on a bike instead of in your car. This can also help you meet the CDC guidelines for adults to get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise weekly. Always bring a bike lock with you and lock your bike before leaving it, even if for a few minutes. Try biking to Freetown Farm one day and check out the bike stop at the top of Harriett Tubman Lane! The Community Gear Closet plans to hold another clinic on the basics of bike maintenance, so stay tuned to learn more. Important Things to Know about Biking:
Some exercises that can help prepare you for cycling: Increase the strength of your legs with:
Keep your knees and flexible after riding with:
AuthorKaryn Dulaney, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist who has practiced in outpatient orthopedics for almost 2 decades. She enjoys helping patients achieve their personal goals and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. An avid outdoor enthusiast and competitor/participant in various adventure sports, she is passionate about helping others explore outdoor activities for the mental and physical health benefits that come with them. Karyn co-founded the Community Gear Closet, which lends outdoor gear so others can have opportunities for their own outdoor adventures.  The water can offer a cool escape as summer comes into full swing and the temperatures soar. Paddling is a great way to explore the waterways, and Maryland has many rivers and lakes to choose from. The Community Gear Closet has a few inflatable paddle boards, a canoe, and life vests to loan out if you want to try paddling this summer. Here are some essential things to consider for safety and a good experience before heading out. Do your research beforehand: Gather information on where you plan to paddle. Every body of water has different regulations about paddling. These may include the types of paddle craft allowed, the boat length required, use fees, and permit requirements. Most of the Howard County lakes and reservoirs require permits and restrict the use of paddleboards and inflatable water crafts. It is also important to research the body of water or river you are paddling on to educate yourself on potential hazards, such as strainers or unexpected rapids along your route. Know your paddling capabilities and plan accordingly. Research the current water levels as very low or high water levels can lead to different types of hazards. Safety considerations: Always wear an appropriately fitting PFD that is the proper class for your activity. A whistle can also be helpful in an emergency. Inform someone who will be on the land of your intended plan and route ahead of time. Have plenty of drinking water and food. Be sure to wear sunscreen, sunglasses, and/or a wide-brimmed hat to protect yourself from the sun and the glare on the water. Check the weather conditions and forecast ahead of time. Environmental considerations: It is also important to check the water quality where you plan to paddle. Run-off from the rain and bacteria or algae blooms in the summer can be hazardous to your health. If you plan on bringing a furry friend along, this is especially important, as blue-green algae blooms can be toxic to dogs. After paddling, be sure to rinse your vessel to prevent the transfer of aquatic species from one body of water to another. Some exercises to prepare your body for paddling:
AuthorKaryn Dulaney, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist who has practiced in outpatient orthopedics for almost 2 decades. She enjoys helping patients achieve their personal goals and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. An avid outdoor enthusiast and competitor/participant in various adventure sports, she is passionate about helping others explore outdoor activities for the mental and physical health benefits that come with them. Karyn co-founded the Community Gear Closet, which lends outdoor gear so others can have opportunities for their own outdoor adventures.
For an intro to the Transit app and how-to: https://help.transitapp.com/article/93-how-to-use-transit
Check out this short vid from MDOT MTA on how to use the Transit app: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNTXf5DBoLU Learn more about driving habits and their energy use here: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.jsp Learn more about the Howard County LED Light Bulb Exchange Program here: https://www.howardcountymd.gov/News022024 The Meat-Lover’s Guide to Eating Less Meat: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/31/dining/flexitarian-eating-less-meat.html  With longer days and warmer weather, it is a great time of year to hit the trails. We are lucky to have great hiking trails in many parks in Howard County, such as Patapsco State Park, Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, and Wincopin Trails. A little knowledge and preparation can make your next or your first hike a more enjoyable experience! The Community Gear Closet has numerous backpacks, tents, and sleeping pads available if you wish to extend your day hiking trips into a backpacking adventure. Trekking poles and some smaller day packs are also available to borrow.
AuthorKaryn Dulaney, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist who has practiced in outpatient orthopedics for almost 2 decades. She enjoys helping patients achieve their personal goals and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. An avid outdoor enthusiast and competitor/participant in various adventure sports, she is passionate about helping others explore outdoor activities for the mental and physical health benefits that come with them. Karyn co-founded the Community Gear Closet, which lends outdoor gear so others can have opportunities for their own outdoor adventures.
brought with it a beautiful rejuvenating energy for myself! And it came with no time to spare – the farm is abuzz with wonderful work to be done as we transition from projects that we hoped to but maybe didn’t quite totally finish this Winter and into projects that Mother Nature has pushed to top priority; ready or not!
A peek into a few ongoing projects that I am working on:
In addition to everything above, the Tender Greens (our lovingly self titled farm team) has been busting our behinds to prepare for the Plant Sale season ahead of us. By the time you are reading this Earthapalooza has come and gone but there will be many more plant sales to come - one each Saturday in fact - so worry not if you missed out on getting a plant for your home space. To me plant sales mean getting to spend time talking to the community about some of my most favorite things in the world, encouraging folks to have fun in their growing spaces, and feeling good knowing that we are offering affordable, sustainably grown plants for our community. It’s really a beautiful thing to see the excitement on people’s faces as they load up their boxes with the plants we have been pouring our love into for the past weeks or months. For myself Spring can really be a time for regrowth; physically, mentally, and spiritually. And since Spring can be such a wonderfully busy time for us all I wanted to end with a reminder – both for you dear reader and myself. Don’t forget to take a pause for a small moment of mindfulness to take in the regrowth that surrounds you. Why not even do it right now? Step outside, if you are able, and just take it all in. Notice the buds, the birds, the buzzing. Feel the warmth from the sun and be awash with love knowing that you belong in this community and on this Earth. Ever Growing, Simon |
AuthorSThe Community Ecology Institute co-authors the material on this blog with the support of several team members. Categories
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