Families Had Fun Under a New Moon

Thanks to Amy Gardner for photos of the Family New Moon Walk!

What can you do outside in the dark? A lot, it turns out, as discovered by a dozen parents and children who joined Moose Mountains Regional Greenways (MMRG) for a Family New Moon Walk on a warm September evening at Branch Hill Farm in Milton Mills. The outing was part of MMRG’s ‘MOOSE-ies for Families’ program of six nature-related activities per year, designed for families to have fun outdoors together and to encourage a new generation of conservationists.

As twilight fell, families walkedalong a woods road through the Branch Hill Farm forest. One child picked up apine cone, which became an opportunity to identify and learn about pine trees. Whenthe forest transitioned from softwoods to deciduous, trip co-leader Tom Gardnerpointed out the differences between leafy trees and trees with needles. Othersenses came into sharper focus as twilight deepened. When co-leader Kari Lygrenpointed out the soft moss under their feet, one little girl opted for the fullsensory experience and lay down in it. Further along, where the path opened upto a field, everyone spontaneously grew quiet and listened.

The destination was a secluded meadowenclosed by woods, perfect for stargazing while lying on blankets or forfrolicking around on the grass. Kids had a great time chasing and capturingcrickets while adults enjoyed seeing the stars gradually appear in thedarkening sky and learning to identify various constellations. Everyone was interestedin trying the red flashlights (red cellophane taped over the light bulb end),which made it easier for eyes to adapt to the dark.

Earlier, Tom had discussed how our eyesight is based on rods and cones and why red and white light has different effects. He gave examples of animals with different types of sight: nocturnal animals, such as owls, bats and raccoons, that come out and hunt only at night; crepuscular animals such as deer, active at dawn and dusk; and the many diurnal animals that humans are familiar with because we’re all out and about during daylight hours. By the time families made the walk back from the field to their cars, night had fallen and children noticed they could see better when the lights stayed off or only red lights were used.

Reflecting on the evening, Kari reported, “We threw out most of the structured activities we had planned, because kids were having so much fun playing in the field and being outside in the dark. That’s the point after all, for us to enjoy and value what nature has to offer us!”

‘MOOSE-ies for Families’ stands for Members Only Outdoor and Social Events for Families, a membership benefit for MMRG member families. Upcoming MOOSE-ies events include a Bonfire Evening of stories, music and games on Friday, October 25 and a Saturday morning walk to gather greens and make natural decorations on December first. Families can join MMRG for $25 per household per year. Click here to join or call (603) 473-2020 to inquire about available scholarships.

We would like to thank MRP Manufacturing, LLC in Pittsfield, NH for sponsoring the 2019 ‘MOOSE-ies for Families’ series, and the Dorr Foundation, which supported the program with a grant. Thanks also to Branch Hill Farm/Carl Siemon Family Charitable Trust for partnering with us on this event. BHF/CSFCT works to protect open space and working forests and to educate the public about sound forestry, conservation and agricultural practices; see www.branchhillfarm.org.