Another a-'maze'-ing festival on tap at Milton Mills

Adam Wayland of Acton, Maine, works an old-fashioned two-man crosscut tree saw at last year's Woods, Water & Wildlife Festival in Milton Mills. (Lebanon Voice file photo)

MILTON MILLS - Exploring the maze of paths winding among tall corn rows is a favorite activity of kids who attend the Woods, Water and Wildlife Festival, held at Branch Hill Farm each August. 

Preparing this “Amazing Maze” is no small endeavor for volunteers, who have been out planting corn seed, weeding and mulching for several weeks. Nor is it the only volunteer task in preparation for this popular festival that attracted more than 400 last year. Helpers set up tents and hay bales, post signs, direct parking and traffic, sell food and raffle tickets and make it all run smoothly.

This year’s 11th annual Woods, Water and Wildlife Festival, presented by Moose Mountains Regional Greenways (MMRG) and Branch Hill Farm/the Carl Siemon Family Charitable Trust, will take place on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., at 307 Applebee Road in Milton Mills.

The cost is $5/person or $10/family and free to ages 12 and under; all events are included in the admission price. Proceeds and sponsorships support MMRG’s land conservation and educational outreach mission.

Several new fun and educational activities will be featured at this year’s festival.  In addition to the ever popular Hay Rides to the River, new Tree Farm Hay Rides will have a guide pointing out features of the forest to hay wagon riders. Backyard Timber Harvesting will demonstrate cutting logs into boards and use of a skidder for bucking.  Geo-Caching will show teens how to use a GPS to find the hidden cache. Also new for adults, results of the experimental corn maze mulches, Home Brewing and Permaculture Gardening demos and information on Native Pollinators. For kids, NH Project Learning Tree activities and a Soil Tunnel and a Water Cycle game.

Returning festival attendees will be happy to see their favorite activities. Volunteer instructors from NH Fish & Game lend poles and bait to kids for the Let’s Go Fishing! event at the pond. Nature experts from Squam Lakes Science Center display rescued animals and the Traveling Barnyard has a petting zoo. The kids’ Self-guided Discovery Walk and Nature’s Playground feature stations among the ferns and tall trees. Staff of nearby farm museums, local craftsmen and a beekeeper demonstrate traditional rural skills. UNH Cooperative Extension provides guided nature walks, birdhouse building, and information on invasive insects. Kids get creative in the Tree Cookie Craft Corner and explore the Amazing Maze.

Homemade salads, desserts, hot grilled food, and cold smoothies will be on sale along with T-shirts and raffle baskets of local fresh produce and kids’ items. The festival takes place rain or shine; no pets please. Rest rooms and most events are wheel chair accessible. For more information, to volunteer or to sponsor an event, call 603-978-7125, email info@mmrg.info or visit www.mmrg.info/festival.

Moose Mountains Regional Greenway is a non-profit land conservation organization serving Brookfield, Farmington, Middleton, Milton, New Durham, Wakefield, and Wolfeboro (see www.mmrg.info). Branch Hill Farm/Carl Siemon Family Charitable Trust is a private operating foundation (see www.branchhillfarm.org).