Shaker Heritage Society (SHS) is joining forces with several partners to provide programs and information about pollinators. 

You can preview the flyer for the week’s planned activities here.  More information about the participating organizations follows the list of events. And remember, these organizations offer great places to visit and learn all year!

POLLINATORS’ WEEK 2021 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Whether you have 5 minutes or an hour, enjoy our gardens and activities, and take advantage of on-site and online presentations, classes, videos, and activities for all ages.

All week: Take the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Pollinator Challenge!  Download and play the Agents of Discovery App  (can be played from anywhere).  Explore the Pollinator Garden and 150 plants at the Shaker Heritage Society Herb Garden with a Family Herb Garden scavenger hunt and Pollinator packet.  Grounds are open year-round from dawn to dusk. At Ten Broeck Mansion, take a self-guided pollinator tour of the gardens and pick up free kids’ pollinators coloring cards.

Saturday, June 19:

• At the Albany Pine Bush,  10am-11am.  Pick up Pollinator Discovery Kits that include information and activities to help you celebrate pollinators. A limited number of the free kits will be handed out on a first come, first served basis while supplies last. Follow the signs at the Discovery Center to the bus parking area in front of the building. Kits handed out as you drive up! More information here.
• At Cornell Cooperative,  10am-1pm. Tour Demonstration Gardens, Scavenger Hunt for Children. Visit information tent with resources.
• At Shaker Heritage Society,   12:30pm.  Shaker Herb Garden 30th Anniversary celebration!  Tours, a picnic lunch, and a toast to our volunteers, the Garden Buds, who make it all possible.  Registrations required here.
• At Ten Broeck  Mansion, free community hands-on workshop  Living History: Plant!  Kids will be able to make their own planters and plantings, including plants that attract pollinators.

Monday, June 21:

• At Cornell Cooperative,  9am-Noon. Visit the
• Visit the Demonstration Gardens & Meet the Master Gardeners.  At Noon, Bringing Nature Into Your Yard & Sustaining It presentation via Zoom, register at Cornell Cooperative’s website.

Tuesday, June 22:

• At Shaker Heritage Society, 11am.   Inventors and Gardeners  The Shakers developed the seed packing industry and also established the first herbal medicine industry in the US.  Tour the herb garden and learn about Shaker innovations and historic remedies.  Bring a picnic lunch.  Event indoors in case of rain.  Registration appreciated at Eventbrite but walk-ins welcome.

Wednesday, June 23:

• At Cherry Hill,  1-4pm.  Family Nature Scavenger Hunt  |  5:30pm  A Tour of Emily’s Garden.  Come see what’s in bloom in Historic Cherry Hill’s gardens! Wear comfortable shoes for this casual interpretive walk– the grounds are small but uneven and hilly. The walk will also be livestreamed to Facebook.  Free, registrations recommended at Eventbrite but walk-ins are welcome.
• At Cornell Cooperative, 7pm.   Welcoming Nature into Our Yards Presentation via Zoom, register at Cornell Cooperative’s website.

Thursday, June 24:

• At Cornell Cooperative,  9am-Noon. Visit the Demonstration Gardens & Meet the Master Gardeners.
• At Cornell Cooperative,  4-6pm. Pollinator Garden Open House – Pine Hills Library, Albany, Meet the Master Gardeners.
• At Cherry Hill,  1-4pm.  Family Nature Scavenger Hunt
• At Albany Pine Bush, 7pm.  Buzz of the Pine Bush Bees webinar.  Did you know that the Albany Pine Bush Preserve is home to over 180 species of native bees? This webinar will introduce these native beauties. Learn how much we owe these insects and how you can help native pollinators in your own backyard! Registration is required. More information and registration at Albany Pine Bush.

Friday, June 25:

• At Shaker Heritage Society, 11am.   Inventors and Gardeners  The Shakers developed the seed packing industry and also established the first herbal medicine industry in the US.  Tour the herb garden and learn about Shaker innovations and historic remedies.  Bring a picnic lunch.  Event indoors in case of rain.  Registration appreciated at Eventbrite but walk-ins welcome.
• At Cherry Hill,  1-4pm.  Family Nature Scavenger Hunt  and House Tours. After a decade long restoration project, Historic Cherry Hill reopens for tours with restored interiors & reinstalled furnishings! Admission only charged for house tour; reservations required, space is limited. The historic grounds and gardens are open and free to the public during tour times, Fridays 1-4pm, and Saturdays 10am-4pm.

Saturday, June 26:

• At Cherry Hill,  1-4pm.  Family Nature Scavenger Hunt. At 12-1pm  Books & Blooms! Presented by the RED Bookshelf, this outdoor kid’s event includes hands-on activities, reading by a local author, and free books! Registration appreciated at Eventbrite but walk-ins welcome.  House Tours: After a decade long restoration project, Cherry Hill reopens for tours with restored interiors & reinstalled furnishings!  Admission only charged for house tour; reservations required, space limited. Fri 1-4pm, Sat 10am-4pm.
• At Cornell Cooperative, 10am-4pm. Info table at Stupendous Stoop Stroll.  More information about the tour here .
• At Pine Hollow, 11am–1pm.  Pollinator Party! Taste some honey, explore the new Bumblebee Habitat, create your own Pollinator Habitat, and learn about different kinds of pollinators. Meet the BPALS (The Bombus Pollinators Association of Law Students from Albany Law School) who are working to get the American Bumblebee added to the endangered species list. Take the Nature Bus to Pine Hollow, between Albany and 9 parks and natural areas. Information at the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy website .

SHAKER HERITAGE SOCIETY is located on the site of America’s first Shaker settlement, established in 1776. Near the Albany Airport and the Ann Lee Pond Nature Preserve (the Shakers’ former mill pond), the site includes Shaker buildings, Pollinator and Herb gardens, an orchard, and the cemetery where Ann Lee is buried. Visit farm animals during the summer. The Shakers are a communal society known for pacifism and gender and racial equality, and admired for their technological innovations, architecture and craftsmanship. Grounds open dawn to dusk, year round. Address; 25 Meeting House Road, Albany, 12211; 518.456.789

A 2019 RESOLUTION ESTABLISHED ALBANY COUNTY as a pollinator-friendly municipality: “Based on the imminent threat that pollinators face from the loss of habitat, climate change, and the use of pesticides, and recognizing the importance of pollinators to our environment and economy, Albany County took action to establish pollinator-friendly practices.” Additional information here.

ALBANY COUNTY HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION | TEN BROECK MANSION is a private, not-for-profit historic house museum in the Arbor Hill neighborhood.  It is unique in having a greenspace and numerous cultural events in an accessible urban environment.  Gardens are open free from dawn until dusk. Visit the Ten Broeck Mansion website. Address: 9 Ten Broeck Place, Albany, 12210; 518.436.9826

The 3,350-acre ALBANY PINE BUSH PRESERVE protects one of the best remaining inland pitch pine-scrub oak barrens in the world with a habitat for many plants and animals, including more than 20 percent of New York State’s wildlife Species of Greatest Conservation Need, such as the endangered Karner blue butterfly. The Discovery Center, open with limited hours and capacity, has interactive exhibits, an outdoor Discovery Trail, and programs. Free admission, fee for some programs. More information at their website or send an email to info@albanypinebush.org. Address: 195 New Karner Road, Albany, 12205; 518.456.0655

CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OF ALBANY COUNTY has resources on soils, site improvement, proper plant selection and care, eco-friendly practices, integrated pest management, composting and much more! Free or low-cost gardening classes and tours offered all year, volunteer opportunities to share a love of gardening.  More information at the website. Questions at 518-765-3516 or via email to ch878@cornell.edu. Address: 24 Martin Rd, Voorheesville, NY 12186

Nestled in the historic hamlet of Slingerlands, just minutes from the City of Albany, the PINE HOLLOW ARBORETUM offers a unique setting to connect with nature, free of charge, 365 days a year.  Learn about trees from around the world, bird watch, hike, or simply find a quiet place to recharge after work.  The Arboretum highlights the diversity of the world’s forests over 22 acres of land featuring 11 ponds and a network of trails. Visit their website for more information. Address: 34 Pine Hollow Road, Slingerlands, NY 12159; 518.992.2033

Located in Albany’s historic South End, HISTORIC CHERRY HILL was the home of 5 generations of the Van Rensselaer family, from 1787 until 1963. The landscape has changed from a 900 acre Hudson River manor farm to a 5 acre plot within the city, containing historic gardens and other echoes of Albany’s past. The historic grounds and gardens are open and free to the public during tour times, Fridays 1-4pm, and Saturdays 10am-4pm. For news, visit their website or via email at shawna@historiccherryhill.org. Address: 523½ South Pearl Street, Albany, NY, 12202; 518.434.4791

In addition to websites listed, most of these groups also have event information on their Facebook pages.  If you have any questions about these programs, contact educator@shakerheritage.org.

Category: Tours, Online, Lectures, Workshops