Save the date! 

Keep an eye out for these recurring events:

* April Green Fair with EV Expo, Vegan Fest, Native Plant Sale and Arbor Day Celebration: April 26, 2025 (part of Madison's Green & Clean event)
* April Native Plant Sale with the Great Swamp Watershed Association; ordering begins on April 1 for pickup in Madison in May.
* Madison Farm & Artisan Market: Saturdays 9am to 2pm May through December
* Repair Cafe: organized by the Rotary in fall and in spring (April 12, 11am to 3pm at Grace Church)
* Town-Wide Yard Sale in spring (May 3) and fall (Oct 18).
* AAUW Book Sale takes place as part of the Town-Wide Yard Sale, May 3 and Oct 18, 2025.
* Eco Garden Tour and Native Plant Sale: September date TBD

A "Bad Naturalist" shares her rewilding adventures, March 13 at 7pm

Bad Naturalist (Timber Press) is Paula Whyman's story of turning a 75-acre Blue Ridge Mountain cow pasture into a biodiverse meadow—despite a total lack of gardening experience. Her uphill efforts have yielded a humorous, informative book whose plot points (conflicting advice, invasive plants, hungry deer) will be familiar to many home gardeners. As Paula's meadow begins to flourish, it's a pleasure to see how native plants enrich her life—and that of the birds, pollinators, and others who share her habitat.

RSVP below for this March 13 event, co-sponsored by the Nature of Reading Bookshop.

It will take place at the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts Annex, 23 Main St.

• 5–6:45 pm: private browsing at the Nature of Reading Bookshop, 22 Main St.
• 6:30–7 pm: light refreshments at the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts Annex, 23 Main St.
• 7–8 pm: Paula Whyman is interviewed by Ann E. Wallace and Kim Correro, hosts of the New Jersey Native Plant Society's excellent podcast, The WildStory
• 8 pm: Book signing and mingling.

Registration is required.

Invasive Plant Workshop with Wildstead
Wed., January 30 at 7pm at the Madison Community Arts Center, Kings Road. Tickets are $10

It’s easy to fall in love with an invasive plant, not knowing that birds will carry its seeds to parks and forests, where new plants will grow unchecked. In the Drew Forest alone, two acres of trees were nearly choked to death by Chinese Wisteria. Barberry and ivy are invading multiple Madison parks and Burning Bush is a serious problem at Jockey Hollow.

What to do?
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Join L.Be Sholar, founder of Wildstead, the native plant landscaping firm in East Hanover, for a deep dive. Learn how to replace invasives with native plants that will nourish birds and pollinators. You’ll leave with advice, handouts and lots of ecological savvy.
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Top Ten Suburban Invaders to Replace

1. Burning Bush
2. Barberry
3. Ivy 
4. Asian Wisteria
5. Asian Honeysuckle
6. Chinese Silver Grass (Miscanthus)
7. Butterfly Bush
8. Callery Pear trees
9. Norway Maple trees 
10. Privet

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