July 2015 – Sustainable Ewing Green Team

by Ann Farnham, LLA

The tree favored this month by the Ewing Environmental Commission is Sourwood, Oxydendrum arboretum, one of America’s most beautiful native trees. It is at home in the eastern and southeastern United States in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9. Ewing is located in USDA Zone 6b.

This specimen is located at a residence in the Mountain View neighborhood of Ewing. Sorrel Tree and Lily of the Valley Tree are two other names by which it is known.

Sourwood, a pyramidal, medium-sized deciduous tree (usually 25 to 30’ in height) with slightly drooping branches has glossy green leaves which turn brilliant scarlet in the fall.

Its bell-shaped, fragrant flowers appear in June through July in this area and are white pendulous clusters which persist for several weeks. Honeybees favor the flowers, from which they make a fine flavored honey.

Sourwood is unusual in that it gives us summer flowering as well as extraordinary fall color.

This fine tree prefers an acid, moist and well-drained soil. It will thrive in full sun or partial shade, although the fall color is best when the tree is located in full sun.

Sourwood attracts few insects or diseases, none of which is serious.

The Ewing Environmental Commission welcomes suggestions for the Tree of the Month from all Ewing residents. Email suggestions or questions to lafarnham@verizon.net.

To calculate the value that trees add to your property, go to treebenefits.com/calculator/

Join the Ewing Green Team in supporting a greener Mercer County at the fourth of Terhune Orchards’ annual Farm to Table Fun(d)raisers. This year’s celebration, held at Terhune Orchards on Thursday, July 23, from 5-9 p.m., will benefit the Green Teams and sustainability organizations of Mercer County.

The event will feature fresh ingredients from local farms prepared by the well-known chefs from the Terra Momo Restaurant Group and the Bent Spoon, celebrating the local food movement and promoting awareness about county-wide sustainability efforts, while raising money to fund them under the auspices of the Mercer County Sustainability Coalition.

The Mercer County Sustainability Coalition is an alliance of Green Teams and sustainability organizations in the County. Formed in 2013 from the nascent irregular meetings of the various green teams and organizations around Mercer County, the Coalition works to promote a regional and collaborative approach to sustainability initiatives. Environmental issues know no regional boundaries. From our air and water quality, to transportation, to trash and recycling, these issues are common to all of the municipalities within a region. It simply makes sense to promote sustainability regionally and to tackle issues together. By uniting together coalition members can become greater than the sum of their individual parts.

Guests will enjoy cocktails followed by a five-course meal made from New Jersey sourced ingredients and paired with Terhune Orchards own award-winning wines. Live music will be performed throughout the meal. Diners will be treated to an overview of each course by the chef that prepared it, as well as an explanation of its wine pairing by Gary Mount of Terhune Orchards’ and diners will be sent home with local produce grown right on the farm.

Terhune Orchards is at 330 Cold Soil Road. Cocktails will be served starting at 5 p.m. and dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. Dress is country casual and the event will proceed rain or shine. Tickets are $100 per person or $150 per couple and can be purchased using the Pay Pal link below or on our Farm to Table Event page. (Our thanks to Sustainable Lawrence for its support in providing the Pay Pal option for payment for this event.)

Date: Thursday, July 23, 2015
Time: 5 PM Cocktails | 6:30 PM Dinner
Location: Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Lawrence
Cost: $100 Individual | $150 Couple
Buy Your Tickets with Pay Pal!

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