The Spring 2024 episode of Shenandoah Valley Ever Green highlights systems that support dwelling in the Shenandoah Valley. First, we’ll hear about individuals and organizations around Harrisonburg who enact housing initiatives for people who encounter difficulties accessing a safe and comfortable home.
A veterinarian from the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center in Boyce, VA, will tell the backstory of one of our most common animal neighbors, the gray squirrel, and a local beekeeper will discuss re-locating bee hives when a bee population has established residence in an unwanted location.
UVA Astronomer Dr. Kelsey Johnson provides details about the upcoming total solar eclipse. And local photographer Bob Adamek provides tips for capturing snapshots of animals in the wild.
Shenandoah Valley Ever Green receives financial support through The Madison Trust. Our benefactors include Blayne Adams; George and Alison Wheeler; and the Circle of Dreams Foundation: Founder/Trustee Alumni, Jeanne Jambor and Trustee Dreamweaver Spielman.
Special thanks to Sarah McConnell and the Virginia Foundation of the Humanities who shared their recording facilities for this episode.
Reporters: Sam Game, Michael Russo, & Carolynn Unger; Executive Producers: Ryan Alessi & Tim Thomas; Additional studio recording by JMU Libraries Media Production Services; Editing by Ryan Alessi; All music for the program is performed by the group “Many Nights Ahead” with recording by Gene Bowlen at Cross Keys Studios; Graphic Artist: Annie McGowan
Systems that Support Dwelling in the Shenandoah Valley -- WEB EXTRAS
Here’s an essay from carpenter Earl Martin published in the Harrisonburg Citizen in which Earl tells the story of the Carpenters Guild replacing a roof in Elkton, VA. Interested in the Harrisonburg Carpenters Guild? You can reach Earl Martin at patearl@aol.com
https://hburgcitizen.com/2022/07/28/community-perspective-the-story-of-a-hammer/
More resources about housing in the Shenandoah Valley
Central Valley Habitat for Humanity Website
Mercy House Website
ALICE Data Website
The History of a Small, Rural Town – Monson, Maine
JMU History Professor Andrew Witmer re-visited his hometown of Monson, Maine, and produced an award-winning book entitled Here and Everywhere Else: Small-Town Maine and the World. In this story of his hometown’s history, Dr. Witmer tells about the people and the international dynamics that combined over the past 200 years to create a rural town.
Here are some additional portions of his interview that address his process in exploring his hometown’s history:
In this clip, Dr. Witmer discusses the global and local elements that must combine in order to create and sustain a town:
Andrew Witmer reads a selection from his award-winning text, Here and Everywhere Else: Small-Town Maine and the World:
In this final clip, Dr. Witmer recommends steps that individuals can take to explore their own local history:
Preparing for a Total Solar Eclipse in North America
Dr. Kelsey Johnson presents information on lunar eclipses that always accompany a total solar eclipse:
UVA astronomer Dr. Kelsey Johnson discusses using pinhole projections as a safe method for observing the total solar eclipse:
Other Web Resources for Pinhole Projections & Safe Eclipse Viewing
National Weather Service Fact Sheet for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
https://www.weather.gov/media/aly/Climate/Eclipse/FactSheet_TotalSolarEclipse.pdf
Total Solar Eclipse FAQs from NOAA
https://www.weather.gov/media/cle/2024Eclipse/2024%20Eclipse%20Two%20Handout.pdf
Multilingual 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Safety Information from NASA
https://science.nasa.gov/resource/2024-total-solar-eclipse-safety-sheet/
From NASA, A Pinhole Projector Activity
https://www.weather.gov/media/cle/2024Eclipse/2024%20Eclipse%20Two%20Handout.pdf
Winter Beehive Activity
Sam Game provided this report during Spring 2023 which discusses supporting local bee activity as the bees phase into Spring – leave the dandelions for the bees!
https://hburgcitizen.com/2023/02/13/where-does-the-buzz-go-when-the-temperature-drops/
Tips for Photographing Wildlife
Photographer Bob Adamek shares advice during this episode for photographing animals in the wild. Many of his photos displayed here – including several from the Shenandoah Valley – capture the energy that our wild neighbors display when photographed in their natural habitat.
