Aspetuck Land Trust senior members were invited to pick blueberries in the orchards within Aspetuck Land Trust property, Trout Brook Valley Preserve, on August 1, 2013.  Part of this property is devoted to the cultivation of 800 blueberry bushes of various types within the 1,009 acres of Trout Brook Valley Preserve. The gates were unlocked for a few hours one morning and seniors were invited to drive up the dirt road and to park near the blueberry patch. While everyone I saw could have made the walk, it was sure nice to save ones energy for picking by driving up the hill.

Joe Kusnierczak, Easton Connecticut Native. Picking blueberries in the orchards at Aspetuck Land Trust property of Trout Brook Valley Preserve on August 1, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup. All Rights Reserved.

Aspetuck Land Trust is a non-profit membership organization whose mission is the preservation and conservation of open space, including farm and forest land, and the natural resources located thereon, primarily in the towns of Easton, Weston, Fairfield and Westport Connecticut for the benefit and education of the public. It was formed in 1966 by leading area conservationists. Through generous gifts of land, continued efforts of volunteers, and cooperation from town agencies, the Aspetuck Land Trust has preserved over 1,700 acres of land, which will be maintained in a natural state in perpetuity.

Aspetuck Land Trust has grown exponentially in the last few years for several reasons, One of the most important was the hiring of David Brant as the Executive Director, who took over from Bruce LePage who put Aspetuck Land Trust on the map before he retired. Bud Martin, said to me in our conversation.

l. to r. Nancy Moon, VP Marketing & Communication & Board Member, Aspetuck Land Trust. David Brant, Executive Director, Aspetuck Land Trust. Picking blueberries in the orchards at Aspetuck Land Trust property of Trout Brook Valley Preserve on August 1, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup

Summer months are a wonderful time to spend quality time with family and children. Grandparents too usually enjoy spending time with their grandchildren. I know I enjoyed family outings, and can reflect back to those carefree family times with fondness. We saw several seniors who were accompanied by family and friends at the annual Aspetuck Senior Blueberry Picking Event.

Front to back. Brenda Ungerland, Southport CT; Vidal Clay, Westport CT; Picking blueberries in the orchards at Aspetuck Land Trust property of Trout Brook Valley Preserve on August 1, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup. All Rights Reserved.

Here two pickers work side by side picking blueberries.

l. to r. Townsend P. Dickinson, Norwalk CT; David Brant, Executive Director, Aspetuck Land Trust; Bud Martin, Weston CT, Board Member & Event Organizer, Aspetuck Land Trust. Picking blueberries in the orchards at Aspetuck Land Trust property of Trout Brook Valley Preserve on August 1, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup. All Rights Reserved.

All you need to pick blueberries is a container, binoculars are optional, but helped one picker id some of the abundant bird life found in the vicinity of a blueberry patch. There were Bluebirds galore, a family of Northern Orioles and a few Bobolinks were seen in a mixed blackbird flock.

Relly Coleman, Westport, CT; Picking blueberries in the orchards at Aspetuck Land Trust property of Trout Brook Valley Preserve on August 1, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup. All Rights Reserved.

One had to look carefully for the big ripe berries as many berries were still not ripe.

l. to r. Grand Daughter, Louisa Mulligan and Bud Martin, Weston CT, Board Member & Event Organizer, Aspetuck Land Trust; Picking blueberries together in the orchards at Aspetuck Land Trust property of Trout Brook Valley Preserve on August 1, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroupAll Rights Reserved.

An Aspetuck Land Trust Board member shares the experience with a grand daughter.

l. to r. Vidal Clay, Westport CT; Brenda Ungerland, Southport CT; Bud Martin, Weston CT, Board Member & Event Organizer, Aspetuck Land Trust; Relly Coleman, Westport, CT; Joe Kusnierczak, Easton CT Native and her Niece Mary Randolph; Tom Johnson, Board Member, Aspetuck Land Trust. Seniors picking blueberries in the orchards at Aspetuck Land Trust property of Trout Brook Valley Preserve on August 1, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroupAll Rights Reserved.

Some of the seniors gathered for a group portrait after making sure they had picked their fill of blueberries.

Below an intrepid grandson trudges along with his blueberry basket.

Luke Mulligan, grandson of Bud Martin, Weston CT, Board Member & Event Organizer, Aspetuck Land Trust; Caring a basket of blueberries in the orchards at Aspetuck Land Trust property of Trout Brook Valley Preserve on August 1, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup All Rights Reserved.

Always remember to take the time to have some fun. The rewards of an outing like this can be counted in many ways. Yum, yum.

Towny’s blueberry muffins. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/ KymryGroup. All Rights Reserved.