Discovering Animal Tracks Saturday, December 10, 2022 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Amboy 4-H Environmental Education Center, 748 State Route 183 , Williamstown, New York 13493 PROGRAM RESCHEDULED!Come investigate the woods to discover how animal tracks and traces reveal varying habits, physical characteristics, and interactions about wildlife! Following a presentation, the group will go outside and search throughout the nature preserve for animal signs and be able to determine which animal was in the area. While there is no guarantee of snow, tracks can be discovered in many places and in many ways, such as tracks in the mud, or rubbings from deer antlers. The program will still take place if it is raining or snowing, so please dress appropriately! Only $4 per person, up to $12 for a family. Children under the age of three are free! Registration: https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/Tracks2022_235 ========================================= Sparks - Holiday Nature Crafts Sunday, December 11, 2022 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm Amboy 4-H Environmental Education Center, 748 State Route 183 , Williamstown, New York 13493 Youth will learn about different outdoor, winter resources that can be used for ornaments and holiday crafting, such as pinecones, sticks and twigs, or even greenery. The group will be creating crafts that can be hung around the house or crafts to hang outside for our wildlife friends to enjoy during the cold season, like edible garland or bird feeders.Sparks – Holiday Nature Crafts is available to Oswego County youth ages 8 to 18. A parent or legal guardian will need to attend the first session on December 4th if their child is not previously enrolled in the Oswego County 4-H Program; additional enrollment paperwork may to be completed and signed at the first meeting. Chairs, table tops, other flat spaces, and pens/pencils are sanitized after use to continue to follow COVID safety procedures. Facemasks may be worn if a participant chooses to but are not required. If you need assistance or more information, please contact the 4-H Natural Resources Educator with the Oswego County 4-H Office at (315) 963-7286. ext. 401.  $14 per youth, free to previous Sparks Clubs attendees and currently enrolled Oswego County 4-H youth Registration: https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/SparksHolidays2022_235 ========================================= Guided Snowshoe Hikes Tuesday, December 27, 2022 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Amboy 4-H Environmental Education Center, 748 State Route 183 , Williamstown, New York 13493 Looking to decompress after a busy holiday season? Or are you looking for an activity during the school break? Join us for a guided snowshoe hike through the nature preserve! We will go over the basics of snowshoes then head out on our hike! We recommend wearing winter boots or winter shoes that are flat so they can easily be strapped in! Since CNY's weather is unpredictable this time of year, if there is not enough snow to snowshoe, we will go outside for a winter hike and learn about winter ecology. $4 per person, up to $12 per family, and children under 3 are free! Registration: https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/SnowshoeHike1_235 ========================================= Master Gardener Volunteer Training Course Sunday, January 1, 2023 12:00 pm - 12:00 pm Online Event The 2022 course has been filled. If you're interested in joining in 2023, please contact Josh Vrooman, Agricultural Community Educator, at jwv33@cornell.edu, or at 315-963-7286 ext. 200 Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County (CCE of Oswego) will be offering a Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) Training Course for new Student Master Gardeners. The training course will be offered online through Moodle to give students more flexibility with their personal schedules. The class will start in February and run through June (exact dates & times TBD). Students will work through the online course materials through Cornell’s Garden-Based Learning Library on the first and third week of each month. This will be followed up with virtual learning sessions through Zoom on Wednesday evenings on the second and fourth week of each month. During each follow up session, students will come together to review key knowledge checks, participate in class discussion, work through hands-on activities and listen to special speakers present on various topics. The MGV Training Course will cover all aspects of horticulture and is open to anyone with a passion for gardening and a willingness to volunteer in the community. Students must complete a final project and contribute 50 hours of volunteer time per year through the oversight of CCE of Oswego County Master Gardener Volunteer Program. $200, includes access to course materials from Cornell’s Garden-Based Learning Library =========================================