Celebrating Earth Day at Annual Bayonet Farm Festival

As has been the case with so many other recent outdoor events, Mother Nature made her presence known at Holmdel’s annual Bayonet Farm Earth Day Festival, held this year on Sunday, April 28, 2019. But the chill in the air and the dreary skies did nothing to dampen the spirits of an estimated 400+ attendees at the day-long event, sponsored by Citizens for Informed Land Use (CILU) and the Holmdel Environmental Commission.

Families, friends, neighbors, and visitors enjoyed a full agenda of activities on the magnificent grounds of Bayonet Farm, all carefully planned with environmental conservation and appreciation for Planet Earth in mind. For some, the day began in the morning with a hike along the picturesque Ramanessin Trail, starting across from the Holmdel Park Arboretum and finishing at the site of the festival. The hike was led by Larry Fink, former Holmdel mayor and founder of CILU, together with Ralph Blumenthal – both of whom are always ready and willing to share their considerable wealth of knowledge about the surroundings and the environment.

At Bayonet Farm, Dennis Henderson led four hourly tours of the stately, historic farmhouse, which was the home of actress, heiress, and philanthropist Laura Harding, who often hosted close friends such as the famed Katharine Hepburn there. Elsewhere on the property, Janet Jackel and Ralph Blumenthal led guests on guided walks around the farmland.

Those looking for a furry new friend to feed went to visit the petting zoo, while others watched with delight as a creative artist produced animal balloons just for them. And speaking of artists, there was also a terrific display of artwork in the Grey Star Barn, with entries from talented students at Village School and Indian Hill School for the juried poster contest.

Also in the Grey Star Barn were several delightful professional shows for children, including a presentation about bees from the Central Jersey Beekeepers Association, a fun drawing demonstration with Doodle Dude!, and an engaging show with live mammals from Eyes of the Wild.

Under the large “big top” tent, various community organizations had tables and displays set up, with exhibits and information about land preservation, composting, gardening, ongoing efforts to “go green” wherever possible, and more.

On the upper level of the great Red Barn, visitors had the chance to pull up a chair and listen to live musical entertainment by Bill Anania and by Thomas and Christina, under the coordination of Mike Rauchwerk. Outside the barn, on the lower level, were the animal balloons plus nature crafts for kids and a display of a 250-gallon copper Prohibition-era whiskey still, courtesy of the Holmdel Historical Society, which comes with a fascinating history of its own.

There may not have been any whiskey to drink any longer, but visitors to the Earth Day Festival were able to eat and imbibe other tasty foods and beverages that were served up by volunteers at the Red Barn Deli & Olde Fashioned Bake Shoppe. Other than the fees for the petting zoo, the refreshments were the only things that needed to be purchased at this entirely free event, with the proceeds earmarked for future Earth Day Festivals.

Kudos go to the 2019 Bayonet Farm Earth Day Festival co-chairs Cathy D’Orazio and Karen Strickland and their hardworking team of committee volunteers for presenting another great community celebration. The committee, in turn, expressed their gratitude to the volunteers, musicians, Holmdel Township Department of Public Works, Department of Recreation, Fire Company #2, First Aid Squad, and Venture Crew 10 for their efforts in making the day a success. Additional thanks go to Dearborn Market, Papa Ganache Vegan Bakery, and Saker ShopRite for their generous donations of food items and gift cards.