Rain or Shine Club

Come explore your back yard by joining the Rain or Shine Club, sponsored by the Royal River Conservation Trust, for a no cost, guided mini-adventure of its preserves and trails every Thursday, starting at 10 a.m.

On Thursday, Feb. 26, at 10 a.m., take the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village barnyard tour with Brother Arnold Hadd as your guide. He has offered to show visitors around the historic Shaker Village barns, checking out the critters who live there. This is a very special place and the tour will not require very much walking. The village is located at 707 Shaker Road, off Route 26, in New Gloucester.

On Thursday, March 5, at 10 a.m., join longtime conservation trust associates Eugenie Francine and Rosemary Whitney for some local knowledge sharing at the trust’s still growing Pisgah Hill Preserve on Dougherty Road in New Gloucester, near the Pownal town line. Preview the full moon hike, scheduled for the next day at sunset, during full daylight.

Contact RRCT Stewardship Director Kyle Warren at 632-6112, or kyle@rrct.org, for more details.

Snowshoeing by Moonlight

Join members of the Royal River Conservation Trust on Friday, March 6, for their annual full moon hike at the Pisgah Hill Preserve in New Gloucester. Hospitality, complete with a bonfire and cocoa, will be provided by Terry DeWan and Nancy Wines-DeWan on the back fields of their farm adjacent to the preserve. Depending on conditions, you can hike the 1.25 mile well-marked trail using snowshoes or boots.

Start your trek any time between 5 and 7:30 p.m., keeping in mind that the full moon begins to rise at 5:30 p.m. Bring headlamps or flashlights, and appropriate gear for the weather. The hike is free of charge. From Route 231 (Intervale Road), proceed 0.5 mile along Dougherty Road, and then look for a small parking lot on the left. Park there or along the side of the road.

Cheese Making for Adults

Learn the simple process of making mozzarella cheese at The Smokehouse at Pineland Farms, from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Feb. 28. Buy tickets at The Market and Welcome Center, 15 Farm View Drive, New Gloucester, for $12 per person. Pre-registration is required, so call 650-3031 to sign up in advance.

Milk a Cow

Visit the dairy barns at Pineland Farms and learn about Holstein cows and how the farmhands take care of them. This family education program, called “Udderly Amazing Cows,” takes place from 10-11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26, and repeated on Tuesday, March 3, from 10-11:30 a.m. The program is open to all ages.

Buy tickets at The Market and Welcome Center, 15 Farm View Drive, New Gloucester, for $5 per person. Please arrive 15 minutes in advance. For more information, contact the education department at 650-3031 or education@pinelandfarms.org.

Winter Dance

The Royal River Riders Snowmobile Club of New Gloucester will be hosting its fourth annual dance, featuring Stolen Mojo, from 8 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, March 7, at the American Legion, Route 100, Gray. Tickets can be reserved in advance for $12 per person by calling Andrea at 577-2563 or Candi at 831-0449. Only a limited number of tickets are available, so reserve early.

Cheer Tumbling and Gymnastics

Sponsored by New Gloucester Parks and Recreation, Cheer Tumbling and Gymnastics is a six-week program given by Becky Norton at the Memorial School Gym, 86 Intervale Road, New Gloucester, starting Thursday, March 12. The program includes proper stretching, strength building, tumbling, beam, and vault. It is open to students ages 4 through eighth grade, and the cost is $32. For online registration, go to www.newgloucester.com, “Town Departments” sidebar, Parks & Recreation. Direct any questions you may have to Recreation Director Harvey Price Jr., hprice@newgloucester.com or 926-4126, ext. 231.