Clams, tunes and Timm: Don’t miss these great July HCT events!

Add sizzle to your Cape Cod summer by learning about nature, touring a shellfish hatchery and enjoying great music. Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) is offering an exciting lineup of July events that are sure to delight family and friends, and provide insight into the fascinating natural world around us.

Cold Brook Wildlife Walk with ecologist Brad Timm

On Sunday, July 19th from 8 to 10 a.m., HCT will present a special “Cold Brook Wildlife Walk” led by Brad Timm, noted wildlife ecologist, nature author and founder of the Northeast Wildlife Team.

This relaxed, family-friendly walk will take place at HCT’s Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve, where a recent rewilding project added a half-mile All Persons Trail and restored 44 acres of wetland and a mile of stream habitat. Now home to all kinds of wildlife and flourishing native plants, the area has become a popular hiking and nature-watching destination.

The program will offer an interactive exploration into the hidden lives of local wildlife, with tips on how to identify birds by sight and sound, discovering wildflowers and the pollinators that depend on them, and much more. Along the way, Timm will share engaging stories and surprising insights that will help you see familiar surroundings, and the animals that inhabit them, in a whole new way.

Registration is required, with a program cost of $20. For more information and to reserve your spot, click here. Signed copies of Timm’s books, America is Wild! and Wildlife Out Your Window, will be available for purchase following the program at discounted rates ($20 for each; cash and Venmo preferred).

Shellfish Hatchery Tour: See how ARC grows baby clams and oysters

Dennis-based Aquacultural Research Corporation (ARC) is the largest and longest-running facility of its kind in Massachusetts. They produce healthful shellfish from spawn to table using environmentally responsible methods and distribute this replenishable food source to consumers around the world.

HCT is excited to present an opportunity to tour the ARC Hatchery and see how the shellfish magic happens. You’ll go behind the scenes and observe shellfish spawning and in early life stages, plus learn how shellfish are sorted, measured and graded before being packaged and shipped to restaurants and fish markets across the country.

Set along the beautiful Dennis flats, with views stretching toward Chapin Beach, the experience blends active aquaculture with the natural coastal landscape.

The one-hour tour will take place on July 23rd at 10 a.m., with parking available at ARC. Folks should wear shoes that can get a little bit wet.

Registration is required, with a program cost of $20.  For more information and to reserve your spot, click here.

CranFest in the Courtyard: The Wolff Sisters and The Lion Sisters

Enjoy great music in the beautiful courtyard of the 204 Cultural Arts Municipal Building at a co-sponsored concert to benefit HCT on July 23rd. You’ll see performances by The Wolff Sisters and The Lion Sisters, two excellent acts that are sure to make the evening special.

The Wolff Sisters crafted their sound around a honky-tonk piano in the living room of their childhood home. Their timeless songs are rooted in traditional folk/rock and Americana storytelling.

The Lion Sisters are a sibling duo from New Hampshire that feature tight harmonies and effortless onstage connection.  Their music blends folk and bluegrass with Irish fiddle, vintage country, and subtle pop and rock influences, creating a style that feels both rooted and refreshingly original.

CranFest is part of the Harwich Cranberry Festival, which is celebrating 50 wonderful years of bringing arts and music to appreciative Cape Cod audiences. Bob Weiser, a member of the Harwich Cranberry Festival Board of Directors is excited about the HCT benefit concert.

“Having been a Harwich resident for almost 25 years, I’ve seen the Harwich Conservation Trust grow in effectiveness and breadth,” said Weiser. “The Trust is a great resource for preserving open space and restoring habitat, and is one of the most important contributors to maintaining Harwich in a way that is consistent with its history.”

The Wolff Sisters/Lion Sisters concert will take place at the 204 Cultural Arts Municipal Building (204 Sisson Road, Harwich) on July 23rd. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. with the concert beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Folks are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs to sit on the grass. Tickets for the show are $30, with part of the proceeds benefitting HCT. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here or go to harwichcranberryartsandmusicfestival.org.

We hope to see you at one or more of these great HCT events. It’s a fabulous way to celebrate the season, learn something new about the natural world and hear great music!

—Sign up for HCT eNews, a great way to stay in the loop about exciting HCT events, guided walks and other interesting news.

—Your tax-deductible contributions help fulfill the mission of the Harwich Conservation Trust to preserve land that protects woods, water, wildlife and our shared quality of life. And your land-saving financial support helps us preserve beautiful properties that can become stellar trail destinations. Find out how to donate by clicking here.