Led by Dr. Annette Naber. Immerse yourself in the sensory experiences and healing scents of the mosses, ferns, shrubs and trees that make up the forest eco-system. Shinrin-yoku, the Japanese custom of walking in the forest, has been scientifically proven to lower blood pressure and heart rate and increase your feelings of well being. Annette will lead you through a series of mindful and sensory exercises that will enhance your forest walk and deepen your experience of being in nature. Participants will enjoy a refreshing home-made lemonade or herbal tea at the end of the walk. We will meet in Highland County, near Monterrey. (Limited to 12 participants).

Join us for good company and excellent food at our Annual Meeting and Dinner. 5:00—6:00 pm Social Hour with 50th Anniversary Slide Show and Raffle 6:00—7:00 pm Catered Dinner by Chef Josh Elliott (from Garth Newel) 7:00—8:00 pm Presentation and Business Meeting - Voting for New Directors WHERE: Camp Mont Shenandoah 218 Mont Shenandoah Lane Millboro, VA 24460 COST: $25 per person (must pay in advance) $15 for children ages 12 and under No refunds after May 14, 2022 RSVP: Click here to sign-up online. If you have any problems, email Lynne Griffith at directorcrpa@gmail.com or call 540-620-7795. Registration deadline is May 14, 2022 (or, AT LEAST email your intentions by that date — we have to guarantee the number attending to the caterer).

Update: Registration is closed. Please email directorcrpa@gmail.com to be added to the wait list. The Cowpasture River Preservation Association and Fort Lewis Lodge & Farm invite artists of any medium to join us for The Second Annual CRPA Artist Retreat at Fort Lewis. Offering over 3,300 acres of open fields, mountains, forests, wildflowers, and birds, and featuring 3-miles of the scenic Cowpasture River, Fort Lewis is the perfect place to gather with fellow artists and create in a beautiful outdoor setting. This year we have added an extra day, making this a 3-day event, and included a nightly social hour which will offer participants an opportunity to mingle and discuss their art. The event is non-juried and open to the first 30 artists who register. 

Discover the abundance of edible and medicinal plants that grow in the lush bio-diverse region of the Virginia Western Highlands. Begin by exploring edible weeds in the garden, then meander through the picturesque fields, hedgerows and forest edges. The group will identify wildflowers, berries, nuts, greens, leaves and barks. You will learn about ethical foraging ground rules and plants that should never be picked because they are endangered or poisonous to humans. We will meet in Highland County, near Monterey. (Limited to 12 participants.)