Offerings for Community Building

Offerings for Community Building Professional consultant, writer, outdoor educator, specializing in natural science/natural history, wild edibles, connecting deeply with the Land. Hello!

Nurturing a sense of community is more than just connecting with other humans (though this is vastly important too); it is also nourishing a sense of place and belonging in the world. And to do this you need to connect with your environment. Therefore, community building is more than just doing activities with other humans; it is also spending time outside and observing Nature’s cycles and process

es and the activities of your wild neighbors. By spending time in the outdoors and getting to know the plants and animals around you, you can start to recognize your part in Nature. My name is Arianna Alexsandra Collins and it is my mission to provide opportunities for folks to nurture a deep connection with the environment upon which we depend. I am at your service to provide outdoor educational excursions, wild edibles identification and meal preparation, and curriculum design and implementation for natural science education, tailoring lessons to meet MA Standards in science and English. I also offer writing services to organizations and businesses, specializing in natural science, natural history, wild edibles, and outdoor education; networking opportunities for your business; organizational development; and event planning (including green weddings). The thread that runs through all of my work is a desire for bridging, for connection, and to support and nurture a sense of place and belonging. Whether that be people feeling a deeper sense of connection to the Land they live on; celebrants bonding during a happy occasion; readers feeling a sense of belonging to the organization they are members of; businesses collaborating with a shared sense of purpose; and participants feeling a deeper understanding of how they’re part of a larger community that comprises other beings in the environment we all share. These are my offerings for community building! Offering programs and activities throughout Western, MA I would like to acknowledge and honor that I am working on the homelands of the Pocumtuc, Nonotuck Mohawk, Nipmuc, and Mohican Tribal Peoples. Bio: Arianna Alexsandra Collins is an environmental education professional with twenty years of experience in teaching, curriculum design, program development, project administration, daily operations, public relations, and community engagement. She is a gifted networker able to maximize people’s strengths and make creative connections to help people shine in their work. She is known for being an enthusiastic event planner and highly organized coordinator. Arianna is also a writer and poet. She writes natural science / natural history articles for local and regional publications and she is the author of Hearken to Avalon, a historical fantasy novel. One of Arianna‘s greatest passions is to connect people with the land and she does this through teaching people how to identify wild edibles and medicinals. Arianna holds a master’s degree in Environmental Administration from Antioch University New England. She lives in Ashfield, MA with her two kitties and a multitude of wild beings cohabitating on (and in) the Land.

11/11/2024

Healing, health, and easeful transitions to our veterans who sacrificed and survived so much in the name of freedom and democracy.

"Ain't no choice but to be brave""Peace and love to the ones who give praiseTake a bow as the light hits the faceSee me ...
11/11/2024

"Ain't no choice but to be brave"

"Peace and love to the ones who give praise
Take a bow as the light hits the face
See me now, I‘m loud and proud
And to those who fear leads them to hate
What a pity to be locked in that place, I know
You see me though
Cause the breeze don’t blow cause you want it
And the sun gon’ shine regardless
I'm here to stay"

Potent spellweaving by Danille Ponder "Some of Us are Brave"

Some Of Us Are Brave debut album by Danielle Ponder out September 16th, pre-order now: https://ffm.to/soub_preStream 'Some Of Us Are Brave', out now: https:/...

On the dying breath of Samhain make a wish. Your essence goes into the seeds that blow across the Land and down through ...
11/10/2024

On the dying breath of Samhain make a wish. Your essence goes into the seeds that blow across the Land and down through the stem into the roots to take hold and strengthen in the darkness.
Blessings,
Arianna
Photo credit: Dandelion Inspiration by Arianna Alexsandra Collins

On the dying breath of Samhain make a wish. Your essence goes into the seeds that blow across the Land and down through the stem into the roots to take hold and strengthen in the darkness.
Blessings,
Arianna

Photo credit: Dandelion Inspiration by Arianna Alexsandra Collins

Connect with the Land and Waters. Your connections will help you through.
11/10/2024

Connect with the Land and Waters. Your connections will help you through.

With all that is going on, might we suggest that you go sit by the River and breathe.
Just breathe.

Watch for your wild neighbors; they have places to go too.
11/10/2024

Watch for your wild neighbors; they have places to go too.

SAFETY NOTICE FOR DRIVERS: Brake for deer!
Deer are on the move this time of year during their breeding season, especially during the early morning and evening. Did you know that almost half of all reported collisions between deer and vehicles happen from October to December?

While driving, you can avoid a collision by:
🟠 Observing signs for deer crossings
🟠 Slowing down to give yourself more time to react
🟠 Reducing distractions

Do not swerve to avoid hitting a deer as it may lead to more risk and damage than hitting the deer. Vehicle collisions with moose or deer should be reported to the Massachusetts Environmental Police at 1-800-632-8075.

On the dying breath of Samhain make a wish. Your essence goes into the seeds that blow across the Land and down through ...
11/08/2024

On the dying breath of Samhain make a wish. Your essence goes into the seeds that blow across the Land and down through the stem into the roots to take hold and strengthen in the darkness.
Blessings,
Arianna

Photo credit: Dandelion Inspiration by Arianna Alexsandra Collins

If you haven't voted yet, please do; for yourself and your community.
11/05/2024

If you haven't voted yet, please do; for yourself and your community.

From my Hearken to Avalon blog "Summer's End and Sacrifice", I look at the meaning of sacrifice and how it pertains to t...
11/04/2024

From my Hearken to Avalon blog "Summer's End and Sacrifice", I look at the meaning of sacrifice and how it pertains to the natural world, and as we consider the oncoming cold dark months and what we were able to harvest to withstand the storms, I ask, "What needs to be sacrificed in you so that the whole of you can survive? What fear, what habit, what inner demon needs to die so that you may thrive?"
Blessings,
Arianna

This article also appears in the November edition of The Ashfield News.

It is Samhain, Summer’s End. The grain has been cut and stored. The fruit has been picked and processed. This is the last harvest – the blood harvest. Traditionally, this is a time where a portion …

I have been hearing a lot of leaf blowers out there - here's a good reason to put them away... with less than 3 inches o...
11/04/2024

I have been hearing a lot of leaf blowers out there - here's a good reason to put them away... with less than 3 inches of precipitation in the month of October, the annual leaf drop will help soil retain moisture over the winter.
Decomposing leaves are nutrition for future leaves, habitat, and soil insulation.

The leaves show us the way
11/01/2024

The leaves show us the way

THE SEASON OF LETTING GO

And so begins the season of letting go,
when Mother Nature shows us all,
how it’s done.

Let go,
free yourself,
shake it off,
drop it,
give way for the new.

Create space for new thoughts, new ideas,
new adventures and new connections,
by shedding the dead weight you’ve been carrying around,
for so long.

And whilst you are there, being reborn and renewed,
let go of old anxieties too.

Let go of any doubts, fears or beliefs which no longer serve you well.

Release bitterness or past hurts which feast on your beauty.

Be brave,
Don’t fear the nakedness as your leaves slip away.

Mother Nature doesn’t,
watch and learn.

- Donna Ashworth
🎨 unknown

Post by Matthew Knot

10/31/2024

when you can feel the wind
in your bones,
the season of dying things
comes blowing in.
the ground is scattered
with pinecones and pitch;
leaves turn to fire
and then just let go.
bluejays pad their nests,
squirrels scavenge for acorns and pine nuts.
there’s a cacophony of crows
crowing overhead;
this is their season to be sure.

when you can feel the wind
in your bones,
the season of death comes blowing in.
and still, the rains return.
cedar boughs come down
and offer themselves to our fires.
the plant world is shedding.
the animal world is gathering.
all of us here,
alive,
and reckoning
with what it means
to be mortal

~ Iris Eve
Wild Woman Magic
www.wildwomanmagic.com

Art by Mary Feywood (Maartje Van Dokkum)
www.maryfeywood.nl

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Ashfield, MA
01330

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Videos

Tis the season for getting to know a plant neighbor: autumn olive. This shrub has red ripe fruit just waiting to be picked! Read more on my blog: https://hearkentoavalon.com/2016/10/26/autumn-olive-falls-secret-bounty/

Meet a wild neighbor: Eastern Hemlock Eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis, is not to be confused with the herbaceous, similarly named water hemlock (Cicuta maculata) and poison hemlock (Conium maculatum). This conifer sports dark green flat needles, occurring singly with white stomatal bands on the needles’ underside – think racing stripes. Another important feature is that eastern hemlock has a tiny petiole – like an itty-bitty stem. The poisonous yew (“never eat yew”) (Taxus canadensis), which also has flat needles, does not have a petiole, nor white lines on underside of the needle. As a youngster, hemlock bark has reddish-gray to reddish-brown irregular scales with an inner layer that is cinnamon-y colored and warty cinnamon-red lenticels. As the tree ages those scales thicken, lengthen, and form ridges. Though eastern hemlock is a common tree and can form dominant stands, creating cool sinks, it is being attacked by the invasive wooly adelgid. This critter forms white sticky masses on the underside of the needles and steals the nutrients to the tree.

Enjoy a lovely serene day. 🌲 🌱🌿🍀🌲 “You may not get good reception out in the woods but I swear you’ll feel a stronger connection.”

Part two of conducting a wild edibles land inventory in Holyoke, MA; this time focusing on garlic mustard. See identification details in the comments. And see earlier video on violets. Please note that while I state all violets are edible, I mean all wild violets you find in the woods and on your lawn and garden are edible. Do not eat your African violet houseplants if you have them. Those are not edible. Also, take care of your health and do not harvest edibles from places that have been sprayed with pesticides. If you would appreciate me conducting a wild edibles land inventory on your property, check out details at: https://offeringsforcommunitybuilding.com/wild-edibles/ Happy foraging!

This is first time teaching in front of video camera while I performed a spring land inventory on a client’s property in Holyoke. I think my friend Valerie and I did a pretty good first run. So many violets on her lawn! We added them and the toothwort and ramps I brought, to a soup she made for lunch. See picture and recipe in comments. We both like to play with food so if you think this is a recipe you would like, feel free to adapt to your tastes. Enjoy my first video. And if you would appreciate me conducting a wild edibles land inventory on your property, check out details at: https://offeringsforcommunitybuilding.com/wild-edibles/ Please note: all wild violets you find in the woods and on your lawn and garden are edible. But do not attempt to eat your African violet houseplants if you have them. Those are not edible.

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Our Story

Arianna Alexsandra Collins is an environmental educator with twenty years’ experience in program development, administration, and coordination, public relations and community engagement, curriculum design and implementation, budget administration, and fund raising. She has a demonstrated ability in maintaining a healthy rapport with stakeholders, collaborators, and sponsors to build sustained relationships and increase sponsorship gifts. Arianna is a naturalist educator, community builder, and gifted networker able to maximize people’s strengths and make creative connections. She is known for being an enthusiastic event planner and highly organized coordinator.

Professional services include: * Outdoor Experiences Facilitator: design and implement curricula and excursions to increase connection to environment. * Writer: Write natural science, natural history, and community enrichment articles to raise awareness. * Naturalist Educator: lead nature walks for proper identification and understanding of ecology. * Public Relations & Publications Designer: design, content, editing of monthly e-news to ensure quality. * Development Counselor: provide professional counsel in programming & fundraising thereby increasing participation and financial solvency. * Event Planner: creating, organizing, and budgeting consultation; effective with securing sponsors and advertisers and boosting attendance. * Interviewer: highlight individuals’ work, write promotional materials, increasing organizational visibility. * Networker: connect clients to people, groups, and resources to grow visibility and impact.

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