Pickering Creek Audubon Center will host the seventh Tour, Toast and Taste at Forrest Landing in Easton on June 14, 2014 beginning at 5:30 PM. According to the book, “History of Talbot County Maryland 1661-1861” by Oswald Tilghman written in 1915, “Pickering’s Creek” took its name from Francis Pickering, who owned a tract of land at the head of the creek, now known as Forrest Landing. However, in a deed from Francis Pickering to Edward Lloyd dated November 9, 1758, the creek was called Long Tom’s Creek.
Just a stones throw up the creek from the 400-acre wildlife sanctuary and nature education center, and the origin of its name, Forrest Landing makes a perfect fit for this year’s Tour, Toast and Taste event to benefit the education programs of Pickering Creek Audubon Center, the Mid-Shore’s premiere environmental center.
Now owned by the hosts, Cynthia Rickman and Joel Texler, Forrest Landing is a five-part brick mansion. Built in the early twentieth century, Forrest Landing is a synthesis of the great mid-Georgian mansions of Maryland and not a copy of any building of that style. The interior has woodwork from the mid-eighteenth-century Rudolph House in Cecil County. The grounds include a formal garden, glorious front yard with many flowering trees and lengthy lawn behind the home which stretches down to Pickering Creek. During the evening on June 14th, guests will get a feel for the natural beauty of the area that staff and volunteers of Pickering Creek work tirelessly to share with children ages 1 to 104 everyday.
The evening begins with a leisurely drive down a beautiful sycamore lined drive. After touring the first floor of the home, replete with numerous unique and impressive antique pieces, guests will be invited to enjoy formal garden features and beautiful views of the headwaters of Pickering Creek. Delectable wines, delicious hors d’ouevres, and light entertainment will be available under the tent, where guests will have the opportunity to purchase a wide variety of intriguing dinners, unique events and auction items offered by friends and neighbors who are strong supporters of the community-based education programs of Pickering Creek Audubon Center.
Dining events available for guests to enjoy throughout the year include a picnic lunch on the committee boat during the Oxford Regatta, dinner at Bill and Mary Griffin’s home with chef Andrew Evans, a special dinner with Chef Jordan Lloyd of Bartlett Pear, Charlie and Carolyn Thornton will team up with Holly from Chapel’s Creamery for a wine and cheese tasting at the Thornton’s home, a gourmet feast at the home of Richard and Ellen Bodorff with renowned wildlife photographer Middleton Evans. These are just a few of the unique dining events available for purchase.
A number of unique experiences and items will also be available including a personal tour with the Zoo Director and behind the scenes wildlife feeding at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, IL, Fishing the MD and DE surf with the Captain of “The Happy Hookers” Surf Fishing Team Extraordinaire Wayne Bell, a weekend birding trip to Kiptopeke and Virginia’s Barrier Islands, hand turned pepper and salt shakers, art, decoys, sports tickets and much, much more.
Event committee members have created an evening full of fun and surprises at one of Talbot County’s finest and rarely seen estate homes. The Tour, Toast & Taste committee consists of a group of loyal Pickering supporters including Tom Lane, Deirdre Kelly, Jo Storey, Steve Hershey, William Griffin, George Scallion, Steven Doehler, Colin Walsh, Wayne Shaner, Bill Barnes, Carolyn Thornton and Cemmy Peterson.
This year’s Tour, Toast and Taste is generously sponsored by the Bruce Wiltsie and Bill Davenport, Frederick Richmond Foundation, The Dock Street Foundation, the Tilghman Family, Bartlett, Griffin and Vermilye, Tom and Susan Lane, the Pickering Creek Board of Trustees, Wye Gardens LLC, Carolyn and Charles Thornton, the Chesapeake Audubon Society, William and Mary Griffin, Wayne and Jody Shaner, Avon Dixon Insurance, The Wilford Group at Morgan Stanley, Deirdre Kelly, Easton Utilities and many, many more!
Pickering Creek reaches Eastern Shore students throughout their academic careers with richly structured outdoor learning experiences that allow them to interact with the outdoors frequently. Since establishing a well-reputed elementary education program in partnership with Talbot County Public Schools over 18 years ago, in the last 9 years, Pickering Creek Audubon Center has also added meaningful watershed experiences for middle and high school students to its continuum of education, which include hands-on student drive habitat restoration projects in the community. Pickering’s programs are currently expanding significantly in Dorchester County. For over 30 years, Pickering Creek Audubon Center has provided environmental education and volunteer opportunities to students and adults of the Eastern Shore, moving them from awareness of their watershed to conservation action in their communities.
For more information about Tour, Toast & Taste, or the programs and activities it supports, please visit, pickeringcreek.audubon.org. Tickets to Tour Toast and Taste are available online, by mail, or by calling 410-822-4903.
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