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This past Memorial Day weekend I went camping with a few of my friends at Timberline Lake Campground located in New Gretna, New Jersey just off of Route 72. It was such a great time that it made me visualize the historic neighbor hood I live in, Whitesbog, as a campground.

Perhaps if Whitesbog turned into a camp ground it would educate more people about the New Jersey Pinelands and cranberry farms. I think it would also generate more profit for the Whitesbogs Preservation Trust and it could also possibly be used to help hire more forest rangers to defend the area from poachers, illegal four wheeling, and illegal dumping, which has increased since Governor Christie cut back environment funds. (This decreased the amount of forest rangers).

There are a few problems that halt the idea of a campground in Whitesbog. One is the idea of ripping up an amount of forestry to create spaces for camping sites. Most of the Pinelands are intended to be kept preserved. Another problem is that the nearby Fort Dix Military Base makes a lot of loud noise from practice fire at nearby ranges and often shakes the ground with weaponry testing. Customers would not be happy campers with the noise being a constant annoyance. However, the loud noise and ground shaking only occurs in chilly or rainy weather so as to protect the forest from fire breakout.

I have created a map using Google for fun that exemplifies what the area might look like as a campground. Take a look and tell me what you think. Email me at brownm74@students.rowan.edu or comment on this post. Comments do not require sign up or log in.

Whitesbog Camp Resort Activities:

• Fishing
• Swimming
• Dog walking
• Four wheeling
• Biking
• Hiking
• Pick-your-own blueberries
• Canoeing
• Indian Playground

Jennifer Mylod Concert at Whitesbog

Jennifer Mylod conducted an intimate concert on April 1st at 6pm in the Whitesbog Barrel Factory accompanied by her husband, Phil.

Almost every seat in the house was taken. Mylod, who writes all of her songs, played a mixture of Irish sounds and dulcimer music, including songs such as “Old Kitchen Table” and “Princess of Hay”.

The duo played a variety of instruments, using nearly a different set for every song. A few of the instruments included the Mountain Dulcimer, Acoustic Guitar, Violin, Bodhran, and Native American Flute.

The instruments were very interesting because I had never seen them before, no have I ever heard them be played live. The audience and the Mylods laughed together as an inside joke was passed between them about Jen’s nervousness to play despite everyone’s thrill of watching her fingers pluck away.

“Had a wonderful turn out last night at Whitesbog Villiage in the old barrel making factory part… it was wonderful to see so many friends – and meet so many new folks as well… Lovely venue… even a sweet lady there from Germany! Thanks all – for coming out to the bogs! :)” – Jennifer Mylod and the Boys of County O’Cean post on their Facebook page, April 2nd

The concert was just 5$ at the door. Two of Mylod’s CDs were for sale – At This Moment, and Mylodic Isle for just $15 each.

My Mom and I bought At This Moment and had her autograph it. It was an enjoyable show, with an unforgettable sound. Not even a fool on April Fool’s could have found a dislike in Mylod’s music.

Effects of Hurricane Irene on Whitesbog

written 8/28 2011

As strong winds at 70 mph and heavy rain thrashed through the area, our power outage hit us at about 2 a.m., later than other towns which got slapped with a power outage at about 10 p.m.

Candles were lit and flashlights were kept close by as I awaited the storm. The porch chimes went wild through the night and I awoke the next morning with the basement flooded about 3 inches. A sump pump usually pumps excess water out but since the power had gone out, the pump could no longer work.

Fortunately the power clicked back on at 2:30pm and the sub pump came back on and drained all the water out. I am now waiting for the concrete floor of the basement to dry. Friends living in surrounded towns of Mount Holly and Lumberton report that their power has not been turned back on yet.

The bogs are full but are not over flowing. Most of the water is being emptied out into a stream through ditches and dams  which do nothing to direct the water to a stable direction. The water continues to pour through the woods undirected into the yards of other nearby homes. There are large amounts of flooding.

Medium to small-sized branches litter the ground and extreme erosion has ripped apart some of the dirt roads. Driving through the dirt roads can be dangerous and may possibly cave in under heavy weight from any type of vehicle.

Cottages remain standing and the General Store which is usually open Saturdays and Sundays seems to be remaining closed due to the weather.

Stay Tuned.

A Jersey Dog’s Run in the Bogs

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I Took Mozart, my Shih Tzu, out for a run in the bogs. The beach-like area that I usually swim in was partially drained to keep the active bogs full of water. Well, really it is cedar water. This allowed Momo to run around and jump and play in the water while I waded up to my ankles and took in the beautiful New Jersey land view. Enjoy the pictures.

Annual Blueberry Festival

Just a reminder that the blueberry festival is coming in a few weeks. As always there will be music, blueberry ice cream, and more.

From PineyPower.com :

Saturday, June 25, 2011: Whitesbog Blueberry Festival, Whitesbog Village in Browns Mills, NJ. 10AM-4PM,  $8/carload, Celebrate all things blueberry at this old-fashioned festival.  Great family fun – blueberry picking, historical presentations and tours, arts and country crafts, music, food and lots more.

Here is an article that explains more about the festival for this year:

http://bestofnj.com/events/whitesbog-blueberry-festival/

It is really neat having a festival be in my own backyard!

Whitesbog: A Movie Set for Filming

Another great thing Whitesbogs is awesome for is the natural scenery. I use it for school projects and photography. The weather here is still very cold but the weatherman is claiming it will be warmer next week, around the 50’s.

My brother is very passionate about film and currently attends Bucks Community College for a filming degree. Together, Eric and I created a short film using the woods in my own backyard as the movie set. Eric acted, wrote the script, and directed it. I act in the film as a college girl.

It is about a girl working on a journalism project when she becomes frightened by the mysterious unknown sounds of the woods. The ending has quite a twist.

I’d also like to mention that Eric won first place in a film race contest with his group Young Folks Comedy. They were given a prop (donut) and a theme (missing), and had only 24 hours to make the film. They did an amazing job.

The Most Beautiful Thing.

A Winter Whitesbog Scene

So this winter it has been snowing for what seems like non stop! Although the snow can be ten times more of a hassle for the residents here in Whitesbog, it creates an arctic paradise that not many people get to see. Here are some pictures of Whitesbog taken January 27th.

Wintery days like this I tell my mom to invest in a four wheel drive vehicle. Digging our cars out of the snow is like paving and marking out our own driveway, literally.

Historical Whitesbog Village: A Christmas Past to Present

About fifteen volunteers gathered on Saturday, December 3rd to decorate Whitesbog for the holiday season. Natural materials such as holly branches and pine cones were brought from the homes of the volunteers to be placed together and tied onto the windows for a festive glow.

“…Whitesbog represents such a vanished way of life being a small agricultural, a family farm and a company town,” said volunteer Ellen Terry. ”There is a lot going on here.”

The decorations were positioned to make Whitesbogs the perfect Christmas scene for the Whitesbog Winter Celebration which took place on December 11th.

The event included pictures with Santa, candy canes, a tour, crafts and more. It served to bring holiday joy to young kids and to raise money for the Whitesbogs Preservation Trust, which is the non-profit organization that serves to protect and conserve the natural history of Whitesbogs.

  

Natural materials were used to recreate a Victorian age Christmas at Whitesbog. Volunteers crafted the decorations and attached them to the windows of the old cottages.

The ornamentation was especially handmade with ribbons and wire to recreate the way Whitesbogs looked back in the nineteenth century when people did not have the same resources that are available today. The basic old-fashioned panorama of the village adds on to the educational and historical aspect it has to offer.

“Years ago back in the Victorian age, that’s what they did, they used candles to light their Christmas trees” said volunteer Linda Palendrano. “They didn’t even have pretty wrapping paper. They just used whatever they had.”

Today the volunteers not only embraced the pinching ice cold to construct and hang up decorations; They also participated in group decision making, worked the register inside of the General Store, made merchandise for sale, and shared their personal experiences of their unpaid efforts with one another. Amongst the volunteers were Sharon Goodman, Albertine Senske, Tom Bresselman, Richard Rolle, Beth Gensel, and others.

“Today we stocked the shelves, we inventoried some donations from the wife of the man who runs the farm, the Darlingtons…we also had a local organic sustainable Jersey fruit farmer making preserves to sell here,” said volunteer manager of the General Store Steve Young.

On the first Saturday of every month volunteers get together to perform duties needed to be accomplished around Whitesbog. At lunch time during Volunteer Work Day, free pizza and beverages are served to the helpers. Some of the volunteers are members of the Trust while others are residents from the surrounding towns of Pemberton, Millstone, etc.

The activities range year round, some of which include gardening, rebuilding, or cashiering. It is a great way for new people to meet one another while enjoying being a part of a conserved past of New Jersey.

The Berries Will Never Stop Growing in Whitesbog

It is nearing the end of the semester and soon this blog will be run only by my own free will.

The question is whether or not I want to continue with this blog after classes end.

So far I have learned a great deal by using Whitesbog to practice online journalism. I am further educated not only about writing, but about my own historical town of which I reside in.

I look at Whitesbog in a whole new light. It is special, captivating, magical, and tells a story of New Jersey all on its own. I have come to take it to heart and I now have an understanding of the environment. I won’t live here forever, but I know it will continue to hold some of my best college year memories.

Although I am proud of my writing and what I have accomplished so far with this publication, the problem with my blog is that it has not gotten as much traffic or hits as I would have liked.

I would like to take what I have learned from my experience keeping this blog and create a new, broader one. I plan to concentrate on a whole new theme or beat. The stories about Whitesbog didn’t always come for me – I had to come for them.  I know now that I must take every moment of chance with a seriousness and to not take it for granted or let it pass me by.

Any random happening in time could be a chance to record a story or interview. It takes much work and self-discipline to get a piece together to be published.

I believe some part of me will not let this blog completely go. There may be a time where I will be inspired to write another post about some aspect of this cranberry farm, but it will only be once in a while.

Year after year the cranberries and blue berries will continue to grow. And so will I, with an earned knowledge of writing.

Here are what I feel in my opinion are my top five posts from the last 3 and a half months (enjoy!) :

Volunteer and Artist Phyllis Kelty Talks About the Best of Whitesbog

Boy Scouts Troop 31 of Vincentown Builds  Dock Over Whitesbog Pond

Colorful Autumn Trees in Whitesbog

Whitesbog Cranberry Farm Flower Network: Bees, Butterflies, and Cranberries Included

Finding the Piney Power of Nature at the Pinelands Discovery Festival 

The Hunt is Over for Exclusive Whitesbog Hot Spots: A Map to Share

View Exclusive Whitesbog Spots in a larger map

For someone who has never been to Whitesbogs, the dirt roads that twirl within it can seem like a strange maze. One searching for Whitesbog will find that even a GPS has difficulty navigating to it. This map will help visitors locate Whitesbog to track down and locate the coolest, most entertaining and exclusive spots.

The gratification of the recreational activities Whitesbog has to offer are finally revealed. Make it no secret.