By Nancy Mrzljak
The Windy Farm Alpacas Fall Farm Open House will be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 27-28, rain or shine at Windy Farm Alpacas, 61 White Pine Road, Chesterfield. Alpaca products for sale, alpacas for view and sale, fleece and yarn for spinners & knitters. For more information contact Jackie at 324-0080 or [email protected], also visit the website at www.windyfarmalpacas.com.
The Fernbrook Fall 5K Farm Run and Mini Mile will be held on Sunday, Sept. 28 at Fernbrook Farms, Route 545, Chesterfield. Check-in for adults starts at 8:30 a.m. sharp. Check-in for children is from 8:30–11 a.m. The Farm Run starts at 9:30 a.m. and the Mini Mile Run begins at 11:30 a.m. The 5K is for adults (11 and up) and the mini-mile run is for children ages 6-10. The course will take runners across the fields, through the creek, and into the forests for a fun route designed for all ability levels. Food will be available for purchase. Advance registration is $40 per adult and $22 per child and all proceeds help bring fourth and fifth grade students from low-income urban environments to the farm for a field trip. For more information, call 609-298-4028 or email [email protected] or visit the website fernbrookeducation.org.
The Crosswicks Library will present a story hour for children and families at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 29 at the Crosswicks Library. Geared toward preschool children but open to all ages, the story hour will include an engaging reading by retired teacher Lynn Sichel followed by a craft activity and suggestions for related books to enjoy at home. Registration not required. For more information, call 609-298-6271 or visit www.bcls.lib.nj.us/calendar/fall-story-hour-series.
The Miracle League of Mercer County is sponsoring a golf outing at the Old York Country Club at 228 Old York Road in Chesterfield on Monday, Sept. 29. Registration starts at 11 a.m. For more information about costs to play golf and sponsorship opportunities, visit rhrotary.org or call 609-581-5810.
The Crosswicks Friends Meeting will be featuring a new element in their “First Day Assembly” programs this fall entitled “Quakerism 101,” which is a curriculum devised by the “Philadelphia Yearly Meeting” to familiarize new members and attendees with the faith and practice of Friends, and to strengthen the understanding of long-time members. The course has both a spiritual and an intellectual element and will feature sections on Quaker history, beliefs, worship, social witness and decision making. The course will also address the application of Quaker faith to everyday life. The first session is scheduled for Sept. 21 at the normal hour of 9:30 a.m. in the First Day School, with a follow-up the following Sunday. Subsequent sessions are planned for Oct. 19, Nov. 9 and Dec. 21. For more information, call 609-298-4362 or visit the Crosswicks Friends Meeting website at www.crosswicksfriendsmeeting.org.
The Chesterfield Hose Company Tricky Tray and Buffet Dinner will be held Saturday, Oct. 11 at the Chesterfield Firehouse at 296 Bordentown-Chesterfield Road, Chesterfield. Doors open at 5 p.m. There will be a buffet dinner from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Ticket drawing starts at 6:30 p.m. Admission tickets cost $25 per person (age 21 and older). For more information or tickets, call Caryn at 609-298-8329 or Cheryl at 609-298-7363.
The Crosswicks Book Club will meet at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 28 at the Crosswicks Library. At this meeting the Book Club will discuss “Vinegar Hill” by A. Manette Ansay. The Crosswicks Book Club meets every month at 7:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month. New members are welcome. For more information, call Denise Dale-Koetas at 609-802-6039.
The Chesterfield Elementary PTA Outdoor Movie Night will be held on Friday, Sept. 26, on the Village Square Quad on Saddle Way, Chesterfield. The movie, “Bee Movie,” will begin at dusk. Food vendors, including Chesterfield Inn, Rita’s and Kemp’s Popcorn, will be available starting at 6 p.m. The suggested entrance fee is canned goods or non-perishable food items to benefit Harvest of Hope Food Pantry. This event is open to the public. For more information and to RSVP by Sept. 20, visit www.chesterfieldelementarypta.com.
The Crosswicks Friends Monthly Meeting Autumn Potluck Luncheon will be held on Sunday, Sept. 28. The assembly will start at 9:15 a.m. and there will be a meeting for worship at 10 a.m. There will be signup sheet for the event in the assembly room at 15 Front St., Crosswicks. Check www.crosswicksfriendsmeeting.org/calendar for more information or call 609-298-4362.
The Crosswicks Library is participating in a promotion organized by the Burlington County Library System to celebrate September as “National Library Card Sign-up Month.” Throughout September, visitors who sign-up for a new library card may enter a drawing to win a Kindle e-reader. Current library cardholders may also receive a free entry into the drawing with each checkout from the library. Borrowers should complete an entry form at the circulation desk. The drawing will be held the first week of October. For more information, call 609-298-6271 or email [email protected].
The Crosswicks Library will hold its annual Chili Sale in conjunction with the Crosswicks Remembered weekend on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Chili will be served hot and tables will be available for on-site dining. The library also welcomes volunteers to make chili for the event. For more information, call 609-298-6271 or email [email protected].
The Chesterfield Township old recycling buckets (used for cans and bottles) can be dropped off at the Municipal Building behind the Police Station next to the brush drop-off until the end of September. For more information, call 609-298-2311 or visit www.chesterfieldtwp.com.
The “Crosswicks Remembered: A time for friends from the forties and beyond to gather together” gala reunion will take place on Friday, Oct. 3, Saturday, Oct. 4 and Sunday, Oct. 5. Friday evening will feature registration and hors d’oeuvers and movies at the Crosswicks Community House. Saturday will feature an antique car show, concerts on the Green and food vendors. Saturday evening will feature an old time roast beef dinner at Crosswicks Methodist Church, a canteen (dance) at the Crosswicks Community House and a dance for the younger crowd at the Crosswicks Firehouse. Sunday morning will feature a pancake breakfast at the Crosswicks Firehouse as well as farewells and new memories. For more information, contact Bob Borden at robert.C.Borden@verizon, Linda Brown at [email protected], Tom Dwier at [email protected] or Ted Kinter at [email protected]. Stay tuned for more details.
The Crosswicks United Methodist Church “All-You-Can-Eat Roast Beef Dinner” will be held 3–6:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 4 at the Crosswicks United Methodist Church at Ward Avenue and Church Street, Crosswicks. Adult tickets cost $14. Children (ages 4 to 10) tickets cost $6. Takeout costs $15. Tickets may be purchased in advance or at the door. For information, call the church office at 609-298-3290 or email [email protected].
The Chesterfield Township Historical Society is planning a Chesterfield Heritage Day full of traditional crafts demonstrators, talks about local history, antique farm equipment displays, traditional local food and much more. Mark the calendar for Saturday, Oct. 18 to help celebrate Chesterfield Township’s 326th birthday. Follow plans for this event at www.chesterfieldtwphistoricalsoc.org.
The Chesterfield Township Historical Society will be sponsoring a plein air event that will be a central activity during Heritage Day, a day-long celebration of Chesterfield Township’s vibrant history. A maximum number of 25 artists will be accepted for the Heritage Day plein air event on a first-come, first-served basis with no registration fee. Celebrate open-air painting in charming Crosswicks Village in Chesterfield Township. This quaint historic Quaker village and surrounding landscapes offer the outdoor painter numerous picturesque subjects from which to draw inspiration. For more information, visit www.chesterfieldtwphistoricalsoc.org.
Chesterfield Township announces its “Grass: Cut It and Leave It Recycling Campaign.” The amount of solid waste generated in New Jersey increases annually, and the waste stream continues to grow faster than the state’s ability to recycle it. Recycling is only part of the solution; waste reduction is also important. One small way to help is to reduce waste created by grass clippings. Simply, don’t bag the grass clippings, recycle them by leaving them on the lawn using the mulching feature. Clippings have lots of nutrients that contribute to soil organic matter and supply part of the fertilizer needs of the lawn. Concerned about thatch? Thatch is primarily caused by a dense accumulation of grass roots and stem material rather than clippings. Adopt a mowing schedule to keep clippings short enough (removing only 1/3 of the grass length during mowing) to filter through growing grass and not remain as a mat on top of the lawn. Also, fertilizing and watering above the requirements of the grass may be more detrimental than beneficial to a lawn, causing increased production of clippings and potential ground or surface water pollution. Judicious use of fertilizer and water can provide an attractive lawn with a reduction in the costs, effort, susceptibility to disease, and amount of clippings produced. Refer to http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.asp?pid=FS389 for additional information.
The Crosswicks Library now has canvas tote bags for sale. The tote bags have a sketch of the Crosswicks Library on the front. Stop by the library to pick one up at $10 each. For more information, call 609-298-6271.
The Chesterfield Township Police Department is asking for volunteers for the Domestic Violence Response Team. Volunteers receive free training (40 hours) during which they will learn how to work with the police and provide information, support and referrals to victims at police departments. Applicants must be18 years of age or older, a resident of, or employed in the Burlington County area and have a valid New Jersey driver license and access to transportation. For more information or to receive an application, call 609-291-0912.
The Chesterfield Township motor oil-recycling tank at the township municipal building has been reopened. For more information, call 609-298-2311 or visit www.chesterfieldtwp.com.
The Chesterfield Township Historical Society recently opened its research library that was dedicated to long-time township historian Mal Knowles. The research library has a thorough residential history of the township as well as local genealogical information and research aids (wills, vital records, etc.). The Chesterfield Township Historical Society Research Library is open at this time by appointment. For more information or to make an appointment, call 609-500-0452 or visit the Chesterfield Township Historical Society website at www.chesterfieldtwphistoricalsoc.org.
To submit information to Chesterfield Chatter, send an email to [email protected].

