In honor of its namesake St. Clare of Assisi, Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California has created a medieval garden dedicated to the saint who was "was often compared to a plant or garden." The university's website includes a great deal of information on medieval gardens.

An article for Mongolia-Attractions.com discusses the characteristics of the dogs, which have changed little since the time of the Huns.

Those interested in the history of farming and agriculture will want to visit Roberta Alunni's website on the Fratticciola Museum of Farming Culture which looks at "parallels between Etruscan and Tuscan agriculture."

The Cloisters, the medieval museum in New York City, provides a blog discussing issues pertaining to medieval gardens including such topics at topiary, herbs, seasonal plants, and gardening techniques.

New research by an American historian, Diane Yvonne Ghirardo, may show that Lucrezia Borgia was falsely accused of the murder of her husband, and that she may have been more involved with business than with intrigue.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome has declared 2009 the International Year of Natural Fibres. Such natural fibers as cotton, wool, silk, jute and flax are being promoted for their efficiency and sustainability, and to "contribute to a greener planet."

A new study by Stanford University researchers suggests that the reforestation of areas in the Americas following the collapse of pre-Columbian population centers may have triggered the Little Ice Age which occurred from 1500 to 1750.

The art of hedge-laying pre-dates Roman Britain, a fact documented by Julius Caesar who wrote in 55 BCE, "It was fashioned of slender trees, bent over so that many branches came out along the length...so that it could not be penetrated or even seen through." Modern life has been hard on the hedges, but new interest may save the ancient craft.

Andrew Dixey, Estate Manager for National Museum Wales, has created a Roman garden designed to help visitors understand the life of Romans in Wales. Among the plants brought to the country by the Romans was the garden leek, the unofficial symbol of Wales.

A team of experts working on a project to map Norman and Saxon roads through central England failed to find them in Wallingford, but instead unearthed a 12th to 13th century tannery.

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It is with great pleasure that I would hereby like to announce that Knights Crossing will be hosting a workshop on medieval pharmaceuticals and herbs on the weekend of May 30-June 1. Simona Valentini di Piero will be teaching how to make basic salves, essential oils and creams from primary source recipes; enjoy a walk through the fields and forest in which we will learn to identify various useful plants in their natural habitat. Learn about the equipment used and the primary sources that we have on this subject. There will be a small fee for materials and for food for the weekend, but dinner will be Potluck. Location:
Barony of Knights Crossing (Weinheim, Germany)

Pennsic attendees are reminded not to bring firewood to or take it home from the event, due to a government-mandated quarantine of firewood transportation into and out of Butler County, where Cooper's Lake Campground is located.

Archaeologists working in the Tron­çais forest of France have discovered over 100 Roman settlements, the legacy of which continue to affect the ecology of the area.

A firewood quarantine imposed by Pennsylvania government officials will affect, among other areas, Butler County, which includes Cooper's Lake Campground where Pennsic War is held.

Scientists at the John Innes Centre and the University of Calgary asked "Why are there no unicorns?" To answer the question, they are studying the evolutionary biology of flower branching displays.

Boverton Castle in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, is being auctioned starting at a mere UK£55,000. architects advise, however, that necessary renovation of the site could cost at least six figures.

On March 10, 2007, Mary Moskoff, Ph.D., LCSW will present a talk A Walk Through a Medieval Herb Garden at the Spring Symposium presented by the Herb Society of America - Wisconsin Unit. The lecture will take place at the Woman's Club of Wisconsin, 813 Kilbourn Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202.

Cassandra Boell von Bayer has been part of the SCA for about 29 years and has gained repute for her skill in costuming and small animal husbandry. A recent article in The Bolton Common profiles her SCA life.

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Come join us for a wonderful day of heraldry and scribal arts taught by Northshield's finest! Bring your personal and group's heraldic banner, books, illuminations, and any heraldic/scribal crafts (tablet woven belts, blackwork, etc...) to display and share in a “show and tell” session! There will also be a full day of children's activities.

Please contact the Class Coordinator if you are interested in teaching a class (or if you have a class you would like to see taught). Deadline is February 26th for submitting a class. Location:
Shire of Rockhaven (St. Cloud, Minnesota)

The recent discovery of some 400-year-old seeds in a well at the Colonial Jamestown archaeological site has given researchers much to ponder about the life and survival skills of the early Jamestown settlers.

Rhiannon Lowrey, Wylowen's wife and Mistress Seelie's apprentice, died Saturday afternoon, 13 January 2007, at her home in Camino, CA.

The Baarmy Sheep of the Lake District in Cumbria, England have garnered so many hits on the Cumbria Tourism's website with last year's Christmas songs that the organization was forced to offer a free download.

Evidence from soil suggests that people were relying on domesticated horses for survival more than 5,000 years ago.

At the recent SCA Board of Directors meeting, it was suggested that the SCA become a member of the Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums. ALHFAM is an organization "that serves those involved in living historical farms, agricultural museums and outdoor museums of history and folklore."

A British website offers an historic view of the breeds of animals which shared their lives with Iron Age people. These included sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, horses and fowl. The article includes photos of these breeds' ancestors.

Scholars and writers researching currency exchange and commodities prices will want to take a look at Rutgers University's Medieval and Early Modern Data Bank which has compiled commercial data primarily from northern Europe and Venice.

Alberta, Canada beekeepers are hoping the province's move to allow a cottage wine industry to develop for an ancient beverage will create a buzz among liquor connoisseurs.

Over 1,000 horses and their owners have gathered in Reykjavik, Iceland to take part in the largest-ever Landsmót, or Icelandair Horse Festival, itself the largest gathering of Icelandair horses in the world.

Ponies from an endangered breed, descended from the original British "hill ponies," are being brought into a nature preserve on the Solway Plain in England, to graze away grasses that threaten one of the area's few remaining peat bogs.

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"Chag HaGez" in Maale Levona*
Monday, June 26, 2006
30 Sivan 5766

Starting at 16:00

Program:

• Sheep Shearing
• Spinning
• Weaving
• Dying
• Children's Activities
• Pony Rides
• Refreshments for sale
• Arts and Crafts for sale

Special concert by Shlomo Shavit

A bus will be leaving from Jerusalem at 15:00 (fee for the bus and happening is 20NIS p/p or 100 NIS per family) Location:
Maale Levona, Israel