For people who care for others or work to effect positive change in the world, the winter has been long, cold and demanding. Inspired by their commitment and the impact that our restorative offerings can have on those who serve others, The Uplands Center is awakening following the deep winter to reflect on the past few months and look toward a fruitful season ahead. As we come back to life, so does the landscape: the ground is thawing, buds are emerging on the trees and the birds are beginning to return.

Retreat and Event Spotlights

Already in 2022 we have been pleased to host:

• Friends of Recovery of Delaware and Otsego Counties (FORDO), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting addiction recovery through peer support, education, and advocacy

• A Narcan training to teach community members how to administer life-saving treatment for opiate overdose

This spring we look forward to hosting:

• She Wins, an organization serving middle and high school girls from New Jersey who have been affected by inner city violence, to help them succeed in their education and beyond

• New York Presbyterian Hospital’s emergency medicine residency program

• McPherson Strategies, a communications agency that helps organizations develop, amplify and communicate social impact initiatives

• New Jersey Children’s Foundation, which works to improve public education systems by putting the interests of children first, and

• A retreat for women of color in leadership positions

Environmental Spotlight
At The Uplands we already see the signs of natural transition to spring, including noticing which birds are  here and what they’re saying. Black-capped Chickadees, for example, are one of the few overwintering residents in Upstate NY. They stay relatively quiet and inconspicuous through the winter, but as daylight slowly increases, we are noticing that their “hey sweetie” song is making its debut into the otherwise-hushed winter soundscape. This means they are getting ready for springtime mating activity. American Robins are starting to arrive from their journey south, a true sign of spring as the ground thaws and earthworms become an available snack. We can also expect to see Red-winged Blackbirds return to their nesting grounds at The Uplands soon, displaying their brilliant red wing patches and crooning their territorial songs. Before long there will be a chorus of birdsong emanating from the land, but for now, we will soak in the last of the wintery stillness.

Uplands Offering

The garden at The Uplands will be waking up soon, so seed-starting time is upon us! For many, this means dragging out old plastic containers or running to the store for new ones. If you’d like to move away from plastic-reliance in home gardening, we have a solution for you. “Soil blocking” is a container-free way of starting seeds. In addition to reducing plastic, this method creates healthier roots systems for the plants since their roots air-prune and don’t get “bound-up” as often occurs in conventional seed starting. Transplanting is made much easier for the gardener, and the plants thrive more quickly once in the ground. There are many different recipes for soil blocking that can be found easily online, but our gardener has had luck with potting soil made with recycled newspaper in place of peat moss. Grab a soil block tool and get planting!

Get involved!

Please consider organizing a retreat at The Uplands!
The Uplands is a non-profit organization. 100% of any proceeds support our mission: to provide a venue for learning and restorative retreats for those who care for others or work to advance positive change in the world.