Fun in Cummington! Take part in family-friendly activities throughout the year
Cross Pollination
Community Biodiversity Program, Cummington
Arbor Day Planting Weeks: April 28-May 9
Join the Cummington Tree Alliance as we kick off our spring planting season. Community volunteers will work together to plant native trees across the Cummington area while gaining hands-on experience in proper planting and early stewardship.
Volunteers will plant the trees - recipients are invited to participate in planting if they would like. Shrubbery will be distributed for self-installation. Please reach out if you need assistance planting the shrubs.
May 9, 1pm Film Screening: The Extraordinary Caterpillar
Cummington Community House
The Cummington Tree Alliance and the Hilltown Vision Fund present The Extraordinary Caterpillar, a documentary by Jeff McKay.
Introduced by Amy Pulley, this visually rich and engaging film reveals the hidden world of caterpillars and their essential role in healthy ecosystems. Featuring leading voices in ecology—including Doug Tallamy—the film shows how these often-overlooked creatures are critical to supporting birds, pollinators, and overall biodiversity. It makes a compelling case for planting native species and rethinking how we care for our landscapes.
Amy Pulley is a Cummington-based pollinator advocate and native habitat specialist. Over the past decade, she has focused on restoring and enhancing biodiversity on her land through native plant stewardship. She is also the founder of a local native plant nursery, which she operated for 11 years, supporting the broader adoption of ecologically beneficial landscapes throughout the region.
June 14, 1pm Transform Your Yard to Support Pollinators
A 12 Step Program with Heidi Dollard
Many people now realize the importance of pollinators and other essential wildlife. They want to make their yard pollinator-friendly, but don’t know where to start. This talk will step you through the process of evaluation, planning, and implementation, with many options for large and small changes.
Heidi Dollard is a Co-Chair of the Steering Committee of the Massachusetts Pollinator Network. She works to educate gardeners and homeowners on how they can support pollinators and other beneficial wildlife while creating a beautiful and low maintenance landscape. She has a MS in Biology, is a Master Gardener, a member of the Garden Club of Amherst, and has been a consultant for the Hampden Hampshire Conservation District Native Plant program. She has been an enthusiastic native plant gardener for many years.
This talk takes place at the Cummington Community House.
DIY Pollinator Garden Kit
REQUEST A KIT!
Wing and a Prayer Nursery will be gathering do it yourself at home pollinator kits, including plant starts and instructions, by request.
Free pollinator garden kits consists of:
- One tray of 50 plugs (small plants)
- Information on how to install and care for the garden kits yourself
- A lawn sign to display near your new pollinator garden
Kits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Each kit will be made available for pickup in early summer. Recipients will be responsible for installing the plants themselves. Limit to one kit per household/ property. Pollinator kits will be available until they are all claimed. Available for pick up in late June.
We ask that recipients agree to tend the new plants for at least 4 years, which will require watering in year one as the plants establish. Recipients must also agree that they will use no pesticides or herbicides on the plants from the pollinator kits. The provided sign must be displayed for at least the first season near the garden on in another place visible to passersby.
Please complete this form to request a free pollinator kit suited to your local conditions:
Past Events
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Bare-Root Tree Planting Demonstration
Saturday May 2 @ 9am Kingman Tavern Museum 41 Main St, Cummington
These tree planting demonstrations are specifically tailored for those who have requested a free native tree or shrub through the Cummington Tree Alliance to support their successful planting, and community members who have not requested a tree but who are interested in learning more are also welcome to join and take away new skills.
In case you missed it, here's a recommended video resource guide for bare-root planting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3jjmzyhLPo
Free Native Trees and Shrubs
April 30: The Cummington Tree Alliance Invites interested residents to request a free tree and/or one to three native shrubs. Each area resident will be able to choose from a variety of species on a first come first served basis. All plantings are available in limited quantities.
Review native and heritage tree and shrub guides linked below, and complete the form for each to make a request by the end of April. Then take part in planting week April 28-May 9 alongside other volunteers, led by the Cummington Tree Alliance.
Interested residents made requests to the Cummington Tree Alliance by April 30 to secure a tree or shrub, referencing the Tree Guide and the Shrubbery Guide PDFs. All trees and shrubs have been requested and distributed.
Doug Tallamy Film Screening
April 19: The Cummington Tree Alliance presents two pre-recorded talks by Doug Tallamy, a leading voice in ecological gardening and biodiversity: What’s the Rush? (approx. 45 minutes) and The Nature of Oaks (approx. 20 minutes)
Introduced by Amy Pulley, the program explores the critical role of native plants—especially oaks—in supporting insects, birds, and overall ecosystem health. Together, these presentations make a compelling case for the role that individual landowners and communities can play in restoring biodiversity.
Creamery Pollinator Garden Clean Up Day
April 17: Take part in essential annual pollinator garden prep alongside Heather Cupo from Plant Euphoria, the first phase of work this year to tend to and grow the native pollinator gardens at the Old Creamery Co-op. This day will largely be about clean up, with hopes of also tackling weeding, edging, and bed prep. Plant additions to the gardens will be added later in June, and volunteers will be invited to return.
Cross Pollination Partners
Cross Pollination Supporters
