Report your Volunteer Hours
Our next meeting is Thursday, December 19 @ 6 p.m. at the Brooksville Enrichment Center (map below). Our December meeting will again be a potluck. NCBCH will provide baked ham and au gratin potatoes for all to share. We will eat promptly at 6:00. Please arrive in time to have your dish shared by all. Martha has arranged for Petra to give a short talk on PEMF (Pulsed Electro Magnetic Therapy).
If you plan on attending, PLEASE advise us as to who and how many in your party there will be. We need this information to insure there is enough food and seats for all. This is particularly important as you are inviting guests (see below).
Charlie Kemp
NCBCH President
Dues for 2023 are $25 for individual membership, $30 for family (2 votes during elections for family membership).
Hello Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen!
December is the month of fun, family, sharing and giving. In going with this theme NCBCH’s December meeting will follow suit.
In the giving and sharing theme:
Please bring a dish to compliment the main course - or - a dessert, to share with all.
For the fun theme:
We will again have the Ugly Sweater Contest (we will expand this to ‘ugly outfit’ as well!). Come up with the most creative, ugly or downright ridiculous outfit you can imagine! We will have a prize for the winner!
Martha will be hosting the ornament exchange again. Remember, the fun part is stealing someone else’s coveted ornament!
Please bring a wrapped ornament to participate in this. Do not spend more than $10.
For the family theme:
Please feel free to bring a guest (however, we do need to know how many in your party via the link above). Everyone is welcome to join in the fun.
An additional reminder to all: Memberships are due. (membership form attached)
Lorri will be accepting all NCBCH memberships. Individual memberships are $25.00, family memberships are $30. Cash or checks accepted. Checks should be made out to ‘NCBCH’.
Ann will be accepting Enrichment Center memberships. Memberships are $20.00. Cash or checks accepted. Checks should be made out the ‘The Enrichment Center’.
Looking forward to seeing everyone!
Charlie Kemp
NCBCH President
We do have one request for this season’s meetings. At meetings in the past it has been a gamble for us knowing if we would have enough main course for everyone. To alleviate this problem, we would like all who plan to attend to click the link below. A rough estimate of attendees will greatly help our planning and insure there will be ample food for all. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.
A couple of other things to note:
As you all know both hurricanes did a number on our forest and trails. Forestry personnel jumped in and removed over 100 downed trees in the forest. That was a great help as many were too big for us to handle. There are still many more down that we are working to clear but that will take time. We request your patience in the matter.
Anyone trying to go south out of Tucker Hill. The Cracker access trail is currently closed due to flooding and a great number of downed trees. If you are hauling in and want to head south, we recommend you park at Smith Prairie. But please take note that the power company is installing power poles in this area and they have laid temporary road beds for the large machines involved. These are VERY slippery to cross. Please be careful if you need to cross one of these areas. You can still access Twin Ponds to park and ride from there.
Lastly, it is that time of year. Memberships are due in December. Lorrie Kindberg will be available to take new and renewal memberships at this meeting. Your support is critical for a continued relationship with Forestry. We have attached a membership form for your convenience.
Come join us for food, socializing and information on the upcoming events. We look forward to seeing you all!
Charlie Kemp
NCBCH President
Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen
Officers and board members 2022
President – Charlie Kemp
Vice President – Bob Hopta
Secretary – Ann Hopta
Treasurer – Lorri Kindberg
Board of Directors – Lee Adams, Donna Allen, Martha Casisa, Bill Ehrlich
NCBCH Work Day
On Saturday, November 5th, 2022 approximately 25 members from Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen met in the morning at Tucker Hill Trailhead in the Croom Tract of the Withlacoochee Forest to help FFS by pulling and disposing of 670 lbs. of the invasive Caesars weed. FFS is very concerned about this invasive weed as it flourishes and chokes out the native flora and fauna. After a morning of pulling and disposing of this weed everyone moved to the pavilion located at the trailhead for lunch provided by NCBCH and some social time.
Charlie Kemp and Molly Rider
Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen’s 2021 Volunteer of the Year awardee is Charlie Kemp. Charlie has enthusiastically given his time and expertise to better our organization. He has acted as a liaison with SWAMP (mountain bike group in Croom) and FFS. Although Charlie is not a ‘horse’ person but rather a ‘bike’ person he strongly supports his wife Vicki as an equestrian. He and his sidekick Molly Rider regularly travel Croom trails by either biking, hiking or on his quad (with a valid permit) to address and correct trail issues.
He identifies problem trail issues, creates safe and sustainable alternatives and submits these plans to FFS for their input and approval. He created plans for Smith Prairie Trail Head (where NCBCH won the prestigious Back Country Horsemen of America’s Double Diamond Award), worked with the FFS biologist to reroute the extremely eroded portion of the access trail out of Tucker Hill Trail Head to create a sustainable and safe trail.
He is currently on NCBCH’s board.
Becky Card-Swerdloff presented Charlie with a personalized biking shirt. Emblazoned with NCBCH’s logo and his Volunteer of Year status it also has a nod to his passions – his bike and Molly Rider! Thank you Charlie for all you do!
Ranch Hand Feed Depot, Giddy-Up Saddle Shop, Wagon Wheel, Fletcher's Tack Shop, Irish Trails Farm and Pet Supply
Remington Outpost, Capricci Healing Waters, Massage by Claire Larrson, White Daisy, Damsel in Defense - Phyllis Nolte, Photography by Ann Hopta
Tractor Supply Co. Brooksville, Pickett's Brooksville Ace Hardware, Toole's Groveland Ace Hardware, Rural King
Papa Joe’s Italian Restaurant, River Ratz, Luigi's Pizza of Brooksville, Mykonos II, Beef O'Brady's, Mallie Kyla’s, Country Kitchen, Glory Days Grill, Publix
Florida Forest Service
Good for all Florida state forests that have fees at the trailheads. The day use fee at Croom's Tucker Hill trailhead is $2 per person. The annual pass is $45 which is good for any day of the year for up to 6 people. To order the annual pass on-line go to:
Friends of Florida State Forests Annual Day Pass
Purchase it locally at: Florida Forest Service
Withlacoochee State Forest Recreation/Visitors Center
15003 Broad St., Brooksville, FL 34601-4201
(352) 797-4140
The daily parking fee is $3.00 per vehicle. An annual parking pass is $45.00 per vehicle.
To get Annual Parking Pass Application go to:
Lake Townsen Annual Parking Pass
Read both pages, particularly the highlighted area, print, fill it out, make a check payable to Hernando Cnty Recreation Department, & mail to 205 E. Fort Dade St., Brooksville, FL 34601, or go to their office at same address to purchase one. Call 352-754-4027 for further info.