Author: Amy Ford

by Laura Cortner, Director

A historical detective story has been playing out at the Ruscombe Mansion! It’s our own version of the PBS show “Finding Your Roots,” and we just uncovered the document we needed to verify who was the original owner of our Mansion.

We knew all along we were on land originally carved out of the James Woods Tyson estate (related to Cylburn), but we had erroneously concluded the original owner of our Mansion building was one of James Woods Tyson’s daughters. What we discovered recently was far more exciting! There is a lot of history in these walls, and the Ruscombe Community 501(c)3 has as its mission to preserve the Mansion and the Hill House for future generations.

Now, for the drumroll… The original owner of what we now call the Ruscombe Mansion was Madeleine Lemoyne Ellicott, prominent suffragist and social reformer who is listed in the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame. She founded the League of Women Voters of Maryland and served as president for twenty years. How symbiotic that for the past forty years, Ruscombe, Inc. has been operating out of her home as a women-owned and woman-operated holistic health care center dedicated to serving the community.

Continue reading “Finding Your Roots at Ruscombe”

The announcement you’ve been waiting for! Ruscombe Coop Café is reopening with a new luncheon service starting on November 17th in collaboration with Onyx Marketplace Collective who focus on fresh produce, natural homemade products, art, and community resources.

Five dates are scheduled through the end of this year and lunch service times will be 11AM-3PM. Watch for new ideas and meal prep pick up options to expand in January.

Now, come meet Chef Zion!

Hello from Chef Zion! I am a dedicated culinary student with a deep love for farm to table cuisine. I love to forage, commune with my friends and neighbors, and celebrate life through the exchange of culture and love.

My culinary journey began by creating low-cost meals for my siblings as our parents worked to provide for us. Paired with a love, an ancestral connection to farming, and several years in restaurants and cafe management, my cooking style emerges at the brilliant intersection between farming and culinary exploration. I am honored to offer farm fresh and nutritious lunch and meal prep services to the Ruscombe and Coldspring community.

I am on a mission to reignite a passion for food education, culinary life skills, and bodily sovereignty into the lives of all Baltimore neighbors. I hope you’ll join me, and my collaborating chefs, at Ruscombe Community Health Center on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays starting January 2024. In the meantime, please join me for lunch from 11-3 on the following dates:

· Friday November 17

· Wednesday, November 29

· Friday, December 8

· Wednesday, December 13

· Wednesday December 20

We look forward to serving you.

– Chef Zion + Co

http://linktr.ee/onyxmarketbmore

Ruscombe Mansion Speaker Series is partnering with the Green Burial Association of Maryland (GBAM) to present:

Green Burial Basics:
Planning for Death While Living Your Values
September 13, 2023
7:00- 8:30pm @ Ruscombe Mansion

Speakers:

Jennifer Downs, RN,L.Ac / GBAM President
Carrie Shipton, BFA/ GBAM Board Member

Jennifer Downs, Board President of GBAM, is an RN and Licensed Acupuncturist workshop facilitator, and teacher, who has been in practice since 1980.	Carrie Shipton was first introduced to Green Burial while she was working on her BFA in design. She now volunteers on the board of GBAM.

Green Burial returns the body to the ground in a natural, simple and dignified way, while honoring the well-being of the planet.Green Burial is environmentally friendly -no embalming, no concrete vault in the ground, uses non-toxic biodegradable casket/shroud, and the land remains in its natural state.

Continue reading “Everything you Wanted to Know About Green Burials in the State of Maryland”