Dear Friends and Acton Conservation Trust Members,
The following news and events may be of interest:
Friday-Saturday, August 25, 26, 27
Middlesex 4-H Agricultural Fair
Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM; Sat., 8 AM to 6 PM, Sunday, 8am to 4 PM
55 South Chelmsford Rd., Westford
If field parking lot is full, you take a shuttle from a remote location. http://4hmiddlesexfair.org/general-fair-information In addition to food and animal judging:
Chicken Poop Bingo; Barnyard Olympics; Dairy Goat Judging; Poultry Costume Class; Apple Pie Judging; Watermelon Eating Contest; Rabbit Races; Pie & Ice Cream Ten; BBQ Dining Area; Sheep Blocking; K9 Games and Agility. For more information visit http://4hmiddlesexfair.org/
Sunday, August 27
Acton-Boxborough Farmer’s Market – October 15
Elm Street Playground, West Acton
10 AM – 1 PM
Join ABFM for our 15th season of promoting good food and supporting sustainable agriculture.
Visit http://www.abfarmersmarket.org for more information.
Wednesday, August 30
Full Blue Moon
From almanac.com/content/full-moon-august
The Full Blue Moon will be the closest supermoon of the year!
The term Blue Moon is most commonly used when we have two full Moons in a single month. On Wednesday, August 30, the Full Moon will peak at 9:36 pm.
August 30-31 supermoon will be the closest, biggest, and brightest full supermoon of 2023. It’s exceptionally close in Moon miles from Earth (222,043 miles). The next time we’ll have a closer full supermoon is November 5, 2025, when the moon lies 221,817 miles from Earth.
Wednesday, August 30
Energize Acton Climate Café – Ready for Winter? Tips for Renters and All Residents
5:00-6:00pm
Acton Memorial Library Outdoors, 486 Main St., Acton
Last winter’s high energy costs were a huge shock to many Acton residents. Renters, in particular, often have fewer options when facing high bills. This Climate Café session will look at strategies to make apartments and homes as energy efficient as possible, including ad hoc tips along with Mass Save resources for homeowners and even for renters (including some hands-on materials). We will also have information about what is happening in the region to address the energy needs of multi-family buildings, along with resources about special fuel assistance programs for income eligible households. Co-sponsored by the Acton Memorial Library and EnergizeActon.org. For more info, go to EnergizeActon.org.
Thursday, September 7th
Metropolitan Conservation Alliance (MCA’s) Bumble Bee Project Pollinator Potluck Picnic
4:00-6:30 pmSunny Meadow Farm,
168 Robin Hill Road, Chelmsford
Meet Bumble Bee Project Steering Committee members and fellow pollinator enthusiasts for a tour of member Giancarla Kalpas’s public pollinator display garden and to enjoy a potluck dinner. You’re welcome to bring a dish to share and a friend who loves pollinators! Please reach out to chair.npstf@gmail.com if you have any questions.Registration is required and available here.
Saturday, September 9
18th Annual Ag Day Farmers Market in Concord, MA
10-2 PM
Main Street in downtown Concord (between Walden St. and the Flagpole rotary)
Concord Ag Day is a once a year farmers’ market celebrating local agriculture organized by the Concord Agriculture Committee to showcase Concord farms and local produce. This unique market showcases the bounty of Concord’s many farm businesses at the height of the growing season. For information: www.concordagday.com.
Ag Day 2023 will feature your favorite Concord Farmers selling their bounty, as well as the return of the famous Veggie Race Track this year sponsored by Vanderhoof Hardware! In addition, several Concord nonprofits will be there with information on a variety of environmental and ‘ag’ related topics. Come experience what Concord’s land can produce!
Saturday, September 9
Plant ID Walk
9:30-noon Horse Meadows Knoll, Harvard
Join naturalist Roland “Boot” Boutwell for an informative nature walk. Focus on plant identification as well as fun and interesting natural history about the plants we see. Register at https://svtprograms.funraise.org/
Saturday & Sunday, September 9 & 10
Wilderness First Aid
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Stewardship Training Center, Plymouth, MA
Accidents happen. People get hurt, sick, or lost. The temperature drops, the wind picks up, and it starts to rain. Would you know what to do? Wildlands will host SOLO Wilderness Medical School to teach a course on Wilderness First Aid. Learn more and register Published in eNews, July 2023, Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
Sign up to volunteer at BAG, https://www.bagetc.org/gleanlist.php
Saturday, August 26th
TBD!
9:00am – 12:00pm
Location: TBD!
Saturday, August 26th
TBD!
10:00am – 1:00pm
Location: Ipswich, MA
*Please join the waitlist if a trip is full! Not only will this help us gauge interest moving forward, but if someone is unable to attend who had previously committed, and depending on your place on the waitlist, you will be automatically added to the roster.
*Don’t forget: The most up-to-date trip information is always on the website. We may post trips after the weekly email goes out. To stay in the loop about last-minute calls for volunteers, you can join our volunteer emergency text list!
CPA UPDATE from 8/17/23 www.communitypreservation.org
The summer season is nearing its end, which means many CPC’s across the state are getting ready for another round of CPA project applications. So it’s the perfect time for our annual CPA Technical Assistance Top 10!
We’ve curated a list of some of our most popular technical assistance articles, as well as a few unusual CPA topics that may pique your interest. And as a bonus feature, be sure to read about an exciting new grant opportunity that might be a perfect fit for some of the smaller CPA communities across the Commonwealth.
CPA Financial Issues: Visit communitypreservation.org
1) Understanding the Procedure for Returning Unspent CPA Funds
2) The Role of Grant Agreements in Funding Private Projects
3) Everything You Need to Know About CPA Budgets & Accounting
CPA Project Eligibility:
4) Are All of Your CPA Open Space Acquisitions Covered by Conservation Restrictions? It’s the Law!
5) Protecting Farmland with CPA – There’s a State Program That Can Pay Much of the Cost!
6) Using CPA to Save Unusual Historic Treasures:
-Bringing Historic Artifacts Back to Life
-Restoring Historic Murals & Public Art
Visit www.communitypreservation.org to read the articles.
Materials to Help Your Community Preservation Committee:
7) When CPA Funds a Housing Trust, A Grant Agreement is a Must!
8) CPA Public Hearings – Creative Ways to Engage with Your Community
9) Improve Your CPA Program – Put Your CPC Recommendations in Writing
10) Building a Better CPA Application Process
Visit www.communitypreservation.org
A Unique Grant Program to Pair with Your CPA Projects
T-Mobile has announced another round of funding under their “Hometown Grants”program, which may be able to supplement local CPA initiatives in smaller communities with populations of 50,000 or lower. This grant program can provide matching grants for “shovel-ready projects” in areas that compliment CPA, like outdoor spaces, historic buildings, and other community projects.
Click here for more information, or watch the video.
Walden Pond in Concord
5 am-7:30 pm
915 Walden St.
walden.pond@state.ma.us; 978-369-3254, bridal paths, and farm roads.
Boat ramp Sunday – Saturday: 5 AM – 7 PM.
Parking: MA resident $8; Non-MA resident: $30 Annual and senior passes NOT sold in park, use this link to purchase an annual pass.
Use this link to purchase a senior lifetime parking pass.
Sincerely,
Susan Mitchell-Hardt
President, Acton Conservation Trust
www.ActonConservationTrust.org
P.S. Welcome new “Events of Interest” subscribers! As a nonprofit organization focused on conserving land in Acton, we rely upon the support of our members. Visit our ACT website, and click on “Join Us”!