Dear Friends and Acton Conservation Trust Members,
The following news and events may be of interest: If you prefer, you may read “Events of Interest” on our website, ActonConservationTrust.org
Boston Area Gleaners are back this week and ready to harvest fall and winter veggies like kale, carrots, leeks and more. We also may have one or two more gleans happening this week so keep your eyes on our website for new additions.
Friday, December 2nd
Leek Harvest
10:00am – 1:00pm
Ipswich, MA
Sign up to volunteer at https://www.bagetc.org/gleanlist.php
Got Banana Boxes?
BAG is looking for banana boxes to pack and transport our gleaned produce! Banana boxes can be collected from grocery stores, corner stores, pantries, or anywhere that sells bananas. We’ll keep a running total of the boxes you’ve dropped off at Stonefield Farm and we’ll be in touch to give you merch in recognition of your efforts!
Now – December 31, 2022
Littleton Little Town Tree Hunt December 2022
See Facebook page for details and rules.
For Littleton Conservation lands click here.
22 decorated trees distributed across Littleton conservation lands.
Now – December 17
Experience Destination: Nature, An Evocative Juried Art Show
Tuesday through Thursday: 12 – 6 pm, Friday, 12-3 pm, Sat & Sun 11-3 PM
Fivesparks, 7 Fairbank Street, Harvard, MA
Featuring works from over 50 regional artists who have been inspired by the thousands of acres of protected land in Harvard, Massachusetts. Sarah Montross, Senior Curator at the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park has juried the show, selecting the exhibited works and awarding top prizes. The exhibit will also feature an immersive video installation created by Bearwalk Cinema. See these natural landscapes and wildlife habitats through the eyes of talented artists. All art is available for purchase. Visit www.destination-nature.org
Sunday, December 4 (DATE CHANGED DUE TO POOR FORECAST on 12/3)
Acton Conservation Trust Member Appreciation Evening of Astronomy
5-7 PM
To show appreciation for our wonderful members, we’re partnering with Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston for an Evening of Astronomy! The night of December 3 offers a nice selection of objects to observe. The moon will be in the evening skies along with Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars, Uranus, and Neptune. Many deep-sky objects will also be visible.
This is an in-person event for Acton Conservation Trust members only. Please register below. Not a member yet and want to attend? Visit ActonConservationTrust.org to join before registering.
This event is perfect for families! Dress warmly… wear several layers and bring a hat and gloves. We will be outdoors with plenty of hot beverages and other refreshments for you to enjoy.
Clouds or extreme low temperatures will cancel observing. We will consult the local weather forecast and contact you by 2:00 p.m. that day (December 4) with a GO/NO GO decision. For more information or questions, please contact Jody Harris at jharris.actonconservationtrust@gmail.com
Wednesday, December 7
Full Cold Moon
– December’s Cold Moon reaches peak illumination on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, at 11:09 P.M. EST.
– Start looking for the full Moon just before sunset as it begins to peek above the horizon. December’s full Moon has a high trajectory in the sky, which means that it will be above the horizon for longer than most full Moons. To find the exact time that it will appear in your area, consult our Moonrise Calculator.
– Why Is It Called the Cold Moon?
– The Moon names we use in The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from Native American, Colonial American, or other traditional sources passed down through generations. A variety of Native American peoples traditionally used the monthly Moons and nature’s corresponding signs as a calendar to track the seasons.
Today, December’s full Moon is most commonly known as the Cold Moon—a Mohawk name that conveys the frigid conditions of this time of year, when cold weather truly begins to grip us.
Thursday, December 8
Doug Tallamy Presents Nature’s Best Hope – Lincoln Land Conservation Trust
7 PM-8:30 PM
Virtual program
Recent headlines about global insect declines, the impending extinction of one million species worldwide, and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. Such losses are not an option if we wish to continue our current standard of living on Planet Earth. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. Tallamy will discuss simple steps that each of us can and must take to reverse declining biodiversity and will explain why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope.
The night’s focus will be on how to create backyard biodiversity in Lincoln, connect habitats throughout Town, and increase resilience against climate change. All are welcome at this free, virtual program.To register, click here.
December 10 – 21
SOLSTICE: Reflections on Winter Light is an annual event at Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, MA that includes an outdoor journey through large-scale light and sound artworks, and an indoor experience with live music and candle lighting. Guests are invited to walk through the light-filled landscape and explore the Winter Solstice atmosphere, and to reflect on moments of change as the year ends and a new cycle begins. Let the Solstice light your way as you encounter the unique spirit of Mount Auburn. This year’s event takes place December 10 – 21 and tickets will go on sale for the general public on November 2nd. https://www.mountauburnsolstice.org/
Sunday, December 11
Lexington Tea Burning Reenactment
10 am – 4 PM
Lexington Visitors Center, 1 Bedford St., Lexington, MA
On December 13, 1773, Lexington’s citizens met for a very special town meeting, where they voted to purge the town of the detested taxed tea. Following the resolve, they built a bonfire outside the meetinghouse and threw the town’s supply of tea into it, echoing Reverend Jonas Clarke’s words that anyone continuing to drink or buy tea was “an enemy to this town, and to this country.”
Activities will be happening indoor and outdoors throughout the day including drilling and musket firing, military music, drop-in programs about the history of tea and tea substitutes, and of course, the tea burning itself. Buckman Tavern will be decorated for the holidays and open free of charge during normal operating hours, 9:30 am – 4 pm. For more information click here.
Saturday, December 17
Winter Solstice with Farrington Nature Linc
3:30 PM – 5:30 PM
295 Cambridge Turnpike, Lincoln
Celebrating the Winter Solstice with Crafts and Cocoa. Free with suggested donation $10. Family Friendly!
Join us as we celebrate the Winter Solstice.
The Winter Solstice marks the exact moment when half of Earth is tilted the farthest away from the sun, making it the longest night of the year.
Together we’ll make a bird seed ornament and use recycled materials to create your own paper lantern. We’ll go on a lantern-lit hike and enjoy hot cocoa next to the fire. Register Here!
Wednesday, December 21
Winter Solstice Sunrise Walk
7 am – 8 am
Half Moon Meadow Brook, Boxborough
Join SVT member George Krusen to view the winter solstice sunrise through the stone structures at Half Moon Meadow Brook, and hear the legends of their origins from leader George Krusen for a magnificent viewing. An Annual SVT favorite. Register Now!
Wednesday, December 21
Musketaquid Winter Solstice Celebration
6:00 PM
The Old Manse 269 Monument St., Concord, MA – side lawn
Bonfire; Drumming by the Drum Nomads; Solstice Ceremony at a 6:30 PM
This event is free but registration is required. Click here to register.
Sponsored by the Umbrella Arts and Environment Program. Limited parking for those who have pre-registered will be available at The Old Manse and the Old North Bridge/Robbins House lot. Please carpool or walk if at all possible. Click here for parking pass sign up.
Mondays, 1/30, 2/2, 3/27, 3/30, 5/29, 6/1, 2023 (Total of 4 Discussions Sections)
Women of the Land (WOTL) Book Club Sign Up: Braiding Sweetgrass
This year’s Women on the Land book club. We will be reading “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer in ~100-page segments. For any questions, please email Lina Clifford at lclifford@umass.edu.
There will be four Zoom book discussions and two dates/times for each discussion to help accommodate for everyone’s schedules. Discussions will occur every other month and each discussion will have a Monday afternoon 12-1PM sitting and a Thursday evening 7-8PM sitting.
Sunday, March 12
Preview of ACT Annual Meeting: “Eyes on Owls”
1 PM – 2:30 PM
Acton Town Hall, 472 Main Street, Room 204, Acton, MA
Naturalists Marcia and Mark Wilson will introduce you to 6 live owls up close and personal! After much anticipation, Marcia brings the owls out one by one. Each bird is safely perched on her glove as she walks close to everyone, providing intimate views of these secretive birds of prey. And, everyone gets to practice the owls’ calls during the hooting lessons! The Wilsons highlight the owls’ unique adaptations, habitats and behaviors in the wild, while sharing tips on how you can look for owls yourself. Questions are taken once the owls come out.
1 PM Business Meeting
1:30 PM-2:30 – Eyes on Owls Presentation
Acton Town Hall, Room 204 and Zoom
Recordings Available
Environmental justice and indigenous land issues … – YouTube. – Talk given by Pete Westover, Co-Founder of Conservation Works, LLC
This talk will focus on the current indigenous struggles for land in New England and eastern Canada, focusing on the Penobscot, Nipmuc, Mashpee Wampanoag, Chappaquiddick Wampanoag, and Cree. Pete Westover will discuss the work of groups like Conservation Law Foundation, Arise for Social Justice, and Climate Action Now in partnership with Environmental Justice communities on land, energy and climate issues.
“Garden As If the Earth Matters”! Recording available!
The link to Anna Fialkoff’s talk last 10/13 “Garden as if the Earth Matters” has been added to our website: https://actonconservationtrust.org/garden-as-if-the-earth-matters-planting-for-biodiversity-and-climate-resilience/
If you missed her talk, you can still hear how gardening with native plants helps foster biodiversity and and creates more resilient landscapes.
SAFETY ALERT: Wear blaze orange this fall during outdoor visits and activities!
Hunting is now through end of December. Be safe, be seen! While hunters are required to wear blaze orange during certain seasons, all people who are outdoors this fall should wear blaze orange as a precaution for increased visibility.
Mass Wildlife Hunting Information
Video: See hunting season video on the effectiveness of blaze orange
Hunting Hours
Support Acton Conservation Trust while you make purchases on AmazonSmile! ACT will receive a small payment, and these add up!
From your desktop or laptop computer, AmazonSmile is available at at smile.amazon.com on your Web browser. Bookmark it for easy use!
AmazonSmile is available from your mobile phone as well. To activate AmazonSmile in the Amazon Shopping app, simply tap on “AmazonSmile” within the Programs & Features menu or Settings and follow the on-screen instructions.
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”!