Dear Friends and Acton Conservation Trust Members,
The pictures show Boston Area Gleaners June Food Day 2023 at Stonefield Farm, last Saturday! Visit their website for more information at https://www.bostonareagleaners.org/
The following news and events may be of interest:
Thursday, June 29
Mass Land Trust Coalition (MLTC) is offering a Fundamentals of Land Protection series of virtual classes- the last one.
4:00 – 5:30 p.m. via Zoom
Registration link here (Zoom link will be sent to registrants before the first session). Syllabus here
Saturday, July 1-August 13
Riverfest 2023
To view all the events, visit https://www.sudbury-assabet-concord.org/riverfest-2023.php
Come, Connect, and Experience your local wild and scenic rivers! A Riverfest Summer!
Enjoy free hikes, paddles, walks, music, and family fun all summer long in this annual celebration of the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Wild and Scenic River. Explore all the rivers have to offer, just west of Boston!
Saturday, July 1
Rail Trail Walk along the Assabet
4 PM
Meet at the beginning of the Rail Trail in West Concord (Rt. 62)
Naturalist Peter Alden, author of the Audubon Guide to New England, will lead a 2.5-hour walk focusing on birds and plants on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail from West Concord toward White Pond. Registration is appreciated but not required.
RSVP here https://www.sudbury-assabet-concord.org/riverfest-2023/rail-trail-walk-along-the-assabet
Sunday, July 2
MORE Dragonflies at the Cranberry Bog in Carlisle
10 AM
Meet at the Cranberry Bog House on Curve Street.
Carlisle Conservation Foundation’s Alan Ankers will teach you about the jewels of the insect world as we walk the trails of the Cranberry Bog for dragonflies and damselflies (collectively known as “odes”). We’ll also check out butterflies and anything else interesting that we come across.
Sunday, July 2 and subsequent Sundays
Acton-Boxborough Farmers Market
Elm Street Playground, West Acton
10 AM – 1 PM
Join us for our 15th season of promoting good food and supporting sustainable agriculture.
Visit http://www.abfarmersmarket.org for more information
Monday, July 3
July’s Full Buck Moon
It orbits closer to Earth than many of the other full Moons this year, making this one of the four supermoons of 2023! At its nearest point, the Buck Moon will be 224,895.4 miles (361,934 km) from Earth, which means that August’s Blue Moon will be the only supermoon that is closer to our planet this year.
While a supermoon is technically bigger and brighter than a regular full Moon, it only appears about 7% larger—which can be an imperceptible difference to the human eye, depending on other conditions. → Want to really see a huge full Moon? Read about the “Moon illusion” to discover how and when to look for one!
The full Moon in July is called the Buck Moon because the antlers of male deer (bucks) are in full-growth mode at this time. Bucks shed and regrow their antlers each year, producing a larger and more impressive set as the years go by.
For more information, visit https://www.almanac.com/content/full-moon-july
Wednesday July 5 and subsequent Sundays in July and August
Energize Acton Climate Café, Listening Session – A Drop in the Bucket? Or Every Action Adds Up?
5:00-6:00pm
Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St, Acton, MA
The Climate Cafés are informal gatherings where Acton residents can share info about clean energy technologies and ways to reduce our carbon footprint. Each week in July and August will be a different focus, with a range of technical and environmental topics. For more information, go to EnergizeActon.org or the Acton Memorial Library Calendar.
Wednesday, July 5 and subsequent Wednesdays through 7/19
Concord Band Concerts
Fruitlands, 102 Prospect Hill Road, Harvard Phone 978-456-3924
Gather on the lawn at Fruitlands Museum for a picnic concert with stunning sunset views. Bring your blanket, lawn chairs and picnic basket. There is plenty of room on the concert lawn to spread out and get comfortable.
The Concord Band is a group of 65 musicians from 40 area towns who have been performing since 1959. The Concord Band will treat concert-goers to a fun roster of timeless music, including pieces memorializing historic events, show tunes, holiday favorites and more.
Saturday, July 8
History Paddle
9 AM
Meet at the Rte. 20 Sudbury River boat launch
Travel in time as you paddle with Brian Donahue, Brandeis University history professor and expert on the Sudbury River. Paddle to Sherman’s Bridge through the wide meadows that prompted the founding of Wayland and Sudbury and hear stories of a fascinating and sometimes lurid past. Bring your canoe/kayak and life jacket (required). Cars will be available at Sherman’s Bridge Rd. to ferry you back. For more information: 508-358-2980.
Sunday, July 9
Lincoln Land Conservation Trust will host an eco-garden tour at a garden in North Lincoln.
9-11 AM
North Lincoln. Participants will receive directions/parking information.
15 years ago, the Gingrich family planted a mostly native garden in their front yard. Since the launch of the Pollinator Action Plan in 2020, the family has added two pollinator meadow-gardens in the backyard, as well as a variety of native trees and shrubs throughout the property. Always a work in progress, the garden is ever evolving and growing. Participants will also see the rain water catchment system and vegetable gardens. This is a free program but space is limited. Register here. Participants will receive directions/parking information.
Wednesday, July 12 and subsequent Wednesdays in July and August
Energize Acton Climate Café Meet an Acton Clean Energy Coach
5:00-6:00pm
Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St, Acton, MA
The Climate Cafés are informal gatherings where Acton residents can share info about clean energy technologies and ways to reduce our carbon footprint. Each week in July and August will be a different focus, with a range of technical and environmental topics. For more information, go to EnergizeActon.org or the Acton Memorial Library Calendar.
Climate Cafe Schedule for July and August
July 19: Electric Vehicle “Petting Zoo” and EV Update
July 26: Go Solar! Acton Homeowners Share Their Experiences
Aug. 2: State and Federal Incentives for Green Technology
Aug. 9: A Celebration of Plant-Based Foods – Potluck Picnic
Aug. 16, 23, 30: Topics to be announced
NEWS:
Bioblitz 2023 Results
Matt Liebman summarized the results of the June 2023 Bioblitz quite favorably! You can read about it here.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
Sign up to volunteer at BAG, https://www.bagetc.org/gleanlist.php
Thursday, June 29th
9:00am – 12:00pm: Lettuce Glean
Location: Concord, MA
Thursday, June 29th
1:00pm – 4:00pm: Lettuce Glean
Location: Concord, MA
Thursday, June 29th
8:30am – 11:00am: Lettuce and Kale Glean
Location: Stow, MA
Friday, June 30th
9:00am – 12:00pm: Lettuce and Endive Glean
Location: Weston, MA
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!
ARTICLES
June Wildlife Column by Gwyn Loud for the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust. Visit https://lincolnconservation.org/
Walden Pond in Concord
7 am-7 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, click here to purchase an annual pass, click here to purchase a senior 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”!