Dear Friends and Acton Conservation Trust Members,
In case you missed last night’s presentation “Garden as if the Earth Matters” by Anna Fialkoff, of the Wild Seed Project, and co-sponsored by EnergizeActon, Acton Conservation Trust, and the Garden Club of Acton, here are a few photos to tide you over until ActonTV cleans up the recording and posts it. FYI: The President of the Acton Garden Club packaged 4 different kinds of milkweed seeds from her back yard to give away!!
If you’re planting milkweed from seed, sow the seeds outdoors in the fall, which will give them the period of stratification (exposure to cold, moist conditions) they need to encourage spring germination and ensure a good display of flowers the following summer.
It is recommended to prune the milkweed stalks to about 6 inches in height during the fall and winter months to discourage monarchs from establishing winter-breeding colonies. Cutting back the milkweed will also help to eliminate OE (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha) spores that may be present on the plant.
The following news and events may be of interest:(If you prefer, you may read “Events of Interest” on our website, ActonConservationTrust.org
VOLUNTEERING
BOSTON AREA GLEANERS (Sign up to volunteer at https://www.bagetc.org/gleanlist.php)
Thursday, October 13
Apple Harvest
9:00am – 12:00pm
Location: Groton, MA
Apple Harvest
9:30am – 12:00pm
Location: North Andover, MA
Pear Harvest
1:30pm – 3:30pm:
Location: Peabody, MA
Saturday, October 15
Apple Harvest
9:00am – 12:00pm
Location: Groton, MA
Scallions and Beet Harvest
9:00am – 12:00pm
Location: Groton, MA
Apple Harvest
12:00pm – 3:00pm
Location: Weston, MA
Ride For Food 2022: Thank you!
The Gleaners had a successful bike ride on the 2nd! You can still help us reach our fundraising goal of $10,000 by donating to our team at the link below. We will continue fundraising until the end of October.
A big thank you to those who have donated already, we truly appreciate your support! Donate today! at https://ride.threesquaresne.org/team/425405
Write to Outreach@BostonAreaGleaners.org to check out their October Newsletter
Now – October 31
Scarecrow Contest – “Stand Up to Stigma”
Cucurbit Farm, 32 Parker St
Calling all entries to Cucurbit! Enter the “Stand Up to Stigma” Scarecrow Contest to benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Central Middlesex. Bring your $25 donation to Cucurbit Farm and pick up your scarecrow starter frame. Individuals, organizations, and businesses are invited to participate. The scarecrows will be on display for the month of October. Additional info at namicentralmiddlesex.org and cucubitfarm.com.
Be sure to visit Actonius, the Acton Conservation Trust Scarecrow; He’s promoting Land Trusts and “Standing up to Stigma”and the Corn Maze!!
Saturday, October 15 WAIT LIST
Fall Mushroom Forage with Boston Mycological Club – sponsored by Acton Conservation Trust
10:30 AM-12:30 PM
The Boston Mycological Club is the oldest amateur mycology club in the USA, founded in 1895. Our walk will will take us through one of Acton’s conservation areas with BMC’s Jonathan Kranz to help ID our finds.
All ages are welcome. No pets, please! Refreshments will be provided after our walk.
Parking information and meeting location will be sent a few days before the event. This event will be held rain or shine as rain is great for mushrooms! Lightning will cancel the walk.
Register here. If you have questions, please contact Jody Harris at jharris.actonconservationtrust@gmail.com
Saturday October 15
Autumnal Tints with Richard Smith
12:00-2:00pm
Walden Visitor Center, 915 Walden St., Concord, MA
Historian Richard Smith talks about Thoreau’s fall essay followed by a foliage-inspired saunter with a Park Interpreter. From ages 6 years+
Programs are free and open to the public. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Reasonable accommodations upon request. Please follow COVID guidelines: visit Mass.gov/COVID. Group visitation requires advanced reservations.
Email walden.programs@mass.gov or call (978) 405-2082. No dogs/pets allowed on premises year-round. Park closes when visitor capacity is reached—DCR Closure Alert: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/dcr-park-alerts
Saturday, October 15, November 19
Polysterene Collection Day
10 AM-1 PM
Acton Transfer Station and Recycling Center
Bring your clean polystyrene; We can’t accept polystyrene food containers.Questions? Contact the Sustainability Director at abecerra@actonma.gov. Transfer Station sticker required for access.
Sunday, October 16
Birds of Prey with Tom Ricardi
1-3 PM
Walden Pond State Reservation, beyond the Walden Pond Visitor Center.
Tom Ricardi of Mass Birds of Prey Rehabilitation Facility in Conway, Massachusetts, gives an interactive presentation featuring live birds of prey. Among the raptors featured may be eagles, falcons, hawks, and owls. All children must be accompanied by a supervising adult. Please bring your own lawn chair or blanket. WPSR Parking fees: $8 MA resident; $30 non-MA resident. This event is sponsored by the Friends of Walden Pond.
Sunday, October 16
Acton-Boxborough Farmer’s Market
Elm Street Playground, West Acton
10 AM – 1 PM
Join us for our 13th season of promoting good food and supporting sustainable agriculture.
Come visit the Acton Garden Club Table, and find out what’s new!!
Visit http://www.abfarmersmarket.org for more information.
Sunday, October 16
Nature Mandalas
Drop-in 10:00am – 12:00pm
Discovery Museum, 177 Main St., Acton
Play and design with the fun fall colors in Discovery Woods! We’ll gather leaves, stones, sticks and more and design patterns both big and small. For more information visit www.discoveryacton.org
Monday, October 17
Sensory Friendly Days at Drumlin Farm
1:00-4:00 pm
Drumlin Farm
Families and children with autism and other sensory needs can take advantage of the quieter hours to connect with nature, the farm, and each other in a sensory-friendly environment.
Tuesday, October 18
Cutting Edge Digital Technologies Documentation
7:00 pm
Zoom only
Thomas Elmore, of the GeoNAV Group, and Eva Gibavic, of Ceremonial Landscapes Research, share their experience using 3D LiDAR scanning, photogrammetry, and mapping utilizing ArcGIS’s capabilities to bring extremely accurate digital documentation to research of archaeological and ceremonial sites. All programs are free but require registration https://tinyurl.com/pinehawk-2022
Questions? Email friends of pinehawk@gmail.com.
Saturday, October 22
Adult Archaeology Walk
10 am–Noon
Bettina Abe of Acton’s Natural Resources Division will lead a brisk hike along the Nashoba Brook trail, with stops at the stone chamber and Native American ceremonial sites. Trail conditions can be rocky, uneven, and often wet, and thus participation is limited. Registrants will receive a detailed email several days before the walk.
Limited to 20, ages 17 and up. All programs are free but require registration
https://tinyurl.com/pinehawk-2022Questions? Email friends of pinehawk@gmail.com.
Saturday, October 22 and Sunday, October 23 – now through October
Thoreau Farm is Open for Tours!
11 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM
Thoreau Farm, 341 Virginia Road, Concord, MA
Take an inside look at the restored 1730s house listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Wheeler-Minot Farmhouse/Henry David Thoreau Birth House. Locally, it is also known as “Thoreau Farm.” Tour includes the lovingly restored second-floor room where Henry David Thoreau was born in 1817. Visits are by guided tour only. Admission is free. Suggested Donation $5/person.
Sunday, October 23; Rain Date, Sunday, October 30
Acton Conservation Trust Fall Community Service Day
1-3 PM
Spring Hill Conservation Land, Spring Hill Road, Acton
This fall we will be working at Spring Hill Conservation Area, removing invasive plant growth and widening the blue trail. In addition, there is a need to walk the entire loop system at Spring Hill, cutting back overgrowth to make the trails the proper width. You should plan to wear long sleeves and long pants. Please bring leather work gloves, clippers, bypass pruners and loppers and weed wrenches if you have them. You might need sunscreen and insect repellent as well.
Please register here.
There are also release forms for adults, as well as those 18 years old and under. We will need a signed release form for each participant, so please print the form, fill it out, then bring it with you to the event! If you’re 18 years old and under, please have a parent or guardian sign the form as well.
Thank you for forwarding this email to any and all interested parties. Everyone is welcome to join us, including families, students and scouts.
For more information or questions, please contact Jody Harris at jharris.actonconservationtrust@gmail.com and/or visit ActonConservationTrust.org.
Monday, October 24
PALEOINDIAN LIFE 12,000 YEARS AGO AT THE TENANT SWAMP SITE
7 PM
Archaeologist Robert Goodby discusses his field work at a site, undisturbed since the end of the Ice Age, in Keene, New Hampshire, that revealed information about the economy, gender roles, and household organization of the region’s first inhabitants, and evidence of social networks that extended for hundreds of miles across northern New England.
In-person and streamed. All programs are free but require registration here. Questions? email friends of pinehawk@gmail.com.
Tuesday, October 25
Household Hazardous Waste Day
4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: DPW Garage at 14 Forest Road
The Town of Acton holds a Hazardous Waste Day twice a year and offers residents a safe and legal way of disposing of hazardous materials. For more information on hazardous waste disposal or Hazardous Waste Day, please contact the Health Department at 978-929-6632.
Note: These collection services are for Acton residents only and proof of residency will be required.
This year there will be extra precautions in place due to COVID-19:
• All residents must stay in their vehicles at all times. Clean Harbors has a policy that anyone who attempts to exit their vehicle will be asked to leave.
• Waste accepted from truck bed, trunk of car, or back hatch of SUV. Materials will not be accepted from seats or when handed from residents.
• Clean Harbors will not be returning any containers (gas containers, storage totes, etc.). Please plan accordingly.
• If possible, make one trip to Household Hazardous Waste Day.
See our Household Hazardous Waste Day Flyer for more information.
Wednesday, October 26
Walden Woods Project – Silent Spring Revolution: A Conversation with Douglas Brinkley
7pm – 8 PM
Virtual
http://www.walden.org/events/silent-spring-revolution-a-conversation-with-douglas-brinkley/
Thursday, Oct 27,
Star Watch at Wolbach
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM EDT
Wolbach Farm, Sudbury
The Skylight Astronomical Society of Stow returns to share their technology and knowledge of the night sky. Peer through a variety of telescopes set up in the field. We have seen the rings of Saturn, the red glow of Mars, and distant galaxies! Register here.
Sunday, October 30
Rich and Healthy: No-till for Successful Farms
10 AM-5 PM
Orange, MA
Are you a farmer or market gardener seeking to start or transition to no-till methods that use simple tools, build healthy soil, reduce labor and cost inputs, promote climate resilience and increase your connection to the land? You’ll learn several no-till, climate resilience techniques in this experiential, day-long workshop with seasoned farmer Ricky Baruc and no-till soil science researchers. Guest soil science researchers will share their knowledge too!– Caro Roszell from American Farmland Trust and PhD candidate Alexa Smychkovich. Details here.
Tuesday, November 8
CISMA Fall Meeting
1:00-3:00 pm
via Zoom
The CISMA Steering Committee will be hosting their annual Fall Meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Primary Topics: Examples of Local Invasive Plant Management Projects.
Wildlife of Acton, MA YouTube Playlist
Visit https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaLTsF_59WP0dAL19gvrjjkyxiXvY596u by Rebecca Harvey
Coyote, fisher, raccoons, porcupine, fox, weasels, deer, otter, and many more
NEWS – from Land Trust Alliance, Summer Issue
Maine Farmland Trust Urges Action on PFAS
Maine farmers are facing devastating consequences from the decades-long practice of spreading municipal sludge on farmland. Wastewater sludge was once promoted as a safe and economical fertilizer, but Maine communities recently became aware that insidious “forever” chemicals, or PFAS, seeped from sludge into soil and groundwater, contaminating wells, farmland and crops. Learn more at https://www.mainefarmlandtrust.org/farm-network/pfas-in-maine-agriculture/
Boston Area Gleaner (BAG) INFORMATION
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!
Got Banana Boxes?
We’re 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! For more detailed information and instructions, click here.
Help for Volunteers who commute to BAG’s Stonefield Farm, 91 Martin St., from South Acton Station
As a reminder, if you are planning to take the MBTA to volunteer at Stonefield Farm in Acton, feel free to use one of the three BAG bikes (covered in BAG stickers) now parked at South Acton station for the short commute to the farm! Please reach out to outreach@bostonareagleaners.org prior to your volunteer trip to coordinate.
Species-specific Impact of Increased CO2 Concentrations on Herbicide Resistance
From CISMA/Metrowest Conservation Alliance Newsletter of October 2022
Increased atmospheric CO₂ is expected to cause physiological and morphological changes in invasive plants that past studies have suggested could lead to herbicide resistance (e.g., Ziska et al. 2004). However, past studies have been limited to a few agricultural weeds, making it unclear whether herbicide resistance will be a widespread phenomenon in invasive plants. Read this summary of findings from a recent study that this study suggests that widespread glyphosate resistance is unlikely with elevated CO₂.
Local Examples of Invasive Plant Management
From CISMA/Metrowest Conservation Alliance Newsletter of October 2022
At Gowings Swamp in Concord SVT has converted a field of Japanese knotweed to a native plant meadow. Six years after the project began, results are still positive. However, porcelain berry reared its ugly head so we have a new challenge. See the full story here.
At the Smith Conservation Land in Littleton, SVT has been utilizing a variety of invasive plant control techniques to battle an extensive invasion of bittersweet. We are tracking the results of the various techniques over time and will publish an annual report. See this year’s fall report here.
Leave the Leaves!
From CISMA/Metrowest Conservation Alliance Newsletter of October 2022
Autumn is when many of us think to put our gardens to bed by removing leaves and cutting back perennials. Yet to truly support living creatures year round, it’s much better to leave fallen leaves, branches, stems, and seed heads where they are rather than raking, blowing, shredding, or cutting them away. Leaves and other organic matter insulate plant roots through the cold winter months and then decompose to build up living soil critical to healthy vegetation. This organic matter also stores large amounts of carbon, which is crucial to supporting a climate-resilient planet. Read the full article here.
Walden Pond in Concord
7 am-7:30 pm
915 Walden St., Concord, MA
walden.pond@state.ma.us 978-369-3254, bridal paths, and farm roads
One-way trail loop system to promote social distancing; 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 a pass: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/purchase-an-annual-parking-pass-for-massachusetts-state-parks
https://www.mass.gov/how-to/get-a-senior-parking-pass
HIT THE WATER – PICK YOUR PADDLES
The South Bridge Boathouse
Canoe and Kayak Rental service in Concord
496 Main St., Concord, MA
Monday-Friday: 10 AM to one hour before dusk; Weekends and Holidays: 9 AM to one hour before dusk.
Rent a canoe or kayak and explore miles of peaceful waterways on the Assabet, Sudbury and Concord Rivers. A leisurely 1.5 mile paddle to the
Old North Bridge is a favorite.
For more information contact 978-369-9438 or visit https://www.southbridgeboathouse.com/
Camp Acton is Open
Pope Road, Acton
Fee is $25 per site reserved through the Recreation Department.
Limited to 10 people per site. Visit http://trails.actonma.gov/ to learn more about Camp Acton.
Please complete the registration form 48 business hours prior to desired reservation date.
Payments are due upon reservation confirmation
Portable toilet on site.
All users must follow social distancing, regulations and posted guidelines.
Please complete and send camp Acton Permit application via email to recreation@actonma.gov or fax to 978-929-6333
Please allow up to two business days to process.
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”!