The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

agriculture and flora

Coming up in Lincoln

“Taking on Invasives: Invasive Forest Beetles” — October 17

Join Jennifer Forman-Orth, Ph.D., state plant pest survey coordinator, on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Thoreau Institute (44 Baker Farm Rd., Lincoln) for a discussion on the Asian longhorned beetle and the emerald ash borer. Wine and cheese reception supported by The Cheese Shop in Concord. Presented by the Walden Woods Project and the Sudbury-Concord-Assabet River Watershed Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area with support from a SuAsCo Wild and Scenic River Stewardship Council grant. Seating is limited, so please call 781-259-4707 to reserve your seat.

Lincoln Girl Scouts sell pumpkins — October 19

Don’t buy your pumpkins yet—support the Lincoln Girl Scouts and buy your pumpkins at its second annual pumpkin sale on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 2-5 p.m. at Codman Community Farms. The fund-raising event will also include baked goods for sale and face painting.

“Scarecrow Classic” 5K — October 20

The first annual “Scarecrow Classic” 5K road and trail race (run and walk) to benefit the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust will start at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20 at Lincoln Station. For more information, see www.ScarecrowClassic5k.com.

Lincoln Fire and Police Ball — November 8

The Lincoln Fire and Police Ball will take place Friday, Nov. 8 at the Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord. This annual event, which has grown in popularity over the past few years, has an important role in supporting the Lincoln Fire Association and the Lincoln Police Benevolent Association. Both organizations use funds from this event to support local scholarships and community organizations, including the Lincoln Family Association, the Lincoln PTO, the Lincoln Council on Aging and others.

Tickets may be purchased for $60 by mailing a check payable to Lincoln Fire and Police Ball to Lincoln Fire and Police Department, P.O. Box 342, Lincoln MA 01773.

Order pies and help L-S teachers

The Foundation for Educators at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School (FELS) announces the 2013 annual thanksgiving pie sale. Orders for apple, pumpkin, pecan and chocolate pies for $15 each are being accepted through November 15. Order online or print a form from the website or pick up a paper copy at the main office at L-S.

Drumlin Farm ribbon-cutting for accessible trails Oct. 5

icepondOn Saturday, October 5 at 10 a.m., Mass Audubon staff and volunteers will celebrate the opening of two universally accessible trails at Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the two-year project.

The Ice Pond Trail and Farmyard Loop Trail are designed to allow persons of all abilities to experience nature and learn about sustainable agriculture. The new trails feature an accessible garden bed, tactile exhibits of animal casts, post-and-rope guide system, an interpretive audio tour, and Braille signage.

There will be refreshments and a guided tour of trails and “sensory” features. This project was made possible in part by the Institute for Museum and Library Services. 

Harvest Weekends at Drumlin Farm start tomorrow

scarecrowOn October 5-6 and 12-14, Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary will be bustling with special activities, games, and pick-your-own opportunities. Join us on a hayride and enjoy cider, apples and cider donuts from Shelburne Farms or pizza from Vesta Wood-fired Pizza, and don’t forget to stay for one of our live animal demonstrations.

The farm will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with special activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for children 2-12  and seniors, and free for Mass Audubon members. Pick-your-own (see below), which involves an additional cost, will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or while supplies last. For more details, see the Drumlin Farm website.

Pick your own:

October 5  and 6: Pumpkins and gourds – pick out your favorite from our display in the field!

October 12- 14: We’ll check with our farmer to see what is ready to harvest and post it on the Drumlin Farm website before the weekend!

Join in Trail Improvment Day

boardwalkThe Lincoln conservation groups are organizing a trail and land improvement day on Saturday, October 5 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Even if you can only stop by for an hour or two, it would be a huge help. If you can stay longer or even all day, that would be fabulous. We will gather at the Codman North field, past the entrance to the Codman house  along Codman Road before you get to Rte. 126. Light snacks will be provided.

Work will be along field edges and trails in the woods. Dress accordingly. Please bring gloves, loppers, rakes or shovels. For more information, call Angela Kearney at the Conservation Commission office 781-259-8942.

Come help out at Codman Farm Work Day

barn copyResidents are invited to Codman Farm Work Day on Saturday, September 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help beautify Codman Community Farms for the upcoming Harvest Weekend. Come for the day. Come for an hour. Lend a hand and enjoy the company of other CCF supporters. Pick a task that suits you, such as:

  • Weeding
  • Painting signs
  • Hanging signs in the barn
  • Painting the bathroom floors
  • Organizing the lower barn
  • Washing windows
  • Weeding the children’s garden (great for kids!)
  • Litter hunt (great for kids!)
  • Putting in a fence
  • Rolling silverware for the upcoming Farmside Feast

Please bring work gloves and gardening tools. Pizza and refreshments will be served at noon for volunteers.

Strawberry Day rescheduled for June 22

strawberry-smCelebrate the strawberry harvest by heading out to Drumlin Farm on June 22 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Strawberry Day (originally scheduled for June 15). Dig in the dirt with our farm staff, meet some berry-loving animals, and pick your own strawberries to take home. Drumlin’s strawberries, like all of its produce, are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides.

All activities except strawberry picking are free with admission ($7 for adults, $5 for seniors and children 2-12, free for Mass Audubon members). Pick-your-own strawberries will be available for purchase from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., while supplies last. Special programs throughout the day:

10 a.m. – A Taste of Drumlin: Sample the first fruits (and veggies!) of the season.

10:30 a.m. – Woodchuck Wonders: Wonder who may be nibbling in your garden? Meet one of our groundhogs and find out!

11:30 a.m. – Seeing Seeds: Explore the magic of how a seed turns into a new plant.

12:30 p.m. – Wild Wetlands: Get an up-close look at what’s going on in our local ponds.

2 p.m. – A Taste of Drumlin: Sample the first fruits (and veggies!) of the season.

2:30 p.m. – Fields for Food: Visit with some of the wild birds and mammals that make fields their habitat.

3:30 p.m. – Turtles Love Strawberries: Meet some of our resident reptiles and watch them enjoy a favorite springtime treat.

3:45 p.m. – Foxes Love Strawberries, Too: Learn more about our fascinating foxes, who love strawberries as much as we do.

Boogie down at Club Codman dance

abba

ABBA (photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

Sport the great fashions of the past and boogie to music from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s at this adults-only annual event to benefit Codman Community Farms on Saturday, May 18 starting at 7:30 p.m.

See and be seen in your craziest dance attire! No costumes required, but there will be much respect for the biggest hair and the most polyester. Come dance, watch your friends lip-sync on the patented Codman air guitar stage, or just hang out with other Codman Community Farms supporters.

This is a great fund-raising event that helps support the farm. Tickets are $25 and are available at the farm or by emailing info@codmanfarm.org.

Order a rain barrel for your garden by May 16

barrel-colorThe Lincoln Water Department has teamed up with Upcycle Products Inc. to offer 55-gallon plastic and oak rain barrels for sale to residents. Using rain barrels to water your garden reduces the water drawn from the town’s drinking water supply, allowing Lincoln to meet the state’s water conservation goals while simultaneously saving you money—and the soft, chemical-free water is very good for grass and other plants.

The plastic rain barrels were originally used for transporting food products to the U.S. from overseas while the oak barrels were used for whiskey—so this program not only promotes water conservation but also diverts large quantities of material from the waste stream.

To see colors, styles and prices for the barrels, go to the Upcycle Products webpage for Lincoln. Order barrels by May 16 and pick them up at Stonegate Gardens on May 22 from 4-6 p.m. Tell your out-of-town friends they can order too!