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

Council on Aging events for November

For more information about an of these events, call the Lincoln Council on Aging at 781-259-8811.

November 4 — 12:30 p.m.
Lincoln Academy with Chuck Miller: Getting the most of the town’s new website

Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Nov. 4 at 12:30 p.m. to hear Chuck Miller, Lincoln’s IT director, discuss “Getting the Most of the Town’s New Website.” Bring a bag lunch. The COA provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion.

November 4 and beyond –10 a.m.
Like to walk with friends?
Walking is a great way to stay fit. Walking with friends is more fun and will help you keep motivated to get into a healthy walking routine. If you’d like to join with others who walk once a week, come down to Bemis Hall on Mondays at 10 a.m. A group will walk from there or drive to a trail or other walking path for a short walk. You may walk for as long or as short a time as you like. Give it a try!

[Read more…] about Council on Aging events for November

Tuesday: meeting on farming land in Lincoln

farm2The Lincoln Agriculture Commission (LAC) invites land owners, farmers, and others to an information session on its agricultural lands mapping project on Tuesday, November 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall. This community-wide meeting will highlight the LAC’s new map of agricultural lands in Lincoln, which was developed using publicly available information, and will feature tips on leasing land to a farmer.

We are in the midst of an exciting period of opportunity for local agriculture due to a resurgence of interest in locally produced foods, However, a weak link in the revival of regional agriculture is access to land for the beginning farmer. New farmers are critical to sustaining our agricultural base and to replacing an aging farmer population. Those interested in starting agricultural careers are increasingly challenged as barriers to entry are significant and traditional venues for education are declining.

The LAC is a town board charged with protecting and promoting agriculture in Lincoln. To that end, the group is working to inventory  existing agricultural lands and uncover properties that have the potential to support agricultural production.  There are many properties in Lincoln that may have valuable soil and land characteristics that could help a farmer start or expand his/her business and produce food for the region. The LAC hopes that by providing information about farming opportunities in Lincoln, they can facilitate matches between farmers and landowners and increase agricultural production in the community.

For this land outreach project, the LAC is partnering with the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, a Tufts University program that assists people with an interest in small-scale commercial agriculture to begin farming in Massachusetts. New Entry provides services for beginning farmers such as locating and helping with leasing farmland, education, training, business/enterprise development, and production and marketing assistance.

Please contact Ashley Davies, Farmland Matching Coordinator, at adavies@comteam.org or 978-654-5738, or Christy Foote-Smith, Lincoln Agricultural Commission, at cfsmith@massaudubon.org or 781-259-2201 if you have any questions.

High winds lead to power outages

NStar workers removing a tree that fell on Lincoln Road.

NStar workers removing a tree that fell on Lincoln Road.

By Alice Waugh

High winds on Friday morning contributed to several power outages in Lincoln, including several brief interruptions at the Lincoln School.

Lincoln Road was closed between Ballfield Road and Peirce Hill Road for a time when a tree snapped and fell across the road, bringing down power lines on the other side. The police station also lost power and had to switch to its backup generator, according to Lincoln Police Chief Kevin Mooney.

There were a total of three tree-limb breaks in Lincoln that led to power outages in town, Mooney said, but by 3:30 p.m., “we seem to be getting back to normal here; the wind seems to have died down,” he said.

An NStar map showing towns with power outages as of 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1. Light yellows indicates less than 1 percent of customers affected; darker yellow indicates 1 to 10 percent.

An NStar map showing towns with power outages as of 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1. Light yellows indicates less than 1 percent of customers affected; darker yellow indicates 1 to 10 percent.

Several other towns west of Boston and on the south shore also had outages. At 3:30 p.m., 5 percent of Wayland customers were without power. Lincoln’s outage rate at that time was 0.5 percent, according to the NStar website.

Swap table volunteers needed

The Lincoln Recycling Committee is looking for a few good volunteers at the transfer station swap table to help keep items organized and out of the town trash at the end of the day.

Even if you only have an hour a month, we need you!  We offer flexible hours and first dibs on incoming donations as well as a friendly working environment. Students may also earn community service hours.

For more information, contact Laura Berland or Bernadette Quirk at lincolnrecycles@gmail.com, and check out the Lincoln Recycling Committee website.

Coming up in Lincoln

Film about Lincoln architect Henry B. Hoover – Oct. 25

At its members’ appreciation event on Friday, October 25 at 7 p.m. at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, the Friends of Modern Architecture/Lincoln (FoMA) will hold a premier screening of the film Breaking Ground: The Architecture of Henry B. Hoover.

Commissioned by Hoover’s children, Harry Hoover and Lucretia Giese, and directed and produced by Molly Bedell, the film features biographical background, interviews, and stills and footage of several Hoover houses. Hoover (1902-1998) received his M.Arch. from the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 1926 and was among the pioneers of modernism in Lincoln.

Hoover designed some 100 houses from 1937 to 1988, with his last important commission in 1972.  For Hoover, the site was all-important.  Writing about one house, he commented, “the design has been taken care of by the site… the view was hidden by a ledge outcropping. Distance and height were unseen until one climbed around the cliff side, when space seemed to burst open. It was superb.” His objective was to try to “preserve that surprise.”

FoMA is especially pleased to hold the event at the deCordova, which was founded in 1950 and was an important center for contemporary art during this period. Besides highlighting New England art, it was a community center for lectures, music, and studio art classes. “The kind of museum I believe in is a social force; I’ve always treated art as a celebration,” said founding director Fred Walkey, noting the importance that modernists placed on the idea of community. Modern architecture celebrated art and science and was meant to inspire community through thoughtful design that which was affordable and accessible to all.

Space for the event is limited; members are admitted free but must RSVP in advance. There is a $25 fee for non-members. To become a member, go to the FoMA website and follow the “Join” link at the top of the page. Hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, and beverages will be served.

FoMA works to preserve Lincoln’s Modern architectural heritage. The town’s collection of Modern houses spans the range of a short-lived idealistic architectural period ranging from the 1930s through the 1960s.

Drumlin Farm Food Day – Oct. 26

Come for a day of tasty fun as Drumlin Farm celebrates statewide Food Day on Saturday, October 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Explore in the garden with farm staff, meet some native wildlife, and enjoy a taste from Drumlin’s farm stand. Farm teachers will be on hand to share the bounty of the fall harvest and help you learn how tasty sustainable agriculture can be. All activities are free with admission, which is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and children 2-12, and free for Mass Audubon members.

Special programs throughout the day:

  • 10 a.m. — A Taste of Drumlin: Sample the fruits (and veggies!) of the season.
  • 10:30 a.m. — Flying over Fields for Food: Visit with one of the wild birds that loves a farmland habitat.
  • 11:30 a.m. — Garden Exploration: Open your senses during a garden scavenger hunt.
  • 12:30 p.m. —  Beyond Butter: Shake the jar with us to find out how easy it is to make your own flavored herb butter.
  • 2 p.m. — A Taste of Drumlin: Sample the fruits (and veggies!) of the season.
  • 2:30 p.m. — Chickens and Eggs: Scramble up a few fresh eggs with us and meet one of the chickens that laid them.
  • 3:30 p.m. — Turtles Eat their Veggies: Meet one of our resident reptiles and watch him enjoy a favorite treat.
  • 3:45 p.m. —  Seeing Seeds: Explore the magic of how a seed turns into a new plant.

Lincoln Garden Club hosts talk on sustainable landscaping – Nov. 4

The Lincoln Garden Club and co-sponsor Greening Lincoln welcome Mark Richardson, the newly appointed Director of Horticulture at the New England Wild Flower Society, on Monday, November 4 at 7 p.m. in Bemis Hall.

Richardson, who oversees Garden in the Woods in Framingham and Nasami Farm in Whately, Mass., will update us on the new standards in sustainable landscaping. He will give examples in public gardens as well as our own Lincoln properties. He holds BS and MS degrees in urban horticulture and has lectured at Longwood Gardens and Brookside Gardens.

This is the Garden Club’s  biggest program of the year and the public is invited, so bring extra friends and family for this function you wouldn’t want to miss.

Lincoln’s Hatsopoulos brothers speak on Sunday

Long-time Lincoln residents George (left) and John Hatsopoulos

Long-time Lincoln residents George (left) and John Hatsopoulos

The Lincoln Historical Society presents “The Brothers Hatsopoulos: A Legacy of Science, Business, and Family” on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 2 p.m. in the Great Room of The Commons in Lincoln (formerly The Groves). The event is part of a series on Lincoln’s modern legacy of technology entrepreneurism.

Emigrating from Greece after World War II, John and George Hatsopoulos were students. In 1956, with a $50,000 investment from a fellow Greek businessman, the brothers founded Thermo Electron Corporation. Providing technical instrumentation to a diverse research community, the firm is now known as Thermo Fisher Scientific, enjoys a $32 billion a market cap, and employs nearly 40,000 people.

The remarkable story of the Hatsopoulos brothers is not limited to the success of Thermo Electron. The arc of time for this family shapes a legacy of science and entrepreneurism, courage and drive. Hear the story directly from featured speaker John Hatsopoulos. Come share your stories about the Hatsopoulos brothers, Thermo, and the technology entrepreneurs of Lincoln.

Note that this event will be held at The Commons in Lincoln (formerly The Groves), not at Bemis Hall.  From the intersection of Route 2 and Route 2A (Crosby’s Corner), go east on Route 2 and the entrance is immediately on the right (look for signs).  Note that there is no access from Sandy Pond Road except for residents of The Commons.  Some parking next to the front entrance of the Russell Building is available and additional parking is short walking distance away. The Great Room is located in the the Russell Building.

5th District primary results for Lincoln

Here are the election results for Lincoln and surrounding towns for the October 15 5th Congressional District primary, where voters chose a Republican and Democratic candidate to face off in the December 10 special election for the seat formerly held by U.S. Sen. Ed Markey. Lincoln’s voter turnout was 20.6%, according to Town Clerk Susan Brooks.

(Note: If the table is bumping into the calendar on the right, stretch your browser window horizontally.)

William Brownsberger (D) Katherine Clark (D) Peter Koutoujian (D) Martin Long (D) Paul Maisano (D) Carl Sciotino Jr. (D) Karen Spilka (D)
 Frank Addivinola (R) Michael Stopa (R) Tom Tierney (R)
Lincoln 192 (24%) 305 (38%)    134 (17%) 3 (0%)  2 (0%) 126 (16%) 48 (6%)   44 (47%)  33 (27%)  17 (26%)
Lexington
 806 1,515 670 34 38 749 341 185 106 101
Sudbury 69 315 110 1 11 312 229 115 48 55
Weston 120 404 195 4 5 209 251 68 115 30
District total
 15%  32%  22%  1%   2%  16% 13%   49%  26% 25%

“Tales of the Night” on Oct. 24 and 25

halloween_sceneMass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary is once again hosting “Tales of the Night,” a special Halloween-themed celebration with tricks and treats appropriate for the whole family. Tales of the Night will take place on October 24 and 25 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.

Tales of the Night activities target everyone from young toddlers to teens. “Parents love our ‘Tales of the Night’ event because it provides something for everyone,” said Drumlin Farm Sanctuary Director Christy Foote-Smith. “We offer fun activities that provide the thrills older kids are looking for and a Nursery Rhyme trail for little ones on the lower end of the “fright-o-meter” as well.”

Visitors can enjoy a special haunted hayride, get up close to insects in the Creepy Critter Mansion, or meet their favorite storybook characters on the Nursery Rhyme Trail. Witches’ brew, spider cider, and tasty treats can be purchased and enjoyed while perusing a display of more than 100 jack-o’-lanterns or learning about nocturnal wildlife from Drumlin Farm teacher naturalists.

Tickets are $11 if purchased on or before October 23. Tickets purchased on the days of the event are $13 and may be bought online at massaudubon.org/drumlin or by calling (781) 259-2218.