May 14: Spring Cleaning & Grill Extravaganza

Spring is here and it is great to see some life come back to the Newington Public School Landscaping after all of the time, money, and effort invested by many last year. I am pleased to report that other than some winter burn (see below) for which a full recovery is expected, things look great.

PHOTO: The Chanticleer Flowering Pear, Pyrus calleryana var. Chanticleer is in full bloom. Stop by and take a look.

Unfortunately, there is some weeding and other work that needs to be before mulch is delivered to the beds the week of May 16, 2011. Dandelions, grasses and other weeds have started to work their way up through the beds. They need to be removed with small hand tools before the mulch is delivered which will help maintain the beds and the appearance of the school.

PHOTO: The Dwarf Inkberries, Ilex glabra var. Compacta, were adversely impacted by the unusually cold winter and deep snow. Weeds coming through the mulch needs to be removed!

Ms. Guare has already brought the kindergarden class out and weeded around the sugar maple tree and did a fantastic job avoiding the Lilly of the Valley, but in order to get this done before LJH Landscaping arrives, I'd like to organize afternoon a group to go out on Saturday May 14 to help get things ready.

I would like have the Conservation Commission hold a "Weeding Day" on Saturday May 14, 2011, and offer food and drink, to feed any volunteers willing to help out. I think if we had 4-8 volunteers, it could be done in an afternoon. All are welcome, and the more people that come, the more time we can spend by the grill, rather than in the dirt. This will be a BYGT (bring your own garden tools) event.

PHOTO: Horsechesnut, Aesculus carnea var. Briotii, leafing out by the driveway to the school.


Please email me if you are interested in helping out so I can plan who will be there etc. Or even better yet, RSVP on Facebook.

Hope to see you there!


Justin Richardson

Fox Point & Onions

The Newington Selectmen held a meeting at Fox Point on Sunday to discuss the location of the proposed pavillion. The site of the former Mott House was selected. Right next to where the building once stood were onions growing. The house was last occupied in 1980 so I picked one of the onions on the off-chance it might be an heirloom or unusual variety since the land has likely been a farm for the last several centuries.

If anyone happens to know more about these onions please let me know.

Knight's Brook in Winter

These pictures are taken of Knight's Brook which winds its way slowly from ground-water discharges from the boiling springs aquifer through the Frink Farm on its way toward Little Bay.

I am putting these photos here because the DOT is looking to purchase conservation easements and/or land around Knight's Brook as mitigation for wetlands impacts (12 acres) from the expansion of the Spaulding Turnpike. The Commission voted this month to propose to jointly acquire a conservation easement with the DOT in exchange for using its conservation fund to help acquire the land or easements.

The photo above was looking from a field toward the woods on the Hislop property. This one is taken on the Brook itself which has a good flow even though it is the dead of winter.

It is a small watershed but the area around the Library, meeting house and the Old Town Hall is a large sand and gravel aquifer which releases water slowly throughout the year. The consistent flow makes the brook valuable from a water quality and habitat perspective.

Not that I would suggest drinking it.... there are beavers, muskrats and other animals that use the water and the aquifer itself is contaminated due to the former military base. The Town dump is also opposite its headwaters. It's unknown what impact that may have on Knight's Brook.

The land also has recreational opportunities and there are numerous trails that can be used, at least when it is not impounded by beavers which is frequently a problem.

There is a network of trails maintained by individual property owners. One of the more difficult questions will be how much and what types of public access are appropriate.

Preservation of Knight's Brook

The Newington Conservation Commission will discuss the DOT's proposal to preserve lands around Knight's Brook on Thursday February 24, 2011 at 6 PM at the Town Hall.

The DOT has made offers to two of the three land owners to acquire a conservation easement over 38 acres (+/-) of the Hislop property shown on the plan, and to purchase the Saba property (26 acres) in fee simple.

I have prepared a proposal to use the Town's Conservation Fund to help DOT's project to move forward in exchange for naming the Town as a beneficiary on the conservation easement acquired by DOT. This would mean that the property could not be developed or used for non-conservation purposes without the consent of both DOT and the Town.

The Town supports the DOT's efforts as long as the negotiations are voluntary and do not use eminent domain.

Part of the discussion involves prices for real estate and will therefore be non-public.

Spring Garden Plans

It's February and I've ordered seeds .... I will have more than I need and let me know if you are interested. Note: The seeds from Amishland sound very interesting but I had to wait for a 20+ day back order to get them. Be mindful of that if you order your own.

Tomatoes

1. Blondkopfchen

2. Stupice

3. Brandywine

4. Peche Jaune

Peppers

5. King of the North

6A. Maria Nagy's Translyvanian (for paprika).

6B. Chervena Chushka (sweet Bulgarian pepper).

Beans

7. Blue Lake Pole Beans

8A. True Red Cranberry (gift from a Seed Saver I met online, link is to Seed Savers Exchange description).

8B. WIENLANDERIN POLE BEAN - swiss pole bean - Link to Bean Section.

8C. CAPUCIJNERS BLUE POD HEIRLOOM PEAS - See Link above.

8D. STORTINO DI TRENTO (Italian Marbled Shrimp Bean) - See Link above.

Onions (Allium family)

9. Onion Tropeana Tonda

10. Garlic: Meadow's Mirth and New Roots (2 local farms) planted last fall (no extra).

11. Leek, Blaugruner Farinto

Cukes & Melons

11. Charentais.

12. Bushy OG Cucumber.

13. Zucchini Alberello di Sarzana

14. Bozeman Watermelon (ripens in 70-80 days!!!)

Misc.

15. Detroit Dark Red beets

16. Spinach, Bloomsdale OG

17. Genovese basil

18. Parsley Grune Perle

19. Bietola a Costa Fine Chard

20. Ildkongen Marigolds