The Christmas Tree Debate: Real vs. Fake

Choosing this year's Christmas tree.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
O how I hate cleaning up after you . . .

Every year in mid-December I have a little debate with myself. Do I buy a real Christmas tree, knowing all the documented risks of installing one in the home? Do I want the hassle of cleaning pine needles off my floors for the next several months (because they never seem to go away completely)? Do I want to spend scores of tense minutes with my husband, re-evaluating our mutual understanding of “straight?” Or do I buck up for a nice fake one, saving trees for years to come, and eliminating the clean-up question altogether?

And then I go out and buy a real one. Because there’s nothing quite like the scent of fresh fir in the living room on Christmas Eve, and no room spray – artificial or natural – really can replace that.

What do the environmental expert think? Is it worse to sacrifice a live tree in order to decorate my house for a few weeks at most? Or to welcome another plastic wonder into the world?

While there are pros and cons on both sides of the argument, environmental experts tend to agree that a real tree is the best option. While fake trees are reused year after year, and thus don’t generate anywhere near as much waste, they are made with PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which is high on the list of the most environmentally-offensive, non-renewable plastics. All sorts of cancer-causing toxins are generated in the production of PVC. Since most of the trees sold in North America are manufactured in China where labor standards are lax, there’s a really good chance that any fake tree has essentially polluted a neighborhood near a factory and jeopardized the health of whoever assembled it.

Furthermore, due to the inclusion of lead (for malleability), that same fake tree may shed toxin-laced dust in your home. And since the average family only keeps a fake tree for 6-9 years, it eventually ends up in the landfill, where it will not biodegrade, further contaminating soils and water supplies. Suddenly I’m not feeling so jolly . . .

But what about a real tree? Isn’t it wasteful – not to mention bad for the earth -- to harvest a perfectly-good tree, only to stand it in the living room for a month and then toss it in the landfill? And don’t they use pesticides at most Christmas tree farms? Aren’t those pollutants/health hazards as well?

Well yes. But a real Christmas tree is still a better choice. While they grow – seven years is the average life span before harvest -- these trees support life on earth by absorbing carbon dioxide and other gases and emitting fresh oxygen. As they are often established on land that won’t support other types of agriculture, Christmas tree farms help to maintain open space while stabilizing the soil, protecting water supplies, and provide habitat for wildlife. To ensure constant supply, farmers plant 1-3 seedlings for every tree they harvest, so the crop is consistently being renewed. And more and more farmers are choosing more sustainable methods, where pesticides are used only sparingly. These tree farms – there are 15,000 in the United States alone – also provide jobs (100,00 per year).

Plus, real Christmas trees can be reused -- stabilizing beaches is one application; recycled – where they are chipped and converted to mulch; or composted.

To eliminate the waste factor entirely, you can purchase a live tree from a local grower – one with its roots intact -- that can be replanted in your yard after the holidays. But this too presents challenges. You can only keep it indoors for a week, or else it might come out of dormancy and thus not survive once you return it to the outdoors. And even if you follow all the guidelines to the letter, you might find (as I have) that the tree still doesn’t survive. Which somehow feels even worse . . . No one wants to ring in the New Year lamenting, “I killed our Christmas tree.”

So here’s what I think.

If you don’t mind not having a Christmas tree indoors, consider decorating one in your yard with weatherproof lights and ornaments – no risk, no waste. If you’re up to the challenge of caring for a live tree, go that route. If your only options are real vs. fake, choose real, buy locally grown, and be sure to dispose of it responsibly when the holidays have passed.

by Kezia Bacon-Bernstein
December 2010

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Green Reading for the Holidays and Beyond

The cold weather has set in. The shortest day approaches. As winter arrives, many of us look forward to spending more time indoors – perhaps in a cozy chair with a blanket and a good book. But what to read?

Do you enjoy stories about the natural world and our (human) place in it, past and present? Do you want to learn more about treading softly on the earth? Would you like to have a better sense of the state of our planet – and what you might do to improve it? Perhaps you’d like some gift ideas – or some suggestions for your own Wish List.

I polled the leaders of some of the South Shore’s environmental groups, asking for recommendations for great books, from classic to contemporary. Their thoughtful responses present a varied list that will keep environmentally conscious readers busy for quite some time! If you want to be especially earth-friendly, where available, consider the Kindle (or other electronic) version.

Samantha Woods, Executive Director of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, recommends John Galluzzo's The North River: Scenic Waterway of the South Shore. Woods says the book “traces this local gem's multifaceted history from multiple vantage points - a shipbuilding center, a highway into the interior and facilitator of trade, and a protected wildlife sanctuary.”

Emily Simmer, Secretary of Sustainable Scituate, suggests Ishmael, a novel by Daniel Quinn. She says, “It’s a great overview of the evolution of society and humans' place in the environmental world.”

Also from Sustainable Scituate, Lisa Bertola recommends the classic Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. She says, “Carson was a renegade woman scientist who saw the future and wrote about it. This book should be required reading for all high school students. It would help protect our environment for the future.”

Rosie Woodard, a member of REACH (Responsible Energy Alternatives Coalition of Hingham), suggests Barbara Kingsolver's latest book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. She says, “This is a story about a family learning to eat locally grown food, how to plan foods by season, growing and cooking. Very interesting history, science and practical ideas behind the changes we'll have to make in order to leave our planet's resources for our children.”

Judith (Jude) Sonder of REACH recommends: The Seasons on Henry's Farm: A Year of Food and Life on a Sustainable Farm, by Terra Brockman. She says, “Henry is Terra's brother and a well-known sustainable farming advocate. Terra fled the simple farm life to live and write in NYC and pursue exotic travel, but returned home to farm again. As she ate healthier in "third worlds" than in the states, she came to realize that it was because the foods were fresh, local and unprocessed. Not only are these foods healthier, but also are a key to food security and sustainability going into the future.”

Sue McCallum, Director of Mass Audubon’s South Shore Sanctuaries, suggests
Sippiwissett or, Life on a Salt Marsh by Tim Traver. She says, “Traver combines history, prose, scientific research information, and casual observations, but what I really like is the sense of place that develops throughout the book. There is some very interesting information about salt marshes, their importance as nurseries and filters, but my ‘take away’ is the influence that a special place has on our lives. It made me start to think about those special places in my life and wonder if my children have places that they hold in their hearts.”

Mary Mitchell, President of Sustainable Braintree, suggests Low Carbon Diet: A 30 Day Program to Lose 5000 Pounds, by David Gershon. Mitchell says, “The term ‘diet’ refers to the carbon that you add to the atmosphere, not the calories that you eat. This easy-to-follow handbook leads the way as you make simple, energy-saving changes to your lifestyle.”

She also recommends Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do About It, by Anna Lappé. She says, “When considering how to fight global warming, it’s easy to focus on the importance of changing light bulbs, turning down thermostats, and insulating homes. This book demonstrates how our industrial food system delivers a big negative impact on our environment, and has some big ideas about how we can improve the way we get our food.”

Mike Cavanaugh of Sustainable Braintree suggests James Hansen's Storms of My Grandchildren. He says, “Hansen, one of NASA's top climate researchers, explains not only the science behind climate change, but also his own motivations for going into environmental advocacy. As the title suggests, Hansen's motivation comes from a grave concern for the future world that will be left to his grandchildren. The conclusion of the book leaves the reader with a well-informed sense of purpose.”

Ben Cowie-Haskell of Sustainable Marshfield suggests Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath. He says, “If you are interested in what motivates people and the psychology of change, you will find this book fascinating. The authors use many excellent real-world examples to make their case and since change is so omnipresent in our lives this book is relevant to people in all walks of life.”

Cowie-Haskell also recommends The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems by Van Jones. He says, “This book proposes a solution to the unsustainable trajectory that society is following, that is an economy that is entirely reliant on fossil fuels which will one day run out. Jones proposes that we transition to an economy based on renewable energy generating much needed green collar jobs.”

Jim Savicki of Sustainable Duxbury cited the Jones, Kingsolver and Hansen works mentioned above, as well as When the Rivers Run Dry by Fred Pearce, “a comprehensive and alarming survey of the ongoing and pending worldwide water shortages that are effecting, and will effect us all, in some way.” He also recommends The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan: “A book for the more serious reader detailing the way corn has become the main ingredient in over 70% of what Americans eat today and the implications of that for the economy, health of the country, and the environment.”

JoAnn Mirise and Kathryn Earle of Sustainable Cohasset recommend Eaarth: Making a Life on a Touch New Planet, an unflinching set of recommendations by the iconic Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy and The End of Nature. As McKibben says on his website, "We've built a new earth. It's not as nice as the old one; it's the greatest mistake humans have ever made, one that we will pay for literally forever. We live on a new planet. What happens next is up to us."

On the lighter side, they also suggest Michael Pollan's, Food Rules: An Eater's Manual, “a quick, poignant read for those who are trying to eat more healthily as well as more environmentally responsibly.”

And finally, at the top of my own reading list for the year to come, Richard Louv’s Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. Louv posits that exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development, and offers 100 actions we can take to create change in our communities, families and schools. I’ll report back when I’ve finished it.

Happy reading, and Happy Holidays!

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
November 2010

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Riding Scituate’s Bike Trails

For years, my bicycle has stood in a dark corner of our barn, languishing. Every so often I see it and wish it were easier just to hop on and go for a ride. But the street where I live is far too busy for that. And the thought of strapping the bike onto my car’s roof, so I can drive someplace to unload and then finally get on it, pretty much negates the notion of the carefree ride I have in mind. Alas . . . I know I’m not the only one in this predicament.

The South Shore has plenty of beautiful roads, many of which might seem even more lovely when regarded from the seat of a bicycle, rather than from behind a car’s windshield. But we take our lives in our hands attempting to ride the hills and curves of Route 3A in Duxbury for example, or the tight corners of Jerusalem Road in Cohasset, or the narrow lanes of Union Street in Marshfield. Not to mention the ubiquitous potholes.

But things are looking up. Sustainable South Shore, a multi-town advocacy group committed to helping area residents conserve energy, protect the environment and live sustainable lives, has been working with the Conway School of Landscape Design to craft a South Shore Greenway. This network of walking and biking paths in Hull, Hingham, Cohasset, Norwell and Scituate would connect destinations such as train stations, parks, schools, libraries and shops. Scituate has already made significant strides in this direction.

Thanks to Community Preservation funds, Scituate now has two distinct bike trails. One, in North Scituate, runs for close to a mile along Gannett Road, from Gannett Pasture Lane (near the MBTA station) to the corner of Hollett Street. There are plans to expand it farther on Gannett, to the intersection with Hatherly Road.

The other trail, on the south side of town, runs along the entire length of the Driftway, beginning near the rotary on Route 3A, passing the Greenbush MBTA station, and continuing to New Kent and Kent Streets. From there, the bike trail ends, but a sidewalk leads all the way to Scituate Harbor.

The bike trails run adjacent to the street and provide a wide, paved surface for pedestrians, cyclists and those who use wheelchairs. This benefits not only walkers and riders, but also automobile drivers. The addition of bike trails makes it easier to share the road, and thus safer for everyone.

In North Scituate, the bike trail offers picturesque views, including glimpses of the salt marshes and The Gulf. When completed, it will provide access to the village of Minot and its beach.

On the Driftway, the bike trail connects with scenic and recreational areas such as the A.J. McEachern Memorial Trail, the Driftway Conservation Area, and a walking path that extends along the old railroad bed into the North and Herring River marshes.

Here is one suggestion for a fun way to explore the Driftway Bike Trail and its environs. If arriving by bicycle is not an option, bring it along and leave your car in the large public parking area on Cole Parkway in Scituate Harbor. Head south along the harbor’s edge, crossing First Parish Road. You can access the sidewalk at Kent Street, and farther down you’ll be able to get on the bike trail.

Stop at the Driftway Conservation Area, lock up your bike, and spend some time exploring. There’s an old dock overlooking the Herring River, and you can climb a tall hill to get a great view of the marshes, looking out toward The Spit. Check out the A.J. McEachern Memorial Trail as well.

When you’re ready to leave the conservation area, continue south on the bike trail (on foot). Look for a walking path that leads behind the James Landing Condominiums. Follow this path along the marsh, and eventually you will arrive at the old railroad bed, behind Dunkin Donuts. If you miss it (or as an alternative) you can remain on the bike trail – on wheels or on foot. The railroad bed is now a walking trail that leads way out into the marsh. It’s elevated, so the view is quite nice, and you won’t have to worry about getting your feet wet.

When you’ve had your fill of the terrific scenery, you can retrace your route back to Scituate Harbor, where there are plenty of options for drinks and snacks.

The Scituate Bike Trails are but one of the numerous examples of Community Preservation Funds at work on the South Shore. A small tax surcharge, matched in part by the state, is slowing development by protecting open space lands in almost every town in the region. In addition, Community Preservation Committees have used CP funds for preserving historic sites, creating affordable housing and building new recreational facilities -- like the bike trails, or Marshfield’s new, eco-friendly town playground. Please help keep Community Preservation active in your town!

by Kezia Bacon-Bernstein
October 2010


Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Nature Stories for Children

My son and I spend a lot of time outdoors. I enjoying sharing with him the special places I’ve found in the fields and forests, at the ocean, and along our rivers and streams. I’m not a scientist of any sort, but still I want to teach Abel about nature – the life cycles of plants and creatures, and the importance of caring for the earth. While our explorations may include looking closely at a tree, a bubbling brook or an old stone wall, I rely on story books to teach him nature-related facts and concepts.

There are lots of nature-themed books for young children, however many of them are bogged down with diagrams and technical information. While interesting, they aren’t exactly what you’d define as “a good read.” Still plenty of captivating nature stories for children do exist. What follows is a list of some of our family’s favorites.

Herman and Marguerite: An Earth Story by Jay O’Callahan
Herman the earthworm and Marguerite the caterpillar team up to save a sad and lonely orchard, and discover the importance of believing in themselves and in each other. This wonderful story of friendship and teamwork includes collage drawings by Marshfield native (and author’s daughter) Laura O’Callahan. Field Trip: go apple picking!

Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Learn about the habits of waterfowl while enjoying this enchanting, classic story of a duck family that makes its home first on the Charles River and later in the Boston Public Garden. You’ll never forget the image of Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings strutting down the city street, stopping traffic. Field trip: visit the Make Way For Ducklings statue in the Boston Public Garden!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
A caterpillar with a seemingly insatiable appetite eats his way (literally – there are holes in the book!) through some surprising foods, then forms a chrysalis and transforms into a butterfly.

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
A tiny seed flies through the air and eventually blooms into a majestic flower. Learn about the seasons and how plants grow and propagate, while enjoying the gorgeous collage paintings for which Carle is known. Field Trip: Visit the Eric Carle Picture Book Museum in Amherst, MA!

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
Learn the concepts of extinction and exploitation of natural resources while hearing about the plight of the Truffula Trees and the Brown Bar-ba-loots. The Lorax teaches us the importance of saving endangered species as well as the forests, fields and streams they inhabit. Field trip: learn first-hand about ecosystems at the South Shore Natural Science Center’s EcoZone in Norwell!

Blueberries For Sal by Robert McCloskey
“Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk.” Sal and her mother go blueberry picking and encounter a mother bear and her cub. The story notes the similarities of the two families gathering food and preparing for winter. Field trip: visit a pick-your-own blueberry farm!

Christmas Farm by Mary Lyn Ray
Parker, age 5, and his gray-haired neighbor, Wilma, work together over the span of several years to grow 600+ Christmas trees. As the trees mature, we learn all about how they are grown and the creatures with whom they share the terrain. Field trip: buy your Christmas tree at a family farm this year!

On Meadowview Street by Henry Cole
Caroline and her family move onto Meadowview Street . . . but where is the meadow? Caroline finds a wildflower growing on her lawn and stakes off the area as a wildflower preserve. With her parents support, eventually she turns the whole yard into a sanctuary for birds, bugs and wild plants. Field trip: look for wildflowers on your own lawn . . . and let them grow!

Come Again, Pelican by Don Freeman
On vacation at the beach with his parents, a boy befriends a pelican and learns first-hand about the tides and the habits of seabirds. Field trip: go to the shore and observe the habits of whatever birds you find there!

A Day at the Beach by Mircea Vasiliu
This unassuming, slim paperback is packed with useful information about the creatures and features of the seaside. Families play in the surf and explore the intertidal region, learning about erosion, shellfish, seaweed and much more. Field trip: see what you can find within the wrack line (the trail of seaweed at the high water mark)!

We’re Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury
A family sets off on a bear hunt. They make their way through long wavy grass (swishy, swashy; swishy swashy), a deep cold river (splash, splosh; splash, splosh) thick oozy mud (squelch, squerch; squelch, squerch) and more, as they seek the bear in his cave. Then havoc ensues! Field trip not recommended.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
September 2010

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Fall Festivals on the South Shore

The author and her son enjoying the hayride at Mass Audubon's Farm Day
at Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary in Marshfield.

It was a warm, sunny summer, but autumn is just around the corner. The days are growing shorter, the nights are getting longer, and soon we will feel a chill in the air. The first day of fall is September 22. September 23rd brings the full moon know as the Corn Moon, followed by October 23rd’s Harvest Moon.

The onset of fall is a traditional time to celebrate the harvest and acknowledge the change of seasons. Between now and Halloween there are a number of local fests and feasts, offering all sorts of activities for young and old. Think: hay rides, corn mazes, visits to the pumpkin patch, plus lots of locally grown food and freshly pressed apple cider. Read on, and mark your calendar!

34th Annual Corn Festival: Saturday, September 11, from 10-4 (rain date 9/12) at the South Shore Natural Science Center, located on Jacobs Lane in Norwell. This family-friendly event features children’s games, a crafters’ village, hayrides, farm animals, live music, animal demonstrations and plenty of refreshments for sale, including the Kernel’s Kitchen famous corn chowder. Call 781-659-2559 or visit www.ssnsc.org for details.

Harvest Moon Feast: Monday, September 20 at 6 pm at Mill Wharf Restaurant, Scituate Harbor. Celebrate the 40th year of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association while sampling dishes prepared by favorite local restaurants, caterers and purveyors of fresh food. This benefit event includes live jazz by the Lance Van Lenten Trio, beer and wine tastings, and a cash bar. Call 781-659-8168 or visit www.nrswa.org for details.

Historic O’Neil Farm Day - Saturday, September 18, from 11-3 (rain date: 9/19). Visit the historic property at 146 Winter Street in Duxbury and meet farm animals, take a tour of the barn, ride around on a hay wagon, and enjoy live music by the Wildcat Bog Stompers. Have a hamburger or hot dog fresh off the grill and a scoop of ice cream. Plus, 4-H and cheesemaking demonstrations, face painting, and children’s games. Free admission! Visit www.historiconeilfarm.org for details.

Farm Day – Saturday, September 25, 10-4 at Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary, Winslow Cemetery Road, Marshfield. Mass Audubon’s annual event for families features hayrides, owl demonstrations, live music, a fine arts and crafts show, children’s games and crafts, face painting, a giant hay maze, home-baked treats and other delicious food. Call 781-837-9400 or email southshore@massaudubon.org for details.

Weir River Farm Fall Festival – Saturday, October 2, from 10-2 at Weir River Farm, Turkey Hill Lane, Hingham. Sponsored by the Trustees of Reservations, this annual fall festival celebrates the bounty of another successful farm season with livestock, live music, pumpkins, pony rides, local vendors and more. Call 781-740-7233 or visit www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/greater-boston/weir-river-farm.html for details.

Plimoth Plantation's 7th Annual Harvest Festival – Saturday, October 9 from 9-5. Enjoy family-fun crafts and activities at each of the museum sites. In the English Village get hands-on, helping the colonists prepare for winter, saving seeds, plaiting or braiding corn, and making sure there's enough firewood for all. Experience themed dining events and get a feel for the importance of the harvest season at Plimoth Plantation, located at 137 Warren Ave. Plymouth. Call 508-746-1622 or visit www.plimoth.org for details.

Bog Hollow Farm’s Annual Pumpkin Patch Weekend - October 9-11 (rain date: 9/16-17) from 10-4. Located at 80 Wapping Road, Kingston, this farm has a lot to offer during harvest season. Take a ride in the hay wagon to the pumpkin patch where you can search for your perfect pumpkin. Or get lost in the maze, have fun in the hay jump, visit the animals, or just relax and enjoy the beauty. Purchase fresh cranberries, check out the farm equipment on display, dress up as a fireman and take your picture on an antique fire truck -- plus Ellie & Vinny’s famous hot dogs. Call 781-585-8414 or visit www.boghollowfarm.com for details.

7th Annual Cranberry Harvest Celebration - October 9 & 10 from 10-4. Hosted by the A.D. Makepeace Company and the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association, this fun family event features juried crafters, activities for children, animal shows, cooking demonstrations, food vendors, pony and wagon rides, and much more. The highlight of the day is an opportunity to witness a working cranberry bog. Location: 158 Tihonet Road, Wareham. Call 508-322-4000 or visit www.cranberries.org/festival for details.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
August 2010

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Hayride!

A Mass Audubon guide points out the features of a red maple swamp to hayride participants.


If you’ve ever been to Mass Audubon’s Farm Day, held every fall at the Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary in Marshfield, you’ve probably taken a hayride. Touring the historic farm in a hay cart pulled by an old-fashioned tractor is one of the highlights of this annual event. My son, Abel, enjoys the hayride so much that one year we did it four times in a row.

I was delighted to notice in the Audubon newsletter that hayrides aren’t just for Farm Day. In fact, they can be reserved pretty much anytime throughout the year, for private events like field trips, scout expeditions, and birthday parties. For a flat rate of $125, you can bring 30 guests along for a one-hour naturalist-guided ride.

So with fingers crossed for good weather, my husband and I decided to book a hayride for Abel’s fourth birthday.

And boy, did we luck out! Our date, a Sunday afternoon in mid-May, was sunny and warm. Our guests, about twelve of Abel’s friends plus at least one parent per child, numbered close to thirty. A guide, an assistant and a tractor driver greeted us when we arrived at the sanctuary. And once everyone was ready, we piled into the hay cart and set off across the fields.

At Farm Day, the hayrides are relatively short. You get a quick tour without much input from the guide. But for a private event, the ride takes a full hour, stopping along the way for discussions, interpretation and quick stops to view some of the property’s best features.

Riding the hay cart across fields that otherwise are off limits to guests, we stopped near the apple orchard to learn about what the land was like when Daniel Webster owned it. The property first belonged to the Thomas family, who were among the first European settlers of Marshfield. Webster owned it next, and later Edward Dwyer, who turned it into a thriving enterprise – a dairy farm that produced 4,000 quarts of milk per day and 30,000 bales of hay per year! Dwyer also kept 25 horses and more than 600 pigs.

From there we rode deeper into the sanctuary, learning about some of the birds that nest in the fields and trees. We paused again near the Green Harbor River. The guides led us onto a wooden bridge, from which we spied a turtle sunning itself at the water’s edge. We continued along a boardwalk into the red maple swamp, to learn more about the flora and fauna that surrounded us.

Next we reboarded the hay cart and proceeded to Fox Hill, which overlooks much of the sanctuary. There, we learned about some of the geographic features of the property, as well as the deer often seen in the fields, and the osprey, whose nesting area we could see off in the distance. Some of the children – and their parents too – found this unusual perspective on the town of Marshfield quite fascinating. Looking down the river valley toward Green Harbor, they could see how close Rexhame and the town airport are to the neighborhoods off Careswell Street. By car, it’s a long drive around, but as the crow flies, it’s just across the river!

From there, we rode back toward the parking area, stopping at an observation hut that overlooks a small pond. We piled into the small dark building and peered out the windows to see what we could see. “Can we come back here again?” was a popular refrain.

When our hayride was over, we took advantage of the beautiful day and enjoyed cake and ice cream in the shaded, grassy area near the entrance. There was already one picnic table on site, and we’d brought along a few more child-size ones of our own. The children were delighted to run and play on the open field before and after their treats. The adults were content to relax and chat, enjoying the view and the fresh air.

Abel is fortunate that his friends enjoying spending time outdoors as much as he does. As a parent, it made me feel good to provide an opportunity for my son and his guests to do something educational and nature-related. Birthday parties are supposed to be fun, and if the big smiles on the faces of adults and children alike were any indication, I think everyone had a good time.

Consider a nature-themed birthday party for your own child. For information about Mass Audubon’s hayrides and other birthday packages, call 781-837-9400 or email southshore@massaudubon.org. The South Shore Natural Science Center in Norwell (www.ssnsc.org) also offers birthday packages. Or create one of your own! Select a nature preserve, and put together some fun, age-appropriate activities for your guests that will encourage them to explore and learn about the plants, animals and geographic features to be found there. Scavenger hunt, anyone? If you’re stumped for details, consider hiring a naturalist from either organization to lead your event.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
July 2010

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Visiting Local Farms

Cheryl Bowen-DiTommaso of Dalby Farm introduces students from Marshfield's Pudding Hill Preschool to Stella the chicken. Photo by Kezia Bacon-Bernstein.

This past spring, I accompanied my son’s preschool class on a field trip to Dalby Farm in Scituate. We enjoyed a tour of the premises, meeting all of the animals that reside there – goats, sheep, rabbits and swine, plus chickens, roosters, geese and ducks, and even a pair of peacocks! We learned about the eggs, wool, and other products of the farm, and got to touch and smell various kinds of animal feed. The kids each had an opportunity to pet Stella the chicken, whose feathers were surprisingly soft. We also learned about the importance of recycling and composting.

There are a number of farms on the South Shore that welcome visitors. Many also offer classes and workshops for adults and children, as well as other opportunities for hands-on learning about agriculture, science, ecology, history, and plenty more. Recent columns have highlighted Holly Hill Farm in Cohasset and Weir River Farm in Hingham; you can read them in my nature column blog at http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com. In the meantime, let’s learn about a few more.

Located at 59 Grove Street in Scituate, Dalby Farm was founded in the mid-1800s. Originally a chicken farm that sold eggs to local merchants, it now focuses on rare and heirloom breeds of poultry and livestock. A satellite of the Plimoth Plantation Rare Breeds Department, and a member of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Dalby is actively involved in teaching awareness of animals and nature. It is open to the public from May through October, ideal for field trips, birthday parties, and small group visits. The material is tailored to fit the age of the group. The farm also runs seasonal events such as Spring Hatch Eggs-travaganza, Rare Breeds Discovery Program, The Dalby Farm Experience Summer Program, and the Country Christmas Fair. For more information, visit www.dalbyfarm.com or call 781-545-4952.

Another education-based farm is the Soule Homestead at 46 Soule Street in Middleboro, where the primary focus is “teaching children about the web of life.” Part of Soule Homestead’s mission is to show people where their food comes from and to promote sustainable agricultural practices. The farm has large fields for crops and grazing, which makes it scenic as well as educational. Many visitors go there just to enjoy the open space. George Soule, a Pilgrim, began farming this parcel in 1662, when he purchased it from the Wampanoag tribe. In 1988, the Town Of Middleboro bought the 120-acre property, intent on saving it from development and maintaining it for agricultural use. In 1993 a group of citizens began leasing it from the town to use as an organic farm and education center.

Now the Soule Homestead is open to the public, Tuesday through Sunday from 9-5, with free admission. It offers a variety of programs for hands-on learning, including school field trips and vacation programs, children's birthday parties and adult workshops. While there, you might meet the animals, spin wool or make butter, learn to identify different parts of a plant, experiment with centuries-old farm tools, or study how farming and the landscape have changed over the years. Plus there are several annual events such as Sheep Day, a summer concert series, The Harvest Fair, and the Unscary Halloween Party. For more information, visit www.soulehomestead.org or call (508) 947-6744.

I was surprised to learn that the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department runs its own farm, in Plymouth. Located on Obery Street, near the new courthouse, the farm’s summer hours are 9 am to 5 pm, seven days a week (After Labor Day, it closes at 3 pm). The Sheriff’s Farm features a free petting zoo, with cows, chickens, goats, sheep, pigs and even a tortoise! The farm staff is made up of six correction officers who are also trained horticulturalists; these officers supervise an inmate crew who raise plants and care for the animals on the 90-acre farm. The hard daily work that the farm requires serves as rehabilitation for the inmates. The farm also hosts a Harvest Festival in the fall, and sells Christmas trees and other holiday décor in December. For more information, visit http://www.pcsdma.org/Farm_And_Petting_Zoo.asp.

One of the most important things you can learn while visiting these farms is the concept of sustainability. Especially since the end of World War II, agriculture in the United States has changed dramatically. While productivity has soared, so have the use of chemicals and practices that ultimately harm not just the soil, but the people and animals that live nearby. This affects not only the farm itself, but the surrounding lands, as well as the rivers, streams and other bodies of water downstream.

However, farms that employ sustainable practices strive to protect and enhance the land. While growing crops or raising livestock, these farms make use of on-site resources wherever possible, and limit the use of non-renewable resources. Some common methods include rotating crops, recycling crop waste, treating and composting manure, replenishing the soil without chemicals, and avoiding excess tillage and poorly managed irrigation. These practices not only sustain the economic viability of the farm, they improve the quality of life for the farm’s workers, as well as the flora and fauna both on and downstream of the farm.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein
June 2010

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Visiting Holly Hill Farm

photos by Kezia Bacon-Bernstein

Looking for a fun outdoor excursion to enjoy with your family? Head over to Holly Hill Farm in Cohasset, where you can visit for free, any time during the day.

The setting, with rustic barns and assorted antique farm equipment, will interest young and old. While you’re there, see what’s for sale at the farm stand, and meet the animals that live on the premises – hens and roosters, rabbits, goats, a horse and a pony. Wander through the education garden, and find out what students and workshop attendees have planted. If you’re lucky, you‘ll see the farm consultants, Ben and Hannah Wolbach, in action. On a recent visit, my son and I watched Ben plow a field with a large tractor (Major excitement for a 4-year old)! There are several different walking trails too, up to a mile in length.

Located at 236 Jerusalem Road, Holly Hill Farm has been in the White family for five generations. In 2000, its most recent residents, Jean and the late Frank White, launched a commercial organic farming venture there. The property itself comprises 140 acres. Ten acres of that is open fields, and right now there are five acres in production. That’s a lot of land for an operation that employs only a handful of people!

The land, which is surrounded by an additional 120 acres of salt marsh and conservation woodland, has been farmed since the early 17th century. Incarnations over the years have included homestead, summer residence, saw mill, and truck farm, among others. Two post and beam barns on the property date back to 1785. There is also a classic pole beam barn, built in the Civil War era. Today there are also a few small, more modern greenhouses – one of which was donated by Annie’s, the famous purveyor of mac & cheese.



Holly Hill now grows over 75 varieties of organic vegetables, herbs and flowers, and sells eggs produced by its resident chickens. There are annual plant sales in the spring -- there were 15,000 plants for sale this year -- and from June through the end of the harvest, the farm stand, located in a 19th century barn near the entrance of the property, is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11-6.

Frank White, who grew up at Holly Hill, spent his life as an educator. When he returned to his family’s land in 2000, his goal was to develop the farm so that it could promote sustainable agricultural practices, serve as an environmental resource, and provide educational programs for local schools and the larger community. Frank passed away in 2009, but his legacy lives on.

The Friends of Holly Hill Farm, Inc., established in 2002, is a non-profit educational organization that is dedicated to making the farm’s resources available to the South Shore Community. The Friends offer programs for adults and children, including lectures, movies, workshops, field trips, and summer programs. Part of the group’s mission is to teach how organically grown food is important for our own health, as well as the health of the environment.

Holly Hill has quickly become one of the South Shore’s leading sources of farm-based programs for school children. Education Director Jon Belber, a former classroom teacher and last year’s winner of the Farm-Based Education Association’s Teacher Farmer of the Year award, has been developing and expanding the farm’s education programs for several years now. He co-authored, “A Growing Relationship,” a curriculum guide, with Frank White, which integrates hands-on farm projects with a classroom-based science curriculum.

Belber wants people to know that a local farm can be a great learning spot. “The fields are our classroom,” he says. Many area schools have sponsored 2-hour field trips to Holly Hill, during which the children enjoy a number of hands-on experiences -- tasting foods, digging compost, and learning and seeing how things grow in the farm garden. The programs are an excellent way to help children develop a real-world understanding of basic science.



Belber now works closely with several area schools. For example, under his tutelage, fourth graders from Marshfield’s South River Elementary, along with their teachers Bruce Frost and Jeff Dunn, constructed six raised beds at their school, in which they established a garden, planting garlic in the fall and spinach and peas in the spring. Students from the South Shore Charter School in Norwell have made weekly visits to Holly Hill Farm throughout much of the academic year. Over the course of the 20-week program (fall and spring), they have turned the earth, planted and harvested crops, saved seeds, and made compost – plus learned about crop rotation and natural fertilization methods. All of the Cohasset public schools and most of those in Scituate have participated in farm-based programs too.

This summer, Holly Hill Farm will offer programs for children ages 3-16. Participants will learn about growing healthy organic food and have fun outdoors, doing farm chores like planting seeds, caring for plants, making compost, caring for animals. Plus, they will use food grown on the farm to prepare a meal.

For adults, there will be a film series and the ever-popular workshops; past topics have included: Growing Great Tomatoes Organically, Organic Landscaping and Lawn Care, Cooking a Harvest Meal, Cutting and Arranging Flowers, and Making Compost. Private farm tours – for groups such as garden clubs and scout troops – easily can be arranged.

For more information about Holly Hill Farm, call 781-383-6565, or visit www.hollyhillfarm.org.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
May 2010

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

How Do Children View Spring?

Abel Bernstein, coming up from the back yard. Photo copyright Chris Bernstein.

Flowers are blooming, trees are budding, skunks are prowling -- spring is here! With longer and warmer days now upon us, I am enjoying explorations of the outdoors with my almost-four year old son. We don’t need to travel far to see daffodils emerging from the earth, or leaves beginning to form on trees, or worms squiggling around in the mud. While commonplace to me, these are little wonders for a boy who is just beginning to understand the world around him.

In preschool, Abel is learning a lot about springtime, which means I am learning too. So far, my son has taught me how to sing like a titmouse “Peter! Peter! Peter!” and has reminded me how fun it is to imitate a “chicka-dee-dee-dee.” In his classroom, he’s getting to know the lifecycles of caterpillars and butterflies, and closely watching insect larvae to see what happens next. I’m delighted that the natural world plays a significant role in his early education.

I am curious about how young children perceive the seasons. To find out, I sent a request to other parents in my circle: to ask their own kids what spring means to them. I expected some wacky answers, but instead the responses were quite literal and accurate. Here’s a sampling.

The question “What happens in spring?” elicited the following answers.

The robins come out. The leaves come back on the trees.
Audrey Leith, age 3, Marshfield

Birds fly back from the south.
Isabella Leith, age 4, Marshfield

"Flowers pop right up! And everyone goes outside and plays.
Thalia Shanahan, age 4, Whitman

It gets sunny out. There are lots of bugs.
Nora Kelly, 5, Marshfield

The air feels warmer. Snow melts. Flowers come up and they bloom. Trees get green leaves. All kinds of plants grow; even vegetables!
Charlie Simpson, age 6, Marshfield

It gets warmer. There is leaves on the trees. We get to play outside more.
More grass. Sun. More trees. More nice flowers. It doesn't rain that much.
Corinne Johnson, age 6, Pembroke

Spring turns into flowers. You can plant flowers in the spring. Some stuff grows. Dig a hole for treasure. You can plant a log. The birds eat some food from the bird feeder. The birds fly.
Sam Horton, age 5, Marshfield

Flowers grow, it rains a lot and the sun comes up.
Samantha Looney, age 5, Marshfield

Mamma's Birthday!
Sasha Christensen, age 4, Hanover

Rex tracks mud in from the yard and it makes you mad.
Sydney Christensen, age 6, Hanover

Lawn mower.
Savannah Brangan, age 2, Middleboro

Nathan Looney, age 3, of Marshfield, just tried to spell it: “s . . . b . . . r . . .g.”

I also posed the question “What do you like about spring?” Here are some of the replies.

April vacation! And it's much warmer and the Red Sox start playing again. The days are longer so I can play outside later!
Ben Baker, age 8, Duxbury

We can wear short sleeve shirts and flip-flops
Isabella (4) & Audrey (3) Leith, Marshfield

That you get to swim and I love to swim but I can't swim . . . but I can swim with swimmies.
Nora Kelly, 5, Marshfield

It gets warm and it's nice out. And I like leaves. I like big trees. I like to play on the swings because it's so warm out.
Corinne Johnson, age 6, Pembroke

I like that flowers grow. Some of my friends picked dandelions yesterday and me & my friend discovered them. They had stems.
Samantha Looney, age 5, Marshfield

Want to learn about the natural world with your own children -- or grandchildren? You don’t need a glamorous destination or any elaborate equipment. Start by stepping outdoors and simply see what there is to see. Notice the trees, the birds, the bugs, the flowers. So much of our surroundings go unnoticed, especially by adults, because we’re accustomed to them. But to children, the world is still new. For a refreshing perspective, try regarding the world around you through a child’s eyes.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein
April 2010

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Celebrate 10 Years of Community Preservation!

A view of the South River in the proposed park. Photo courtesy of NSRWA.

Ten years ago, Marshfield was one of the first towns on the South Shore to pass the Community Preservation Act (CPA). CPA enables cities and towns to set aside money for specific projects: namely, the purchase of open space lands, the creation of affordable housing and recreation opportunities, and the preservation of historic sites. The funds come from a surcharge of up to 3% on property taxes, and are matched by the state of Massachusetts. CPA is an excellent way to enrich a town’s quality of life, curb overdevelopment, and bring financial support to important community projects.

Now that Marshfield has been collecting CPA funds for a full decade, there is much to celebrate. Historic sites where preservation or restoration projects have taken place include the Daniel Webster Estate, Clift Rogers Library, the 1835 Marcia Thomas House, Hatch Mill, the GAR Hall, the Winslow House, and the Seth Ventress Building – plus Veteran’s Park, the Korean War Veterans Honor Roll, and Fire Station #2. Recreation accomplishments include improvements at the Uncle Bud Skate Park and Coast Guard Hill, as well as a Trails & Ways Committee mapping project. In the realm of affordable housing, improvements include an affordable housing plan and coordinator, and conversions of several existing residences.

Perhaps Marshfield’s greatest CPA accomplishment, however, is setting aside more than 100 acres of open space. In a town that continues to undergo commercial, industrial and residential development, it is essential that some land be saved. In the past decade, Marshfield has developed an Open Space Plan, and has acquired sizable land parcels on Union Street (the Little and Messer Conservation Areas) and Plain Street (the Ellis Preserve), among others. Now in progress is the creation of the South River Park, on Ocean Street, right in the heart of the downtown.

Our local environmental organizations are gathering together this spring to celebrate the Town of Marshfield’s many CPA-related accomplishments. The North and South Rivers Watershed Association (NSRWA), the Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts, Mass Audubon South Shore, and The Trustees of Reservations (TTOR) will co-sponsor a series of walks on some of Marshfield newly-acquired public lands. The public is invited! Go, and see for yourself what the Community Preservation Act has done.

• Easter Egg Hunt at the Ellis Preserve - Saturday, April 3rd, 11 am. Bring the family and kids to find Easter eggs, some painted by North River Arts Society artists. The parcel is approximately 28 acres, protected in 2006 using CPA funds. It has a cranberry bog, a pond and a forest of oak and white pine and protects drinking water wells and the South River. Wildlands Trust holds the conservation restriction and its staff will lead this walk. Park on Sandy Hill Road (off Route 139) next to the preserve in Marshfield.

• Maryland Street Conservation Area on the North River - Sunday, April 11th, 1 pm. This 17-acre parcel abutting the North River marshes and The Trustees’ 68-acre Two Mile Farm is a real gem! Protected at town meeting just last fall, this the first time that it will be open to the public for walking. Join NSRWA and TTOR staff to walk original cart paths and explore this new addition to Marshfield’s conservation lands. Meet at the Two Mile Farm parking lot on Union Street, Marshfield.

• Little’s Conservation Area, 915 Union Street - Sunday, April 18th, 1 pm. This lovely 25-acre parcel was protected in 2008 and abuts other areas conserved privately. The parcel is mostly upland with vibrant green ferns and a nice walking path. There is a small parking lot at 915 Union Street, Marshfield. Mass Audubon South Shore Sanctuary staff will lead this walk; a reception will be held at a neighbor’s afterwards with light refreshments.

• Site of Proposed South River Park (formerly Buckles and Boards), 2148 Ocean Street (Rte 139) - Sunday, April 25th, 1 pm. Come look at the site of the future (we hope) South River Park! The South River Park Working Group members, including the NSRWA, will be on hand to show the existing site and the proposed park drawings as well as to discuss opportunities for extending the greenway and a future walking trail along the South River.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
March 2010

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Join a CSA

The author with her son, Abel, at Rise and Shine Farm in Marshfield.

It’s late winter. Probably the last thing you’re thinking about is where you’re going to buy your produce this summer. But if you like to eat locally grown vegetables, now is the time to start figuring this out.

There are hundreds of farms in southeastern Massachusetts. Some of them have farm stands, some sell to restaurants and wholesalers, some set up booths at weekly farmers’ markets. Still others offer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs.

Are you familiar with the concept of Community Supported Agriculture? A CSA is a program in which a farm offers shares of its harvest to consumers. Before the start of the growing season, shareholders make a financial commitment, enabling the farmer to purchase and start seeds, and to prepare the fields for planting. The farm may also ask its shareholders to volunteer a certain number of hours of physical labor – perhaps spreading compost or removing stones from the fields, planting seedlings or pulling up weeds, harvesting ripe produce or getting it ready for distribution.

Once the fruits, vegetables and herbs grown on the farm start to ripen, the hard work and up-front payments begin to pay off. Every week, shareholders arrive at an appointed time and place and go home with a bag or two of fresh produce -- at no additional cost. What they get depends on what’s ready to be picked. In June, it might be a selection of greens, peas, strawberries, and quick-growing root veggies like turnips and radishes. Come July it might be green beans, zucchini, cucumbers and raspberries. August brings tomatoes and peppers, and in September it’s potatoes, onions, carrots, winter squash . . . and who knows what else! So many factors go into farming – it’s hard to predict what will do well and what won’t in any given growing season. Many farms stagger their plantings so that shareholders will receive certain staples -- like lettuce – every week.

So what’s the advantage of joining a CSA – if you can buy the same produce at the grocery store at the same price, without having to do any work on the farm or pay for your food months in advance? Well for one, you’re not buying the same produce as that at the grocery store. You’re buying fruits and vegetables grown within a few miles of your home – not flown or trucked in from points south and west. So it’s fresher – and tastier – higher in nutritive value and often grown with fewer/no chemicals.

This is good for you – better nutrition, better quality -- plus you get some exercise. But it’s good for the planet too. Locally grown produce makes a far smaller impact on the environment than foods grown elsewhere in the country or the world. The use of fossil fuels, packing and shipping materials, not to mention advertising – all of these are greatly reduced or even eliminated when the food doesn’t have to be transported out of the region where it is grown.
By joining a CSA, you are also supporting the local economy. Shareholder contributions go directly to the farmer. You essentially are paying the salary of the people who grow your food – and paying for start-up costs for which the farmer might otherwise have to take out a loan. The farmer gets the security of having his or her harvest purchased in advance, while you get the peace of mind of knowing -- and even seeing -- where your food comes from.

Plus, it’s fun! Last summer, my son and I would visit our CSA’s transitional organic farm on Friday afternoons, to pick up our family’s weekly share of produce. We’d chat with the farmers and other shareholders, learn how different plants grow and thrive, and sometimes even pick our own produce. One day, while Abel checked out the farm’s vintage tractor, I gathered enough fresh basil to make a year’s supply of pesto. Another time, he and I harvested almost an entire row of carrots. What a wonderful experience for a child – to learn about how food is grown, to see agriculture in action -- and to be a part of it through the entire process, from untilled field, to seedling, to plate.

Most CSAs run from June to October, depending on what the farm yields. While harvest begins in June, work on the farm starts much earlier, as soon as the soil is ready to be worked. That’s why now – late winter and early spring – is the time to join a CSA. These programs are immensely popular, and often have waiting lists.

Listed below is a selection of local CSA programs. Contact them directly for shareholder information – some may already be fully enrolled for 2010.

Marshfield: Rise and Shine Farm – contact Marta MacFarland, 781-837-6702 or email riseandshinefarm@verizon.net

Middleborough:
• Plato’s Harvest – contact Dave Purpura, (508) 315-9429 or davepurpura@yahoo.com
• Golden Rule Farm at Soule Homestead – contact Frank Albani at (508) 224-3088 or plymouthrockmusic@msn.com
• The Dahlia Farm – call 508.947.8802 or visit www.thedahliafarm.com

Norwell: Norwell Community Farm – contact Jennifer Friedrich at contact@norwellfarms.org or visit www.norwellfarms.org

Plympton:
• Colchester Neighborhood Farm – contact Ron & Connie Maribett at 781-588-4255 or visit www.colchesterneighborhoodfarm.com
• Sauchuk Farm – call 781-585-1522 or visit www.sauchukfarm.net

Scituate: R & C Farms – call 781-545-6502 or visit http://www.randcfarms-simons.com

For further information on CSAs and other venues for locally grown foods, visit either of these online directories. Local Harvest: www.localharvest.org and SEMAP’s Farm Fresh Food www.farmfresh.org.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
February 2010

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

The Cranberry Bog

The neighborhood in Marshfield where I grew up is bordered on one side by a large system of cranberry bogs. As a teenager, I would often take long walks around the bogs – sometimes alone, sometimes with friends. I got to know the habits of the swans and Canada geese I encountered there, and explored the woods surrounding the property. It didn’t occur to me that it was private land, and that I shouldn’t be walking there without permission. The vast expanse of open space was so inviting . . .

In the winter, when it was cold enough and the bogs were flooded, all the neighborhood kids would go ice skating. Our mothers preferred that we skate on the bogs, and not the adjacent pond, because the bogs were shallow and thus safer. I never fell through the ice but plenty of other kids did. Skating season never seemed to last long enough. Inevitably in March, someone would risk the thinning ice and end up sinking into frigid, thigh-deep water.

Cranberry bogs are a common landscape feature here in Southeastern Massachusetts, comprising about 14,000 acres or a total of around 900 bogs. Many of these bogs have been in production for more than 100 years. Twenty eight percent of cranberries grown in the United States are from Massachusetts, but Wisconsin accounts for much more -- 57%. New Jersey, Oregon and Washington also grow smaller amounts.

The Wampanoag referred to the cranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon, as “sassamanash” or “ibimi” (bitter berry). European colonists called it the “crane-berry,” seeing the likeness of a crane’s head and neck in its blossom and stem. Eventually it became “cranberry.” In Europe, a similar variety, Vaccinium oxycoccus, is known as the lingonberry.
Cranberries require acid peat soil and lots of fresh water. These conditions often occur naturally – in kettle holes, carved and filled by the retreating glaciers with sand, peat, gravel and clay. The result is a spongy, low-lying wetland. After the commercial cranberry industry began -- on Cape Cod in 1857 – numerous improvements developed. Today’s cranberry bogs include a system of ditches, flumes and ponds surrounding the growing area, to facilitate irrigation and flooding.
The cranberry growing season begins in April and ends in November. The long winter dormancy period is an important requirement in the plant’s life cycle. The berries grow on low-lying, trailing vines, similar to but hardier than those of the strawberry. Undamaged cranberry vines will survive a long time. Some on Cape Cod, still bearing fruit, are more than 150 years old.

So how does a cranberry bog work? In the winter, the bog is flooded with fresh water, to protect the plants from freezes and thaws. Every few years, a layer of sand is applied, to promote growth and slow the spread of weeds and insects. Sometimes the sand is spread over the ice of a flooded bog. Other methods include dry sanding, by hand or with a vehicle, or barge sanding, on a flooded bog.

In the spring, the water is drained off, and the plants begin to grow. Sometimes the bog is flooded again briefly in April or May, to manage insects, weeds and disease. Water is also applied via sprinkler system to protect the tender plants when there’s a threat of frost (this occurs in the fall as well). On many bogs, herbicides for weed control are applied in the spring, although some cranberry growers pull weeds by hand. In both spring and fall, to optimize the flow of water, the ditches around and between the bogs are cleared of mud and other impediments. This is generally done with a mini excavator.

As spring turns to summer, fertilizers are sometimes applied to support growth. Since cranberries do not self-pollinate, growers keep beehives on the bogs during bloom (early June through mid-July), hoping the bees will pollinate the cranberry flowers. Cranberries typically require about an inch of water per week, so if there isn’t sufficient rainfall, the bogs are irrigated, generally with a sprinkler system. Weeding and/or herbicide application continues, as does Integrated Pest Management using a variety of methods, some regulated by the state.

In the fall, beginning in mid-September, it’s harvest time. There are two basic methods of cranberry harvest – dry and wet. Dry harvesting, which comprises only 10% of the crop, involves walk-behind combing machines or self-propelled harvesters that separate the berries from the vines, which must be completely dry before harvest. The berries are collected in large burlap sacks, and eventually sold as fresh whole fruit.

Wet harvesting, far more common, involves flooding the bog once again. Growers use reels (sometimes known as “egg beaters”) to stir up the water and help separate the berries from the vines. Since cranberries have pockets of air inside them, they float to the water’s surface, where they are gathered within wooden or plastic booms and lifted or pumped onto a truck. These are made into juices, sauces, dried cranberries, and nutritional supplements.

Many years ago, a wise older friend reminded me that a cranberry bog is not necessarily land that’s open for use by the public. “It’s someone’s farm,” she said, “someone’s livelihood, and it should be treated with respect.” Many cranberry growers welcome walkers and ice skaters to their properties, as long as they do no harm. It’s always a good idea to ask first.

We are likely to have another good month or so of ice skating weather. Always make sure the ice is solid before you skate. Perhaps I’ll see you out on the bog!

Sources:
http://www.cranberries.org
www.uscranberries.com
http://www.capecodtravel.com/attractions/nature/cranberries0900.shtml

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
January 2010

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.