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Category: Home & Garden

  • A Robin in Winter

    I confess I’ve never paid much attention to birds in Framingham except noting the huge numbers that congregate on the telephone wires at the lights on Rt. 30 and the Burr St. Extention by Midway Motors.

    My mother, on the other hand, has several bird feeders and enjoys the variety of birds that visit her yard in Maynard.  She has a bird feeder that sticks onto a window with suction cups.  If you are patient and slow moving, you can see many of the birds up close.  The more I saw the birds this past summer, the more interested I became.

    For my birthday my mother and sister gave me a window birdfeeder like my mothers and a bag of sunflower birdseed.  Mom told me it sometimes takes a while for the birds to find the feeder.  I think it was late October that I filled it and scattered seed on the ground.  Nothing.  I also didn’t see that many birds in the yard.

    Weeks went by.  I added some popcorn and spread  more seed on the ground.  Nothing.  Although the seed on the ground disappeared.

    I spread more seed and put some on the window sill.  Nothing.  My mother gave me a fake cardinal which is about like size.  She said that putting red by the feeder can help, as well as having a decoy.

    Finally, about three weeks ago a chickadee appeared, grabbed a seed, and flew off.  He came back again a few minutes later.  My Marine son, home for the holidays even got excited.  He called the bird the scout.

    Intermittently a chickadee has since appeared and helped himself.

    This morning I saw a chickadee and then my other son said, hey, there’s a robin in the side yard.  Actually there were four, going from tree branch to tree branch on the other side of the house from the feeder.  I didn’t think that robins appeared until the warm weather in April, but there they were.

    I wandered back to the room with the birdfeeder and within a half hour saw  robins going for seed on the ground that I had scattered while the chickadee made several runs at the feeder and the windowsill.  Meanwhile, I also saw a woodpecker, a bluejay, and some grayish birds, starlings?,  grackles? 

    Then all the birds left the scene for a couple of hours. 

    The grayish ones, about the size of a robin, as well as a few robins, just reappeared and swooped in and pecked at the seeds on the ground as well as at the dirt and mulch showing through the snow around the foundations of my and my neighbor’s houses.  I take care to move very slowly as I sit and type and watch.

  • TALK – Eat Local – Buy Local With Community Supported Agriculture

    FRAMINGHAM, MA — Tom Hanson of Hanson’s Farm, 20 Nixon Rd., Framingham will present a talk on community supported agriculture at Annie’s Book Stop in the Nobscot Plaza, 774 Water St., Framingham on Wednesday, Jan 13,at 7.00 p.m.

    Community Supported Agriculture is in such demand all across New England that many CSAs have people on waiting lists one or two years long. By paying a fee up front, members are entitled to a share in the season’s crop and a small farm benefits by spreading the cash flow out across the season. Join us at this meeting, sponsored by the Nobscot Neighbors Association, and learn all about this wildly popular new way of bringing home the groceries.

    The CSA model appeals to a wide range of people: foodies who will settle for nothing less than the freshest fruits and vegetables that have ripened naturally. It appeals to environmentalists who want to buy from local sources, rather than support interstate transport from mega-farms on the West Coast or in South America. And it appeals to those who want to support local farms as a way to preserve the rural character of their community. Stearns Farm on Edmands Road has operated as a CSA since 1990.

    For over a hundred years the Hanson family has worked their Nixon Road farm, with about 52 acres in fruits and vegetables and another 100 in hay and field corn. As far back as any of us can remember, Tom, Martha and son, Matt Hanson have sold their produce and flowers at the roadside farmstand and at farmer’s markets throughout this part of the state. Last year they launched a CSA and membership sold out in the first season. Tom says the CSA program is an ideal way to embrace the needs of modern families while honoring the farm’s agricultural history.

    The Nixon Road farm is also home to a pick-your-own program and an annual halloween event that has come to be known as Tom and Matt’s Excellent Adventure.

  • Soothing Savings

    I don’t sign up for that many store mailing lists, but  have saved quite a bit by signing up for the Bath and Body Works list.

    Last week while walking in the Natick (Mall) Collection, I was lured into the Bath and Body Works shop by the “Buy 3, get 3 Free” sign.  I remembered that I had a couple of coupons in my wallet, too.

    While stores don’t necessarily let you combine offers, I was able to buy 6 items for the price of 3, plus they accepted both my $ 10 off coupon and a coupon for a free room freshener (value $ 5.)

    I felt a little like that woman in the IKEA commercial who rushes out of the store yelling to her husband to “Start the car!”  because she paid so little that she felt she was stealing and there must be some mistake and she wanted to leave before they stopped her.

  • Styrofoam Recycling Event Sat. October 24th

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – Many don’t realize that styrofoam never decomposes, (it never “breaks down” into organic material), like some other trash. Styrofoam remains in landfills forever. This effects us all personally as costs of products and services increase due to the increased cost of finding ways and places to dispose of garbage.

    Framingham does not currently accept Styrofoam in its recycling program, but some companies are finding ways to give old Styrofoam new life in new uses.

    Grace Congregational UCC church in conjunction with ReFoamit, LLC, is sponsoring a Styrofoam collection Day on Saturday, October 24 from 9Am to 4PM. Please collect and donate your clean (washed) styrofoam products including: takeout containers, packing pellets, coffee cups, disposable plates, inserts from large packages. (Please remove all tape from the Styrofoam)

    There will be refreshments, prizes, gifts and environmental information at this free event. Parents and children are encouraged to participate in the “kids corner” activities and come away with their own original creations.

    Grace Congregational UCC Church is at 76 Salem End Road between Rt. 9 (High St.) and Winter St. near Framingham State College.

    For more information go to www.gracechurchucc.org or call 508-872-3342.

  • October News from the Framingham Farmers Market

    NOTE: The following was contributed by Elizabeth Aurilio, the Framingham Farmer’s Market Manager.

    Framingham, MA –This week, expect to find a couple of new and interesting items at the market. Everyone is still coming to market with an awe-inspiring array of late summer and fall produce, baked goods, snacks, cheese and fall decorations, but now Matt Hanson has begun to bring jars of Framingham honey and Silvia’s is stocking an unusual purple cauliflower.
    Matt has been learning the art of beekeeping for a few years now – studying the specifics from his neighbor, a near-by farmer. He has both a light and a dark honey to choose from – and while both types of honey come from the same hive, the lighter, more delicate honey is the first to come off while the darker, more molasses flavored honey is scraped close to the comb. Many people swear that honey is the best cure for sore throats, dry skin and other ailments and that local honey, specifically, is above all the best naturopathic cure for seasonal allergies. While I’m in no position to offer evidence to any of those claims, I feel testimonial when it comes to taste. The honey is sublime and I recommend you snatch it up while you can. It will certainly dawn comfort in a warm cup of tea on a crackly, cold winter day.

    I picked up an odd head of broccoli at Silvia’s market stall yesterday and was marveling at the deep, jewel tones of emerald and amethyst in the florets. I know that sounds silly, but I garden and work in farmers’ markets and am therefore easily excited by colorful vibrancy in vegetables. I wanted to pay my compliments to the farmer, so I held it up and commented on the beautiful broccoli. “That’s not broccoli, it’s a purple cauiflower” said Ed. He said he thought it was broccoli too, but that his wife insists it is a purple cauliflower. “Look at the leaf”, he says, “that is the leaf of a cauliflower plant and even though I know it is biologically a cauliflower, it looks like broccoli and I think it tastes like broccoli – but not my wife, she thinks it looks like a cauliflower and tastes like a cauliflower” and with that he grabbed it from my hands and shoved it in my apron pocket to take home and help him settle the debate. Please come to the market and try the purple cauliflower – don’t leave me stranded here as the lone middleman to this debate. I can’t wait to hear what you think – and let you know where my verdict lies. See you Thursday!

  • Framingham Farm Day 2009

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – Framingham Farm Day is coming up on Sat Oct 17 10am-2pm. Bring the whole family and enjoy the fall weather at any or all of these real New England farms in the greater Nobscot area. Co-sponsored by Nobscot Neighbors and the Framingham Agricultural Committee.

    – Baiting Brook Christmas Tree Farm, 32 Nixon Rd. – George and D.D. Harrington will give tours of a real tree farm, explain how Christmas trees are grown and why this is the greenest solution to holiday decorating. Tours every half-hour from 10am to 2pm, cider and doughnuts too. No charge.

    – Stearns Farm, 862 Edmands Rd. – Plant garlic with farm manager, Kathy Huckins and friends, tour the farm and learn about Community Supported Agriculture and the importance of locally produced food. No charge. Established in 1723, this historic farm was operated by the Nixon family until 1900 and became Stearns Organic Farm in 1954 and today the farm provides fruit, vegetables, herbs and cut flowers to a full roster of CSA members.

    – Hanson’s Farm, 20 Nixon Rd – Navigate Tom and Matt’s Corn Maze, take a hayride, pick your own pumpkins and raspberries, buy produce at the farmstand and picnic under the giant tent. From 10am the hayride plus corn maze is $6 per person, children under 5 yrs. no charge. The 152 acre farm has been continuously operated by five generations of the Hanson family. Open seven days a week from May to November, 9am-6pm (Sun until 5:30). Ask about the Haunted Hayride. 508-877-3058.

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  • News from the Framingham Farmer’s Market

    FRAMINGHAM, MA — Up until this season, I would have been inclined to think that a lot of rain would be good for such a water-heavy fruit as melons. Unfortunately, the converse is true.

    All the early season rain has delayed the growth of melons and we are still watching to see if this will be the melon-prize week. We did have a few melons two weeks ago – that was the first crop’s yield. The second crop, I’m told, will be larger and more satisfying – but when they will be ready for picking depends on the next few days’ weather.

    The farmers won’t pick them if they are substandard – they only want to bring premium produce to the farmers’ market. If a field taste determines more time on the vine is needed, then we will need to wait patiently for another week or so. In addition to melons, keep a lookout for another harvest of prune plums. Those should also be coming soon – hopefully this Thursday or the next.

    Last week several of us panicked when the 12:30 opening holler came and went with no sign of our Hmong farmers. They did finally arrive, about 45 minutes later, bringing with them a fine selection of pea tendrils, watercress, mustard greens, amaranth, taioba, maxixe , thai basil and, my favorite – lemongrass. For those who missed them last week, rest assured that they plan to return with plenty more this week…and they’re not expecting any further traffic delays (of course).

    In addition to copious amounts of tomatoes, peaches, zucchinis, summer squash, beans, greens, eggplants, peppers, ground cherries and tomatillos, we’ll also have our full, varied selection of cheeses, breads , baked goods, flowers and kettle corn. See you this Thursday!

    Ernie Update: Ernie is still in the throws of harvest season but as he completes the harvest of first plantings, he is harrowing the finished fields and planting winter rye. This is a very busy time of year for him as he keeps up with the picking, plucking and pulling while tending to soon-to-be-harvested kohl crops and planting winter enrichment crops.

    (Contributed by: Elizabeth Aurilio, Market Manager)

  • News from the Framingham Farmers Market

    Contributed by Elizabeth Aurilio, Market Manager

    FRAMINGHAM, MA –This week at the Farmers Market on the Centre Comon on Edgell Road we’ll finally have CHEESE! I thank you for your patience while we put this picture together, and am excited to finally offer a range of farmstead and artisanal cheeses at the market this coming week – fresh mozzarella, sharp cheddar, buttery triple creme and fresh goat cheeses are just a handful of the selection.

    Jilo, Taioba, Maxixe – our Hmong farmers’ are growing more than just their own ethnic foods – they’re also bringing Brazillian favorites to market. These very unusual vegetables are fun to try and the farmers’ encourage you to ask them about popular ways to prepare these specialties. Recipes are often available for the asking.

    If traditional favorites are more your stride, now is the time to stock up on peaches, white peaches, nectarines, white nectarines, roma tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers and pickling cucumbers – canning season is upon us and now is the time to begin arrangements with your favorite farmers’ for bulk canning and preserving discounts. A little smattering of peach jam, some hot pepper relish, fire roasted red peppers, dill pickles and homemade tomato sauce will be your sources of comfort this winter when the growing season is over and the markets are closed.

    The Ernie Update: Still bumbling about picking corn and peaches – it’s the peak of the season and the best food is fresh picked! That means Ernie has to harvest daily to bring the freshest corn and peaches to market! And there’s a lot to pick out there this time of year!

    The market is every Thursday from 12:30 – 5:30 p.m. through October.

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  • Meadow Magic at Garden in the Woods – August 15 and 16

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – New England Wild Flower Society will celebrate Meadow Magic Saturday and Sunday, August 15 and 16, 2009, at Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road, Framingham, MA. Garden in the Woods is open both days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., however, special Meadow Magic events are scheduled noon to 4 p.m. There is free parking on premises both days.

    See peak meadow bloom from ground level and above on the new Observation Deck. This will be the inaugural event for the 12’ X 24’ Observation Deck which will put a whole new perspective on looking at the meadow. Be amazed at the height of the wildflowers in the meadow. This can mean native species in bloom up to 7 or 8 feet tall. Beside these “giant sized” plants are others that are quite small and delicate.

    Look for butterflies, bees, ladybugs, and more as they fly from flower to flower collecting and spreading pollen. Learn about plant pollinators, play games, and more. The Bugmobile brings craft projects and live bugs to the meadow. Enjoy a scavenger hunt in the Garden too. A beekeeper will join us at the Garden to explain how bees work in the web of life. Discover what a bee hive is all about, how bees make honey, and which bees make honey. Meet some fun, costumed characters who explain their roles in our ecosystems.

    Take a special walking tour of the 45-acre botanic museum, scheduled at 2 p.m. both days. Tours, included in the price of general admission, cover the Invasive Plant Jail, Idea Garden, Lily Pond, Lost Pond, and unique New England Garden of Rare and Endangered Plants.

    Visit the Garden Shop and its nursery to find which plants could bring beautiful insects and wildlife to your garden. Our knowledgeable staff will assist you in a butterfly garden design, birdhouse selection, or plant combo for a great container garden. Books and eco-friendly gifts complete the Garden Shop experience. Visitors receive a special discount on merchandise at he Garden Shop on August 15 and 16; 100ff the cost of native plants, books, eco-friendly gifts, clothing, and tools.

    Founded in 1900, New England Wild Flower Society, the nation’s oldest native plant conservation organization, promotes the conservation of temperate North American flora through education, research, horticulture, habitat preservation, and advocacy.

    The Society owns and operates Garden in the Woods, a 45-acre public botanic garden in Framingham, MA, and Nasami Farm, a 75-acre native plant nursery in Whately, MA, as well as ten sanctuaries located in New England. The Society’s vision is a future where vigorous native plant populations live in healthy, balanced, natural ecosystems—protected, enjoyed, and beneficial to all life. For more information, visit newenglandwild.org

  • Mother’s Day Weekend at Garden in the Woods

    FRAMINGHAM, MA — New England Wild Flower Society’s Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road, is a very special place at any time of the year, but never more so than Mother’s Day weekend. All three layers of the Garden are in bloom; trees, shrubs, and ephemerals. Rain and the spring sun have given the Garden just the right mixture of ingredients to bring a rainbow of colors and a profusion of textures.

    Since Moms are so special, New England Wild Flower Society will celebrate Mother’s Day for three days; Friday, May 8, with National Public (more…)