Outings

Permaculture Design: Connecting you with your backyard landscape

Learn how permaculture design connects you with your landscape, creating a mutually beneficial relationship of food production, native plants, and energy-wise design. This is an opportunity to join in a permaculture designer’s consultation and assessment of a local backyard landscape, complete with design strategies and plant recommendations.

The workshop will begin with a presentation highlighting the relationship between homeowner and residential landscape, as seen through the unique “lens” of a permaculture designer. Then, we will lead a site tour from the designers’ perspective — discussing Gabor’s past and current goals, describing strategies that he has already implemented, and identifying what is and isn’t working. We will focus on alternative or complimentary design solutions that would help the landscape continue to thrive.

Broadfork Permaculture Design is a worker-owned cooperative landscaping company located here in the Pioneer Valley. The company focuses on edible landscapes and ecological design. Find them online at: www.broadfork.coop

Logistics:

The date for the workshop is March 29, Saturday, 2pm to 4pm, at 44 Beston street in Amherst.

As always, the workshop is free. Donations will support the work of Broadfork Permaculture. Suggested donation: $5 to $15.

Space is limited – please RSVP (send an email to gaborzol@gmail.com or call 413-253-9755) to ensure a spot.

Please be prepared for parts or all of the workshop to take place outside (weather related).

Posted in Reskilling Workshops, Uncategorized, Walks | 4 Comments

Run for Community Resilience

A Positive Response to the Boston bombings: Run for Community Resilience to Show Support & Help Our Kids Envision a Positive Future

With the suspect now in custody, it is time to focus on healing and positive action, especially for our children and young people.

As we have watched the trauma unfold in Boston, we all are probably asking ourselves:

  • 1. How can I help create a positive response to such pain and loss?
  • 2. Is there anything I can do to help prevent trauma in my community?

Transition Amherst invites you to join neighbors in a community event to express caring for victims of the Boston Marathon bombings, and to take positive community action. Below and attached is an invitation to participate in a “Run for Community Resilience”. Transition Amherst is collaborating with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County to create a community expression of support — a positive, kid-friendly, time of good fun and helping strengthen young people in this difficult time – by walking, running, and hanging out together at the April 28 Daffodil Fun Run.

Many of us want to honor those killed and injured by violence. We want to be a part of healing action for a strong, positive, caring community. Big Brothers Big Sisters has graciously agreed to allow their annual Daffodil Fun Run to be a place for the community to gather to show support for those traumatized, and to reaffirm how important it is that we know each other as neighbors, support youth in our community, welcome new people, and act to build local peace and safety every day.

Register for the event at: www.DaffodilFunRun.com. You’ll be asked to make a donation as you register.

Please invite your friends and neighbors to join in the “Run/Roll/Walk for Community Resilience” — to come together to support a great local organization — Big Brothers Big Sisters, and to show our commitment to being a caring community in the face of violence. Rep. Ellen Story, will be speaking at the event and will encourage the ideas of community resilience and taking positive action together to strengthen our community, create safe streets, and support victims of violence and our youth, nurturing caring and compassion, as we move beyond fear and pain.

And if you can spend a few minutes helping to give out information about the “Run for Resilience” at the Amherst Sustainability Fair on Saturday, April 27, please come join us at the table for Transition Amherst and the “All Things Local” Store (www.allthingslocalstore.com)!

2013 Daffodil Fun Run Flyer

For a list of Runs in the U.S., go to: www.RunReg.com

For information about Resilient Communities or Transition Amherst, see: www.TransitionNetwork.org, or contact Tina Clarke, 413-658-8165.

Posted in Other Projects, Walks | Leave a comment

Water treatment plant tour

A tour of Amherst’s watershed at the Atkins Reservoir and a tour of the waste-water treatment plant are scheduled for October 24th, at Noon. The tour is limited to 25 people, on a first-come first-accepted basis. More details will be sent to you after you register for the tour. Please e-mail John White at johnr.white3@gmail.com with your wish to attend.

We all depend on water to live, grow, clean with and play in, but do you know where your water comes from or how much of it there is? Do you know what happens to it once you’ve used it and filled it with all sorts of unmentionable (hopefully biodegradable) material? How does it get to us in the first place? We tend to take water for granted, because it seems so plentiful while flowing from the tap. But water is one of the essential gifts of this world that is being endangered by pollution, overused by all segments of society from farmers to school children, and is quickly diminishing as a natural resource. In some parts of our country, aquifers are drying up or empty, and rivers and streams are so polluted that poison signs are posted. Recent droughts in the mid-west and south have dried up lakes and reservoirs. This is not even to mention what is happening in the oceans.

Access to water is on the Defense Department’s list of resources that are expected to diminish in years ahead and be a cause for regional conflicts, or outright war. Climate change here we come! Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Tennessee are among the US states fighting court battles over water rights. We probably won’t be warring with Belchertown or Shutesbury, or the communities where the sources of the Connecticut river originate, but we do rely on water that passes through these communities. This tour of the watershed and the treatment plant is an opportunity to gain an understanding of where our water comes from, how it gets to our homes, its condition and how it is treated after use, and where it goes from here. There will also be opportunities to ask questions: about how we can treat it better and conserve, about other sources of water such as from wells, about the impact of bottled water on the environment, or what ever is on your mind. A waste-water plant is a fascinating experience that you will long remember, and it may make you more appreciative of the gift of water. This tour is organized by Transition Amherst.

A tour of the Amherst waste water plant and water treatment facility will be offered on October 24th at Noon. Preregistration is required. Go to www.transitionamherst.org/tour for more information, or e-mail johnr.white3@gmail.com to register. Sponsored by Transition Amherst.

Posted in Walks | Leave a comment

Sustainable Forest Walk

When: August 26, Sunday, 1-3pm (Rain Date: September 16, Sunday, 1-3pm)

Where: Leverett road in Shutesbury, before Montague road. Exact location to be announced, and a sign will mark the parking area just off the road.

What/Description: During our walk in the sutainably managed Brushy Mountain or the Paul C. Jones Working Forest, Kate Marquis, Forestry Technician for W.D. Cowls, Inc., will discuss sustainable forestry and planning for the future. We will hike through recently harvested areas and discuss how foresters plan harvests in line with ecosystem management, hydrology, and public demand for timber resources. We will discuss the current status of our forests and how see them stay healthy as we move into the future and how forest research is underway to determine how to maintain forest health in line with changes such as climate change and invasive species introductions.

Kate will answer questions during our approx. two hour walk, and is willing to stick around for additional questions at the end of the walk.

Other Logistics: The hike is very easy, there are some very gentle slopes. Bring bug spray. I find Cedar Later and Badger Balm work well and do not bother people with chemical sensitivities. Long pants, high socks, and light colored clothing help people keep the ticks off.

The walk is free, but please be on time, otherwise you may miss us.

Posted in Walks | Leave a comment

Update on Outing events

Saturday, June 2nd, 10:00 – 11:30 AM
Edible Wild Plant Walk with John Root
at Simple Gifts Farm, 1089 N Pleasant St. Amherst
(a program of the North Amherst Community Farm)
Join us for a guided walk of the farm, exploring the many edible wild plants (some of them are weeds) that are common to our region. John Root will share his knowledge on how to identify, collect, and prepare wild plants of the region.

Sunday June 3
5th Annual Fort River Celebration Day, Groff Park, Amherst
http://www.fortrivercelebration.com/
11:00am – 1:30pm: Educational Activities & Displays
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Guided Canoe Ride
The Fort River Celebration Day is back in its fifth year to benefit the Fort River Stewardship Project. This free event begins at Groff Park, Amherst at 11am for educational displays and activities about local ecology and river science conservation. At 1pm the “Buck-a-Duck” race is back with prizes for all. A guided canoe ride will follow at 2pm as stream ecologists lead explorative canoers down the Fort River from Kiwanis Park to Groff Park. Interested canoers should sign up now on the event website www.fortrivercelebration.com. All proceeds benefit the Fort River Stewardship Project in order to provide community learning and research on this local water resource and tributary to the CT River.

Sunday June 10, 2:00-4:00 PM
Tour of the proposed Solar Landfill Site off Old Belchertown Road.
Discussion will focus on the proposal process, components of the selected design, benefits and challenges as well as constraints of the site. People attending this outing should wear appropriate footwear for walking along an unpaved road. We will meet at the entrance to the old landfill at 2:00 PM. Park along Old Belchertown Road. Led by Stephanie Ciccarello, Town of Amherst Sustainability Coordinator.

Sunday June 17, 1:00 PM
Hitchcock Center, 525 South Pleasant Street. http://www.hitchcockcenter.org
Join us for an exploratory nature walk on the trails at the Hitchcock Center at Larch Hill. We will ramble and observe and look more closely at the miracles of nature that can be found all around us! Bring binoculars and your curiosity. This will not be a strenuous walk. Ted Watt, Naturalist at the Hitchcock Center, will lead the walk. Ted is fascinated by all aspects of the natural world and enjoys wondering and thinking together with others about how it all fits together to support life.

Sunday July 8, 1:00 PM
Amherst College Sanctuary Trails. https://www.amherst.edu/museums/sanctuary/recreation
We’ll explore the woods, a small pond (where painted turtles, ducks, herons and muskrats are often sighted), a large meadow loop (full of birds), and the sweeping vista where the Amherst College ‘president’s house’ used to stand. Dress for the weather and bring your binoculars. Approximately 5 miles, but not strenuous. Meet at the trailhead at the intersection of College & Shumway Streets. Led by Dori Goldman.

Sunday July 22, 1:00 PM
Mid-summer Edible Mushroom Foraging
We will explore the mid-waters of the Amethyst and Buffam Brooks where we’ll be on the lookout for black trumpets and boletus mushrooms. Meet at the northern dead-end of Gates Rd (Meetinghouse Rd) in Pelham off of North Valley Rd. (as distinguished from the dead-end of this road on the southern end at Amherst Rd). Led by Wm Levine.

Posted in Walks | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Three events

Tour of the proposed Solar Landfill Site off Old Belchertown Road.
Amherst Solar Project
Walk and discussion will focus on the proposal process, components of the selected design, benefits and challenges as well as constraints of the site. People attending this outing should wear appropriate footwear for walking along an unpaved road. We will meet at the entrance to the old landfill. Park along Old Belchertown Road. Led by Stephanie Ciccarello, Town of Amherst Sustainability Coordinator.

Saturday, June 2nd, 10:00 – 11:30 AM
Edible Wild Plant Walk with John Root
at Simple Gifts Farm, 1089 N Pleasant St. Amherst
(a program of the North Amherst Community Farm)
Join us for a guided walk of the farm, exploring the many edible wild plants (some of them are weeds) that are common to our region. John Root will share his knowledge on how to identify, collect, and prepare wild plants of the region.

Sunday June 3
5th Annual Fort River Celebration Day, Groff Park, Amherst
http://www.fortrivercelebration.com/
(a project of the Rushing Rivers Institute)
11:00am – 1:30pm: Educational Activities & Displays
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Guided Canoe Ride
The Fort River Celebration Day is back in its fifth year to benefit the Fort River Stewardship Project. This free event begins at Groff Park, Amherst at 11am for educational displays and activities about local ecology and river science conservation. At 1pm the “Buck-a-Duck” race is back with prizes for all. A guided canoe ride will follow at 2pm as stream ecologists lead explorative canoers down the Fort River from Kiwanis Park to Groff Park. Interested canoers should sign up now on the event website www.fortrivercelebration.com. All proceeds benefit the Fort River Stewardship Project in order to provide community learning and research on this local water resource and tributary to the CT River.

Posted in Walks | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Transition Amherst Outings

The first series of walks aimed to get to know our neighborhood, and local resources together.

Sunday May 20, 1:00 PM
Exploration of Prexy’s Ridge, an old-growth forest on the UMass campus. http://blogs.umass.edu/campbell/
This 24 acre forest in the northeast section of the UMass Amherst campus is now on the Inventory of Historic and Archaeological Assets of the Commonwealth. It contains some of the oldest trees in Amherst, because this site has never been cleared and has been a “witness” to the initial settlement of East Hadley, Amherst, and the University. Prexy’s Ridge also contains an old observatory on the top, and an old orchard on the eastern slope. Meet at parking lot #43, next to the Totman gymnasium on the UMass campus (at the corner of North Pleasant Street and Eastman Lane). Wear sturdy boots – the slope is steep! and dress for the weather. We’ll have a great time exploring and learning. Led by Elisa Campbell.

Sunday June 17, 1:00 PM
Hitchcock Center, 525 South Pleasant Street. http://www.hitchcockcenter.org
Join us for an exploratory nature walk on the trails at the Hitchcock Center at Larch Hill. We will ramble and observe and look more closely at the miracles of nature that can be found all around us! Bring binoculars and your curiosity. This will not be a strenuous walk. Ted Watt, Naturalist at the Hitchcock Center, will lead the walk. Ted is fascinated by all aspects of the natural world and enjoys wondering and thinking together with others about how it all fits together to support life.

Sunday July 8, 1:00 PM
Amherst College Sanctuary Trails. https://www.amherst.edu/museums/sanctuary/recreation
We’ll explore the woods, a small pond (where painted turtles, ducks, herons and muskrats are often sighted), a large meadow loop (full of birds), and the sweeping vista where the Amherst College ‘president’s house’ used to stand. Dress for the weather and bring your binoculars. Approximately 5 miles, but not strenuous. Meet at the trailhead at the intersection of College & Shumway Streets. Led by Dori Goldman.

Sunday July 22, 1:00 PM
Mid-summer Edible Mushroom Foraging
We will explore the mid-waters of the Amethyst and Buffam Brooks where we’ll be on the lookout for black trumpets and boletus mushrooms. Meet at the northern dead-end of Gates Rd (Meetinghouse Rd) in Pelham off of North Valley Rd. (as distinguished from the dead-end of this road on the southern end at Amherst Rd). Led by Wm Levine.

More to come…
All free, fun, and open to all

Already happened:

Sunday May 6, 4:00 PM until dusk
Many Hands Farm Corps, at Amethyst Farm, 132 Pelham Road. http://www.manyhandsfarmcorps.com
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm tour and picnic potluck. Bring something to share, a plate and utensil, a glass and something to drink, and spend the afternoon/evening enjoying the the open space, the beautiful weather, and the company of friends and neighbors. Led by Ryan Karb.

Sunday May 13, 1:00 PM
Hampshire College Farm Center, 791 West Street. http://www.hampshire.edu/academics/5728.htm
Tour of the Hampshire College Farm. Led by Leslie Cox, farm manager.

Posted in Walks | Tagged , , | 2 Comments