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With June comes the warmer weather of summer and our first taste of locally produced food at the Lexington Community Farm (LexFarm) and Lexington Farmers’ Market, both opening in the first week of June.
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The month feels even more special as we experience the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions and the expanded opening of local dining and shops. Let’s celebrate the warm weather by shopping local!
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While thinking about shopping, the LPS Green Teams remind us to think about the “circular economy” by shopping second hand, donating gently used goods, and composting food waste that can become nourishment for our soils.
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For many the summer means road trips. Find out how you can enhance your driving experience and help the environment by making your next car electric with a presentation from Recharge Massachusetts. The talk will feature our own Lexington Sustainability Director Stella Carr and guest appearances by some happy electric vehicle owners who will share firsthand experiences of driving an electric vehicle around town and on the open road.
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This edition also highlights the beauty and importance of our natural environment. First a Q&A session with the new group “Lexington Living Landscapes” on how they can help you garden with pollinator-friendly native plants. Then, on June 7th, the Lexington League of Women Voters brings us a fascinating talk by world-renowned scientist Dr. William Moomaw, on how trees can help us meet our climate goals.
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Finally, don’t miss the last Citizens for Lexington Conservation spring walk, with instructions on how to use the iNaturalist app, at Dunback Meadow.
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In This Issue – June 2021:
- Lexington Farmers' Market Opening June 1st in NEW LOCATION
- LexFarm Retail Farmstand Opening June 2nd - Local, Fresh Produce!
- Lexington Living Landscapes "Community Conversation" June 1st
- "EV 101: Introduction to Owning Electric Vehicles" with Stella Carr June 16th
- Introducing "SustainabLY" (Sustainable Lexington Youth)!
- LWV Lexington: Dr. Wm. Moomaw Talk on Massachusetts Forests June 7th
- Citizens for Lex Conservation: iNaturalist Walk in Dunback Meadow June 13th
- LPS Green Teams: Ideas for Keeping Students Engaged in the Summer
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Opening Tuesday, June 1st, 2:00-6:30PM!
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NEW LOCATION - Worthen Road Practice Field (next to LHS Field House)
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After months of planning, measuring, meeting, visiting and collaborating, we have a new terrific location for the Lexington Farmers’ Market. The LFM will be moving to the Town Field on Worthen Road, between the Lexington High School field house and the baseball diamond.
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The Lexington Farmers' Market's opening day is Tuesday, June 1 at Worthen Road Practice Field, between LHS Field House and the baseball diamond. Marked with banners and a new green shed, the site will be filled with everyone's favorite farmers and vendors every Tuesday from 2-6:30 pm from June - October.
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The market will slowly return to normal after last season's pandemic restrictions. We will be recalibrating as the season goes on, but at the market start the following rules will be in place:
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- Use the single entrance and exit; lines will be monitored to avoid crowding at busy farmer/vendor tents
- Masks are welcome but not required for market shoppers who are vaccinated
- Individuals who are not vaccinated, including children over five, are required to wear masks
- Respect physical distancing markings
- No pets will be allowed inside the market space per town regulations
- All farmers/vendors, LFM staff and volunteers will continue to wear face coverings until further notice
- There will be no sampling and no eating or drinking on the market site
- No touching produce at the request of our farmers; they will help you with your order
2021 LFM Farmers and Vendors
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Farmstand Retail Sales Start
Wednesday, June 2nd!
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*** at 52 Lowell St, Lexington MA ***
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New retail hours this year!
Wednesday, 1 - 7pm
Thursday, 1 - 7pm
Friday, 1 - 7pm
Saturday, 9 am - 3 pm
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Fresh organic produce, local eggs, cheeses, bread, milk, meats and many pantry items will be available for sale.
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Thank you for Buying Local and Supporting YOUR Community Farm!
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Community Conversation: Tell Us How We Can Help You
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Join us for a conversation about future activities of Lexington Living Landscapes. How can we help you grow a yard that’s friendlier for wildlife and healthier for people? How can we help make Lexington’s landscapes more sustainable and environmentally resilient? What programs would you like to see offered? What topics would you like to know more about? What information would be useful to have on our website?
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Come share your ideas and questions with LLL Steering Committee members, other gardeners, and native plant advocates. To attend, please shoot us an email at [email protected], and we’ll send you the Zoom link. We hope to see you!
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EV 101: An Introduction to Owning Electric Vehicles (EVs)
Wednesday, June 16, 2021, 7:00-8:00PM
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Curious about electric vehicles (EVs)? Looking to learn more about owning one? Join us Wednesday, June 16th from 7 to 8pm for Recharge Massachusetts’ virtual EV road trip.
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This free event will introduce you to EVs, their benefits, current and future models, charging infrastructure, and incentives. Bring your questions – EV experts will help you better understand everything related to driving electric. Our very own Sustainability Director, Stella Carr, will be talking about ways our community is promoting clean transportation here in Lexington!
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An RSVP is required to join and space is limited, so save your seat now!
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Introducing "SustainabLY" (Sustainable Lexington Youth): a Seat at the Table for Lexington's Young Climate Activists
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In the fall of 2020, Lexington Town Meeting voted to pass a non binding resolution to declare a climate emergency. Joining communities around the world in this action, the resolution reaffirmed Lexington's commitment to combating the effects of climate change locally. What you may not know is that this resolution was put together by local high school students.
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Inspired by the passion and civic action taken by younger residents in Lexington, Sustainability Director Stella Carr wanted to help create a seat at the table for them. Working with members of the Sustainable Lexington Committee, they created “SustainabLY” - Sustainable Lexington Youth.
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SustainabLY will function as a subcommittee of the Town of Lexington's Sustainable Lexington Committee (SLC). The two students representatives will hold meetings at the high school to gather insights from their peers, and will then report back to SLC.
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The intention of this subcommittee is to give Lexington’s youth a voice in the Town’s efforts to address climate change, resilience, and adaptation. Our youngest residents have a critical stake in the outcome of our efforts; it is fitting that they have a direct line of communication to express concerns, share ideas, and develop their own recommendations to the Sustainable Lexington Committee and their subsequent recommendations to the Select Board and Town Meeting.
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SustainabLY, as a subcommittee, will be led by the two newly selected student leaders, Michelle Wu an incoming Senior, and Tanay Dalmia, a rising Junior. They were selected out of a competitive pool of applicants, all of whom we hope can contribute to SustainabLY and the efforts which will come forward from the students in the future.
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The selection committee spent a long time deliberating over this decision. It shows how much excitement there is from the students, but also the staff and elected representatives that will be assisting with this new community endeavor.
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Dr. William Moomaw - “Massachusetts Forests are Essential for Meeting Our Climate Goals: Are They up to the Task?"
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Dr. William Moomaw is Professor Emeritus of International Policy at The Fletcher School, Tufts University and Distinguished Visiting Scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center.
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After addressing stratospheric ozone depletion as a staff scientist for the U.S. Senate, Dr. Moomaw began working on climate change in 1988 as the first director of the climate program at World Resources Institute in Washington DC. He has been a lead author of five Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Reports. The IPCC shared the Nobel Peace Prize for its climate work in 2007.
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He is currently identifying natural climate solutions that increase accumulation of carbon in forests, wetlands and soils to more rapidly meet climate goals. Dr. Moomaw is a co-author of a recent paper declaring a Climate Emergency that has been endorsed by over 13,000 scientists.
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This event is sponsored by the League of Women Voters Lexington, and is open to the public at no charge, however registration is required at http://www.lwvlexington.org. Please note: This event will follow the LWV Lexington Annual Meeting, which begins at 7:00PM. After a brief meeting, then a short recess, Dr. Moomaw will speak at 7:30PM.
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The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization dedicated to the principles of self-government established in the Constitution of the United States. The League works to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government.
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iNaturalist Walk in Dunback Meadow
Sunday, June 13, 2021, 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Email walk leader to register (see below)
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This exploratory walk at Dunback Meadow will provide a second opportunity to use iNaturalist to see what can be learned using this handy smart phone resource. Plants will be the focus (since they are easiest to photograph) but we'll look at other organisms as available.
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Prerequisite: Bring your phone with iNaturalist installed and ready to use. Please try it out: take a few sample photos and have your phone enabled for cellular data. The usefulness of iNaturalist depends on taking good photos. The app may be found at: https://www.inaturalist.org. It’s free, but may require registration on the iNaturalist website. Group limit – 10. Masks and pre-registration required. Send an e-mail to walk leader Barbara Katzenberg to register and receive confirmation of the meeting point location. Title your message: Registration – Dunback Walk. Heavy rain cancels.
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Keeping Engaged in the Summer
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As students are winding down school for the summer, there are tangible ways we can keep them engaged in making choices to minimize waste.
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Compost: Take your students to one of the many local farms and farmer’s markets and talk about how compost soil improves the farm’s crop yield.
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- 1,089 (10%) Lexington households have hired Black Earth Compost to pick up their kitchen scrap.
- More than 600 households have bought a backyard compost bin.
- Talk to your neighbors about your experience of composting and spread the word!
Purchase in a Circular Economy: Summer activities, like reading, entertaining and upgrading your technology for the coming school year, can all be done with Zero Waste. Set an important example for the next generation, save the Planet as well as your wallet!
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- Buy second hand clothes and household items such as toys or drink glasses that you need to replenish now and then. Savers in Wilmington, Plato's Closet in Waltham, Garment District in Cambridge have great selections.
- Buy certified pre-owned cell phones and computers online.
- Buy used books from vast online resources, Check out Abe Books, an online clearing house for used books.
- Browse used books at some local used bookstores. Try The Book Rack in Arlington or More Than Words in Waltham.
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Would you like to submit an environmental event or activity?
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Please forward to your network!
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