The Chelmsford Open Space Stewardship – What We Are and How to Get Involved

Help put together the 'Your Open Space' float for the July 4th Parade.

Prepare Float:

We will be down at Jone's Farm Greenhouses (in front of Sunny Meadow on Rt. 27) at 12:00 noon this Friday July 3rd. to decorate the trailer for the parade.

Ride the Float in the Parade:

Come ride the float on the 4th! We line up at 7:30am at McCarthy, parade starts at 10:00am Not everyone has to be there at 7:30am, but try to board the float before we depart at 10:00am.

More information about this year's parade can be found at: http://www.chelmsfordparade.com/

Busy weekend ! see what we got up to.

Click here for pictures of Beach Cleanup
Click here for Apple Orchard Restoration
Click here for Scouts camp at Red Wing Farm
Click here for Chelmsford Women of Today donate Table to Beach
Click here for donation from NEMBA

We will be over at Russell Mill about 11 am till about 4 doing trail work. Rumor is Bob will be cooking up some dogs and burgers for those who help. This will be rock work, bridge building, ATV choke points. All Welcome!

After three years of no ATV's At Thanksgiving Forest l seems we have one ripping the hell out of the trails. this is a local kid accessing from Gary Road. If you see him tell him to get out! If you can snap a picture of him or know who he is please let us know and we will inform him to stay out of the property. ATVS are banned from all ConCom land and riders WILL be called before ConCom and fined. We are easy going on some things but Dirt Bikes, ATVS, Fires and Paintball no one gets a pass. We spend weeks working on trails to make them usable and have drainage and all it takes is one or two ATV's to destroy this work.

Please call me 978-273-1474 id you see new tracks or know anything. I will not disclose my source.

Click here to see the overhaul of the Sunny Meadow Gallery
Click here for photos of the accessible garden project
Click here for photos of the orchard restoration project
Click here for photos of plumbing being installed at the community garden
Click here for photos of the new monster cutter in action

The Chelmsford community is reminded that apple trees may still be purchased for Red Wing Farm on Maple Street in memory of or to honor loved ones in an effort to restored the orchard on that property. To date, five apple trees have been purchased as anniversary or birthday gifts, or to remember someone who has passed away. Apple trees for Red Wing Farm may be purchased at Jones Farm for $75 by Sunday, May 31st. The cost includes the tree, planting and ongoing maintenance. Names of those being honored or remembered will be posted on a special map located onsite. For more information, call Jones Farm at 978-256-8065.

The Chelmsford Open Space Stewardship, on behalf of the Town of Chelmsford, is organizing a Heart Pond Beach clean-up on Saturday, June 6th at 9:00 a.m. Located on Pond Street in Chelmsford, the beach and water will be cleared of debris so it will be ready for future public use. In addition, a new picnic table, donated by Chelmsford Women Today, will be installed. High school students can use this clean-up event toward community service hours. For more information, contact Phil Stanway at 978-273-1474 or phil@thechelmsfordian.com.

We will be clearing the old wood jumps from the area under the upper Meadow at SUnny Meadow on Robin Hill rd today. Wood Chucks are taking residence under the wood pile and we have already had an issue with one in the Garden. Removal of the wood should make it so they move somewhere else. As the dumpster is now at the pond we will truck it over to that one. This is 9 am Sunday and we cna use any help people want to give.

In other news we have a retired gentlemen (Elliot) who wants to keep the Lewis Garden looking good. He wants to Weed Whack the parking are and around the fences and cut the grass in the upper meadow once we install mowers for the site. I have sent a whacker to the site in the locked side of the shed so he will have it whenever he needs it. Storage of the riding mowers is a bit of an issue but I might ask the Cambodian farms if we can store them in their area as they have the room and it will be far safer.

Just a to let you know Ken Dews has spent about $3,000 on the water system and pumps for the garden(plus he installed it all). This is a total donation and it might be nice to to thank him… this is equal to 15 years budget of the entire Stewardship program.

The donated cutter from Henry and Donna Parlee is up and running at Red Wing. This new 22HP professional cutter reduces cutting of the fields from 5 ½ hours to 2 hours. We had to overhaul it but the value of this monster is still about 8,000 used.

In these impossible times it amazes me at what people will do to help out.

Things have been super quiet on the sites and I am just on my way out to do morning site checks.

So all good news for a change.

Ohio man arrested for mowing unkempt grass at park
Fri May 29, 4:54 pm ET
SANDUSKY, Ohio – An Ohio man arrested for mowing unkempt grass at a public park said he just wanted to make his city look nice. John Hamilton said he took control of the situation because the grass in Sandusky's Central Park was about a foot high. According to a police report, a witness said Hamilton was blowing grass onto the sidewalk and shredding trash in the park that had not been picked up.
Police said they arrested 48-year-old Hamilton after he refused to stop mowing and charged him with obstructing official business and disorderly conduct.
City Manager Matt Kline called the arrest unfortunate and said he understands Hamilton's frustration. Kline said budget cuts have left Sandusky understaffed for seasonal maintenance work

Yes we have 6 miles of the best mountain bike trails anywhere! click on the link below to see them and all the other work NEMBA (New England Mountain Bike assoc ) does around town.

Click here for Photos and more
Click here for pictures of last Sat Open Events

The town will have a new beach\Open Space soon but right now it is full of junk. Sat June 6 starting at 9 am will be clean up day at the site and we can use everyone who wants to help. Scout Troops and families are invited. The quicker the place is clean the quicker the town can let residents use this site It should not take more than a few hours to pick up all the trash and toss it in the dumpster. So If you are interested drop me a line at Phil@thechelmsfordian.com. The site is located at Pond Street behind Kate’s Corner.

wow busy weekend and a lot happening. Check out what we did.

Click here for Photos of Pack 107 on Lime Quarry Walk Sat
Click here for Pictures from on ongoing planting at the community garden
Click here for Photos form the opening of Russell Mill Mountain bike trails
Click here for Photos of Scout Troop 75 camp out at Russell Mill

We have a huge gallery of Chelmsford Open Spaces and everyone who helps support them. click on the 'camera' to the left and start taking a tour. all the galleries connect so you can go from one to the next in any order.

You can also click on the Calendar and find out where we will be and what we will be doing.

Last week we had a chance to help the Chelmsford Garden Club mulch the gardens at the Garrison House. Without the support of CGC we would not be able to to do any of our programs.

Click here for photos

all our sites are open for scout events and we are more than happy to do walks or offer public service. If you are a Scout Troop and want to do somehting fun please give us a buzz. We are local and we are free.

Click here for pictures of Scout event