Mohammed Hannan grew up on a family farm, but it was thousands of miles away and very different from where he now works the land in Lincoln. A lot has changed for Hannan, 46, since his days as a boy in rural Bangladesh and as a college student earning a degree in wildlife and conservation…
agriculture and flora
My Turn: Chapman Field is getting a makeover
By Sara Lupkas If you’ve walked through Chapman Pasture recently, you might have seen some changes — and you’ll see seeing some smoke there on Thursday as well. Chapman Pasture is an eight-acre field located between Silver Hill Road and Old Winter Street. Formerly grazed by livestock, it’s now primarily characterized by non-native grasses. The…
My Turn: Where do the Codman Farm footprints lead?
By Pete Lowy I captured this image the other day as I was wandering around the laying hen pasture. What do you see? Chicken feet, arrows, maybe something else? Well, we are on a farm, so I guess the most obvious answer is that they are chicken footprints — but in the same instance I…
Lincoln’s catalpa tree gets some preventive maintenance
By Cathy Moritz The beloved twisted tree in front of the Lincoln Public Library is estimated to be 110 to 120 years old — at least 50 years older than a typical Northern Catalpa. In a joint project, the Friends of the Lincoln Library (FOLL) and the Lincoln Garden Club (LGC) have funded a preservation…
My Turn: Drumlin Farm pitches in with produce during pandemic
By Renata Pomponi Editor’s note: this piece originally appeared in EdibleBoston.com and is reprinted with permission. The last two paragraphs were added on December 15. It all started with a half-ton of carrots. In late March, with the world closing down around us from a global pandemic and all of our staff except farmers working…
Storm wreaked havoc at Codman Community Farms
The unexpected derecho that swept through the area on October 7 damaged hundreds of trees, closed many roads and caused widespread power outages (about half the town at one point). A similar but stronger event in August destroyed millions of acres of crops and buildings in Iowa and northern Illinois, but the storm here caused…
Outdoor watering now limited to once a week
Residents on town water must now limit non-essential outdoor watering to one day a week because of this summer’s drought conditions, though agricultural watering is exempt from these restrictions. After above-normal temperatures in July and early August and more than three months of below-normal rainfall, state Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides declared a…
My Turn: The Food Project needs your help
By Peter von Mertens The Food Project, which farms 31 acres of Lincoln conservation land, is hard-pressed during this Covid crisis to carry out their mission. Normally teams of volunteers from corporations, law firms, banks, schools, and other nonprofits would be planting and weeding the carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, and other crops. During the summer months,…
Today’s Covid-19 updates for Lincoln
Donelan’s Because a number of items are in short supply, Donelan’s has temporarily suspended its online shopping and delivery service. Lincoln store manager Jason Deveau told the Squirrel on Wednesday that the five-store grocery chain is considering offering early-morning hours exclusively for seniors to minimize their risk of public exposure, but stores would follow whatever…
Winter at the farm (Lincoln Through the Lens)
Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. If your photo is published, you’ll receive credit in the Squirrel. Photos must be taken in Lincoln and include the date, location, and names of any people who are identifiable in the photo. Previously published photos can be viewed…