Waters Farm Days – Tractor Pull Held!
Although Waters Farm Days Fall Festival was cancelled this weekend due to the heavy rains, the tractor pull was held this morning at 10 am. Thanks to our MPA Board Member from Area 1 for the photos!
Yes, good weather for waterfowl!
Rain is dancing on the lake… the flock of geese are cruising on the water and the seagulls are in the air. But, with the rain, the Manchaug Pond Association exhibit will be at Waters Farm tomorrow (weather permitting!) to participate in the 30th annual Waters Farm Days Fall Festival. Since we have an outdoor location for our booth, weather is critical to its success and the health of volunteers! (I personally had the first shift and didn’t want the end of my time with a cold to develop into pnemonia.) Hope to see you after the weather clears!
Waters Farm Days Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 3 & 4
Today, October 2nd Last year, October 13, 2008 See you this weekend at the 30th Annual Waters Farm Days Fall Festival! If the weather holds out, the Manchaug Pond Association will have it’s educational exhibit over by the house at the overview to the lake. See you there! http://www.watersfarm.com/
MPA Annual Meeting 2009: The Chowda Continued…
Well Capt’n Gray Beard, I did speak with the Annual Meeting Chef, Capt’n Paul, and this is what he had to say: “Wow, can’t have pillaging and plundering, can we!” He reports that he has yet to reveal, to anyone, “the exact method of cooking recipe.” HE WILL divulge that this special seafood “chowda” contains chopped clams, baby clams, shrimp, real crab, krab (faux crab), faux lobster, oysters, conch (if available), sea scallops, and white fish (can be haddock, cod, pollock, cusk, or striped bass) in it.It also has chopped onion and minced garlic, non-alcoholic beer, clam broth, potatoes, fat free half and half, salt and pepper. So, you’ll just have to attend every annual Manchaug Pond Association meeting to get your fill! Don’t bother doing any searches or questioning the dynamic MPA kitchen crew…. no photos of the chowder were taken and it was made off-site before the crew arrived. Thanks for asking! See you at the next Annual Meeting.
MPA Annual Meeting 2009: The Chowda!
Capt’n Dick The Gray Beard said… Aye, Matey… ‘Tis gettin’ crisp on the water as we be enjoyin’ the foliage. Me was thinkin’ that a great way to warm up after a cruise would be with a bowl of Capt’n Paul’s Seafood Chowda that we tasted at the MPA Annual Meeting! But me cook ain’t got no recipe. Me thinks you aught to post his recipe or we’ll be pillagin’ an’ plunderin’ ’till we get some more of that wonderful grub. Thank you! September 25, 2009 10:33 AM Seems we have pirates in our midst with our Annual Meeting Seafood Chowder being our greatest treasure!
Cormorant Found Dead!
This cormorant was found by a neighbor last night along the shore. Cause of death unknown. Here are photos taken last month of a pair, alive and well:
Saturday’s Cleanup Event a Success!
While Weed Cleanup volunteers shed a bit of mud, sweat, and laughter on the shoreline of Manchaug Pond Saturday, the day provided beautiful weather for those enjoying the water! Our first WEED Cleanup Event brought together 18 MPA volunteers from 9 households (waterfront/waterrights property owners) to “hand harvest” emergent invasive weed species from the north and east shorelines of the lake. With pitch forks and shovels in hand, the group worked from before 9 to 1:30 removing two dump trucks loads of harmful weeds. Right off, the MPA extends a huge thanks to the Town of Sutton Highway Department and Transfer Station staff and Conservation Commission for their unending support and work on our 319 Non-Point Pollution Grant Project and another huge thank you to Tom Berkowitz for the use of his dump truck during this event. Our coordinator educated participants in identifying problem plants to be removed from the native sedges and rushes which were to remain. He explained how in his home town in upstate NY, the invasives took over acres and acres of his 5 mile long pond. The weeds crowded out the native plants which are more desirable as a food source for wildlife, and replaced …
Weed Cleanup Today! 9 to 11
Blue skies, golden sunrise, no wind, low 40’s = great day for this first WEED Cleanup! So get your MPA hooded sweatshirt or MPA fleece vest, a pair of work gloves and boots and a sharp shovel or pitch fork and meet Jim, Ted, Ray, Linda, David and the rest of the crew down at the boat ramp! Come by boat or vehicle. If you don’t know what to do, don’t worry – come anyway. If you don’t think we need you, you’re wrong we want YOU there! Target: new infestations of common reeds, cattails, canary reed grass, and purple loosestrife growing along the shoreline… and if we think the floating waterlillies and watershield are getting to thick we can do some thinning there too! Jim has a truck lined up to haul it all away. See you there!
In the news: Invasives a Problem for Lakes and Users
Invasive aquatic species have been the big topic this week, in news papers, mailings and MPAction! ~ The Central Mass chapter of the Congress of Lake and Pond Association (MaCOLAP), in this week’s mailing for membership renewal gave a News Alert!! of the Laurel Lake zebra mussel discovery and noted the MaCOLAP directors are supporting the proposed Senate Bill 2113. Bill 2113 looks to protect our lakes and ponds but realistically I question whether it could ever be successful. In essence, the bill makes it a criminal offense to put a contaminated boat in a lake or river in the Commonweath. That means if your boat or trailer has any weeds -invasive species -not only zebra mussels but a piece of milfoil or fanwort or Asian Clam, you could be fined or imprisoned. Take a look at the bill for yourself:http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/186/st02/st02113.htmAn Act protecting lakes and ponds. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: Section 1. Chapter 90B of the 2008 official edition of the Massachusetts General Laws is hereby amended by inserting the following section:- Section 5D. No one shall place a vessel that …
Fall in the air! Time for cleanups.
Nighttime temps may be in the 40’s with the beginning of the autumn season, but the days remain lovely on Manchaug with sunshine and temperatures in the 70’s. This is good weather for cleaning up boats and putting stuff away for the winter season. If you are looking to do any work along the shoreline or put in a new dock, be sure to check out the local regulation. The MPA will be sending to all members an informational flyer put together by the Douglas Conservation Commission. This flyer was also available at our Spring Social, Annual Meeting and as part of the grant exhibit. You can check the town conservation websites for specific regulations: http://www.douglasma.org/cdd/concom/regs.htm http://www.suttonma.org/Pages/SuttonMA_BComm/wet/index MPA has two cleanups scheduled: This Saturday, September 26th for emergent aquatic weeds and October 17th for trash along the shoreline and area roads and the boat ramp. All MPA members, campers, and Manchaug Pond users are invited to join us for both events. We will meet at the Public Access Boat Ramp at 9 am and fan out from there. If you can’t join us until later, come along and look for the work groups along the shore, roads and at the …