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Josiah and Everett Newton with Aunt Kathy learned the importance of sorting and separating food scraps recycleables, and trash at Kent Memorial Library as part of a composting class for Earth Day.
Lans Christensen
KENT — The Kent Memorial Library and Kent Conservation Commission joined forces to bring a meaningful and educational program concerning nutrients, recycling and trash April 18.
Carol Franken of the Conservation Commission, the presenter, said one of her main composting concerns was, “How to make it meaningful to preschoolers.”
This was not a “drop off” event for the kids, and all attendees were accompanied by parents and adults. Franken added, “The most important words for the day are ‘food scraps, decompose, and compost’.”
Lots of visual aids and props turned the event into a hands-on class for the kids. Large, tied plastic bags full of mystery material were given to all participants. The bags were then weighed and opened, revealing a big assortment of food scraps, recyclables and plain old trash.
Kids were then asked to sort the three types of contents, and with the food scraps removed, the bags were weighed again. No surprise, the bags were much lighter.
Another of Franken’s displays featured three bins of compost: one was new food scraps and leaves, the second was a 6-month-old compost bin, and the third was a year old -- now completely decomposed down to pure, nutritious, compost.
The program highlighted the importance of separating food scraps from trash and stressed the benefits of creating compost at home. Kids were then given biodegradable seed pots and plant seeds to take home, nurture, and learn by watching them grow.
Kent Transfer station has added a food scrap bin to aid the composting cause.
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FALLS VILLAGE — The Board of Finance will hold a special meeting Wednesday, April 24, at 6 p.m. at Town Hall and on Zoom to discuss how to find some $80,000 in spending cuts from the proposed spending for 2024-25 from the Board of Selectmen.
The finance board requested $130,000 in cuts from the selectmen at their meeting on April 8.
The selectmen met on April 11 and “respectfully” declined to make any changes in their spending plan, which has a bottom line increase of $124,593.
At a special meeting Tuesday, April 16, the finance board agreed to “impose additional cuts to the Municipal Spending Plan (revised plan dated April 16, 2024) up to $80,000.”
The board also agreed “to not use the General Fund for budget relief in an amount that would reduce the General Fund Balance below 12.5% of the combined annual expenditures” (“combined annual expenditures” means municipal and education spending).
Both actions were taken on motions from member John Steines.
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Cornwall budget heads to town vote
Apr 24, 2024
CORNWALL — Following a short public hearing for the 2024-25 budget Friday, April 19, Cornwall’s combined spending plan has been sent to Town Meeting.
The meeting to vote on the budget will be held at Cornwall Consolidated School Friday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m.
Cornwall’s total proposed expenditure for next year is up to $8,061,110, an increase of $292,537 (3.77%) compared to 2023-24.
“It looks like the mill rate could go up from 14.7 to 15.44, which would be about a 5% tax increase,” said First Selectman Gordon Ridgway.
Costs went up in several areas this year, primarily driven by inflation, education and weather damage. A notable addition to the budget this year is $100,000 in a new line item for storm damage. A four-part town meeting was held on April 19 to reassign unused funds from last year to be used for repairs in town.
Each of the following transfers passed unanimously: Transfer capital projects account interest $50,000 to capital projects road improvements for spring resurfacing of roads; Transfer $50,000 from Town general funds balance to capital road improvements to complete summer storm damage repairs; Authorize repairs to Essex Hill Road of $147,000 be paid out of capital projects road improvement; Increase capital projects fund road improvement by $17,000 to be reimbursed by state grant for hazardous tree removal.
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Putting the fun in fungi
Apr 24, 2024
An example of a giant puffball mushroom found by Dave Paton.
Provided
SALISBURY — Dave Paton, a dedicated hunter of wild mushrooms, went through a list of some of his favorite fungi at the Scoville Memorial Library Saturday, April 20.
Paton’s talk was sponsored by the Salisbury Association Land Trust.
“All wild mushrooms are deadly. Don’t touch them,” he began, tongue firmly in cheek.
“But if you find any, my email is…”
Paton said most wild mushrooms are inedible, but not necessarily poisonous.
He first got interested in mushrooms as a youth, prowling around the grounds at the Sharon Audubon Center.
Someone pointed out a Destroying Angel mushroom, adding an admonition: “One bite could kill you.”
Young David’s reaction to this stern warning?
“Awesome.”
He mentioned Amanita muscaria as a mushroom with hallucinogenic effects.
Some people go to considerable lengths to tap into this.
“They feed it to reindeer, and then drink the reindeer urine” he announced, adding hastily, “I’ve never tried it because I don’t have a reindeer.”
Some of Paton’s more conventional favorites are King Bolete, or “porcini” in Italian. “Delicious.”
Chicken of the Woods, which Paton said is one of the “Foolproof Five.”
He amended that description.
“More like fool-resistant.”
Chicken of the Woods should be cooked, he continued, and specimens growing on hemlock trees should be avoided altogether. But samples growing on other hardwoods can be eaten if cooked.
He listed Fried Chicken of the Woods and Pulled Chicken of the Woods sandwiches as particular favorites.
Paton urged caution at several points during the talk. He said he consults multiple sources and other experts on a regular basis before ingesting any wild mushrooms.
Paton said he is always looking for the yellow morel. “It’s elusive, so hard to find.”
One to avoid is the Jack-O-Lantern. “It’s extremely toxic. Probably won’t kill you but for two or three days you’ll wish you were dead.”
The first wild mushroom he ever ate was a giant puffball. The photo showed a bulbous white object that was bigger than the woven collection basket next to it.
“I’m gonna need a bigger basket.”
He said he makes “puffball parmigiana” with them.
Paton’s remarks were accompanied by excellent color photographs on the library’s big screen television.
“My iPhone is filled up with pictures of grandchildren and mushrooms.”
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