Getting Back to Our Roots

I love the fall! I love the rust and gold colors, I love the pumpkins everywhere, I love the apples and cider and cider donuts. Really, this is a fabulous season. And as you know, fall is harvest time, with the gardens giving up the last of their bounties, getting us ready for the cold, dead season ahead. But I digress…

Last week I mentioned the library’s exhibit in the second floor art gallery, all about the history of agriculture in Concord. Well, the Concord Museum is in on this gig, too, celebrating our agrarian roots with a new exhibit, “The Greatest Source of Wealth: Agriculture in Concord.” It opens this Friday, Oct. 12, and will run through March 17.

Here’s the thing: These days everyone is concerned about what they’re eating, where it comes from, and how healthy it is for them. Organic vs Not, GMOs, and eating local are all hot topics. Understanding this, the museum worked with a group of community advisors to bring the perspective of today’s farmer and the key issues of the modern sustainable agriculture movement into this exhibition, as well as their other programming. I don’t know about you, but I plan to eat food for the whole of my life, so this topic is a fairly important one.

As part of the kick-off to this exhibit, the museum will host a Family Farm Day on Saturday, Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thanks to Drumlin Farm, Gaining Ground, Trails End Café, and Reasons to Be Cheerful, kids will have a chance to decorate pumpkins, try out a cider press, make and taste sauerkraut, and more. It’s free with admission to the museum.

The museum is also having a Farm to Lectern Speaker Series, with the first speaker being Gary Hirshberg, the guy behind Stonyfield organic yogurt – my personal favorite. This guy is passionate about sustainability, the profitability of green business, and organic agriculture. Gary’s talk “Inventing a Truly Sustainable Future” happens this Friday night, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. over at the Middlesex School’s Wood Theater and Arts Center. It’s free, but you do need to make a reservation by calling 978-369-9763 ext. 216.

To see all the cool things the museum has to offer on this and other topics, check out their website here.

Swap, drop and roll

Hey, ho, it’s time again for one of my other favorite fall activities, the bi-annual DropOff-SwapOff Event! Gosh, I love this event, especially when it involves items leaving my garage and basement and finding a new home somewhere else. It’s scheduled for this Saturday, Oct. 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. over on Keyes Road, and once again, sharps and unwanted medications are welcome here. Also, to help reduce the hordes of cars desperate to unload outgrown treasures, there will once again be an “early SwapOff” on Friday, Oct. 12, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., though it’s good to know there won’t be anyone there to help unload, and there is NO browsing or removal of items permitted.

Both of these events are weather dependent, meaning if it rains, the deal is off. For a complete list of all the rules and regs around this event, go here or call 978-318-3240.

And start packing the car…

Do you have something you would like to share? Contact me at stefanieac@comcast.net and I will be happy to help you spread the good news. And follow me on Twitter: @stefanie3131.