While marking spots for trees and shrubs to be planted in a riparian buffer at Fruhlings Farm in Claremont last week, I noticed an antler sticking out of the grass. I grabbed it and started to pull it out only to find that it was attached to a skull and another antler! If that wasn't exciting enough, there were even more bones in the grass - a whole skeleton, complete with backbone, ribs, lower jaws and pelvic bones. I was over the moon with excitement thinking I could definitely use these for environmental education lessons. The bones must have been there for a while as they were bleached clean - no skin or flesh to be found on them. And since deer antlers fall of in the spring and they imm
While North Charlestown students and teachers are learning and working from home, some dedicated volunteers are still improving their schoolyard for place-based learning. They are pruning historic apple trees, taking care of blueberry groves, restoring sections of overgrown forest to field, and sowing seeds of plants that will be in full bloom or ready to harvest in the fall. These seeds are an image of hope, the hope these volunteers have and the hope we all have really, that schools will be busy with students learning and playing in them come September. We encourage you to sow seeds of hope in your community this spring and share your stories with us or at the very least your pictures!
