Medfield02052's Blog

From Helen Dewey –

Medfield Environment Action is excited to announce Medfield’s second annual Climate Week from Saturday, April 27th – Sunday, May 5th. A variety of unique events for all ages are taking place throughout the week at various locations around town. The goal is to have fun, spread awareness, educate, and network with neighbors. The full schedule of events can be found at MEAMedfield.org. Any questions please email meamedfield@gmail.com.

See on-line here https://meamedfield.org

 

Climate Week Schedule

MEA is excited to announce Medfield’s second annual Climate Week from Saturday, April 27^th – Sunday, May 5^th. A variety of unique events are taking place throughout the week at various locations around town. The goal is to have fun, spread awareness, educate, and network with neighbors. Any questions please email meamedfield@gmail.com.

Look for the MEA leaf at each of the Climate Week events!

Look for this sign at all participating Medfield businesses!

Events Ongoing Throughout the Entire Week

Children’s Climate Book Display at Medfield Library
468 Main St.

Butterfly Tree Shop

505 Main St.

Special discounts on sustainable and eco-friendly products/gifts

Park Street Books
504 Main St.
Climate Books on Display

Larkin’s Liquor Store

20 North St.

All during climate week, stop in at Larkins to enjoy 20% off any 3 or more bottles of organic or sustainable grown wine. A great selection of both red and white wines are available for this special sale.

Juice On Main
479 Main St.
10% discount during Climate week to anyone who does any of the following sustainable actions:
1. Shares a picture on social media and tags @juiceonmain for how they have reduced their carbon footprint.

2. Walks or bikes to Juice on Main and shares a picture of themselves and tags @juiceonmain

3. Brings their own smoothie cup and shares a picture of themselves and tags @juiceonmain

Medfield House of Pizza
10 North St.
Come in all week and take advantage of our meatless pizza special! Large 16″ cheese pizza only $10. 

Take a walk or ride your bike along the new Rail Trail
Begins at Ice House Road. 1.3 mile multi-use trail, parking available across from the entrance (Friends of the Medfield Rail Trail)

Saturday, April 27th

Friends of Medfield Seniors, Inc FOSI Yard Sale to Benefit Council
on Aging

8 – 2 pm, Center at Medfield One Ice House Rd.

This is a major fundraiser for the COA. Furniture, glassware, toys, books and much more – includes a bake sale and a book sale. Donations of gently used items are welcome except no computer, printers or clothing. Donations for the yard sale will be accepted from Monday, April 22 – Friday, April 26. Hours for collection during those days are during our regular business hours or until the space is full. Any questions contact the Medfield Council on Aging (508) 359-3665. Reusing our ‘stuff’ and combating throw-away consumerism is vital to sustainability.

Fairy Walk at Bellforge
10 – 3 pm, 45 Hospital Rd.

Explore a world of magical fairy houses (fairy residences are known for having the lightest carbon footprint ever!) Fairy Walk at Bellforge 

Sustainable Colonial Vegetable Garden

11 – 2 pm,  Peak House, 347 Main St.

A sustainable Colonial vegetable garden with herbs and medicinal plants is to be planted next door to the Peak House. Come to the Peak House Heritage Center to see the new growth and find out more about volunteering as a gardener by growing Colonial vegetables which were vital to early Medfield families. You’ll have a small plot of your own, and can select from a Colonial seed list! Seeds and water resources are provided at no cost, as well as deer and rabbit protection. Throughout the growing season, you may harvest your own crops or donate them.

Household Hazardous Waste Day

9 – 1 pm, Highway Garage Building 55 North Meadows Rd.

Drive up, pop your trunk and we will unload the items to be discarded. Acceptable items include automotive based chemicals, oil based paint, cleaning chemicals, fertilizer and pesticides, car batteries, fluorescent bulbs and propane tanks 1 lb and 20 lb. Any questions, call DPW at (508) 906-3003. 

Sunday, April 28th

Hike Up Noon Hill

Meet at 8:30 am, meet at the Noon Hill Reservation parking lot on
Noon Hill Ave.

Enjoy a 3 mile walk in the Noon Hill area, exploring some new and recently improved trails along the Charles River. Led by Blanche Teyssier in partnership with Friends of Medfield Forests and Trails FMFT. Expected duration is 2 hours. Wear comfortable shoes.

Solar Shingle Roof Open House

11 – 1 pm, 17 Loeffler Lane

My roof shingles are solar panels! Come view the roof shingle array from the outside and the system equipment from the inside – also includes explanation of the Inverter and Sunny Portal logins which show real time solar production (to the point where if a cloud goes over or moves away you easily see the changes) and production graphs from recent days – view David Baime’s detailed data from several years on production, % of total electricity, total cost/savings and average price of electricity each year – info on US cities and their average annual hours of sunshine – multiple electric bills “no payment due.”

Sustainable Colonial Vegetable Garden

11 – 2 pm,  Peak House, 347 Main St.

A sustainable Colonial vegetable garden with herbs and medicinal plants is to be planted next door to the Peak House. Come to the Peak House Heritage Center to see the new growth and find out more about volunteering as a gardener by growing Colonial vegetables which were vital to early Medfield families. You’ll have a small plot of your own, and can select from a Colonial seed list! Seeds and water resources are provided at no cost, as well as deer and rabbit protection. Throughout the growing season, you may harvest your own crops or donate them.

Adorable grazing baby Goats, Robot Mowers, Chickens and family friendly activities!
1 – 3 pm, First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, 26 North St.   

• ‘Goats of Dover’ – Bring the whole family to see the friendly goats in action! Having the ‘Goats of Dover’ visit your property is an effective, environmentally friendly way to eradicate poison ivy and unwanted brush- and it’s super fun! Goats of Dover is committed to cleaning up and greening up our planet. Our services include goatscaping, goat yoga, baby goat visits, and cocktails with goats. Learn lots more at Goats of Dover
• Robotic lawn mowers and other sustainable tools for yards and fields. Automated Outdoor Solutions of New England will be featuring robotic lawn mowers, a robotic snowblower, a leaf-blower, a variety of battery-powered handheld tools and more!  All tools are practical alternatives to noisy gas and oil-powered lawn maintenance tools.  Come see and try them out!  AOS contact newenglandaos@gmail.com
• Meet some friendly local chickens and learn if backyard chicken keeping is for you!
• Kids craft project using recycled materials

Jenga Blocks for Extinct Species

1 – 3 pm, First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, 26 North St.
Sponsored by Extinction Rebellion
Check out an oversized game of  “Extinction Jenga” and playfully learn about biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse with the endangered species Jenga Blocks.
As species become extinct (they are removed from the tower) the tower becomes less stable.

A Climate-Themed Interfaith Labyrinth Walk 

3 – 5 pm,  Church of the Advent 28 Pleasant St.
Walkers may arrive anytime between 3-5 pm

See flyer at adventmedfield.org 

You are invited to:

• Come as you are and bring your thirst for stillness in this candle-lit labyrinth walk.
• Come experience this ancient symbol for personal reflection, peace, world healing, and transformation.
• Come and share our interconnectedness; walk, pray, and share the burden of sorrow for all those affected by climate change, both human and non-human. 

Hosted by Church of the Advent Creation Care Ministry Team. Contact: Jill Seiler-Moon (508) 241-5796, Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator and Lay Eucharistic Minister

Visit a Diverse and Naturally Landscaped Lawn and Enjoy
a Fiddle Concert  

7 pm, 84 Bridge St.

Come by to see Andy Costello’s yard with almost no grass (ground covering, trees and shrubs instead) and enjoy an outdoor fiddle concert at the same time. WEATHER PERMITTING 

Monday, April 29th

Ground Source Heat Pump Conversation
7:30 pm via Zoom

Good for the ‘Burbs:  Our Ground-Source Heatpump Systems (Geothermal)

Medfield residents will chat about their respective homes’ high-efficiency ground-source heatpump, aka geothermal, systems. Providing both heating and cooling, they run clean and green. Kirsten and Glen Dabate will share their recent experience installing a Geothermal HVAC system to replace their aging gas furnace. For Fred and Lucinda Davis, it’s now been three heating seasons since they said goodbye to their oil system.

GSHP technology makes sense for Medfielders who anticipate needing to replace their oil or gas furnaces with a comfortable, all-electric, zero-carbon HVAC system. We’ll also mention how every Medfielder can now profitably opt-up to 100%-clean electricity. Here is the link to the Zoom meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4165522763?omn=83858241993

Tuesday, April 30th

Beginner Mountain Bike Ride 

5:00 pm, Bellforge Cultural Center front lawn

Rain date Wed. May 1

Beginner mountain bike ride along Charles River in Medfield Charles River Reservation. Meet at Medfield State Hospital Bellforge Cultural Center front lawn. Led by George Lester in partnership with the SE Mass chapter of New England Mountain Bike Association

Solar Power and the Value of Your Home

6:30 pm, Medfield Library, Meeting Room in the lower level

Have you thought about adding Solar panels to your home?  Is there always a financial outlay required right up front?  Worried about the return on investment time frame, and what if you decided to move? What will Solar panels do for the value of your home someday when you do sell? In this presentation, David Derian of Berkshire Hathaway Page Realty offers an overview of Solar installation options, and gives answers to these and other questions. Please email davidderian@bhhspagerealty.com if you’re interested in attending so we can plan refreshments.

Wednesday, May 1st

Swap Opens

9 – 3, Transfer Station

Come see what’s happening this season to save our planet! The purpose of the Swap Area is to divert items from going into the waste stream. The SWAP AREA is a convenient drop-off spot for unwanted items or a unique “shopping experience” at a bargain price, it is FREE!  Items are NOT disposed of at the end of the day (as was done in the past), items generally remain at the SWAP for a few weeks to give them a chance to be seen and taken before recycled/repurposed.

The Swap is open to Medfield residents who have a Transfer Station sticker. It is open through late September every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday 9-3. Some items when requested go to New Life, The Center, the Animal Shelter, High School Theater Group, All Night Graduation Party, and Hinkley Playground. The area is decluttered daily and packed up items go to Big Brother/Big Sister, MADD or St. Vincent de Paul. 

Medfield Community Electricity

10:30 am, Center at Medfield, One Ice House Rd.

A community meeting to learn about Medfield Community Electricity, a town-run  program launching in June of 2024 that seeks to offer new electricity supply options that provide more renewable energy and stable prices for all Medfield residents and businesses. Committee members will be on hand to answer any questions.

Demo/Display of Temperature Blanket (knit and crochet)
2 – 3 pm, Medfield Library

The Temperature Blanket originated with the Tempestry Project to represent global warming – a way to visualize temperature change in fiber Art. This is a knitted or crocheted blanket that uses different colors of yarn to record each day’s temperature over the course of a year. It is a visual representation of climate change. Come hear how the Tempestry Project began as a data art movement. Donna Luft will talk about the project and show how to start a blanket of your own. History and instructions will be shared. A knitted and a crocheted blanket – both in progress will be on display.

Complete Guide to Making Temperature Blankets 

A Year In Yarn: How To Knit or Crochet A Temperature Blanket | Lion Brand Notebook 

Temperature Blanket As Climate Change Activism 

Solar Panel and Electric Vehicle Charging Open House
4:30 – 7:00 pm, 3 Hospital Rd.

Come chat with Heidi and Tripp Johnson if you’re considering solar, an EV or heat pumps and would like to ask any questions about the benefits of each or to see 7 years’ worth of $0 electric bills! Check out the 45 solar panels on our roof and the corresponding net meter equipment for the electric company reading as well as the Solar Edge data collection dashboard. Also see our Tesla Y with installed Tesla charger in our garage and an additional 240V outlet that we also installed to help charge our daughter’s Chevy Bolt when she visits. We also can speak to our heat pump heating/cooling solution at our paneled house in Maine.

Talk Tesla

5:30 – 6:30 pm, 36 Whichita Rd.

Come kick the tires (not literally!) of a 2022 Tesla Model Y. Have an up-close look at the electric vehicle and check out the frunk. Megan Sullivan will share her charging set-up and personal experience driving to and from Florida.

Thursday, May 2nd

Walk or Bike to School Day – Dale Street School

Meet at Hinkley Pond at 7:30 am

Raindate: Friday, May 3rd

 Participating students will be entered in a raffle to win tokens for the school’s new book vending machine!  Students are welcome to meet at Hinkley Pond at 7:30 am to join a “bike train” which will proceed to the school.  Sign up by April 30^th (see flyer Climate Week flyers for QR code or email medfieldbike2school@gmail.com). Bus transportation will still be available and follow the normal route and schedule.

Children’s Library Storytime

10:40 – 11:00 am Medfield Public Library Children’s Room

Storytime for ages 18 months – 5 years with a caregiver. Join Miss Andrea for songs, stories, handplays & movement activities with an Environmental theme for Medfield Climate Week. This is a great opportunity for caregivers to model singing, playing & sharing the early literacy experience with their littles! Caregivers should plan to sit with their child and participate. There will also be an Earth Month Display of books.

Fabric Scrap Wreath Workshop for Adults

6 – 8 pm Medfield Public Library

Celebrate Medfield Climate Week by helping the librarians use up their fabric scraps! Sign up to make a fun and colorful wreath made of scraps leftover from library sewing classes – or bring your own scraps from home!

Supplies are limited. Please visit the May Events page at MedfieldPublicLibrary.org/EVENTS starting April 16th to register. 

Friday, May 3rd

Children’s Library Storytime

10:40 – 11:00 am, Medfield Public Library Children’s Room

Storytime for ages 18 months – 5 years with a caregiver. Join Miss Andrea for songs, stories, handplays & movement activities with an Environmental theme for Medfield Climate Week. This is a great opportunity for caregivers to model singing, playing & sharing the early literacy experience with their littles! Caregivers should plan to sit with their child and participate. There will also be an Earth Month Display of books.

Swap Is Open

9 – 3 pm, Transfer Station

Come see what’s happening this season to save our planet! The purpose of the Swap Area is to divert items from going into the waste stream. The SWAP AREA is a convenient drop-off spot for unwanted items or a unique “shopping experience” at a bargain price, it is FREE!  Items are NOT disposed of at the end of the day (as was done in the past), items generally remain at the SWAP for a few weeks to give them a chance to be seen and taken before recycled/repurposed.

The Swap is open to Medfield residents who have a Transfer Station sticker. It is open through late September every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday 9-3. Some items when requested go to New Life, The Center, the Animal Shelter, High School Theater Group, All Night Graduation Party, and Hinkley Playground. The area is decluttered daily and packed up items go to Big Brother/Big Sister, MADD or St. Vincent de Paul.

Saturday, May 4th

Swap Is Open

9 – 3 pm, Transfer Station

Come see what’s happening this season to save our planet! The purpose of the Swap Area is to divert items from going into the waste stream. The SWAP AREA is a convenient drop-off spot for unwanted items or a unique “shopping experience” at a bargain price, it is FREE!  Items are NOT disposed of at the end of the day (as was done in the past), items generally remain at the SWAP for a few weeks to give them a chance to be seen and taken before recycled/repurposed.

The Swap is open to Medfield residents who have a Transfer Station sticker. It is open through late September every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday 9-3. Some items when requested go to New Life, The Center, the Animal Shelter, High School Theater Group, All Night Graduation Party, and Hinkley Playground. The area is decluttered daily and packed up items go to Big Brother/Big Sister, MADD or St. Vincent de Paul. 

Electronics Recycling

9 – 12 pm, Church of the Advent, 28 Pleasant St.
Donation based Electronics Recycling Event in Partnership with Data Recycling New England. See flyer at adventmedfield.org for details.

Demo/Display of Temperature Blanket (knit and crochet)
10 – 10:45 am  Medfield Library

The Temperature Blanket originated with the Tempestry Project to represent global warming – a way to visualize temperature change in fiber Art. This is a knitted or crocheted blanket that uses different colors of yarn to record each day’s temperature over the course of a year. It is a visual representation of climate change. Come hear how the Tempestry Project began as a data art movement. Donna Luft talks about the project and shows how to start a blanket of your own. History and instructions will be shared. A knitted and a crocheted blanket – both in progress will be on display.
Complete Guide to Making Temperature Blankets 

A Year In Yarn: How To Knit or Crochet A Temperature Blanket | Lion Brand Notebook 

Temperature Blankets as Climate Change Activism 

Spring Dance Party at Expresso Yourself Coffeehouse
7 – 10 pm,  First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, 26 North St.
Join us for International Folk Dancing with The Larger Circle Band and professional dance caller Jacob Bloom. Complimentary desserts, coffee & tea. Share a song, story, or poem in the open mic. Learn to do international folk dances! Join in the fun! Adults, teens, and children welcome. Tickets in advance: $10. Tickets at door: $12. Children $5. Funds collected will go to an environmental justice organization.

Sunday, May 5th

Electric Vehicle Car and Truck Show, Kids Craft,
and Rail Trail Ride or Walk

1 – 3 pm, Sunday, The Center at Medfield parking lot – One Ice House Rd. Medfield Energy Committee, Medfield Park and Recreation, and Sustainable Medfield

Join fellow drivers and learn about their experiences with their electric cars and trucks. We have an assortment of vehicles including battery-only and hybrid models. Have you checked out the versatile Lightning pickup truck? Come on by!

      The kids can create a gel leaf imprint, learn about nature and have a fun craft to take home. 

      Walk or ride the Rail Trail while you are there. Entrance is on Ice House Rd.

Textile and Sewing Machine Mending Clinic

1 – 4 pm, Medfield Public Library

Extend the life of your clothing and household textiles! Bring your ripped, torn, stained, and deteriorated clothes, cushions, and linens to the Mending Clinic at the library to work with a volunteer Mender for some hands-on assistance. We’ll also have folks available to look at that old sewing machine you’ve got gathering dust in your attic.  We’ll help you fix it if we can and show you how to maintain it going forward.  Drop in anytime to visit the Button Station to find and sew on replacement buttons.  Don’t know how to sew on a button? We’ll teach you!

Registration for Mender Appointments is required.  Click the links below to reserve your spot!

To register for Textile Mending, click here or copy and paste this link into your browser: https://forms.gle/J4Uvr6s6cewrxFfc9

To register for Sewing Machine maintenance or repair, click here or copy and paste this link into your browser: https://forms.gle/6Y4FQdAR36yVNv7w5

Private Events Happening Around Town

Children’s Clothing Swap at Medfield Children’s Center

Jenga Blocks for Extinct Species 4 – 6 grade MAP

Other Climate Awareness Activities

Annual Medfield Clean-Up Days

Sat/Sun April 20 and 21, 8 – 3 pm
Call Medfield DPW to volunteer (508) 906-3003.

The Bellforge Arts Center (Bellforge) in partnership with local State Rep Marcus Vaughn is planning a sustainability fair in Medfield, MA on April 20 (10am-2pm). This event will be part-recycling drive and part-environmental and social action fair. The Green Team in partnership with Eversource will be on site hosting a recycling drive for unusual items like dehumidifiers, mattresses, etc.

The goal of this event is to raise awareness in our community about ways to get involved in social and environmental action.  

There will be music and other family-friendly entertainment, food, lawn games and lots of fun! 

Holistic Wellness Center 

18 North Meadows Rd. 

The shop employs numerous sustainable practices every week of the year. They use paper or reusable gift bags. They serve water from a 5 gal jug in compostable cups and use the same cups for lotions during treatments. Sustainable needles are used for acupuncture and mylar blankets are used and saved for each client to cut back on the need for laundry. They sell certified Fair Trade products. They have insulation made from recycled blue jeans and most lighting is LED.  

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Thanks for your interest and support of Medfield’s Second Annual Climate Week!

Look for the MEA leaf at each of the Climate Week events!