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In our header: A tiny pollinator feasts on flowers at Sweet Autumn Farm, Carlisle. Photograph by Katharine Endicott.

RESOURCES FROM
​PAST SEED SWAP/SHARES

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GENERAL READING LISTS
  • Some must-read gardening books. An annotated list by former resident Leslie Thomas.
  • Concord's Seed Lending Library booklist. Up-to-date book recommendations from the Concord Seed Lending Library, including some seed starting and saving how-to's, and a couple of good books about gardening with kids.
  • A link to the Storey Publishing Country Wisdom series. A landmark series of Country Wisdom Bulletins covers every conceivable topic: How to garden; to homestead; to build a root cellar or a smokehouse; to keep chickens, bees, horses, pigs, or ducks... Follow this link to browse online through the entire series of guides. You can also search for good used copies through www.abebooks.com.
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​NATIVE PLANTS - NEW ENGLAND
  • Tower Hill Botanic Garden native wetland plants. A guide to several dozen delightful wetland plants at Hope H. Spear Wildlife Refuge Pond at the garden in Boylston, MA. Visit them throughout the growing year; plant them in your own landscape.
  • Native plants of New England: recommended books and websites. A thoughtful compilation by the nonprofit Grow Native Massachusetts. The Our Programs tab of this website also contains a video archive of expert speakers addressing native habitats and species.
  • Go Botany. Online botanical database of Native. Plant identifier, cultivation info, plant-of-the-day, teaching tools, and much more.

​POLLINATORS
ALTERNATIVE PEST CONTROLS
  • Carlisle's herbal mosquito solution.  Try these flowers and herbs for organic protection against our town's favorite predator. Most of them can be rubbed directly on the skin or clothing for extra effect. 
  • Six Plants that Repel Insects. Six more plants you can pot up for your patio. The internet has many such lists.
  • Non-Deet Repellents. Includes a DIY recipe you can use to mix your own brew. from Mother Earth magazine.
  • How to Avoid Ticks. Prevention is the best approach. A list compiled by the CDC; CT Agricultural Experiment Station; Patricia DeLaMora, Weill Cornell Medicine, Manhattan, NY; and Jorge Parada, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL. Supplied by Jane Anderson

SEED STARTING AND SAVING
TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
  • "Figuring it out" in Concord's new climate. Some basics of sustainable organic farming in the new, challenging climates of Concord and Carlisle, presented by Ben Elliott and Mark Congdon of Salt Box Farm on Lowell Road in Concord.

FREE PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE IN 01741
Some free, advertiser-supported publications are valuable resources of new ideas and emerging trends. 
  • edible Boston. This classic quarterly magazine is now in its 46th edition.Innovative recipes based on seasonal ingredients
  • Grow! Boston. Spring 2017 is the dirt issue, with articles on soil testing, soil management, soils for containers, amendments and biochar, phytonutrients, food as medicine, updates on pollinators, integrated pest management, and other sustainable techniques. Available at local farmers' markets and farm stands.
  • Dr. Earth: Gardening for the Organic Lifestyle. Free handout from New England Nurseries and other garden centers. Features Dr. Earth products, but contains useful info about growing the major plant families.

SPECIAL TOPICS
  • The Lost Ladybug Project. How to participate in the Cornell ladybug identification project. This could be a good project with kids.​ ​
OUR GOAL: ORGANIZING 01741
OUR GUIDING RULE is to address climate change by acting locally on one property at a time, by holding one event at a time – working within our own zipcode to achieve results that matter. By working together to create diverse wildlife habitats in Carlisle, the community can strengthen our local contribution to global issues.

Possible Future Events
Future activities sponsored by the group might include:
  • Short films on selected, key topics
  • Tours of outstanding local projects using leading-edge horticultural projects
  • Joint programs to bring expert speakers or workshop leaders to Carlisle
  • A CHICKEN SWAP (any spring)! How much fun would that be!
  • Seed-planting activities performed jointly with school or parent-child groups
  • Organizing a seed library in conjunction with Gleason Library, which would involve seed harvesting, storage, distribution to the public, with later “deposits” by borrowers (after a successful harvest)
  • Sharing excess local produce with community members – such as, for example, donating locally grown produce and recipes
  • Community input where citizens suggest specific events or activities​
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