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CELT's Annual Meeting is Sunday, November 1st
Mark your calendars for our Annual Meeting, to be held on Sunday, November 1, 3:00 - 5:30 p.m. at the Cape Elizabeth Pond Cove/Middle School Cafetorium. Coffee, cider and desserts will be served.
Special thanks to our annual meeting sponsor, Richard Brothers Financial.
John Greene, a talented local botanist and naturalist, will share his collection of stunning photographs and videos taken with remote cameras and long-range telephoto lenses. These intimate portraits display a detailed look at some rarely seen local wildlife images in a presentation entitled, "Wild Cape."
The meeting will also provide the CELT community an opportunity to celebrate Executive Director Chris Franklin's 12 years at the helm of the land trust. Franklin recently announced that he will be leaving his post in early November to pursue new interests. Chris will provide a retrospective of his time at CELT and be on hand for members who wish to bid him farewell.
Admission to the Annual Meeting is free and open to the public.
Reservations for both CELT members and non-members are requested; please email,
[email protected] or call 767-6054.
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We Enjoyed a Beautiful Summer Day at Turkey Hill Farm
On Saturday August 29th approximately 300 people attended a family picnic at Turkey Hill Farm to celebrate the beginning of CELT's 30th year as a local land trust. The weather cooperated and under sunny skies guests enjoyed local burgers, salad, ice cream, an assortment of homemade pies, live
 music and giant bubbles! Thank you to all the board members who volunteered and to all who attended. Thanks as well to Turkey Hill's owner Peter Eastman for his hospitality.
At just over 23-acres, Turkey Hill is an oasis of fields and forest tucked in between the Shore
Acres and Broad Cove neighborhoods. The 200-year old farmhouse (originally brought up from the coast by a team of oxen) and barn give the property a sense of stepping back in time. During the summer months Turkey Hill bustles with the voices of small children attending the daily Farm Camp program that has become a fixture at the property over the past six years.
For the rest of the year Turkey Hill hosts local events and welcomes walkers along the short trail system. Evidence of the agricultural past of this property is clearly evident and it's still home to various chickens, pigs, and crops.
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Planning for Cape's Town Center District is Ongoing
The Town of Cape Elizabeth's Planning Board and Town Council are continuing their discussions of development goals and strategies at their upcoming meetings. CELT has written an overview of some of the decisions currently being debated, and encourages residents to learn more and to lend their voices to these important issues.
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Our Summer Membership Drive Was a Great Success
Thanks to an outpouring of support and collaboration with the Cape Farm Alliance - and you - CELT achieved its goal of 300 new, renewing or rejoining members during its summer membership drive! (The drive ran from June 1st - September 15th.)
The Land Trust welcomes new or renewing members any time of year; you can
sign up online or call (767-6054) or stop by our office in the town center.
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'Super Moon' Total Lunar Eclipse This Sunday
Each fall the moon's orbit is at its closest point to earth. Subsequently the moon appears larger in the
 sky and has often been dubbed a 'super moon'. This Sunday's super moon cycle coincides with a total lunar eclipse which will be visible across westernmost Europe, across the Atlantic and the eastern half of the United States. Here in Maine the total eclipse will begin at 8:11 p.m., reach its total eclipse at 10:47 p.m. and then the moon will again slowly emerge from the earth's shadow. This rare astronomical convergence will not occur again for 33 years so make sure to take a look!
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Join Our Spectacular Fall Cross Town Walk October 3rd
 This semi-annual 7.5-mile walk, which begins at Fort Williams park and concludes at Kettle Cove, traverses the full variety of Cape Elizabeth's diverse habitats. CELT's executive director Chris Franklin provides insight into each property along the trail corridor, which includes stops at Robinson Woods, Great Pond, Gull Crest and the Spurwink Marsh.
Participants start at 8 a.m., take a quick break midway at the CELT office, and typically arrive at Kettle Cove by 12:30 p.m., where they're greeted with a picnic lunch and then shuttled back to Ft. Williams. Participation is limited to 20 and registration is through Cape Elizabeth Community Services.
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Bring Your 'Little Explorers'* for a Walk in Robinson Woods
September 30th, 9 - 10 a.m.
Children and caregivers will explore the natural wonders of the woods in fall with CELT volunteer Jill Darling. We'll take a gentle morning hike through Robinson Woods, explore the habitat around us, and search for birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and plant life. Lots of hands-on exploration and games included!
Please dress in comfortable clothes and bring a water bottle. Meet at Robinson Woods Kiosk on Shore Rd. at 9 a.m.; $10 per person - register with Community Services.
(*Ages 3-5 yrs. with an adult.)
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Sneezing? Goldenrod is Not the Culprit!
Ahhh-choo! It's that time of year again, when allergy sufferers unite in their hatred of ragweed.
Unfortunately, most of us misidentify which plant is indeed ragweed. Our bitterness for our sniffling misery during the fall season is often mistakenly misdirected at goldenrod. What's the difference?
There are approximately two dozen native species of goldenrod (
Solidago spp) in the Northeast. It has pretty, bright yellow flowers, and
produces pollen that is heavy and sticky - birds and bees love it. Goldenrod depends on insects as its pollen is too heavy to be carried on the breeze.
Ragweed (
Ambrosia psilostachya) has green, nondescript flowers with deeply lobed, "raggedy" leaves. Ragweed pollinates via wind. Its pollen is so light that it can travel hundreds of miles, even affecting people out at sea! Try to avoid ragweed, and ...
gesundheit! - Erika Carlson Rhile, CELT Education Chair
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