Franklin Community Garden: Diatomaceous earth

The word for the day is "Diatomaceous earth". This was one of the discussion points Saturday morning at the Community Garden as Chris Clay and Amy Acevedo shared their insights on healthy alternatives to pesticides.

What is causing these holes in the leaves?



Ah, this is the little culprit!



You can lift the leaves, pick off these guys one at a time, and crush them with some soil in your hand, or just pinch them hard with your fingers. To help control the number that get to the plants is where the diatomaceous earth comes in.



You can by it by the bag at Agway (for example). The bag should last for multiple seasons. Put some in an empty paramsen cheese container and shake it on the roots, along the bottom of the plant, and along the leaves. The particles will cut the bugs as they crawl up the plant.



It won't prevent every bug from getting to the plant but it should keep the overall population of bugs down to avoid too much damage to the plant that it would affect the produce.

"People don’t even realize it’s there"

Cusack remembers not long ago looking out at the 11-acre pond behind the club’s Florence Street headquarters and seeing it packed with children kayaking, fishing or swimming during annual public events. 

“The pond would be filled with boats, just packed with people,” he said. 

Now, he said, he’s more likely to see still water and an empty beach. 

“It is the lack of interest in the outdoors,” Cusack said. “It’s about getting out there and seeing what there is. You can look down, see the pond, and see how beautiful it is. Get out there and get interested. Turn your phone off, sit there, relax, and listen to the birds.”

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1222856789/Franklin-club-president-Kids-losing-touch-with-nature#ixzz1y8Y9IX9f

The Franklin Rod and Gun Club website is http://franklinrodandgun.org/


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"incentives to sweeten the deal"

The Milford Daily News writes about the use of the TIF by local communities to help businesses:

... Tax Increment Financing agreements, commonly called TIFs. 

The deals, agreed upon between a municipality and a business, give companies a break on property taxes on new value they add to a property. 

The tax breaks start off larger at the beginning of a deal, then decrease over the life of the agreement, until the company is paying 100 percent of the taxes on the property. 

The tax breaks do not apply to already existing value — only to whatever value a company may add to a property.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x836133214/Communities-using-tax-deals-to-attract-businesses#ixzz1y8V0IYm0

Franklin has used the TIF to help with local businesses:
Hamilton Storage Technology received a TIF as approved by the Town Council in Sep 2011
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/09/real-time-reporting-legislation-part-1.html

The TIF was discussed during the Economic Development Summit
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2010/10/franklin-ma-is-looking-to-do-business.html

Franklin created the Economic Development Area and the TIF back in 2008
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2008/09/live-reporting-resolutions-approved.html

Parmenter car wash - 6/16/12

Saturday was a grand day for a car wash. The students at Parmenter Elementary School spent some time washing cars in a fund raising effort.



There were a couple of cars in front of me and some lined up behind as I got my car washed.



Nothing wrong with getting a little wet or soapy on a day like Saturday!



Part of the washing crew stopped for a moment to pose!

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Jun 20, 2012

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – May 23 and 24 Budget Hearings

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS – This meeting is being recorded by Verizon, Comcast, and Franklin Matters

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS

E. APPOINTMENTS
Annual Committee Appointments
Design Review Appointment

F. HEARINGS
Zoning Bylaw Amendment 12-685: Amendment to Chapter 185, §24. Floodplain District – 7:10 PM

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
Presentation of Boston Post Cane to oldest resident-Helen Carberry
Recycling Committee
Town Administrator’s Update

H. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

I. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 12-51: Appropriation: Street Acceptance
2. Resolution 12-52: Appropriation: Fire Salaries
3. Resolution 12-53: Unemployment Trust Fund
4. Resolution 12-54 Request for Legislation: Towns of Franklin, Norfolk, Plainville, and Wrentham Regional Public Safety Communications and Dispatch Center
5. Resolution 12-55: Acceptance of Gift – Council on Aging
6. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 12-685: Amendment to Chapter 185, §24. Floodplain District- 1st Reading
7. Bylaw Amendment 12-688: Amendment to Chapter 82, Appendix A, Amendment of Service Fee Rates: Board of Health, Department of Public Works, Recreation, Council on Aging – 1st Reading

J. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

K. OLD BUSINESS

M. NEW BUSINESS

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS

O. EXECUTIVE SESSION – Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required

P. ADJOURN


The full set of documents associated with this published agenda can be found here
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_CouncilAgendas/2012%20docs/062012.pdf

"the person who grew the product"

The Milford Daily News writes about the expansion of farmers markets. Franklin's market operates on Fridays from noon to 6:00 PM on the Town Common.

With demand high for local food, the number of farmers markets in the state has doubled in five years and the number of small farms has also grown significantly, farm and market federations say. 

“The trend is that more and more people are caring about where their food comes from and interested in trying to sustain themselves a little bit more locally,” said Martha Sweet, operations manager at the Waltham-based Federation of Massachusetts Farmers Markets. 

Residents of MetroWest and the Milford area don’t have to go far to find pitched tents and fresh produce.

Farmers market photo taken Friday, Jun 15 at the Grateful Farm tent.
Visit Grateful Farm on their website http://www.gratefulfarm.com/

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x448221759/Farmers-markets-on-the-upswing#ixzz1y34UVZuW

"vital to their self-assessment"

The Milford Daily News has an article on the annual police staffing ratio released by the FBI. A survey of the communities in the MetroWest region shows the following: (Bold added for emphasis)

Marlborough and Framingham’s ratios come in at just under 1.7, while Shrewsbury was the lowest department surveyed at 1.2. 

Many chiefs noted they had not received a new position in years, including Northborough (1998), Holliston (2007), Hudson (2001) and Sudbury (2001). 

Marlborough Chief Mark Leonard said the city hasn’t increased its number of sworn officers since 1988. 

The most well-staffed Milford-area town is Mendon, with just more than two officers per thousand residents, while the lowest was Franklin with 1.39.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x345282287/Police-department-staffing-levels-below-regional-averages#ixzz1y32VAj9J