The Trustees are looking for volunteers to help with setup, event assistance, photographing, and cleanup at the 2026 Gardeners Gathering on March 21 from 10 – 5 at the Curry Center at Northeastern University. Register today at https://volunteer.thetrustees.org/
Boston Community Gardens and The Food Project present Winter Workshops in the Greenhouse. On February 5, investigate Winter Sowing at the Dudley Greenhouse, 11 Brook Avenue in Roxbury. Prepare for spring planting with vegetables, perennials, and annuals. By using recycled milk jugs, seeds are able to be placed outdoors early. Come learn how. For more information visit https://thetrustees.org/
Join The Trustees for a very special evening hike on January 22 at 4:15 to hear the owls who might be out and about in the dark winter woods and fields of Appleton Farms in Ipswich. This hike will take place along the trails of Appleton, known to have multiple species of owls. Before our hike, you’ll learn about wintertime nocturnal animals and what to listen for on your journey. Then, we’ll embark on a 45-60 minute hike as we follow some of Appleton Farms’ most beautiful trails to see what we can hear.
Pre-registration at https://thetrustees.org/event/442872/ is required. Recommended for ages 9 and up. This hike begins at the Appleton Farms Farmhouse/ Offices parking lot.
Be sure to wear weather-appropriate clothing and boots or shoes that are appropriate for hiking in potentially wet, snowy and muddy spots, or over uneven terrain. Please bring a flashlight, as this part of the property is away from lights. All hikes are weather permitting.
Space is limited for this event and pre-registration is required. Member adult $15, nonmember adult $20; member child $10, nonmember child $15.
Boston Community Gardens and The Food Project present Winter Workshops in the Greenhouse. On Tuesday, January 29, garden elders Vernell Jordan and Elnora Thompson will conduct their annual demonstration on starting your own sweet potato slips using grocery store potatoes and found materials. Bring a sweet potato themed dish for the potluck! The address is 11 Brook Avenue in Roxbury. Visit https://thetrustees.org/
A CraneOutdoors Winter Wildlife Walk will take you on a stroll through the Crane Beach dunes while learning about the plants and animals that call this special place home. You may be familiar with Crane Beach, but have you ever visited the dune trails? The dunes of Castle Neck are a much less explored world unto themselves. They offer one of the most accessible dune landscapes in New England and trails that provide a firsthand look into the delicate and ever-changing dune habitat. This includes numerous lookouts offering stunning views of Choate Island and the varied ecosystems of Castle Neck, including Pitch Pine forests and naturally occurring cranberry bogs.
This January 11 hike explores the vast array of animals and plants that thrive in this harsh ecosystem. We will learn about survival in the dunes, the various ecosystems that make up Castle Neck and how everything works together in harmony. The hike covers approximately four miles at a nice walking pace. The Castle Neck dunes are home to the elusive Snowy Owl in the winter months, a variety of winter migratory birds and your CraneOutdoors guides will help show you what to look for and how to spot all these amazing creatures. Along the way, your CraneOutdoors guide will point out the flora found on Castle Neck, including the abundant Woolly Hudsonia (a.k.a., False Heather), which covers the dunes in a carpet of yellow when it blooms in late spring; the unusual dune mushroom known as the Earth Star, and the wildly fragrant Bayberry, whose berries were historically used to make candles.
All participants will be provided with wildlife tracking cards and taught what to look for and how to identify the large variety of animal tracks that criss-cross our path as we walk along. Your guide will choose the exact route the day of the hike based on current weather conditions and prevailing winds, but it typically covers the green and red trail loops on the Crane Estate trail map. Guests can expect to leave with a basic understanding of the Castle Neck trail system and it’s inhabitants. This hike is packed with more than enough information and sites to whet your appetite and give you the confidence to come back and explore on your own.
Due to soft sand and many hilly dunes, trail difficulty is Moderate. Trustees member price $24, nonmembers $30. Register at https://thetrustees.org/event/442779/
I questioned what to write on January 1. A simple Happy New Year with a good photo would be sufficient. As a committed environmentalist, however, I’d like to encourage all who read this, regardless of political affiliation, to pledge to step up your climate activist game in 2026. Think globally, act locally has never been more important. There are many Massachusetts not for profit groups which can use your volunteer hours and/or donations. There are the obvious ones, the botanic gardens, Trustees of Reservations, and park friends groups, and some which may be less well known, like Save Our Rivers, Mass Parks for All, and The New Garden Society. If you’d like to help with legal challenges, go to The Conservation Law Foundation and pledge your support. Write to your elected officials and encourage them to act in everyone’s best interest, whether your particular interest is preserving forests and farmland, rivers and oceans, clean energy, Monarch butterflies, song birds, seed diversity (Native Plant Trust’s Seed Ark comes to mind) or increased funding for local parks and green spaces. Don’t forget the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, The Charlesgate Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, and your town’s parks departments. Federal funding for all these groups, and many more, has been cut drastically. Do your research, and do your best. Enjoy the outdoors. Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year! Photo courtesy of Laura Bern Interiors.
Boston Community Gardens and The Food Project present Winter Workshops in the Greenhouse, at the Dudley Greenhouse, 11 Brook Avenue in Roxbury. On Thursday, January 22, learn to grow your own microgreens, fresh and nutrient packed, right in your home during the winter months. Bring a recycled aluminum tray or takeout container to take home provided seeds to grown. https://thetrustees.org/program/seed-sow-grow/
Boston Community Gardens and The Food Project present Winter Workshops in the Greenhouse, at the Dudley Greenhouse, 11 Brook Avenue in Roxbury, On January 15, learn from cosmetologist and herbalist Ebriel Rai how to protect your skin from seasonal elements, using plant based materials. Visit https://thetrustees.org/ for details on the winter workshops.
The Trustees will sponsor an intensive, skill-building training course for community and home gardeners from Greater Boston and beyond. Whether you’re just getting started or have been gardening for decades, the Master Urban Gardening curriculum covers everything you need to know to thrive in a community garden. The application deadline is January 1. Apply at https://thetrustees.org/mug/. There is a sliding scale course fee, and you can access all details on the website.
Visiting Castle Hill at Christmas is a time-honored tradition. Don’t miss this year’s event celebrating the beauty of the natural world. You’ll see birds, flowers, snowflakes, and more as you view 18 spaces decorated for the holidays. Go at your own pace and learn from interpreters stationed in rooms.
Enjoy freshly baked cookies and hot chocolate, try the Crane holiday eye spy, and shop in the Castle Hill Gift Shop during your visit.
Timed entry will limit the number of guests for the comfort of guests and staff. Advance reservations are strongly recommended. Ipswich residents: apply discount code “IPSWICH” for resident rate and show resident beach sticker or other identification at gate. Children ages 4 and under are admitted free; ages 5-14 receive the discounted child rate.
Christmas at Castle Hill runs Fridays, December 5, 12, 19, and 26, 4-7PM; Saturdays, December 6, 13, 20, and 27, 10AM-4PM (sensory-friendly hours 10AM-11:30AM); Sundays, December 7, 14, 21, and 28, 10AM-4PM.
Sensory-friendly Hours: 10AM-11:30AM on Saturdays, Dec 6, 13, 20, and 27. Reduced capacity and no flickering lights.
Accessibility: The Grand Stair has 30 steps. We’re sorry, but there is no elevator. There will be a digital picture display of second floor museum rooms for guests unable to climb the stairs.
Refund and exchange requests must be made at least 7 days in advance of the event date. Register HERE
