Last call for peaches!

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The last delivery of freshly-picked peaches from northern New Jersey will be on Friday, August 23, at the Palermo Community Center, on Turner Ridge Rd., across from the ball field. The cutoff date for orders will be August 13, at 4 p.m. These sweet, luscious peaches will arrive in 38-pound boxes, but half-boxes are also available. A full box costs $37, and the half box costs $23. These are large, freestone peaches, perfect for canning, freezing, jam, and, of course, fresh eating. They will arrive slightly firm for shipping.

To order, please call Connie at 993-2294, and if you leave a message, please include your phone number! They will call to confirm and to let you know when you can pick up your peaches. They will be available Friday into the evening hours, and all day on Saturday. You may send a check, made out to LCF, to P.O. Box 151, Palermo, ME 04354. Orders of four or more boxes will receive a discounted price, so call up your friends and family to share this fresh fruit feast!

Proceeds from sales benefit the Palermo Community Center’s ongoing operations expenses and programs, including materials for the Food Pantry, building repairs, and community services. Your support is greatly appreciated! All board members and administrators of the Community Center are unpaid volunteers, so your support is important to us.

Sheepscot Lake Association holds 2019 annual meeting

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Board member Joe Burke, standing, addresses the Sebasticook Lake Association members at their annual meeting. (contributed photo)

On Wednesday, July 24, the Sheepscot Lake Association (SLA) held its annual meeting at the Fish and Game Club on the lake. The meeting was preceded by a potluck supper and a great meal was enjoyed. During the meeting, the following topics were discussed:

  • Courtesy boat inspection: Again this year, SLA has hired two boat inspectors to work on Saturdays and Sundays throughout July and August. These inspectors check all boats at the launch to protect the lake against milfoil and other invasive plants. However, it is incumbent on all boat owners to check their boats prior to every launch and pull, especially if they have been boating in other lakes. Invasive plants can cause serious damage to the ecosystem of the lake if not found and removed. Remedial action can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to attempt control of the infestation.
  • Water quality: The SLA board continues to test the water quality of the lake on a regular basis using a Secchi Disk and scope. Sheepscot Lake consistently yields a transparency of 16.1 feet which is outstanding. In addition to testing with the Secchi Disk, surface grabs are done three to four times a year to measure the total phosphorus which averages seven ppb, another great reading. Dissolved oxygen meter readings have also remained in the target area. Fortunately, there also has never been any algal blooms in the lake!
  • Loon Count: Each year they participate in conjunction with the Maine Audubon Society in an organized loon count. This year the count of loons was six, including one chick. As always, lake users are urged to exercise caution when they see loons on the lake, and never approach a nesting loon. They are the treasures of the lake and of Maine’s while serving us as an early warning of lake quality problems.
  • LakeSmart: SLA continues to participate with the Maine State Department of Environmental Protection Agency to implement the Lakesmart program. Created in 2003 to minimize human impact on lake quality, the LakeSmart team will inspect lakefront properties at no cost to the homeowner to evaluate your property’s impact on lake health and provide recommendations on steps you can take to ensure your home is Lake smart! If you are interested in participating in an evaluation please contact Maria O’Rourke, SLA board member at Sheepscotlakeassoc@gmail.com .
  • Status of legislative activity: As you know, LD922, the legislation aimed at reintroducing alewives and sea lamprey to Sheepscot Lake fortunately was pulled in 2018. There is no further legislation at this time. Should there be any future efforts to do so, at the expense of the health of our lake and existing fish population, SLA as well as our supportive town members will continue to fight any efforts and keep you informed.
  • Palermo Days: SLA will be attending the Palermo Days parade as well as displaying a gorgeous basket of Maine treats for raffle on August 10. Please stop by to say hi and buy a raffle ticket if you’re there!

Contributed photo

Finally, following the annual meeting, the board met to elect officers for the next year. Gary Miller, founding member of the Sheepscot Lake Association, who has served as president for the last eight years, and will remain on the board for one remaining year. The members thank Gary for his amazing efforts as president and all the hard work he has done over many years. Transitioning to president is Slater Claudel. In total, there are nine active members on the board, serving in various roles to keep all the programs active and healthy. They are currently search for a secretary for the association. This does not require being a member of the board. If you are interested, please contact Carolyn Viens at Sheepscotlakeassoc@gmail.com

If you have not yet joined the Sheepscot Lake Association and are interested, or if you have not yet paid your 2019-2020 dues, they would love to hear from you! By Mail: Sheepscot Lake Association, PO Box 300, Palermo, Maine 04354. By email: Sheepscotlakeassoc@gmail.com.

Counting loons on Sheepscot Lake

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(Photo courtesy of Carolyn Viens)

Sheepscot Lake Association members were on the water early on July 20 to participate in the Maine Audubon Society 36th annual loon count. This year, six loons were counted on Sheepscot Lake, including a chick with parents. The annual event is one of many programs sponsored by the lake association to safeguard the beautiful lake and gauge its health.

Mac Smith talks about his book, “Mainers on the Titanic”

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(Photo courtesy of Palermo Community Library)

The Palermo Community Library, in conjunction with the Palermo Historical Society, will host Maine author, Mac Smith, as he discusses his book, Mainers on the Titanic. The presentation will be on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, at 6:30 p.m., at the Palermo Community Library and is free to the public.

Mainers on the Titanic traces the stories of passengers on that fateful ship who had ties to Maine. Many of them were wealthy summer visitors to Bar Harbor, but there were other residents of the state aboard as well. Their tales are retold, along with what was occurring in the state at the time.

Meticulously researched, this book reveals the agonizing day-to-day wait of Mainers for news of what really happened on the Titanic, and tells the stories of Maine passengers from their boarding to the sinking and rescue; and, for those who survived, of their coming ashore in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It’s a fascinating addition to the Titanic story.

Smith is a Navy veteran of the first Gulf War and former news reporter for The Bar Harbor Times. He lives in Stockton Springs, in the village of Sandy Point, where he is restoring the family homestead.

Copies of Mac Smith’s books will be available for purchase at the event. The library is located at 2789 Route 3. For more information call 993-6088 or email palermo@palermo.lib.me.us or visit www.palermo.lib.me.us.

Community Center exposes “Dark Money”

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Dark Money, a political thriller, examines one of the greatest present threats to American democracy: the influence of untraceable corporate money on our elections and elected officials.

The film takes viewers to Montana, a front line in the fight to preserve fair elections nationwide – to follow an intrepid local journalist working to expose the real-life impacts of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. Through this gripping story, Dark Money uncovers the shocking and vital truth of how American elections are bought and sold.

This film will be shown following a potluck dinner on Friday, August 26, at the Palermo Community Center, Turner Ridge Road, at Veterans Way, across from the ball field. You’ll see the electric sign. Please bring a dish to share at 6 p.m. The downstairs screening room is nice and cool! It’s free and all are welcome! Call Connie at 993-2294 for info and directions.

Sheepscot Lake Association’s first boat parade

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The Miller family from Bald Head Island, Eric, Anna, Kyndra and Jenny participated in the Sheepscot Lake Association’s first boat parade on July 4. There was a great turnout as 18 boats took part, all decorated in red, white and blue. (contributed photo)

It’s Time to Order Peaches!

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Luscious, just-picked peaches will be coming to the Palermo Community Center on August 2, 9, and 16! They will arrive on these three Fridays slightly firm for shipping, but will ripen quickly, so if you plan to process them and need several boxes, you can order them for any or all of the three dates. The boxes are still 38 lbs. for $37 or a half box for $23. They will be overnighted in from New Jersey, as they have been for the last 20 years.

These are large, freestone peaches that peel, freeze, dry, and can easily – and make a celestial jam. However, they are so delicious that they may not make it past your family’s appetites for out-of-hand eating. To order, please call Connie at 993-2294 or e-mail pwhitehawk@fairpoint.net.

Checks should be made payable to LCF and sent to P.O. Box 151, Palermo, ME 04354, preferably at the time the order is placed. Proceeds benefit the ongoing programs of the Palermo Community Center, which include the Palermo Food Pantry, the Evolving Communities Film Series, the Palermo Community Garden, and more. You will be called when the peaches are offloaded and sorted, so please include your phone number in your message. Thank you very much for your support!

Palermo Community Center to show Inhabit

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Palermo Community Center (Photo by Connie Bellet)

Permanent agriculture, known as “permaculture,” is an ecological design process that shifts human impact on our planet from destructive to regenerative. Inhabit has been called “the best film ever made about permaculture.” It is about solutions to long-standing agricultural and ecological issues facing us today, and the film focuses on examples from the Northeastern and Midwestern regions of America, so it is highly relevant to land use practices right here. For anyone interested in gardening, gentle integration of plants that help one another, and water conservation, this is a must-see!

All are welcome to the Palermo Community Center on June 28 for a free potluck meal at 6 p.m. Please bring a summer dish to share with friendly neighbors and enjoy the show in the cool downstairs screening room. The Community Center is just off Turner Ridge Rd. across from the ball field at the top of the hill. Look for the electric sign by the driveway. For other info, please contact Connie at 993-2294.

Palliative Players Present “End Game”

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Palermo Community Center (Photo by Connie Bellet)

Celebrate the Circle of Life during Earth Week as the Palliative Players present an improvisational theater piece entitled End Game at the Palermo Community Center on Friday, April 26. This will take place following the usual delicious potluck dinner at 6 p.m. Bring your favorite springtime dish to share with a circle of friends and neighbors. Everybody is welcome to come, and it’s free!

The Hospice Volunteers of Waldo County have devised a fun – and often funny – way to help people have conversations with their families about end of life options such as Advance Directives. While this subject matter is usually avoided until it’s too late, the Palliative Players gently encourage people to open up about their final wishes, which solves many a family crisis before it begins. In other words, enjoy the drama now before there’s drama at the family gathering.

The Palermo Community Center is across from the ball field on Turner Ridge Rd.

Order Vidalias before the deadline

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By ryan griffis – originally posted to Flickr as Vidalia Onions, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link

The deadline for ordering fresh Vidalia onions is April 25. They will arrive in Palermo the evening of May 16, at the Palermo Community Center on Turner Ridge Rd. Volunteers will call you as soon as the onions are unloaded from the truck, and will give you directions if you need them. They will be available for pick up Thursday evening through Saturday.

To order these juicy spring beauties, please call Connie at 993-2294 or e-mail pwhitehawk@fairpoint.net. Be sure and give us your phone number, so we may confirm the order and let you know when the onions are available. To pre-pay, please send your check or money order for $27.00 for a 25 lb. box to: LCF, P.O. Box 151, Palermo, ME 04354. Orders for four or more boxes will be discounted by $2 a box. These are the onions every good cook wants in the kitchen! Recipes come with every box! With care, these onions keep for up to six months – or more. Half boxes are also available for $16, for those who don’t use a lot of onions.

The Palermo Community Center is run by all-volunteer staff. It sponsors the Palermo Community Garden and the monthly Evolving Communities Film Series (Potluck Dinner-and-a-Movie). It is home to the Great ThunderChicken Teaching Drum (Cultural Outreach Program), and hosts the weekly Palermo Food Pantry. The building is disability-accessible and the nonprofit organization is non-discriminatory. Proceeds from onion sales will go toward maintenance and program underwriting. Your support is greatly appreciated–Thank you!