Search results matching tag 'On the Trails'

Multiple uses planned for Salem's Hawkins Farm

Salem Editor — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:38:00 GMT

After a 16-year drought, Hawkins Farm could once again become the site of renewed farming as town officials consider what to do with the land purchased by the Conservation Commission in August.

The 15-acre piece of farmland that runs along the Spicket River known as Hawkins Farm may be the future site of a walking path, affordable housing, public gardens and agricultural production.

Salem Planning Director Ross Moldoff said the acquisition, purchased for $950,000, was a once-in-a-decade opportunity for the town to add to its conservation land holdings.

“The opportunities don’t come up that much, and the land is so expensive typically that we don’t have enough money to buy big parcels of land,” Moldoff said. “The money (for the purchase) had been accruing in the Conservation Commission fund for a number of years, and they had a big enough balance, and they had a willing seller.”

With $750,000 of the original asking price paid for at the time of the purchase, the commission has three years to raise the remaining $200,000. The property includes a flood plain and wetlands, and abuts previously acquired conservation land owned by the town.

Muldoff and Bill Carter, chairmen of the Conservation Committee, are working with the Salem Housing Authority to try to turn the currently unoccupied farmhouse on the land into a home for a low-income family or elderly couple. They’ve also got the Recreation Department involved as well, with a plan to construct a nature trail along the edge of the property.

“We are planning on putting a nature trail on the edge of the property along the Spicket River. We were out there walking that property and it seems quite nice to have a walking trail there,” Carter said.

The commission has also been in talks with two local farmers, John and Mike Peters, to lease a portion of the existing fields for future agricultural production, like growing corn. In return, the Peters will till a section of the land set aside for community gardening.

“You take a farm field that had not been farmed in 10 or 15 years and now put it back into farming – (that’s great) because that doesn’t happen too often,” Moldoff said.

On Monday, Nov. 15, selectmen gave Carter and Moldoff permission to move forward with their plans. They hope to have a family in the home before the end of the year and expect farming to begin in April. By next spring, the hope is to have the nature trail open to the public as well.

The parcel of land joins about a 1,000 acres owned by the town across Salem, including the 200-acre town forest. In the past, Moldoff said the Conservation Commission has not has as much luck in procuring land they expressed interested in. Last year, negotiations for a bigger piece of local land fell through after the seller upped their asking price from $2 million to $4 million. With the Hawkins farm purchase, Moldoff said the town won in more ways than one.

“What was going to happen there, (the landowners) were going to sell it to some developer and there were going to be some house lots there,” he said. “But with the town purchasing the land and keeping it for conservation – it preserves a scenic resource in the community and a productive resource if it goes back into farming and housing for a needy family or elderly couple, and you’ve prevented the development impacts that would come from four or six houses being built on the property.”

Eagle Scout project will mark Hooksett trail

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:21:00 GMT

BY LAUREN SAUSSER

Since Ken Scott was a young Cub Scout, he has always loved being outdoors.

Camping, hiking – he couldn’t get enough.

“I just love camping,” said Scott, 16, now a junior at Central High School in Manchester.

That’s why, when it came time to choose a Hooksett-based community service project to achieve his Eagle Scout distinction, Scott didn’t have much trouble deciding where to go.

He answered a call for help from the Hooksett Kiwanis Club to provide much-needed signs along the town’s one-mile nature trail, accessed by the gravel pathway across from Green’s Marina on Route 3 and extending along Brown’s Brook out to Head’s Pond.

“They mentioned how they wanted someone to help put up some signs,” Scott said. “I’ve expanded that to include the kiosk and some benches.”

His project scope includes installing four hand-made wooden benches along the trail, labeling various trees with identification markers and building a kiosk at the trailhead, which will be used to post pertinent recreational information.

The cost of the project is about $1,700 – no small feat for a full-time high school student. But Scott is hopeful that, with a matching donation the Kiwanis Club pledged, he will be able to raise enough money to build and install the kiosk, benches and signs by next spring.

Frank Kotowski, head of the Kiwanis Trails Initiative, said he is thrilled Scott is taking the project into his own hands.

“We think it’s wonderful. We try to do whatever we can to encourage young people to better themselves through civic-minded efforts,” Kotowski said. “We’re elated to work with people that think like we do, and we’re eager to help him if we can.”

Jeff Scott, Ken’s father and troop Scoutmaster, is encouraged by his son’s progress.

“Overall, the Scouting program builds character,” Jeff Scott said. “It encourages them to get outside and exercise and have fun. It builds good citizens.” It also looks great on college applications, he said with a smile.

“We’re very glad he’s decided to get this project done before he starts applying,” he said. If you want to make a donation to the project, Ken Scott can be contacted by e-mail at zoogenny@comcast.net.

Bow wants its trail signs back

Bow Editor — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 01:03:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Bow police are looking for any tips from residents with information about three signs that were stolen from the Town Forest.

The signs were noticed missing on Saturday, Oct. 11, one week after they had been installed by the Bow Pioneers Snowmobile Club.

On Oct. 4, club members placed three large wooden signs at the three major trail junctions in the woods, and soon after, the one placed at Trail Junction 15 was discovered missing.

Several days after the first sign was found missing, police discovered that two others had been taken as well.

Only one sign was recovered, as it was found nearby in the river. Pioneers group members re-cemented the sign into the ground, and it is now back in its original location.

“We have no clue or no idea. We don’t know why they would go out of their way to make the beautiful posts disappear,” said Ray Cote, a member of the Bow Pioneers.

Bow Police Officer Justin Sargent said the sign was likely stolen close to the day it was placed in the ground.

“It was lifted out of cement, and the cement hasn’t even dried, so it had to have been pretty quick after they were working on it,” said Sargent.

The brown signs are about 5 feet tall, made out of wood with yellow lettering.

Members of the Bow Pioneers Club are offering a $100 reward for tips leading to the person or person who stole the signs, and the return of the signs in any condition.

Anyone with information may call the Concord Regional Crimeline, anonymously, at 226- 3100.

“The sign was taken from them, and they are very interested in getting it back,” said Sargent. “People are just pulling them straight out of the ground. We have only found one, so I am not sure what they’re doing with the others.”

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Patrick LaFreniere — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:25:00 GMT

Diana's Bath

admin — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:10:00 GMT

Dianas Bath - River

From Alex's View

SCleveland — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:30:00 GMT

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Peonies

SCleveland — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:21:00 GMT

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simple beauty

SCleveland — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:19:00 GMT

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Tree

SCleveland — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:18:00 GMT

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NH Couple Shares Secret to Living a Job-Free Lifestyle

SCleveland — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:56:00 GMT

New Hampshire Couple Shares Secret to Living a Job-Free Lifestyle

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In October 2005, Jeff walked away from his job and has never looked back.

What did it take?

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* Jeff and Samantha Cleveland, recognized leaders in the home-business industry, are the founders of WealthySelf Associates. More importantly, they are just two "ordinary" people, showing other "ordinary" people that they, too, can live an extraordinary life.