Ledyard Walks

Not Walking…

by taohobo

Right now we’re not walking as a group. As you can see in the side bar where I list future walks we’ll be waiting for all Covid-19 precautionary measures are lifted before rescheduling Breakfast Walks.

Meanwhile, none of that should stop you from getting out, AND SAFELY, enjoying an outdoors walk.

We’ve done one walk together in the past week and I’ve been out on a short hike recently.

Niantic Boardwalk is a great place to walk. The day we were there we had no problem keeping a very safe distance from other walkers. One, because the boardwalk is now one-way – FROM THE HOLE IN THE WALL TO THE NIANTIC DRAWBRIDGE (that’s opposite to the initial announcement in The Day); and everyone was obeying the one-way requirement (i’m not finding that when grocery shopping). The sun, views, and fresh air lifted our spirits and put smiles on our faces. We had face coverings ready in case we needed them but the safe distancing and one-way traffic didn’t require their use.

Garlic mustard, an invasive, introduced bi-annual from Europe, North-western Africa, Western and central Asia. It is an herb that has been in use dating back to 4,000 BCE.

Yesterday, I took a day to explore some of my favorite trails in Pachaug State Forest. I got there early, walked one loop without seeing anyone. On the next loop there were other hikers behind me for part of the trail but they’d soon branched off. I finished that trail without encountering anyone else. Lots of birds busy in the forest, calling, and flitting around, trout rising and taking flys off the surface, enjoying old favorites and new plants blooming,…

So if you can get out there are things to enjoy and lift your spirits. Please do it safely and respect the safety of others. Distance yourselves from others, have face coverings to wear when passing within a close distance from others.

Be safe, be well!

On, and On, and On…

by taohobo

We go. Not everyday, not unsafely, not always to a trail, park, or other open space. Spaces under blue skies, in the sun, with the breeze blowing softly through the trees. Where birds chirp, woodpeckers hammer trees, the fox trots by, stopping on the woods edge to look back and see your salute to her freedom.

Here in Ledyard, in fact anywhere here in Southeastern Connecticut, there are plenty of places to get out, shake off the cabin fever of waiting for a turning of the virus.

The problem may be the plenty part, as in too many cars at this trail head, too many others already in the park, too many…

But, there are still plenty of open spaces. I walk, now, most often on a few streets near my home. Streets that are safe, there aren’t very many of those in Ledyard because of the traffic even in this time of reduced commuting, and aren’t congested with others walking them.

I only know of one road in Ledyard that has this sign posted but many roads that need it posted and enforced along with enforcement of the speed limit.

I’ve changed the time of day that I’m walking, yes, even those walks near home, to not be out when others without the freedom to pick very early or very late times to get out might want to walk. And, this may be the appropriate time to mention that since we’re not exercising social distancing, or wearing face masks, in the house my wife and I walk together many times – with masks or similar barriers and social distancing ready to use if we meet others on narrow pathways.

Here are some Ledyard suggestions for walks: Colonel Ledyard Park Trail, Nathan Lester Park, Poquetanuck Cove Preserve, Pike-Marshall Preserve, Burton Property, Avery Preserve, and 5 others. Go to the Ledyard Parks and Recreation website for a printable booklet of these hikes.

Crossing brooks in well planned and properly maintained parks, preserves, and on trails is easy

Going further afield there is the Connecticut College Arboretum, Denison Pequot Nature Center and Coogan Farm, Barn Island, Stenger Farm Park, Sprague Land Preserve, Valley Falls Park, and 27 trails in North Stonington. All have additional information and maps available online. Moving even further out are Kettle Pond, Ninigret, and Thurston Pond in Rhode Island.

Wide trails not only provide space for multiples ways of enjoying an outing whether you prefer walking, biking, or horseback. In this time of social-distancing they also provide comfortable space from others.

When you plan one of these outings you should have several nearby alternatives in the event your first choice appears overcrowded. The more vehicles at a trailhead can be a good indicator of trail usage. This is especially true for trails you’re walking for the first time.

I’ll be back next week with more tips and trail suggestions…

Until then; Be Safe, Be Well, Distance, Mask!!

Saturday’s a go…

by taohobo

I walked the Hoffman Evergreen Preserve today in preparation for this month’s Pancake Breakfast Walk. The weather report is changing its mind about a storm, maybe some rain Friday night, but walkable on Saturday. Check the sidebar if you’re interested in hitting the Pancake Breakfast for details.

There’s plenty of parking at the Hoffman Evergreen Preserve so if you want to just meet there, here are the directions. Take the Gold Star Highway, Route 184 to route 201, turn North. If coming from Groton, that’s a left, from the 184 rotary it’s a right. The preserve is 1.4 miles from route 184.

If you haven’t hiked with me before please read the side bars and the About page for safety information and the hike guidelines. You also should read the Assumption of Risk and Release of Liability requirement.

Around the block…

by taohobo

Too perfect a day not to get out and log some steps in the neighborhood. Clear blue sky, temp in the 50° range with a light breeze, I couldn’t resist!

But, it was nearly turn around and go home. Hadn’t gone 5 yards before the first nip bottle showed up, then the next, and another one, 8 of them before I’d gone 50 feet. It wasn’t anything new, I’ve walked and cleaned this stretch of road for years. The numbers seem to be higher lately but there’s always a lot in this stretch. I’m pretty much 2 nips from the corner package store. Why 2 nips? Because on Earth Day I also do a long stretch between here and the package store and about half way between my house and the package store is always another concentration of nip bottles.

Today though is about a walk around the small development that has almost no traffic other than residents coming and going. Two laps are good for 10,000 steps if you circle the cul-de-sacs 2 or 3 times.

Definite signs of Spring in this curbside bed.

Despite narrow, curvy road with no sidewalks, make it safely into the development and start the walk.

There are signs of spring all around, that’s a little worrying because it’s still so early in the year. A couple days of hard freeze will kill buds and mean no apricots, peaches… 2017 and 2018 were like that.

Looking now for early emerging plants like skunk cabbage, mullein, and others are on my mind because we also did the same thing yesterday. I taught a Korean Natural Farming class on gathering and using local ingredients for Fermented Plant Juice extracts to feed our early plants, crops. These little flowers, and some trees adorned with sap buckets, are signs of encouragement.

Walking is always a great time to think, mull things, order, plan your day, if you’re walking alone. If you have company it’s a time to catch up, chat, or just enjoy the day together.

Hoping you know, or can find, a small and safe walk near you. One you can step out your door and just start walking.

See you on the trail…

Walking into Korean Natural Farming…

by taohobo
Common Mullein, Verbascum thaspus. Also known as Bullock's lungwort.
Common Mullein, Verbascum thaspus. Also known as Bullock’s lungwort.

I walk as much to see what is around me as to count steps or to wander for a specific purpose.

Lately I’ve been looking for early plants, those that have the ability to defy the weather and show up when they want to, grow quickly, and stand up to a little late winter.

So, this Saturday, February 22nd, I’m teaching a class on Korean Natural Farming (KNF) practices that is already filled to capacity. But, the walk I’ll lead after the class is open to anyone who is interested in exploring the types of locations and plants used. Be at Coogan Farm Nature and Heritage Center, 162 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic, CT 06355 at 11:00 a.m. for the walk.

This quest is spurred on by what some might consider a current phase in gardening or farming. There are a lot of sites where you can learn about Korean Natural Farming. Some of them are excellent – what I’ll be striving for here – and some simply parrot what others have said.

One critical term that keeps recurring when you talk about KNF is the word: indigenous, as in indigenous microorganisms. The micro-biologics that play an immensely important role in plant heath, growth, and nutrients. If this sounds like new age science, it is not.

Dr. Han-Kyu Cho brought these ancient practices, and some of the scientific validation of them, to today’s growing number of gardeners and farmers looking for better, sustainable growing practices. As more research is done and validated (Elaine Ingham, John Kempf, Jeff Lowenfels, Bionutrient Food Assoc., etc.) the importance of regenerating the fertility of our soil becomes more and more compelling.

The down side to this change in growing practices is that as Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, “What exists now, is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing truly new on earth.” (Bible, New English Translation). Dr. Franklin H. King, a former Assistant Chief of Bureau of Soils at the Department of Agriculture, spent 9 months (February – October) in 1909, observing farming practices in China, Korea, and Japan. His book, Farmers of Forty Centuries: Or, Permanent Agriculture in China, Korea, and Japan, outlined the need, and methods, to replenish the fertility of the soil. Dr. Liberty H. Bailey in the preface to King’s book strongly stated the case for renewing soil fertility.

And now, 110 years later we’re finally getting around to it, using Korean Natural Farming practices adapted to our local biome.

Come join me on the walk… And bring your questions, Saturday, February 22, 11:00 a.m. at Coogan Farm Nature and Heritage Center, 162 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic, CT 06355

Walking the Pike Preserve Trails

by taohobo

A preview of the April Pancake Breakfast Walk.

Don’t let the moving time dismay you. When I’m on the Pike Preserve trails I constantly stop look, listen… It’s a nature walk and the nature, regardless of the season grabs me.

While there are few hikers or walkers on these trails there are several stables that take advantage of the contingent trails. It does help to keep the inner trails well trodden and identifiable year round. The entry and exit trails for walkers and hikers are well blazed but you need to keep a check on them since these trails meander frequently.

Two unique features that keep children of all ages interested are the ‘Castle Rocks’ at the Northwest turn around and the spring pool at the Northeast side trail.

Castle Rocks…

Saturday’s Walk at Bluff Point

by taohobo

A foggy day Loon

It wasn’t necessarily a good day for a walk, but it was a good walk. Small group with just 3 of us but that made for a faster walk and some conversation, catching up, along the way.

Weather was that icier feeling of being colder that you get on foggy days on the water. We were close enough to catch that same affect on the cove side trails. Some iced over puddles and shattered then ice coatings where the puddles were very shallow.

But the weather wasn’t bad enough to discourage a couple of clammers out in the water gathering Super Bowl appetizers.

And, as I “promised” in the early post about the walk, the lone Loon was on Mumford Cove. A single one working the northern most section of the cove.

Already looking forward to the next Pancake Breakfast Walk at the Hoffman Evergreen Preserve on March 7.

See you on the trail…

Just Loony…

by taohobo

There’s a backside to every story. There’s a backside to walking at Bluff Point State Park that also has a contemplative side, a connection to Haley Farm State Park in Noank, and a loony side.

But, what always draws me to the backside of Bluff Point in the winter are the loons that winter over in the cove. It’s one place where I can almost always find a loon or two floating and working the cove. Occasionally I’ve caught one on the edge of beach and watched its awkward scramble back to the safety of the water.

It’s not a sunning beach, mostly shells and gravel. It can be a “treasure” beach, especially for the young and young at heart. Shells, interesting stones, horseshoe crab shells… The things that spark a world of imagination – and often fill a child’s pockets (or bucket).

If you’d like to explore the backside of Bluff Point you can join me on Saturday, February 1st. (See the side bar ”Upcoming Walks and Hikes”.) or you can also use this link to Bluff Point Eastern Trail in AllTrails.com and explore on your own.

Enjoy the hike..!

Past and upcoming…

by taohobo

Saturday was a perfect day to walk the Pike-Marshall preserve in Ledyard… Except no one showed up. If you’d like to see what you missed you can check out an earlier hike that I recorded in AllTrails (R) (click here). Check the sidebar for walks coming up on New Year’s Day & a short Pancake Breakfast on Saturday the 4th of January 2020.

Anemome quinquefolia