Outdoor exploration is a fabulous means to slowly emerge from our strange, long year of hibernation. What better way to enliven ourselves than to view art in nature. Both have an extreme impact on our happiness index.
The Go Out Doors project was initiated by The Umbrella Arts Center in 2020 with the goal of bringing art to public spaces and answering the questions: What happens if you open the door and step outside? What happens if the opportunity to engage presents itself? What might we discover if, on foot or wheel, we find ourselves on a path through the woods – hidden from the roads we travel daily?
There are 812 acres of working farmland surrounding Concord and Carlisle and summertime provides a bumper crop of fresh fruit and vegetables; the options are beyond abundant. These working farm stands use every acre of farmland to provide healthy options for salads in every home! The standard fare of crisp lettuce, ruby red tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and spicy hot peppers are available throughout the summer months. There are some standout varieties that provide unique twists at each farm stand. It is worth the wait and time to travel to these ‘grocery stores’ of summer. In a dash, the harvest can go from your grocery tote to dinner plate without needing more than a splash of oil and vinegar.
Henry David Thoreau called White Pond the “gem of the woods”, and with good reason. This beautiful and fragile ecosystem suffered from neglect and over-use for decades. Today, White Pond is recovering thanks to the vision and commitment of the Town of Concord, the White Pond Advisory Committee, and legions of volunteers.
White Pond provides a stunning place for swimming, fishing, and walking the clearly marked trails. This is a delicately balanced environment, though, and visitors are encouraged to follow the list of rules posted at each main entry point. While the rules may seem to limit use, they are vitally important to restoring the ecology of the area.
Concord’s October Farm Riverfront is a special place. Its 80 acres include more than a mile of river frontage, where the Concord River makes its great bend and turns to the north around Ball’s Hill. More than 100 years ago, noted ornithologist William Brewster purchased this land to save it from the developer’s axe, but it was not finally protected in perpetuity until 2016, when the Concord Land Conservation Trust and the Town of Concord teamed up to acquire the property with the generous support of many private donors and town and state funds.
Sprinkled throughout Concord is an array of green spaces perfect for hiking, biking, bird watching, and, best of all, picnicking. The spaces are varied; some are wide open acres of green lawn while others are nestled into the woods with stone benches just wide enough to hold a picnic basket. Some spaces are filled with swings, slides, and monkey bars to keep children happy and active. No matter what you’re looking for, with summer just a glance away, picnic season is here and you’ll find the perfect spot in Concord.
“I have traveled a good deal in Concord,” said Thoreau, with his usual Yankee irony. To explore this small town, far away from any oceans or urban centers, would not seem to qualify as “travel.” But Thoreau was a man who could see Homeric drama in the movements of an ant colony; a New England town, then, with its social and natural life, was more than enough to have “traveled a good deal” in. Thoreau belongs to a long line of Concordians who have taught us how to travel a good deal in seemingly quiet places.
Concord has a reputation for being the epicenter of both the American and literary revolutions as well as home to classic authors, philosophers, and artists. But this small town of barely 17,000 residents boasts another wonder - Great Meadows, a world-renowned refuge dedicated to the preservation of native plants, insects, fish, birds, and animals.
To join the Walden scene, enjoy the ring-around-the-pond trail. Ever changing close-up views of the pond, its engineered pondside, and the hillside include periodic large stone steps welcoming walkers to lapping water.
But to discover nature’s ecology, explore the diverse woodland trails and special places. Here I highlight the intriguing land beyond the pond.
Summer is here and along with that comes bountiful blooms. Concord is a kaleidoscope of colorful periwinkle iris, diamond frost euphorbia, and purple bellflowers, all on full display. They arrive at the hands of many gardening clubs and organizations whose members enjoy getting their hands dirty, literally.
Getting out on the water is a wonderful way to escape to the outdoors, and Concordians are fortunate to have three rivers and several ponds on which to play, explore, and relax. These waterways provide opportunities to enjoy the natural world in a way that is quite different from experiencing our roadways, parks, and trails. On the water, one can imagine being in a distant place.
