Page 10 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUnE 23, 2023 ~ The SAVE Living Column ~ Dick Lynch shares some tips on composting L ike most people, you probably know that disposing of yard waste in the trash is illegal in Massachusetts.* However, did you know that by removing yard waste from your property, you are actually robbing yourself of an invaluable resource that can provide nutrients to your plants, mulch for garden areas, and a soil amendment that helps protect against drought? In fact, we should stop using the term “yard waste” altogether and call it “yard treasure.” No one appreciates this more than Dick Lynch, who has been enhancing his yard and garden for decades by keeping valuable organic material on his property. The heart of Dick’s approach is his composting system, which consists of two wire-fencing cylinders in the backyard located close to his raised vegetable beds. Each composter has a simple gate that allows Dick to rake the organic matter out when it’s either ready to be used in the garden or when it needs to be raked out to be thoroughly turned and then put back in for further decomposition. Dick notes that he used to have a three-bin system, which he notes “Is much better.” That way you have compost that is just starting out, compost that is partway decomposed and, finally, a bin that is full of readyto-use compost. To turn his piles and remove finished compost, Dick uses a haying fork, a square-nosed shovel and a hoe. Di ck compos t s many things, including brown paper bags, hedge trimmings, leaves and garden waste. He also keeps a covered metal container in the kitchen to collect kitchen scraps. Dick has two other important tips to help people compost: Keep a calendar to remind you when to turn beets and pole beans. Gardening is truly a family affair for Dick. His healthy rhubarb plant came from his grandparents and moved to the house with Dick and his parents around 1935. He and his wife, Mary Kinsell, spent their honeymoon visiting Heritage Farm in Minnesota – and they still grow tomatoes from seed they collected there, getting a fresh supply from their plants each year. Dick reflects that he does spend quite a bit of time working in the garden, but “I t ’s my therapy!” *Specifically, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection regulations 310 CMR 19.017 prohibit disposal of yard waste in incinerator, landfill or transfer facilities – unless these facilities are going to recycle or compost it. (For more info, including exceptions for your pile (about every three weeks) and read the book “Let It Rot!” by Stu Campbell. (I recently purchased a used copy online for about $7.) Dick notes that he learned everything about composting from Campbell’s book. More recently, Dick has been applying shredded leaves to his raised vegetable beds. (Studies have actually shown that leaves add both valuable nutrients to soil and make it more moisture retentive.) Just a few of the vegetables that Dick grows are tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, contaminated material, see the great fact sheet from the University of Massachusetts at https://ag.umass .edu/ landscape/ fac t - sheets/yard-waste-management-in-massachusetts.) Saugus Action Volunteers for the Environment (SAVE) is a nonprofit organization with a goal to promote a better quality of life in Saugus through environmental action. Incorporated in 1973, SAVE has had an eventful history supporting the preservation of the wildlife, water bodies, open GAMING DISTRICT MALDEN Dick Lynch with his compost bin (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) spaces and other natural resources throughout Saugus. Together, SAVE members engage in events and programs throughout town, contributing to a caring and engaged community. Aiming to support the longterm well-being of our dynamically and diverse ecosystems, SAVE also seeks to reduce/eliminate pollution and spread awareness about environmental topics. Learn more about SAVE at https://saugussave.wordpress.com. SAVE will have a regular column every few weeks; we will do our best to answer questions we are often asked. If you have a question for us to answer, please send your question to Co-Presidents Ann Devlin at adevlin@aisle10. net or Stephanie Shalkoski at stephaniems@gmail.com. Local residents named to Dean’s List at University of New England GAMING DISTRICT check us out at P www.MaldenGamingDistrict.com Questing, Billiards, Bouldering, e-Sports, VR, Room Escapes, Karaoke and Magic, plus many great restaurants, shops, and breweries all in Malden Center! T he following Saugus residents have been named to the Dean’s List for the 2023 spring semester at the University of New England: Amanda Castle and Sarah McGonigle. Dean’s List students have attained a grade point average of 3.3 or better out of a possible 4.0 at the end of the semester. The University of New England is Maine’s largest private university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-akind study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of fl exible online offerings. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, the University offers hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The University is the state’s top provider of health professionals and home to Maine’s only medical and dental colleges, a variety of other inter-professionally aligned health care programs, and nationally recognized degree paths in the marine sciences, the natural and social sciences, business, the humanities, and the arts. Visit une.edu
11 Publizr Home