Wakefield Estate

"The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain."

 - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 The recent rain has been a welcome relief to the dry and warm spring, and it has greened up the Wakefield Estate to be an emerald oasis. It has also fueled the rapid growth of a number of invasive weeds that, if left unattended, will quickly dominate the landscape. So, true to our mission, we have been busy turning an urgent problem into a teaching moment about native and non-native species, and employing over a hundred school children and adults in an all-out offensive against our worst weed - Garlic Mustard. Whole classrooms from Thacher Montessori school, volunteers from Dunkin Brands, and the youth from the Grew and Taylor elementary school have pulled over 500 lbs. of garlic weed. It's a wonderful thing to see fields once covered with Garlic Mustard freed from this invading weed; its also fun to hear third and fourth graders using words like indigenous and invasive and understanding the need to protect native species from these invaders. And, as always, it's fun for our staff to see this place as truly a learning landscape for all.

 

- Mark Smith

Executive Director

 
  

  


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Upcoming Highlights!

THIS SATURDAY!

Spring Shearing Day

Saturday, May 12, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon

It's clear from the picture at the left that the estate's three sheep are due to be sheared for the first time. We hope you can join us and watch Kevin Ford, America's foremost "blade" (hand) sheepshearer, shear the three small Shetland ewes and our llama Jack this Saturday morning.

This picture shows Daisy before shearing. We'll post "after" photos on the website and on our Facebook page next week. The contrast will no doubt be dramatic! This program is free. Pre-registration is requested. For more information and to register, please call 617-333-0924.

Wakefield Estate Lecture Series - Part II: 

Hidden History: Archaeological Investigations

Tuesday, May 15, 7:00 pm

The second lecture of our series on the history of the Wakefield Estate and its occupants will be held on Tuesday, May 15 at 7:00 pm at the Milton Public Library. Alex Keim, a PhD candidate in the Archaeology Department at Boston University, will present his lecture Hidden History: Archaeological Investigations at the Wakefield Estate. This lecture will present the results of more than five years of archaeological exploration at the Wakefield Estate and relate what the findings tell us about activity on the Estate in the past, and what important questions archaeology has the potential to answer in the future. Based on scholarly research and on-site discovery, the Wakefield Estate lecture series highlights the origin and evolution of one of Milton's founding families as a microcosm of the history of Milton over the past 350 years. The final lecture will be held on June 13 at 7:00 pm on the topic The 'Stuff' of History: The Material Culture of a Milton Founding Family.

During the months of May and June, The Mary M. B. Wakefield Charitable Trust will exhibit at the Milton Public Library a collection of historic documents, artifacts, books and personal items that help reveal the long history of these early Miltonians.

The Friends of the Milton Public Library is pleased to be hosting this historically important lecture series.

Dogwood Days and Open House!

Saturday & Sunday, June 2nd & 3rd

10 am - 3:00 pm

 

Join us for a stroll about the estate during our annual celebration of Polly Wakefield's amazing kousa dogwoods in bloom! This year Dogwood days is scheduled June 2nd and 3rd and the estate grounds will be open for self-guided walks around the formal gardens with hundreds of kousa dogwoods at their peak (hopefully) bloom. A guided tour of the grounds will be offered both days at 11:00 am, rain or shine. A guided tour of the Isaac Davenport Mansion House will be given at 1:00 pm on Saturday. Other activities will include Pleine Aire painting(both days), Herbarium Collecting from the kousa collection (Saturday only), and a plant sale including kousa dogwood saplings. For more information, please call 617-333-0924.

Mary M. B. Wakefield Charitable Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Staff:
Mark Smith, Executive Director - email: [email protected]
Erica Max, Landscape Supervisor and Educational Coordinator - email: [email protected]
Dave Cafaro, Grounds and Building Maintenance - email: [email protected]
For more information, call us at (617) 333-0924 or check out our website at wakefieldtrust.org