Busy Week Ahead!

 This will be a very busy week with the Fourth of July activities and every community in the north country having picnics, parades, and festivals of one sort or another. We have a fairly short window when the weather permits us to enjoy the outdoors, and normally that is June through about the end of September. However, our weather pattern has changed and we are now experiencing dangerously hot weather in June and more violent rain storms throughout the summer months, so if you are heading our way, keep in mind you really need to keep a close eye on the weather.

Also weather related is the outdoor work that has to be accomplished before freezing temperatures. That includes lots of work on our roads - paving highways, grading and repairing dirt roads - and that can mean delays. Here is the schedule for the on-going work on Route 2 in our West Danville area:

 Construction Work Update - Rte 2

Construction Update
Marshfield-Danville NH PS19(1)
[U.S. Route 2 Resurfacing Project]

TRAFFIC IMPACT AND DURATION: From Monday, June 30 through Thursday, June 3, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., motorists should anticipate minor delays and alternating one-way traffic on U.S. 2 in West Danville near Joe's Pond. Flaggers and Uniformed Traffic Officers will be present to assist motorists through the work zone.

In observation of Independence Day, crews will be out of the project area by noon on Thursday, July 3, returning on Monday, July 7, at 7 a.m..

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES: On U.S. 2 in West Danville near Joe's Pond, crews will be placing topsoil and conducting cleanup work.

Photo of final conditions near the Park & Ride in West Danville.

LOCATION: Beginning near the Plainfield/Marshfield town line, on U.S. 2, near the intersection with Hillside Drive, extending easterly along U.S. Route 2 to a point just west of the intersection with VT Route 15 in West Danville.

PROJECTED COMPLETION: Summer 2025

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The Joe's Pond fireworks display is scheduled for the evening of July 3, but the weather may not cooperate. Rain date is July 7th. Watch for postings here and on the Joe's Pond Association website, or contact Hastings Store  (802-684-3398) for the latest information if it looks like rain on the 3rd.

Cabot will have their usual amazing parade with lots of things going on throughout the town. There is a big display of used books at the Willey Building, an impressive rummage sale at the gymnasium, lots of good food and beverages from vendors around town and the local stores, and the Historical Society building next to the church will be open with baked goods and other interesting items for sale. There will be parking on Elm Street at a special parking lot arranged there, and a shuttle to bring people to and from the Main Street area where all the excitement is.The weather right now looks pretty good for the 4th, and cooler, so plan on a really nice day of activities. 

People in our area who have Consolidated Communications are without phone service right now. This began sometime Sunday, and the company estimated it would be 48 hours before it is back in service. 

The Cabot Historical Society Main Street building has recently undergone some much needed, long-overdue structural repairs. We met there on Friday afternoon and I was excited at how much has been accomplished in a short period of time. Just in time to welcome visitors on the Fourth! However more needs to be done over time (it is 180 years old), and it is remarkable how well it has withstood being the community center and school, I.O.G.T. headquarters, and a plumbing supply shop. The building became the home of the Cabot Historical Society in about 1979. It is like a step back in time to walk into that building and see all of the exhibits and records there, many of them older than the building itself. If you haven't visited, you should do that. There are few modern conveniences there, including  no water in the building, but it does have electricity. 

Here at Joe's Pond, divers have been workingdiligently to keep track of milfoil, checking for any new beds and doing general maintenance work. It is a tiresome, on-going, constant vigil that we hope will keep the invasive weed from spreading. The Joe's Pond Association Annual Meeting is coming up on July 5, and we will learn more then. Here is the Agenda for that meeting: 

             Agenda, JPA Annual Meeting, July 5, 2025

      Opening                                                                                        Joe Hebert

      Board Actions                                                                               Joe Hebert

           Wake Boat Update

      Rememberances                                                                           Richard Gagne

      Secretary's Report                                                                        Jamie Stewart

      Treasurer's Report                                                                        Jack LaGue

      Nominating Committee

      Water Quality/Milfoil                                                                   Barry Cahoon

      Cyanobacteria                                                                              Dorothea Penar

      JPA Events                                                                                   Sue Bouchard

      Membership                                                                                 Peter Crosby

      Maintenance                                                                                 Larry Rossi

      Member Questions                                                                       ALL

      Adjournment

 This is an important meeting and we hope you will be there. There are many things happening this year at Joe's Pond and we need "all hands on deck" to take part in important decision making and to keep informed about progress on important issues. Ice-Out tickets will be available, also, tickets for the up-coming Italian Dinner on July 12th.

Stay cool, be safe, and enjoy the Fourth of July Celebration(s) wherever you are! 

 

 

JPA Annual Meeting Agenda

 The Joe's Pond Association Annual Meeting is coming up on Saturday, July 5th., 10 a.m., at the pavilion: 

Agenda

Annual Meeting

July 5, 2025

     Opening                                                                                        Joe Hebert

     Board Actions                                                                               Joe Hebert

         Wake Boat Update

     Rememberances                                                                           Richard Gagne

     Secretary's Report                                                                        Jamie Stewart

     Treasurer's Report                                                                        Jack LaGue

     Nominating Committee

     Water Quality/Milfoil                                                                   Barry Cahoon

     Cyanobacteria                                                                              Dorothea Penar

     JPA Events                                                                                   Sue Bouchard

     Membership                                                                                 Peter Crosby

     Maintenance                                                                                 Larry Rossi

     Member Questions                                                                       ALL

     Adjournment

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We hope you will attend. There will be plenty of coffee to help you get your day started, and friends and neighbors to socialize with. There are important matters to be considered, and we need your input and participation in the decision-making process. Our JPA board and committee members work hard to serve the interests of JPA and Joe's Pond and they deserve our support. 

The business meeting will start at 10 a.m., but come early so you can chat with other JPA members.  Looking forward to seeing you there! 

 These photos were taken at the 2007 Annual Meeting. Lots of changes since then - no side curtains to shield us from the wind and rain!

Wake Boat Update

This message came from JPA President Joe Hebert today:  

      I am attaching two separate mailings we recently received. The first is a denial of our petition to ban wake sports on Joe's Pond. It is important to note that the DEC DENIED ALL PETITIONS from the other lake associations who also submitted a proposal. What they have done is submit proposed changes to the use of wake boats for sports activities which are listed in the second attachment.  Please read the proposed changes closely. 

      In essence, if accepted, the new rules would ban the use of wake sporting activity on Joes Pond. This is primarily based on an expansion from 50 to 100 continuous acres and a 3000 foot runway, neither of which are possible on Joe's Pond.

     In the proposed changes document there is also a link to the public hearing schedule which the DEC plans this summer. I would emphasize  that anyone who has a position either way on this issue take the opportunity to attend one of the meetings so that  your opinion will be heard.

Thank you

Joe Hebert

President JPA 

 

From: Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Agency of Natural Resources

Watershed Management Division (See copy, page 1 and 2 below)

Summary of Proposed Changes to Vermont's Use of Waterways  (You need to click on "File - pdf" after you open this site.)

        

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This came from Suzanne Masland after reading previous posts here about converting milfoil into fertilizer:

 

 Hi Jane, 

I read with interest your post recently on the blog concerning milfoil as a fertilizer, and I can attest that indeed it is a wonderful fertilizer. 

When milfoil was harvested from Lake Fairlee I lived in Thetford and we would go and collect the milfoil on a regular basis and use it in our garden. It was piled up at a safe location from the water near the fishing access on Lake Fairlee and several people would collect it and use it as fertilizer in their garden. As you laid it down it had an interesting odor which disappeared quickly and the milfoil worked it's way into the soil. 

Suzanne 

Thanks, Suzanne!

So here's another interesting story that I found on WCAX today - using human urine for fertilizer.  Turns out, lots of people have been doing that for years - in one way or another. I have heard about using human urine to deter deer and bears from raiding your property, but I hadn't known about the fertilizer advantage. I guess diluting it with water would maybe make it ok, but I can't help thinking in summer heat it would probably be pretty odiferous. I recall passing some alleyways in Bucharest, Romania - and in some American cities, and the urine stench was awful. I suppose chamber pots may make a comeback if this becomes a new gardening fad.

Hot, hot, hot today. My house stayed nice and cool until around 5 o'clock, and then I had to turn on my heat exchanger. At one point this morning I went out onto the porch to get warmed up! It will cool down tonight and I can open the house up again. Nice cool air sweeps down the hill in back of my house at night, and I do appreciate that. I think it has to do with so many natural springs in the woods on that hillside. Stay cool, be safe.

 

 

Sailing Into Summer!

 We are having some hot, wet, windy, and sometime confusing weather to start off our official summer. Here at Joe's Pond, our Sailing Season got off to a great start this afternoon. Here's what Sailing Director Susan Bouchard has to say about today's race: 

Sailboat Race Recap – A Surprising Day on the Water

After a morning of heavy downpours and gloomy skies, the weather took a welcome turn—rain stopped, and the sun even peeked through the lingering dark clouds just in time for the race.

Today’s race featured seven participants in the Single Division, while no boats competed in the Double Division. At the starting horn, the wind was strong, but it quickly became unpredictable—gusty one moment and still the next. Many sailors described the experience at the finish line as “fun but frustrating”, “weird winds” that kept them on their toes.

It was a close contest among Jack LaGue, Jay Chatot, and Lee Erdmann, who stayed tightly grouped throughout much of the course. Jack ultimately crossed the finish line first, followed by Jay, then Lee.

We also welcomed a new face to the race—Phillip Crosby, who shared that he hadn’t sailed in 15 years! It was great to see you out there, Phillip, and your vibrant blue, green, and white sail added a beautiful splash of color to the lake.

Results – Single Division:

1. Jack LaGue
2. Jay Chatot
3. Lee Erdmann
4. Rob Stewart
5. Phillip Crosby
6. Jules Chatot
7. Sharon Trull

The next race is scheduled for Saturday, July 13th—just three weeks away. If you're interested in joining the fun, please contact Susan Bouchard. We’d love to see more sailors on the water.

Sailboat Race in the 1970s, Joe's Pond, VT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A couple days ago I mentioned that Eurasian water milfoil (EWM) can be used as fertilizer. Turns out that's exactly what happened to all that was removed from Joe's Pond recently. Here's a note from Barry Cahoon who is spearheading our Milfoil Control/Eradication Program:

 Hi Jane
In answer to the question about the final resting place for the harvested milfoil, I trucked it to our place in Danville where Alicia and I grow a fairly extensive vegetable garden and dumped it in one of our compost bins where it is well on its way to its final purpose of enriching the soil.
Might’s well derive something good from the darn stuff.
In the future, assuming we will be harvesting again, anyone else who would like to take possession of it is certainly welcome as long as your site is high and dry and well isolated from any surface water body.
Barry Cahoon

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We have some severely hot weather ahead of us this week. Please be careful and heed the advice set forth by the State of Vermont Department of Health. This kind of intense heat is becoming more common here as global warming continues to heat up our planet. We can probably also expect more frequent and more intense storms, and more frustrating swings from hot to cold to hot again. And wet! Especially wet weekends! According to WCAX Weather, we've had 25 in a row - I think today makes 26? I measured .40 in. of precipitation this morning, and we had a quick shower after that. And thunderstorms are predicted for this evening.

Stay safe and do whatever is necessary to keep yourself, your family, and your pets cool and comfortable during these next few days. Dipping in the pond is great, but remember that the sun is really intense and will burn your skin quickly, especially when you are in or near the water where light gets reflected and becomes more intense, so do be cautious.