Good News!

 Here is a report received last week (sorry - I thought I sent it out but just found it in "drafts") from Milfoil Management Coordinator, Barry Cahoon:  (Apologies to Barry and the others for the delay.)

A preliminary evaluation on the effectiveness of an herbicide treatment in Joe’s Pond has indicated complete mortality of the Eurasian watermilfoil population within the treatment area as observed in an aquatic vegetation survey conducted by Arrowwood Environmental on 09/18/26.

The treatment applied by SOLitude Lake Management on 08/26/26 utilized ProcellaCOR which is the only aquatic herbicide approved by the State of Vermont for control of Eurasian watermilfoil.  The treatment area included about 90% of the shallow water areas of the First and Second Ponds; approximately 32 acres.

Post-treatment water quality monitoring showed a slightly elevated residual element of ProcellaCOR at one of three monitoring locations 48 hours after the treatment.  A follow up test showed all residuals to be below detectable levels (<1 ppb).

Anyone with questions or interest regarding Eurasian watermilfoil management activities in Joe’s Pond can visit the Joe’s Pond Association website: joespondvermont.com or email Barry Cahoon, JPA Water Quality Director and Eurasian Watermilfoil Management Coordinator at bear817@hotmail.com

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That is really good news. We owe Barry and his group of merry workers a huge vote of thanks for all of the hard work they have done this summer (and previous summers) to get to this point. We can only hope that there are no dreaded plants hiding somewhere, waiting to burst forth in the spring. Perhaps with careful monitoring and increased vigilance we can stay ahead of this stuff. 

 

Jamie (Dimick) manned a pontoon boat for a dive group yesterday and told me this morning they worked in the shallows at the head of the pond and found only two small plants near the mouth of the channel. It is particularly difficult to search that area because so much of it is very shallow, making it difficult or impossible for divers or anyone else to get in there without riling the muddy bottom and making visibility impossible. They have  explored that area as best they can, and fortunately found no milfoil. 

 

Today is cool and blustery. We are expecting rain any minute - and it will increase in intensity throughout the day. Unfortunately, it isn't going to let up until about 6 p.m. Unfortunate for the beanhole supper at Greenbanks Hollow. It has happened before and they no matter what the weather, the beans come out of the ground steaming hot and delicious, and everyone has a good time. 

 

If you have never visited the Cabot Historical Society museum building on Main Street, you should do that. This photo shows the second floor of the museum. It was a school room that also served as a town meeting hall, later club rooms for various civic organizations, and finally storage space for a plumbing shop that Mr. Brimblecombe ran on the first floor. Now it has displays of old-time household goods, a traverse sled, Civil War uniforms and memorabilia; articles from the Judith Lyford Woman's Club, Dr. Wiswell's and Dr. Burbank's medical practices; memory quilts, and much, much more.  The overstuffed blue velvet sofa and matching gold chairs shown in this photo are NOT Cabot artifacts and are going to be disposed of to make room for more exhibits pertaining to Cabot's history. The set is in beautiful like-new condition, and I'm sure someone would love to have it in their home. Make a reasonable donation and it's yours! 

 

We have a large collection of photos, news clips, and other paper records on the first floor, and space for meetings, and sale items as well as lots of artifacts. We will be reorganizing as time allows, but sometime in October, we will need to close for the winter. 

 

I'm presently working with old photos that have recently been donated to the historical society. I've sorted through lots of school-related photos, Fourth of July shots, and the pile of "miscellaneous" stuff that grows with every box or envelope I open. Much has been donated and not properly acknowledged or accessed into our collections, and it's going to be my winter project to sort it out, I guess. Last week I found a packet of photos that had been donated in 2022. I got in touch with the donor to let her know I have them and they are being added to our collection. She was thrilled to know they were not lost, as she had not received any previous acknowledgement. This was because we were in a state of disarray at that time. It was just after the Covid pandemic, our long-time president had passed away, and we were not in good shape. Now we're functioning well with energetic new committees ready and willing to dig in and spend time getting things done. 

 

And now - back to work! Those photos aren't going to scan themselves!