THE COWLES PARCEL. 3.4 acres, donated in 1974 by
Mr. and Mrs. Sheffield Cowles.
For centuries, Farmington people drove their cows
down to the river and into the fields for pasturage -
either bringing them back at evening for milking or
keeping them in “summer quarters” for the season.
One could cross by bridge, or ford the river near the
gristmill to reach Indian Neck; or cross the old stone
bridge over the Pequabuck to reach fields south of the
river. The bridge, a classical span dating from 1835,
was considered for demolition but spared in the 1970’
s when a new span was built. Today, the ancient
bridge, the river, and the lovely Cowles parcel just to
the west form a small and charming environment just
right for dog walking, bird watching or cross-country
skiing.
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The Pequabuck River wraps around the northern boundary beneath the
ample Georgian mansion of playwright Winchell Smith. The setting thus
reflects many aspects of our history: early settlement, immigration, industry,
dairying, our literary past, and 365 years of farming. It was probably also a
campsite of Compte de Rochambeau and his troops on their way through to
or from Yorktown in 1781/82. The field will be kept open by twice-a-year
cuttings, avoiding nesting times of resident birds. The parcel positively reeks
of history – one has only to amble along the Conklin Nature Trail look around
and breathe the air!
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Last year, over 30 Green Team members took to the stage at West Woods
Upper Elementary to present “Get A Green Grip”, an environmusical created in-
house to support the message that kids ought to take up stewardship now,
rather than waiting to see what’s left of the environment once they reach
adulthood. The group is planning to reprise the environmusical in the spring,
perhaps expanding to a second gig to challenge kids in Avon to get involved as
well.
Green Team has also been looking into the Oceans Crisis. The widening list
of exhausted fisheries – as well as the destructive methods of many modern
fishing fleets - have emerged as areas where Green Team members have
expressed interest in making a difference. With several area restaurants doing
trade in species nearing the brink, Green Team members want to make sure
that business owners are fully aware of their connection to ocean issues.
Watch for continuing efforts to improve the local environment from this
energetic and committed group of young people.
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The land was the gift of Mr. and Mrs. Sheffield Cowles.
They purchased it from the Root family, who were
evidently successors to colonial-era Cowleses. It
adjoins land originally granted to Farmington’s first
minister Roger Newton and later passed down
through Hooker and Cowles families. The small home
of one of Farmington’s early Italian [Lenolese]
immigrants stands adjacent to the ancient bed of the
Farmington Canal a few yards to the east.
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October 2005 - Green Team Work Party
Report
The global invitation to come out on the environment’s
side says simply: “Think global; act local.” “Local”
may lack in cuddly endangered animals and exotic
plant life, but students at Farmington’s IAR Middle
School are finding plenty to do by focusing on their end
of “local”.
On a beautiful Saturday morning in October 2005, 91
IAR students -- members of IAR’s “Green Team” --
reported to the riverbanks of the Farmington River to
remove a year’s worth of debris from the riverbank and
shallows in three heavily used sites within town
borders. Over a half-ton of debris was removed by the
work crew, including several buckets worth of broken
glass. (Not to worry, moms: students were provided
gloves). The work party was especially pleased to
remove an abandoned gas tank and a twisted “bicycle
carcass” from the riverbed. Nine parent volunteers,
three IAR faculty members, and eight high school
students who are starting up a student-run Green
Team at Farmington High School also joined ranks for
the Cleanup.
IAR’s Green Team was started just over two years ago
at the middle school. Coming to life in an era where
the Board of Ed has had to make student activity
budget cuts, the program is self-funded from bake
sales, drives to collect discard inkjet cartridges and
cell phones for refunds, and an annual Tag (or
“Reuse”) Sale. The group’s founder/advisor, John
Berry, is a science teacher at IAR, and advised the
club as a volunteer.
To date, Green Team student initiatives have
implemented composting of cafeteria fruit and
vegetable scraps and a weekly collection of
classroom waste paper, separated from regular trash
by being disposed of in classroom recycle bins. The
environmental group also runs the Recycleappolis
500, an event that invites students to build race cars
mainly out of materials that can be placed in
Farmington curbside recycle bins. The race-for-
distance down the schools ramps is largely just for
fun and friendly homeroom competition, though
learning about items that can now be recycled in town
is an intended benefit.
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