Well, life in Chelmsford is starting to enter that rhythm again. The windows are open tonight, and the air has that cool stillness that only seems to happen in late spring before summer really kicks the door in. I was gently woken up by the sound of the train whistle...

From Hot Metal to ADA Access… and What It Really Costs Over Time Before getting into this, a quick note. COSS is a 501(c)(3) organization. We support improvements to open space and accessibility, but we do not support or oppose any specific articles before this...

It does not take much for something odd to show up in my feed, and today was no different. This morning it was something about the Exeter UFO Festival coming up this September in Exeter, New Hampshire. It is not just a random event either. The whole thing traces back...

This is a story I wanted to share: https://apnews.com/article/dyslexia-trump-newsom-insults-learning-disability-53e47ca7c7d4d0d16eb42a9a012a85e0 Why? Because I am actually dyslexic. Growing up, it was a stigma and a battle. I moved between numerous schools. Some were...

Farming in Chelmsford has changed a lot, even just in the last 20 years I have been watching it. Twenty years ago we still had some larger farms. Warren Farm, Lewis Farm, Parlee, and a few others. Today that model is mostly gone. What we have now is a patchwork of...

I just saw the photos from DPW hydroseeding the disturbed areas at Koulas, and honestly, it stopped me in my tracks. The views are just stunning. Rolling hills, old stone walls, those massive hardwood trees, and the way the afternoon sun hits the fields. The stone...

Located at the junction of three old farm roads out at Koulas Farm is something that stopped me in my tracks a bit. Not because it was big or dramatic, but because it just didn’t fit. It felt like it had a purpose. I did not notice it the first few times through. That...

I spent some time digging into the Chelmsford side of the cranberry bog dam, and like plenty of things in town, once you start pulling on the thread, the story gets a lot bigger than what you see from the trail. Most people walk out there and see a pond and a path....

I got an interesting email today and wanted to put this out there and see if there is any interest. I was asked if I would be willing to lead a walk-out at the cranberry bog and talk through what is actually going on with the water out there. Not just the main dam,...

While reviewing maps as I started to think about putting together a walk to all the water control points at the bog, I came across this spot again. It reminded me of something I had been meaning to take a closer look at, but like numerous things, it kept getting...

Well before I head off for school today, I found myself out in the yard doing some tree work. Funny how that goes; you start trimming a branch and the mind starts drifting. This morning it went all the way back to 2013 and the year we almost lost all the apple trees...

The fair at Bartlett Park was a lot of fun today. John Ray and I spoke with plenty of people, and the feedback was really helpful. One thing that stood out right away is that people are enjoying the longer posts and the local information. A few said they did not even...

This morning feels like a turning point at Koulas. At 9:00 a.m., one of our John Deere lawnmowers rolls in, repaired, tuned up, and ready to get back to work. It is being loaned from COSS to the Friends of Koulas Farm to cut and care for the family-friendly areas...

Crooked Spring—A Walk Through Time, Water, and Change Today I had a little spare time, so I went down to take a look at the dam and the lower part of Crooked Spring. That pond, the dam, and the area below it have a long history, along with a few challenges that have...

Well, this is an exciting day for open space. The new ADA section at Koulas Farm is completed. It is a short walkway out to a lookout over the main right-side fields, and it opens up a beautiful view of the land. An ADA table will be added so those with mobility needs...

Occasionally I fall into one of those rabbit holes that starts with a simple question and ends with me surrounded by tabs, old documents, and more curiosity than answers. This one started easy. Burning season in Massachusetts runs January 15 to May 1. So why in...

Every once in a while a simple question comes up on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail… where do you get water? If you use the Chelmsford section, you already know the answer. You bring it with you, or you know where to step off into town. That is how the older sections of...

Lately there has been a lot of talk about the Agricultural Commission, so it is probably worth stepping back and explaining what it is and why it matters right now. The Chelmsford Agricultural Commission was formed under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40 Section...

ou could hear them before you saw anything. That’s usually how it starts this time of year. John Ray was out at Koulas talking about peepers, and if you’ve ever been there on the right night, you know exactly what he means. It’s not one or two frogs. It’s a wall of...

Yesterday was April 1st, a day for tricks and a little fun. I didn’t do anything this year, but it got me thinking about some of the ones I’ve pulled over the years. There have been a few, but one still stands out as a classic. This goes back maybe 10 years at Heart...

The big push for ADA improvements across town is clearly underway, and you can start to see it taking shape in a few key spots. At Sunny Meadow, new raised beds are going in along with a properly graded path to the garden area. That’s a meaningful step forward for...

Chelmsford TLDR—April 2026 You may have seen the term “TLDR” before. It stands for “Too Long, Didn’t Read.” In this case, it’s meant in a good way. Chelmsford produces numerous agendas, minutes, and documents every month across multiple boards. There is a lot of good...

Yesterday’s Volunteer Day was actually more than just a volunteer day. It was a window into where we are in Chelmsford as a community. Over 35 groups attended. But the real story is not just who came. It is who was missing, the mix of groups, and what they were saying...

Because of our deep, institutional knowledge of Chelmsford over the past 20+ years, COSS has naturally become a bit of a community connection point. We are easy to reach, we respond quickly, and we try to help wherever we can. Somewhere along the way, we ended up...

“What’s in a name?” – William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2 After my last post, which ended up getting over 13,000 views, it was pretty clear this topic struck a chord. That tells me one thing. If I did not fully understand it, there is a good chance...

Swung by Sunny Meadow this morning, and the memorial area looks very different. I fully understand this is a starting point and there is still cleanup and new work ahead. That is part of any project like this. The good news is there is no noticeable damage to the pad...

The town has actually been great about allowing us some time to remove the community tool shed, and that has mattered. COSS has plenty of tools that are loaned out to local community groups and used on-site for volunteer workdays. Tools from that shed have supported a...

One of the hidden gems in town is the Veterans Breakfast at the Senior Center, and I think some people either do not know about it or may have the wrong idea about who it is for. Do you need to be a senior? Absolutely not. Veterans of all ages are welcome and...

I’ve seen a few questions come up about the raised gardens at the Senior Center, and I was there today, so here is the straight answer on how it works. If you are interested in getting a plot, it is done through a lottery. You do need to be over 60 or a senior center...

As with a lot of what we do for summer programs, this one started the same way most of our ideas do. A conversation. A “what if.” Nothing formal yet, just kicking things around and seeing what might work for the community. One of the things COSS has always tried to do...