Kingston, Mass. — Plymouth songwriter and musician Michael Shea will present “The Rise of the Singer/Songwriter in American Music: From Bob Dylan to Joni Mitchell to Billy Joel” on Tuesday, October 14 at 6p.m. at the Kingston Council on Aging (30 Evergreen St., Kingston, MA).
Accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, Shea will trace the development of the unique self-contained performer (lyricist, composer, singer and instrumentalist) in American popular music from 1952 through the present. This phenomenon grew out of Folk Revival of the 1960s, developed beside and against all other genres while continuing to flourish for decades. Lyrics influenced by poetry, structures borrowed from folk, country, blues, and traditional music accompanied with vocals, subjects and themes that reflected a more personal and intimate (sometimes autobiographical) vision or experience together are characteristics that distinguished the movement.
The 75-minute set will be comprised of songs that include many of the following well-known artists including Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Greg Allman, Bonnie Raitt, Jim Croce, Jackson Browne, Billy Joel and many others. Preluding each piece will be biographical facts and anecdotes about the artists and their songs.
Shea is a professional guitarist, singer, and songwriter who has performed for four decades at numerous venues, such as Bridgewater State University, the Blackthorn Tavern, the South Shore Folk Music Club, the Spire Center for the Performing Arts, and the annual Falmouth Arts Alive Festival. Most recently, he was half of the successful duo Lewis and Shea that performed “Songs and Stories of the American Folk Revival” at local senior centers and libraries on the South Shore during the spring of 2024.
This program is sponsored in part by a grant from the Kingston Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
To register for this event, please visit – https://kingstonpubliclibrary.org. For more information, you can contact Steven Miller, Reference Librarian at (781) 585-0517 x6272 or at smiller@kingstonma.gov.
A Heartfelt Goodbye
For almost two decades, I have been deeply involved in town government including 12 years serving as a selectman and 15 years as chair of the Community Preservation Committee. As the sale of my home at Just Right Farm is imminent, I write today to let you know that effective Friday, Sept. 26, I am resigning from the Plympton Board of Selectmen, Plympton Community Preservation Committee and Area 58 Board of Directors.
It has been a great honor and privilege to serve the unique little town of Plympton. Throughout, I have tried as much as possible to encourage and foster civility and transparency in town government, and especially to encourage the preserving of Plympton’s charm and unique rural character…all this while remaining ever cognizant of the substantial tax burden our citizens must bear. It is a challenging and endless battle to keep our tax rate under control while still delivering essential services.
Of the many projects in which I have been involved, I particularly savored the opportunity during my tenure to be part of the creation of three protected areas (Churchill Park/Cato’s Ridge, Two Brooks Preserve and Turkey Swamp). Each of these projects exemplifies what can be accomplished with creative, collaborative multi-sourced funding which minimized cost to taxpayers. Each, though arduous, was a fascinating and thoroughly rewarding exercise. The end result was several hundred acres preserved in perpetuity at very modest cost.
I am deeply appreciative of the chance to serve and am so very thankful for the opportunity to be purposeful. Even with the occasional bumps and inevitable bruises that are an integral part of town politics, it has been rewarding beyond measure.
While no longer living here, Kim and I will not be so far away and we will surely be rooting from the sidelines. I heartily encourage others to get involved, continue the work and make a difference even if it means stretching a little (or a lot). Don’t miss the opportunity!
Heartfelt thanks,
Mark Russo
Shawn Elyse Trice
Shawn Trice is an artist and educator who has been teaching fine arts, sculpture and pottery at Foxborough High School for over a decade. She studied at the Delaware College of Art and Design and the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she earned both her BFA and Master of Arts in Teaching.
Specializing in mixed media, Shawn explores blending medium, technique, and personal expression in ways that feel both traditional and experimental. Her work often draws upon themes of memory and connection, and the ways in which art can bridge personal expression and experience. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes creative problem solving, personal exploration, and the development of each student’s unique artistic voice.
Since moving with her family to Plympton in October 2020, Shawn quickly found herself inspired by our little town’s character and natural beauty. Shawn is currently preparing new Plympton-inspired paintings for an upcoming silent auction at the Plympton Library (Date, TBD). Shawn looks forward to sharing her work with the community, hoping it opens space to appreciate the familiar buildings and landscapes we have come to know and love.
Kingston Agricultural Commission to host Fall Fair
KINGSTON, MA, ISSUED SEPTEMBER 4, 2025…Come one, come all! Members of the Kingston Agricultural Commission are looking to build upon 2024’s successful Agricultural Fair, and what better way to do that than to host another one! The 2025 Kingston Agricultural Fair will take place on Sunday, September 21, 2025, from 1 to 4 p.m. on the grounds of the Kingston Town Hall, 26 Evergreen Street.
Admission to the event is free. Come and see what the fair has to offer including 4H members with their animals, local farmers and their animals, informational tables, the chance to see antique equipment, wooden items from locally harvested trees, alpaca products, fresh vegetables and representation from a number of Kingston Town Departments. There will be a variety of food trucks on site. There will be a drawing for a special prize as well, for a handmade braided rug by Sandy O’Fihelly. For the children there will be a clown and facepainting.
In addition, the Silver Lake Regional High School students are presenting a “Cow Plop” fundraiser which will be held during the fair. Grid tickets for the Town Hall land will be available for $20 through the school, and on the day of the fair. If a cow “goes plop” on a certain grid, the winning prizes includes a JBL speaker, $100 worth of gift cards, or $500 in cash. Monies raised will help with the cost of the senior picnic, senior dinner dance, senior prom and a class gift. The cows are provided courtesy of the 4H Club.
“2024 was a huge success and we’re hoping for another great turnout,” said Debra Mueller, the Town’s Animal Inspector. “It’s a great chance to see firsthand the importance of agriculture in our lives, and to have some fun at the same time.”
Admission is free. For additional information, please contact Agricultural Commissioner Jean Landis-Nauman, jln12@comcast.net or (339) 832-0782.
Nurturing the Past, Harvesting the Future
It is said that farming is a profession of hope. If that is the case, then Colchester Farm has been cultivating hope since 1751. Situated off a winding country road in the heart of Plympton, the eight-acre slice of heaven has a rich history of turning out vibrant, beautiful crops and feeding the community. Owned by Mary Ann Barrow -descendant of the Barrow family who started and tended the farm for generations, Colchester Farm is one of the regions oldest farms and an integral part of Plympton history.
Centuries later Colchester Farm is still thriving and feeding locals with the best of the best produce. Present day goods are started, nurtured and harvested by Jim Lough who operates the farm. Known to the town as “Farmer Jim”, you can find him ushering bountiful harvests from the barn to the farm stand and interacting with customers -often times knowing them well as regulars. “Farmer Jim” Lough, however, was not always a farmer.
With a background in lab management for cardio research in Boston and New York for eight years, Lough found himself called back to his agricultural roots. Lough grew up in Middleborough helping his father deliver eggs from their egg farm. Lough also worked at Freitas Farm picking blueberries. While immersed in city living Lough was drawn to the smaller restaurants with menus that were limited but offered high quality, locally grown food. He recounts, “I loved those places that were little city restaurants with like eight things on the menu but they had lines out the door because of the quality of what you were served.” Lough decided to come back to the farm communities he knew so well and try his hand at farming.
Once settled in the area again, Lough discovered Colchester Farm. At the time, Barrow was leasing Colchester Farm to New England Village -a residential community-based organization dedicated to serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. New England Village hired Lough to be the farm manager for Colchester Farm. After a few years, New England Village dropped the lease and transferred it to Lough who now leases and runs Colchester on his own.
Colchester Farm is long known as a vegetable farm from the beginning, but Lough established the current day honor-system farmstand and pick-your-own sunflowers every August. Overflowing with the freshest produce straight from the fields, Colchester is a hub for anyone looking for produce harvested at its peak. “I am all about quality over quantity,” Lough explains, “I offer limited produce -the classic New England vegetables that everyone likes, but I make sure they are the best quality.” Any produce that is slightly less than perfect in Lough’s eyes is offered in discount baskets but will taste just as delicious because it has been grown in the best conditions.
Colchester Farm sits in a slight basin that has been catching mineral-rich drain off from the nearby wetlands. With nutrient dense, compost accumulating soil that would make any gardener or farmer envious, Lough works with the land to bring out the full potential of every crop grown there. “We do butter and sweet corn, Sugar-Cube cantaloupe, tomatoes, squashes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers -it’s all picked at its peak so it tastes amazing.” Lough doesn’t just harvest the crops at Colchester Farm, he starts many of the crops offered at the farmstand from seed. “All the tomatoes are started from seed in the greenhouse with space heaters underneath the tables and then little tents of plastic covering are placed over the hoops above the table to create a little greenhouse in the greenhouse for each plant. It is a lot more energy efficient than running heat into the greenhouse.” Lough then transplants about 1,000 seedlings from the greenhouse out to the fields once the danger of frost has passed.
In addition to greenhouse starts, Lough direct sows many of his crops as well. “I planted about 35,000 corn this year. It’s our main crop and that’s because it is the best corn you will ever eat,” he assures. Often encouraging people to eat it raw on the cob, Lough stands confident that a sweeter corn can’t be found anywhere else. Another draw to Colchester Farm is the August pick-your-own sunflowers. The cheerful patch of late summer blooms is peppered with happy bees bounding from flower to flower and then flying back past the small pond on the farm to the rear fields where beehives are kept. “The honey from these hives tastes like corn and sunflowers,” Lough remarks.
As anyone who has tried to grow food knows, planting your crops is just the beginning of the effort required to yield a profitable harvest. From disease to pests to wildlife, Lough is constantly working to keep things healthy and abundant. “I don’t even have a commercial pesticide license so I really keep chemicals to a minimum and only apply things as ground applications if needed to make sure the food stays disease free but without a bunch of chemicals on it.” With tomato and squash fields nearly entirely devoid of disease or decay it is apparent Lough’s methods are working well.
As for keeping the local deer at bay, Lough’s approach is unorthodox though endearing. “It’s because of Dapple. Dapple my donkey is my deer control,” Lough explains. “For some reason she reacts when she senses deer in the field and her braying scares them off. And here in the sunflower patch is apparently as far as her braying noise travels because this is always the exact spot where they start eating,” Lough gestures to a clear line of sunflowers eaten and sunflowers untouched. A local celebrity of sorts, Dapple earns her keep not just in spooking the deer from the fields, but in entertaining the customers who stop by to offer donated farm stand treats in her designated container where customers are invited to add a carrot or ear of corn or apple that Lough will later give her. “She is very dramatic and she expects gifts from anyone who visits her. If you don’t have any then she basically wants nothing to do with you,” jokes Lough.
When asked what is in store for the future of the historic Colchester Farm, Lough explains that the barn was renovated last winter and readied for possible rentals for local gatherings and events. “The barn is all cozy and ready for anyone to rent for things like workshops or parties. We want to start hosting some things here as well so be on the lookout for those announcements.” In addition to plans for community gatherings, expansion is also on the horizon for Colchester to offer enough to keep up with growing demand. “It took a while to get going,” Lough explains, “But three years in and the farmstand is catching up financially and we have established a steady customer base -some of the customers are former employees of the farm who have a history here.”
With a history as rich as Colchester Farms has and an innovative, industrious farmer committed to merging time tested farming practices with modern day techniques to compete with the demands of the current day consumer, it looks like Plympton will be blessed with many more years of inimitable produce and farm-stand immersive opportunities to make the farm to table connection personal. “I love seeing the same faces come weekly -sometimes multiple times a week, and knowing I am offering them the best that I can,” Lough says in between greeting a familiar customer at the farm stand. Driving away from Colchester Farm, munching on raw, fresh-off the stalk sweet corn that is truly the best I have ever tasted, Farmer Jim can rest assured that Colchester Farm will continue to stand the test of time as an integral part of Plympton.
Seniors at Stoughton Adult Day Health Complete Digital Literacy Course
STOUGHTON, MA… Nine older adults at Stoughton Adult Day Health recently celebrated completing a six-week basic computer skills course through the “Traveling Computer Lab – Digital Literacy for Older Adults” program. Offered by Old Colony Elder Services (OCES), the program aims to bridge the digital divide and equip seniors with essential technology skills for greater confidence and independence.
The digital literacy course, tailored specifically for adults aged 60 and older, provides in-person, hands-on instruction with the goal of enhancing independence, social connectivity, and access to vital online resources. Over the span of six weeks, participants attended a total of eight engaging sessions held at their familiar community setting.
During the course, the group gained confidence using laptops. Core topics covered the basics of computer use, along with using Microsoft Windows to improve typing skills and learning how to navigate the internet.
“The class was really helpful—most older adults were hesitant to use computers before, but they feel more comfortable now,” said Armindo Rocha, Volunteer Programs Manager at OCES.
The Traveling Computer Lab is a mobile program that rotates monthly to new sites across the region, bringing digital literacy training directly to older adults in Councils on Aging, senior centers, and housing communities. By providing all necessary equipment, including laptops, Wi-Fi, and printed materials. The program removes common barriers to access and ensures participants receive personalized, step-by-step guidance at their own pace.
Through this initiative, OCES is not only teaching older adults how to use technology, but also fostering greater confidence, social connection, and safety in the digital world.
For more information about the Traveling Computer Lab or other services offered by OCES, visit ocesma.org or call (508) 584-1561.
Local West Nile Virus Threat in Addition to EEE
On August 13th the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced West Nile Virus positive mosquito samples in Plymouth and several other surrounding cities and towns. West Nile Virus is most often transmitted to humans via infected mosquitoes. West Nile Virus can affect people of all ages but people over the age of 50 are at the highest risk for severe infection. This news follows the announcement of positive mosquito samples for Eastern Equine Encephalitis in Halifax. So far 168 local mosquito samples have been positive for West Nile Virus. 80% of people infected with West Nile Virus do not show any symptoms. About one in five people develop a fever with symptoms such as headache, body aches, gastrointestinal issues, joint pains, or a rash, according to the CDC. About one in 150 people who are infected will develop a severe illness affecting the central nervous system. It is strongly advised to wear mosquito repellent when outdoors containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus and to avoid outdoor activities at dawn and dusk and to eliminate standing water in your yard.
Plympton CPC grant application period is Sept. 1 through Oct. 15
PLYMPTON – The Plympton Community Preservation Committee (CPC) is currently accepting applications for fiscal year 2027 funding. The deadline for completed applications is October 15.
Recent projects include clapboard painting and window restoration and replacement at the “Old Town House”; repair and restoration of Town Green gazebo; creation of the 150-acre “Two Brooks Preserve” off Prospect Road; funding for improvements to the playground at the Dennett Elementary School; and the purchase and preservation of almost 300 acres known as Turkey Swamp.
The CPC takes very seriously its responsibility to administer Community Preservation Act funds and is thrilled to have the opportunity to serve and improve the town through acquisition and protection of open space, historical preservation, community housing and increased recreational opportunities.
New projects selected by the CPC for further consideration will be voted on for approval at the 2026 Annual Town Meeting.
Project guidelines and applications can be found on the Plympton town website at https://www.town.plympton. ma.us/community-preservationcommittee. Click on “Documents” at the left hand side of the web page to bring up the Plympton Community Preservation Plan which includes the application and criteria.
The CPC Plan and application are also available at the Town House and at the Plympton Public Library.
Questions can be addressed by contacting CPC Chair Alan Wheelock at
alan.wheelock10@gmail.com.
Lucky driver was not injured in Brook St. pickup truck rollover
On Thursday, July 31, at approximately 1 a.m., Regional Old Colony Communications Center received a call for a motor vehicle accident in Plympton in the area of 127 Brook St.
On arrival, paramedics and Plympton Police located the operator of the vehicle walking around the scene. The vehicle struck a telephone pole and landed on it’s roof. The street was closed, and Eversource Electric responded to the scene to assess the powerlines.
The operator was not injured and released by EMS. There were no hazards on scene.
Roger Williams University grads Graduates
BRISTOL, RI – Michael Beals of Kingston and Samantha Kelley of Halifax received their degrees in May as part of the Class of 2025.
Roger Williams University is a comprehensive university with a liberal arts core and professional programs, with campuses on the coast of Bristol and in the state capital of Providence, RI.
Across eight schools of study, we provide real-world learning focused on social and environmental justice, small classes, and direct access to faculty and staff
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