Thanksgiving Recipes from Wildlands

Thanksgiving is a special time in Southeastern Massachusetts. Evidence of its rich regional traditions is easy to find on both our natural landscape and our dining room tables. Connecting the two is a legacy of local agriculture, producing the cranberries, poultry, and produce that help define our region. The Community Garden at Davis-Douglas Farm is Wildlands’ small homage to the farming culture that built the communities we serve. Read on for delectable recipes inspired by our Community Garden and the culinary hallmarks of Southeastern Massachusetts.

Cranberries for sale at the Fresh From the Vine farm stand in West Yarmouth.

Giving Thanks from the Davis-Douglas Community Garden

By Nora Cannon, artist, cook, master gardener, and Wildlands member

So when I sit for every meal 

And say a grace, I always feel 

That I am eating rain and sun 

And fields where scarlet poppies run. 

— from “The Harvest” by Alice C. Henderson

It is with gratitude and joy that I share several fall recipes with you. Gratitude to Wildlands Trust, which has preserved the land and created the Community Garden space at Davis-Douglas Farm, and joy in sharing vegetables from my garden with family and friends. 

Cooked Cranberry Relish 

Every fall, I drive to a local cranberry farm for fresh, tart cranberries. If that is not feasible, every grocery store sells them. This dish can be made ahead of time and keeps well for several weeks when refrigerated. 

• 4 cups fresh cranberries 

• 1⁄2 cup to 1 cup sugar, to your sweetness preference 

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon 

• 1 cup water OR orange juice 

• Place all ingredients in saucepan over medium heat and stir. As cranberries “pop,” it will thicken. Add small amounts of extra water or juice if necessary. You’ll want a thick sauce; it will jell more when cooled. 

Roasted Root Vegetables 

This dish offers a welcome change in flavors and textures to your meal. You will create your own unique blend of vegetables and spices. Following these simple guidelines, it always comes out delicious. Like the cranberry sauce, it can be prepared or at least cut ahead of time and stored in plastic bags or a bowl. Roast with your turkey. 

• Heat oven to 400 degrees 

• 8 cups or more of a combination of at least 4 of the following: rutabaga, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and beets 

• If you do choose beets, they can be seasoned and roasted along with the other vegetables; I separate mine in foil, or they will turn everything red. 

• Cut everything the same size for even roasting. 

• In a bowl, mix 1⁄2 cup olive oil and a mixture of your favorite herbs 

• The total amount of herbs should be at least 1⁄8 cup; more if you like more robust flavor. Combine salt and pepper, plus your choice of rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, dried parsley, onion, and/or garlic powder. 

• Pour your oil/spice mix over the cut vegetables in a large bowl or on the baking sheet. Toss, making sure the vegetables are evenly coated. 

• Roast for at least 50 minutes, depending on how small you cut vegetables. Check every 20 minutes and turn the vegetables for even roasting. Roasting is complete when vegetable centers are soft. 

• Helpful hint: Vegetables can start cooking at a lower temperature while other items are in the oven. In the last few minutes, turn up the oven temperature to make the vegetables a golden brown. 

Nantucket Cranberry Pie 

Nantucket Cranberry Pie. Photo and recipe by Pioneer Woman.

By Rachel Bruce, Director of Special Projects

This recipe was first shared with me by volunteer Liz Vigorito back in 2019; she learned it from The Pioneer Woman, who adapted it from Laurie Colwin. Great recipes like this tend to stick around and evolve over time, and while you’re free to adapt it to your liking, it would be a travesty not to use the almond extract (just trust me). I’ve made this pie for my family every holiday for four years, and I thought it was time I shared the love with our Wildlands community so you, too, can enjoy this incredibly easy and utterly addictive holiday treat. Spoiler alert—you don’t even have to make a pie crust! 

Ingredients: 

Filling: 

2 cups (heaping) cranberries – this year, I’m using organic cranberries from Fresh Meadow Farm in Carver, MA 

3/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped (measure, then chop) 

2/3 cup granulated sugar – I use organic cane sugar when possible 

Unsalted butter for greasing pan 

Batter: 

1 cup all-purpose flour 

1 cup sugar 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 

2 eggs, lightly beaten 

1 tsp. pure almond extract 

1/4 tsp. salt 

Topping: 

1 tbsp. sugar 

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

2. Generously butter a cake pan or pie pan. Add the cranberries to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle on the chopped pecans, then sprinkle on 2/3 cup of the sugar.  

3. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup sugar, melted butter, eggs, almond extract, and salt. Stir gently to combine.  

4. Slowly pour the batter over the top of the cranberry pecan filling in large ribbons to evenly cover the surface. Spread gently if necessary.  

5. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. 5 minutes before removing from the oven, sprinkle the surface with 1 tablespoon sugar for a little extra crunch.  

6. Cut into wedges and serve on its own, with ice cream, or with freshly whipped cream! This pie is delicious when it’s fresh and warm, at room temp, and even cold from the refrigerator (did someone say pie for breakfast?) 

Wildlands encourages you to support regional agriculture by buying local food this holiday season. Enjoy discounts at Bay End Farm in Bourne, Nessralla Farm in Halifax, Hornstra Farms in Norwell, and Vineyard Farm in West Bridgewater by becoming a Wildlands member at wildlandstrust.org/become-a-member.

Learn more about our Community Garden at Davis-Douglas Farm at wildlandstrust.org/community-garden.

Wildlands Staff Retreats to Vermont

Wildlands staff on a hike up Mount Tom in Woodstock, Vermont, during an October retreat.

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

For four days in October, the Wildlands staff took a short break from our daily duties to reflect and recharge from a busy summer amid the breathtaking autumnal woodlands of Bridgewater, Vermont. We returned to Plymouth rested and ready to elevate our service to the people and places of Southeastern Massachusetts.  

“Putting together our 50th Anniversary Celebration in September was a full-staff, full-year effort that required new and veteran staff alike to go above and beyond their typical work duties and schedules,” said Rachel Bruce, Wildlands’ Director of Special Projects. “Taking a pause after such an undertaking and immersing ourselves in a new environment allowed our staff to better understand each other and our work in a broader context. This retreat aided us in fostering an environment of collaboration and creativity at Wildlands that will guide our work for the next 50 years.” 

Before arriving in Bridgewater on Tuesday, October 10, we made a stop at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) in Quechee. For 51 years, VINS has striven to “motivate individuals and communities to care for the environment through education, research, and avian wildlife rehabilitation.” We gained new perspective (literally) atop their Forest Canopy Walk, met avian ambassadors during a live raptor presentation, and drew inspiration for our work in Brockton from their own outdoor learning areas. 

Wildlands staff atop the Forest Canopy Walk at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science.

On Wednesday, Josh Bower from Center for Wildlife in Cape Neddick, Maine, led our staff in team-building exercises at our home base in Bridgewater. Through fun, low-stakes exercises, we learned about the diversity of experiences on our staff, and how to use this asset to our advantage. Then, Craig Sanborn of the Cardigan Highlanders Volunteer Trail Crew taught us his lessons learned from 40 years of recruiting, training, and motivating land stewardship volunteers across New Hampshire. Finally, Kirk Jones of Evolvlove Sound Therapy led us in a meditative sound bath, using singing, crystal, and bronze bowls to promote deep relaxation. 

We made good use of our last full day in Vermont. In a staff meeting led by President Karen Grey, we reviewed our five-year strategic plan, assessing our progress toward our goals and reaffirming our organizational values. Then, Suzanne Belleci and Fabio Ayala of the Amherst College Center for Restorative Practices presented “Approaches to Conflict Resolution,” a workshop that challenged our preconceived notions about interpersonal conflict and offered new paths forward. To end the retreat on a high note, we took to the mountains, hiking Mount Tom in Woodstock before exploring the city below. 

Team-building exercises with Josh Bower from Center for Wildlife.

Around these scheduled activities, Wildlands staff had plenty of time to bond over shared meals, yoga workshops led by Rachel, and heated matches of foosball and ping pong, from which our multitalented President, Karen Grey, emerged victorious. 

A full month since we returned from our retreat, the Wildlands staff is still benefiting from the camaraderie we built and the time we took out of our hectic schedules to take stock of our work and imagine a bold new future for regional conservation. We will continue to apply what we learned at the retreat to advancing our mission across Southeastern Massachusetts! 

Remembering Allison Gillum

By Karen Grey, President

In 2011, Wildlands embarked on a commitment to support and mentor the next generation of land trust practitioners with our early adoption of the MassLIFT (Land Initiative for Tomorrow) AmeriCorps program. Our first round of AmeriCorps members did not disappoint; Alex Etkind, Sarah Kugel, and Allison Gillum were bright, enthusiastic, eager-to-learn young conservationists who were a delight around the office. This impressive trio spent two years with us, and their work opened strategic opportunities for Wildlands that are still bearing fruit over a decade later.

Allison Gillum arrived at Wildlands Trust fresh from a UPenn master's program in planning. We immediately sensed her professional abilities and excellent people skills and felt comfortable handing her a challenging assignment. The Town of Plympton, one of the most rural towns in our coverage area, was at the bottom of state rankings for conservation land. Plympton was facing a surge in development, and the Town was unprepared to address it, lacking the most basic tools, including an Open Space Plan. We tasked Allison with assisting the nascent Plympton Open Space Committee in completing the plan and building a toolbox for a land protection program. Thanks to the groundwork laid by Allison and her Plympton partners, the Town went on to protect its first significant pieces of open space, Cato’s Ridge and Churchill Park, and since then, has saved nearly 1,000 additional acres of conservation land.

Allison was a bright light and, to no one’s surprise, went on to do fantastic work as a Land Protection Specialist at the Piscataquog Land Conservancy, as the Executive Director of the Southeast Alaska Land Trust, and as a Land Specialist for the U.S. Forest Service. We learned recently that this amazing woman succumbed to a cardiac arrest while giving birth to her second child. We are so saddened by her loss and are reminded how lucky we are to have had this amazing person as part of the Wildlands staff.

Town of Avon Earns Grant to Expand D.W. Field Park

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

Local, regional, and state partners convened at D.W. Field Park to celebrate an award to expand the park.

Since its inception, Wildlands Trust’s D.W. Field Park Initiative has striven to revitalize the beloved open space in Brockton and Avon through education, outreach, planning, and restoration. Physical expansion was hardly on our radar; comprising 700 acres in the heart of our region’s most populous city, D.W. Field Park seemingly had little room to grow.

Yet less than two years into the Initiative, D.W. Field Park is set to receive a modest yet meaningful boost to its open space portfolio. On August 27, government officials and nonprofit partners convened at D.W. Field Park to celebrate the award of $1.5 million from the Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grant program to the Town of Avon for the purchase of 32 acres adjacent to the urban park. 

Wildlands President Karen Grey (left) speaks to the group.

Wildlands raised $450,000 in private funding to support the grant proposal, which will also expand our revitalization efforts of D.W. Field Park north and west of our current project area. The award will also fund another semester of partnership with the Conway School, from which two graduate students provided crucial design input last spring. 

“There are only two significant undeveloped open space assemblages contiguous with the park, and we were fortunate that one was owned by an individual who wanted to see his land become part of the park,” Wildlands President Karen Grey said. “The Town of Avon was a lead partner in putting together this exciting project.”  

The project awaits final approval from a town meeting later this fall. 

From left: Wildlands Communications Coordinator Thomas Patti, State Senator Michael Brady, Wildlands President Karen Grey, and Wildlands Director of Special Projects Rachel Bruce.

Thank you to Secretary Rebecca Tepper of the MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, City of Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan, State Senator Michael D. Brady, State Representative Michelle DuBois, Town of Avon Selectman Eric Beckerman, and many others for voicing your support of this exciting new project! 

To learn more about our D.W. Field Park Initiative, visit wildlandstrust.org/dwfieldpark. 

Stay tuned for updates as this project and the larger D.W. Field Park Initiative march on.

Photos: Wildlands Celebrates 50th Anniversary

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

Board Chair Sam Chapin delivers remarks at Wildlands’ 50th Anniversary Celebration.

On Saturday, September 23, Wildlands Trust celebrated its 50th anniversary in the company of over 300 partners, neighbors, and friends from across Southeastern Massachusetts and beyond. The rain was no match for the camaraderie and good cheer of the Wildlands community, which gathered at Davis-Douglas Farm to honor the people and places that make our region a special place to live, work, and play.

Central to these commemorative efforts was our “50 Remarkable Years, 50 Remarkable People” gallery in the Conservation Barn. Photos, videos, and written profiles showcased the immense contributions of 50 key Wildlands partners.

Just outside the barn doors, event attendees got up close and personal with live owls, courtesy of Mark and Marcia Wilson of Eyes on Owls. Live music from the Louise Adams Acoustic Duo and the Pan Loco Steel Band created a lively atmosphere throughout the day. Local food trucks offered innovative and scrumptious meals, and guided walks gave guests the chance to explore the historic Davis-Douglas property.

Thank you to all who celebrated with us! A special thanks to the volunteers, sponsors, and vendors who generously provided time and resources to help us create an unforgettable event.

Missed out on the fun? Wildlands will host multiple smaller celebrations through the winter and spring. Follow us online for updates!

Click through the gallery below for sights from our 50th Anniversary Celebration. Photographers included volunteers Cierra Isakson and Paul Carey.

Celebration attendees admire a Great Horned Owl.

Celebration attendees share a laugh under an umbrella.

A rainy celebration-day hike to the Beech Tree Clearing at Emery Preserve.

A young guest admires a Eurasian Eagle-Owl.

Celebration attendees gather under a tent.

Taxidermy birds from the Town of Plymouth's wildlife education trailer.

Wildlands President Karen Grey addresses the crowd.

Celebration attendees hug an oak tree.

A young guest poses with autumnal decorations.

Wildlands Office Manager Tom D'Allessandro mans the merchandise table.

Davis-Douglas Farm during the celebration.

The Louise Adams Acoustic Duo performs.

Marcia Wilson presents a Northern Saw-whet Owl.

A young guest admires an American Kestrel.

Marcia Wilson presents two Eastern Screech-Owls.

The busy raffle table.

Wildlands President Karen Grey drives a golf cart.

Morrison's Home & Garden displays native plants.

IndieFerm Brewing served beer, wine, and kombucha.

The Pan Loco Steel Band performs.

Photographer Drew Lederman and Wildlands Programming Coordinator Max Phelps.

Guests explore the "50 Remarkable Years, 50 Remarkable People" gallery.

The bustling Conservation Barn.

Welcoming faces at the registration table.

Wildlands Director of Special Projects Rachel Bruce distributes raffle tickets.