Sled Dog Races Postponement Comes as Temps are in the 60s

The 2013 edition of the New England Sled Dog races have been postponed to February.

As temperatures rose in the 60s on Monday, the announcement came that this year’s New England Sled Dog Races at Appleton Farms have been postponed until February. The races were originally scheduled for the coming weekend, Jan. 19-20. The new date is Feb. 2-3. The announcement was made on Monday afternoon on the Facebook page for the races. “The races have been postponed until February 2-3,” the message stated. “See you there!” It is the second straight year that the races had to be postponed because of a lack of snow. Last year’s races, which were originally scheduled for mid-January, were postponed to the backup February date and then postponed altogether to 2013 after barely any snow fell. The races require two things – frozen ground …

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Sled Dog Races 'Coming Back Strong'

After a nearly snowless winter forced the sled dog races in Hamilton to be cancelled in 2012, the races plan to return in January 2013.

The New England Sled Dog races plan to return to Hamilton again this winter after being completely cancelled last year because of a nearly snowless winter. “We’re coming back strong,” said Robert Henrici, co-chairman of the races and its non-profit organizer, Friends of New England Sled Dog Club Races. The most important thing right now isn’t snow, Henrici said, but instead that temperatures are cold enough for the ground to freeze solid. Solid ground is needed to use the parking area. And Henrici isn’t worried about whether it will snow or not. There’s "a lot of moving parts” plus “nuts and bolts” to get worked out, he said, and “I can’t worry about the things that I can not control.” What is under the control of organizers is coming …

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Sled Dog Races Cancelled for This Winter, Organizers Look Forward to 2013

The warm and snowless winter has forced the New England Sled Dog Races to be cancelled for this year.

The New England Sled Dog Races – already postponed once because of warm weather and lack of snow – have now been cancelled for 2012. The races were originally planned for mid-January at Appleton Farms Grass Rides, and were then postponed to this weekend, Feb. 4-5. But late last week, the organizing committee decided that the races would be cancelled for this year. “The whole committee is disappointed,” said Vanessa Stasiuk-Cottle, the event organizer. Even though it’s just the middle of the winter, there’s no more dates left to move the race. The rest of the races circuit has weekend dates booked through the end of the winter. “All the races dates are taken up for the club,” said Stasiuk-Cottle. “There are no other dates, unfortunately.” …

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'Prescribed Fires' Begin This Weekend at Appleton Farms

Beginning this weekend, state officials and the Hamilton Fire Department will works with the Trustees of the Reservations to set "prescribed fires" at Appleton Farms Grass Rides.

A series of prescribed fires are planned for weekends this fall at Appleton Farms Grass Rides, beginning this Saturday. About three to four acres will be burned each time at the Grass Rides, off Highland Street and Cutler Road in Hamilton. The technique that is used will mean that one acre will burn at a time to minimizing smoke and the threat to public safety and property from the possibly of a larger, uncontrolled wildfire, Trustees said in a press release issued this week announcing the prescribed fires. The Trustees of the Reservation, which owns Appleton Farms, along with the Hamilton Fire Department and state Department of Conservation and Recreation Bureau of Fire Control will conduct the fires on weekends, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m…

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Meet Your Neighbor

Wenham Woman Often Seen on the Trails and on the Water

Do you know local adventurer Carey Nielsen?

Name: Carey (Caroline) Nielsen   Where do you live? Eddel Avenue, Wenham.   Family: Two kids and one dog, Lulu.   Occupation: Currently a career advisor/life coach for SpaTech in Ipswich. Also a tour guide for Essex River Basin Adventures and guide for an Head Out Adventures/Global Expeditions Club. Recent tours include Costa Rica, India, Nepal and Tibet. Hobbies and Interests: Played in a women's soccer league for 12 years; travel; mountain bike; kayak; ski and hike. Just took up sailboat racing. Currently involved in Integrative Institute for Nutrition to become a certified holistic health counselor.   Favorite Movie: "Sound of Music" or "African Queen" Dream Vacation: Australia and New Zealand, Thailand and Indonesia, Easter Island. Too…

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