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v Two kidfriendly establishments are offering free admission on select days this summer. The Discovery Museum in Acton hosts First Friday Nights Free, with nocost admission to explore the museum and Discovery Woods on June 3 from 4:30 7:30 p.m. Reservations are required and can be made 10 days in advance.
x Strawberries, spinach and kale are the top offend ers on this year’s Dirty Dozen list, an annual ranking of the most pesticideladen produce by the nonprof it advocacy organization Environmental Working Group.
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Long Hill, a Trustees estate with lush gardens and walking paths in Beverly, is offering nocost admission once a month through September. The stunning house and gardens, woodland trails, and horticultural learning campus will open for free this month on June 24. Preregistration is required.
Also among the top 12: collard and mustard greens, nectarines, apples, grapes, bell and hot peppers, cherries, peaches, pears, celery and tomatoes. Kale, collard and mustard greens, hot peppers and bell peppers had the most pesticides, according to the group. A single sample of kale, collard and mustard greens had up to 21 different pesticides.
x A new Little Free Library opened at the YWCA of Central Massachusetts Westborough Early Education Childcare Center.
Onions, papaya, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, hon eydew melon, kiwi, cabbage, mushrooms, cantaloupe, mangoes, watermelon and sweet potatoes were also on the “clean” list. Nearly 70% of the fruits and veg gies on the list had no detectable pesticide residues, while just under 5% had residues of two or more pes ticides, the report said.
w The state Department of Recreation will offer free “Learn to Swim” classes at various DCRmanaged pools this summer.
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The lessons are available on a firstcome first serve basis to children ages 4plus and will be held in three, twoweek sessions. Children must be at least 4 years old by the first lesson. Check your local DCR swimming pool’s website to be alerted to when lessons are announced and for registration information. You can find a list of DCR pools at mass.gov/swimming poolswadingpoolsandspraydecks.
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Want produce with the least amount of pesticides? Avocados, sweet corn and pineapple topped the group’s “Clean Fifteen.”
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The group recommends consuming organic versions of these fruits and vegetables if possible, to limit exposure to pesticides.
The Little Free Library will make antiracist literature freely acces sible to children and adults in the community. It’s the second Little Free Library installed in Westbor ough; the first was installed on Juneteenth last year at 27 Olde Coach Road. A map of other book sharing boxes in the state is at littlefreelibrary.org.
x New nature workbooks for kids are building nature literacy and knowl edge while also supporting Mass Audubon. The nonprofit teamed up with North Adamsbased Storey Publishing to create Nature Smarts, a series that just launched with two books featuring outdoor science experiments, puzzles, and handson projects based on the organization’s acclaimed nature camp curriculum. The workbooks, for ages 4 to 6 and 7 to 9, introduce kids to the investigation method, geology, earth science, wildlife habits, and basic botany. With activities to do indoors and outdoors, these books are sure to keep kids engaged all summer. Available wherever books are sold, including all Mass Audubon gift shops, Nature Smarts Workbooks $9.95 each with proceeds providing financial aid to Mass Audubon summer programs at wildlife sanctuaries across the state.
