The Nature of Maine in May
Alewives
I am afraid of fish.
I am afraid to look at them,
to watch them struggling upstream
in the spring where the ladder begins.
Within yards of its commencement
the first dead ones begin to float down,
their eyes as blank as buttons,
their bodies floating on the surface
of the stream like leaves.
Everywhere I look there are miraculously more--
some fish already half-way to the top,
others just daring to begin.
With surging strength they fight the current
of the maze, hug its concrete, wriggle upwards
with a motion that appears stationary in the ripples
until, suddenly, they round the next bend
and slip into an eddy.
I should have come hungry to witness this,
arrived sweaty and sleepless
as I imagine them to be.
Ospreys hover overhead.
Crowds tremble on the banks,
wondering why no one thought to bring a net
--to help, or to feast?
In the pond above the ladder,
the survivors are swimming in slow circles,
catching their breath
~Mariana Tupper, Maine poet
Plants
One of the most wondrous sights in the still-brown landscape of late spring is the sun shining on the fleeting woodland blooms of the trillium plant. The native purple trillium (Trillium erectum), also known "stinking Benjamin" due to its wet-dog smell, tends to emerge in late April and early May-taking full advantage of the sun they can receive before the surrounding trees leaf out. It is a rich maroon color whereas the painted trillium (Trillium undulatum) is white with magenta markings. Please enjoy these plants in their wild setting and do not cut or transplant them (a process they almost never survive). These fragile plants only bloom after 15 years of growth, and cutting their flowers can weaken the plant and prevent its blooming again for up to seven years.
Wildlife
By early May, the first of the anadromous fish move in from coastal waters to spawn upstream in fresh water rivers and lakes. Alewives, members of the herring family, typically return first-just before leaves bud out, followed by runs of blueback herring and shad several weeks later. These small fish can migrate more than 100 miles to spawning areas but tend to cover shorter distances along many of Maine's coastal waterways (90 of which alewives use for spawning). Two good alewife-viewing spots are at the Damariscotta Mills historic fish ladder (where fish pass en route to Damariscotta Lake) and below the Fort Halifax Dam on the Sebasticook River near Winslow. While you can readily spot predatory gulls, cormorants, ospreys and eagles above the run, the alewives also provide food for dozens of other species - from salmon, bass and haddock to seals, skunks and turtles.
Local Foods
Those who have hoophouses or cold frames or know market gardeners with these great season-stretchers will be rich in fresh greens -even this early in the season. Eliot Coleman, of Harborside, Maine, advocates for the benefits of year-round gardening in Maine in his popular Four Season Harvest.
Green Tip
If you're not yet composting your food waste, the start of the growing season is a great time to begin. You can get a good overview of the basics online or read the book Home Composting Made Easy. Then set up a compost bin (from scrap timber or recycled pallets if you choose not to purchase one) and you'll soon be the beneficiary of a valuable soil supplement for your gardens or perennial beds. There are many different styles of compost bins on the market now, and free plans online to build your own-so simply choose the option that works best for your needs.
Notable May Dates
MayMay 5: Last Quarter Moon
May 10-14: Commute Another Way Week (www.gomaine.org)
May 13: New Moon
May 20: First Quarter Moon
May 27: Full Moon (Corn Planting Moon)
See downloadable tide charts and times of sunrise/sunset in May.
