Tip Top Tulips is at it’s peak beauty, just in time for Mother’s Day!
Tip Top Tulips is located at 20 Lowes Lane in Ipswich (Rt. 133), behind the Dairy Queen.
For more information visit the Felix Family Farm website here.
My friend Paul and his Dad have created one of the most enchanting family fun experiences imaginable. Tip Top Tulips beckons with rows and rows of exuberantly hued perfectly symmetrical cups of joy. Charlotte and I came home with an armful, that she easily picked herself. There are lovely and large Darwin Tulips, fancy Parrot Tulips, delicate Lily-flowered Tulips, Fringed Tulips, my favorite – the “Broken” Tulips with multi colored swirls, and many, many more varieties in a symphony of scintillating shades.
Paul and Paul Wegzyn, owners Tip Top Tulips, Ipswich
The afternoon we visited, there were dozens of families picking flowers and taking photos. Benches and chairs are placed strategically throughout the field for optimum portrait taking. Even though the light was not cooperating, as is so often the case on a New England afternoon in springtime, it didn’t stop us from having lots of fun and we managed to take some sweet photos for a lovely memento.
In the love language of flower giving, tulips symbolize a deep and perfect love, and also rebirth. Treat your Mom to a very special gift for Mom’s Day, which is this coming Sunday, May 12th, and bring her to Tip Top Tulips! Sundays are especially fun at TTTulips, with picnic areas, lobster roll truck, goat yoga classes, and a very friendly collection of farm animals.
Tip Top Tulips is located at 20 Lowes Lane in Ipswich (Rt. 133), behind the Dairy Queen.
For more information visit the Felix Family Farm website here.
Save Salt Island Friends Jayne and Andy write,
Hello protectors of Salt Island,
The agenda for the Conservation Commission meeting tonight, Wednesday April 20th, has been updated and the proponents of RDA-1703 Salt Island have requested a continuance to May 4, 2022. The administrative record for this application has also been moved from April 20, 2022 to May 4, 2022.
Andy and I are still planning to attend to observe the vote of the request for continuation, but based on all of the past meetings, it will likely pass. We are letting you know since your time is valuable and it would be unfortunate to have you attend unnecessarily. Of course, if you still want to attend… GREAT! We will continue to watch for any changes to the application between now and May 5th.
Thank you again for your patience and perseverance.
Warm regards,
Jayne and Andy
Martignetti’s plan drawing for Salt Island McMansion (Martignetti Family now called Salt Island LLC)
Martignetti’s proposed future dream house for Salt IslandWhy goats are a terrible idea for a coastal ecosystem
Goats used to control vegetation in places like Central Park and cemeteries have had some success however, these locations are not fragile coastal ecosystems. Goats are not discriminating and will eat everything in their path. To eradicate PI, you must dig it up by the roots.
Salt Island is an oasis of native plants and shrubs. Natural, largely undisturbed habitats, like Salt Island, provide refuge and food for resident and migrating birds alike. Note in the photo below, which was taken at the time of installing the fence posts, the beautiful native vegetation growing at the Island.
We need to point out that the fallacy stated by Mr. Matignetti at the Conservation Committee meeting,”Poison Ivy is an invasive species,” is incorrect. Poison Ivy is a native North America plant and is known for its value to wildlife. Poison Ivy flowers bloom early in the spring, providing nectar to myraid species of bees and other pollinators. The fruit of Poison Ivy is consumed by dozens and dozens of songbird species. The berries provide much needed sustenance in the late summer, fall, and winter. These are just some of the birds that eat PI fruits: Northern Flicker, Bobwhite. Quail, Eastern Phoebe, Cedar Waxwing, woodpeckers, Tufted Titmouse, and American Robin.
Granted, Poison Ivy is not a plant you want to become entangled with but the entire Island does not need the vegetation eradicated under the guise of removing PI.
There are shorebirds, ducks, and gulls nesting at Salt Island, along with a highly productive shellfish bed. Lobsters are caught off the shores of Salt Island and baby lobsters need fresh, uncontaminated water. We do not want goat feces and goat worms contaminating this vibrant coastal ecosystem!
Typical fencing used for goat vegetation control is three feet tall livestock fencing- 
unlike the fence posts that have been installed at Salt Island, which are permanently bolted into the granite rocks.
Fence posts permanently bolted to the granite at Salt Island
Notice how far the fence posts go down on the left. This is not a “keep in the goats” fence line, but a “keep out the people fence line.”
Ward 1 Salt Island Councilor Scott Memhard smemhard@gloucester-ma.gov
Melissa Cox mcox@gloucester-ma.gov
John McCarthy jmccarthy@gloucester-ma.gov
Jamie O’Hara johara@gloucester-ma.gov
Barry Pett bpett@gloucester-ma.gov
Steven LeBlanc sleblanc@gloucester-ma.gov
Valerie Gilman vgilman@gloucester-ma.gov
Sean Nolan snolan@gloucester-ma.gov
Jen Holmgren jholmgren@gloucester-ma.gov
Joanne Senos City Clerk jsenos@gloucester-ma.gov
Photos of fence post installation May 12, 2021 –
Exploring fun at Salt Island