Field Notes
by Peter B Brace

Why the turtle crossed the road

No r m a l l y, you see their little heads nudging up through the reedy surface of ponds, not dragging their crusty shells across island roads, practically begging to be made into turtle pancakes.

But it is a fact of life for female turtles in June, who are looking for safe places to lay their eggs, according to an advisory from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife).

Spotted, painted and snapping turtles are out of their watery element and cruising upland areas near their home ponds, bogs and swamps, and in many situations, this means crossing heavily traveled roads to find that ideal egg-laying spot. For those drivers with the time and safe conditions on Nantucket's roads, MassWildlife is asking for help in getting turtles across roads.

If you spot one in the road and can find a safe place to pull over, pick up snapping turtles by their tails with their bellies toward your legs, and painted and spotted turtles by the edges of their shells, and carry them to side of the road. Do not take them back in the direction from which they came, as this will put them at risk of being hit as they try to cross again. If you want learn about these turtles, check out www. mass.gov/dfwele/ dfw/nhesp/ conser vation/ herps/turtle_tips. htm.

Dreamland becomes farmland for the summer

Instead of popcorn, Raisinettes and soda pop, the Nantucket Dreamland Foundation this summer is offering honey from Nantucket flowers, crafts by islanders, fruit and vegetables grown in gardens all over the island, and delicious homemade baked goods.

From 9 a.m. to noon on June 28 through Aug. 2, the Nantucket Farmers & Artisans Market will be held in the parking lot behind the Dreamland Theater at 18 Easy St. In addition to island fruit, vegetables and bakery items, the market will be selling plants, herbs, cut flowers and eggs along with pottery and jewelry. The market will also have live music this season. There will be prizes for market patrons who walk, cycle or ride the Nantucket Regional Transit Authority buses to the market.

The farmers market will return to its original location in the parking lot of the Nantucket New School at 15 Nobadeer Farm Road Aug. 9 to Oct. 1.

Hazardous waste day is on Saturday

Is your garage packed with dangerous chemicals, used motor oils and buckets of spent batteries? Don't go running into the moors with your toxic waste. Hang in there and think of the treasures of the open space we all share and the contamination and damage your lethal waste would inflict on our precious wilderness. The June hazardous waste collection day, hosted by the Department of Public Works at the landfill, is this Saturday. This hazmat day is also one of three collection days for commercial operations generating very small quantities of toxic waste.

Bring all of your nasty liquids and solids out to the garage at 188 Madaket Road from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. To get there, take the third entrance to the landfill property coming from town and the first coming from Madaket. For a complete listing of what you can and can't unload, check out HYPERLINK "http://www. nantucket-ma.gov/departments/ dpw.html" www.nantucketma. gov/departments/dpw.html , scroll down and click on the link for household hazardous waste or call 228-7244.