\u201cApril showers bring May flowers.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Salisbury Township, they also bring \u201cNo Mow May.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners at its April 9 meeting voted unanimously 5-0 to designate May 2026 as \u201cNo Mow May.\u201d<\/p>\n
What is \u201cNo Mow May\u201d and why did the township commissioners back it?<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s go to the April 15 meeting of the Salisbury Township Environmental Advisory Council, which recommended the resolution.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt allows the dandelions to bloom so that the pollinators have something to eat,\u201d Maria Rodale, who is on the EAC, said at the meeting.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition, it allows the butterflies and fireflies to be born,\u201d Alexander Arruda, EAC chairperson, said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have wild violets and wild strawberries in my yard,\u201d Heather Lipkin, Salisbury Township Commissioner and EAC liaison, said.<\/p>\n
Pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths and birds facilitate the reproduction of 75% of flowering plants and 35% of global food crops, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.<\/p>\n
Kerry Rabold, Salisbury Township Director of Community Development and EAC secretary, said that during May, the Salisbury Township Code Enforcement Office will not issue notices for long grass and weed violations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe township passed a resolution. We will not be enforcing the 6-inch grass height limit,\u201d Rabold said, adding, \u201cWe\u2019re not enforcing that it must be mowed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s optional. They can choose to not mow their lawn or mow their lawn. It\u2019s an optional thing,\u201d Rabold continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe word \u2018optional\u2019 is going to be key,\u201d Salisbury Township Manager Cathy Gorman, who attended the EAC meeting, said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they have a corner property, it can\u2019t be more than 18-inches [high] because of sight regulations,\u201d Rabold said.<\/p>\n
Township residents, especially those who own corner properties, are encouraged to maintain clear sight lines for safety and keep areas around walkways and homes trimmed to help minimize pests like ticks.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t have pests in there, such as a rat\u2019s nest,\u201d Rabold said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll promote it again and we\u2019ll send out another email,\u201d Rabold said of \u201cNo Mow May.\u201d<\/p>\n
By the way, the saying, \u201cApril showers bring May flowers,\u201d has a centuries-old pedigree.<\/p>\n
According to Michelle Yastremsky, on the website, 1-800-Flowers.com, the phrase is said to have originated in a 1157 poem by Thomas Tusser.<\/p>\n
States Yastremsky: \u201cThe poem can be found in the April section of a collection of his [Tusser] writings titled \u2018A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry.\u2019 It goes: Sweet April showers, do spring May flowers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yastremsky noted that poet Geoffrey Chaucer had a version of the adage in his \u201cThe Canterbury Tales\u201d (1387-1400).<\/p>\n
The paean to spring is not to be confused with the Japanese manga magazine series (2016 – 2022) and Sony Pictures Crunchyroll anime romantic comedy TV show, \u201cApril Shower Bring May Flowers\u201d (beginning 2025).<\/p>\n
In other business at the April 15 EAC meeting, the concept of 250 minutes of service to honor the America250 anniversary was discussed. The commemoration is of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, culminating July 4.<\/p>\n
Salisbury Township events for America250 includes a cleanup, tentatively set for June 6, of Walking Purchase Park, coordinated with Valley Mountain Bikers, the Salisbury Township Public Works Department, Salisbury Township School District and the public, whereby non-township and school district employees could each volunteer for up to 250 minutes.<\/p>\n
The EAC voted 4-0 to approve a motion to support the Walking Purchase Park cleanup and allow the township staff to coordinate.<\/p>\n
Josh Buckallew made the motion, seconded by Arruda, to bring the motion to a vote.<\/p>\n
Other township events for Amerca250 include a township time capsule and Franko Park concerts in May, with AM Radio and in September, with The Large Flowerheads.<\/p>\n
The Salisbury Township Comprehensive Plan, which is being updated, was discussed. A draft of the plan has been reviewed by a township committee.<\/p>\n
The plan is to be made available for public review in mid-May on the township website and in the municipal building.<\/p>\n
Public input will be sought at planners\u2019 meetings and at a public hearing.<\/p>\n
The Salisbury Township Planning Commission and Lehigh Valley Planning Commission will review the plan.<\/p>\n
The comprehensive plan could be adopted at an August board of commissioners\u2019 meeting.<\/p>\n
The EAC tabled discussion of \u201cBird Town USA,\u201d with plans to have a representative of the organization address the EAC.<\/p>\n
The EAC is next scheduled to meet 7 p.m. June 17, meeting room, municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.<\/p>\n
The 7 p.m. April 22 Salisbury Township Planning Commission meeting is canceled.<\/p>\n
The 7 p.m. April 23 Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners meeting is canceled<\/p>\n
The Salisbury Township Volunteer Recognition Dinner is scheduled 5:30 p.m. April 23 in the meeting room of the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.<\/p>\n
None<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cApril showers bring May flowers.\u201d In Salisbury Township, they also bring \u201cNo Mow May.\u201d The Salisbury Township Board…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":172936,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154],"class_list":["post-172935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem-headlines","tag-bethlehem-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172935","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=172935"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172935\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/172936"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=172935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=172935"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=172935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}