AMAZING!

First Parish Unitarian Universalist Northborough

A sturdy crab apple tree grows in the front lawn, inviting the people into First Parish Unitarian Universalist in Northborough. This year it outdid itself. As the season turned from summer into fall, the apples ripened and began falling from the tree, hundreds of them. The front lawn was covered with these roly poly yellow apples. The questions was, what to do with them.

Under the creative guidance of Michael Packard, Director of Religious Education, apples were collected, and with them, a beautiful, large walking labyrinth was created on a clear section of the lawn.

There were, however, hundreds of apples still left, rolling and beginning to rot on the lawn. It seemed important to not waste them. While composting was an option, the congregation, and Michael, wanted to do something better. So on Tuesday, a group of adults and children from First Parish met, and with rakes and shovels and bare hands, scooped up the apples and piled them in cardboard boxes. When all the boxes were filled to capacity, they were loaded into cars and delivered to Balance Rock Farm in Berlin, as feed for the animals. It was your classic win-win solution. The lawn got cleared. The animals got good, healthy, locally grown food and the families got to work and laugh and play together collecting the apples.

For now, the apple labyrinth is still there for your perusal, or a meditative walk. You are welcome to come and enjoy it.

FIRST PARISH

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST

40 CHURCH STREET,

NORTHBORO, MA 01532

(508)393-6422

www.firstparishnorthboro.org