Throughout high school I worked for the city in the landscape crew fixing front lawns ruined by snow plows or sewer renovations. One of the primary, and more memorable, experiences from that job was walking the streets behind a chipper and loading all the residents’ brush through rotating drums ready to suck in your arm as easily as the maple branches ripping at your legs – it was stressful and exhausting.

Funny thing, I still like the sites, sounds and smells of a chipper and I indulged again Saturday during the TWL work party. A group of 8-10 volunteers arrived at the old M & E (I heard at least three different explanations for “M & E”) tree farm to clear the invasives which included some monstrous scotch broom.

I arrived a bit late and the chipping and clearing had already started.

As we hauled pile after pile of debris over the growing field of stumps I stumbled more than once but never once went down.

Finally, after four hours of work we cleared a fraction of the property – and before the snow too – look at how good it looks!

That’s some quality mulch.

We’ll be back M & E – we’re not done.