Norwood October 2016

Page 18 Local Town Pages www.norwoodtownnews.com October 2016
NATURE CALLS - Autumn Leaves – Colorful Gifts from Above
By Amy Beaumont
Ahhhhh, Fall in New England!
It is for many people their favorite
season of the year. The warm days,
crisp nights and gorgeous fall colors
are the reasons so many visitors
flock to our region. And while many
of us New Englanders curse out
loud at the very thought of cleaning
up the leaves every year, there is
good reason to consider the benefit
of the fallen foliage. It’s called composting
– and it’s a free yet highly
valuable method of feeding the
plants in our very own yards. Many
of us won’t take the time to compost
but instead head to our local garden
supply stores to pick up so-called
‘safe’ fertilizer.
Truth be told, the majority of
Shred Today.
Safe Tomorrow.
Saturday, October 22nd, 9-11:30 am
11 Central Street, Norwood
Norwood Bank cares about your privacy. We are proud to
bring back our Community Shred Day, free and open to the
public, to ensure everyone in our community can feel their
information is secure. You may bring up to two boxes* of
paper contents, including old bank statements, cancelled or
unused checks and other confidential documents.
us are largely unaware of just how
damning these products are. In my
research of these dangerous products
for both this piece and earlier
ones, the sobering facts were vast.
The best and most effective way
to educate the reader in regards
to keeping their families safe is to
state the most important. There are
three elements in fertilizers you find
on the shelves – nitrogen, phosphorus
and potassium. You probably
remember seeing the labels on the
bags in a hyphenated form, such as
15-5-10. What this means is that the
bags weight contains 15% nitrogen,
5% phosphorus and 10% potassium
(adding up to 30%). What is in the
other 70% you might, and should
be asking yourself ? It is not disclosed
and does not have to be disclosed.
Most of us don’t want to believe that
toxic elements aren’t in the other
70%, but they are. And we the consumers
buy these products and unknowingly
spread them all over our
lawns where our children and pets
play. Take a moment to educate
yourself more on this subject by
checking out this link: https://www.
southlandorganics.com/blogs/
news/17982096-health-effects-ofsynthetic-fertilizer
By composting our own yard
waste and using it in our gardens,
we take back control of our environment.
Composting is very simple
and easy to do. Whether you are a
seasoned gardener or someone
that’s never planted a thing, the following
steps will get you started.
1. There is no one ‘right’ way to
compost. Many seasoned composters
use the two parts brown
(leaves) – one part green (grass
clippings, kitchen scraps, etc.)
ratio, but this is not necessary.
This ratio may accelerate the
breakdown process, but a pile
with a different ratio will still
mature into compost, just at a
slower rate. One can be a lazy
composter. There are many
THE WALPOLE FOOTLIGHTERS PRESENT
The Great American Trailer Park Musical
Starring:
Kathleen Hardigan, Heather Vieira,
Juli Small, Tracey O’Farrell,
Ken Golner, Ashley Harmon,
and Kenneth Densmore
‘bins’ that can be used to compost
and keep materials contained.
You can order a cedar
wood composter that is super
easy to assemble from www.
hayneedle .com or many other
suppliers. Get online and hunt
around for the best deal.
2. The best compost is cured compost
– piles that are set-aside for
a few months to age. A small
or large pile is just fine – mix it
around with a digging fork when
you feel like getting outside.
You’ll want to add some water
from the garden hose now and
then, to aid in the breakdown
process.
3. Make your composting area
convenient – locate it close to
where your biggest garden is so
it is easier to move materials.
4. Get started now! Even if you
don’t have a designated bin for
the fall, you can start composting
with leaves, grass clippings
and kitchen scraps. Purchase a
bin in the spring instead, when
there are more choices available.
AUTUMN LEAVES
continued on page 19
October 21, 22, 28, 29, November 4, 5
at 8 PM
October 30 & November 6
at 2 PM
Music and Lyrics by David Nehls
Book by Betsy Kelso
Directed by Marianne Phinney
Musical Direction by Dan Moore
Choreography by Lisa Kelleher
Tickets $25 per person
*2 box limit per car
Member FDIC
Equal Housing Lender Member SIF
In present day Florida, in a trailer park called “Armadillo Acres”, Betty, Lin
and Pickles sun themselves with complete indifference to ozone depletion. Ever
hospitable, they set aside their sun reflectors to welcome the audience. “The
Girls” also introduce Jeannie, agoraphobic and unable to step outside her trailer,
much to the exasperation of her toll collector husband, Norbert. Just another day,
nothing new, except for Pippi, a stripper-on-the-lam who arrives to stir up trouble
on her five-inch heels! A sparkling irreverence makes this a laugh-out-loud musical
with a country-rock and blues score.
This production contains adult language and situations.
TICKETS: 508-668-8446 or
www.footlighters.com
Footlighters Playhouse • 2 Scout Road • East Walpole