Ah springtime and the lovely sounds of birds leaf blowers and chainsaws abound. While leaving the leaves is always your best option, the next best thing is raking them up and bringing them to Leaftopia (aka the Brush Dump) at 60 Merriam Street. This is where all the grass clippings (hey, try out No Mow May–the pollinators will thank you), and leaves and brush get together and party all summer long. While you’re there, you can also check out the Merriam Barn stone ramp that was cleared by a fantabulous group of volunteers of which the Owl was one.

Where was I? Oh yes, brush dump. Here’s what you do when it is time to re-home your tree trimmings and other natural “droppings” (not the doggy or kitty variety, wise guys): drop them off at Leaftopia (on Conservation land across from the Community Gardens). You must have a valid Transfer Station sticker. You must also be polite to the transfer station employee who spends a lot of time there. There is no charge for this type of natural bulky waste, but please make sure it is “clean” and does not contain remnants of lawn furniture, or heaven forbid, some knotweed.

Leaftopia is open from 7 am to 3 pm this Saturday, April 23, and then again on Saturday, April 30. After that, your leavings must spend their summer at your house where, in all honesty, your oaks would prefer to have them anyway (you can also bring them to the main Transfer Station facility after April).

Leaftopia fine print: if bagged, leaves and trimmings must be in a compostable bag. For more about the ins and outs of “Yard Waste” (seriously, does Leaftopia sound better or what?), please see the Town Page.