GREEN NEWS & VIEWS
Returning to the Orchard: A Regenerative Story of Life, Death and Renewal
BY MICHAEL JUDD
On a crisp fall morning, under a golden canopy of chestnut leaves, a family gathers in silence. There are no polished marble stones, no artificial turf, no rigid lines of monuments. Instead, soft grasses sway. A woven shroud rests on the earth, dappled in sunlight and covered in wildflowers. In this moment, grief meets gratitude. The orchard bears witness. This is Morris Orchard Natural Burial Ground — a place where death is not an ending, but a return. Here in Frederick County, Mary - land, a former nut orchard has quietly become sacred ground, offering families a different kind of goodbye — one rooted in love, legacy, and the living soil. Planting Seeds of Purpose The orchard itself was never meant for burial. Sixty years ago, a local father and son planted chestnuts across the landscape, spacing each tree with intention. Later, Morris Monesson, a USDA agricultur - al agent, added pecans and black walnuts to the mix, dreaming of a bountiful and resilient food forest. With methodical care, he measured planting distances using a 25-foot chain. Years passed. The trees grew tall and strong. But when the Mones - sons passed on, their land stood at a crossroads — one familiar to many aging farms. It could have become a development, a memory paved over. But fate had something else in mind. Michael Judd first noticed the orchard from the road. He was drawn
in — not by any grand sign or invitation, but by the quiet rhythm of the place. In 2019, he knocked on Nancy Monesson’s door. He offered help tending the aging trees. She said yes. Over seasons, Michael and his partner Jane Dennison harvested nuts, cared for the orchard, and formed a deep connection with both land and legacy. When the land eventually went up for sale, Michael and Jane didn’t see an investment opportunity — they saw a continuation. What if the orchard could remain intact, and serve a deeper purpose? What if it could become a final resting place that also gave back to the Earth?
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PATHWAYS—Fall 25—21
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