On Thursday, volunteers from the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry spent time at the Birchwood Orchard in Mason, picking apples that will be baked into pies for Thanksgiving food baskets.

Birchwood owner Mary Pierce donated more than 1,400 pounds of fresh-picked apples that the New Ipswich Congregational Church’s Pie Ministry will bake into about 200 pies this year. The pies will be included in Thanksgiving baskets for families in need and shared with the community.

Volunteers pick apples at the Birchwood Orchard for Thanksgiving pies to be given to the community through the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry. COURTESY
Volunteers pick apples at the Birchwood Orchard for Thanksgiving pies to be given to the community through the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry. COURTESY

Boy Scout Troop 3877 and other volunteers gathered the apples.

“Thanks to the generosity of Mary Pierce, many apples are being given to all Mascenic School District Schools, the Greenville and New Ipswich libraries, for many others to enjoy,” said St. Vincent de Paul pantry director Kevin Little. “Many apples will be shared with our neighbors in need that visit the SVdP food pantry.”

Volunteers will assemble the Thanksgiving baskets on Nov. 22 at Sacred Heart Church and distribute them the same day.