Say hello to “Throne Rock” at Koulas Farm. Every now and then when you are out doing restoration work or cleanup, something interesting pops up. Koulas Farm has a few of these surprises that over time have earned names of their own. There is “Stone Bridge,” “Split Rock,” “Silage Pit,” and “Big Red.” Mention any of these to the regulars and you will get an instant nod and probably a story about how it got its name.
For work parties, these names make life easy. We can say, “We will be working from Big Red down to the Silage Pit,” and everyone knows exactly where that is. But naming things does more than help us with directions. Once something gets a name, it becomes special. It gets cared for a little more and remembered as part of the farm’s story. None of these names are official, and that is fine. Every open space ends up with its own set of inside names used by the people who love it most.
This weekend we found something new worth naming. It is a big rock with a perfect flat seat on one side and even a single armrest. If it had two, it might have been fit for a king. It sits in the left field overlooking the open meadow where families gather and kids run around. Someone said it looked like a throne overlooking the meadow, and within five seconds the name “Throne Rock” was born.
The area around it will be cleaned up and added to our growing list of cool places for photos. I am already betting with some of the crew that it will show up in next year’s Chelmsford High School yearbook. Who would not want a picture sitting on a throne made of New England stone with a hand built dry stone wall behind it? It sounds like something out of a local legend.
That is part of the fun at Koulas Farm. The land keeps offering little treasures that remind you of its long history and character. The names we give these spots help us remember that we are just the current caretakers, keeping the story going for the next group that walks these trails or clears these walls.
So the next time you are out for a walk, take a minute to find “Throne Rock,” “Stone Bridge,” “Split Rock,” “Silage Pit,” and of course “Big Red.” None of them are on any official map, but they are all part of what makes Koulas Farm feel alive.