Archive for the ‘Crops – Trees’ Category
November 29, 2011 – Christmas Tree Season is Upon Us!
This year, we will be once again selling Christmas trees at Wheatsfield Grocery in Ames and off the farm.
Weather depending, we’ll be at Wheatsfield Sat Dec 3 from 10-4, Sunday Dec 4 from 12-4, and Sunday Dec 11 from 12-4. The trees will be cut on Friday December 2, so they’ll be a much fresher than the ones at Menards and Hy-Vee that were probably cut early to mid November. We’ll also sell them from the farm as cut your own by arrangement.
October 18, 2011 – Fall Color
Here’s the little tree we planted in the front yard – growing up quite nicely.
We planted an ash, maple, and oak along the north side of the driveway many years ago to grow up to replace the old spruce, and two maples. With age and all the wind of late, the spruce tree blew down this summer, and one maple is down to about 25% of its original branches from storm damage. So, it looks like these trees might add some meaningful shade on the south side of the house by the time the other trees are gone.
one year ago…”Mini-van Driver No More”
September 7, 2011 – Christmas Trees Looking Good
The Christmas Trees look like another crop that made it fine through the dry year.
These Canaan Firs are ready to adorn some folks’ living rooms in a few months.
April 6, 2010 – Spring Willow Work
I finally made it down to the willows and coppiced them all off so they wouldn’t get too large. It was still a bit murky, but with rain forecast for tomorrow and Saturday, it was probably as dry as it was going to get.
I also continued the march of the willows down the drainage by sticking about 40 new cuttings into the squishy ground.
one year ago…”Tiller Attached and Tested”
March 25, 2011 – Spring Put on Hold
After a nice week last week, we have plunged to days 15-20 degrees below normal. Some days it’s struggled to get above freezing (when it is “supposed” to be in the 50′s).
It looks like the maple flowers might have taken a bit of a hit.
This flower is rather bizarre looking – with all the flowing red tentacles it wouldn’t look out of place in a deep sea documentary.
one year ago…”Thingamajig Thursday #201″
February 22, 2011 – Tree Down
Wow, the giant tree was felled! I wish I was home to see it crash to the ground (and not on any buildings).
Martin stands by the trunk for scale.
It was a whopper of a tree and provided lots of shade for grazing animals in its day. Looks like there will not be a shortage of wood for winter bonfires. I think I’ll also get a bit of firewood from it, and a bunch of mushroom logs as well – think of it as a kinder, gentler version of the Giving Tree.
The space around the tree – compare to yesterday’s post to see the last known photograph of the tree.!
one year ago…”Snowbanks Along Hwy 20″
February 21, 2011 – Uh-Oh
When we started tapping trees, I noticed a big uh-oh on one of the giant silver maples near the back pasture.
The tree on the left is the tree that is about done for the world. It’s about 15 feet in circumference at my chest, which makes the diameter about 4.5 feet across!
On the back side, a new crack has developed along the portion where the two main trunks split. Much of this potion overhangs a shed. These maples are inherently weak, so I had a tree service out today and it’s scheduled to come down tomorrow. Better now than falling on the shed, or breaking the fence when the animals are out and we’re not home.
one year ago…”Old House Problems”
February 15, 2011 – Footprints in the Snow
Isn’t the world’s most popular poem about footprints in the sand? Well, there’s not much sand in Iowa in February, unless it’s clinging to dirty snowbanks on the side of the road. But there is snow – and footprints.
Martin and I went on a surveying mission in the back pasture yesterday. The day before this photo, he walked through the back “pond” through many feet of snow. When we came back the next day, we saw his footprints led to nowhere, for if you look in the center of the photo you can see the dark remains of footprints that were implanted in deep snow the day before are now under water.
It’s a good time of year to get out and move around a bit. Water needs to be channeled and drained, trees need to be checked on for winter rabbit damage, and boots need to get wet.
The foreground of this photo shows some of the willow cuttings I just stuck in the ground in this low area and didn’t mow or graze the last year. They were able to compete with the dense sod just fine. So, I will continue this spring with their advance down this drainage. Goats will be very happy to have browse!
one year ago…”Feeding Chickens in Winter”
December 22, 2010 – Finding a Home for the Trees
Now that Christmas is almost upon us, I have about 10 trees that remain unsold. Most people preferred to cut their own tree, even when they cost $15 more.
I contacted the Salvation Army and listed them on Freecycle, with no takers. I finally contacted a church in town and they were thrilled to take them to give to folks who couldn’t afford a tree this year.
December 4, 2010 – Tree Sales
It was a cold, blustery day today at Wheatsfield selling trees and gift boxes.
We sold about half the trees we brought – like anything, it takes a while to get people used to buying them in a new place. Many people thought they’d be back next weekend.
A Christmas tree on top of a Subaru – perfect for bringing the tree home!
December 3, 2010 – Trees on the Way
Today, I cut a load of trees to get ready for sale tomorrow.
The red truck is just the thing, don’t you think?
one year ago…”Thingamjig Thursday #187″
November 30, 2010 – Christmas Trees in the Wild!
OK, this week the first Christmas trees will move from High Hopes Gardens to Wheatsfield Co-op in Ames. We’ll be there 9-3 or until they sell out on Saturday the 4th and Sunday the 11th from 11-4 or until sold out. We’ll also have our gift baskets for sale. We really don’t know what to expect in terms of transport, selling, etc., but it promises to be fun.
Here’s a look at the densely planted windbreak – in need of thinning now that the trees are growing together..
one year ago…”Mark Gets Month-Long Sabbatical”
September 1, 2010 – Hazelnut Harvest
Each year the hazelnuts produce more – we probably have 10 bushes along a north fence as a test planting. Two years ago we had a handful of nuts, last year we might of had a coffee can,
this year, a basket full.
After they are cleaned. This is Linda’s project this year – these nuts have roasting in their future!
one year ago…”Mandan Bride Corn”
April 2, 2010 – Willow Season
Today I finally got down to the gooey willow nursery – figuring it wouldn’t dry out any more before it was too late to coppice (prune back to the ground) the ornamental willows.
These are irresistibly soft and such a sign of the season. The willows have been a great addition to the farm. Next year we’ll have to do a better job of promoting the willow bouquets!
