As of Friday 9/7/07, we are 12 inches below in rainfall for a normal year. The excess temperatures are not helping. The seedlings look bad. It looks to be about a 50% loss, mostly Bald Cypress & Norway spruce but many bushes aren't looking so good either. There is a vine growing in the 45 acres that is wrapping themselves around the seedlings. We planned to cut the fields in only 1 direction to help encourage wildlife & give some protection to the trees. We started to cut the fields with the tractor crossway in hopes of killing the vines. Steve & I are pulling what we can by hand, but it is a big job. And the weeds & vines keep growing.

I met with the forester on Monday 9/10/07. We had a 10 minute downpour on Saturday & that helped. By Monday, some of the trees had started to bud & many looked to be re-sprouting. The trees had become dormant with the harsh weather conditions but the little rain helped. The forester thinks we have a 75% survival now & feels very optimistic that by next spring we will see signs of improvements. He wants me to replant the Norway Spruce spring 08 and possibly replant the bushes in sprinf 09.

It has been over 4 weeks since the last rain at the farm. Last week the forester visited to check on the trees. He was amazed that the trees were doing so well. He estimated about a 10% loss so far due to the lack of rain. We think the loss is a little higher in some areas. It could be the type of trees in certain areas do not fair as well. Today, it is suppose to rain. We are keeping our fingers crossed.

Number of trees

The number of trees and the variety are below:

Red Oak 3835
Black Walnut 3570
Sycamore 230
Red Bud 992
Serviceberry 355
Bur Oak 3570
Norway Spruce 2675
Sugar Maple 2140
Cranberry Vibernum 267
Flowering Dogwood 455
Black Cherry 3745
Sweet gum 892
Yellow Poplar 892
Arrowwood Vibernum 267
Bald Cypress 495

Total Planted 24,380

This picture was taken April 29, 2007. The tree is 40" tall.

The crew from Williams Forestry. The job is finished.

16 workers plant 24,000 trees in 3 days

The work starts Monday 3/19/2007. The weather was cold & rainy. 6,000 trees found a new home. Tuesday the weather was beauitful & 12,000 more trees were planted.

Pasture area before the trees are planted.

New tractor

John practicing on new tractor

Current pictures

The orange flags represents the trees that will be planted next month

Map of Area to Be Forested

The area circumscribed in yellow on the satellite map shows the land that will be planted with 24,000 seedling trees in the Spring of 2007. It is roughly 61 acres.

(Click image for larger view)