Tree Planting 2/11/12

Looking over one area that we planted up to the gardens

Thank you to all who participated in the tree planting on February 11, 2012! We have a grant from the Natural Resources Consevation Service, part of the USDA, to reforest the back 10 acres of our 20-acre farm. When we came to this land in 1989, this back field had a bare sprinkling of grass. It had been used to grow commercial strawberries, with rows running up and down the slope. With herbicides killing all the vegetation between rows, the rain washed the shallow topsoil down hill into the swampy area. We started planting trees 22 years ago (see our post on “Making Soil” March 2011. Click on “Recent Blog Posts”). The USDA grant enabled us to step up our effort. After two years of blackberry control, we tilled strips 10 feet apart and seeded them to rye grass last fall.

Tilled rows in part of the field

On Saturday, a mighty crew of 35 community members planted close to 3,000 native shrubs and trees in the field.

Polly explaining the protocol to (L-R) Joe, Lisa, Sara and Daniel

James handing out trees to Beth, Bunny and Gayle

Beth and Art planting

We had an awesome lunch crew who served a great lunch.

Allison, Kristine, and Matia

The delicious spread

It got sunny in the afternoon!

Phil and Dawn Iris planted Nootka roses

Teamwork!

Sharon and Mason doing community service

Jasper was not much help

Thanks to Ted who took all the pictures as well as planting alders. Thanks to you all. We’ll need to keep these babies weeded, so anyone who missed this work day will have more opportunities!