The first batch of trees have just arrived and they look great! They came in tall cardboard boxes with large stickers on the outside indicating that they have received the holy blessing of the FDA and Department of Ag that my trees were safe for transportation. I think my boys were more excited about having new boxes to play in than I was to have received my trees.The trees were packed in small 4" square pots and placed into plastic trays which were then seated into the cardboard boxes. On top of the trays were cardboard dividers. The trees came 18 to a tray and measured just over a foot tall. These are a mix of English Oak (the trees with rounded leafs) and Downy Oak (the ones with pointy leafs). We have another order of trees yet to arrive which are the European Filberts or Hazelnut trees, we expect them to arrive in the next week or two.
We had hoped to begin planting in the spring but due to the unseasonable cold and long winter our supplier [www.garlandtruffles.com] experienced, they weren't able to get the plants started until late. So instead we will be planting our orchard this fall. Thank god for small favors for this delay actually may have saved our investment as we had a pretty wet and rough spring this year (again). A large thunderstorm had hit our area which dropped quarter sized hail, devastating our vegetable garden and would have surely destroyed our trees had they been planted. If the hail wouldn't have done in our trees then the monsoon of rain we have received might have washed them away.
 |
| Hail storm June 9th 2011 Runnells IA |
 |
| Hail storm June 9th 2011 Runnells IA |
