Susan Freshman & Christy Kuhlmann, retail managers at Arbor Day Farm, are just back from Georgia for the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market® — better known just as “Market.” The Market is an annual showcase of new gifts and treasures, and Susan & Christy make the trip annually to be inspired by new selections for their shops, and to bring back the best of what they think Arbor Day Farm visitors would like to shop for. This blog post is a collection of Susan’s favorite stories, photos and finds at Market. Enjoy!

Friday, Jan. 13
Greetings from Atlanta, Georgia, and the AmericasMart Gift Show. I love the energy and excitement of new products, new artisans and vendors, and all the buying and selling of such unique finds. There’s just no telling what you might find! There was also a Footloose flash mob this year (click to watch) , and while I can assure you that neither Christy nor I were in on the “mob,” we enjoyed it just the same.

HumaniTrees, by Joan Klostermann-Ketels, was one of Susan's picks for adult readers.

Even in the midst of this huge retail show, I’m reminded of what a small world it is! I was placing an order for some of the Tree Adventure’s best-selling plush animals and meanwhile, Diana Fusco of Atlanta is telling me how much she loves Arbor Day Farm since attending a wedding at Lied Lodge a short time ago. It’s fun to make those kind of one-on-one, personal connections, despite being far from Nebraska City.

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An Intern’s Perspective: It’s More Than Trees

Aug 15 by Lied Lodge Blog in Arbor Day, General, Nature, Trees tagged Arbor Day, Arbor Day Farm, forest, fresh air, trees with 1 comment

 

Editor’s Note: We asked our intern, Hanna, to write a blog post about her Arbor Day Farm experience this summer. Below is her contribution. Thank you, Hanna, and may you touch many more lives in nature in the years ahead.

“What is Arbor Day all about?” I ask this question of the visitors during my tours at the Tree Adventure and Arbor Day Farm. As you may expect, I get a variety of answers:  anywhere from planting trees to Johnny Appleseed to saving the planet. I tell them that they all are close, and explain the need to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. 

Throughout my summer as a Nature Interpreter Intern I have learned a lot, starting with the Arbor Day Foundation’s mission and now ending with heirloom varieties of apples. My time this summer, however, has taught me that Arbor Day is about more than just trees.

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Nature-Inspired Weddings at Arbor Day Farm

Aug 15 by Susan Freshman in Engagement Proposals, General, Nature, Weddings tagged Arbor Day Farm, family, Nature Explore Classroom, nature weddings, outdoor weddings, sunflowers with no comments

 

We always knew that Nature Explore Classrooms — like the two we have here at Arbor Day Farm – are wonderful places for children to connect with nature. But did you know they also make a beautiful setting for a wedding ceremony?

 

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Trees, Water, and Sustainability

Apr 26 by Lied Lodge Blog in Arbor Day, General, Nature, Trees tagged Arbor Day Foundation, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, forests, planting trees, watershed with 1 comment

 

The Arbor Day Foundation works with many corporate partners to continue the important work of tree planting. Enterprise Rent-a-Car is one such partner. The following is a guest blog post by the Arbor Day Foundation’s founder and chief executive, John Rosenow, as posted to the Enterprise Forewords Blog on 4/26/11.

When we think of forests, we think of trees, the wonders of nature, of sheer beauty, and clean, fresh air. We often don’t think about the water we drink.

We should.

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Roaming the Trails at Night

Jan 04 by Lied Lodge Blog in Animals, Arbor Day, General, Nature tagged animals at Arbor Day Farm, coyote, fox, nocturnal activity at Arbor Day Farm with 2 comments

 

If you’ve visited Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City recently, you know it’s not uncommon to see animals roaming the trails in broad daylight — herds of deer, wild turkey, maybe a mink, or a fox — but our Arbor Day Farm Tree Cam has captured living proof of animals on the prowl in the night.

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Fall Foliage Tour at Arbor Day Farm

Oct 27 by Amy S. in Fall Foliage, General, Leaves, Nature, Trees tagged Arbor Day Farm, autumn, fall foliage, leaves, Lied Lodge, trees with 2 comments

 

So we’ve shared on this blog before some of the inherent perks of working at Arbor Day Farm, but during the fall time of year, as our workplace is surrounded by trees with leaves in every color, it’s hands-down gorgeous. 

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Bring Your Kids to Work Day — Arbor Day Farm Edition

Aug 18 by Amy S. in Arbor Day, General, Nature, Orchards & Apples tagged Arbor Day Farm, Lied Lodge, trees with no comments

 

Yesterday was our very first Bring Your Kids to Work Day here at Lied Lodge and Arbor Day Farm. Twenty-four wide-eyed youngsters came to work with their parent and got an up-close and personal look at a day in the work life of mom or dad.

It rained on us a bit, but that didn’t put a damper on the fun. And let’s face it — Arbor Day Farm is the complete opposite of most people’s work environment, with all that green space and fresh air, and all those trees…

We put together this short video highlighting Bring Your Kids to Work Day 2010; kids say it best, don’t they? Enjoy.

Watch the Video — “Bring Your Kids to Work” Day, Arbor Day Farm Edition

A Tree House Proposal

Aug 03 by Lied Lodge Blog in Engagement Proposals, Nature, Tree House, Trees, Weddings tagged Arbor Day Farm, Lied Lodge, treehouse proposal, unique engagement ideas with 6 comments

 

 

It all started on a cold winter day in December with a little movie called “Swiss Family Robinson.”  This 1960 Disney Classic would spawn my ingenious idea that would later unfold at Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City, NE.  As I sat on the couch with my girlfriend Melanie that day, I was informed multiple times how amazing the tree house in the movie was.  Being an interior designer, Melanie deeply admired the craftsmanship of that tree house, noting the clever design by the Robinson family.  She pointed out the awesomeness of it every chance she could.  By the end of the movie, I had no doubt that she genuinely wished she could live in a tree house.  As the credits rolled, I had my “Ah-hah!” moment.  That was it.  The engagement idea I had been searching for. 

I knew then and there that I had to propose in a tree house.

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Slow Down & Enjoy the Simple Things

Jun 17 by Tina Layman in General, Nature tagged family, Lied Lodge, Nature, simplicity with 4 comments

 

‘Kids, wait a minute – stop everything……please ….. just take a moment – would ya just LOOK at that tree!!?’ 

That’s the conversation I have had so many times with my children. As a mother of four, I find myself developing a reputation and not even realizing it. My children’s friends know me as that weird mom who makes us stop just to see the sunset, or just to see the colors of the distant trees. 

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Out of the Cubicle, and Into the Fresh Air

May 07 by Jennifer Phillips in General, Nature tagged Arbor Day Farm, cubicle, fitness, fresh air, Lied Lodge, nature meetings, nature walk with 1 comment

 

Not all of us are fortunate to work at a place that has acres of forests, rolling hills, streambeds, wooden bridges, and wildlife — all right out the back door.

But as a Conference Planning Manager for Lied Lodge at Arbor Day Farm, I get to surround myself with these natural elements every day. I know, I know… this is not the typical workplace setting. Many of you reading this right now trudge along in traffic to get to the office, circle endlessly in parking garages looking for a space, lug your stuff through the concrete jungle before sitting down in your cubicle for a solid eight hours and usually more. I feel your pain, and I sympathize.

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