Love is in the Air: A Depot Proposal

May 30 by in Discovery Ride, Engagement Proposals, General, Weddings tagged , , , , , with 2 comments

Arbor Day Farm marriage proposal

My little brother, Ted, proposed to his girlfriend of 5 years, Nicole, at Arbor Day Farm last week.  It was a wonderful evening!  Everything was made even more special by the trifecta of my involvement in the event: (1) I am Ted’s big sister, (2) I served as Ted’s top-secret proposal planning assistant, and (3) I am an employee of the Arbor Day Foundation.  I’m thrilled to have the chance to share the story with the readers of this blog.

Read More…

The Cottonwood Project: Restoring a Riverbank

May 18 by in Arbor Day, Cottonwoods, General, Nature tagged , , , , , with 1 comment

1,500 cottonwoods were planted along the Missouri River

How do you plant 1,500 cottonwoods? One tree at a time.

A crew of employees from the Arbor Day Foundation and The Nature Conservancy gathered this week to bring cottonwoods back to a section of land near the Missouri River bank, just north of Nebraska City, Nebraska. The restoration project
is a collaborative effort of the two organizations, along with the U.S. Forest Service and the Nebraska Forest Service, designed to bring life and sustainability back to the riverbank.

Read More…

Nebraska Senator Johanns tours Arbor Day Farm

Mar 30 by in General, Greenhouse, Hazelnuts, Trees tagged , , , , with 1 comment

Senator Mike Johanns at Arbor Day Farm, Nebraska City, NE -- March 2012

Nebraska City, Neb. (March 30, 2012) – Senator Mike Johanns toured Arbor Day Farm Friday morning and was the keynote speaker for the American Agri-Women mid-year meeting, hosted at Lied Lodge & Conference Center March 29-April 1.

Read More…

Artists Announced for Art in the Woods at Arbor Day Farm

Mar 14 by in General, Nature, Trees tagged , , , , with 1 comment

Art in the Woods

Nebraska City, NE – A selection committee is proud to announce six artists to showcase nature-inspired art installations in ‘Art in the Woods,’ an outdoor art exhibit coming to Arbor Day Farm Tree Adventure in Summer 2012. Submissions were received from 35 artists spanning eight U.S. states and Canada, with media that ranged from stained glass and steel to willow branches and ceramics.

Read More…

Photos: A New Crop of Hybrid Hazelnuts at Arbor Day Farm

Feb 02 by in General, Greenhouse, Hazelnuts tagged , , , , with 26 comments

Hybrid Hazelnut Sprout at Arbor Day Farm

We thought you might enjoy seeing what’s growing in the greenhouse at Arbor Day Farm. Right now, there are about 40,000 hybrid hazelnuts thriving in the greenhouse — the most our growing facilities have ever handled in one crop. Enjoy the photos!

 

Read More…

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

Aug 15 by in Arbor Day, General, Nature, Trees tagged , , , , with 2 comments

Magnifying-Leaf-Boy_200

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.

Read More…

Nature-Inspired Weddings at Arbor Day Farm

Aug 15 by in Engagement Proposals, General, Nature, Weddings tagged , , , , , with no comments

Nature-Inspired Weddings at Arbor Day Farm
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?
 

Read More…

Raised Beds: A Great Option for Not-So-Great Soil

Jun 24 by in General, Greenhouse tagged , , , with no comments

Raised beds at Arbor Day Farm

Jan Bonham and Kristy Edwards work in the raised beds at Arbor Day Farm.

Are you looking to start your plantings earlier and possibly stretch your harvest date further?  Look no more than raised beds.  Raised beds are nothing more than elevating soil or mix, which allows the soil to warm faster in the spring and to cool slower in the autumn months.  In some regions, depending on climate, using raised beds lengthens the growing time by an extra month on either end of the regular growing cycle. That can be a real advantage in getting strong, healthy plants and trees.

Arbor Day Farm is currently experimenting with our own raised beds.  Our soil here is, for the most part, clay.  This hinders good root development for young seedlings and it also eliminates the possibility of lifting (that’s “greenhouse speak” for harvesting) the seedlings at maturity. The clay would tear the lateral roots, all but killing the seedlings once they went to outplanting.  With the challenge of clay soil in our area, we decided to go with raised beds as a trial when it comes to growing bareroot seedlings here at Arbor Day Farm. 

Read More…

Employee Soup Challenge

Feb 17 by in General tagged , with 2 comments

Crock-Pot_300

Fifteen Arbor Day Foundation employees brought their bubbling, steaming crock pots into work today for the 2011 Arbor Day Foundation Employee Soup Challenge. The culinary creations ranged from chicken and beef to veggie and mushroom, and all employees were encouraged to participate – either by entering a soup or by tasting and voting for their top three favorites.   

And the winner is…  

Read More…

Winter Maintenance in the Apple Orchard

Jan 27 by in Apples, General, Orchards & Apples, Trees tagged , , , , , , , with 4 comments

AppleTree_Pruned1

Apple orchards are popular places at two distinct times of the year – during the spring bloom, when branches are covered in pink and white flowers, and in the fall, when crisp, juicy apples are ready for harvest. Most people don’t realize it, but wintertime in an orchard is important, too. Attention to detail in the off-season makes both the bloom and the harvest better.

Read More…