On November 27th, volunteers from CT-TACF and the Northern Connecticut Land Trust (NCLT) met at the Swann Orchard site to begin orchard establishment. The orchard site is located on farmland owned by the NCLT and has been set aside for use as a TACF breeding orchard. About 500 backcross hybrid trees will planted in the orchard ? half this spring and half the following spring.
The Thanksgiving weekend work party featured tree clearing on the southeastern edge of the orchard location, indending to improve light and growth. [click on image to see full sized photo]
Photo by Gayle Kida
About 25 people joined forces to clear trees from the southeastern edge of the orchard and to set up orchard rows. The roar of chainsaws could be heard all day as volunteers removed the red maples and paper birches that were growing over and shading the orchard site. Other volunteers cleared
brush and measured out the eight row that will be planted with backcross hybrid chestnuts in the Spring. The group was rewarded with a yummie lunch provided by NCLT member Leslie Grant. At the end of the day, the orchard was about 20 feet wider than it had been and rows were successfully laid
out. This December the orchard will be amended with iron sulfate and elemental sulphur to reduce the pH. This spring volunteers will be needed to erect a fence and to plant about 300 nuts in the orchard. Stay tuned for workday dates!
Swann tree clearing team in action [click on image to see full sized photo]
Photo by Gayle Kida
Swann seedling measuring team (front row left to right) Jesse Amsel, Leila Pinchot, (back row left to right) Richard Bailey, Margaret Steinbugler, Jerry Stage and Jim Gage [click on image to see full sized photo]
Photo by Gayle Kida
