August Notes from the Field

~ August 1, 2026

The Nursery is buzzing with activity as we soak up the last full month of summer. This is the time of year when our trees have put on their main flush of growth, and we shift our focus to care and preparation for a busy fall season ahead. Crews are pruning to shape strong canopies, staking young trees, and keeping up with mowing and weeding to maintain healthy fields.

This month also brings one of our biggest tasks of the year: inventory!!! Each tree in the nursery is carefully counted and measured so we have an accurate picture of what’s available for the fall digging season ahead. Joey is our inventory master – it’s a big job, but it’s essential in helping us match the right trees with the right customers as orders begin to roll in. You can read more about how we do our field inventory with our Instacaliper here!

Outside of the nursery, we’re taking a little time to vacation and recharge before the rush of fall digging and shipping begins. Becky and Jamie just returned from a beautiful trip to Costa Rica and Zach, the kiddos and I are getting ready to do a National Park road trip out east, hitting up Great Smoky Mountain, Shenandoah, and Cuyahoga Valley National Parks. 

For our local friends, make sure to come out help us celebrate 150 years of our little hometown – Mazon, Illinois! From the railroad to our area farms, our community is honoring our local history with a week-long event. Festivities will be happening around town throughout the week of Aug 2-9, 2026. For more on the event and our Harford Farm History being recognized, check out our blog post: Mazon-Verona-Kinsman Community Celebrates 150 Years

We are embracing the history and community spirit by sharing what we know and love – TREES! Make sure to visit our American Dream Oak CommuniTree at the Vendor Fair on Saturday, Aug 8 to join us for some fun tree activities and write your own personal message to our CommuniTree! Then again on Sunday afternoon, Aug 9, at the park to plant the Oak and commemorate this momentous occasion in Mazon!

Village of Mazon Sesquicentennial CommuniTree Gathering & Tree Planting August 8 – August 9 Free

Our gardens are growing strong, and we welcome you to come out and pick veggies, herbs, and flowers! Tomatoes and sweet corn will soon take over, and the green beans and peppers are going crazy! For us, August always feels like a nostalgic end to the summer. The pace of life simultaneously stands still and barrels ahead towards the chaos of Fall. As we finish out these dog days of summer, we’re grateful for the hard work of our crew and the steady growth we see in the fields. With inventory counts on the horizon and fall orders coming in, the nursery is ready for another productive season ahead!

~ Maggie Thomas Harper