Benji loves hikes in the woods!

~ August 1, 2025

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 to help them grow straight, 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!

We’re also preparing to welcome a shipment of evergreens this month. Some will be available for sale, and others will be planted back into our fields to grow on for future seasons. It’s always exciting to think ahead as we add these trees into the nursery, knowing they’ll become part of our long-term landscape.

Outside of the nursery, we’re taking a little time to vacation and recharge before the rush of fall digging and shipping begins. On cooler days we’re checking on our Pawpaw trees in the woods with the kiddos – always keeping an eye out for how the fruits are coming along before we harvest towards the end of the month. Our garden is growing strong, and we welcome you to come out and pick veggies! Tomatoes and sweet corn will soon take over, and the green beans and peppers are producing like crazy! For us, August always feels like a turning point, still full of summer sun but with the energy and anticipation of a busy new season on the horizon.

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 poised for another productive season ahead!

~ Maggie Thomas Harper