Up a tree

[Stephen Fixx]

Hey all, I am looking for some advice on tree planting. We just recently purchased my dream barn on a couple of acres (it came with a fine house too BTW). I want to plant some hardwood trees but am not exactly sure what to look for, or where to find quality saplings. When you buy "cherry" at a hardwood supplier for example what species is it specifically, black cherry? How about Walnut and Red Oak, are there subtle differences between various Red Oaks, or just one type? I know that "Hard Maple" is Sugar Maple, right? What about White Pine too.

I know that many of these species may not mature in my lifetime but I have about 1/2 an acre that needs trees no matter what and figure my kids may one day enjoy woodworking too :)

Here's a picture of the property...The original farm was about 75 acres. Offered in the sale was only the property around the house and barn (approx. 275' x 275'). We own up to the tree line next to the house and about 100' into the bean field next to the barn. The property line is just short of the pole barn in back but I negotiated for the option to move that structure onto our property.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/94/260930756_3a13918440_o.jpg

I am thrilled to finally have a good sized workspace. I have been working out of my 1 car garage for 15 years! I cannot wait to get started on my shop in the barn. I'll certainly share more about that later...

Best wishes,

Steve

[Joe Pelonio]

Congrats on the new place. My parents have acreage and I've planted probably a hundred or more trees on it for them, though it's woods in the back 1/4, there were no trees around the house. Of course they wanted faster growing trees, mostly conifers, and willows and marsh pines near the pond. One suggestion though, is to check with your local county agriculture department and even the and US forest service, sometimes they will give away saplings of native trees to people that want to plant them. Hopefully some are hardwoods.

Other than that, look for a tree nursery that has big ones. There's one north of us called "Big Trees Nursery" that has 25 foot trees, and delivers. Customers can prepare the holes ahead of time and they will drop 'em in, or you can pay them to do the whole planting.

When I was a kid we had an orchard with many fruit trees and a lot of walnut, those don't grow all that fast for producing workable wood.
Actually the faster growing hardwood trees in my experience are oak and ash, also flowering cherry.

[Jim Becker]

For small trees, the National Arbor Day Foundation often has very good prices on trees, especially in quantity.

The big trees that Joe mentions are very nice, but VERY expensive.

[Robert Mickley]

WOW,, now thats a gloat!!!!

I would suggest visiting forestryforum.com
Great bunch of folks. In fact Ian Abraham is member over there also, If I remember right It's a lot like this place.

[Joe Pelonio]

True, we looked at a lot east of the mountains that was 55 acres for just $65,000 a few years ago, and the realtor told me it was so cheap because there were no trees on it.Turns out the house was a converted barn with
mismatched siding, amateur job, and way out in the boonies with just sagebrush. Anyway, I had priced the trees and some were $800-1,000.