We Bought a Farm: Trees

"A Society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
Greek Proverb

My husband, John (aka "JB") has been dreaming of this farm for at least two decades. 

(It took him nearly that long to talk me into moving to the country and giving up the suburban mom life I thought I wanted.)

In medical school, when he'd have to assist on a grueling twelve-hour surgery doing nothing more than holding an instrument, I would ask him what in the world he thought about for half a day.

"My farm," he'd say. "I design my farm."

What he would plant. How he would plant it. Where he would plant it. Why he would plant it.

And the biggest part of his picture?

Trees. 

Lots and lots of Trees.

So every single one of those white little sticks in the picture at the top of this page? 

It's aTree.

Well, not a tree exactly. But a plastic shield protecting a tree. There are all kinds of trees out in the area that will one day be our "forrest garden." (Please don't ask me what kind they are. I planted the, but I don't know. I really have no idea.)

We had a slew of trees come in the mail right before JB left for work one day. He asked me if I could plant them for him. I told him I had never planted a tree. I had no idea how to plant a tree.

I do now. 

When we had a moment just the two of us (which doesn't happen that often) I asked JB how happy the trees made him. He is rarely speechless, but he struggled to find words. The trees are the crux of his dream. They are the piece that will turn this into the land he dreams of it being. The trees are the future to him. He would spend his money on trees before anything else.

I don't brag on my husband that often. But I must tell ya'll how much I love him. 

And I love getting to see how happy these white little sticks (and the trees that are planted next to them) make him.

Here are some pictures of us planting trees: 

Hannah in a hole ready for a tree.

Check out the plastic shield around the tree on the left. 

She loved the holes.

Anni and Isaac working on a tree.

You never know with Hannah what is going on in that little brain of her's.