[MassChestnutOrchards] Ice Storm

[Federowicz, Yvonne Marie]

Thanks very much for your work on this, Rufin.  Those pictures of
Brian's are quite startling.
 
 I hope that everyone's power is back on.

	-----Original Message-----
	From: masschestnutorchards-bounces at masschestnut.org
[mailto:masschestnutorchards-bounces at masschestnut.org] On Behalf Of
Rufin Van Bossuyt
	Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 3:00 PM
	To: Anne M. Myers; scormier at att.net;
masschestnutorchards at masschestnut.org
	Subject: [MassChestnutOrchards] Ice Storm
	
	
	I flew to Texas on Thursday to visit my mother and sister so I
missed the storm. Here in Upton there was heavy rain but no ice. I got
home last night and as I was concerned about our orchards I took a tour
this morning. There was no tree damage near the Grafton orchard so I did
not drive by it. As I drove north on Rt. 140 I started to see tree
damage as I passed by Rt. 9 and it increased to the center of Shrewsbury
where it was severe. As I drove north on Rt. 140 the damage varied from
almost none to severe. I stopped at Tower Hill where the damage was
heavy along the driveway and in the woods south of our orchard. What I
could see of the ornamental plantings they had light damage. I did not
see even one twig broken in the chestnut orchard and also did not see
any damage in the apple orchard.
	I then went north to the Mass. Fish and Wildlife orchard. Again
there was tree damage.in the adjacent trees but no damage to the
chestnuts. I then drove to the Sterling orchard and saw more severe
damage on the way and to the large trees around the orchard. Again no
damage to the chestnuts. 
	I then drove along Rt.62 and Rt.31 through Sterling, Princeton
and Holden to Paxton. When I was working for what is now National Grid I
was involved in restoration of electric service after a number of bad
ice storms. The damage in Princeton and Holden is the most severe that I
have ever seen. I stopped at the Paxton orchard and as Lois reported
there was no damage to the chestnuts. 
	We lucked out on these orchards. Sorry we didn't on Brians but
with pruning and time that one should do well also.
	 
	Rufin

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