[MassChestnutOrchards] Ice Storm

[Kendra Gurney]

Thanks for the updates Rufin.  Glad most of the orchards seem to have made
it through in good shape.

 

Kendra

 

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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