The Threshing Grove

The drought of the early 2000's and the October 2013 Blizzard wreaked havoc upon the trees around our homestead. The summer of 2014 proved to be a great year to plant trees. We planted over 2300 trees, seedlings and many larger trees as well. This is the "Threshing Grove". Mostly new trees planted last year consisting of a row of apples, three rows of "Triumph" elms, Three rows of Colorado Blue Spruce and a row of Ponderosa Pine. It appears that nearly all trees will make it, except one that a big steer walked over and a couple that the jack rabbits damaged.

Why the name "Threshing"? Perhaps you have noticed the old threshing machines in the background? This was a traditional threshing site on the ranch years ago. In fact, I can remember the last time they threshed there vaguely in the early 60's. As kids we enjoyed playing in the mammoth sized "straw piles". I am not so sure my mother did, however as our clothes would be filled with straw and chaff when we would come in from playing.