A crew of employees from the Arbor Day Foundation and The Nature Conservancy gathered this week to bring cottonwoods back to a section of land near the Missouri River bank, just north of Nebraska City, Nebraska. The restoration project
is a collaborative effort of the two organizations, along with the U.S. Forest Service and the Nebraska Forest Service, designed to bring life and sustainability back to the riverbank.

“Our hope with this project is to provide some demonstration lands to show that there are more tolerant communities that can be restored to these grounds,” said Tyler Janke with The Nature Conservancy. Janke led the planting effort on May 17. “We want to facilitate a conversation about reforestation of flood plain grounds.”

Watch a video about the project; click the image below:

View the photo album of planting 1,500 cottonwoods.

Senator Mike Johanns (right) discusses the Arbor Day Foundation's hybrid hazelnut program with Doug Farrar (left), Vice President of Arbor Day Farm, and Nursery Manager Adam Howard.

Senator Johanns and his staff members toured the Tree Adventure attraction at Arbor Day Farm, the greenhouse and hazelnut growing facilities, and even worked alongside crew members as they packed tree seedlings to be mailed to Arbor Day Foundation members.

Later, Senator Johanns addressed a group of 50 women gathered for the opening ceremonies of the American Agri-Women mid-year meeting. The group has 50 state and commodity affiliate organizations as well as individual members throughout the country, representing tens of thousands of women involved in agriculture.

“It’s an honor to have Senator Johanns visit today and see firsthand our role in Nebraska agriculture and tourism,” said Arbor Day Farm Vice President Doug Farrar. “We appreciate his ongoing support on legislation that benefits conservation and delivers long-term sustainable solutions.”

Senator Mike Johanns takes a turn at packagine tree seedlings at Arbor Day Farm during a visit this week. Nebraska City, NE

Artist entries were received from eight U.S. states and Canada.

“Our selection committee really took time in considering every artist submission,” said Susan Freshman, manager at Arbor Day Farm Tree Adventure. “There was lively debate among committee members in narrowing the submissions down to just six selections. Ultimately, we feel that the work of the six finalists will delight our visitors and guests this summer.”

Artists selected for Art in the Woods at Arbor Day Farm are:

Doug Hoevet of Gering, NE. Is it a forest? Or is it a family? It depends on your perspective. The visual experience of Hoevet’s collection of 10 steel sculptures – arranged in a natural setting – will leave you questioning the real from the abstract.

Brian Hamilton of Omaha, NE. – In the natural world, burls on a tree are indications of stress or deformity. But in Burl: Arbor Apparatus, Hamilton explores the symbiotic relationship between these bulbous protrusions and the natural organisms they serve.

Wayne State College Art Club and Steven Elliott, Sculpture Professor; Wayne, NE – Remember those “helicopter” maple seeds that spin and dance as they float to the ground? In Seeds in the Round: Intersection of Nature and Viability, you will enjoy a larger-than-life perspective on these familiar and elegant forms. This piece is the only Art in the Woods installation that is created by a team of collaborating artists.

Leslie Bruning of Omaha, NE. Entitled Quiet Perspective, Bruning’s canoe sculptures recall the quiet footprint of the Native American inhabitants on our region, from hunting the native plains and fishing in the streams and also their disappearance from these woods. This is the second time Bruning’s work has been selected for display at Arbor Day Farm; his 50 Birds and One Squirrel creation was installed at the Tree Adventure in 2009.

Erika Nelson of Lucas, KS – Animal forms covered in colored stone and sand come together to create unique textures, patterns, and petroglyphs reflecting the Native Fauna once found in Southeast Nebraska. A printed guide tells about the relevance of thsee animals and the significant stories carried on their skins.

Jeff Harms of Chicago, IL – Step inside this wooden walk-in sculpture entitled Ganzfield 2 and you’ll sense a feeling of expansiveness even within the defined space. More than 4,000 feet of pine lath radiate from two points, curving around your field of vision as though the trees themselves are bending down to say hello.

Art in the Woods is an outdoor art exhibit opening at Arbor Day Farm Tree Adventure in June 2012, where guests and visitors are encouraged to explore and enjoy the pieces placed along the woodland trails. This exhibit is funded by the Karl H. and Wealtha H. Nelson Family Foundation, Nebraska City.

For more information about Art in the Woods, visit http://www.arbordayfarm.org/art.

Hybrid hazelnuts thrive in the greenhouse at Arbor Day Farm, Nebraska City. This photo shows about 40,000 hazelnuts.

Greehouse Manager Adam Howard checks the root system and structure on a hybrid hazelnut plant. A plant that easily releases from the growing tray indicates that the roots are strong and the plant is almost ready.

A good look at a hybrid hazelnut sprouting in the greenhouse.

These hybrid hazelnuts soak up the warm afternoon sun in the greenhouse at Arbor Day Farm.

Sun streaming into the greenhouse at Arbor Day Farm illuminates the distinct look of the hazelnut leaf.

Find more information about the Arbor Day Foundation’s hybrid hazelnut program online: http://www.arborday.org/programs/hazelnuts/

Friday, Jan. 13
Greetings from Atlanta, Georgia, and the AmericasMart Gift Show. I love the energy and excitement of new products, new artisans and vendors, and all the buying and selling of such unique finds. There’s just no telling what you might find! There was also a Footloose flash mob this year (click to watch) , and while I can assure you that neither Christy nor I were in on the “mob,” we enjoyed it just the same.

HumaniTrees, by Joan Klostermann-Ketels, was one of Susan's picks for adult readers.

Even in the midst of this huge retail show, I’m reminded of what a small world it is! I was placing an order for some of the Tree Adventure’s best-selling plush animals and meanwhile, Diana Fusco of Atlanta is telling me how much she loves Arbor Day Farm since attending a wedding at Lied Lodge a short time ago. It’s fun to make those kind of one-on-one, personal connections, despite being far from Nebraska City.

Saturday, Jan. 14

How exciting today has been! I’ve been finding so many great new items around each corner that I see a sale in our future to make room for it all! Today I met Allen and Diane Davis from North Carolina who had beautiful wooden wine stoppers at Market. The photos I snapped don’t do them justice, but these stoppers will complement nicely Arbor Day Farm’s wine selections. Fun side note: Diane has a wonderful Shag Bark Hickory tree in her yard that she got some 10 years ago from the Arbor Day Foundation as a bare root tree. Another wonderful story!

Books for children and adults are the #1 best-selling item in our gift shop at the Tree Adventure. Today Denise Crawford of Atlanta showed me some of her newest titles, hot off the press! A few of my selections: “Friends of a Feather,” by Arlen Cohn, will keep the younger set entertained with fun, googly-eyed birds on every page; and “HumaniTrees,” by Joan Klostermann-Ketels, shares inspirational quotes and beautiful images of trees, branches, and trunks, revealing nature’s fury and grace deep in the woods. Look for them arriving in our shops in February and March.

Leaf-shaped sticky notes.

Another of my favorite finds today: really cool sticky notes in fabulous leaf shapes and  all sizes. The shading and textures are very true-to-life; looks like the real thing, right off the tree. Rochelle helped me choose just the right mix of colors, shapes, and sizes. Makes a great (and useful) gift idea. I know our shoppers enjoy items like these.

Sunday, Jan. 15
Yes, after two days in Georgia, I’m starting to talk with a southern drawl now. I’m sure my husband will get a kick out of that.

A gnoming we will go! I found some terrific new gnomes for our gift shop and for the ever-popular Gnome Hunt activity at the Tree Adventure. We would never have guessed that it would be so popular when we

Allen & Diane Davis show their collection of intricate wooden wine stoppers.

first offered it in 2010, but now it’s one of our most-booked activities. Travelocity was right… there’s just something endearing about those little gnomes.

Monday, Jan. 16
Heading back to The Good Life of Nebraska today. We’ve had the pleasure of meeting and working with such kind and hospitable people here in Atlanta. I truly think this has been the best Market experience ever. We can’t wait to show you all the new items, coming soon to the Tree Adventure and Lied Lodge gift shops.

Until then,
Susan (and Christy)

Nebraska’s Outstanding Nature Tourism Entity in 2011, and we hope you’ll visit soon.

Editor’s Note: The Arbor Day Foundation’s very own Cathy Horner, Human Resources Manager, was selected to appear on the gameshow Wheel of Fortune recently. Naturally, we’re all very excited for her. We had a number of questions about the game show experience, which she was kind enough to answer for us in this blog post. Tune in to watch Cathy on Wheel of Fortune on December 14, 2011.

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Q: How were you selected to be a contestant on the Wheel of Fortune? 
A: My daughter and I attended a Wheel Mobile event, on a whim, last April when Sony Studios was crossing the country in their WheelMobile (a big yellow RV) screening contestants for the Wheel of Fortune.  I was lucky enough to be chosen at random to answer puzzles with a group of people on the stage they set up to look just like the real game show.  After that, I was selected to attend a second audition with a more rigorous screening process.  A couple of weeks later, I was sent a letter stating that I was selected to be a contestant!

Cathy Horner does her best Vanna White impersonation backstage at Wheel of Fortune.

Q: How did you practice?  Were you nervous? 
A: I practiced by playing a Wheel of Fortune game on MSN and with the Wii game that my kids bought for me.  I knew I would be filming during their Sandals Resort Golf Week, so I reviewed a lot of golf terminology too.  I have always been a fan of word games like crossword puzzles and Scrabble so that also helped.  The contestant department spent several hours going over the rules and helping the contestants practice on the day that we taped the show, so I actually wasn’t nervous at all.

Q: Where did you tape the show? 
A: The show was taped at Sony Studios in Culver City, California.  They taped six shows in one afternoon.  Twenty contestants from around the country were on hand including another gentleman from Omaha who had attended the same Wheel Mobile event that I had attended.

Q: We need to know: what were Pat and Vanna really like? 
A: Pat was rather elusive and only appeared during the taping.  He was all business and was treated like The Star.  Vanna was much more personable and met the contestants in the morning and then met with select groups, like Make-A-Wish participants, during the afternoon.  She is so petite in person!

Q: What did you think of the overall experience? 
A: It was a great experience.  I had never participated in filming a TV program, so it was interesting to experience the “Lights, Camera and Action!” that really takes place.  I had my own make-up artist who had worked on high profile casts like Pirates of the Caribbean.  She followed me around with a powder puff and powdered my face every 15 minutes!  Sony has a beautiful set for Wheel and they also have studio tours.  Be sure to visit when you are in the greater Los Angeles area!

Q: When does your show air?
A: My show is scheduled to air on Wednesday, December 14th.  If you live in the Omaha area, watch for it on KETV Channel 7 at 6:30pm.

Q: So… did you win enough money to quit your job with the Arbor Day Foundation?
A: They asked us not to discuss any “winnings” before the show airs, but let’s just say this: my job at the Arbor Day Foundation is priceless.

For those of you who might have missed it, the video below hits all the highlights of his presentation. It’s lengthy at nearly 14 minutes, but if you’ve got the time, we think you’ll like it.

Let us know what you think!

“What is Arbor Day all about?” I ask this question of the visitors during my tours at the Tree Adventure and Arbor Day Farm. As you may expect, I get a variety of answers:  anywhere from planting trees to Johnny Appleseed to saving the planet. I tell them that they all are close, and explain the need to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. 

Throughout my summer as a Nature Interpreter Intern I have learned a lot, starting with the Arbor Day Foundation’s mission and now ending with heirloom varieties of apples. My time this summer, however, has taught me that Arbor Day is about more than just trees.

By working with groups of children from inner-city neighborhoods, I’ve had the opportunity to interact with those who rarely venture beyond their front door. I grew up with a tremendous exposure to nature and the outdoors, but many students, especially from urban areas, did not. They spend their days inside with the many screens (TVs, computers, videogames, etc.) keeping them occupied. This is often because it is safer inside than out, and because they don’t know what to do outside. When they get off the bus at Arbor Day Farm and learn they are going to be outside all day, they quite literally are on “sensory overload.” This can even entail screams, tears, and clinging to the interpreter. To these children, being outside for more time than it takes to walk from the house to the car is terrifying, and this is not an irrational fear on their part. They have never had the opportunity to spend significant amounts of time outside, and we fear what we don’t know. 

Thanks to the Arbor Day Foundation and the Arbor Day Farm Tree Adventure, I had the privilege of leading children through significant time in nature. We had lots of “first” experiences: seeing deer for the first time, being “actually in the woods” (as they would say), and learning that yes, woodchips really do come from trees. Most of the children left wishing they had more time in this natural setting.  The children I worked with this summer left with some knowledge of the world around them, and an introduction to the lessons nature has to teach. (My favorite lesson? Nature does not discriminate:  a mosquito will suck anyone’s blood.) Without J. Sterling Morton and his yearning to plant trees, these children would have spent another day inside.

So what is Arbor Day all about? To me, Arbor Day is about a lot more than trees. It is about appreciating the nature that surrounds us. Through the time I spent with children this summer at Arbor Day Farm, this lesson became apparent, it also became apparent that they would never look at nature the same way again. These little steps, child’s play, are helping to move cultures back to nature, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Hanna Pinneo is a Nature Interpreter intern at Arbor Day Farm Tree Adventure, majoring in Parks and Recreation at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She enjoys hiking, playing outside with her nephew and dog, and spending time with her friends. As a National Team member of the Natural Leaders Network, Hanna is dedicated to reconnecting all children with nature.

The happy family after their outdoor wedding ceremony at Arbor Day Farm.

It’s true! And on July 29, 2011, at 6:00pm, we had our first-ever wedding in the larger Nature Explore Classroom here at Arbor Day Farm. The happy couple is Trevor and Toni Dierkhising of Omaha, Nebraska, shown here with their sons Tyler and Jacob.

It was a lovely (warm!) summer evening, and we loved the bride’s choice of sunflowers, daisies, and wildflowers for her bouquet. They planned a beautiful ceremony set against a beautiful background of nature.

From all of us here at Arbor Day Farm, our sincere congratulations to the Dierkhising Family and may your marriage be protected by a sheltering tree.

Give this one a try and let me know how you like it.

Hazelnut Flourless Chocolate Bouchons
2 lbs. melted chocolate
2 cups crushed toasted hazelnuts
1 cup whole toasted hazelnuts
1 tsp. salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
2 vanilla beans
1 ½ cups sugar
1 oz. powdered gelatin
6 egg whites
Cocoa powder

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat for approximately 15 minutes. Combine salt, cream, milk, vanilla beans, sugar and gelatin in a sauce pan and bring to a scald. Be careful not to boil. Set aside to cool. Slowly stir the cream mixture into the melted chocolate and reserve at room temperature; add the crushed hazelnuts. Chill a bowl and the egg whites, and then whip the egg whites into stiff peaks. Fold into the ganache. Spray a silicone mold with pan spray and dust with cocoa powder. Bake at 325 degrees for about 25 minutes or until picks come out clean. Chill the mold. Remove for serving, and garnish with toasted hazelnuts.

Enjoy!
Chef Matt

Matthew Taylor is the Executive Chef at Lied Lodge & Conference Center in Nebraska City, Nebraska, where local, sustainable entrees are served daily. You can catch him doing a live cooking demo at this year’s Wine Under the Pines Festival on Saturday, August 6, 2011, at Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard, Nebraska City.  Have a specific recipe you’d like to see featured on this blog? Let us know.