In all my enthusiasm over the apple orchard proposal for Davey, I got online and ordered four fruit trees for my own backyard. One cherry, one peach and two apple. I spent all day yesterday planting them. I figure that this orchard I’ll go ahead and dedicate to myself. Maybe I’ll have the marker say something like: “For your three months of service to the Kent City School District pestering officials to serve more fruit and fewer corndogs.” Either that or “Gwen, You Rock.”
Which brings me to consider what kind of marker should grace the new orchards, mine, and and the one at the elementary school- should it become a reality. Over in Medina, there is beautiful park that was donated to the park system by the Allard family. The park is called Allardale and it’s on Remsen Rd. by N. Medina Line. There’s a winding path through the old farm property which leads to a bench on a hillside looking out over the wooded hills and stream. There they chose to inscribe the dedication of the park on a huge granite rock. I really like that idea, and I would suggest that the school district engrave some medium to small sized stone (not too big or the kids will climb on it, not to small or they’ll roll it away) with Mrs. Walker’s name and the inscription “She who plants trees loves others besides herself.” (I just love that saying, it really seems to grasp the dedication it takes to teach our kids to grow up to be good people.) A natural rock looks better than the WWII bronze markers on some of the trees at Davey. Even more importantly, we don’t want the kids thinking that we buried the Principal under the apple orchard, so I think a medium-small natural rock would look appropriate.
After a couple of phone calls, it turns out that rocks are not especially expensive, but carving tidy little letters into rocks can be pricey. I called Kotecki Monuments and American Monument and Granite (Now I owe them both a beer on Friday) and the price for inscription ranges from $200 to $800. That’s a 62 character inscription with the Principal’s name, the English-y proverb and the date.
The guy at American Monument says that I should go with a granite, or other similarly hard boulder, and look for one at one of the small gravel quarries around Portage County. I have already stated on the proposal that I would secure the funds needed for the orchard and marker without an appeal to parents or the school district. I’m pretty sure I know someone up in Cleveland who can do the engraving for less than either of my quotes, perhaps someone has a nice granite rock in their yard they would consider donating.
April 25, 2009 at 5:14 pm |
Congrats on planting your own little orchard! That is really exciting!! I am excited to come and eat all of your cherries!!
April 28, 2009 at 1:55 am |
Thanks! I’m pretty excited about it too. The kids insisted on sweet cherries, although I was pushing sour- I’ll just have to get another tree down the road. If I can convince that tree to grow something I’ll be happy to have everybody come over and share it with me!
April 28, 2009 at 7:41 pm |
A little farm note…my dad and the neighbors where I grew up all swore by chickens to keep away insects that eat fruit trees, which is better than pesticides. I’m not sure what the city allows in Kent as far as chickens go, but I know people in NYC keep them in their backyards sometimes. So think about a chicken or two once the trees start blossoming.
April 28, 2009 at 8:15 pm |
Cuyahoga county allows up to six chickens. It would be great if Portage county would do the same. As far as I know, Kent does not allow chickens officially, but I think there maybe be some covert coops out there. That’s a good tip, thanks. Maybe once I wrap all this up I’ll send a few letters to the county.