"Money Doesn't Grow on Trees", or Does It?

"Money Doesn't Grow on Trees", or Does It?

The proverbeal cliche that we try to teach our kids about not wasting money brings up a couple interesting thoughts. Perhaps money "Does" grow on trees, contrary to what we are told...

Certainly president Obama thinks that money does grow on trees, or at least made from chinese rice paper, as Obama has done nothing but spend and waste the American taxpayers (and childrens) future! Disgusting... Obama's parents should have told him this cliche, but instead his marxist teachings ingrained the idea that the "government entitlement tit" IS the tree that grows money... "get all you can, and spend it on waste and fraud as you deserve...". Impeach this jerk out of office, or at least vote him out!

But yes, in many ways, money does grow on trees! There is the Silver Dollar Eucalyptus Tree, and a species of Jacaranda commonly known as the Money Tree, and there may be others as well. Other than these few trees, the money that grows on the trees is not money per se, but rather the fruit and wood products that we exchange using money.

Ever eat an apple? How about cherries? What about all of the many varieties of fruits we gather from fruit-bearing trees? Every farmer and consumer knows that fruit (trees) are money (well exchanged for such anyways). Where would we be without fruit trees? A delicious thought to ponder...

And though not money per se, trees are exchanged for money when the thousands of forest products we use are picked (or harvested). Wood and paper obviously, but a large variety of chemicals and other products are made as well.

And certainly, in our regard, money does grow on trees, or rather, trees are money. Since we are a tree nursery, we exchange trees for money... So from a biased perspective, the cliche holds true, at least for us...

And YES, do get out there and Vote! For those who can't claim the cliche, vote the money-wasters out of office, starting with Obama!!!

We have fruit trees! See our ebay store... + Other deals and offers to consider...

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Written by Empire National Nursery, Your North Carolina Source for Fast Growing Trees.

Impeach Obama - Obama Allowed the Benghazi Murders

Impeach Obama - Obama Allowed the Benghazi Murders

Amazing how truth is always revealed. During the last days of the presidential election of 2012, the greatest of scandals emerges. This can and should sway the American voter to oust Obama and his treachorary! +Obama needs to be impeached!

Beanghazi and the assassination of our four American citizens (including a Navy Seal, a true American Hero!) is getting more and more media coverage as the details and results of the investigations come to light. As the press is forced to tell the stories, the truth is sickening! The attack on our embassy and the killing of four American citizens was watched by live video 'in' the white house and state department, by the drone filming the seven hour attack, and viewed by president Obama, Hillary, and all of the security people that abound those locales. They knew! They have to know! They know, because nothing happens in this hi-tech world that is not viewed and monitored by our vast array of satellites and intell, especially involving social hot-spots and our embassies. This stuff is highly monitored, and ALL information is constantly briefed and viewed by the president and all of the power that be. That is the presidents job, to know exactly what is effecting every American, worldwide. The president is responsible for every American, that is His trust. Obama not only knew of the attacks on 9-11, he watched them! Watch, the truth is being revealled as you read this...

That is a shock and a scandal! That is treason! President Obama allowed four American citizens to be murdered, and he did NOTHING! Instead, Obama blames some U-tube video for the random attack, and the republicans. What a scum! He is a gutless liar that threatens everything good America stands for. Days and almost two weeks later admits that it was a terrorist attack. It was covered up and lied about. Obama chose to lie to the American public about the truth. That is Treason! Obama is guilty of murder, or at least condoned it!

The cover-up... to shade the arms deal with those arming the rebels in Syria. Watch... we will all see.

Could anything have been done to stop attacks or retaliate at least? YES! As the news sources are starting to show, there were military resources within a few hours that could have struck back. the white house had live video, a call could have been made during this seven hour attack, and the outcome could have been different. All it took was Obama to give the command, and our fellow citizens could have been spared (or least avenged). Obama chose to watch and do nothing! Obama is the commander-in-chief, he controls the greatest of world power, and his job is to protect Americans citizens, and he DID NOT!

A flood of emails and documents, plus video are coming out to show the truth. This is just cause to impeach Obama. Recall the impeachment of Bill Clinton during his lies to America about his affairs with Monica. Scandal! Certainly we all recall the Nixon and Watergate scandal... and Nixon was impeached and forced to resign. How much worse is it that Obama, our prseident, watched our fellow citizens be murdered, did nothing, then lied to the American people with a cover up? This is treason! Obama needs to be impeached at least!

Let the truth be told. Let justice be served. Obama is not above the law. Everyone else is subject to the consequences of lies and deceptions revealed, and with murder, this is seriously a breach of truth and everything America stands for.

The truth will come out, it always does, and its appalling! Impeach Obama! Prosecute Obama for murder!

Make a difference... Get out and Vote!!!

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Written by Empire National Nursery, Your North Carolina Source for Fast Growing Trees.

Railroad Ties - Amazing Use of Trees

Railroad Ties - Amazing Use of Trees

One of the more fascinating uses of trees is for railroad ties.

When the weather turns chilly, I tend to watch more movies about the Old West. Typically, the movies are in hot, sunny, dry and treeless locations, and everyone is sweaty and warm. That somehow helps me to take the chill off. And in all of these westerns, they show the railroad. How can you have a western without a railraod, the ironhorse is the greatest icon of the old west, and associated with that are the railroad lines. Endless miles of track, over the dry and treeless terrain, all across the country, truly an amazing feat!

How amazing the railroad is, how they were built, without the modern power tools and massive machinery, particularly when looking at the railroad tie. From the begining of rail travel, the rails have been fastened onto wood ties. How many trees, or how many ties does it take per mile of track? Start to do the math, and the volume of trees and wood consumed is staggering! Sadly, I don't have any figures for this...

If a railroad tie is eight feet long, eight or ten inches on all sides, that would be typical for a tie. That would be about five cubic feet of wood per tie. And if each tie is spaced on two-foot centers (that is two feet apart), then for every mile of track, that would require about thirteen thousand cubic feet of wood (or about 2640 ties). Now mutliply that by the thousands of miles of track laid, even just to connect the eastern and western rail lines like they did in some of these movies, then thats a lot of wood!

And not just for railroad ties, but to make bridges, and used for fuel for the steam locomotive, that's a lot of wood! Not exactly certain of the math, but as a ballpark number, that is still a lot of wood!

Ok, if these numbers are plausible, where did wood come from? How many trees were used, and what species?

Well, if we can stretch our numbers out a bit, and say that 'on average' the usable length of a tree was one hundred feet, and, that this one hundred foot length was two feet by two feet square (after the initial four cants were cut off), say, each tree produced a one hundred by two by two piece of rough lumber (which is about 400 cubic feet). Consider that in many areas of that time, trees were older and larger, and this varied widely over the span of the country, species available for use, etc., etc., but to come up with some sort of numeration, stick with these figures. Ok, if the average railroad tie is five cubic feet, and the tree raw material is trimmed to 400 cubic feet per tree, then that would produce about eighty railroad ties per average tree. And as estimated above, that each mile of track were to use 2640 ties, that would be about thirty three (average) trees per mile. Now the trimmed wood material from those trees would have burned as fuel in some manner, so waste was very minimal.

From east to west, trees were used, of every species, hauled from far away (by horse and wagon) and in other regions the trees were locally available. How many trees were used to build the early railroad? How many trees are used today to maintain the railroad? By early in the 19th century, cresasote and other materials were used to help preserve the wood, make the ties last longer, but figure a railroad tie might have a five, maybe ten year lifespan. When those massive trains roll over the rails, there is a certain amount of force placed on the rails, spread across the ties, minimized when you examine the physics of force, but still, the pins that hold the rails into the wood tie will cause cracks in the wood. And wood cracking as it dries naturally, ties fall apart over time and need to be replaced. Train derailments happen moreso because the railroad ties are old and cracked and cant hold the pins and rails tightly, causing the rail to bow when the train rolls across them. Ouch... So ties have to be replaced periodically, even at five or ten years, that requires a lot of wood! At least with more modern wood preservatives, the goal is to reduce the replacement requirements, still, the railroads require a lot of trees.

But the next time, you take a walk or drive (in your personalized iron-horse), notice the railroad, and ponder the trees used. How many trees, what species, how much wood has been used on our railroads? Think about it, how amazing and fascinating how our trees have been used. Perhaps someone can do some real-life stats on this subject.

And the bottom line is this... trees are a renewable resource, this is very evident as even with the millions of cubic feet used to build and maintain our railroads, plus every other use of trees, we still have plenty more!

Interested in model trains? We have several items for sale in our ebay store... Other deals and offers to consider... Click here!

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Written by Empire National Nursery, Your North Carolina Source for Fast Growing Trees.

Get Out and Vote!!!

Get Out and Vote - Vote for Trees

After the thrid presidental debate, we find the Mitt Romney was graceful and a much stronger leader than Obama. Where president Obama was brash and arrogant, basically Obamas stand was to attack the facts and truths presented by Romeny. Clearly, the president has no worthy accomplishments to show any type of record to keep his presidential job. Obama was rude and weak, whereas Mitt Romney was firm and very presidential.

Now what does this have to do with trees, fast growing trees or otherwise? Thats a two-sided perscective. Firstly, trees have little to do with the 2012 election, the debates, whether president Obama or Romney should get elected, but also, consider all of the posters, fliers, and election materials produced by the 2012 election season. A lot of trees went into those slogans and campaign signs. Did Obama or Romney have more?

But the other interesting idea from the 2012 election season, particularly all of the local and state elections, not just the presidential race, is that our economy is heavily dependent on trees. Trees make paper and cardboard, wood products of all types, etc., etc. Except for the 2012 election season, the forest products industry (which includes the paper products side of it) have suffered greatly with the weak declining economy. Now if Obama wins this election, we will likely see our economy further decay, which could relate to less forest (paper) products being produced. If Mitt Romney wins this election, and becomes President Romney, then we will see a growing vigourous economic expansion unlike this country has seen in too many years to count...

If trees are not harvested as quickly as the economy further sinks, they will continue to grow and get larger. If the economy is turned around, harvest activities will boom. Eitehr way, our productie forest lands are filled with many species of fast growing trees, ready for whatever happens this 2012 election season. America's forests, praticularly those on the larger private land holdings are well managed and posied to provide wood and paper for generations to come.

That's our perspective on the 2012 elections for president (and the local and state races as well).

As our right to vote is a privledge, use it! Vote for Obama if you like, or Mitt Romney if you want a strong healthy America... you decide. Get out there and vote 2012!

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Written by Empire National Nursery, Your North Carolina Source for Fast Growing Trees.

Using Binoculars in Our North Carolina Tree Nursery

Using Binoculars in Our North Carolina Tree Nursery

As we reorganize our North Carolina tree nursery in preparation for the Fall tree planting season, we inventory the supplies we have, and figure out what needs still remain. Among our handy tools are binoculars.

Binoculars are handy in the tree nursery for several purposes. Firstly, binoculars are handy in looking at the trees, particularly during cone and seed collection season. If you can see the tree seeds with binoculars, you can plan to collect them more efficiently. On the larger trees, even those tree in the woods, we look for squirrels and other pests that may effect the trees in the nursery with binoculars. Binoculars helps us to keep watch on the deer and local customer traffic from across the property.

Our tree nursery makes a good use of binoculars, without binoculars, the tree nursery has a short-range view.

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As a matter of interest, in our ebay store, we are offering a number of binoculars. We have plenty, so can you use one (or more)?

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Written by Empire National Nursery, Your North Carolina Source for Fast Growing Trees.

Using Folding Knive Blades in Our North Carolina Tree Nursery

Using Folding Knive Blades in Our North Carolina Tree Nursery

Among the tools we routinely use the tree nursery are knives. Hand clippers are probably used the most on our trees and plants, but second would certainly be knives.

We use both fixed blade knives and folding knife blades during most tasks in the tree nursery. Not that one has greater preference or use over the other, but moreso depends on which one is most handy at the time of need. Both are useful tools in the tree nursery.

In the field, trees and twigs are cut for various reasons, dead trees are removed with a knife, so having a folding blade knife at-hand aides in the tasks.

As we do primarily mail-order, hence a mail-order nursery, folding blade knives have a "hundred and one uses" in the packing shed. Shipping supplies arrive, boxes are cut, excess tree lengths are trimmed back, we use a fixed blade or folding knife blade to cut paper and string, tape, and occaisionally fingers...

No tree nursery is complete without an office, and here a folding knife blade is more handy than any other hand tool. Boxes and papers are cut, string, tape, and other packing materials are severed using the folding knife blades, and if the band-aids are secure enough, we don't cut fingers...

The tree nursery would come to a virtual halt if we didnt have the fixed knife blades, and completely halted if we did not have the folding knife blades.

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As a matter of interest, in our ebay store, we are offering a number of folding knife blades. We have plenty, so how many do you want?

=========== Written by Empire National Nursery, Your North Carolina Source for Fast Growing Trees.

4 American Civil War Books - Bruce Catton & Davis

4 American Civil War Books - Bruce Catton & Davis The American Civil War, or War Between the States was a bloody struggle for Independendence (from the Southern perspective) and the struggle to keep the union of the United States together (on the northern perspective). The civil war was a civil-war, in that it was not just the north against the south, but brother against brother, kin fighting kin, towns and regions within the various states fighting each other. In most areas of the country, there was strife and friction among many families, truly a civil war. Aside from the human struggle, ever consider what happened to the trees during the civil war? During the mid-1800's, really before the industrial revolution and introduction of fossil fuels, trees were the mainstay of energy consumption. Tree were used not just for heating, but for making ships, weapons, forts and defensive positions, railroad ties, chemicals like resins, farms that cleared the trees out, and certainly fruit-bearing types. Amazing to look at the old civil war pictures, such as on the civil war battlefields, to see denuded hills and farms, and compare those same civil war battelfields and other areas today. Amazing how in most places the trees have come back full and lush. We like trees, thats what we do - grow trees. And as we are learning more about our American history, the American Civil War in particular, we think about the role the trees had during the war. Although really unrelated to our interest and profession in trees, these four books about the American Civil War are quite interesting. Three were written by Bruce Catton, a popular author about the civil war, and the fourth was written by Burke Davis. We have read them, found them to be full of information about the civil war, and now we have made them available on our ebay store. We hope you find the civil war as fascinating as we do... after all, it was a big part of our American history. ========== Written by Empire National Nursery, Your North Carolina Source for Fast Growing Trees.

911 - May We Never Forget!

911 - May We Never Forget! September 11th, 2001 - May we Never forget! The tragedy and horror, the innocent people that lost their lives, that we were attacked on American soil, and how Our country has changed since then. We have 3 Magazines on our ebay Store (take the link) that are now available. These are full of great pictures and stories of the events on that fateful day. Each of these are in very nice condition, not perfect, but a must-have for that collection. We are ready to let go of these, but not the memories...

The first one: "Life in the Land of the Free: America Remembers September 11, 2001, 10 Years Later by Life (2011, paperback). This is a beautifully done paperback thick magazine produced by Time-Life Books. Held in Good condition, the cover and pages are sound, good shape, some yellowing of the pages, but overall very nice.

The second is: "Sept. 11, 2001 The Day that Shook America", published by People Weekly, Sept. 24, 2001 (paperback), UPC code: 07244010227939, 136 pages. This is also beautifully done paperback thick magazine produced by People Weekly. Held in Good condition, and also very nice overall.

The last magazine we have is: Magazine: "September 11, 2001 The Day that Changed America", published by (Unknown Publisher), Sept., 2001 (paperback), UPC code: 08644118215404, 96 pages. And like the other two magazines, these are incredibly well photographed, and in very nice condition. -----

And if one were to get these through ebay, we have the ads set up that 25% of this sale goes to Support Our Troops.org, a Great organization that helps Our men and women serving our country while they keep US safe at home. We are glad to help, and we hope you too can do something to help them...

Vote 2012 !!! America needs change, and WE are the answer! WE have a voice, even one at a time... and together, we can make good changes. It's time America... time to VOTE! Whatever your party or political leaning, WE need your voice. This is your God-given American Right, guaranteed to US in our Constitution, and if it is not used, it will be taken away! ----- Mostly we just grow trees... We like the fast growing trees especially, but just about anything green is fine with us. From our North Carolina nursery, we grow trees for shade, fast growing trees for privacy screens and windbreaks, other trees for fruit (not regular fruit trees, but those not very common), fast growing flowering trees, and a number of fast growing shrubs for hedges and flowers. BUT... we also were effected by 911, and we do care! We at least try and get information out, links to organizations that help others (particularly our Veterans), and we get involved locally. Trees are fine, but Our country is more important... Just our thoughts on this September 11th... ---------------- Written by Empire National Nursery, Your North Carolina Source for Fast Growing Trees.

The South We Don't Know

The South we Don't Know

For years, we have been indoctrinated by the school and political systems that the south isn't worth of "doodley-squat", being not much more than bigots and red- necks. We know better, and as "the good book" says, "the truth will set us free", suggests that the more we learn, the false perceptions about southern heritage will be made right. Certainly we are moving in the right direction to educate ourselves and others, and with the wealth of confederate archives in places like the Museum "of" the Confederacy, in Richmond, Virginia, a great deal more can be learned. There is a great project proposed and being implemented, but it needs help, your help and participation.

The challenge is that the archival information is highly controlled, with limited access by the museum, and the records themselves are virtually without any type of organizational process. As nearly all of them are unread and unexamined, nobody knows "what" is even there! One document found in Jackson's haversack after his wounding at Chancellorsville, was his original map of the Shennandoah Valley... that 17-foot long handmade map showing in incredible detail the entire valley, which he used to thwart the northern invasion during the Valley Campaign. That alone is a priceless treasure, so what else is there? Good question... Other examples of found documents include: "Robert E. Lee’s General Orders Number Nine from Appomattox", "Jefferson Davis’ letter to Varina announcing Joseph Johnston’s wounding at Seven Pines and the appointment of Lee as Commanding General" and, "Rose O’Neal Greenhow’s spy letter".

Need to look up a muster roll for your ancestor? "Here's a 'shoebox', good luck... you have two hours, then git out!" If the archives offer a look at the real-life and times of the past, currently numbering over 100,000 documents (and growing), are delicate and fragile, and essentially piled in boxes, how can we know what's there? They need to be read, summarized, and given a librarian-type method of categorization so that we can all know what is there. Isn't that the purpose of a museum, not just to preserve the artifacts, but to glean the knowledge from them? The duty of the SCV is to preserve our Southern heritage, but without access to such information, we're just "spittin' in the wind".

We know the names, the places, and the events that these people’s words refer to, but the "actual" texts are written on paper, vellum, or mere scraps, all are objects that deteriorate over time, are held in these archives. Although they are housed in a climate-controlled vault, their preservation requires additional measures to conserve them. However, unlike the flags, uniforms, and weapons, the words, the actual paper records themselves, compel us to make them available to historians, researchers,genealogists, and the general public.

Under the current political and financial environment, access to "our" archives is tenuous at best. Although efforts are being made to gain not just better access, but develop efficient control and categorization of this priceless intellectual treasure, we need help, lots of it. Financial help certainly (like every other need out there), but political help, the rank and file of SCV members, Southerners, and any person interested in history and the pursuit of knowledge. Sign up, give, and help get this project moving forward. If the archives controlled by the museum are "ours", and if they hold a wealth of knowledge from those who lived the time, and learning such information adds to the truth and knowledge of we are as a people, as Americans, should such knowledge be made available? Should we even care about "old news" that happened 150 years ago? Everything we need to know is in the history books, isn't it? Many speak of freedom and truth, but if archival records reveal information as to what really occurred during the time of struggle (or during any time), could not such knowledge rewrite history? Possibly so, and if we as a nation of the free are to profess truth and honesty in who we are, should not these archival records of the past be given the fair and unbiased examination? We need to know what these documents reveal about our past.

For example, in the Eleanor Brockenbrough Archives, there are hundreds of Muster Rolls which were never abstracted for the Compiled Military Service Records contained at the National Archives. Muster rolls are the enlistments of the rank and file, and if you don't know who is on the rolls, taken at the time of service 150 years ago, how can we do research and learn more information about our ancestors, and the information learned may well change what we have been taught as historical fact. Simply protecting these fragile records, such as General Lee’s parole, costs between $75 to $185, depending on the size, for the Mylar protector. The costs vary widely as each document will differ.

As Historian Eric Richardson explains, "Conservation and preservation are but a small portion of the museums archive mission. In order to make the collection accessible, they have begun the monumental task of description and arrangement, a librarian-like style of categorizing. The goal is to provide historians, researchers, and staff with a synopsis of each document, its location within the collection, and some context for the individuals mentioned therein. This skilled, technical labor entails not only a knowledge of the war and antebellum period of Southern society but also, extensive experience and coursework in the practices of the Society of American Archivists. The amount of labor for this portion is contingent upon several variables: the legibility of the author’s handwriting, the effects of the passage of time on the ink and paper itself, and the amount of research necessary to contextualize the people mentioned in the documents. "Although we have begun this massive project they do we need all of your help. The Museum receives no moneys from the federal, state, or local governments. If the collection is going to survive and continue to provide new, exciting discoveries of our Nation’s rich history, it needs your financial support. We are stewards of the people’s words, which must be preserved for future generations. We owe that debt to our forbearers and that same consideration for generations yet unborn."

The project desired by historians such as Eric Richardson and others to examine and categorize the archives in the Confederate Museum is highly admirable and suggests the best and proper way to access and preserve such a wealth of knowledge, but they need our help. The project is to take a pile, a huge pile of randomly collected papers in boxes (basically shoeboxes), and give them essentially a "Google keyword search (or extraction)", and then place the document in a preserving cover (such as mylar). Then as the documents are examined for key words and information, then the records will be given a library-like filing system for easier future access. Yes, a good method and process, and worthwhile to join the efforts proposed. Do learn more about this project, this is our history, and the results will be amazing. Because of the mass of records there, and essentially digging through every box reading and key-wording every document, this daunting task will take years to accomplish. Even given full access by teams of skilled document handlers, this project might be likened to building the Panama canal with spoons. Feasible and noble, but a huge undertaking.

Now the understanding is that the proposed project would be to examine each document, pull out key-words to set up a summary and therefore categorization method, and then preserve the document (ideally in a mylar cover). This involves time, skilled handlers, certain amount of materials, and of course the freedom of access to the records. This is a good procedure, but adding one more step, photo records to add a digital opportunity for long-term and wider-spread values. If at some point the originals do need to be examined, the preliminary work will have been done, and categorizing them would make finding the information much easier.

Why not photographs the documents? Anyone who has used a camera to take pictures of paper records, signs, or even general photographs, knows there is some skill needed to getting good pictures. But once a digital picture is taken, as most cameras are now made, they can be processed and handled in a computer environment that would allow for easy access and analysis, preservation of information, and wide-spread usage anywhere the database is accessed. I for one, have taken photographs of my Dad's tours of duty in World War II, scanned them, then edited them to improve the quality. Such digital pictures were then printed and made available for a book he was writing. The quality was better than the original photo. A digital photo can be manipulated to change light and contrast, and being digital, you can zoom in to better examine some of the finer details, as well as other techniques. Using Ancestory.com for our lineage searches often has photographed digitized records and pictures that we are able to glean more information about of kin. Those are archival records entered in on a small scale, easily done, widely accessible, and preserves the original documentation from unnecessary handling. Attorney offices for example, regularly scan pictures and paper records into a digital format, then use them in a variety of digital ways. Easy and simple commonplace technology can make any archival project even better. Once digitized, you can develop a database, and the original fragile documents don't need to be handled as much, which will add to their preservation.

If one takes a document, puts it on a flat surface, with good lighting and using a tripod for the camera, very good pictures can be taken. Using digital pictures, it is readable and reproductable, and is stored electronically. Also, a digital picture can be printed with very nice quality. A printed document can then be read by an optical scanner (very commonplace these days), with the text then searchable by various software programs. Even moreso, a digital picture can also be scanned and read by certain scanners, shortening the process. Once photographed and/or digitized, you have infinite access and handling of the information, while the original document is tucked away for safe keeping. The process is simple enough, should shorten some of the time required to handle the mass of records, and would limit the handling wear and tear of ancient treasures.

How might this work? For example, lets start with a box of records, and call it "Box #ABC-123". And lets say it holds 65 items in it, various letters, and other paper documents. Having a photo-station set up, the documents are carefully handled as they are photographed, then placed inside a plastic zip-lock bag. Each bag is labelled with an id number such as, "Box #ABC-123-001" , and then labelling each item up to number, "Box #ABC-123-065". A card label is also included in each document bag, as a duplication or control system. The box is then placed back safely in the archive vault. Each photograph is then edited and saved using the basic (or root) label id number. Each subsequent document generated electronically is given the same id number, and maybe additional coding numbers as need be. Just like in any database creation, once a number is assigned to a document or record, it becomes institutionalized. The plus side of institutionalization is the consistency of records and easy access to information. The downside is that changing a record id is very cumbersome and next to impossible to accomplish thoroughly (ie: medical or insurance database records). Although a plastic bag is not the best or proffered way to handle these archival records, it does add a significant advantage over the current "loose in a box" method, as well as costing far less. Then as the photos records are edited and stored, they can be infinitely read and examined, categorized, and widely accessed via the electronic world we live in. And if such information is unleased, it could change history as we know it...

Any funding they recieve, will be placed into a secure and seperate account that is devoted exclusively for the archival records project. Should you like more information, do contact Teresa Roane. Donation options are available, with checks certainly being welcomed.

Checks can be made out to: 'The Museum of the Confederacy', and in the memo section write, "Archives Preservation Fund".

For Donations and information, write to:

The Museum of the Confederacy
1201 East Clay Street
Richmond, VA 23219

ATTN: Teresa Roane

"Also, If you are a member or supporter of an organization (SCV Camp, OCR, MOSB, CoC or UDC Chapter, re-enactment unit, or other organization),please send a single check from the group, made out as above. Please include in your letter, the number of contributors and contact information (electronic, if possible) in order to receive periodic updates on the progress of the project. Thank you for supporting this program with your financial contribution. Also, please forward this appeal to anyone who you think would have an interest in our stewardship issue," Teresa Roane.

The archival project of the Museum of the Confederacy boils down to time and money. There is a vast wealth of information about our past held at the museum, and they are being preserved, but no one knows what information "is". Although nice in the sense that they are kept safe, but it is the information of such documents that we want (and need) to see. If you can't see something, examine it, and glean the information and knowledge from such an artifact, what's the point in keeping it in a dungeon? The proposed project to access and categorize the archival records is important, vital in learning and preserving real-life Southern heritage as well as our American history. Do learn more, and then join this project... we need you-all.

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Written by Empire National Nursery, Your North Carolina Source for Fast Growing Trees.

Spring or Winter?

What the heck is goin' on with this weather? Even nationwide, it seems that this was (or is) a crazy winter.

As far winters, ours in North Carolina was very mild, and often more Spring-like than wintry. Was it not forecast to be a cold Winter? It seems that all along the eastern half of the country, this cold season was not-so-cold. But that appears to be the case across the western states as well. Whereas the predictions for 110 inches of snow (for the season) in the California Sierra Nevada mountains, at this point in late February, they have had a total less than three feet. Has this goofy winter pattern held so across all of the west? From our limited knowledge, it looks as if the central states have had a more normal weather season.

When Punxsutawney Phil said there would be six more weeks of Winter, we were lifting trees in 60 degree sunny days. Normally the fast growing trees like the Weeping Willow and Quaking Aspen will swell their buds and often start sprouting in January, both are still tight and dormant. Yet in our lil' nursery world, this winter has been great for lifting and planting all sorts of trees, especially the larger ones we hold for our local market.

Just the other day we potted more of the evergreens, like the spruces and Southern Magnolias while it was in the low 60s, and last night we had freezing temperatures and several inches of snow. And today is sunny, still cold, but the snow is quickly melting. it would be a perfect day to go dig more trees, but with the dripping snow, its way too early for that cold shower... Perhaps after lunch, there is office work to get caught up on.

Whereas in past years, the Forsythia and the Daffodils would be in bloom in frozen January, but this year with our rather warm temps, they are still closed up and waiting. Winter is here as far as the calendar goes, but the temperature flux have really confused the plants...

We are obsessed with weather, hot, cold, wet, or dry, it pretty well sets 'our' schedules. So what about Winter, is it really Spring or not? How has it been for others this season?

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Written by Empire National Nursery, Your North Carolina Source for Fast Growing Trees.