September 2020 Tree Care
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Trout Brook Goes to Work With a New Grapple-Saw Crane We recently acquired an exciting new piece of equipment: a grapple- saw crane truck. This truck can hold a large branch by the butt and make Our team is out there in their fluorescent shirts with their chainsaws and sharp-looking
With kids going back to school during a pandemic, seemingly everyone having an increasingly loud and radical political opinion, and the car traffic back to its frantic pace, the important thing is to focus on is what you can control and what you can protect. Your home is a perfect example. This is where you and your family live and spend much of your time together. It’s where you have fun, relax, make memories, and just get to be with one another. You have the power to shape your home however you want. Want to plant some new trees so the kids will have more shade in the summer? Go for it! Thinking about cutting some trees to make sunlight for a garden? Get it ready for next spring! This is your own little world, and that’s a remarkable thing! As I wrap up this edition of the newsletter, I want to mention that our tree service will be available for booking about 3–4 weeks ahead for routine service, so call us right away. Just give us a call at (860) 888-8472, and we will send an experienced estimator out to provide a quote. And if you have a big job, you might get to see the grapple-saw crane perform a show at your house.
equipment, showing everyone how it’s done with the grapple-saw crane! More than that, everyone is great about creating a supportive and positive work environment for their fellow team members. I can’t say enough about how well this team works together. After the storm hit, we jumped into action, helping people with trees on houses, fences, and cars. And I used my experience helping people to get a lot of the work reimbursed through their homeowners insurance. This storm, and the others that will surely follow, shows us how quickly things can change. One day, the sky is perfectly clear. The next day, the wind is hammering against the side of your house as the rain pours. The clients who had recently done pruning or removals were happy they had done the preventive maintenance. And the clients who had tree disasters at their home were pleased to have a partner in Trout Brook to help them navigate tree insurance coverage and nuance . That’s why we’re here — we are experienced with storms and know the weather can turn on a dime. Preventive tree maintenance or removal is always best. Looking ahead, this month is a stressful one for our community.
a cut, then carry the branch in its grasp through the air to the chipper. The grapple-saw crane can also grip the trunk, make a big cut, and move the cut trunk down into a dump truck. Just before we started work on this month’s newsletter, Hurricane Isaias swept up the East Coast and hit Connecticut with high winds. It was remarkable to see that wind come through in a flash, and I want to send a special shoutout to our team for their hard work through the crisis! They work so diligently, conscientiously, and responsibly to help our customers with all their needs, all while going without power for the first five days at their own homes! With August’s storm, we’ve been using this new crane truck to its full potential and performing a nice show for all the neighbors.
–Andrew Bachman
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GARDENING, GOLD, AND PHOTO SHOOTS
3 FUN FAMILY ACTIVITIES FOR FALL
It’s fall, which means social media will soon be saturated with pictures of your friends enjoying “classic” fall activities. Photos of leaf peeping, apple picking, and the occasional scarecrow run rampant. But rather than following the herd, you can make your family the trendsetter of unique fall activities! Here are a few outdoor endeavors your family will love. GET GARDENING.
planning a road trip out to an old ghost town. Many of them have great tourist attractions that include gold panning. You probably won’t get rich, but it will still be a fun story. If you’re not able to make the trip, you can always create a gold panning operation at home! Visit MessForLess.net/panning-for-gold-activity for a great step-by-step guide on how to go panning for gold in your own backyard. PLAN A FALL PHOTO SHOOT. It’s time to freshen up those family pictures hanging around the house. The changing leaves provide a beautiful background for any family portrait. Better yet, the cooler temperatures mean that an outdoor photo shoot won’t be nearly as uncomfortable as it would be in the summer. You can take your pictures by the trees in the front yard or make a daytrip of it. What about pictures at the corn maze or pumpkin patch? It’s never too soon to start planning this year’s holiday card. Spend this fall outdoors and create great new memories with your family!
Fall is the time for harvest, but if you want to enjoy flowers in the spring, it’s also a time for planting. The cooler autumn air is easier on plants, but the
soil is still warm enough for roots to grow before the ground freezes for winter. Tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths are all spring bulbs that need to be planted in the fall. Do a little research with your family to determine the best time to start planting in your area. PAN FOR GOLD. Here’s one that’s really off the beaten path: Take your family on an adventure panning for gold! Start by
THE JAPANESE RED MAPLE ELEGANT RELIC OF THE VICTORIAN HORTICULTURAL EXCHANGE WITH ASIA
There’s nothing quite like a splash of vibrant red among the green. The Japanese red maple, aka Acer palmatum , is a small tree with a classic pedigree and a big personality. In the spring and fall, the leaves erupt in colors of the finest reds, making it the jewel of any yard.
Different varieties, or “cultivars,” exist with different colors, and the shades of red of each can change during the growing season, even fading into dark greens. This is something to keep in mind if you desire the tree for its characteristic red leaves. Careful cultivar selection and plot selection is a must! According to the Arbor Day Foundation, the Japanese red maple grows best in slightly acidic, moist, and well-drained soil, perfect for forested New England. They also note that the tree requires consistent soil moisture. Should the soil become too dry — then too wet right afterward— the tree will be unable to thrive. Adding a drip irrigation to your landscaping near the maple is one way to keep this tree healthy and happy. Overall, the Japanese red maple is easily maintained. You can sculpt it to a smaller size to fit your landscaping needs, or you can allow it to grow. It can reach anywhere between 25–30 feet in height, with a roughly a 30-foot branch spread, and you’ll be steward to an elegance that’s hard to beat.
While it is a beautiful tree that adds rich color to any scene. It is an accent tree more than a main attraction. Introduced to America and England in the Victorian era of gardening, it has been a popular front yard tree for over 150 years. The Japanese maple prefers partial or almost full shade and does best under or near long- established taller shade trees. If
you already have mature trees of different varieties, the Japanese red maple may be an ideal accent to your existing landscape. The maple can also do well in heavy shade, but it will grow at a much slower rate.
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The answer is that the cost to cut a tree off the structure is variable and will be paid based on the equipment and the labor hours; the debris hauling must be its own line item on an invoice. Tree debris alone has a set limit (usually $500–$1,000) that is written into the policy. You need to know this because a contractor may leave you with tree debris in your yard after they cut the tree and tell you there isn’t enough money in the claim to cover the debris removal. Therefore, make sure that the contractor you hire has the right equipment for debris hauling: a woodchipper and loader machine, so you can get the most reasonable cost for the most amount of work, and so you aren’t overwhelmed with cleaning all that tree debris later on. I hope this helps you understand how to navigate tree-related damage issues should the need arise in future storms. Should you have any questions, you can call us or text us at (860) 888 8472.
CAMP JEWELL YMCA IS CLOSED WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
Back in the day, my friend Dave Pilon and I spent a good part of our summers at Camp Jewell YMCA. The camp was just about the most perfect summer camp any kid could ask for. It’s an overnight camp on a lake where values and teamwork are taught through outdoor activities and community events. It was a place for me to feel a part of a group and learn songs and cheers and also try new things, like sailing and zip lining, and have a lot of fun along the way. The way I live my life with personal responsibility and respect was influenced by my experiences at Camp Jewell YMCA. This year, as with many camps across the country, Camp Jewell was closed. And it wasn’t just their summer camp — their other year-round programs were canceled as well. The good news is that Camp Jewell is scheduled to open to campers in 2021, and summer 2021 registration is open. The bad news is that the camp is in a tough position because they relied on tuition and now donations to cover their costs. The maintenance of building and grounds never stops. To help them continue their efforts to maintain the cabin facilities, Camp Jewell has begun a fundraising campaign called “Preserve the Magic of YMCA Camp.” As part of the campaign, Trout Brook has donated $20,000 in a matching funds offer. This organization has had such a positive impact on my life, and by extension my business, and the donation is my way of giving back to help keep the future bright for more kids. If you would like to know more about Camp Jewell YMCA and sign up for camp or donate, you can visit their website at CampJewell.org. This year, if you haven’t already, I encourage you to donate to your favorite youth organization, cause, or camp that had the most impact on you in order to preserve the institution for the next generation.
Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
Inspired by EatingWell.com
• 4 medium sweet potatoes • 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed • 2 medium tomatoes, diced • 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin • 1 tsp coriander • 3/4 tsp salt • 1/4 cup sour cream • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions
1. With a fork, prick each sweet potato a few times. Microwave the potatoes on high 12–15 minutes, or until cooked through. 2. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the beans, tomatoes, olive oil, cumin, coriander, and salt. When the potatoes are done, microwave the mixture on high for 2–3 minutes. 3. Cool potatoes slightly, then cut each potato open lengthwise. Pull the halves apart to create space to spoon the warm bean salsa inside. 4. Add a scoop of sour cream to each potato, garnish with cilantro, and serve!
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WWW.TROUTBROOKTREE.COM (860) 888-8472
Tree Care September 2020
69 TALCOTT RD. WEST HARTFORD, CT 06110
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE
1 2
Working With a New Grapple-Saw Crane
3 Fun Family Activities for Fall
The Japanese Maple
Camp Jewell YMCA Is Closed. What’s the Next Step?
3
Easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
4
Tree Insurance Scenarios, Explained
TREE INSURANCE SCENARIOS, EXPLAINED
A second question I get is, “Will I get reimbursed for all of the tree service cost?”
Trees are like people: They have a lifespan. They grow and they die, often in dramatic fashion. When a tree falls on your house in Connecticut, you have a responsibility to hire a tree service immediately to protect the house from water damage and possible collapse. Under a typical homeowner’s policy, you also have right to compensation for the cost to preserve your property. Should you choose to file an insurance claim, all types of homeowners policies are designed to cover removal of fallen trees off of any permanent structure: including houses, garages, sheds, fences, and more. You also have a right to choose your contractor based on their reputation, training, and licensing, not just the lowest bidder. Now, I want to get into a couple interesting points that a lot of clients have questions about. At first, many clients think that because it was the neighbor’s tree that fell into their yard, their neighbor will then be responsible for its removal. In truth, if a tree falls into your yard in a windstorm, it is an “act of God,” and now, it is YOUR TREE. The neighbor might choose to help you out, but the tree is now totally yours.
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