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February – March 2022 & A rborists
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(860) 888-8472
SPRING IS ON THE HORIZON Preparing for a Budding Spring Season
With spring on the horizon, now is a great time to plan to prune your trees. Trees are evolved to recover quickly in the winter. This time of year, the trees’ energy is stored down in the roots not the branches, Therefore winter pruning does not take from tree’s energy reserves . We can also see the whole skeleton of the tree, without the leaves in the way, and we can identify broken or crossing branches. If you are on the hunt for a tree service company, the best price is important, but there are many considerations that can help add up to the best VALUE overall. You may be taking on a big liability risk with a company who wants to do a cash deal, and who pays their workers as independent contractors and not as employees. Lacking in compliance, they may also be lacking in safe equipment, procedural training and worker protections. The best deal doesn’t mean that you will receive efficient and quality trimming of your favorite tree. “ We must keep ourselves looking ahead and stay active to brighten our spirits, knowing that warm southern winds bring April showers. And then April showers bring May flowers. ”
March places us in the illusion of an endless winter — it seems we are dragging on without a holiday break or green on the trees yet. It’s historically a time of hysterias and intrigue, stock market panic and late winter storms. Just remember it’s always “darkest just before the dawn.” We must keep ourselves looking ahead and stay active to brighten our spirits, knowing that warm southern winds bring April showers. And then April showers bring May flowers. Along this same theme, by March, many people have given up on goals from their New Year’s resolutions. It can be a tough time of year, but I look at it as a time of rebirth and renewal . It also happens to be my birthday month, so every March is like opening a new chapter of life. I encourage you to take on that mentality. Look at who you want to be in the next year, and put aside the things you cannot control. Focus on your health, your family, your finances, your home — anything where you have direct control. One reason many people give up their goals is because they lack self-belief and they choose to focus on the uncertainty instead of solutions. You have to believe that everything happens for you in life and that every setback is a valuable growing experience. If you persevere, and believe you were meant to handle your problems, then your setbacks can be a blessing in humility and wisdom.
If you need Trout Brook’s experienced arborist to evaluate your trees, you can reach us at 860-888-8472 . If you find it more
convenient to send us an email, our email is Andrew@TroutBrookLandscaping.com .
Happy Spring!
–Andrew Bachman CT Arborist S6222
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Trout Brook Ice & Feed Company est. 1879
The corner of Farmington Avenue and Trout Brook Drive is a location steeped in history. If you drive through that intersection today, you’ll see a Dunkin’ and a funeral home. But if you rewind time by about 140 years, you’ll find something very different: the Trout Brook Ice & Feed Company. West Hartford was once known for its ice. In 1879, the Trout Brook Ice & Feed Company was founded by Edwin Arnold. At the time, Trout Brook Drive did not exist, but Trout Brook, which now runs along Trout Brook Drive, very much did. And that’s where Arnold decided to set up shop — right next to the brook that would be the source of his famous ice for years to come. Arnold built a dam on Trout Brook . Then, come winter, dozens of ice harvesters descended on the frozen brook. They chipped away at the ice, cutting out large blocks. The blocks were then moved to ice houses and barns where they were insulated with a layer of sawdust as they awaited transport to their destinations over the course of the spring and summer. The company was also known for its signature red horse- drawn wagons (and eventually trucks) that it used to deliver ice to customers all over the area and as far away as New York City. As the area grew in size, demand for ice increased — and it increased even more with the approach of World War I. To meet this demand, the company dug out a
second ice source next to Wood Pond on the west side of town — Woodridge Lake . They also built several ice barns to store all the ice. However, the ice boom was short-lived. After World War I and into the 1920s and ‘30s, home refrigeration started to take off. With the invention of home refrigeration in 1913 and the development of Freon refrigeration in the ‘20s, they knew time was limited. In 1927, Frederick Arnold (Edwin died in 1905) sold Trout Brook Ice & Feed to the Southern New England Ice Company. By 1936, that company folded, along with many others. While the ice industry faded into history, the legacy of Trout Brook Ice and Feed still remains in Woodbridge lake next to Wood Pond and the Trout Brook Dam at Farmington ave.
YOU, ME, AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS 3 Outside Date Night Ideas
Did your significant other leave it up to you to come up with a romantic date idea this Valentine’s Day? Luckily for you, there are tons of date activities that are easy and affordable for you to enjoy with Mother Nature. While the possibilities are endless outside, here are three popular outdoor date ideas! Watch the sunset. Sunsets are intuitively romantic: The sun paints the sky in calming reds, pinks, and purples, creating a beautiful backdrop. While watching the sunset, you and your partner can have a romantic picnic with the sky in view. Or you can embrace the scenery with your other half and create memories you both will never forget. Go stargazing. If you live in the city, stargazing is a good chance to escape for the night and get away from the light pollution in the city. If you already live in a location where you can easily see the stars, take advantage of the peaceful privacy with your loved one. Maybe you’ll spot a shooting star you can wish upon while you’re out there! Hit up a drive-in movie. If you’re looking for a way to be extra comfy while still sitting outside, a drive-in movie is the best destination! The best part about a drive-in is that you can view both new and old
movies as well as bring your own snacks and drinks. If the weather permits and if you have a truck, you can load the bed with blankets and pillows and have a cozy night while watching a movie. These date night ideas are perfect for Valentine’s Day, but they don’t have to be limited to just the holiday! You can also consider these for any date that you have with your significant other. Nothing brings couples closer like being together with nature.
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TAKE A BREAK
The Majestic Maple Biography of the Sugar Maple Tree
The most gracious and beautiful tree in New England is a mature sugar maple tree. Growing up to 100 feet tall and 300 years old, its leaves are luscious and green, and in fall, the leaves famously turn gorgeous shades of yellow and burnt orange. The tree is so classically beautiful (and abundant) that it is Canada’s national tree, with the maple leaf adorning the flag. There are many traditional uses of the wood. Premium
Vegan Red Velvet Cake Inspired by LovingItVegan.com
furniture, butcher’s block, and high-end flooring and trim. Historically, late February and March are the best times to harvest the maple syrup sap from the trees. The trees are tapped to retrieve the sap that is then
Ingredients
• 2 cups flour • 1 cup white granulated sugar • 1 tsp baking soda • 1/2 tsp salt • 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder • 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup soy milk • 2 tsp vanilla extract • 1/2 cup canola oil • 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar • 1 tsp red food coloring (gel works best) • Frosting of choice
boiled down into a syrup. It is said that one sugar maple tree will produce enough sap to make 1 quart of syrup. So, if you’re looking to make syrup at home, one big tree will get you enough to share with the family over breakfast.
Directions
Newly planted trees are fairly easy to grow, tolerant of shade or sun, severe heat and cold hardy. There are several designer varieties of the native sugar maple, including Apollo, Green Mountain Maple, and Fall Fiesta. Each variety is bred to be even more beautiful than the next and would make a wonderful addition to your front yard.
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease baking pans of choice. Line bottoms with parchment paper. (Two 8-inch round pans work best.) 2. In a large bowl, sift flour and mix in sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. 3. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and soy milk. Leave the mixture to sit for about a minute so it can curdle into buttermilk. 4. Add milk mixture, vanilla, oil, vinegar, and food coloring to the flour mixture, stirring well to break up large clumps. 5. Pour batter into pans and bake for 20 minutes. 6. Cool cakes completely before frosting with icing of choice.
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69 TALCOTT RD. WEST HARTFORD, CT 06110 WWW.TROUTBROOKTREE.COM (860) 888-8472
SCAN FOR A QUOTE
& A rborists
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE
1 Spring Is Springing 2 West Hartford Knows Ice
Include Mother Nature in Your Next Date
3 Sugar Maple Trees
Vegan Red Velvet Cake 4 A Book about a Hometown Hero — Noah Webster
“Noah Webster: The Life and Times of an American Patriot” by Harlow Giles Unger A CIVIC-MINDED MAN: NOAHWEBSTER
It’s remarkable to think that West Hartford is the birthplace of one of the most influential people in American history. Noah Webster lived much of his life in Connecticut. He was born in
American Dictionary of the English Language, which was published in 1828. You can thank him for the way we spell many words we use today. While he didn’t specifically change
West Hartford in 1758 and died in New Haven in 1843. He was a man of the world and ahead of his time. There’s one book that captures what it was like to be this man: “Noah Webster: The Life and Times of an American Patriot” by Harlow Giles Unger. While this biography originally came out in 1998, it holds up well 22 years later as an excellent profile of the incredible man. Webster was a teacher, a writer, and a patriot. In his days as a teacher, he was annoyed by the fact that he taught students using outdated books that were imported from England. He believed children should be learning from modern American books — so he went to work creating those books! He created books that taught spelling, grammar, and reading.
the spelling of words like color (from colour) or center (from centre), he decided to use the simpler versions of the words in his new dictionary. He thought the simple versions of words were better. As his biography reveals, there are many parallels between what Webster wrote about 200 years ago and today. As someone who was active in business and civil life, he was well educated and involved in his community. He also knew the dangers of plagues and pandemics. He wrote about social distancing and what was needed to slow the progress of pandemics, because Americans were going through similar problems back then. It’s remarkable to see how far we’ve come as a country, but still face many of the same issues.
If you want to learn more about our hometown hero, “Noah Webster: The Life and Times of an American Patriot” is a great place to start.
Of course, as most people know, Webster was instrumental in the creation of the dictionary, specifically, An
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