Our Partner, Bellview Grange #759, Plants 2 New Trees!

One of our retired Directors, Julie Caldwell from the USA, shares this beautiful story with us.

Bellview Grange #759 Food Forest, Ashland, Oregon, USA, Plants Two New Tree Friends
Photos and article by Julie Caldwell

Three years ago, volunteers and students from Bellview Elementary School, in partnership with the Global Tree Initiative and the Bellview Grange #759, planted 100 trees and shrubs to create a Food Forest.

A project that transformed our Grange parking lot into a regenerative food garden featuring fruit, nut, and berry trees and shrubs to share with our neighbors and members.

Here is a YouTube video of the students and adult volunteers planting the Food Forest in Spring 2022 (and the students singing their re-write of Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi).

This year, on Valentine’s Day, two new tree friends were welcomed: A Red Braeburn and a Mutsu Apple.

It was Dawn Hightree’s idea. “Let’s plant some trees and do a tree ceremony to honor the earth,” she shared with me on a cold winter day in December. She wrote a letter to our Grange president offering to plant the new trees. Before we knew it, the Bellview Grange members unanimously agreed and contributed funds and volunteers to assist with this request!

Talia Rose and Chris Hardy dug the holes, deep and wide. Julie Caldwell gently unpacked the root balls. Chris taught us how to face the new growth limbs towards the southwest sun, so the limbs will shade the tree during the heat of our summer days. Dawn carefully filled the holes with a mix of dirt and compost, and Chris made sure we took care to leave each of her root balls above the soil line.

Then, we covered them with last year’s leaves and a layer of bark chips. Talia Rose led a heartfelt tree dedication ceremony in honor of this beautiful earth and the coming of spring. The three of us ladies singing and humming, as our gardener guardian, Chris Hardy, tenderly added just the right amount of water.

Talia Rose (left) and one of the new trees planted, on the right.

You are always welcome to visit us at the Bellview Grange Food Forest located at 1050 Tolman Creek Road in Ashland, Oregon, USA!

Update on Osel’s Tree

Osel, founder of the Global Tree Initiative, sponsored the planting of this Elderberry tree three years ago. Just wanted to let everyone know that this medicine tree is alive and doing well this spring 2026. Thank you, Osel, and to all the volunteers at the Bellview Grange. And, also to the deer who nibbled its first berries last year!

Ösel’s tree

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Julie, thank you so much for sharing this wonderful story with us! We are so happy to see that the Food Forest is growing and developing, while at the same time bringing people together. Thank you for being part of our global community!

We also want to thank Chris Hardy, Talia Rose, Dawn Hightree, and the Bellview Grange community for being part of this beautiful story.

You are invited to have a look at Chris Hardy’s project, Hardy Seeds, where you can learn about open-source, non-GMO, and Certified Organic Seeds.

Have a look at Talia Rose’s website, to learn about her therapeutic harp healing.

And, learn more about Dawn Hightree’s Living with Dignity Program.