Always Growing
John & Wendy’s Story
Forty-five years ago, John bought a tree mover on a whim, thinking it would be a good side hustle. Trained as a carpenter, he hoped it would bring in enough money to add a little extra to his annual income. Little did young John know that less than twelve months later, transplanting trees as an arborist would become his life’s work. Although he knew he’d be a farmer, John didn’t know he would be a tree farmer.
After meeting and marrying Wendy, John and his new bride purchased a bare fifty acre parcel of land and built a home where they raised their family. Wendy, an elementary school principal, believed in teaching children through tangible work; John, having grown up on a beef farm, agreed.
Each of their four children had a row of trees they were responsible for caring for. They grew up knowing that their row of trees would be what would eventually help to pay for their post-secondary education. Over the years, tens of thousands of trees have been moved to and from their beautiful property.
Having moved more than 60,000 trees from wee saplings to towering oaks, John and his family are very proud of creating spaces for other families to make memories, shade for employees to enjoy lunch, wind and weather protection for folks who live in the country, new holes at golf courses, and magical places for kids to play in parks.
With a passion for mental and physical health, John and Wendy have been working on cultivating Pine Grove, an area on the farm where the public is welcome to come and sit among the trees. Whether you bring a good book, like To Speak for the Trees by Diana Beresford-kroeger, or come for some Japanese Forest Bathing, you’re welcome to take your shoes off and breathe Mother Nature into your lungs while giving your mind and system a superboost.
– “People who touch trees care for trees and the world we share.” – Dr. Alex Shigo
The Next Generation
James, Heather and Jeff
Coming soon
– “People who touch trees care for trees and the world we share.” – Dr. Alex Shigo
The Next Generation
The Balloon Tree
In the beloved book, The Balloon Tree by Phoebe Gilman, a princess plants a balloon under a tree at midnight and whispers the words of a magical poem. The tree “quivers” and then balloons blossom for hours and hours, pouring down streets, taking over a kingdom.
Our oldest was just five when she came to us and said, “We have to plant a tree at the next full moon!” Thinking she’d forget, we didn’t mention it again. Of course, as children often do, she remembered.
And so, Wendy and John took their daughter out to one of the most beautiful trees on the property, dug a hole and “planted” a balloon under it, and said the magic words. After tucking the rapt little girl into bed, they spent the night blowing up balloons and tying them to the tree. You can imagine the look on her face the next morning when she pulled on her shoes and sweater, running out to check on her Balloon Tree.
The tradition continued with each of Gibson children, all yearning for their own magical moment with the Balloon Tree.
Now, with grandchildren having joined the family, Wendy and John are recruiting their adult children to practice blowing up balloons as they anxiously wait for the tree to blossom again.
We have the equipment and experience to transplant trees to beautify your property. We can move trees over long distances, or to just another part of your property. Our equipment is designed to get into confined spaces and move trees that may have otherwise been destroyed.
40
40 Years Experience
60k
Transplants
7+
Specialized Equipment
5+
Tree Locations