PLANTING FOR THE FUTURE

1999 Outstanding Tree Planters of the Year
- by the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts

Over the years Dave and Toni Buskirk and Dean and Sonya Buskirk have planted a total of 125,000 trees and shrubs on their land and for others in four counties in Nebraska's Panhandle.   It is this experience with tree planting that the Buskirk's put into the design of the Trees Are Us tree planting products.

In 1975 Keith & Pat Buskirk purchased a baron 1/2 section of dryland farmground. We had 3 boys that joined the family farm as they graduated from high school in 1975, 1977, & 1978. We immediately put in 2 center pivots and signed up for our 1st NRD tree planting in 1976. They put in a 5 row shelter belt next to the north pivot and a 3 row shelter belt next to the south pivot consisting of cedar, junipers, and ponderosa pines. Dean was a junior in high school at this time, and through the School to Work program at Hemingford High, spent many of his afternoons planting trees with the NRD. The Buskirks remained busy working the family farm and cultivating, watering, and watching their trees grow. These trees had finally grown tall, then in 1991 we realized that we wished we would have kept planting trees every year.

At this point we became very active and interested in tree planting and the programs to help with the expense. A neighbor had contacted us and asked if we'd be interested in building a tree planter to share? He had most of the materials needed, and Dean &.Dale built it together. That year we also decided to give the weed barrier a try.  Though it seemed to be quite controversial, we felt we could see a positive benefit from it and a real time saver for weed control and survival rate.  In 1992 the family purchased 1050 acres of varying quality dryland farmground west of Hemingford, and are working to improve it each year. Cooperating with programs, we have planted trees through the NRD Shelter Belt Program, SIP, Continuous CRP, WHIP, CRP, and also Corners for Wildlife this year. Dean and Dave believe that trees should be planted for wildlife, shelter belts, wind breaks, and erosion. For many of these needs, Dean realized that a tree planter needed to be able to plant in no-till conditions. The practice of no-till farming has been so successful, and what better environment for a tree to grow, than in the undisturbed ground, still holding moisture.

Dean has now designed a tree planter, built to plant in almost any soil conditions, and actually does the best job under no-till conditions. He has also designed a fabric roller to handle 4' or 6' weed barrier that actually digs a ditch and buries the plastic to withstand the winds of Western Nebraska. We have perfected both of these through the actual use and experimentation on our own land. Since 1991, we have planted 420 acres to CRP and over 40 acres have been put into shelter belts, wildlife habitats, and more. Our plans are to continue these efforts, also adding wildlife dams plus more trees & shrubs. We planted 13,000 trees and shrubs this yen alone on our own land and covered them all with weed barrier. All toll, we've planted over 25,000 trees on our land since 1991. This big family endeavor of the Buskirks has been very rewarding for us. We take pride in our work and are able to claim almost 95% survivability in recent years, keeping replants to a minimum.  "Get 'em in early, and get 'em in right.", we say. We've learned to always use weed barrier to protect and help the bareroot seedlings get a good start, and a fighting chance to start growing. We've tried and tested on our own land, to find that a 2 year old cedar in weed barrier, will have outgrown a 5 year old on it's own. Dean and Dave try to keep the trees weeded for the first year, keeping large sunflowers & grasses out of the tree slits.

Dean now builds tree planters to sell (click here to learn more about the planter). The Upper Niobrara White NRD has purchased one for use this year. They too are now able to plant directly into sod or other conditions previously impossible. This is good not only to give the trees a better environment to grow in, but also a real time saver for the landowner, and also helps prevent wind erosion from loosely worked soil. We 'contribute our success in the "tree world" to taking pride in every job we do, and making sure that everything we do is done to the best of our ability. In 1998 we were asked by several people to plant their trees and cover them with weed barrier. This developed into another family business for Dean & Dave and their wives Sonya & Toni. We now also hire family and friends to help on our 'tree crew". We have titled it "Trees are Us", and this year we are subcontracting for the Upper Niobrara White NRD to plant and install weed barrier in Box Butte County, and to install weed barrier in Dawes and Sheridan counties. We have planted over 125,000 trees in 4 Panhandle counties over the past 2 years, and installed over 75 miles of weed barrier. Since 1991, we have installed over 100 miles of weed barrier!

In case you wonder, Yes, the Buskirks believe in tomorrow, and in working to better the world.  Ask any of us when the best time to plant a tree is --- we're sure to respond, "YESTERDAY, and be sure to use a Trees are Us tree planter!"

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