EdDee approached us regarding the trees.  The City of Northfield and the Northfield Garden Club, in a cooperative effort,  purchased the 64 trees from us and we donated all of the labor and other materials used to plant the trees.  Each year we give back to the City of Northfield with  donations and this year, it is the Hwy 3 beautification project.  This donation amounted to $4,000 in labor, equipment costs and materials. 

The Garden Club also has received funds to be used to cover the costs of watering these trees for two years which is a committment under the grant.  We will be working with the Garden Club on keeping these trees well watered for the next two years!

Our crew – Jim Westlund, Todd Marnie & Ben Danielson planted these trees which consisted of Elms, Maple, Hackberry, Birch, Crabapples and Oak trees.  Once again we are very pleased to have the opportunity to give something back to the community that supports our business each and every year.

This year’s speaker is Don Engebretson – The Renegade Gardener!    He’ll be presenting 3 different seminars during the day on gardening, cool plants and landscape design.

Stop at our booth – we are booth #1 – and visit with Leif, Heidi and Amy.  We’ll be handing out  a special Home Show coupon.  Our Knecht’s Bonus Bucks are back for another season and what better way to kick off our promotion by giving out a Bonus Buck to folks who stop by our booth this Saturday!

We’ll be open at the Garden Center also this weekend!  Saturday we’ll be here from 8 am to 4:30 pm and on Sunday – 10 am to 4 pm.  Starting next week – April 2nd – we’ll be open our regular hours!

Knecht’s will provide trees at half price.  As a sponsor of a tree for Northfield City parks, you pay the other half of the cost (see chart below).  City staff will select planting sites.  You get the satisfaction of knowing you’ve helped make us a stronger and more beautiful community, and can enjoy watching these trees grow more majestic with each passing year.

Your cost of sponsorship – choose the size/price for the tree(s) you wish to donate.     

                                             Tree Only             Tree & Planting 

#3 Container – 3′-6′              $20.00                 $40.00

#7 Container – 5′-8′               40.00                    80.00

#15 Container – 8′-12′           60.00                  120.00

2 1/2″ B&B – 10′-16′              150.00                 300.00

City Staff will choose from the following tree varieties -   Maple, Oak, Hackberry, Linden, Honeylocust, disease resistant Elm, Coffeetree, Birch, Tree Lilacs & Flowering Crabs.  The City Staff will also choose planting sites on City Property / Parks.

To sponsor a tree,  just contact Knecht’s Nurseries & Landscaping at 507-645-5015 or send us an e-mail at info@knechts.net.  Or if you prefer, you can contact  TJ Henricy, Streets & Parks Supervisor for the City of Northfield at 507-645-3032  or TJ.Heinricy@ci.northfield.mn.us

Local groups must register by late winter their intent to participate in the program.  In Minnesota this year, there are only four cities participating- Red Wing, Bemidiji, Northfield and Buffalo.  The Northfield Garden Club has contacted almost all of the businesses in Northfield to encourage everyone to "get on board".  There is a color theme for the program and this includes the use of the following annuals in either containers or annual bed plantings – hot pink petunias, hot pink wave petunias, lime green sweet potato vine, and dark colored coleus.

The program has several areas – not just the flowers.  It promotes tidiness, environment, community involvement, heritage, landscape areas, and also the floral displays.  In July, 2008, there will be nation-wide judging of the cities that have registered.  In 2007 Red Wing, MN  was a winner in the program.  Let’s have Northfield on the list of winners for 2008!

We will be trying our best to stock as many of these annuals as we can but we do encourage everyone to pre-order what they think they’ll be needing so we can try to have them available!