Every story has a beginning and end.  To a nurseryman the business is an evolving process.  At Goodland Creek Trees we can bring you to the farm via the internet through our closed circuit surveillance cameras.  In planning we knew beforehand our customers would be given a bird's eye view of the farm and its production.  So throughout the construction and development process, measures were taken to construct an architecturally desirable and well functioning farm.  Below is our journey to the farm's present form and operation.   Please visit our live webcam after e-mailing us at management@GoodlandCreekTrees.com for a password.

Farm development initiated in the summer of 2005 after the purchase of the initial 65.5 acres.  The property had been logged of hard woods, leaving approximately 20 acres of agricultural pines that still provide a natural shield from bitter winds and ice storms.  This phase included the de-stumping of open acreage, digging, and renovation of the original creek off the Goodland Creek tributary.  In its present form, the spring-fed creek runs the full length of the farm and measures approximately 78 feet wide x 2,400 feet long.  It is our water source for the irrigation system.  Additionally, we drilled a supporting well for back-up needs. We are blessed at Goodland Creek with a more-than-adequate water supply which also feeds neighboring farms downstream.

As we completed the first phase of development, Collins oversaw the installation of the irrigation systems controlled by remote Motorola computerized control systems.  The partnership purchased a 2.2-acre parcel to construct a combination barn, office, and apartment.  Early planning and scheduling generated not only savings but also increased the farm's production schedule.  The Motorola control system is based in the office and is accessible by laptop computer via the Internet, giving the owners and system engineers real-time access in the event any problems occur. With installation of CCTV systems, there is a marriage between real-time observations and electronic happenings on the farm systems. 

Once we selected the production methods of Dr. Carl Whitcomb and made inventory choices we began installation of liners into a 3-gallon pot-in-pot system.   The process was completed by  October 2006.  Overall, things went smoothly thanks to good planning and the opportunity to consult with a wide array of nurserymen and irrigation specialists.  Phase II development was delayed until the following summer, as we completed maintenance programs such as weeding and pruning while we continued to construct the infrastructure.

By spring 2006, the remaining cleared acreage was prepared for additional irrigation and in-ground and above-ground containers.  Steps were taken to improve the property's appearance to include clearing of non-native vegetation, while following an established maintenance program.   We learned early on there is always something to do and nothing gets thrown away.

Before completing our second phase of irrigation and installation of ground cover, 7,500 holes were dug to accommodate in-ground pot-in-pot and grow bag production.  This process was followed by Phase II irrigation and the installation of ground cover.  Earlier in the spring, crews performed weeding and pruning tasks.  Advance planning, cross training and close coordination of construction projects allowed us to utilize the same work force throughout the project.  Once the construction was complete, we continued by transplanting our original 10,000 trees from 3-gallon containers into 15-gallon containers.   3,500 were placed in 30-gallon in-ground knit grow bags.  First season transplant commenced in September 2007 and was completed in early November, and included the planting of 10,000 new liners into the 3-gallon pot which brought the inventory to 19,732 trees.

By the end of Phase II construction, we completed the construction of Zones 1 - 5 as photographed.  All in all, we were fortunate as an off-season cold front damaged only a few trees.   At the completion of the second planting season, we moved onto planning and development of our third phase for larger trees.

Phase III site development was initiated in the winter of 2007.  In August a previously honored Federal Agriculture Pine program was in place.  After its expiration as planned we chose to log specific areas without compromising natural barriers to shield crops from cold fronts.  Working with W.P. Law, future growing Zones 6 - 9 were designed for use integrating the existing water mains with newly designed sub mains.  In conjunction, Zone 3 was expanded, providing flexibility to the existing planting schedule.  Zones 6, 7, 8, and 9 were prepared and reserved for larger tree production as we enter our third-season growth.

We continue to achieve great results in the production of inventory through the implementation of three growth processes (explained on the RootMaker® Certified page under Navigation).  In early 2006 we purchased an additional 34 acres for larger trees and contract growing needs.  Overall we are on target in all ways and long-range planning is paying off as the facility presently provides a near-perfect growth environment for quality high yield production.