Spring is blooming with annual tree sale

Peaches, apples, cherries, jack pine and red maple are just a few of the species available during the Marquette County Conservation District’s annual tree sale.

The sale is the organization’s largest fundraising event. All proceeds go to Conservation District programs that are free or minimum-cost to all Marquette County residents.

“When you go to a Home Depot or a Shopko, you have no idea where your tree was grown. Sometimes there is no guarantee on the stock that you are given; it can come with diseases or insects and sometimes, what they sell are not native to this area,” Marquette County District Forester said. “We really promote native trees and species because there is a big problem with invasive species, and some tree varieties are part of that problem.”

Prices on the various, trees, shrubs, plants and vines are low as well. Marquette Food Co-Op members receive a special discount, and Conservation District staff members say if you can think of it, they probably sell it.

“We sell all sorts of coiffeurs, red pine, white pine, spruce, cedar, tamarack. We also have any insidious trees that you can think of in the area. We sell willow, birch, aspen, basswood; lots of oaks, of course. We sell several types of cherries. We have peaches this year, which are new, and we also have plum trees,” Watkey said.

If you’re not a home owner, you can still join the Conservation Districts Community Garden. Anyone with a home or cabin interested in purchasing a tree can visit www.marquettecd.org or call them at (906) 226-2461, extension 102.

The deadline date for orders is Tuesday, April 1st. You can pick up your items on Friday, May 2nd from 5 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday, May 3rd from 9 a.m. until noon.