The Arboretum
The Arboretum
Hiya all, i know it's been a while... well, quite awhile since i posted a new blog, but here i am, again.
I am now working... i know, it's like the twilight zone, "Rusty? A REAL job?!" those of you who know me should get that.
I work at the arboretum at UK were i go to college. For those of you who do not know what an arboretum is i will tell you.
The Arboretum is a plot of land, about 100+ arcres, set aside to recreate different ecological regions, the UK arboretum is set to recreate the ecology of the sevel different regions of Kentucky, I do not know all of the names of the regions by heart yet but the one i have been working in the most is called the Mississippi Embayment area and is located in the Jackson Purchase. Now, this area of Kentucky is a wetland of sorts, lots of water and marshy/swampy. To hold water like this the soil must be clay, which happens to be a rather hostile environment for plant life. It doesn't help that the clay which we are planting in is heavily compacted due to poor planning on the contracters part...
For the first two weeks i work there i worked in the Mississippi Embayment almost non-stop. This week my boss is having me work on other areas of the arboretum that are in dire need of weeding, watering, planting, mulching, etc. It's kinda hard some times because there are five people that are paid employees under Jim, my boss, and we are handling all the work for all the regions in nearly alone.
We get volunteers but Jim, who worked in Michigan at an Arboretum before coming to Kentucky, says that Kentucky students are largely apathetic to the environment and he has had to deal with being badly under-staffed for the most part.
But he's a hard worker and a good manager and knows EXACTLY what he's doing, i have never met anyone who knows more about plants than any two or three people before in my life.
I have to say that i didn't incredibly enjoy this job at first because i have been struggling to end my bought of laziness and this is the means by which i am doing just that. I have fought with myself to continue going to work everday and i have even though to was losing my mind as some points, but i'm pretty sure that was laziness withdrawls, when i really think about it. And the work really sucks some times, back-breaking work in the 90 degree heat, with humidity 8 hours a day four days a week can kinda get to you, but i have never done anything more fulfilling. I am getting to the point now where i am really enjoying my job, working after hours, and for no extra pay, is seeming more and more enticing every day.
It is kinda cool because the things you plant you kinda get connected with and you start to feel a kind of parental responsibility for them and really feel a desire to care for and tend to life you plant, ya know. For instanct just today, i was given the opportunity to plant a pine sapling, it's small now but after a few years it will grow into a massive pine tree... I planted that and if i help to take care of it (because the whole arboretum is really Jim's baby) i will see the fruits of my labor day by day.
And in a few years down the road I will show people that pine tree and I can say the I planted it.
Hiya all, i know it's been a while... well, quite awhile since i posted a new blog, but here i am, again.
I am now working... i know, it's like the twilight zone, "Rusty? A REAL job?!" those of you who know me should get that.
I work at the arboretum at UK were i go to college. For those of you who do not know what an arboretum is i will tell you.
The Arboretum is a plot of land, about 100+ arcres, set aside to recreate different ecological regions, the UK arboretum is set to recreate the ecology of the sevel different regions of Kentucky, I do not know all of the names of the regions by heart yet but the one i have been working in the most is called the Mississippi Embayment area and is located in the Jackson Purchase. Now, this area of Kentucky is a wetland of sorts, lots of water and marshy/swampy. To hold water like this the soil must be clay, which happens to be a rather hostile environment for plant life. It doesn't help that the clay which we are planting in is heavily compacted due to poor planning on the contracters part...
For the first two weeks i work there i worked in the Mississippi Embayment almost non-stop. This week my boss is having me work on other areas of the arboretum that are in dire need of weeding, watering, planting, mulching, etc. It's kinda hard some times because there are five people that are paid employees under Jim, my boss, and we are handling all the work for all the regions in nearly alone.
We get volunteers but Jim, who worked in Michigan at an Arboretum before coming to Kentucky, says that Kentucky students are largely apathetic to the environment and he has had to deal with being badly under-staffed for the most part.
But he's a hard worker and a good manager and knows EXACTLY what he's doing, i have never met anyone who knows more about plants than any two or three people before in my life.
I have to say that i didn't incredibly enjoy this job at first because i have been struggling to end my bought of laziness and this is the means by which i am doing just that. I have fought with myself to continue going to work everday and i have even though to was losing my mind as some points, but i'm pretty sure that was laziness withdrawls, when i really think about it. And the work really sucks some times, back-breaking work in the 90 degree heat, with humidity 8 hours a day four days a week can kinda get to you, but i have never done anything more fulfilling. I am getting to the point now where i am really enjoying my job, working after hours, and for no extra pay, is seeming more and more enticing every day.
It is kinda cool because the things you plant you kinda get connected with and you start to feel a kind of parental responsibility for them and really feel a desire to care for and tend to life you plant, ya know. For instanct just today, i was given the opportunity to plant a pine sapling, it's small now but after a few years it will grow into a massive pine tree... I planted that and if i help to take care of it (because the whole arboretum is really Jim's baby) i will see the fruits of my labor day by day.
And in a few years down the road I will show people that pine tree and I can say the I planted it.
posted by Russell Summay at 00:47
5 Comments:
wow. well first of all, it's good to know you're alive! i keep meaning to sit down and write you an email, but that's kind of hard when i haven't emailed anyone in like a year. that sounds kind of cool. i can relate to trying to push through your laziness. been there, and i'm still doing it like every day, but what you're doing is very cool. keep updating!
That's awesome, Rusty!
I would love to see this Arbetoreum some day!
(And you little baby pine tree ;) )
OH, tell Casey that i am really sorry about his dad. I heard about it last night! (primi moje saučešće)
I have a little patio rose that I bought and potted, and it has grown so much. I love taking care of it. :)
nature its all over me get it off get it of
hey have you seen transformers??????? i saw it tuesday here in houston
jed
That is so cool. I like the word 'Arboretum' too. Its sweet that you can have a job like that, taking care of Earth. Like, actually doing something to help this massive aching solid old sphere of life we all call Earth. Its like, honoring God in a way. I dunno, but what I do know is you've got a real neat job. Keep up the good work. :)
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