Author: Richard Bender

Rhizosphaera Needlecast is a needle disease that infects spruce, in particular, Colorado Blue spruce. In recent years, it its effects has been seen on area trees. It is something to be aware of if you are making plans to plant or already have mature trees that you are managing. Ohio State University has produced a fact sheet that can educate you to the disease, how to identify it, control it by responsible practices, and even chemical control options. We are including a 2 page information sheet pdf created by the Ohio State University Extension to help those that want to learn more. Download...

Red Schoolhouse? You may wonder how a "Red Schoolhouse" might be associated with Bender Tree. I learned shortly after purchasing the land on Rt. 193 and Sheffield Rd. (1987) there was once a one room schoolhouse located on the property. That spiked my interest. Soon I was looking for any information the neighbors could give me. A few of the senior members of the neighborhood knew of it. They shared what they could. I was given a photo of Pat  (Nicka) Maki (shown here) with a the schoolhouse over her shoulder in the background, and a testimony from her mother who actually attended the school. She said the school was removed in 1936 and the lumber recycled to build a house at Fox Farm. I also discovered a buried foundation when digging a trench for an electrical line. A large apple tree had grown next to what appeared to be a remnant of a concrete entrance. For many years that...