Lieben is 5 months old.  She is a black, plush-coat German Shepherd.  She now weighs 60lbs. and is almost as tall as VeeGee.  She is a joy to have in our Shepherd Pack.  And, like the other Shepherds, she sleeps on the bed.  We have got to get a bigger bed.  Two people and three Shepherds makes a full size bed pretty crowded.

The Arboriculture Society of Michigan has selected Victorian Gardens to receive the 2009 ASM Corporate Award.  Victorian Gardens was selected to receive this award as a business that provides financial support to the arboriculture industry through sponsorships of meetings and workshops, provide volunteers and/or in kind services for arboriculture projects, and facilitate education for the industry and their employees.

We are thrilled to receive this award and would like to thank ASM Board Members for considering us for this award.

As many of you know, Wesley and Meagan have left for Iowa.  All of us at the Arboricultural Society of Michigan wish them the best.  Therefore, a new MTCC Chair was elected by the board.  Dawn Thierbach (me) is the new Chair.  All volunteers are welcome.  We need Judges, Technicians, Climbers and Runners.  Contact Nancy Carpenter at ASM (517-337-4999 or Dawn Thierbach at Victorian Gardens (810-338-6531).  ASM, the Michigan Chapter of International Society of Arborists, would like to extend an invitation to everyone to join them at the Michigan Tree Climber's Championship.  The event will be at Oakland University on August 21, 2010.  It is free to come and watch!!!  Bring the family - everyone is welcome.

You can still reach us at the same telephone numbers.

We have a new email address:

 vicgartree@aol.com

Marshall Baeckeroot from Oakland Community College asked Jeff to come and teach the Fundamentals of General Tree Work course for one night (June 16, 2009).  We had a great time.  There were eight students in attendance.

We really enjoyed ourselves.  The students were full of enthusiasm and loads of fun.  Thank you Marshall for the opportunity to use our knowledge to help others.

Jeff's brother died on December 2, 2008.  Jack will be missed by all!

Dawn finished the Oakland Community College Fall 2009 semester with A's in Nursery Practices, Flowering Annuals and Perennials and Landscape Construction - Irrigation.

The Oakland Community College Winter 2010 Semester, I am enrolled in Greenhouse Management, Landscape Design and Michigan History.

After this semester, I will have three classes left to attend and then will have my Associates Degree in Landscape Horticulture. 

Jeff is working on his reports for the RCA (Registered Consulting Arborist).  One report finished, one more left to go.

Rob and the MIOSHA Level I Certification.  Rob finished the Level I MIOSHA Certification.  He is the first in the ASM organization to complete these classes.

Rob will be attending MIOSHA Level 2 Class soon.