Greenwood Stick Farm

Greenwood Stick Farm

By John R. Greenwood

Greenwood Stick Farm 

I own and operate the, Greenwood Stick Farm here in the foothills of the Adirondacks. It’s a 3/4 acre farm speckled with maple trees. They vary in height, girth, and degree of decay. Decay, if you didn’t know, is a friend of the Stick Farmer. It provides a never ending crop.  

Stick Farming is in my blood. Ever since I was young I’ve been involved in Stick Farming. It began around the time I reached double digits. My first harvest was on my friends property high atop “The Hill” in my hometown of Greenfield Center,NY. His family lived on one of the largest Stick Farms in Upstate NY. It consisted of acre upon acre of mature old maples whose branches seemed to rain down in an endless downpour of cracks, snaps, and crashes. Stick Farming on the “The Hill” required the involvement of all family members. Outside stick-pickers were subcontracted at $5.00 per three hours of sticks picked. The older more tenured stick-pickers (big brothers) had the more cushy job. They got to drive the pickup around collecting the harvested stick piles. The fun part came when the truck bed was full (?), and we got to jump in the back and ride the side-rail of the pickup down the hill to the, “Pile”. Unloading a freshly harvested crop of sticks is a lot more fun than loading, and the ride back to the stick-field was also faster and more exciting. It inevitably included a spinout or two followed by a gravel spinning run up the back driveway. As I look back, it wasn’t work at all. It was the most fun a boy could have growing up. Stick Farming and Leaf Harvesting provided me with more blisters and enjoyment than you could ever write a check for. I relive those wonderful memories every time I drive by “The Hill”. 

Third Generation Stick Farmer Caleb G. 

Now, though The Greenwood Stick Farm is much smaller and less exciting, I still enjoy the sights and smells of a post-storm harvest of a maple-stick crop. The farm is in good hands too. My grandson Caleb has inherited the stick-farmer gene. The first thing he does when he gets here to the farm is open the barn (cluttered garage) and pull out his John Deere. Within minutes he’s happily harvesting the current crop of sticks. Endless circles around the yard reveal sticks of every proportion and in the process the lawn smiles greenly as the weight of the world is lifted from it’s shoulders. 

Husqvarna Addict hiding from his wife

When my son asked why Caleb was so eager to help his grandfather harvest sticks but seemed disinterested in harvesting sticks in his own backyard I gladly explained. My sticks are organic and grow naturally. The sticks in his yard were the result of a chainsaw wielding father who became addicted to the roar of his Husqvarna and didn’t know when to say when. Those sticks are less brittle. The feel and texture are not the same as those grown and harvested naturally via Mother Nature’s wrath. A true stick farmer knows and appreciates the difference.  

Bumper Crop!

I’m sure this piece will stir the emotions and memories of some fellow stick farmers out there. I want to share one last sentiment. Life is pretty special. The news that gurgles up these days would make you think otherwise. There comes a time in the day or week where we have to disengage our minds from the madness and chaos that seems as endless as a crop of sticks. If we don’t pull over and park for a minute, we will have missed the point of being here. Whether you derive joy from painting a landscape, riding a Harley, reeling in a bass, or walking the dog, it’s important to breathe the experience like it was your last. Happiness doesn’t need to include Disney or a Carnival Cruise. A pause on the way to the mailbox to savor the sight and sound of a passing flock of geese can soften a bad day. Wisdom doesn’t come from age, it comes from those little non-distinct pauses we take and how we absorb them. 

An old stick farmer once said,“Happiness can come before, during, or after the storm. The anticipation of a crack of thunder can heighten the senses. Viewing a lightening strike across town can make you appreciate the fact you're in the safety of your home. The rainbow that follows and the sight of a robin yanking up a juicy worm from the soggy side-yard should make you glad to be alive. The resulting blanket of fresh sticks strewn across your property should have you stomping in the puddles and smiling like a kid."

If not, you may have missed a turn. 

Go back and start again. 

Happy stick pickin’!  

Take a minute...