Badgersett hazels at Oberlin College

Managed to stop in on my way back from the New York Nut Growers summer meeting; and was truly delighted to find the substantial research and demonstration planting of Badgersett hazel germplasm just outside the Oberlin Lewis Center for Environmental Studies - more than thriving.  Please note- these plants were installed only 2.5 years ago; all as standard tubelings, with about 8 clonal divisions for reference plants, including the G-029-N tissue culture clone.

To my additional delight, they're running a chicken tractor in the hazels, with about 15 Lace Wyandottes providing a little nitrogen and soil service.  The folks here, left to right, are Griff Radulsksi, Sean Hayes (Lewis Center Manager), and John Bergen.

These plants were tubelings- just 2 and a half years ago.  The tallest stems here have put on about 4 feet of new growth- so far- this year; Sean is 6 feet tall +.  Many of the tubelings are putting on catkins for next year, now; usually an indication that there will be substantial nut bearing next year.  There are even a few nuts this year on the clones.

How did they grow these so fast??  This is, in fact, as fast as we've ever seen these hazels grow; probably the fastest, period (terrific job, Oberlin!).  This plot is used as a teaching research plot, and has been managed as a randomized fertilization demonstration/experiment; with 3 levels of fertility.  Oberlin students will be measuring and doing statistics on them in the coming school year.  A really big part of "how" - is very simple.  They followed instructions, without adding random sorts of unapproved "improvements".  :-)

This is one line of the Oberlin hazel tubelings; July 14, 2011.

Another reason for you to come to Badgersett this Saturday for the Field Day- we just planted about 3 acres of hazel tubelings- 3 weeks ago.  They look awfully small- but they're on their way.