Rosemary’s Pumpkins and Pines

03/29/2026

Patch Chronicles:
New Seedlings Orientation at the Patch

New trees are headed to the Patch and the Crew has already planned New Seedlings Orientation.

Whisperin’ Walt will open it up.
"Welcome to the Patch. You don't rush growing. You take your time and put your roots down right."

Spikey Sue is stepping in next with rules.
"Cindi will be adding your vitamins to the soil so absorb them as needed. And mind your space. No crowding. No flopping over for attention. Stand your ground."

Fraser Fred has claimed the "appearance" portion. “Straighten up. Grow full. You never know when someone's going to walk out here and choose you."

Benny Balsam asked for a moment to share something "important."
"One day you might be someone's Christmas. Don't forget that."

Calm Canaan Carl will close it out.
"Grow steady. That's enough and remember this look around at your neighbors. Not all of them will look like you. Some will have different needles, different branches, different ways of growing. That's alright. Here at the Patch, we make room for all of it. You grow your way, they grow theirs, and we stand together just the same."

The new Seedlings haven't even touched the ground yet and they're already walking into rules, expectations, and a little wisdom.

New trees coming soon.

03/25/2026

After the winter WV Christmas Tree Growers meetings and getting the chance to meet Jim and Beth from Quarter Pine Tree Farm, it became pretty clear they had a lot they could teach the rest of us.

I came home from the winter meeting thinking about their farm, the work they’re doing, and how much there is for all of us to learn from them. So Rosemary’s Pumpkins and Pines reached out to Georgie and offered to pass the summer meeting to Quarter Pine Tree Farm.

Sometimes the best thing we can do in this industry is make space to learn from each other.

Rosemary’s Pumpkins and Pines will be hosting the summer meeting in 2027.

Jim and Beth, I can’t wait to see your farm and learn as much as you’re willing to share with us.

West Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association Summer Meeting – Hosted by Jim Rockis

We are very excited to host our first-ever association summer meeting at our farms in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. We look forward to welcoming fellow growers for an educational and engaging experience across both farms.

For those who would love to join us, we will kick off the weekend with a Friday evening social dinner at our Quarter Pine Tree Farm location in Smithfield, PA. We are also planning a guest speaker prior to dinner, creating a great opportunity to gather, connect, and start the weekend together.

July 11th - Sessions will begin at our West Virginia farm, where attendees will have the opportunity to tour our seed orchards and learn more about our ongoing genetics and propagation work. We will also feature live shearing demonstrations and techniques.

Following the morning session, we will travel to our Pennsylvania farm for lunch and an afternoon of additional demonstrations and tours. The afternoon program will include an inside look at our seed processing facility, as well as a practical session on backpack sprayer calibration.

For those interested in value-added products, we will also offer a tour of how we set up and run our wreath workshops. That session will include a hands-on wreath-making demonstration, featuring two different wreath ring styles.

We are excited to share what we’ve been working on and to spend time learning together with fellow growers. Additional topics and a full schedule will be announced in the future.

03/22/2026

Second Inning Glove Donation

My goal with this is simple to collect as many unused gloves as possible. Baseball or softball, left or right handed, youth or adult… if it’s sitting and not being used, it can have a Second Inning.

How can you help?

Take a look around your house, garage, buildings, or ball bags. Ask your friends, family, and neighbors to do the same. If there’s a glove not being used, Second Inning Gloves would love to get it back into the hands of a kid who can use it.

These gloves will never cost a kid a thing except a smile and a thank you. And possibly when they outgrow it, the hope is they pass it back to Second Inning Gloves so we can do it all over again.

If you know a kid who needs a glove, send me a message.

If you have a glove to donate, just send me a message and I’ll arrange to pick it up.

And one more thing.

Each glove will go out with a Little League pledge printed card. This is in honor of Coach Coco Highlander who taught me that pledge and took the time to explain what it really meant. Not just the words, but how to carry yourself on and off the field.

Cindi

Please Share

03/17/2026

Patch Chronicles
Mayor Bill, and Pond Crier Pete: The Snow Meeting

It started snowing again today and as it got darker, I heard the peeps.
I said to myself, it's snowing guys… what have you got to peep about?

"peep…" A pause.

"peep… peep…"

Of course it was Pond Crier Pete.

Mayor Bill didn't make a sound as he's at the bottom of the pond, conserving his energy.

Pond Crier Pete, on the other hand, was carrying on.

"peep…" Then another.

"peep…" And another.

Like Pond Crier Pete was using Morse code in peeps to check in on all his friends.

Me not knowing about frogs peeping in the winter, I went to the Farmers' Almanac for answers.

Will it seems it might be a frog's advertising call. Kinda like Bumble for humans.

I guess the frog dating pond is now open.

- Cindi

03/13/2026

Patch Chronicles
Two-Foot Might Be Getting a Makeover

There's been a little chatter around the Patch lately. Nothing confirmed.
Just… talk.

Whisperin' Walt was the first to notice something suspicious.

"Cindi walked by Two-Foot this morning and stopped. Just stood there looking at him."

Spikey Sue narrowed her needles.
"That's never a good sign."

Fraser Fred leaned in.
"Was it the kind of look that says 'good job'… or the kind that says 'we're about to rearrange some hay'?"

Benny Balsam gasped.
"Oh no. Do you think he's getting a makeover?"

Calm Canaan Carl spoke slowly, like he always does when the Patch starts overreacting.

"Well… he has been looking a little… relaxed lately."

Now nobody has said anything official.

But rumor has it there may be a ladder involved.

Possibly new round hay bales.
Maybe a little nip here… a tuck there… a professional fluffing of the hay.

Spikey Sue immediately whispered,
"This is how it starts. Next thing you know it's a full Real Housewives of Greenbrier County transformation."

Fraser Fred got excited.
"Oh I hope it's dramatic."

Benny Balsam clutched his branches.
"But what if he comes back a completely different bear?"

Carl just sighed.
“He's a hay bale bear. There's only so much they can do."

Two-Foot himself hasn't said a word.
He's just standing out there in the Patch like always.

But if you happen to see a tractor, a pile of fresh straw, new round bales of hay, and Cindi walking toward him with that "I've got an idea" look…

Well…

Keep an eye on things.

The Patch may be about to witness the first official Real Housewives of Greenbrier County Spring of 2026 hay-bale makeover.

Cindi
Rosemary's Pumpkins & Pines

03/09/2026

Adley stopped by yesterday to deliver my Girl Scout cookies and check on her tree.

Adley and her Blue Spruce are growing right along with each other.

03/05/2026

Adley and I planted her very first Christmas tree here at the Patch last year.

That moment is now part of the banner for the West Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association.

Pretty proud that moment from the Patch is now traveling around the state.

Thank you Susie for letting Adley be a part of it all.

03/03/2026

Patch Chronicles
Pond Council is in Session

We have two new members joining the Patch crew this year.

Down at the pond lives Mayor Bill, the American Bullfrog. He seems to believe he runs the place and holds nightly town hall meetings whether anyone asked for one or not.

Then there’s Town Crier Pete, the Spring Peeper. Pete is about the size of a leaf, but apparently volume is his leadership strategy.

The other evening while I was laying out the Christmas Tree grid they started making such a racket I finally walked down to the pond and asked,

“Are you two sure you want to start this now?”

Mayor Bill gave one of his deep croaks like a gavel hitting the table.

Pete immediately started announcing it to the entire county.

So it appears the Pond Council is now officially in session.

Cindi

03/03/2026

Calling all Greenbrier Valley high schoolers!📢😎

Want to earn money while learning valuable outdoor skills and contributing to science this summer?
Want to have fun at an exploratory outdoor day camp?
Want to build experience and explore opportunities in a variety of outdoor fields?

Apply for one of our high school internships at Wood Thrush Park!
https://appheadwaters.org/program/environmental-education/internships/

Internships run weekdays from June 8 to August 14. Available to rising 10th - 12th graders and graduating seniors.

* Interest forms are processed on a rolling basis. Priority deadline is April 18.*

03/02/2026

Think Christmas Trees.

There is a very specific calm that comes from laying out Christmas trees in a proper grid.

Could I just plant them?
Yes.

Will I?
No.

Cindi.

02/26/2026

Patch Chronicles

The Patch Crew noticed Hershel and I have been walking the patch differently.

Whisperin’ Walt looked down the rows and muttered, “Grid paper again.”

Spikey Sue. “She’s measuring.”

Calm Canaan Carl. “She’s planning.”

Fraser Fred perked up. “How many?”

Three hundred and fifty.

Benny Balsam said, Three hundred and fifty More Christmas mornings.

And that’s exactly what it is.

Three hundred and fifty new trees going in this spring. Lined out. Thought through.

Every one of them will belong to someone someday.

If we talked during pumpkin season and I asked if your family would like to plant your own tree this March, please DM me. I’m getting the list ready, and you’ll get to choose which tree you plant.

Cindi

02/18/2026

Patch Chronicles
The Crew Gets Introduced

I want to take a minute as we start our 3rd season and officially introduce the Patch Crew characters.

Some of you may already know them.

Whisperin’ Walt is a White Pine.
Tall, soft-spoken, wise, slightly grumpy elder of the group.

Spikey Sue is a Blue Spruce.
Sharp tongued, proud, a lil prickly. She has my cousin Susie’s laugh and love of family.

Fraser Fred is a Fraser Fir.
Confident show off. Smells great. Always photo ready. Takes himself very seriously.

Benny Balsam is a Balsam Fir.
Sentimental and dramatic. Feels everything. Nostalgic.

Calm Canaan Carl is a Canaan Fir.
Steady. Grounded. The peacemaker. Voice of reason. Has a pony tail.

Two-Foot the bear. Will he’s just a bear.

As the season progresses we will add new characters to the crew.

Cindi