If you have hemlock trees on your property, please visit the HemlockFest site to learn about the Asian woolly adelgid infestation that is killing this beautiful tree. This may be a festival held in North GA but they provide a lot of information for homeowners to be aware of, what to look for and what to do if you might have an infestation. See The Lumpkin Coalition for more about saving the hemlock tree and HemlockFest.

HemlockFest – November 6th-8th Dahlonega Georgia

Festival features twenty-two bands and entertainers providing almost 30 hours of great music, plus food and beverage, natural crafts vendors, interactive presentations and exhibits and lots of activities which will include a Kids’ Nature Village.

This is a fun time and I’ll be there. It is a benefit to help save the Eastern and Carolina Hemlock trees which are dying as a result of the spreading infestation of the Hemlock woolly adelgid, an insect native to Asia. Hemlock stands are among the only old growth forests in the east and are of great importance to wildlife, water quality, economy and basic quality of life.

I love hemlocks in particular. In fact, they are one of my favorite trees. I was about to plant and Eastern Hemlock but now realize that I’d better do a bit more research before I do. They have a sapling adoption program so I need to look into that, apparently you can get a sapling for a donation. I’ll probably try and go that route – it would be a special tree in my yard.

Okay all my trees are special but I loooove hemlocks!

About the Hemlock Festival from their site:

HemlockFest is an annual benefit music festival, held the first full weekend of November, to increase public awareness and generate funds to help save the Eastern and Carolina Hemlock trees. Funds raised each year are used to help us to continue to raise public awareness of the Hemlock problem and promote action; provide ongoing support for the efforts of all three labs in Georgia that raise predatory beetles to combat the HWA on public land; assist private land owners and public agencies in managing the health of their Hemlock trees; and facilitate other projects that benefit north Georgia, Lumpkin County, its residents and visitors. Three labs in Georgia currently in need of support are: one at the University of Georgia, another at Young Harris College, and the newest one at North Georgia College and State University.