A crowd gathered to welcome Tom Rush back to his namesake forest on July 21.
On July 21, a sunny and breezy New Hampshire Sunday morning, 40 people joined Forest Society staff at the American Chestnut Orchard at the Forest Society's Tom Rush Forest, 303 acres in Deering, NH. The field trip was part of Deerfield's town-wide 250th anniversary celebration.
The Forest Society's Reservation Stewardship and Engagement Director, Carrie Deegan, spoke about the establishment of the Tom Rush Forest chestnut orchard and the work of staff and volunteers — several of whom attended the event — to plant, water, maintain, mow, and care for the trees.
Kendra Collins, New England Region Science Coordinator for The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) shared the evolving science and genetics underpinning long-term efforts to restore a viable population of the once-common, iconic chestnut tree to eastern forests. Recent refinements including availability of more affordable sequencing of Chestnut tree genome allow TACF managers to cross-pollinate and produce seed from a “best by best” cross to produce nuts that will likely yield the hardiest and most blight resistant American Chestnut trees.
Our special guest, American folk music legend Tom Rush, attended the event at his namesake forest. Tom and then-wife Beverly, also in attendance, had purchased their properties in 1972 totaling several hundred acres and raised their two sons before selling the property in 1990 after 18 years.
Tom shared some of his personal 18-year history at the property named by the Forest Society in his honor near the center of Deering. He recounted his initial reasons for purchasing the hill farm as a quiet refuge, his father's work in forestry, and his memories of wildlife and projects on the land.
Tom’s father had been a Yale Forestry School-trained forester who worked for International Paper Company before leaving forestry during the Depression to be an instructor at Saint Paul’s School in Concord, then a private school only for boys. His father had a degree in English Literature but took the open job as a mathematics instructor.
"He spent the first year one chapter ahead of the students," Tom recalled.
Born in Portsmouth, Tom grew up at St. Paul's School, describing it as "kind of 18th century England," at least back then.
Tom said his forester-father had an avid interest in trees and would have been particularly pleased to learn about the efforts to restore American chestnut trees.
After heading off to college and building a recording career during the 1960s, Tom garnered wide acclaim in American folk music and developed collaborations and friendships with artists like Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne. By 1972, Tom was "coming off of 5 years with a total of 10 days off not in a row."
"I was either gigging, rehearsing, touring, recording... and I'd had it," he said. "I wanted to go where the action wasn't — and Deering, NH, seemed perfect.”
The hilltop farmhouse in Deering provided a refuge from touring with his band and contrast to cities and airports.
"I actually quit showbiz when I got here... that lasted nine months!" he said. "I just love playing for people."
Tom recalled that he had purchased a Russian-made tractor. Beverly mentioned he liked to mow the fields and also tinker with the tractor.
Tom said “it was simple enough to be able work on and it is still likely parked out behind that farmhouse today.” Beverly remembered that Tom was always busy on the farm and tended to prioritize the property over packing for a tour. Tom recalled young orphan raccoons that were clamoring in and out of his car looking for handouts while Tom already was running late.
Tom eventually sold the house in 1990 to a private buyer who liked to do restoration carpentry after a fire had gutted the house. The outlying fields and oak forestland were purchased by the Forest Society using funds from the local Tyrrell Foundation.
"303 acres went to the Forest Society and they've done a great job," he said, adding: "I love the idea of trying to bring back the American Chestnut."
Tom said some of his fondest memories are of local people he had met while living in Deering.