HOUGHTON - The Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District has kicked off its largest fundraiser of the year.
The 2012 annual Tree Sale is going on and orders are due March 30.
"The tree sale is up and running and the flyers have been mailed out to past customers," said Sue Haralson, administrator for HKCD.
Anyone is welcome to order a plant through the conservation district, which orders the plants in bulk. The various plants include scrubs, native trees, fruit trees, wildflowers, grapevines and vegetables, among others, Haralson said.
"We have the Tree Sale week, which starts April 30, where local volunteers help separate our bulk orders into individual customer orders," she said. "By Friday, all of the orders have been separated and people pick up their orders Friday and Saturday."
Orders can be picked up from the Houghton County Arena in Hancock May 4 and 5.
Trees for order include red pine, white pine, eastern hemlock, northern white cedar, white spruce, white birch, black cherry, crabapple, sugar maple and plum, among others. Shrubs include dogwood, beaked hazelnut, high-bush cranberry and rugosa rose. Flowers include large leaf aster, purple cornflower and wild columbine. Vegetable plants for sale include asparagus and Canada red rhubarb. Grapevines include concord, frontenac and Marquette varieties. Fruit trees include a variety of apple, cherry and pear trees, along with peach and plum trees.
Berry bushes, such as blueberry, blackberry, raspberry and strawberry are available for order and the conservation will also have merchandise for sale, including bat houses, bluebird houses, rooting gel, tree guards and planting bars.
"Locally, we (serve) from 200 to 250 customers," Haralson said. "All of the conservation districts in Michigan do this."
All proceeds go to conservation efforts and education in Houghton and Keweenaw Counties. For more information or to pick up a flyer, call Haralson at 482-0214.