Children pitch in with schoolhouse plantings

AMENIA — "They’re going to grow up in a world that we hope we haven’t made too awful. It’s up to them to plant trees and respect the environment."

According to Ann Linden, president of the Indian Rock Schoolhouse Association, that was the focus Tuesday morning when students from Amenia Elementary School planted trees on the schoolhouse grounds.

On hand to help with the plantings was Pinecone Pete, also known as South Amenia resident Andy Durbridge.

The plantings were scheduled to celebrate Earth Day, which fell on this past Sunday and Arbor Day, which is celebrated tomorrow.

Before the plantings, Durbridge noted that Twin Brooks Nursery in Millbrook donated one tree to the association and sold three other trees at cost.

Corn was also planted this past Tuesday.

The plantings have taken place since April 2005.

"I was just the guy in line," Durbridge said when asked how Pinecone Pete came about.

Durbridge’s flannel shirt and bucket hat were adorned with authentic pinecones.

When asked how they were attached, he said it was a "trade secret."

When the day kicked off, one first- grade class helped Pete plant one of the four trees while another went into the schoolhouse to learn about the "olden days," Linden said.

"This is the lucky group," Durbridge said as he led the students to the tree. "Does anybody know what day it was last week? It was Earth Day and this Friday is Arbor Day. I’m going to take you all to a special place. We’re going to find your tree and plant it."

When the students asked how big the trees would get, he said he hopes they become "supersized."

"Just like the ones over there," Durbridge said as he pointed to tall pines in the distance.

All of the 19 students got a chance to shovel some dirt in the pre-dug hole.

Right before the students sat down for some lunch, Linden said the celebration went off without a hitch.

"We’re going to keep planting until we fill the whole thing up," she said, noting that the schoolhouse operated between the years of 1858 and 1927.