An unusual windstorm ripped through Newark Valley on July 19. Although it did not do nearly the damage of the storm from last year, it paid a visit to the grounds of the Farmstead.
If the Farmstead has a heart, it definitely skipped a few beats.
There are three large black locust trees on the grounds, one of which had two trunks about 25-feet up the tree. One of these came down with a crash, falling due east and narrowly missing the south side of the Farmstead.
This Locust tree came down with a crash. Provided photo.
Limbs from the other two black locusts came down and there was some minor damage to the sassafras grove.
There was some minor damage to a few shingles, but nothing that even required repair. If the tree had turned even a couple feet to the north, the peak of the house would have been hit and the amount of damage would have been
catastrophic.
A ring count showed that this particular tree was 75 to 80 years old. Although black locust is one of the densest woods growing in the northeast, it can become brittle and is prone to insect damage. There are several colonies of ants looking for a new home.
The Farmstead had another close call in September 1913. A lightning strike set the barn ablaze along with a variety of other buildings. It was reported that the house was saved by “hard work” and that there was little wind.
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