Temple Tree Farm regrowing inventory
City hopes ‘Tree For Me’ giveaway program can return in 2025
DAVID STONE
Back-to-back years of winter storms decimated its popular tree-giveaway program, but Temple Tree Farm is slowly taking root again.
The farm, located at 2515 E Ave. H, endured significant challenges from Winter Storm Uri in 2021, followed by a prolonged drought and then a devastating February 2022 ice storm. More than 250 trees were lost.
“Our team is diligently working to restore what was lost, but unfortunately we lack the inventory to support a tree giveaway this year,” said Nohely Mackowiak, Temple’s communications and PR division director.
“Parks & Recreation staff are working to replenish the city’s tree inventory, and we anticipate being back to normal within three years,” she said. “We hope we can restore the Tree for Me program in 2025.”
The Temple Tree Farm was created in 2005 with a great obtained from the Texas Forestry Service to plant trees across the city. The trees are used in city landscaping projects, and since 2008, an estimated 1,000 trees have been given to Temple residents.
“We have set our sights on restarting (Tree for Me) within the next three years, but its realization is contingent, to some extent, on weather conditions,” Mackowiak said. “Continued extreme drought or another freeze could potentially impact the feasibility of the program.”
Multiple tree species are grown at the farm, including various oaks, elms, vitex, crepe myrtles, Mexican sycamores and bald cypress. Tree typically spend three years at the farm before being planted or given away.
“These are native species or species that have been adapted to grown in our area,” Mackowiak said.
Because the Temple Tree Farm is located adjacent to the Doshier Farms Wastewater Treatment Plant, effluent from the plant is used to irrigate the trees for virtually no cost.
“The Tree for Me program was a fantastic way Parks & Recreation helped beautify Temple,” Mackowiak said. “Planting trees not only save homeowners on energy costs and increase property values, but they help reduce air pollution within the community.”
“We hope to rebuild from the effects of Winter Storm Uri and the February ice storm and continue offering this free service to our residents in 2025,” she said.
Bruce Manners combines a few of his many talents during a recent performance. Bruce returns to the Central Texas State Fair next month. Courtesy photo
Juggling Act
CTSF performer blends comedy with Vegas-quality skills
DAVID STONE
The Central Texas State Fair is full of juggling acts. Most involve fun-loving Bell Countians cramming carnival rides, midway games, concerts, bull riding, a demolition derby and a few funnel cakes into four nights of fun. But one person strolling the Expo Center fairgrounds Aug. 31 through Sept. 3 is sure to amaze.
Bruce Manners — a Canadian-born, Ohio expatriate living in Texas — combines family friendly stand-up comedy, world-class juggling and audience participation to create a show he describes as “stand-up juggling.”
“I’ve been to the Central Texas State Fair twice I believe and I’m looking forward to going back,” he said Friday via telephone prior to a show in Iowa. “I’ll have the world’s only six-foot tricycle, plus I’ll be riding around some on my electric unicycle. I just work the crowd — if I see people waiting in line or eating, I stop by and give them some entertainment.”
Manners has become a staple at state and county fairs throughout the United States, and his is a regular at the annual multi-day event in Belton. He has worked with entertainment industry greats such as Penn & Teller, The Beach Boys, the Righteous Brothers and Alice Cooper. In 2016 he represented Texas as an invited performer at the International Jugglers Association Festival in El Paso.
“I started juggling when I was 16 after Mom gave me a Juggling for the Complete Klutz book,” he said with a chuckle. “Today, it’s easy to learn how. There are literally thousands of ‘how-to’ videos on YouTube.”
Over the years, Manners has juggled everything from balls to bowling pens to knives, and that list could go on forever.
“I guess some of the most bizarre things I’ve juggled are mashed potatoes, pizza and flaming torches,” he said.
Manners will be strolling the grounds each night of the fair beginning at 5 p.m.
Tickets to the 2023 version of the Central Texas State Fair are on sale at centraltexasfair.com, and this year’s four-day event will feature four popular country music bands, midway thrills, bull riding, mutton busting and more.
Concert headliners this year include Charlie Robison, Kevin Fowler, Southall and Wade Bowden, and popular attractions include the Twisted Metal Mayhem Demolition Derby, the Professional Bull Riders Challenger series and many special activities.
These events include a comedy hypnotist, a bicycle stunt team, shopping, livestock shows, and the comedy and juggling of Manners. Visit the website for event times.
Fair ticket include admission to the nightly concerts. Online tickets will be $10 for adults, and the gate price will be $15. Kids 12 and under will be admitted free as long as they are accompanied by a paid adult.
Demolition derby and bull-riding reserved tickets are $25 for adults online and $30 at the gate. Kids 12 and under tickets are $15 and $20. General admission tickets are also available at a lower price. Family four-packs for these events are $110 for reserved seats and $72 for general admission.