Save the biggest cherry in Switzerland!

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Since birth, Samuel Kaufmann (38) has lived on an idyllic farm in Möhlin AG. There he runs a horse lodge with his wife and is the third generation who grows wheat, spelled, yeast, egg white peas and rapeseed.

“I’ve lived here all my life. My grandfather founded the farm in 1970. It was then run by my family until my wife and I took over it more than two years ago.” A family business with tradition.

Before the Kaufmanns, there was only one on the farm: the thickest cherry tree in Switzerland. With an estimated age of 150, this magnificent tree bore cherries even before Kaufmann’s grandfather was born. “We don’t know who planted the tree. This must have happened long before my grandfather started the farm,” says Kaufmann. But one thing is clear for him: “The tree has been on the farm since I’ve lived.”

This tree is unique

Kaufmanns’ cherry tree is not only older than anyone else, it is also unique: at over four meters in diameter, it is the thickest cherry tree ever in Switzerland. Besides the size of the tree, its cherries are also unique. Because: The cherry variety has never been discovered before and is something very special, arborist Michel Brunner has learned. It must taste great. They are larger and juicy than common varieties.

They even named their own to honor the ancient cherry variety: “pro arbore” Melina. This credits the town of Möhlin, as Kaufmann explains: “Melina was Möhlin’s old name. Thus, our cherry was named after its homeland.”

Despite its old age, the tree still bears fruit today. This is of course not an issue. Many cherry trees in this country are barely 100 years old before they rot or are cleaned.

A home for wildlife

“We rarely eat specialty cherries, as the tree is a little far from home. But ravens and other animals love to eat the fruit,” says Kaufmann. Therefore, the cherry tree is an important food source for all kinds of animal and bird species. At the same time, various insects call it their home, making it a valuable part of the ecosystem.

“Initiatives are also being made to promote bird diversity in the region. To help with this, we installed a nesting box in the cherry tree so the birds can safely lift their young,” says Kaufmann.

Time for tree care

But: “Because we didn’t use any pesticides on our trees, the cherry tree was attacked by a fungus a few years ago, which made it pretty weak,” says Kaufmann. During a strong storm, several main branches of the weakened tree broke off.

“Then we attached a strap to a particularly long, heavy branch to secure it. But the support belt urgently needs to be replaced,” says Kaufmann. Additionally, the tree needs professional tree care and pruning to prevent further decay.

Kaufmann relies on the Swiss Trees platform to finance tree maintenance and renew its support belt. There, numerous tree conservation and reforestation projects across Switzerland are crowdfunded financially. Anyone who submits a project commits to actually investing the money in that project.

“I’ve also committed myself to leaving this tree for at least 15 years – even if the tree dies during that time. But we want to use the money to make sure that doesn’t happen. We hope it will survive for a few more decades with a little help,” Kaufmann says confidently.

Source : Blick