We are blessed to have on our property a very prolific mulberry tree, whose tasty fruit is a much-anticipated treat for us each summer. After a late frost decimated last year’s harvest, we were especially eager to go berry-picking this year. However, our mulberry tree has one problem: all of its lower branches were mistakenly cut off several years ago. This means that we are unable to reach most of the fruit, even when we resort to pulling down branches with a garden hoe! So we resign ourselves each year to seeing the birds enjoy the biggest, tastiest berries …

… Until this year, that is!

Joe Helming, our friend and the owner of the Helming Brothers restoration company, has had three hydraulic lifts parked around the property as he and his crew work on our roof replacement. When some Sisters approached Joe with a humble request for help “extending our reach,” he generously agreed to come in on his day off and take us up in the lift to reach those tantalizing upper branches! A group of nuns spent a fantastic afternoon giving the birds a “run for their money” as they combed through the leaves of the mulberry tree and brought in an abundant harvest. Joe even taught a few Sisters how to operate the lift! Of course, he didn’t do all this for free … he was “paid” in fresh-baked mulberry scones!