Tree sale plants roots and aids St. Isidore Catholic School

Arriving early Saturday morning paid off for dozens of fruit tree shoppers during the annual bareroot tree fundraiser at St. Isidore Catholic School in Yuba City.

"I think it is a steal of a deal," said Jerry Jaeger of Yuba City, who bought four cherry and two almond trees for $10 each.

Members of the parents club, who host the event, helped customers choose from a wide variety of options that included apple, cherry, pear, apricot, prune, pomegranate and almond trees.

Ernesto Cuellar of Yuba City and his wife, Maria, packed 23 trees into their Prius. Ernesto, who has two acres to plant on, plans to share some of the trees with his nephew.

"We are helping the church and we like to have fruit in our houses," Cuellar said.

Sierra Gold Nurseries, which doesn't sell single trees except at the fundraiser, donated the 2,000 plants.

"I love to think of this community planting all these trees." said Sierra Gold president Jack Poukish, who has a child at St. Isidore. "It is a great fundraiser for the school and people are very interested in growing their own food."

CONTACT David Bitton at dbitton@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4796. Find him on Facebook at ADdbitton or on Twitter at @ADdbitton.