For the first time in his lifetime, John Sam Williamson hauled water this week for the champion bur oak tree that adorns his 1,000-acre farm.
Williamson, whose family has owned the land since the 1830s, released 850 gallons of water at the base of the stressed 350-year old oak Wednesday.
This is just the first of several soakings the tree will receive over the next few weeks.
(READ story, with photo, in the Columbia Tribune)