The Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-03-17, Page 22Page 6 -Farm Progress '93
R 400 GEItE S
P
Andrew Dixon, a retired school
teacher is unique tn his field
by Ron Wassink
CHESLEY—Andrew Dixon is
growing trees with a difference.
The retired Ailsa Craig school
teacher knows he's unique when it
comes to growing trees and it's an
idea that has gained considerable
interest.
Dixon told about 200 people at
"A Day in the Woodiot",
the last
session of Grey -Bruce Farmers'
Week in Chesley recently how he's
treating trees like any ,other farm
cash crop.
"In 19.77 I decided to put into
practice a concept I had for quite a
while."
Dixon's concept was to plant
trees at a wide spacing, prune the
bottom branches as the trees grew
in order to grow trees with veneer
quality logs. Or, knotle.ss ‘VOtid;
' And he says he's convinced tree
growing, his way, is one of "the
best propositions to be seen today."
In order to make his scheme
work, Dixon said he had to grow
trees to maturity faster. Secondly,
One of the largest agricultural equipment collections in North
America Is housed at the Ontario Agricultural Museum. You can
see items such as this hay loader, circa 1917.
everyc, tree had to -grow a good
quality veneer log. And. thirdly, as
he would not see a return on his
investment for a long time, he
could not afford to invest a lot of
capital in the project.
For trees to grow fast, he said you
have to give them the space to do
it. He planted black walnut trees 40
feet apart. And in between them, he
grew other crops, like corn, wheat
and oats.
He warned, though, to choose
species for the soil conditions on
the farm. His arc ori prime
farmland.
Dixon started with 343 trees in
1977. Today he has 2,257 trees on
50 acres. Of that, 1,192 are walnut,
which take up 43 acres. He, also
planted white pine at 15 -foot
spacing, Cottonwood and Juniper
(red cedar), and a couple of other
species.
I am just sharing a dream.
It has cost nobody anything, and it
promises big results." ' •
To prove his 'point, Dixon said he
sold his first pruned, black waln.ut
tree last year for $1,500. That tree
was planted in 1922.
"It was worth that because I
pruned it (in '1936)."
. As • for his 1977 crop, Dixon
figures the walnut trees he's planted
will be worth S1.8 million when
harvested. Or, S600 per acre per
year when .averaged back over the
•years. • . •
• "Try growing corn for that!":
Plus, he's got the nuts; which, at
1,000 trees, are worth • 512,000
annually...
Andrew Dixon, of Alisa Craig, treats trees like any other farm Dixon predicted his 480, knot -free
cash crop. Mr. Dixon was a speaker at the Grey -Bruce Farmers' white pine' will bring $48,000. Or,
Week. (Rob Wassink photo)
•turn to page 8
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everyc, tree had to -grow a good
quality veneer log. And. thirdly, as
he would not see a return on his
investment for a long time, he
could not afford to invest a lot of
capital in the project.
For trees to grow fast, he said you
have to give them the space to do
it. He planted black walnut trees 40
feet apart. And in between them, he
grew other crops, like corn, wheat
and oats.
He warned, though, to choose
species for the soil conditions on
the farm. His arc ori prime
farmland.
Dixon started with 343 trees in
1977. Today he has 2,257 trees on
50 acres. Of that, 1,192 are walnut,
which take up 43 acres. He, also
planted white pine at 15 -foot
spacing, Cottonwood and Juniper
(red cedar), and a couple of other
species.
I am just sharing a dream.
It has cost nobody anything, and it
promises big results." ' •
To prove his 'point, Dixon said he
sold his first pruned, black waln.ut
tree last year for $1,500. That tree
was planted in 1922.
"It was worth that because I
pruned it (in '1936)."
. As • for his 1977 crop, Dixon
figures the walnut trees he's planted
will be worth S1.8 million when
harvested. Or, S600 per acre per
year when .averaged back over the
•years. • . •
• "Try growing corn for that!":
Plus, he's got the nuts; which, at
1,000 trees, are worth • 512,000
annually...
Andrew Dixon, of Alisa Craig, treats trees like any other farm Dixon predicted his 480, knot -free
cash crop. Mr. Dixon was a speaker at the Grey -Bruce Farmers' white pine' will bring $48,000. Or,
Week. (Rob Wassink photo)
•turn to page 8
APPLE
Auto Gins
-Windshields
.-Flat Glass (eg. Tractor Cabs)
-Upholstery (eg. Tractor Cabs)
-Truck and Van Accessories
-Stone Repair
-Water Leak Repair
-Sunroofs
1 0° Off All, Truck Accessories
With This Ad
-Sliding Back Glass/
•Runningiloarcts
•Bug Deflectors.
•Box Liners
211 Bayfield Road
Goderich, Ont. N7A 3G3
Mobile Service at No Extra Cost
Tel. 524-5388 '
1-800-567-1613
11-2