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Exeter Trues -Advocate
Wednesday, December 2, 1998 1'ai!' • 13
Christmas trees a green family tradition
Looking after
Les Cudmore of UsborneTwp:.stands beside one of the.Scots pines destined for
someone's home this. Christmas.
By Kate Monk •
TIMES-AIUVUCA rE STAFF
bushy appearance people prefer in
their Christmas trees. •
The- brother -sister teats spent 40
OSBOHNE TWI'. — A fernier gravel hours pruning- the trees this past
pit and- idle land are being used to growing season: It was the first year.
keep •a Christmas tradition• alive and they kept track of their titue and they
growing.. . were 'pleasantly surprised it took
Les Cudnt_ore of Usborrie Twp. and . such_a small amount of time.
.his sister Huth Johnson of London ,Cudmore said growing Christmas
have been tending Christmas.trees on trees is a "long teres investment tak-
the Cudmore fared and for the second . ing 8-10 years to get a return. Spruce
year are harvesting a healthy_crop. trees take longer to grow than pine.
Cudmoreplanted coniferous trees in This year. they're selling five to
1"989 and each year Since.:: ., Seven foot .trees for $12 each.
"'!'hat way you have trees' every Cudmore cuts the trees every week
year," Cudmore explained. - to ensure they're fresh. Ile advises
_ 1le's happy with .the progress. custurtiers to leave the tree.outside or
Cudmore said he has only watered 'where it's cool until they',re`ready
once (in 198-9):and Mother .Nature to put the -tree up inside. Then,
.-looked after the make a fresh cut, about one inch
res(. -He adiitits !' " = from the end and put the tree"
the trees he plant- into water-.
ed -this year didn't --, :"The big thing is to keep
fair"well- and C% the tno"isture.," Cudmore
will have tobe. said. "As seen as it gets
replaced. , , warm in the house, they
Growing. - the (trees) think, it's time t0
trees- as a .hobby, ) start growing and start '
Cudmore said h O V '� , using water." • -
planted them far- - ' Johnson • started
.they apart than- the —selling the Christmas trees hist
commercial growers, resulting in a Friday ,from 'the site on Highway• 4
. wider ,tree. • • • between, l-lensall and l�:xeter, She'll be ,
Cudmore .estimates 'they've planted open every weekend until Christmas, s
3,000-4,000 trees at about 800 .trees: and possibly during the,wcek. -
per acre. "White 'pine and Scots pine , Cudmore wili also be selling trees
are the main species with some from the farm.' Garland and boughs
spruce. , - are also sold from each site.-- , "
Last year, Cudmore and Johnson I•t's been a• good venture for
sold a 50-50 split: of.white and Scots Cudmore and Johnson. ,
pine and expect the same.'breakdown "Wee learned as we went along,
this year. Cudmore predicts the Cudinore'sald. .
spruce will be ready in '99. Christmas tree growing is an'impor
While Scots pine is' the traditional. taut part of Canada's agricultural
Christmas. tree, Cudmore said people, mix. ,,
are switching to white pine.:Although. According to the 1996 Ce.asus of
a white pine doesn't support heavy -Agriculture, 555.000 -Christmas trees
ornaments as well ,as Scots, -it's a were harvested in Ontario in .1995,
good looking tree, Cudmore said. -Other Major Christmas tree product -
He grows the trees on two separate ing provinces. -Are: Quebec
farms as insurance against weather, (1,028.000), Nova Scotia (937,000),
disease or pest damage. New Brunswick (341.000) and British
For Cudmore, annual. skillful prun- Columbia (282,000).
ing is the key to growing the best The Christmas Tree Farmers of
looking Christmas. trees.' '. Ontario •website . has a host of infor-
•"It's not hard work. You just have tnation on Christmas trees including
to prune," he said. • a list of harvest -your -own farms. The
Holding back rapid upward growth site also has a virtual Christmas tree
encourages the tree to branch more farm. The address is www.christmas-
quickly and gradually achieve. the full ..trees.on:ca
•
your natural
Christmas tree
!'here is nothing like When- you bring the Safety tips
a real tree,' growntree indoors, cut about Ensure all electric
right-)ie.re in Olitario. one "inch off the butt • lights and connections
to enjoy at Christmas end to open the tree are in good condition,
time. The look,. the stent and allow water _ - Turmoil. the tights
scent. -attd the. very• intake.' when _leaving your
feel of a natural.tr•ee i'Iace the tree-in.a• home or retiring for
are integral parts of stand -that holds a the night:_
the wsarut_ hotliey generous supply of Never 6Se e (Jnt-
atiuosphere .of our water and top it up busti'bty decorations
most Testive season. daily. If the -w tor or lighted c,irtdles en a
•To ensure- your tree _drops .below the-end•of fresh tree.
adds ino.re ilium than t he trunk. •the stere The best protec•t1(ln
needles - to: your may re -seal itself and 'for a tree is moisture.
Christmas _decor. here require a fresh cut. • Becauseof its high ,
are a few tips. on buy- . Keep the tree away moisture 'content, a
ing the:freshest tree from all". sources" of fresh tree is naturally
you can find and how heat and dry"ing. .fire resistant and will
to keep it •healthy and, including radiators_ retrain so with.a con-.
safe .through - the sea- furnace diucts, televi, tinuuus °suppl} of
son. stun s.ets_ fireplaces water.
and wiItdoivs with a Source -Christmas
Selection . direct exposure to the Tree
The trust popular sun. Farmers of•Onturio
.treys -available to con-. Hentovice t tree.
•suiners•in Ontario are within 10=.1.4 days.
Scots pine (medium .After that amount of
length .. needles). _time ilia heated build
• spruce (short; sharp ing.'even the freshest
needles) land' balsa:in-: tree will begin to dry.
fir (soft, aromatic tle'e- 'out.
- dies).. Whatever your
preference, .pink a tree. •
with strong gr'etbn
colour and a• not ice -
able f•rFegralce. -
,'To ensure your cho-
- sen tree is fresh, lift it
a few inches off tire_
ground then bang it
down on the stuthp
end. 'The' outside nee-
dles -should not, fall oft'
in great- qualttity,
although the inside
ones shed naturally
every year.
If bent gently, an
unfrozen needle from
a fresh tree should
bend - rather. than
break.
Care and
watering
Store the tree in .a
sheltered but unheat-
ed area such as a
porch or garage until All I want is...a fan belt? KraftAuto Parts got•cre-
ready to use. ative with this fan belt Christmas tree on their float
during the Exeter Santa Claus Parade on Saturday.