—Lancaster Farming. Saturday. Dac 27. 1979 52 Berks Countian By Pit Bradley Berks Co. Correspondent MOHNTON • Christmas trees are usually a once a year thought to most people, but that's not true for John Freehafer. Freehafer is the manager of Sheerlund Forest Tree Farm, here. The farm, which occupies several hundred acres of land, was originally the Horst Estate. Freehafer has worked on the farm, now owned by Robert Sullivan, for the past 30 years. The busiest time on the farm is the few weeks before Christmas, but, according to Freehafer, some people come out in September to tag trees to be cut for Christinas. The farm offers its customers two methods of tree selection, he said. First there is a wide selection of pre-cut trees, ranging from pines to Douglas Firs and then there is the method in which the customer goes out into the fields and selects his own tree; cuts it down, pays for it by height and then takes it home. The latter method of selection, ac ‘ - «• ' &&'■*' '-•t' - V ' j 0 Rows of trees line the hillsides and wandering through the stands to acres of the farm with customers choose their evergreen. cording to Freehafer, is becoming more popular. Its popularity may be due to the fact that the customer feels he is getting a fresher tree because he cuts it himself. The most popular type of tree is the Douglas Fir, Freehafer said. “Pine isn’t as popular anymore because of problems with fungus and other tree infections that have cropped up in that type of tree over the years,” he said. Even though the Douglas Fir has gained popularity among the public there have been probebns in growing the trees in this area, Freehafer said. The Douglas Fir needs dry, well drained soil. The rainfalls in this area have increased in the past few years, which has decreased the growing capabilities of the Douglas Fir. The best area for growing the Species ac cording to Freehafer, is in the Western states. There are however some problems with growing Christmas trees. In the summer the grass must be cut between the rows of trees and pesticides and weed * *s* V % * * * V*# is Santa Claus of the Tree killers must be used. The latter must be used with moderation, according, to Preehafer, in order to avoid damage to the trees. But, unlike most other farm products, Christmas trees aren’t an instant cash crop. It takes ten or fifteen years for a tree to grow enough to be sold at Christmas time. Then there’s the problem with soil and crop rotation. As an alternate crop, Preehafer has planted some shade trees, but he says that 'there’s not much else that will grow in the soil after it has been used for growing Christmas trees. “Years ago Christmas tree growers would buy a small plot of land, grow trees for a few years until the soil became depleted and then move on to another plot of land. But, that Just can’t be done anymore,” he said. And then there’s the problem with trying to find workers who don’t mind working outside all year round for relatively low pay and few benefits. “There Just aren’t too many people around who can fit that bill,” Freehafer remarked. , Z* '' - ' Vv tv-*"’ 4 f t~*-' Tom Rissler (left) helps manager John Freehafer bale trees at the Sheerlund Forest tree farm. But, there is an area for “Nowadays everyone is in In spite of all the problems indoor work at the farm and pitfalls of Christmas that’s in the ornament shop, shop over into a larger bam, tree growing, Freehafer The shop, located in a small but decided that it wouldn’t seems happy with his work, building on the farm be financially profitable,” he D nt ui, property, has expanded in noted. The ornament shop Because of his attitude both size and inventory since has a wide variety of tree towards trees and especially it was first opened, lights and decorations for towards Christmas trees, he Freehafer says the buyer for sale as well as a wide might be regarded as the the shop toys to buy things selection of wreaths and pine Santa Claus of the Christmas that other stores don’t carry, cone decorations. tree business. Horse ham plans available free U you own horses and are and include everything from Walpole that the thinking of building a new a 10’x 12’portable bam to a . ~ . bam for them, you may want 60 foot riding arena. present contract price to to look into the free plan a popular plan for many build this bam would be service offered by the years has been one for a 22’x Delaware - Cooperative 34’ two stall bam with tack aroun( * $4200. It would cost Extension Service. There and feed rooms. The plan about $ 2500 to buad w are a number of good designs (No, 5838) for a good- y oll^ 3 * Hi* estimates do to choose from, says ex- sized covered area suitable not include the cost of inside tension agricultural for grooming, blacksmithing finisb feed engineer, Ernest W. and general work around r °oms» hay racks, feed Walpole. The plans were horses, double dutch doors, buckets > etc - or *** hitching prepared by the U.S. roO my box stalls and a rail a ? d roof ornament -Department of Agriculture poured concrete foundation. sbown tbe Pl*ll industry
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