Quality Seedlings, (Continued from Pago At) Bruce Bachert, Sr. and family, including Harvey, his uncle, and Bruce’s family still carry on the tradition of purchasing quality see dlings and maintaining the prac tices that Bruce’s great grandfather began and perfected at Schuylkill Forest Farm. “Growers from all over the state used to come here to see what he used to practice,’’ said Bruce Bachert during an interview at his 253-acre Christmas tree farm in the heart of Hawk Mountain Val ley. along the southern ridge of Schuylkill County. Bruce grows about 135 acres of five varieties of Christmas trees on three different tracts of land in the Mill Mountain and Hawk Mountain region. Bruce said that quality is more important than quantity in the operation. This is a hallmark started by his great-grandfather, John Bachert. The technique of shearing would impress growers, because “a lot of people years back used to just take the wild trees, they wouldn’t shear them, they wouldn’t do anything with them,” hesaid. “They would just goout in the woods and cut wild trees.” Bruce said the Bacherts were the first in the area to actually cultivate Christmas trees just like com to a grain farmer. They were the first to ‘ ‘put the trees in the ground just for tree production. “A lot of people in the area do it now,” said Bruce. “It’s a thriving business.” Bruce said the business is very manual-labor intensive. Big equip ment has little or no place in the businesss because of the exacting nature of maintaining the individu al trees. “It’s an industry that you’ve got to like,” said Bruce. “If you don’t like it, I mean, you’re not in it for long. Believe me.” Bert Bachert, Bruce’s uncle, took over the business from John Bachert in 1954. For 37 years, Bert Bachert ran the business until it iws are used by Bruce Bachert, Jr. to notch the center of the trunk on the Christmas tree. Shearing, Fresh Cut Trees Hallmarks Of Schuylkill Forest Farm was purchased by Bruce in spring of this year. The Bacherts, who farm with Bruce, Sr., wife Jean, and sons Bruce, Jr., Joel, Jared, and Bret, maintain about 135 acres of Christ mas trees. They grow mostly firs, including Douglas and Frazer. Also, they grow several varieties of spruce and also Scotch Pine. In addition, they maintain IS acres of hay for several horses. Most of the Christmas trees are grown for bulk wholesale to mark ets in New Jersey and Philadelphi a. They manage a small local retail operation. About 90 percent of their business is cut trees for wholesale, but they also make wreaths, garlands, and bows for the season, according to Jean Bachert From spring until mid-June, stump removal, cultivation, and seedling planting (from reputable local dealers) are undertaken by the Bacherts. From mid-June until Thanksgiving, the trees are sheared. Beginning at Thanksgiv ing, cutting begins. By the begin ning of December, cutting is a full time chore, beginning at 7 in the morning and often lasting until past midnight. “We started right before Thanksgiving,” said Jean Bachert. ‘ ‘Our first orders went out Thanks giving Day. And it’s been a rush ever since.” At the day of the interview, the Bacherts were busy cutting and baling 200 Douglas Fir trees at a 70-acre parcel in the Hawk Moun tain Valley for shipment to a mark et in the Bronx, N.Y. Orders of hundreds of trees were still being filled, and the cutting continues until about four days before Christmas. The Douglas Firs are about 12 years old and range in height from 6-8 feet Schuylkill Forest Farms cuts trees ranging from ‘ 'tabletop’ ’ size at 4 feet, up to 14 feet trees purchased by churches, civic orga nizations, and others Trees are careful Bruce, right and Jean Bachert maintain this 150*acre Christmas tree farm in the heart of Mill Mountain, along the southern ridge of Schuylkill County. Bruce grows a Wide variety of Christmas trees on three different tracts of land in the Mill Mountain and Hawk Mountain region. Photo by Andy Andrews indicate “seconds,” because of discoloration, unevenness, or other factors that may indicate a lack of quality. The trees are wrapped by a “baler,” then stacked in a hay wagon, and eventually loaded into a tractor-trailer for shipment. Quality is utmost in the minds of the growers. Jean Bachert pointed to one tree that was slightly open near the bottom. “It might look perfect in someone else’s eyes, but my husband says that’s a second,” she said. “I try to deal with quality instead of quantity,” said Bruce Bachert “That’s what my uncle always used to stress. If you deal with quality, he used to say, you don’t have to deal with the numbers.” Fortunately, since the glut of Bruce Bacheit, Jr., right, uses a chainsaw to notch the demand fefosh a? trunk of 8 Douglas Fir while grandfather Harvey watches, ere have been faced with carefully Th e Douglas Firs are about 12 years old and range in height inTnow from 6-8 feet. Schuylkill Forest Farms cuts trees ranging 2SES SSi lie™ »">«" “tabletop" size at four feet, up to 14-foot trees pur “it seems like things aretuLig chased b V churches, civic organizations, and others, around, again,” he said. “I’m in I notched to Harvey Bachert, ht and grandson Bruce im>. ~ tract In the Hawk Mountain Valley. The Bacherts, with full-time help from Randy Mar tin, were busy cutting and baling 400 Douglas Fir trees at a 70-acre parcel In the Hawk Mountain Valley for shipment to a market in the Bronx, N.Y. Orders of hundreds of trees were still being filled, and the cutting continues until about four days before Christmas. (Turn to Page
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers