Bowser’s Patent Grows From Christmas Tree Operation
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
LITITZ (Lancaster Co.)
Most people think the season for
Christmas trees is over, but for
growers such as Lew and Jackie
Bowser, the big event of the year
is the winter meeting and trade
show of the Pennsylvania Christ
mas Tree Growers Association,
Jan. 12-13.
Although the Bowsers operate
a “Mom and Pop” Christmas
tree operation, their main em
phasis is designing equipment to
make the job easier.
In fact, Lew recently received
a patent for what he calls an
auger transporter. The five-year
process required “lots of paper
work and bucks,” for the Bows
ers’ Christmas Tree Equipment
Mfg. (CTE Mfg.)
The Bowsers operate their
business on part of the family
farm, which had been purchased
in 1938. In 1985. Lew put in a
few trees to satisfy his yen for
what he thought looked like a
fun, easy way to make some
extra money. He found out that
growing Christmas trees requires
more than planting the seedlings
and forgetting about them until
ready to harvest seven years
later.
“Customers are knowledge
able and picky. When they say
they want a perfect tree, that’s
what they are looking for, and
they won’t be satisfied until they
find it,” Jackie said.
That means trees must be
sheared and pruned, something
Lew does almost weekly
throughout the summer.
In the beginning the Bowsers
made the mistake of not com
pletely killing off the alfalfa be
fore planting the seedlings. The
alfalfa battle required persistent
hoeing by hand.
They also made the mistake of
planting Douglas Fir in a low
spot that was frequently wet.
This variety does not like wet
feet and eventually died. The
Bowsers replaced them with Col
orado Blue Spruce, which does
well in low areas.
They now have 6,000 trees,
mostly Blue Spruce, Douglas Fir,
and Canaan Fir.
The Bowsers said that the Ca
naan Fir, which is disease-resis
tant and has long-keeping nee-
The auger transporter patented by Lew Bowser re
quired about five years of perfecting, a myriad of paper
work, and lots of money. But the demand for the auger
transporter exceeds the Bowsers’ expectation.
Lew and Jackie Bowser operate much more than a “Mom and Pop” Christmas tree
farm. Lew designs equipment, which they market year-round, and ship from their Lititz
location.
dies, is similar to the popular
Fraser Fir, but is easier to grow
in this area.
At first, the Bowsers did not
use any chemicals, but a needle
cast disease hit the Douglas Fir
and spraying was necessary to
save the plantation.
“Growers are also required to
have a pesticide license in order
to control fungus and critters
that can wipe the farm out in one
season or close it down for quar
antine,” Lew said.
Spraying equipment is a big
investment, and sprays need to
be applied under strict conditions
to be effective. Information on
pesticides and insecticides
changes constantly, and tree
growers must keep up-to-date on
the latest information.
From the beginning, Lew de
signed equipment to make the
job easier. He laid out a grid on a
field with trees in straight rows
with five feet on all sides.
“That’s essential to keep
weeds at bay and make a neat
appearance for customers,”
Jackie said.
“You must work to get the
best trees in the shortest amount
of time in order to make a prof
it,” Lew said. “With proper soil
conditions, weather, and fertil
ization, a seven-foot-tree can be
grown for harvest in six or seven
years.”
To keep grass under control, a
tractor with a mower deck that
slides underneath the trees will
work. Another method is to
band-spray the tree row with a
herbicide so that you only need
to mow the center between the
rows. Although this method
saves labor costs, it increases the
cost of herbicides tremendously.
Some growers sell to outlets
but the Bowsers decided on a
“choose and cut” farm. Although
they love the interaction with the
customers, the hectic pace re
quires long hours.
Many customers tag trees in
the fall and call to have trees cut
down on the day they want it.
The Bowsers cut these trees be
fore business opens at 8 a.m.
Because of the long hours.
Workshop Offers Perspective
On Estate Planning
COLUMBUS, Ohio For
many people, estate planning is a
confiising subject. The variety of
options can cause a lot of murki
ness in peoples’ minds, said
Howard Siegrist, agriculture and
natural resources agent at the
Licking County office of Ohio
State University Extension.
To help people learn more
about estate planning issues and
the types of probing questions
they will need to ask profession
als while developing their plans,
Ohio State University Extension
is sponsoring an Estate Planning
Workshop. The workshop will
take place on Wednesdays, Jan.
24, Jan. 31 and Feb. 7, 2001,
from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the
Granville Inn in Granville.
‘The workshop is intended to
elevate the knowledge and un
derstanding of people before they
enter into the estate planning
process.,” Siegrist said. “We con-
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 30, 2000-813
Jackie said, “Nobody is happier
to see Christmas Eve than a
Christmas tree grower.”
But when Christmas is over,
the Bowsers clean out the garage
and gear up to ship out orders
for the auger transporter that re
cently received a patent.
Lew explained that it was
through need that he developed
the auger transporter. Although
Christmas trees can be planted
easily in the first planting, it is
impossible to maneuver big
equipment into the space to re
plant in a choose and cut opera
tion.
Not only is it difficult to trans
plant trees, but a problem called
j-rooting can develop. According
to Lew, j-rooting results from not
getting roots straight and the dirt
packed tightly around the roots
during replanting, which leaves
air pockets and will eventually
kill the seedling.
“It’s a well-known fact that
augured holes increase the survi
vability of young plants by help
ing eliminate J-rooting and air
pockets, while creating a water
reservoir,” Lew said.
But augers already on the
market had their drawbacks.
tinue to get questions about vari
ous tools to use and processes to
follow in estate planning, and
with this workshop we’re trying
to package everything together
so people can see and evaluate all
the tools that exist.”
The first day will cover the
legal framework in which estate
planning takes place in Ohio and
some of the basics, he said. Top
ics include data people need to
know before meeting with an at
torney, asset listing, balancing es
tates for married individuals,
federal estate taxes, Ohio estate
taxes, wills, gifting and durable
power of attorney.
The second and third days will
discuss the nuts and bolts of the
various types of estate planning
tools, Siegrist said. Trusts and
life insurance are the topics for
the second day. Long-term care
insurance and distribution of
personal property will be covered
on the final dav.
“Using them beats you up,
throws you around, and sprains
wrists,” Lew said. “I thought
there has to be an easier way.”
Lew grew up fixing things, and
budding equipment has always
been his interest, first on the
farm and then in the Army. But
it wasn’t until Lew was recuper
ating from cancer treatments
during the winter of 1995-1996,
that he drew the plans and pre
pared many prototypes in per
fecting the auger transporter.
“I lost lots of sleep, because I’d
think up ways to improve it,”
Lew said of months of perfecting
the model.
He is really pleased with the
results and said, “1 don’t think it
can be improved. It’s a Cadillac
in finish and strength and
it’s problem-free.”
A side benefit also was that
Lew recently passed a five-year
cancer free exam.
In addition to developing the
auger, the project required writ
ing safety manuals and operating
and parts manuals. This is where
Jackie’s talents came into play.
She is a local newspaper reporter
and wrote the instructions. The
Bowsers also worked closely with
patent attorneys.
The steel pieces are manufac
tured locally and powder-coated
before the Bowsers assemble and
ship the orders. Because they
couldn’t find strong enough car
tons for shipping the auger, Lew
makes the cartons himself.
“You must learn everything
you need to know about ship
ping, freight rates, e-mail, and
manufacturing when you’re in
this business,” Jackie said.
Surprising to Lew is that vine
yards in addition to Christmas
tree growers are buying the au
gers for planting.
“They work great for big-time
growers and the small ones,”
Lew said. “I knew the need, but I
am amazed at the demand.”
“Even a woman can operate
the auger transporter,” Jackie
said. “And it’s built to last a life
time.”
CTE also manufactures what
they call a Kneel-Easy, designed
for planters and gardeners to
make it easier for getting up and
down.
Although 70 years old, Lew is
working on several other ideas to
make tree->planting easier. “But I
may sell plans rather than seek
the patent for myself,” he said.
Their website address is
www.christmas-tree-equip
ment.com.
People are encouraged to reg
ister early, as the workshop will
be limited to the first 60 regis
trants. Registration for the three
days is $6O per person or two
people for $lOB. The price in
cludes beverages, lunches and
two Ohio State University publi
cations: Who Gets Grandma’s
Yellow Pie Plate and Estate
Family Considerations for Ohio
Families. The cost for attending
only one day is $25 per person.
Deadline for registration is
Jan. 17, 2001. For registration or
additional information about the
Estate Planning Workshop, peo
ple interested should contact the
Licking County office of Ohio
State University Extension at
(740) 349-6900, or toll free at
(888) 838-0219, Ext. 6900.