It Wouldn't Be Christmas Without One
The afternoon is cold and
hazy. The air is moist, and it
feels as if tiny ice crystals arc
suspended in the quiet winter
afternoon. In the distance the
sporadic bu// of a chainsaw rips
the silent air The low light
heightens the greens of the
perfect rows of trees Nearby a
stack of cut. neatly wrapped
trees awaits shipping The tangy
scent of cut evergreens is
everywhere. The crates of
festive holly and mound of trees
make the quiet countryside seem
a hit like Santa's workshop This
is where they grow Christmas
Oregon's abundant forests arc
known nationwide for more than
their lumber The country's
largest supply of Christmas trees
is grown here, and Oregon is sc
cond only to England in holly
production Oregon grown trees
and holly are shipped all over
the United States
Spring Creek Holly Farm,
located along the McKenzie
River just east of Leaburg.
grows both holly and Christmas
trees The quaint white buildings
ot the farm are set off beautifully
by the 15 acres of berry laden
holly and the surrounding 55
acres of Christmas trees in
various stages of growth There
are even a couple of acres where
you can choose and cut your
own tree.
Spring Creek specializes in a
slow growing but truly magntfi
cent tree: the Noble Fir Where
the more common Douglas Fir
will grow to five feet in height in
about five years, the Noble Fir
may take l() to 12 years to reach
the same height But the results
are worth it The tree is a perfect
shape, the type only dreamt of in
a Dickens tale. Each branch is
full and balanced, inviting or
namcnls and gifts to be laved on
its deep green boughs
Pete Campbell has been
manager of the farm for the last
13 years He is a wiry man with
an outdoor vigor ar.d a twinkle
in his gray eyes; proof that tree
farmers arc not a bunch of
Scrooges, counting the money
with each swing of a chainsaw.
There is an affection for the
land, for the crop and for the
season that seems to permeate
their heavy seasonal work load
Campbell and his crew begin
the harvest when other farmers
traditionally end theirs:
Thanksgiving. Like elves, their
faces are rosy from the exertion
and the icy air. They work their
way through the fields, cutting
trees that have been carefully
chosen for harvest and tagged
with blue ribbons Then they
pile the trees gently onto a
wagon where they are taken to
be baled and shipped
Trees are selected for harvest
by their appearance If a tree
looks perfect, it will be tagged
and cut After the cutting is
done, new trees will he planted
to take their place The Noble
Firs grow slowly, especially the
first two or three years, says
Campbell, reaching only about
two feet high in those early
years. After that the growth
speeds up. This is when farmers
start pruning and shaping the
trees, forming a shape that will
eventually adorn someone's
home The trees arc trimmed so
that their branches are bushy ami
balanced. They top the trees to
keep them from becoming too
tall After about 12 years of this
pruning and fertilization, they
are ready for Christmas.
Spring Creek's holly trees
were planted in 1954
Tree farms all over Oregon
will be abuzz with the sound of
chainsaws until the last few days
before Christmas. By Christmas
Eve people all over the country
will have Oregon trees to set
their gifts under Then Pete
Campbell and all the others who
work so hard to harvest
Christmas can celebrate their
own special connection to this
holiday season
- ALYSON SIMMONS
r\m:n Colors Or Blmttoy
^benelton Now Open At Valley River Center • 342-4007
Photos By
Maria Corvallis
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