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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 27, 2012)
8 in other words november27 2012 Diggin’ in the Dirt: Oregon’s Christmas Tree Industry By Chip Bubl Oregon State University Columbia County and other cultural practices. My predecessor, Don Coin Extension Service Walrod, was an important early figure in the industry and helped a number of the first Columbia County Christmas tree farms get a start. Chal Landgren, who Master Gardener™ class signups being taken joined our office in 1979, focused a significant portion The OSU Extension office in Columbia of his work on the Christmas tree industry and is now County will be offering the Master Gardener™ the statewide specialist for Christmas tree cultivation, training again in St. Helens this spring. The classes based out of the OSU North Willamette Research will be held on Mondays from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM and Extension Center in Aurora. He still has a small for 11 weeks starting on January 7th, 2013. Cost of Christmas tree farm in Warren. the program is $75.00 which includes a large resource The Pacific Northwest (and especially, Oregon) book. Master Gardeners are responsible for providing Christmas tree acreage expanded rapidly from its small volunteer gardening education to the community as early base in the 1950s. The quality of our Northwest partial payback for the training. If interested in the trees made our growers very competitive in markets program, call the Extension office at 503 397-3462 for accustomed to trees from the upper Midwest and other an information packet. states. New species were tried and older choices were abandoned. Douglas fir remained the main species Growth of the Oregon Christmas tree industry for many years but Noble and Grand fir trees became For many years, Oregonians cut their own established as important species in our Christmas tree Christmas trees from federal or state lands or purchased mix. Scots pines were largely abandoned in this region. them from rural landowners who harvested the best In recent years a couple of new species, Nordmann and looking wild trees and sold them in Portland and other Fraser firs have gotten more attention. urban areas. My family went to a farm near Suver to As national markets expanded, there has been harvest a wild tree from the farm of a family friend. a lot of effort to find species, strains, and handling But forests matured and harvesters had to go further techniques to improve needle color and retention. A and further to find nice trees. Some small woodland large program started to make genetic improvement owners began to grow trees specifically for sale as in the various species through wild tree selection Christmas trees. These trees were planted at a tighter and testing followed by propagation by cuttings and density (more trees per acre). Douglas fir was the most controlled seed crosses to select for improved planting commonly grown but other trees, including Scot’s pine, stock. were part of the mix. There was little pruning or other Trees from Oregon are now routinely shipped cultural measures taken to produce the denser trees to all fifty states, Mexico, South America, Hawaii, we have today. But that too changed. A shorn tree has the Far East, the Near East and many other locations firmer branches for ornaments and the fuller look was around the world. Handling techniques were perfected pleasing to customers. to ensure a good quality tree upon arrival and after sale. The Extension Service got involved very early Tree bundling equipment was invented to allow more in assisting the nascent Christmas tree industry. They trees to be packed into containers or on trucks. tested species for important characteristics like needle Oregon is still the largest producer of Christmas retention (not much fun to bring a tree into a house and trees in the U.S. Acreage has fallen somewhat in have it lose all its needles), color, shearing techniques, recent years. This has been due to several factors. disease and insect management, growth requirements, First, too many trees were planted in the early 2000s and there has been a glut of trees ready for market. Second, the recession has trimmed discretionary expenditures. Finally, the quality of artificial trees has improved and people who buy one tend not to return to a cut Christmas tree. That has tended to hold down Christmas tree prices for the last four years or so. That is good news for the consumer who wants a great locally grown tree. And for many people, there is nothing to compare with the smell and feel of a real Christmas tree. Family owned and operated for over 40 years. If you cut your own tree from a Christmas tree 721 Madison Avenue, Vernonia (503) 429-5018 farm, get the fresh cut end in a Christmas tree stand with a deep water well as soon as possible if you are bringing it straight inside. The tree will take up a lot of water the first week or so, then slowly slow its water uptake. If you buy your tree from a lot or don’t plan to put your fresh cut tree in the house for several days, make a new one-inch cut on the base just before you bring it in and then follow the procedure above. Keep water in the tree well at all times and avoid placing the tree near a wood stove or other very dry location in the house. The Extension Service offers its programs and materials equally to all people. Free newsletter The Oregon State University Extension office in Columbia County publishes a monthly newsletter on gardening and farming topics (called County Living) written/edited by yours truly. All you need to do is ask for it and it will be mailed to you. Call 503 397-3462 to be put on the list. Alternatively, you can find it on the web at http://extension.oregonstate.edu/columbia/ and click on newsletters. Contact information for the Extension office: Oregon State University Extension Service – Columbia County 505 N. Columbia River Highway (across from the Legacy clinic) St. Helens, OR 97051 503 397-3462 Email: chip.bubl@oregonstate.edu Where Do You Read The Voice? Mariolino’s Pizza & Grill Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner & ice cream Lowell J. Mitchell Guitars & Vocal Entertainment, Production, Lessons & Bookings (503) 789-3835 (503) 235-8996 www.loweljmitchell.com lowelljmitchell@gmail.com buyer and seller of musical instruments WELLER & SON’S STEVE HM: 503-429-3400 CELL: 503-313-9006 SELF LOADER LONG LOGGER CUSTOM LOGGING DENNIS HM: 503-429-2810 CELL: 503-313-9044 1264 G ST. VERNONIA, OR 97064 O.P.L. CERTIFIED O.P.L.H. CERTIFIED ROAD BUILDNIG LAND CLEARING EXCAVATION Sick or Cranky Firearm? I Can Help! Tobie Finzel of Vernonia visited Haverhill, Massachusetts where she stopped by a statue of her ancestor Hannah Dustin/ Duston/Dustan (no historical consistency in spelling) Hannah is a many-times-great- grandmother to both Finzel and Vernonian Dan Brown. Hannah was captured by a band of Abenaki Indians in the frontier town of Haverhill, in 1697 and later bravely escaped. The statue in the Haverhill park was the first erected to a woman in the US in 1867. Show us where you have traveled. Submit your photo by email to : scott@vernoniasvoice.com 503.429.7408 flean, Lube, Safety fhecks & Repair All Work Fully Guaranteed The Gun Doctor NRA fertified, ORE foncealed farry Permit instructor (503) 475-3563 fell http://www.wolfgangthegundoctor.com/ Wolfgang@WolfgangTheGunDoctor.com 59229 Nehalem Hwy. South www.spiralzsalon.com
