New Hampshire-Vermont Christmas Tree Association September 2007 Fall Meeting Preview:Asack & Son Tree Farm Special points The fall meeting of the ent seed sources that they had of interest: NHVTCTA will take place brought in from all over the coun- Saturday, September 22, at Asack try and Canada. He explained it Winter Meeting: & Son Tree Farm in Barton, Vt. all to me, but that first day I The winter meeting of the NHVTCTA Bill Asack runs the farm— didn’t really understand the will be held in Barre,Vt., on January which is now primarily a nursery ‘improvement’ work they were 29, in conjunction with the Vermont operation offering seedlings and doing.” Farm Show. More details to come in tranplants, along with a choose- On the drive back, Hudson the next issue of Tree Line. and-cut component—with his son, brought Asack to John Young’s Andrew. tree farm. “John was an early Trees for Troops: He’s been at the Christmas member of the Association and he The NHVTCTA will once again be tree improvement game for more collaborated a lot with Max participating in the NCTA’s Trees for than 25 years now, but Asack still McCormack with different tree Troops programs.To pledge trees and recalls the day when he was first experiments, and he had a seed for further details, contact Nigel introduced to the business. “When orchard there–mountain trees, Manley, (603) 444-6228 or e-mail I first started farming in Cook strain, some hybrid trees,” [email protected]. Plainfield, Vermont, I bumped Asack recalls. “He was probably into a forester named Norm what today would be called an Hudson,” he recalls. “I told him I ‘exotic’ grower.” Canaan Fir Group Buying: was interested in the Christmas Asack became friends with The NHVTCTA is arranging a group tree business. So he took me over Young and, taken by the idea of buy of Canaan Fir from Reliable to the Wolcott experimental sta- continued on page 9 Source, Morgantown,W.Va.Trees must tion and he showed me the differ- be ordered in units of 200.Absolute deadline for orders is September 25. For details, contact Jim Horst at (802) 447-1900. Update: National Christmas Tree Association The National Christmas Tree manufactured trees are made par- Association used the occasion of tially from oil and PVC, and earli- its annual meeting in Bangor, er research uncovered potentially Inside this issue: Maine, Aug. 15-18, to emphasize harmful levels of lead dust coming the value of real Christmas trees. off some of the older artificial Summer meeting preview 1 Christmas tree growers from trees. We don’t know that artifi- Canada and the U.S. cial trees will be recalled NCTA Update 1 attending the event along with numerous considered ways to other products found to President’s Message 2 fill potential higher be unsafe recently, but demand for farm- those of us growing natu- Association contact information 2 raised Christmas ral Christmas Trees need trees should the cur- to be prepared to provide Research:Trunk splitting 4 rent recall of hazardous Chinese fresh, farm-raised trees to fami- products spill over to include the lies looking for a safe Christmas Christmas tree invention 6 millions of factory-made tree this holiday season.” Christmas trees imported from According to Harris Trading Post 9 China. Interactive, U.S. consumers “The U.S. imports more than reported purchasing about 9 mil- Research: Canaan fir improvement 10 9 million plastic Christmas trees lion new artificial trees annually from China annually,” said NCTA for the past three years. About 85 Editor’s Desk 14 President Beth Walterscheidt, a percent of them are manufactured grower from Elgin, Texas. “These in China. PAGE 2 SEPTEMBER 2007 President’s Message Hello again everyone. sure everyone knew about it. exam in two states with ease, is Shearing at our farm is pret- Despite not taking their advice on one of only 5 scientists nation ty much over and although, I am every movie they want me to see wide qualified by the army Corp very happy to give my arm a rest, they can sometimes be very of Engineers for special projects part of me already misses it. One insightful. His example reminded relating to soils and geology as reason I enjoy shearing so much me of a quote I read not too long well as many more accomplish- is the interaction I get with the ago and made me go back to read ments. young people I employ from our again. “A person’s true character I filled in the part about local community. is revealed by what he does when being ahead of his time dealing Our conversation usually no one is watching.” with issues pertaining to the centers around movies, mostly Another young person who State College in our community movies and actors as well as what worked for me two years back in the legislature a few years we can do to make improvements was the son of an equipment back. Had the son not worked for during our retail selling season operator who I have used from me I would never have known the (Star Wars theme day anyone...) time to time over the last 12 full story about this incredible ...and on occasion what our asso- years. modest man. ciation is up to. Our association This father owns his own Word of mouth made his does a great job helping others dump truck and designs and accomplishments that more from time to time. This is not too installs septic systems. The dump impressive. A model for most of much unlike when farmers truck he drives looks like its seen us to live up to and a peer to a pitched in for a good cause back better decades and the parts he few in our membership. in the day. used to leave in my yard from the So what can we as an associ- One of my high school work- tattered trailer he pulled was a ation take from this; enjoy the ers, while we were shearing, told lawnmower’s worst nightmare. shearing time and don’t concede me a story he learned in school His humble and honest demeanor that Christian Bale is a better about an industry that spent con- and yet laid back approach was actor than Nicolas Cage. siderable money helping a good just the top layer to this multifac- cause then turned around and eted person revealed by a proud Mike Ahern, president spent more resources making son. The father passed the bar New Hampshire-Vermont Christmas Tree Association 2007 Officers Contact Information President Mike Ahern (603) 536-2334 Jim Horst, Executive Secretary Vice President Rich Rockwood (802) 685-4343 569 Pleasant Valley Road Recording Secretary Carolyn Page (603) 664-2934 Bennington,VT 05201-9637 Executive Secretary/Treasurer Jim Horst (802) 447-1900 Phone: (802) 447-1900 Past President Russell Reay (802) 492-3323 Marketing Committee Chair Walt Rockwood (802) 685-2282 E-mail: [email protected] Group Buying Chair Bill Nichols (603) 353-4832 Association Website: www.nh-vtchristmastree.org (Term Ends) 2007 Directors For matters related to Tree Line only: (2009) Dan Beloin (603) 237-8633 Patrick White, Editor (2007) Mike Godzyk (603) 237-5702 NHVTCTA Tree Line (2007) Ben Hoyt (603) 838-6403 (2008)* Phil Kivlin (802) 897-8031 18 Merritt Road (2009) Tom Lang (802) 223-7028 Middlesex,VT 05602 (2008) Nigel Manley (603) 444-6228 Phone: (802) 223-3880 (2008) Bill Nichols (603) 353-4832 E-mail: [email protected] (2009) Gordon Page (603) 664-2954 (2009) Rich Rockwood (802) 685-4343 (2007) Mary Lou Schmidt (802) 257-0233 2007 Tree Line Publication Schedule (2008)* Bob White (802) 899-4924 (2007) Patrick White (802) 223-3880 Issue Ad/Submission Deadline Mailing Date Alternate Directors January December 22, 2006 January 15 (2007) Russell Reay (VT) (802) 492-3323 June May 18 June 15 (2007) Jay Weir (NH) (603) 237-8617 September August 24 September 17 PAGE 4 SEPTEMBER 2007 Research Report:Trunk Splitting Explained Article by Jeffrey H. Owen, Is it a Problem? screwed cracks closed quite effec- Area Extension Specialist, N.C. A crack in the trunk of a tively. Since wood and not the State University Christmas tree may raise con- bark of the tree take up water, cerns regarding product quality such techniques should not The Symptom or perhaps even fire safety. Most reduce a tree’s ability to absorb Under certain climatic condi- concerns related to trunk split- water. While trunk splitting can tions, a small percentage of ting can be put to rest. This is a clearly be a customer relations Fraser fir Christmas trees will problem of fresh trees that lose concern, it seldom is a functional develop cracks vertically along part of their moisture too rapid- problem for effected trees. their trunks. These cracks usual- ly. Given a fresh cut off the base ly begin at the cut base and of the trunk and placed in water, The Mechanism extend up one side of the trunk. trees with cracks will take up Split trunks occur in fresh In rare cases, the split extends water normally for the entire trees that lose moisture rapidly through the base of the trunk, holiday season. In many cases, over a relatively short period of dissecting it in two pieces. Splits the cracks will close up as trees time. While the development of have also been reported higher are re-hydrated. Cracks are not cracks is related to the shrinkage up on one side of the trunk with- directly related to foliage fresh- of drying wood, the concept of out extending down to the base.