Summer, 2013

NOVA SCOTIA CHRISTMAS TREE JOURNAL The Voice of the Christmas Tree Industry in Nova Scotia Volume 27 No. 2 Balsam - the Aroma of Christmas !

What’s inside?

P 2 President’s reportP 3 CTCNS contactsP 4 From the exec dirP 5 Industry coordinatorP 7 New program offeredP 8 Cobequid reportP 9 NeCTA reportP10 LCCTPA reportP11 Tour photosP12 Funding approvedP13 New brochure ready P14..LCCTPA meetingP15 South Shore winnersP17 Canadian report P18 Safety preparation P20 ABIETIV ok’ed P21 Promotions work P23 Faces of shearing P24 Advertiser index by Annette Bourgeois-Bent

Settled into a busy corner of the Truro Exhibition grounds, Bill Smith has been overseeing the Cobequid and Provincial Christmas Tree competitions this year. A participant himself, he keeps an appropriate, though interested, distance as the judges with their keen eyes and years of experience in the industry, discuss the mer-its of the various entries. Continued on Page 6

Scott McEwan, Ross Pentz and Keith Moore judged the four entrants to the provincial sheared tree competition at the Truro Exhibition Aug. 21. It was a close contest, but Paul Spike’s entry topped John Tait’s tree with better “evenness and taper,” said McEwan. (Photo by Annette Bourgeois-Bent)

Central tree growers participate in provincial tree competition

2 President’s message - Matthew Priest, CTCNS

Hello all.

I hope everyone is having a great summer and able to take some time to enjoy the nice weather. First of all, I would like to welcome Colette Wyllie to our Council as our new Industry coordinator. She will be attending meetings at the three associations and hoping to meet all members and get familiarized with our industry and its people. I hope you get the chance to chat with Colette and I ask that you support her in her role. Sale of shares reopened If you haven’t already heard, the sale of shares has been reopened and I am very excited about this.

There has been a lot of work done with SMART Tree and we are still moving forward. Inquiries to Dalhousie Council has also been inquiring to Dalhousie regard-ing our options for fumigation of our trees for ship-ping. We are hoping to get support and some tests done in the near future. This, I believe, is something major that can help us all with offshore markets that are becoming more and more strict with their require-ments. I hope to see you all at the fall meetings of the asso-ciations. Enjoy the rest of your summer. Before you know it, harvest time will be upon us. Regards, Matt

by Jim Delong

The SMART Tree Coop was formed to sell shares in order to raise necessary funds to match granted money from vari-ous funding agencies. The primary goal of this project is to increase rural wealth amongst one industry. The Christmas Tree Research Center (CRC) has been and is still working to develop technologies and products to improve our trees and greenery. Shares can now be purchases by contacting Krista Vroegh at:60 Research Drive, Perennia Innovation ParkBible Hill, Nova ScotiaB6L2R2Phone: (902) 893-2293Email: kvroegh@nsfa-fane.ca.

You now have the option of payment, single share or mul-tiple share purchases, up to the $10,000. Atlantic Province Industry Shore Packages include 20 shares and proposed Journal space promoting these supporters.

The intellectual property and payment schedule contract is still in the hands of Dalhousie University. The prospectus material is in the final development stage. The committee of Jim DeLong, Mathew Priest, Duncan MacDonald and Colette Wyllie will attend each of the three upcoming as-sociation field days to present information and sell shares. Board of directors The Board of Directors currently consist of Jim DeLong (president), Scott Mackinnon (secretary, treasurer), Dave Sweet, Duncan MacDonald, Forest Higgins, Norman Ma-cIssac, Brent Silver, Sophie-Michel Cyr and Colette Wyllie (recording secretary). Angus Bonnymon, executive direc-tor, is also invited to attend meetings. In September the sales committee will be in your area to promote sales and answer questions. Thank you. James DeLong Cell: (902) 521-3279 Email: delong.farms@ns.sympatico.ca

SMART Tree committee to attend fall meetings

NOVA SCOTIACHRISTMAS TREE JOURNAL

Managing editor Annette Bourgeois-Bent abourgeoisbent@gmail.com (902) 396-5947/(902) 759-2705

60 Research Drive, Bible Hill, Nova Scotia B6L 2R2 Tel: (902) 893-2293 info@ctcns.com

The Nova Scotia Christmas Tree Journal is published quar-terly (February, May, August and October) by the Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia. The Journal is a benefit of membership for all the Nova Scotia Christmas Tree associa-tion members. However, you may subscribe directly.

Non-member subscriptions $ 25.00 Canadian (within Canada) $ 30.00 U.S. (United States or International)

Editorial policy This Journal attempts to reflect the opinions and positions of the Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia and its affili-ated, regional-based associations. However, in presenting articles, not all opinions expressed in this publication will necessarily be the views or positions of the Council or as-sociations. Publication Mail Agreement No. 41043025

CHRISTMAS TREE COUNCIL OF NOVA SCOTIA

60 Research Drive, Bible Hill, Nova Scotia B6L 2R2 Tel: (902) 893-2293info@ctcns.com http://www.ctcns.com

Executive officers President: Matt Priest (902) 641-2142 1st Vice-P: Duncan MacDonald (902) 863-1208 2nd Vice: Forrest Higgins (902) 384-2833 Treasurer: Scott MacKinnon (902) 863-1407 Past President: Jim DeLong (902) 644-2718

Association delegatesLunenburg County Christmas Tree Producers’ Assoc.- George Lake (902) 543-5374- Jack Wentzell (902) 644-2375- Bruce Turner (902) 689-2725Northeastern Christmas Tree Assoc.- Dave Sweet (902) 522-2924- Kevin Chisholm (902) 386-2782Cobequid Christmas Tree Producers’ Assoc.- Bill Smith (902) 895-0658

Exporter delegatesLarge exporters- Norm MacIsaac (902) 783-2758- Dwight Sanders (902) 689-2262Medium exporters- Forrest Higgins (902) 384-2833- Bill Rundle (902) 396-4537- Myles MacPherson (902) 533-2695Small exporters- Wayne Higgins (902) 568-2550

OfficeExecutive director: Angus Bonnyman - (902) 956-3629Industry coordinator: Colette Wyllie - industry@ctcns.com Administrator: Shelly MacKenzie - (902) 893-2293

3Editor’s notes - Annette Bourgeois-Bent

It was an eventful August. I had the opportunity to tag along with the delegates to the International Christmas Tree Research conference, hosted by Dr Lada earlier this month. It was an excellent opportunity to tour many opera-tions in the various regions of the province and listen to the growers discuss their lots and how they are adapting to a changing industry. The conference delegates, continuously snapping photos and writing in their notebooks, didn’t miss the opportunity to ask insightful questions. Many were interested in new technology, as well as how lots have been developing through the years. I noted that at nearly every stop, delegates showed a lot of interest in regrowth and seeding, particularly

regeneration success and methods. They were also interested in markets and how growers have changed or adapted the way they shear and grade their trees. At each stop, the growers were open and forthcoming and certainly the donation of their time and knowledge was a huge part of the success of the conference.

4

Message from the Executive director - Angus Bonnyman

Dear Growers,

Summer seems to be flying by, but I hope that this finds you well. Industry coordinator hired

I would like to extend a warm welcome to Colette Wyllie, our new Industry coordinator. We are fortu-nate to have Colette join us and I am looking forward to having her help on a number of projects and mak-ing use of her communications, public relations and social media skills. Colette’s first project is updating the retail lots and choose-and-cut brochure and listings on www.iloverealtrees.com. If you would like to add a listing or have an event that we could promote on this site, please email Colette (industry@ctcns.com) In terms of Promotions, we were successful in our application to HomeGrown Success and have been granted 60% of costs up to $30k for local promotions activities. The largest chunk of that is the $15k for promotional materials and newspaper ads. We have asked the regional associations for suggestions of newspapers that we should consider for print ads and will also be looking at some coverage in the Chronicle Herald.

In addition to participating in various exhibitions, we

will also be presenting at Meet Your Farmer at the Mall on August 23rd & 24th which is a great opportu-nity to get in front of metro consumers. Open Farm Day I would also like to thank Bill Smith for volunteer-ing to open his Christmas tree lot for Open Farm Day which will take place September 15th. I keep saying it, but anything we can do to interact with the public is great for the industry, so I really appreciate all the time that our volunteers put into these events. On the government relations front, we have had sev-eral meetings with WCB to discuss our concerns. One of the first ‘wins’ from these has been a new feature being added so that employers will receive an email whenever there is any activity in their WCB account, they just need to have your email address. I feel that this is a great step in the right direction, as the sooner you know that there is a claim being processed, the sooner it is that you can act on it, if necessary. Inventory project underway Our project to develop a model for inventorying natu-ral stands of Christmas trees is in full swing led by Scott & Stewart Forestry Consultants. Special thanks to Dave Sweet and his committee for their support on this project. I’ll have more details for the fall meet-ings, along with an update from Gary Ramey on the Best Practices in Farm Safety project.

Our next board meeting is September 3rd. Best wishes for safe and enjoyable summer!

Kind regards,

Angus Bonnyman, CAExecutive Directorangus@ctcns.com902-956-3629

5Background in agriculture Industry coordinator to attend fall meetingsBorn in Glenhomme, Nova Scotia, the Christmas Tree Council’s new Industry coordinator, Colette Wyllie, grew up on a small crop farm which has been in her family for several generations. “Agriculture was something that I was comfortable with,” she said, explaining her interest in pursuing a career in the industry. She graduated from NSAC with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in environmental science, and an advanced diploma in public relations. Although Colette is new to the Christmas tree industry, she hopes to adjust quickly. “My background is in wild blueberries,” she said, “so I see a lot of similarities, but it’s definitely a new sphere.” She said she’s walked through a woodlot with Cobequid President Darrell Sandeson and she found the experience “very helpful” in getting her feet on the ground, so to speak. Colette has been attending several events over the past month and plans to be at several more in the coming months, including the fall association meetings. “I’m going to make an effort to be at everything I can this fall.” As well as connecting growers and government, she’s also interested in using her communications background to promote the industry. “One big thing I plan to do is to get on social media,” she said, indicating tools such as Facebook and Twitter are excellent areas for outreach. She’s already developed a new marketing brochure and is updating the new iloverealtrees.com website. She can be reached at industry@ctcns.com.

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6Continued from Page 1... Their discussions don’t take long. Judges Ross Pentz, Scott McEwan and Keith Moore have four trees to judge, all entrants from the Cobequid competition. There were eight entries in that competition and four moved on to the provincial level. Unfortunately, no other entries were received from elsewhere in the province. Results of provincial contest After the judging, the provincial results echoed the earlier judged Cobequid trees, with Paul Spike’s tree taking top spot, followed by entries from John Tait, Bill Smith and Bob Gibbs. Celebrated wreath maker Carol Ann Naugle took on the task of judging provincial decorated and undeco-rated wreaths, a first for her after years of competing. “It’s the first time I’ve judged,” she said. “I’ve com-peted for 19 years.” Admittedly, she added, she missed the competitive excitement entering the com-petition provides.

The following are the full results of the Truro Ex: Provincial winners: Undecorated wreaths: 1. Sonya Shearer 2. Graig Giffen 3. Ruth Matheson 4. Kathee Higgins Provincial winners: Decorated wreaths: 1. Graig Giffen 2. Sonya Shearer 3. Ruth Matheson

Provincial winners: Sheared 6’6 - 8’6 1. Paul Spike 2. John Tait 3. Bill Smith 4. Bob Gibbs More results on Page 8

Colette Wyllie chats with kids at the Cobequid Assoc. display booth.

Bill Smith holds the winning wreath by Graig Giffen.

Paul Spike’s tree (left) took top provincial honours.

7Promotes sustainable woodland management

Program offers alternatives to clear-cutting

77 Graham RoadDebert, Nova Scotia B0M 1G0

Phone: (902) 641-2142Fax: (902) 641-2147

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Website: nltreefarms.com

“A family run business since 1984.” We have baling twine available. Please call

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Matthew and Gena Priest - ownersDonna Morrisey - office manager

There are about 23,000 small woodlot owners in Nova Scotia. Research has shown that many are keenly in-terested in sustainably managing their woodlands, but want to explore alternatives to clear-cut harvesting. The Nova Scotia Woodlot Owners and Operators Association (NSWOOA) is offering a program espe-cially for them. With financial support from the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, a forester from NSWOOA will visit 100 woodlots to talk with landowners about their land. The program is designed for forest landowners who have a strong interest in the health of their woodlands and want to enhance the many values that forests provide, but who have not been involved recently in active management. Land-owners with at least 10 forested hectares (about 24 acres) are most likely to benefit. The Association believes that landowners’ own goals come first, so the visit will begin with a discussion of their reasons for owning the land, and their short- and long-term objectives. Then, staff forester Stephen Cole will walk the property (with the owner, if possi-ble) to assess conditions on the ground and talk about what he sees. Participants receive: - A written summary of opportunities in the woodlot that are consistent with the owner’s own values, objec-tives, and goals; - The most current aerial photograph of the land; - An introductory membership in NSWOOA; and - A list of other resources and service providers for forest landowners. This visit would typically cost $200-250, but the pro-vincial funding allows the Association to only charge $25. If anyone would like more information about the project, please contact Andy Kekacs at (902) 817-4763 or andy.nswooa@gmail.com. Founded in 1969, NSWOOA is the oldest independ-

ent organization of small forest landowners in the province. A non-profit society, its mission is to support woodlot owners in sustainable forestry through educa-tion, demonstration, marketing and cooperation.

Truly sustainable forestry requires that all the values of woodlands – ecological, social, and economic – be preserved for future generations. NSWOOA believes that forest practices should mimic natural processes in the native Acadian Forest. Management that favors the growth of high-quality trees of our longest-lived, most valuable species offers the best opportunity to real-ize timber value while restoring forest conditions to a more natural and desirable state. The Association believes that compromising ecologi-cal integrity for short-term considerations will inevi-tably have a negative impact on forest use by future generations.

8Cobequid Christmas Tree Producers’ Assoc. reportby Darrell Sandeson As summer is quickly slipping away and shearing has begun in most lots, few insect problems have been noticed. Lots of rain and humid weather have made for excel-lent growth and beautiful looking trees. Provincial competitions Exhibitions are underway and judging has taken place at the Provincial Exhibition in Bible Hill. Wreaths and trees were judged on Tuesday, August 20th. Carol Ann Naugle judged provincial wreaths, while Ross Pentz, Scott McEwan and Keith Moore judged the provincial tree class. The Cobequid Association would like to congratulate Collette Wyllie as our new Industry coordinator. A

thank you to Matt Wright for your leadership, guid-ance and wealth of knowledge you have shared with us. Darrell Sandeson

Continued from Page 6...results of the Truro Exhibition Cobequid winners: Unsheared 3’7 - 6’ 1. Bill Smith 2. Bob Gibbs 3. Darrell Sandeson 4. John Tait Cobequid winners: Sheared 3’7 - 6’

1. Paul Spike 2. Darrell Sandeson 3.John Tait 4. Bob Gibbs 5. Bill Smith Cobequid winners: Unsheared 6’1 - 8’6 1. Bob Gibbs2. Darrell Sandeson 3. Bill Smith Cobequid winners: Sheared 6’1 - 8’6 1. Paul Spike 2. John Tait 3. Bill Smith 4. Bob Gibbs 5. Darrell Sandeson 6. Jim Weatherby7. Elmer Sheer 8. Ruth Matheson Cobequid winners: Open Class 6’1 - 9’ 1. Darrell Sandeson 2. Bill Smith

9

by Jim Webber This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Northeastern Christmas Tree Association serving the members in the northeastern end of Nova Scotia. NECTA had its begin-nings as the Antigonish Xmas Tree Commodity Group, starting with 100 members in June 1967. In 1973 the Commodity Group became the NECTA, as we know it today. Since that time it has not looked back, both in the good times and in the not such good times experienced in the industry. With tree prices low and freight, etc. high, the membership is still at 175 mem-bers, as of August this year. Why was the Association formed? Looking back at the history of the balsam fir Christmas tree industry, this Association was formed to overcome low prices and address some of the marketing difficulties of this product. It has done so for 40 years, and in some families supported three generations of Christmas tree growers, particularly in Guysborough, Antigonish and Pictou Counties. Many individuals have given their time in steering the direction of the NECTA. Board members, tree contacts, Christmas tree specialists, coordinators, and members have helped out at events such as fields days, shearing courses, IPM workshops, etc. According to the records currently located (some dates are missing), there have been more than 12 presidents since 1973. If anyone has early records of the Asso-ciation, or a very good memory, please help fill in the blanks. 1973 President – Joseph Chisholm 1986-1988 - Lawrence Long 1988-1989 - Merle Taylor 1989-1990 - Mark Gosbee 1990-1992 - Jim Lerikes 1992-1994 - Mary VanDen Huvel 1994-1999 - Mike Penny 1999-2002 - Donny W. MacDonald 2002-2003 - Fred Delory 2003-2006 - Jim Webber

2006-2013 - Dave Sweet 2013- present - Mark MacIsaac Missing are presidents from 1973-1986. Your help would be appreciated in filling in the blanks. Industry has seen many changes During the 40 years in business the industry has seen many changes in the type of tree the grower must pro-duce in order to meet consumer demands. Everything from the wild trees cut in young wild fir stands, to heavy sheared trees , and narrow-taper, lighter density trees of today, growers adapted to the market. Much of the direction in market change came from people like Tom Ernst, Ross Pentz, and in this area, Scott McEwan. All provided knowledge and guidance. Matthew Wright has been another key adviser in such matters as herbicide-pesticide use, as well as diseases. Field days, IPM work shops, and annual meetings provided the venues to bring new ideas and customer demands to local growers. We must now look to the future with direction from science, such as the Christmas Tree Research Centre at Dalhousie (formally N.S. Agricultural College). Much thanks to Dr. R. Lada and his staff, and the Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia for initiating the research which is much needed in today’s industry. Much has been done in this field and much more is anticipated from this project. Upcoming events for NeCTA: - Sept. 10 - Annual meeting at St. Andrews Hall - Sept. 14 - herbicide work day at Lochiel Lake lot. Come and support your Association! - Nov. 23- annual cut at Lochiel Lake lot AGAIN come and support your Association! - 2014 - Spring Field Day date TBA The 40th annual meeting will be held at St. Andrew’s Community Center (81 Pomquet River Road), St. An-drew’s at 7pm. There will be exhibits and displays from 5pm to 7pm. The guest speaker will be Dr. Raj Lada, director of the Christmas Tree Research Centre and department head of environmental sciences for Dalhousie University.

Northeastern Christmas Tree Association report

10Lunenburg County Association reportby Mike Keddy Since our spring meeting, our Association has been working continually on behalf of the membership and industry. We met earlier in the year with MLAs to dis-cuss the sad state of our rural roads and the negative effct on our industry. We have continued to contact department engineers and politicians in an effort to improve conditions. Congratulations to Cindy Rhodenizer who has cer-tainly driven the message home and we look forward to the results. New responsibilities accepted We welcome Murray Crouse to the chair of the Sef-fernville tree committee. Murray’s enthusiasm and drive will serve us well. Randy Naugler, as chair of the exhibition committee, has done a great job with improvements to the building and grounds at Bridge-water. Jack Wentzell continues to serve as chair of our promotions committee which is becoming a very busy committee. Gary Ramey has stepped in as interm chair of our special event committee to organize our fall meeting and field day. On August 12, we were fortunate to have the delegates from the International Christmas Tree Research and Extension Conference in Truro visit several sites in New Ross, including our experimental lot in Seffern-ville. A reception was hosted by LCCTA at the Legion and a sample of Nova Scotia fare was provided. Thank you to Colin Hughes for co-sharing the cost and Anna Skerry, Janet Larder and Bruce Turner for all their hard work. Growers’ forum welcomed There was a growers’ forum in Truro on Aug 14 and Lunenburg County was well represented. A wonder-ful chance to ask questions to the conference group. Thank you to Dr. Lada for the opportunity. As the nights have begun to cool nicely and the sun

has finally given us a break from the cool wet weather that was most of May, June and July, our thoughts begin to turn to harvest time. The same questions we ask every year are once again foremost in our minds. How strong will the market be? Will prices be up or down? Shipping dates? Cut-ting times? Will Mother Nature be kind or mean? There is no crystal ball with answers to these ques-tions, but it seems that things are fairly stable with no sign of major changes in market pricing for the up-coming season. Our Association extends a warm welcome to our new Industry coordinator Colette Wylie and we look for-ward to working with her as she learns to navigate her way through the industry. Our fall meeting/field days are Sept. 20-21 and will provide valuable information on a range of subjects. I look forward to interesting and informative sessions.

Jeff Reeves was the overall champion at the South Shore Exhibition. He received his award from LCCTPA President Mike Keddy.

11International researchers tour the province

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Colin Hughes talks about his operation while Christmas tree researchers take notes, during a tour of his lot. The delegates were part of an international conference held in Truro in August.

About 25 delegates to an international Christmas tree researchers conference spent two days touring various operations across the province in August. The delegates, which came from Europe, the US and Canada, spent time at Mike Keddy’s lot in New Ross and seeing his palletizer in action. They spoke with Colin Hughes about his New Ross operation and were able to see the yearly stages of growth in his different lots. The conference delegates were also interested in the research being carried out by the CRC and toured the actual field research area as part of their tour. Roger Trenholm of St. Andrew’s talked about his fam-

Dr. Lada discusses some of his research during a field tour of the DAL-AC Balsam Fir Germplasm Centre in Bible Hill.

ily operation and how he shears and grades his trees for market. He also discussed how the operation has changed since it started in the early 1970s. Scott MacKinnon of St. Andrew’s offered some in-sight into his shearing methods and what he’s found works for his customers. “The shape of the tree is pretty much everything these days,” he said. “I try to keep it as natural as possible.” The conference wrapped up after four days with a panel discussion/questions and answer period that offered an opportunity for local growers to query the scientists on a variety of topics.

12

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by Angus Bonnyman I am writing to share the results of the June election for the Nova Scotian Director to the NCTA. On behalf of Council, I would like to thank both Myles MacPherson and Jim DeLong for allowing their names to be put forward for this position.

We are extremely fortunate to have such well qualified candidates interested in supporting the industry in this way. Although the vote was very close, the final result is that Myles MacPherson has been elected.

Myles MacPherson elected Nova Scotia director to NCTA

International conference delegates tour Scott and Stewart Foresty Consultants nursery in St. Andrew’s in early August.

13

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New brochure ready for buying seasonA new brochure is hot off the press and it will help direct Christmas tree buyers to local Choose and Cut operations and retailers. As one of her first projects, Industry coordinator Colette Wyllie has put together a brochure that lists operations across the province.

Listing of local operations

The tri-fold pamphlet lists 17 Choose and Cut op-erations and eight retailers - names she’s collected through many conversations in the past month. Similar information is available online. Other helpful tips are included for consumers, including how to choose and care for a real tree. The brochure was available to visitors at the Cobequid Association’s booth at the Truro Exhibition and is ex-pected to make an appearance at various public events during the coming months, including the Meet Your Farmer event in Halifax and the fall meetings. If anyone would like more information about the bro-chure, please contact Colette at industry@ctcns.com.

14LCCTPA FALL FIELD DAY AND TRADE SHOW

September 20 and 21, 2013 AGENDA

Friday, September 20, 2013

Friday, September 20, 2013 – Trade Show and Technical SessionBest Western & Convention Centre, Highway # 10, Cookville (Bridgewater) – Exit # 12 off Trans-Canada 103

4:00 – 6:00 pm Commercial Trade Booth Set Up

6:00 pm Registration/Trade Show Opens

7:00 – 7:05 Opening & Welcome 7:05 – 7:20 Christmas Tree Council and Market Intelligence Update, Angus Bonnyman, Executive Director 7:20-8:05 SMART Tree Update, Jim DeLong, President SMART Tree Co-op 8:05-8:20 Promotional Committee Update, Duncan MacDonald/Jack Wentzell

8:20-9:00 Safety Initiative Summary, Gary Ramey

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Saturday, September 21, 2013- Field Tour : Growing for Today’s Market – Seffernsville Experimental Lot, on Hwy.#12 at Seffernsville, Lunenburg County. Will meet at the Seffernsville lot and will be visiting several grower lots in the immedi-ate area.

9:00-12:00 Meet at the Seffernsville Experimental Lot. Will proceed to visit other growers’ lots in the immediate area. Growing for Today’s Market; will include discussion and demonstrations on cost effective ways to grow trees to meet market needs.

Registration Cost for Friday September 20thOpen to all “members in Good Standing” of any Christmas Tree Association and their guests.

Trade Show and Registration Cost $15.00 (x ____) $ ________ Technical Session TOTAL = $_________ Name : _____________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________ Phone # : ________________________________________

Please make cheques payable to the Lunenburg County Christmas Tree Producers’ Association (LCCTPA) P.O. Box 148, New Germany, NS, B0R 1E0.

15Lunenburg County Christmas Tree Producers’ Association

South Shore Exhibition2013 Christmas Tree Competition

• Champion Sheared Balsam 4’6” – 6’6” Jeff Reeves• Champion Sheared Balsam 6’6” – 8’6” Jeff Reeves• Champion Sheared Balsam 8’6” – 10’6” Jeff Reeves• Champion Sheared Pine Murray Crouse• Champion Sheared Open 6’6” – 8’6” Jeff Reeves• Grand Champion Christmas Tree Jeff Reeves• Grand Champion Best Sheared Balsam Fir Tree Jeff Reeves• Champion Balsam Fir Christmas Wreath Shawn Fancy• Champion Overall Points Winner Jeff Reeves

Bush saw presentations were made to Jeff Reeves, champion overall points winner and second place points winner, Murray Crouse. Thank you to Cross Small Engine Repairs Ltd and to Calvin Snyder for their donation of bush saws to our first and second overall points winners.

Murray Crouse accepted his award from LCCTPA President Mike Keddy at the South Shore Exhibition.

Jeff Reeves placed first overall at the South Shore Exhibition competition and received a bush saw.

16

The Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture, through the recently announced five-year federal/provincial agreement - Growing Forward 2 - opened the 2013/14 Homegrown Success Programs recently. Farmers continue to invest in sustainable environmen-tal practices such as manure, soil and water man-agement initiatives. The Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture appreciates the increase in overall funding and the simplified 60/40 formula. It is a good invest-ment partnership between farmers and governments for rural infrastructure and farm sustainability with farmers investing heavily in these initiatives. Funding down to 60% Taking a hit this year in the program guidelines are Nutrient Management Planning, a program that was 100% funded, but is now funded at only 60%. Also lacking in the program guideline is the support for farm safety. With growing numbers of on-farm inspec-tions and downloaded costs to the farmer, how can government not see safety as an important compo-nent? “Farm safety is a priority for farmers,” Dennis Bo-udreau, President of Nova Scotia Federation of Ag-riculture, said. “Our work with Farm Safety Nova Scotia has shown there can be many associated costs to meet OH&S regulations. “We were very surprised that with the Department of Labour’s recent commitment to improve workplace safety, the government eliminated this part of the pro-gram,” he added. “We expected an enhancement!” New limits imposed Many farmers were also surprised to learn that for tile drainage, only businesses with a gross farm income of less than $50,000 can apply. We have seen increased productivity through tile drainage which translates to a better food security system for all Nova Scotians.

Many farms are still in need of this soil enhancement and access to this program funding. “The government should have adequately funded tile drainage for all farms to benefit.” Mr. Boudreau said. Although there seems to be a limited pool of money, $125,000 for tile drainage is too little funding for an important part of the farms infrastructure. We say let farmers make decisions on their farm, Mr Boudreau said. Why should the government dictate specifically what projects farmers choose to do to im-prove their competitiveness, build on their innovation and continue to operate environmentally? Farmers provide the population with food, they pro-vide techniques that improve our soil, the air we breathe and protect our water supply for generations to come.

Funding formula reduced

Safety takes a hit in this year’s program budget

Wreath winners and other prizes are displayed at the South Shore Exhibition. Much work was done this year to improve and enhance the visual component at the Lunenburg County Christmas Tree Producers’ Association booth and displays.

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by Matthew WrightCanadian Minor Use, RCC and Phytosanitary Working Group representative Hello there. Our thanks to Annette and the Nova Sco-tia Christmas Tree Journal for this space and opportu-nity to update growers about the Canadian Christmas Tree Growers’ Association (the CCTGA). I say this as the “Canadian” may be one of the least understood vehicles for Christmas tree improvement out there, yet we are quietly working for growers. But it is the Canadian Association through which most of the pest control management research is coordinated, international plant movement facilitated, tariff bat-tles fought, and promotional activities like Trees For Troops and a National Christmas Tree Day conducted. The CCTGA does not work with a big budget. In fact it is very, very modest. While this guarantees lower expenses to growers and operational efficiency, there are times when opportunities go wanting for lack of funds. But realistically, we cannot always do it all, so when major magazines or commercial products want to do cross-promotion, or a permanent Christmas tree display on the Highway of Heroes in Ontario might be possible, we often simply do not have the funds to participate. Funding by associations The CCTGA is funded by provincial associations paying a fee and naming representatives. The fees are set by the relative tree production numbers for each province. Nova Scotia pays $4200.00 per year. (By contrast Quebec is $4597.00 and British Columbia is $250.00.) The business of the Association is managed by Lewis Downey, our Executive Director. Lewis can be contacted by email at: info@canadianchrist-mastrees.ca, and the CCTGA website is: http://www.canadianchristmastrees.ca. Please be aware that Lewis is part-time and might

need a day or two to return correspondence. Pest management solutions One of the major initiatives of the Canadian Associa-tion is the participation in pest management solutions for our industry. Growers in Atlantic Canada only need look to the updated Growers’ Manual pesticide pages to appreciate the growing list of new registra-tions. What is important to remember is that these products are considered low risk when compared to older pest control chemistries, so products like Flora-mite, Kanemite and Sanmite offer spider mite control without impacting beneficial mite populations. Movento is now registered for balsam needle gall midge control. There is a Christmas tree sized packet for Abietiv, a natural Balsam Sawfly control, regis-tered. New herbicides allow you to target problematic weeds while protecting, even promoting, beneficial companion plants. We have active projects for cone worm control, alternative woolly adelgid control, horsetail, root aphid and phytophthora root rot con-trol. The Canadian is coordinating work on some new shoot tip blights being seen in eastern Canada. This work is seeing collaborative work being done with the provinces, Guelph and Laval Universities, and our grower associations. Growers in Nova Scotia are all witnessing dead, drooping shoot ends. Let us hope it remains where it is, but be aware that in the right year this fungus might attack - based upon weather and timing - your shoot tips closer to their base. Regulatory Control Council The Canadian is also involved with the RCC - the joint US/Canada Regulatory Control Council. This body is working to harmonize cross-border regulations and control, including pest control product registra-tions. At the same time active work is being done to speed up pest control research, so as to improve integrated pest management options for crop groups in North America. Continued on Page 22.

Summer 2013

Canadian Christmas Tree Growers’ Ass’n Report

18

“improving Christmas trees, improving tech-niques” Visit us at: http://nsac.ca/acc/

On Facebook: Christmas tree Research Centre

Mission StatementEnhance Atlantic Canada’s knowledge-based bioeconomy through the development of science-driven, innovative technologies and products for increasing the sustainability of Atlantic Canada’s Christmas Trees and Greenery industry.

Key activities

Safety preparation important for safe harvest seasonIt’s important to prepare in advance for a safe and fruitful harvest season. Having a safe workplace is a powerful motivator; employees that feel safe and secure at work are more engaged and more productive. The Workers’ Com-pensation Board recommends some key activities that could assist you in ensuring a safe season. Key activities include: • Staff Orientation - Ensure that your employees know their rights and responsibilities. Review your safety program and ensure they understand it. • Checking Equipment - Review safe operating pro-cedures of equipment to ensure each employee under-stands how to do his or her work safely. • Training - Provide appropriate training to your em-ployees, and follow up regularly to make sure they are applying what they’ve learned. In a recent meeting with Christmas tree growers, great discussion was had around the importance of the

return to work tools that are available to employers.These tools include My Account and direct access to physiotherapy. We look forward to providing this sector with the sup-port it needs to navigate the WCB system. We hope to see all of you at the upcoming fall field days. In the meantime, please work safe! For more information on injury prevention visit: www.worksafeforlife.ca To order work safety brochures and other publications visit: www.wcb.ns.ca and click on “Brochures and Publications.” What is My Account? My Account is an online business tool for workplaces providing 24/7 access to account information, as well as real-time information on workers’ compensation claims. Tools include: - Electronic forms (report injuries online) - Business and financial information (rates & pre-miums) - Claims information (details & trends) - Prevention tools / calculators Up-to-the-minute information on injury claims, trends and costs help workplaces manage and improve pre-vention and return-to-work programs. WCB officials informed the growers that the service is available on the Internet, which immediately lets the client know of action in their account. The onus how-ever is still on the employer to continually check their account. Growers objected to this because they cannot continually be looking for this information; instead it was suggested that a text message or e-mail be sent from the WCB to a grower to inform him/her when there is activity. The WCB agreed to work towards de-vising a way to notify growers when there is an issue involving them.

19

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North EasternChristmas Tree

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Industry Leadership, Outstanding People

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CONTACT US Marketing Membership Norman MacIsaac Nancy LaneRR # 2, Goshen RR # 2N.S. B0H 1MO Goshen, N.S.Ph: (902) 783-2758 B0H 1M0Fax: (902) 783-2451 Ph: (902) 783-2430Yard: (902) 783-2430 Fax: 902) 783-2451

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Cobequid fall meeting date and time setPresident of the Cobequid Christmas Tree Producers’ Association Darrell Sandeson said the date and time has been set for the areas fall meeting.

The meeting details are:

Place: Greenfield United ChurchTime: 9am

Conference delegates tour the Christmas Tree Research Centre.

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ABIETIV Flowable Biological Insecticide

For use in forestry and on field-grown conifers including Christmas trees to reduce populations of balsam fir

sawfly larvae (Neodiprion abietis)

GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR USE: ABIETIV Flowable Biological Insecticide is a naturally occurring baculovirus which is selectively toxic to

balsam fir sawfly larvae (Neodiprion abietis). To be effective, deposits of ABIETIV Flowable Biological Insec-ticide must be ingested by susceptible larvae.

Thorough coverage of target foliage where larvae are feeding is essential. When ingested by the host larvae, ABIETIV Flowable Biological Insecticide will infect and replicate in the midgut epithelial cells of the host,

resulting in larval mortality within 7 to 14 days.

Applications should coincide with sufficient foliage development (shoot elongation or leaf expansion) to ensure maximum spray deposit. To the extent possible, apply treatments after egg hatch has been completed to assure that the maximum number of larvae is present during the treatment period. Avoid application when significant rainfall is imminent. For early morning applications, foliage should not be wet with dew to the point of runoff.

REGISTRATION NO: 28304 PEST CONTROL PRODUCTS ACT

ABIETIV approved for forestry use

21

Editor’s Note: Below are some exerpts from a note Executive Director Angus Bonnyman emailed to members in July following a pro-motions committee meeting.

I hope that everyone is surviving the heat in good cheer. I wanted to update you with a few items from the Promotions Committee. In response to feedback from grow-ers, we have been working hard to raise the necessary funds to boost local promotions. I am very pleased to report that our letter writing campaign to municipalities has yielded $4,000 to date and that our HomeGrown Success application has been approved for $30,000 in spending reimbursed at 60% (i.e. we will receive $18,000 from them for the business development/promotions projects we applied for). We have also hired our new Industry coordinator, Colette Wyllie. Colette will start on July 22nd and her email address will be industry@ctcns.com. Now that we have the money and the people, the Promotions Committee is gearing up to get it put to good use. This is where we need some help from the three Associations. Meet Your Farmer at the Mall - August 23, 24th 9:30am - 9:00pm We will once again be setting up a booth at this event sponsored by the Department of Agriculture. Bruce Turner and Jack Wentzell have offered to set-up the display and arrange for volunteers from Lunenburg on August 23rd, but we are looking for volunteers from NeCTA and Cobequid for August 24th. I have also spoken with Colette and she will be able to work some part of both days. Could you please ask your members for vol-unteers? This is an excellent opportunity for our growers to interact with metro consumers. All that is required is that they smile, talk to the people passing through and encourage them to fill in a ballot for a chance to win a fresh wreath to be delivered to them at Christmas time. Local papers This year we will have a couple thousand dollars to spend on print advertising, but we would like your input as to which papers we should consider. Could you please email me with your suggestions? Important dates In order to draw more visitors to our website, we are looking to gather as much information about tree lightings, Christmas festivals, etc throughout the province so that the public can find them easily. We will also be work-ing on having a social media presence going forward, so Colette will be working on Facebook and Twitter to interact with consumers that we may not have ‘spoken’ to in the past, but we need the material. Also, could you please send me details of your meeting schedule, so we can update the calendar on www.ctcns.com. My apologies for the long email, but we had a pretty productive meeting, so there was a lot to share. As always, please get in touch if you have any questions. I may not be able to answer my phone when it rings this time of year, but I will return your message.

Promotions committee work ongoing

22Continued from Page 17...Canadian report We all want the safest, most integrated solutions we can achieve. Developed working group The Canadian was instrumental in the development of the Canadian Christmas Tree Phytosanitary Working Group with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. This group is responding to the new requirements that will eventually be in place to move trees off-shore from continental North America as mandated by the International Plant Protection Convention and the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAP-PO). The new NAPPO Regional Standards for Phytosani-tary Measures (RSPM) 37 - plant health measures to facilitate the trade of Christmas trees - introduces future measures that we are not fully set up to achieve. It will be important to assure that regulatory measures confer practicality, cost effectiveness and true com-mercial benefit for our growers. You can be placed on an email contact list for the Phytosanitary Working Group by contacting Matthew Wright at: matthew.wright@ns.sympatico.ca. National Christmas Tree Day An important initiative for the Canadian is the devel-opment of a National Christmas Tree Day for Canada. Right now it is self-proclaimed by the CCTGA, but we look forward to the day when it is a national government proclamation, with full recognition of the

importance and appropriateness of our crop for the Christmas celebration. The CCTGA is working with the Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia to see if we can coordinate a tree event for December 7, Na-tional Christmas Tree Day for 2013. Ontario is well underway with its event planning. We need all prov-inces to join and expand the messaging. Annual meeting planned The annual meeting of the CCTGA (Canadian) is being held in conjunction with the Ontario Fall Field Day in London, Ontario this coming Sept. 12-14. Some of the guest speakers are Jennifer Llewellyn, the horticulture crop specialist for Ontario; and Dr. Eliza-beth Lamb, Cornell University of New York, an inte-grated pest management specialist. Both speakers are very active with Christmas trees and ornamentals, and both have already contributed greatly to our industry. Jennifer is a valued resource for pest detection, identi-fication and management for the Pest Control Product registration process, and many of our current product upgrades would not have been possible without her work. Dr. Lamb is certainly assisting New York growers, and many Ontario farmers are already accessing her work. The Saturday field tour is to the Sloan Christmas Tree Village and U-Cut (website url is: http://www.sloan-schristmastreevillage.com/christmas_tree.htm) opera-tion. Visit their website for a wonderful introduction to their farm and how it has been set up for maximum customer satisfaction. It will inspire creative thinking. Meeting open to growers The annual meeting is open to all growers. You can examine and download registration information at the CCTGA website, http://www.canadianchristmastrees.ca/main_eng.html. Hope to see you there! Matt Wright

23The many faces of shearing across the province

Christmas tree growers have a lot to talk about when they gather - the weather, bugs, marketing...but, inevitably, the conversation turns to shearing. And what a discussion that is! The hows, the wheres, cut tight, cut loose, knife versus

shears versuses the new kid on the block - mechanical shearing. To each his own, but these photos are of tried and

true believers in their methods. - Annette Bourgeois-Bent

(Top, left) Scott MacKinnon of St. Andrew’s is a firm believer in a knife to get a consistent and, “not wild, but not over-manufactured” look, he says. (Middle) Roger Trenholm of St. An-drew’s uses traditional shears to get “that narrow taper.” (Bottom) This worker on Colin Hughes’ operation in New Ross uses mechani-cal shears. They’re loud and smelly, but Hughes says they’re necessary and effective for his large operation.

24

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