Publisher Sue Hodgson Talks with Joan and Mike Fleming of Saanichton Christmas Tree Farm
It’s such a specialist field; what made you become all about Christmas?
After graduating from Claremont Senior Secondary School, Mike did not have a job back in 1968. He went on a hunting trip with his dad into the East Kootenays when the opportunity came up to sell natural Christmas trees. He opened a Christmas tree lot at the old Town & Country Shopping Centre in December of 1968 and the rest is history. Mike started growing Christmas trees in 1979 and is still enjoying the challenge of providing fresh local trees to the British Columbia public 47 years later. In 1981, Joan purchased five acres in Saanichton, and established Saanichton Christmas Tree Farm at 8231 East Saanich Road. Joan and Mike planted 5,000 Christmas trees that first year. After four years of growth, a few trees were ready for market.
There was also a demand for Christmas wreaths, door swags and Christmas greenery as well as holly kissing balls, Christmas moss baskets, advent wreaths and cedar garland. Joan took a course in Wreath Making Design, and the added value of these items helped to grow the business. With our success we have expanded to working with school bands and drama clubs, Boy Scout and sports clubs, which buy Christmas trees and wreaths to raise funds for their organizations.
You play an integral part in many people’s holiday decorating. For you, what constitutes “the perfect tree?” Can you also explain the variety of trees you have and what it takes to grow them?
The perfect Christmas tree … everyone has their own opinion of the perfect tree. Some people want the flawless, full and symmetrical Martha Stewart kind of tree, others want a more open Charlie Brown type while others are looking for the best scent of the alpine fir. With 17 varieties of Christmas trees to choose from including Douglas fir, grand fir, alpine fir, concolor fir, Nordmann fir, western white pine, eastern white pine, bull pine, jack pine, Norwegian spruce, Colorado blue spruce, Colorado green spruce, interior Doulgas fir, Fraser fir and noble fir, there is a wide selection of trees to choose from for anyone’s preference. Size matters to all and we are able to provide many varieties of trees ranging from two to 30 feet high.
Your job is helping people find the perfect tree to make their holiday special, but what does Christmas look like for your family?
For our family, the perfect tree is a semi-open very layered tree, as we decorate our tree with many handmade decorations, and candles! Once a day the family gets together and we put on some Christmas carols, pour ourselves a beverage and turn off the lights. No one leaves the room and we light the tree. It’s magic to watch the candles burn.
We didn’t used to burn candles on our tree, but many years ago a lovely elderly couple that came from German ancestry spent many hours looking for their perfect Christmas tree because the branches had to be spaced just so, since they put candles on their tree. I was fascinated by this. She brought me some candles and candle holders and we haven’t looked back since.
It is very special.
Real vs Artificial – tell us the benefits.
Real is real, with all the scents and traditions of a Christmas tree. Real Christmas trees support the local agricultural community and are totally biodegradable after Christmas, making fabulous mulch to be incorporated into walking paths and garden mulch. Artificial Christmas trees are made from oil-based products and plastics, are not biodegradable and so end up in landfills. They have no scent and do not support the local economy.
We have a policy at our farm where we ask people to leave the bottom branch on the stump of the Christmas Tree they cut so that a new tree will grow from the same stump. It will grow faster than planting a new seedling.
It has been stated that the artificial Christmas tree has three times more impact on climate change and resource depletion compared to real Christmas trees. PVC’s (polyvinyl chlorides) should be avoided as they are the grinchiest of plastics – that most artificial Christmas trees are made of. They are bad for the environment and they are also bad for your health, according to David Suzuki.
What is Christmas tree care and what do we do with our tree once the celebration is over?
Your fresh Christmas tree needs approximately one litre of water per day to rehydrate itself. The sap at the base of the tree seals over within 15 minutes of it being cut, so it is essential to do a fresh cut just before it goes into your Christmas tree stand. After a fresh cut is made onto the base of your tree, place your tree in its stand and don’t let it run out of water. Just water is all your tree needs. No pennies, bleach, sugar, soda or anything else. Just water! If you are placing your Christmas tree in the picture window, draw the curtains when the sun is shining and, if possible, keep it in the coolest part of your house. Also keep it away from the fireplace and any heat source. There are many local groups and charitable organizations that will dispose of your real Christmas tree by chipping and mulching it.
Selling Christmas trees is a seasonal business.What do you offer customers the remainder of the year?
After the Christmas season we take a short break, then in the New Year we start planting Christmas tree seedlings for eight to 10 years down the road. In the spring we plant a 1.5-acre vegetable garden. We grow the best veggies! We also grow prize-winning dahlias and chrysanthemums. We use organic practises on our farm with no pesticide use at all. All of our produce is sold at our roadside stand. We also do wedding orders for flowers from July to October.
Olivia, Joan’s daughter, is in her fourth year of Medicine, in Dublin, Ireland, and helps out by keeping our Facebook up-to-date and creative. So please like us on Facebook! Starting December 1st we will be open 9 a.m. till 9 p.m. everyday; U-cut field closes at dusk. Visit www.saanichtonchristmastreefarm.com for info.
Happy Holidays from our family to yours!
Photo by www.nuttycake.com.
