The last couple of weeks, we have been focusing on Christmas trees. Today, the focus will still be on Christmas trees but will focus on another part of the industry.
This article stems from a conversation with Ray Gaudet of Gaudet Trees located close to Prince Albert . I met Gaudet was through Master Gardener Leo Mareschal, who has had a partnership with Gaudet Trees for more than 30 years selling Christmas trees behind what was Mayfair Hardware on 33rd Street in Saskatoon.
Learning what happens to a tree over the 10 to 20 years of the life of the tree prior to filling your house with the scent of the forest is interesting. Gaudet shared that this year was definitely the most challenging year he has ever experienced as a Christmas tree grower and broker. Growing quality trees is for sure challenging, as each and every year every single tree needs to be touched to promote appropriate growth. There is a wide array of tasks done over the years including initially preparing the ground, planting the stock, irrigation, pre-shearing care, basal and leader care and shearing, side shearing, pest, disease and weed management and then, of course, harvesting, wrapping and shipping the stock. The multitude of skills and equipment to provide us with beautiful real Christmas trees every year is impressive.
Gaudet Trees has been in this business for many years and in addition to supplying the landscape industry, helps grow a variety of non-profits from Whitehorse, the Northwest Territories and throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba by brokering these organizations with trees to sell to their community each Christmas.
Gaudet and his wife are doing more than just growing trees as is really typical for those involved in any aspect of the horticultural industry. If you have driven on Highway 11 north to Prince Albert, you can see some of the love they are sharing with each and every one of us. They have planted a forest to leave behind along the highway by managing their tree business by not clear cutting, but instead choosing to harvest sustainably. They leave behind trees to grow to maturity and beautify the land and provide natural environments for our feathered and furred friends of the forest.
There needs to be love connected to your life鈥檚 work and having intimate knowledge of ecosystems and environments allows better management of the land. Gaudet shared that this year, he couldn鈥檛 hire labourerst o 听help at a cushy $18 per hour due to many potential labourer employees collecting benefits due to COVID-19 and not willing to work hard for a few extra dollars.
For Gaudet Trees the tasks associated for growing Christmas trees run all season long and ramp up in October when harvest preparations are finalized. The cut occurs in November, and culminates when trees are shipped. The heavy snowfall buried cut trees and added to the challenges of getting the trees to market. The only benefit of everyone wearing masks was an added layer that helped to keep faces warm while the harvest was occurring. Meeting guidelines ensured the day was long, as even meals were eaten outside for safety reasons.
Frustrations over the management of our lands by people who do not have firsthand knowledge of best practice but make the regulations is tough on growers who really care about ensuring good stewardship.听 Watch for the new sign that Gaudet will be erecting in the hope of helping to educate the public on best practice on leaving an appropriate background profile or border area between cultivated and natural areas that may not be pristine but essential to sustainable management of lands and the wildlife that lives there. Gaudet says he believes an area should be left that is 20 feet wide and 10 feet high. Think about that when you see the new sign 鈥淲ild ... Bring Nature Back!鈥�
Hanbidge is the lead horticulturist with Orchid Horticulture. Find us at ; by email at [email protected]; on facebook @orchidhort and on instagram at #orchidhort.
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