MEMBER PROFILE 



Kirk stresses his suppliers' experience in choosing the 

 right time to cut. Branches are bought as needed — 

 enough to keep production rolling. 



Once the wreathes are made, they are loaded for 

 delivery. Eagle Mountain has 30-40 customers, as far 

 south as Virginia, with orders ranging from 150 

 wreathes to 150 dozen. Orders of fifty dozen or more 

 are sent on tractor trailer trucks; Kirk may take 

 smaller orders himself in a Ryder truck. Some custom- 

 ers pick up their own; Kirk also uses UPS. 



Maintaining quality while coordinating all the vari- 

 ous activities would seem to require a lot of planning. 

 "I begin thinking about the next season in January," 

 Kirk says, but there are plenty of variables that can't 

 be controlled. Obviously, storms can make travel diffi- 

 cult, but heavy snow on the trees can hamper gather- 

 ing boughs as well. Right now, competition's intense 

 as more Canadian firms take advantage of the favor- 

 able exchange rate and enter the market. There's not 

 much profit margin — and customers are continually 

 being enticed with slightly lower prices and suppliers, 

 with slightly higher rates. As Kirk says, "Nothing up 

 there is stable." 



In the end, flexibility and a broad, strong network 

 of people count for more than precision or long-term 

 planning. 



there have been 

 both 



-containin 



This year, with the move south 

 major changes. New networks- 

 old and new elements — are evolving. 



His workers are new — both to wreath-mikin 

 and to New Hampshire. Kirk's hired a dozen 

 Bosnian refugees sponsored by the Lutheran So- 

 cial Services and now living in Franklin. Some 

 were soldiers; some are here with their families. 

 With no homes left and no knowledge of En- 

 glish, without work in their accustomed fields, 

 they're literally starting over. Their willingness to 

 learn and to work is impressive and, after piecing 

 together some of their stories, Kirk says he's 

 learned not to complain about any rough spots 

 in his own life — he's had it easy. "They' 

 great people," he says; "they'll all m: 

 their kids are going to school — they wa 

 do well here." 



As before, larger wreathes will be 

 made at headquarters — this year in 

 Franklin — "the bigger ones are good for beginners be- 

 cause the frames have a double rail and it's easier to 



tie in the boughs. 



Some of his connections in Maine and Canada re- 

 main. Tractor trailer loads of boughs and finished 

 wreathes will continue to be brought to Franklin on a 

 regular basis. But a brother logging in Canterbury will 

 furnish white pine. 



When Kirk leaves Gateway Gardens in April, 1999, 

 Eagle Mountain will go with him. He will be going 

 into landscaping and turf installation for himself for 

 three seasons of the year, but wonders about expand- 

 ing, not only the amount and variety of Christmas 

 material, but also with wreathes for other seasons — of 

 pussy willow for spring, of blueberry foliage ("the 

 blueberry barrens are spectacular") for fall. Finding re- 

 newable sources is part of the equation. 



Creating a market is another. He's never advertised; 

 business has been built through word of mouth. He sees 

 his consistency and quality as enough working in his favor. 



Now there is a Web site (www.eaglemtevergreens.com) 

 on which he describes wreathes and wreath-making. 

 He promotes some hand-crafted ornaments — and there 

 is an order form. But Kirk admits more needs to be 

 done. 



Meanwhile, he's spending this November at home — 

 the first in eighteen years, 

 creating new homes 

 of their own. We wish ^^ ,• 

 them success. (BP) 



And a dozen people 



are 



Kirk resides at 



84 Pine Street, 



'. Franklin, New 



Hampshire. The phone 



number is 603-934-6165. 



The Plantsman 



