TWILIGHT MEETING 

 Thinking Christmas in October 



l^tfj In October, the horticulture business is thinking two months ahead: poinsettias are growing in greenhouses 



^^^1 across the state and at the Conley Farm on Meaderboro Road in Rochester, NH, Bill Conley is getting ready 



to harvest a this year's crop of Christmas trees. He'll begin November seventh. 



A couple weeks before that — on Tuesday, October 22, a Twilight Meeting will be held at the Conley Farm. 



Bill, who now works with his son and grandson running the place, started planting m 1968. Today, seventy-five of 



the farm's 400 acres are in Balsam and Fraser Fir production. The trees are grown in blocks and m an eight-year cycle. 



Each block is spot-cut the first year of cutting, then clear-cut the next. Ten thousand trees are cut each year. 



The meeting is from 4 to 6 and around 4:30, Bill will give a walking tour of the farm. He will talk about such things 



as the characteristics of different trees and how to shape them to what the customer wants (with Fraser Fir, this can 



he difficult), weed and insect control, harvestingand dealing with stumps — basically, solid cultural information. (The 



tree quality here seems exceptional and the plantation is extremely well-maintained, so the information Bill gives 



must be information that works.) 



One reason to attend is the site itself — it's a beautiful place to walk a mile or so on a late afternoon in late October. 



A small 100-year-old horse ham is the only remaining structure of the original set of buildings. For those who went 



to the Van Berkum's and heard them talk about the beginnings of their new ham, here is another good example of 



fine bam construction. (The beams are hung from the rafters — there are no interior supports.) Some of the 



equipment used in the Chnstmas tree business — a bailer, an elevator for loading trees onto a truck, Vicon spreaders — 



will be displayed there. 



After the tour, there will be a question-and-answer period and cookies and cider. 



A flier with date and time and travel directions will be sent to all members — so we hope to see you there: at the 



Conley Farm, 437 Meaderboro Road, Rochester, on October 22 . Whether you grow Christmas trees or not, it would 



be worth your while to see this fine operation. 



If you have any questions, feel free to call Bill at (603) 332-9942. (B.P. 



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October/November 1991 13 



