The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Ready to go It's that time again, when we begin to see rows of cut pine trees, ready to be brought into the home and decorated for Christmas. staff photo Midland Fall Fair gate receipts up The Midland Fall Fair mittee has since decided was the opening topic of discussion at a_ recent meeting of the Tiny Tay not to hold a banquet this year because of the dif- ficulties in finding a place Agricultural Society to hold it Gate receipts were Members made a few reported higher than last suggestions for future fall year however, many fairs and these included a labour costs had in- car demolition, tractor creased. Secretary-tr- pull and oxen pull easurer Nancy Keefe said Designs and a pattern the good weather was for the prize list booklets probably responsible for were another concern for the fine turnout. A larger the future. This is to be crowd had been an- further looked into by the ticipated for Friday night executive. Growing Christmas trees a family business by Shirley Whittington Last December Marguerite Desrochers of Lafontaine tried a spruce for the family tree. "She didn't like it," reports her husband, Albert Desrochers. "'It dried up a couple of day s after-she brought it into the house."' Mme. Desrochers has ordered a Scotch pine for this Christmas She won't have to go far to get it. Her husband Albert is one of the largest Christmas tree growers in the area. For the Desrochers, the tree farm is a family business and they have about 200 acres, planted, mostly in Scotch pine. "Nine people out of ten prefer them," says Albert. "The spruce and balsam may be a little easier to decorate, but they dry out so quickly and become a real fire hazard because they have more gum in them. The pine won't burn nearly as easily."' This year's harvest numbered ten thousand trees. "At one time," says Albert, "there wasn't much money in the business, but now they go at $3.50 to $4.50 wholesale and it's worth all the work. Retailers usually double their money, so that means in the city trees will probably sell for seven or eight dollars." Lafontaine is good tree growing country. The crisp climate has something to do with this and so does the soil. Pines eregally like light sandy soil. '"Good potato land is good tree land," says Desrochers. Trees are harvested when they are ten years old. "'We used to cut them after five or six years, but pruning has become more important than ever because people want perfectly shaped trees. Of course, each time you prune, you set the tree's growth back, so it takes longer to grow a good tree," Like any _ farmer, Desrochers worries about annual threats to his crop. One he calls "gall." "A worm gets into the branch and creates a lump. Usually we have to cup the tree right down. Some fields get really infested with this."' Then there's the root weevil. -"These eat away at the roots and the tree turns yellow and dies. It seems to happen more if you plant the same field over the over. It's better to let the land lie idle for four or five years between crops."' The Desrochers work hard at discouraging the harwood bush down in their plantations. "We keep it down with spray. If it gets big, it keeps the sunshine from the small trees."' Replanting is done every year. Up until this year, the small seedlings, six to eight inches high, were placed out in the spring. This year, a fall planting has worked out well. There was a time when the Desrochers used to grow their own seedlings, which they'd transplant after about two years. But the birds found the tiny trees tasty, so now Albert buys seedlings from a nursery each year. All the pines are now cut for this year's market. "We cut them in the middle of October," says Desrochers, "and this bothers a lot of people but they don't realize that the colour is best then. When the weather gets cold, some of the trees start to turn yellow. A cut pine will last a long time when it's kept outdoors." Spruce can't be cut until the end of Novem- ber. The cut trees are baled in the field and trucked to Desrochers' yard where they are picked up by dealers. They used to bring the big trucks right out to the field but now with baling, a load of trees is so heavy they can't get those big trucks into the bush." Sometimes, as Albert cuts a tree, he wonders where it will end up, with its coloured lights and tinsel. 'Ours go down to Ohio, and some to Massachusetts. "This year he _ sent four thousand to Windsor, and he reckons that many of them will wind up across the border in Detroit. J Quickly and Ss S S lst & 2nd Mortages -Builders Interim Loans- arranged at Competitive Rates \\ CPC Player R.E. Ltd. Broker Elmvale Ont. 705-322-1991 iS SS Confidentially TOWNSHIP OF TINY PLANNING BOARD MEETING The Ratepayers of the Township of Tiny are invited to attend a public meeting in the Committee Room of the Municipal Building at the Township of Tiny in Perkinsfield. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday the 1st day of December, 1976 at 8:00 p.m. This public meeting is to present proposed Amendment No. 14 to the Official Plan for the Township of Tiny Planning Area. Amendment No. 14 is to add a new subsection to the Roads Policy entitled "Construction of Structures' and this subsection will alleviate difficulties for ratepayers to obtain building permits to add to existing non-complying uses Roger E. Robitaille, SECRETARY-TREASURER, Township of Tiny, Planning Board. 4 to view the horse pulling : : = ---------- contest. A fair number of people braved the rain on Friday night to see this event which was at the fair for its second year Following the financial review, Keefe read the minutes of the meeting of the Board of Directors Once again this year, the Tiny and Tay Agricultural Society will sponsor the North Central SS BRITANIS 4-H Calf Club at their a annual banquet to be held © Skylark Holidays Friday evening, Vweek from November 26 at the Vasey $ 59 occupancy United Church Some of the executive and Board members will Departures every Monday from Dec. 20 to Apr. 18 Let SkyLark jet you to San Juan for a week long cruise to the be attending the 4-H Caribbean's most popular ports: San Juan, Martinique, evening to represent the Curacao, St. Thomas, Guadeloupe, La Guaira, St. Vincent, Tiny and Tay Barbados and Grenada. SkyLark's representatives will be on par b> ay board the Britannis again this year to make sure your holiday Agricultural Society is as carefree as it should be. We have a choice of two itineraries for you. An optional second week in San Juan is available for those who wish to spend another week under the sun A banquet and social evening for members and helpers of the fair board : i 5 ae va SkyLark Fly/Cruise includes: © Round trip air transportation was one of the main topics from Toronto to San Juan. Puerto Rico, via Wardair 707 jet ¢ for discussion. Due to a Complimentary inflight meals and drinks ¢ Transfers and baggage great number of other handling between airport and pier e Accommodation on board ship ' nM category selected for seven nights @ Five meals and all events coming up in the enle inment on board ship ® Services of a resident SkyLark near future, a date was | representative @ Port taxes ¢ SkyLark beach bag not established nor a_ || location. However, a committee of four board | members was organized | to plan and make further arrangements | The possibility of |} s : holding the banquet in |] HURONIA TRAVEL SERVICE chairs specially Vasey United Church i, a ~ Ras \ with the church women | MIDLAND ELMVALE BARRIE - * ' ; > 527 BAY ST. |13 QUEEN ST.| 113 DUNLOP selected for catering was mentioned | y, but it was decided there 526-7848 322-1505 oe Christmas giving j. : -- Buy now |! Ih Taxes, service charges and gratuities extra. Prices quoted are per person and vary from $459. to $819. according to accommodation and departure selected. See the Sky Lark Winter 1976-77. brochure for full details. Here is the perfect combination of quality and durability in 3 position recliners manufactured by Sklar and covered in fabrics made by Uniroyal to ensure beauty and long life. (see our complete selection of Sklar might be problems due to renovations which are being made at the church The planning com- Contemporary luxury with 3: j over-stuffed cushions Li ib A Mi which are reversible make | s i a Wi 4 this the perfect way to r | relax. 279. and we'll layaway your purchase for Introducing Laura Graham It is with a great deal of pride and pleasure that we welcome Laura to our staff. Her many years of experience can assure you the latest in hair styling. Christmas Delivery 1 i" mnt!" Vy Ry i mt \\ il _ Wii % i \' t f Colonial recliner " with hand-tufted in-back and box itll i | ri ist i mn i si Vea lis n Laura's a ORUG tary Special A chair to suit any life style with tufted in-back eat valance. - and three net DE) ogg Pale Quality YOU can | #22n.eeie Starting Nov. 16th to Nov. 31st Mon. thru Sat. Phone 549-8841 for appt. ANTONIO'S COIFFURE 85 Main St., Penetang THOMPSON'S FURNITURE - APPLIANCES - FLOOR COVERINGS 264 KING ST. DOWNTOWN MIDLAND 526-5443 Afford! Page 6, Wednesday, November 17, 1976 4 SPALRBTSD x P t Pino inte a Ace os 4 Payee, Set pee oa de 010 DA te tA AN ALD Pils Ve On we OA ee ee I PNIN IRIAN ie oy ie Be te aa