Press Coverage
Hagerstown's local newspaper, The Herald-Mail, likes to write about South Mountain Plantaion around the Christmas. We, of course, like it when they do. Here are a few from the past (we don't keep the ones from the future).
Published Articles
The Enduring Evergreen - This article featuring South Mountain Plantation appeared in the Winter 2008 edition of "Elegant Living" magazine, published in Frederick, MD. The author was Catherine Van Gilder.
South Mountain Plantaion Owner Finds Holiday Spirit Lingers All Year - This article featuring South Mountain Plantation appeared in the December 3, 2002 edition of "The Herald Mail" newspaper, published in Hagerstown, MD. The author was Andrea Rowlano.
Taking Care of Your, Christmas Tree - This article featuring South Mountain Plantation appeared in the December 3, 2002 edition of "The Herald Mail" newspaper, published in Hagerstown, MD.
The Enduring Evergreen- - This article featuring South Mountain Plantation appeared in the Winter 2008 edition of "Elegant Living" magazine, published in Frederick, MD. The author was Catherine Van Gilder.
Gary Cline, above, of South Mountain Plantation, recalls friendly pranks and joking with his customers, who return year after year on his 22-acre tree farm in Boonsboro. "I found my paradise, my calling."
- Gary Cline
by Kelly Hahn Johnson
It's also a profession that keeps them out in the fields year-round, with little sleep between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Both Cline and Heckman, however, wouldn't have it any other way.
"I found my paradise, my calling," said Cline, who just happens to resemble a younger version of Santa Claus.
It's become a way of life, an organic existence, caring and nursing for roughly 20 acres of ever-greens every day.
"It is a rewarding business," Heckman nodded, proud to look back across his fields of healthy, lush evergreens after a hard day's work.
Why do we decorate evergreen trees at Christmas time? We have only to look back at the Egyptians, Romans and Scandinavians, who all used evergreens inside their dwellings to symbolize spiritual and hopeful ideas.
Germans have been decorating evergreen trees during the Christmas season since the 16th century, possibly symbolizing the Paradise Tree in the Garden of Eden. The ornamentation was largely edible - apples, wafers, gilded nuts, along with paper flowers of all colors.
In 1900, only one in five Americans had a Christmas tree. Today, about 30 million fresh-cut Christmas trees are sold each year, which doesn't surprise Cline. There hasn't been any sign of a slowdown in his 20 years of business.
"I've seen the same families coming to pick their tree year after year," Cline said. "Now, those kids arc grown and they bring their own families back."
"Much of my business is repetitive," agreed Heckman, who breeds 16,000 examples of firs, spruces and pines.
Cline's crop includes 30,000 evergreens consisting of firs, spruces, and pines, as well as hemlocks, cypresses and cedars.
Heckman finds many of his Pennsylvania customers prefer the bluish tone of Con colors, a tree from the fir family. He's quick to offer advice, and displays a cut example of each type of evergreen on his property during the holidays.
Gary Heckman stands with his wife, Linda, and son, Michael, amid the pines at Heckman Tree Farm in Cham-bersburg, Pa. The farm breeds 16,000 trees, including firs, spruces and pines. "The Douglas firs are by far the most popular choice here," explained Cline, adding that they take 12 to 14 years to grow from a seedling to Christmas tree size. "The soft needles last longer, they have a wonderful citrus smell, and the trunk is straight and light."
He went on to mention that the branch placement is open and airy, allowing ornaments to show through on all sides.
When Cline orders seedlings at trade shows, he's trying to predict what the trends will be 14 years down the road.
"It's like Christmas for me, going to trade shows," a laughing Cline said. Shows are where new varieties and breeds are offered for sale. "Genetic improvements playa huge role in the industry right now."
Both men have discovered that tree trends tend to follow house trends - huge, open foyers have allowed for taller, skinnier trees.
"But you can't put all of your eggs in one basket," commented Cline. "That's why you have to plant many varieties and many strains."
Since his initial plantings in 1988, Heckman has found success with a very regimented system and schedule. He credits the National Christmas Tree Association for learning the ropes and keeping abreast of new information, and finds that other growers are happy to pass on their knowledge.
After the Christmas hustle is over, Cline and Heckman spend time in the fields digging up and disposing of spent stumps, winterizing machinery and ordering replacement seedlings. Heckman orders 2,500 to 4,000 replacement seedlings annually,
The month of March differs for both growers - Cline can start to plant seedlings if the weather has eased up while Heckman is that much farther north. He'll have to wait another month.
"As soon as the seedlings start coming in the mail," Cline advised, "You have to get them in the ground."
Heckman has a definite plan when it comes to plant placement. "Frasier Firs don't like wet feet, and pines don't grow well in low-lying areas," Heckman said, explaining that his soil is ideal for
South Mountain Plantaion Owner Finds Holiday Spirit Lingers All Year
This article featuring South Mountain Plantation appeared in the December 3, 2002 edition of "The Herald Mail" newspaper, published in Hagerstown, MD.
By Joe Crocetta/Staff PhotographerGary Cline, owner of South Mountain Plantation near Boonsboro, walks through his farm,
which soon will be swamped with people choosing and cutting Christmas trees.
By Andrea Rowlano andrear@herald-mail.com
BOONSBORO -.The holiday spirit-fills all four seasons at South Mountain Plantation south of, of Boonsboro.
"For me, it's Christmas all, year long," Christmas tree farm owner Gary Cline said. "I'm singing Christmas carols when it's 105 degrees in July. I'm singing, 'happy songs and loving every minute of it."
Cline said he relishes the Norman Rockwell-like family atmosphere at his Clevelandtown Road farm during the tree-buying weeks just before Christmas. That holiday cheer keeps Cline going all year despite the hustle and hard work if takes to make the family-run business successful.
"A lot of people start Christmas tree farms but surviving is the key," he said.
Drought, fire and frost can devastate the crop. Dining deer love to de-needle trees. Pests such as the pine sawfly also can defoliate them. Weeds can choke growth.
Seedlings must be carefully chosen for their genetic strengths, planted in stages and maintained throughout the year.
Trees are hand-pruned and tied in spots to improve growth and shape, Cline said.
“Trees are not going to be perfect all on their own,” he said. “We have to make them into perfect Christmas trees.”
Market trends must be tracked to stay on top of ever-changing consumer tastes. Cline recalled, selling mostly Scotch pines in-the early years of his business. Firs are today's top sellers, he said. Marketing plans must also be in place way before the-first set of trees is mature enough to sell- which takes at least a decade, Cline said.
“You have to have your heart and soul in it. You have to really love it because it's intense labor" he said. "I can't imagine anybody going into this without a strong horticultural background.”
Cline has always been blessed with a green thumb and a love of nature, he said.
"I found out real quickly in my life that I could stick a 2-by-4 in the ground and it would grow," he said.
Cline spent most of his adult life working for others in the horticultural industry, and established contacts with a number of successful Christmas tree growers while working for a nursery business that sold Christmas trees on the side, he said.
"I fell in love with the idea of growing trees," Cline said.
He purchased more than 20 acres of hilly land near Boonsboro and began planning his retirement business – a “Mom d Pop” choose-and-cut Christmas tree farm. He built structures for living, sales and equipment storage, cleared land for parking and farm access roads, and planted his first batch of trees about 22 years ago, Cline said.
He continued to work full time while establishing his farm, and still does landscaping on the side to supplement a Christmas tree business that was years in the making, Cline said.
Through determination and hard work, South Mountain Plantation has grown to about 30,000 trees ranging from Frasier firs to white pines with a “little bit of everything” in between. Cline said.
He credits word-of-mouth advertising with gradually expanding his customer base from his hometown tot the Baltimore and Washington metro areas and beyond. People will travel for trees if they know they will get the freshest possible product in a friendly atmosphere, Cline said.
Quality, price and service make the trip to South Mountain Plantation worthwhile, he said.
Cline employs primarily local high school students to help prune, cut, shake, bale and sell and load trees. He, his family members and employees make and sell fresh greenery wreaths and other holiday merchandise in the farm’s retail shop. And specialized wagons and hand saws make cutting and toting Christmas trees easy e3ven for the most unlikely do-it-yourselfers.
“I’ve had pregnant ladies in cashmere coats drop a tree in three minutes flat,” Cline said.
Pre-cut trees also are available at South Mountain Plantation which is open through the Monday before Christmas.
Taking Care of Your, Christmas Tree
For METRO SOURCE, The Herald Mail (Hagerstown, MD)
Perhaps due to the the Christmas season essentially starting the day after Thanksgiving, more and more families now purchase their Christmas trees earlier than ever before. That means tees take increased effort to care for to ensure they make it to the big day. To be certain your tree holds up through the long Christmas season, follow these tree care tips.
• Trees, even healthy ones, will have their share of needle loss. However, if the tree is faded, if the bark on branches is wrinkled, or exterior needles fall off at even the most gentle touch, the tree is excessively dry. Be sure to keep the tree watered.
• Cut trees will absorb water more readily from their stand if they are given a fresh cut prior to submerging the trunk. A tree that has not been freshly cut will still absorb water, but at a slower rate. A thick, crusty sap forms on the end of the trunk and can hamper water absorption.
• According to the National Christmas Tree Association, it is not necessary to add anything to the water of Christmas trees, like aspirin, bleach or fertilizer. Plain tap water will extend the life of a tree for weeks. Other additives can actually hamper water absorption.
• Look for large tree stands that can accommodate at least a gallon of water. A tree drinks at least one quart of water per inch of trunk diameter per day. A larger stand ensures the water will last longer between refills. Also, check water levels regularly. Many people avoid real Christmas trees because they feel they are "killing" a tree and harming the environment. In fact, Christmas trees are raised on farms and harvested for this specific purpose. For every tree harvested, at least three are . planted in its place. Each year there are more trees available than the last. Cut trees can be recycled after the season and impact the environment far less than artificial trees made of non-biodegradable metal and plastic.
