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Tree farms fill niche
Boys' home plants more than seedlings
BY GINA HAMILTON • CONTRIBUTING WRITER
 | | A hayride out to where trees are being harvested this year is part of the fun at the Christmas tree farm operated by the Boys' Home in West Augusta. Back from a ride are, from left: tractor driver Alex Takele, 15, a resident at Boys' Home in Covington; Memphis, Mike and Nicole Nicholas, with Mike preparing to take over as tree farm manager; and Jeremy Cote, 14, a resident of Boys' Home. (Recorder photo by Gina Hamilton) |
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HIGHLANDS AREA - Finding a real Christmas tree to cut and bring home requires a little searching and driving but for some folks, having a tall, fragrant tree in the living room is worth the effort. Four such tree farms are within driving range: Gobblers Nob Nursery and Tree Farm in McDowell, Chittum Tree Farm just outside Churchville, and the Boys' Home Christmas Tree Farm in West Augusta. Another location is near Frost, W.Va.
The tree farm operated by the Boys' Home program affords boys ages 6 to 18 the opportunity to plant and nurture the trees from seedlings to harvest while they rebuild their own broken lives and families.
 | | Boys' Home resident Daniel Sekiwala, 15, sitting on fence far right, watches visitors at the center's Christmas tree farm gift shop last Saturday. (Recorder photo by Gina Hamilton) |
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"It takes 10 years to grow a tree; we are trying to grow kids for a lifetime of success," said Janet Lemmer, the program's development director. Her husband, Greg Lemmer, is associate director at the center located in Covington. Both were at the tree farm last Saturday as a handful of students participated in helping customers cut and bale trees for their own homes.
There was Alex Takele, 15, of Seattle, Wash., driving the tractor and hay wagon to the fields of trees, and Brad Robertson, 12, busily baling Christmas trees for waiting customers. Daniel Sekiwala, also 15, took a break on the fence outside the gift shop. "I like being outdoors," he said, noting he will go home to New York City for a Christmas visit.
The Boys' Home houses 52 students at this time, with most coming from the Shenandoah Valley, Allegheny Highlands and Tidewater areas, according to Lemmer, but students have also come from Ohio, Maryland, and Washington State.
 | | Baling a customer's tree last Saturday at the Boys' Home Christmas tree farm in West Augusta are, from left: Mike Nicholas, who is taking over as manager of the tree farm; and Boys' Home residents Brad Robertson, 12, and Alex Takele, 15. (Recorder photo by Gina Hamilton) |
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"All of us are childcare workers first," Lemmer said. The center's staff of 50 includes house parents, case managers, maintenance staff, others in the business office, 14 part-time teachers, as well as the assistant director (Greg Lemmer) and Donnie Wheatley as executive director.
The tree farm is part of the program's mission to help the boys become responsible and productive adults, developing their potential to the fullest. They share in planting 1,500 seedlings each spring, shaping trees during the year, mowing fields (and occasionally a few seedlings) and harvesting about 600 trees during the Christmas season.
Farm manager Ed Patterson said, "We grow boys first and trees second." He said this year the farm has seen its best season in several years.
 | | The gift shop open weekends at the Christmas tree farm operated by the Boys' Home in West Augusta offers a variety of goods and gift baskets for purchase. (Recorder photo by Gina Hamilton) |
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Janet Lemmer said, "Most often we see that the children are behind in school, some have learning or behavior issues. Some of their family structure cannot handle it at this time." She said they also see socially and economically disadvantaged children, and children who need time out from their families to get things together.
"Most of our children just need a good education. We try to make sure they will finish high school and have some vocational-technical training," she explained. "We have children who go on to community and four-year colleges. Whatever their potential is, we are trying to help them reach that potential."
The staff works on consistency, definite rules and expectations of behavior that bring rewards to the students - as long as the young men want to change and accept help. This can later reunite them with their own families. "Some of our children just need a change in environment; it's not safe where they live. Most of the children will go home for Christmas," Lemmer said.
She and her husband seem well suited to their jobs. Greg Lemmer retired from the Marine Corps after 23 years as lieutenant colonel. Janet was a teacher for 10 years in grades five and six at public and private schools wherever they were stationed. The couple was active in school and scouting activities when their son, Scott, now 30, was growing up. They have been on the Boys' Home staff for 15 and almost 12 years respectively and still enjoy working with the young students.
"Boys' Home has been a wonderful place for us to work; we are very blessed to have found such a meaningful job," Janet Lemmer said.
Success stories abound, from a young man back from Kosovo to several to have been or are serving in Iraq. The students have grown to become businessmen, doctors, and some now work at Boys' Home, including the executive director, two house parents and another working on the maintenance staff. Another is a team leader at the center and one works in vo-tech with the boys.
"We have a building trades teacher at the school who works with us, and some boys attend Jackson River Technical Center," said Greg Lemmer. "A majority of the boys attend public school while staying at Boys' Home." He explained that for the first 50 to 90 days after the boys are at the facility, they are taught there, then they matriculate into public school. Those who are a year behind in school stay in the center's remedial school.
The average stay is two years; the boys can stay until they graduate from high school and the staff can assist them in getting into a college or trade school. "We have case managers who make sure the parents keep track of their boys' progress and that the boys call home," Janet Lemmer said, noting that for the staff, "it helps to have a sense of humor and stay positive."
More information about the facility is available online at www.boyshomeinc.org. For direc- tions to the tree farm, call (540) 939-4106.
Other tree farms
At Gobblers Nob in McDowell, owner Van Hower said notes the tree farm opened in 1974 and he's owned it since 1991. In the spring, anywhere from 500 to 5,000 tree seedlings are planted, depending on the weather. "Some trees take seven years, some may take 17 years to harvest - Fraser firs take that long; they grow slow," he said. His operation is choose-and-cut; nothing is precut. "People walk around, find a tree that interests them, and they can cut it themselves or we can cut it," he said.
Hower said every year is a good year in tree sales. Most of the big trees go down to the Lexington area and he has sold trees to The Homestead in Hot Springs in the past. "We also have trees that are not heavily manicured," he said. "They have a more natural look; we have clients that prefer that."
Christmas tree sales are just part of his business. "We are a nursery; we are landscape architects and designers," he said.
For directions to the farm, call (540) 396-6228.
Chittum Tree Farm near Churchville is operated by Rick Chittum, who recalled planting the first trees in 1972 when he was 26. He has about 5,000 trees now in varieties from Fraser fir to Scotch and white pine. "The goal is to harvest 1,000 during the season, but it's somewhere in the hundreds," he said. "It's cut your own, but help is available to get it cut. I have a nice crew of area high school boys helping."
It's been a family operation, with his mother, Elsie Chittum, still helping out with accounting work and mailings, and his son Brodie, 13, lending a hand. Chittum said his father, who died in 2004, did a lot of the work for years.
When he's not maintaining the trees, Chittum is involved in the rehabilitation of old homes in historic districts.
The farm is located on Green Hill Lane. For directions, call (540) 337-6625.
Christmas trees are also available at Mill Run Farm near Frost, W.Va., owned by Douglas Grimes since 1975. According to his wife, Connie Grimes, they plant about 3,500 tree seedlings each spring. "A lot of people come from Virginia and from Highland County," she said. Trees are Fraser fir, Colorado blue spruce and Norway spruce in sizes from 5 to 10 or 12 feet. People can come to cut their own or have them cut in the field. For directions to the site, call (304)799-6784.
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