Ernie and Donna Smith91裸聊视频檚 retirement project is paying off this Christmas.

Nine years ago, they planted about 1,000 Douglas fir trees at the front of their scenic acreage on Lyman Hill, with the intention of starting a Christmas tree farm. Ernie said members of the Jespersen family (who operate the Jespersen Solvang Tree Farm in Salmon Arm) helped get them started on the tree farm as a retirement project, though caring for the trees became more of a hobby for him.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e spent many hours out there with the trees,91裸聊视频� said Ernie, with Donna adding it takes three hours alone just to mow the grass around them using two riding mowers.

The Smiths opened their u-cut Christmas tree farm to the public last year.

91裸聊视频淟ast year, there was no snow mind you, we had people that didn91裸聊视频檛 want to leave,91裸聊视频� said Ernie. 91裸聊视频淭hey were feeding the horses next door from the apple tree and this year we have a box of apples sitting out there. The kids just totally enjoy it.91裸聊视频�

The Smiths have since modified the tree cutting/purchasing process to include stringent health and safety protocols.

This year, the Smiths sold their first Christmas tree to a resident of Revelstoke. Residents from Vernon, Kamloops and Kelowna have also made their way to Salmon Arm to buy a tree from the Smiths. The draw has to do with this summer91裸聊视频檚 heat dome and the recent flooding event in the Lower Mainland which, combined, have reportedly resulted in a shortage of Christmas trees available for sale in B.C.

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91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e seen a lot of it on TV and it is very, very bad,91裸聊视频� said Ernie. 91裸聊视频淢y trees 91裸聊视频� you can actually see there are some in the middle where some of the needles fell off, but overall they91裸聊视频檙e really good. Then you can see on some trees that were facing west, you can see a little brown on the tree but they survived 91裸聊视频� it actually was baking them.91裸聊视频�

The Smiths91裸聊视频� farm was reduced to about 700 trees a few years back after a winter of heavy snowfall. Asked if he91裸聊视频檇 replanted any, Ernie said he considered it but, after this summer, is glad he didn91裸聊视频檛.

91裸聊视频淚 was going to add more trees but it91裸聊视频檚 hard to get the seedlings,91裸聊视频� he explained. 91裸聊视频淚 put my name in with three different forestry companies that provide them. What you do is you can get the leftovers and there were no leftovers. It91裸聊视频檚 a good thing I didn91裸聊视频檛 because I would have lost them all. Especially the seedlings.91裸聊视频�

The Smiths have lived at their Lyman Hill residence, originally owned by the Lyman family, for 43 years. The small, cozy abode wasn91裸聊视频檛 so welcoming when Ernie discovered it after taking a drive up 70th Avenue NE all those years ago.

91裸聊视频淲e had a little house in town but we didn91裸聊视频檛 want to live there with three boys,91裸聊视频� explained Donna. 91裸聊视频�(Ernie) took a drive out here one day and came back and said, 91裸聊视频榃e91裸聊视频檝e got to go back, it91裸聊视频檚 a private sale!91裸聊视频� By the time he took the guy out to sign the papers they were lined up at the driveway coming in.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭his house had about 20 mice in it, holes in the walls91裸聊视频�,91裸聊视频� said Ernie who, having worked in construction, fixed up the home he guessed to be 108 years old.

Trees at the Smith91裸聊视频檚 tree farm are $55 u-cut. For an extra $5, you can pick out your tree and Ernie will cut it down and haul it to your vehicle for you.

Asked if they set up their own tree for Christmas, Donna said she puts up a small ornamental one but not a full tree as she and Ernie tend to spend their Christmas91裸聊视频� with their kids.

91裸聊视频淭hey all put trees up, I donate the trees,91裸聊视频� said Ernie.

The Smith91裸聊视频檚 tree farm is located at 6170-70th Ave. N.E. and is open daily until dusk.

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