The Exotic Conifer Association (ECA) Annual Field Day will be held on Thursday August 8th, 2019 from 9:00 am – 7:00 pm at the Bustard Christmas Tree Farm in Lehighton, PA.
Short for Collaborative Fir Germplasm Evaluation Project, CoFirGE is a nationwide effort whose goals include identifying new species of fir for Christmas trees. There are between 30 and 40 species of firs worldwide, a small handful of which are currently grown for the North American Christmas tree market.
The day will focus on the CoFirGe project and the Turkish Fir, which is resistant to root rot. Currently, through the CoFirGE project, there are species of Turkish fir growing in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, North Carolina, Washington, and Oregon, to see how adaptable they are to US climates.
At this year’s meeting, attendees will:
- Tour the CoFirGE test plot of Turkish and Trojan firs and others
- Learn from the experts about the project goals, status, future
- See and hear about the Bustards’ exotics: Turkish, Korean, Corkbark
- Participate in the ECA Inc. business meeting and dinner
For more information, visit: www.exoticconifer.net/events