Seed Collection on the Farm in Eastern Ontario

It is that time of year on the egg farm again when we see these ladies out on the road busily raking up acorns from the giant Burr Oak whose branches lean out over the road due to its size and proximity to the roadside. They are Devra and Tamara Rayvals, sister seed collectors.  Devra is a certified Seed Collector of Native Shrubs and Trees, working in Eastern Ontario; what a great job to have! On our farm in Eastern Ontario, we have a pair of large 250 year old Burr Oak trees that are perfect for harvesting seeds.

Seed Collection in Eastern Ontario

Devra is very busy in the late Spring, Summer and Fall until the snow flies. She contracts for such unique organizations as Ferguson Forest in Kemptville, Ontario, the Ministry of Natural Resources; Trees Ontario; Algonquin Forest Authority and CFB Petawawa.  Her sister, Tamara, helps on her days off from her desk job at Kriska.  “The fresh air and exercise are a welcome change”.

Preserving our Native Trees

Devra looks for native, healthy, mature trees on Crown land, in cemeteries, parks and on private land from which to collect seed.  Many of these trees are original to the area, almost predating settlers, especially the oaks.  In June, she uses binoculars to do “forecasting” to check to see if trees will have a crop that year.  Most trees have a cycle of 3 to 7 years for seed production.  Red Pine grow for 25 years in a plantation setting before seed production and longer in the wild.  It takes White and Red Pine two years for cones to develop.  This year, 2015, is a good year to collect Red Pine cones.  Red Pine are used extensively for hydro and telephone poles because on this continent they grow perfectly straight.  Scots Pine grow perfectly straight in Scotland but not here due to the different conditions (weather). Here we have one of the old Elm trees that is still growing strong on the farm.

Collecting Seeds

After she has collected the seeds (maple, elm in the Spring, conifers, oaks in the Fall), they must be sorted, floated and shipped to the contractor companies who use them for reforestation or sale of native trees (Ferguson Forest in Kemptville).

In Canada, the federal government paid the early settlers to lift Sugar Maples out their woods and plant them on the sides of the roads. Trees provided shade for the horses travelling along the roads.  There were also many sites that were designated watering areas for the horses.  Sugar Maples were good because they did not drop acorns in the Fall and they could be tapped for sap in the Spring to make maple syrup.  An organization called Maple Leaves Forever is devoted to repopulating the iconic Sugar Maple along the roadsides of rural Ontario.  ( www.mapleleavesforever.com ). Today Devra and Tamara capitalize on some of the roadside trees which include Oak and Maples.

In Canada, the federal government paid the early settlers to lift Sugar Maples out their woods and plant them on the sides of the roads. Trees provided shade for the horses travelling along the roads.  There were also many sites that were designated watering areas for the horses.  Sugar Maples were good because they did not drop acorns in the Fall and they could be tapped for sap in the Spring to make maple syrup.  An organization called Maple Leaves Forever is devoted to repopulating the iconic Sugar Maple along the roadsides of rural Ontario.  ( www.mapleleavesforever.com ). Today Devra and Tamara capitalize on some of the roadside trees which include Oak and Maples.

Devra collects seeds from as far west as Prince Edward County up to Matawawa along to Ottawa and the Quebec border and the 1000 Islands region. In Eastern Ontario, the Burr Oak (a relative of the White Oak) is the predominant oak tree.  The cap on the acorn of this tree resembles a burr from the native burdock plant.

This area includes 5 Seed Zones, similar to growing zones for agriculture. In this area she also collects from such species as Red Oaks, Maples, Ash and Red and White Pine and the Pitch Pine which grows only in the 1000 Islands and on and around Blue Mountain near Charleston Lake.

This area includes 5 Seed Zones, similar to growing zones for agriculture. In this area she also collects from such species as Red Oaks, Maples, Ash and Red and White Pine and the Pitch Pine which grows only in the 1000 Islands and on and around Blue Mountain near Charleston Lake.

Eastern Ontario has many unique forest sites in which Devra is allowed to collect seed. In Eastern Ontario we are lucky to have the working model forest near Kemptville and the linked association ( www.eomf.on.ca ). This model is world renowned.   Seed collection occurs in Algonquin Park where they use local tree seed for reforestation.  Near Arnprior, Devra collects in the Gilles Tract which is a stretch of old growth forest in which the town of Arnprior was built and still flourishes today. Perhaps the most exciting location that Devra collects in is the CFB Petawawa albeit infrequently.  She must take an “unexploded ordinance course”, check in upon arrival at the 10,000 acre research forest, go only where she is told to go and check in upon departure.  One of the perks of this site is getting to collect in a forest along the Ottawa River that only she and the CFB inhabitants get to view.

Burnbrae Farms is proud of our old trees

Collecting seeds is a seasonal occupation that requires good memory for tree location and lots of knowledge about tree biology and reproduction. Devra also must know some of the habits of the forest inhabitants who she routinely enlists for help.  She collects the “squirrel cash” of red pine cones from certain squirrel families who do her collecting for her and leaves them sunflower seeds or her extra acorns in replacement for their “cash”.  Devra truly communes with nature in this unique occupation.  We are proud at Burnbrae Farms that some of our old trees can participate in this program.