North Thompson Star/Journal SMALL BUSINESS WEEK, Monday, October 18, 2010 1

October 17 - 23, 2010

By Jill HaywardNorth Thompson Star/Journal

Walk down a garden path – and stroll along under the trees; absorb the comforting quiet of the shaded places, and enjoy the softness of the tree branches as they gently touch you in passing. Take a deep breath and clear your mind. Can you smell the warmth of moist rich earth, the sharp pungency of newly mown hay, and the clean vibrant scent of the pine trees? Can you feel the peace of this land as the river gurgles beside it?

This is a place where time can stand still, where Mother Nature is at her best – this is Amaranth Farm and Nursery.

Amaranth was founded by Cheryl and Bob Hearn in 1970, nestled beside the North Thompson River, at the end of Glenacre Road in McLure.

“We basically home-steaded the place,” says Bob, “There wasn’t a single tree here in 1970, we’ve planted them all, and now there’s 2,000 on the property.”

The Hearns didn’t just plant trees though. They built a spacious home, surrounded it with lush gardens, colourful shrubs,

and of course – their beloved trees. Trees of all shapes and sizes now stand tall through-out the property; a tes-tament to the Hearn’s hard work, and to the success of their vision. A vision which has been the main focus of the farm for the past 15 years – the grow-ing and marketing of deciduous and conifer-ous trees for landscap-ing and homeowners.

Bob says the grow-ing and marketing of coniferous trees such as Colorado blue and green spruce, Austrian pine, and colourful shade trees isn’t all that Amaranth Farm produces.

“I think we are considered a ‘mixed farm’,” says Bob, “We grow hay here as well, and also pasture cattle for a local rancher.”

He notes that wife Cheryl is a major part of their “joint partner-ship” when it comes to the business of market-ing trees and shrubs.

“We have a 20 by 50 greenhouse where she pots up at least one deciduous tree or shrub, such as yew, boxwood, miniature spruces or firs; and then places perennial flowers or shrubs below it,” says Bob, “We then sell these pots to hom-eowners for their land-

scaping, or for the front door of their home.”

He notes that the couple have recently completed a contract with Bella Terra Homes at Riverwalk subdivi-sion in Barriere.

“All the plant mate-rial in the landscaping at the eight new homes completed so far at Riverwalk is supplied by Amaranth. The only thing we didn’t supply

is the turf.”Bob says he works

closely with, and sup-plies other area con-tractors with trees and shrubs, including One Step Landscaping, and W. Luison and Sons. “We’ve also sup-plied everything from ground cover to mature

trees at the Wildfire Dragon Monument site in Louis Creek, and have supplied the North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo facility with trees for a number of years.”

He says that Amaranth annu-ally brings in a liner of ground cover and shrubs in the spring. “This provides people with a little bit of a

choice, even though our focus is on the trees. People can also place special orders through us for specialized trees, ground cover, and shrubs,” says Bob, “We sell strictly wholesale to both business and the public.”

The couple say

they are very grate-ful for the encourage-ment and support they have received from the North Thompson. “People tell a friend, who tell a friend, who tell another friend, etc.,” says Bob.

The Hearns return that support by giv-ing back to the com-

munities of the North Thompson. Bob is a director of the North Thompson C o m m u n i t i e s Foundation, a direc-tor of the McLure Wildf ire Monument Society, and a past director of the Lower North Thompson Community Forest

Society. Amaranth supports the North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo Association, the Community Gardens, the Little Fort Recreation Society, the Heffley Creek School, and numerous other community functions, raffles, and draws.

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Amaranth: a partnership with Mother Nature

h i i f h N h S

Submitted photo:

(Above) Amaranth Farm and Nursery was founded by Cheryl and Bob Hearn in 1970; it’s nestled beside the North Thompson River at the end of Glenacre Road in McLure.

(Left) Bob Hearn uses his tractor to load an order of 60 trees from Amaranth for Kamloops landscaper Pronto Enterprises for the cam-pus at Thompson Rivers University with help from Adam Mills and Keifer Stout.

Photo: Andrew Hayward

As their product becomes known so does their business. The Hearn’s have just provided Kamloops landscaper Pronto Enterprises with 60 trees for the campus at Thompson Rivers University, and another 40 have recently been shipped to Merritt and Nicola Lake.

Amaranth trees are readied for sale or shipping by being dug out of the ground with an automated spade. They are then placed into a burlap and wire basket, which will not be removed when the tree is planted into the ground. “We have a sandy loam here in McLure,” says Bob, “If you have this plug of earth in the wire basket, it sits in the ground with the tree; it has its own growing medium right there.”

He says the shade trees are mainly sold as mature trees of 12 feet to 18 feet. “All of our shade trees are hardy to the North Thompson Valley and Kamloops area. Late fall is still a very good time for planting as the trees are in a dormant stage. It’s just the same for them to be sitting in a hole in the ground in your yard as sitting here in the ground.”

Asked if he was happy with the way their business of marketing trees and shrubs has evolved, Bob replied, “We are def initely con-tinuing on. I’m not sure we’re seeing the scope of future growth yet, but the sales have been more than satisfying this season.”

Bob says he believes the Amaranth Farm property has a lot to do with the marketing of

their product. “I think the setting here is one of the things that draws people. It’s a very pleasant place here on the river. We display everything we sell in our own gardens on the farm. People can see if they buy a 10 meter blue spruce what it will look like at 30 meters, and they can see how well a blue spruce shows up against other colours. Having everything planted in our yard is def initely an advantage that we have over other garden centers.”

The Hearns say their cultivated trees are harvested on a rotation basis for marketing.

“We can harvest 300 per year, and as of right now we have 1,500 left of that rotation,” says Bob as he quotes a say-ing from the CBC’s Vinyl Cafe program, “We’re not big – but

we are little.”He also notes that he enjoys the business

of selling trees. “I get to meet so many nice people. They ask me about planting a tree, and some of them probably know more than I do,” says Bob with a smile, “ That’s one of the joys about this job.”

The Hearns have turned their vision into a well run small business that gives them satis-faction and joy. Amaranth Farm and Nursery knows Mother Nature on a personal level and has turned that knowledge into a successful North Thompson Valley business.

You can contact Amaranth and the Hearns by calling 250-672-9712 or 250-819-9712.

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Amaranth: a partnership with Mother Nature

Trees wrapped in burlap and wire baskets are ready for shipping from Amaranth Farm and Nursery to fill an order in Kamloops.

Norwww.starjournal.net

Photo: Andrew Hayward

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”“I get to meet so many

nice people.... That’s one of the joys about this job”

— Bob Hearn, Amaranth Farm and Nursery